From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   February 26th - St. Victor the Hermit (RM)   
   (Also known as Vittre)   
      
   Born in Troyes, Champagne, France; 7th century. Born of noble parents, Saint   
   Victor was educated under strict discipline in learning and piety. He was   
   one of those rare creatures that was a saint from his cradle. In his youth,   
   prayer, fasting, and alms-giving were his chief delights.   
   After embracing the priesthood, the love of heavenly contemplation was so   
   alluring that he preferred retirement to the care of souls. This appears to   
   have been God's will for him. He lived in continual communion with God and   
   God glorified him by many miracles, but the greatest appears to be the   
   powerful example of his life.   
      
   Victor's feast was celebrated by the Benedictines of Montiramy at whose   
   request Saint Bernard wrote two pious panegyrics about Victor (Ep. 312, vet.   
   ed. seu 398, nov. edit.), including: "Now placed in heaven, he beholds God   
   clearly, revealed to him, swallowed up in joy, but not forgetting us. It is   
   not the land of oblivion in which Victor dwells. Heaven does not harden or   
   straiten hearts but makes them more tender and compassionate; it does not   
   distract minds, nor alienate them from us; it does not diminish, but it   
   increases affection and charity; it augments bowels of pity. The angels,   
   although they behold the face of their Father, visit, run, and continually   
   assist us; and shall they now forget us who were once among us, and who once   
   suffered themselves what they see us at present labor under? No: 'I know the   
   just expect me till you render to me my reward.'   
      
   "Victor is not like that cup-bearer of Pharaoh, who could forget his   
   fellow-captive. He has not so put on the stole of glory himself as to lay   
   aside his pity, or the remembrance of our misery" (Sermon, 2).   
      
   Saint Victor died at Saturniac, now called Saint-Vittre, in the diocese of   
   Troyes. A church was built over his tomb but in 837 his relics were   
   translated to the neighboring monastery of Montier-Ramoy, or Montirame   
   (Benedictines, Husenbeth).   
      
      
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   Saint Quote:   
   It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.   
   -Saint John Chrysostom   
      
    Bible Quote:   
   11 For thus saith the Lord God: Behold I myself will seek my sheep, and will   
   visit them. 12 As the shepherd visiteth his hock in the day when he shall be   
   in the midst of his sheep that were scattered, so will I visit my sheep, and   
   will deliver them out of all the places where they have been scattered in   
   the cloudy and dark day.    (Ezechiel 34:11-12)   
      
      
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   THIRTY-ONE DAYS OF PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS   
   FROM THE PURGATORIAN MANUAL   
    (Imprimatur 1946)   
      
   Twenty-Third Day   
      
   WORKS OF PENANCE FOR THE HOLY SOULS   
      
        The Church has at all times recommended, and the saints have always had   
   recourse to works of penance as the best means of obtaining extraordinary   
   graces from God, and there is no doubt that these works of mortification   
   have great efficacy for the departed. Although great works of penance and   
   mortification are not expected of every one, yet there is no one who could   
   not occasionally deny himself a part of some favorite dish or some   
   amusement, mortify his eyes, ears, or tongue, observe silence for a short   
   time, bear in patience the pain of   
      
    sickness, heat or cold, or any other adversity, or curb his self-will and   
   evil inclinations; in fact, bear with submission and gratitude to God   
   everything that causes pain or distress. Such charity lovingly bestowed on   
   the holy souls of our dear departed will call down rich blessings upon us,   
   and obtain for us strength to endure our own sufferings.   
      
        "Know ye that the Lord will hear your prayers if you continue with   
   perseverance in fastings and prayers, in the sight of the Lord." (Judith iv.   
   ii.)   
      
   Prayer: Grant us, O Lord! the grace to walk before Thee in penance and   
   mortification, and in these works to remember the souls in Purgatory. Deign   
   to accept what we in the spirit of charity offer for the comfort and relief   
   of these penitent souls. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.   
      
   Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who bestowed the merit of   
   their mortifications upon the holy souls.   
      
   Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon   
   them ; may they rest in peace. Amen.            (Three times)   
      
   Practice: Perform an act of mortification for the souls in Purgatory.   
      
   Invocation:       My Jesus, mercy!   
      
   See 31day prayer at:   
   http://www.faithfuldeparted.net/prayers.html   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)