From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The Grace of God:   
      
      "Previously I had tried hard to uphold the freedom of choice of the   
   human will; but the grace of God had the upper hand.   
        The Apostle Paul stated the most obvious truth, when he said:   
   'What have you got that you did not first receive? If you have   
   received all this, why glory in it as if you had not been given it?'"   
   --St. Augustine--Revisions 2, 27   
      
   Prayer:   I thank you, Lord, my joy and my glory, my hope and my God.   
   I thank you for your gifts to me. Keep them unharmed for me: they will   
   be the making of me, and I shall be with you for my being is your   
   gift.   
   --St. Augustine--Confessions 1, 20   
      
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   May 13th - Blessed Magdalen Albrizzi   
   Also known as Maddalena Albrici   
      
   Magdalene (1415?-1465) was noted for her love for all and her purity   
   of life. She was a great promoter of the Augustinian way of life.   
      
   Born in Como, Italy, around the year 1415, Magdalene was raised in a   
   noble and well-to-do family. She was given a good Christian education   
   as a child.   
      
   At the age of 20, she decided to enter a religious community. At first   
   she was going to join the Benedictines. But she changed her mind and   
   chose to join a poorer and more remote community that followed the   
   Rule of Augustine.   
      
   As more and more women came to join that community, Magdalene wished   
   that the sisters there would be officially received into the Order of   
   Saint Augustine. In 1455, the Augustinians of Lombardy did accept   
   Magdalene's convent into the Order.   
      
   She was responsible for many other women, and even some men, becoming   
   affiliated with the Augustinians. She founded a large number of   
   Augustinian convents. She promoted the Secular Augustinians, in which   
   lay people came to know and live according to the ideals of Augustine.   
      
   When she was named Superior, her attitude was one of service to her   
   sisters, rather than one of wielding power. By word and by example,   
   she urged her sisters to seek holiness above all. She revived   
   simplicity and austerity in the religious communities of her area. She   
   succeeded because she would never ask others to do anything that she   
   did not do herself.   
      
   Magdalene was often sought out for spiritual counsel, and had a great   
   influence on the religious spirit of her time. Her selfless devotion   
   to and care for the sick and needy was an inspiration to all. In her   
   last years, she herself suffered from a serious illness.   
      
   Magdalene died either May 13 or 15, 1465. Pope Pius X declared her   
   Blessed in 1907. Her remains are preserved at the Cathedral of Como.   
   July 17, the Augustinians   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Labor without stopping; do all the good works you can while you still   
   have the time.   
   --Saint John of God   
      
   Bible Quote   
   That he was caught up into paradise, and heard secret words, which it   
   is not granted to man to utter.  For such an one I will glory; but for   
   myself I will glory nothing, but in my infirmities. (2 Cor. 12:4-5)DRV   
      
      
   Also Today   
   May 13th - Our Lady of Fatima   
      
   The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, appeared six times to   
   three shepherd children ("the Three Seers") near the town of Fatima,   
   Portugal between May 13th and October 13th 1917. Appearing to the   
   children, the Blessed Virgin told them that She had been sent by God   
   with a message for every man, woman and child living in our century.   
   Coming at a time when civilization was torn asunder by war and bloody   
   violence, She promised that Heaven would grant peace to all the world   
   if Her requests for prayer, reparation and consecration were heard and   
   obeyed.   
   "If My requests are granted ... there will be peace"   
      
   Our Lady of Fatima explained to the children that war is a punishment   
   for sin and warned that God would further castigate the world for its   
   disobedience to His Will by means of war, hunger and the persecution   
   of the Church, the Holy Father and the Catholic Faithful. God's Mother   
   prophesied that Russia would be God's chosen "instrument of   
   chastisement," spreading the "errors" of atheism and materialism   
   across the earth, fomenting wars, annihilating nations and persecuting   
   the Faithful everywhere.   
      
   In all Her appearances at Fatima, the Blessed Mother repeatedly   
   emphasized the necessity of praying the Rosary daily, of wearing the   
   Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel and of performing acts of reparation   
   and sacrifice. To prevent the terrible chastisement at the hands of   
   Russia and to convert "that poor nation", Our Lady requested the   
   solemn public Consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart by the   
   Pope and all the Catholic bishops of the world. She also asked that   
   the Faithful practice a new devotion of reparation on the first   
   Saturday of five consecutive months ("the Five First Saturdays")   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)