From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   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   
   That, as it is written: He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord.   
   (1Cor. 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."   
      
      
   <><><><><>   
   The Novena in Honor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal   
      
   Leader:  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.   
   All:  Amen.   
      
   V. Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful,   
   R. And kindle in them the fire of Thy love.   
      
   V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.   
   R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.   
      
   Let us pray:   
      
   O God, who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the   
   Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever to   
   rejoice in His consolation, through Jesus Christ our Lord.   
      
   R:  Amen.   
      
   V:  O Mary, conceived without sin,   
   R: Pray for us who have recourse to Thee. (thrice)   
      
   All:  O Lord Jesus Christ, who have vouchsafed to glorify by numberless   
   miracles the Blessed Virgin Mary, immaculate from the first moment of her   
   conception, grant that all who devoutly implore her protection on earth may   
   eternally enjoy Thy presence in heaven, who, with the Father and the Holy   
   Spirit, liveth and reigneth, God for ever and ever.  Amen.   
      
   O Lord Jesus Christ, who for the accomplishment of Thy greatest works,   
   have chosen the weak things of the world, that no flesh may glory in Thy   
   sight;  and who for a better and more widely diffused belief in the   
   Immaculate Conception of Thy Mother, have wished that the Miraculous Medal   
   be manifested to St. Catherine Laboure, grant, we beseech Thee, that filled   
   with like humility, we may glorify this mystery by word and work.  Amen.   
      
   Remember, O most compassionate Virgin Mary, that never was it known that   
   anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy assistance, or sought thy   
   intercession, was left unaided.  Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto   
   thee, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother; to thee we come, before thee we   
   kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not   
   our petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer them.  Amen.   
      
   O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus and our Mother,   
   penetrated with the most lively confidence in thy all-powerful and   
   never-failing intercession, manifested so often through the Miraculous   
   Medal, we thy loving and trustful children implore thee to obtain for us   
   the graces and favors we ask during this Novena, if they be beneficial to   
   our immortal souls, and the souls for whom we now pray. (pray here)  You   
   know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuaries of thy loving   
   Son who hates iniquity. Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that   
   purity of heart which will attach us to God alone so that our every   
   thought, word and deed may tend to His greater glory.  Obtain for us also   
   a spirit of prayer and self-denial that we may recover by penance what   
   we have lost by sin and at length attain to that blessed abode where   
   thou art the Queen of angels and of men.  Amen.   
      
   Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal   
      
   All:  O Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, we dedicate and consecrate   
   ourselves to thee under the title Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.  may   
   this Medal be for each one of us a sure sign of thy affection for us and a   
   constant reminder our duties towards Thee.  Ever while wearing it, may   
   we be blessed by thy loving protection and preserved in the grace of thy   
   Son. O most powerful Virgin, Mother of our Savior, keep us close to you   
   every moment of our lives.  Obtain for us, thy children, the grace of a   
   happy death; so that, in union with thee, we may enjoy the bliss of   
   heaven forever.  Amen.   
      
   V:  O Mary, conceived without sin,   
   R: Pray for us who have recourse to thee. (thrice)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)