Christus Regnat

2 of 2 AUGUST 29 — THE BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN BAPTIST But on Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask of him. But she, being instructed before by her mother, said, Give me here in a dish the head of John the Baptist. And the king was struck sad: yet because of his oath, and for them that sat with him at table, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a dish, and it was given to the damsel; and she brought it to her mother.”—ST. MATTHEW xiv. 3-12. —— ✿ —— . . . . . . Ah! kneel before Him, meek and grave, And show the necklace Herod gave. . . . . . . . . That circlet round thy shining throat Is dearer to Him far than gold: And when thou say’st “Forgive them, Lord!” Thy voice shall stir Him, as of old. ~ From “Domus Dei” —— ✿ —— Favorite Practice To avoid rash vows or resolutions. ~ Short Lives of the Saints (1884) St. John the Baptist, ora pro nobis.

AUGUST 29 — THE BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN BAPTIST “FOR Herod had apprehended John,and bound him, and put him in prison, because of Herodias, his brother's wife. For John said to him, it is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the people, because they esteemed him a prophet. (continued)

2 of 2 AUGUST 29 — THE BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST He was received by the people as the true herald of the Most High God, and his voice was, as it were, a trumpet sounding from heaven to summon all men to avert the divine judgments, and to prepare themselves to reap the benefit of the mercy that was offered them. The tetrarch Herod Antipas having, in defiance of all laws divine and human, married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, who was yet living, St. John the Baptist boldly reprehended the tetrarch and his accomplice for so scandalous an incest and adultery, and Herod, urged on by lust and anger, cast the Saint into prison. About a year after St. John had been made a prisoner, Herod gave a splendid entertainment to the nobility of Galilee. Salome, a daughter of Herodias by her lawful husband, pleased Herod by her dancing, insomuch that he promised her to grant whatever she asked. On this, Salome consulted with her mother what to ask. Herodias instructed her daughter to demand the death of John the Baptist, and persuaded the young damsel to make it part of her petition that the head of the prisoner should be forthwith brought to her in a dish. This strange request startled the tyrant himself; he assented, however, and sent a soldier of his guard to behead the Saint in prison, with an order to bring his head in a charger and present it to Salome, who delivered it to her mother. St. Jerome relates that the furious Herodias made it her inhuman pastime to prick the sacred tongue with a bodkin. Thus died the great forerunner of our blessed Saviour, about two years and three months after his entrance upon his public ministry, about a year before the death of our blessed Redeemer. REFLECTION. — All the high graces with which St. John was favored sprang from his humility; in this all his other virtues were founded. If we desire to form ourselves upon so great a model, we must, above all things, labor to lay the same deep foundation. ~ Pictorial Lives of the Saints (1878) St. John the Baptist, pray for us.

AUGUST 29 — THE BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST St. JOHN THE BAPTIST was called by God to be the forerunner of his Divine Son. In order to preserve his innocence spotless, and to improve the extraordinary graces which he had received, he was directed by the Holy Ghost to lead an austere and contemplative life in the wilderness, in the continual exercises of devout prayer and penance, from his infancy till he was thirty years of age. At this age, the faithful minister began to discharge his mission. Clothed with the weeds of penance, he announced to all men the obligation they lay under of washing away their iniquities with the tears of sincere compunction; and proclaimed the Messiah, who was then coming to make his appearance among them. (continued)

NOVENA to ST. PIUS X (August 25th ~ September 2nd) Day 4 ~ August 28th Glorious Pope of the Eucharist, St. Pius X, thou didst seek to "restore all things in Christ." Obtain for me a true love of Jesus so that I may only live for Him. Help me to acquire a lively fervor and a sincere will to strive for sanctity of life, and that I may avail myself of the riches of the Holy Eucharist, which is sacrifice and sacrament. By thy love for Mary, my Mother and Queen, inflame my heart with a tender devotion to her. Blessed model of the priesthood, obtain for us holy and dedicated priests and increase vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Dispel confusion, hatred and anxiety. Incline our hearts to peace so that all nations will place themselves under the reign of Christ the King. (Here mention your request) Amen. Pope St. Pius X, pray for us.

NOVENA to ST. STEPHEN of HUNGARY (August 24th ~ September 1st) Day 5 ~ August 28th Grant unto Thy Church, we beseech Thee, O Almighty God, that even as Thy blessed Confessor Stephen, while he was a King upon earth, was her forwarder, so now that he is a glorious Saint in heaven, he may be her defender. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. St. Stephen of Hungary, pray for us.

Nine Month Novena for Impossible Requests To be prayed from March 25th to December 25th Day 157 - August 28th Pray the Hail, Holy Queen. ℣ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. ℟ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. Most holy Virgin of the Incarnation, a thousand times we greet thee, a thousand times we praise thee, for the joy thou hadst when God wast incarnated in thee. Because thou art so powerful a Virgin and the Mother of God, grant what we ask of thee for the love of God. Here state your first request. Repeat the prayers above, stating your second request, then repeat the prayers above, stating your third request. Continue by praying once, each: the Memorare; the Hail Mary. End by praying: Blessed and praised be the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, in Heaven, on earth and everywhere. Amen.

2 of 2 August 28th~ The Feast of St. Augustine Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church His mother, St. Monica, died seven months later when, with her son. she was about to return to Africa. St. Augustine remembered her always in his prayers and offered the Holy Mass for her soul. He was made bishop of Hippo in 395, and established a common life for his clergy. The rule of St. Augustine is drawn from his 211th epistle which he wrote for nuns and which later was adapted for the men. He is one of the few saints who was appreciated even during his lifetime; his contemporaries recognized his sanctity and his learning. No council was held at that time in Africa of which the Bishop of the small city of Hippo was not the leading spirit. He died in 430. His body was saved by African bishops from the profanation of the Vandals. It was taken first to Sardinia, and then to Pavia, where it is still preserved in Ciel d'Oro. ~ The New Roman Missal (1937) St. Augustine, pray for us.

1 of 2 August 28th~ The Feast of St. Augustine Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church St. Augustine was born at Tagaste. Africa. in 354. In his early life he abandoned the pious teaching of his mother and fell into grievous sins. Finally at Milan he was converted by the example and words of St. Ambrose and baptized in 387. (continued)

2 of 2 AUGUST 28 — ST. AUGUSTINE, Bishop and Doctor For a long time he struggled between the violence of his passions and the force of divine grace; but having read a passage in St. Paul to which a heavenly voice directed him, the battle was at an end, and the prayer of St. Monica granted. He was baptized by St. Ambrose; and having returned to Hippo, his native town, he was made priest and, eventually, bishop and doctor of the Church. He died in 430 in such strict poverty that he made no will, having nothing left to bequeath. —— ✿ —— “ Tolle lege! tolle lege!” (High and clear in sweet command,) “ Tolle lege! tolle lege!” Sang an angel close at hand; “In thy darkness and thy need, Take and read, oh! take and read !” ~ ELEANOR C. DONNELLY —— ✿ —— Favorite Practice “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh.” ~ Short Lives of the Saints (1884) St. Augustine, ora pro nobis.

AUGUST 28 — ST. AUGUSTINE, Bishop and Doctor AUGUSTINE, the gifted son of St. Monica and the pagan Patricius, from his early years displayed a wonderful genius and thirst for knowledge. Having become entangled in his youth in the bonds of heresy and vice, he would have been lost but for the prayers and tears of his devoted mother. He was teaching at Milan when the eloquence of St. Ambrose attracted him to a Catholic church. (continued)

2 of 2 AUGUST 28 — ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO He persisted in his irregular life until he was thirty-two. Being then at Milan professing rhetoric, he tells us that the faith of his childhood had regained possession of his intellect, but that he could not as yet resolve to break the chains of evil habit. One day, however, stung to the heart by the account of some sudden conversions, he cried out, "The unlearned rise and storm heaven, and we, with all our learning, for lack of heart lie wallowing here." He then withdrew into a garden, when a long and terrible conflict ensued. Suddenly a young fresh voice (he knows not whose) breaks in upon his strife with the words, "Take and read ;" and he lights upon the passage beginning, " Walk honestly as in the day." The battle was won. He received baptism, returned home, and gave all to the poor. At Hippo, where he settled, he was consecrated bishop in 395. For thirty-five years he was the centre of ecclesiastical life in Africa, and the Church's mightiest champion against heresy; whilst his writings have been everywhere accepted as one of the principal sources of devotional thought and theological speculation. He died in 430. REFLECTION. — Read the lives of the Saints, and you will find that you are gradually creating a society about you to which in some measure you will be forced to raise the standard of your daily life. ~ Pictorial Lives of the Saints (1878) St. Augustine of Hippo, pray for us.

AUGUST 28 — ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO St. AUGUSTINE was born in 354, at Tagaste in Africa. He was brought up in the Christian faith, but without receiving baptism. An ambitious school-boy of brilliant talents and violent passions, he early lost both his faith and his innocence. (continued)

NOVENA to ST. PIUS X (August 25th ~ September 2nd) Day 3 ~ August 27th Glorious Pope of the Eucharist, St. Pius X, thou didst seek to "restore all things in Christ." Obtain for me a true love of Jesus so that I may only live for Him. Help me to acquire a lively fervor and a sincere will to strive for sanctity of life, and that I may avail myself of the riches of the Holy Eucharist, which is sacrifice and sacrament. By thy love for Mary, my Mother and Queen, inflame my heart with a tender devotion to her. Blessed model of the priesthood, obtain for us holy and dedicated priests and increase vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Dispel confusion, hatred and anxiety. Incline our hearts to peace so that all nations will place themselves under the reign of Christ the King. (Here mention your request) Amen. Pope St. Pius X, pray for us.

NOVENA to ST. STEPHEN of HUNGARY (August 24th ~ September 1st) Day 4 ~ August 27th Grant unto Thy Church, we beseech Thee, O Almighty God, that even as Thy blessed Confessor Stephen, while he was a King upon earth, was her forwarder, so now that he is a glorious Saint in heaven, he may be her defender. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. St. Stephen of Hungary, pray for us.

2 of 2 NOVENA to ST. AUGUSTINE (continued) Pray that I be blessed with the courage to follow God’s will even at times when I do not understand. Ask our Lord to lead me to a life worthy of His love, that I may one day share the riches of His kingdom. Petition our Lord and Saviour to ease the burden of my problems and to grant my special intention, and I will honor you all of my days. Holy Saint Augustine, thou hast overcome great adversity to be revered by the Church as one of her greatest saints. In thy wisdom and compassion, aid me in my own life quest to fulfill the destiny laid out for me, that God may bless me with the strength, courage and wisdom to surrender my temporal concerns to His will. Intercede for me that my most pressing concerns be resolved and my petition granted. (Mention your intentions here.) Glorious Saint Augustine I boldly ask for thine intercession, confident in thy boundless wisdom and compassion. May this devotion lead me to a life dedicated to fulfilling the will of God that I may one day be deemed worthy of sharing His Kingdom with thee and all the saints for all eternity. Pray one Pater, one Ave, and one Gloria. St. Augustine, pray for us.

1 of 2 NOVENA to ST. AUGUSTINE (August 19th ~ August 27th) Day 9 ~ August 27th O holy Saint Augustine, who famously declared that “Our hearts were made for thee, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in thee,” aid me in my own search for our Lord, that through thine intercession I may be granted the wisdom to determine the purpose God has planned for me. (continued)

Nine Month Novena for Impossible Requests To be prayed from March 25th to December 25th Day 156 - August 27th Pray the Hail, Holy Queen. ℣ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. ℟ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. Most holy Virgin of the Incarnation, a thousand times we greet thee, a thousand times we praise thee, for the joy thou hadst when God wast incarnated in thee. Because thou art so powerful a Virgin and the Mother of God, grant what we ask of thee for the love of God. Here state your first request. Repeat the prayers above, stating your second request, then repeat the prayers above, stating your third request. Continue by praying once, each: the Memorare; the Hail Mary. End by praying: Blessed and praised be the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, in Heaven, on earth and everywhere. Amen.

August 27th~ The Feast of St. Joseph, Confessor St. Joseph Calasanctius was born in Aragon in 1556. Having become a priest it was revealed to him that he should teach the children of the poor. He founded the Order of the Poor Clerks Regular of the Pious Schools of the Mother of God. He was ever a devout pilgrim at the shrines of the martyrs, and daily visited the seven Churches of Rame, where he.lived for fifty years. He died August 25, 1648. ~ The New Roman Missal (1937) St Joseph Calasanctius, pray for us.

2 of 2 AUGUST 27 — ST. CESARIUS, Bishop Having been falsely accused of conspiring against the state, he was exiled from his diocese by Alaric and Theodoric successively; but both times the false charges were made to redound to the glory of the gentle bishop, and he was welcomed back to his see with open arms, the last time loaded with the costly gifts of Theodoric, which Cesarius at once disposed of in order to give the proceeds to his beloved poor. He died in 542. —— ✿ —— Far off he descries an Elysium blest, With gush of clear fountains, and music, and rest; Religion’s blest teaching his spirit controls, And points all his hopes to the country of souls. ~ MRS. M. S. WHITAKER —— ✿ —— Favorite Practice By doing well to “put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” ~ Short Lives of the Saints (1884) St. Cesarius, ora pro nobis.