From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   April 30th - St. Pius V   
      
   Michael Ghislieri was born in poverty at Bosco, Italy January 17, 1504. As a   
   child he tended his father's flocks and at the age of fourteen he entered   
   the Dominican Priory of Voghera and was professed in 1521, at the age of   
   seventeen. He studied in Bologna and Genoa and was ordained to the   
   priesthood in 1528.   
      
   Michael spent the next sixteen years teaching philosophy and theology at   
   Pavia. He was also novice master and superior. In 1550 he was appointed to   
   the post of inquisitor at Como. This was a period of great heretical   
   controversy in the church. Michael's courage in opposing heresy and fighting   
   for true orthodox teaching brought him to the attention of Cardinal Gian   
   Pietro Carafa, who would later become Pope Paul IV.   
      
   Michael was consecrated bishop of Sutri and Nepi in 1556, and a year later   
   was created cardinal. Now known as Cardinal Alessandrino, he did much to   
   restore the faith and bring peace and prosperity to his diocese. It was not   
   an easy time for him because our zealous Alessandrino and Paul IV were often   
   at variance in their opinions. But the cardinal never feared to speak his   
   mind and to uphold the orthodoxy of the Church, while Paul IV preferred   
   moderation and diplomacy.   
      
   After the death of Pope Paul IV, St. Charles Borromeo (November 4th)   
   encouraged the election of Alessandrino, because he saw in him a man with   
   the strength and integrity to bring about the reforms so desperately needed   
   in the Church at that time. On February 15, 1766, Alessandrino reluctantly   
   accepted election as pope and took the name of Pius V.   
      
   Pius V's reign would be marked by many reforms. Bishops and priest were   
   required to reside in the diocese and parishes, which they had been   
   appointed to. In place of lavish banquets at his consecration, the money was   
   sent to poor convents. Money, which was usually scattered among the crowds,   
   was given instead to hospitals and the poorer people of Rome. He was for a   
   time unpopular because of his purging the Curia of scandalous people and his   
   ending the custom of appointing relatives to all the important positions in   
   the Curia.   
      
   Pope Pius V enforced the decisions made at the Council of Trent and also   
   reviewed the religious orders, correcting abuses and abolishing some of the   
   orders. The Catechism decreed at the Council of Trent was published and he   
   laid the responsibility of it's being taught to the young on the shoulders   
   of the parish priests. He reformed the liturgy, bringing unity and a purer   
   clarity to the Mass and Divine Office.   
      
   Unfortunately his ability as a statesman was not as great and some have   
   criticized the way he excommunicated Elizabeth I of England. His   
   statesmanship was vindicated however through the successful elimination of   
   the Ottoman crises in the Mediterranean by Don John of Austria and   
   Marcantonio Colonna, in 1571.   
      
   In thanksgiving Pius V, who had encouraged all to pray the Rosary and   
   himself spent many hours in prayer asking Mary's intercession for victory,   
   instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victory which later became the feast of   
   The Most Holy Rosary. The following year Pius V succumbed to a painful   
   disease of long standing and died on May 1, 1572. He was canonized in 1772,   
   the last pope to be canonized until Pius X, in 1954.   
      
   Pius V came from a poor and humble background. He heard God's call to the   
   priesthood and followed in the steps of the apostles, giving himself   
   totally. Fearless and filled with integrity and zeal, he remained faithful   
   to Christ's teachings. He brought about an unpopular and much needed reform   
   in the midst of opposition and ridicule. A man of strength and character   
   whom we can hold up as a model for imitation in a world filled with   
   conflict, tension and vice today.   
      
      
   Quote:   
   The spirit flows to you and to all men from the heart of the God-man, Savior   
   of the world, but certainly, no worker was ever more completely and   
   profoundly penetrated by it than the foster father of Jesus, who lived with   
   Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and work. Thus, if you   
   wish to be close to Christ, we again today repeat, "Go to Joseph" (Gn 41:44)   
   -- Venerable Pope Pius XII   
      
   Bible Quote   
   He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the   
   cross. 9 For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a   
   name which is above all names: 10 That in the name of Jesus every knee   
   should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:   
   (Philippians 2:8-10)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   IT'S RAINING TEARDROPS FROM HEAVEN   
      
   It's raining teardrops from Heaven   
   The gates are opened anew   
   To show to Jesus and Mary   
   The souls that haven't been true.   
   Their heads are bent low in sorrow;   
   Their hearts are bleeding with care,   
   For they have asked to love Them,   
   And sent our hearts up in prayer.   
   I stroke His face with compassion,   
   I kiss the face wet with tears-   
   For time has not erased His heartache;   
   He's suffering more in our years.   
   His children turn from His pleadings,   
   For worldly cares means forgetting   
   The One who begs us to love Him;   
   To save our souls from regretting.   
   He'll take a crumb of affection;   
   The smallest sign He does seek-   
   But why must we give rejection,   
   When sinful ways make us weak?   
   He puts His hand out in pity;   
   To touch us is all He can do-   
   For God gave man a born conscience   
   To choose to be faithful and true.   
   The pleasures are steeped more in evil;   
   The goodness inspired by God.   
   The road to satan is easy;   
   But Heaven is earned very hard.   
   The only ladder to Heaven is found   
   In our climbing in prayer;   
   Each step will be shorter and higher   
   If we just try a little to care.   
   We'll accept all the burdens and sorrows;   
   The joys will be just added graces.   
   We'll reserve our bright spot up in heaven   
   By accepting here lowly places.   
      
   St. Teresa   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)