Saint of the week: St. Anthony of Padua (June 13th)/Joanne Ho

St. Anthony of Padua
Doctor of the Church

Feastday: June 13
b.1195 d.1231

Saint Anthony was canonized (declared a saint) less than one year after his death.

There is perhaps no more loved and admired saint in the Catholic Church than Saint Anthony of Padua, a Doctor of the Church. Though his work was in Italy, he was born in Portugal. He first joined the Augustinian Order and then left it and joined the Franciscan Order in 1221, when he was 26 years old. The reason he became a Franciscan was because of the death of the five Franciscan protomartyrs -- St. Bernard, St. Peter, St. Otho, St. Accursius, and St. Adjutus -- who shed their blood for the Catholic Faith in the year 1220, in Morocco, in North Africa, and whose headless and mutilated bodies had been brought to St. Anthony's monastery on their way back for burial. St. Anthony became a Franciscan in the hope of shedding his own blood and becoming a martyr. He lived only ten years after joining the Franciscan Order.

So simple and resounding was his teaching of the Catholic Faith, so that the most unlettered and innocent might understand it, that he was made a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946. Saint Anthony was only 36 years old when he died. He is called the "hammer of the Heretics" His great protection against their lies and deceits in the matter of Christian doctrine was to utter, simply and innocently, the Holy Name of Mary. When St. Anthony of Padua found he was preaching the true Gospel of the Catholic Church to heretics who would not listen to him, he then went out and preached it to the fishes. This was not, as liberals and naturalists are trying to say, for the instruction of the fishes, but rather for the glory of God, the delight of the angels, and the easing of his own heart. St. Anthony wanted to profess the Catholic Faith with his mind and his heart, at every moment.

He is typically depicted with a book and the Infant Child Jesus, to whom He miraculously appeared, and is commonly referred to today as the "finder of lost articles." Upon exhumation, some 336 years after his death, his body was found to be corrupted, yet his tongue was totally incorrupt, so perfect were the teachings that had been formed upon it.



聖安道 (St. Anthony of Padua 1195-1231)

慶日：6月13日

主保：文盲、貧苦者、被遺棄者和失物者

聖安道蒙天主召叫作為一位方濟會傳教士。然而，天主賦予他的卻是其他的使命。

主後1195年的8月15日，聖人誕生於葡萄牙的里斯本。他的雙親馬爾定（Martin）與瑪利亞（MariaBulhom），給其付洗的聖名是費納多（Fernando）。1210年時，他在里斯本先加入了奧斯定會（Canons of Saint Augustine），但這個修道院卻與他世俗的圈子過於接近，且教會與國王間的爭論也從未停息過。因此，二年後，聖人被允許轉往可茵波拉（Coimbra）的會院，該會院座落在里斯本北方約一百哩的城鎮中。聖人在該處學習聖經，並妥善預備自己的晉鐸（約1220年）。

1220 年，第一批在摩洛哥殉道的方濟會士（在1月16日紀念），他們的骨骸被攜回可茵波拉城之後，聖人便向來到會院門前行乞的方濟會士說：「親愛的弟兄們，若你們願意派我至阿拉伯人所在的地方，去收取與你們神聖的殉道者相同的莊稼，並分享他們的光榮的話，我將很樂意穿上你們的會衣。」

當時，因為小兄弟們在可茵波拉城的居所，奉獻給了埃及的隱士聖安當（St. Anthony the Egyptian hermit），故聖人便以他為其會名。一年後， 聖人去了摩洛哥，但因健康狀況不佳而被迫返回。

1221年，他的船在回程中行偏了，行駛到了西西里，他便在該處加入了一群小弟兄的行列，他們正要前往亞西西的聖神降臨堂。在該處，聖人見到了聖方濟本人，並被指派到北方的省區去。於是，他便在靠近Bologna的Monte Paolo的一座隱院服務。

1222年夏天，安道參與了幾位小兄弟的晉鐸禮。晚餐後，院長要求一位會士講道，但場中除了安道之外，所有的道明會士與方濟會士都婉拒了。他那篇講論基督服從至死的道理，使在場的所有會士都大感驚奇。從此，聖人他那隱藏的天賦就被揭露了出來！

很快地，安道就被指派給住在Bologna的會士們教授神學，此時，他先前在可茵波拉城所學習的東西就派上了用場。在教授學問上，安道謹記聖方濟給予他的教誨：絕不能為了學習神學而破壞了祈禱與虔敬的精神！的確，安道的學生是從一位聖善之人那學習聖經，他的聖善與其所學完全相稱。

稍後，安道獲得了在整個義大利北部宣講的許可，在該處異端的跟隨者甚眾。當時，教會所擁有的巨大財富引來了尖銳的議論；而表現出貧窮與簡樸的異議宣講者，更與當時神父與主教的生活形成強烈的對比。於是，安道便以他的宣講和其儉樸的生活方式，為教會贏得了許多皈依者。

1224年，安道被遣往法國南部宣講福音，該處的清教徒（Albigensians）擁有許多的信眾，但安道卻在那裡獲得了「異端之鎚（Hammer of Heretics）」的美譽。事實上，安道的聖德和愛德與他的學問一樣豐盛，這才是他說服異議者皈依的最大原因。

1227年，安道回到了義大利北部，在該處他受命為該地區的省會長，並繼續他那深獲人心的宣講。1228年，聖人來到了Padua，群眾立即為他的道理與善表所懾服。1231年，數千人聆聽著他一連串四旬期的道理。在他宣講的影響下，Padua城通過了一項法律，該項條文反對負債者應完全償清債務後才准予釋放的規定。

1231年春天，安道與同伴路加和羅傑二位弟兄（brothers Luke and Roger）離開了Padua城，一同前往在Camposampiero的會院，在該地，他有一處類似草屋般的隱院，安道願意在這裡祈禱並預備自己的死亡。

1231年的6月13日，安道病得極其嚴重，於是便要求能被帶回Padua城。在Arcella的會院裡，安道便在路途中領受了最後的聖事。最後，在交付靈魂前，他只簡短地喊叫說：「我看見主了！」

安道過世後不到一年，即被教會列為聖品（他在教會列聖的歷史中，仍保有最快被列品的紀錄 －死後僅352天即被公開列品），且在1946年被賦予「教會聖師」的頭銜。

聖人過世後一年，其舌被人發現仍保持鮮紅，聖文德（St Bonaventure）看到後，還因此流淚、親吻。如今，聖人的舌頭被置放在義大利Padua城的一個銀製盒子裡，至今仍是朝聖者的主要朝聖對象。

傳統上，民間還相信聖人是粗心者的主保，特別是那些遺失重要物品者。無論丟失的是寵物、值得紀念的物品，甚至是小孩，只要誦唸「Tony, Tony, look around. Something's lost that must be found.」的歌謠， 即能獲得聖人的協助找回該物。

12-15-07 Sacred Heart Food Bank service

02-02-08 Fr. Deutsch's talk

Saint of the week: St. Raymond of Pennafort

聖雷孟 （St. Raymond of Pennafort ，1175-1275 ）

慶日： 1月 7日

主保：教會法編撰者

1175 年，聖雷孟誕生於西班牙的巴塞隆納附近；由於他是西班牙的貴族成員之一，因此從小便接受了極完備的教育，且很早就對聖母懷有一份溫柔的愛與崇敬。聖人20歲時，已是一位名聞遐邇的哲學教師，他在 30歲時同時取得了教會法與民法的博士學位。然而，他卻拋開一切世俗的光榮，毅然地在 41歲時加入了「道明會」。

當時的教宗額我略九世非常賞識他，將聖人召喚至羅馬為他工作，並成為教宗的個人告解神師。他在羅馬的主要工作是：彙整過去教會 歷史中，所有教宗與大公會議的典章律例，這巨大的工程在聖人接手前已進行了 80個年頭。最後，聖人編出了一套五本名為《教會律例大全－ Corpus decretalium》的教會法典彙編。 1917年新的教會法典彙編出版前，這部「教會律例大全」是最好的教會法典參考。稍早，他也曾寫過一部助人善行告解的著作，名為《個案大全－ Summa de casibus poenitentiae，那不僅是一部條列罪與補贖的著作，還更是討論教會道理與法律的書籍，是聽告神師必備的工具書之一。

60 歲時，聖人被教宗指定為Aragon首都Tarragona 的總主教，但他並不喜歡如此的 尊榮，後來藉病重之名，二年後辭去了主教的職務。然而，聖人卻無福享受平靜的生活，因為隔年即被自己的同會弟兄選為道明會的總會長。於是，聖人只好努力地 工作，徒步拜訪所有的道明會士，且修訂會憲，允許總會長於任內辭去職務。新會憲通過的那一年，聖人時年 65歲，他也順利地辭去了總會長的職務。

生命的最後 35年，聖人致力於對抗異端邪說與勸說摩爾人（Moors）皈依的工作。他為人極其謙和，且非常親近天主；他常做克苦，其良善與仁慈也常為天主贏得罪人們的靈魂。聖人與 Aragon的國王James 、St. Peter Nolasco一起創建了「Our Lady of Ransom 」修會，該修會致力於從摩爾人的手中救回被俘的可憐基督徒。

James 國王本是位秉性良善的人，可惜，他卻常隨自己的偏情私欲而行。一次，聖人與他一同前往瑪約卡島（the Island of Majorca）宣講耶穌基督，但King James卻立了壞榜樣，因為王在該島上與一位婦女有著苟且的關係，聖人命令王遣走那婦女，王雖口頭答應，卻未信守承諾，於是聖人便離開了那座島。 王盛怒，便下令：凡載送聖人回巴塞隆納的船 長，都應受嚴厲的懲罰。聖人只好全心信賴上主，於是他將自己的上衣平鋪在海面上，將其中的一端綁上木柴做帆，劃了十字聖號之後，便腳踏自己的上衣，一路航 行了六小時，最後安抵巴塞隆納。國王被此神蹟所感動，於是對自己的行為深感愧疚，並且認真地追隨聖人的教導。最後，聖人一百足歲之時，天主才讓聖雷孟完全 地從人世間退休。

「你們的純潔和虔誠要求應得的報酬；因為你們為天主所悅納，願你們的純潔由於不斷的打擊，而愈加純潔，直到完美的境界。如果你們一而再，再而三地受天主的利劍打擊，應視其為圓滿的喜樂、是天主愛你們的標記。

天主的利劍內外鋒利：外有戰爭，內有恐懼；天主再再地磨練你們，是因為狡猾的惡神常以詭計和陰謀擾亂你們的內心。這一切的攻守，你們已有相當的體驗，否則便不會獲致內心如此美好的平靜與安寧。…

切望慈愛與和平的天主親自使你們心靈安寧，並加速你們現世的旅程。也願祂將你們暫放在祂的身旁，遠離他人的騷擾，直到把你們安置在圓滿的光榮中為止。在那裡，你們將永遠安居在平安的光榮中，和安全的帳幕中，安祥地享用無盡的富裕。」

（節選自一月七日《誦讀日課》──聖雷孟司鐸書信集選讀 ）

January 7- St. Raymond of Penyafort (1175-1275)

Since Raymond lived into his hundredth year, he had a chance to do many things. As a member of the Spanish nobility, he had the resources and the education to get a good start in life.

By the time he was 20, he was teaching philosophy. In his early 30s he earned a doctorate in both canon and civil law. At 41 he became a Dominican. Pope Gregory IX called him to Rome to work for him and to be his confessor. One of the things the pope asked him to do was to gather together all the decrees of popes and councils that had been made in 80 years since a similar collection by Gratian. Raymond compiled five books called the Decretals. They were looked upon as one of the best organized collections of Church law until the 1917 codification of canon law.

Earlier, Raymond had written for confessors a book of cases. It was called Summa de casibus poenitentiae. More than just a list of sins and penances, it discussed pertinent doctrines and laws of the Church that pertained to the problem or case brought to the confessor.

At the age of 60, Raymond was appointed archbishop of Tarragona, the capital of Aragon. He didn't like the honor at all and ended up getting sick and resigning in two years.

He didn't get to enjoy his peace long, however, because when he was 63 he was elected by his fellow Dominicans to be the head of the whole Order, the successor of St. Dominic. Raymond worked hard, visited on foot all the Dominicans, reorganized their constitutions and managed to put through a provision that a master general be allowed to resign. When the new constitutions were accepted, Raymond, then 65, resigned.

He still had 35 years to oppose heresy and work for the conversion of the Moors in Spain. He convinced St. Thomas Aquinas to write his work Against the Gentiles.

In his100th year the Lord let Raymond retire.

Comment:

Raymond was a lawyer, a canonist. Legalism is one of the things that the Church tried to rid herself of at Vatican II. It is too great a preoccupation with the letter of the law to the neglect of the spirit and purpose of the law. The law can become an end in itself, so that the value the law was intended to promote is overlooked. But we must guard against going to the opposite extreme and seeing law as useless or something to be lightly regarded. Laws ideally state those things that are for the best interests of everyone and make sure the rights of all are safeguarded. From Raymond, we can learn a respect for law as a means of serving the common good.

Quote:

"He who hates the law is without wisdom,/and is tossed about like a boat in a storm" (Sirach 33:2).

Saint of the week: St. Basil the Great

聖巴西略（St. Basil the Great－330-379）

教父、聖師

慶日：1月2日

主保：醫院管理者

聖人330年時誕生於小亞細亞的凱撒肋雅（Caesarea今日土耳其的東南方）。他的父母皆出生貴族，且信仰甚篤，後來亦被教會冊封為聖人。這個聖善的家庭育有十個子女，其中就有四位是教會公開列品的聖人（除了聖巴西略外，還包括與聖巴西略、聖額我略納齊盎齊名的聖額我略尼沙St. Gregory of Nyssa 335-394）。

聖人年輕時在君士坦丁堡求學，後來在雅典學習時，認識了聖額我略納齊盎（St. Gregory Nazianzen 330-390， 素有「神學家」的稱號），二人結為莫逆之交，後來都成了偉大的學者。當越來越多的人慕名前來聆聽聖人的宣講時，聖人意識到一種驕傲的思想在他心內升起。於 是，他變賣所有財物，施與窮人後，便決定到曠野隱修去了。他先在曠野中拜訪隱士們，然後將他們組織起來，並發展出一套完整的隱修規則與制度。當時，他創建 了極可能是小亞細亞的第一座隱修院。為東方的隱修制度而言，聖巴西略的地位就如同聖本篤之於西方教會一樣。他所訂下的原則，至今對東方教會的隱修制度仍有 著莫大的影響。當聖人決定按福音的貧窮勸諭開始修道生活時，他已走在一條成為知名教師的路上了。

聖人被祝聖為司鐸後，先擔任凱撒肋雅總主教的助理，隨後，自己也成了該地的總主教（370）。不過，在他任內，曾有幾位副主教反對他，或許是因為這些人已預先看到那以後要來的革新吧！

亞 略異端是教會歷史中最危險的邪說之一，它否認基督的天主性，為正統信仰有極大的危害。在聖人的時代，此番論述正達頂峰。當時的帝國皇帝華倫斯 （Valens）迫害著具有正統信仰的信眾，並對巴西略施以壓力，要求聖人對迫害保持沉默，並強迫他接受亞略與教會的共融。巴西略堅持不從，華倫斯只好放 棄，但問題卻依然存在。當偉大的教師聖亞大納修（St. Athansius 295-373）辭世後，教會對抗亞略異端的重責大任就落在聖人的肩上了。他付出極大的努力，將那些因暴政或內部分歧而四散的團體凝聚在一起，然而， 卻因此被誤解、造謠中傷，且被控以邪說與野心。在這樣的處境下，他雖求助於教宗的協助，卻未獲得任何的回應。他說：「因著我的罪過，每一件事都看似失敗。」

聖人在牧靈關懷上總是孜孜不倦，他一日向群眾講道二次，且創建了一座被稱為「一個世界的驚奇」的醫院（聖人年輕時曾為安頓饑荒者組織過一小團體，並親自在廚房中從事煮湯食的工作）；並且，為救助人靈，聖人也努力對抗賣淫業者。

聖人的雄辯之才極負盛名；他的著作，在聖人尚在人世時，並未在教會內獲得應有的地位。然而，在他過世72年後，加采東大公會議（the Council of Chalcedon, 451）描述他為：「偉大的巴西略，將真理傳佈至整個世界的恩寵管理者。」

聖人於主後三七九年的一月一日辭世，著作等身為他在教會內贏得「聖師」的頭銜；他所制定的隱修規則，則成為東方教會隱修院的圭臬。

聖巴西略說道：「你未曾食用的麵包，就是饑渴者的麵包；你懸掛在衣櫃裡的長袍，就是赤身露體者衣服；你不穿的鞋子，就是赤足者的鞋履；你保持深鎖的錢財，就是窮人的錢財；你不願踐行的愛德，就是諸多你所干犯的罪過。」

St. Basil the Great (329-379) bishop, Doctor of the church

January 2nd

Doctor of the Church, Bishop of Caesarea, one of the most distinguished Doctors of the Church, was born probably 329 and died on January 1, 379. He ranks after Athanasius as a defender of the Oriental Church against the heresies of the fourth century, especially Aryanism, which denied the divine nature of Jesus Christ. With his friend Gregory of Nazianzus and his brother Gregory of Nyssa, he is part of the trio known as "The Three Cappadocians", of which he was the most important in practical genius and theological writings. Basil resisted the pressure from Emperor Valens, an Arian himself, who wanted to keep him in silence and admit the heretics to communion. No wonder, when the great St. Athanasius died, the responsibility of being the defender of the faith against Aryanism fell upon Basil. Seventy-two years after his death, the Council of Chalcedon described him as “the great Basil, minister of grace who has expounded the truth to the whole earth.”