Look at that clever calumniator

[Weedy]

Look at that clever calumniator

Look at that clever calumniator! He begins by fetching a deep sigh, he
affects to be humble, and puts on a modest look, and with a voice
choking with sobs tries to gloss over the slander which is on the tip
of his tongue. One would fancy that he expressly assumed a calm and
easy demeanor; for when he speaks against his brother, it is in a
tender and compassionate tone. I am really hurt, says he, to find that
our brother has fallen into such a sin; you all know how much I love
him, and how often I have tried to correct him. It is not today that I
have noticed his failing; for I should always be on my guard to speak
of others, but others have spoken of it too. It would be in vain to
disguise the fact; it is only too true, and with tears in my eyes I
tell it to you. This poor unfortunate brother has talent, but it must
be confessed that he is very guilty, and however great may be our
friendship for him, it is impossible to excuse him.
– Saint Bernard of Clairvaux from a sermon

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December 1st - Blessed John of Vercelli, OP (AC)
(also known as John Garbella)

Born at Mosso Santa Maria (near Vercelli), Italy; died at Montpellier,
France, in 1283; cultus approved in 1903.. He studied at Paris and was
ordained priest before 1229. He taught canon law at the University of
Paris. While he was professor there, Jordan of Saxony (who was a
friend of Saint Albert the Great) came to Paris, and John saw one
after another of his best pupils desert their careers to join the
Dominicans. He seems to have considered them quite objectively,
without reference to himself, until the day an interior voice spoke to
him that it was God's will for him to join the Dominicans. No one can
say that John did not respond with alacrity; he dropped everything and
ran down the street. ("Let me go; I am on my way to God!") Jordan
received him happily and gave him the habit.

In 1232, John was sent to Vercelli to establish a convent there. He
built this and several other convents in Lombardy as houses of regular
observance. While provincial of Lombardy, he also became inquisitor.
It was a particularly difficult moment. His brother in religion, Peter
of Verona, had just been killed by the heretics in Como. The entire
countryside was in a state of war, with roving bands of heretics and
robbers. It was the task of the new inquisitor to try to bring order
out of this chaos, and what John did was remarkable, considering the
situation. In spite of his heavy labors, which included the
supervision of 600 friars in 28 different cities (he reached them only
by walking), John of Vercelli established the ideals of study and
regular observance in all of his houses.

It was the good fortune of John of Vercelli to live in an age that was
well peopled by saints. He formed a close friendship with Saint Louis,
the king of France. Several of his tasks in the order, particularly
the Commission on the Program of Studies, he shared with Saint Albert
the Great, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Peter of Tarentaise (the future
Pope Innocent V). In such company one would need to have a superior
set of talents; John did.

In 1264 the chapter of the order met at Paris. Blessed Humbert had
resigned as master general of the order. John went to the chapter
hoping that he could resign as provincial of Lombardy. Instead of
escaping one office, he fell heir to a still more difficult one. He
was elected master general in 1264 and served in that capacity until
1283. John was then a man in his sixties and was, moreover,
handicapped by a crippled leg. However, he accepted the office which
would require him to walk, not only all over Lombardy, but all over
Europe. It took a brand of courage and obedience that was little short
of heroic.

During the generalate of John of Vercelli, the relics of Saint Dominic
were transferred to the new tomb that had been prepared for it by
Nicholas of Pisa. When the transfer was made, John of Vercelli fixed
his seal on the tomb; the seals were still intact on their examination
in 1946. During the translation of the relics, according to the
account in the "Vitae Fratrum", when the body of Saint Dominic was
exposed to view, the head was seen to turn towards John of Vercelli.
John, embarrassed, moved to another part of the church and gave his
place to a cardinal. Whereupon, the head of Saint Dominic was seen by
all to turn again in John's direction.

On the death of Clement IV, John of Vercelli was very nearly elected
pope. Being warned of the possibility, he fled in fright. However, his
good friend Cardinal Visconti, was elected and took the name Gregory
X. He appointed John as legate on several different missions.

He was commissioned by the pope to draw up the Schema for the second
ecumenical council of Lyons in 1274-that council to which Saint Thomas
Aquinas was hurrying when death found him on the road. At the council
John distinguished himself for his assistance by offering to the
council the talents of his best men. At the council, he accepted for
the Dominican Order the special commission of promoting reverence for
the Holy Name of Jesus and fighting blasphemy, which was, in that day
as in ours, a prevalent vice. He can thus be considered the founder of
the Holy Name Society, even though the Confraternity was not formed
until 1432.

Several precious relics were suitably enshrined by John of Vercelli.
These included several thorns from the Crown of Our Lord, which had
been given him by Saint Louis of France. The cord of Saint Thomas,
with which he had been guided by the angels and which he had worn
until death, was given into the care of the master general, who gave
it to the convent of Vercelli for safe keeping.

John's career was rapidly reaching its end. In 1279, he presided over
the famous chapter of Paris at which the order made the doctrine of
Saint Thomas officially its own. The following year he laid the
foundations of the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. One of his
last official acts was to provide for a work on the instruction of
novices (Benedictines, Dorcy).

Saint Quote:

As for us, we hold to what we believed ten and twenty years ago; to
what our forefathers believed one hundred years ago, and one thousand
years ago, and to that which the whole Catholic world has always
believed.
-- Blessed Brother Solomon Le Clerq

Bible Quote
But Peter and the apostles answering, said: We ought to obey God,
rather than men.
The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom you put to death,
hanging him upon a tree.
Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be Prince and Saviour, to
give repentance to Israel,
and remission of sins. (Acts 5:29-31)


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Blessed Virgin Mary,
Receive Our Gratitude

By St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of Grace

Blessed Virgin Mary,
who can worthily repay you
with praise and thanks
for having rescued a fallen world
by your generous consent!
Receive our gratitude
and by your prayers,
obtain the pardon of our sins.
Take our prayers into the Sanctuary of Heaven
and enable them to make our peace with God.
Holy Mary, help the miserable,
strengthen the discouraged,
comfort the sorrowful,
pray for your people,
plead for the clergy,
intercede for all women consecrated to God.
May all who venerate you
feel now your help and protection.
Be ready to help us when we pray
and bring back to us,
the answers to our prayers.
Make it your continual concern
to pray for the people of God,
for you were blessed by God
and were made worthy
to bear the Redeemer of the world,
Who lives and reigns forever.
Amen