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Weekly Bulletin July 7, 2024
by Terrie Evans
On this 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we continue to pray for the special intentions of our parishioners who maybe going through health challenges and our San Antonio Church Community also keeps in their prayers all those who have lost loved ones on the anniversary of their passing during the month of July. Our parishioners send their condolences and prayers to the family of Sr. Esther Marie Humbert, Sister of Charity from the Order of our beloved Sr. Blandina Segale, Servant of God. Sr. Esther Marie Humbert, S.C. departed this life on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at the age of 85, leaving sisters, Sr. Mary Ann Humbert, S.C., Monica Bonecutter, Judy Prius, Nieces, Nephews and all the Sisters of Charity Community. Her Funeral Mass was held at the Motherhouse Chapel on July 2, 2024.
On Tuesday, July 9th we honor St. Augustine Zhao Rong (1746-1815) a Chinese priest and martyr from the 19th Century. Born in Wuchuan County of Guizhou, he joined the Imperial Army of the Qing Dynasty when he was 20. During the 18th Century, when many anti-Christian persecutions were taking place, he was in charge of guarding Christian prisoners. In 1785, he was guarding Father Gabriel-Turin Dufresse at the time he was arrested and taken to Beijing and put in prison. While in his company, Zhao Rong became a close ally and friend who was converted by Father Gabriel and upon his release from incarceration, Fr. Gabriel baptized Zhao and gave him the name Augustine. After his conversion and Baptism, Augustine desired to become a priest and five years later, he was ordained by the Bishop of Sichuan, Francois Pottier. Fr. Augustine Zhao Rong dedicated himself to the conversion of many to Christianity and to the Church in Yunnan, China. A new wave of persecutions took place during the reign of Emperor Jiaqing with Fr. Augustine arrested, tortured and to save himself, denounce his faith. Fr. Augustine never gave in to their demands and died from the beatings he endured in prison in the winter of 1815. He was Beatified on May 27, 1893, by Pope Leo XIII and on October 1, 2000, was Canonized with the other Martyrs of China by Pope John Paul II, becoming the first Chinese priest in history to be martyred. The group martyred with him are known as, “Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions.”
On July 11th we celebrate the feast day of St. Benedict of Nursia (480-547) born in Umbria, Italy to a noble family and educated in Rome. At the age of 20 he journeyed to a mountain in the town Subiaco forty miles from Rome where he chose to live his life as a hermit. Many men came to join him during this time and soon over 140 monks were living with him at the monastery in Subiaco. The men were busy praying, clearing the land, planting crops, teaching, and feeding the poor. With their Motto “Pray and Work,” Benedict set up twelve monastic communities with each one consisting of 12 monks. Benedict and his monks would build a large monastery on top of the mountain and in 529, Benedict and a handful of Monks moved to Monte Cassino, halfway point between Rome and Naples, at one time, Monte Cassino was a pagan temple dedicated to Apollo. Benedict established the most famous monastery in Western Christianity that became the home to thousands of monks whose mission was to go out and convert the world. For centuries they were the teachers of Europe as Benedict went on to write his famous Monastic Rule for the monks that came to Monte Cassino. The Rule was for Monks living communally under the authority of an Abbot, comprised of 73 short chapters on how to live a spiritual life on earth and the how to run a monastery efficiently. They were called the Benedictines, the religious order of both men and women, and their rule became the basis for all Western Monasteries, during the early Middle Ages called the Benedictine Centuries. Benedict had a twin sister Scholastica, founder of the Benedictine Sisters. Benedict died at Monte Cassino of a fever and was buried in the same tomb with his sister, Scholastica on March 21, 547 and in 1220, was Canonized in Rome by Pope Honorius III. In 1964, St. Benedict was named patron Protector of Europe by Pope Paul VI and in 1980, Pope John Paul II named him co-patron of Europe along with Cyril and Methodius.
The St. Benedict medal is revered by many to invoke God’s blessing while asking help through the intercession of the Saint as a Christian symbol for helping us through difficult times and to protect us from evil and diseases. The medal has two sides and on one side of the medal, it displays the image of St. Benedict, a cross in his right hand with the Rule for Monasteries placed in the other hand, with The Center Text, “Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti “, (The Cross of the Holy Father). On The Outside Edge, the medal displays the Text “Elius In Obitu Nostro Praesentia Muniamur,” (May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death), and below the image of Benedict, “EX S M Cassino MDCCCLXXX,” (From Holy Monte Cassino 1880). On the top of the back side of the Medal “PAX,” (Peace), on the Left Side are the letters, “S M Q L I V B” (What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself), on the Right Side are the letters “V R S N S M V,” (Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities!). The Vertical Cross on the medal displays the letters, “C S C M L”, (May the Holy Cross be my light!), The Horizontal Cross displays the letters, “N D S M D”, (May the dragon never be my leader), and the Four Quadrants around the Cross “C S P B”, (The Cross of the Holy Father Benedict). The medal is used by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Western Orthodox, Anglicans and Methodists and Lay Oblates of St. Benedict wear the St. Benedict medal instead of the small black cloth scapular. Wearing the medal or placing it in your car, home, or place of business represents the power of prayer, faith and trust we offer up to St. Benedict in times of temptation and suffering. Saint Benedict has also been depicted on collector’s coins around the world, especially the favorite, the Austrian 50 Euro issued in 2002: The Christian Religious Orders. A Prayer to St. Benedict: “O God, You established St. Benedict the Abbot as an admirable teacher in the school of Divine servitude. Teach us never to prefer anything to Your love and always to run the way of Your Commandments with most generous dispositions. Amen.”
On July 13th, we honor St. Henry two days after the Solemnity of St. Benedict, an Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict and patron saint of Benedictine Oblates. St. Henry is celebrated more for his holiness and generosity rather than for his military and political career even though he was successful in waging a holy war against Slavic invaders in the diocese of Meersburg. He was born in the village of Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany and educated by St. Wolfgang, Bishop of Ratisbon who mentored him on duty and humility. In 995, Henry served as the Duke of Bavaria and in 973, he was crowned as the Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Benedict VIII. Henry II was deeply religious and at one time considered the priesthood. As a man of faith, he went on to rebuild churches that had been destroyed; and built monasteries funding them with money and land. He was concerned with the welfare of the Church and the discipline of the Bishops, restoring many bishoprics in Strasburg, Hildesheim, Magdeburg, and Meersburg. He called synods throughout his territories to enforce canon law and inspire a greater devotion to the pastoral duties some of the priests seemed to neglect. In 1002, Henry II established his greatest foundation, the See of Bamberg, as the Archdiocese, by building the Cathedral that was consecrated on his 39th birthday. The Cathedral was blessed as a place for the service of God by Pope Benedict on May 6, 1012. The town of Bamberg, Germany and Cathedral were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Henry II died in 1024 in Germany with his body buried in the church of Apostles Peter and Paul at Bamberg and canonized by Pope Eugene III in 1147. Henry II’s spouse, Cunigunde of Luxemburg (975-1033) was a close political advisor to Henry who gave away her money to charity after his death. She retired to the convent of Benedictine nuns and Canonized on March 29, 1200, by Pope Innocent III. A poem about Sts. Henry and Cunigunde, Here Lie Two People: “Here rest the benefactors, Here they lie close together, as Saints, Here is the foundation of the Diocese of Bamberg, Their names are inscribed In our history, their work is still felt today. They are ahead of us, We follow in their footsteps, They have arrived, We are still traveling.” A Prayer: “Lord, you filled St. Henry with your love and raised him from the cares of an earthly kingdom to eternal happiness in heaven. In the midst of the changes of this world, may his prayers keep us free from sin and help us on our way toward you. Grant this in the name of Jesus the Lord, Amen.”
Next Sunday, July 14th we will welcome the La Societa Femminile Fuscaldo for the feast day of San Francesco di Paola for our 9:00 AM Mass and Breakfast in our Hall. This annual event brings together the ladies and their families for a celebration to honor their revered Saint from southern Italy. All of our San Antonio Parishioners are invited to the Breakfast held in the Hall after Mass.