ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY
Saints celebrated on the 21st of February
SAINT PETER DAMIAN, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
Born at Ravenna in 1007, Saint Peter Damian became a hermit at Fonte Avellana. He strove to remove the abuses, which had overtaken the church in feudal times, by his writings and his personal example of austere living. He was made Cardinal and Bishop of Ostia in 1057, and went as papal legate to France and Germany as well as Italy on the work of reform. He died in 1072.
PRAYER:
All-powerful God,
help us to follow the teachings and example of Peter Damian.
By making Christ and the service of his Church
the first love of our lives,
may we come to the joys of eternal light,
where he lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
******
HOW A POOR BOY BECAME A BISHOP, A CARDINAL, AND A SAINT
Peter Damian lost both Father and Mother shortly after his birth. One of his brothers adopted him but treated him with unnatural harshness, forcing him to work hard and giving him poor food and scanty clothing.
One day Peter found a silver piece which represented to him a small fortune. A friend told him that he could conscientiously use it for himself as the owner could not be found.
The only difficulty Peter had was to choose what it was he most needed, for he was in sore need of many things.
While turning the matter over in his young mind it struck him that he could do a still better thing, viz, have a Mass said for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially for the souls of his dear parents. At the cost of a great sacrifice he put his thought into effect and had the Mass offered.
The Holy Souls repaid his sacrifice most generously. From that day forward a complete change became noticeable in his fortunes.
His eldest brother called at the house where he lived and, horrified at the brutal hardships the little fellow was subjected to, arranged that he be handed over to his own care. He clad him and fed him as his own child, educated and cared for him most affectionately. Blessing followed blessing. Peter’s wonderful talents became known and he was called to the priesthood, sometime after he was raised to the episcopacy and finally created Cardinal. Miracles attested his great sanctity so that after death he was canonised and made Doctor of the Church.
These wonderful graces came to him after that one Mass said for the Holy Souls.
(From: Read Me or Rue It, by E.D.M., approved of His Eminence the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon 4/6/1936, printed by Kerryman, Co Kerry, Ireland)
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