SAINT OF THE DAY -- Oct. 14 - St. Callistus I
October 14
Saint Callistus I
(d. 223?)
Patron Saint of Cemetery Workers
"If a man who was rich enough in this world’s goods saw that one of his
brothers was in need, but closed his heart to him, how could the love
of God be living in him? My children, our love is not to be just words
or mere talk, but something real and active."
- 1 John 3:17-18
The most reliable information about this saint comes from his enemy St.
Hippolytus, an early antipope, later a martyr for the Church. A
negative principle is used: If some worse things had happened,
Hippolytus would surely have mentioned them.
Callistus was a slave in
the imperial Roman household. Put in charge of the bank by his master,
he lost the money deposited, fled and was caught. After serving time
for a while, he was released to make some attempt to recover the money.
Apparently he carried his zeal too far, being arrested for brawling in
a Jewish synagogue. This time he was condemned to work in the mines of
Sardinia. He was released through the influence of the emperor's
mistress and lived at Anzio (site of a famous World War II beachhead).
He
won his freedom and was made superintendent of the public Christian
burial ground in Rome (still called the cemetery of St. Callistus),
probably the first land owned by the Church. The pope ordained him a
deacon and made him his friend and adviser.
He was himself
elected pope by a majority vote of the clergy and laity of Rome, and
thereafter was bitterly attacked by the losing candidate, St.
Hippolytus, who let himself be set up as the first antipope in the
history of the Church. The schism lasted about 18 years.
Hippolytus
is venerated as a saint. He was banished during the persecution of 235
and was reconciled to the Church. He died from his sufferings in
Sardinia. He attacked Callistus on two fronts—doctrine and discipline.
Hippolytus seems to have exaggerated the distinction between Father and
Son (almost making two gods) possibly because theological language had
not yet been refined. He also accused Callistus of being too lenient,
for reasons we may find surprising: (1) Callistus admitted to Communion
those who had already done public penance for murder, adultery,
fornication; (2) he held marriages between free women and slaves to be
valid—contrary to Roman law; (3) he authorized the ordination of men
who had been married two or three times; (4) he held that mortal sin
was not a sufficient reason to depose a bishop; (5) he held to a policy
of leniency toward those who had temporarily apostatized during
persecution.
Callistus was martyred during a local disturbance in
Trastevere, Rome, and is the first pope (except for Peter) to be
commemorated as a martyr in the earliest martyrology of the Church.
Some are of the opinion that, even from the little we know about him, Callistus may rank among the greatest popes.
Comment:
The
life of this man is another reminder that the course of Church history,
like that of true love, never did run smooth. The Church had to (and
still must) go through the agonizing struggle to state the mysteries of
the faith in language that, at the very least, sets up definite
barriers to error. On the disciplinary side, the Church had to preserve
the mercy of Christ against rigorism while still upholding the gospel
ideal of radical conversion and self-discipline. Every pope—indeed
every Christian—must walk the difficult path between "reasonable"
indulgence and "reasonable" rigorism.
Quote:His
contemporaries, Jesus said, were "like children who sit in marketplaces
and call to one another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not
dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' For John [the Baptist]
came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He is possessed by a
demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, 'Look,
he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and
sinners'" (Matthew 11:16b-19a).
Prayer:God of mercy,
hear the prayers of Your people
that we may be helped by St. Callistus,
whose martyrdom we celebrate with joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever . Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
Many great miracles have been associated with
the Rosary throughout history. The tremendous power of the Rosary can
overcome any problem, be it small or large, personal or worldwide.
Miracles continue to the present day.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer!
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If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.
If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)
SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?