GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 9, 27 February 1902, Page 7

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

March 2, Sunday. — Third Sunday in Lent. „ 3, Monday. — The Seven Founders of the Servite Order, „ 4, Tuesday. — St. Lucius 1., Pope and Martyr. j, 5, Wednesday. — St. Casimir. King and Confessor, „ 6, Thursday.— St. Fridolinus, Abbot. „ 7, Friday.— The Five Wounds of Our Lord. „ 8, Saturday.— -St. Cathaldus, Bishop and Confessor,

THE SBEVITB ORDER. The Order of the Servants of the Blessed Virgin, commonly called Servites, owes its origin to the zeal and piety of seven Florentine merchants. After distributing their goods among the poor, they retired to Monte Senario, near Florence, where they dwelt in cells as hermits. This was in 1233, which is regarded aB the date of the foundation of the Order. They subsequently became a monastic community under the special patronage of the Blessed. Virgin. They adopted the Augustinian rule, and for their habit wore a black tunic with a scapular and cape of the same color. Under St. Philip Beniti, the fifth general, the Order spread rapidly, chiefly in Italy in Germany. St. Juliana Falconieri is regarded as the foundress of the Servite Third Order. The Servites were approved by Alexander IV. in 1255. Innocent VIII. declared the Servites a mendicant Order, bestowing on them the privileges enjoyed by the other mendicants. ST. LUCIUS 1., POPE AND MARTYR. St. Lucius I. was Pope from 253 to 251, being the successor of St. Cornelius. He was exiled by Gallus, then permitted to return to his church, and later on beheaded for the faith by the order of Valerian. ST. FRIDOLINUS, ABBOT. St. Fridolinus, the first Apostle of the Alemanni, was a native of Ireland or Scotland. Labored as a missionary in Gaul, where he restored the congregation of St. Hilary at Poitiers, whioh had been corrupted by Arianism, and in Germany, where he founded a monastery at Seckingen, an island in the Rhine, near Basel. St. Fridolinus lived in the sixth century. ST. CATHALDUS, BISHOP AMD CONFESSOB. St. Cathaldus, the second apostle of and patron saint of Tarentum, or, as it ia now called, Taranto, was born in Ireland about the year Gls, and whilst a youth was sent to study in the great monastic school of Lismore. From the life of the saint, written by the Tarentines, the brothers Morini, it would seem that he was a professor as well as student, for the fame of his learning and virtues attracted many disciples to the new college, and, what is more, raised up against himself many powerful enemies. He not only taught in the schools, but he preached the Gospel most successfully in all the country of the Desii, working many miracles too, and building churches. After Cathaldus had ruled the See of Rachau for some years, with hii brother Donatus and some companions he went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem — a journey that it was by no means unusual for the fervent saints of Erin to accomplish even at that early period. On their return from Palestine their vessel was wrecked in the Gulf of Taranto, not far from the city of the same name. Taranto, the classical Tarentum, was an ancient and famous city, beautifully situated on the northern shore of the bay. When the Irish Bishop saw this beautiful city given over to pleasure and to vice, like St Paul at Athens his spirit was moved within him, and in burning language he implored the inhabitants to return to the service of God, Whom they had forgotten. He performed also many striking miracles in the eight of all the people, healing the aick, and even, it is said, raising the dead to life. It happened at this time that there was no Bishop in the city, bo the Tarentines besought the Irish saint to become their Bißhop, and promised to obey his commands and follow all his counsels. Reluctantly he consented, in the hope that he might thus be able to win them back to the service of God. His efforts were crowned with complete success. Once more Tarentum became a Christian city in reality as well as in name, and Cathaldus was venerated as the second apostle and patron saint of the city. Cathaldus spent some years in his new See, then, feeling his end approaching, the saint once more exhorted the people and clergy, in language of the most tender affection, to be true to the profession and practice of the Christian Faith. He died Bhortly after in his city of Tarentum, towards the close of the seventh century, on the eighth day of March. The holy remains, by which many miracles were wrought, were buried in a marble tomb, whioh up to this day is preserved in the sacristy of the Cathedral of Tarentum.