FEAST OF SAINT HONORATUS OF ARIES – 16th JANUARY

FEAST OF BLESSED HONORATUS OF ARIES AND SAINT JOSEPH VAZ
FEAST DAY – 16th JANUARY

Honoratus was born in 350 AD, in the north of Gaul to a consular Roman family. He received an outstanding education and he converted to Christianity with his brother Venantius, embarking with him from Marseilles about 368, under the guidance of a holy person named Caprasius, to visit the holy places of Palestine and the laurae of Syria and Egypt. But the death of Venantius, occurring suddenly at Methone, Achaia, prevented the pious travellers from going further. They returned to Gaul through Italy, and, after having stopped at Rome, Honoratus went to Provence.

Encouraged by Leontius of Fréjus, he took up his abode on the wild Lérins Island today called the Île Saint-Honorat, with the intention of living there in solitude. Numerous disciples soon gathered around Honoratus, including Lupus of Troyes, Eucherius of Lyon, and Hilary of Arles. Thus was founded the Monastery of Lérins, which has enjoyed so great a celebrity status and which was, during the 5th and 6th centuries, a nursery for illustrious bishops and remarkable ecclesiastical writers. His Rule of Life was chiefly borrowed from that of St. Pachomius. It is believed St. Patrick trained there for his missionary work in Ireland.

Honoratus’ reputation for sanctity throughout the southeastern portion of Gaul was such that in 426 after the assassination of Patroclus, Archbishop of Arles, he was summoned from his solitude to succeed to the government of the diocese, which the Arian and Manichaean beliefs had greatly disturbed. He appears to have succeeded in re-establishing order and orthodoxy, while still continuing to direct from afar the monks of Lérins. He died in the arms of Hilary, one of his disciples and probably a relative, who was to succeed him in the See of Arles. Hilary wrote the Sermo de Vita Sancti Honorati probably around 430.

Honoratus’ various writings have not been preserved, nor has the Rule which he gave to the solitaries of Lérins. John Cassian, who had visited his monastery, dedicated to him several of his “Conferences”. He re-established orthodoxy and eradicated the prevalent Arian and Manichaean heresies. He died in 429 AD from ill health caused by the austerities he practiced. His tomb is shown empty under the high altar of the church which bears his name at Arles; his body having been translated to Lerins.

in 1391, the Middle Ages, Honaratus was the object of a pilgrimage in the Arles region, especially around Lérins Abbey, because of the writings in Occitan of Raymond Féraud or Raimon Feraud, a monk who composed a hagiographical life for him around 1300 in Roquesteron. One of the Lérins islands near the Antibes off the French Riviera is now called St. Honorat in his honor. His feast is January 16 and he is Patron against drought, against misfortune, against rain, and for rain.

PRAYER

We thank you God, for giving us saints like Honoratus of Aries, who has given us, by his example, great love of Christ and gratitude to our Lord, for destroying the terror of everlasting death, with the offer of eternal life.

Saint Honoratus’ reputation for sanctity inspires us to achieve perfection and purity of the highest order in our lives and to be grateful for our salvation, in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen

St Honoratus, help us to show our gratitude to God every day both in word and in work. In Jesus’ Name Amen

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH VAZ, CONFESSOR – 16, JANUARY 

Joseph Vaz was born on 21 April 1651 and died on 16 January 1711. The day he was born, his father Cristovam Vaz saw a star in the Sky around midday. He wrote in his personal diary that his son would become a great man.

The doors of Cortalim Church opened on their own when he went to visit the Blessed Sacrament one night. He was called “the little saint” as a boy and recited the Rosary on his way to Church and school. He resolved to eat kanji for his food (sometimes called the food of the poor) throughout his life.

He started the first Milagristas or Oratorians indigenous order after returning from South Kanara having brought peace among warring factions. The Oratorians served the Church in Sri Lanka and other countries for 150 years.

He disguised himself as a coolie wearing a loin cloth around his waist when he entered Sri Lanka as part of his mission since no priest was allowed on the island. His wheatish brown complexion helped him slip onto the island where the Dutch persecuted Roman Catholics. He entered hiding a kit under his loin cloth and wore a Rosary round his neck. He later built the first Church in Sri Lanka and dedicated it to Mother Mary.

He worked alone in Sri Lanka for 10 years and the next 14 years was accompanied by Goan Oratorians. He learnt their culture, sang their songs, and helped build their own local Church, never imposing the western Church on the faithful.

He baptised, catechised and built 300 chapels, churches and built homes for the old, sick and the needy next to the churches. He would always keep a sack of rice to be distributed to the poor after mass. Under the fear of being caught by the Dutch who were ruling in Sri Lanka, he disguised himself as a baker, dhobi, coolie, servant, businessman, porter and even a fisherwoman.

He would work during the night by the light of the moon. He issued a command over snakes to never bite a priest. Till date, never has a priest in Sri Lanka has been bitten by a snake.

While in prison, he learnt Tamil and Sinhalese, translating Catechism books and wrote the Stations of the Cross in the local language. He won the hearts of the Buddhist kings with the exemplary life he led.

He was requested by the kings to pray for rain when the island was ravaged by drought. He performed the miracle of rain in Kandy, a record of which can be found in their archives. It had rained all over the island except on the Saint and the Altar he built to pray for rain. He never kept any money with him, always depended on God and his fellowmen. He had nothing to owe, and nothing to call his own. He wore and owned only one cassock, which was patched and stitched all over.

The Sri Lankans called him Samanasu Swami (the angelic priest) and is the first and only missionary of the East to have his mission in the East. He educated his neighbour and companion John who accompanied him in Sri Lanka and requested the superior of the Oratorians to ordain him a priest. John, who later returned to Goa, was ordained a priest. (The first Dalit-priest)

He would always sleep on a mat on the floor and never sought glory. He served 30 years as a priest, 24 of them in the Sri Lankan Vineyard and walked barefoot for the most part of his life. Despite his thin figure, he walked through the jungles like the wind.

He died in an odour of Sanctity on January 16, 1711, the day and the time that he had been foretold! Before dying he advised those gathered around him in Sinhala saying, “Hardly will you be able to do at the time of death what you have not done during your life”.

He sent the crucifix given to him by the Pope to Goa, now preserved in the oratory room of the shrine of St. Joseph Vaz at Sancoale, Goa, the only relic in India. He is patron of Sri Lanka.

SPECIAL PRAYER OVER THE SICK: Heavenly Father, Your Son proved through wonders how sensitive Your heart is towards those who are burdened with sin, sorrow, sickness and difficulties. Through the wonders Your Servant Blessed Joseph Vaz, wrought both in his life and death, he trailed the same path to show forth that divine kindness and thus drew thousands to the bosom of the Church.

We plead through Blessed Joseph Vaz’ intercession, to increase our faith in You, to make of us true witnesses of Your love, and, if it is Your will, grant us this favour (pray silently for your intention) and especially grant us a much needed miracle (pray silently for a miracle) through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

***************************************

SAINT BERARD AND COMPANIONS –
PROTO MARTYRS OF THE ORDER 

When our holy Father St Francis learned by divine revelation that God had called him and the members of his order not only to personal perfection but also for the salvation of the souls of others, he entertained an ardent desire to convert the Mohammedans, whose inroads at that time frequently endangered Christian countries and the Christian Faith.

While he himself and a companion traveled to the Orient in order to approach the Sultan, he sent 6 of the brethren to the Mohammedans in the West; Votalis, Berard, Peter, Accursius, Adjutus, and Otho.

On the journey, Vitalis, the superior, fell sick in Spain, and when his illness refused to mend, he submitted to the will of God and remained behind, while he permitted his brethren under the guidance of Berard to proceed.

At Seville, in southern Spain, which the Mohammedans occupied at the time, St Berard and Companions preached fearlessly in the mosque that the teaching of Mohammed was falsehood and deceit, and that salvation could be found only in the Faith of Christ.

Burning with rage, the Mohammedan ruler, who had been listening to them, ordered that their heads be cut off at once. But his son, who was with him, appeased the anger of his father, and at his suggestion the friars were permitted to sail across the sea to Morocco.

This was quite in accordance with their wishes, since there among the Saracens they were right in the midst of the Mohammedan people. Coming upon a group of Saracens, Berard, who had a good command of the Arabic language, began at once to preach the Faith of Christ to them.

On another day when King Miramolin and his suite appeared on the scene, he again fearlessly preached the doctrine of Christ and called Mohammed an imposter. The king gave orders that Berard and his companions should be expelled from the country; but they escaped from their guards and returned a second and then a third time.

Then it happened that on their way through the desert St Berard and Companions came upon the royal army, which was nearly perishing because of thirst and could find no water anywhere. Berard prayed, struck his staff upon the ground, and at once a spring bubbled forth, which refreshed and saved the entire army.

More gently disposed because of this miracle, the king ordered the brethren to appear in his presence, and promised them wealth, positions of high honor, and all the conveniences of life if they would remain with him and become Mohammedans. But the champions of the Faith answered:

“We despise all those things for the sake of Christ.”

They proceeded to urge upon the king the necessity of his conversion to their Faith. Stung by disappointment as well as by their audacity, Miramolin then seized his sword and split the head of everyone in turn.

Thus St. Berard and Companions obtained the martyr’s palm on January 16, 1220. Pope Sixtus IV canonized them in 1481 after many miracles had occurred through their intercession.

Source: The Franciscan Book of Saints
by Fr. Marion Habig, OFM

PRAYER

O God, You sanctified the beginnings of the Order of Friars Minor by the glorious struggle of Your holy martyrs Berard and companions. As they did not hesitate to give up their lives for You so may we bear staunch witness to You by our lives.

Gracious God, in every age you have sent men and women who have given their lives in witness to your love and truth. Inspire us with the memory of Berard and companions, whose faithfulness led to the way of the cross, and give us courage to bear full witness with our lives to your Son’s victory over sin and death, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Source: vaticansite.com