From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   January 12th - St. Anthony Mary Pucci, pastor, healer   
      
   Anthony Pucci was born in 1819 at Poggiole, in the diocese of Pistoia,   
   Italy. He   
   entered the Servite Order at the age of eighteen. After his ordination to   
   the   
   priesthood he was sent to Viareggio where he was soon made pastor, an office   
   he   
   held for forty-five years, until his death. As prior provincial of the   
   Tuscan   
   Province he preferred to be regarded as a brother in the service of others   
   rather than as a superior.   
      
   He gave himself totally to the service of God and parishioners, especially   
   the   
   needy. He died on January 12, 1892. In 1962 Pope John XXIII added his name   
   to   
   the list of saints.   
      
   Anthony Mary Pucci was born of fine Christian parents at Poggiole, in the   
   diocese of Pistoia, Italy, in 1819; he was the second of nine children.   
   After a   
   youth marked by prayer and study, his devotion to Mary, the Mother of God,   
   caused him to seek entrance in the Order of Servants of Mary at the age of   
   eighteen.   
      
   He made his novitiate at Florence and studied philosophy and theology at   
   Monte   
   Senario for six years, where he also made his solemn profession. In 1844, a   
   year   
   after his ordination to the priesthood, Anthony was sent to Viareggio as   
   assistant pastor. In 1847 he was named pastor and for forty-five years,   
   until   
   his death, he fulfilled this responsibility with great love, giving an   
   example   
   of a pure and fruitful life, singularly dedicated to God and his flock.   
   Notwithstanding pastoral duties he continued his studies and in 1850   
   received   
   the tidal of Master in Theology.   
      
   For many years Father Anthony was prior of the community in Viareggio and   
   also   
   prior provincial of the Tuscan Province. This was a period of hostility   
   between   
   Church and civil authorities due to laws passed against religious orders and   
   congregations. In these offices, mindful of the words of Saint Augustine, he   
   preferred to be loved rather than feared by his brothers, and was happy to   
   serve   
   with love rather than exercise power.   
      
   Anthony was characterized by humility of spirit, reserve in speaking,   
   abiding   
   contact with God and love of poverty. He dedicated himself completely to his   
   priestly ministry in order to lead all to Christ; he knew his parishioners   
   individually, he showed them fatherly love, offering them the word of God   
   and   
   supporting them with his advice and direction. His charity to the needy knew   
   no   
   limits: he even went so far as to give a poor man the shirt off his back and   
   because of this he was called father of the poor.   
      
   He was a faithful minister of the sacrament of penance, dedicating several   
   hours   
   a day to this work. Of greatest importance to him was reconciling sinners to   
   God, comforting the afflicted, forgiving those who had offended him, uniting   
   those separated by hatred and violence, bringing peace to families, and   
   assisting the sick and dying. His love for others was particularly visible   
   during the cholera epidemic of 1854-1856, when day and night, almost without   
   rest, he worked with the sick. God gave him many gifts, including   
   discernment of   
   spirits and the gift of healing. He was seen at times in ecstasy or raised   
   from   
   the ground in prayer.   
      
   Father Anthony founded a congregation of Servite sisters in his parish for   
   the   
   education of youth, and he directed them with particular concern. He was a   
   pioneer in establishing parish associations for young children, teenagers,   
   men,   
   and women in order to intensify the Christian life of his community. He   
   promoted   
   the St. Vincent de Paul Society, recently introduced into Italy from France,   
   and   
   the work for the Propagation of the Faith. He founded the first permanent   
   seaside home for the care of children. In this work of the apostolate he was   
   supported and animated by his great love for the Eucharist and Our Lady of   
   Sorrows to whom he solemnly consecrated his parish.   
      
   He was stricken with pneumonia on a winter's day after he gave his coat to a   
   poor man on the street. A few days later, January 12, 1892, having received   
   the   
   sacraments, he died a holy death. The entire city, including even those   
   hostile   
   to the Church, wept at the death of their beloved pastor.   
      
   Pope John XXIII, on December 9. 1962, added his name to the list of saints.   
   The   
   body of Saint Anthony Pucci is venerated in the Basilica of St. Andrew in   
   Viareggio.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   You must be holy in the way that God asks you to be holy. God does not ask   
   you   
   to be a Trappist monk or a hermit. He wills that you sanctify the world and   
   your   
   everyday life.   
   -Saint Vincent Pallotti   
      
   Bible Verse:   
    "Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God,   
   that   
   he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit   
   iniquity.   
   For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find   
   according to his ways. Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will   
   the   
   Almighty pervert judgment  (Job 34:10-12)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
    Prayer   
      
   Father in heaven, you made Saint Anthony exemplary as Servant of Mary and   
   pastor   
   of your people. May our devotion to Mary help us be generous servants of   
   your   
   people, building your kingdom on earth. We ask this through our Lord Jesus   
   Christ.   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   St. Theresa's Prayer to the Holy face   
      
   O Jesus, Who in Thy bitter Passion didst become "the most abject of men, a   
   man   
   of sorrows," I venerate Thy Sacred Face whereon there once did shine the   
   beauty   
   and sweetness of the Godhead ... but now it has become for me as if it were   
   the   
   Face of a leper! Nevertheless, under those disfigured features, I recognize   
   Thy   
   Infinite Love and I am consumed with the desire to love Thee and make Thee   
   loved   
   by all men.   
      
   The tears which well up abundantly in Thy Sacred Eyes appear to me as so   
   many   
   precious pearls that I love to gather up, in order to purchase the souls of   
   poor   
   sinners by means of their infinite value. O Jesus, Whose adorable Face   
   ravished   
   my heart, I implore Thee to fix deep within me Thy Divine Image and to set   
   me on   
   fire with Thy Love, that I may be found worthy to come to the contemplation   
   of   
   Thy glorious Face in Heaven. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)