From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   June 3rd - St. Clotilda, Queen of France   
      
   (d. 545)   
      
   Saint Clotilda was the daughter of Chilperic, the Catholic King of Burgundy,   
   domain of the Germanic tribe which had entered the southeastern region of   
   ancient France in the fifth century; Chilperic had succeeded his father in   
   that royalty. His jealous older brother, infected with Arianism, declared   
   war on him, surrounded him with an army, captured and slew his own brother   
   and his brother's wife and two sons, while sparing the two daughters, then   
   took over their dominions. Clotilda's older sister became a nun, but the   
   younger daughter was brought up under her uncle's protection, and, by a   
   singular providence, instructed in the Catholic religion. Her beauty,   
   modesty, and Catholic piety inspired the prayers of her fellow Christians   
   that an alliance might be arranged between the young princess and Clovis,   
   king of the Franks, victorious in the north. Nonetheless, Clotilda was   
   half-cloistered by her uncle, for fear the ancient partisans of Childebert   
   might find hope in the hand of the king's daughter.   
      
   Her almsgiving at the portico of a church was well known, however, and   
   provided an opportunity for an ambassador of Clovis to present the king's   
   suit, thereby giving to Christian France a history not less captivating than   
   the Old Testament history of Abraham's trusted servant's mission to   
   Mesopotamia to obtain a wife for Isaac. The messenger went to her there with   
   the king's request, and offered her a ring as his pledge; she accepted, and   
   left her own with the envoy in exchange. Thus Clovis I, victorious king of   
   the Franks, gained his suit; the reservation was made by Clotilda, however,   
   that she could only marry a Christian. The ambassador from Clovis, a Roman   
   nobleman in his service, then presented to her uncle the demand that the   
   fiancee of his master be delivered to him to be taken to Clovis. For fear of   
   a war, her uncle consented. In this way did prayer obtain for the young   
   king, not yet Christian but who was the hope of the oppressed Catholics, the   
   Queen destined to become the spiritual mother of the Catholic kingdom of   
   France.   
      
   Clovis' fear of giving offense to his people made him delay his conversion.   
   Nonetheless, Saint Clotilda honored her royal husband, studied to sweeten   
   his warlike temper by Christian gentleness, and conformed herself to his   
   humor in matters which were indifferent. And the better to gain his   
   affections, she made whatever she knew most pleased him, the subject of her   
   conversation and interest. When she saw she had won his heart, she did not   
   defer the great work of endeavoring to win him to God.   
      
   His miraculous victory over the Alemanni, and his complete conversion and   
   baptism by Saint Remigius at Rheims in 496, with all his warriors and   
   nobles, were the final fruit of his holy wife's virtue and prayers. France   
   became in this way "the eldest daughter of the Church." And Saint Clotilda,   
   having gained to God this great monarch, never ceased to inspire in him   
   glorious enterprises for the divine honor. Among other religious   
   foundations, at her request he built in Paris, about the year 511, the great   
   church of Saints Peter and Paul.   
      
   The famous prince died on the 27th of November in the year 511, at the age   
   of forty-five, having reigned thirty years. His eldest son, Theodoric,   
   reigned from Rheims over the eastern parts of France, Clodomir reigned at   
   Orleans, Childebert II at Paris, and Clotaire I at Soissons. This division   
   produced wars and mutual jealousies until in 560, after the death of   
   Clotilda, the whole monarchy was reunited under Clotaire, the youngest of   
   the four brothers. The dissension in her family detached Clotilda's heart   
   still more perfectly from the world. She spent the last thirty years of her   
   life in exercises of prayer, almsgiving, night vigils, fasting, and penance,   
   seeming to forget that she had been queen. Eternity filled her heart and   
   occupied all her thoughts. She foretold her death one month before it   
   happened. On the thirtieth day of her illness, she received the Sacraments,   
   made a public confession of her faith, and departed to the Lord on June 3,   
   545.   
      
   Sources: Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin   
   (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 6; Little Pictorial Lives of the   
   Saints, a compilation based on Butler's Lives of the Saints, and other   
   sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   The crosses with which our path through life is strewn associate us with   
   Jesus in the mystery of His crucifixion.   
   -St. John Eudes   
      
   Bible Quote   
   27 My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me. 28 And I   
   give them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man   
   shall pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   A daily offering:   
      
   O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee   
   my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union   
   with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I   
   offer them for all the intentions of Thy Sacred Heart: the   
   salvation of souls, reparation for sin, the union of all   
   Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our Bishops and   
   all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those   
   recommended by our Holy Father this month. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)