Day: May 16, 2020

St. Ubaldus, Bishop of Gubio

HE was born of a noble family at Gubio, a city of the Ecclesiastical State, near the marquisate of Ancona. He had his education in the seminary of SS. Marian and James, and made great progress in his studies both profane and sacred; but the holy scriptures, those springs of living waters, were his chief delight. Many honourable matches were proposed to him by his friends; but he rejected all such offers, and made a vow of celibacy. His ardour in the perfect practice of virtue strengthened him against the bad example of many tepid companions. However, not approving certain irregularities which he saw tolerated among them, he exchanged this house for the seminary of St. Secundus, where he finished his studies. The bishop of Gubio made him prior of his cathedral that he might reform several abuses in the behaviour of the canons. Ubaldus prepared himself for this important work by fasting, prayers, and tears, by which he hoped to engage the divine assistance. He easily prevailed on three of his canons who were the best disposed, to join with him in his exercises and rules of life; and their example soon began to work upon the rest.  Continue reading →

Saint Brendan the Navigator

Abbot of Clonfert
(484-577)

Saint Brendan was born in County Kerry, Ireland, in the year 484. His education was confided to Saint Ita, called the Bridget of Munster, and later to Saint Erc; the latter ordained him a priest in 512. Between the years 512 and 530 he built monastic cells at Ardfert and Shanakeel, at the foot of Brandon Hill. From the latter colony he set out on his famous voyage of seven years, accompanied by a number of monks, according to the account of Saint Aengus at the close of the eighth century. When Saint Brendan’s narration of the trip was transcribed and read after his return, crowds of pilgrims and students came to Ardfert, and it was necessary to found many religious houses at various sites for those who wished to live under the Saint’s direction. He established the See of Ardfert, then founded a monastery in County Clare in about 550.

He journeyed afterwards to Wales and Iona. After a three years’ mission in Britain, he returned to Ireland and concerned himself with charitable works in the region of Leinster. He founded another see at Annaghdown, and at least four churches in different counties of Ireland. The monastery of Clonfert was founded in 557, and there Saint Brendan died, in an advanced old age.

The Catholic Encyclopedia, edited by C. G. Herbermann with numerous collaborators (Appleton Company: New York, 1908).

St. Dympna, Virgin and Martyr

SHE was the daughter of an Irish king, and having by vow consecrated her virginity to God, to avoid the snares to which she saw herself exposed at home, passed to Antwerp and chose her abode at Gheel, a village in Brabant, ten leagues from Antwerp. There she served God in retirement and assiduous prayer. But being at length discovered and pursued by those who were the enemies of her chastity, she was murdered by them because she refused to consent to their brutish passion.—Her relics were solemnly taken up by the bishop of Cambray on the 15th of May, and are preserved with veneration in a rich shrine at Gheel. She flourished in the seventh century. See Molanus, Miræus, the Roman Martyrology, Henschenius, t. 3, Maij. p. 477, and Colgan, in MSS. Contin. Act. SS. Hibern. 1

Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume V: May.
The Lives of the Saints. 1866. May 15.

Saint John Nepomucene

Priest and Martyr
(1330-1383)

Saint John Nepomucene was born in 1330, in answer to the prayer of his parents, who were poor folk of Nepomuc in Bohemia. In gratitude they consecrated him to God. His holy life as a priest led to his appointment as chaplain to the court of the Emperor Wenceslaus, where he converted many by his preaching and example. Continue reading →