TUESDAY May 1, 2001 volume 12, no. 121

Liturgy for Tuesday and Wednesday May 1st and 2nd Tuesday, May 1, 2001    Meditation Easter Weekday Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker White vestments Novus Ordo Entrance: Ezekiel 34: 11, 23-24 First Reading: Genesis 1: 26-- 2: 3 Responsorial: Psalm 90: 2-4, 12-14, 16 Gospel Reading: Matthew 13: 54-58 Communion: Colossians 3: 17 Ordinary of the Mass of the Catechumens* Introit: Wisdom 10: 17, Psalm 126: 1 Epistle: Colossians 3: 14-15, 17, 23-24 Alleluia: Psalm 111: 1-3 Gospel: Matthew 13: 54-58 Offertory: Psalm 89: 17 Communion: Matthew 13: 54-54 Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker - Patron of the Church - Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary     So much has been said about this very special, holy, pure and quiet saint...and yet, so little is really known about Saint Joseph. No one can pinpoint the exact year he died, but we do know he died a happy, peaceful death richly deserved because of his obedience to the Will of God in being the earthly guardian of God's Own Son and the Immaculate Mother He chose to fulfill the Act of Redemption. Saint Joseph is the saint most often invoked for the grace of a happy death and the assurance that Jesus is spiritually present at that time with every dying soul. While Mary was the heart of the Holy Family, Joseph was the head, yet always submitting to a higher Power in all things...from accepting Mary's virgin birth as truly from God to rallying the family in the cold of the night to flee from Herod's wrath into a land he knew nothing about, only that God would not abandon him nor those he was charged to watch over. Every virtue can be attributed to this saint who bridged the Old Law, born into the royal family of David's lineage, and the New Law and guided to maturity Jesus Christ, our Savior. Because of his role in protecting the Holy Family he has been designated Protector of Holy Mother Church as well. He is the patron saint of workers for he lifted the work ethics to a new level and taught these values to the Son of God.

Wednesday, May 2, 2001    Meditation

Feast of Saint Athanasius, Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church

White vestments

    Born in Egypt early in the fourth century, Saint Athanasius was chosen to defend His Church against the Arian heresy at an early age, being sent to champion the cause of Holy Mother Church at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. His dedication and writings attracted the attention of all and he quickly was made Patriarch of Alexandria and almost single-handedly fended off the Arian heresy for well over forty years before succumbing peacefully in 373. Though he had been persecuted by the Arians for many, many years, his prayers, writings, preaching and actions won many over to the true teaching through the humility and persistence of this staunch Defender and Doctor of the Church. Despite the sacriligeous acts of the heretic Arius who had forced the emperor to have him reinstated in the Church, God smote the heretic down in the presence of countless witnesses as Arius attempted to enter the church of St. Sophia. Through Athanasius' prayers, the sacrilege was averted and the horrible death Arius met in challenging the authority of God's Church prompted countless Arians to be converted back to Catholicism.

On May 1st in 1572, Pope Saint Pius V passed on to his Heavenly reward.

    A Dominican who followed in the tradition of St. Catherine of Siena nearly two centuries after her was Cardinal Michael Ghislieri who went on to become the great Pope Saint Pius V. Another of the great saints who God rose up in the "Century of Saints," Pius V was one of the most influential in Church history as he brought about renewal in the Church, carrying out many of the reforms that would reinstate the holiness and status of Holy Mother Church. Amidst the ruin of the Protestant Reformation, the corruption within the Church, and the threat of Turkish invasion, Pius carried out the teachings of the Council of Trent which had begun in 1545. The fruits of Trent are still evident today for Pius ordered the founding of seminaries for the training of priests, published a new Missal, Breviary, Catechism and initiated the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) for the youth to learn the faith. In addition, he established the Tridentine Mass which he proclaimed would be said "in perpetuity." His devotion to the Rosary and spreading the power of Our Lady's special weapon, proved victorious when he summoned all Catholics to throw themselves upon the Mercy of God and pray the Holy Rosary in begging God to save the Church from the Turks. On October 7, 1571 against unsurmountable odds, the Christian forces were miraculously victorious over the Turks in the Gulf of Lepanto off of Greece. The tremendous power of the Rosary was made manifest and that date became the official feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Pius died in 1572.

* = Traditional Latin Mass promulgated by Pope St. Pius V to be said in perpetuity