December 18th - St. Winebald
Winebald is one of those amazing English missionaries who evangelized
Europe, leaving behind a flouri****ng Catholicism and a number of
monasteries
and laying the beginnings of Christianity in what is now Germany, France,
Holland, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
St. Winebald was the son of a West Saxon nobleman, St. Richard, and the
brother of St. Willibald. With his father and brother he made a pilgrimage
to Rome in 721. His father died in Italy, and Winebald remained in Rome
for
further study, like his countrymen before him, St. Wilfrid and St.
Benedict
Biscop. He returned to England and brought back to Rome some of his
relatives to begin a monastic life in the holy city.
When St. Boniface came to Rome in 739, he recruited Winebald for the
German
missions, ordained him a priest, and put him in charge of churches in
Germany and Bavaria. His brother, Willibald, who was now bishop of
Eichstatt, asked Winebald to found a monastery for the training of priests
and as a center of learning. Their sister, St. Walburga, came from England
to found a convent, and both the monastery and the convent were founded at
Heidenheim.
He established the rule of St. Benedict in his monastery, and Heidenheim
became an im****tant center of learning in the missionary territory.
Because
of illness, Winebald was not able to carry on the missionary work that he
desired and yearned to end his days at Monte Cassino.
In 761, Winebald visited St. Boniface's shrine at Fulda and on the way
home
to Heidenheim became very sick. When he reached Heidenheim, he became
weaker
and weaker and after giving his monks a few last words he died on December
18, 761. His tomb became a local shrine and the site of pilgrimages.
Thought for the Day: St. Winebald was strongly influenced by his father,
St.
Richard, and his brother, St. Willibald. Sometimes sanctity runs in the
family, and the encouragement that the family members receive from one
another is a large part of their holiness. Let us keep in mind that those
we
associate with have a powerful influence on our personality and character.
Taken from "The One Year Book of Saints" by Rev. Clifford Stevens
published
by Our Sunday Visitor Publi****ng Division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.,
Huntington, IN 46750.
Quote:
The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one
thinks
about reforming himself.
-St. Peter of Alcantara
Bible Quotes
17 And the world passeth away, and the concupiscence thereof: but he that
doth the will of God, abideth for ever. (1 John 2:17)
Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals
come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh. Mat
18:7
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Prayer for the Suffering Poor Souls:
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord,
and let perpetual light ****ne upon them,
and may they rest in peace. Amen.
(50 times)
O wounds of our most holy Jesus, which cost Him so much
sorrow and blood, O wounds most honorable, which were
the source of his endless love for us, please have mercy on
the poor suffering souls in That cost Him so much suffering;
Purgatory, and also have mercy on me, a wretched sinner.
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord,
and let perpetual light ****ne upon them,
and may they rest in peace. Amen.
(50 times)
O Holy Souls, Which have p***** from this world
into Purgatory, and are awaited eagerly in Heaven,
pray for me and ask for all the graces I need, and
for which I beg the Divine Majesty
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