Feast of St. Wolfgang of Regensburg

San Volfango di Ratisbona, ora pro nobis

October 31st is the Feast of St. Wolfgang of Regensburg (San Volfango di Ratisbona), Benedictine monk, missionary, hermit, and reforming Bishop. He is the patron saint of paralyzed people, stroke victims, people with stomach ailments, and carpenters.

Born circa 924 in the Duchy of Swabia in southwestern Germany, he was educated at the abbey of Reichenau. Moving to the abbey of Einsiedeln in Schwyz (in present-day Switzerland), he was ordained a priest in 968 by St. Ulrich and became the director of the monastery school.

Traveling to Hungary with a group of monks he helped evangelize the Magyars, converting many to the faith. In 972 Emperor Otto II appointed him Bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria, where he initiated reforms, built churches, and tutored the future Emperor St. Henry II. Despite his prestigious station, he continued to wear a simple monastic habit.

A piece of the tree where
St. Wolfgang preached and
baptized in Thalmässing, Bavaria

Towards the end of his life St. Wolfgang briefly withdrew to a secluded cell in the Salzkammergut region of Austria to live the ascetic life of a hermit. However, deeply loved by his flock, the recluse was reluctantly called back to his episcopate. In 994 the holy man fell ill and died in the Chapel of St. Othmar in Pupping, Austria. He was canonized in 1052 by Pope Leo IX.

Though many healing miracles have been attributed to him, he is perhaps best remembered as the Saint who tricked the Devil into building a church.

According to legend, a ferocious wolf fleeing from a hunter refused to help the Bishop build a church. In pursuit of the beast, the huntsman also refused to help. The Devil then appeared and agreed to build it in exchange for the first soul that entered the church. Upon its completion, the wolf still looking for a place to hide from the persistent hunter rushed inside the new church, thus foiling the evil one’s plan to snare a human soul.

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Wolfgang of Regensburg. The accompanying photo up top is my makeshift shrine devoted to the saint. The picture of the tree relic was taken at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church rectory in Newark, New Jersey. Evviva San Volfango di Ratisbona!

Prayer to St. Wolfgang of Regensburg

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the examples of St. Wolfgang, Bishop of Regensburg, may effectually move us to reform our lives; that while we celebrate his festival, we may also imitate his actions. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Look upon our Weakness, almighty God, and since the burden of our own deeds weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of St. Wolfgang of Regensburg protect us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Vigil of All Saints

Private shrine to my ancestors and the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Júdicant sancti gentes, et dominántur pópulis: et regnábit Dóminus Deus illórum in perpétuum. Ps. 32, 1 Exsultáte, justi, in Dómino: rectos decet collaudátio. V. Glória Patri.

The saints judge nations, and rule over people: and the Lord their God shall reign forever. Ps. 32, 1. Rejoice in the Lord, ye just: praise becometh the upright. V Glory. ~ Introit. Wis 3, 8

October 31st is the Vigil of All Saints Day. Popularly known as Halloween, or All Hallows' Eve, the celebration is the beginning of Hallowtide, a three day observance (Triduum) that includes the Feasts of All Saints Day on Nov. 1st and All Souls Day on Nov. 2nd. Traditionally a day of prayer, fasting, and abstinence, the faithful prepare themselves for the month of November, which is dedicated to the souls of the dead, and contemplate the reality of Hell and how to avoid eternal damnation.

In celebration, I’m posting the introit and the collect of All Hallows' Eve in Latin and English. The accompanying photo is my perpetual shrine devoted to my ancestors and the poor and forgotten Souls in Purgatory. The cast-iron skull serves as a memento mori, or a reminder of death, and rests on a miniature oriental rug that once decorated my mother's doll house; the Crucifixion nails are a reminder of Our Lord's sacrifice and were given to me by my father; the Rosary belonged to my paternal grandmother; the rose pin is a symbol of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower and our familial patroness; and the prayer card is for St. Gertrude the Great, patroness of Naples and devotee to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

The Collect of All Hallows' Eve

Dómine Deus noter, multíplica super nos grátiam tuam: et, quorum prævenímus gloriósa solémnia, tribue súbsequi in dsancta professióne lætitiam. Per Dominum.

O Lord, our God, multiply Thy graces upon us, and grant that joy may follow in the holy praise of those whose glorious festival we anticipate. Through our Lord.

Feast of Sant'Angelo d'Acri

Sant'Angelo d'Acri, ora pro nobis

October 30th is the Feast of Sant'Angelo d'Acri (1669-1739), Capuchin priest, itinerant preacher and Wonderworker. Patron saint of missionaries and his native town of Acri in Calabria, he is sometimes called the "Great Apostle of Southern Italy" for his powerful sermons and the many conversions he worked throughout Calabria and Sicily. In celebration, I'm posting a prayer to Sant'Angelo d'Acri. The accompanying photo was taken during the 2015 Feast at Most Precious Blood Church (113 Baxter Street), in Little Italy, New York. Evviva Sant'Angelo!

Prayer to Sant'Angelo d'Acri

O God, you gave to your priest Sant'Angelo the grace to call sinners to penance through his words and miracles, grant through his intercession, that we may be sorry for our sins, and gain eternal life. 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

Also see: Around the Web: Blessed Angelo of Acri from Tradition in Action

Remembering Joseph-Louis Guérin

Portrait of the "little Zouave," Joseph-Louis Guérin, circa 1860

“Blood is necessary to appease the anger of God; I will give mine” *

In memory of Joseph-Louis Guérin (b. 5 April, 1838 — d. 30 October 1860), Papal Zouave who died defending the Papacy from the Piedmontese at the Battle of Castelfidardo in le Marche, we pray for the happy repose of his soul.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

* Quoted from Papal Zouave History

Also see:

• The Papal Zouave Saint? The Story of Joseph-Louis Guérin

Feast of San Gaetano Errico

San Gaetano Errico, ora pro nobis

October 29th is the Feast of St. Gaetano Errico, Priest, Mystic, and Founder. Born to humble and devout parents on 19 October 1791 in Secondigliano, a small town outside of the city of Naples, he enrolled (with his parent's blessing) in the Diocesan Seminary in Naples at the age of 16. In addition to his studies, he volunteered his time helping the poor, visiting the sick at the Hospital for the Incurables, and working with his father at the macaroni workshop.

At 24 he was ordained a priest and became a full-time primary school teacher. A tireless preacher and confessor, he assists the needy materially and spiritually.

While on a retreat and praying in the house of the Redemptorists in Pagani, Salerno, a vision of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) appeared to him and told him that God wanted him to found a new congregation and build a church dedicated to Our Sorrowful Mother in Secondigliano.

Completed in 1835, Fr. Errico then founded the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Receiving approval for the congregation on 4 March 1836, he sought Papal approval on 30 May 1838 and Royal approval on 13 May 1840. Seeking final approval in Rome, Blessed Pius IX issued the Apostolic Brief of Approbation on 7 August 1846 and Fr. Errico was unanimously elected Superior General.

Fr. Errico died on 29 October 1869 at the age of 69. He was declared a Venerable in December 1876 by Pope Leo XIII and, after approving a miracle, beatified by Pope St. John Paul II on 24 April 2001. On 14 April 2002, Pope St. John Paul II proclaimed him Blessed and on 6 July 2007 Pope Benedict XVI approved the miracle of canonization and on 12 October 2008, Blessed Gaetano Errico was canonized.

In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to St. Gaetano Errico. Pictured is my makeshift shrine. Evviva San Gaetano Errico!

Prayer to Gaetano Errico

Lord, we thank you for having given Saint Gaetano Errico to Your Church and the world. You inflamed his heart with the love of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, so that this love may be made known to all mankind through the ministry of Your Word and through the works of charity. Please give us the courage of faith and inflame our hearts with the same fire of love that we may be generous apostles of charity and credible missionaries of your merciful love. Lord through the intercession of your servant, Saint Gaetano Errico, transform our hearts, guide our paths and strengthen our work. Amen.

Ponderable Quote from ‘Building a Wholesome Family in a Broken World: Habsburg Lessons from the Centuries’

I believe that the Church today will be renewed by praying families. We are suffering today from crises of faith, of vocations, of leadership. The surest way to heal and repair our Church—perhaps the only way—is through family prayer. Our pastors are tired, overworked, and overwhelmed. Sometimes they seem hopeless. It will be faithful families who will bring real, lived, devout faith back to parishes, dioceses, and Mother Church. The small, routine, everyday manifestations of faith—attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, going regularly to Confession, praying the Rosary—will reignite the fire of faith in a generation of strong, hopeful, believing Catholics who will one day grow up to be the light of the world.

Reprinted from Building a Wholesome Family in a Broken World: Habsburg Lessons from the Centuries by Eduard Habsburg, Archduke of Austria, Sophia Institute Press, 2024, p. 92

Feast of the Holy Apostles Simon and Jude

Santi Simone e Giuda, ora pro nobis

Deus, qui nos per beátos Apóstolos tuos Simónem et Judam, ad agnitiónem tuo nóminis veníre tribuísti: da nobis eórum glóriam sempitérnam et proficiéndo celebráre, et celebrándo profícere. Per Dóminum.

October 28th is the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles and Martyrs. Born in Cana, Simon was a Jewish Zealot before his conversion to Christianity; and Jude, also known as Thaddeus (to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot), was the brother (or son) of St. James the Lesser, making him a relative of the Blessed Mother and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Both received the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which is why they are often depicted with tongues of flame on their heads. They travelled widely throughout the Middle East and Western Asia to evangelize and were martyred in Roman Syria circa 65 AD. St. Simon was sawed into pieces, while Jude was either hacked to death with an ax or beaten with a club. St. Simon is the patron saint of curriers, woodcutters, and tanners. St. Jude is the patron saint of desperate situations and lost causes.

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer in Latin and English. The accompanying photo of St. Jude was taken at the now-closed Saint Joseph’s Church (5 Monroe Street) in New York City. Evviva Santi Simone e Giuda!

Prayer

O God, Who hast granted us to come to the knowledge of Thy name through Thy blessed apostles Simon and Jude, grant us to celebrate their everlasting glory by advancing in knowledge and to improve by this celebration. Through our Lord.

Photo of the Week: Guerriero con Fanciullo (Achille e Troilo), Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Solemnity of All Saints at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine in East Harlem, New York

Solemnity of Christ the King

Christ Pantocrator, Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily

The last Sunday of October is the Feast of Christ the King, which celebrates the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ as King of the cosmos. In celebration, I'm posting A Prayer to Christ the King. The accompanying photo of Christ Pantocrator (Christ Almighty) was taken at the Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily.

A Prayer to Christ the King

O Jesus Christ, I acknowledge you as universal King. All that has been made has been created for You. Exercise all Your rights over me. I renew my Baptismal Vows. I renounce Satan, his pomps and his works; I promise to live as a good Christian. And, in particular do I pledge myself to labor, to the best of my ability, for the triumph of the rights of God and of Your Church. Divine Heart of Jesus, to You do I offer my poor services, laboring that all hearts may acknowledge Your sacred kingship, and that thus the reign of Your peace be established throughout the whole universe. Amen

Feast of San Gaudioso di Napoli

San Gaudioso, ora pro nobis

October 27th is the Feast of San Gaudioso di Napoli, patron saint of Rione Sanità, a neighborhood in the Stella district of Naples.

In 439 AD, the Vandal King Genseric exiled Septimius Celius Gaudiosus, Bishop of Abitinia (a town in the Roman Province of Africa), and a handful of followers for refusing to convert to Arianism. Cast out to sea in a rickety boat with no oars or sail, the vessel and its passengers miraculously landed safely across the Mediterranean at Naples.

Settling on the Capodimonte hill, San Gaudioso is credited with building a monastery, introducing the Rule of St. Augustine, and the translation of several relics, including that of Santa Restituta.

When he died (c.452 AD), the holy man was interred in a necropolis outside the city walls. Quickly becoming a place of devotion and veneration by locals, the catacombs were named in his honor. Abandoned in the Late Middle Ages due to mudslides (known as the Lave dei Virgini) and the removal of the saint’s relics to a safer location, the catacombs eventually opened again in the 16th century with the discovery of a 5th or 6th century Byzantine icon of the Madonna della Sanità, the oldest depiction of the Virgin Mary in Naples.

In addition to the icon and the tomb of San Gaudioso, the catacombs preserve several frescoes and mosaics dating from the 17th century all the way back to the Paleochristian era, including a painting of St. Peter introducing the deceased Pascentius to a third figure believed to be either St. Paul or Jesus Christ.

More recently, the renowned Neapolitan poet Totò (Antonio De Curtis, 1898-1967) composed the poem 'A Livella, which was inspired by a painting of Memento Mori (the Triumph of Death) in the catacombs.

In celebration, I’m posting a Prayer to San Gaudioso di Napoli. Evviva San Gaudioso!

Prayer to San Gaudioso di Napoli 

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the examples of San Gaudioso di Napoli may effectually move us to reform our lives; that while we celebrate his feast, we may also imitate his actions. Look upon our weakness, almighty God, and since the burden of our own deeds weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of San Gaudioso protect us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Feast of San Nestore Martire di Tessalonica

San Demetrio slaying Lyaeus

In the Byzantine Synaxarion, October 27th is the Feast of San Nestore di Tessalonica, Hero and Martyr. Born in the third century in Constantinople or Thessaloniki, Macedonia, he was a disciple of the Holy Martyr San Demetrio di Tessalonica.

According to tradition, San Demetrio was denounced as a Christian and arrested, perhaps to be used in the gladiatorial games in Thessaloniki. At the time, Christian captives were being forced to fight the hulking Vandal Lyaeus in the arena if no-one dared to face him of their own accord. With a penchant for impaling his opponents on spikes, it wasn't always easy to find someone willing to do battle with the notorious gladiator.

Looking to prevent the murderous brute from killing any more Christians, San Nestore visited his master in prison to get his blessing. Signing his forehead and chest with the sign of the cross, San Demetrio prophesied, “You will defeat Lyaeus, but you will suffer for Christ.”

As Lyaeus entered the arena to thunderous applause, Emperor Maximian silenced the crowd and introduced his champion. Making his usual wager to entice would-be challengers, the Emperor offered a huge reward to anyone who could defeat the allegedly invincible warrior in hand-to-hand combat.

Stepping forward, San Nestore volunteered to fight Lyaeus. The crowd roared with laughter at the sight of the diminutive youth. Attributing the boy’s foolhardiness to poverty and desperation, Maximian tried to dissuade him, claiming the clash would be suicide for one so small and weak. Underestimating the stripling’s determination, he offered San Nestore the purse without having to fight or risk his life.

Undeterred, San Nestore repeated his challenge saying he did not need or want the Emperor’s money; he just wanted to prove that he was better than Lyaeus. Curious to see what would happen, the Emperor allowed the seemingly mismatched combatants to fight. 

Facing off on a large platform surrounded by a pit filled with stakes, spears and other sharp weaponry, San Nestore crossed himself and invoked the name of God, which greatly irritated Maximian.

Narrowly dodging the gladiator’s relentless attack, San Nestore found a brief opening and mortally wounded the barbarian. Crumpling to the ground at the boys feet, the crowd began cheering for the Christian, which further drew the ire of the Emperor. Casting Lyaeus down from the platform into the pit, the fiend was impaled on the blood-stained spikes he so often used to slay his Christian victims.

Mortified, Maximian stormed out of the arena bristling with rage. First he had San Demetrio run through with a spear then, instead of rewarding the victor, he ordered his guards to capture the Christian hero and had him beheaded with his own sword.

In celebration, I’m posting the prayers to San Nestore from Byzantine Catholic Prayer for the Home [link will open PDF file]. They are meant for private use. The accompanying photo, courtesy of Cav. Charles Sant’Elia, is a Greek terracotta tablet with bas-relief depicting San Demetrio on horseback slaying Lyaeus. Though San Demetrio did not physically slay Lyaeus, it was through his prayers that San Nestore was able to defeat the fearsome gladiator. San Nestore di Tessalonica, ora pro nobis.

Troparia
Troparion Tone 3 You took up the power of the cross from the great Demetrius and you ventured forth against the giant. His terrible strength did not save him, but he was struck down by you. They killed you for this, holy martyr, but your bravery ushered you in before Christ. O Nestor, pray for our peace and for mercy on us all!

Kontakion Tone 2 Having perfectly endured your martyrdom, you have inherited immortal glory. You have become a perfect soldier for the Master through the prayers of the great Demetrius. Join him, blessed Nestor, and pray without ceasing for us all. 

Stichera
O wondrous martyr Nestor, you girded yourself with the armor of Christ. Then you overcame Leo the emperor. By visible and invisible arrows you fettered Satan and put him to death, O greatly-gifted one. Because of that, Christ crowned you with the crown of victory. 

Glory be...now and ever...We implore you, our most pure Intercessor, never allow your sorely afflicted servants to perish. But hasten to snatch us from the forthcoming wrath and grief. O most holy and pure Theotokos, you are our rampart and invincible help.

Feast of San Vincenzo, Martire di Craco

San Vincenzo Martire, ora pro nobis

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

The fourth Sunday of October is the Feast of San Vincenzo, Legionnaire and Martyr. He is the patron Saint of Craco in Basilicata (Lucania). In celebration, I'm posting a Prayer to Saint Vincent.(1) The accompanying photo of the reclining statue of San Vincenzo and relic was taken at Most Precious Blood Church (113 Baxter St.) in Little Italy, New York. The picture of the standing statue was taken during the 2012 Feast of San Vincenzo Martire at now closed Saint Joseph's Church (5 Monroe Street) in Manhattan, the national shrine of San Vincenzo. For more on Saint Vincent's Feast Day please visit the Craco Society and the San Fele Society. Evviva San Vincenzo!

Prayer to St. Vincent,
Patron of Craco, Lucania

O strong and glorious St. Vincent, our distinguished patron, who had the honor of giving your life for loyal testimony to Jesus Christ, turn your loving gaze on us who by wise design of providence, are, the unworthy, fortunate guardians of your relics.

Teach us, oh, generous Martyr, the tenacity to do good in the way in which you serve as model, having preserved good intentions even when you were violently torn from the quiet life of our family.

Communicate with our souls a little of the great love which you showed evidence of in your lifetime. Pray to the Lord Jesus
that because the generosity of your love of the Cross, that our hearts will be evermore enkindled. Present to Jesus, sweet friend of our souls and crown of Martyrs our earnest desire to support courageously, like you, every suffering of our lives, Amen

(1) A Prayer to St. Vincent courtesy of the San Felese Society

Solemnity of All Souls at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine in East Harlem, New York

Feast of San Gaudioso di Salerno

San Gaudioso Vescovo, ora pro nobis

October 26th is the Feast of San Gaudioso (640), seventh Bishop of Salerno. In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Gaudiosus. The accompanying photo, courtesy of Andrew Giordano, was taken at the Basilica Cattedrale SS. Matteo e Gregorio in Salerno. Evviva San Gaudioso!

Prayer to St. Gaudiosus

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the examples of St. Gaudiosus, seventh Bishop of Salerno, may effectually move us to reform our lives; that while we celebrate his festival, we may also imitate his actions. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Look upon our Weakness, almighty God, and since the burden of our own deeds weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of St. Gaudiosus protect us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

All Souls Day at Corpus Christi Church in South River, New Jersey

Feast of San Gavino Martire

San Gavino Martire, ora pro nobis

October 25th is the Feast of San Gavino Martire (St. Gavinus), a Roman soldier martyred with his companions San Proto and San Gianuario in Porto Torres, Sardinia during the persecutions Emperor Diocletian in 304 AD. Widely venerated in Sardinia and neighboring Corsica, he is also the patron saint of Camposano near Naples.

In celebration, I'm posting a Prayer to Saint Gavinus. The accompanying photo, courtesy of Anthony Scillia, was taken at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Asbury Park. Evviva San Gavino!

Prayer to Saint Gavinus

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the examples of St. Gavinus may effectually move us to reform our lives; that while we celebrate his feast, we may also imitate his actions. Look upon our weakness, almighty God, and since the burden of our own deeds weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of St. Gavinus protect us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Novena Prayers in Honor of Saint Hubert

Sant'Uberto di Liegi, ora pro nobis

Pray Novena to Saint Hubert, Patron Saint of Hunters, for nine consecutive days, October 25th to November 2nd, in preparation for the feast on November 3rd. Evviva Sant’Uberto!

Prayer to be an honorable hunter

By the grace of God may I always honor, thank and adore the Lord God who created the animals and saw that each species was good. Let me love the God who made humans in His own image and likeness and set them over the whole world, to have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth (Gen 1:26). By my honorable conduct as a hunter let me give a good example and teach new hunters principles of honor, so that each new generation can show respect for God, other hunters and the animals, and enjoy the dignity of the hunt.

Prayer for honest hunt

Lord, may I make an honest count of game, respecting the legal limits of game in order to preserve the balance of life and death among the animals. May I so love the truth that I always give an honest recounting of the hunting stories while keeping them interesting to my friends. May I also listen to my friends’ stories with enjoyment and without envy.

Prayer against selfishness

Lord, I do not need to take every animal in the forest, nor must I take the best or nothing. Guide me to seek the best and to accept what I get. May I never take more than my limit and let me always help maintain the balance of nature in relationship to the environment and the numbers of animals there. Keep me aware of the needs and desires of other hunters while I always try to hunt at my own best skill.

Prayer for conservation of natural resources

Lord God, You have put all things under man’s dominion. Guide us to take the animals that need to be culled for the preservation of their species and the rest of the ecosystem. Let me always respect the animals I have hunted. Never let me torment them, mock them, or made them objects of ridicule. When I take an animal’s life let me always maintain respect for the wonder of its existence and the importance of its meat to those who need it for sustenance.

Prayer for safety

Pray for the good sense to care for my weapon and to carry it and fire it responsibly. Pray for the animals, that the shots are clean and do not cause unnecessary suffering to the animal.

Prayer for successful hunt

Lord, I pray that I may take down the game in as painless a way as possible. May I recognize my limits and take the shots I know I can make, not taking a shot that risks maiming or wounding an animal unnecessarily.

Prayer of thanksgiving for the hunt

Lord, I thank You for the opportunity to go out on the hunt. I thank You for the time alone to think and reflect on life. I thank You for the time with hunting friends, enjoying good fellowship, good stories, meals and drinks. Thank You for the beauty seen during the hunt and for the game taken and shared. I thank You especially for a safe hunt for myself and for all the hunters who share the field.

Prayer to share the fruit of the hunt

Lord, I am so blessed to be able to hunt and I appreciate the blessings You have bestowed upon me. Yet I know that so many others are in great need. Give me the grace to share the food of the hunt not only with my family and friends but also with those who have greater need: the hungry and the poor. May my sharing with them be one small part of my continuing care for your poor. As they ask You, Father, for their daily bread, use me as one small instrument to help provide it to them.

Prayer to hunt for souls, like St. Hubert

Lord, you spoke to St. Hubert and converted him to You during a stag hunt. You changed him into a hunter of souls, yet you continued to use his skills as a hunter to open minds to your Gospel. I ask that you make me into a hunter of souls above all other hunting activities. May I look for the opportunities to speak of You and Your salvation. Let the hunting camp itself be a place that uplifts the soul. May my time alone be an opportunity to pray and listen to You. May all the actions of the rest of my life be a constant hunt for You, for the opportunities you give me to evangelize, and to target the souls most in need of Your love.

Infant Jesus of Prague Chaplet

O Infant Jesus, Whose truth enlightens the
darkness of our heart, have mercy on us

On the 25th of every month, devotees of the Divine Infancy should pray the Chaplet of the Infant Jesus of Prague, which includes three Our Fathers and twelve Hail Marys in celebration of the Holy Family and the first twelve years of Our Lord’s childhood. The Chaplet was composed by Venerable Sister Marguerite Parigot of the Blessed Sacrament (March 6, 1590—May 24, 1660), a Discalced Carmelite nun with a strong devotion to the Christ Child. Pleased with the devotion, Our Lord revealed Himself to Sister Marguerite and promised special graces to all who piously recite the Chaplet. In 1855 Pope Pius IX granted an Indulgence of 300 days, applicable to the Poor Souls in Purgatory, for its devout recitation.* 

In celebration, I’m posting the Infant Jesus of Prague Chaplet. The accompanying photo was taken at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Newark, New Jersey.

Infant Jesus of Prague Chaplet

Divine Infant Jesus, I adore Thy Cross and I accept all the crosses Thou wilt be pleased to send me. Adorable Trinity, I offer Thee for the glory of Thy Holy Name of God, all the adorations of the Sacred Heart of the Holy Infant Jesus.

(3x) “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us” and pray The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)

(12x) “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us” and pray The Angelical Salutation (Hail Mary)

Holy Infant Jesus, bless and protect us. Amen.

* www.sistersofcarmel.com

All Saints Day at Corpus Christi Church in South River, New Jersey

Bourbon Exhibit in Dallas

The Legacy of Vesuvius: Bourbon Discoveries on the Bay of Naples, September 15, 2024 - January 5, 2025

Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University, Dallas

During the reigns of the Bourbon kings Charles III of Spain (who ruled as Charles VII of Naples from 1734 until 1759) and his son Ferdinand IV (1759 until 1799), the Mediterranean city of Naples established itself as a major European capital and key destination on the Grand Tour, even as Mount Vesuvius continued to smolder, threatening its environs. Throughout the latter half of the eighteenth century, these two monarchs funded archaeological excavations on the Bay of Naples that unearthed ancient treasures and fed into the craze for classical art that infused the Bourbon court.

The Legacy of Vesuvius: Bourbon Discoveries on the Bay of Naples will reveal the slippage between the ancient and modern during the reigns of these royal tastemakers. Through an eighteenth-century lens, Vesuvius’s volatility read as romantic; in its shadows the Bourbons financed excavations at the Roman sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the fruits of which both fueled and supplied demand for all things antique. Royal collections incorporated many of these artifacts, which were sometimes creatively manipulated to better suit eighteenth-century taste.

New objects inspired by recently unearthed ancient art were also produced, contributing to the widespread popularity of neoclassicism. The Bay of Naples, itself a protagonist in this story, became a vital hub for artistic production, scientific exploration, and tourism during the eighteenth century.

The Legacy of Vesuvius offers a unique experience by bringing to Dallas ancient artifacts discovered in the course of the Bourbon excavations and exhibiting them alongside eighteenth-century examples of fine and decorative arts that demonstrate how the mystique of Vesuvius shaped elite and popular taste. Featuring loans from the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Wellcome Collection, audiences will gain new insights into the role of the Bourbon court in shaping European art and culture.

Complementing the exhibition will be a special installation—on view beginning September 26—in the downstairs galleries of paintings and drawings from the Meadows’s permanent collection by Spanish artists working in Italy. For centuries, Spanish artists have found cities like Rome, Venice, Naples, and their surroundings, to be a significant source of creativity and a crucial destination for artistic development.

Drawn by the allure of Italy’s history, artists have embarked on artistic pilgrimages to study classical works and immerse themselves in the country’s vibrant cultural milieu. Highlights of the installation include rarely seen works on paper such as drawings from The Stewart Album, a series of watercolors by Pedro Cano, and the museum’s latest acquisition: Inventario (2023), by Ignasi Aballí.

This exhibition has been organized by the Meadows Museum, SMU, Dallas, and the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History at the University of Texas at Dallas, and is funded by a generous gift from The Meadows Foundation, with additional support provided by the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History. Promotional support provided by the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District and the Consulate General of Italy in Houston.

In celebration of our collaboration with UT Dallas on the exhibition The Legacy of Vesuvius, free admission is granted to all university students through the run of the show (January 5, 2025). Online purchasers should select the “Non-SMU Student” ticket type at the link above and must present their student IDs upon check-in at the Box Office.

For more information: meadowsmuseumdallas.org/cal/the-legacy-of-vesuvius-bourbon-discoveries-on-the-bay-of-naples.

Feast of San Raffaele Arcangelo

San Raffaele Arcangelo, ora pro nobis

Deus, qui beátum Raphaélem Archàngelum Tobiæ fámulo tuo cómitem dedísti in via: concéde nobis fámulis tuis; ut ejúsdem semper protegámur custódia, et muniámur auxilio. Per Dóminum.

October 24th is the Feast of San Raffaele Arcangelo, patron saint of travelers, happy meetings, matchmakers, fishermen, healers and the blind. One of the 52 co-patrons of Naples, it is customary for women seeking husbands, or looking to conceive a child, to visit the Chiesa San Raffaele in the Materdei district of the city and kiss the fish held by the Saint's statue. The iconography of the fish comes from the biblical story of the Book of Tobias, but in Naples it also represents a phallus and the fertility of the sea.

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Raphael in Latin and English. The accompanying photo of Tobias and the Angel (c. 1622) by Giovanni Battista Caracciolo, better known as Battistello, was taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Evviva San Raffaele Arcangelo!

Prayer to St. Raphael the Archangel

O God, Who to thy servant Tobias when on his journey didst give blessed Raphael, the archangel, as a companion, grant us, Thy servants, that we may ever be protected by his guardianship and strengthened by his assistance. Through our Lord.

Christ the King at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine in East Harlem, New York

Feast of the Blessed Martyrs of Valenciennes

Blessed Martyrs of Valenciennes,
orate pro nobis

October 23rd is the Feast of the Blessed Martyrs of Valenciennes. In 1794 eleven Ursuline nuns were arrested and beheaded by French revolutionaries for teaching the Catholic Faith. The nuns were Sr. Clotilde Paillot, OSU, superior; Sr. Marie Louise Ducret; Sr. Marie Magdalen Desjardin; Sr. Marie Louise Vanot; Sr. Françoise Lacroix; Sr. Margaret Leroux; Sr. Anne Marie Erraux; Sr. Anne Joseph Leroux; Sr. Gabrielle Bourla; Sr. Jane Louis Barré; and Sr. Jane Rievie Prin. They went to their deaths singing penitential psalms and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

In celebration, we’re posting a prayer for the virgin martyrs. Pictured is the Martyrdom of the Blessed Martyrs of Valenciennes by Diogène Maillart (1840-1926).

Prayer for Blessed Martyrs of Valenciennes

God our Father, you give us joy each year in honoring the memory of Mother Clotilde and Companions. May their prayers be a source of help for us, and may their example of courage and chastity be our inspiration. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. 

Feast of San Vero di Salerno

San Vero Vescovo, ora pro nobis

October 23rd is the Feast of San Vero (St. Verus), third Bishop of Salerno. His patronal Feast is commemorated on October 15th. In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Verus. The accompanying photo, courtesy of Andrew Giordano, was taken at the Basilica Cattedrale SS. Matteo e Gregorio in Salerno. Evviva San Vero!

Prayer to St. Verus of Salerno

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the examples of St. Verus of Salerno may effectually move us to reform our lives; that while we celebrate his festival, we may also imitate his actions. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Look upon our Weakness, almighty God, and since the burden of our own deeds weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of St. Verus protect us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Biber’s Requiem à: 15. in Concerto

Join Musica Transalpina as we present Heinrich Biber’s rarely-heard Requiem in A Major for All Souls’ Day: Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 11 AM and Sunday, November 3, 2024 at 7 PM.

Free liturgical performance
Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 11 AM
The parish church of Ss. Peter & Paul
515 West Opp Street
Wilmington, CA 90477.

Concert performance
Sunday, November 3, 2024 at 7 PM
The church of the Blessed Sacrament
6657 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028.

Brief Excerpts from “Selected Writings: François-René de Chateaubriand"

Gothic Churches 

One could not enter a Gothic church without experiencing a sort of shiver and a vague sense of the Divine. Suddenly, one would be transported back to those times when cenobites, after meditating in the woods of their monasteries, would come to prostrate themselves at the altar and sing the praises of the Lord in the calm and silence of the night. Ancient France seemed to come alive again: one could imagine those peculiar costumes, that people so different from what it is today; one would recall both the revolutions of this people, and their labours and arts. The more distant those times were from us, the more magical they seemed, the more they filled us with those thoughts that always culminate in a reflection on the futility of man and the fleetingness of life.

The Gothic order, amid its barbaric proportions, possesses a beauty all its own.

Forests were the first temples of the Divine, and men took from the forests their first idea of architecture. This art thus had to vary according to the climate. The Greeks fashioned the elegant Corinthian column with its leaf-covered capital after the model of the palm tree. The enormous pillars of the ancient Egyptian style represent the sycamore, the oriental fig tree, the banana tree, and most of the giant trees of Africa and Asia.

The forests of Gaul, in their turn, passed into the temples of our ancestors, and our oak woods thus retained their sacred origin. These vaults chiselled in foliage, these jambs that support the walls and abruptly end like broken trunks, the coolness of the vaults, the darkness of the sanctuary, the obscure wings, the secret passages, the lowered doors—all recall the labyrinths of the woods in the Gothic church, all make one feel the religious awe, the mysteries of the Divine. The two lofty towers planted at the entrance of the edifice rise above the elms and yews of the cemetery, creating a picturesque effect against the azure sky. At times, the rising sun illuminates their twin tops; at other times, they appear crowned with a cap of clouds or enlarged in a misty atmosphere. Even the birds seem deceived by them and adopt them as the trees of their forests: crows flutter around their summits and perch on their galleries. But suddenly, confused murmurs escape from the tops of these towers and scare away the frightened birds. The Christian architect, not content with building forests, wanted, so to speak, to imitate their murmurs, and by means of the organ and suspended bronze, he attached to the Gothic temple even the sounds of winds and thunder, which roll through the depths of the woods. The centuries, evoked by these sacred sounds, draw forth their ancient voice from within the bosom of the stones and sigh within the vast basilica: the sanctuary roars like the cave of the ancient Sibyl, and while the bronze bell swings with a crash above your head, the vaulted subterrains of death remain deeply silent beneath your feet.

* Reprinted from Selected Writings: François-René de Chateaubriand, Imperium Press, 2024, pp. 31-33

Photo of the Week: Bacchus and Vesuvius Fresco from the Lararium in the House of the Centenary at Pompeii

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Feast of Blessed Karl I of Austria, Emperor of Peace

Blessed Karl I of Austria, ora pro nobis

October 21st is the Feast of Blessed Karl I (1887-1922), the last reigning Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary. In celebration, I’m posting a Prayer to Blessed Karl I of Austria. Pictured is my makeshift shrine to the Emperor of Peace. 

Prayer to Blessed Karl I of Austria

O Blessed Emperor Karl, you accepted the difficult tasks and burdensome challenges that God gave you during your life. In every thought, decision and action you trusted always in the Holy Trinity. We pray to you to intercede for us with the Lord our God to give us faith and courage, so that even in the most difficult situations of our earthly lives we may not lose heart, but continue faithfully in the footsteps of Christ. Ask for us the grace that our hearts may be moulded into the likeness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Help us to work with compassion and strength for the poor and needy, to fight with courage for peace in our homes and in the world, and in every situation to trustingly place our lives in the hands of God, until we reach Him, as you did, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Beatification of Servant of God Zita, Empress and Queen

Servant of God Zita, ora pro nobis

God our Father, you redeemed the world by the self-abasement of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. He who was King became the Servant of all and gave his life as a ransom for many, therefore you have exalted him. We ask you that your servant Zita, Empress and Queen, will be raised upon the altars of your Church. In her, you have given us a great example of faith and hope in the face of trials, and of unshakeable trust in your Divine Providence. We beseech you that alongside her husband, the Blessed Emperor Charles, Zita will become for couples a model of married love and fidelity, and for families a guide in the ways of a truly Christian upbringing. May she who in all circumstances opened her heart to the needs of others, especially the poor and needy, be for us all an example of service and love of neighbour. Through her intercession, grant our petition (mention here the graces you are asking for). Through Christ our Lord. Amen.