From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   August 6th - Pope St. Hormisdas   
   514 - 523 AD   
      
   Gloom and storm marked the pontificates of Anastasius II and Symmachus, but   
   on   
   St. Hormisdas the sun of peace and victory shone with cheerful splendor. St.   
   Hormisdas was born at Frosinone in the Roman Campagna. Married before   
   ordination, he had a son, Silverius, who also became pope. As a deacon,   
   Hormisdas had staunchly backed St. Symmachus in his trouble with the   
   antipope   
   Lawrence and the pro-Byzantine faction. Elected with difficulty, St.   
   Hormisdas   
   began his career of peace with victory by receiving back into the Church the   
   last die-hards of the Laurentian schism.   
      
   A greater victory was in the making. Ever since 484 the Church of   
   Constantinople   
   had been in schism. First, Patriarch Acacius had supported the Henoticon and   
   had   
   died excommunicated and in schism. Then even when the patriarchs had   
   returned to   
   orthodoxy, they could not bring themselves to strike the name of Acacius   
   from   
   the liturgical diptychs or tablets. The fact that Emperor Anastasius, who   
   ruled   
   during most of this time, tended to the Monophysite heresy did not help   
   matters.   
   But more and more the orthodox clergy, monks, and laity of the East longed   
   for   
   an end to this schism which weakened their stand against the Monophysites.   
      
   In 514 General Vitalian revolted and forced Anastasius to make overtures   
   towards   
   reunion; but since Anastasius was not serious, nothing came of this attempt.   
   A   
   number of Eastern bishops, however, independently made their submission to   
   Rome.   
   When Anastasius died in 517 hopes rose. His successor, the rugged soldier   
   Justin   
   I was orthodox. Popular opinion, the Emperor, and orthodoxy for once all   
   agreeing, the way to reunion was easy. A synod at Constantinople sent a   
   legate   
   to Pope Hormisdas to seek reunion.   
      
   The Pope sent back a legation with a formula of faith, and on Holy Thursday,   
   March 28, 519, the papal legates received the Church of Constantinople back   
   to   
   Catholic unity. The ceremony was hailed with tears of joy, for this union   
   was   
   extremely popular.   
      
   The formula of Hormisdas which the Pope sent to be signed on this occasion   
   is a   
   masterpiece of clarity. It repeats the condemnation of the heresies   
   condemned by   
   the ecumenical councils and it formally condemns the memory of Acacius who   
   had   
   started this schism. It so clearly stated the primacy and infallibility of   
   the   
   Roman See that from that day to the time of the Vatican Council, it has been   
   a   
   powerful weapon in the arsenal of Catholic orthodoxy. It was subscribed to   
   by   
   the patriarch of Constantinople, it swept the East and in the end was signed   
   by   
   2,500 bishops.   
      
   Another joyous moment for St. Hormisdas came when word was brought from   
   Africa   
   that after the death of the Vandal king Thrasamund, the hardpressed African   
   Church enjoyed a little peace.   
      
   Hormisdas forbade the use of the expression "one of the Trinity was   
   crucified,"   
   not because it could not be understood in a true sense, but because it was   
   used   
   as a Monophysite catchword. He sent letters to the bishops of Gaul and Spain   
   on   
   disciplinary matters.   
      
   When St. Hormisdas died in 523 the Church was, on the whole, peaceful, but   
   black   
   clouds were piling up in the West.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   People who keep themselves low in their own estimation and love to be   
   considered   
   of little account and despised by others please God in the highest degree.   
   -St. Thomas a Kempis   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   And they brought to him young children, that he might touch them. And the   
   disciples rebuked them that brought them.. Whom when Jesus saw, he was much   
   displeased, and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come unto me,   
   and   
   forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Amen I say to you,   
   whosoever   
   shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter into   
   it.   
   (Mark 10:13-15)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Novena To the Immaculate Heart of Mary   
      
   Immaculate Heart of Mary, full of love for God and mankind,   
   and of compassion for sinners, I consecrate myself entirely to thee.   
   I entrust to thee the salvation of my soul. May my heart be ever   
   united with thine, so that I may hate sin, love God, and my   
   neighbor, and reach eternal life together with those whom I love.   
   Mediatrix of All Graces and Mother of Mercy, remember   
   the infinite treasure which thy Divine Son has merited by His   
   sufferings and which He has confided to thee for us, thy children.   
   Filled with confidence in thy motherly Heart, which I venerate   
   and love, I come to thee with my pressing needs.   
   Through the merits of thy loving Heart, and for the sake of   
   the Sacred Heart of Jesus, obtain for me the favor I ask:   
   [Mention your request.]   
      
   Dearest Mother, if what I ask for should not be according to   
   God's Will, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater   
   benefit to my soul. May I experience the kindness of thy   
   motherly Heart and the power of thine intercession with Jesus   
   during life and at the hour of my death.   
   Amen.   
      
   Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI's published prayer intentions for the   
   month of   
   August, 2008:   
      
   General:   
   That the human family may learn to respect God's plan for the world and   
   become   
   ever more aware that Creation is God's great gift.   
      
   Mission:   
   That the answer of the entire people of God to the common calling to   
   holiness   
   and mission may be promoted and fostered by means of careful discernment of   
   charisms and constant commitment to spiritual and cultural formation   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)