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OCTOBER 5 - ST. FLORA OF BEAULIEU

Flora was born at Auvergne in France and grew up in a very loving family. When her parents tried to arrange a marriage for her she pleaded with them and said that she would like to join the convent.

They finally agreed and at the age of 13, she joined the sisters of St. John of Jerusalem at Beaulieu. She was an innocent, good girl who gave herself to God as his spouse.

God rewarded her love by making her strong and helping her resist all kinds of trials and temptations. She spent all her time looking after the poor and the sick in the hospital attached to the convent.

She sometimes felt that she was leading too comfortable a life. At other times, when the other sisters often made fun of her, it was too hard and feeling sad she would be tempted to return home to her family.

Yet, because she kept trying to love God, Sister Flora grew dearer and dearer to him. At last, he blessed her with wonderful visions and the gift of knowing the future.

She also received the gift of suffering the pain of Christ’s cross. She seemed to feel it pressing into her, making a wound in her side. She joyfully accepted this suffering out of her great love for Jesus.

Soon, people realized that Sister Flora was very holy and special. They came to ask for prayers and advice until she died in 1347.

OCTOBER 7 - OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY

It was St. Dominic who began encouraging people to say the Holy Rosary around the year 1190.

St. Dominic was very saddened and felt great pity for the group of people who went about spreading a terrible heresy (untruth) called Albigensianism.

With the priests of his new Order of Preachers (the Dominicans), he did his best to destroy this dangerous heresy as it was doing great harm.

He begged the Blessed Virgin for help, and she told him to preach devotion to the Holy Rosary.

St. Dominic obeyed and the Dominicans conquered that dangerous heresy with prayer, especially by praying the Holy Rosary. Dominic also encouraged people to be humble and to make sacrifices.

The Holy Rosary is a simple devotion which can be said by all people-old and young, learned or unlearned. It can be said anywhere, at any time.

While we say the Our Father, ten Hail Marys and Glory to the Father, we think about great moments in the lives of Jesus and Mary.

In this way, we grow closer and closer to Jesus and his Blessed Mother. We learn to imitate their holy lives.

Mary is very pleased when we say the Holy Rosary often and well. She used to say it with St. Bernadette when she appeared to her at Lourdes. The three little children of Fatima also learned from Mary the power of the Rosary.

Mary taught them that the Rosary obtains graces and saves sinners from hell.

This feast is celebrated to show our gratitude to Mary for a military victory over the Turks at Lepanto on October 7, 1571.

OCTOBER 6 - ST. BRUNO

Bruno was born at Cologne in Germany. He studied in France and then joined the priesthood. For eighteen years he was a professor of theology and did his best to bring his students closer to God. was born at Cologne in Germany. He studied in France and then joined the priesthood. For eighteen years he was a professor of theology and did his best to bring his students closer to God.

Then he was given the important position as President of the cathedral school in the diocese of Rheims. This did not make Bruno proud of the honor or frightened by responsibilities. He made it clear that he was not happy with the love for money and material things that the priests and Archbishop showed.

He became aware that his heart was longing to be alone with Jesus. He received a vision from God showing him a hermitage where he should spend his life becoming closer to God.

St. Hugh of Grenoble gave Bruno and his friends this hidden desert land called Chartreuse. There they built a church and little huts to live in.

This was the beginning of the Carthusian order. They were very happy there, working their fields, fasting and praying, hidden in God.

After six years, however, Pope Urban II, who was earlier one of Bruno’s students, asked Bruno to make a great sacrifice. He asked him to go to Rome to be his advisor. It broke the saint’s heart, but he obeyed and served the Pope well.

Then finally he was allowed to live his monk’s life nearer to Rome. So with new disciples, Bruno began all over again in Calabria, Italy.

St. Bruno was always a cheerful and active man. He did not want to see any of his monks sad and describes their hard life in delightful words.

St. Bruno died in 1101 but his order continues today. The followers of St. Bruno keep his loving, self-sacrificing spirit alive.

OCTOBER 8 - ST. SIMEON

In Luke’s Gospel, chapter two, Joseph and Mary bring Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. That is where they meet Holy Simeon.

The holy man had waited patiently for the Lord to grant him a request: he wanted to live to see the Messiah, the Savior of the world. But he did not know who that would be, or when and if his prayer would be fulfilled.

The young couple from Nazareth approached him with their baby. He looked into the eyes of the Child and felt a burst of joy in his heart. His eyes glowed. He lifted Jesus into his arms, then held him up and prayed:

“Now, my God, I can die in peace. I have seen with my own eyes the world’s salvation. You have prepared this for all your people.”

Mary and Joseph looked at one another. They were silently amazed. Then the old man turned to Mary.

His eyes became sad as he said softly, “Your own soul will be pierced by the sword.” Mary did not understand what this meant, and she prayed to God for courage.

God had answered the prayer of Holy Simeon and he remained in joyful thanksgiving as the couple and their baby left.

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