An unusual Carmelite

Today we remember St Peter Thomas (1305-1366) who was an unusual kind of Carmelite saint.  Unusual in terms of his vocation, because he ended up serving as a papal diplomat.  He was a Frenchman from a very poor family who had to go begging to support the cost of his education; he also made money by teaching the younger pupils.  His early years were spent in Agen and the southwest of France.  After joining the Carmelites he was appointed a bishop and then a papal legate mainly in Eastern Europe.  In his service of the Holy See he actually became involved in battles himself and was known as a doughty fighter.   St Peter Thomas was considered a saint during his lifetime by the people of Cyprus because he was known among them for his preaching, his virtuous and ascetic life and the fact that miracles were attributed to him and he was buried in Cyprus in a Carmelite church.  Such lives life raised out of poverty to a vocation among the great ones of the world are a reflection of the beauty of the Church, an echo indeed for Our Lord’s journey from a stable to the throne.  

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Theresa K, Fr Jon Bielowski (Plymouth Diocese), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children)

Illness: Roy Seymour, Katy Keeling

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Lucia – Overwhelmed by weariness

Mark – brain infection

Michael – youngster with occult influences

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

RIP Richard Parker, Martin Gilham, Sue Burton, Wojtek, Joy Smith OCDS