October 22nd - St. Mello of Cardiff', Archbishop of Rouen
(D. 311)
Saint Mello was born at Cardiff in Great Britain, immersed in idolatry,
but
converted when sent on a diplomatic mission to Rome. He heard a discourse
by
Pope Saint Steven and immediately afterwards expressed his desire for
Baptism. Later the same Pope ordained him to the priesthood, having
witnessed his zeal for the Faith. He was designated miraculously by God to
go to Rouen as its Bishop, when the Pope, as well as Saint Mello himself,
saw an Angel beside the altar while he was saying Mass. This heavenly
Messenger presented him with a pastoral staff and told him he was destined
to take the Gospel to the city of Rouen in Neustria, which is now
Normandy.
Saint Steven sent him there after consecrating him bishop.
In Auxerre he cured the injured foot of a carpenter by touching his
pastoral
staff to it, and the artisan himself and all the witnesses to this cure
were
converted. Then blind persons and paralytics were brought to him, and he
cured them by his prayers, offered in the name of Jesus Christ. Several of
his converts would later shed their blood for their faith.
Saint Mello preached in Rouen to a crowd, and a young man who had gone up
on
a roof to hear him, fell and was killed by the fall. The apostle
resurrected
him at once, and several thousand persons became Christians, including the
young man in question, who was afterwards ordained a priest and became a
great preacher in his turn. It was there that Saint Mello decided to build
a
church in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and the Blessed Virgin; it is
believed that the present Cathedral stands at the same site. At what is
now
Saint Lo he cast out a demon from an idol, in the presence of a crowd, and
nearly the entire village asked for Baptism. He purified the temple by the
exorcisms of the Church and placed there an altar to the true God. This
sanctified site is today the Church of Saint Lo. The holy bishop continued
to bring souls to the truth during a long episcopate; he died in peace, an
octogenarian, in the year 311, having governed the see of Rouen for forty
years. A spring at Hericourt where the Saint once baptized, is still
visited
by parents with sick children, who plunge them into the water of this
Fountain of Saint Mello.
Source: Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin
(Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 12.
Saint Quote:
Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to
heaven.
--Saint Rose of Lima
Bible Quote:
Being rich, our Lord Jesus Christ became poor for your sakes, that by His
poverty you might become rich. II Cor. 8:9
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Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
By St. Bridget
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a
martyrdom of love and grief, beholding the sufferings and sorrows of
Jesus!
Thou didst co-operate in the benefit of my redemption by thy innumerable
afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only-begotten Son as
a
holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the
unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy
womb,
Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh! make use of the
unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son. that I
may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer
by
new sins; arid that, persevering till death in His grace, I may obtain
eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.
Mother of love, of sorrow, and of mercy, pray for us.
Prayer to Christ
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that the Most Blessed Virgin
Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was transfixed with the sword of
sorrow in the hour of Thy Own Passion, may intercede for us before the
throne of Mercy, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Imprint, O Lady, thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow
and love; sorrow, to endure every sorrow for thee; love, to despise every
love for thee. Amen.
Prayer to Mary
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of
my
filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou
welcome
my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of
the
Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O
sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and
infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to
thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every
beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do
thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son,
Jesus;
keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able
to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.
Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow
in
the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast
filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon
thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows
of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in
the
consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same
Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Prayer to Our Lady
O Mother of Mercy, Help of Christians, most faithful minister of Divine
Providence, treasurer of all graces, remember that never in the world has
it
been heard that thou hast left him without comfort who has come to thee
with
true devotion. Wherefore, I, trusting in thy tender pity and in thy most
generous providence, bend low before thee, praying that thou wouldst hear
my
prayer.
Obtain for me a holy provision for the future, namely, graces for all my
spiritual and tem****al needs.
I fervently recommend to thy loving motherly Heart our Holy Church, the
Sovereign Pontiff, the conversion of sinners, the spread of the Catholic
faith and those Souls chosen by Our Lord, who are suffering the tormenting
flames of Purgatory, that they may soon be comforted with eternal
refreshment. Amen.
Offering of the Merits of the Blessed Virgin
to Appease the Divine Justice
In order to appease Thy Divine Justice, we offer Thee, O Lord, the merits
acquired by Mary, Thy Mother and ours, when she stood at the foot of the
Cross. If Thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities, Lord, who shall abide it?
Many favors have been obtained by reciting the above Offering.
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