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BL. SERAPHINA SFORZA, ABBESS - 8 SEPTEMBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 8th of September

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.

BL. SERAPHINA SFORZA, ABBESS

Blessed Seraphina Sforza was born in 1434 in Montefeltro, Italy, to the Count of Urbino. Her father died in 1438 and her mother in 1443. Blessed Seraphina was then cared for by her older brother, who had succeeded their father as the Count. The older brother was assassinated in 1444. 

In 1446 Blessed Seraphina moved to Rome and stayed under the protection of her maternal uncle, Cardinal Colonna. 

SHE WAS LOCKED OUT

When Blessed Seraphina was fourteen years old it was agreed that she should marry Alexander Sforza, the Duke of Pesaro. The marriage worked until Alexander went off to war, leaving Blessed Seraphina to manage his estates and rear two young sons. Alexander returned after six years and ill-treated Blessed Seraphina and gave himself up to a dissolute life. Blessed Seraphina was locked out of their castle home and she found shelter with the Poor Clares. 

HE ORDERED HER TO RETURN HER WEDDING RING

Alexander moved his mistress into the castle and ordered Blessed Seraphina to return her wedding ring. But she refused to give up her wedding ring, saying that she would not give her jewellery for other women to wear and encourage a man who abandons his wife. 

HER REPUTATION WAS RESTORED

When Blessed Seraphina's relatives demanded to know why she was with the Poor Clares, lies were told about her being unfaithful to Alexander. But later her relatives found out that these were lies and that she had not been unfaithful, but that it was Alexander who had been unfaithful to her. 

With her reputation restored Blessed Seraphina chose to remain at the Convent of the Poor Clares. 

HE GOT FED UP WITH HIS MISTRESS

In time Alexander got fed up with his mistress, who left him. Alexander repented of his sins and visited Blessed Seraphina in the convent before he died. 

SHE BECAME ABBESS

After fifteen years in the convent Blessed Seraphina was elected Abbess and died at peace three years later on September 8, 1478.

Seraphina was beatified as Blessed in 1754 by Pope Benedict XIV.

Blessed Seraphina Sforza, pray for us. 

(From: Spiritual Thought From Father Chris, 9/2021)

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