Dominican saints & blesseds: April 2013 Archives

Saint Catherine cut her hair and put aside her elegant clothing as an act of modesty, to shun the worldly attention of potential suitors and devote her life to Christ.

Saint Catherine of Siena writes:

I want your security to be in Christ gentle Jesus. He has clothed us in the sturdiest garment there is, a garment of love....The very first garment we ever had was love, for it was only by love that we were created in God's image and likeness.

(Letter 185-86)

            The process of becoming a saint, if you are not a John Paul II or a Mother Terese can take some time. When I heard the news of the completion of US side of Rose Hawthorne's cause for canonization was made, the other day from a Dominican priest friend, a "praise God" rang out! The last significant ecclesial judgement made on the sanctity of Rose Hawthorne was in 2003 when she was declared to be a Servant of God.

Leave it to a Capuchin friar to pick up the obvious: we need a patron saint for reverts. To my knowledge, there are no heavenly patrons except for Blessed Anthony Neyrot, who gave up the faith, and came back home. Perhaps now Blessed Anthony's currency will increase. Special thanks to my friend and fellow Elm City-ite, Friar Charles, who wrote the following post on his blog, A Minor Friar, earlier today:

Today is the feast of Blessed Anthony Neyrot, OP. I think he could make a fine heavenly patron for 'reverts' to the faith.

Here's his entry in the Martyrology today:

At Tunis on the coast of northern Africa, blessed Anthony Neyrot, priest of the Order of Preachers and martyr, who, taken by pirates to Africa, apostatized, but, helped by divine grace, publicly took up again the religious habit on Holy Thursday, which atoned for his crime by covering it with stones.

Some other things I read on the internet said that during his apostasy he had become a fairly devout Muslim and had even made a socially advantageous marriage. Holy Week 1460, however, found him inspired to repent of his apostasy. Having made his confession he was re-invested in the Dominican habit and then, on Holy Thursday, was stoned to death for his re-version to the faith.

Here is the Mass prayer for Blessed Anthony I posted in 2010.

Blessed Anthony, pray for us!

Today is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati's 112th birthday. As a friend who brought this Litany to my attention said, "it's a great piece of reflection for students and for those of us looking to be life-long learners." Let's pray to Blessed Piergiorgio for the grace of being a better friend, Christian, apostle and person of the Beatitudes.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary,

pray for us. (repeat after each line)

All the angels and saints,

Blessed Pier Giorgio,

Loving son and brother,

Support of family life,