From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   December 17th - St. Sturmi (Sturmius)   
      
   Saint Sturmi was the son of Christian parents in Bavaria, and was left to   
   the   
   care of St. Boniface. He was thus sent to the abbey of Fritzlar to study   
   under   
   St. Wigbert. After coming of age in his studies he was ordained, and for   
   three   
   years evangelized in Westphalia. He then received permission with two others   
   to   
   lead an isolated existence in the forest of Hersfeld. This land was   
   unprotected   
   from the Saxons and soon had to be abandoned.   
      
   St. Boniface found land to the south for a monastery, and established a   
   monastery at Fulda in 744.  Sturmi was made its first Abbot, and Boniface   
   considered it his favorite monastery; to be used as the model for all his   
   monasteries and seminaries. In fact St. Boniface visited often and is buried   
   in   
   the abbey at Fulda. Soon after becoming Abbot, Sturmi traveled to Monte   
   Cassino   
   to observe the Benedictine Rule. While in Italy Pope St. Zachary gave   
   approbation to the monastery at Fulda and withdrew it from all episcopal   
   authority, making it answerable to the Holy See directly.   
      
   St. Sturmi led the monastery until the martyrdom of Boniface, when St. Lull   
   took   
   the place of Boniface.  He wished to oversee Fulda as bishop, which Sturmi   
   refused. Lull got permission from the German monarch Pepin to remove Sturmi,   
   which he did when Sturmi withdrew and another was sent to replace him.  The   
   new   
   abbot was rejected by the monks and expelled.  The monks threatened to go en   
   masse to Pepin and appeal, and in appeasement the King allowed them to   
   choose   
   their own abbot. St. Sturmi was chosen, and returned with much joy after a   
   two-year exile.   
      
   Sturmi and the monks had little success with the Saxons, because Pepin and   
   Charlemagne were in a punitive battle for control. When Charlemagne was   
   called   
   to fight the Moors the Saxons attacked the monks and threatened Fulda   
   itself. In   
   779 Charlemagne returned and with Sturmi went to Duren where  his troops   
   gained   
   victory over the Saxons. Unfortunately, St. Sturmi fell ill before he could   
   recommence his missions. His health worsened and he gave up his soul on the   
   seventeenth of December, 779. Saint Sturmi was canonized in 1139, and is   
   known   
      
      
   Saint Quote :   
   They took Bishop Hopko to the central investigatory prison in Ruzin, near   
   Prague, in order to "condition him" for a trial. First they locked him up in   
   a   
   dark solitary cell where he completely lost count of time. Then they made   
   him   
   walk without any rest for 122 consecutive days. During that period of time   
   his   
   diet consisted of a piece of stale bread and a glass of water. At the end   
   his   
   legs became swollen like logs. Describing this ordeal, Bishop Hopko remarks:   
   "In   
   my mind I already began to envision my own funeral. But I kept praying for   
   strength to persevere and to remain faithful to the Catholic Church."   
   -Blessed Basil Hopko   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   Be sober and watch; for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes   
   about   
   seeking whom he may devour.  (1 Pet 5:8)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Act of Conformity to God's Will:   
      
   Behold me, Lord; do with me what Thou wilt. May Thy will be ever done;   
    I only desire what Thou wilt. I desire to suffer what Thou willest;   
    I desire to die when Thou willest.   
      
   Into Thy hands I commend my body, my soul, my life, and my death.   
    I love Thee, O my God, whether it pleaseth Thee to send me consolations   
    or afflictions, and I desire to love Thee always.   
      
   Eternal Father, I unite my death to that of Jesus Christ,   
    and I offer it to Thee in order to please Thee.   
      
   Will of my God, Thou art my love.   
   Good pleasure of my God, I devote myself entirely to Thee.   
      
   Amen.   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   A prayer before bed, of St. Alphonsus Ligouri:   
      
   Jesus Christ my God, I adore Thee and thank Thee for all the graces Thou   
   hast given me this day. I offer Thee my sleep and all the moments of this   
   night, and I beseech Thee to keep me without sin. Wherefore I put myself   
   within Thy sacred Side and under the mantle of our Lord, my Mother. Let   
   Thy holy Angels stand about me and keep me in peace; and let Thy blessing   
   be upon me.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)