On Knowing Ourselves:

2. The spiritual man puts the care of his soul before all else;
(Matt.16:26) and whoever diligently attends to his own affairs is
ready to keep silence about others. You will never become interior and
devout unless you refrain from criticism of others, and pay attention
to yourself. If you are wholly intent on God and yourself, you will be
little affected by anything outside this (I Cor.4:3). Where are you
when you fail to attend to yourself? And when you have occupied
yourself in countless affairs, what have you gained, if you have
neglected your soul (Mark 8:36)? If you really desire true peace and
union with God, attend to yourself, and set aside all else.
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ, Bk 2 Ch 5

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19 December - St Berardo Valeara of Teramo OSB

Benedictine Monk, Bishop of Teramo, Evangelist, Apostle of Charity
and Peace – also known as Bernard Paleara, Bernard Pagliara, Bernhard, Berard, Bernardo – born in c 1050 in the castle of Pagliara near
Castelli, Isola del Gran Sasso, Teramo, Abruzzo, Italy and died on 19
December 1122 of natural causes.

Saint Berardo was born into the noble family da Pagliara, whose castle
bore their name near the town of Isola del Gran Sasso in the Abruzzo
region of Italy. Important information concerning his life is found in
the ancient church records from this area as well as the chronicles of
his successor, the Bishop Sassone. Saint Berardo entered the monastery
in Montecassino as a young man and was later associated with the Abbey
of San Giovanni in Venere. He became well known for his good works and
upon the death of the Bishop Uberto, Berardo was asked to become a
pastor in the territory of Teramo. He took on this role for seven
years beginning in 1116 and focused his efforts on helping the poor
and making peace amongst the warring factions of the local citizenry.

Saint Berardo died in 1123. He was buried in what today is known as
Saint Anne’s chapel in the ancient Teramo Cathedral of Santa Maria Aprutiensis (now Sant’Anna dei Pompetti). This is one of the few
locations which were not destroyed by the siege and burning of Teramo
carried out by the Norman commander, Roberto di Loretello.

Around 1174, upon the initiative of the Bishop Attone, the remains of
Saint Berardo were transferred to the newly completed cathedral of
Teramo, first to a crypt where they remained for 600 years and
finally, in 1776, to a chapel built by the people of Teramo in his
honour during the leadership of the Bishop Pirelli.

Several miracles have been attributed to him. A 16th-century bust and
a 17th-century likeness of his arm giving a blessing, both in silver,
can be found in Teramo Cathedral. A stone statue of Saint Berardo
which formerly covered his crypt, is now located at the summit of a
chapel dedicated to his honour. Within the cathedral’s sacristy is a 17th-century altarpiece by the Polish painter Sebastiano Majeski
bearing the likeness of the saint entitled The Miracle of Saint
Berardo. Also located in the cathedral is a painting by Giuseppe
Bonolis, depicting The Virgin Mary and Saint Berardo liberating the
city of Teramo from the siege of the Duke of Atri and numerous other
works depicting the life of Saint Berardo. An outstanding and varied
collection of engravings and prints related to Saint Berardo was
chronicled and organised by Raffaele Aurini in 1973. It is a
comprehensive biographical and iconographical source of information
related to the life of this saint.

Over the years, the municipal authorities of Teramo have practised the
yearly custom of lighting a large candle in honour of Saint Berardo.

https://anastpaul.com/2018/12/19/

Saint Quote:
He who remembers the presence of God is less open to other thoughts,
especially bad thoughts. As long as we believe that God sees us, we
are restrained from daring to sin before such a Witness and Judge. In
two ways the presence of God is an antidote against sin: first,
because God sees us, and secondly, because we see God.
-- St. Ignatius

Scripture
Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. Psalm 71:4

Prayer
O ROOT OF JESSE,
that stands for an ensign of the people,
before whom the kings keep silence
and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication,
come, to deliver us and tarry not.


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Daily Thoughts and Prayers for Our Beloved Dead

"Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because
the hand of the Lord hath touched me" Job. 19-21.

14th Day

Prayers for the Faithful departed are more acceptable to God than
prayers for the living: for the suffering souls are in the greatest
need and cannot help themselves.

Prayers: Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.

De Profundis

Out of the depths, I have cried to Thee,
O Lord, Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the
voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark my iniquities,
O Lord, who shall stand it?
For with Thee there is merciful
forgiveness: and by reason of Thy
law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on His word;
my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until
night; let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy;
And with Him plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from
all its iniquities.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon them:
May they rest in peace. Amen.

O Lord Jesus, shower down on us Thy divine graces and blessings. Unite
our will to Thine, and make our prayers more acceptable to Thee, and
more beneficial to the Souls in Purgatory who cry out, Have pity on
me, for the Hand of God has touched me.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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