Catholic Action
To All Hibernians:
The month of June falls entirely within Ordinary time. Sunday the 2nd is dedicated to the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), a day which should assume more importance in the context of the ongoing Eucharistic revival and imminent National Eucharistic Congress which our bishops are encouraging.
MAJOR SAINTS AND FEAST DAYS OF JUNE
| JUNE 1 | Justin, Martyr | Memorial |
| JUNE 3 | Charles Lwanga & Companions, Martyrs | Memorial |
| JUNE 5 | Boniface, Bishop and Martyr | Memorial |
| JUNE 7 | The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus | Solemnity |
| JUNE 8 | The Immaculate Heart of Mary | Memorial |
| JUNE 11 | Barnabas, Apostle | Memorial |
| JUNE 13 | Anthony of Padua | Memorial |
| JUNE 21 | Aloysius Gonzaga | Memorial |
| JUNE 24 | The Nativity of John the Baptist | Solemnity |
| JUNE 28 | Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr | Memorial |
| JUNE 29 | Peter and Paul, Apostles | Solemnity |
IRISH SAINTS OF MARCH
Kevin, Abbot of Glendalough (d.c. 618) June 3
Though Kevin, also known as Coemgen, is one of Ireland’s most popular saints, it is difficult to disentangle his real story from the mass of legends which have grown up around him. He may have been of royal blood, was born in Leinster, and was baptized by St. Cronan. He was an oblate to a community of monks at a young age, and after his ordination, sought out a solitary life, finding what he desired in Glendalough. As was so often the case, the holy hermit attracted
disciples to his location, and eventually Kevin established a community, which grew into the abbey of Glendalough, of which he was the abbot. Many stories about Kevin testify to his close affinity to the natural world around him and are reminiscent of stories about Francis of Assisi.
St. Kevin is one of the patrons of Dublin.
Jarlath, Bishop of Tuam (d.c. 550) June 6
St. Jarlath is not to be confused with an earlier namesake who was a disciple of St. Patrick.
Jarlath was said to come from a prominent Galway family. Like many early Irish holy men, he was sent at an early age to be trained by monastic mentors. After ordination, Jarlath founded a monastic community near Tuam and became its abbot and bishop. He was the first bishop of Tuam. Among his pupils were supposedly Sts. Brendan of Clonfert and Colman, son of Lenine.
Colman of Dromore, Bishop (fl. 6th century) June 7
There are more than 200 Celtic holy men named Dromore, so it is no wonder that their life stories have become confused. This man was supposedly a Scot, born in Argyllshire. One of his mentors supposedly assigned him the mission of establishing a monastic community on the Coba plain in Ireland, and he did, at Dromore, in County Down. Colman has been venerated in Scotland and Ireland.
Columba, Abbot of Iona (c. 521-597) June 9
Columba, one of the greatest of Irish saints, came of royalty from both parents. His father was a great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and his mother traced descent from both the kings of Leinster and the Scottish Dalriada. He was also known as Colmcille, a name etymologically derived from the fact that he established many religious cells or foundations. At an early age, he was sent to St. Finnian’s school at Moville, where he was ordained a deacon. From there he went to Leinster to study the bardic arts. Still later, he went to the school of another St. Finnian, that of Clonard. Columba was one of the so-called Twelve Apostles of Ireland who emerged from that school. At some point, Columba was ordained a priest. He was associated for a time with another famous monastic school, that of St. Mobhi at Glasnevin, which was dispersed by an outbreak of the plague in 543. For about fifteen years, Columba went about Ireland preaching and making monastic foundations, the best known being Derry, Durrow, and Kells. Columba must have made a striking presentation to his contemporaries; he was said to be very tall and athletic, with a great speaking voice which carried quite a distance.
It was in this period that Columba became involved in a legal dispute with his mentor, Finnian of Clonard. Finnian was in possession of a copy of Jerome’s Psalter, the first one to reach Ireland. Columba borrowed it and made a copy. Finnian heard of this and demanded that the copy be surrendered to him. Columba refused. The case made its way to King Diarmaid, overlord of Ireland, who ruled in favor of Finnian. Soon after, Columba found himself in greater difficulty. He provided sanctuary to a man who had fatally injured a follower of Diarmaid in a hurling match. Diarmaid’s followers violated sanctuary and killed the man, touching off a war between Columba’s clan and Diarmaid’s followers, a war in which many men were slain.
Columba felt some responsibility for this and there were others who agreed, even asserting that Columba had instigated the war. A local synod censured him, and he only escaped excommunication due to the intervention of St. Brendan. Columba vowed to exile himself from Ireland and seek to win at least as many men for Christ as had perished in the feud. In 563, Columba left Ireland in a coracle, with twelve relatives. His wandering brought him to Iona, where he founded a monastery on land given to him by his mother’s kinsmen.
Iona was to be one of the most renowned and influential monastic foundations of early medieval Europe. From Iona, Columba and his disciples evangelized the Picts and Scots, and later the English as well as continental Europeans. Columba, always noted for saintly habits, certainly progressed in those over time, with many of the rough edges seen in his earlier life being transformed. He and his disciples became identified, even after his death, with many of the unique practices of the Celtic Church. The monastic rule which he composed for his followers was used throughout Europe, until it was largely replaced by that of St. Benedict.
Moling, Bishop of Ferns (d. 697) June 17
The Welshman Giraldus Cambrensis noted that books written by Patrick, Columba, Broccan, and Moling, whom he called The Prophets of Ireland, were extant in his day. Unfortunately, at least for Moling, these have vanished. Moling is said to have come from County Wexford, and to have been related to Leinster’s royalty. After some time at Glendalough, where he took the monastic habit, Moling founded an abbey at Achad Cainigb. Moling is said to have lived for a while in a hollow tree and endured lengthy fasts. Later he succeeded St. Aidan as bishop of Ferns.
Goban, Martyr (d.c. 670) June 20
Goban, or Gobain, was a disciple of St. Fursey, accompanying him to East Anglia. Later, he went with St. Ultan to Gaul. After some wanderings, Goban established a hermitage on what is now Mont d’Ermitage, at the town of Saint-Gobain. The saint was beheaded by barbarian raiders.
NATIONAL ISSUES OF INTEREST:
–The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments regarding the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s approval and subsequent paring down of safeguards for the drug mifepristone, the so-called “abortion pill.” Suit was brought by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM).
–Scotland’s new hate crime law has come into effect (April 1) after being passed into law two years ago. The Catholic bishops of Scotland have registered their concern about the law.
Similar laws in other countries have been used to restrict speech, especially that critical of the militant homosexual and transgender movements.
–“To misuse this sacred gesture is to make a mockery of our Catholic faith.” These are the words of Springfield, Illinois, Bishop Thomas Paprocki in reaction to President Biden’s making of the Sign of the Cross during a speech at a pro-abortion rally in Tampa, Florida. The President was criticizing Florida Governor DeSantis for signing a bill restricting abortion after 6 weeks.
Fraternally,
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.]