FEBRUARY 19TH 2003 ST. CONRAD OF PIACENZA
Confessor (1290-1351) LIFE: A member of one of the first families of Piacenza in northern Italy, he married to Euphrosyne, daughter of a nobleman. He was passionately fond of hunting, and one day while hunting , his quarry escaped into a thicket,he ordered attendants it to be set on fire. A strong wind carried the flames to nearby fields, forests, towns and villages.and caused a wide spread damage. For this a poor woodcutter who happened to be in the neighbourhood, was blamed , tried and condemned to death on circumstantial evidence. Upon hearing of this turn of events , St.Conrad acknowledged his own guilt and promised to make amends as far as lay his power by selling all of his possessions. Conrad and his wife saw the hand of God in the dramatic events and chose to give the poor everything they owned. They then separated: she to a Poor Clare monastery, he to a group of Franciscan teriary hermits. Conrad lived such a life of piety that his reputation for holiness spread quickly; had the gift of healing. Visitors destroyed his solitude, so he fled to a the valley of Noto in Sicily where he lived 36 years in prayer as a hermit. Legend says that when the Bishop of Syracuse visited him, the bishop asked if Conrad had anything to offers guests. Conrad said he would check in his cell. He returned carrying newly made cakes, which the bishop accepted as a miracle. Conrad returned the bishop's visit, and made a general confession to him. As he arrived, he was surrounded by fluttering birds, who escorted him back to Noto. Each friday for about 30 yard years , he visited the cleberated Crucifix at Noto, and here he was found dead on his knees on february 19th , 1351. St.Conrad was vouchsafed the gift of miracles. He was canonized in 1625. PATRONAGE: invoked in cases of hernia.. REFLECTION: ** THY CROSS, O LORD, IS THE SOURCE OF ALL BLESSINGS, THE CAUSE OF ALL GRACES , BY IT THE FAITHFUL FIND STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS , GLORY IN SHAME , LIFE IN DEATH..*** ( ST. LEO) COMMENT: As i typed about Today`s saint, one little thought came to my mind---how often we take the help of saints -(- who r very eager to help us especially in thier particular patronage)--- while we try to help ( by prayers or action) persons with particular disease or infirmity??!!!! an elderly gentleman of my team patients complained of severe hernial pain ,but he couldnt get the immediate attention as there were few very poorly patients who got the priority & , he had to suffer few more hours with help of simple analgesics & wait for the medics to review .His guesture of pain on the face was unforgetful... i think i would have asked St .Conrad to take care of him ..wouldnt i ?!!! . Oh! sweet Eucharist ! & beloved Mother keep me as thy own..... S.THOMAS NOTTINGHAM ENGLAND --------------------------------- With Yahoo! Mail you can get a bigger mailbox -- choose a size that fits your needs =============================================================================== This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. For more info on the list visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet To unsubscribe from the list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the list visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet/join In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ===============================================================================