Pastor’s Letter: August 18, 2024

Pastor’s Letter: August 18, 2024

16 Aug 2024 | Posted by: chadmin

Dear St. Philomena Parish Family,

Blessings and joy to you all this day! We have had a great beginning to the school year, including a wonderful school Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption—It really is such an uplifting experience to look out from the altar at whole church full of students! What a great gift!

So many people commented last week that they would like to know more about our patroness and namesake, St. Philomena. I just happened to be reflecting some this week about how saints are often found together. The saint from Monday, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, worked closely with St. Francis de Sales in establishing the Visitation Order. The saints from Tuesday, Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus were exiled together during a persecution of the early Church. Of course, these shouldn’t surprise us at all, since often we strengthen and encourage one another. Just as it is easier to respond well in a church that is full of people, so it is also helpful in following Jesus faithfully when we have others around us that are doing the same.

Regarding St. Philomena, we have a similar connection between Blessed Pauline Jaricot and St. John Vianney…and if you are up for a bonus connection…Archbishop Fulton Sheen! (More about that next week). As we mentioned last week, Pauline Jaricot had been seriously ill and had traveled to Mugnano, Italy to visit the relics of St. Philomena. Her cure was so miraculous that Pope Gregory XVI himself declared it a significant miracle. As Fr. Paul O’Sullivan writes, “We entitle the cure of Miss Jaricot ‘the great miracle of Mugnano,’ firstly, because the Holy Father Gregory XVI, who was a witness of it, declared it to be a miracle of the first class; secondly, because it was the immediate reason why the Office and Feast of the Saint were granted to the universal Church; and lastly, because, more than any other of the wonders worked at Mugnano, it served to make the name of St. Philomena known far and wide” (p.27).

As we mentioned last week, Blessed Pauline and St. John Vianney knew each other, so Pauline went to meet St. John Vianney when she returned to France after her miracle cure. As Fr. O’Sullivan describes the meeting, “The holy priest, while listening to her with rapt attention, felt a burning love for the Little Saint kindle in his heart. Intense was his joy when Pauline offered him a part of the precious relics which she had brought with her. A chapel was immediately erected in his church in honor of the Virgin Martyr, where the relic was duly placed. This chapel soon became the scene of innumerable cures, conversions and miracles.  M. Vianney dedicated himself by special vow to Saint Philomena…She appeared to him, conversed with him and granted everything in answer to his prayers. He called her by the tenderest names, and she delighted in bestowing on him the most wonderful favors” (p.47).

As Fr. O’Sullivan continues, St. Philomena worked many miracles through St. John Vianney. The good priest would often try to deflect the attention away from himself and toward the one he called his “Dear Little Saint,” but she seemed determined to work together with him for the good of his people. “On one occasion, a poor woman in the midst of a crowded church besought him to bless her sick child. The venerable Curé could not resist the supplications of the poor mother. He blessed the child, and it was instantly restored to health. ‘Oh! Oh!’ said the holy man, full of confusion, making off in a haste to the sacristy: ‘I wish St. Philomena would have cured the child at home’.” (p.48).

Later on, when St. John Vianney was seriously ill and many thought he was near death, he asked “that Mass should be offered for him on the altar of his dear Little Saint…His faithful nurse believed death was at hand. Scarcely, however, had the Holy Sacrifice begun when his trouble vanished and in an instant he became perfectly calm…as Mass ended, he exclaimed to his faithful attendant:  ‘My friend, a great change has come about in me; I am cured’!” …he had no doubt that he owed his recovery to Saint Philomena. His convalescence was rapid. Impatient of restraint, though still extremely weak, he had himself borne to the church where, falling on his knees before the altar of the Blessed Sacrament, he poured forth his soul in acts of burning love and adoration. Then rising up, he made his way to the altar of St. Philomena, where he prayed for a long time with immense joy and consolation. St. Philomena had indeed appeared to him and, in her mysterious colloquy, had revealed to him secrets that were to fill him with joy until his dying day” (p.50-51).

No doubt, the strong connection between St. John Vianney and St. Philomena is one that has yielded great fruit!  We’ll pick up again next week with just a bit more about theses good saints…and get back around to an interesting connection between Blessed Pauline and Archbishop Fulton Sheen. Know of my prayers and blessing for this week!

In Christ,

Father Luke