Traudel
2005-04-01 16:37:34 UTC
April 1st - Blessed Ludovic Pavoni
(1784-1849)
Don Bosco of Turin, Italy, was well known for his work in educating
poor boys. Less well known is Blessed Ludovic Pavoni, an Italian priest of
the preceding generation. He showed much the same holy initiative as St.
John Bosco in Brescia, a Lombard city of 40,000 population.
Ludovic was born into a Brescian family of property and distinction.
His sister Paulina later said of him, "Ludovic was always a good religious
youngster, while I was always the scamp." At an early age we find him
giving his shirt to a poor man and teaching catechism to his rural
playmates. He had artistic talents that might have led him into painting or
architecture had he chosen that route. Instead, he felt a call to the
diocesan priesthood, to which he was ordained in 1807.
During his early years as a priest, Ludovic showed a special interest
in working with boys, both as instructor and recreational director. At 34
he was named pastor of St. Barnabas Church in Brescia. His living quarters
were in one small corner of a former Augustinian monastery. (The rest of
the building was used by the army for storage.) He soon began to hope that
he might secure possession of the whole monastery building and turn it into
a home and school for destitute youngsters.
For the time being, however, only a small part of the building was
available to him. (He called it "the rat hole.") With the permission of
his bishop he initiated his "institute" in these restricted quarters,
opening a small trade school in which printing was taught.
The printing school got off to a good start. It took years, however,
for him to get a government license for his press, and to obtain control of
the whole building. The main reason for delay was that Austria-Hungary then
governed Lombardy, and there was a long tradition in the Austrian Empire of
bureaucratic meddling in any church-related affairs. Only in 1841 did the
city council of Brescia finally hand over the entire monastery. Then
Ludovic was able to set up in it a grammar school, a school of design, and a
school of music. As his ability became better appreciated, he was given
charge of a local school for boys with hearing problems. The city even
asked him to manage the crowded Brescia orphanage -- the cholera epidemic of
1836 had broken up many families.
Although Canon Pavoni was by nature hot-tempered and impulsive, he
achieved great self-control. This helped him to channel his great energy
into so many undertakings. As an educator, he was both keen and
well-balanced. His aim was to make his boys good by making them
well-rounded. He could be strict when necessary, but in general his
approach to them was gentle and loving. If the public spiritual reading he
chose for them was sometimes on the heavy side, he did not forget that they
were still youngsters. To see that they were well-fed, he personally
supervised the kitchen, and even allowed them a "discreet measure of wine."
He also insisted on punctuality and good manners. One of the recreations he
encouraged was play-acting. He found it invited them to be creative.
By 1844 Blessed Ludovic saw the need of establishing a religious order
to carry on his work after he was gone. Consequently, he founded the
Congregation of Mary Immaculate. He made his own religious profession in
this congregation in 1847, and assumed the role of superior general. Even
now, the Austrian government's meddling delayed the launching of the new
religious order. Kaiser Ferdinand I, the Austrian Emperor, did value his
work enough to confer on him the knighthood of the Iron Crown. But Ludovic
told his associates he would have been much happier if the Kaiser had sent
him a sack of flour to feed his boys.
In March 1849 political tensions came to the breaking point. Lombardy
revolted against Austrian control, and Brescia became a theater of war.
Pavoni fled with his young students to a rural refuge. He had to look back
on the burning city and see his whole institute aflame. The shock was too
much. He died on April 1, 1849, aged 69.
Deeply mourned by his boys and by all who had known him, Ludovic Pavoni
was beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1947. He had made an important
contribution to modern Catholic methods of educating needy youth.
This Version Taken From:
http://www.stthomasirondequoit.com/SaintsAlive/
Bible Quote
12 Then after he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, being set
down again, he said to them: Know you what I have done to you? 13 You call
me Master, and Lord; and you say well, for so I am. 14 If then I being your
Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's
feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you
do also. (John 13:12-15)
<><><><>
Martyrology
The Commemoration of the Imprinting of the Stigmata of St. Catherine of
Siena, virgin of the order of Preachers. A duplex feast.
At Rome, the suffering of St. Theodora, the sister of the illustrious martyr
Hermes. In the time of the Emperor Hadrian, and at the command of the judge
Aurelius, she suffered martyrdom, and was buried near her brother on the Via
Salaria, not far from the city.
On the same day, St. Venantius, bishop and martyr.
In Egypt, the holy martyrs Victor and Stephen.
In Armenia, the holy martyrs Quinctian and Irenaeus.
At Constantinople, St. Macarius, confessor, who under the Emperor Leo died
in exile for defending (the veneration of) holy images.
At Ard-Patrick in Munster, a province of Ireland, St. Celsus, bishop, who
preceded Blessed Malachy in the bishopric.
At Amiens in Gaul, St. Valéry, abbot, whose sepulchre is noted for frequent
miracles.
<><><>
Prayer to St. Dymphna - Hope
Good St. Dymphna, you placed all your hope in Christ's
promises, and sacrificed even your life in that hope. The Lord,
God, rewarded your constancy by making your name known
and loved over many centuries by the thousands whom you
have aided in time of difficulty. Please assist us now in our
present necessity, and intercede before God for our
intentions. Obtain for us a firm hope like your own in God's
unfailing protection. Amen.
(1784-1849)
Don Bosco of Turin, Italy, was well known for his work in educating
poor boys. Less well known is Blessed Ludovic Pavoni, an Italian priest of
the preceding generation. He showed much the same holy initiative as St.
John Bosco in Brescia, a Lombard city of 40,000 population.
Ludovic was born into a Brescian family of property and distinction.
His sister Paulina later said of him, "Ludovic was always a good religious
youngster, while I was always the scamp." At an early age we find him
giving his shirt to a poor man and teaching catechism to his rural
playmates. He had artistic talents that might have led him into painting or
architecture had he chosen that route. Instead, he felt a call to the
diocesan priesthood, to which he was ordained in 1807.
During his early years as a priest, Ludovic showed a special interest
in working with boys, both as instructor and recreational director. At 34
he was named pastor of St. Barnabas Church in Brescia. His living quarters
were in one small corner of a former Augustinian monastery. (The rest of
the building was used by the army for storage.) He soon began to hope that
he might secure possession of the whole monastery building and turn it into
a home and school for destitute youngsters.
For the time being, however, only a small part of the building was
available to him. (He called it "the rat hole.") With the permission of
his bishop he initiated his "institute" in these restricted quarters,
opening a small trade school in which printing was taught.
The printing school got off to a good start. It took years, however,
for him to get a government license for his press, and to obtain control of
the whole building. The main reason for delay was that Austria-Hungary then
governed Lombardy, and there was a long tradition in the Austrian Empire of
bureaucratic meddling in any church-related affairs. Only in 1841 did the
city council of Brescia finally hand over the entire monastery. Then
Ludovic was able to set up in it a grammar school, a school of design, and a
school of music. As his ability became better appreciated, he was given
charge of a local school for boys with hearing problems. The city even
asked him to manage the crowded Brescia orphanage -- the cholera epidemic of
1836 had broken up many families.
Although Canon Pavoni was by nature hot-tempered and impulsive, he
achieved great self-control. This helped him to channel his great energy
into so many undertakings. As an educator, he was both keen and
well-balanced. His aim was to make his boys good by making them
well-rounded. He could be strict when necessary, but in general his
approach to them was gentle and loving. If the public spiritual reading he
chose for them was sometimes on the heavy side, he did not forget that they
were still youngsters. To see that they were well-fed, he personally
supervised the kitchen, and even allowed them a "discreet measure of wine."
He also insisted on punctuality and good manners. One of the recreations he
encouraged was play-acting. He found it invited them to be creative.
By 1844 Blessed Ludovic saw the need of establishing a religious order
to carry on his work after he was gone. Consequently, he founded the
Congregation of Mary Immaculate. He made his own religious profession in
this congregation in 1847, and assumed the role of superior general. Even
now, the Austrian government's meddling delayed the launching of the new
religious order. Kaiser Ferdinand I, the Austrian Emperor, did value his
work enough to confer on him the knighthood of the Iron Crown. But Ludovic
told his associates he would have been much happier if the Kaiser had sent
him a sack of flour to feed his boys.
In March 1849 political tensions came to the breaking point. Lombardy
revolted against Austrian control, and Brescia became a theater of war.
Pavoni fled with his young students to a rural refuge. He had to look back
on the burning city and see his whole institute aflame. The shock was too
much. He died on April 1, 1849, aged 69.
Deeply mourned by his boys and by all who had known him, Ludovic Pavoni
was beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1947. He had made an important
contribution to modern Catholic methods of educating needy youth.
This Version Taken From:
http://www.stthomasirondequoit.com/SaintsAlive/
Bible Quote
12 Then after he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, being set
down again, he said to them: Know you what I have done to you? 13 You call
me Master, and Lord; and you say well, for so I am. 14 If then I being your
Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's
feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you
do also. (John 13:12-15)
<><><><>
Martyrology
The Commemoration of the Imprinting of the Stigmata of St. Catherine of
Siena, virgin of the order of Preachers. A duplex feast.
At Rome, the suffering of St. Theodora, the sister of the illustrious martyr
Hermes. In the time of the Emperor Hadrian, and at the command of the judge
Aurelius, she suffered martyrdom, and was buried near her brother on the Via
Salaria, not far from the city.
On the same day, St. Venantius, bishop and martyr.
In Egypt, the holy martyrs Victor and Stephen.
In Armenia, the holy martyrs Quinctian and Irenaeus.
At Constantinople, St. Macarius, confessor, who under the Emperor Leo died
in exile for defending (the veneration of) holy images.
At Ard-Patrick in Munster, a province of Ireland, St. Celsus, bishop, who
preceded Blessed Malachy in the bishopric.
At Amiens in Gaul, St. Valéry, abbot, whose sepulchre is noted for frequent
miracles.
<><><>
Prayer to St. Dymphna - Hope
Good St. Dymphna, you placed all your hope in Christ's
promises, and sacrificed even your life in that hope. The Lord,
God, rewarded your constancy by making your name known
and loved over many centuries by the thousands whom you
have aided in time of difficulty. Please assist us now in our
present necessity, and intercede before God for our
intentions. Obtain for us a firm hope like your own in God's
unfailing protection. Amen.