Trappistine Macao - Our Saints of today

Bl. Joseph-Marie Cassant (1878-1903)

17 June

Joseph-Marie Cassant was born on the 6th of March, 1878, at Casseneuil, Lot-et-Garonne, in the diocese of Agen, France, into a family of orchard-keepers. He was a lodger at the boarding school of the La Salle Brothers in Casseneuil itself, and it was there that his poor memory began to cause him difficulty in studying.

He received a solid Christian education at home and at school, and little by little the deep desire to become a priest grew within him. Father Filhol, the parish priest, thought well enough of the boy to help him with his studies, but his weak memory kept him from entering the minor seminary. When it became clear that he was drawn towards silence, recollection and prayer, Fr. Filhol suggested that he would think of the Trappists, and the young sixteen-year-old unhesitatingly agreed. After a trial period, Joseph entered the Cistercian Abbey of Sainte-Marie du Désert, in the diocese of Toulouse, France, on December 5, 1894.

The Novice Master at the time was Fr. André Mallet, a man skilled at understanding the needs of souls and responding in love. From their very first meeting he showed this when he said to the young man, "Only trust and I will help you to love Jesus!" The young monk would often meditate upon Jesus in his Passion and on the Cross, and so became deeply imbued with love for Christ. The "way of Jesus' heart" which Fr. André taught him is an unceasing call to live the present moment with patience, hope and love.

He had the great joy of being ordained a priest on October 12, 1902. He had said, "When I can no longer say Mass, Jesus can take me from this world." Early in the morning of the 17th of June 1903, Father Joseph-Marie received communion and left this world to be with Christ Jesus for ever.

On the 9th of June 1984, the Holy Father, John Paul II, acknowledged his heroic virtues. He was beatified by the same Pope on October 3, 2004.

St. Lutgarde 1182-1246

16 June

Born of bourgeois parents in Tongres, Belgium. She entered the Benedictine convent of St. Trond, where she was elected prioress in 1205. Seeking more solitude and a stricter observance, she transferred to the Cistercian convent of Aywieres. The Passion of Christ was the center of her religious life.

Lutgard shone; she led a life without offence.

She whom this stone covers lives with Christ.

She shines, thirsting and hungering after these celestial things;

Pure daylight, the face of the Groom now shines on her.

This was a mirror of light, the flower of the cloister,

the gem of the sisters;

In this one, righteousness shone, compassion and glory of action

(Sybille de Gages)

(From "The Life of Lutgard of Aywieres", by Thomas de Cantimpre)

Blessed Humbelina

12 February

In the long-ago 12th century, in Burgundy, France, there lived a noble family made up of Tescelin, lord of Fontaines, his wife, the pious Aléthe, and their seven children: Guy, Gerard, Bernard – who would become the great abbot of Clairvaux –, Humbelina, André, Barthélémy and Nivard.

Blessed Humbelina was St Bernard’s only sister. Married to a nobleman, Guy de Marcy, she enjoyed the life of a noble lady in the world. But, a visit to her brothers in Clairvaux brought about a great change in her.

She began to lead a life of piety and great austerity and two years later, with the

Permission of her husband, entered the Benedictine convent of Jully and became prioress about 1128. The Lord enriched her with the grace of sanctity, so as to be rightly considered not only the blood sister, but also spiritual sister of her brothers. She dies on August 21st, probably 1141, in the presence of Bernard, Andrew and Nivard.

Although not a member of the Order, the Cistercian have had always a special veneration for her. In 1871, Pope Pius IX approved her liturgical memorial. (Cistercian Menology)

Saint Scholastica

10 February

Born in 480 of wealthy parents, Saint Scholastica and Benedict were brought up together until he left central Italy for Rome to continue his studies. Little, is known of Scholastica’s early life. She founded a religious community for women near Monte Cassino at Plombariola, five miles from where her brother governed a monastery. The twins visited each other once a year in a farmhouse because Scholastica was not permitted inside the monastery. They spent these times discussing spiritual matters.

According to the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great, the brother and sister spent their last day together in prayer and conversation. Scholastica sensed her death was close at hand and she begged Benedict to stay with her until the next day. He refused her request because he did not want to spend a night outside the monastery, thus breaking his own Rule. Scholastica asked God to let her brother remain and a severe thunderstorm broke out, preventing Benedict and his monks from returning to the abbey.

Benedict cried out, “God forgive you, Sister. What have you done?” Saint Scholastica replied, “I asked a favour of you and you refused. I asked it of God and he granted it.” Brother and sister parted the next morning after their long discussion. Three days later, Benedict was praying in his monastery and saw the soul of his sister rising heavenward in the form of a white dove. Benedict then announced the death of his sister to the monks and later buried her in the tomb he had prepared for himself. (Franciscan Media)

Blessed Cyprian Tansi

20 January

Iwene Tansi was born in 1903 in Nigeria, where the pagan worship still survived. He was baptized in 1912 in the Christian village of Aguleri and given the name Michael. Ordained priest in 1937, he served with great zeal in the parish ministry, dedicating himself especially to teaching prayer and to making young people and the families aware of Christian moral values. In 1950 he entered the Cistercian Abbey of Mount Saint Bernard in England and made solemn monastic profession there on the 8th of December 1956 under the name of Father Cyprian. A model of humility, fidelity, obedience and prayer, he was preparing to return to his native land to introduce there the monastic life when the Lord called him to a heavenly reward on the 20th of January 1964. His hidden sanctity would never have become known but for a miracle: A woman suffering from a very severe disease of the stomach was instantly cured on touching the coffin in which his bones were being returned to Nigeria in 1986.

He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on the 22 March 1998.

Saint Anthony, the Hermit

17 January

Saint Anthony the Hermit, also known as Anthony of Lerins and as The Father of Monks. The Church celebrates his life on January 17th as the founder of Christian Monasticism. He was born around 251 AD. His parents were wealthy, and left him a large inheritance. However, like St. Francis, he was deeply moved by The Gospel of Matthew 19:21, where Jesus instructed the young man to sell what he had, give it to the poor, and come follow him.

St. Anthony did so, giving away all that he owned to go off and live for 15 years in the desert, in complete solitude and in prayer. He was visited by pilgrims, whom he refused to see, but over time, a number of his “disciples” took residence in the caves and huts around the mountain called Pispir. It was here that a colony of ascetics gathered, in the hope of speaking with the famous hermit; they must have sensed his holiness and wisdom, and because of that, he was sought out for “healing, comfort, and direction.” He was also known to have performed miracles, which further cemented his reputation as a Holy Man.

During his life, Saint Anthony repeatedly sought out the desert. Consider the desert as a metaphor for a cleansing and purifying heat—where John the Baptist was forged in silence and in solitude, and where Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days and 40 nights. And, likewise, when Anthony the Hermit emerged from the desert, he was stronger-- fortified with the wisdom and power of the Lord.

From: Saint Louis Roman Catholic Church

St. Maurus and St. Placid

15 January

Maurus, son of a nobleman of Rome, was born about the year 510 and died in 584. When he was about twelve years old, his father placed him under the care of St. Benedict at Subiaco. When he had grown up, St. Benedict chose him as his coadjutor in the government of the monastery.

Placidus was the eldest son of the patrician Tertullus. When he was about eight years old, his father placed him under the care of Benedict at Subiaco, to be educated.

Placid, one of Maurus’ fellow disciples, the son of the senator Tertullus, going one day to draw water, fell into the lake, and was at once carried away by the current. St. Benedict saw this in spirit in his cell and bade Maurus run and draw him out. Having asked and received the holy Father’s blessing, Maurus hastened down to the lake, walked upon the waters, thinking he was on dry land, and dragged Placid out by the hair, without sinking in the least himself.

Gregory the Great (Dialogues, II, vii) relates an account of Placidus being rescued from drowning by his fellow monk, Maurus.

From: Catholic Encyclopedia

Saint Aelred of Rievaulx

12 January

Aelred of Rievaulx OCSO (Latin: Aelredus Riaevallensis), also known as also Ailred, Ælred, or Æthelred; (1110 – 12 January 1167) was an English Cistercian monk and writer who served as Abbot of Rievaulx from 1147 until his death. He is venerated by the Catholic Church as a saint and by some Anglicans.

In 1143, he was appointed abbot of the new Revesby Abbey, a daughter house of Rievaulx in Lincolnshire. In 1147, he was elected abbot of Rievaulx itself, a position he was to hold until his death. Under his administration, the abbey is said to have grown to some 140 monks and 500 conversi and laymen.

His role as abbot required him to travel. Cistercian abbots were expected to make annual visitations to daughter-houses, and Rievaulx had five in England and Scotland by the time Aelred held office. Moreover, Aelred had to make the long sea journey to the annual general chapter of the Order at Cîteaux in France. Aelred died in the winter of 1166–7, probably on 12 January 1167 at Rievaulx.

From: Catholic Encyclopedia

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