November 25 — Saint Catharine

Famem et jejunia, Et quaecumque fiunt ei, Sustinet amore Dei,

Eadem ad omnia. Torta superat tortorem, Superat imperatorem

Feminae constantia : Cruciatur imperator, Quia cedit cruciator,

Nec valent supplicia.

Tandem capite punitur, Et, dum morte mors finitur,

Vitae sub.it gaudia. Angelis mox fuit curae Dare corpus sepultures

Terra procul alia. Oleum ex ipsa manat Quod infirmos multos sanat

Evidenti gratia. Bonum nobis dat unguentum,

Si per suum interventum Nostra sanet vitia. Gaudens ipsa videat De se prsesens gaudia, Et futura praebeat, Quae dedit praasentia, Et hie nobis gaudeat, Uli nos in gloria. Amen.

For love of God she endures the horrors of the prison, the cruel wheel, hunger and want, and all her other sufferings; she remains unchanged through all.

The tortured overcomes her torturer, a woman's constancy triumphs over the emperor; yea, the emperor himself is tormented, seeing both executioner and torments unavailing.

At length she is beheaded, and by death ending death, enters into the joys of life, while Angels with all care bury her body in a far-off land.

An oil flowing from her body, by a visible grace heals the sick ; good indeed is the unction she gives us, if she heals our vices by her prayers.

May she rejoice to see the joy she causes us; may she who ^ives us present joys give likewise those to come; and may she now rejoice with us, and we with her in glory. Amen.

RESPONSORY.

Virgo flagellatur, crucian da fame religatur, car cere clausa manet, lux coelica fusa refulget: * Fragrat odor dulcis, cantant coeli

. The virgin is scourged, loaded with chains, tormented with hunger; but while she remains shut up in prison a heavenly light shines around^

TIME AFTER PENTECOST. agmina laudes. * A sweet fragrance fills the air, and the hosts of heaven are there singing praises. f. Sponsus amat spon- f. The Spouse loves his bride

Bam, Salvator visitat illam. and visits her as a Saviour.

• Fragrat. * A sweet fragrance. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Glory be to the Father, and

Spiritui Sancto. to the Son, and to the Holy

Ghost.

• Fragrat. * A sweet fragrance.

0 blessed Catharine, accept us as thy disoiples. In thy person, philosophy, true to its beautiful name, leads us to Eternal Wisdom, truth leads to goodness, and science to Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life. " 0 curious inquirers, who delight in idle, " fruitless speculation," exclaims the most eloquent of thy panegyrists, " know that the brilliant light of " science which enchants you, is not intended merely u to please your eyes, but to guide your steps and " rule your conduct. Vain minds, that make suoh " pompous display of your learning in order to win " men's praise, learn that this glorious talent has not " been entrusted to you for your self-advancement, " but for the triumph of the truth. And you, " cowardly, sordid souls, who use science as a means " of gaining earthly goods, consider seriously that so " divine a treasure is not meant to be traded with in " so unworthy a manner ; and that the only oom- " merce it is concerned with, is of a higher and " sublimer kind, viz : the redemption of souls." 1

Thus, 0 Catharine, thou didst employ thy science solely for the truth. Thou madest " the majesty of " Jesus Christ so visible, that his presence dissipated " all the errors of philosophy, and the truths it had "usurped acknowledged him for their Master, or " rather were gathered up in him as in their oentre.

1 Bossubt, Panegyric on St. Catharine.

" Let us learn from this holy example to bear wit- " ness to the truth and to make it triumph over the "world, employing all our light of knowledge in " the fulfilment of this duty. 0 holy truth ! I owe " thee the testimony of my words, of my life, of my " blood : for the truth is God himself." 1

This, 0 magnanimous virgin, is the thought of holy Church, when she thus formulates her prayer for to-day : 0 God, who didst give the law to Moses on the summit of Mount Sinai, and didst wonderfully deposit in the same plaoe the body of the blessed Virgin and Martyr Catharine by means of thy holy Angels ; grant, we beseech thee, that by her merits and intercession, we may be enabled to arrive at the mountain, whioh is Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee for ever and ever. 2

1 Bos8UET, Panegyric on St. Catharine. 2 Collect of the day.