The Holy Spirit’s Work In Us

Hippolytus, a second century Christian writer, explains the
significance of the Holy Spirit’s work in us: “This is the water of
the Spirit: It refreshes paradise, enriches the earth, gives life to
living things.  It is the water of Christ’s baptism; it is our life.
If you go with faith to this renewing fountain, you renounce Satan
your enemy and confess Christ your God.  You cease to be a slave and
become an adopted son; you come forth radiant as the sun and brilliant
with justice; you come forth a son of God and fellow-heir with
Christ.” (From a sermon, On the Epiphany)

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9 February – Blessed Giacomo Abbondo

 Priest, Apostle of the poor, Spiritual guide, renowned Preacher –
born on 27 August 1720 in Salomino, Duchy of Milan (in modern Italy)
and died on 9 February 1788 in Tronzano, Ducky of Milan, Italy of
natural causes. Patronage – Tronzano, Italy.

Don Giacomo Abbondo was a true Parish Priest, father figure, shepherd
and preacher of the Gospel, who cared for his faithful to the point of heroically practising charity. Pope Francis proclaimed him to be
Venerable in 2014 and approved a miracle needed for his Beatification
in 2015. This priest from Tronzano Vercellese was Beatified by
Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes
of Saints, who was  representing Pope Francis, on Saturday, 11 June
2016, in Vercelli.

Giacomo Abbondo was born in Vercelli on 27 August 1720 as the second
of six children to Carlo Benedetto Abbondo and Francesca Maria Naya.

The decisive factor in his Christian upbringing was the presence and
example of his paternal uncle, Father Giovanni Carlo Abbondo. Giacomo
attended school in Tronzano and received Confirmation from Cardinal
Carlo Vincenzo Maria Ferreri on 15 December 1740. It was at this time
his religious calling blossomed and his father had, on 11 August 1738, announced his son’s desire to become a priest. The same day as his Confirmation, the Cardinal gave him the first clerical tonsure and on
12 August admitted him to minor orders. On 27 May 1741, the cardinal
also gave him the minor orders of exorcism and acolyte.

Msgr Giovanni Pietro Solaro elevated him to the Subdiaconate on 21
December 1743 and elevated him to the Diaconate on 29 February 1744.
He commenced his theological studies in Vercelli where he was Ordained
on 21 March 1744. He received a papal dispensation from Pope Clement
XII for his Ordination, since he had not reached the canonical age for
becoming a priest.

He obtained a degree in literature on 31 October 1748 in Turin and was
assigned to teach in Vercelli. In 1757 he left teaching to remain as a
simple Parish Priest.

He tried to help his parishioners to discover the goodness of God and
to know and praise God. He believed that this was of greater
importance since the previous Priest was a known Jansenist. He was
devoted to the sacraments and was a renowned preacher. He loved the
children and insisted that he be the one who admitted the Eucharist to
them when the children were ten. He viewed his mission as a Priest as
a service that had to be available to all people.

Abbondo would visit his parishioners in their homes in his role as the
head of thirteen churches but also, did this, in order to maintain
fruitful relationships and connections with the people. He scheduled
lectures each Lent season and on 3 April 1759 obtained from Pope
Clement XIII the privilege of indulgences, for those that partook of
the spiritual exercises offered in Tronzano. He also referred to the
spiritual exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola as a guide. He preached
to the Sisters of Saint Agatha in 1775 and to the Sisters of the Holy
Spirit in 1782.

He died in 1788 with a deep reputation for holiness and was well known
across the area for the pious life that he led. Pilgrimages to his
tomb became common and there were immediate calls for his
Beatification to commence.

On Sunday 12 June at 10.30 in the parish church of Tronzano, the place
where his mortal remains are kept, the Cardinal Angelo Amato will
preside over the Eucharist of thanksgiving to God for the gift of the
new Blessed, who, in the hamlet of Salomino, was born in 1720 and from
where he exercised the priestly ministry as Parish Priest from 1757 to
1788.

The parish community of Tronzano prepared for this “moment of grace” throughout a year which coincided with the 250th anniversary of the consecration of the parish church, consecration that took place in
1766, while Don Giacomo was parish priest. On Friday 10 June, on the
eve of the Beatification, there will be the possibility of Confessions throughout the course of the day.

Saturday 2 July 2016 at 17.00 in the parish church of Salomino,
Cardinal Angelo Amato will preside over the Eucharist which will begin
in the courtyard of the birthplace of Don Giacomo, with the blessing
of the Statue that will be placed in the Church of the hamlet.

see
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/09/


Saint Quote:
"The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he
does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to
defend himself from it"
--St. Vincent de Paul

Bible Quote
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall
humble himself shall be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)


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A PRAYER FOR PERSEVERANCE

Lord Jesus Christ,
I believe in Thee as my God and my Saviour.
Make me more faithful to Thy Gospel and
commandments. By sharing in the Eucharist,
may I come to live more fully
in the life Thou hast given me.
Keep Thy Love alive within my heart and soul
so that I may become worthy of Thee.
Teach me to value and be thankful
for all of Thy Gifts.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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