Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 26, 30 June 1904, Page 31

Friends at Court

« GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

July 3, Simday.— Sixth Sunday after Pentecost. Feast of the Most Precious Blood. „ 4, Monday —St. Irenaeus, Biahop and Martyr. „ 5, Tuosiday.— St. Anthony M. Z,accaj:ia. „ 6, Wednesday —Octave of the Featt of SS. Peter and Paul. „ 7, Thursday.— St. Benedict XL, Pope and Confessor. „ 8, Friday.— St. Kilian, Bishop and Martyr. „ ( J, Saturday.— Ptodigies of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Iren'aeus, Bishop and IVEartyr. St Irenaeus was born between 130—140 at Smyrna, in Asis Minor, and had the happineps, from his earlest youth, of being instructed by St. Polycarp and other apostolic men. His deep attachment to the Chxistiam doctrine did not prevent him from studying the Greek poets and philosophers, especially Homer and Plato. With a view to missionary work, he journeyed to Uaul, where he was oidaiued priest by Phontinus, Bishop of Lyons, who suffered martyrdom in the persecution of Marcus Aurelhis (178). Irenaeus was nominated to succeed him as bishop by Pope Eleutherius, to whom he had been sent on an ecclesiastical mission. In t/his office he showed untiring zeal and energy for the good of the Churches in Gaul. Moreover, by means of his writings, in defence of t>he unity and purity of the faith, which was endangered by the Gnostics, he made his influence felt far beyond the limits of Gaul. Finally he effected a happy compromise between the East and the West in the dispute concerning Easter, which had gone so far at to cause an open rupture between the two sections of t&e Church. In the great persecution under Septimus Severus, the shepherd suffered martyrdom with many of his flock (June 28, 202). Of his writings only fragments renmin, wii-h the exception of t/he work ' Against Heresies,' in five books, wbicfo he wrote principally to refute the Gnostic heresies. The existing Latin version is very ancient and accurate and was used even by Tertullian. In this work the author discusses nearly all the Catfoohc dogmas ; among others Tradition, the Primacy of the Roman See, the Incarnation tlhe Holy Eucharist, tlhe Sacrifice of the Mass, and the 'Resurrection. St. Benedict, XL, Pope and Confessor. St. Benedict XI was an Italian by birth, and occupied the Paipal throne for about a year. He annulled the Bulls of Boniface VIII. against Philip the Fair of France St Kihan, Bishop arid Martyr. St. Kilian was an Irish bis(Ko,p who was martyred at W'ur/burg. He was the firsit to preach the Gospel in the north of Bavaria, tlhe country now known as Franconia. With two companions, Colomian (a priest) and Totnan (a deatap), Kiliain left Ireland, his native country, in 086, and, with the sanction of Pope Conon, established a mission at Wur/burg. Duke Gozbert received him kindly and w r as converted, a;nd his example was followed by a great number of his subjects. But St. Kihan fell a victim to the hatred of Geilana, whose marriage witih Gozbert, brother of her former husband, he declared to be contrary to the law of Gdd. He and his companion's, Ln the absence of the duke, were cruelly mjurctered, in &89.