From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   January 19th - Blessed Andrew of Peschiera, OP (AC)   
   (also known as Blessed Andrew Grego)   
      
   Born at Peschiera, Italy; died in Valtellina District (near Swiss border),   
   Italy, 1485; cultus confirmed 1820.   
   As a child, Andrew Grego lived on the southern shore of Lake Garda, in   
   northern   
   Italy. His training for a life of heroic sanctity began early, with   
   voluntary   
   penances and unquestioning obedience to his father. Andrew's first desire   
   was to   
   be a hermit, an ambition that was met with ridicule from his brothers.   
   Failing   
   to realize this hope, he made for himself a severe schedule of prayer and   
   penance, and, in his own house, lived the life of one wholly given to God.   
      
   After the death of his father, it became increasingly difficult to carry out   
   his   
   plan, so he resolved to enter the cloister. Although his brothers had   
   persecuted   
   him without mercy, he knelt and humbly begged their prayers and forgiveness   
   for   
   having annoyed them. Then he gave them the only possession he had, a   
   walking-stick. This stick, thrown carelessly in a corner by the brothers,   
   was   
   forgotten until, long afterwards, it bloomed like the legendary rod of Saint   
   Joseph in token of Andrew's holiness.   
      
   The 15-year old received the Dominican habit at Brescia and then was sent to   
   San   
   Marco in Florence. This convent was then at its peak of glory, stamped with   
   the   
   saintly personalities of Saint Antoninus and the Blesseds of Lawrence of   
   Riprafratta, Constantius, and Antony della Chiesa. Andrew's soul caught the   
   fire   
   of their apostolic zeal, and set forth on his mission in the mountains of   
   northern Italy.   
      
   Heresy and poverty had combined to draw almost this entire region from the   
   Church. It was a country of great physical difficulties, and, in his travels   
   in   
   the Alps, he risked death from snowstorms and avalanches as often as from   
   the   
   daggers of the heretics. Nevertheless, he travelled tirelessly, preaching,   
   teaching, and building-for his entire lifetime (45 years).   
      
   Churches, hospitals, schools, and orphanages were built under Andrew's   
   direction. He would retire from time to time to these convents for periods   
   of   
   prayer and spiritual refreshment, so that he could return with renewed   
   courage   
   and zeal to the difficult apostolate. He was known as "the Apostle of the   
   Valtelline," because of the district he evangelized.   
      
   Blessed Andrew performed many miracles. Probably his greatest miracle was   
   his   
   preaching, which produced such fruits in the face of great obstacles. At one   
   time, when he was preaching to the people, the heretics presented him with a   
   book in which they had written down their beliefs. He told them to open the   
   book   
   and see for themselves what their teachings amounted to. They did so, and a   
   large viper emerged from the book.   
      
   Blessed Andrew closed a holy life by an equally holy death and was buried in   
   Morbegno. He had labored so long among the poor and the neglected that his   
   place   
   in their hearts was secured. Because of the miracles worked at his tomb, and   
   the   
   persistent devotion of the people, his relics were twice transferred to more   
   suitable tombs (Attwater2, Benedictines, Dorcy).   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   In the Lives of the Holy Fathers it is narrated of the Abbot Paphnutius, who   
   was   
   highly celebrated for sanctity, that one day he expressed a desire to know   
   from   
   the Lord whether he had any merit in His eyes. He received the reply that he   
   had   
   gained equal merit with a certain nobleman, whose name was given. The Saint   
   immediately visited this gentleman, by whom he was kindly treated and   
   hospitably   
   entertained. When the repast was over, the Abbot begged of his host to tell   
   him   
   what was his manner of life. The Baron excused himself by saying that he did   
   not   
   possess any virtue, but after many entreaties, he said that he was very   
   careful   
   to entertain pilgrims, and provide them with whatever might be necessary for   
   their journey; that he never despised the poor, but helped them in their   
   need as   
   much as he could; that he had justice administered equitably, and always   
   gave   
   honest decisions, never swerving from right through fear or favor; that he   
   never   
   oppressed his subjects; that he allowed anyone to become his tenant, and   
   expected from no one more than what was justly his due; that no one could   
   complain of ever having received harm or damage from his family or cattle;   
   that   
   he had never offended or slandered anyone, but treated all with respect,   
   helped   
   all as far as he was able and endeavored to keep all in peace and harmony.   
   On   
   hearing this the holy Abbot was greatly edified, and understood that true   
   perfection consisted not in great deeds, but in fulfilling our duties.   
      
       In San Cesario in the province of Lecce there lived in the time of St.   
   Joseph de Cupertino a nun who had a great reputation for sanctity. One day,   
   when   
   the Saint happened to visit the house of the Marquis of that place, he was   
   asked   
   his opinion of this report in regard to the nun. He answered, "You have a   
   real   
   saint here among you, who is not known"; and he named a poor widow, of whom   
   not   
   a word had ever been said. The Marquis inquired as to what were her good   
   qualities, and found that she remained always shut up in her poor little   
   home,   
   with some of her daughters, and that they worked constantly to support   
   themselves and were never seen abroad but once a day, which was very early   
   in   
   the morning when they were going to church to hear Mass.   
      
   (Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". January - Perfection)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Indulgenced Prayers   
      
   We adore Thee, O Most Holy Lord Jesus Christ, here and in   
   all Thy churches that are in the whole world, and we bless   
   Thee; for by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.   
      
   Grant me Thy grace, most merciful Jesus, that it may be with   
   me and labour with me and continue with me unto the end.   
   Grant me always to will and desire that which is most   
   acceptable to Thee and which pleaseth Thee best.   
   Let Thy Will be mine, and let my will always follow Thine and   
   agree perfectly with it.   
   Let me always will or not will the same with Thee; and let me   
   not be able to will or not to will otherwise than as Thou willest   
   or willest not.   
      
   O Jesus, our Saviour, give us Thy blessing; deliver us from   
   eternal death; assist Thy holy Church; grant peace to all   
   nations; deliver the souls who are suffering in Purgatory.   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Prayer to Saint Peregrine   
      
   O great St. Peregrine, you have been called "The Mighty,"   
   "The Wonder-Worker," because of the numerous miracles   
   which you have obtained from God for those who have had   
   recourse to you. For so many years you bore in your own   
   flesh this cancerous disease that destroys the very fiber of   
   our being, and who had recourse to   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)