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The Crusader Bulletin of the Eucharistic Crusade for Children in Australia #354 The Crusader Bulletin of the Eucharistic Crusade for Children in Australia #354 Read inside: December 2020 ADVENT - Pope St. Pius X p. 4 Month of the Holy Child Jesus - Eucharistic devotion p. 6 - The life of the Blessed Virgin Mary p. 8 - The Old Testament: The Crossing of the Red Sea p. 10 - Kindness: the Bloom of Charity p. 12 - Holy Souls Corner p. 13 - My Catholic Faith - Sanctifying Grace p. 14 - Liturgy this month p. 15 2 The Crusader December 2020 The Saint Saint Sylvester of Pope and Confessor the month (280-335) aint Sylvester was born in Rome. public fountains, so that it was scarcely When he reached the age to dispose possible for a Christian to go abroad S of his fortune, he took pleasure in without being put to the test of offering giving hospitality to Christians passing sacrifice, with the alternative of apostasy through the city. He would take them or death. During this fiery trial, Sylvester home with him, wash their feet, serve strengthened the confessors and martyrs, them at table, and in all give them in and God preserved his life from many the name of Christ, all the care that the dangers. It was indeed he who was most sincere charity inspired. One day destined to succeed the Pope who had Timothy of Antioch, another illustrious recognised his virtues. confessor of the Faith, arrived in Rome. No one dared receive him, but Sylvester His long pontificate of twenty-one considered it an honour. For a year years, famous for several reasons, is Timothy, preaching Jesus Christ with remembered in particular for the Council unflagging zeal, received at Sylvester's of Nicea, the Baptism of Constantine, dwelling the most generous hospitality. and the triumph of the Church. Some When this heroic man had won the authors would place Constantine's palm of martyrdom, Sylvester took up baptism later, but there are numerous and his precious remains and buried them serious testimonies which fix it during during the night. But he himself was soon the reign of Saint Sylvester, and the denounced to the prefect and accused of Roman Breviary confirms that opinion. having hidden the martyr's treasures. Constantine, while still pagan and little He replied, Timothy left to me only the concerned for the Christians, whose heritage of his faith and courage. The doctrine was entirely unknown to him, governor threatened him with death and was attacked by a kind of leprosy which had him imprisoned, but Sylvester said to soon covered his entire body. One night him: “Senseless one, this very night it is Saint Peter and Saint Paul, shining with you who will render an account to God.” light, appeared to him and commanded And the persecutor that evening him to call for Pope Sylvester, who swallowed a fish bone, and died that night. would cure him by giving him Baptism. In effect, the Pope instructed the Fear of heavenly chastisements softened royal neophyte and baptised him. Thus the guards, and the brave young man was began the social reign of Jesus Christ: set at liberty. Sylvester's courageous acts Constantine's conversion, culminating in became known to Saint Melchiade, Pope, the Edict of Milan in 313, had as its who elevated him to the diaconate. He happy consequence that of the known was a young priest when persecution of world. the Christians grew worse under the tyrant Saint Sylvester’s feastday Diocletian. Idols were erected at the street is on 31st December corners, in the market-places, and over the December 2020 The Crusader 3 FROM THE CHAPLAIN seems to me that it is a little dirty: please make a good con- Dear Crusader and Friends, fession to clean it properly. It This issue is late and I seems to me that your soul is a apologize for that. Be sure to fill little hungry: please go to com- in your Treasure Chart today not munion as often as you can on only for today, but also for all the the days of Advent or at least days you missed because I didn’t make a spiritual communion get your magazine to you on every day. It seems to me that time. your soul is a little weak: please On another note, we are do some spiritual exercise to quickly approaching one of our make it strong, like a sacrifice or holydays of obligation: Christ- a good example. It seems to me mas day. Will you be ready for that your soul is a little bit poor: it? I am sure that you would say please pray to the good God for that you will be ready. You many gifts of grace and virtue. would tell me that you have been Oh! if you would spend the to all the shops, that you have time from now until Christmas spent all your savings, that you preparing your soul in these have purchased gifts for all your ways (and many others that your friends and family. You would guardian angel will suggest to tell me that you spent hours se- you), your soul will be really cretly wrapping up these gifts strong and beautiful on Christ- and sending them out far and mas day. Your soul will so glad- wide. You would tell me that you den the heart of Jesus on His have given all the hints possible birthday that He will shower you to your parents about what you with graces for the entire year to might want for Christmas. You come. would finally tell me that you My dear Crusaders of the have spent hours baking and Eucharist, prepare ye the way of decorating. Nothing has been left the Lord: first in your own souls undone. You are all prepared. Or and by that means in the souls of are you? all those Jesus wishes to save. Certainly, your bodily, May God bless you and keep your material preparations have you. been admirable, even astounding. Yours in Jesus & Mary, But, what about your soul? It Fr. Benjamin Campbell 4 The Crusader December 2020 POPE ST. PIUS X By F. A. Forbes PATRIARCH OF VENICE — 1 n the consistory of 12th June 1893, by their parish priest. Quite forgetting Pope Leo XIII named Bishop in their joy the respect due to a prince I Sarto cardinal of the Holy Roman of the Church, the simple peasants Church, and three days later appointed rushed at their old curate, shouting him archbishop and patriarch of vociferously, “Don Giuseppe! Don Venice. On 7th June the bishop had set Giuseppe!” The Cardinal, pleased out for Rome, and on the 15th, in with their enthusiasm, laughed and the presence of representatives from greeted his old friends with much Venice, Treviso, Mantua and Riese, he affection. received the cardinal’s hat, with All the bells were ringing in Riese as the title of San Bernardo alle Terme. he entered it; all the people, young and The wisdom and modesty of the new old, were there to meet him and to cardinal, added to his charm of escort him, the centre of a laughing manner, won him many friends during weeping, shouting crowd, to the his stay in Rome. For sixteen months church. Everyone was at Benediction, Cardinal Sarto was unable to take and when old friends had been greeted possession of his see; for the Italian and good wishes given and received, government, having claimed the right the greatest joy of all was still to come to nominate the patriarch, refused to – the meeting in the little home of his sanction his appointment; and the childhood, where Margherita had her city of Venice, which was largely son at last to herself. Next morning anti-clerical, was only too glad of an the cardinal preached to the people, excuse to show hostility to the thanking them for their welcome, Church. and speaking of all the precious The cardinal’s first memories that centred for him round visit after his return the altar where he had made his first from Rome was to communion and offered his first Mass. his mother at Riese. The day was spent in receiving visits; At one of the there was a kind word of greeting for stations on the way new friends and a still kinder word of there he was met remembrance for the old. by a deputation of Early next day, having vested in his old friends the his scarlet cappa magna, Cardinal Tombolani, headed December 2020 The Crusader 5 For years a government hostile to religion had waged relentless war on the Church in Italy. Laws had been passed forbidding religious teaching in the schools; charitable works had been “laicised”: in other words, the goods of religious fraternities and charitable societies had been confiscated by the state, the revenues of bishoprics had been refused to prelates appointed by the pope, and rights of patronage had been claimed by the government over Sarto went to his mother’s room many sees. The result was soon to be and, standing beside her bed, showed seen in a growing materialism in all himself in all the glory of the “sacred ranks of society. purple.” Margherita wept with joy; but “God is driven out of politics by this there were tears of sorrow before theory of the separation of church and night. It was the last day at Riese, and state,” wrote the new patriarch in his although neither of them knew it, that first letter to his flock. “He is driven parting kiss was to be the last on this out of learning by systematised doubt; side of the grave.
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