ST SIMON OF LIPNICA

ST SIMON OF LIPNICA - 18 JULY

SAINT SIMON OF LIPNICA, PRIEST

Saint Simon was born in Lipnica Murowana, in the south of Poland, between the years 1435-1440. His parents, Gregory and Anne, gave him a good education, inspired by the values of the Christian faith - despite their modest conditions. Simon grew up very prayerful, and nurturing a tender love for the Mother of God.

HE GREW UP VERY PRAYERFUL

He moved to Krakow, to attend the famous Jagiellonian Academy, in 1454. It was precisely in those years that Saint John of Capistrano influenced the city through the sanctity of his life and the fervour of his preaching, attracting a dense crowd of young, generous men to the Franciscan vocation. On September 8, 1453, the Italian saint founded the first convent of the Observance, with the name of the recently canonised Saint Bernardine of Siena, in Krakow. It was for that reason that the Friars Minor of the convent were called the "Berdardini" by the people. In 1457, young Simon asked to be received, with another ten fellow students, into the convent of Stradom.

HE ASKED TO BE RECEIVED INTO THE CONVENT OF STRADOM

Under the wise guidance of the Novice Master, Br. Christopher of Varese, a religious renown for his teaching and sanctity of life, Simon generously embraced the humble and poor life of the Friars Minor and received the priesthood about the year 1460.

Like Saint Bernardine of Siena and Saint John of Capistrano, Br. Simon spread devotion to the Name of Jesus, obtaining the conversion of innumerable sinners. He, the first of the Friars Minor, took up the duty of preacher in the Cathedral of Wawel in 1463.

PREACHER IN THE CATHEDRAL OF WAWEL

In his desire to give homage to Saint Bernardine of Siena, the inspirer of his preaching, he, with some Polish confreres, went to Aquila to participate in the solemn transfer of the body of the saint, on May 17, 1472, to the new Church erected in his honour.

HE WENT TO ROME

He was again in Italy in 1478, on the occasion of the General Chapter of Pavia. He had a way, then, to be able to satisfy his deepest desire to visit the tombs of the Apostles in Rome and to extend his pilgrimage to the Holy Land later.

A PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND

He lived this experience in a spirit of penance, truly loving the passion of Christ, with the hidden aspiration of spilling his own blood for the salvation of souls, if it would please God. He emulated St Francis in his love for the Holy Places. In view of the possibility of being captured by the non-believers, he wished to learn the Rule of the Order by heart before undertaking the journey in order "to have it always before the eyes of his mind".

TRUE CONSOLING ANGELS

The love of Simon for his brothers and sisters was manifested in an extraordinary way during the last year of his life, when an epidemic of plague broke out in Krakow. The city was under the scourge of the disease from July 1482 to January 6, 1483. The Franciscans of the convent of St Bernardine tirelessly did all they could to care for the sick as true consoling angels.

HIS HAPPY DEATH

Br. Simon, held it to be a "propitious time" to exercise charity and to fulfil the offering of his own life. He went everywhere comforting, giving succour, administering the sacraments and announcing the consoling Word of God to the dying. He was soon infected. He suffered the pain of the disease with extraordinary patience and, near the end, expressed his desire to be buried under the threshold of the church so that all could trample on him. On the sixth day of the disease, July 18, 1482, without fear of death and with his eyes fixed on the Crucifix, he gave his soul back to God.

The "ab immemorabili" cult rendered to Blessed Simon, which passed into the history of seraphic sanctity under the title of "Salutis omnium sitibundus", was confirmed by Blessed Innocent XI on February 24, 1685.

HIS CANONISATION

The cause of his canonisation, taken up by the Holy Father Pius XII on June 25, 1948, reached its happy ending, following the recognition of his heroic virtues and of the miraculous cure which occurred in Krakow in 1943 and attributed to his intercession. The respective Decrees were promulgated by the Holy Father Benedict XVI on December 19, 2005 and December 16, 2006.

Simon of Lipnica knew how to combine admirably his commitment to evangelisation and to giving witness to charity, which flowed from his great love for the Word of God and for the poor and suffering.

Information from the Vatican website

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Simon may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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