Better Days BroDcast

Saint Anselm was born at Aosta in Piedmont. After a period of neglect of religion, he entered the Benedictine Order at the monastery of Bec, in Normandy, the center of the monastic revival in that part of France. He is a Doctor of the Church because of his writings in philosophy and theology, and because of his spirituality, which focuses on the sufferings of Christ. No doubt this orientation, which affected subsequent Cistercian spirituality, was reflected in the gentle and compassionate nature of Anselm, which De La Salle mentions in this meditation. (MTR) Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash

The date of this feast was determined by the relation, between the feast of Christmas, and the visit of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, a period of nine months. From its inception, this feast was the celebration of the Incarnation of Christ, rather than the honor of the Most Blessed Virgin. This explains in part why Dela Salle focuses in his meditation more on the mystery of the Incarnation than on Mary. (MTR) Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

De La Salle had a special love for Saint Joseph, developed undoubtedly as part of his training in the seminary of Saint Sulpice. Photo by Manuel Asturias on Unsplash

It is significant that De La Salle wrote this meditation, during the time when the Pope’s authority was being seriously challenged, over the issue of Jansenism, especially in France. The firm support of the Pope, illustrated by this meditation, is one of the chief characteristics of De La Salle’s teaching to the Brothers, and through them, to the students in the Christian Schools. (MTR) Photo by Briana Tozour on Unsplash

Today this feast is referred to, as the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which was the original focus of the celebration. As such, De La Salle’s meditation corresponds well in the second and third points. The day has also been called Candlemas Day from the time of the tenth century, because this was the day when candles were blessed and carried in procession, possibly a devotional practice based on Simeon’s words in the Gospel, that Jesus is the light that reveals God to all nations. (MTR) Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Thomas Aquinas was born in the castle of Rocca Secca, near Naples. He began his education at the nearby abbey of Monte Casino, and later attended the University of Naples. His Summa Theologica, published after his death, along with his other writings in 17 volumes, earned him the title of Doctor of the Church in 1567. Pope Leo XIII declared him the patron of all Catholic schools. He died on March 7, but his feast is now celebrated on January 28, the day his body was transferred to Toulouse in 1369. (MTR) Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

A message for the Catholic Teachers Day / Lasallian Mentors Day: Who will be there for the students when they go online or go back to school? 

Photo by Joel Fulgencio on Unsplash

Originally, this feast was a celebration of the transfer of the body of the Apostle Paul from the Appian Way, to the Ostian Way or, more likely, the transfer of a relic of the Apostle, to some church in Gaul around the tenth century, when the feast was first celebrated. Apparently the notion of the change from one place to another became the idea of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. From the beginning, this celebration has been near the feast of Saint Peter’s Chair in Rome, a fact that is not without significance. (MTR) Photo by Jonathan Bowers on Unsplash

Francis de Sales was born of a noble family at Annecy, in Savoy, France. While studying in Paris at the Jesuit College of Clermont, he made a vow of chastity. He studied law at the University of Padua from 1586 to 1591, earning a Doctor’s degree. Overcoming his father’s opposition, he became a priest in 1593, and six years later was appointed coadjutor to the bishop of Geneva. In due course, he became bishop of Geneva. He was highly regarded for his wisdom and kindness. (MTR) Photo by Alex Pasarelu on Unsplash

Saint Anthony is called the father of monasticism. The story of his life, written by his contemporary and friend, Saint Athanasius, is considered to be the first formal biography of a monk. (MTR) Photo by Connor Jalbert on Unsplash