FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Friday 13th June : St. Anthony of Padua
Born Fernando Martins in Lisbon, Portugal. At the age of 15 he asked to be sent to the Abbey of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, the then capital of Portugal. There he studied theology and Latin. Following his ordination to the priesthood, he remained in the abbey until Franciscan friars settled a small hermitage outside Coimbra dedicated to St. Anthony of Egypt, Fernando felt a longing to join them. When he was admitted, he changed his name to Anthony. He travelled to Morocco to spread God's truth, but became sick and was returned to Portugal to recover. The return voyage was blown off-course and he arrived in Sicily, from which he travelled to Tuscany He was assigned to the hermitage of San Paolo. Francis of Assisi entrusted his friars' pursuits of studies to Anthony. He had a book of psalms that contained notes and comments to help when teaching students - he greatly valued this book. A novice stole it when leaving the hermitage, Anthony prayed it would be found or returned. The culprit did return the book and in fact returned to the Order as well. The book is said to be preserved in the Franciscan friary in Bologna. He died in Padua in 1231 and was canonised less then one year afterward by Pope Gregory IX.
Saturday 14th June : St. Davnet
She lived and died at Tydavnet at Sliabh Beagh, Co. Monaghan. Tradition speaks of St. Davnet as a virgin and founder of a church or monastery. A bachall (staff) said to have been hers has been preserved and in the past it was used as a test of truth.
Sunday 15th June : MOST HOLY TRINITY
At the Last Supper, Christ explained to the Apostles that he could not teach them everything because they were not, during his lifetime, sufficiently receptive. The Holy Spirit will be charged with continuing Christ's work for all the days of the future Church. It is the love of the Father that gives us his Son, while the Holy Spirit is ever leading us to know more of the truth.
Saturday 21st June : St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Born in Lombardy in 1568, joined the Jesuits in Rome. As a model novice he worked in the plague hospital and caught the fever, dying in 1591 at the age of twenty-three. Patron of youth.