Monday 31 May 2010

Wittem, Holland, Mission Cross


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Friday 28 May 2010

Rev. Fr De Jambilinne de Meux, C.SS.R. (1888-1938)

Father Jambilinne de Meux was born in Antwerp on 4th March 1888. He was an essentially generous soul - one of those who take no account of their sacrifices to God. He pronounced his perpetual vows in 1904, and was ordained a Priest on 29th September 1911. Thus he gave the prime of his life to God.

Intelligent and serious, he applied himself arduously to his theological studies. He had a love for the Church and received the Holy Orders with great fervour. The Foreign Missions attracted him, but God, by the voice of his Superior, retained him in Belgium. He was at once enamoured with the Ministry of Preaching.

When war broke out, heeding his courage alone, he asked to be Chaplain and departed immediately for the Battlefields. There resounded within him an inherited chivalry, which he wanted to honour. His behaviour was brilliant. He never left the front, consuming himself night and day for the good of his men. One of the latter, saluting his remains at the Cemetery, declared in his funeral prayer that he owed him his life.

Thus he saved others. But who could say the number of souls he protected. The country recognised his bravery in honouring him with multiple distinctions, including Honorary Chaplain to the Belgian Army, War invalide. He was decorated with the Croix de Guerre, Croix de Feu, as well as Knight of the Order of Lepoid. He also held the Volunteer Medal and the Medal of Commemoration.

After the war he applied himself with a holy passion to the apostolic life. He ministered in Belgium and France, bestowing the message of God tirelessly to souls with an entrancing eloquence. Burning with devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, he propagated the devotion everywhere and founded the Perpetual Supplication in various places.

The preaching obligation did not prevent him from devoting himself ardently to the works of the Institute. He gathered alms for his confreres on the Congo Mission, but his greater affection went to his Monastery at Namur, which he had watched as it was born and grew. This Monastery and its young living Church owe him a special gratitude.

But so much work exhausted him. Alas, the day when his strength betrayed him came prematurely. Then began the great immolation. The indefatigable worker was reduced to powerlessness. God asked of him an heroic Fiat. He pronounces it with a broken heart but with a resolute soul. To one Confrere, a friend who suggested to him an act of total abandonment, he replied, knowing well that he accepted by it the sacrifice of his life: "Yes, everything as Jesus wishes it!"

Thus by a supreme love, he would consume his interesting labour to the service of his Master. He fell into the breach, in the full force of life, his weapons in hand, like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Fr. De Jambilinne de Meux died in Brussels on 1st June 1938.

Now he rests in glorious peace. Tireless sower of Jesus Christ, he reaps the eternal harvest. The remembrance of souls as he approached heaven, devotedly guarded his loved memory. †

Oh Mother of Perpetual Help! Lend me your perpetual help and grant what I ask unceasingly. (300 days Indulgence)

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Tuesday 25 May 2010

Windhorst, Kansas, Mission Cross




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Saturday 22 May 2010

The Servant of God Rev. Fr Giovanni Mazzini, C.SS.R. (1704-1792)

Father Mazzini was born at Naples on 18 December, 1704. After having passed his youth in admirable innocence he embraced the ecclesiastical state. He "met" St. Alphonsus at the "feet of Jesus" so to speak, when they both – in their youths, found themselves together in churches for the 40 Hours devotion. He became St. Alphonsus' first associate in the Institute, his example in the exercise of virtue, his counsellor and his close friend. For more than half a century Fathers Villani and Mazzini aided their holy and illustrious superior with all their might.

Both were able, one at age 90, the other at 88, to testify as witnesses at his Beatification process. Both went very soon thereafter into eternity, in the same year. Father died at Pagani on 3 December, 1792. †

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Thursday 20 May 2010

Galoppe, Holland, Mission Cross

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Monday 17 May 2010

Rev. Fr Felix Blum, C.SS.R. (1834-1873)

Father Felix Blum was born in Luxembourg on 31 May, 1834. His father sent him to college in the capitol but God was to call him into the Redemptorist Congregation by means of Rev. Fr. Zobel. He was professed on 1 May, 1853. He had great plans at heart which he wanted to carry out for the Glory of God, but Heaven was to satisfy itself with his desires alone.

Ordained to the priesthood on 25 May, 1861 he was to suffer all his life from a bad chest which reduced him to complete helplessness. He sought to render the service he could and repay the care taken of him by a very fervent piety and regularity.

He was sent to the monastery of Teterchen, but he was to die there on 27 January, 1873. †

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Saturday 15 May 2010

El Villar, Bolivia, Mission Cross


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Thursday 13 May 2010

Rev. Fr Clement Marc, C.SS.R. (1831-1887)

Rev. Father Marc was born at Jouy-sous-les-Côtes, in the Diocese of Verdun on 24 July, 1831. He was professed as a Redemptorist on 24 September, 1853 and ordained to the Sacred Priesthood on 16 August, 1857. Although he did not spend many years in the preaching of Missions, he was indeed an Apostolic man and his sermons were taken as models by younger missioners.

During his time as rector of Téterchen and his years as professor of moral theology, his love of Saint Alphonsus and his zeal for souls made him undertake, in 1868, the "Institutiones Morales Alphonsianae." It was a work which he journeyed to Rome to complete. A well qualified professor of moral theology – among others – once said of his work: "Thanks to this immense work, we now at last have a manual of St. Alphonsus' moral theology which contains the pure doctrine of the holy doctor and the proofs which he advances and, in as much as possible, using the same expressions which he employs. He surpasses similar works already published on account both of the conformity of doctrine with that of St. Alphonsus and of the work's practical utility."

Of course, Fr. Marc used to his advantage, and used a great deal, the books printed by his predecessors; it was his right and his duty to do so; but the gigantic work which he undertook in order résumé in 1700 pages – with such exactitude, order, and clarity – the moral works of St. Alphonsus and his commentators, merits the most lively gratitude of all those who undertake the study of this branch of Theology. The different theological reviews of the day made a most splendid eulogy of the "Institutiones Morales." By 1927 the 18th edition of the work had been printed.

Along side his love for study, Father had a particular gift for the direction of pious souls. The Most Rev. Fr. Mauron, the Redemptorist Rector Major of the day, held him in such esteem that he wished to have him for successor – such was his confidence in the wisdom and advice of Fr. Marc. His Paternity planned for him to succeed the Servant of God Very Rev. Fr. Achille Desurmont as provincial in France in 1887. Death was to surprise him in the exercise of his ministry. While he was confessing and conferring the Sacrament of Extreme Unction on a nun who had smallpox, he caught the malady and died from it on 27 January, 1887. †

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Tuesday 11 May 2010

Epfig, Alsace, Mission Cross

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Saturday 8 May 2010

The Servant of God Rev. Fr Antonio Tannoia, C.SS.R. (1727-1808)

Born on 26 October, 1717, Father Tannoia entered the Redemptorist Congregation at the age of 19 years, 13 years after its foundation, after having assisted at a Holy Mission. He was professed on 8 December, 1747 and ordained on 1 November, 1750. He became the Novice Master and contributed most to the work of putting together the "Rule of Novices". He has been immortalised by his book "Recollections of the Life and Institute of Saint Alphonsus" (often referred to as simply "Tannoia") and the biographies of other Redemptorists.

At the request of one of the most distinguished doctors of Naples, Fr Tannoia composed a book entitled "Bees" concerning their utility and the best methods of keeping them. This work, written in spare moments and without the intention of publication cost him 40 years of work. The public good soon became the motivation for a project which would normally have been a pure distraction. Fr. Tannoia was convinced that the agricultural method used until then in Pouille was excellent and did not deserve the disdain in which certain persons held it. He wished to vindicate the method and show how the Kingdom of Naples possessed in its heartland a resource of incredible value. The book was immensely successful.

Distinguished author, first historian of St. Alphonsus, he was also a man of great virtue and his merits in heaven seemed to show themselves by wonderful prodigies. All admired in him a religious always suffering and always happy in the midst of trials.

The the old man of 80, in his 61st year of profession, gave up his beautiful soul to God on 12 March, 1808. Prodigious graces were received after his death through his intercession. His life was written by Father Dumortier.†

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Mission Cross - Belgium

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Two Years and 100 Necrologies

Thanks to our readers and helpers, after two years online, Papa Stronsay Texts has been able to improve its layout and make around 100 necrologies available. This is a humble work in progress. If you enjoy this blog and would like to be part of it, please contact the Necrologist. There are always necrologies to be typed and even translated from Spanish, Flemish, French, Italian, German, Polish etc. †


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