From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   January 31st - St. Aidan of Ferns B (AC)   
    (also known as Aedan, Aedh, Maedoc-Edan, Moedoc, Mogue)   
      
   Born in Connaught, Ireland; died 626.   
      
   "Give as if every pasture in the mountains of Ireland belonged to   
   you." -Saint Aidan.   
      
   The Irish Saint Aidan loved animals. His fellow Irishmen were fond of   
   hunting. Aidan so protected them that his emblem in art is a stag. Legend   
   has it that as he sat reading in Connaught, a desperate stag took refuge   
   with him in the hope of escaping pursuing hounds. Aidan by a miracle made   
   the stag invisible, and the hounds ran off.   
      
   There were several Irish saints named Aidan but this one seems to have been   
   the most important. As a youth he spent some time in Leinster but, 'desirous   
   of becoming learned in holy Scripture,' Aidan went to Wales to study under   
   Saint David (Dewi) at Menevia in Pembrokeshire for several years. His only   
   difference from his fellow monks is that he brought his own beer from his   
   native land.   
      
   The inspiration of Saint David caused him to return to Ireland with several   
   other monks to built his own monastery at Ferns, County Wexford, on land   
   given to him by Prince Brandrub (Brandubh) of Leinster together with the   
   banquet halls and champions' quarters of the royal seat of Fearna. He also   
   founded monasteries at Drumlane and Rossinver, which disputed Ferns' claim   
   to his burial site. In addition to abbeys, Aidan is credited with founding   
   about 30 churches in Ireland. One source claims that Aidan became the first   
   bishop of Ferns (which is not that unlikely because many abbots were treated   
   as bishops during the period), which displaced Sletty of Fiach as the   
   bishop's seat. .   
      
   Later in life he returned to Saint David's for a time, and it is said that   
   Saint David died in the arms of Aidan. Welsh tradition maintains that Aidan   
   succeeded David as abbot of Menevia, and on that basis Wales later claimed   
   jurisdiction over Ferns because a Welsh abbot founded it. In fact, in Wales   
   they regard Aidan as a native and provide him with a geneaology that   
   includes Welsh nobility. There his great reputation for charity still   
   survives, for he taught his monks to give their last bits of food to those   
   in need.   
      
   The written vitae of Saint Aidan are composed mostly of miracles attributed   
   to him. His is attributed with astonishing feats of austerity, such as   
   fasting on barley bread and water for seven years, as well as reciting 500   
   Psalms daily. An odd tale is related in another. Some spurious beggars hid   
   their clothes, donned rags, and then begged for alms. Knowing what they had   
   done, Aidan gave their clothes to the poor and sent the impostors away with   
   neither their clothing nor alms.   
      
   One story reports that he bequeathed his staff, bell (Bell of Saint Mogue),   
   and reliquary to his three monasteries of Ferns, Drumlane, and Rossinver.   
   All have survived the fates of time. The staff can be found in the National   
   Museum in Dublin; the other two in the Library of Armagh cathedral. The bell   
   had been in the hereditary keepership of the MacGoverns in Templeport,   
   County Cavan. Another of his personal belongings, the Breac Moedoc, is in   
   the National Museum. This stamped leather satchel and shrine that encased   
   the relics of Saint Laserian of Leighlin was brought from Rome and given to   
   Aidan, who placed it in the church of Drumlane. A bronze reliquary that   
   contained his remains in the 11th century is preserved in Dublin. In   
   addition to having a cultus in Ireland and Wales, Saint Aidan was venerated   
   in Scotland in the 12th century.   
      
   He is represented in art by a stag because of the story related above   
   (Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Coulson, D'Arcy, Delaney,   
   Farmer, Husenbeth, Kenney, Montague, Neeson, Porter, Stokes).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Moderate bodily discipline is useful in resisting depression, because it   
   rouses the mind from dwelling on itself; and frequent Communion is specially   
   valuable; the Bread of Life strengthens the heart and gladdens the spirits.   
   It may be useful, too, to lay bare all the feelings, thoughts, and longings   
   which are the result of your depression before some spiritual advisor, in   
   all humility and faithfulness; to seek the society of spiritually minded   
   people, and to frequent such as far as possible while you are suffering. And   
   finally, resign yourself into God's hands, endeavoring to bear this   
   harassing depression patiently.   
   -François de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Shout for joy, daughter of Zion, Israel, shout aloud! Rejoice, exult with   
   all your heart,   
   daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst; you   
   have no more   
   evil to fear.  (Zephaniah 3:14,15 )   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Canticle Nunc Dimittis   
      
   Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we   
   can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia.   
   Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.   
    You have fulfilled your promise.   
   My own eyes have seen your salvation,   
    which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples.   
   A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;   
    the glory of your people Israel.   
      
   Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,   
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,   
    world without end.   
   Amen.   
   Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we   
   can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)