• St. Cloud (560). Priest. (Historical) Hermit
• St. Regina (286). Martyr, Virgin. Patroness of Poverty. (Historical)

ST. CLOUD is the first and most illustrious Saint among the princes of the royal family of the first race in France. He was son of Chlodomir, King of Orleans, the eldest son of St. Clotilda, and was born 522. He was scarce three years old when his father was killed in Burgundy; but his grandmother Clotilda brought up him and his two brothers at Paris, and loved them extremely. Their ambitious uncles divided the kingdom of Orleans between them, and stabbed with their own hands two of their nephews. Cloud, by a special providence, was saved from the massacre, and, renouncing the world, devoted himself to the service of God in a monastic state. After a time he put himself under the discipline of St. Severinus, a holy recluse who lived near Paris, from whose hands he received the monastic habit. Wishing to live unknown to the world, he withdrew secretly into Provence, but his hermitage being made public, he returned to Paris, and was received with the greatest joy imaginable. At the earnest request of the people, he was ordained priest by Eusebius, Bishop of Paris, in 551, and served that Church some time in the functions of the sacred ministry. He afterward retired to St. Cloud, two leagues below Paris, where he built a monastery. Here he assembled many pious men, who fled out of the world for fear of losing their souls in it. St. Cloud was regarded by them as their superior, and he animated them to all virtue both by word and example. He was indefatigable in instructing and exhorting the people of the neighboring country, and piously ended his days about the year 560.

REFLECTION: Let us remember that “the just shall live forevermore; they shall receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the Lord.”

WORD OF THE DAY

ECLECTICISM. The principle or practice of drawing on different religions in order to form a coherent unity, while omitting the elements in each religion that do not fit into that unity. Eclecticism is commonplace in all philosophers and many theologians. It is also part of the history of all religions, with the notable exception of Christianity. Its Founder was no mere eclectic. He did not depend on the wisdom of other religious leaders, even when he used their insight, as in building on the prophets of ancient Israel. One of the developments of the Second Vatican Council was the recognition of so many elements of truth in the non-Christian religions that the Church may legitimately cultivate in her work of evangelization without becoming eclectic and sacrificing what is essential in the proclamation of the Gospel. (Etym. Greek eklektikos, selecting.)

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!)