Where it not for Sunday supervening, today would have been the feast of St Paulinus of Nola; the Common used, that of Conf. Pont. (a Confessor Bishop), as opposed to that of Conf. non Pont. (a Confessor not a Bishop) – I’ve always been amused by the terminology of the latter!
In any case, today’s saint has his rightful claim to our attention, whose life I will summarize using the Matins Lesson for him in the 1962 Breviary. Born at Bordeaux, Paulinus was scion of a famous Roman house, attaining rank of Senator and Consul: following the pattern of so many noble Grecians and Romans at the dawn of the light of the Gospel, he resigned his high State offices when illumined by the touch of Divine grace, received the sacred laver of baptism and, regenerate in Christ, gave away his possessions to the poor, renouncing the use of marriage that his wife dedicate herself entirely to the Lord; and in due course he became first priest, then monk, then bishop much against his will, for the fame of his sanctity drew down upon him election to that high onerous task. He was most devout to the relics and cult of St Felix of Nola (cf. 14th January), establishing his monastery at the grave thereof, and writing many sacred poems – some sung as hymns even today – in honour of so great a wonderworking saint. The depredations of the barbarians then destroying the Roman world caused St Paulinus to give himself wholeheartedly to the cause of succouring those robbed and taken captive; having ameliorated the suffering caused by the Goths, he then turned to helping those attacked by the Vandals – and, having nothing left to give but himself, sold himself into slavery in Africa to redeem the only son of a widow. God blessed his most Christlike sacrifice of his person, and in due course Providence ordained his return to Italy, where at Nola he most piously slept in the Lord.
His Holiness Pope Benedict had much to say of St Paulinus at a General Audience late last year.
Guéranger adds an interesting detail: there is a tradition ascribing to Paulinus the introduction of the liturgical use of bells – apparently in Latin church-bells are named nolæ, or campanæ.
The Breviary has also a proper collect for St Paulinus, very interesting because addressed to Our Lord, appropriately quoting His own sacred words:
Deus, qui omnia pro te in hoc sæculo relinquentibus, centuplum in futuro et vitam æternam promisisti: concede propitius; ut, sancti Pontificis Paulini vestigiis inhærentes, valeamus terrena despicere, et sola cælestia desiderare: Qui vivis…
(O God, Who hast promised a hundredfold in the future, yea, and eternal life, to those relinquishing all things for Thee in this world; propitiously concede, that adhering to the footsteps of the holy Pontiff Paulinus, we may be able to despise terrene things, and solely to desire heavenly: Who livest and reignest…)
The Missal provides a Mass for Paulinus, the chants of which are drawn from the Common Masses for a Conf. Pont. , but whose lessons and orations are proper. The Scripture proposed for consideration deals with almsgiving: II Corinthians viii, 9-15 (surely because our saint followed the example of Our Lord in verse 9: “being rich, He became poor for your sakes, that through His poverty ye might be rich”) and St Luke xii, 32-34 (“Sell what ye possess, and give alms”).
It is noteworthy that all the prayers refer to him, not as “blessed Paulinus Thy Bishop and Confessor” as usual, but as “holy Pontiff Paulinus”, as if this were his special title.
The Secret and Postcommunion both beg that we obtain a conformity of our lives with the Divine Victim immolated for us, just as did St Paulinus:
Da nobis, Domine, perfectæ caritatis sacrificium, exemplo sancti Pontificis Paulini, cum altaris oblatione conjungere: et beneficientiæ studio sempiternam misericordiam promereri. Per…
(Give unto us, O Lord, to unite a sacrifice of perfect love, after the example of holy Pontiff Paulinus, with the oblation at the altar: and by our zeal of beneficence to merit everlasting mercy. Through…)
Tribue nobis per hæc sancta, Domine, illum pietatis et humilitatis affectum, quem ex hoc divino fonte hausit sanctus Pontifex tuus Paulinus: et, ipsius intercessione, in omnes, qui te deprecantur, gratiæ tuæ divitias benignus effunde. Per.
(Grant unto us by these Holy Gifts, Lord, that love of piety and humility that holy Pontiff Paulinus drew from this Divine source: and, at his intercession, benignly pour forth the riches of Thy grace upon all who pray Thee. Through…)
Interestingly, the Paris Missal of 1738, while supplying different proper chants and a different Gospel, retained the Epistle, and also all three orations, only very slightly modifying their text:
Deus, qui omnia pro te relinquentibus in hoc sæculo centuplum, et in futuro vitam æternam promisisti: concede propitius; ut, sancti Pontificis Paulini vestigiis inhærentes, peritura contemnamus, et ad sola mansura suspiremus. Per…
(… contemning things soon to perish, and sighing for what alone abides. Through…)
Da nobis, Domine, perfectæ caritatis sacrificium, exemplo sancti Pontificis Paulini, cum altaris sancti oblatione conjungere: et beneficientiæ studio sempiternam misericordiam promereri. Per…
Tribue nobis per hæc sancta, Domine, illum affectum pietatis et humilitatis, quem ex hoc divino fonte hausit sanctus Pontifex tuus Paulinus: et, ipsius intercessione, , gratiæ tuæ divitias, in omnes qui te deprecantur, benignus effunde. Per.
May this great because humble saint pray for us.
In any case, today’s saint has his rightful claim to our attention, whose life I will summarize using the Matins Lesson for him in the 1962 Breviary. Born at Bordeaux, Paulinus was scion of a famous Roman house, attaining rank of Senator and Consul: following the pattern of so many noble Grecians and Romans at the dawn of the light of the Gospel, he resigned his high State offices when illumined by the touch of Divine grace, received the sacred laver of baptism and, regenerate in Christ, gave away his possessions to the poor, renouncing the use of marriage that his wife dedicate herself entirely to the Lord; and in due course he became first priest, then monk, then bishop much against his will, for the fame of his sanctity drew down upon him election to that high onerous task. He was most devout to the relics and cult of St Felix of Nola (cf. 14th January), establishing his monastery at the grave thereof, and writing many sacred poems – some sung as hymns even today – in honour of so great a wonderworking saint. The depredations of the barbarians then destroying the Roman world caused St Paulinus to give himself wholeheartedly to the cause of succouring those robbed and taken captive; having ameliorated the suffering caused by the Goths, he then turned to helping those attacked by the Vandals – and, having nothing left to give but himself, sold himself into slavery in Africa to redeem the only son of a widow. God blessed his most Christlike sacrifice of his person, and in due course Providence ordained his return to Italy, where at Nola he most piously slept in the Lord.
His Holiness Pope Benedict had much to say of St Paulinus at a General Audience late last year.
Guéranger adds an interesting detail: there is a tradition ascribing to Paulinus the introduction of the liturgical use of bells – apparently in Latin church-bells are named nolæ, or campanæ.
The Breviary has also a proper collect for St Paulinus, very interesting because addressed to Our Lord, appropriately quoting His own sacred words:
Deus, qui omnia pro te in hoc sæculo relinquentibus, centuplum in futuro et vitam æternam promisisti: concede propitius; ut, sancti Pontificis Paulini vestigiis inhærentes, valeamus terrena despicere, et sola cælestia desiderare: Qui vivis…
(O God, Who hast promised a hundredfold in the future, yea, and eternal life, to those relinquishing all things for Thee in this world; propitiously concede, that adhering to the footsteps of the holy Pontiff Paulinus, we may be able to despise terrene things, and solely to desire heavenly: Who livest and reignest…)
The Missal provides a Mass for Paulinus, the chants of which are drawn from the Common Masses for a Conf. Pont. , but whose lessons and orations are proper. The Scripture proposed for consideration deals with almsgiving: II Corinthians viii, 9-15 (surely because our saint followed the example of Our Lord in verse 9: “being rich, He became poor for your sakes, that through His poverty ye might be rich”) and St Luke xii, 32-34 (“Sell what ye possess, and give alms”).
It is noteworthy that all the prayers refer to him, not as “blessed Paulinus Thy Bishop and Confessor” as usual, but as “holy Pontiff Paulinus”, as if this were his special title.
The Secret and Postcommunion both beg that we obtain a conformity of our lives with the Divine Victim immolated for us, just as did St Paulinus:
Da nobis, Domine, perfectæ caritatis sacrificium, exemplo sancti Pontificis Paulini, cum altaris oblatione conjungere: et beneficientiæ studio sempiternam misericordiam promereri. Per…
(Give unto us, O Lord, to unite a sacrifice of perfect love, after the example of holy Pontiff Paulinus, with the oblation at the altar: and by our zeal of beneficence to merit everlasting mercy. Through…)
Tribue nobis per hæc sancta, Domine, illum pietatis et humilitatis affectum, quem ex hoc divino fonte hausit sanctus Pontifex tuus Paulinus: et, ipsius intercessione, in omnes, qui te deprecantur, gratiæ tuæ divitias benignus effunde. Per.
(Grant unto us by these Holy Gifts, Lord, that love of piety and humility that holy Pontiff Paulinus drew from this Divine source: and, at his intercession, benignly pour forth the riches of Thy grace upon all who pray Thee. Through…)
Interestingly, the Paris Missal of 1738, while supplying different proper chants and a different Gospel, retained the Epistle, and also all three orations, only very slightly modifying their text:
Deus, qui omnia pro te relinquentibus in hoc sæculo centuplum, et in futuro vitam æternam promisisti: concede propitius; ut, sancti Pontificis Paulini vestigiis inhærentes, peritura contemnamus, et ad sola mansura suspiremus. Per…
(… contemning things soon to perish, and sighing for what alone abides. Through…)
Da nobis, Domine, perfectæ caritatis sacrificium, exemplo sancti Pontificis Paulini, cum altaris sancti oblatione conjungere: et beneficientiæ studio sempiternam misericordiam promereri. Per…
Tribue nobis per hæc sancta, Domine, illum affectum pietatis et humilitatis, quem ex hoc divino fonte hausit sanctus Pontifex tuus Paulinus: et, ipsius intercessione, , gratiæ tuæ divitias, in omnes qui te deprecantur, benignus effunde. Per.
May this great because humble saint pray for us.
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