Sleeping in a Barrel

‘The Frenchman St. John Eudes (1601-1680, feast day today) was an important promoter of devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, establishing the first feasts in their honour.  Eudes entered the French Oratory founded by Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle, and in 1625 he was ordained a priest. A noted orator, he devoted 50 years to the preaching of parish missions in France. Most of his work was centred in Normandy. During several outbreaks of plague in the region, he made heroic efforts to minister to the sick and dying. It is said that, to avoid the risk of infecting others, he lived apart from his community in a large cider barrel in a field until this work ended.  In 1641 Eudes established a refuge dedicated to the education and rehabilitation of destitute girls and women who had worked as prostitutes. This work was administered by religious sisters who lived in the refuge with the women they served. In 1666 the order, known as the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, received approval by Pope Alexander VII. Numerous other refuges were established. (This order eventually developed into the Good Shepherd Sisters.)  In 1643 he founded the Eudist Fathers, a male religious order dedicated to the training of candidates for the priesthood and to the preaching of missions. The concept of seminaries, where priests could receive standardized training, was still relatively new in France. He had close connections with the Discalced Carmelites. His spiritual director, Cardinal Bérulle, had brought sisters from St. Teresa of Avila’s convent to help found the Carmel in France. John Eudes would later become spiritual director to a Carmelite convent himself. Their cloister prayed constantly for his missionary activity.’  [with acknowledgements to britannica.com and eudistsusa.org]

Intercessions

RIP Fr Jon Bielawski, Jacqui, Sister Maisie, Ann Widdecombe

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Theresa K, Elena

Sophie – newborn having heart surgery; Sianna, young child in the post-operative phase; James, recovering from heart surgery

Ivy – sick child

Brian (recovering from Pneumonia)

Kevin (heart attack)

William Gove (in recovery)

Illness:  Katy Keeling

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

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

Mark – brain infection

Michael, Kira – vulnerable youngsters

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

We are asked to pray for the Diocese of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand, as the Northern Mission celebrates its centenary. The process of selecting a new bishop continues.