Today, 19 May, is the feast of ...
Pudentiana and Pudens, martyrs (first century?)
Calocerus and Parthenius, martyrs (304) - Eunuchs. These
two brothers worked in the household of the Emperor Decius.
At the outbreak of the persecution, they suffered martyrdom
rather than offer sacrifices to the gods.
Alcuin, abbot (804) - Great educator. Born probably at
York. In 767 he took charge of York's cathedral school. In
781 he accepted an invitation to take up residence at the
court of Charlemagne whose educational and ecclesiastical
adviser he became.
Dunstan, archbishop of Canterbury (988) - Dunstan was King
Edgar's chief adviser during the king's sixteen year reign.
After the death of Edward the Martyr, Dunstan retired from
political life and stayed in Canterbury passing his days
teaching.
Celestine V, pope (1296) - Butler writes: *In all papal
history no figure is more pathetic than that of Peter of
Morrone, the aged hermit who, after a pontificate of five
short months, voluntarily abdicated, and died virtually a
prisoner in the hands of his successor.* Do you agree with
Butler's assessment of Celestine?
Ivo of Kermartin, lawyer (1303) - Patron of lawyers. At the
age of fourteen he was sent to Paris; before the end of ten
years there he had gained great distinction in philosophy,
theology, and canon law. He then went to Orleans to study
civil law under Peter de la Chapelle. In his student days
he began to practice austerities which he continued and
increased throughout his life. He wore a hair shirt,
abstained from meat and wine, fasted during Advent and
Lent, and other times, on bread and water; he rarely slept.
Once he got his law degree, he became known as 'the poor
man's advocate'.
Augustine Novello, Hermits of St Augustine, lawyer (1309) -
Taught law in Bologna but gave it up to join a religious
order. He eventually became prior general of his order, but
resigned after only two years in order to live in a
hermitage near Siena.
Carolyn Muessig
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