From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Of instability of the heart, and of directing the aim towards God   
      
   2. "But according as the eye of intention be the more pure, even so   
   will a man make his way steadfastly through the manifold storms.  But   
   in many the eye of pure intention waxeth dim; for it quickly resteth   
   itself upon anything pleasant which occurreth, and rarely is any man   
   found altogether free from the blemish of self-seeking.  So the Jews   
   of old came to Bethany, to the house of Martha and Mary, that they   
   might see not Jesus, but Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.(   
   John xii. 9.)  Therefore must the eye of the intention be cleansed,   
   that it may be single and right, and above all things which come in   
   its way, may be directed unto Me."   
   --Thomas à Kempis--Imitation of Christ Book 3, Chapter 33   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   November 27th - St. Virgil the Geometer, Abbot-Bishop of Salzburg   
   Enlightener of Carinthia   
      
   (Irish FEARGALL O'NEAL)   
      
   VIII Century Celtic hierarch best known for his conflicts with the   
   Anglo-Saxon mission of St. Boniface. Although Boniface and Virgil,   
   reluctant co-workers in Germany, evidently suspected each other of   
   heresy, Pope St. Zachary I found both to be Orthodox. Shortly after   
   St. Virgil's death, Bavaria was annexed to the Frankish Empire and the   
   distinctive character of its no-longer-autonomous church was lost.   
      
   Born in Ireland, Virgil undertook a journey to continental Europe in   
   743. He spent two years at the court of Pepin the Short and travelled   
   to Bavaria to make peace between the French king and Duke Odilo, who   
   appointed him abbot of St. Peter's.   
      
   St. Virgil was one of the most learned men of his time, but his   
   intellectualism may have worked against him; St. Boniface twice   
   complained to Pope Zachary of Virgil's "unorthodox" views. In the   
   first matter, a question of baptismal validity, the pope sided with   
   Virgil and agreed that baptisms are valid even if the priest   
   mispronounces the formula. St. Boniface's most famous (and from the   
   modern viewpoint strangest) accusation was that St. Virgil believed   
   "that beneath the earth there was another world and other men, another   
   sun and moon". What exactly this meant is not clear today--and was not   
   clear to Pope Zachary, who summoned Virgil to Rome to explain. Did he   
   refer to the Southern Hemisphere, to some underground Celtic   
   fairy-world, or to something else, perhaps a philosophical teaching of   
   some kind misunderstood by his audience? Although apparently Virgil   
   returned from Rome vindicated, there is no record of what he said   
   there; only the original vague accusation is preserved (in the   
   correspondence of St. Boniface.)   
      
   Versions of this story (usually minus the happy ending--it is worth   
   stressing that Virgil was appointed bishop after the heresy   
   investigation) are often quoted in anti-religious literature as a case   
   of the Church persecuting someone who said the Earth was round. In   
   reality, if the Antipodes were indeed the "underground world" in   
   question, the main theological issue was probably the Adamite descent   
   of its people--a far-from-trivial matter, since Greek science,   
   accepted by most Christians, knew the Earth to be round but thought   
   the Equator to lie in a Torrid Zone of uncrossable heat. While this   
   seems quaint now, the problem may--who knows?--arise again in the   
   Space Age in a different form.   
      
   In 767, Virgil was appointed Bishop of Salzburg, where he dedicated   
   the first cathedral. He translated the relics of St. Rupert to the   
   cathedral, where he may also have translated those of St. Samthann and   
   of St. Bridget of Ireland. Virgil established monasteries in his   
   diocese and sent missionaries to Carinthia and Styria.   
      
   It has been suggested that the mysterious Latin cosmological writer   
   who called himself " Æthicus Ister" was St. Virgil, but there is no   
   proof of this.   
      
      
   Quote:   
   The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud   
   are envy and frequent anger   
    --Imitation of Christ   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   He that is good, shall draw grace from the Lord: but he that trusteth   
   in his own devices, doth wickedly. Man shall not be strengthened by   
   wickedness: and the root of the just shall not be moved.  (Proverbs   
   12:2-3) DRB   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   THIRTY-ONE DAYS OF PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS   
   FROM THE PURGATORIAN MANUAL (Imprimatur 1946)   
      
   28th Day   
      
   THEY HAVE GREAT REASON TO FEAR, WHO SHOW NO MERCY TOWARDS THE SOULS DEPARTED   
      
        "With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again."   
   (Matt. vii. 2) It will be readily seen that this word of the Divine   
   Saviour is applicable also to the assistance we should render the   
   souls departed. The learned Cardinal Cajetan says: "Those who in this   
   life forget the departed, will, hereafter, in my opinion, be deprived   
   in Purgatory of all participation in good works and devout prayers,   
   though ever so many be offered for them by others; for Divine justice   
   is wont in this manner to punish their cruelty and hardness of heart."   
   Hence, he who shows no mercy towards the suffering souls and remains   
   cold and indifferent to their pains, shall, even though his soul may   
   have escaped eternal damnation, languish in the flames of Purgatory,   
   without relief and consolation, and look in vain for friends and   
   intercessors. The faithful, however, who do not forget the suffering   
   souls completely, but seldom think of them, will not be deprived of   
   friends and intercessors entirely, but will derive very little help   
   and comfort, and their complaints will be answered by the words of St.   
   Paul: "He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly." (2 Cor.   
   ix. 6.)   
      
   Prayer:  O God Whose goodness and mercy are infinite, have pity on the   
   souls of those, who, on account of their want of charity, are   
   undeserving of Thy bounty, and accept our fervent prayers, in   
   reparation for their faults, that they may not suffer without   
   consolation. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.   
      
   Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who suffer for their want of charity.   
      
   Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine   
   upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen.       (Three times)   
      
   Practice: Bear patiently the ingratitude of others, and offer it for   
   the souls in Purgatory.   
      
   Invocation:     My Jesus, mercy!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)