Sunday, 3 August 2014
Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Three
Blessed Gerard had an entire website to himself. The pictures and photographs are worth seeing.
You may read his story here.
Blessed Gerard has been noted on this blog before today.Monday, 4 August 2014
Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Four
I first came across St. Nuno Álvares Pereira at Whitefriars Church in Dublin, where I was attending Mass last summer at this time. I would go to Adoration as well, and one day, I noticed the Flag of St. George in the window and was intrigued by this saint.
But, there is a painting of him done in his lifetime, which is rare for a saint. He was a warrior as well as a Carmelite. I love this saint.
He was a soldier, a husband, a father and a Carmelite.
There is a fantastic blogspot dedicated to him here.
http://invitaminerva45.blogspot.com/2011/11/batalha-de-valverde-meados-de-outubro.html
Wiki also has an article, as well as the main site of these saints.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Five
Several women are saints of the Order of Malta. I have had one on this blog before, but hereis the first one.
First, an explanation from the main site on women in the Order.
http://www.smom-za.org/saints/women.htm
The text of this page is quoted from: Ducaud-Bourget, Msgr. François: The Spiritual Heritage of The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Vatican 1958
Saint Flora of Beaulieu Virgin.
http://catholic-thoughts.info/saints/Octsaints.htm
Patron of the abandoned, of converts, single laywomen, and victims of betrayal — Flora was born in France about the year 1309. She was a devout child and later resisted all attempts on the part of her parents to find a husband for her. In 1324, she entered the Priory of Beaulieu of the Hospitaller nuns of St. John of Jerusalem. Here she was beset with many and diverse trials, fell into a depressed state, and was made sport of by some of her religious sisters. However, she never ceased to find favour with God and was granted many unusual and mystical favours. One year on the feast of All Saints, she fell into an ecstasy and took no nourishment until three weeks later on the feast of St. Cecelia. On another occasion, while meditating on the Holy Spirit, she was raised four feet from the ground and hung in the air in full view of many onlookers. She also seemed to be pierced with the arms of Our Lord's cross, causing blood to flow freely at times from her side and at others, from her mouth. Other instances of God's favouring of his servant were also reported, concerning prophetic knowledge of matters of which she could not naturally know. Through it all, St. Flora remained humble and in complete communion with her Divine Master, rendering wise counsel to all who flocked to her because of her holiness and spiritual discernment. In 1347, she was called to her eternal reward and many miracles were worked at her tomb
There are more saints from the Knights of Malta Order. One can look at the main site on the first posting for more. Just a taste....
First, an explanation from the main site on women in the Order.
http://www.smom-za.org/saints/women.htm
The Women of the Order of Malta
Not far from the Hospital of Jerusalem there already existed before the foundation of the Order a women's infirmary; it was entrusted to nuns.
A Roman lady, Agnes or Alix, received the habit of the Order from the hands of the Blessed Gerard and became the abbess of that convent which was dedicated to Saint Magdalene. There under her direction, a life of prayer and charity unfolded all its zeal and resources, until the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187. Then the nuns were dispersed throughout the West and remained in small groups in the hospitals of the Knights, taking care of the sick women sheltered in them. But even before the exodus the houses of Europe had felt the need of leaving women in their hospitals; sisters were therefore present in the Commanderies. In 1180, we find nuns at Hampton, Standon, and Gosford in England. But toward 1186, Henry II, at Buckland, Somerset, created a home for the sisters of Saint John under the direction of Fina, the first abbess; she governed for 54 years. She gathered under her crosier all the nuns scattered in the religious houses of the Knights.
Almost at the same time, in 1188, Doña Sancha, wife of Don Alfonso, King of Aragon, in memory of the pious Knights fallen in defence of the Holy Land, raised a convent at Sigena, between Saragossa and Lerida, to receive without dowry the poor daughters of noble families. In theory they were to furnish proofs of nobility. But their families were so distinguished and well-known that these proofs were not required. The Queen deeded extensive tracts of land to them. At the assumption of power by the Infante Don Pedro, at the death of Don Alfonso, she withdrew to her convent with her daughter, Doña Dulce. They took the habit. The good Queen died in that convent in November l208, after having been at the head of the community for some years; her rule was characterized by great wisdom and holiness. She was buried in the convent church, and her stone tomb leas covered over with a very hard wood, painted quite skilfully in the ancient fashion. On it can be seen the portrait of the princess abbess in royal dress, with a crown on her head and the cross of Saint John on her cloak. In memory of her the nuns carried a silver sceptre in the choir.
Since the reign of Leo XIII, proofs of nobility have no longer been required to enter this convent.
Many other houses of the Order were founded, especially in Genoa and Pisa, beginning with the first half of the thirteenth century. Some were devoted to the care of the sick, as at Beaulieu, of which we shall speak later. In general, however, after leaving the Holy Land, the sisters turned to contemplation, under the rule of Saint Augustine.
Their habit was composed of a gown of red silk and a black cloak with a white cross. After the fall of Rhodes, they dressed in mourning, wearing a black gown. They were not dependent on the local bishop; they came under the jurisdiction of the Prior of the province or the Grandmaster of the Hospital.
The Order of the Sisters of Saint John of Jerusalem has now been presented. Let us proceed to consider the three highest and most gracious figures of its martyrology.
The text of this page is quoted from: Ducaud-Bourget, Msgr. François: The Spiritual Heritage of The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Vatican 1958
28th MAY - SAINT UBALDESCA V. ON.
 |
| image courtesy of St John's Gate, London |
Saint Ubaldesca
Virgin of The Order
Memorial
She was born in 1136 at Calcinia, near Pisa. At the age of fifteen, she joined the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, and worked for fifty-five years in the infirmary attached to the monastery at Pisa, caring for her neighbour out of love for God. She died on 28 May 1206. Her body was taken back to Calcinia where it is now enshrined. Not only honoured among the saints and blessed of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, she is celebrated also as a patroness of the City of Pisa.
The Collect of the Mass
O God, pride of the humble and lover of virginity,
you called Saint Ubaldesca to the religious life
in the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem :
Grant that through her prayers and example
we may rejoice in being humble
and follow you with pure minds.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Six
from the main site....
http://www.smom-za.org/saints/toscana.htm
In 2003, there was a TLM in her church in Verona
http://www.unavoce-ve.it/fsspx16-02-03-3.jpg
St. Toscana
Religious of the Order of Malta
Memorial: 14 July
She was born in Zevio, near Verona (Italy) about 1280 and married a man from Verona, Albert Canoculi with whom she began to do remarkable work for the poor. After her husband's death, she sold all that she owned and became a nun in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, where she devoted her life to prayer and caring for the sick. She died on 14 July 1343 or 1344.
Prayer:
O God, who kept your servant Toscana unscathed by the turbulence of this world both as a wife and as a widow, and made her the instrument in our Order of a remarkable work of charity for the poor, grant us the grace of serving you as she did and of pleasing you by our faith and by our actions. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(From: The Missal with readings of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes, & of Malta, London 1997)
Saints of The Knights of Malta Part Seven
Saint Flora of Beaulieu Virgin.
http://catholic-thoughts.info/saints/Octsaints.htm
Patron of the abandoned, of converts, single laywomen, and victims of betrayal — Flora was born in France about the year 1309. She was a devout child and later resisted all attempts on the part of her parents to find a husband for her. In 1324, she entered the Priory of Beaulieu of the Hospitaller nuns of St. John of Jerusalem. Here she was beset with many and diverse trials, fell into a depressed state, and was made sport of by some of her religious sisters. However, she never ceased to find favour with God and was granted many unusual and mystical favours. One year on the feast of All Saints, she fell into an ecstasy and took no nourishment until three weeks later on the feast of St. Cecelia. On another occasion, while meditating on the Holy Spirit, she was raised four feet from the ground and hung in the air in full view of many onlookers. She also seemed to be pierced with the arms of Our Lord's cross, causing blood to flow freely at times from her side and at others, from her mouth. Other instances of God's favouring of his servant were also reported, concerning prophetic knowledge of matters of which she could not naturally know. Through it all, St. Flora remained humble and in complete communion with her Divine Master, rendering wise counsel to all who flocked to her because of her holiness and spiritual discernment. In 1347, she was called to her eternal reward and many miracles were worked at her tomb
There are more saints from the Knights of Malta Order. One can look at the main site on the first posting for more. Just a taste....
