Traudel
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 Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:11 pm Post subject: October 3rd - St. Thomas Cantelupe |
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October 3rd - St. Thomas Cantelupe
When we face difficulties in life it can be difficult to keep our
perspective.
We might even think we're the only ones who ever encounter setbacks. St.
Thomas
Cantelupe certainly knew about setbacks. He had several in his life,
including
excommunication by his archbishop.
Thomas was born in Hambleden, England, into a distinguished Norman family in
about 1218. His father was Baron William of Cantelupe, who served as steward
for
the household of King Henry III. His uncle, Bishop Walter of Worcester,
taught
Thomas at Oxford and Paris before Thomas' ordination in 1245, probably while
he
was with his father at the General Council of Lyons.
After completing studies in law at Orléans and Paris, he taught canon law at
Oxford. He was named chancellor at Oxford in 1262 and was known as both a
friend
of poor students and as a strict disciplinarian. At the time, students were
divided into opposing camps of northerners and southerners and were allowed
to
carry weapons, which Thomas would seize if they misused them.
Soon he found himself allied with a group of reform-minded barons against
King
Henry III. After Henry was defeated at Lewes, he was named chancellor of
England. But soon, following the death in 1265 of Simon de Montfort, who had
led
the revolt against Henry, Thomas was dismissed and retired to Paris.
In 1274, Thomas was again named chancellor at Oxford and the next year
became
bishop of Hereford in western England, where he recovered the rights that
had
been taken away by the lords. He also was known for his prudence and
abilities.
When traveling in his diocese, he would ask every child he saw if they had
been
confirmed. If they hadn't, he would administer the sacrament immediately. He
was
also known for publicly rebuking and excommunicating sinners.
But there were more troubles ahead when he got caught up in a jurisdictional
dispute with Abp. John Peckham of Canterbury. Thomas led a group of bishops
who
opposed the archbishop at the Council of Reading in 1279. Three years later,
the
archbishop excommunicated Thomas, who set out to appeal his case directly to
Pope Martin IV, but the trip exhausted him and he died on Aug. 25, 1282.
Hundreds of miracles were attributed to him after his body was returned to
Hereford and enshrined in the cathedral and it became a pilgrimage center.
Pope
John XXII canonized him in 1320. Despite the problems he faced, St. Thomas
Cantelupe never gave up and he never seemed to feel sorry for himself.
Sources: Butler's Lives of the Saints, Dictionary of Saints, 365 Saints and
World Book Encyclopedia
Saint Quote:
It suffices for us not to wish to be better than our fathers.
-St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Bible Quote
2 Of the fruit of his own mouth shall a man be filled with good things: but
the
soul of transgressors is wicked. 3 He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his
soul:
but he that hath no guard on his speech shall meet with evils. (Proverbs
13:2-3)
<><><><>
Daily Thought From The Following of Christ
NOTHING is more opposite to charity, or more fatal to salvation, than the
evil
reports we make of one another, whether they be true or false; because they
irritate the mind, disorder the heart, foment divisions, and embitter
hatreds,
and because we cannot obtain God's pardon for them, unless we resolve, in
our
confessions, to repair the evil we have done and to reconcile those we may
have
set at variance. We should, therefore, neither spread evil reports of
others,
nor listen to them and if we do hear anything against our neighbor we should
be
careful not to repeat it.
<><><><>
The Litany of Humility
O Jesus! Meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me oh Jesus.
From the desire of being loved.
From the desire of being extolled.
From the desire of being honored.
From the desire of being praised.
From the desire of being preferred to others.
From the desire of being consulted.
From the desire of being approved.
From the fear of being humiliated.
From the fear of being despised.
From the fear of suffering rebukes.
From the fear of being calumniated.
From the fear of being forgotten.
From the fear of being ridiculed.
From the fear of being wronged.
From the fear of being suspected.
That others may be loved more than I, .Jesus grant me the grace to desire
it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, .
That in the opinion of the world others may increase and I may decrease, .
That others may be chosen and I set aside, .
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, .
That others may be preferred to me in everything, .
That others become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I
should, .
- Cardinal Merry del Val
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. |
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