It’s the Feast of First Friday, 4th Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: “Jesus Savior”, today’s news from the Church: “First Urbi et Orbi Christmas Message from Pope Leo XIV”, a preview of this week’s episode of The Catholic Mass #33: “The Holy Name of Jesus”, and today’s thought from the Archbishop.

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Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe was a bishop whose clarity of faith was forged through exile, hardship, and relentless theological struggle. Born in 468 in North Africa, he came of age as the region was torn by the Arian Vandals, who denied the full divinity of Christ and persecuted Catholics who refused to comply. Fulgentius was well educated and capable of a comfortable public career, but the instability of the times and the pull of the Gospel drew him instead toward the monastic life. He entered a monastery with a fierce desire for prayer, Scripture, and detachment from the world.

His learning and holiness soon made him impossible to hide. Despite his reluctance, he was chosen as Bishop of Ruspe around the year 502. Almost immediately, he became a target. The Arian authorities exiled him, along with many other Catholic bishops, forcing him into a life of wandering and deprivation. Fulgentius accepted exile as a continuation of monastic discipline. He lived simply, prayed intensely, and used the time to write. His works, especially those defending the Trinity and the doctrine of grace, became some of the clearest expressions of orthodox theology in a confused age. He drew deeply from Saint Augustine, whom he regarded as a master guide through the mysteries of grace and predestination.

When allowed to return briefly to his diocese, Fulgentius governed as a true shepherd. He preached plainly, corrected gently, and cared deeply for the poor. Yet peace did not last. He was exiled again, this time to Sardinia, where he continued to teach and write, forming clergy and strengthening the faithful wherever he landed. His letters reveal a man without bitterness, convinced that suffering borne for truth was itself a form of preaching.

Late in life, he was finally permitted to return to North Africa for good. Worn down by years of hardship, he withdrew again into monastic life, seeking silence after decades of conflict. He died in 533, leaving behind a body of theological work that would influence the Church for centuries. Later generations honored him as a Doctor of Grace, a bishop who held the line of truth when compromise would have been easier.

Traditions connected to Saint Fulgentius were strongest in North Africa and later in southern Europe. His feast on January 1 in the traditional calendar was associated with prayers for perseverance in faith and clarity in doctrine. He became an intercessor for theologians, bishops, and those facing pressure to dilute the truth for the sake of peace.

Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe, steadfast bishop and teacher of grace, pray for us!

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