Today’s Thoughts to Live by, Friday, 3rd Easter Week, St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest and Martyr.
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Readings —
Acts 9:1-20;
Ps. 117:1, 2;
Jn. 6:52-59.
Some Notes on St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen —
He was born Mark Rey in Sigmaringen, a town in modern day Germany. His father was a Spaniard. He studied law and philosophy at the University of Freiburg and eventually earned a doctorate in Law. As a student, he was ascetic, known for his modesty, meekness, and chastity.
In 1604, he accompanied three aristocrat Swabian students as their mentor on their travels through the principal parts of Europe. During 6 yrs of travel, he attended Mass very frequently, visited hospitals and churches, passed several hours on his knees before the Blessed Sacrament, was generous to the poor, sometimes giving them the very clothes off his back.
Upon his return, he practiced law at Colmar in Alsace, France and came to be known as “the poor man’s lawyer.” But disgusted with the corruption and injustices of his colleagues, he joined his brother George as a member of the Capuchin Friars. He gave up his wealth for needy seminarians and the poor.
He was given the religious name Fidelis. He was ordained a priest and celebrated his 1st Mass in 1612 at the Capuchin friary in Freiburg. He became a preacher and confessor in Welkirchen, Feldkirch (in present day Austria). During a severe epidemic, he cared for and cured many soldiers. He converted many from Calvinism. Rome commissioned him to lead 8 other Capuchins to preach in Graubunden in eastern Switzerland. They successfullly converted many Calvinists and Zwinglians. In 1622, they entered Prattigau. Again, their work of conversion enraged the Calvinists.
On 24 April 1623, Fidelis made his confession, celebrated Mass, and preached at Grüsch. At the end of his sermon, he fell into deep ecstasy and foretold his death. From Grüsch, he and his companions travelled to Seewis. He preached in the church of Seewis to reconvert the people to Catholicism. But Calvinist agitators faced the Austrian troops that had been posted outside the church to protect him. Fidelis fled with the troops from the city.
But then he returned alone. He was confronted by 20 Calvinist soldiers with a Protestant minister at their head. They demanded that he renounce his faith. He refused and answered: “I am sent to you to confute, not to embrace your heresy. The Catholic religion is the faith of all ages. I fear not death.”
One of the Calvinists beat him down. Kneeling, he stretched forth his arms in the form of a cross and said, “Pardon my enemies, O Lord: blinded by passion, they know not what they do. Lord Jesus, have mercy on me. Mary, Mother of God, assist me!” A stroke of the sword clove his skull and he fell to the ground. He was stabbed many times and then his left leg was cut off to punish him for his journeys to preach conversion to the true faith. He was 45 yrs old.
The next day, Catholics buried him. As he had foretold, Austrian troops soon defeated the rebel imperial troops. The protestant minister who had participated in the seizure of Fidelis was converted and received into the Church. The body of Fidelis was found incorrupt after six months, his head and left arm were found separated from his body. The body parts were kept in two reliquaries, one at the Coire Cathedral and the other in the Capuchin Church at Weltkirchen.
He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIV in 1746.
A Note on John Calvin and Calvinism —
John Calvin (1509-1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He first studied for the priesthood but changed to law for better material benefit. He left the Catholic Church around 1533. He was influenced by the teaching of Luther that Scripture alone was the source of truth and justification was by faith alone without good works. He became the leader of the Swiss Protestant Reformation and established the governance of Geneva according to his religious beliefs. Thus Switzerland became a center of Calvinism. He published several revisions of his Institutes of the Christian Religion. His principal doctrines included predestination, the absolute sovereignty of God over damnation and salvation.
Prayer — O God, author of our freedom and of our salvation, listen to the voice of our pleading and grant that those you have redeemed by the shedding of your Son’s blood may have life through you and, under your protection, rejoice forever unharmed, through Christ our Lord. Amen.