• Be converted with a sincere heart

    From Weedy@21:1/5 to All on Mon Apr 5 23:34:29 2021
    Be converted with a sincere heart

       Fix your minds on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Inflamed
    with love for us, he came down from heaven to redeem us. For our sake
    he endured every torment of body and soul and shrank from no bodily
    pain. He himself gave us an example of perfect patience and love. We,
    then, are to be patient in adversity. Put aside your hatred and
    animosity. Take pains to refrain from sharp words. If they escape your
    lips, do not be ashamed to let your lips produce the remedy, since
    they have caused the wounds. Pardon one another so that later on you
    will not remember the injury. The recollection of an injury is itself
    wrong. It adds to our anger, nurtures our sin, and hates what is good.
    It is a rusty arrow and poison for the soul. It puts all virtue to
    flight. It is like a worm in the mind: it confuses our speech and
    tears to shreds our petitions to God. It is foreign to charity: it
    remains planted in the soul like a nail. It is wickedness that never
    sleeps, sin that never fails. It is indeed a daily death.
    --Francis de Paola

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    April 6th - Blessed Zefirino Agostini

    BL. ZEFIRINO AGOSTINI, the elder of two sons, was born on 24 September
    1813 in Verona, Italy, to Antonio Agostini and Angela Frattini. Their
    father was a doctor and they grew up in a true Christian family. He
    was baptized an 28 September 1813 in the Church of SS Nazarius and
    Celsus, which would later become his place of work.

    After his father's death they were raised by their mother, whose
    wisdom and gentleness would make a lasting impression on Zefirino.
    Zefirino wanted to be a priest; he attended the local schools and
    studied philosophy at the seminary as a day student, always showing
    love for his vocation and attention to the problems of his time. He
    was ordained on 11 March 1837 by Bishop Grasser of Verona and
    celebrated his first Mass in St. Nazarius Church. Here he was a curate
    for eight years, in charge of the boys' recreational programme and the
    teaching of Christian doctrine.

    In 1845 he was named parish priest. Given its size, poverty and
    problems, some said his acceptance of this post was "truly heroic".
    With deep devotion to God and ardent love for his people, Fr Agostini
    could accept people and their sufferings with a fatherly heart and
    discern the signs of the times with prophetic vision. His first
    commitment was to find time for the Lord and cultivate familiarity
    with him in daily prayer.

    His openness to God produced an ardent apostolic zeal, which made him tirelessly attentive to all his parishioners. Among his many
    activities for the poor and needy, he showed his concern for the
    education of women by establishing an after-school programme for girls
    and attending to the religious instruction of their mothers. The moral
    and material poverty of young girls prompted him to take a special
    interest in them. He discovered St. Angela Merici and her ideals. He
    spoke enthusiastically about her to young women and celebrated her
    feast-day as early as 1855. The Holy Spirit and the need to rescue and
    educate girls spurred him to accept an offer made by three young
    members of the after-school programme to devote themselves, like St.
    Angela, to the neediest.

    After patient waiting and much prayer, Fr Agostini realized that
    following St. Angela's example was the Lord's will. Trusting in
    Providence, although he lacked the means, he succeeded in founding the
    Pious Union of Sisters Devoted to St. Angela Merici. Their rule was
    approved by Bishop Ricabona in 1856. That same year, on 2 November, he
    opened his first charitable school for poor girls. The first women to
    assist him lived with their families. After 1860 some chose community
    life and Fr Agostini prepared the first rule for the Ursuline
    community, which was approved that year. On 24 September 1869 the
    first 12 Ursulines made their profession; on 18 November, the
    Congregation of Ursulines, Daughters of Mary Immaculate was founded.
    Some continued to help in the parish while living at home.

    Fr Agostini cared for all with respect seeking nothing but God's will
    and the good of souls. Those who knew him described him as humble and persevering full of pastoral zeal. In 1874 he made revealing remark to
    his sisters: "Do no be dismayed by toil or suffering, nor by the
    meager fruit of your labours. Remember that God rewards not according
    to results, but effort". He worked tirelessly for the glory of God, irresistibly drawn to the crucified Lord. He died on 6 April 1896.


    Saint Quote:
    Mary was raised to the dignity of Mother of God rather for sinners
    than for the just, since Jesus Christ declares that he came to call
    not the just, but sinners.
    --St. Anselm

    Bible Quote:
    They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they
    shall.walk and not faint.  (Isaiah 40:31)


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    May I Love You More Dearly
    St Richard of Chichester (1197-1253)

    Thanks be to You,
    my Lord Jesus Christ
    For all the benefits
    You have bestowed upon me,
    For all the pains and insults
    You have borne for me.
    O most merciful Redeemer,
    friend and brother,
    May I know You more clearly,
    Love You more dearly,
    Follow You more nearly.
    Amen

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