Domine, non sum dignus

…She is easily and by far the most extraordinary person the human race has ever produced.”
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Saint Joan of Arc, pray for us that we, like thee, may receive the merciful gift of courage from Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to learn and do His will. Saint Joan, pray for us that we, like thee, may remain pure and steadfast in the face of all the temptations that we must endure in everyday life. Saint Joan, pray for us that we, like thee, may never lose sight of God's will, though we are persecuted and castigated by the world. And, finally, Saint Joan, shepherdess, liberator and martyr, pray that we, also like thee, may never lose our humanity and sense of humor in pursing Our Lord's will.
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In the face of thy enemies, in the face of harassment, ridicule, and doubt, thou heldest firm in thy faith. Even in thy abandonment, alone and without friends, thou heldest firm in thy faith. Even as thou didst face thy own mortality, thou heldest firm in thy faith. I pray that I may be as bold in my beliefs as thou, St. Joan. I ask that thou dost ride alongside me in my own battles. Help me be mindful that what is worthwhile can be won when I persist. Help me hold firm in my faith. Help me believe in my ability to act well and wisely. Amen.
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Father in Heaven, Who hast raised up in an admirable manner, the virgin of Domremy, Saint Joan of Arc, for the defense of the faith, by her intercession, we ask Thee that the Church triumph against the assaults of her enemies and rejoice in lasting peace; through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Her trial records demonstrate the grace of the Lord, flowing within her. The transcript's most famous exchange is an exercise in subtlety: "Asked if she knew she was in God's grace, she answered: 'If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me.'" Church doctrine held that no one could be certain of being in God's grace. If she had answered yes, then she would have convicted herself of heresy. If she had answered no, then she would have confessed her own guilt. The notary ofthe council later testified that at the moment the court heard this reply, "Those who were interrogating her were stupefied." Also from the transcripts: “Asked if she would submit (her deeds and words) to the decision of the Church, she answered: "I commit myself to Our Lord Who sent me, to Our Lady, and to all the Blessed Saints of Paradise." And she thought that our Lord and the Church were all one, and therein they ought not to make difficulties for her. Why do you make difficulties when it is all one?" The court recorder at the trial stated, "Until the last, she declared that her voices came from God and had not deceived her."
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Despite her responses, the council convicted her of heresy and sorcery, and sentenced her to death. Joan stated, upon hearing the verdict, “You say that you are my judge, I don't know if you are or not; but take care not to judge wrongly, lest you place yourself in great danger; and I notify you of this, so that if our Lord punishes you for it, I will have done my duty in telling you.”
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Joan was allowed to make her Confession and receive the Holy Eucharist, and then tied to a stake to be burned alive. The bravery and compassion she demonstrated throughout her life was evident as she waited for death, embracing a cross, and continuously calling out, “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Blessed be God!” One of King Henry’s aids, viewing the scene with horror and remorse exclaimed, "We are lost! We have burned a saint!" After her death, the ashes of Saint Joan of Arc were thrown into the Seine.
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Twenty years after her death, upon the urging of King Charles and the Pope, Joan’s case was retried, and she was exonerated. She was beatified by Pope Saint Pius X in 1905. He stated at the time, “Joan has shone like a new star destined to be the glory not only of France but of the Universal Church as well.” Joan of Arc was canonized in 1920.
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Joan of Arc has been written about by scholars, historians, theologians, and authors. One such notable author was Marc Twain, who despite his noted atheism, wrote lovingly of Joan of Arc:
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”She was deeply religious, and believed that she had daily speech with angels; that she saw them face to face, and that they counseled her, comforted her and heartened her, and brought commands to her direct from God. She had a childlike faith in the heavenly origin of her apparitions and her Voices, and not any threat of any form of death was able to frighten it out of her loyal heart. She was a beautiful and simple and lovable character. In the records of the Trials this comes out in clear and shining detail. She was gentle and winning and affectionate, she loved her home and friends and her village life; she was miserable in the presence of pain and suffering; she was full of compassion: on the field of her most splendid victory she forgot her triumphs to hold in her lap the head of a dying enemy and comfort his passing spirit with pitying words; in an age when it was common to slaughter prisoners she stood dauntless between hers and harm, and saved them alive; she was forgiving, generous, unselfish, magnanimous; she was pure from all spot or stain of baseness. And always she was a girl; and dear and worshipful, as is meet for that estate: when she fell wounded, the first time, she was frightened, and cried when she saw blood gushing from her breast; but she was Joan of Arc! and when presently she found that her generals were sounding the retreat, she staggered to her feet and led the assault again and took that place by storm.
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Joan traveled to see the king, but was turned away by his guards, who coarsely suggested that audiences with the king were no place for peasant girls, and suggested that she be returned home to receive a beating from her father. Undeterred, Joan secured the backing of two wealthy and connected noblemen, and less than a year later—when she was 17—was received by King Charles VII. Upon telling the king of her visions, he readily believed her and granted her a small army. However, worried that the news of her visions may be treated by his enemies as heresy or sorcery, he first ordered a background inquiry and theological examination of the girl to verify her morality.
The commission undertook their inquiry at Poitiers. In April 1429, the commission of inquiry "declared her to be of irreproachable life, a good Christian, possessed of the virtues of humility, honesty and simplicity." The theologians at Poitiers did not pass judgment on her divine inspiration but stated that there was a 'favorable presumption' to be made on the divine nature of her mission. 'To doubt or abandon her without suspicion of evil would be to repudiate the Holy Spirit and to become unworthy of God's aid', the commission proclaimed. Her claims of instruction by the Lord would be tested in battle.
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Having been approved, Joan made her preparations for the campaign. She clothed herself in borrowed and donated white armor, preferring to dress like a man to protect her chastity for the Lord. Instead of the sword the king offered her, she begged that search might be made for an ancient sword told to her by her voices. The sword, buried behind the altar in the chapel of Saint Catherine, was found in the exact location her voices indicated. She also had made a standard, which she carried into battle, bearing the words: “Jesus. Mary,” and containing a picture of the Lord with angels kneeling beside Him presenting a fleur-de-lis.
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Joan’s battle exploits are well-known, with her leading her small forces (and then eventually much larger forces) to reclaim not only the city of Orleans, but much of English-occupied France. She fought with the truth of God behind her, showing courage and force when leading her troops, and showing love and pity when not. Joan is remembered for comforting the dying following battles, both the French and the English troops. She also forbade the killing of enemy prisoners, a common practice at the time.
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Joan was wounded numerous times in battle, once with an arrow (which she predicted ahead of time), once by a mortar, once by a sword—in each case, she miraculously regained her feet, leading the troops to victory. It was through her leadership that a truce was declared, effectively ending the Hundred Years War, and establishing Charles and King of France.
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It seems, at that time, that Joan wanted nothing more than to return home—she was only 19! However, she was captured and sold to the English, who put her on trial. Unable to convict her of defeating them, they charged her with sorcery, heresy, and adultery and put her on trial by an Ecclesiastical council. Neither King Charles, nor the pope at the time, sought to intervene. Illiterate, and uneducated in theology, Joan’s answers to most questions posed were remarkable (although in a few cases, she incriminated herself due to her misunderstanding of theology and the prevailing beliefs at the time).
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May 30 Saint Joan of Arc (Jean D’arc, Jeanne d’Arc, Jehanne Darc, Maid of Orleans) Virgin Martyr of the Church, and Patron Saint of France.
1412-1431
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Joan, perhaps the third most written about historical figure in history (according to contemporary scholars), was a heavenly visionary who left her home at a young age to serve the Lord in battle. Her vigor and zeal for her holy mission eventually led to her martyr’s death, due to her unwillingness to recant her faith. Saint Joan of Arc’s courage and obedience are no less inspirational today than during her lifetime.
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Joan (born Johanne) was the fifth child of pious peasant landowners in Domremy, France. The family was poor, but able to survive with the children working.. Joan never learned to read or write, but was skilled in sewing and spinning and other domestic pursuits. She was known for her devotion to the Lord, even at an early age, and was described as a singularly pious child, grave beyond her years, who often knelt in the church absorbed in prayer, and loved the poor tenderly. Joan is recorded as having given up her food and her bed for the poor on many occasions, herself going hungry and sleeping on the floor. She consecrated herself to God, pledging her virginity and chastity. "She was so good," the neighbors said, "that all the village loved her."
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When Joan was twelve, she began receiving heavenly messages while outside in the family garden. At first the messages were quite personal and general. Over time, she recognized the voices as “Saint Michael (the Archangel), Saint Catherine (of Alexandria), and Saint Margaret (the Virgin).” In May 1428, when Joan was sixteen, the messengers of the Lord instructed her to visit the King of France to help him reclaim the entirety of France (occupied and ruled by England at the time).
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From the transcripts of her eventual trial prior to execution:
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"Then she declared that at the age of thirteen she had a voice from God to help her and guide her. And the first time she was much afraid. And this voice came towards noon, in summer, in her father's garden; and the said Jeanne had not fasted on the preceding day. She heard the voice on her right, in the direction of the Church; and she seldom heard it without a light. The light came from the same side as the voice, and generally was a great light. When she came to France, she often heard the voice.
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Asked how she could see the light of which she spoke, since it was at the side, she made no reply, and went on to other things. She said that if she was in a wood, she easily heard the voices come to her. It seemed to her a worthy voice and she believed it was sent from God; when she heard the voice a third time, she knew that it was the voice of an angel. She said also that this voice always protected her well and that she understood it well.
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Asked what instruction this voice gave her for the salvation of her soul, she said it taught her to be good and to go to church often; and it told her she must come to France.... She further said that this voice told her once or twice a week that she should leave and come to France, and that her father should know nothing of her leaving. She said that the voice told her to come, and she could no longer stay where she was; and the voice told her again that she should raise the siege of the city of Orleans...”
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Joan tried to resist the voices, not out of fear, but rather out of humility. She was not convinced that she could do what the Saints were asking. She said, "I am a poor girl; I do not know how to ride or fight." But the voices reminded her, "It is God who commands it." And Joan did as she was told.
Later, at her trial, she described her encounters with the Saint Michael: “Asked if she saw Saint Michael and these angels corporeally and in reality, she answered: ‘I saw them with my bodily eyes as well as I see you; and when they left me, I wept; and I fain would have had them take me with them too.’”
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May 30 Saint Joan of Arc (Jean D’arc, Jeanne d’Arc, Jehanne Darc,
Maid of Orleans): Virgin, Martyr.
(1412-1431)
Patronage:
captives
France
imprisoned people
martyrs
opposition of Church authorities
people ridiculed for their piety
prisoners
rape victims
soldiers
WACs
WAVES
Women Appointed for Voluntary Emergency Service
Women’s Army Corps
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Who today does not know the history of the Maid of Orleans, who saved France from the foreign domination of the English, only to be betrayed by the legitimate prince whom her efforts had crowned at Rheims, then burnt at the stake on May 30, 1431? Both in the French and English languages, many books and articles have honored her since her canonization in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.
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The Holy Father spoke before the bishop of Orleans and others present for the reading of the decree which approved her two final great miracles, needed to proceed with the canonization. He said, We find the memory of Joan of Arc so apt to enkindle love in the French people for their mother country, that we regret being French only in our heart! Many others could say the same, and confirm the exactitude of the proverb: Every Christian has two mother countries — the one where he or she first saw the light of day, and France!
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Two years later, Pope Pius XI declared Saint Joan patroness of France with the Most Blessed Virgin, placing her second only to the Mother of God. In that year Monsignor Baudrillart, French historian, wrote that Saint Joan of Arc may be proposed as an example to all young children by her perfect piety; as a model of fidelity to the call of heaven, to all young persons. For artisans, scholars, writers, teachers, she gives excellent example by her respect for truth and her remarkable prudence. Those dedicated to the works of mercy should find inspiration in her charity, visible when she consoled and wept for her wounded and dying enemies. All agricultural workers can invoke her with confidence, for when Joan, with the archbishop of Rheims, rode through the rich fields in the month of August and saw the reapers at work, she expressed a wish, despite the honors she then enjoyed, to die in the midst of the country-folk of France whom she loved. Her illness in prison, her martyrdom in the flames, recommend her intercession to the sick, as also to all who pray for loved ones in purgatory.
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Finally, Monsignor Baudrillart concluded, we pray our new Patroness to intercede unceasingly with God and the Most Blessed Virgin that France, its thoughts turned towards the true liberty of God's children and its own ancient dignity, may truly be today as before, the firstborn daughter of the Church. For centuries that title — conferred because of the early conversion of King Clovis and three thousand of his noble soldiers, baptized on Christmas day of 496 — was the glory of Christian France. It was later magnificently renewed and embellished by the heroic virgin, Joan of Arc.
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Eternal Father, I wish to honor St. Joan of Arc, and I give Thee thanks for all the graces Thou hast bestowed upon her. I ask Thee to please increase grace in my soul through the merits of this saint, and I commit the end of my life to her by this special prayer, so that by virtue of Thy goodness and promise, St. Joan of Arc might be my advocate and provide whatever is needed at that hour. Amen.

The new king did not want Joan to continue engaging the English, and so did not support her as she continued to fight in minor battles. Joan was warned by her voices that she would soon be captured, and it was at Compiegne where she was pulled from her horse and taken captive. She was then sold to the English, who intended to have her tried for imaginary crimes and heresy.
For three months Joan was subjected to intense interrogation by Bishop Cauchon and his staff, who never intended to give Joan a fair trial, as he was merely a tool of the English. Joan had mercy even for this man who so hated her, telling him at one point:
“You say that you are my judge; beware of what you do, for truly I have been sent by God, and you are placing yourself in great danger.”
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St Joan of Arc was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431.
In a scene that must have been most terrifying for Bishop Cauchon (if he had any conscience left at all), at one point Saint Joan of Arc looked him directly in the eye and said:
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“Bishop, I die through you.”
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St Joan of Arc prayed, and then was fastened to the stake. She asked for a cross when the wood was set ablaze all about her, and died with the name of Jesus on her lips.
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Joan's body was consumed by the flames, except for her heart, which remained perfectly intact. One is left to wonder if God permitted that courageous heart, which could not be defeated, to remain as her only witness. A condemnation to her murderers, it was thrown into the river, as if that could somehow wash away the truth. The King of England’s secretary fled from the scene shouting, “We are lost; we have burned a saint!”
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Indeed, the English were lost. In was not long before they were completely driven from France, excepting the region around Calais. When England later left the Church under King Henry VIII, they did not take the French with them into the darkness of schism. The conclusion of the farcical trial was later justly overturned, and St Joan of Arc was declared a saint by Pope Benedict XV.

St Joan of Arc met the Dauphin Charles in early March, and by means of revealing to him a secret known only to him and God, she convinced him that she was truly sent by God and gained his favor. Later the same month she sent the following letter to the Duke of Bedford:
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“Jesus, Mary. King of England, and you duke of Bedford, calling yourself regent of France; William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk; John Lord Talbot, and you, Thomas Lord Scales, calling yourselves lieutenants of the said Bedford…deliver the keys of all the good towns you have taken and violated in France to the Maid who has been sent by God the King of Heaven…Go away, for God’s sake, back to your own country; otherwise await news of the Maid, who will soon visit you to your great detriment…I have been sent by God the King of Heaven, to drive you, body for body, out of all France…If you will not believe the news sent you by God and the Maid, wherever we find you we will strike you.”
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By late April Joan was riding with a small French army of 4,000 to attempt the relief of Orleans. She rode in full armor upon a white horse holding aloft her battle standard. That standard depicted Our Lord holding the world in his hand, with an angel kneeling on either side, and the names of Jesus and Mary proudly displayed.
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The city of Orleans had been under siege for over half a year, and if it fell it would open up the conquest of the remainder of France. Joan and her army were able to enter the city to reinforce it. On May 4th Joan was suddenly awakened from her sleep by her voices, urging her to attack the enemy at once.
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St Joan of Arc leapt upon her horse and rode through town gathering and inspiring her troops, and then led them against the English forces laying siege to Orleans. She first attacked Fort St. Loup, which her army defeated so badly that three-quarters of the English garrison were put to the sword. Next was Fort Augustins, and finally Fort Tourelles.
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St Joan of Arc and her army attacked Fort Tourelles for 13 hours, and on one of the assaults Joan was wounded by an English arrow which she immediately removed by herself. When it seemed they were bested and about to retreat, Joan led a final charge carrying her gleaming standard that carried the day. The rest of the English army retreated the next day at the same time that Joan rode into Tours in triumph to meet the Dauphin.
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Sir John Fastolf was approaching with a strong force. Too late to save the English at Orleans, he was ordered to advance to meet the French army where they were attacking the castle of Beaugency.
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Once again, they arrived too late, and met the remainder of the English forces as they were in full retreat after Joan’s latest victory.
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Joan, who was actively pursuing the English, came upon the retiring force and Sir John Fastolf’s army in a disorganized condition on the open field, so she seized the opportunity and ordered her army to attack the English.
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“You have spurs, use them!” she ordered.
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The French attacked with such vigor that it didn’t matter that they were a mere rabble challenging two of the finest commanders the English possessed. The battle was over in moments, with 2,000 English dead, 200 taken captive, and Lord Scales and Lord Talbot captured. In an amazingly short period of time, the situation in France had completely changed.
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On Sunday, July 17, 1429, St Joan of Arc stood with the Dauphin at Reims cathedral at his coronation. Weeping for joy, she told him:
“Gentle king, now is executed the pleasure of God, Who wanted the siege of Orleans to be raised, and Who had brought you to this city of Reims to receive your holy consecration, showing you that you are the true king, and that the kingdom of France belongs to you.”
St Joan of Arc had thus completed what God wanted her to accomplish for France, though her greatest battle still lay before her. It was one she would fight alone.
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May 30 St Joan of Arc: Joan's body was consumed by the flames, except for her heart, which remained perfectly intact.
January 1412 – 30 May 1431
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St Joan of Arc is a figure known to almost everyone, so it is somewhat surprising to realize that she gained such fame in so short a period of time. Her mission began in the year 1428, and she won her greatest victory the following year. She was martyred only two years later, having accomplished her mission of saving France. She was not yet 20 years old, and yet her deeds were so significant that she is one of the patron saints of France, along with King St. Louis IX, St. Martin of Tours, St. Denis, and St. Therese of Lisieux.
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After the French defeat at Agincourt in 1415, the English continued their victories until they gained the ascendancy against France with an important victory at Fresnay - le - Vicomte, killing 3,000 French soldiers while also capturing their commander. The victory forced Charles VI to allow King Henry V of England to wed his daughter Catherine, who intended to unite the two countries under English control by that marriage. King Charles was to recognize their son as the heir to the throne, disinheriting his own son, the Dauphin Charles. The French living in the unconquered heartland refused to go along with these arrangements, but they were the smaller region of what had once been France, and as Paris and Rheims were already under English control, they were in a far weaker position than their English adversaries.
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King Henry V of France died unexpectedly in 1422, leaving his infant son as heir to the throne of England and those areas of France under English control. The death of King Henry was a blow to the English, yet they still had very capable generals who continued to win victories against the French armies. After a devastating loss at Verneuil in 1424, France was so weak that they were unable to even field another army.
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When it seemed that only a miracle could save France, thirteen-year-old St Joan of Arc suddenly came upon the scene to change the world.
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It was during the summer of 1425 when St Michael began appearing to Joan, eventually informing her that God had an important mission for her to accomplish. He told her that Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine would soon appear to her. The apparitions of these saints were so real that St Joan of Arc could touch them, and she often listened to their instructions while hugging them about their legs. After instructing Joan the Maid for three years, they revealed to her the mission for which God had chosen her. She was responsible to see that the Dauphin was crowned King of France!
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Like Judith, who beheaded Halofernes of the Assyrians, God had chosen a weak and humble woman to shame the strong and save her nation.
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St Joan of Arc was told to go to the knight Robert de Baudricourt, and ask him to officially send her to the Dauphin. Baudricourt listened to her request, but sent St Joan away, adding that her father should box her ears.
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The next year, 1429, at the insistence of her guides, St Joan of Arc went back to Vaucouleurs, and again Baudricourt turned her down flat. One of his knights, however, Jean de Metz, listened to her when she explained why she had come back.
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“I have come here to the royal chamber to speak to Robert de Baudricourt, so that he may take me or have me taken to the King; but he does not care about me or my words. Nonetheless, before mid-Lent, I must go to the king, even if I have to walk my feet off to my knees. No one else in the world can restore the kingdom of France, nor will the king have any help, except from me, although I would rather stay with my poor mother, for this is not my station in life. But I must go, and I must do this, because my Lord wants me to do it.”
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Jean de Metz believed her, and soon Baudricourt was also convinced when St Joan of Arc told him about the French defeat at the battle of Rouvray several days before a courier brought the news.
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May 30 Saint Felix the First, Pope and Martyr: From The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Louis Paschal Guéranger, O.S.B., 1904
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Red Double.
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The holy Popes of the primitive ages of the Church abound during these last days of our Paschal Season. Today, we have Felix the First, a Martyr of the persecution under Aurelian, in the 3rd Century. His Acts have been lost, with the exception of this one detail; that he proclaimed the dogma of the Incarnation, with admirable precision, in a Letter addressed to the Church of Alexandria—a passage of which was read, with much applause, at the two Œcumenical Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon.
We also learn from a law he passed for those troubled times of the Church, that this holy Pontiff was zealous in procuring for the Martyrs the honor that is due to them. He decreed that the Holy Sacrifice should be offered up on their tombs. The Church has kept up a remnant of this law, by requiring that all Altars, whether fixed or portable, must have, amongst the Relics that are placed in them, a portion of some belonging to the Martyrs. We shall have to speak of this custom in a future volume.
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The Liturgy gives us this short notice regarding the holy Pontiff.
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Felix Romanus, patre Constantio, Aureliano imperatore præfuit Ecclesiæ. Constituit ut Missa supra memorias et sepulchra Martyrum celebraretur. Qui cum mense Decembri habuisset Ordinatione duas, et creasset Presbyteros novem, Diaconos quinque, Episcopos per diversa loca quinque, martyrio coronatus, via Aurelia sepelitur in Basilica quam a se ædificatam dedicaret. Vixit in pontificatu annos duos, menses quatuor, dies viginti novem.
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Felix, a Roman by birth, and son of Constantius, governed the Church during the reign of the emperor Aurelian. He decreed that the Mass should be celebrated upon the shrines and tombs of the Martyrs. He held two ordinations in the month of December, and made nine Priests, five Deacons, and five Bishops for divers places. He was crowned with Martyrdom, and was buried on the Aurelian Way, in a Basilica which he himself had built and dedicated. He reigned two years, four months, and twenty-nine days.
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Thou, O holy Pontiff, didst imitate thy Divine Master in His Death, for thou gavest thy life for thy sheep. Like Him, too, thou art to rise from thy tomb, and thy happy soul shall be reunited to its body, which suffered death in testimony of the truth thou proclaimedst at Rome. Jesus is the First-Born of the dead; thou followedst Him in His Passion, thou shalt follow Him in His Resurrection. Thy body was laid in those venerable vaults, which the piety of early Christians honored with the appellation of Cemeteries—a word which signifies a place wherein to sleep. Thou, O Felix, wilt awaken on that great day, whereon the Pasch is to receive its last and perfect fulfillment:—pray that we also may then share with thee in that happy Resurrection. Obtain for us that we may be faithful to the graces received in this year’s Easter; and prepare us for the visit of the Holy Ghost, who is soon to descend upon us, that He may give stability to the work that has been achieved in our souls by our merciful Savior.

June Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
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O dearest Jesus, Whose Most Amiable Heart excludes not even the greatest sinners if they turn to Thee, grant, we beseech Thee, to me and all penitent sinners a heart like unto Thine;
That is, a humble heart that even in the midst of temporal honors loves a hidden life, a life little esteemed by men;
A meek heart that bears with all and seeks to be revenged on no one;
A patient heart that is resigned in adversity and happy even in the midst of most trying circumstances; A peaceful heart that is ever at peace with others and with itself;
A disinterested heart that is always content with what it has;
A heart that loves prayer and prays often and cheerfully;
A heart that only desires that God be known, honored and loved by all His creatures;
That grieves for nothing except when God is offended,
Despises nothing but sin,
Wishes for nothing but the Glory of God and its neighbor's salvation;
A pure heart that in all things seeks God alone and desires to please Him;
A grateful heart that does not forget but duly values the benefits of God; A strong heart that is daunted by no evil but bears all adversity for the love of God;
A heart liberal to the poor and compassionate to the suffering souls in Purgatory;
A well-ordered heart, whose joys and sorrows, desires and aversions, Nay, whose every motion is regulated according to the Will of God.
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Prayer of St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, C.S.S.R

May 29 Saint William Arnaud and the Martyrs of Toulouse.
Death: 1242
Patronage: against neuralgia (due to miracle healing of one of the Dominican sisters of the monastery of Prouille, France)
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Saint William Arnaud and eleven companions dies in Avignonet, France, and are known as the “Martyrs of Toulouse.” William, a Dominican friar, was sent with his companions by Pope Gregory IX, appointed inquisitors, to the regions of France to combat heresy which was spreading under the guise of Albigensianism (a theory of dualism which considered the body evil, thereby preventing resurrection. Christ was thought to have not been man, given that he would have succumbed to evil, had he been. This theory removed the Sacraments of the Church, replacing them with pagan rituals for purification).
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Along with William, were Bernard of Roquefort and Garcia d’Aure of Comminges, both Dominicans. Two Franciscan friars accompanied them, Stephen Saint-Thibery and Raymond Cortisan. A Benedictine friar, Raymond Cortison, referred to as “the Writer” originally from Toulouse, joined them, as did Bernard from the cathedral of Toulouse. Pietro d’Arnaud, notary of the Inquisitors, and Fortanerio and Adhemar, clerics of the Inquisitors, completed the group of martyrs.
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This group of brave men found most every door to them closed in Toulouse, under penalty of punishment from the ruling count at the time. They set up a small farmhouse outside the city gates, preaching throughout the countryside with great success. Many were converted, and many miracles of healing were performed. Eventually, their presence became threatening to the local government, who lured the holy men to an ambush by spreading word that the ruling Count—an acquaintance of Saint William—was ready to reject his heretical beliefs and return to the Church.
On the eve of the Ascension of Our Lord, the martyrs, having received a heavenly vision of their imminent martyrdom, traveled as a group to the castle of Count Raymond III of Toulouse, where his soldiers fell upon them in the great hall, slaughtering 7 of the 11. The remaining four—including William—escaped to a local Church, where they were found by the soldiers singing the Te Deum. It was here, in the church, that they were murdered—an act unforgivable in Medieval times due to the principle of sanctuary. Particularly angered by the singing, the soldiers first cut out Saint William’s tongue, prior to killing him. The bodies of the martyrs were thrown down a ravine and large boulders were rolled on top of them. As evening fell, however, bright, heavenly lights streamed from their bodies, leading the faithful to them to collect their relics. They were interred in the Church of San Romano at the monastery in Toulouse.
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The church of Avignonet where they were murdered was placed under interdict, the doors closed and locked, because of the sacrilege, and for 40 years no Mass was celebrated there. When the interdict was lifted, the bells rang of themselves, according to legend, to let people know that Avignonet was once more a member of the living Church.
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Eternal Father, I wish to honor St. William Arnaud and the Martyrs of Toulouse, and I give Thee thanks for all the graces Thou hast bestowed upon them. I ask Thee to please increase grace in my soul through the merits of this saint, and I commit the end of my life to them by this special prayer, so that by virtue of Thy goodness and promise, St. William Arnaud and the Martyrs of Toulouse might be my advocate and provide whatever is needed at that hour. Amen.

May 29 Our Lady of Ardents, Arras, France (1095)
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The Abbot Orsini wrote: “A wax candle is kept in the cathedral of Arras, which is held to have been brought thither by Our Lady, in the year 1095.”
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Our Lady of Ardents, or Eglise Notre-Dame des Ardents d’Arras in French, is a small, charming red brick church in the lower part of town in Arras, France. It was built in the beautiful style unique to the twelfth century in order to celebrate the appearance of the Blessed Virgin, and to commemorate the miraculous assistance she gave to the people then living in the region.
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According to Tradition, there was a terrible epidemic that was given the name ‘the hellfire’ that ravaged the countryside in that year of 1105, and all men felt that they were in the clutch of the specter of Death. The Evil of Ardent, the disease caused a kind of gangrene in the limbs, and the strange sickness caused terrible suffering in all parts of the body, and laid low both men and women, and even their children throughout the whole of the region.
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There were at that time two minstrels, one named Itier, who lived in Brabant, and the other named Norman, who lived in the Chateau de Saint-Pol. They had vowed a mortal hatred, as Norman had killed Itier’s brother.
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One night they both had the same dream: the Virgin Mary, dressed in white, appeared to them and told them to go to the cathedral. Norman, who was closer, arrived first. As he entered the cathedral he saw all the patients who had taken refuge there. He found the bishop and told him of the apparition, but Bishop Lambert thought that Norman was mocking him and sent him away. Itier arrived the following day and also spoke to the bishop. When the bishop told Itier that someone named Norman had come to tell him of the same vision, Itier asked where he was, because he intended to kill him on the field to avenge his brother’s death. Bishop Lambert then understood that the Blessed Virgin had sent the two men to be reconciled. The bishop spoke to each separately and then put them in each other’s presence and asked them to give each other the kiss of peace and then spend the night in prayer inside the cathedral.
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It was Pentecost Sunday, May 28, 1105, at about three o’clock in the morning, when the Virgin Mary appeared to the two minstrels in the Cathedral. Norman and Itier witnessed a sudden light as the Blessed Virgin descended from the height of the nave, carrying a lighted candle in her hands. She gave the men the candle intended for the healing of the sick, and explained to them what they must do. A few drops of the wax that fell from the candle were to be mingled with water, giving it miraculous properties the people would then drink.
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All who believed were healed. The two minstrels, now brothers, distributed the miraculous water and the epidemic was stopped, for the patients would regain their health after they drank of the water mixture. There were many prodigies of healing that went on for hundreds of years, especially with wounds, inflammations, and ulcers. All of this shows how reconciliation and prayer are pleasing to God and can precipitate great miracles, such as curing diseases, ending natural disasters, as well as ending or preventing wars.
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The Bishop of Arras wanted to build a church worthy of Our Lady of Ardents and to receive the relic of the Holy Candle, and the church was consecrated in 1876 just before the definitive establishment of the Third Republic.
This relic, the Holy Candle, can still be seen today. On the eve of Corpus Christi and the four following days, the Holy Candle was lit and shown to the people. It has not diminished.
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The reliquary of the Holy Candle is a masterpiece of art that preserves the relic of the Holy Candle since the time of the thirteenth century. The content of the reliquary has been the object of Christian veneration since the Middle Ages, and every year it is presented to pilgrims during the time period which runs between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost.