ST SERAPHIN OF MONTEGRANARO - 12 OCTOBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER

Saints celebrated on the 12th of October

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 SERAPHIN OF MONTEGRANARO 

He was born at Montegranaro, 1540; he died at Ascoli, October 12, 1604. 

Felix de Nicola was born of a poor, pious family, and in his youth was employed as a shepherd, an occupation which gave him much leisure for prayer and other pious exercises. 

Upon the death of his parents, he was subjected to harsh and cruel treatment by his eldest brother. 

At the age of sixteen, he entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and received the name Seraphin. 

He was distinguished from the first by his unaffected simplicity, mortification, and obedience as well as charity which towards the poor knew no bounds. 

He had a special devotion to the Blessed Eucharist and to Our Lady. 

Seraphin was endowed with the gift of reading the secrets of hearts, and with that of miracles and prophecy. 

Although unlettered, his advice was sought by secular and ecclesiastical dignitaries, and was a fruitful source of virtue to souls. 

His tomb is in the Capuchin friary at Ascoli. He was canonised by Clement XIII on July 16, 1767. His feast is celebrated in the Franciscan Order on October 12.

(From Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)