From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   December 4th - Blessed Adolph Kolping   
      
   (1829-1916)   
      
   The rise of the factory system in 19th-century Germany brought many single   
   men   
   into cities where they faced new challenges to their faith. Father Adolph   
   Kolping began a ministry to them, hoping that they would not be lost to the   
   Catholic faith as was happening to workers elsewhere in industrialized   
   Europe.   
      
   Born in the village of Kerpen, Adolph became a shoemaker at an early age   
   because   
   of his family's economic situation. Ordained in 1845, he ministered to young   
   workers in Cologne, establishing a choir, which by 1849 had grown into the   
   Young   
   Workmen's Society. A branch of this began in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1856.   
   Nine   
   years later there were over 400 Gesellenvereine (workman's societies) around   
   the   
   world. Today this group has over 400,000 members in 54 countries across the   
   globe.   
      
   More commonly called the Kolping Society, it emphasizes the sanctification   
   of   
   family life and the dignity of labor. Father Kolping worked to improve   
   conditions for workers and greatly assisted those in need. He and St. John   
   Bosco   
   in Turin had similar interests in working with young men in big cities. He   
   told   
   his followers, "The needs of the times will teach you what to do.   
      
   "Father Kolping once said, "The first thing that a person finds in life and   
   the   
   last to which he holds out his hand, and the most precious that he possess,   
   even   
   if he does not realize it, is family life."   
      
   He and Blessed John Duns Scotus are buried in Cologne's Minoritenkirche,   
   served   
   by the Conventual Franciscans. The Kolping Society's international   
   headquarters   
   is at this church.   
      
   Kolping members journeyed to Rome from Europe, America, Africa, Asia and   
   Oceania   
   for Father Kolping's beatification in 1991, the 100th anniversary of Pope   
   Leo   
   XIII's revolutionary encyclical Rerum Novarum (On the Social Order). Father   
   Kolping's personal witness and apostolate helped prepare for that   
   encyclical.   
      
   Comment:   
      
   Some people thought that Father Kolping was wasting his time and talents on   
   young working men in industrialized cities. In some countries, the Catholic   
   Church was seen by many workers as the ally of owners and the enemy of   
   workers.   
   Men like Adolph Kolping showed that was not true.   
      
   Quote:   
   "Adolph Kolping gathered skilled workers and factory laborers together. Thus   
   he   
   overcame their isolation and defeatism. A faith society gave them the   
   strength   
   to go out into their everyday lives as Christ's witnesses before God and the   
   world. To come together, to become strengthened in the assembly, and thus to   
   scatter again is and still remains our duty today. We are not Christians for   
   ourselves alone, but always for others too" (Pope John Paul II,   
   beatification   
   homily).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "Lay me not with sweet spices: for this honour avails me not; Nor yet   
   incense   
   and perfumes: for the honour benefits me not. Burn sweet spices in the Holy   
   Place: and me, even me, conduct to the grave with prayer. Give ye incense to   
   God: and over me send up hymns. Instead of perfumes of spices: in prayer   
   make   
   remembrance of me."   
   --Ephraem,His Testament   (A.D. 373)   
      
   Bible Quote   
   2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise   
   to   
   him with psalms. (Psalms 94:2)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Litany of December Saints   
      
         Editor's Note: Need a little extra devotional prayer to add to your   
   daily   
   Rosary during this month of Advent leading into Christmastide? Need some   
   impetus   
   to prepare for the Coming of Emmanuel? What follows is a litany to all of   
   the   
   saints whose feast days are celebrated in the month of December. Many of   
   these   
   saints are little-known and often are not, for that reason, invoked in our   
   prayers.   
      
            If you add this short litany to your daily Rosary, you will have   
   the   
   benefit of invoking the prayers of some of these lesser-known saints for   
   December.   
      
   Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.   
   Lord, have mercy, Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.   
   God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.   
   God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.   
   God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.   
   Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.   
   Jesus Christ, King of glory, born in Bethlehem of the Immaculate Virgin   
   Mary,   
   have mercy on us   
   Holy Mary, pray for us.   
      
   * say pray for us after each saint   
      
   hSt. Edmund Campion, Holy Martyr and Priestly Patron of the Press *   
   St. Florence *   
   St. Eligius * St. Bibiana, Virgin and Holy Martyr *   
   St. Francis Xavier, Holy Confessor and Missionary *   
   St. Peter Chrysologos, Holy Bishop and Doctor of the Church *   
   St. Barbara, Virgin and Holy Martyr *   
   St. Sabbas, Holy Abbot *   
   St. Gerald, Holy Bishop *   
   St. Nicholas, Holy Bishop and Patron of Children *   
   St. Ambrose, Holy Bishop and Doctor of the Church *   
   Holy Mary, Immaculate Ark of the Covenant *   
   Pope St. Melchiades, Successor of Peter and Holy Martyr *   
   St. Romaric, Holy Abbot *   
   Holy Mary, Our Lady of Loretto *   
   Pope St. Damasus I, Holy Successor of Peter *   
   Holy Mary, Queen of the Angels *   
   Holy Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe *   
   St. Odilia, Holy Virgin and Patron invoked against blindness *   
   St. Lucy, Virgin and Holy Martyr and Patroness of the blind *   
   St. Nicasius, Holy Archbishop *   
   St. Eutropia *   
   St. Venantius Fortunatus, Holy Bishop *   
   St. Christiana, Holy Virgin *   
   St. Eusabius of Vercelli, Bishop and Holy Martyr *   
   St. Adelaide, Holy Queen of Italy *   
   Sts. Ananias, Azarius & Misael, Companions of Daniel *   
   St. Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead *   
   St. Olympias, Holy Widow *   
   St. Gatian, Holy Bishop *   
   Blessed Urban V, Holy Sovereign Pontiff *   
   Sts. Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, Old Covenant Patriarchs *   
   St. Dominic of Silos, Abbot and Patron of Captives *   
   St. Thomas, Holy Apostle who baptized the Magi *   
   St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin and Religious, Patron of Immigrants *   
   Sts. Chaeremon & Ischyrion, Holy Martyrs *   
   St. Servulus, Holy Beggar *   
   St. Yvo of Chartres, Holy Bishop *   
   Sts. Adam and Eve, First Parents *   
   St. Adele, Holy Widow *   
   St. Chrysogonus, Martyr *   
   St. Anastasia, Holy Martyr *   
   St. Stephen, Holy Protomartyr and Patron of Stonemasons *   
   St. John the Evangelist, Holy Apostle *   
   Holy Innocents, Blessed Martyrs *   
   St. Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury and Holy Martyr *   
   St. David, Holy King of the Old Testament *   
   St. Sabinus, Bishop and Holy Martyr *   
   St. Anysius, Holy Bishop of Thessalonica *   
   Pope St. Sylvester I, Holy Successor of Peter *   
   All you holy saints and angels, pray for us.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)