Tuesday, June 17, 2008

St Gregory Barbarigo

What a joy for Good Pope John (now himself among the blessed) to canonize, on the 26th of May, 1960, the first bishop of Bergamo, his home diocese, and founder of the same far-famed seminary there that the young Roncalli attended and therein learnt the science of the saints (cf. Wisdom x, 10): St Gregory Barbarigo [Barbadicus, in Latin]. Blessed John XXIII thereupon inserted his dearly beloved saint (locally venerated in Bergamo and Padua since his death in 1697, and especially since his beatification in 1771) into the Roman Calendar on the 17th of June (one day before his actual deathdate, already occupied by St Ephræm), but (as with other luminaries) he was deleted therefrom in 1969 by bad Pope Paul, of course, who could always be relied upon to stuff up the Church.

Others have better biographied him; here is his collect:

Deus, qui beatum Gregorium Confessorem tuum atque Pontificem pastorali sollicitudine, et pauperum miseratione clarescere voluisti: concede propitius; ut, cujus merita celebramus, caritatis imitemur exempla. Per...

(O God, who hast wiiled blessed Gregory Thy Confessor and Pontiff to shine forth with pastoral sollicitude, and mercy for the poor; mercifully grant, that we may imitate his example of charity, whose merits we celebrate. Through...)


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This evening, I provided a meal (good hearty soup, pasta and dessert, with beer, wine and muscat) for two weary workers - Justin and Rosemary - who have been labouring nonstop for the restoration of our new church, St Anne's. Despite a bold fool denting the newly rebuilt sanctuary platform without any authorization (and then blaming others!), that mischief will be covered over by the altar when installed; and said altar is at present being prepared by J. and R.; it will be a so-called temporary altar, of wood, but very fine, a true Catholic altar, the locus of Sacrifice, with an altar stone inset of course.

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