Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 10, 6 March 1902, Page 7

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

March 9, Sunday.— Fourth Sunday in Lent. „ 10, Monday.— The Forty Martyrs of S< baste. „ 11, Tuesday.— St. John of God, Confessor. , 12, Wednesday.— St. Gregory the Great, Pope, Confessor, and Doctor. „ 13, Thursday.— St. John Chrysostom, Bit-hop, Confessor and Doctor. „ 14, Friday.— Feast of the Moßt Precious Blood. „ 15, Saturday.— St. Zacharias, Pope and Confessor.

ST. JOHN OF GOD, CONFESSOR. The Brothers of Charity were founded in 1540 at Seville, in Spain, by the Portugese John of God. Born in 1495, John led a roving life until his loth year, when he was converted at Grenada by an impressive sermon of John Avila, and from thenceforth (1540) gave himself entirely to the service of the sick in the hospitals. The Archbishop of Grenada and the Bishop of Tuy, admiring his efforts to copy the broad charity and tender mercy of our Saviour, entered warmly into his plans, surnaming him ' John of God.' He died in 15."0, poor in the wealth of this world, but rich in good works. His companions, who continued to carry on his work, bound themselves still more closely to each other by taking upon them the three monastic vows, with the additional obligation of gratuitously serving the sick in the hospitals. They recived recognition aa an Order under the name of the ' Brethren of St. John of God,' in 1617, from Pope Paul V., and have since continued to render important services within their sphere in every Catholic country. In the hospitals, to each of which only one priest was attached, they were as ready to serve non-Catholics as those of their own faith rank, or nation. The founder was beatified in 1630 by Urban VIII. and canonised by Alexander VIII. in IG9O. ' ST. GREGORY THE GREAT. St. Gregory 1., surnamed the Great, was born at Rome in 540 The pontificate of this Pope (590-604) presents one of the most imposing features in the history of the Church. He adopted the title serrux servorum, which his successors have retained. Though a member of a wealthy family, Gregory, following the call of God, exchanged his costly vesture for the habit of St. Benedict, and relinquished his palace for a cloister, in which he lived with some monks, until Pope Pelagius sent him as Apocrisiarius to Constantinople—a position he occupied for s-ix yearn, after which he became abbot of his monastery, from which (he voice of the clergy and of the people alike called him forth to occupy the Chair of St. Peter. As Pope he was incessantly active in promoting the conversion of the heathen and the welfare of the oppressed people of Italy. He labored for the strict observance of the laws ot the Church, for the celebration of religious services in a worthy manner ; and, notwithstanding the delicacy of his health and his manifold occupations, he found time to conduct personally the instruction in choral chant', of which he is the author, and to leave to posterity valuable writings in which the classic literature, the profoundly religious sensitiveness, the learning and the practical sense of their author is beautifully depicted. ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM. St. John, the incomparable John of Constantinople, from hia sanctity ?-nd eloquence called 'Chrysoatom' or 'Golden-mouthed' was born at Antioch. After spending six years in monastic solitude, where he devoted himself to grayer and the study of the Sacred Scripture he was baptised in 3(i!> In 356 he became a priest and in 397 he was advanced to the see of Constantinople. In his new post John displayed a wonderful zeal and energy. Greatly loved as he was by the people, his bold denunciation of vice made him numerous enemies, especially at court, who, in 403, procured his banishment. Although almost instantly recalled, he was, at the instigation of the licentious Empress Endoxia, again exiled the following year to Cucusus in Armenia. Three years after a new degree banished John to Pityus, in Colchis, the farthest limits of the Empire : but before reaching that place he died at Comana, in Pontus. Of all the Greek Fathers the writings of St. Chrysostom are the most voluminous. They consist of numerous commentaries and homilies on the Bible, of sermons, dogmatical and moral treatises, and of a masa of letters. His homilies and commentaries on the Bible alone fill nine volumes, and embrace nearly a'l the sacred books of both Testaments. Besides these our saint composed a number of excellent sermons and homilies on Christian doctrine and Christian virtues and duties. Most of his homilies he preached at Antioch while yet a presbyter. Of his moral works must be mentioned his incomparable treatise on the Priesthood in six books, which he composed to excuse himself to his friend Basil, for whom, by his flight, he had left open the way to episcopal dignity. With the exception of a few, his letters to the number of 2 13, were written during his exile. Of these, two are nddreesed to Pope Innocent I. The Liturgy bearing the name of St. Chrysostom is used to thia day throughout the East by the Catholics and Schismatics alike.