- Nahum 1:3 -
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power;
the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
and clouds are the dust of his feet.
__________________________________________________________________
God is slow to get angry, but when he is ready to punish, even the earth
trembles. Often people avoid God because they see evildoers in the world
and
hypocrites in the church. They don't realize that because God is slow to
anger,
he gives his true followers time to share his love and truth with
evildoers.
But
judgement will come; God will not allow sin to go unchecked forever. When
people
wonder why God doesn't punish evil immediately, help them remember that if
he
did, none of us would be here. We can all be thankful that God gives
people
time
to turn to him.
<<>><<>><<>>
December 4th - Blessed Adolph Kolping
(1829-1916)
The rise of the factory system in 19th-century Germany brought many single
men
into cities where they faced new challenges to their faith. Father Adolph
Kolping began a ministry to them, hoping that they would not be lost to
the
Catholic faith as was happening to workers elsewhere in industrialized
Europe.
Born in the village of Kerpen, Adolph became a shoemaker at an early age
because
of his family's economic situation. Ordained in 1845, he ministered to
young
workers in Cologne, establishing a choir, which by 1849 had grown into the
Young
Workmen's Society. A branch of this began in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1856.
Nine
years later there were over 400 Gesellenvereine (workman's societies)
around
the
world. Today this group has over 400,000 members in 54 countries across
the
globe.
More commonly called the Kolping Society, it emphasizes the sanctification
of
family life and the dignity of labor. Father Kolping worked to improve
conditions for workers and greatly assisted those in need. He and St. John
Bosco
in Turin had similar interests in working with young men in big cities. He
told
his followers, "The needs of the times will teach you what to do.
"Father Kolping once said, "The first thing that a person finds in life
and
the
last to which he holds out his hand, and the most precious that he
possess,
even
if he does not realize it, is family life."
He and Blessed John Duns Scotus are buried in Cologne's Minoritenkirche,
served
by the Conventual Franciscans. The Kolping Society's international
headquarters
is at this church.
Kolping members journeyed to Rome from Europe, America, Africa, Asia and
Oceania
for Father Kolping's beatification in 1991, the 100th anniversary of Pope
Leo
XIII's revolutionary encyclical Rerum Novarum (On the Social Order).
Father
Kolping's personal witness and apostolate helped prepare for that
encyclical.
Comment:
Some people thought that Father Kolping was wasting his time and talents
on
young working men in industrialized cities. In some countries, the
Catholic
Church was seen by many workers as the ally of owners and the enemy of
workers.
Men like Adolph Kolping showed that was not true.
Quote:
"Adolph Kolping gathered skilled workers and factory laborers together.
Thus
he
overcame their isolation and defeatism. A faith society gave them the
strength
to go out into their everyday lives as Christ's witnesses before God and
the
world. To come together, to become strengthened in the assembly, and thus
to
scatter again is and still remains our duty today. We are not Christians
for
ourselves alone, but always for others too" (Pope John Paul II,
beatification
homily).
Saint Quote:
"Lay me not with sweet spices: for this honour avails me not; Nor yet
incense
and perfumes: for the honour benefits me not. Burn sweet spices in the
Holy
Place: and me, even me, conduct to the grave with prayer. Give ye incense
to
God: and over me send up hymns. Instead of perfumes of spices: in prayer
make
remembrance of me."
--Ephraem,His Testament (A.D. 373)
Bible Quote
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful
noise
to
him with psalms. (Psalms 94:2)
<><><><>
Litany of December Saints
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy, Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Jesus Christ, King of glory, born in Bethlehem of the Immaculate Virgin
Mary,
have mercy on us
Holy Mary, pray for us.
* pray for us
St. Edmund Campion, Holy Martyr and Priestly Patron of the Press *
St. Florence *
St. Eligius *
St. Bibiana, Virgin and Holy Martyr *
St. Francis Xavier, Holy Confessor and Missionary *
St. Peter Chrysologos, Holy Bishop and Doctor of the Church *
St. Barbara, Virgin and Holy Martyr *
St. Sabbas, Holy Abbot *
St. Gerald, Holy Bishop *
St. Nicholas, Holy Bishop and Patron of Children *
St. Ambrose, Holy Bishop and Doctor of the Church *
Holy Mary, Immaculate Ark of the Covenant *
Pope St. Melchiades, Successor of Peter and Holy Martyr *
St. Romaric, Holy Abbot *
Holy Mary, Our Lady of Loretto *
Pope St. Damasus I, Holy Successor of Peter *
Holy Mary, Queen of the Angels *
Holy Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe *
St. Odilia, Holy Virgin and Patron invoked against blindness *
St. Lucy, Virgin and Holy Martyr and Patroness of the blind *
St. Nicasius, Holy Archbishop *
St. Eutropia *
St. Venantius Fortunatus, Holy Bishop *
St. Christiana, Holy Virgin *
St. Eusabius of Vercelli, Bishop and Holy Martyr *
St. Adelaide, Holy Queen of Italy *
Sts. Ananias, Azarius & Misael, Companions of Daniel *
St. Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead *
St. Olympias, Holy Widow *
St. Gatian, Holy Bishop *
Blessed Urban V, Holy Sovereign Pontiff *
Sts. Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, Old Covenant Patriarchs *
St. Dominic of Silos, Abbot and Patron of Captives *
St. Thomas, Holy Apostle who baptized the Magi *
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin and Religious, Patron of Immigrants *
Sts. Chaeremon & Ischyrion, Holy Martyrs *
St. Servulus, Holy Beggar *
St. Yvo of Chartres, Holy Bishop *
Sts. Adam and Eve, First Parents *
St. Adele, Holy Widow *
St. Chrysogonus, Martyr *
St. Anastasia, Holy Martyr *
St. Stephen, Holy Protomartyr and Patron of Stonemasons *
St. John the Evangelist, Holy Apostle *
Holy Innocents, Blessed Martyrs *
St. Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury and Holy Martyr *
St. David, Holy King of the Old Testament *
St. Sabinus, Bishop and Holy Martyr *
St. Anysius, Holy Bishop of Thessalonica *
Pope St. Sylvester I, Holy Successor of Peter *
All you holy saints and angels, pray for us.
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