13 October – St Gerald of Aurillac

[Weedy]

13 October – St Gerald of Aurillac

(855-909)
Consecrated Celibate Noble Layman (born 855 in Aurillac, France – died
909 at Cenezac, France).  He was buried in his abbey in Aurillac,
France.  Patronages – bachelors, counts, disabled, handicapped or
physically challenged people, Aurillac, France, Upper Auvergne,
France.

Gerald was born into the Gallo-Roman nobility, counting Cesarius of
Arles among his forebears, though the title “Count of Aurillac” was
not held by his father, to whose estates he succeeded and was assumed
by him in later life. The details of his life known today come
primarily from The Life of St Gerald of Aurillac (c. 930–931) written
by St Odo of Cluny.

According to Odo, Gerald suffered an illness as a child, sufficient in
duration to advance his reading and may have been disfigured by acne.
In later life he was to suffer blindness. He seriously considered
joining a religious order but was persuaded against it by his friend
Geusbert, Bishop of Rodez, on the grounds that with his social
position he could do more good by remaining in the world as a layman.
Nevertheless, secretly tonsured under his habitual cap, he consecrated
his life in service to God, gave away his possessions, took a personal
vow of chastity and prayed the breviary each day.

He founded a church and abbey on his estate of Aurillac, where he was
buried after dying at Cenezac, on a 13 Friday October, probably in
909. The validation of his local cult by Odo of Cluny served to
establish his wider veneration. Saint Gerald, considered by his Church
and his followers as a great example of a celibate Christian
aristocrat, is the patron saint of counts and bachelors. Because of
his poor health and blindness, more emphasized in his developing cult
than in Odo’s Life, he is also the patron saint of the disabled,
handicappedand physically challenged.

https://anastpaul.com/2017/10/13/


This day is also very important to us in the present day. It is the
anniversary of the last appearance of Our Lady at Fatima in 1917. Our
Lady of Fatima, pray for us! May thine Immaculate Heart triumph over
the evils of our day!

BLESSED FEAST OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA!

Today we remember that humble day of rain
when there was the Miracle of the Sun in Portugal
as Our Lady promised. Imagine if you had been
there.

Everyone seems to remember that there was a last
secret and that the Pope and Bishops needed
to consecrate Russia, but let us remember the most
important thing Our Lady asked: to make prayers
and sacrifices for poor sinners who otherwise
would go to hell.


Saint Quote:
Disengage thyself a while from earthly care, and give thyself for a
time to think of God, and to repose a little in Him. Then, having
closed the door of thy senses, say with the affection of thy soul: O
Lord, behold I am in quest of Thy lovely Countenance; teach Thy poor
servant how to find it.
-- St. Augustine

Bible Quote
Now when the apostles, who were in Jerusalem, had heard that Samaria
had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. 15
Who, when they were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the
Holy Ghost. 16 For he was not as yet come upon any of them; but they
were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid
their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost.  (Acts
8:14-17) DRB


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O Christ Jesus,
When All is Darkness
By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness
and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing
may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose,
Your will
through all things.
Amen