Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIV, Issue 12, 22 March 1906, Page 31

Friends at Court

GLEANJNGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

March 25, Sunday.— Fourth Sunday in Lent. Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. „ 26, Monday.— Feria. „ 27, Tuesday.— St. Rupert, Bishop and Confessor. „ 28, Wednesday.— St. Sixtus 111., Pope and Confessor. „ 29, Thursday.— St. John Damascene, Confessor and Doctor. „ 30, Friday.— The Precious Blood. (St. John Capistran, Confessor). „ 31, Saturday. — Feria. Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. v * ' The angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel said to her, " Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold, thou &hal t canceivie in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus." ' St. Rupert, Bishop and Oonfessor. St Rupert, a Frenchman, illustrious for his noble birth, buti still more so for his many virtues, was Bishop of Salzburg, in Bavaria, the < inhabitants of which ccuntry he had converted to the True Faith. He died about the | beginning of the seventh century. St. Sixtus 111., Pope and Confessor. St. Sixtus 111. was Pope from 432 to 440. He was born and died\at Rome. lie labored with St. Cyril for the reunion of the Churches of the Orient. St. John Damascene, Ccnfessor and Doctor. St. John was born at Damascus, in Syria, which was then under the dominion of the Mahometans. So great was his reputation for integrity and prudence that on ,the 'death of his father, he was appointed, notwithstanding his religion, to the important post of Prune Minister of the Caliph. After some years he resigned this dignity, .and placed himself under the direction of some holy monks near Damascus. He died about 780. St. John rendered great service to the Church by his writings against the Iconoclast heretics, whose doctrines ho triumphantly . refuted. St. John Capistran, Confessor. This saint was a native of Italy. His 'wife dying, St. John, when thirty years of age, entered the Franciscan Order, and gp.ve himself ■up to a life of great austerity, for thirty-six years hardly ever tasting meat. As a preacher, he effected the conversion of the most obstinate sinners, and also brought to a successful termination many important missions Entrusted to him by successive Popes. The crushing defeat of'tho Turks at Belgrade in 1456 is attributed in great measure to the> zeal, courage, and activity of St. John. He died in theVcourse of the same year at the age of se\ enty-one.