FRIENDS AT COURT

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 14, 22 April 1925, Page 3

FRIENDS AT COURT

w ; , GLEANINGS FOR- NEXT WEEK’S ||||i| . CALENDAR. < i . •, April 26, Sun. Second' Sunday after East- : I; .er. '.i Our Lady of, Good . ■M:' - - ■ Counsel. . ■ : a 27, Mon.—Of the Feria. ; ~ 28, Tues.—Blessed,, Peter Chanel. - „ 29, Wed, —Solemnity of St. Joseph. ” 30, Thurs— St. Catherine of Siena, ' Virgin. - May 1, Frid.—SS. Philip and James, Apos- ! ties. ; ~ 2, Sat, St, Athanasius, Bishop, Con- ; fessor, and Doctor. 55?: St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin. Siena, in Italy, has the- honor, of having ■ been the’birthplace of this great saint. From .her earliest years St. Catherine cultivated 1 the’spirit of perfect union with God, and • T 'even' when engaged in the most ; distracting occupations succeeded in keeping herself no vi ;.'V S less sensible of His presence than if she had no exterior employment. She was indefatigable in her. efforts to bring souls to God, and •: her words and example, and even the very i sight of her emaciated but saintly counten- .. - - ance, were • the cause of many conversions. i- ■ She seemed to have a special grace for effect*,-; I ing the reconciliation of enemies. Her powerful influence in this j direction was o: ; exercised, not only in the case of private in/'/ dividuals, but also in reconciling States that ’ were at variance, and ill obtaining the sub- y mission and pardon of rebellions cities which-/ had incurred the censures of the Holy • See'l* But the most important service she rendered/ to the Cliurch was the restoration "of; the- . Sovereign Pontiff to his episcopal city after/V v a residence of nearly 70 years at Avignon,./ in France, an end being thus put to the in-/ numerable evils resulting to the Church front the prolonged absence of the Vicar of Christ " . _ from Rome. . i .. ‘O'tMM ys/o/Sf ♦ >: GRAINS OF GOLD ' 1 • OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL. ir y. ■' ’. (Feast, April 26) v . 0 thou who art by anxious fears perplexed, Draw near to her who vigil keeps for thee,* And shy with heart by doubting oft-time ' " vexed, v “Dear Lady of Good .Counsel, pray for me.” A: , -Then wilt thou find the guidance long desired ; Then wilt thou know the joy that others Then wilt thou sing with fervor, love-inspired * ■ The praise of her who holds thee in her NAN care. r ; '••’ ''■ ■■;■ 1 ~ ■ L ]: No stranger, she to faults of ~ sinful man, Since for them all her Son paid.cruel price, y* v? . • And waits she not, as but ,a' mother can, tl-[ . . To bless each life with help and good ad- • .■ vice ' j 0 guardian sweet! while words indeed are weak c-< To voice the love my heart bears unto thee, ; • Still, when thy name my lips no more can speak, Dear Lady of Good-Counsel, pray for me ! ; ■ y '.„ . '.A, ■• ■ * —Amadeus. .