Xaverian Calendar February 2011

"At times, as we think of our sanctification, we plan great accomplishments, heroic actions, while instead holiness is, in its particular elements, the result of small actions." [Blessed Conforti in January 1923]
1902 - Blessed Conforti writes to the Propagation of Faith in order to have a Xaverian mission presence in China
1904 - Blessed Conforti writes a Pastoral Letter on the Propagation of the Faith and Holy Childhood for the diocese of Ravenna
1914 - Conforti inaugurates the School for Catechesis in Parma
See February Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life
"Holiness is like a radiant sky, where the stars are the virtues, and its center is God; its two poles are purity and love." [Blessed Conforti on Nov. 18, 1923]
See February Mission and Church Intentions of the Pope
1966 - Opening of the Provincial House in Padang, Indonesia

St. Blase, bishop and martyr and St. Ansgar bishop known as 'Apostle of the North'
"My life is Christ, said the Apostle: Life to me is Christ! (Phil. 1:21). In this word lies the secret of holiness." [Blessed Conforti on Dec. 3, 1924 - Antol. 317]
Lunar Chinese New Year: The Year of the Rabbit

First Friday
"All the small duties which are given to us every hour, time after time from the rules of the Congregation and from the orders of our Superiors, form together something great and even heroic lives." [Blessed Conforti in Jan. 1923]
1904 - Death of the mother of Blessed Conforti, Mrs. Antonia Adorni
1913 - Blessed Conforti writes a Pastoral Letter on 'God and Education'

St. Agatha, virgin and martyr
"Never forget that the Christian profession obliges us to lead a holy, Christian and immaculate life. For this sole and unique purpose, says the Apostle, the Lord has chosen us and separated us from others with the grace of Baptism" [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 1, 1924 - Antol. 682]
1915 - Blessed Conforti writes a Pastoral Letter on Baptism, on the duties of Catholics in regards to the present war, on the Eucharist, on honoring the Holy Days
1963 - Opening of the House of San Juan del Rio, Mexico
Feast of National Unity in Burundi

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
St. Paul Miki and 25 companions, Martyrs of Japan crucified on Feb. 5 1597 at Nagasaki
"Holiness consists of living in the life of Christ." [Blessed Conforti on Dec. 3, 1924 - Antol. 317]
1948 - Opening of the House in Glasgow, Scotland

"Consider all the past as nothing, and say like David Now this is my sorrow (Psalm 77:11), and renew daily this resolution." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1975 - Arrival of the first Xaverians in Colombia

St. Jerome Emiliani, priest and patron of orphans and abandoned children
St. Josephine Bakhita, Sudanese slave who became a Canossian sister
"Through Baptism, Jesus Christ has bestowed upon us the right to possess all his goods and riches, which are priceless; he has given us the right to possess his grace, sacraments, wisdom and mercy, and we have consecrated our heart to him and declared our desire to love him with all our strength." (2Cor. 7:4) [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 1, 1924 - Antol. 76]
1918 - Blessed Conforti writes a Pastoral Letter on Prayer

"Let us have a strong and constant resolution to give our lives to God, and that we want to be His. God desires our perfection and we ought to have this firm willingness to face everything in view of our own perfection." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1903 - Blessed Conforti as bishop of Ravenna, writes his first Pastoral Letter on education and religious instruction

St. Scholastica, virgin, twin sister of St. Benedict
"Some place their holiness in prayers, others in works of penance, still others in extraordinary gifts. But perfection consists in one thing only, to do the will of God." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1912 - Blessed Conforti writes a Pastoral Letter on the Sacrament of Penance and on the devotion to the Sacred Heart
1931 - The sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith approves the norms of the Xaverian Missionaries
1990 - Nelson Mandela, leader of the African National Congress, is released after 27 years of prison

Our Lady of Lourdes
Pope John Paul II proclaimed this day as World Day of the Sick
"The knowledge of the Saints can be reduced to two things: to do and to suffer. Whomever has accomplished these two things, has made progress in holiness." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1909 - Blessed Conforti writes a Pastoral Letter on Religious Instruction and on the role of the Pope
1982 - Pope John Paul II declares the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Guido M. Conforti
1974 - Burundi becomes a Xaverian mission province

"Perfection cannot be achieved by doing nothing: we need to struggle, fight, and choose to live not according to our vicious natural inclinations, but according to the faith." [Blessed Conforti on Sept. 29, 1911]
1546 - St. Francis Xavier reaches Indonesia
USA - Lincoln's Birthday [1809]

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"The worst of evils of those who have good will is that they want to be what they cannot be, and don't want to be what they should be." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1959 - Opening of the first house in Jaguapita', Brazil

St. Cyril, monk, and St. Methodius, bishop, brothers known as the 'Apostles to the Slavs'
Valentine's Day
"There are two common deceptions among spiritual persons. First is that they measure their devotion with the consolations that come from following the path of God. The other deception is that whenever they are called to say something with repugnance and boredom, they think they have nothing to offer." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]

"If we want to profit in spiritual life, we should practice what the apostle Paul says: attend to yourself, which entails two things: do not bother on things of others, and treasure in your heart your sanctification." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1914 - Blessed Conforti writes a Pastoral Letter on the upcoming Parma Synod, on social activity of Catholics, on Marriage, and on Mary

Bl. Joseph Allamano, Founder of the Consolata Missionaries [1851-1926]
"If you want an easy and comprehensive means which includes all others, practice in your life the presence of God." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1925 - Blessed Conforti names the first two General councilors to help him guide the Xaverian congregation: Fr. Bonardi and Fr. Popoli

Seven Founders of the Order of Servites
"We should never avoid occasions to merit spiritual benefits. For all occasions can bring some personal gain: all things work for good for those who love God (Rom. 8:28)." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1900 - Publication of the first Magazine of the Xaverians 'Fede e Civiltá' [Faith and Civilization]
1957 - Solemn celebration of the 25th death anniversary of Blessed Conforti at the Royal theater of Parma, with key-note address by Card. Angelo Roncalli, Patriarch of Venice, future Pope John XXIII

"When someone walks in the right path, he feels an urgency to advance; and the more he increases on the way of perfection, the more he desires it." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]

"We should have the certitude that the doctrine of Christ cannot deceive us; and so, we should complete trust in it so as to walk securely." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1891 - As Conforti writes to his mother about his plan of establishing a community of missionaries, he says: "...This project will bring me to a greater and nobler purpose, which I constantly treasure in my heart." [Letter of Feb. 19, 1891]

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
"Be under the influence of an austere person, and follow his harsh and severe guidance; then, learn well from all his corrections." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1920 - As president of the Missionary Union of the Clergy, Blessed Conforti appeals to the priests of Italy to join the union.

St. Peter Damian, promoter of religious life
"The foundation of holiness is love for God because this is the first and the greatest of the commandments, the vivifying flame of the Christian life. If any saint upon the earth emulated the most high Seraphim, it was without a doubt St. Francis Xavier." [Blessed Conforti in July 1923 - Antol. 318]
1916 - Blessed Conforti writes the Fourth Circular Letter to the Xaverian Missionaries
1948 - Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament begins
USA Presidents' Day Observance

The Chair of Peter, Apostle
"He judged well who said that the great apostle of the Indies belonged entirely to God in proclaiming his glory, to his neighbors in procuring their salvation and to himself in attending to his own sanctification." [Blessed Conforti in July 1923 - Antol. 321]
USA - Washington's Birthday [1732]

St. Polycarp, martyr of the early church
"There is nothing more difficult than the letting go of our own will, and the constant faithfulness to small tasks; there is nothing attractive to this, for they bring boredom and monotony to our life, and are often unappreciated by others." [Blessed Conforti in Jan. 1923]
1895 - Blessed Conforti is named Vicar of Clergy of the Diocese of Parma, Italy, 7 years after his Priesthood Ordination

"The Holiness, according to Catholic doctrine, is the work of nature and grace and it consists in the practice of justice, which demands the respect of all the rights, and the observance of all the duties, for which Christ has called blessed those who hunger and thirst for justice. (Mt 5:6)." [Blessed Conforti on May 25, 1920 - Antol. 674]
1962 - Beginning of the Diocese of Makeni, Sierra Leone

"All the Saints aimed at this: to carry out with the greatest perfection possible the duties of their state, even in the most humble things, taking God’s law and Christ’s teachings as the constant norm of their conduct." [Blessed Conforti in July 1922 - Antol. 690]
1916 - Blessed Conforti meets with Fr. Paolo Manna as they plan the founding of the 'Missionary Union of the Clergy'
1968 - Xaverian Angelo Frosi is named Prelate of Abaete do Tocantins, Brazil

"While St. Francis Xavier attended to the salvation of souls, he would not let go of his union with God. In the midst of the most various daily works, he would find the time for all spiritual devotions, so as to flame his spirit." [Blessed Conforti on Feb. 15, 1928]

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"Perfection is founded on two principles: a low esteem of all things, especially of ourselves; and a high understanding of God. This will give birth to our desire to do the will of God." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1911 - Blessed Conforti writes a Pastoral Letter on the Eucharist

"We should welcome fraternal corrections and remarks." [Blessed Conforti on Jan. 9, 1926]
1901 - Death of Fr. Caio Rastelli in Tai-Yen-Fu, China
"The premature loss of such a strenuous herald of the Gospel has caused us great pain and we are in deep mourning. We remember our beloved brother Fr. Caio and comfort each other with the memory of his virtuous life, confident in the knowledge that he intercedes in heaven for this humble missionary family to which he gave his name, and for which he generously gave up his family, his country and his life. And may he continue to intercede from heaven for the peace and prosperity of our China missions, washed so deeply by the blood of over three thousand martyrs." [Blessed Conforti on the solemn funeral of Fr. Rastelli, in Parma on May 9, 1901]