17 September 2008

The Imprinting of the Holy Stigmata on the Body of St. Francis

Two years before his death, while at prayer on Mount Alvernia, the Seraphic Patriarch St. Francis of Assisi, was rapt in contemplation, and received in his own body the impression of the sacred Wounds of Christ. Pope Benedict XI ordered the Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis to be observed on September 17. Pope Paul V extended it to the whole Catholic world.

Today the rain finally stopped (Deo gratias!), and we took advantage of the dry weather to walk to the kebap stand just outside of Gaming for lunch. It was rather delicious. Today's big news: we're planning a trip to Prague for this Saturday. The weather forecast says some light showers, but we're going for it anyways, and hoping for the best. It's about a five hour drive from here, and we're planning to go there and back all in one day, so it'll be quite a day, but we're rather excited.

7 comments:

Anna said...

But John with that much driving, you will not be able to partake in all the great beer, which is what I loved about Prague! Make Lisa drive.

Unknown said...

Good advice, but hopefully it won't be a problem at all. You see, we're driving there with a Benedictine monk, and surely he has a rule of some sort that will sufficiently moderate his intake.

Mark K. Spencer said...

John, are you certain that this week is the week for Ember Days? I know that traditionally they were after Triumph of the Cross, but it is my understanding that Bl. Pope John XXIII altered the rule so that they were after the third calendrical Sunday in September. Any information you can offer on this would be welcome; it has been a point of some dispute and confusion of late within the Spencer household.

Also: Prague is /the cat's pajamas/!

Anonymous said...

Yes O World of Our Concern, it is confusing. My Missal actually says that the Autumn Ember days were traditionally observed following the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, which was last week.

Although the days following Exaltatio Christi do seem to have been the norm up until John XIII.

Wikipedia backs up your assertion that he changed them to the days following the 3rd calendrical Sunday of September, but then Paul VI got rid of them all together in 1966. Well, I guess local bishops may still observe them as generic days of prayer for peace, or some such thing, but really, if you're trying to stay current, why worry about them at all?

Interestingly, the FSSP has them down for next week in their Ordo; and our trip to Prague on Saturday makes observing them next week tempting...

How have you resolved such a thorny issue in your own household?

Anonymous said...

Oops: "Exaltatio Crucis"

Unknown said...

After much deliberation, we've decided to follow the example of the FSSP and observe the Ember Days next week.

In accord with said decision, the headline for this post has been duly modified.

Susanna Spencer said...

John,

We too are celebrating them next week, even though, per my decrees, we have the option of celebrating them this week, as this was the tradition until Bl John XXIII.

I hope your time is Prague is lovely.

Mark