Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 27 October 1921, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR. October 30, Sunday.—Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pente- , cost. „ 31, Monday.— of All Saints. Fast Day. November 1, Tuesday. Feast of All Saints. Holiday of Obligation. ~ 2, Wednesday. Commemoration of All Souls. ~ 3, Thursday.Of the Octave. ~ 4, Friday.—St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop and Confessor. ~ 5, Saturday.Of the Octave. Commemoration of All Souls. The month of November is also known as "the month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory." According to the Church's teaching, not all who die in God's friendship are at once admitted into heaven. Some have not paid the full debt of atonement which Divine Justice sometimes ' requires after the guilt of mortal sin has been forgiven, or are still stained by lesser faults, which do not merit everlasting punishment, but at the same time debar the soul from entrance into the pure presence of God. These are they of whom St. Paul says: "They shall be saved, yet so as by fire." They suffer in Purgatory in proportion to the number and gravity of the faults they have committed. In commemorating these holy souls, the Church invites us to pray fervently that God in His mercy may shorten the term of their atonement, and admit them to their reward. St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop and Confessor. This great reformer of morals in the north of Italy was born of an illustrious Milanese family in 1538. From his youth he gave evidence of great talent, combined with a well-grounded piety. At the early age of 26 we find him discharging the arduous duties of Archbishop of Milan with a zeal and prudence which evoked the admiration of all Italy. The wise provisions which he made for the education of the clergy and the advancement of religion in his province have ever since served as a guide for those whom the Church has called to the episcopal office. That he possessed the good shepherd's love for his sheep was shown by the heroic charity with which he ministered to the sick and dying in a terrible pestilence which visited Milan during his episcopate. Compelled as Cardinal-Arch-bishop to maintain a certain exterior state, his private life was simple and austere. The death of St. Charles, which occurred in 1584, was in (perfect keeping with his saintly life. * .

GRAINS ot GOLD I HUMBLY PRAY. Dear God, I have no offering Of frankincense nor myrrh, No ointment rare like Magdalen, With great love did confer. But I can offer such poor gifts As seemeth best to Thee: Faith, hope, and love, and bright above The star of charity. Then day by day, I humbly pray, These gifts untarnished be;. That faith and hope and love may crown, Immortal charity. Susan W. Clttne.

REFLECTIONS. There is no so certain evidence of friendship as never to overlook the sins and failings of our brethren.—St. Chrysostom. Need have we .of continual supplication and prayer, that we perish not from the Heavenly Kingdom.- Cyprian.

The pursuit.and love of virtue begin -to make us virtuous, but the pursuit and love of honor make us contemptible and unworthy of blame.—St. Francis de Sales. . Thou are the Life of souls, the Life of lives, having life in Thyself, and never ehangest, 0 Life of my soul. St. Augustine. ' '