September 28th - St. Maria Amandina (Pauline Jeuris)
Waldtraud
She was born on 28 December 1872 at Herk-la-Ville, in Belgium. Daughter of
simple parents and courageous Christians who worked hard to bring up a boy
and
six girls of whom four dedicated themselves to God.
At seven years of age she lost her mother and her father was obliged to
leave
for a neighbouring village. There, a woman took the two youngest girls to
her
home and Pauline found affection and protection in this home. Affectionate
and
gay, the child very soon won the hearts of her protectors.
At fifteen she entered the Secular Third Order of St Francis of Assisi. Her
sister Rosalie was the first to enter the novitiate of the Franciscan
Missionaries of Mary in Antwerp where she received the name of Marie
Honorine.
It was only after the departure of Marie Honorine for Sri Lanka that Pauline
decided to enter the novitiate, followed by her sister Mathilde.
Marie Amandine was simple, joyful, generous, truly Franciscan. Her good
humour
and easily relationships attracted and created around her a homely
atmosphere of
joyous serenity.
She was first sent to Marseilles to be trained in the service of the sick in
the
future hospital of Taiyuanfu.
From there she left for the mission. The boat passed through Sri Lanka and
its
port, Colombo where she had the joy of meeting her sister Marie Honorine.
The
joy was mutual and then there was the 'good-bye':
"Good-bye . till heaven!"
In the mission she gave the best of herself to the dispensary. She describes
her
task in these words to her superior general:
"There are two hundred orphans, among whom are many sick ones whom we care
for
as best we can. The sick from outside also come to be cared for. If you saw
these patients, you would be horrified. You can't imagine their wounds,
aggravated by a lack of hygiene. How fortunate I am to have learned a little
of
everything in Marseilles. I do all I can to relieve them."
In fact, the task was enormous: a life of sacrifice without a break,
accepted
with joyful endurance.
"Sister Amandine is, by age and by nature, the youngest among us", wrote
Marie
Hermine. "She sings and laughs all day. That is not bad; on the contrary.
The
cross of a missionary must be borne joyfully". The Chinese called her "The
European sister who is always laughing".
She passed nights and days watching over and caring for Marie de Sainte
Nathalie
during her illness, and continued her usual work with the sick, so much so
that
in the end she fell seriously ill . There are no great means, but little by
little her robust nature overcame everything . She resumed her service.
In one of her last letters, Marie Hermine relates: "Marie Amandine said this
morning that she was praying to God not to preserve the martyrs but to
strengthen them."
And in fact, she herself continued to prepare remedies, singing as usual.
Her
joy was the admiration of those who were imprisoned with her. Certainly, she
to
whom God had given Franciscan joy, will have sung the "Te Deum" till the
end,
that hymn of praise of the Lord God, "Total Good, Unique Good, all Good"
according to the prayer of Francis of Assisi. That happened on July 9, 1900,
during the Boxer Rebellion, in Taiyuan.
All the seven Sisters, including Sr. Marie Amandine, were beatified by Pope
Pius
XII on November 24, 1946, and canonized together on October 1, 2000, by Pope
John Paul II.
Quote:
Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and
religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the
ears
to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like
priests,
your bishops like bishops and your religious act like religious.
-Abp. Fulton J. Sheen
Bible Quote
7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they
also
that pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth shall bewail themselves
because of him. Even so. Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end, saith the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the
Almighty.
(Apoc. 1:7-8)
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Daily Thoughts and Prayers for Our Beloved Dead
"Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends,
because the hand of the Lord hath touched me" Job. 19-21.
Day 1
The Memory of Our Departed Loved Ones
"When we love, we remember; and this memory, the effect of
love, is not a barren thought. It resolves itself into DEEDS for
the loved one. Why, when sorrow is united with faith, should
not our sad memories resolve themselves into sentiments
sweet and precious to the soul? To recall the features, the
accents, the manners and the sentiments of a loved one is
still to see him and to associate him with the joys and sorrows
which he formerly shared." - (Gergeres).
We must never cease to interest ourselves in the Souls in
Purgatory. The honor and glory of God, and our own salvation
is concerned with their release.
Prayers: Our Father, Three Hail Marys, Gloria, De Profundis.
De Profundis
Out of the depths, I have cried to Thee,
O Lord, Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the
voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark my iniquities,
O Lord, who shall stand it?
For with Thee there is merciful
forgiveness: and by reason of Thy
law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on His word;
my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until
night; let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy;
And with Him plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from
all its iniquities.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon them:
May they rest in peace. Amen.
Most merciful Jesus, by Thy Nativity and Holy Childhood,
deliver from Purgatory all the Holy Souls confined there.
Particularly the soul of the youngest to incur Thy displeasure
because of youthful carelessness. Take him today to Thy
Heavenly Throne, that he may evermore praise and glorify
Thee and will intercede for me at the hour of need.
See entire prayer at:
http://www.dailycatholic.org/deprofun.htm