February 28th - Blessed Daniel Brottier

[Rich]

February 28th - Blessed Daniel Brottier
(1876-1936)

Blessed Daniel Brottier was born in France to a devout family, and
earnestly felt the call of the Lord to the religious life. He was
ordained in 1899, and began his career as a professor, teaching at the
college of Pontlevov. While he loved his work, interacting with
students, he felt strongly called to missionary work, and at the age
of 26, entered the Order of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost.
Located in Orly, France, this missionary Order sent priests and
religious throughout the world.

The following year, Daniel was sent to Senegal, West Africa, where he
remained for eight years, preaching among the native people. While in
Africa his health suffered, eventually forcing him to return to
Europe. Upon his return, he was commissioned to chair the fund-raising
campaign to build a cathedral in Dakar, Senegal, as well as to support
the on-going missionary work in that portion of the world. Blessed
Daniel engaged in this task with zeal, honoring the Africans who had
died fighting for France, and the French who had died fighting for
Africa. His campaign--built on equality and respect between races--was
successful, and the cathedral was built. It was consecrated only weeks
before his death in 1936.

When World War I broke out, Daniel immediately volunteered as a
chaplain for the French forces, and spent four years on the front
lines of horrific battles. Risking his life repeatedly, he ministered
to the suffering and dying on the battlefields, miraculously escaping
injury himself. For his bravery, he was cited six times, receiving the
Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour. Blessed Daniel attributed
his survival to the intercession of saint Therese of Lisieux, and
built a chapel in her honor at the conclusion of the war in Auteuil,
France. There, he assumed administrative responsibilities of the
Orphan Apprentices of Auteuil—a project established to provide for
orphaned and abandoned children. There, he spent the remaining 13
years of his life, and was buried.

Blessed Daniel is remembered for saying: “My secret is this: help
yourself and heaven will help you. ... I have no other secret. If the
good God worked miracles, through Thérèse's intercession, I think I
can say in all justice that we did everything, humanly speaking, to be
deserving, and that they were the divine reward of our work, prayers
and trust in providence.”


Saint Quote:
"The spirit of Christian charity lives not within you, if you lament
the body from which the soul has departed, but lament not the soul
from which God has departed."
--St. Augustine (Doctor, 354-430) - "Catechism of the Council of Trent"

Bible Quote:
20 Without wood the fire dies out;
without a talebearer strife subsides.
21 Charcoal for coals, wood for fire—
such are the quarrelsome, enkindling strife. [Prov 26:20–21]


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FAST

FAST from self-concern and FEAST on compassion for others.

FAST from discouragement and FEAST on hope.

FAST from lethargy and FEAST on enthusiasm.

FAST from suspicion and FEAST on truth.

FAST from thoughts that weaken and FEAST on promises that inspire.

FAST from shadows of sorrow and FEAST on the sunlight of serenity.

FAST from idle gossip and FEAST on purposeful silence.

FAST from problems that overwhelm you and FEAST on prayer that sustains.

FAST from criticism and FEAST on praise.

FAST from self-pity and FEAST on joy.

FAST from ill-temper and FEAST on peace.

FAST from resentment and FEAST on contentment.

FAST from jealousy and FEAST on love.

FAST from pride and FEAST on humility.

FAST from selfishness and FEAST on service.

--Abbot Tryphon