Catholic Action
To All Hibernians:
Most of the month of March this year falls within Lent. The liturgical color for Lent is violet, except that rose may be worn on the Fourth Sunday, Laetare Sunday (March 10). Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence; all the Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. Holy Week and the beginning of the Easter season fall during the last week of March. Let us make an effort to attend services offered during the Triduum, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, leading up to the great feast of Easter (March 31).
MAJOR SAINTS AND FEAST DAYS OF MARCH
| March 7 | Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs | |
| March 17 | Patrick, Bishop | |
| March 18 | Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor | |
| March 19 | Joseph, Spouse of Mary | Solemnity |
FRANCIS DE SALES
Francis de Sales (1567-1622), whom we venerate this month, has an important message for all of us. In his writings and sermons, Francis always emphasized that there is a pathway to holiness which fits every walk in life. From his Introduction to the Devout Life: “It is therefore an error and even a heresy to wish to exclude the exercise of devotion from military divisions, from the artisans’ shops, from the courts of princes, from family households.”
IRISH SAINTS OF MARCH
Kieran of Saighir, Bishop (d.c. 530) March 5
This saint is also known as Kieran (or Ciaran) the Elder and is one of several sainted Kierans. Details of his life are sketchy and disputed, and many fanciful stories revolve around him. He lived for a time as a hermit, attracted a number of followers, and built a monastery which developed into the town of Saighir. He is considered the first bishop of Ossory; he may have been one of the twelve bishops consecrated by St. Patrick. St. Piran (or Perran), a Welsh hermit whose feast is celebrated the same day, is sometimes confused with him.
Fridolin, Abbot (6th century?) March 6
Reportedly an Irish priest who preached throughout Ireland and then wandered through Gaul preaching, Fridolin settled near Poitiers. He is credited with the recovery, guided by a vision, of the remains of the founder of St. Hilary’s monastery there. He rebuilt the monastery, which had been destroyed during the barbarian invasions, and was elected abbot. He later settled on Sackingham, an island in the Rhine, and built a monastery, a convent, and boys’ school there, serving as abbot of the monastery. He was known as the Wanderer, or the Traveler.
Senan, Bishop (d. 560) March 8
At least one authority on the subject lists twenty-two St. Senans and separating the details of their lives is not easy. This man is known as Senan of Scattery Island. He was of Munster origin and lived the life of a warrior before hearing a call to religious life. After tutelage under an abbot named Cassidus, Senan was sent to St. Natalis, abbot of Kilmanagh in Ossory. Like many Irish saints, Senan made a pilgrimage to Rome, and on his journey home, made the acquaintance of St. David of Wales, whose staff Senan bore back to Ireland. After spending some time in a community at Inishcarra, Senan was directed by divine signs to found a community on Scattery Island (Inish Cathaigh) in the estuary of the Shannon. He was supposedly consecrated a bishop at some point, but no one knows over what see or when.
Kessog, Bishop and Martyr (6th century) March 10
Kessog, or Mackessog, came of Munster royalty. He went to Scotland to preach the Gospel and was consecrated a bishop there. He is said to have suffered martyrdom, but exactly how or where is uncertain. The Scots formerly invoked him in battle, before St. Andrew replaced him in this regard, and he is depicted in iconography as an archer. Several place names in Scotland testify to his veneration there in Catholic times.
Himelin (d.c. 750) March 10
Little is known of this saint, except that he died in the Low Countries as he was returning from a pilgrimage to Rome. A local parish priest nursed him in his final illness, which was marked by miraculous events.
Oengus, Abbot and Bishop (d.c. 824) March 11
Oengus, or Aengus, entered the monastery of Clonenagh at Leix, then well-known for its size, learning, and sanctity. A few years later, he took up the life of a hermit a few miles away. Still later, he moved along to the abbey of Tallaght, near Dublin, where for years he concealed his identity from the abbot. This was probably in order to be able to lead a more retiring life, since over the years his reputation for sanctity had spread and brought him unwelcome attention. Toward the end of his years, Oengus returned to Clonenagh, where he was reportedly made abbot and bishop. In his final years, Oengus completed his metrical hymn in honor of the saints, the Felire, over which he had labored for many years. Oengus died at his nearby hermitage. He is known as the Hagiographer, because of his hymn, and the Culdee (God’s Vassal), due to his strict asceticism.
Mochoemoc, Abbot (7th century) March 13
Mochoemoc was the nephew of St. Ita, under whose tutelage he grew in the spiritual life until she sent the young man to St. Comgall at Bangor Abbey, County Down, where he was ordained. Comgall seems to have set Mochoemoc the mission of sowing a new establishment, and in fact Mochoemoc founded several. His best known foundation was at Liath-mor in County Tipperary. The saint lived there to an advanced age.
Gerald of Mayo, Abbot (d. 732) March 13
Gerald was an Englishman, a Northumbrian monk of Lindisfarne. After the Synod of Whitby imposed the Roman Easter observance over the Celtic one, a decision which Colman could not abide, a group of English novices accompanied St. Colman and his Irish followers back to Ireland. A community was established on Inishboffin. Though the Irish and English monks of the foundation agreed on liturgical usage, they evidently disagreed on enough other matters to cause Colman to erect a separate house on the adjacent Mayo coast for the English monks. It is not known whether Gerald was an original English member of Colman’s group or came later; many English monks did come later, as the place had a reputation as a “school for the Saxons.” Colman was at first abbot of both house, but was succeeded by Gerald as abbot of the English one. Gerald is sometimes said to have been a bishop, but it is likely that this results from confusion over the likelihood that Gerald enjoyed some sort of privileges as a protector and patron of his countrymen in Ireland. Gerald probably lived to see the imposition of the Roman Easter usage upon his abbey.
Finnian Lobhar, Abbot (d.c. 560?) March 16
Finnian was said to be of Munster royalty, though he was born in Leinster, from which his mother hailed. His dates are far from certain. Finnian gained a reputation as a miraculous healer. He obtained the title “Lobhar”–Leper–after he willingly took on the disease to cure a young man afflicted by it. He may have ended his days as abbot of Clonmore.
Patrick, Archbishop (c. 389-c. 461) March 17
Most of us know at least the outline of the story of the Apostle of Ireland, and at least some of the legends about him. The son of Calpurnius, a Romano-British official, born somewhere in the Roman province of Britain, he was carried off into slavery by Irish raiders when he was about 16. After serving as a shepherd for 6 years, probably in Mayo or Antrim, he escaped, and made his way to Gaul. He seems to have studied at the monasterey of Lerins, 412-15, and was probably ordained c. 417. Patrick harbored the desire, encouraged by a vision which he experienced, to return and evangelize the pagan Irish. In about 432, consecrated bishop by St. Germanus, he was sent back to Ireland to carry on the work of St. Palladius, who had died the previous year. Most of the remainder of his life was spent in this task, as he travelled throughout the island, encountering the potentially deadly opposition of many pagan chieftains and the Druidic priests. In 442 and 444, he visited Rome. He made Armagh his episcopal see, cementing its role in the history of the Irish Church. Besides his many conversions, Patrick brought the Irish Church into closer union with Rome, encouraged the study of Latin, and raised the standards of scholarship in general. Among surviving writings, we have his Confession, an answer to some of his detractors, which contains many details of his life, his Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus, denouncing murders committed by Welsh Christian marauders against their fellow Christians in Ireland, and his prayer, The Lorica. Patrick’s tomb is believed to be at Downpatrick, with Saints Brigid and Columba.
Frigidian, Bishop (d.c. 588) March 18
Frigidian was an Irish priest, who during a pilgrimage to Italy, resolved to become a hermit on Monte Pisano near Lucca. Eventually he unwillingly accepted the bishopric of Lucca under pressure from the pope. He fled the Lombard invasion of Lucca, returning later to rebuild the cathedral destroyed by the barbarians. He was noted for his solicitude for the suffering and sick, even those among the conquerors, many of whom he converted. Frigidian retired to his hermitage from time to time. He also founded and presided over a community of clergy, later organized as canons regular, who even five centuries later were seen as models for reform. He is better known in Italy as Frediano, and is still the patron of the cathedral of Lucca.
Christian, Abbot (d. 1186) March 18
Christian was a disciple of St. Malachy and would appear to be one of the four men who remained behind at Clairvaux, taking the Cistercian habit, when Malachy passed through there returning from his pilgrimage to Rome. Malachy, desirous of bringing the Cistercians to Ireland, applied to his friend St. Bernard, who sent Christian and several French monks. Christian became the first abbot of the first Cistercian house in Ireland. It is possible that Blessed Christian was bishop of Lismore and papal legate in Ireland.
Enda, Abbot (c. 450-c. 530) March 21
Enda was a warrior, possibly of Oriel in Ulster, whose sister, St. Fanchea, was a consecrated virgin. Fanchea persuaded him to give up raiding and violence and adopt Christianity, and later to embrace the monastic life and the priesthood. Enda may have studied abroad, in Scotland or Britain, and may have been to Rome. He established perhaps the first Irish monastery, at Killeany on Inismor, in the Aran Islands, and became its abbot. The monastery became a pilgrimage site as well as a center from which evangelization spread back to the mainland of Ireland. Enda founded several other monasteries and shares with St. Finnian of Clonard the title Father of Irish Monasticism.
Macartan, Bishop (d.c. 505) March 26
Little is known of this saint. He is considered the first bishop of Clogher, and may have been consecrated by St. Patrick.
NATIONAL ISSUES OF INTEREST:
–The U.S. Catholic bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, chaired by Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, has issued its report for 2023. The report identifies as the largest threat to Catholics the sharp increase of attacks on houses of worship. The report cites FBI statistics that such crimes directed against Catholic targets are nearly 75% higher than those directed at any other religious group. The report also decries the “general failure” of federal authorities to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators, while at the same time, the FACE Act is being largely employed against non-violent anti-abortion demonstrators. Also mentioned in the report: the identification by at least one FBI office of traditionalist Catholics as a political extremist group; the efforts by “progressives” to restrict funding to private schools which refuse to adopt the favored gender identity ideology; legislative efforts in Washington, Vermont, and Delaware to interfere with the seal of confession; the proposed Equality Act, which threatens to force health care providers, insurers, and employers to fund abortion and gender transition, and also threatens parental control of their children; Health and Human Service and Equal Employment Opportunities Commission efforts to restrict freedom of conscience on life and gender issues. A bright spot was the general tendency of the current Supreme Court to be supportive of religious liberty rights.
–Other news from the diocese of Bishop Rhoades: a St. Joseph County judge has tossed a defamation lawsuit filed by Notre Dame sociology professor Tamara Kay against the student newspaper, The Irish Rover, after the paper exposed her support of the pro-abortion cause.
Judge Steven David wrote that the alleged defamatory statements were true and not uttered with actual malice, that there was no defamatory inference and there were no damages causally linked to the Rover’s reporting.
–In response to a pro-abortion rally headed by President Biden in the confines of his diocese, Bishop Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, issued a strongly-worded statement. Among other things, he said that “Despite what this administration claims, taking the life of an innocent child is never a ‘choice’.”
–I refrain from detailed comment on the funeral service held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York, Feb. 15, for a noted trans-activist and sex worker advocate, since every day lately more information about the event comes to light. A Mass of reparation for what occurred during the service was subsequently held at the cathedral.
–St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, has reversed its intent to begin admitting males who consider themselves female, after the policy became public. The incident has energized a number of students, faculty, and alumnae who have been concerned for some time at the school’s drift away from Catholic orthodoxy.
A Happy St. Patrick’s Day to All,
Patrick J. Lally
lally8404@hotmail.com
[Sources consulted for this report include: Butler’s Lives of the Saints, complete edition, ed. and rev. by Herbert Thurston and Donald Attwater; 4 vols. (New York, 1956); The Liturgy of the Hours According to the Roman Rite (New York, 1975); The National Catholic Register; ewtn.com; catholic.org; priestsforlife.org; catholicnewsagency.com.]