April 19th - Blessed James Duckett
James Duckett was an Englishman who lived during the reign of Queen
Elizabeth I. As a young man he became an apprentice printer in London.
This
is how he came across a book called The Firm Foundation of the Catholic
Religion. He studied it carefully and believed that the Catholic Church
was
the true Church. In those days, Catholics were persecuted in England.
James
decided that he wanted to be a Catholic anyway and would face the
consequences. The clergyman at his former church came to look for him
because James had been a steady church goer. He would not come back. Twice
he served short prison terms for his stubbornness. Both times his employer
interceded and got him freed. But then the employer asked James to find a
job elsewhere.
James Duckett knew there was no turning back. He sought out a disguised
Catholic priest in the Gatehouse prison. The old priest, "Mr. Weekes,"
instructed him. Duckett was received into the Catholic Church. He married
a
Catholic widow and their son became a Carthusian monk. He recorded much of
what we know about his father.
Blessed Duckett never forgot that it was a book that had started him on
the
road to the Church. He considered it his responsibility to provide his
neighbors with Catholic books. He knew these books encouraged and
instructed
them. So dangerous was this "occupation" that he was in prison for nine
out
of twelve years of his married life. He was finally brought to trial and
condemned to death on the testimony of one man, Peter Bullock, a book
binder. He testified that he had bound Catholic books for Blessed Duckett,
a
"grave offense." Bullock turned traitor because he was in prison for
unrelated matters and hoped to be freed.
Both men were condemned to die on the same day. On the scaffold at Tyburn,
Blessed Duckett assured Bullock of his forgiveness. He kept encouraging
the
man as they were dying to accept the Catholic faith. Then the ropes were
placed around their necks. Blessed Duckett was martyred in 1602.
Saint Quote:
Happy, indeed sublimely happy, is the person to whom the Holy Spirit
reveals
the secret of Mary, thus imparting to him true knowledge of her. Happy the
person to whom the Holy Spirit opens this enclosed garden for him to
enter,
and to whom the Holy Spirit gives access to this sealed fountain where he
can draw water and drink deep draughts of the living waters of grace. That
person will find only grace and no creature in the most lovable Virgin
Mary.
But he will find that the infinitely holy and exalted God is at the same
time infinitely solicitous for him and understands his weaknesses. Since
God
is everywhere, he can be found everywhere, even in hell. But there is no
place where God can be more present to his creature and more sympathetic
to
human weakness than in Mary. It was indeed for this very purpose that he
came down from heaven. Everywhere else he is the Bread of the strong and
the
Bread of angels, but living in Mary he is the Bread of children.
--from The Secret of Mary, by Saint Louis Marie de Montfort
Saint Quote:
The Son of man is to come with His Angels in the glory of His Father, and
then He will render to everyone according to his works. St. Matthew 16:27
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The Litany of Saint Joseph 1
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. 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 Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary , pray for us .
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Illustrious son of David, etc.
Light of the patriarchs,
Spouse of the Mother of God,
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,
Foster-father of the Son of God,
Watchful defender of Christ,
Head of the Holy Family,
Joseph most just,
Joseph most chaste,
Joseph most prudent,
Joseph most valiant,
Joseph most obedient,
Joseph most faithful,
Mirror of patience,
Lover of poverty,
Model of workmen ,
Glory of domestic life,
Guardian of virgins,
Pillar of families,
Solace of the afflicted,
Hope of the sick,
Patron of the dying,
Terror of demons,
Protector of Holy Church,
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
V. He made him the lord of His household,
R. And prince over all His possessions.
Let Us Pray.
O God, Who in Thine ineffable providence didst choose Blessed Joseph to be
the spouse of Thy most Holy Mother, grant that as we venerate him as our
protector on earth, we may deserve to have him as our intercessor in
Heaven,
Thou Who livest and reignest forever and ever. R. Amen.
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