From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The Love of Solitude and Silence [1]    
      
     SEEK a suitable time for leisure and meditate often on the favors of   
   God. Leave curiosities alone. Read such matters as bring sorrow to the   
   heart rather than occupation to the mind. If you withdraw yourself   
   from unnecessary talking and idle running about, from listening to   
   gossip and rumors, you will find enough time that is suitable for holy   
   meditation.   
     Very many great saints avoided the company of men wherever possible   
   and chose to serve God in retirement. “As often as I have been among   
   men,” said one writer, “I have returned less a man.” We often find   
   this to be true when we take part in long conversations. It is easier   
   to be silent altogether than not to speak too much. To stay at home is   
   easier than to be sufficiently on guard while away. Anyone, then, who   
   aims to live the inner and spiritual life must go apart, with Jesus,   
   from the crowd.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 1, Ch 20   
      
   <<>><<>><<>>   
   April 17th - St Stephen Harding, Cist. Order   
    (1050-1104)   
      
    Monk, priest, writer, teacher and co-founder of the Cistercian   
   Order--Patron of the Cistercians Attributes:  Dressed in the   
   Cistercian habit, abbot’s crozier, holding the Carta caritatis   
   (“Charter of Charity”), a founding document for the Cistercian Order.   
      
   Harding was born in Sherborne, Dorset, in the Kingdom of England, and   
   spoke English, Norman, French and Latin. He was placed in Sherborne   
   Abbey at a young age, but eventually left the monastery and became a   
   travelling scholar, journeying with one devout companion, into   
   Scotland and afterwards to Paris and then to Rome. He eventually moved   
   to Molesme Abbey in Burgundy, under the Abbot Robert of Molesme (c.   
   1027-1111).   
      
   When Robert left Molesme to avoid what he perceived to be the abbey’s   
   increasing wealth and overly strong connections to the aristocracy,   
   Harding and Alberic of Cîteaux went with him. Seeing no hope of a   
   sufficient reformation in Molemse, Robert appointed another abbot for   
   the abbey and then, with Alberic, Harding and 21 other monks, received   
   permission from Hugh, the Archbishop of Lyons and legate of the Holy   
   See, to found a new monastery in Citeaux, a marshy wilderness five   
   leagues from Dijon. There, they formed a new, more austere, monastery.   
   Eudes, afterwards Duke of Burgundy, built them a little church, which   
   was placed under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin, as all the   
   churches of the Cistercians from that time have been.   
      
   Stephen became the third abbot of Cîteaux. However, very few were   
   joining the community and the monks were suffering from hunger and   
   sickness. In 1112, Bernard of Clairvaux entered the community,   
   bringing with him 30 companions. Between 1112 and 1119, a dozen new   
   Cistercian houses were founded to accommodate those joining the young   
   order. Harding’s organisational skills were exceptional; he instituted   
   the system of general chapters and regular visitations. In 1119, he   
   received official approbation for the Carta Caritatis (Charter of   
   Charity), an important document for the Cistercian Order, establishing   
   its unifying principles.   
      
   Stephen Harding served Cîteaux Abbey as abbot for 25 years. While no   
   single person is considered the founder of the Cistercian Order, the   
   shape of Cistercian thought, and its rapid growth in the 12th century   
   were arguably due to Harding’s leadership. Insisting on simplicity in   
   all aspects of monastic life, he was largely responsible for the   
   severity of Cistercian architecture and the simple beauty of the   
   Order’s liturgy.  He was an accomplished scribe for the monastery’s   
   scriptorium; his highest achievement is considered to be the Harding   
   Bible, famous among medieval manuscripts. In 1133, he resigned as head   
   of the order because of age and infirmity. He died on 28 March 1134,   
   and was buried in the tomb of Alberic, his predecessor, in the   
   cloisters at Cîteaux.   
      
   In a joint commemoration with Robert of Molesme and Alberic, the first   
   two abbots of Cîteaux, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates Stephen   
   Harding’s in a joint feast day on 26 January too.   
      
   The north aisle of the Church of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate in   
   London was formerly a chapel dedicated to him.   
      
      
   Bible Quote:   
   We must never get tired of doing good, and then we shall get our   
   harvest at the proper time. While we have the chance, we must do good   
   to all, and especially to our brothers in the faith.  (Galatians   
   6:9-10 )   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Salutations To The Hearts Of Jesus And Mary   
      
   Hail, Heart most holy.   
   Hail, Heart most gentle.   
   Hail, Heart most humble.   
   Hail, Heart most pure.   
   Hail, Heart most wise.   
   Hail, Heart most patient.   
   Hail, Heart most merciful.   
   Hail, most loving Heart of Jesus and Mary.   
   We revere Thee.   
   We glorify Thee.   
   We give Thee thanks.   
   We love Thee.   
   We offer Thee our heart.   
   Receive it and possess it wholly.   
   Purify it.   
   Enlighten it.   
   Sanctify it.   
   That Thou may live and reign in it now,   
   always and forever and ever.   
      
   Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)