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La misma nada · Site Admin Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 709

The reading appointed from the Rule of St. Benedict for this day:

CHAPTER II
What Kind of Man the Abbot Ought to Be (cont.)

Above all things, that the Abbot may not neglect or undervalue the welfare of the souls entrusted to him, let him not have too great a concern about fleeting, earthly, perishable things; but let him always consider that he hath undertaken the government of souls, of which he must give an account. And that he may not perhaps complain of the want of earthly means, let him remember what is written: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mt 6:33). And again: "There is no want to them that fear Him" (Ps 33[34]:10). And let him know that he who undertaketh the government of souls must prepare himself to give an account for them; and whatever the number of brethren he hath under his charge, let him be sure that on judgment day he will, without doubt, have to give an account to the Lord for all these souls, in addition to that of his own. And thus, whilst he is in constant fear of the Shepherd's future examination about the sheep entrusted to him, and is watchful of his account for others, he is made solicitous also on his own account; and whilst by his admonitions he had administered correction to others, he is freed from his own failings.

Martyrology-September 16th
Roman Martyrology-September 16th- on this date in various years-

The holy martyrs Cornelius, pope, and Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, who were mentioned on the 14th of September.

At Chalcedon, the birthday of St. Euphemia, virgin and martyr, under Emperor Diocletian and the proconsul Priscus. For her faith in our Lord she was subjected to tortures, imprisonment, blows, the torment of the wheel, fire, the crushing weight of stones, the teeth of the beasts, scourging with rods, the cutting of sharp saws, and burning pans, all of which she survived. But when she was again exposed to the beasts in the amphitheatre, praying to our Lord to receive her spirit, one of the animals inflicted a bite on her holy body although the rest of them licked her feet, and she yielded her unspotted soul unto God.

At Rome, the holy martyrs Lucy, a noble matron, and Geminian, who were subjected to grievous afflictions and were for a long time tortured by the command of Emperor Diocletian. Finally, being put to the sword, they obtained the glorious victory of martyrdom.

The birthday of St. Martin I, pope and martyr. He had called together a council at Rome and condemned the heretics Sergius, Paul and Pyrrhus. By order of the heretical Emperor Constantius he was taken prisoner through a deceit, brought to Constantinople, and exiled to the Chersonese. There he ended his life, worn out with his labours for the Catholic faith and favoured with many virtues. His body was afterwards brought to Rome and buried in the church of Saints Sylvester and Martin. His feast, however, is observed on the 12th of November.

Also at Rome, the birthday of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr. She brought her husband and brother Tiburtius to the faith of Christ and afterwards encouraged them on to martyrdom. Almachius, prefect of the city, after their martyrdom, had her arrested and slain by the sword, after she had endured many trials and had passed through fire unhurt. This was in the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander. Her feast is celebrated on the 22nd of November.

At Heraclea in Thrace, under Emperor Domitian and the governor Sergius, St. Sebastiana, martyr. Being brought to the faith of Christ by the blessed apostle Paul, she was tormented in various ways and finally beheaded.

At Rome, at a place on the Flaminian Way ten miles from the city, the holy martyrs Abundius, a priest, and Abundantius, a deacon, whom Emperor Diocletian ordered to be struck with the sword, together with Marcian, an illustrious man, and his son John, whom they raised from the dead.

At Cordova in Spain, the holy martyrs Rogellus and Servusdeus, who were beheaded after their hands and feet had been cut off.

At Whithorn in Scotland, St. Ninian, bishop and confessor.

In England, St. Edith, virgin, daughter of the English King Edgar. She was consecrated to God in a monastery from her earliest years, and it may be said rather that she never knew the world than that she forsook it.

At Monte Cassino, the blessed Pope Victor III, successor of Pope St. Gregory VII, who shed a fresh lustre on the Apostolic See, and by God's help gained a famous victory over the Saracens. Pope Leo XIII approved and confirmed the veneration given him from time immemorial.

And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.

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