From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Bear One Another's Burdens:   
      
      The responsibility of love is that we bear one another's burdens. But   
   this responsibility, which is not an eternal one, leads doubtless to an   
   eternal blessedness in which there will be no burdens for us that we will be   
   required to bear for one another.   
      Now, however, while we are in this life, that is, on this journey, let us   
   bear one another's burdens so that we can achieve that life which is free of   
   every burden.   
   St. Augustine: -- 83 Diverse Questions, 71   
      
   Meditation for Troubled times:   
      God's spirit is all about you all day long. You have no thoughts, no   
   plans, no impulses and no emotions that He does not know about. You can hide   
   nothing from Him. Do not make your conduct conform only to that of the world   
   and do not depend on the approval or disapproval of others. God sees in   
   secret, but He rewards openly. If you are in harmony with the Divine Spirit,   
   doing your best to live the way you believe God wants you to live, you will   
   be at peace.   
      I pray that I may always feel God's presence. I pray that I may realize   
   this Presence constantly all through the day.   
   --From Twenty-Four Hours a Day   
      
      
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   April 8th - St. Julia Billiart V (RM)   
    (Also known as Julie)   
      
   Born in Cuvilly (near Beauvais), Picardy, France, on July 12, 1751; died on   
   April 8, 1816; beatified in 1906; canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1969.   
      
   Julia, baptized Marie Rose Julia Billiart, was born to prosperous peasant   
   farmers who also owned a small shop in Cuvilly. Early in life she evinced an   
   interest in religion and helping the sick and the poor. At 14, she took a   
   vow of chastity and dedicated herself to the service and instruction of the   
   poor.   
      
   She was paralyzed by shock when someone shot a gun at her father, while she   
   was sitting next to him. Thereafter, she was an invalid for 22 years.   
   Although she was in pain, this malady gave her the luxury of spending more   
   time in prayer.   
      
   In 1790, the curé of Cuvilly was replaced by a priest who had taken the oath   
   prescribed by the revolutionary authorities, and Julia rallied the people to   
   boycott him. She also helped find safe houses for fugitive priests, and for   
   this reason was taken to Compiegne, where she had to change addresses often   
   for her safety.   
      
   A friend brought her to Amiens to the house of Viscount Blin de Bourdon   
   after the Reign of Terror. There she met Frances Blin de Bourdon,   
   Viscountess de Gézaincourt, who became her friend and worked with her. Daily   
   the viscountess and a small group of pious women gathered in Julia's   
   sickroom for the sacrifice of the Mass. Throughout the French Revolution   
   (1794-1804), Julia encourage the group in their works of charity. Heightened   
   persecution forced Julia and Frances to move to a house belonging to the   
   Doria family at Bettencourt, where, with a group of women, they conducted   
   catechetical classes for the villages.   
      
   At Bettencourt Julia met Father Joseph Varin, who was convinced that the   
   saint was meant to achieve great works. When Frances and Julia returned to   
   Amiens, they laid the foundations of the Institute of Notre Dame, whose   
   objects were to see to the religious instruction of poor children, the   
   Christian education of girls of all classes, and the training of religious   
   teachers. They also opened an orphanage.   
      
   The rules of the institute were somewhat innovative, requiring the abolition   
   of the distinction between choir and lay sisters. At a mission held by the   
   Fathers of the Faith of Amiens in 1804, the teaching of women was given to   
   the Sisters of Notre Dame. At the end of the mission, Father Enfantin asked   
   Julia to join him in a novena without telling her why, and on the fifth day,   
   the feast of the Sacred Heart, he ordered her to walk. After 22 years as an   
   invalid, at the age of 44, she got up and realized that she was cured.   
      
   Now fully functional, she worked to extend the new foundation and to assist   
   at missions conducted by the Fathers of the Faith in other towns. She did   
   this until the work was halted by the government. The educational work   
   continued, however, and convents were opened at Namur, Ghent, and Tournai.   
      
   Unfortunately, Father Varin's post of confessor to the sisters was filled by   
   a young priest who estranged Julia from the bishop of Amiens, and the bishop   
   pressed for her withdrawal from his diocese in 1809. She moved the mother   
   house to Namur, joined by nearly all the sisters, where she was well   
   received by the bishop.   
      
   Soon she was vindicated and invited to return to Amiens, but since it was   
   too difficult to restore the foundation there, Namur became the motherhouse.   
   As of 1816, it was clear that Julia's health was failing rapidly. While   
   repeating the Magnificat, she died. By the time of her death 15 convents had   
   been established (Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Gill, Walsh, White).   
      
      
   Readings   
   I ought to die of shame to think I have not already died of gratitude to my   
   good God.   
   --Saint Julie Billiart   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   The most deadly poison of our times is indifference. And this happens,   
   although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore,   
   to praise Him to the greatest extent of our powers.   
   -- Saint Maximilian Kolbe   
      
      
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   LADY IN THE LIGHT   
      
   Crystalline brilliance of light so endowed,   
   To Mary, our Mother, for Her heavenly shroud,   
   Love's own white fire, a fire that heals,   
   The souls She will come to when answering appeals.   
   The stars of divinity set in Her crown,   
   Send shimmering stardust to earthly abounds;   
   Soft velvet whispers that need no translation,   
   To carry Her message to souls of all nations.   
   This is the aura that streams from above,   
   Sent forth from the heavens and the Father of love.   
   Soft velvet whispers that need no translation,   
   To carry Her message to souls of all nations.   
   This is the aura that streams from above,   
   Sent forth from the heavens and the Father of love.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)