ST.

CALLISTUS 1, POPE AND MARTYR

Pope Callistus I is celebrated in churches throughout the world as a saint and martyr on October
14. The saint caused a major controversy, including a schism that lasted almost two decades, by
choosing to emphasize God's mercy in his ministry. However, the early Pope's model of leadership
has endured, and his martyrdom in the year 222 confirmed his example of holiness.
According to Hippolytus' account, Callistus whose year of birth is not known - began his career
as a highly-placed domestic servant, eventually taking responsibility for his master's banking
business. When the bank failed, Callistus received the blame, and attempted to flee from his
master. Being discovered, he was demoted to serve as a manual laborer in Rome. Thus, under
inauspicious circumstances, Callistus came as a slave to the city where he would later serve as
Pope.
During the subsequent reign of Pope Zephyrinus, Callistus became a deacon and the caretaker of
a major Roman Christian cemetery (which still bears his name as the Cemetery of St. Callistus),
in addition to advising the Pope on theological controversies of the day. He was a natural
candidate to follow Zephyrinus, when the latter died in 219.
Callistus came to power during a crucial time of the Church. Was it going to hang on to the rigid
rules of previous years and limit itself to those who were already saints or was it going to embrace
sinners asChrist commanded? Was its mission only to a few holy ones or to the whole world, to the
healthy or to the sick? We can understand Hippolytus' fear -- that hypocritical penitents would
use the Church and weaken it in the time when they faced persecution. But Callistus chose to
trust God's mercy and love and opened the doors. By choosing Christ's mission, he chose to
spread the Gospel to all.

St. Callistus , pope and martyr lived in 222. He provided for the burial of martyrs in the
catacombs. He is known for his mercy and understanding of sinners who repented from their sins,
against the opinion of the rigorists, mainly Tertullian. He defended the faith against the
adoptionist and modalist heresies with regard to the Holy Trinity and the person of Jesus Christ.
He died a martyr in Rome during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus.

His feast day is Oct. 14th and he is patron of cemetery workers.

St. Teresa of Avila

Teresa's father was rigidly honest and pious, but he
may have carried his strictness to extremes.
Teresa's mother loved romance novels but because
her husband objected to these fanciful books, she
hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the
middle -- especially since she liked the romances
too. Her father told her never to lie but her mother
told her not to tell her father. Later she said she
was always afraid that no matter what she did she
was going to do everything wrong.
When she was seven-years-old, she convinced her
older brother that they should "go off to the land of
the Moors and beg them, out of love of God, to cut
off our heads there." They got as far as the road
from the city before an uncle found them and
brought them back. Some people have used this
story as an early example of sanctity, but this
author think it's better used as an early example of
her ability to stir up trouble.
After this incident she led a fairly ordinary life,
though she was convinced that she was a horrible sinner. As a teenager, she cared only
about boys, clothes, flirting, and rebelling. When she was 16, her father decided she
was out of control and sent her to a convent. At first she hated it but eventually she
began to enjoy it -- partly because of her growing love for God, and partly because the
convent was a lot less strict than her father.
Still, when the time came for her to choose between marriage and religious life, she
had a tough timemaking the decision. She'd watched a difficult marriage ruin her
mother. On the other hand being a nun didn't seem like much fun. When she finally
chose religious life, she did so because she though that it was the only safe place for
someone as prone to sin as she was.
Once installed at the Carmelite convent permanently, she started to learn and practice
mental prayer, in which she "tried as hard as I could to keep Jesus Christ present within
me....My imagination is so dull that I had no talent for imagining or coming up with
great theological thoughts." Teresa prayed this way off and on for eighteen years
without feeling that she was getting results. Part of the reason for her trouble was that
the convent was not the safe place she assumed it would be.
Then Teresa fell ill with malaria. When she had a seizure, people were so sure she was
dead that after she woke up four days later she learned they had dug a grave for her.
Afterwards she was paralyzed for three years and was never completely well. Yet
instead of helping her spiritually, her sickness became an excuse to stop

her prayer completely: she couldn't be alone enough, she wasn't healthy enough, and
so forth. Later she would say, "Prayer is an act of love, words are not needed. Even if
sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love."
For years she hardly prayed at all "under the guise of humility." She thought as a
wicked sinner she didn't deserve to get favors from God. But turning away
from prayer was like "a baby turning from its mother's breasts, what can be expected
but death?"
When she was 41, a priest convinced her to go back to her prayer, but she still found it
difficult. "I was more anxious for the hour of prayer to be over than I was to remain
there. I don't know what heavy penance I would not have gladly undertaken rather than
practice prayer." She was distracted often: "This intellect is so wild that it doesn't seem
to be anything else than a frantic madman no one can tie down." Teresa sympathizes
with those who have a difficult time in prayer: "All the trials we endure cannot be
compared to these interior battles."
Yet her experience gives us wonderful descriptions of mental prayer: "For
mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it
means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us. The
important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs
you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything."
Her biggest fault was
attached to her friends
human beings but with
been unable to achieve
life.

her friendships. Though she wasn't sinning, she was very

until God told her "No longer do I want you to converse with
angels." In an instant he gave her the freedom that she had
through years of effort. After that God always came first in her

Some friends, however, did not like what was happening to her and got together to
discuss some "remedy" for her. Concluding that she had been deluded by the devil,
they sent a Jesuit to analyze her. The Jesuit reassured her that her experiences were
from God but soon everyone knew about her and was making fun of her.
One confessor was so sure that the visions were from the devil that he told her to make
an obscene gesture called the fig every time she had a vision of Jesus. She cringed but
did as she was ordered, all the time apologizing to Jesus. Fortunately, Jesus didn't seem
upset but told her that she was right to obey her confessor. In her autobiography she
would say, "I am more afraid of those who are terrified of thedevil than I am of
the devil himself." The devil was not to be feared but fought by talking more about God.
Teresa felt that the best evidence that her delights came from God was that the
experiences gave her peace, inspiration, and encouragement. "If these effects are not
present I would greatly doubt that the raptures come from God; on the contrary I would
fear lest they be caused by rabies."
Sometimes, however, she couldn't avoid complaining to her closest Friend about the
hostility and gossip that surrounded her. When Jesus told her, "Teresa, that's how I treat
my friends" Teresa responded, "No wonder you have so few friends." But

since Christ has so few friends, she felt they should be good ones. And that's why she
decided to reform her Carmelite order.
She is the founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1970 she was declared a Doctor of
the Church for her writing and teaching on prayer, one of two women to be honored in
this way.
St. Teresa is the patron saint of Headache sufferers. Her symbol is a heart, an arrow,
and a book. She was canonized in 1622.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Daughter of Claude Alacoque and Philiberte Lamyn, Margaret was born on July 22, at
L'Hautecour, Burgundy, France, was sent to the Poor Clares school at Charolles on the
death of her father, a notary, when she was eight years old. She was bedridden for five
years with rheumatic fever until she was fifteen and early developed a devotion to the
Blessed Sacrament. She refused marriage, and in 1671 she entered the
Visitation convent at Paray-le-Monial and was professed the next year. From
the time she was twenty, she experienced visions of Christ, and on December 27, 1673,
she began a series of revelations that were to continue over the next year and a half. In
them Christ informed her that she was His chosen instrument to spread devotion to His
Sacred Heart, instructed her in a devotion that was to become known as the Nine
Fridays and the Holy Hour, and asked that the feast of the Sacred Heart be established.
Rebuffed by her superior, Mother de Saumaise, in her efforts to follow the instruction
she had received in the visions, she eventually won her over but was unable to

convince a group of theologians of the validity of her apparitions, nor was she any more
successful with many of the members of her community. She received the support of
Blessed Claude La Colombiere, the community's confessor for a time, who declared that
the visions were genuine. In 1683, opposition in the community ended when Mother
Melin was elected Superior and named Margaret Mary her assistant. She later
became Novice Mistress, saw the convent observe the feast of the Sacred Heart
privately beginning in 1686, and two years later, a chapel was built at the Paray-leMonial to honor the Sacred Heart; soon observation of the feast of the Sacred Heart
spread to other Visitation convents. Margaret Mary died at the Paray-le-Monialon
October 17, and was canonized in 1920. She, St. John Eudes, and Blessed Claude La
Colombiere are called the "Saints of the Sacred Heart"; the devotion was officially
recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765, seventy-five years after her
death. Her feast day is observed on October 17.

LESSON PLAN FOR WEEK 6 (JS2 CRK)

DATE:
TOPIC:
NO. OF PERIODS:
TEACHING AID:
ENTRY BEHAVIOUR:

12 th b16th Oct. 2015

Call of the disciples of Jesus
3 X 40 minutes
Holy Bible and videos
Students were asked to read up the topic

Content of summary:
A disciple is a pup[il, student or follower who receives instructions from a teacher and then
goes out to teach others. All the great teachers like Socrates and Buddha had disciples and so
did Jesus. The first four disciples of Jesus were Simon and his brother Andrew, James and his
brother John.
Topic: Call of the disciples of Jesus
(i)
Meaning of a disciple
(ii)
Jesus calls the first four: Matt 4: 18-22, Mk 1:14-20, Lk 5:1-11
(iii)
Jesus calls the twelve: Mk 3:13-19
(iv)
The demand of discipleship: Mt 8:18-27, Lk 9:57-63, Lk 14:25-33

1st and 2nd periods (double)

Instructional objectives: At the end of the periods, students should be able to:
1. Name the first four disciples of Jesus
2. Give an account of how they were called
3. Name the twelve disciples
Presentation:

Step 1: Teacher will carry out a correction of last weeks classwork

Step 2: Teacher will give the meaning of a disciple
Step 3: Students will discuss whether they are disciples or not and give reasons
Step 4: Students will read the relevant bible passage and discuss the calling of the first
four disciples
Step 5: The call of the twelve disciples will be discussed after the reading of the bible
passage
Step 6: Teacher will explain the significance of the calling of the twelve disciples
Step 7: Teacher will take questions from students
Step 8: Students will watch a movie on the call of the disciples of Jesus
Evaluation: Students will answer the following questions
1. Who is a disciple?
2. Name the twelve disciples
3. Give two reasons why Jesus called disciples
4. Name the first four disciples of Jesus
Assignment: Students are to read from birth of Jesus to call of the disciples for a class
work
3rd period
Topic: The demand of discipleship: Mt 8:18-27, Lk 9:57-63, Lk 14:25-33
Summary of content:
Discipleship is about two things:
1. To be a true believer of Jesus
2. To be a devoted follower of Jesus
To achieve these two things, one has to :
1. Face insecurity
2. Put God first in everything
3. Be totally committed
4. Make sacrifices
5. Count the cost
Instructional objectives: At the end of the period, students should be able to state the demands
of discipleship
Presentation:
Step 1: Students will recite he twelve disciples
Step 2: Students will read the relevant bible passage and discuss the demands of discipleship
Step 3: The class will discuss the different ways people are called to serve God today

Evaluation: Revision class work

1. Complete the above statement, Do not be afraid Mary -----------------------.
2. Name the angel that told Joseph not to be afraid
3. Give the significance/importance of the birth of Jesus
4. Give the significance of the visit of the shepherds
5. Mention two consequences of adultery
6. Name the two people that made prophecies after the presentation of the Jesus in the
temple
7. Who was the fore runner of Jesus?
8. What is baptism?
9. List three ways of overcoming temptation
10.List the twelve disciples
Assignment: Students are to read for second mid term test

LESSON PLAN FOR WEEK 7 (JS2 CRK)

19th 23rd Oct. 2015
Midterm test and midterm break

DATE:
TOPIC:

THE LAGOON SECONDARY SCHOOL

FIRST TERM MID TERM TEST, OCT. 2015
CLASS: JS2 SUBJECT: CRK TIME: 40minutes
1. List the three presents given to Jesus by the wise men and their significances.
6mks
2. State why Jesus was presented at the temple.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

3mks
Mention the significances of Simeons prophecy
3mks
State what qualifies one to be a member of the family of Jesus
2mks
Describe the dressing and food of John the Baptist
4mks
Mention the three temptations of Jesus and his reply to each
6mks
List the twelve disciples of Jesus
6mks
List three demands of discipleship
6mks
Give an account of the call of Simon Peter and Andrew
4mks

LESSON PLAN FOR WEEK 8 (JS2 CRK)

DATE:
TOPIC:
NO. OF PERIODS:
TEACHING AID:
ENTRY BEHAVIOUR:
Summary of content:

26th 30th Oct. 2015

The mission of the disciples
3 X 40 minutes
Holy Bible and videos
Students were asked to read up the topic

St. Teresa of Avila

Teresa of vila was born Teresa Ali Fatim Corella Sanchez de Capeda y Ahumada in vila, Spain.
Less than twenty years before Teresa was born in 1515, Columbus opened up the Western
Hemisphere to European colonization. Two years after she was born, Luther started the Protestant
Reformation. Out of all of this change came Teresa pointing the way from outer turmoil to inner
peace.
Teresa's father was rigidly honest and pious, but he may have carried his strictness to extremes.
Teresa's mother loved romance novels but because her husband objected to these fanciful books,
she hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the middle -- especially since she liked the romances
too. Her father told her never to lie but her mother told her not to tell her father. Later she said she
was always afraid that no matter what she did she was going to do everything wrong.
When she was seven-years-old, she convinced her older brother that they should "go off to the land
of the Moors and beg them, out of love of God, to cut off our heads there." They got as far as the
road from the city before an uncle found them and brought them back. Some people have used this
story as an early example of sanctity, but this author think it's better used as an early example of her
ability to stir up trouble.
After this incident she led a fairly ordinary life, though she was convinced that she was a horrible
sinner. As a teenager, she cared only about boys, clothes, flirting, and rebelling. When she was 16,
her father decided she was out of control and sent her to a convent. At first she hated it but
eventually she began to enjoy it -- partly because of her growing love for God, and partly because
the convent was a lot less strict than her father.
Still, when the time came for her to choose between marriage and religious life, she had a
tough timemaking the decision. She'd watched a difficult marriage ruin her mother. On the other
hand being a nun didn't seem like much fun. When she finally chose religious life, she did so
because she though that it was the only safe place for someone as prone to sin as she was.
Once installed at the Carmelite convent permanently, she started to learn and practice mental
prayer, in which she "tried as hard as I could to keep Jesus Christ present within
me....My imagination is so dull that I had no talent for imagining or coming up with great theological
thoughts." Teresa prayed this way off and on for eighteen years without feeling that she was getting
results. Part of the reason for her trouble was that the convent was not the safe place she assumed
it would be.
Many women who had no place else to go wound up at the convent, whether they had vocations or
not. They were encouraged to stay away from the convents for long period of time to cut down on
expenses.Nuns would arrange their veils attractively and wear jewelry. Prestige depended not on
piety but on money. There was a steady stream of visitors in the parlor and parties that included
young men. What spiritual life there was involved hysteria, weeping, exaggerated penance,
nosebleeds, and self- induced visions.

Teresa suffered the same problem that Francis of Assisi did -- she was too charming. Everyone liked
her and she liked to be liked. She found it too easy to slip into a worldly life and ignore God.
The convent encouraged her to have visitors to whom she would teach mental prayer because
their gifts helped the community economy. But Teresa got more involved in flattery, vanity and
gossip than spiritual guidance. These weren't great sins perhaps but they kept her from God.
Then Teresa fell ill with malaria. When she had a seizure, people were so sure she was dead that
after she woke up four days later she learned they had dug a grave for her. Afterwards she was
paralyzed for three years and was never completely well. Yet instead of helping her spiritually, her
sickness became an excuse to stop her prayer completely: she couldn't be alone enough, she
wasn't healthy enough, and so forth. Later she would say, "Prayer is an act of love, words are not
needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love."
For years she hardly prayed at all "under the guise of humility." She thought as a wicked sinner she
didn't deserve to get favors from God. But turning away from prayer was like "a baby turning from its
mother's breasts, what can be expected but death?"
When she was 41, a priest convinced her to go back to her prayer, but she still found it difficult. "I
was more anxious for the hour of prayer to be over than I was to remain there. I don't know what
heavy penance I would not have gladly undertaken rather than practice prayer." She was distracted
often: "This intellect is so wild that it doesn't seem to be anything else than a frantic madman no one
can tie down." Teresa sympathizes with those who have a difficult time in prayer: "All the trials we
endure cannot be compared to these interior battles."
Yet her experience gives us wonderful descriptions of mental prayer: "For mental prayer in my
opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to
be alone with him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much
and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in
everything."
As she started to pray again, God gave her spiritual delights: the prayer of quiet where God's
presence overwhelmed her senses, raptures where God overcame her with glorious
foolishness, prayer of union where she felt the sun of God melt her soul away. Sometimes her whole
body was raised from the ground. If she felt God was going to levitate her body, she stretched out on
the floor and called the nunsto sit on her and hold her down. Far from being excited about these
events, she "begged God very much not to give me any more favors in public."
In her books, she analyzed and dissects mystical experiences the way a scientist would. She never
saw these gifts as rewards from God but the way he "chastised" her. The more love she felt the
harder it was to offend God. She says, "The memory of the favor God has granted does more to
bring such a personback to God than all the infernal punishments imaginable."
Her biggest fault was her friendships. Though she wasn't sinning, she was very attached to her
friends until God told her "No longer do I want you to converse with human beings but with angels."
In an instant he gave her the freedom that she had been unable to achieve through years of effort.
After that Godalways came first in her life.
Some friends, however, did not like what was happening to her and got together to discuss some
"remedy" for her. Concluding that she had been deluded by the devil, they sent a Jesuit to analyze

her. The Jesuit reassured her that her experiences were from God but soon everyone knew about
her and was making fun of her.
One confessor was so sure that the visions were from the devil that he told her to make an obscene
gesture called the fig every time she had a vision of Jesus. She cringed but did as she was ordered,
all the time apologizing to Jesus. Fortunately, Jesus didn't seem upset but told her that she
was right to obey her confessor. In her autobiography she would say, "I am more afraid of those who
are terrified of thedevil than I am of the devil himself." The devil was not to be feared but fought by
talking more about God.
Teresa felt that the best evidence that her delights came from God was that the experiences gave
her peace, inspiration, and encouragement. "If these effects are not present I would
greatly doubt that the raptures come from God; on the contrary I would fear lest they be caused by
rabies."
Sometimes, however, she couldn't avoid complaining to her closest Friend about the hostility and
gossip that surrounded her. When Jesus told her, "Teresa, that's how I treat my friends" Teresa
responded, "No wonder you have so few friends." But since Christ has so few friends, she felt they
should be good ones. And that's why she decided to reform her Carmelite order.
At the age of 43, she became determined to found a new convent that went back to the basics of a
contemplative order: a simple life of poverty devoted to prayer. This doesn't sound like a big deal,
right? Wrong.
When plans leaked out about her first convent, St. Joseph's, she was denounced from the pulpit,
told by her sisters she should raise money for the convent she was already in, and threatened with
the Inquisition. The town started legal proceedings against her. All because she wanted to try a
simple life of prayer. In the face of this open war, she went ahead calmly, as if nothing was wrong,
trusting in God.
"May God protect me from gloomy saints," Teresa said, and that's how she ran her convent. To her,
spiritual life was an attitude of love, not a rule. Although she proclaimed poverty, she believed in
work, not in begging. She believed in obedience to God more than penance. If you do something
wrong, don't punish yourself -- change. When someone felt depressed, her advice was that she go
some place where she could see the sky and take a walk. When someone was shocked that she
was going to eat well, she answered, "There's a time for partridge and a time for penance." To her
brother's wish to meditate on hell, she answered, "Don't."
Once she had her own convent, she could lead a life of peace, right? Wrong again. Teresa believed
that the most powerful and acceptable prayer was that prayer that leads to action. Good effects were
better than pious sensations that only make the person praying feel good.
At St. Joseph's, she spent much of her time writing her Life. She wrote this book not for fun but
because she was ordered to. Many people questioned her experiences and this book would clear
her or condemn her. Because of this, she used a lot of camouflage in the book, following a profound
thought with the statement, "But what do I know. I'm just a wretched woman." The Inquisition liked
what they read and cleared her.
At 51, she felt it was time to spread her reform movement. She braved burning sun, ice and snow,
thieves, and rat-infested inns to found more convents. But those obstacles were easy compared to

what she face from her brothers and sisters in religious life. She was called "a restless disobedient
gadabout who has gone about teaching as though she were a professor" by the papal nuncio. When
her former convent voted her in as prioress, the leader of the Carmelite order excommunicated the
nuns. A vicar general stationed an officer of the law outside the door to keep her out. The other
religious orders opposed her wherever she went. She often had to enter a town secretly in the
middle of the night to avoid causing a riot.
And the help they received was sometimes worse than the hostility. A princess ordered Teresa to
found a convent and then showed up at the door with luggage and maids. When Teresa refused to
order her nuns to wait on the princess on their knees, the princess denounced Teresa to the
Inquisition.
In another town, they arrived at their new house in the middle of the night, only to wake up the next
morning to find that one wall of the building was missing.
Why was everyone so upset? Teresa said, "Truly it seems that now there are no more of those
considered mad for being true lovers of Christ." No one in religious orders or in the world wanted
Teresa reminding them of the way God said they should live.
Teresa looked on these difficulties as good publicity. Soon she had postulants clamoring to get into
her reform convents. Many people thought about what she said and wanted to learn
about prayer from her. Soon her ideas about prayer swept not only through Spain but all of Europe.
In 1582, she was invited to found a convent by an Archbishop but when she arrived in the middle of
the pouring rain, he ordered her to leave. "And the weather so delightful too" was Teresa's comment.
Though very ill, she was commanded to attend a noblewoman giving birth. By the time they got
there, the baby had already arrived so, as Teresa said, "The saint won't be needed after all." Too ill
to leave, she died on October 4 at the age of 67.
She is the founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1970 she was declared a Doctor of the Church for
her writing and teaching on prayer, one of two women to be honored in this way.
St. Teresa is the patron saint of Headache sufferers. Her symbol is a heart, an arrow, and a book.
She was canonized in 1622.

St. Charles Borromeo

Charles was the son of Count Gilbert Borromeo and Margaret Medici, sister of Pope Pius IV. He was
born at the family castle of Arona on Lake Maggiore, Italy on October 2. He received the
clerical tonsure when he was twelve and was sent to the Benedictine abbey of SS. Gratian and
Felinus at Arona for his education.
In 1559 his uncle was elected Pope Pius IV and the following year, named him his Secretary of
State and created him a cardinal and administrator of the see of Milan. He served as Pius' legate on
numerous diplomatic missions and in 1562, was instrumental in having Pius reconvene the Council
of Trent, which had been suspended in 1552. Charles played a leading role in guiding and in
fashioning the decrees of the third and last group of sessions. He refused the headship of the
Borromeo family on the death of Count Frederick Borromeo, was ordained a priest in 1563, and was
consecrated bishop of Milan the same year. Before being allowed to take possession of his see, he
oversaw the catechism, missal, and breviary called for by the Council of Trent. When he finally did
arrive at Trent (which had been without a resident bishop for eighty years) in 1556, he instituted
radical reforms despite great opposition, with such effectiveness that it became a model see. He put
into effect, measures to improve the morals and manners of the clergy and laity, raised the
effectiveness of the diocesan operation, established seminaries for the education of the clergy,
founded a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine for the religious instruction of children and encouraged
the Jesuits in his see. He increased the systems to the poor and the needy, was most generous in
his help to the English college at Douai, and during his bishopric held eleven diocesan synods and
six provincial councils. He founded a society of secular priests, Oblates of St. Ambrose (now
Oblates of St. Charles) in 1578, and was active in preaching, resisting the inroads of protestantism,
and bringing back lapsed Catholics to the Church. He encountered opposition from many sources in
his efforts to reform people and institutions.
He died at Milan on the night of November 3-4, and was canonized in 1610. He was one of the
towering figures of the Catholic Reformation, a patron of learning and the arts, and though he
achieved a position of great power, he used it with humility, personal sanctity, and unselfishness to
reform the Church, of the evils and abuses so prevalent among the clergy and the nobles of the
times. His feast day is November 4th.

The Enchiridion of Indulgences

Issued by the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, 1968

+ Joseph Cardinal Ferretto,

Titular Bishop of the Suburban Church
of Sabina and Poggio Mirteto,
Originally published by Liberia Editrice Vatican,
Vatican City, 1968
This is a digest of the works and prayers listed in the Enchiridion of
Indulgences. The Enchiridion recites each indulgenced prayer in full.
Because most are recognizable they will only be listed by name. The untranslated Enchiridion lists each work and prayer in alphabetical order by
their Latin names. The order shall remain the same in this listing. The
descriptions of the works and details regarding obtaining the indulgence
will be edited and abreviated in this listing. The following is not
represented to be an exact reprint of the Enchiridion but and accurate
digest of what constitutes an approved indulgenced work by the Sacred
Apostolic Penitentiary.
In all but the plenary indulgence of In Articulo Mortis, at the moment of
death, a plenary indulgence mentioned below MUST be accompanied by
the three prerequisites of a plenary indulgence.
1.

Sacramental Confession,

2.

Communion, and

3.

Prayer for the intention of the Holy Father, all to be performed within
days of each other if not at the same time.

Thus the formula for obtaining a plenary indulgence are the three
constants mentioned above plus any one of the variable works mentioned
below as being worthy of a plenary indulgence.
1.

Direct, we beg you, O Lord.(Prayer from Roman Ritual) Partial

indulgence.

2.

Acts of the Theological Virtues and of Contrition. A partial indulgence

is granted to those who devoutly recite, according to any legitimate
formula, the acts of faith, hope, charity, and contrition.

3.

ADORATION OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT. A PLENARY

INDULGENCE is granted to those who visit the Most Blessed Sacrament
for at least one half hour (together with the three prerequisites
(constants) of a plenary indulgence. A partial indulgence is granted to

those who visit and adore the Most Blessed Sacrament without the
three constants or for any period less than one half hour.
4.

Hidden God (Adoro te devote) -- hymn, partial indulgence.

5.

We have come (Adsumus) -- prayer, partial indulgence.

6.

To you, O blessed Joseph (Ad te, beate Ioseph) --- prayer, partial
indulgence.

7.

We Give You Thanks ---- prayer from Roman Breviary, partial

indulgence

8.

Angel Of God --- prayer, partial indulgence.

9.

The Angel Of The Lord --- prayer, partial indulgence.

10. Soul of Christ (Anima Christi) --- prayer, partial indulgence.

11. Visit to the Patriarchal Basilicas in Rome. A PLENARY INDULGENCE to
those who devoutly visit one of the Patriarchal Basilicas in Rome and
recite one Our Father and the Creed,

A.

On the titular feast of the Basilica;

B.

On any Holy Day of Obligation;

C.

Once a year on any other day of one's choice. (Remember the

three constants are also required to obtain ANY plenary
indulgence.)

12. PAPAL BLESSING. A PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to those who

"piously and devoutly" receive, even by radio, the Blessing of the Pope
when imparted to Rome and the world (Urbi et Orbi). (3 constants.)

13. Visit to a Cemetery. Only applicable to the souls in Purgatory when

one devoutly visits and prays for the departed. A PLENARY
INDULGENCE is bestowed for this work each day between November 1
and November 8.
14. Visit to a "Catacomb" (early Christian cemetery.) Partial indulgence.
15. Act of spiritual Communion according to any pious formula -- partial
indulgence.
16. Recitation of the Apostles Creed or the Nicene-Constantinopolian
Creed -- partial indulgence.
17. ADORATION OF THE CROSS. A PLENARY INDULGENCE to those who in
solemn liturgical action of Good Friday devoutly assist in at the
adoration of the Cross and kiss it.
18. Office of the dead. A partial indulgence to those who devoutly recite
Lauds or Vespers of the Office of the Dead.
19. "Out of the Depths" (De profundis). Psalm 129. Partial indulgence to
those who recite.
20. Christian Doctrine. Partial indulgence to those who take part in
teaching or learning christian doctrine.
21. "Lord God Almighty." (Roman Breviary.) Partial indulgence.
22. "Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus." "Look down upon me,
good and gentle Jesus, while before your face I humbly kneel, and with
burning soul pray and beseech you to fix deep in my heart lively
sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a
firm purpose of amendment, while I contemplate with great love and
tender pity your five wounds, pondering over them within me, calling to
mind the words which David, your prophet, said of you, my good Jesus:
"They have pierced my hands and my feet; they have numbered all my
bones." PLENARY INDULGENCE when recited on a Friday in Lent and
Passiontide, when recited after Communion before an image of Christ

crucified. On any other day the indulgence is partial.

23. Eucharistic Congress. PLENARY INDULGENCE to those who devoutly
participate in the customary solemn eucharistic rite at the close of a
Eucharistic Congress.
24. "Hear Us" (Roman Ritual) -- partial indulgence.
25. RETREAT. (Exercitia spiritualia). PLENARY INDULGENCE to those who
spend at least three (3) whole days in the spiritual excercises of a
retreat.
26. "Most sweet Jesus --Act of Reparation" PLENARY INDULGENCE when
this prayer is publicly recited on the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of
Jesus. Otherwise the indulgence is partial.
27. "Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer -- Act of Dedication of the Human Race
to Jesus Christ King." PLENARY INDULGENCE when this prayer is
publicly recited on the feast of our Lord Jesus Christ King. Otherwise
the indulgence is partial.
28. The Moment of Death (In articulo mortis). PLENARY INDULGENCE.
EXCEPTION TO THE THREE CONSTANTS. (Verbatim recitation of the
grant follows:) "To the faithful in danger of death, who cannot be
assisted by a priest to bring them the sacraments and impart the
Apostolic Blessing with its plenary indulgence (see can. 468, Sec.2 of
Code of Canon Law), Holy Mother Church nevertheless grants a plenary
indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they are
properly disposed and have been in the habit of reciting some prayers
during their lifetime. The use of a crucifix or a cross to gain this
indulgence is praiseworthy." The condition: 'provided they have been in
the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime' supplies in such
cases for the three usual conditions required for the gaining of a
plenary indulgence." The plenary indulgence at the point of death can
be acquired by the faithful, even if they have already obtained another
plenary indulgence on the same day."
29. Litanies. Partial indulgence to those who recite the following litanies:
the litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus; The litany of The Most
Sacred Heart of Jesus; The litany of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord

Jesus Christ; The litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary; The litany of St.
Joseph; and the litany of All Saints.
30. "The Magnificat". Partial indulgence.
31. "Mary, Mother of Grace." (Roman Ritual) Partial indulgence.
32. "The Memorare." (Remember, O Most gracious Virgin Mary.) Partial
Indulgence.
33. "The Miserere" (Have mercy of me.) Psalm 50. Partial indulgence.
34. Novena Devotions. Partial indulgence to those who participate in a
public novena before the feast of Christmas or Pentecost, or the
Immaculate Conception.
35. Use of Articles of Devotion. (Verbatim follows:) "The faithful, who
devoutly use an article of devotion (crucifix or cross, rosary, scapular or
medal) properly blessed by any priest, obtain a partial indulgence. "But
if the article of devotion has been blessed by the Sovereign Pontiff or
by any Bishop, the faithful, using it, can also gain a PLENARY
INDULGENCE on the feast of the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, provided
they also make a profession of faith according to any legitimate
formula."
36. Little Offices. The following Little Offices are each enriched with a
partial indulgence: the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
St. Joseph.
37. Prayer for Sacerdotal or Religious Vocations. Partial indulgence is
granted to those who recite a prayer approved by ecclesiastical
Authority for the above intention.
38. Mental Prayer. Partial indulgence to those who spend some time in
pious mental prayer.

39. "Let us pray for our Sovereign Pontiff" (Roman Breviary) Partial
Indulgence.
40. "O Sacred Banquet" (Roman Breviary) Partial indulgence.
41. Assistance as Sacred Preaching. PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to
those who attend a Mission, hear some of the sermons and are present
for the solemn close of the Mission. A partial indulgence is granted to
those who assist with devotion and attention at the sacred preaching of
the Word of God.
42. FIRST COMMUNION. PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to those who
receive Communion for the first time or to those who ASSIST at the
sacred ceremonies of a First Communion.
43. First Mass of a Newly Ordained Priest. PLENARY INDULGENCE granted
to the priest and to the faithful who devoutly assist at the same Mass.
44. "Prayer for Unity of the Church." Partial indulgence.
45. Monthly Recollection. Partial indulgence to those who take part in a
monthly retreat.
46. "Eternal Rest." A partial indulgence only to the souls in purgatory.
"Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine
upon them. May they rest in peace."
47. "May it Please you, O Lord." Partial indulgence. "May it please you, O
Lord, to reward with eternal life all those who do good to us for your
Name's sake. Amen."
48. RECITATION OF THE MARIAN ROSARY. (The following is verbatim.) "A
PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted, if the Rosary is recited IN A CHURCH
OR PUBLIC ORATORY OR IN A FAMILY GROUP, A RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY
OR PIOUS ASSOCIATION; a partial indulgence is granted in other
circumstances. "Now the Rosary is a certain formula of prayer, which is
made up of fifteen decades of 'Hail Marys' with an 'Our Father' before
each decade, and in which the recitation of each decade is

accompanied by pious meditation on a particular mystery of our

Redemption. "The name 'Rosary,' however, is commonly used in
reference to only a third of the fifteen decades. "The gaining of the
plenary indulgence is regulated by the following norms: "

A.

The recitation of a third part only of the Rosary suffices; but the
five decades must be recited continuously. "

B.

The vocal recitation MUST be accompanied by pious meditation

on the mysteries. "

C.

In public recitation the mysteries must be announced in the

manner customary in the place; for private recitation, however, it
suffices if the vocal recitation is accompanied by meditation on
the mysteries. "

D.

For those belonging to the Oriental rites, amongst whom this

devotion is not practiced, the Patriarchs can determine some other
prayers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary (for those of the
Byzantine rite, for example, the Hymn 'Akathistos' or the Office
'Paraclisis'); to the prayers thus determined are accorded the
same indulgences as for the Rosary."

49. Jubilees of Sacerdotal Ordination. A PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted

to a priest on the 25th, 50th and 60th anniversaries of his ordination
when he renews before God his resolve to faithfully fulfill the duties of
his vocation. If the priest celebrates a jubilee Mass, the faithful who
assist at it can acquire a Plenary Indulgence.
50. READING OF SACRED SCRIPTURE. While a partial indulgence is
granted to those who read from Sacred Scripture with the veneration
which the divine word is due, a PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to
those who read for at least one half an hour.
51. "Hail Holy Queen." (Roman Breviary.) Partial indulgence.
52. "Holy Mary, help the helpless." (Roman Breviary.) Partial indulgence.

53. "Holy Apostles Peter and Paul." (Roman Missal.) Partial indulgence.
54. Veneration of the Saints. Partial indulgence granted to those who on
the feast of any Saint recite in his honor the oration of the Missal or any
other approved by legitimate Authority.
55. Sign of the Cross. Partial indulgence.
56. A Visit to the Stational Churches of Rome. A partial indulgence is
granted to those who on the day indicated in the Roman Missal
devoutly visit the stational church in Rome named for that day' but if
they also assist at the sacred functions celebrated in the morning or
evening, a PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted.
57. "We fly to your Patronage." Partial indulgence.
58. Diocesan Synod. PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to those who
during the time of a diocesan Synod, devoutly visit the church in which
it is being held and there recite one Our Father and the Creed.
59. "Down in Adoration Falling" (Tantum ergo) (Roman Breviary) PLENARY
INDULGENCE when recited on Holy Thursday and the feast of Corpus
Christi. Otherwise a partial indulgence is granted for recitation.
60. The Te Deum. PLENARY INDULGENCE when recited publicly on the last
day of the year. Otherwise a partial indulgence is granted to those who
recite the Te Deum in thanksgiving.
61. "Come, Holy Spirit, Creator Blest." PLENARY INDULGENCE if recited on
the first of January or on the feast of the Pentecost. Otherwise, a partial
indulgence is granted to those who recite it.
62. "Come, Holy Spirit" Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of your love. (Roman Missal) Partial
indulgence.

63. EXERCISE OF THE WAY OF THE CROSS. PLENARY INDULGENCE. A

Plenary indulgence is granted to those who piously make the Way of
the Cross. The gaining of the indulgence is regulated by the following
rules:

A.

Must be done before stations of the cross legitimately erected.

B.

14 stations are required. Although it is customary for the icons

to represent pictures or images, 14 simple crosses will suffice.

C.

The common practice consists of fourteen pious readings to

which some vocal prayers are added.. However, nothing more is
required than a pious meditation on the Passion and Death of the
Lord, which need not be a particular consideration of the
individual mysteries of the stations.

D.

A movement from one station to the next is required. But if the

stations are made publicly and it is not possible for everyone
taking part to go from station to station, it suffices if at least the
one conducting the exercise goes from station to station, the
others remaining in their places.

E.

Those who are "impeded" can gain the same indulgence if they
spend at least one half and hour in pious reading and meditation
on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

F.

For those belonging to the Oriental rites, amongst whom this

pious exercise is not practiced, the respective Patriarchs can
determine some other pious exercise in memory of the Passion
and Death for the gaining of this indulgence.

64. "Visit, we beg you, O Lord." (Roman Breviary) Partial Indulgence.

65. Visit to the Parochial Church. PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to
those who devoutly visit the parochial church either on its titular feast
or on the 2nd of August when the indulgence of the "Portiuncula"
occurs. In visiting the church IT IS REQUIRED that one Our Father and
the Creed be recited. Both indulgences can be acquired either on the
day designated above or on some other day designated by the

Ordinary (bishop) for the benefit of the faithful. The same indulgences
apply to the Cathedral church and, where there is one, to a CoCathedral church, even if they are not parochial churches; they apply to
quasi-parochial churches also.
66. Visit to a Church or an Altar on the day of its consecration. PLENARY
INDULGENCE is granted to those who visit a church or an altar on the
day itself of its consecration, and there recite on Our Father and the
Creed.
67. Visit to a Church or Oratory on All Souls Day. PLENARY INDULGENCE. A
plenary indulgence, applicable ONLY to the souls in purgatory, may be
obtained by those who, on All Souls Day, piously visit a church, public
oratory, or -for those entitled to use it, a semi public oratory. It may be
acquired either on the day designated as All Souls Day or, with the
consent of the bishop, on the preceding or following Sunday or the
feast of All Saints. On visiting the church or oratory it is required that
one Our Father and the Creed be recited.
68. Visit to a Church or Oratory of Religious on the Feast of the Holy
Founder. A PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to those who piously visit
a church or oratory of a religious order on the feastday of its canonized
founder, and there recite one Our Father and the Creed.
69. Pastoral Visitation. Partial indulgence to those who visit a church
during the time that a pastoral visitation is being held. But a PLENARY
INDULGENCE, to be gained only once during the visitation, is granted if
during the time of the visitation they assist at a sacred function at
which the Visitator presides.
70. Renewal of Baptismal Promises. A partial indulgence is granted to
those who renew their baptismal promises according to any formula in
use; but a PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted if this is done in
celebration of the Paschal Vigil or on the anniversary of one's baptism.

Indulgences
As to Indulgences. The power to forgive sins necessarily included the power to remit the eternal
punishment due to them. But there remains temporal punishment. But besides the power to forgive
sins and their eternal punishment Christ also gave his Church the power to remit temporal
punishment for sins.
In the remission of temporal punishment, that is, in indulgences, it is not a matter of regaining the
state of grace, or of the essential goods of the supernatural order which we receive in the
sacraments and through the objective effects of the sacraments ex opere operato (i.e. independently
of one's own or the Church's merits but solely by the power of Christ working in the sacramental
signs), but of a lessening of the punishments still due for sin. This remission comes about on the
basis of the value as satisfaction of the works and sufferings of Christ and of all who can accomplish
such works in the grace of Christ, i.e. of all persons in a state of grace. The application of this
satisfying value, however, is not attached to any sacramental sign in itself but to certain actions
which can be prescribed by the Church. Thus, the twofold basis of the doctrine of indulgences is:
first, the satisfying and supernaturally meritorious value of all works done in a state of grace, and
second, the community of saints, of all, that is, who have been redeemed by Christ and live and
work in his grace, in communion with Christ and with one another.
Since the gaining of indulgences is related to certain actions, great abuses and scandals have been
possible. The in part very abusive practice in matter of indulgences at the end of the Middle Ages
served the Reformers as a symbol of a mechanistic organization of supernatural life, of the worldly
character and avarice of the Church who touted holy things in the market-place. Against the, the
Church declared her power to grant indulgences, and their value for the faithful, but at the same
time she pull all her force into the campaign against abuses.

THE CHURCH THUS TEACHES

The Church, then, teaches she has received from Christ, on the basis of the treasury of his merits,
the power to grant to the faithful on certain conditions indulgences i.e. the remission of temporal
punishment due to sin. Indulgences may be applied to the dead. Abuses are to be avoided. The use
of indulgences is salutary for the people of Christ.

Introduction to Indulgences
You don't hear about indulgences anymore, at least not in Catholic circles. If it could be said that at
one time they were over emphasized, it's surely true that today they're under-emphasized. Many
Catholic simply don't know what indulgences are, and they're at a loss to explain the Church's
position on indulgences when challenged by fundamentalists.
And fundamentalists do bring up indulgences, perhaps because they know even less about them
than the average, poorly-informed Catholic.
There is surely no better place to turn than to the Enchiridion of Indulgences. "Enchiridion" means
"handbook," and the Enchiridion of Indulgences is the Church's official handbook on what acts and
prayers carry indulgences and what indulgences actually are.
An indulgences is defined as "the remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins
already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned." The first thing to note is that forgiveness of a sin
is separate from punishment for the sin. Through sacramental confession we obtain forgiveness, but
we aren't let off the hook as far as punishment goes.
Indulgences are two kinds: partial and plenary. A partial indulgences removes part of the temporal
punishment due for sins. A plenary indulgence removes all of it. This punishment may come either
in this life, in the form of various sufferings, or in the next life, in purgatory. What we don't get rid of
here we suffer there.

TIME OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR?

If you uncover a holy card or prayer book, you'll notice pious acts or recitation of prayers might carry
an indication of time, such as "300 days or "two years." Most fundamentalists, and even many
Catholics, think such phrases refer to how much "time off for good behavior" you'd get in purgatory.
If you perform a pious act labeled as "300 days' partial indulgence," then you'd spend 300 fewer
days in purgatory.
It's easy to see how misinformed Catholics might scurry around for years, toting up indulgences,
keeping a little register in which they add up the days. "Let's see, last year's tally comes to one
thousand three hundred twelve years, give or take a week or so, and my lifetime tally is now past the
twenty thousand mark. I can cancel out a lot of sinning with this!"
Or so some people might think. Well, there are no days or years in purgatory-- or in heaven or hell,
for that matter -- and the indication of days or years attached to partial indulgences never meant
you'd get that much time off in purgatory.

AS GOD SEES FIT

What it means was that you'd bet a partial indulgence commensurate with what the early Christians
got for doing penances for a certain length of time. But there has never been any way for us to
measure how much "good time" that represents. All the Church could say, and all it ever did say,
was that your temporal punishment would be reduced -- as God saw fit.

Since some Catholics were confused by the designation of days and years attached to partial
indulgences, and since nearly all Protestants got a wrong idea of what those numbers meant, the
rules for indulgences were modified in 1967, and now "the grant of a partial indulgence is
designated only with the words "partial indulgence," without any determination of days or years,"
according to the Enchiridion.
To receive a partial indulgence, you have to recite the prayer or do the act of charity assigned. You
have to be in the state of grace at least by the completion of the prescribed work. The rule says" at
the completion" because often part of the prescribed work is going to confession, and you might not
be in the state of grace before you do that. The other thing required is having a general intention to
gain the indulgence. If you perform the required act but don't want to gain the indulgence, obviously
you won't gain it.
The requirements for a plenary indulgence are tougher than for a partial. After all, a plenary
indulgence remove all the temporal punishment due for the sins committed up to that time.
(If you sin later, of course, the temporal punishment connected with the new sins isn't covered by the
earlier plenary indulgence, but, at least the punishment for the old sins isn't revived.)
"To acquire a plenary indulgence," says the Enchiridion, "it is necessary to perform the work to
which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental confession,
Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. It is further required
that all attachment to sin, even venial sin, be absent."

THE TOUGHEST REQUIREMENT

The greatest hurdle is the last. Making a good confession is not particularly difficult, and going to
Communion and praying for the Pope's intentions are easier still. It's being free from all attachment
to sin that's hard and it's quite possible that even evi-dently good people, who seek plenary
indulgences regularly, never, in their whole lives, obtain one, because they are unwilling to relinquish
their favorite little sins.
There is an account of St. Philip Neri, who died in 1595, preaching a jubilee indulgence in a crowed
church. A revelation was given to him that only two people in the church were actually getting it, an
old char-woman and the saint himself. Not exactly encouraging, huh? But don't worry. If you aren't
perfectly disposed and can't get the plenary indulgence. you'll at least come away with a partial.
It should be pointed out that the first three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after
doing the prescribed work, through receiving Communion and praying for the Pope are usually done
the same day the work is performed.
By the way, the standard prayers for the Pope are one Our Father and one Creed, though you're at
liberty to substitute other prayers.

VARIOUS GRANTS
The bulk of the Enchiridion is a listing of indulgenced prayers and acts. First come three "general
grants."
The first says "a partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, in the performance of their duties
and in bearing the trials of life, raise their mind with humble confidence to God, adding -- even if only
mentally-- some pious invocation." It is noted that this grant "is intended to serve as an incentive to

the faithful to practice the commandment of Christ that `they must always pray and not lose heart'"
(Luke 18:1)
The second general grant is this: "A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, in a spirit of
faith and mercy, give of themselves or of their goods to serve their brothers in need." This grant "is
intended to serve as an incentive to the faithful to perform more frequent acts of charity and mercy,"
as Christ commanded (John 13:15, Acts 10:38).
The third general grant provides that "a partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, in a spirit of
penance, voluntarily deprive them-selves of what is licit and pleasing to them." This provision is
meant "to move the faithful to bridle their passions and thus to bring to their bodies into subjection
and to conform themselves to Christ in his poverty and suffering" (Matt 8:20, Matt 16:24).

PROVISIONS
After the discussion of the general grants comes a listing of miscellaneous prayers and acts to
which indulgences are attached. This list is much shorter than in former years, the Church having
decided to limit indulgences to the most important works.
There is no room or need to mention all the pious acts which are indulgenced, but it's worth noting
that a plenary indulgence is given for the recitation of the rosary in a church or family group (and not
just the recitation, of course, but the fulfilling of the usual conditions for a plenary indulgence).
Likewise, first communicants and those who "assist at the sacred ceremonies of a First Communion
-- for example, the parents -- can receive a plenary indulgence. And the same reward is given to
those who, "with the veneration due the divine word, make a spiritual reading from Sacred Scripture"
for at least half an hour. Even making the Sign of the Cross has a partial indulgence attached to it.
Introduction to Indulgences

from the Enchiridion:

Apostolic Constitution
The Doctrine of Indulgences
Paul Bishop
Servant of the Servants of God
For Everlasting Remembrance

I.
1. The doctrine and practice of indulgences which have been in force for many centuries in the
Catholic Church have a solid foundation in divine revelation which comes from the Apostles and
"develops in the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit," while "as the centuries succeed one
another the Church constantly moves forward toward the fullness of divine truth until the words of
God reach their complete fulfillment in her."
For an exact understanding of this doctrine and of its beneficial use it is necessary, however, to
remember truths which the entire Church illumined by the Word of God has always believed and
which the bishops, the successors of the Apostles, and first and foremost among them the Roman

Pontiffs, the successors of Peter, have taught by means of pastoral practice as well as doctrinal
documents throughout the course of centuries to this day.
2. It is a divinely revealed truth that sins bring punishments inflicted by God's sanctity and justice.
These must be expiated either on this earth through the sorrows, miseries and calamities of this life
and above all through death, or else in the life beyond through fire and torments or "purifying"
punishments. Therefore it has always been the conviction of the faithful that the paths of evil are
fraught with many stumbling blocks and bring adversities, bitterness and harm to those who follow
them.
These punishments are imposed by the just and merciful judgment of God for the purification of
souls, the defense of the sanctity of the moral order and the restoration of the glory of God to its full
majesty. Every sin in fact causes a perturbation in the universal order established by God in his
ineffable wisdom and infinite charity, and the destruction of immense values with respect to the
sinner himself and to the human community.
Christians throughout history have always regarded sin not only as a transgression of divine law but
also--though not always in a direct and evident way -- as contempt for or disregard of the friendship
between God and man, just as they have regarded it as a real and unfathomable offense against
God and indeed an ungrateful rejection of the love of God shown us through Jesus Christ, who
called his disciples friends and not servants.
3. It is therefore necessary for the full remission and--as it is called--reparation of sins not only that
friendship with God be reestablished by a sincere conversion of the mind and amends made for the
offense against his wisdom and goodness, but also that all the personal as well as social values and
those of universal order itself, which have been diminished or destroyed by sin, be fully reintegrated
whether through voluntary reparation which will involve punishment or through acceptance of the
punishments established by the just and most holy wisdom of God, from which there will shine forth
throughout the world the sanctity and the splendor of his glory. The very existence of the gravity of
the punishment enables us to understand the foolishness and malice of sin and its harmful
consequences.
That punishment or the vestiges of sin may remain to be expiated or cleansed and that they in fact
frequently do even after the remission of guilt is clearly demonstrated by the doctrine on purgatory.
In purgatory, in fact, the souls of those "who died in the charity of God and truly repentant, but
before satisfying with worthy fruits of penance for sins committed and for omissions" are cleansed
after death with purgatorial punishments. This is also clearly evidenced in the liturgical prayers with
which the Christian community admitted to Holy Communion has addressed God since most ancient
times: "We are being justly punished for our sins, but be merciful and free us for the glory of your
name."
For all men who walk this earth daily commit at least venial sins; thus all need the mercy of God to
be set free from the penal consequences of sin.

II.
4. There reigns among men, by the hidden and benign mystery of the divine will, a supernatural
solidarity whereby the sin of one harms the others just as the holiness of one also benefits the
others. Thus the Christian faithful give each other mutual aid to attain their supernatural aim. A
testimony of this solidarity is manifested in Adam himself, whose sin passed on through propagation

to all men. But of this supernatural solidarity the greatest and most perfect principle, foundation and
example is Christ himself to communion with whom God has called us.
5. Indeed Christ, "who committed no sin," "suffered for us," "was wounded for our iniquities, bruised
for our sins ... by his bruises we are healed." Following in the footsteps of Christ, the Christian
faithful have always endeavored to help one another on the path leading to the heavenly Father
through prayer, the exchange of spiritual goods and penitential expiation. The more they have been
immersed in the fervor of charity, the more they have imitated Christ in his sufferings, carrying their
crosses in expiation for their own sins and those of others, certain that they could help their brothers
to obtain salvation from God the Father of mercies.
This is the very ancient dogma of the Communion of Saints, whereby the life of each individual son
of God in Christ and through Christ is joined by a wonderful link to the life of all his other Christian
brothers in the supernatural unity of the Mystical Body of Christ till, as it were, a single mystical
person is formed.
Thus is explained the "treasury of the Church" which should certainly not be imagined as the sum
total of material goods accumulated in the course of the centuries, but the infinite and inexhaustible
value the expiation and the merits of Christ our Lord have before God, offered as they were so that
all mankind could be set free from sin and attain communion with the Father. It is Christ the
Redeemer himself in whom the satisfactions and merits of his redemption exist and find their force.
This treasury also includes the truly immense, unfathomable and ever pristine value before God of
the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, who following the
footsteps of Christ the lord and by his grace have sanctified their lives and fulfilled the mission
entrusted to them by the Father. Thus while attaining their own salvation, they have also cooperated
in the salvation of their brothers in the unity of the Mystical Body.
"For all who are in Christ, having his spirit, form one Church and cleave together in him." Therefore
the union of the wayfarers with the brethren who have gone to sleep in the peace of Christ is not in
the least weakened or interrupted, but on the contrary, according to the perpetual faith of the
Church, is strengthened by a communication of spiritual goods. For by reason of the fact that those
in heaven are more closely united with Christ, they establish the whole Church more firmly in
holiness, lend nobility to the worship which the Church offers to God here on earth and in many
ways contribute to building it up evermore.
For after they have been received into their heavenly home and are present to the Lord, through him
and with him and in him they do not cease to intervene with the Father for us, showing forth the
merits which they have won on earth through the one Mediator between God and man, Jesus
Christ, by serving God in all things and filling up in their flesh those things which are lacking of the
sufferings of Christ for his Body which is the Church. Thus by their brotherly interest our weakness is
greatly strengthened. For this reason there certainly exists between the faithful who have already
reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still
pilgrims on earth a perennial link of charity and an abundant exchange of all the goods by which,
with the expiation of all the sins of the entire Mystical Body, divine justice is placated.
God's mercy is thus led to forgiveness, so that sincerely repentant sinners may participate as soon
as possible in the full enjoyment of the benefits of the family of God.

III.

6. The Church, aware of these truths ever since its origins, formulated and undertook various ways
of applying the fruits of the Lord's redemption to the individual faithful and of leading them to
cooperate in the salvation of their brothers, so that the entire body of the Church might be prepared
in justice and sanctity for the complete realization of the kingdom of God, when he will be all things
to all men.
The Apostles themselves, in fact, exhorted their disciples to pray for the salvation of sinners. This
very ancient usage of the Church has blessedly persevered, particularly in the practice of penitents
invoking the intercession of the entire community, and when the dead are assisted with suffrages,
particularly through the offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Good works, particularly those which
human frailty finds difficult, were also offered to God for the salvation of sinners from the Church's
most ancient times. And since the sufferings of the martyrs for the faith and for the law of God were
considered of great value, penitents used to turn to the martyrs, to be helped by their merits to
obtain from the bishops a more speedy reconciliation.
Indeed the prayer and good works of the upright were considered to be of so great value that it
could be asserted the penitent was washed, cleansed and redeemed with the help of the entire
Christian people. It was not believed, however, that the individual faithful by their own merits alone
worked for the remission of sins of their brothers, but that the entire Church as a single body united
to Christ its Head was bringing about satisfaction.
The Church of the Fathers was fully convinced that it was pursuing the work of salvation in
community, and under the authority of the pastors established by the Holy Spirit as bishops to
govern the Church of God. The bishops, therefore, prudently assessing these matters, established
the manner and the measure of the satisfaction to be made and indeed permitted canonical
penances to be replaced by other possibly easier works, which would be useful to the common good
and suitable for fostering piety, to be performed by the penitents themselves and sometimes by
others among the faithful.

IV.
7. The conviction existing in the Church that the pastors of the flock of the Lord could set the
individual free from the vestiges of sins by applying the merits of Christ and of the saints led
gradually, in the course of the centuries and under the influence of the Holy Spirit's continuous
inspiration of the people of God, to the usage of indulgences which represented a progression in the
doctrine and discipline of the Church rather than a change.
From the roots of revelation a new advantage grew in benefit to the faithful and the entire Church.
The use of indulgences, which spread gradually, became a very evident fact in the history of the
Church when the Roman Pontiffs decreed that certain works useful to the common good of the
Church "could replace all penitential practices" and that the faithful who were "truly repentant and
had confessed their sins" and performed such works were granted "by the mercy of Almighty God
and . . . trusting in the merits and the authority of his Apostles" and "by virtue of the fullness of the
apostolic power," not only full and abundant forgiveness, but the most complete forgiveness for their
sins possible."
For "the only-begotten son of God . . . has won a treasure for the militant Church . . . and has
entrusted it to blessed Peter, the keybearer of heaven, and to his successors, Christ's vicars on
earth, that they may distribute it to the faithful for their salvation, applying it mercifully for reasonable

causes to all who are repentant and have confessed their sins, at times remitting completely and at
times partially the temporal punishment due sin in a general as well as in special ways insofar as
they judge it to be fitting in the eyes of the Lord. It is known that the merits of the Blessed Mother of
God and of all the elect . . . add further to this treasure."
8. The remission of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven insofar as their guilt is
concerned has been called specifically "indulgence."
It has something in common with other ways or means of eliminating the vestiges of sin but at the
same time it is clearly distinct from them. In an indulgence in fact, the Church, making use of its
power as minister of the Redemption of Christ, not only prays but by an authoritative intervention
dispenses to the faithful suitably disposed the treasury of satisfaction which Christ and the saints
won for the remission of temporal punishment.
The aim pursued by ecclesiastical authority in granting indulgences is not only that of helping the
faithful to expiate the punishment due sin but also that of urging them to perform works of piety,
penitence and charity--particularly those which lead to growth in faith and which favor the common
good.
And if the faithful offer indulgences in suffrage for the dead, they cultivate charity in an excellent way
and while raising their minds to heaven, they bring a wiser order into the things of this world. The
Magisterium of the Church has defended and illustrated this doctrine in various documents.
Unfortunately, the practice of indulgences has at times been improperly used either through
"untimely and superfluous indulgences" by which the power of the keys was humiliated and
penitential satisfaction weakened, or through the collection of "illicit profits" by which indulgences
were blasphemously defamed.
But the Church, in deploring and correcting these improper uses "teaches and establishes that the
use of indulgences must be preserved because it is extremely salutary for the Christian people and
authoritatively approved by the sacred councils; and it condemns with anathema those who maintain
the uselessness of indulgences or deny the power of the Church to grant them."
9. The Church also in our days then invites all its sons to ponder and meditate well on how the use
of indulgences benefits their lives and indeed all Christian society.
To recall briefly the most important considerations, this salutary practice teaches us in the first place
how it is "sad and bitter to have abandoned . . . the Lord God." Indeed the faithful when they acquire
indulgences understand that by their own powers they could not remedy the harm they have done to
themselves and to the entire community by their sin, and they are therefore stirred to a salutary
humility.
Furthermore, the use of indulgences shows us how closely we are united to each other in Christ,
and how the supernatural life of each can benefit others so that these also may be more easily and
more closely united with the Father. Therefore the use of indulgences effectively influences charity in
us and demonstrates that charity in an outstanding manner when we offer indulgences as
assistance to our brothers who rest in Christ.
10. Likewise, the religious practice of indulgences reawakens trust and hope in a full reconciliation
with God the Father, but in such a way as will not justify any negligence nor in any way diminish the
effort to acquire the dispositions required for full communion with God. Although indulgences are in

fact free gifts, nevertheless they are granted for the living as well as for the dead only on determined
conditions. To acquire them, it is indeed required on the one hand that prescribed works be
performed, and on the other that the faithful have the necessary dispositions, that is to say, that they
love God, detest sin, place their trust in the merits of Christ and believe firmly in the great assistance
they derive from the Communion of Saints.
In addition, it should not be forgotten that by acquiring indulgences the faithful submit docilely to the
legitimate pastors of the Church and above all to the successor of Blessed Peter, the keybearer of
heaven, to whom the Savior himself entrusted the task of feeding his flock and governing his
Church.
The salutary institution of indulgences therefore contributes in it own way to bringing it about that the
Church appear before Christ without blemish or defect, but holy and immaculate, admirably united
with Christ in the supernatural bond of charity. Since in fact by means of indulgences members of
the Church who are undergoing purification are united more speedily to those of the Church in
heaven, the kingdom of Christ is, through these same indulgences, established more extensively
and more speedily "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the deep knowledge of the Son
of God, to perfect manhood, to the mature measure of the fullness of Christ."
11. Therefore Holy Mother Church, supported by these truths, while again recommending to the
faithful the practice of indulgences as something very dear to the Christian people during the course
of many centuries and in our days as well--this is proven by experience--does not in any way intend
to diminish the value of other means of sanctification and purification, first and foremost among
which are the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacraments, particularly the Sacrament of Penance.
Nor does it diminish the importance of those abundant aids which are called sacramentals or of the
works of piety, penitence and charity.
All these aids have this in common that they bring about sanctification and purification all the more
efficaciously, the more closely the faithful are united with Christ the Head and the Body of the
Church by charity. The preeminence of charity in the Christian life is confirmed also by indulgences.
For indulgences cannot be acquired without a sincere conversion of mentality (metanoia) and unity
with God, to which the performance of the prescribed works is added. Thus the order of charity is
preserved, into which is incorporated the remission of punishment by distribution from the Church's
treasury.
While recommending that its faithful not abandon or neglect the holy traditions of their forebears but
welcome them religiously as a precious treasure of the Catholic family and duly esteem them, the
Church nevertheless leaves it to each to use these means of purification and sanctification with the
holy and free liberty of the sons of God.
It constantly reminds them, though, of those things which are to be given preference because they
are necessary or at least better and more efficacious for the attainment of salvation.
Holy Mother Church has then deemed it fitting, in order to give greater dignity and esteem to the use
of indulgences, to introduce some innovations into its discipline of indulgences and has accordingly
ordered the issuance of new norms.

V.

12. The following norms introduce appropriate variations in the discipline of indulgences, taking into
consideration the proposals advanced by the episcopal conferences. The rulings of the Code of
Canon Law and of the decrees of the Holy See concerning indulgences which do not go counter to
the new norms remain unchanged. In drawing up the new norms these three considerations have
been particularly observed: To establish a new measurement for partial indulgences; to reduce
considerably the number of plenary indulgences; and, as for the so-called "real" and "local"
indulgences, to reduce them and give them a simpler and more dignified formulation. Regarding
partial indulgences, with the abolishment of the former determination of days and years, a new norm
or measurement has been established which takes into consideration the action itself of the faithful
Christian who performs a work to which an indulgence is attached.
Since by their acts the faithful can obtain, in addition to the merit which is the principal fruit of the
act, a further remission of temporal punishment in proportion to the degree that the charity of the
one performing the act is greater, and in proportion to the degree that the act itself is performed in a
more perfect way, it has been considered fitting that this remission of temporal punishment which
the Christian faithful acquires through an action should serve as the measurement for the remission
of punishment which the ecclesiastical authority bountifully adds by way of partial indulgence.
It has also been considered fitting to reduce appropriately the number of plenary indulgences in
order that the faithful may hold them in greater esteem and may in fact acquire them with the proper
dispositions. For indeed the greater the proliferation (of indulgences) the less is the attention given
them; what is offered in abundance is not greatly appreciated. Besides, many of the faithful need
considerable time to prepare themselves properly for acquisition of a plenary indulgence.
As regards the "real" and "local" indulgences, not only has their number been reduced considerably,
but the designations themselves have been abolished to make it clearer that indulgences are
attached to the actions performed by the faithful and not to objects or places which are but the
occasion for the acquisition of the indulgences.
In fact, members of pious associations can acquire the indulgences proper to their associations
without the requirement of the use of distinctive objects.
Continued on NORMS Page
From the Enchridion of Indulgences,
by Decree of the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary,
Joseph Cardinal Ferretto, Penitentiary Major,
titular Bishop of the Suburban Church of Sabina and Poggio Mirteto.
Originally published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City, 1968.
Translated by William T. Barry, C.SS.R.
Footnotes omitted.

SAINT

OF

THE

DAY

Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the
Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of
us to be a saint.

St. Leo the Great

With apparent strong conviction of the importance of the Bishop of
Rome in the Church, and of the Church as the ongoing sign of Christs
presence in the world, Leo the Great displayed endless dedication as
pope. Elected in 440, he worked tirelessly as "Peters successor,"
guiding his fellow bishops as "equals in the episcopacy and
infirmities."
Leo is known as one of the best administrative popes of the ancient
Church. His work branched into four main areas, indicative of his
notion of the popes total responsibility for the flock of Christ. He
worked at length to control the heresies of Pelagianism
(overemphasizing human freedom), Manichaeism (seeing everything
material as evil) and others, placing demands on their followers so as
to secure true Christian beliefs. A second major area of his concern
was doctrinal controversy in the Church in the East, to which he
responded with a classic letter setting down the Churchs teaching
on the two natures of Christ. With strong faith, he also led the
defense of Rome against barbarian attack, taking the role of peacemaker.
In these three areas, Leos work has been highly regarded. His growth to sainthood has its basis in the
spiritual depth with which he approached the pastoral care of his people, which was the fourth focus of his
work. He is known for his spiritually profound sermons. An instrument of the call to holiness, well-versed
in Scripture and ecclesiastical awareness, Leo had the ability to reach the everyday needs and interests of
his people. One of his sermons is used in the Office of Readings on Christmas.
It is said of Leo that his true significance rests in his doctrinal insistence on the mysteries of Christ and the
Church and in the supernatural charisms of the spiritual life given to humanity in Christ and in his Body,
the Church. Thus Leo held firmly that everything he did and said as pope for the administration of the
Church represented Christ, the head of the Mystical Body, and St. Peter, in whose place Leo acted.

Story:
It is said of Leo that his true significance rests in his doctrinal insistence on the mysteries of Christ and the church and in
the supernatural charisms of the spiritual life given to humanity in Christ and in his body, the church. Thus Leo held
firmly that everything he did and said as pope for the administration of the church represented Christ, the head of the
Mystical Body, and Saint Peter, in whose place Leo acted.

Comment:
At a time when there is widespread criticism of Church structures, we also hear criticism that bishops and
priestsindeed, all of usare too preoccupied with administration of temporal matters. Pope Leo is an
example of a great administrator who used his talents in areas where spirit and structure are inseparably
combined: doctrine, peace and pastoral care. He avoided an "angelism" that tries to live without the body,
as well as the "practicality" that deals only in externals.

St. Leo the Great was born in Tuscany. As deacon, he was dispatched to Gaul as a mediator by
Emperor Valentinian III. He reigned as Pope between 440 and 461. He persuaded Emperor
Valentinian to recognize the primacy of the Bishop of Rome in an edict in 445. The doctrine of the
Incarnation was formed by him in a letter to the Patriarch of Constantinople, who had already
condemned Eutyches. At the Council of Chalcedon this same letter was confirmed as the
expression of Catholic Faith concerning the Person of Christ.
All secular historical treatises eulogize his efforts during the upheaval of the fifth century barbarian
invasion. His encounter with Attila the Hun, at the very gates of Rome persuading him to turn back,
remains a historical memorial to his great eloquence. When the Vandals under Genseric occupied
the city of Rome, he persuaded the invaders to desist from pillaging the city and harming its
inhabitants. He died in 461, leaving many letters and writings of great historical value. His feast
day is November 10th.

SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS BISHOP, CONFESSOR316-400

Feast: November 11
St. Martin, called "the glory of Gaul," was born about the year 316 of pagan parents in Sabaria,
a province comprising northern Yugoslavia and western Hungary. His father was an officer in
the Roman army who had risen from the ranks. While Martin was still a child, his father was
transferred to a new station in Pavia, north Italy. Here the boy learned of Christianity, felt
drawn to it, and became a catechumen. As the son of a veteran, at the age of fifteen he was
required to begin service in the army. Though never shirking his military duty, he is said to
have lived more like a monk than a soldier.
Young Martin was stationed at Amiens, in Gaul, when the incident occurred which tradition and
art have rendered so famous. As he rode towards the town one winter day, he noticed near
the gates a poor man, thinly clad, shivering with cold, and begging alms. Martin saw that none
who passed stopped to help the miserable fellow. He had nothing with him but the clothes he
wore, but, drawing his sword from its scabbard, he cut his great woolen cloak in two pieces,
gave one half to the beggar, and wrapped himself in the other. The following night, the story
continues, Martin in his sleep saw Jesus Christ, surrounded by angels, and dressed in the half
of the cloak he had given away. A voice bade him look at it well and say whether he knew it.
He then heard Jesus say to the angels, "Martin, as yet only a catechumen, has covered me
with his cloak."[1] Sulpicius Severus, the saint's friend and biographer, says that as a
consequence of this vision Martin "flew to be baptized."
When Martin was about twenty, some Teutonic tribes invaded Gaul, and with his comrades he
went before the Emperor Julian[2] to receive a war-bounty. Suddenly he was moved to refuse
it. "Up to now," he said to Julian, "I have served you as a soldier; allow me henceforth to serve
Christ. Give the bounty to these others who are going out to battle. I am a soldier of Christ and
it is not lawful for me to fight." Julian, angered, accused Martin of cowardice; the young man
replied that he was ready to go into battle the next day unarmed, and advance alone against
the enemy in the name of Christ. He was taken off to prison, but discharged as soon as a truce
had been made. He then went down to Poitiers, where the renowned Hilary had been bishop
for many years. Hilary gladly received this early "conscientious objector" and ordained him
deacon.
Having heard in a dream a summons to revisit his home, Martin crossed the Alps, and from
Milan went over to Pannonia. There he converted his mother and some other persons; his
father he could not win. While in Illyricum he took sides against the Arians with so much zeal
that he was publicly scourged and forced to leave. Back in Italy once more, on his way to Gaul,
he learned that the Gallic Church was also under attack by the Arians, and that his good friend
Hilary had been banished. He remained at Milan, but soon the Arian bishop, Auxentius, drove
him away. Martin took refuge with a priest on the island of Gallinaria, in the gulf of Genoa, and
stayed there until Hilary returned to Poitiers in 360. It had become Martin's desire to pursue
his religious calling in solitude, and Hilary gave him a small piece of land in central France,
now called Liguge. He was joined by other hermits and holy men, and the community grew
into a monastery, the first, it is said, to be founded in Gaul. It survived until 1607; in 1852 it
was rebuilt by the Benedictines of Solesmes.
For ten years Martin lived there, directing the life of his disciples and preaching in outlying
places. Many miracles were attributed to him. About the year 371, Lidorius, bishop of Tours,
died, and the people demanded Martin in his place. Martin was so reluctant to accept the
office that they resorted to stratagem and called him to the city to give his blessing to a sick
person, then forcibly conveyed him to the church. When neighboring bishops were summoned
to confirm this choice, they thought the monk's poor and unkempt appearance proved him
unfit for the office, but they were overruled by the acclamations of the local clergy and the

people. Even as a bishop, Martin lived an austere life. Unable to endure the constant
interruptions, he retired from Tours to a retreat that was later to become the famous abbey of
Marmoutier. The site was enclosed by a steep cliff on one side and by a tributary of the Loire
River on the other. Here Martin and some of the monks who followed him built cells of wood;
others lived in caves dug out of the rock. In a short time their number grew, with many men of
high rank among them. From this time on bishops were frequently chosen from Marmoutier,
for the holy Martin took the greatest pains in the training of priests.
Martin's piety and preaching resulted in the decline of paganism in that part of Gaul. He
destroyed temples and felled trees which the heathen held sacred. Once when he had
demolished a certain temple, he proceeded to the cutting down of a pine tree that stood near.
The chief priest and other pagans there offered to cut it down themselves, on condition that
he who trusted so strongly in his God would stand under it wherever they would place him.
The bishop agreed and allowed himself to be tied and placed on the side towards which the
tree was leaning. Just as it seemed about to fall on him, he made the sign of the cross, at
which the tree fell in the other direction. Another time, as he was pulling down a temple in the
vicinity of Autun, a crowd of pagans fell on him in fury, one brandishing a sword. Martin stood
and bared his breast, at sight of which the armed man fell backwards, and in terror begged
forgiveness. These marvels are narrated by Sulpicius Severus, who also describes various
revelations and visions with which Martin was favored.
Once a year the bishop visited each of his parishes, traveling on foot, or by donkey or boat. He
continued to set up monastic communities, and extended the bounds of his episcopate from
Touraine to such distant points as Chartres, Paris, Autun, and Vienne. At Vienne, according to
his biographer, he cured Paulinus of Nola of a disease of the eyes. When a brutal imperial
officer, Avitianus, arrived at Tours with a band of prisoners he planned to torture to death on
the following day, Martin, on being informed of this, hurried in from Marmoutier to intercede
for them. Reaching the city near midnight, he went straight to the quarters of Avitianus and
did not leave until the officer promised mercy to his captives.
The churches of other parts of Gaul and in Spain were being disturbed by the Priscillianists, an
ascetic sect, named for its leader, Priscillian, bishop of Avila. A synod held at Bordeaux in 384
had condemned his doctrines, but he had appealed to Emperor Maximus. Meanwhile, Ithacius,
the orthodox bishop of Ossanova, had attacked him and urged the emperor to have him put to
death. Neither Ambrose at Milan, however, nor Martin at Tours would hold communion with
Ithacius or his supporters, because they had appealed to the emperor in a dispute over
doctrine, and now were trying to punish a heretic with death. Martin wrote to reprove Ithacius
severely. It was sufficient, he said, that Priscillian should be branded as a heretic and
excommunicated by the bishops. Maximus, yielding to Martin's remonstrances, ordered the
trial deferred and even promised that there should be no bloodshed, but afterwards he was
persuaded to turn the case over to his prefect Evodius. He found Priscillian and some others
guilty on several charges and had them beheaded. At this news, Martin went to Treves to
intercede for the lives of all the Spanish Priscillianists who were threatened with a bloody
persecution, and also for two men under suspicion as adherents of the late Emperor Gratian.
As a condition before granting this request, Maximus stipulated that Martin should resume
communion with the intolerant Ithacius and his party. Since they were not excommunicated,
this was no violation of any canon, and he accordingly promised the emperor that he would do
so, provided the emperor would pardon the two partisans of Gratian and recall the military
tribunes he had sent to Spain. The next day Martin received the Sacrament with the Ithacians
in order to save so many people from slaughter; yet he was afterwards troubled in conscience
as to whether he had been too yielding. For their part in the affair both the emperor and
Ithacius were censured by Pope Siricius. It was the first judicial death sentence for heresy, and
it had the effect of spreading Priscillianism in Spain.
Martin had premonitions of his approaching death and predicted it to his disciples, who
besought him not to leave them. "Lord," he prayed, "if Thy people still need me, I will not draw
back from the work. Thy will be done." When his final sickness came upon him, he was at
Candes, in a remote part of his diocese. The monks entreated him to allow them at least to
put a sheet under him and make his last hours comfortable. "It becomes not a Christian," said
Martin, "to die otherwise than upon ashes. I shall have sinned if I leave you any other
example." He lay with eyes and hands raised to Heaven, until the brothers begged him to turn
on one side to rest his body a little. "Allow me, my brethren," he answered, "to look towards
Heaven rather than to earth, that my soul may be ready to take its flight to the Lord."
On November 8 he died, and three days later was buried at Tours. Two thousand monks and
nuns gathered for his funeral. His successor built a chapel over his grave, which was replaced
by a fine basilica. A still later church on this site was destroyed during the French Revolution,
but a modern one has since been built there. Throughout the Middle Ages, the knightly Martin,

who shared his cloak with a beggar, was the subject of innumerable anecdotes, which
expressed the love and veneration of the people. His tomb became a national shrine in France,
of which country he is patron saint, and one of the most popular pilgrimage places of Europe.
St. Martin is patron of the cities of Wurtburg and Buenos Aires. Many churches in France and
elsewhere have been dedicated to him. His emblems are a tree, armor, a cloak, and a beggar.
SAINT
OF
THE
DAY
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint
the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each
one of us to be a saints
St. Josaphat of Polotsk
In 1964, newspaper photos of Pope Paul VI embracing Athenagoras I, the Orthodox patriarch of
Constantinople, marked a significant step toward the healing of a division in Christendom that
has spanned more than nine centuries.
In 1595, when todays saint was a boy, the Orthodox bishop of Brest-Litovsk in present-day
Belarus and five other bishops representing millions of Ruthenians, sought reunion with Rome.
John Kunsevich (who took the name Josaphat in religious life) was to dedicate his life and die
for the same cause. Born in what is now Ukraine, he went to work in Wilno and was influenced
by clergy adhering to the Union of Brest (1596). He became a Basilian monk, then a priest,
and soon was well known as a preacher and as an ascetic.
He became bishop of Vitebsk (now in Belarus) at a relatively young age, and faced a difficult
situation. Most monks, fearing interference in liturgy and customs, did not want union with
Rome. By synods, catechetical instruction, reform of the clergy and personal example,
however, Josaphat was successful in winning the greater part of the Orthodox in that area to
the union.
But the next year a dissident hierarchy was set up, and his opposite number spread the
accusation that Josaphat had "gone Latin" and that all his people would have to do the same.
He was not enthusiastically supported by the Latin bishops of Poland.
Despite warnings, he went to Vitebsk, still a hotbed of trouble. Attempts were made to foment
trouble and drive him from the diocese: A priest was sent to shout insults to him from his own
courtyard. When Josaphat had him removed and shut up in his house, the opposition rang the
town hall bell, and a mob assembled. The priest was released, but members of the mob broke
into the bishops home. He was struck with a halberd, then shot and his body thrown into the
river. It was later recovered and is now buried in St. Peters Basilica in Rome. He was the first
saint of the Eastern Church to be canonized by Rome.
His death brought a movement toward Catholicism and unity, but the controversy continued,
and the dissidents, too, had their martyr. After the partition of Poland, the Russians forced
most Ruthenians to join the Russian Orthodox Church.
Story:
Surrounded by an angry mob shortly before his death, Josaphat said, You people of Vitebsk
want to put me to death. You make ambushes for me everywhere, in the streets, on the
bridges, on the highways and in the marketplace. I am here among you as your shepherd and
you ought to know that I should be happy to give my life for you. I am ready to die for the holy
union, for the supremacy of Saint Peter and of his successor the Supreme Pontiff.
Comment:
The seeds of separation were sown in the fourth century when the Roman Empire was divided
into East and West. The actual split came over customs such as using unleavened bread,
Saturday fasting and celibacy. No doubt the political involvement of religious leaders on both
sides was a large factor, and doctrinal disagreement was
present. But no reason was enough to justify the present
tragic division in Christendom, which is 64 percent Roman
Catholic, 13 percent Eastern Churches (mostly Orthodox)
and 23 percent Protestant, and this when the 71 percent of
the world that is not Christian should be experiencing unity
and Christ-like charity from Christians!
St. Margaret of Scotland
Margaret was an English princess. She and her mother
sailed to Scotland to escape from the king who had
conquered their land. King Malcolm of Scotland welcomed
them and fell in love with the beautiful princess. Margaret

and Malcolm were married before too long.

As Queen, Margaret changed her husband and the country for the better. Malcolm was good,
but he and his court were very rough. When he saw how wise his beloved wife was, he
listened to her good advice. She softened his temper and led him to practice great virtue. She
made the court beautiful and civilized. Soon all the princes had better manners, and the ladies
copied her purity and devotion. The king and queen gave wonderful example to everyone by
the way they prayed together and fed crowds of poor people with their own hands. They
seemed to have only one desire: to make everyone happy and good.
Margaret was a blessing for all the people of Scotland. Before she came, there was
great ignorance and many bad habits among them. Margaret worked hard to
obtain good teachers, to correct the evil practices, and to have new churches built. She loved
to make these churches beautiful for God's glory, and she embroidered the
priest's vestments herself.
God sent this holy Queen six sons and two daughters. She loved them dearly and raised them
well. The youngest boy became St. David. But Margaret had sorrows, too. In her last illness,
she learned that both her husband and her son, Edward, had been killed in battle. Yet she
prayed: "I thank You, Almighty God, for sending me so great a sorrow to purify me from my
sins."
Let us take this saintly Queen for our example. While we do our duties, let us keep in mind the
joys that God will give us in Heaven. Her feast day is November 16th.
Comment:
There are two ways to be charitable: the "clean way" and the "messy way." The "clean way" is
to give money or clothing to organizations that serve the poor. The "messy way" is dirtying
your own hands in personal service to the poor. Margaret's outstanding virtue was her love of
the poor. Although very generous with material gifts, Margaret also visited the sick and nursed
them with her own hands. She and her husband served orphans and the poor on their knees
during Advent and Lent. Like Christ, she was charitable the "messy way."
Quote:
"When [Margaret] spoke, her conversation was with the salt of wisdom. When she was silent,
her silence was filled with good thoughts. So thoroughly did her outward bearing correspond
with the staidness of her character that it seemed as if she has been born the pattern of a
virtuous life" (Turgot, St. Margaret's confessor).
Margaret of Scotland was a truly liberated woman in the sense that she was free to be herself.
For her, that meant freedom to love God and serve others.
Not Scottish by birth, Margaret was the daughter of Princess Agatha of Hungary and the AngloSaxon Prince Edward Atheling. She spent much of her youth in the court of her great-uncle,
the English king, Edward the Confessor. Her family fled from William the Conqueror and was
shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. King Malcolm befriended them and was captivated by
the beautiful, gracious Margaret. They were married at the castle of Dunfermline in 1070.
Malcolm was good-hearted, but rough and uncultured, as was his country. Because of
Malcolms love for Margaret, she was able to soften his temper, polish his manners and help
him become a virtuous king. He left all domestic affairs to her and often consulted her in state
matters.
Margaret tried to improve her adopted country by promoting the arts and education. For
religious reform she encouraged synods and was present for the discussions which tried to
correct religious abuses common among priests and lay people, such as simony, usury and
incestuous marriages. With her husband, she founded several churches.
Margaret was not only a queen, but a mother. She and Malcolm had six sons and two
daughters. Margaret personally supervised their religious instruction and other studies.
Although she was very much caught up in the affairs of the household and country, she
remained detached from the world. Her private life was austere. She had certain times for
prayer and reading Scripture. She ate sparingly and slept little in order to have time for
devotions. She and Malcolm kept two Lents, one before Easter and one before Christmas.
During these times she always rose at midnight for Mass. On the way home she would wash
the feet of six poor persons and give them alms. She was always surrounded by beggars in
public and never refused them. It is recorded that she never sat down to eat without first
feeding nine orphans and 24 adults.
In 1093, King William Rufus made a surprise attack on Alnwick castle. King Malcolm and his
oldest son, Edward, were killed. Margaret, already on her deathbed, died four days after her

husband.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Elizabeth was born in Hungary in 1207, the daughter of Alexander II, King of Hungary. At the
age of four she was sent for education to the court of the Landgrave of Thuringia, to whose
infant son she was betrothed. As she grew in age, her piety also increased by leaps and
bounds. In 1221, she married Louis of Thuringia and in spite of her position at court began to
lead an austerely simple life, practiced penance, and devoted herself to works of charity.
Her husband was himself much inclined to religion and highly esteemed her virtue,
encouraging her in her exemplary life. They had three children when tragedy struck - Louis
was killed while fighting with the Crusaders.
In her short life Elizabeth manifested such great love for the poor and suffering that she has
become the patroness of Catholic charities and of the Secular Franciscan Order. The daughter
of the King of Hungary, Elizabeth chose a life of penance and asceticism when a life of leisure
and luxury could easily have been hers. This choice endeared her in the hearts of the common
people throughout Europe.
At the age of 14 Elizabeth was married to Louis of Thuringia (a German principality), whom she
deeply loved; she bore three children. Under the spiritual direction of a Franciscan friar, she led
a life of prayer, sacrifice and service to the poor and sick. Seeking to become one with the poor,
she wore simple clothing. Daily she would take bread to hundreds of the poorest in the land,
who came to her gate.
After six years of marriage, her husband died in the Crusades, and Elizabeth was grief-stricken.
Her husbands family looked upon her as squandering the royal purse, and mistreated her,
finally throwing her out of the palace. The return of her husbands allies from the Crusades
resulted in her being reinstated, since her son was legal heir to the throne.
In 1228, Elizabeth joined the Secular Franciscan Order, spending the remaining few years of her
life caring for the poor in a hospital which she founded in honor of St. Francis. Elizabeths health
declined, and she died before her 24th birthday in 1231. Her great popularity resulted in her
canonization four years later.
Comment:
Elizabeth understood well the lesson Jesus taught when he washed his disciples' feet at the Last
Supper: The Christian must be one who serves the humblest needs of others, even if one serves
from an exalted position. Of royal blood, Elizabeth could have lorded it over her subjects. Yet
she served them with such a loving heart that her brief life won for her a special place in the
hearts of many. Elizabeth is also an example to us in her following the guidance of a spiritual
director. Growth in the spiritual life is a difficult process. We can play games very easily if we
don't have someone to challenge us or to share experiences so as to help us avoid pitfalls.
Quote:
"Today, there is an inescapable duty to make ourselves the neighbor of every individual,
without exception, and to take positive steps to help a neighbor whom we encounter, whether
that neighbor be an elderly person, abandoned by everyone, a foreign worker who suffers the
injustice of being despised, a refugee, an illegitimate child wrongly suffering for a sin of which
the child is innocent, or a starving human being who awakens our conscience by calling to mind
the words of Christ: 'As long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it
for me' (Matthew 25:40)" (Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World,
27, Austin Flannery translation).

Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi (born in Aguleri, Anambra State,

Nigeria in September 1903 - died in Leicester, England, January 24, 1964)
was an Igbo Nigerian ordained a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese
of Onitsha, Nigeria on December 19, 1937. He worked in the parishes of
Nnewi, Dunukofia, Akpu/Ajalli and Aguleri.
He was later a Cistercian Monk at Mount Saint Bernard Monastery in
England.[2] After being recommended by Cardinal Francis Arinze, who was
inspired by Tansi as a boy (he had been one of Tansi's students and knew
him personally),[3] he was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 22 March 1998,
who said, "Blessed Cyprian Michael Tansi is a prime example of the fruits of
holiness which have grown and matured in the Church in Nigeria since the
Gospel was first preached in this land. He received the gift of faith through
the efforts of the missionaries, and taking the Christian way of life as his
own he made it truly African and Nigerian." [4]
His feast day is January 20.
Quotations
"Count no one saved, until he is found in heaven"
"Do not be imitating the whites in everything, strive hard to gain the
Kingdom of God. The whites are already in heaven in this world, but you
are suffering every want. Are you going to suffer also in the next world: Life
on earth could be compared to the journey of a young student who
received a slip for a registered parcel, and he had to go to Lagos to claim
this parcel. On the way he passed through many beautiful towns, towns
with very attractive things in the shops. He started going from one shop to
another, stretching his hands to the beautiful things he saw. He stopped so
often in these big towns that he almost forgot what he was travelling for. It
was after a long time that he ultimately reached Lagos, and when he went
to claim the parcel he was told that the parcel had lain in the post for so
long without him arriving to claim it that they had finally decided to send it
back to the sender.

SAINTS OF THE DAY: ST. AGNES

Spouse."

St. Agnes of Rome was born in 291 AD and

raised in a Christian family. Agnes was very
beautiful and belonged to a wealthy family. Her
hand in marriage was highly sought after,
and she had many high ranking men chasing
after her. However, Agnes made a promise
to God never to stain her purity. Her love for
the Lord was great and she hated sin even
more than death!
Whenever a man wished to marry Agnes, she
would always say, "Jesus Christ is my only

According to legend, the young men she turned away became so

angry and insulted by her devotion to God and purity that they
began to submit her name to authorities as a Christian follower.
In one incident, Procop, the Governor's son, became very angry
when she refused him. He tried to win her for his wife with rich
gifts and promises, but the beautiful young girl kept saying, "I am
already promised to the Lord of the Universe. He is more splendid
than the sun and the stars, and He has said He will never leave
me!"
In great anger, Procop accused her of being a Christian and
brought her to his father, the Governor. The Governor promised
Agnes wonderful gifts if she would only deny God, but Agnes
refused. He tried to change her mind by putting her in chains, but
her lovely face shone with joy.
At last, she was condemned to death. Even the pagans cried to
see such a young and beautiful girl going to death. Yet, Agnes
was as happy as a bride on her wedding day. She did not pay
attention to those who begged her to save herself. "I would
offend my Spouse," she said, "if I were to try to please you. He
chose me first and He shall have me!" Then she prayed and
bowed her head for the death-stroke of the sword.
She died a virgin-martyr at the age of 12 or 13 on 21 January
304.
Agnes was buried beside the Via Nomentana in Rome. Her bones
are currently conserved beneath the high altar in the church of
Sant'Angese fuori le mura in Rome, which was built over the

catacomb that held her tomb. Her skull is preserved in the church
of Sant'Agnese in Agone in Rome's Piazza Navona.
Her feast day is celebrated on January 21. On her feast day, it is
customary for two lambs to be brought in to be blessed by the
pope. On Holy Thursday the lambs' wool is removed and woven
into the pallium the pope gives to a newly consecrated
archbishop as a sign of his power and union with the pope.

LENT
Lent (Latin: Quadragesima - English: Fortieth) is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar of
many Christian denominations that begins on Ash Wednesday and covers a period of approximately six weeks
before Easter Sunday. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer,
penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial. This event, along with its pious customs,
is observed by Christians in the Anglican, Calvinist, Lutheran, Methodist, Roman Catholic and Eastern
Orthodox traditions.[1][2][3] Today, some Anabaptist and evangelical churches also observe the Lenten season.[4][5]
Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial
and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the New Testament beginning on Friday of
Sorrows, further climaxing on Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful
celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. During Lent, many Christians commit to
fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penitence. Many Christians also add a Lenten
spiritual discipline, such as reading a daily devotional, to draw themselves near to God.[6] The Stations of the
Cross, a devotional commemoration of Christ's carrying the Cross and of his execution, are often observed.
Many Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches remove flowers from their altars, while crucifixes,
religious statues, and other elaborate religious symbols are often veiled in violet fabrics in solemn observance
of the event. Throughout Christendom, some adherents mark the season with the traditional abstention from
the consumption of meat, most notably among Roman Catholics.[7]
Lent is traditionally described as lasting for forty days, in commemoration of the forty days which, according
to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent, before beginning his public ministry, fasting in the
desert, after which he endured temptation by the Devil.[8][9] In most of the West, it begins on Ash Wednesday.
Different Christian denominations calculate its length differently. On this see Duration, below.