09 July 2011
OCSO
Menology
for the
Month
of
July
Nunraw July Memorials
Br. Joseph Woods - Born 30 March 1915, Entered 3 March 1943, Professed 9 September 1948, Died 11th July 1986
Dom Columban Mulcahy - born 1901, entered 1924, priest 1929, abbot 1948, died 15 July 1971.
Br. Oliver McIvor – born 11 July 1899, died at Nunraw 22 July 1975
Dom Malachy Brasil - born 2 February 1883, entered 15 August 1905, professed 28 December 1910, ordained 23 June 1911, Abbot Mount Saint Bernard 1933 –1959, died, Nunraw, 28 July 1965.
JULY 1
Elizabeth De Wans + 1250
During the first year of her marriage, arranged by her parents, she lived in celibacy with the consent of her husband. After this they separated and Elizabeth entered the monastery of St Desiderius in Champagne where she later became abbess. Resigning after three years, she transferred to Aywieres where she lived as a simple nun; her intimacy with the crucified Christ becoming the preoccupation of her life.
JULY 2
Diego Velasquez
A monk of Fitero in Spain, he was instrumental in founding the Order of Calatrava which was formally incorporated into the Cistercian Order in 1187. After many victories and then the loss of the Calatrava stronghold to the Moors in 1195, Diego retired to the monastery of San Pedro where he became abbot. He died a few years later at the beginning of the 13th century
Lekai, p. 56; NCE, Vol. 2, p. 1056
Macarius + 1403
Lay-brother of Valbuena, Spain, he served as porter with great patience and cheerfulness.
Bernadine Dufour + 1859
A diocesan priest in France, he desired solitude and more time for prayer. At forty-four he entered Port du Salut and ten years later was elected abbot. Awareness of God's will dominated his spiritual life and from this flowed his great charity and peace. He was especially devoted to Our Lady and died on this day while his community was celebrating the feast of the Visitation.
Edmund Mikkers 1911-1993
Born in the Netherlands, he studied at the minor seminary, and entered Achel in 1929. He was ordained priest in 1937; from 1936-1939 he studied in Rome. Returning to his monastery, he continued to sttudy the Cistercian heritage and to pass it on to his confreres. He and Fr. Roger de Ganck founded the quarterly Citeaux in 1949, and Fr. Mikkers was editor in chief from 1963-
1985. He was also librarian of his monastery. He encouraged monastic formation, lectio and studies by means of study weeks in the Dutch region, publications, and the conferences he gave in Europe and the United States. A special chapter of his life began in 1970 with the foundation of Klaarland. He was its chaplain from the beginning and helped the community with its Cistercian development.
Throughout his 63 years in the Order he combined immense erudition with simplicity, humility and a deep commitment to the monastic life.
JULY 3
Mennas Effleur +1764
Abbot of Orval in Belgium, he encouraged the study of theology among his monks. He was known and loved for his great kindness and gentleness.
JULY 4
Richard Patard + 1895
From Paris, he entered the monastery of Sept-Fons where he made profession as a lay-brother and eventually became assistant cellarer. For forty years he gave himself in service to his community, putting the concerns of his confreres before his own. He died faithful to his vocation to the end.
James Calmettes + 1895
Lay-brother of Bonnecombe. He entered the monastery at the age of forty, suffered a grave fall during his novitiate, and made profession on his death bed.
JULY 5
Everard
Lay-brother of Villers. He set a guard over his tongue and was zealous for silence.
Martha 13th century
Nun of La Cambre, Brussels, she was the faithful servant of Bl Aleydis (June 12).
Mother Anna Maria + 1746
Nun of Valladolid in Spain, she had an intense love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and helped to spread this devotion throughout her country.
JULY 6
Albert + 1239
Lay-brother of the monastery of St Andrew in Liguria, Italy, he worked many years in the kitchen, generously giving to the poor whenever possible. Feeling himself called to a deeper solitude, he obtained his abbot's permission to live as a hermit in the neighboring woods where he spent the last thirty years of his life.
MBS, p. 200
Bl Elias Desgardin 1750-1794
He entered Sept-Fons as a lay brother in 1777. Being skilled in medicine, he served the community as infirmarian. When the monastery was suppressed in 1791, he went with the prior and 20 of the monks to live in Dijon. He was arrested and sentence to deportation. Detained on ship board, he became a dedicated infirmarian to the sick prisoners, until he himself succumbed to illness. He was beatified along with other French religious in 1995.
Two other monks of Sept-Fons, Fr. Macarius and Br. Rene were arrested, condemned and imprisoned with Br. Elias, and died later that summer.
JULY 7
A lay-brother of Clairvaux, whose name is unknown, when dying surprised his abbot, St Bernard, by his calm assurance that he was going to heaven. He said he had always tried to live out St Bernard's counsel that it is only through obedience that we win the kingdom of heaven, and now he had full confidence in the mercy of Christ. St Bernard was delighted with this reply.
JULY 8
Bl Eugene III + 1153
Bernard Paganelli was born of poor parents in Pisa, Italy. He came under St Bernard's influence in 1134 and followed him to Clairvaux. In 1140 Bernard sent him as founding superior of Tre Fontane in Rome. While filling this office, to his surprise and dismay, at the death of Pope Lucius III, the cardinals elected him Pope. His reign of eight years was filled with political and ecclesiastical crises, among them his frequent exiles from Rome, the foment caused by Arnold of Brescia and the failure of the Second Crusade. He held synods and the important Council of Rheims. Profiting from St Bernard's advice, (De Consideratione, CF 37), he remained faithful to his monastic vocation amidst all the viscissitudes of his reign. In 1147 he attended the General Chapter at Citeaux, remarkable for his humility and simplicity. He died six weeks before St Bernard.
Lekai, p 28; MBS, p. 195; NCE, vol. 5, p. 625
Sebastian Devaulx + 1751
Monk of La Trappe.
JULY 9
St Theobald
The eldest son of Burkhard de Montmorency, he was born in Marley near Paris in 1200. As a young man he went to the court of Philip II, was knighted and became renowned at tournaments. When twenty-five years old, under the influence of Our Lady, he turned his back on the world and entered Vaux-de-Cernay, west of Paris. He was docile to the guidance of his superiors, was made prior and, in 1235, elected abbot. In this office he was determined to grow in humility, serving his brothers. When he had to leave the monastery on business, he longed to return to his community and solitude. He was instrumental in averting the separation of Louis IX and Queen Margaret who both attributed to his prayers their ability to have children.
MBS, p. 193; NCE, vol. 14, p. 12
JULY 10
Ephrem Ferrer + 1839
Fervent in prayer during his childhood, as a teenager he abandoned his Catholic religion while attending school in Toulouse. However, God's grace pursued him and, after many struggles, his conversion was effected and he entered the monastery of Aiguebelle where he gave himself to his monastic life with enthusiasm and joy.
Candidus Villemer + 1905
After his military service, he became a lay-brother at Bricquebec, having been instructed to do so, as he believed, by St Joseph. He possessed great purity of heart and innocence of soul, combining a deep spirit of prayer with a boyish gaiety.
JULY 11
The Solemnity of our Father, St Benedict, lawgiver of our Order.
Bertrand + 1149
Abbot of Grandselve, a few years before his death he was overjoyed when St Bernard agreed to affiliate his community to Clairvaux. He led his monks into the ways of simplicity and purity of heart with gentleness and love.
Angela Frances Losada y Guiroga + 1711
Nun of St Anne's Convent, Valladolid, Spain.
Br. Joseph Woods, Nunraw, - Born 30 March 1915, Entered 3 March 1943, Professed 9 September 1948, Died 11th July 1986
JULY 12
Gabriel
Called by Our Lady to enter the Cistercian Order, he became a novice at the monastery of Nogales in Spain. However, he became ill and died before the end of his year of probation.
JULY 13
Giles de Roye + 1478
After entering Citeaux, he was sent to the College of St Bernard in Paris from where he was chosen as abbot of Royaumont. After six years he resigned and retired to the abbey of the Dunes where he shared his great learning with his fellow monks. The latter came to love him for his humility and patience.
Simon Dupont 1872 -1898
Lay-brother of Our Lady of the Lake, Canada. He had a special love for the common life. Suffering from poor health, he pronounced his solemn vows in the infirmary and died at the age of twenty-six.
JULY 14
Roland + 1200
Fourth abbot of Chezery in Savoy.
Juana Maria de Rojas y Contreras + 1757
Nun of San Quirce, Valladolid, Spain. Throughout her long life she endured many sufferings. She had a special grace for assisting the dying.
JULY 15
Bl Teresa + 1260
In Aragon died the former queen, Teresa Gil de Vidaure. Separated from King James after what she believed to be a lawful marriage, Teresa turned her back on the pomp of the world. She obtained from the king a former Moorish palace at Valencia which she converted into a monastery and at her request twelve Cistercian nuns came from Valbona. She became one of the community and inspired all by her deep humility. At her death she was acclaimed a saint not only by her sisters but by the people of her realm.
Dom Columban Mulcahy, Nunraw, - born 1901, entered 1924, priest 1929, abbot 1948, died 15 July 1971.
