Saints celebrated on the 27th of May
Prayer to the Angels and the Saints
Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.
In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.
Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.
Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.
BLESSED JOSE TOUS Y SOLER
Blessed Jose Tous y Soler was born in 1811 in Igualada, in the province of Barcelona, Spain. He was born the ninth of twelve children into a deeply Catholic family.
THE FAMILY
The role of his family turns out to be fundamental in the formation of Blessed Jose. It was the place where he first received the seeds of faith, and a place where he was taught to love God.
THE CAPUCHIN FRIARS
In 1820 Blessed Jose’s family moved to Barcelona to look for better employment. It was there that Blessed Jose met the Capuchin Friars, who followed the Rule of St Francis. Blessed Jose asked to join these Friars at the age of 16, and so on 18th February 1827 he donned the Capuchin habit in the novitiate.
A RELIGIOUS OF GREAT VIRTUE
From the very beginning of his formation years Blessed Jose proved to be a religious of great virtue. The testimonies of his fellow-friars tell of his exemplary recollection, his solid piety, his ready obedience, his humility and purity, and of his complete fidelity to Franciscan poverty. In 1834 Blessed Jose was ordained a priest.
HE HAD TO GO INTO EXILE
A short time later Spain went through a period of great social unrest and for a short time Blessed Jose was arrested and imprisoned due to the suppression of religious houses. Eventually Blessed Jose had to go into exile, which brought him first to France and then to Northern Italy. In 1836 he travelled to Grenoble, in the Diocese of Toulouse, France, where he completed his studies.
HE NEVER GAVE IN TO RESENTMENT OR BITTERNESS
Although unable to live with his fellow friars in his community, Blessed Jose never gave in to resentment or bitterness, continuing his work for God and the Church in a simple and poor Franciscan manner.
HE RETURNED TO SPAIN
In 1843 Blessed Jose was able to return to Spain, exercising his priestly ministry in the parish of St Francisco de Paola in Barcelona. In this parish he became aware of the needs of the children and young people in spiritual formation and set about to form them in the Christian life.
THE CAPUCHIN SISTERS OF THE MOTHER OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
In 1859 Blessed Jose founded the Institute of the Capuchin Sisters of the Mother of the Good Shepherd, whose life was to educate children and young people whilst having devotion to Mary, the Mother of the Good Shepherd. This new Institute grew in number and Blessed Jose was able to oversee a great increase in this important work for God. Blessed Jose died in 1871 while celebrating Mass in the school of the Mother of the Good Shepherd in Barcelona.
THE SALVATION OF SOULS
Pope Benedict [at the Beatification Mass] described Blessed Jose as ‘an austere man, at the same time he was generous with others, a priest who was preoccupied for the salvation of souls.’ In the homily at the Beatification Mass some words of Blessed Jose were recalled, which are as a motto of life, ‘Even if everything is dark, one must always be faithful, faithful to God.’
(From: Spiritual Thought from Father Chris)
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