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Interim Saints - April 5th AFRICAN MARTYRS (A.D. 559) During the cruel persecution of the Church in North Africa by the Arian king Genseric, an Arian priest named Andiot led on a band of armed men to attack the Catholics in their church, whilst they were celebrating the feast of Easter . . . The whole congregation was then butchered by the ruffians. GERALD, abbot (A.D. 1095) S. Gerald was born at Corbie, near Amiens, in the 11th century . . . S. Gerald was indefatigable in preaching to the peasants, a rude untaught perople in that part, and they crowded to hear him, and listened with trickling tears to his touching appeals to their souls and loving words on the passion of Jesus Christ. JULIANA, virgin, abbess (A.D. 1258) The little hamlet of Retinne near Liége, was the birthplace of a woman to whom the Catholic Church must ever look with gratitude for having been the means of introducing into her round of festivals one which perfects, completes, and seals that holy circle. [Baring-Gould refers, or course, to the feast of Corpus Christi, celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which is the Sunday after Pentecost. We're never very good, in the Catholic Church, at declaring a circle complete; there always has to be another turn. And so the Friday of the following week, that is, the Friday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost, is the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; and the Saturday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost is that of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.] VINCENT FERRIER, confessor (A.D. 1419) One day he was required to preach before a great noble, and he took considerable pains to prepare his sermon according to the rules of elocution. It was a failure. Next day he preached as was customary with him, and electrified his hearers. The prince, who was present, asked him afterwards how it was that so great a difference existed in his sermons. "Yesterday Vincernt Ferrier preached," was his answer. "Today it is Jesus Christ." Oriens. ____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%