June 22: Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop—Optional Memorial

c. 354–431
Patron Saint of bellmakers
Invoked by the people of Nola, Italy
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
Thus our Paulinus, bishop of Nola, who voluntarily abandoned vast wealth and became quite poor, though abundantly rich in holiness, when the barbarians sacked Nola, and took him prisoner, used silently to pray, as he afterwards told me, “O Lord, let me not be troubled for gold and silver, for where all my treasure is Thou knowest.” For all his treasure was where he had been taught to hide and store it by Him who had also foretold that these calamities would happen in the world. Consequently those persons who obeyed their Lord when He warned them where and how to lay up treasure, did not lose even their earthly possessions in the invasion of the barbarians; while those who are now repenting that they did not obey Him have learnt the right use of earthly goods, if not by the wisdom which would have prevented their loss, at least by the experience which follows it. ~Saint Augustine, “City of God,” Book I.X

Reflection: Pontius Meropius Anicius Paulinus, more simply known as Paulinus, was born in Bordeaux, modern-day France, into a noble senatorial family. Bordeaux, then part of the Roman Empire, was a major center for learning, culture, and trade. As a member of the nobility, Paulinus would have received an excellent education in preparation for a career in civil service. Among his teachers was the famous poet Ausonius, under whom he studied literature and rhetoric. Around the age of twenty-three, his career entered full swing when the Roman Emperor, Gratian, appointed him as a suffect consul at Rome, a position held in high esteem among the ruling class. A few years later, the emperor appointed him as governor of Campania, a region that included Naples and many surrounding cities, including Nola.

Though less important than many other cities when he was governor, Nola caught Paulinus’ attention because the townspeople had a great reverence for the third-century martyr Saint Felix who was buried there. Saint Felix was a priest likely martyred during the persecution of either Decius or Valerian between 251–260. Inspired by the locals’ devotion to Saint Felix, Paulinus built a road to make it easier for pilgrims to travel to his tomb, as well as a hospice where they could stay. Although Paulinus held an important position of power as governor, the faith and devotion that the people had for Saint Felix stirred in him a desire for something greater, leading him to inquire into the Catholic faith.

After the assassination of Roman Emperor Gratian in 383, Paulinus moved to Milan to study the Catholic faith, most likely under Saint Ambrose. He then returned home to Bordeaux where he continued his studies, was baptized by the bishop, and married Therasia, a noblewoman from Barcelona. Therasia’s strong faith greatly influenced Paulinus, helping him to grow closer to Christ and embrace a more radical life of prayer and asceticism. Not long after their marriage, Therasia gave birth to a son, but the child died within a week. This profound event, instead of leading them to anger or despair, prompted Paulinus and Therasia to deepen their devotion and trust in God. They felt God calling them to a more intense life of prayer and asceticism. Consequently, they sold most of their possessions, donated the money to the poor, and mutually agreed to live in abstinence as husband and wife.

While in Barcelona, Paulinus’ faith and good works became so well known that he was asked to become a priest. His ordination either took place in Barcelona or back in Campania, where Paulinus had been governor and where he first discovered the Catholic faith. In Campania, Paulinus and Therasia settled in Nola, Saint Felix’s burial site, since Paulinus attributed his conversion to Saint Felix.

In Nola, Paulinus and his wife began to spread the faith by embracing a new form of monastic life that they shared and invited others to join. They spread devotion to Saint Felix by constructing a monastic center for pilgrims, places of worship, and infrastructure to help with basic needs. They were very generous to the poor, even though they themselves chose to live in poverty. After Therasia died, Paulinus was chosen as bishop of Nola around 409, when he was about fifty-six years old. He would carry out this responsibility until his death, twenty-two years later.

As bishop of Nola, Paulinus continued to spread the Gospel and serve the poor with great generosity. He also used his education in poetry to write many faith-based poems and hymns. Though he was praised by many, some questioned the wisdom of his Christian vocation. His former teacher, the great poet Ausonius, saw his poverty and generosity toward the poor as irrational, and his abandonment of pagan poetry as an abandonment of poetry itself. However, Bishop Paulinus’ love for the poor was a much deeper realization of the value of material possessions and their purpose. As for his training in poetry, Bishop Paulinus used those natural talents for a much higher calling, putting them at the service of the Gospel.

Bishop Paulinus wrote many letters, some of which still exist. Most notably, he was in written communication with the great Saint Augustine of Hippo, who even mentioned Paulinus in his Christian classic, The City of God. Additionally, Paulinus corresponded with Saint Martin of Tours, Saint Jerome, and many others. Regarding Paulinus’s writings, Pope Benedict XVI said, “Saint Paulinus did not write theological treatises, but his poems and ample correspondence are rich in a lived theology, woven from God’s Word, constantly examined as a light for life. The sense of the Church as a mystery of unity emerges in particular from them. Paulinus lived communion above all through a pronounced practice of spiritual friendship. He was truly a master in this, making his life a crossroads of elect spirits…”

Saint Paulinus began his life with wealth, noble status, and civil power. When he saw the devotion that the faithful had toward Saint Felix, he realized there was more to life than the pursuits that had occupied him. When his wife and he tragically experienced the loss of their child, they didn’t turn to self-pity or anger. The couple used their loss as an opportunity to more fully abandon themselves to the will of God. When Paulinus’ wife died, he devoted himself even more fully to the service of God and His Church through his episcopal ministry and generosity to the poor and the pilgrims. He used his natural talents for the glory of God through his hymns, poetry, and extensive correspondence with others, and inspired others to join him in a life of prayer and asceticism.

As we honor Saint Paulinus today, ponder your own journey of faith. Looking back at life, especially at any challenges you have faced, have you allowed God’s grace to strengthen you through those challenges, or have you turned away as a result? Allow Saint Paulinus to inspire you on your journey, using every challenge and every natural gift for the sole purpose of glorifying God and fulfilling His perfect will.

Prayer: Saint Paulinus, you were a nobleman, poet, husband, priest, widower, and bishop. You found your true riches in your vocations, not in the wealth or prestige of the world. Please pray for me, that I may embrace my vocation more fully, seeking only to advance the glory of God and the salvation of souls, beginning with my own. Saint Paulinus of Nola, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

June 22: Saints John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr and Thomas More, Martyr—Optional Memorial

Saint John Fisher: 1469–1535
Invoked for courage and by those who are persecuted
Saint Thomas More: 1478–1535
Patron Saint of statesmen, politicians, lawyers, civil servants, court clerks, adopted children, large families, stepparents, and difficult marriages
Canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 19, 1935
Liturgical Color: Red

Quote:
Their final words:
I forgive thee with all my heart, and I trust thou shall see me overcome this storm… ~Saint John Fisher
I die the King’s good servant, but God’s first. ~Saint Thomas More

Reflection: Throughout the 1400s, the Catholic Church played a central role in the religious, cultural, and political fabric of England. Magnificent churches were built, monasteries thrived, clergy wielded influence, religious holidays were nationalized, and the Catholic Church collaborated with the state, in union with Rome. However, the tide began to shift during the rule of King Henry VIII (1509–1547) when King Henry severed ties between the Church of England and Rome to secure his divorce and remarriage. One year later, in 1535, the king martyred two of England’s greatest Catholic saints who opposed him, both of whom we honor today.

John Fisher was born in Beverley, Yorkshire, England, in 1469. At the age of fifteen, Fisher enrolled in the University of Cambridge, where he pursued studies in theology. He was ordained a priest around the age of twenty-two. His academic excellence led to an invitation to remain at Cambridge, where he fulfilled roles as a chaplain, professor, and eventually Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor.

In 1504, when he was approximately thirty-five years old, Father Fisher was ordained a bishop and appointed to the Diocese of Rochester. Despite serving in one of the smallest and poorest dioceses in England, Bishop Fisher became renowned for his preaching, pastoral care, and adherence to orthodox faith.

Thomas More was born in London, England, in 1478. His father, a well-respected lawyer and judge, ensured that Thomas received an education at one of London’s finest schools. At the age of twelve, Thomas served in the household of Archbishop John Morton of Canterbury, who was also the Lord Chancellor of England. Thomas’ intelligence quickly became evident, leading to his enrollment at the University of Oxford to prepare for future legal studies. During this time, he developed a strong faith, influenced by the witness of the Carthusians monks, and he contemplated a monastic vocation himself. Although he eventually chose a career in law, his life of prayer and penitential practices blossomed.

In 1505, Thomas married Jane Colt, with whom he had four children. He began working in Parliament and gained a favorable reputation. In 1510, he was appointed as an undersheriff of London, one of the city’s highest law enforcement positions. Unfortunately, Jane passed away in 1511, leaving Thomas with four young children. He soon married Alice Middleton, who lovingly cared for his children as a mother.

Over the next twenty-one years, Thomas’ faith, family, and career thrived. He became a member of the King’s Council, was knighted by King Henry VIII, and was elected as Speaker of the House of Commons. In 1529, he became the first layman to hold the post of Lord Chancellor, the highest-ranking legal position in England. After serving for approximately three years, he resigned, citing reasons of health. His primary motivation, however, was his opposition to Henry VIII’s actions regarding the Catholic Church.

The seeds of trouble were sewn in 1501 when Arthur, Prince of Wales, the firstborn son of King Henry VII, married Catherine of Aragon. The couple expected to ascend to the throne as king and queen after Arthur’s father’s death. However, Prince Arthur died five months later, passing the right of succession to the throne to his younger brother, Henry. An arrangement was made for Henry to marry Catherine, his late brother’s wife, once Henry came of age. Although such a marriage was typically prohibited, the pope granted a dispensation, based on Catherine’s testimony that she and Arthur had never consummated their marriage.

In 1509, King Henry VII passed away, and his son, Henry VIII, assumed the throne and married Catherine. Over the next twenty years, they had six children, all of whom died as infants except for one daughter, Mary, who would later become queen. In 1527, King Henry VIII sought an annulment of his marriage to Catherine, contending that it was invalid because she had, indeed, consummated her marriage to Arthur, which she denied. Henry further asserted that his lack of a male heir was a consequence of this unlawful union, signaling divine displeasure. The pope rejected Henry’s request for an annulment, provoking Henry’s anger and intensifying conflicts between him and the pope, along with those who opposed Henry among the clergy and civil servants.

In 1532, King Henry appointed Thomas Cranmer as the Archbishop of Canterbury. Sympathetic to those who sought reform of the English Church and separation from Rome, Cranmer supported Henry’s desire for a divorce from Catherine. He declared Henry’s first marriage null and void and validated his subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn in 1533. In 1534, with the backing of Parliament, King Henry VIII proclaimed himself the head of the Church in England, effectively severing ties with the pope and the Roman Catholic Church.

Today’s saints, Saints Thomas More and John Fisher, were among the few who refused to accept the king’s decisions. Bishop John Fisher firmly defended the bond of marriage, stating that he was willing to die, just as Saint John the Baptist did, for the defense of marriage. This outraged the king. Eventually, the king had Bishop Fisher arrested before he could publicly oppose the new queen’s coronation. Though he was initially released, he was arrested again on April 26, 1534, and remained in prison under extremely harsh conditions, deprived even of a priest to minister to him, until his death about fourteen months later. Before Fisher’s death, the pope declared him a cardinal as a way of adding pressure on the king to release him, but this only angered the king more. Cardinal Fisher’s defense was to remain silent and say nothing from prison. Eventually, he was tricked into speaking, confessing his opposition to the king, which led to his beheading. Every other bishop, except for two, gave their support to the king, bringing a painful end to the Catholic Church in England.

Like Cardinal Fisher, Thomas More refused to support the king’s claim that he was the head of the Church of England, and he refused to publicly support the coronation of the new queen. After More refused to attend the coronation, he was arrested and put on trial for treason. His defense was also to remain silent, but he was found guilty and executed about two weeks after Cardinal Fisher. Cardinal Fisher’s head had been mounted on London Bridge for two weeks after his death, but it was taken down and replaced by More’s upon More’s execution.

The fall of the Catholic Church in England is perhaps one of the saddest moments of Church history. However, because of the courage of these two martyrs, it is also one of the brightest. Though they were abandoned by most, they are now honored as saints and martyrs and will forever wear those glorious crowns in Heaven.

As we honor these two great martyrs, ponder their eternal perspective and willingness to endure suffering and death rather than compromise their faith. As you do, pray that you, too, will always live for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, even if it means hardship, suffering, or even death, preferring the glorious crown of righteousness in Heaven.

Prayer: Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, your fidelity to the truth and your courage left behind a shining example for all to see. Though your deaths appeared to be defeats at the time, your love of God and love for the king who killed you live on. Please pray for me, that I will imitate your courage and fidelity to Christ, going so far as to lay down my life, in every way that I am called, for the glory of God and the salvation of others. Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.