Subj : February 17th - The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order To : All From : rich Date : Tue Feb 16 2021 09:12:31 From: rich February 17th - The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order On the feast of the Assumption, 1233 the Blessed Virgin appeared to seven noble Florentines exhorting them to leave the world and retire to live in solitude and prayer. The seven retired to La Camarzia. After a time they returned to Florence and the inhabitants came outside the city to receive them in great joy. Newborn infants from the arms of their mothers called out on seeing them: =E2=80=9CThese are the Servants of Mary!=E2=80=9D The seven adopted that name and dedicated their lives to propagate the devotion to the Passion of Our Lord and the Sorrows of Mary. Later, on the Feast of the Assumption in 1240 Our Lady appeared to them carrying a black habit, and a nearby angel bore a scroll reading Servants of Mary. She told them: =C2 =C2 =E2=80=9CYou will found a new Order, and you will be my witne= sses throughout the world. This is your name: Servants of Mary. This is your rule: that of Saint Augustine. And here is your distinctive sign: the black scapular, in memory of my sufferings at the foot of the Cross.=E2=80=9D The Order developed rapidly not only in Italy but also in France and Germany, where the Holy Founders spread devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Their Order was duly approved by the Pope in 1259. They were canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1888. Comments of the late Prof. Plinio Corr=C3=AAa de Oliveira: (died 1995) This is one of the oldest Orders specially dedicated to spread devotion to Our Lady. It is a very beautiful title, The Servants of Mary, which was miraculously inspired when infants still unable to speak began to shout it in praise of the Seven Holy Founders who were returning to Florence. This title designates a special devotion to Our Lady that would reach its full form centuries later with the explications of St. Louis Grignion de Montfort in his Treatise of True Devotion to Mary. Essentially to be a servant of Our Lady is the same thing as to be her slave. It represents the renunciation of one's past, present, and future merits and goods =E2=80=93 both spiritual and material. It is an excellent designation that marks the distinction between the true Catholic position and the revolutionary one. Today many people, including progressivist theologians, think that it is shameful for the modern man to be a servant or a slave of Our Lady. It would be acceptable in the past, but since the abolition of slavery, there should no longer be servants or slaves, even for Our Lady. So, regarding our relations with Our Lady, we should call ourselves her children but not her servants or slaves, because it is not in accordance with human dignity. This is obviously an egalitarian and revolutionary affirmation. In reality, it is an honor to be the servant of Our Lady, who is the Queen of Heaven and Earth. The principal desire of our lives is to be her true slaves. Because as her servants we are also her children, a special kind of children who desire her glory above all and renounce everything for this end. The name of the Order of the Servants of Mary, or Servites, was clearly a name desired not only by the Seven Saints who founded it, but also by Our Lady, who affirmed their choice. This name was also endorsed when the Pope approved the Order, and when the Church canonized the Founders in the 19th century. Therefore, it is an excellent name. It is a work of the Devil, the inspirer of the Revolution, to strive to destroy every kind of superiority, not only on this earth, but even in the supernatural order. The Revolution cannot abide acknowledging the immense inequality God put between His Mother and all other creatures =E2=80=93 Angels, Saints and the rest of mankind. Between Our Lad= y and all creatures there is a veritable abyss. It is irrational to deny this or even raise a doubt about it. Notwithstanding, this is what the Revolution does. Denial of every hierarchy is a characteristic of its spirit. It also is the root of Atheism, which in effect is hatred for the fact that there is a Lord in Heaven Who reigns over all of us. The revolutionary spirit rejects every form of lordship. Karl Marx formulated this hatred of any superiority: he said that the goal of Marxism was to do away with every kind of alienation. This word originates from the Latin: alienatio, which is the transfer of the right of ownership from one person to another. For Marx, no one should ever cede dominion over himself to any other person. Any form of superiority and authority would be evil because it would cause an unjustifiable alienation of the inferior person, which would be to usurp his right and will, and to exploit his labor. So, it causes alienation when the father commands his children; the husband, his wife; the teacher, his pupil, employer, his employees; the noble, his plebeians; etc. Any sort of authority would cause alienation. The worst alienation for Marx, however, is the one produced by God. According to him, God does not exist; God is a myth. Therefore, in addition to being hateful, the alienation toward God would be something empty and idiotic. What should we ask the Seven Holy Founders of the Servites? If these 13th century men were to resurrect and see what is going on in the Church and the world today, what would they say? What kind of indignation and censures would they make? We should ask them to intervene for the Catholic Church and re-enkindle true devotion to Our Lady among the faithful, along with its correlated hierarchical sense and counter- revolutionary spirit. http://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j166sd_SevenFoundersServites_2-12.shtm= l Saint Quote: Who except God can give you peace? Has the world ever been able to satisfy the heart? --St. Gerard Majella Bible Quotes: Now be patient, brethren, until the Lord's coming. Think of a farmer, how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the earth... You too must be patient.=C2 (James 5:7-8) <><><><> Jesu Corona Virginum Jesu, the Virgins' crown, do thou Accept us as in =C2 prayer we bow; Born of that Virgin, whom alone The =C2 Mother and the Maid we own. Amongst the lilies thou dost feed, By Virgin choirs =C2 accompanied; With glory decked, the spotless brides =C2 Whose bridal gifts thy love provides. They, wheresoe'er thy footsteps bend, With hymns =C2 and praises still attend: In blessed troops they follow =C2 thee, With dance, and song, and melody. We pray Thee therefore to bestow Upon our =C2 senses here below Thy grace, that so we may endure =C2 From taint of all corruption pure. To God the Father, God the Son, And God the =C2 Spirit, Three in One, Laud, honor, might, and glory be =C2 From age to age eternally. Amen --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .