Today is the Feast of Saint Pius X, Pope, born in 1835, † 1914
*†ç SAINT OF THE DAY
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint.
Pope Pius X is perhaps best remembered for his encouragement of the frequent reception of Holy Communion, especially by children.
The second of 10 children in a poor Italian family, Joseph Sarto became Pius X at 68, one of the 20th century’s greatest popes.
Ever mindful of his humble origin, he stated, “I was born poor, I lived poor, I will die poor.” He was embarrassed by some of the pomp of the papal court. “Look how they have dressed me up,” he said in tears to an old friend. To another, “It is a penance to be forced to accept all these practices. They lead me around surrounded by soldiers like Jesus when he was seized in Gethsemani.”
Interested in politics, he encouraged Italian Catholics to become more politically involved. One of his first papal acts was to end the supposed right of governments to interfere by veto in papal elections-a practice that reduced the freedom of the conclave which had elected him.
In 1905, when France renounced its agreement with the Holy See and threatened confiscation of Church property if governmental control of Church affairs were not granted, Pius X courageously rejected the demand.
While he did not author a famous social encyclical as his predecessor had done, he denounced the ill treatment of indigenous peoples on the plantations of Peru, sent a relief commission to Messina after an earthquake and sheltered refugees at his own expense.
On the 11th anniversary of his election as pope, Europe was plunged into World War I. Pius had foreseen it, but it killed him. “This is the last affliction the Lord will visit on me. I would gladly give my life to save my poor children from this ghastly scourge.” He died a few weeks after the war began. He was canonized in 1954.
The field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul. It is in the soul that the battle rages every moment of life. The soul must give free access to the Lord so that it may be fortified by Him in every repect and with all kinds of weapons; that His light may enlighten it to combat the darkness of error; that it may be clothed with Jesus Christ. To be clothed with Jesus Christ it is necessary to die to oneself. That which comes from Satan begins with calmness and ends in storm, indifference, and apathy. In the spiritual life he who does not advance goes backward. It happens as with a boat which always must go ahead. If it stands still the wind blows it back. Fix the time, the length of your meditation, and do not rise from your place until you have finished even at the cost of being crucified.
-- Saint Pio of Pietrelcina
http://www.americancatholic.org/news/report.aspx?id=3908
BEIRUT (CNS) -- Lebanon's younger generation of Catholics sees Pope Benedict XVI's Sept. 14-16 visit to their country as a sign of hope in a region embroiled with violence.
Marielle Boutros, a 25-year old Maronite Catholic from Jbeil who teaches science at a Catholic school, said the pope's visit "means that even though we are suffering and don't have stability, there is someone in this world who cares for us and wants us to stay here."
"That's why he's coming here, to tell us to stay here and not to quit our cause," she said.
Firas Wehbe, a 34-year old Maronite Catholic who heads up the sales unit of a bank, said the pope's visit "is a sign of hope for the youth, a support for them to stay in their country and the Middle East, especially with the turbulent situation around us."
Wehbe said that when Pope John Paul visited Lebanon in 1997 and the country was under Syrian occupation, it was "a bad situation."
"But now, it's all the region," Wehbe said. "So I think that this visit is a sign from God, a message for us to resist in a Christian way: through our beliefs, to stay here in the holy lands and to live our lives according to the Bible. Otherwise, we can go everywhere in the world. But here, we have a message to live all together with other religions, especially Muslims."
"I'm talking from personal experience, because I live in Tripoli, which is 90 percent Muslim," Wehbe said. "In fact, we don't have problems as Christians, but the city is experiencing political problems related to the situation in Syria. The conflict in Syria is affecting the city, but we hope it will end soon."
Clashes between pro- and anti-Syrian groups in Tripoli in May and June killed up to 25 people.
The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, said despite instability from Syria that has spilled across Lebanese borders, preparations for the trip "are proceeding without any uncertainties on the Vatican's part." In fact, he said, the popemobile has already been shipped to Lebanon.
During his visit, Pope Benedict will present a major document addressing concerns expressed at the 2010 Synod of Bishops on the Middle East, but on Sept. 15 he is expected to meet with about 30,000 young people at Bkerke, the patriarchal seat of the Maronite Catholic Church, north of Beirut.
Father Toufic Bou Hadir, president of the Maronite Patriarchate's Youth Department, has been planning the visit with a team of youth representatives from Lebanon's Catholic rites-Maronite, Syriac, Armenian, Chaldean, Melkite, Coptic and Latin-as well as representatives of Scout associations, apostolic movements, students, nongovernment organizations, youths with special needs, religious and seminarians, and representatives of other Mideast countries.
"The Middle Eastern countries are now living a so-called 'spring.' But a lot of places are seeing that spring turning into winter and fall because we see blood and terror around us," said Father Bou Hadir, referring to the instability in the region.
"But we have faith that the real spring is our youth having real faith in God," he added.
The priest said Pope Benedict's visit would reinforce what Pope John Paul II said when he visited in 1997, "that Lebanon is more than a country, it's a message of peace and coexistence between the East and the West."