- St. Edward the Confessor (1066). Patron or Patroness. Patron of England. (Traditional)
- St. Gerald of Aurillac (909). Patron or Patroness. Patron of single men & the handicapped. (Historical)
EDWARD was unexpectedly raised to the throne of England at the age of forty years, twenty-seven of which he had passed in exile. On the throne, the virtues of his earlier years, simplicity, gentleness, lowliness, but above all his angelic purity, shone with new brightness. By a rare inspiration of God, though he married to content his nobles and people, he preserved perfect chastity in the wedded state. So little did he set his heart on riches, that thrice when he saw a servant robbing his treasury he let him escape, saying the poor fellow needed the gold more than he. He loved to stand at his palace-gate, speaking kindly to the poor beggars and lepers who crowded about him, and many of whom he healed of their diseases. The long wars had brought the kingdom to a sad state, but Edward’s zeal and sanctity soon wrought a great change. His reign of twenty-four years was one of almost unbroken peace, the country grew prosperous, the ruined churches rose under his hand, the weak lived secure, and for ages afterwards men spoke with affection of the “laws of good St. Edward.” The holy king had a great devotion to building and enriching churches. Westminster Abbey was his latest and noblest work. He died January 5th, 1066.
REFLECTION: David longed to build a temple for God’s service. Solomon reckoned it his glory to accomplish the work. But we, who have God made flesh dwelling in our tabernacles, ought to think no time, no zeal, no treasures too much to devote to the splendor and beauty of a Christian church.
WORD OF THE DAY
OFFERING COMMUNION. The practice of offering the reception of Holy Communion for another person. This means asking God to transfer to someone else the satisfactory (expiatory) and impetratory (intercessory) value of one’s own preparation for and thanksgiving after Communion. What cannot be transferred are the principal effects of the sacrament, namely the growth in sanctifying grace, in the love of God and neighbor, the lessening of passion, the right to a glorious resurrection, the forgiveness of venial sins, and the remission of temporal punishment due to forgiven sins.
Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon SJ (Get the real one at Eternal Life — don’t accept an abridged or edited version of this masterpiece!)
October, Month of the Rosary
Maria Magnificata. Short Meditations for October, the Month of the Rosary. 13th Day — Mary’s time of Expectancy.
