Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 2, 8 January 1903, Page 31

Friends at Court

+ GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

Jjcnary 11, Sunday.— Sunday within the Octave. „ 12, Monday. — Seventh day in Octave of Epiphany. „ 13, Tuefiday. — Octave of the Epiphany. „ 14, Wednesday.— St Hilary, Bbho t >, Cot!fe*Bor | and Doctor. „ 15, Thursday.— St. Ita, Virgin. „ 1 6, Friday. — St. Fursey, Abbot. „ 17, Saturday , — St Anthony, Abbot.

St. Hilary, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. St. Hilary, the scion of a noble family of Poitiers, was born between 320 and 325. He received his scientific education in his native town and in Bordeaux, where ho more especially applied himself to the study of rhetoric. The more he saw of the profligate bfe of his fellow-citizens, the more his noble soul was filled with disgust and longed after the knowledge of truth. The perusal of Holy Scripture freed him from all the doubts which heathen philosophy had raised in his mind, and together with his wife and daughter he embraced Christianity in 350. On account of his holy life, both the clergy and people demanded his elevation to the bishopric of Poitiers, and he was consecrated shortly before 355. Thenceforth he led a life of continency, devoting himself entirely to his episcopal duties. His uncompromising opposition to Arianism, favo,red by the Emperor Constantiusi, caused him to be banished by that prince to Phrygia. But as his influence here seemed to be still more dreaded by the Arians, he was allowed, in 359, to return to his bishopric, where he continued, by word and writing, and especially by means of synods, to combat Arianism with such success that he caused the Gallican bishops completely to renounce it. True, he was not able to gain over Auxentius, Bishop of Milan, which city was the stronghold of Arianism, but he forced him to be more cautious. The latter years of his life were spent in quietude, occupied with exegetical labors. He died at Poitiers on the 13th January, 3(i6. St. Tta, Virgin. St. Ita was born in the South of Ireland. She has always been held in great veneration in the district in which she lived, but, unfortunately, few details of her life have come down to us. She died in 570, and is styled, by Colgan, the second St. Brigid of Ireland. St. Fursey, Abbot. St Fursey was born in the West of Ireland, and, like St. Tta. was of noble parentage. He spent a portion of his life in England, and founded a monastery in t he county of Suffolk. Passing into France, he continued to labor for the ad\ancement of religion until his death In fioO The remains of St. Fursey are still preserxed at Pcronne, in the neighborhood of Amiens. St Anthony, Abbot. St Anthony, who was the founfer of monasticism, was bom in Fgypt of rich and \irtuous parents. After diiidmg c'll his possessions among the poor, he retired into the desert, where he Inert for twenty years the life of a heinnt The fame of his miracles, and still more the power of his words and example, drew about him ni.inv followers, who, under his guidance, desired to de\ote themselves to this new life. lie became the dilector of a number of anchorites who dwelt in detached cells, foimmg a community called a 'Laura.' This \enerable patriarch of the Cenobites died in 356 at the age of 105 years. There are extant several authentic letters and an 'Exhortation to the Monks' by St. Anthon\