ST BENEDICTS ACADEMY – PREPARATION OF THE FUTURE CAMPUS

Thanks to Divine Providence, our generous benefactors and the work of our seminary candidates (under the steady supervision of Canon Ducret!), preparations are underway at the future facilities of Saint Benedict’s Academy, next to Saint Walburge’s Church.  It is an exciting time for us!  More spacious buildings and outside activity space provide great opportunities for growth and development.  

We hope to be able to move the Academy this autumn.  Let us entrust this intention to Saint Benedict and Saint Joseph!  

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ST FRANCIS DE SALES: A PATRON OF THE INSTITUTE

From the Roman Breviary:

Francíscus in óppido Salésio, unde famíliæ cognómen, piis et nobílibus paréntibus natus et liberálibus disciplínis erudítus, philosophíæ ac theologíæ Parísiis óperam dedit, et, láuream in utróque iure Patávii obtínuit. Sacerdótio initiátus et Genevénsis ecclésiæ præpositúram adéptus, eius múneris partes tam bene explévit, ut eum Granérius epíscopus vindicándis ab hǽresi Calviniána Chaballicénsibus divíni verbi præcónem destináverit. Quam expeditiónem álacri ánimo suscípiens, tot difficultátibus ac perículis, Dei ope, superátis, septuagínta duo míllia hæreticórum ad cathólicam fidem reduxísse dícitur. Mórtuo Granério, epíscopus consecrátus, novum órdinem sanctimoniálium instítuit, a Visitatióne beátæ Vírginis nuncupátum. Suis scriptis cælésti doctrína refértis Ecclésiam illustrávit. Lugdúni, gravi morbo corréptus, migrávit in cælum, anno millésimo sexcentésimo vigésimo secúndo, et a summo Pontífice Pio nono, ex sacrórum Rítuum Congregatiónis consúlto, universális Ecclésiæ Doctor fuit declarátus. Francis was born of devout and noble parents in the town of Sales, from which his family took its name. He was given a liberal education, devoted himself to the study of philosophy and theology at Paris and gained the degree of Doctor in civil and canon law at Padua. When he had been ordained priest and made provost of the church of Geneva, he carried out the duties of his office so well that Bishop de Granier sent him to preach the word of God in Chablais in order to win the inhabitants away from the heresy of Calvin. He undertook this mission with such great zeal and overcame so many dangers with the help of God that he is said to have brought back to the Catholic faith some seventy-two thousand heretics. When de Granier died, Francis was consecrated bishop. He founded a new order of nuns, named for the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin, and enlightened the Church with writings filled with heavenly teaching. At Lyon, he was seized by a grave illness and departed to heaven in the year 1622. He was declared a Doctor of the Universal Church by Pope Pius IX.

NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

“We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which asserts that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, was preserved free from every stain of Original Sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and, for this reason, must be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful.”

Ineffabilis Deus, Bl. Pope Pius IX

Each year on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Prior General of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest solemnly consecrates our entire spiritual family to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, our Patroness and Queen. All that we have and all that we are, we offer it to our Blessed Mother and ask her to protect us, guide us, pray for us, and protect us that we may be faithful to her Divine Son, Jesus Christ our God and King.

2020 12 Immaculate

To prepare for this great day, all of the canons, oblates, sisters, seminarians, and faithful from all of the Institute’s apostolates worldwide unite in a solemn novena. Please join us in this novena by praying with us each day:

Said in Churches, Oratories and Chapels of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
from November 30 and concluding with the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8

O Most Holy Virgin who wast pleasing to God and didst become His Mother. Immaculate in your body, in your soul, in your faith and in your love, we beseech thee to look graciously upon the wretched who implore thy powerful protection. The wicked serpent, against whom the primal curse was hurled, continues nonetheless to wage war and to lay snares for the unhappy children of Eve. Ah, do thou, our blessed Mother, our Queen and Advocate, who from the first instant of thy conception didst crush the head of our enemy, receive the prayers that we unite single-heartedly to thine and conjure thee to offer at the throne of God, that we may never fall into the snares that are laid for us, in such wise that we may all come to the haven of salvation; and in the midst of so many dangers may holy Church and the fellowship of Christians everywhere sing once more the hymn of deliverance, victory and peace. Amen.

O Most Holy Virgin who wast pleasing to God and didst become His Mother. Immaculate in your body, in your soul, in your faith and in your love, we beseech thee to look graciously upon the wretched who implore thy powerful protection. The wicked serpent, against whom the primal curse was hurled, continues nonetheless to wage war and to lay snares for the unhappy children of Eve. Ah, do thou, our blessed Mother, our Queen and Advocate, who from the first instant of thy conception didst crush the head of our enemy, receive the prayers that we unite single-heartedly to thine and conjure thee to offer at the throne of God, that we may never fall into the snares that are laid for us, in such wise that we may all come to the haven of salvation; and in the midst of so many dangers may holy Church and the fellowship of Christians everywhere sing once more the hymn of deliverance, victory and peace. Amen.