Daily Readings for: April 20, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: O God, hope and light of the sincere, we humbly entreat you to dispose our hearts to offer you worthy prayer and ever to extol you by dutiful proclamation of your praise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Friday of the Second Week of Easter (Optional Memorial of St. Beuno in Wales)
The Church in Wales is celebrating the feast of St. Beuno, one of its greatest saints. He was a wonder-worker and aristocrat, monk and master of monks, patriot, challenger of tyrants — that was the medieval picture of the man which is reflected in his Life, and which survives, carved in stone on the fourteenth century pulpit of the Black Monks of Shrewsbury.
St. Beuno
Abbot of Clynnog, d. 660(?), was, according to the "Bucced Beuno", born in Powis-land and, after education and ordination in the monastery of Bangor, in North Wales, became an active missioner, Cadvan, King of Gwynedd, being his generous benefactor. Cadwallon, Cadvan's son and successor, deceived Beuno about some land, and on the saint demanding justice proved obdurate. Thereupon, Cadwallon's cousin Gweddeint, in reparation, "gave to God and Beuno forever his township", where the saint (c. 616) founded the Abbey of Clynnog Fawr (Carnarvonshire).
Beuno became the guardian and restorer to life of his niece, the virgin St. Winefride, whose clients still obtain marvelous favors at Holywell (Flintshire). He was relentless with hardened sinners, but full of compassion to those in distress. Before his death "on the seventh day of Easter" he had a wondrous vision. Eleven churches bearing St. Beuno's name, with various relics and local usages, witness to his far-reaching missionary zeal. — Catholic Encyclopedia
Patron: Diseased cattle, sick animals, sick children.
Symbols: Restoring the head of Saint Winifred.
Things to Do:
- Read about the history of Shrewsbury Abbey.