BL. COLOMBA OF RIETI, VIRGIN

BL. COLOMBA OF RIETI, VIRGIN - 20 MAY

BLESSED COLOMBA OF RIETI, VIRGIN

[On] May 20, one of the Blesseds remembered by the Church is Blessed Colomba [Columba] of Rieti. She was born Angiola Guardagnoli in Rieti, Italy, in 1467 to a poor family. While she was being baptised as a baby, a dove flew into the church and settled on her. After that, she was always called Colomba (dove).

SHE BECAME A DOMINICAN TERTIARY

As a small girl, Blessed Colomba learned to spin and sew, repairing the clothes of the local Dominican friars. As a teenager, Blessed Colomba discerned through prayer that God wanted her to dedicate herself to him. She took a private vow of chastity and spent her time in prayer, deciding to become a Dominican tertiary.

SHE LET HIM KNOW HER INTENTIONS TO FOLLOW GOD

When it was revealed that her parents had arranged a marriage for her, Blessed Colomba cut off her hair and sent it to her suitor as a way of letting him know her intentions to follow God.

SHE WAS CREDITED WITH SAVING THE CITY FROM CIVIL WAR

Blessed Colomba started to experience spiritual ecstasies, which led her to leave Rieti and journey by foot to Perugia. She was welcomed there and she was credited with saving the city from a bloody civil war.

SHE FOUNDED A CONVENT

She founded a convent there and began to work with the poor, causing people to admire her sanctity. Blessed Colomba spent eleven years in Perugia.

ST DOMINIC APPEARED TO HER IN A VISION

In her last illness she was often tormented by diabolical visions. But she then became consoled by a vision of St Dominic, who brought her a garland of flowers, assuring her that soon she would be with him in heaven.

THE WHOLE CITY TURNED OUT FOR HER FUNERAL MASS

She died on May 20, 1501 at the age of 34. The whole city turned out for her funeral Mass. During the Mass, just as happened at her baptism, a dove flew into the church and settled on her coffin, remaining there until the Mass had finished. Colomba was beatified as Blessed by Pope Urban VIII in 1625.

THE LOVE OF GOD IS NEVER DIMINISHED

There is a story that soon after arriving in Perugia, Blessed Colomba encountered a woman carrying three loaves of fresh bread. She asked for a taste, but the woman insisted that Blessed Colomba take a whole loaf. When the woman reached home and discovered that she still had three loaves of bread, she then searched for Blessed Colomba, who explained: "Don't be surprised. That which is given for the love of God is never diminished but increases."

Blessed Colomba of Rieti, pray for us.

From Spiritual Thought from Father Chris, 5/2022

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Blessed Columba 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.

WELCOME

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BL. LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR 16th century houses, painted by Auguste Mayer He was born in the bishopric of Durham, according to Raissius ; others say at Richmond, in Yorkshire. He was master of arts in one of our universities; but going abroad to Douay, in Flanders, was received into the English college there, 1576, and made priest in 1577; and the year following sent upon the mission. Where he had not been long before he again went abroad, and travelled to Rome, partly for devotion, and partly for further improvement in learning. Here he remained in the English college till 1580, when he returned into England, and was not long after apprehended: for I find by a printed diary of things transacted in the Tower of London from 1580 till 1585, that on the 5th of December, 1580, Luke Kirby, Thomas Cottam , and other priests, were brought to the Tower from other prisons; and that these two, on the 10th...

BL. RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR Richard Newport, alias Smith , was born in Northamptonshire and performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Rheims (if he be the Richard Smith whom I find in the Douay diary sent to Rome in 1586) and partly in that of Rome, where he was made priest. From thence he was sent upon the English mission, and behaved himself in such a manner as justly to acquire the character of a laborious missionary; being withal remarkably successful in bringing home many strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, to which his apostolical way of living did not a little contribute. He was several times apprehended and cast into prison, and twice banished. His name occurs amongst those who were transported in 1606; at which time, we are told, he took that opportunity of making a pilgrimage to Rome, there to pour forth his prayers at the tombs of the apostles, in behalf of thi...

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