Saturday, Sept. 1, 21st Week in Ordinary Time
ST. EGIDIUS (Giles, Gilles, Gil, Egidio) (b Athens, ca 650, d France, ca 710), Hermit and Abbot
Born a wealthy noble in Athens, Egidius used his wealth, after his parents died, to help the poor and soon became known as a miracle worker. To escape
the adulation, he left Greece around 683 for France where he lived as a hermit in a cave outside Nimes. The enduring legend about him is that he lived so
deprived that God sent him a hind to nourish him with her milk. One day, a hunter aimed an arrow at the deer but hit Giles instead. The king himself sent
a doctor to care for him but the leg wound crippled him. As the king paid him frequent visits, his fame as a sage and miracle worker spread. The king built
him a monastery in what is now known as St. Gilles du Gard and he became the first abbot, establishing his own rule. A small town grew up around the
monastery, and after his death, it became a major place of pilgrimage, especially for the faithful making their way to Compostela along the Road of St.
James. Later it became a Benedictine monastery. His cult became widespread in Europe in the Middle Ages with countless churches and institutions
named after him, and numerous writings dedicated to his life and miracles. His remains were secretly transferred to Toulouse to safeguard them during
the French Revolution but were returned to St Gilles du Gard in 1852. He is the patron saint of Edinburgh whose cathedral is named for him. He is the
patron saint of cripples and of beggars.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/nab/readings/090111.shtml
*It strikes me almost everyday that parishes and institutions named for the saints generally do not even carry an image of their patron
saint on their website. Not even the worldwide and well-funded Sant'Egidio community carries an image of the saint on its site!
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
No events announced for the Holy Father.
The Press Office posted the text of the Pope's telegram of condolence to Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan
on the death of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, SJ, yesterday.
Today, the Pope named Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, emeritus Archbishop of Westminster (London)
as his special representative to the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Dhaka
(Bangladesh) and the fourth centenary of the evangelization of the territory that is now Bangladesh.
The celebration will take place on Nov. 9-10.
The Press Office released the texts of the letters written by Benedict XVI to the cardinals he named
earlier to represent him at two other significant Church events to be held earlier:
- to Cardinal Josef Tomko, emeritus Prefect of the Congregation for the the Evangelization of Peoples,
who will represent the Pope at the 600th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Leopoli of the Latins
(Lvov, Ukraine), on Sept. 8; and
- to Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who will represent the Pope at the consecration
of the Cathedral of Karaganda in Kzakhstan on Sept. 9;
THE POPE'S PRAYER INTENTIONS
FOR SEPTEMBER 2012
General Intention:
That politicians may always act with honesty, integrity, and love for the truth.
Missionary Intention:
That Christian communities may have a growing willingness to send missionaries, priests, and lay people,
along with concrete resources, to the poorest churches.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 02/09/2012 02:19]