Subj : July 31st - Saint Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre
To   : All
From : rich
Date : Wed Jul 29 2020 10:24:22

From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

July 31st - Saint Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre

(d. 450)
Germanus, according to appearances, was not of outstanding piety
during his youth, though of noble birth; his forebears were lords of
the county of Auxerre in Gaul in the 5th century. He studied eloquence
and civil law in Rome, and practiced law there with distinction. He
married a Roman noblewoman and became known to the emperor Honorius,
who made him general of the imperial troops for his native province.

Returning then to Auxerre, he indulged his passion for hunting, and
when advised by Saint Amator, the bishop of Auxerre, that his habits
were not edifying, paid no attention to the admonition. But God made
known to this holy bishop his forthcoming death, and that Germanus was
destined to succeed him. Saint Amator therefore went to see the
Prefect of Gaul and asked his permission to have this soldier as a
member of his clergy; and the permission was granted. He then tonsured
Germanus and clothed him with the ecclesiastical habit, taking him by
surprise during an assembly of the faithful, and informing him there
that he was destined to be his successor. Germanus dared not resist,
fearing to oppose the Will of God. He was consecrated soon afterwards,
in the year 418.

He immediately became another man, and turning over his lands to the
Church, he adopted a life of humble penance. He rapidly attained high
perfection, and the gift of miracles was given to him. He attempted to
conceal it, but it became known when he obliged the demon, during a
public exorcism, to reveal the place where stolen money was concealed.
Afterwards there was never a time when all the roads leading to his
residence were not filled with crowds of sick persons, waiting to
address the bishop and beg his assistance. Many possessed persons were
also delivered. Invariably his modesty caused him to attribute the
multiplying prodigies to the relics of Saints which he wore around his
neck, or to the sign of the Cross, or to the holy water he sometimes
used, or to oil which he blessed. The furious demons tormented him
with temptations and terrifying apparitions, but found themselves
powerless to disturb his peace.

=C2 At that time the Pelagian heresy was laying waste the British Isles,
and Germanus was chosen by the reigning Pontiff to go and deliver the
Britons from the snare of Satan. With Saint Lupus he preached in the
fields and highways throughout the land. Eventually he met the
heretics face to face in a public conference, where each party was
given an opportunity to speak. When the heretics had defended their
position, the two holy bishops answered with such force that their
adversaries were reduced to silence, and the faithful rejoiced in the
triumph of the Catholic faith. He also led the British people to their
famous alleluia victory over the Saxons.

Germanus visited England a second time to combat the Pelagian heresy
which was still sowing its errors. On this visit he established public
schools in Great Britain, which afterwards alleviated the ignorance of
the people and preserved them from error. He ordained priests and
established an archbishop, and many Saints were formed in the schools
which his successors continued to found. After pursuing his good works
on behalf of the peoples of both his adopted and his native land, he
died while in Italy, where he had succeeded in appeasing the anger of
the emperor against some rebels in Britain. Miracles had accompanied
him all along the route of his journey. His holy death occurred at
Ravenna in the year 450, the 31st of his episcopal office.

Sources: Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul
Gu=C3=A9rin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 9; Little Pictorial Lives
of the Saints,4).


Bible 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.=C2  [Matthew
16:27]


<><><><>
Be simple as doves.=C2  [Matt. 10:16 ]=C2  July: Simplicity

11. Do not reason about afflictions and contradictions, but receive
them with patience and sweetness, feeling that it is enough to know
that they come from the hand of God.
--St. Francis de Sales

It is told in the Life of a servant of God at Naples, called Sister
Maria di Sandiago, that one day when she was reflecting upon a trial
which she was suffering, she heard these words from an interior voice:
"Do you say that you trust in Me, and yet debate with yourself so much
upon this?" She then understood that she ought to receive a trial with
simple resignation, and not reflect upon it further; and changing her
previous habit, she did so, and continued to do so for the future,
with great profit and contentment.

However great were the trials and adversities of St. Vincent de Paul,
he was never disturbed--neither did he show, or even feel, anger
against anyone; for he took all from the hands of God without
discussion.

(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints".=C2  July: Simplicity)

--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)

.