BLESSED URSULINA OF PARMA, VIRGIN

BLESSED URSULINA OF PARMA, VIRGIN - 7 APRIL

Saints celebrated on the 7th of April

BLESSED URSULINA OF PARMA, VIRGIN

Blessed Ursulina was the daughter of commoners in Parma, named Peter and Bertolina dei Rami. Even as a child she was in constant contact with God and, although physically weak and miserable, already showed clear signs of her later, highly blessed life.

With advancing age, the heavenly enlightenments multiplied. Because of those extraordinary graces, some people took her for a sorceress or a witch.

In a revelation Ursulina received the order to travel to Avignon to persuade the antipope Clement to abolish the schism. Clement received her graciously, listened attentively to her, and felt so touched that, if the cardinals who followed him had consented, he would have subjected himself to the rightful Pope [Innocent VII]. However, his followers prevented him from receiving Ursulina once again.

After repeated attempts to reach him, she left Avignon in order to report to Pope Boniface on her visit to Avignon. From Rome Ursulina went to Venice with her mother, from where they embarked for the Holy Land on pilgrimage. After her return from Jerusalem, she wanted to stay with her mother in her native city of Parma, but was soon thereafter arrested by the tyrant Ottobonus III. sent into exile along with many other pious residents of the city.

When she became seriously ill and her mother was very worried about this, she said: "Dear mother, we must surrender to God's will, for He knows best what we need." It got worse and she prepared herself for a blessed death by the reception of the Last Sacraments. With the words: "Father! Into your hands I commend my spirit,' she passed into eternity - probably in 1410. In 1507 her relics were placed in a marble coffin, and in 1604 transferred under a new altar. She is especially remembered at Parma and is venerated at the monastery of St Quintinus.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 5, Augsburg, 1882)

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of the blessed Ursulina 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

Please pick your saints: January - Saints by date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 February - Saints by date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 ...

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...

SAINT FEAST DAY FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

Search This Blog