The Crusader Bulletin of the Eucharistic Crusade for Children in Australia #332
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The Crusader Bulletin of the Eucharistic Crusade for Children in Australia #332 Read inside: February 2019: Month of the - The Little Flower p. 4 Presentation of Our Lord - Eucharistic devotion p. 6 - The life of the Blessed Virgin Mary p. 8 - English and Welsh Martyrs: Blessed Henry Morse p. 10 - Kindness: the Bloom of Charity p. 12 - Holy Souls Corner p. 13 - My Catholic Faith - The Hidden life of Jesus Christ p. 14 2 The Crusader February 2019 The Saints The Holy Martyrs of Japan of the († 1597) month hen Saint Francis Xavier came He replied to Japan, this empire was to- “Do not ex- W tally plunged in pose our holy paganism; forty years later, there were faith to con- more than two hundred thousand tempt and the Christians, most of them animated mockery of with all the fervour of the primitive the pagans.” Church. The jealous demon soon When he was raised up a persecution; a confraterni- offered riches ty of martyrdom was at once formed, by the magis- the object of which was to die for trate, he said “I scorn your promises Christ. The pursuits were terrible but and life itself. The cross is what I only served to bring into light the desire for love of Jesus, who chose to marvels of the holy Faith. The first die on a cross to save us.” Then he martyrs were twenty-six in number: bade farewell to his parents and six Franciscans, three Jesuits and promised to pray for them in heaven. seventeen lay Christians, among A thirteen-year-old named Anthony, whom were three young altar boys from his cross sang the Psalm Lau- who had joined the confraternity. date pueri Dominum, Children, praise the Lord,—and was pierced A pious Jesuit, crucified, made a through the heart when he reached touching sermon from the heights of the Gloria Patri. his glorious pulpit, to the pagans surrounding him: “At the point where All of Japan became as it were a sea you see me now, I do not think any of of the blood of some two million you could believe me capable of martyrs, according to estimates betraying the truth. Now I declare to made. Finally in 1848, France you, there is no other means of overcame the terrible prejudices salvation but the Christian religion! I against Catholicism which its forgive the authors of my death, I beg enemies had sown in Japan, in order them to receive Baptism.” to obtain commercial privileges, and was admitted and allowed to practice Louis, a child of eleven, when he its religion freely. reached the site of execution asked which cross was his; he ran to it with Pius IX canonised these heroes of the a joy which touched all the spectators. Faith on 8th June 1862, amid a great His face shone with a heavenly concourse of bishops from all parts radiance as he was dying. Anthony, of the world. thirteen years old, was begged by his The Holy Martyrs of Japan’s feastday parents not to die so young, to wait th until he was older to confess his faith. is on 5 February February 2019 The Crusader 3 FROM THE CHAPLAIN that you other 100 lived an evil Dear Crusaders and Friends, life or that you forgot about God completely; but you did follow the The free time of summer is crowd, the path of least resistance. swiftly coming to a close, if it has You acted as everyone else and not closed already. It is back to not as Crusaders of the Eucharist., school, back to an ordered sched- as soldiers of Our Lord Jesus ule, and probably back to striving Christ and Our Lady. after holiness. Well then, will we lament Let’s admit it; we didn’t use our poor actions? Yes, with sor- our summer vacation as we should row and purpose of amendment. have used it. We should have used Will we stay down and make no it to grow closer to the hearts of effort to rise? Not on your life! Let Jesus and Mary. We should have us thank God for chiding us, for used it to conquer a little bit more reminding us that we have desired our dominant fault: pride, envy, something higher. Let us thank anger, gluttony, or whatever it Him for giving us once again a may be for us in particular. We structured environment (school) in should have taken more rest to which to work with Him for the restore our natural forces. We salvation of souls by our prayers, should have played games and had our Communions, our sacrifices, fun in order to develop our forces. and our apostolate. We should have done all these things out of a love of God and not Yours in Jesus & Mary, a love of self. Fr. Benjamin Campbell However, we used our sum- __________________________ mer vacation for ourselves. We Please show this to your parents! indulged our dominant fault and —————————————- gave it greater power over us. We We have decided not to ask for neglected whatever we could of subscriptions anymore. We will do our prayer life and groaned while a yearly 2nd collection for the Eu- doing the prayers we couldn’t charistic Crusade on the Sunday avoid. We stayed up late and ener- following Corpus Christi. This vated ourselves by means of digi- year the collection will be made on June 23rd. We place ourselves tal media to the point that we are exhausted at the start of the new at your generosity in this matter. school year. Of course, when I say we, I I wish to offer, once again, the don’t mean everyone. It seems that possibility of returning your chil- there are 30 or 40 of you who did dren’s treasure charts by email. think of God, of your soul, of your This may be done by scanning or duty and made efforts to live your taking a picture. There is a new summer for God. I’m not saying email: [email protected]. 4 The Crusader February 2019 THE LITTLE FLOWER The story of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus By Mary Fabyan Windeatt LIFE IN THE CONVENT ow far away the great day seemed frightened that she could not restrain the now! For eight long and weary desire to speak with someone. But when she H months Thérèse would have to labour heard the story, Mother Mary of the Angels still more on her bridal dress, enriching it as just laughed. best she could with the beauties of prayer “It’s the Devil,” she assured her kindly. “He and sacrifice. She tried to keep the doesn’t want you to lead a holy life, and so disappointment to herself. After all, the delay he’s trying to tempt you with discourage- must mean that God did not think her worthy of the great privilege of Religious Profession. ment. Don’t worry, child. This often happens when a novice is about to be professed.” To comfort herself, she composed a little letter to Our Lord: At these words all her anxiety vanished, and “I no longer ask Thee to let me make my the laughter of the Novice Mistress seemed to her the sweetest music in the world. profession; I shall wait as long as it may please Thee; but I must not allow my Presently she returned to the chapel, entirely comforted. union with Thee to be delayed by any fault of mine, so will devote all my care to The next morning Thérèse made her vows, preparing for myself a robe enriched with before the community assembled in the diamonds and every precious stone. When Chapter Room. Mother Mary Gonzaga had Thou hast found it rich enough, I am sure already told her to ask Our Lord for one that noting will prevent Thee from taking special favour on this great day: that of me as Thy spouse.” So the weeks passed, and presently it was the 7th September, the eve of her Profession. Late that night the community assembled for the chanting of Matins. Afterwards they knelt in silent prayer, waiting for midnight to announce the dawn of the great day. The other nuns were gathered about her, begging God to give her strength and grace for the offering which she was about to make. All was quiet and peaceful in the chapel, when suddenly the beginning of a terrible doubt crept into Thérèse’ mind. Could it be that she was mistaken about her vocation? Perhaps Papa’s recovery. She was to make this Canon Delatroette had been right, and she did not belong to Carmel. Perhaps she could petition, together with the others she had decided upon, while lying prostrate on the be of more use to souls by living in the world. Fear swept away her peace, and she floor. could kneel in prayer no longer. Now she had already decided not to ask God for this favour. Much as she loved Papa, Scarcely knowing what was doing, she asked much as she missed his visits, she did not Mother Mary of the Angels, the Novice want him to abandon his own sacrifice as a Mistress, to come out of the chapel with her victim for souls. Apparently it was God’s for a little while. She was so unhappy and Will that he passed his last years in suffering, February 2019 The Crusader 5 and she had learned to rejoice in the fact. Papa might be well enough to be brought to Often she told her sisters that Papa’s the monastery on this day, but at the last humiliating illness was ‘Our Great Treasure’, moment those in charge feared that the and that they should be duly grateful for it.