From: trudie.Miller@cox.net   
      
   January 15th - St. Ita   
    (also known as Deirdre, Ida, Ide, Meda, Mida, Ytha)   
      
   Died c. 570. Saint Ita is the most famous woman saint in Ireland after Saint   
   Brigid, and is known as the Brigid of Munster. She is said to have been of   
   royal lineage, born in one of the baronies of Decies near Drum in County   
   Waterford, and called Deirdre.   
      
   An aristocrat wished to marry her, but after praying and fasting for three   
   days and supposedly with divine help, she convinced her father to allow her   
   to lead the life of a maiden. She migrated to Hy Conaill (Killeedy), in the   
   western part of Limerick, and founded a community of women dedicated to God,   
   which soon attracted many young women. She also founded and directed a   
   school. It is said that Bishop Saint Ere gave into her care Saint Brendan,   
   who would become a famous abbot and missionary (though the chronology makes   
   this unlikely). Many other Irish saints were taught by her for years. For   
   this reason, she is often called "foster-mother of the saints of Ireland."   
      
   Brendan is supposed to have once asked her what three things God especially   
   loved. She replied, "True faith in God with a pure heart, a simple life with   
   a religious spirit, and open-handedness inspired by charity."   
      
   An Irish lullaby for the Infant Jesus is attributed to her. Saint Ita's   
   legend stresses her physical austerities. The principle mark of her devotion   
   was the indwelling of the Holy Trinity. Like other monastic figures of   
   Ireland, she spent much time in solitude, praying and fasting, and the rest   
   of the time in service to those seeking her assistance and advice.   
      
   She and her sisters helped to treat the sick of the area. Many extravagant   
   miracles are also attributed to her including one in which she is said to   
   have reattached the head to the body of a man who'd been decapitated, and   
   another which claimed that she lived only on food from heaven.   
      
   Although her life is overlaid by much mythical material, because she has   
   been so popular and her vita was not written for centuries, there is no   
   reason to doubt her existence. There are church dedications and place names   
   that recall her both in her birthplace and around her monastery. She is also   
   mentioned in the poem of Blessed Alcuin, and her cultus is still vibrant   
   (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney, Farmer, Montague, Riain, Walsh, White).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   We must begin with a strong and constant resolution to give ourselves wholly   
   to God, professing to Him, in a tender, loving manner, from the bottom of   
   our hearts, that we intend to be His without any reserve, and then we must   
   often go back and renew this same resolution.   
   -St. Francis de Sales   
      
   Bible Quote   
   11 For the grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men; 12 Instructing   
   us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly,   
   and justly, and godly in this world, 13 Looking for the blessed hope and   
   coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, 14 Who   
   gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might   
   cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works. 15 These   
   things speak, and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise   
   thee.  (Titus 2:11-15)   
      
      
   <<>><<>>   
   From the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary:   
      
   Come, my lips, and wide proclaim   
   The Blessed Virgin's spotless fame.   
      
   V. O Lady! make speed to befriend me,   
   R. From the hands of the enemy mightily defend me.   
      
   V. Glory be...   
   R. As it...   
      
   Hail, Queen of the heavens!   
   Hail, Mistress of earth!   
   Hail, Virgin most pure   
   Of immaculate birth!   
      
   Clear Star of the morning   
   In beauty enshrined!   
   O Lady! make speed   
   To the help of mankind.   
      
   Thee God in the depth   
   Of eternity chose;   
   And formed thee all fair,   
   As His glorious spouse;   
      
   And called thee His Word's   
   Own Mother to be,   
   By Whom He created   
   The earth, sky, and sea. Amen.   
      
   V. God elected her, and pre-elected her.   
   R. He made her to dwell in His tabernacle.   
      
   V. O Lady! aid my prayer.   
   R. And let my cry come unto thee.   
      
   Let us pray:   
      
   Holy Mary, Queen of heaven, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress   
   of the world, who forsakest no one, and despisest no one, look upon me, O   
   Lady! with an eye of pity, and entreat for me, of thy beloved Son, the   
   forgiveness of all my sins that, as I now celebrate, with devout affection,   
   thy holy and immaculate conception, so, hereafter, I may receive the prize   
   of eternal blessedness, by the grace of Him Whom thou, in virginity, didst   
   bring forth, Jesus Christ our Lord: Who, with the Father and the Holy   
   Ghost, liveth and reigneth, in perfect Trinity, God, world without end.   
   Amen.   
      
   V. O Lady! aid my prayer.   
   R. And let my cry come unto thee.   
      
   V. Let us bless the Lord.   
   R. Thanks be to God.   
      
   V. May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.   
   R. Amen.   
      
   Imprimatur: +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York; Sept 19, 1908.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)