From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   February 21st - Bl. Noel Pinot, Martyr   
      
   THE fact that the cause of Bl. Noel was introduced by itself and dealt with   
   independently of the other martyrs of the French Revolution gives him a   
   certain distinction amongst those who suffered for their faith during the   
   Reign of Terror. He was a simple parish-priest who had been born at Angers   
   in 1747, and had made only the ordinary studies of the secular clergy. After   
   serving as vicaire in one or two churches, and distinguishing himself by his   
   devotion to the sick when in charge of an hospital for incurables, he was in   
   1788 appointed curé in the little town of Louroux-Béconnais, where his zeal   
   and devotion were attended by abundant fruit in the moral reformation of his   
   parishioners.   
      
   In 1790 the Constituent Assembly forced upon King Louis XVI the measure   
   known as the "Civil Constitution of the Clergy", which struck at the   
   fundamental principles of Catholic Church government and which required   
   every priest to take an unlawful oath denounced by the Holy See. Like many   
   other good priests, the Abbé Pinot refused to take this oath. He was   
   arrested, and by a tribunal at Angers was sentenced to be deprived of his   
   cure for two years. This, however, did not deter him from exercising his   
   ministry in secret, and he was energetic in bringing back to better   
   dispositions many priests who had not shown the same firmness as himself.   
   When the revolt in Vendée gained some temporary success, he openly took   
   possession of his parish again to the great joy of his flock, and even when   
   the arms of the Republic prevailed in that region he continued his pastoral   
   work in defiance of civil and military authority. For some time he was   
   successful in evading the attempts persistently made to effect his capture,   
   but at last he was betrayed by a man to whom he had shown great kindness. He   
   was seized when actually vested for Mass and was dragged in his chasuble   
   through the streets amid the jeers of the rabble and the soldiery. During   
   the twelve days he was kept in prison, he was very roughly treated, and upon   
   his reiterated refusal to take the oath he was sentenced off-hand to the   
   guillotine. On February 21, 1794, he was led out to death still wearing the   
   priestly vestments in which he had been arrested, and on the way to offer   
   his final sacrifice he is said to have repeated aloud the words which the   
   priest recites at the foot of the altar in beginning Mass Introibo ad altare   
   Dei\..."I will enter unto the altar of God, to God who giveth joy to my   
   youth." Bl. Noel Pinot was beatified in 1926.   
      
   All the essential facts will be found rehearsed in the decrees published in   
   the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, vol. xi (1959), pp. 86-88, and vol. xviii   
   (1926), pp. 425-428. See also A. Crosnier, Le b. Noel Pinot (1926).   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   He who was raised from the dead will raise us also, if we do His will and   
   live by His commands and love what He loved, refraining from all injustice,   
   covetousness, love of money, evil-speaking, false witness, not returning   
   evil for evil or abuse for abuse, or blow for blow, or curse for curse, but   
   remembering what the Lord said when He taught: Do not judge, so that you may   
   not be judged; forgive and you will be forgiven; have mercy so that you may   
   be shown mercy; with the measure you use men will measure back to you; and   
   blessed are the poor and those who are persecuted for their uprightness, for   
   the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.   
   --St. Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of   
   charity, if any society of the spirit, if any bowels of commiseration: 2.   
   Fulfil ye my joy, that you may be of one mind, having the same charity,   
   being of one accord, agreeing in sentiment. 3. Let nothing be done through   
   contention, neither by vain glory: but in humility, let each esteem others   
   better than themselves: 4. Each one not considering the things that are his   
   own, but those that are other men's. 5. For let this mind be in you, which   
   was also in Christ Jesus:   (Philippians 2:1-5)   
      
      
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   Daily Thoughts and Prayers for Our Beloved Dead   
      
   "Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because the hand   
   of the Lord hath touched me" Job. 19-21.   
      
   TWENTIETH DAY   
      
   He whom we mourn is in Heaven, safe from all miseries and he awaits us.   
      
   Prayers: Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis   
      
   De Profundis   
      
      Out of the depths, I have cried to Thee,   
   O Lord, Lord, hear my voice.   
      Let Thine ears be attentive to the   
   voice of my supplication.   
      If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark my iniquities,   
   O Lord, who shall stand it?   
      For with Thee there is merciful   
   forgiveness: and by reason of Thy   
   law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.   
   My soul hath relied on His word;   
   my soul hath hoped in the Lord.   
      From the morning watch even until   
   night; let Israel hope in the Lord.   
   Because with the Lord there is mercy;   
   And with Him plenteous redemption.   
      And He shall redeem Israel from   
   all its iniquities.   
      Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,   
   And let perpetual light shine upon them:   
      May they rest in peace. Amen.   
      
   Most merciful Jesus, by the merits of Thy five wounds, hear our prayers in   
   behalf of the faithful departed now awaiting Thy word in Purgatory. Grant, O   
   Lord, to show particular mercy to the soul that did most to propagate the   
   devotion to Thy Sacred Heart while on earth. Speed his journey to Heaven,   
   that he may join Thy angels in praising Thee forever   
      
   See Whole Prayer at:   
   http://www.dailycatholic.org/deprofun.htm   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)