From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   The Holy Spirit’s Work In Us   
      
   Hippolytus, a second century Christian writer, explains the   
   significance of the Holy Spirit’s work in us: “This is the water of   
   the Spirit: It refreshes paradise, enriches the earth, gives life to   
   living things.  It is the water of Christ’s baptism; it is our life.   
   If you go with faith to this renewing fountain, you renounce Satan   
   your enemy and confess Christ your God.  You cease to be a slave and   
   become an adopted son; you come forth radiant as the sun and brilliant   
   with justice; you come forth a son of God and fellow-heir with   
   Christ.” (From a sermon, On the Epiphany)   
      
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   9 February – Blessed Giacomo Abbondo   
      
    Priest, Apostle of the poor, Spiritual guide, renowned Preacher –   
   born on 27 August 1720 in Salomino, Duchy of Milan (in modern Italy)   
   and died on 9 February 1788 in Tronzano, Ducky of Milan, Italy of   
   natural causes. Patronage – Tronzano, Italy.   
      
   Don Giacomo Abbondo was a true Parish Priest, father figure, shepherd   
   and preacher of the Gospel, who cared for his faithful to the point of   
   heroically practising charity. Pope Francis proclaimed him to be   
   Venerable in 2014 and approved a miracle needed for his Beatification   
   in 2015. This priest from Tronzano Vercellese was Beatified by   
   Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes   
   of Saints, who was  representing Pope Francis, on Saturday, 11 June   
   2016, in Vercelli.   
      
   Giacomo Abbondo was born in Vercelli on 27 August 1720 as the second   
   of six children to Carlo Benedetto Abbondo and Francesca Maria Naya.   
      
   The decisive factor in his Christian upbringing was the presence and   
   example of his paternal uncle, Father Giovanni Carlo Abbondo. Giacomo   
   attended school in Tronzano and received Confirmation from Cardinal   
   Carlo Vincenzo Maria Ferreri on 15 December 1740. It was at this time   
   his religious calling blossomed and his father had, on 11 August 1738,   
   announced his son’s desire to become a priest. The same day as his   
   Confirmation, the Cardinal gave him the first clerical tonsure and on   
   12 August admitted him to minor orders. On 27 May 1741, the cardinal   
   also gave him the minor orders of exorcism and acolyte.   
      
   Msgr Giovanni Pietro Solaro elevated him to the Subdiaconate on 21   
   December 1743 and elevated him to the Diaconate on 29 February 1744.   
   He commenced his theological studies in Vercelli where he was Ordained   
   on 21 March 1744. He received a papal dispensation from Pope Clement   
   XII for his Ordination, since he had not reached the canonical age for   
   becoming a priest.   
      
   He obtained a degree in literature on 31 October 1748 in Turin and was   
   assigned to teach in Vercelli. In 1757 he left teaching to remain as a   
   simple Parish Priest.   
      
   He tried to help his parishioners to discover the goodness of God and   
   to know and praise God. He believed that this was of greater   
   importance since the previous Priest was a known Jansenist. He was   
   devoted to the sacraments and was a renowned preacher. He loved the   
   children and insisted that he be the one who admitted the Eucharist to   
   them when the children were ten. He viewed his mission as a Priest as   
   a service that had to be available to all people.   
      
   Abbondo would visit his parishioners in their homes in his role as the   
   head of thirteen churches but also, did this, in order to maintain   
   fruitful relationships and connections with the people. He scheduled   
   lectures each Lent season and on 3 April 1759 obtained from Pope   
   Clement XIII the privilege of indulgences, for those that partook of   
   the spiritual exercises offered in Tronzano. He also referred to the   
   spiritual exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola as a guide. He preached   
   to the Sisters of Saint Agatha in 1775 and to the Sisters of the Holy   
   Spirit in 1782.   
      
   He died in 1788 with a deep reputation for holiness and was well known   
   across the area for the pious life that he led. Pilgrimages to his   
   tomb became common and there were immediate calls for his   
   Beatification to commence.   
      
   On Sunday 12 June at 10.30 in the parish church of Tronzano, the place   
   where his mortal remains are kept, the Cardinal Angelo Amato will   
   preside over the Eucharist of thanksgiving to God for the gift of the   
   new Blessed, who, in the hamlet of Salomino, was born in 1720 and from   
   where he exercised the priestly ministry as Parish Priest from 1757 to   
   1788.   
      
   The parish community of Tronzano prepared for this “moment of grace”   
   throughout a year which coincided with the 250th anniversary of the   
   consecration of the parish church, consecration that took place in   
   1766, while Don Giacomo was parish priest. On Friday 10 June, on the   
   eve of the Beatification, there will be the possibility of Confessions   
   throughout the course of the day.   
      
   Saturday 2 July 2016 at 17.00 in the parish church of Salomino,   
   Cardinal Angelo Amato will preside over the Eucharist which will begin   
   in the courtyard of the birthplace of Don Giacomo, with the blessing   
   of the Statue that will be placed in the Church of the hamlet.   
      
   see   
   https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/09/   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he   
   does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to   
   defend himself from it"   
   --St. Vincent de Paul   
      
   Bible Quote   
   And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall   
   humble himself shall be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)   
      
      
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   A PRAYER FOR PERSEVERANCE   
      
   Lord Jesus Christ,   
   I believe in Thee as my God and my Saviour.   
   Make me more faithful to Thy Gospel and   
   commandments. By sharing in the Eucharist,   
   may I come to live more fully   
   in the life Thou hast given me.   
   Keep Thy Love alive within my heart and soul   
   so that I may become worthy of Thee.   
   Teach me to value and be thankful   
   for all of Thy Gifts.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)