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Commemorating
† Bishop Saint Adalbert of Prague †

( Observed Anno Dómini 23 April 2012 )

Saint Adalbert was born in A.D. 956 into an illustrious family of Bohemia. In childhood he was taken by a fatal illness and his parents made a vow to the Holy Virgin to offer him to the priesthood if he would be cured. Their prayers were answered, and the boy recovered his health. They sent their son to Magdeburg to the saintly Archbishop of Magdeburg, who oversaw his education in religion and science.

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In A.D. 973 he received holy orders from the Bishop of Prague. Later, this Bishop died a bad death, screaming in despair on his deathbed that he would be condemned for his negligence to his duties and ardent pursuit of honors, wealth and pleasures. A witness to this sad end, Saint Adalbert never forgot it, taking it as a lesson for the rest of his life. The next year he was chosen as Bishop of Prague.

He entered Prague barefoot and was joyfully received by the people. The Diocese was in a deplorable situation. Some of its inhabitants were still idolaters, and many Catholics were well entrenched in shameful vices. In vain Saint Adalbert tried to correct them and to bring them to religion and piety. When his efforts proved fruitless, he obtained papal permission to leave the Episcopate and enter a monastery in Rome. After five years, Pope John XV sent him back to Prague with the provision that he could again leave the Episcopate if the people did not correspond.

A second time he was received joyfully, and the people promised to correct themselves and leave their heathen practices. These hasty promises were soon forgotten, however, and the Saint determined to abandon them forever and return to his monastery. On his way back to Rome, he met with a great success in Hungary, where he converted many to Catholicism. With this, the Pope ordered him to not come to Rome, but to return to Prague. At this news, the elites of Prague became enraged and killed many relatives of the Saint, stole his belongings, and burned the family castles.

Saint Adalbert went to Boleslaus, his friend, son of the Duke of Poland. In this country he again converted many idolaters. On a missionary trip to Prussia he converted some of the inhabitants of Danzig. It was there that he met his death when a group of pagans attacked him. When he received the first blow, he thanked God for giving him the opportunity to suffer for Him. Then the pagan priest leading the idolaters pierced his body with a two-headed lance, saying: “Be joyous, then, since you want nothing more than to suffer with your Christ.” It was A.D. 23 April 997.

Comments of Professor Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira :

This life is so dense in teachings that we could analyze it point by point. Let us take only some of them.

First, we can consider the situation in the Middle Ages. It is erroneous to imagine that in that time the Church was crowned with glory sleeping in a bed of flowers for 1000 years. The fact is that during those 1000 years the life of the Church was a hard fight. The reality is that the Church won that fight because many generous souls, called by God to make the sacrifice of their lives, said “yes.” In other times the Church has to face the same fight, but instead of saying “yes,” persons called by God say “no,” or “perhaps” – which is the more detestable way to say “no.” So, the Church is badly served and as a consequence, civilization slides downhill. This applies to the facts we just heard regarding the Middle Ages.

Second, Prague was an important city of that time. It was situated in an area newly evangelized by the Church, still lacking a Catholic civilization. Great attention was being paid to it, just as today people pay special attention to new areas that are just starting to develop and be civilized. In Prague there was a Bishop who had the responsibility to further the Reign of Our Lord and Our Lady in that region. His mission was to confirm the Catholics in their faith and to convert those who were not Catholics. But he was bad and died in despair.

Third, even in this death we can see some medieval characteristics that almost no longer exist. Today almost no one dies in dramas of despair. Sinners like this Bishop and even worse die listening to music and such, completely indifferent to their responsibilities. They do so cynically, calmly, saying good bye to everyone and pretending they have nothing to fear. There is no longer shame felt for the sins committed and the evil done. It is a complete indifference, and a general insensibility. The worse thing is that this moral insensibility reflects the person’s loss of the sense of good and evil, the sense of what comes from God and what comes from the Devil.

Such insensibility was much rarer in the Middle Ages. Certainly the Church had to fight against all kind of enemies, as we heard in this selection. But it rarely happened that a man would have the kind of indifferent death we see today. Persons could die blaspheming, or in despair; others would convert in extremis [at the last moment]. But almost no one died in the cynicism and indifference so common today.

Fourth, so we see that the Bishop of Prague died with signs of horror, with signs of his condemnation. One good result was the healthy shock this caused in the life of a future saint. Remembering this sight, Saint Adalbert decided to humbly enter Prague barefoot when he was chosen to be the successor of that man. Doing this, he was showing that he was a penitent Bishop, and not a dissolute Bishop. It was his way of saying that he would not follow in the steps of his predecessor, that he would lead the Diocese in a way completely different from his predecessor. It was a strong statement that showed his disapproval not only of the bad Bishop, but also of the bad faction of Catholics of that city.

Fifth, a curious fact that contradicts later events is that twice the people received him very well. Nonetheless, that people was incorrigible. They resisted the efforts of the Saint during his whole lifetime. They became, in effect, his great cross. He preached to this people, and they didn’t convert. Afterwards, he preached to the Hungarians and the Prussians and they converted, but his own people did not. They remained bad to the end.

Nothing is automatic in the life of the Church. Some persons think that if a city or an area has a saint, it will automatically convert. It doesn’t work this way. While it is true that often a saint is enough to convert a region, at other times a bad people can resist the action of the greatest saints, just as the Jews resisted the action of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was the Man-God Himself.

Sixth, the result of this rejection of Saint Adalbert by Bohemia – it is interesting to see the consequences of the rejection of a saint – is that it continued to be a bad region for a long time. With John Hus, Bohemia took an early lead in the Protestant revolution, and after it, Bohemia was one of the strongholds of Protestantism.

Although Bohemia was subject to the House of Austria, it always constituted a problem. Later it became a socialist republic. Furthermore, this people did not rise up with any particular reaction against Communism when it took over Czechoslovakia. That is to say, that rejection of old, that bad character from its past, generated a bad people until our days. There were, of course, exceptions. There were many good people there, many saints. But a bad current always continued.

We should imitate Saint Adalbert in bringing the truth and the traditional Catholic position to our countries. If we do so in the right way, fearlessly and humbly, as Saint Adalbert did, we invite our countries to adhere to the right path.

We should pray to Saint Adalbert and especially to Our Lady to help convert our countries and our American continent. We should ask that we are generous enough to answer “yes,” and never “perhaps” to the invitation God makes to us to help Him.


30 posted on 04/23/2012 2:08:51 AM PDT by Robert Drobot (Fiat voluntas tua)
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CALENDAR of the SAINTS

Anno Dómini 22 April 2012


Ceiling Paintings of Balilihan Roman Catholic church

"....and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. ~ ~ Apocalypse

Α Ω

Saint Abdiesus of Cashcar

Α Ω


Saint Abdiesus the Deacon, Martyr

Also called Hebed Jesus, a deacon in the Christian community of Persia who was . Records indicate that Saint Abdiesus was accompanied in his martyrdom by Saint Abrosimus, Saint Acepsimus, Saint Azadanes, Saint Azades, Saint Bicor, Saint Mareas, Saint Milles, and a women, Saint Tarbula. Some were Persian courtiers, others priests and bishops. Saint Tarbula was the sister of Saint Simeon, and suffered a particularly cruel death by sawing.

Α Ω

Saint Abel McAedh

A devout Roman Catholic woman.

Α Ω

Saint Abrosimus, Martyr

Priest in Persia.Martyred during the persecution of Catholics by King Shapur II in Persia.

Α Ω


Bishop Saint Aceptismas of Persia, Martyr

Martyred A.D. 342 during the persecution of Catholics by King Shapur II.

Α Ω

Saint Adelbert of Ostrevant, Martyr

Α Ω

Saint Aithala of Persia

Α Ω

Bishop Saint Apelles of Smyrna, Martyr

A martyr associated with Saint Lucius and Saint Clement. Saint Apelles was the first Bishop of Smyrna, Turkey, and was mentioned by Blessed Apostle Saint Paul who greeted him as "approved in Christ" in Romans 16. Saint Lucius was the Bishop of Laodicea. All three were martyred by heathen muslims for refusing to deny Jesus Christ as the One True God. Saint Lucius and Saint Apelles share the same feast day.

Α Ω


Saints Arwald, Martyrs

Sons of Arwald, prince of the Isle of Wight, just off the English coast. These holy children of God are called Arwald because their proper names are not known. Only after they had been baptized, they were slain by King Cadwall, a pagan.

Α Ω

Saint Authaire

Confessor and patron of La-Feste-sur-Jouarre, in France. He was a courtier of King Dagobert I, ruler of Frankish Austria who fathered Saint Oys of Rouen.

Α Ω

Saint Azadanes, Martyr

Deacon. Martyred A.D. 360 in Persia, during the persecution of Catholics by King Shapur II.

Α Ω

Saint Azades, Martyr

Eunuch in the court of King Sapor II of Persia.Convert to Catholicism. Martyred A.D. 360.

Α Ω

Saint Bicor, Martyr

Bicor was a Persian bishop martyred during the persecution of Catholics by King Shapur II.

Α Ω

Saint Chrysoteins

Α Ω

Saint Clement

Α Ω

Saint Epiphanius and Saint Alexander, Martyrs

Martyrs of Lyons, France. Friend of and worker with Saint Alexander of Lyon. Imprisoned, tortured, and martyred during the persecution of Catholics by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Though he never joined an order, Epipodius was a confirmed celibate bachelor, devoting his time to work with and for God. They were betrayed to imperial authorities by a servant.

Α Ω

Saint Francis Venimbeni of Fabriano

Α Ω

Saint Helimenas, Martyr

Priest.Martyred when Decius invaded Mesopotamia. Saint Helimenas was beheaded c.250 at Babylon.

Α Ω

Saint James of Persia, Martyr

Fourth century priest martyred during the persecution of Catholics by King Shapur II.

Α Ω

Saint Joseph of Persia, Martyr

A priest who suffered the pain of torture Saint Acepsimas under King Shapur II in his merciless persecution of Christians conducted by that heathen false religion ruler. during the persecution of Catholics by King Shapur II.

Α Ω

Saint Julian of Vienne

Α Ω

Bishop Saint Leo of Sens

Bishop of Sens, France for 22 years who defended the rights of his See against the claims of the Frankish king Childebert I. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sens is a Latin Rite Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic church in France. The Archdiocese comprises the department of Yonne, in the region of Bourgogne. Established in the first century AD as the Diocese of Senonensis, the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese in the third century. For a time, the Archbishop of Sens held the title "Primate of the Gauls and Germania". Until A.D. 1622, it numbered seven suffragan (subordinate) dioceses: the dioceses of Chartres, Auxerre, Meaux, Paris, Orléans, Nevers and Troyes, which inspired the acronym CAMPONT. The Diocese of Bethléem at Clamecy was also dependent on the metropolitan see of Sens. The archdiocese is a suffragan of Dijon. The archbishop is Yves François Patenôtre, whose cathedra (seat) is at Sens Cathedral. Bishop Saint Leo died A.D. 541.

Α Ω

Saint Leonidas, Martyr

Layman.Father of seven sons, the eldest of whom was the philosopher Origen, whom he raised and taught. A philosopher and rhetorician, Saint Leonidas was imprisoned and beheaded A.D. 202 by command of Laertus, Roman Governor of Egypt. All his property was confiscated, and his family reduced to complete poverty until they were "adopted" by a wealthy Catholic woman.

Α Ω

Saint Lucius of Laodicea

Α Ω

Saint Mareas, Martyr

Martyred bishop of Persia with twenty-one companion bishops, two hundred fifty priests, as well as monks, nuns, and laypeople. Heathen Shapur II conducted this barbaric martyrdom; bringing His Church in Persia to the verge of extinction.

Α Ω

Saint Milles, Martyr

Martyr of Persia. He was a Persian bishop put to death by King Shapur II of Persia with Saint Abdiesus and many other companions.

Α Ω


Saint Opportuna of Montreuil

Benedictine abbess. Born near Hyesmes, Normandy, she was the sister of Saint Chrodegang, bishop of Seez, and entered a Benedictine convent at Monteuil, eventually becoming abbess. She died of shock after learning of her brother’s murder.

Α Ω

Saint Parmenius of Babylon, Martyr

Three priests who, with the deacons Luke and Mucius, were put to death refusing to deny Jesus Christ as the One True God. They were martyred near Babylon during the Roman invasion of Mesopotamia by Emperor Trajanus Decius.

Α Ω

Saint Radulf of Vicogne

Α Ω

Saint Senorina, Martyr

Benedictine abbess. A relative of Saint Rudesind of Mondonedo, Italy. She was placed into the care of her aunt, the abbess Godina, at a convent in Venaria and later entered the community and served as its abbess. She later moved the convent and sisters to Basto, Portugal.

Α Ω


Pope Saint Soter

Nothing is known of his life before he was chosen 12th pope A.D. 166, and not much is known of his pontificate. During his pontificate women were denied the burning of incense in services. Pope Saint Soter ratified that matrimony was a valid sacrament only if blessed by a priest. He inaugurated Easter as an annual festival in Rome.

Α Ω

Saint Tarbula of Persia, Martyr

Virgin and martyr, also listed as:, Tarba or Tarbo. The sister of Saint Simeon, the Persian " bishop and martyr, she was consecrated a virgin and met her own martyrdom soon after the death of her brother. Accused of practicing witchcraft and of causing sickness to befall the wife of the ardently anti-Catholic heathen Persian king Shapur, she was condemned and executed by being sawed in half.

Α Ω

Saint Tharba

Bishop Saint Theodore of Sykeon, Martyr

Abbot and bishop. A native of Sykeon, in Galatia, Asia Minor, he entered a monastery in Jerusalem, serving there for many years. Saint Theodore became abbot of a number of monastic institutions. He predicted the rise of Emperor Maurice and cured a royal prince of leprosy. About A.D. 590, he was appointed bishop of Anastasiopol ( now Galatia ).


31 posted on 04/23/2012 2:18:09 AM PDT by Robert Drobot (Fiat voluntas tua)
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