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Prudence in Action
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Rich
May 5, 2023, 4:22:59 AM5/5/23
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Prudence in Action
DO NOT yield to every impulse and suggestion but consider things
carefully and patiently in the light of God's will. For very often,
sad to say, we are so weak that we believe and speak evil of others
rather than good. Perfect men, however, do not readily believe every
talebearer, because they know that human frailty is prone to evil and
is likely to appear in speech. Not to act rashly or to cling
obstinately to one's opinion, not to believe everything people say or
to spread abroad the gossip one has heard, is great wisdom.
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ -- book 1 Ch. 4
<<>><<>><<>>
May 5th – Bl. Edmund Ignatius Rice
(1762-1844)
Medieval Ireland was noted for its scholars. During the British
“occupation” of the Emerald Isle, everything was done to discourage
the education of Irish youth. In the 1800s Daniel O’Connell launched a
campaign to achieve political liberty for the Irish people. The “Great
Liberator,” as O’Connell was called, proudly hailed Edmund Ignatius
Rice, his contemporary as an educational liberator of the Gaels.
Edmund Rice did not plan to become an educator. Divine Providence
switched him into the triple role of intellectual liberator, religious
brother, and saint.
In a day in which most Irish families were poor, Edmund was born into
a fairly comfortable County Kilkenny family, the fourth of seven sons.
His parents could afford to send him to a one-room private school
where the instruction was in Gaelic. Afterwards he attended a business
school in Kilkenny. When 18 he went to Waterford to work for an uncle
who was a prosperous merchant. Thanks to a native talent for business,
Edmund himself soon became prosperous, and in 1785 he wedded Mary
Elliot, the daughter of another distinguished Waterfordian.
All went well until 1789, when Mary died while giving birth
prematurely. Their child survived, but was severally handicapped.
Shattered by the turn of events, Edmund found himself at a crossroads.
He finally decided to devote the rest of his life to God, leaving the
specific directions in the hands of the Creator. But first he provided
for his dear disabled child, arranging to have her raised by his
father’s family. Her expenses were payable from an endowment that he
established. Well cared for, she lived to be 70.
The young widower had always been a pious, intelligent, and
self-disciplined layman. Now, as he projected his future, he became
even more serious about his religious commitment. Ultimately he
decided that since there were no Catholic schools for boys in
Anglicized Ireland, the most valuable contribution he could make to
faith and freedom would be to establish a religious order of teaching
brothers, and with their assistance found and maintain a series of
schools. The tender father of a disabled daughter, he would become
surrogate father of countless Christian sons.
In 1802, with the encouragement of the pope and the permission of his
bishop, Rice and three other men formed an association, and in 1803
opened a school for Waterford’s unlettered and rambunctious boys. In
1809 the four took vows as a religious order of teaching brothers,
following a rule of life based on that of the Irish Presentation
Sisters. Edmund chose Ignatius as his religious name. In 1820, having
found that being under the supervision of local bishops presented
difficulties, the little community obtained the status of a pontifical
order, subject direct to the pope. Now they adopted the rule of the
“Brothers of the Christian Schools.” which had been founded by St.
John Baptist de la Salle in the seventeenth century. At that point,
one group of the Rice brothers broke off and declared its
independence; but these Presentation Brothers, a smaller congregation,
also acknowledge Rice as their originator. Up until 1966 the Rice
brotherhood was called “Congregation of the Brothers of the Christian
Schools of Ireland” (“Irish Christian Brothers” for short). In 1966
their title was changed to “Congregation of Christian Brothers” for by
that time they had schools around the world. In 1906 they made their
first American foundation, a parochial school in New York City Harlem.
In 1940 they founded Iona College at New Rochelle, N.Y. In 1962, when
Bishop Kearney High School was opened in Rochester, N.Y, the “Irish
Christian Brothers” were put in charge.
Brother Rice was the sole superior of the community until his
retirement in 1838. He was so self-effacing a man that he left few
personal papers to his would-be biographers. Enough is known, however,
of the spirituality and achievements of this
merchant-turned-schoolmaster to prove the heroism of his holiness.
On October 6, 1996, Pope John Paul II beatified Edmund Ignatius Rice,
“father” to many and an educator according to the finest traditions of
the Isle of Saints and Scholars.
–Father Robert F. McNamara
Saint Quote:
Only believe, and you have already found what you seek. In truth, what
does Faith not find? It reached the unapproachable, it discovers the
unknown, it comprehends the unsearchable, it has the secret of
arriving at the ends of things, and it has but to dilate its bosom to
hold even eternity in its embrace.
-- St. Bernard
Bible Quote:
Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the
word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. James
1:21
<><><><>
How Great is Your Goodness, Lord!
By Archbishop Baldwin
of Canterbury (c 1125-1190)
How great is Your goodness, Lord,
Who does not shrink from letting Your servant,
place You upon his heart!
How great my own worth,
since You have chosen me
to have part in Yours,
to have You abiding in me,
to love You as You deserve, above myself.
Lord, take from me this hard heart
and give me a new, clean heart
of flesh and blood.
You Who make my heart pure,
take possession of mine
and make it Your home.
Hold it and fill it,
You, Who are higher than my topmost height,
more inward than my inward being.
You, the Seal of Holiness,
Beauty of beauties,
engrave on my heart, Your Image
and the imprint of Your mercy.
Be, O God, my eternal love
and my inheritance.
Amen
DO NOT yield to every impulse and suggestion but consider things
carefully and patiently in the light of God's will. For very often,
sad to say, we are so weak that we believe and speak evil of others
rather than good. Perfect men, however, do not readily believe every
talebearer, because they know that human frailty is prone to evil and
is likely to appear in speech. Not to act rashly or to cling
obstinately to one's opinion, not to believe everything people say or
to spread abroad the gossip one has heard, is great wisdom.
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ -- book 1 Ch. 4
<<>><<>><<>>
May 5th – Bl. Edmund Ignatius Rice
(1762-1844)
Medieval Ireland was noted for its scholars. During the British
“occupation” of the Emerald Isle, everything was done to discourage
the education of Irish youth. In the 1800s Daniel O’Connell launched a
campaign to achieve political liberty for the Irish people. The “Great
Liberator,” as O’Connell was called, proudly hailed Edmund Ignatius
Rice, his contemporary as an educational liberator of the Gaels.
Edmund Rice did not plan to become an educator. Divine Providence
switched him into the triple role of intellectual liberator, religious
brother, and saint.
In a day in which most Irish families were poor, Edmund was born into
a fairly comfortable County Kilkenny family, the fourth of seven sons.
His parents could afford to send him to a one-room private school
where the instruction was in Gaelic. Afterwards he attended a business
school in Kilkenny. When 18 he went to Waterford to work for an uncle
who was a prosperous merchant. Thanks to a native talent for business,
Edmund himself soon became prosperous, and in 1785 he wedded Mary
Elliot, the daughter of another distinguished Waterfordian.
All went well until 1789, when Mary died while giving birth
prematurely. Their child survived, but was severally handicapped.
Shattered by the turn of events, Edmund found himself at a crossroads.
He finally decided to devote the rest of his life to God, leaving the
specific directions in the hands of the Creator. But first he provided
for his dear disabled child, arranging to have her raised by his
father’s family. Her expenses were payable from an endowment that he
established. Well cared for, she lived to be 70.
The young widower had always been a pious, intelligent, and
self-disciplined layman. Now, as he projected his future, he became
even more serious about his religious commitment. Ultimately he
decided that since there were no Catholic schools for boys in
Anglicized Ireland, the most valuable contribution he could make to
faith and freedom would be to establish a religious order of teaching
brothers, and with their assistance found and maintain a series of
schools. The tender father of a disabled daughter, he would become
surrogate father of countless Christian sons.
In 1802, with the encouragement of the pope and the permission of his
bishop, Rice and three other men formed an association, and in 1803
opened a school for Waterford’s unlettered and rambunctious boys. In
1809 the four took vows as a religious order of teaching brothers,
following a rule of life based on that of the Irish Presentation
Sisters. Edmund chose Ignatius as his religious name. In 1820, having
found that being under the supervision of local bishops presented
difficulties, the little community obtained the status of a pontifical
order, subject direct to the pope. Now they adopted the rule of the
“Brothers of the Christian Schools.” which had been founded by St.
John Baptist de la Salle in the seventeenth century. At that point,
one group of the Rice brothers broke off and declared its
independence; but these Presentation Brothers, a smaller congregation,
also acknowledge Rice as their originator. Up until 1966 the Rice
brotherhood was called “Congregation of the Brothers of the Christian
Schools of Ireland” (“Irish Christian Brothers” for short). In 1966
their title was changed to “Congregation of Christian Brothers” for by
that time they had schools around the world. In 1906 they made their
first American foundation, a parochial school in New York City Harlem.
In 1940 they founded Iona College at New Rochelle, N.Y. In 1962, when
Bishop Kearney High School was opened in Rochester, N.Y, the “Irish
Christian Brothers” were put in charge.
Brother Rice was the sole superior of the community until his
retirement in 1838. He was so self-effacing a man that he left few
personal papers to his would-be biographers. Enough is known, however,
of the spirituality and achievements of this
merchant-turned-schoolmaster to prove the heroism of his holiness.
On October 6, 1996, Pope John Paul II beatified Edmund Ignatius Rice,
“father” to many and an educator according to the finest traditions of
the Isle of Saints and Scholars.
–Father Robert F. McNamara
Saint Quote:
Only believe, and you have already found what you seek. In truth, what
does Faith not find? It reached the unapproachable, it discovers the
unknown, it comprehends the unsearchable, it has the secret of
arriving at the ends of things, and it has but to dilate its bosom to
hold even eternity in its embrace.
-- St. Bernard
Bible Quote:
Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the
word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. James
1:21
<><><><>
How Great is Your Goodness, Lord!
By Archbishop Baldwin
of Canterbury (c 1125-1190)
How great is Your goodness, Lord,
Who does not shrink from letting Your servant,
place You upon his heart!
How great my own worth,
since You have chosen me
to have part in Yours,
to have You abiding in me,
to love You as You deserve, above myself.
Lord, take from me this hard heart
and give me a new, clean heart
of flesh and blood.
You Who make my heart pure,
take possession of mine
and make it Your home.
Hold it and fill it,
You, Who are higher than my topmost height,
more inward than my inward being.
You, the Seal of Holiness,
Beauty of beauties,
engrave on my heart, Your Image
and the imprint of Your mercy.
Be, O God, my eternal love
and my inheritance.
Amen
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