From: hildegard8@excite.com   
      
   January 10th - St. Agatho, Pope (RM)   
      
   Born in Sicily (Palermo?); died January 10, 681. Saint Agatho had been   
   married for 20 years and become financially successful when he decided to   
   enter Saint Hermes Monastery in Palermo. (He may be the Agatho referred to   
   in the letter from Saint Gregory the Great authorizing the abbot to accept   
   him if his wife entered a convent. If this were so, he would have been a   
   very old man when he ascended to the Chair of Peter.)   
      
   Agatho, an amiable man, succeeded Donus as pope on June 27, 678. It appears   
   that he was also efficient in business matters because he maintained the   
   accounting records in his own hand, contrary to custom.   
      
   In the dispute discussed in yesterday's notice on Saint Berhtwald, in 679,   
   Agatho heard the grievance of Bishop Saint Wilfrid of York against Bishop   
   Saint Theodore of Canterbury. This is the first known appeal of an English   
   bishop to Rome occasioned by Theodore's action as metropolitan to divide the   
   see of York into four and depose Wilfrid. Seeking a compromise, Agatho   
   decided that the see would remain divided but that Wilfrid should appoint   
   the bishops to the three new sees. It seems that this was not the final   
   decision in the matter.   
      
   The most important event of Agatho's pontificate was the Council of   
   Constantinople (November 680 to September 681), to which Agatho sent legates   
   with a letter that condemned the Monothelite heresy (Christ had only one   
   will) and expounded traditional Catholic belief of two wills in Christ-one   
   divine, one human. Most bishops at the council, led by Patriarch George of   
   Constantinople, accepted, saying, "Peter has spoken by Agatho." The   
   Monothelite heresy was condemned and Constantinople was reunited to Rome. By   
   the time the decrees of the sixth general council had reached Rome, Agatho   
   had died (Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia).   
      
   In art Pope Saint Agatho wears a tiara and holds a long cross. He is   
   venerated at York, England, and Palermo, Italy (Roeder).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "Oh what remorse we shall feel at the end of our lives, when we look back   
   upon the great number of instructions and examples afforded by God and the   
   Saints for our perfection, and so carelessly received by us! If this end   
   were to come to you today, how would you be pleased with the life you have   
   led this year?"   
   -St. Francis de Sales   
      
   Bible Quote   
   27 And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to   
   my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.  (Genesis 18:27)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Dies Iræ, dies illa   
   That Day Of Wrath, that dreadful day   
      
   Day of wrath! O day of mourning!   
   See fulfilled the prophets' warning,   
   Heaven and earth in ashes burning!   
      
   Oh what fear man's bosom rendeth,   
   when from heaven the Judge descendeth,   
   on whose sentence all dependeth.   
      
   Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;   
   through earth's sepulchers it ringeth;   
   all before the throne it bringeth.   
      
   Death is struck, and nature quaking,   
   all creation is awaking,   
   to its Judge an answer making.   
      
   Lo! the book, exactly worded,   
   wherein all hath been recorded:   
   thence shall judgment be awarded.   
      
   When the Judge his seat attaineth,   
   and each hidden deed arraigneth,   
   nothing unavenged remaineth.   
      
   What shall I, frail man, be pleading?   
   Who for me be interceding,   
   when the just are mercy needing?   
      
   King of Majesty tremendous,   
   who dost free salvation send us,   
   Fount of pity, then befriend us!   
      
   Think, good Jesus, my salvation   
   cost thy wondrous Incarnation;   
   leave me not to reprobation!   
      
   Faint and weary, thou hast sought me,   
   on the cross of suffering bought me.   
   shall such grace be vainly brought me?   
      
   Righteous Judge! for sin's pollution   
   grant thy gift of absolution,   
   ere the day of retribution.   
      
   Guilty, now I pour my moaning,   
   all my shame with anguish owning;   
   spare, O God, thy suppliant groaning!   
      
   Thou the sinful woman savedst;   
   thou the dying thief forgavest;   
   and to me a hope vouchsafest.   
      
   Worthless are my prayers and sighing,   
   yet, good Lord, in grace complying,   
   rescue me from fires undying!   
      
   With thy favored sheep O place me;   
   nor among the goats abase me;   
   but to thy right hand upraise me.   
      
   While the wicked are confounded,   
   doomed to flames of woe unbounded   
   call me with thy saints surrounded.   
      
   Low I kneel, with heart submission,   
   see, like ashes, my contrition;   
   help me in my last condition.   
      
      
   Ah! that day of tears and mourning!   
   From the dust of earth returning   
   man for judgment must prepare him;   
   Spare, O God, in mercy spare him!   
      
   Lord, all pitying, Jesus blest,   
   grant them thine eternal rest. Amen.   
      
   Words: Thomas of Celano, 13th cent.;   
   trans. William J. Irons, 1849   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)