Saturday, July 21, 15th Week in Ordinary Time
Center photo: A painting of the Christian-Ottoman battle of Szekesfehervar led by the saint.
ST. LORENZO DA BRINDISI (b Italy 1559, d Lisbon 1619)
Capuchin, Biblical Scholar, Imperial Chaplain, Field General during a battle against the Ottoman Turks, Superior General of the Capuchins, Diplomat, Doctor of the Church
Benedict XVI dedicated his Wednesday catechesis on March 23, 2011, to St. Lorenzo
www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110323...
Born Giulio Cesare Russo in Brindisi to a family of Venetian merchants, he took the name Lorenzo upon joining the Capuchins at age 16. Educated in Venice and Padua, he was a remarkable linguist whose mastery of Latin. Greek and Hebrew helped him to become an outstanding Biblical scholar. Assigned to Rome in 1596, he was asked by Pope Clement VII to preach to the Jews and impressed the rabbis so much they thought he was a Jew who had turned Christian. Starting in 1599, he set up Capuchin monasteries in Germany and Austria, bringing back many Protestants to the Catholic faith. In 1601, as imperial chaplain for the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II, he led an army during a battle to take back a key Hungarian city from the Ottoman Turks. He was elected superior general of the Capuchins in 1601 and instituted major reforms, but refused re-election 3 years later. He served as Nuncio to Bavaria and to Spain, retired to a monastery in 1618, then was recalled for a special mission to the King of Spain and died in Lisbon after completing his mission. In 1956, the Capuchins completed a 15-volume edition of his writings - 11 of the volumes contained his sermons, each based on a scriptural quotation to illustrate his teaching. He was beatified in 1783, canonized in 1881, and declared a Doctor of the Church by John XXIII in 1959.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072112.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
No bulletins on the Holy Father, other than some episcopal resignations and nominations.
The Vatican released a statement formally withdrawing the titles 'Pontifical' and 'Catholic'
from what used to be the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, after years of open disobedience to
Blessed John Paul II's Apostolic Decree
Ex Corda Ecclesiae defining the criteria for Catholic
universities. Recently, the university administration informed the Holy See that it could not accept
the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Lima over it.
The Peruvian university is a private university established in 1917, which was designated a 'pontifical' university by Pope Pius XII
in 1942. It has about 22,000 students in 10 campuses and has consistently ranked #1 academically among Peruvian universities.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 23/07/2012 19:35]