From: trudie.Miller@cox.net   
      
   December 8th - St. Romaric. (Romaricus}   
      
   d. 653   
      
   In the account of St. Amatus of Remiremont it is related how he brought   
   about the conversion to God of a Merovingian nobleman named Romaric, who   
   became a monk at Luxeuil; and how they afterwards went together to the   
   estate of Romaric at Habendum in the Vosges, and established the monastery   
   which was later known as Remiremont (Romarici Mons).   
      
   The father of Romaric had lost his life and his lands at the hands of Queen   
   Brunehilda, and his young son became a homeless wanderer; but at the time of   
   his meeting St. Amatus, Romaric was a person of distinction at the court of   
   Clotaire II, with considerable property and a number of serfs. These he   
   enfranchised, and it is said that when he was tonsured at Luxeuil several of   
   these newly freed men presented themselves to the abbot for the same   
   purpose. Remiremont was founded in 620 and St. Amatus was its first abbot,   
   but his duties soon devolved upon St. Romaric, who at the time of his death   
   had governed for thirty years.   
      
   Among the early recruits was the friend of Romaric, St. Arnulfus of Metz,   
   who about 629 came to end his days in a nearby hermitage. Shortly before his   
   death St. Romaric was disturbed by the news that Grimoald, the son of   
   another old friend, Blessed Pepin of Landen, was plotting to exclude the   
   young prince Dagobert from the Austrasian throne. The aged abbot made his   
   way to Metz, where he remonstrated with Grimoald and warned the nobles who   
   supported him. They heard him quietly, treated him with courtesy, and sent   
   him back to his monastery. Three days later St. Romaric died.   
      
      
   Quote:   
   "Lay my body anywhere, only this I beg of you: remember me at the altar of   
   God."   
   -St. Monica  (AD 337)   
      
   Bible Quote   
   31 That, as it is written: He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord.   (1   
   Cor. 1:31)   
      
      
   <<>><<>>   
   Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin   
   Mary.  With the words, "I will put enmities between thee and the woman,"   
   the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was announced to our   
   first parents.  It was to be the reversal of the friendship with the   
   serpent contracted by Eve, when she listened to his voice and fell under   
   his power.  The second Eve was never to be under the power of the devil;   
   the enmity between them was to admit of no possible exception.  This   
   involved the grace of being conceived IMMACULATE.  Mary's Immaculate   
   Conception was the foundation of all her graces.  The absence of any stain   
   or spot of sin distinguished her from all the rest of mankind.  It   
   distinguished her from the holiest of the Saints, since they, one and all,   
   were sinners.  Her perfect sinlessness was the source of all her glory and   
   all her majesty; it was this which opened the door to the unlimited graces   
   that she received from God; it was this that qualified her for her divine   
   maternity, and raised her to her throne as Queen of heaven.   
      
   "O Queen, conceived without original sin, pray for us, who have recourse to   
   thee." *   
      
   <><><><>   
   Prayer   
   We beseech Thee, O Lord, to bestow on Thy servants the gift of heavenly   
   grace, that, for those to whom the Blessed Virgin's maternity was the   
   beginning of salvation, the votive solemnity of her immaculate conception   
   may procure increase of peace. Through Christ our Lord, etc. Amen.   
      
      
   When I say,"Hail Mary"   
     the heavens bow down,   
     the angels rejoice,   
     the earth jubilates,   
     hell trembles,   
     and the devils take flight!   
      
     St. Francis of Assisi   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)