From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   Our Mission   
      
       God has a mission for each of us and has given us the gifts to   
   successfully complete the purpose for which He created us. Our job is   
   to discern our role in His creation. The gifts He has given us can be   
   the instrument of our downfall when used against His purposes; when we   
   discern correctly through prayer and spiritual direction these same   
   talents and abilities can sanctify us and those around us. It's not   
   too late to seek God's will for your life--in fact, we should attempt   
   to understand His will for our every action, each day, using all the   
   gifts he has given us.   
      
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   February 28th - Saint Auguste Chapdelaine   
   (Also known as: Father Ma; Papa Chapdelaine; Augustus Chapdelaine)   
      
   Born:  6 January 1814 at La Rochelle-Normande, France.   
   Youngest of nine children born to Nicolas Chapdelaine and Madeleine   
   Dodeman. Following grammar school, Auguste dropped out to work on the   
   family farm. He early felt a call to the priesthood, but his family   
   opposed it, needing his help on the farm. However, the sudden death of   
   two of his brothers caused them to re-think forcing him to ignore his   
   life's vocation, and they finally approved. He entered the minor   
   seminary at Mortain on 1 October 1834, studying with boys half his   
   age. It led to his being nicknamed Papa Chapdelaine, which stuck with   
   him the rest of his life.   
      
   Ordained on 10 June 1843 at age 29. Associate pastor in Bouncy for   
   seven years beginning on 23 February 1844. In 1851 he finally obtained   
   permission from his bishop to enter the foreign missions, and was   
   accepted by French Foreign Missions; he was two years past their age   
   limit, but his zeal for the missions made them approve him anyway. He   
   stayed long enough to say a final Mass, bury his sister, and say   
   good-bye to his family, warning them that he would never see them   
   again. Left Paris for the Chinese missions on 30 April 1852, landing   
   in Singapore on 5 September 1852.   
      
   Due to being robbed on the road by bandits, Auguste lost everything he   
   had, and had to fall back and regroup before making his way to his   
   missionary assignment. He reached Kwang-si province in 1854, and was   
   arrested in Su-Lik-Hien ten days later. He spent two to three weeks in   
   prison, but was released, and ministered to the locals for two years,   
   converting hundreds. Arrested on 26 February 1856 during a government   
   crackdown, he was returned to Su-Lik-Hien and sentenced to death for   
   his work. Tortured with and died with Saint Lawrence Pe-Man and Saint   
   Agnes Tsau Kouy. One of the Martyrs of China   
      
   Died:  beheaded on 29 February 1856 in Su-Lik-Hien, Kwang-Si province, China   
      
   Beatified:  27 May 1900 by Pope Leo XIII   
   Canonized:  1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Since all things lie open to His eyes and ears, let us hold Him in awe   
   and rid ourselves of impure desires to do works of evil, so that we   
   may be protected by His mercy from the judgement that is to come.   
   Which of us can escape His mighty hand?   
   -- Pope Saint Clement I   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   The babble of some people is like sword thrusts,   
   but the tongue of the wise is healing.  [Prov 10:21]   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   When Science Is Silent   
      
   Said Dr. Joseph A. Parker: "Some have found fault with me. They say I   
   am old-fashioned and out of date; I am always quoting the Bible; why   
   not turn to science this morning?   
      
   "There is a poor widow here who has lost her only son. She wants to   
   know if she will see him again. Science shall give the answer, and I   
   will put the Book away." So he took the Book and put it on the seat   
   behind. "Will this woman see her son again? Where is he? Does death   
   end all? What has science to say?" Here a long pause. "We are waiting   
   for an answer, the woman is anxious." Another long pause. "The woman's   
   heart is breaking. Science must speak. Nothing to say? Then we must   
   take the Book," and here he reverently replaced it, and with great   
   deliberation opened it and read: "I shall go to him, but he shall not   
   return to me ...The dead shall arise ...for this corruptible must put   
   on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. O death,   
   where is thy sting? ...I saw the dead, small and great, stand before   
   God."   
      
   Then, closing the Book, and patting it affectionately, he said, "We   
   will stick to the Book!"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)