From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On Avoiding Distractions   
      
   CHRIST.   
   My son, you must needs be ignorant of many things: so consider   
   yourself as dead and crucified to the whole world. (Col. 3:3; Gal.   
   6:14)   
      
   THE DISCIPLE. Lord, to what a pass have we come? We grieve over a   
   worldly loss; we labor and hustle to gain some small profit,   
   forgetting the harm to our souls and seldom recalling it. We attend to   
   matters of little or no value and neglect those of the greatest   
   importance. For when a man devotes all his energies to material   
   affairs, he rapidly becomes immersed in them, unless he quickly   
   recovers his senses.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 44   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
    November 1st – Bl. Jerome Hermosilla and Comp.   
    Died 1861; beatified in 1906 by Pope Pius X.   
      
   Little is known of the early lives of Bishop Jerome Hermosilla or   
   Bishop Valentine Berrio-Ochoa. That they were chosen for the Oriental   
   mission is evidence that they were courageous and resourceful men,   
   probably adept in language.   
      
   Jerome was a native of La Calzada, in Old Castile (Spain), who after   
   his profession in the Dominican Order, was sent to Manila, where he   
   was ordained priest and, in 1828, appointed to the mission of East   
   Tonkin. He succeeded Blessed Ignatius Delgado as vicar-apostolic and   
   was consecrated bishop in April 1841. Like the early office of   
   pontiff, this position was practically synonymous with martyrdom;   
   several of those appointed as bishop of Tonkin did not even live to be   
   consecrated.   
      
   Bishop Hermosilla made it his first task to gather the relics of his   
   two immediate predecessors. Bishop Delgado had been thrown into the   
   sea, but some of the relics were recovered by a fisherman. These and   
   the remains of other martyrs were carefully preserved by Hermosilla,   
   who also committed to paper their passios according to the accounts of   
   eye witnesses. This took real courage—to carefully record the terrible   
   tortures that he well knew were awaiting him.   
      
   The 20 years of Bishop Hermosilla's life in Tonkin were comprised of   
   constant heroism, flight, and unswerving faith. He had to hold his   
   flock together, while some of his finest assistants fell at his side.   
   His work had to be accomplished entirely in secret. There was always   
   the possibility that a recent convert or his pagan family might betray   
   the hiding place of the priest, perhaps under torture. It was a weak   
   Christian who finally betrayed Hermosilla and Valentine.   
      
   The two bishops had been hidden on board a ship en route to a place   
   where they were needed to give the sacraments. The betrayer identified   
   them to the ship's captain, who summoned the soldiers. A group of   
   Christians almost succeeded in rescuing them, but they were betrayed a   
   second time and placed in chains. Three hundred men were sent to   
   escort them to the capital.   
      
   When the arrived, they saw that they would be required to step upon a   
   crucifix laid in the road. Heavily manacled and weak from torture, the   
   two bishops fought so vigorously against committing this sacrilege   
   that the soldiers finally relented and removed the cross. Shortly   
   thereafter the bishops, two other Spanish Dominicans, and a number of   
   native Christians were led in triumphant procession to the place of   
   their execution, where they were put in cages. Christian witnesses   
   reported that the martyrs were so rapt in prayer that they seemed   
   unaware of the screaming crowds, trumpeting elephants, and other noisy   
   animals surrounding them. In turn, each of the martyrs was bound, tied   
   to stakes in the ground, and beheaded. Their remains were guarded for   
   several days to prevent other Christians from claiming their relics.   
      
   Peter Almató, OP, was born at Sassera, diocese of Vich, Spain. He   
   became a Dominican and was sent to the Philippines then to Ximabara   
   under Bishop Hermosilla with whom he was beheaded.   
      
   Also beheaded with the above beatae was Blessed Valentine, who was   
   born in 1827 at Ellorio, diocese of Vitoria, Spain. After his   
   profession as a Dominican also went to the Philippines then to Tonkin   
   as a bishop titular and vicar-apostolic. Due to a number of miracles   
   attributed to Bishop Valentine Berrio-Ochoa, his cause has been   
   separated from the group. He was beatified in 1909, rather than 1906,   
   and since 1952 canonization has been sought for him (Benedictines,   
   Dorcy).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
    "It is no small struggle to be freed from self-esteem. Such freedom   
   is to be attained by the inner practice of the virtues and by more   
   frequent prayer; and the sign that you have attained it is that you no   
   longer harbour rancour against anybody who abuses or has abused you."   
   --St. Maximos the Confessor.   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   8 Blessed is the rich man who is found blameless,  and who does not go   
   after gold.   
   9 Who is he? And we will call him blessed,  for he has done wonderful   
   things among his people. (Sirach 31:8-9)  (RSVCE)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Come, Holy Spirit Replace the tension within us with a holy   
   relaxation. Replace the turbulence within us with a sacred calm.   
   Replace the anxiety within us with a quiet confidence. Replace the   
   fear within us with a strong faith. Replace the bitterness within us   
   with the sweetness of grace. Replace the darkness within us with a   
   gentle light. Replace the coldness within us with a loving warmth.   
   Replace the night within us with your light. Replace the winter within   
   us with your spring. Straighten our crookedness. Fill our emptiness.   
   Dull the edge of our pride. Sharpen the edge of our humility. Light   
   the fires of our love. Quench the flames of our lust. Let us see   
   ourselves as you see us That we may see You.   
      
   Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)