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Please visit www.ols-sa.org/news/warning for more information on how to protect yourself from this type of scam.

Often the subjects of my weekly letters are based upon the Sunday Gospel. This week I thought I would turn my attention to St. Francis deSales (1567-1622), whose memorial we celebrate this Thursday. A Doctor of the Church, Francis was a civil lawyer and the Bishop of Geneva, where he devoted himself to the conversion of Calvinists and serving the young, the poor and the ill. His book, Introduction to the Devout Life, is a classic. His many letters reveal a common-sense, down-to-earth approach to the Christian life. Below are a few quotes that reveal the Saint’s wit and wisdom:

“What if the Madonna were to entrust the Infant Jesus to a nun? The nun would insist on not letting him go again, but she would be wrong; old Simeon received the Child in his arms with joy, but also with joy he handed him back quickly. So we must not weep too much in giving up rank, job, office when its term ends or when it is asked back.”
 
“It is good to progress but not in the multitude of pious practices, but rather in perfecting them. It is not so much a matter of practicing devotions as it is of being devout.”
 
“Why wish for the soaring flights of the eagle...if you are not called to them? Let us not be like neurotic patients who want cherries in autumn and grapes in spring! Let us apply ourselves to what God asks of us according to our condition.”
 
“Madame...you must abbreviate your prayers a bit, so as not to compromise your household duties. You are married: be a complete wife. Do not bore your family spending too much time in church. Have such devotion as to make your husband love it, but this will happen only if he feels that you are his.”

St. Francis deSales pray for us!
Msgr. Gervasio

Tèm lèt mwen ekri chak semèn yo soti trè souvan nan levanjil dimanch lan. Semèn sa, mwen panse li ta bon pou nou vire zye nou nan direksyon Sen Franswa d Sal; nap selebre memwa li jedi nan semèn sa. Li se yon Doktè nan zafè legliz la. Li te yon avoka tou, epi li te Evèk nan peyi Jenèv (an Swis). Franswa d Sal te travay anpil pou fè Kalvinis yo konprann legliz la pi byen. Li te sèvi jèn yo, pov yo ak malad yo ak tout kè li. Li te ekri yon liv «Entwodiksyon nan lavi konsakre» ki se yon gwo referans pou tout moun. Li te ekri anpil lèt ki montre bon konprann li te genyen ak fason li te pwoch lavi kretyen yo. Men kèk pawol nan sal te di ki montre ki kalite sajès li te genyen:

«Kisa-k ta rive si Manman Mari te remèt ti Jezu bay yon chè sè? Chè sè-a pa tap kite-l ale anko. Sa pa tap bon. Simeon te resevwa ti Jezu nan bra li avèk kè kontan. Se avèk menm kè kontan sa li te remèt li la menm. Konsa, nou menm tou, nou pa dwe kriye twop, lè nou dwe kite yon plas, yon djob ou byen yon responsabilite, lè jou-an rive pou nou fè sa.»

«Li bon pou nou fè pwogrè, men se pa nan miltipliye devosyon sou devosyon. Li pi bon pou nou fè devosyon nou yo yon fason ki pi konvenab. Se pa anpil devosyon ki enpotan. Sak pi enpotan se pou nou genyen yon nanm ki devwe pou Bondye.»

«Pouki sa nou vle vole tankou gwo malfini nan syèl la, si nou pa gen kapasite pou nou fè sa? An nou pa sanble ak kalite malad lopital sa yo kap mande seriz nan tan frèt oubyen rezin nan tan cho. An nou fè tout bagay selon sa Bondye mande nou fè epi selon kapasite Bondye ban nou pou nou fè li.»

«Madamnm,…ou ta dwe fe lapriye w yo yon ti jan pi kout, defason pou sa pa fèw neglije reskonsablite lakay ou. Ou se yon madanm marye. Konsa, se pou w fè efo pou w tounen yon madanm total. Pa fè fanmi w soufri akoz ou pase twop tan nan legliz la. Fè devosyon w yon fason ki fè mari w renmen sa. Se pa pou devosyon w separe w de mari w!»

Sen Franswa d Sal, lapriyè pou nou!
Msgr. Gervasio

The Diocese of Trenton is committed to the norms of the U.S. Bishop’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in regard to the reporting and investigation of sexual abuse allegations involving minors.  If you have been sexually abused as a minor by anyone representing the Catholic Church, or if you know of someone who was, you can report that abuse through the diocesan Hotline: 1-888-296-2965 or via e-mail at abuseline@dioceseoftrenton.org.  Such allegations are reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.