The Month of April, 2009
St Francis of Paola - 2nd April
St Francis of Paola was born in that town in 1416. Following a pilgrimage, in
his teens, to Rome and Assisi, he became a hermit in a cave near Paola. He
attracted many followers who, in 1474, were organised and approved as the "Hermits
of St Francis of Assisi". In 1492 they were renamed as the "Franciscan Order
of Minim Friars".
Francis was sent to Paris to give counsel to King Louis XI and he died on 2nd
April, 1507, while still in France.
St Francis of Paola is the official patron of the Italian province of Calabria
and is invoked especially by mariners.
St Richard of Chichester - 3rd April
Richard de Wych (1197 - 1253), the son of a yeoman farmer, studied canon law
at Oxford, Paris and Bologna. He became Chancellor of Oxford University in
1235, and later, Chancellor to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Richard was not
ordained until 1242 and served as a parish priest until his election as bishop
in 1244. The election was opposed by Henry III, but confirmed on appeal to the
Pope. Richard was regarded as the model diocesan bishop and was the author of
the following well-known prayer (rather than Mr Lloyd-Webber) -
Thanks be to thee, our Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which thou hast given us,
for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for us.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
may we know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly. Amen
St Isadore of Seville - 4th April
St Isadore (c.560 - 636) was born in Seville, Spain, and succeeded his brother as Archbishop. He presided over the Councils of Seville (619) and Toledo (633) and sponsored the decree that every diocese should have a cathedral school. He was a successful and influential scholar and educator and is, these days, regarded as the patron of computers and the internet. He is not to be confused with another Spaniard, "Isadore the Farmer", whose feast is on 15th May.
Palm Sunday - 5th April, 2009
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die:
O Christ ,thy triumphs now begin
O'er captive death and conquered sin.
Processional Hymn - words by H.H. Milman, 1791-1868
Maundy Thursday - 9th April, 2009
Almighty God,
we receive new life
from the supper your Son gave us in this world.
May we find full contentment
in the meal we hope to share
in your eternal kingdom.
(Roman Missal - Prayer after Communion)
Good Friday - 10th April, 2009
Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our
Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands
of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross, who now liveth and reigneth with
thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen
BCP Collect
St Stanislaus of Cracow - 11th April
Stanislaus (1030 -1079) was born of noble parents on July 26th at Szckepanow near Cracow, Poland. He was educated at Gnesen and was ordained there. He was given a canonry by Bishop Lampert Zula of Cracow, who made him his preacher, and soon he became noted for his preaching. He became a much sought after spiritual adviser. He was successful in his reforming efforts, and in 1072 was named Bishop of Cracow. He incurred the enmity of King Boleslaus the Bold when he denounced the king's cruelties and injustices and especially his kidnapping of the beautiful wife of a nobleman. When Stanislaus excommunicated the king and stopped services at the Cathedral when Boleslaus entered, Boleslaus himself killed Stanislaus while the Bishop was saying Mass in a chapel outside the city on April 11. Stanislaus has long been the symbol of Polish nationhood. He was canonized by Pope Innocent IV in 1253 and is the principal patron of Cracow.
Easter Day - 12th April, 2009
O God, who for our redemption didst give thine only-begotten Son to the death of the
cross, and by his glorious resurrection hast delivered us from the power of our
enemy: Grant us so to die daily unto sin, that we may evermore live with him in
the joy of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Additional Collect for Easter Day, BCP
St Magnus the Martyr - 16th April
St Magnus (C.1075 - 1116) was a nobleman of the Orkney Islands, who spent some of his early life as a pirate before conversion to Christianity. As a captive, he was forced to participate in Norwegian raids along the west coast of Britain until his escape to Scotland, where he lived as a penitent in the house of a bishop. He returned to the Orkneys to take up his rightful position as joint ruler with his cousin, who conspired with others to murder him. Though his murder was inspired more by politics than religion, Magnus was revered as a martyr and, as the author of many miracles, became a favourite saint of Orkney, Shetland and the north of Scotland. He was buried at Kirkwall Cathedral, where his relics were discovered as late as 1919. The famous Anglo-Catholic church adjacent to London Bridge (illustrated here) is dedicated to him.
St Anselm - 21st April
St Anselm lived from 1033 to 1109. His father was a nobleman of Lombardy, who tried to prevent him following the religious life. Nonetheless, he entered the monastery at Bec, in Normandy, in 1060. He became abbot in 1078 and was elected Archbishop of Canterbury in c.1093. He came into conflict with both William II and Henry I over the boundaries between spiritual and temporal authority and spent periods in exile. Ultimately, he was reconciled with King Henry and the two worked harmoniously together. His theological writings caused him to be named a "Doctor of the Church" in 1720.
St George - 23rd April
St George is believed to have been a soldier in the imperial army and to have suffered martyrdom either at Lydda, in Palestine, in c.250, or in Nicomedia in c.303. His cult is an ancient and popular one and he was known in the East as megalomaryros - the "Great Martyr". The legend of St George and the dragon is clearly mythical. His popularity in England rose during the Crusades when he was said to have inspired the knights in their victory over the Saracens at Antioch. In c.1344, King Edward III named St George as the patron of the newly created Order of the Garter, and in the play Henry V, Shakespeare reinforced St George's position as the patron of England. St George is also the patron of Portugal. Many good Englishmen were upset by St George's "demotion" in the Roman calendar reforms of 1969.
St Mark the Evangelist - 25th April
St Mark (died c.74) was the first of the gospel writers and it is said that
much of his account was based on the recollections of St Peter. There is a
strong tradition that he was the first Bishop of Alexandria and that he was
martyred there in the reign of Nero. In 829, his relics were translated to
Venice, of which city he is the patron. His emblem in art is a winged lion and
he is often depicted holding a copy of his gospel.
Anzac Day - 25th April
Anzac Day is the day of remembrance for all Australians who have died in wars.
O God, our ruler and guide, in whose hands are the destinies of this and
every nation, we give you thanks for the freedoms we enjoy in this land
and for those who laid down their lives to defend them: We pray that we and
all the people of Australia, gratefully remembering their courage and
sacrifice, may have grace to live in a spirit of justice, of generosity,
and of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
(A Prayer Book for Australia)
St Zita - 27th April
Zita (known in England as "Sitha"), who lived from 1218 to 1272, was a serving maid in the household of the Fatinelli household in Lucca, Tuscany. She was renowned for her devotion and many miracle stories are told about her. After her death, much reverence was paid to her tomb in the church of St Frediano in Lucca. Ultimately, her cult became more widespread and she was added to the Roman Martyrology in 1748.
St Catherine of Siena - 29th April
Catherine Benincasa was the youngest of twenty-five children born to a cloth dyer of Siena. She was, from the age of 16, a member of the Dominican Third Order and spent much time in prayer and solitude before gathering a group of followers who joined her in ministering to patients in the advanced stages of cancer and leprosy. She played an important part in bringing the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon and died of natural causes in Rome in 1380. She was canonised in 1461 and named patron of Italy in 1939.