Saints celebrated on the 16th 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.
ST ANDREW BOBOLA, PRIEST AND MARTYR
Saint Andrew Bobola was a martyr, born of an old and illustrious Polish family, in the Palatinate of Sandomir, 1590; he died at Janów, May 16, 1657.
HIS DEVOTION DURING THE PLAGUE
Having entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus at Wilno (1611), he was ordained in 1622, and appointed preacher in the Church of Saint Casimir, Wilno. After making his solemn vows, June 2, 1630, he was made superior at Bobruisk, where he wrought wonders by his preaching and distinguished himself by his devotion during an epidemic of the plague.
HIS WORK IN THE LITHUANIAN MISSIONS
In 1636 he began his work in the Lithuanian missions. During this period Poland was being ravaged by Cossacks, Russians, and Tatars, and the Catholic Faith was made the object of the concerted attacks of Protestants and schismatics. The Jesuits, in particular, had much to endure.
HE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN CONVERTING SCHISMATICS
Bobola’s success in converting schismatics drew upon him the rage of those in high authority, and the adherents of the Greek Pope decided to centralise their forces in Polesia. A Catholic nobleman of this province offered the Jesuits a house at Pinsk, and here Father Bobola was stationed.
HE WAS SUBJECTED TO INCREDIBLE TORTURES
The schismatics vainly endeavoured in every manner to hinder him in the exercise of his apostolic duties, extending their persecutions to attacks upon his person. On May 16, 1657, he was seized by two Cossacks and severely beaten. Then tying him to their saddles, they dragged him to Janów where he was subjected to incredible tortures. After having been burned, half strangled, and partly flayed alive, he was released from suffering by a sabre stroke.
HIS RELICS
His body was interred in the collegiate church of the Society at Pinsk, where it became the object of great veneration. It was later transferred to Polosk, where it is still held in honour, even by the schismatics. Father Bobola was declared Blessed by Pius IX in 1853.
(From Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)
[St Andrew Bobola was canonised by Pope Pius XI on April 17, 1938.]
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