Wednesday after Epiphany

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Saint: Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, Missionary, Priest, Redemptorist, Bishop of Philadelphia (1811-1860)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Prologue 33-38 

Mass: 1 Jn 4:11-18; Resp Ps 72; Mk 6:45-52

Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Passio Christi, conforta me!

Passion of Christ, strengthen me!

(Bishop Saint John Nepmucene Neumann, episcopal motto)

I recall writing something similar last year on this date. However, like other times, I will repeat myself as this newsy news is wonderful. How many people do you know with the name Nepomucene? There is Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, our saint of the day, and another one of our own. Although born in Bohemia, he eventually came to the United States and was consecrated Bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. I was not able to verify it, but I read in a source that he is the only male United States citizen to be named a saint. No matter, God is praised. And I've heard of two others with the name Nepomucene, both of happy memory. First, there is Mother Mary Nepomucene Jaeger (1860-1933), the foundress of the Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, Lisle, Illinois. Then there is her blood brother, Abbot John Nepomucene Jaeger, founder of the Benedictine Monks of Lisle, Illinois, whose Saint Procopius Abbey is located just across the street from the sisters. We pray especially for the Benedictines of Lisle and ask "their" great saint to intercede for them.

You can find plenty of places to learn about the life of today's saint. We have a shrine dedicated to him in our country, the National Shrine of Saint John Neumann, in Philadelphia. See the website www.stjohnneumann.org. There is also a favorite set of volumes, Butler' Lives of the Saints, January volume, pp. 40-41. It won't take you long to see why "at the age of forty-eight, completely exhausted by his apostolic labours, he collapsed on the street and died on 5 January 1860" (Butler's, p. 41). Among other praise given, now Pope Saint Paul VI, had this to say about Saint John Neumann in the homily preached at the Canonization of John Nepomucene Neumann, June 19, 1977 (see www.vatican.va).

And who can fail to admire all the loving concern that John Neumann showed for God's people, through his priestly ministry and his pastoral visitations as a Bishop? ... He was close to the sick; he was at home with the poor; he was a friend to sinners. And today he is the honor of all immigrants, and from the point of view of the beatitudes the symbol of Christian success ...

But to accomplish this task, love was necessary. And love meant giving; love meant effort; love meant sacrifice. And in his sacrifice, Bishop Neumann's service was complete. He led his people along the paths of holiness. He was indeed an effective witness, in his generation, to God's love for his Church and the world.

May we be such effective witnesses. 

SAINT JOHN NEPOMUCENE NEUMANN,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: We're back in Germany, here another look at the Freiburger Muenster, this time on New Year's Day. Vielen herzlichen Dank, liebe Moni.

© Gertrude Feick 2022