From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   All that you fear, is really powerless to harm you   
      
      All that depresses you, all that you fear, is really powerless to   
   harm you. These things are but phantoms. So arise from earth's bonds,   
   from depression, distrust, fear, and all that hinders your new life.   
   Arise to beauty, joy, peace, and work inspired by love. Rise from   
   death to life. You do not even need to fear death. When all past sins   
   are forgiven you live and love and work with God. Let nothing hinder   
   your new life. Seek to know more and more of that new way of living.   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   May 11th - St. Ignatius of Laconi, OFM Cap   
      
   The 2nd of 9 children born to Matthew Peis and Anna Maria Sanna first   
   saw the light of day on December 18, 1701. In baptism, he received the   
   name Francis Ignatius Vincent, but was known as Vincent. The family   
   was economically poor, cultivating a small plot of land in the village   
   of Laconi on the island of Sardinia. Difficulties had marked Anna   
   Maria's pregnancy with Vincent which prompted her to dedicate the   
   unborn child to Francis of Assisi, promising that, in return for a   
   safe delivery, the child would enter the Franciscan Order. The Peis   
   family provided for the religious education of Vincent who received   
   the sacraments of confirmation and eucharist on May 17, 1707. Vincent   
   loved to go to church which he called "my home." Noticing the   
   youngster's prayerful attitude, people called him "the little saint."   
      
   Vincent felt drawn to the contemplative life and would openly speak of   
   his vocation to become a Franciscan. However, his father would not   
   permit him to pursue religious life because the survival of the family   
   depended on Vincent's help. During adolescence, Vincent fell seriously   
   ill. He promised that, if he recovered, he would become a Capuchin.   
   Despite Vincent's recovery, Matthew continued to oppose his son's   
   resolve. Toward the end of 1712, Vincent confronted his parents with   
   the vow he had made to enter the Capuchins, and their resistance   
   vanished. On November 2, 1721, the 20-year-old Vincent, together with   
   his father, traveled to Cagliari. At St. Anthony Friary, situated on   
   the hill called Buoncammino, Vincent made his request to Francis Mary   
   of Cagliari, the Capuchin provincial minister. The minister's response   
   was a quick, cold "no." The provincial judged that Vincent's frail   
   constitution was too much of an obstacle for living the austere,   
   rigorous life of a Capuchin. The family had recourse to the Marquis of   
   Laconi, Don Gabriel Aymerich, protector of the Peis family, asking   
   that he intervene on Vincent's behalf. On the following day, the   
   marquis and the provincial minister met and decided to allow Vincent   
   to enter the Capuchins.   
      
   On November 10, 1722, at the isolated novitiate of St. Benedict the   
   Abbot, Vincent laid aside the traditional Laconese costume, was   
   invested with the Capuchin habit, and given the name, Ignatius. Louis   
   of Nureci was his novice director. Firmly founded in the tradition of   
   unquestioning obedience and humble service, Ignatius professed vows a   
   year later, after which, he ministered as cook and fuller. For the   
   last 40 years of his life, he served as questor for the friary of   
   Buoncammino.   
      
   Ignatius was illiterate, his grammar poor and his dialect rough.   
   Still, everyone welcomed him because they recognized his holiness. He   
   always set out on his quest with rosary in hand and eyes cast down.   
   There was hardly a house in Cagliari, especially in the poorer   
   district of Stampace, that hadn't welcomed the brother. People would   
   give alms to Ignatius more out of personal devotion to him than out of   
   charity. Despite their own need, even the poor would offer some gift.   
   Ignatius would courteously refuse their offering, telling them, "Take   
   this offering for yourselves right now; give it to me sometime in the   
   future when I ask you for it." Despite being held in high esteem by   
   others and being referred to as the "holy friar," Ignatius was very   
   self-effacing. Conscious of his own human weakness and the   
   shortcomings of his natural temperament, Ignatius focused on his need   
   of God's pardon and mercy. He never sought personal prestige or   
   recognition. His words, though unpolished, always reflected a faith   
   perspective. To those who came to him for comfort, he would advise,   
   "Trust God." In numerous instances, God's healing power was channeled   
   through this "apostle of the streets."   
      
   Ignatius had a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. Once, while assigned   
   as cook at Iglesias, as he was drawing water from the well the keys to   
   the friary storeroom fell into the well. Ignatius knelt down and   
   devoutly recited three "Hail Mary's". When he retrieved the bucket,   
   the keys were found inside. Although blind for the last two years of   
   his life, Ignatius was still actively engaged in ministry until just a   
   few months before his death. Ignatius died on May 11, 1781 at the   
   friars' infirmary at Buoncammino. He was buried in a separate vault   
   next to the chapel of Our Lady of the Angels at the Buoncammino   
   friary. His tombstone reads: "cum sanctitatis acclamatione." Due to a   
   number of factors: the political events affecting the   
   island—especially the French Revolution and the suppression of   
   religious orders—and the conflicting interests of some of the Capuchin   
   superiors of Cagliari, the cause for beatification was not begun until   
   July 16, 1844. It was Pius XII who beatified Ignatius on June 16,1940   
   and canonized him on October 21, 1951.   
      
   www.beafriar.com/ignatius   
      
      
   Bible Quote   
   Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and   
   humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. (Matthew   
   11:29)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth. —Matt. 5:4   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "Meekness and mildness of heart is a virtue rarer than chastity, and   
   yet it is more excellent than that and all other virtues, for it is   
   the end of charity, which, as St. Bernard says, is in its perfection   
   when we are not only patient, but also kind. It is necessary, however,   
   to have a great esteem for this virtue, and to use every effort to   
   acquire it"   
   --St. Francis de Sales   
      
         St. Francis de Sales himself had the very highest regard for   
   this virtue. He spoke of it so frequently and with so much love, as to   
   show clearly it was his chosen one among all. So, though he excelled   
   in all the virtues, he was singular and remarkable in this. He always   
   wore a serene countenance, and there was a special grace upon his   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)