Saint Pascal Baylon
Un des plus grands thaumaturges du calendrier. Deux
ans après sa mort on ouvrit son procès de béatification. Fils d'un petit
cultivateur, il avait été berger jusqu'à l'âge de vingt-quatre ans. Il entra
alors comme frère lai chez les Franciscains alcantarins. A part ses miracles et
des extases continuelles, sa vie religieuse s'écoula heureuse et monotone. Il
faisait ce qu'on lui disait, il allait où on l'envoyait. Il habita dans
diverses villes d'Espagne. En 1570, son provincial l'envoya en mission à Paris
d'où il revint l'épaule brisée, ayant été lapidé par des huguenots à Orléans.
Jerónimo Jacinto Espinosa, San Pascual Baylón, XVII e siècle, 206 x 144, Museo Nacional de Arte de Cataluña
Saint Pascal Baylon
Frère mineur en Espagne (+ 1592)
Pascal est né dans le pays d'Aragon en Espagne, dans
une famille de cultivateurs fort modestes. Durant son enfance, tout en gardant
les moutons, il se plongeait avec délices dans la prière silencieuse qui lui
donnait le désir de se consacrer à Dieu. Mais n'étant pas accepté dans la
vie religieuse à cause de son manque d'instruction, il se place comme berger
près du couvent pour participer aux offices, au moins de loin, quand sonnait la
cloche. Finalement, il put entrer comme frère convers chez les franciscains et
il y remplit la tâche de portier. Il rayonnait par son amabilité et sa douceur
envers tous ceux qui se présentaient à la porte du couvent. Beaucoup de gens
pour cette raison venaient lui demander conseil, même des prédicateurs qui
estimaient que sa théologie était celle du cœur et non pas celle d'un
intellectuel. Maltraité par les Huguenots au cours d'une mission dans la France
déchirée par les guerres de religion, il leur pardonna en disant que c'est pour
servir Dieu qu'ils l'avaient ainsi traité. Il puisait sa force dans sa ferveur
pour l'Eucharistie et passait de longues heures en adoration silencieuse devant
le Saint Sacrement. Après sa mort, les miracles se multiplièrent sur sa tombe.
Le Pape Léon XIII le nomma patron des Congrès eucharistiques.
- site des Capucins, Denver, Colorado, en anglais: May 17: St. Paschal
Baylon
À Villa Réal, près de Valence en Espagne, l'an 1592, saint Pascal Baylon,
religieux de l'Ordre des Mineurs, qui se montra toujours empressé et
bienveillant envers tous et ne cessa de vénérer avec un ardent amour le mystère
de la Sainte Eucharistie.
Martyrologe romain
Bernardo López Piquer (1801–1874).
Aparició de l'Eucaristia a Sant Pasqual Bailon, circa 1811, 104 x 81, Museu de Belles Arts de València
SAINT PASCAL BAYLON
de l'Ordre de Saint-François
(1540-1592)
Saint Pascal Baylon naquit en Espagne, le 17 mai 1540, d'humbles cultivateurs, riches des vertus chrétiennes. Occupé dès l'âge de sept ans, à la garde des troupeaux, il passait son temps en prières et en lectures; on dit que les Anges eux-mêmes lui donnèrent des leçons.
Le petit Pascal se plaisait surtout à réciter le Pater. Quoique pauvre, il trouvait le moyen de faire l'aumône en donnant une partie de sa nourriture à ceux qui en avaient besoin. Il était le modèle aimé et respecté de tous les bergers de la contrée. Dans un âge si tendre, il connaissait l'usage assidu des cilices, des jeûnes, des disciplines sanglantes; on le voyait marcher pieds nus à travers les ronces et les épines, en expiation de ses péchés. Le maître chez qui ses parents l'avaient placé voulait le faire héritier de tous ses biens, mais Pascal ne convoitait que l'héritage de l'amour de Dieu et la pauvreté religieuse.
A vingt ans, il entra chez les Franciscains, malgré les sollicitations de ses camarades, auxquels il prouva la réalité de l'appel divin en frappant trois fois la terre avec sa houlette et en faisant jaillir trois fontaines dans un lieu sec et aride.
Les vertus de l'enfant, déjà si extraordinaires, devinrent dans le religieux, des vertus véritablement merveilleuses. Son obéissance était aussi parfaite que possible. Traité rigoureusement par son supérieur, il disait à ceux qui le plaignaient: "Taisez-vous: le Saint-Esprit a parlé par la bouche de notre supérieur." Quand on lui proposait de faire quelque chose, il disait souvent: "Je ferai comme l'obéissance dira." Sa mortification était effrayante et ne le cédait en rien à celle des anciens solitaires. Sa charité pour les pauvres, quand il était portier, dépassait les limites; du moins ses supérieurs le blâmaient à ce sujet; mais il leur répondait naïvement: "S'il se présente douze pauvres et que je donne à dix, il est bien à craindre que l'un de ceux que je renvoie ne soit précisément Jésus-Christ."
Pascal est célèbre par sa dévotion à la Sainte Eucharistie; il passait des heures entières, souvent ravi en Dieu, devant le Tabernacle, et parfois on le voyait suspendu en l'air par l'effet du divin amour. Quand il ne pouvait être de corps devant le Très Saint-Sacrement, il y était ordinairement en esprit. Pendant la Messe de ses funérailles, on vit ses yeux s'ouvrir deux fois, à l'élévation de l'hostie et du calice. En 1897, Léon XIII l'a déclaré Patron des Oeuvres eucharistiques.
Abbé L. Jaud, Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, Tours, Mame, 1950.
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_pascal_baylon.html
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_pascal_baylon.html
Saint Pascal Baylon
Saint Pascal Baylon naquit le jour de Pâques 1540, à Torre-Hermosa, petit bourg du royaume d'Aragon. Ses parents, Martin Baylon et Isabelle Jubera, étaient d'humbles ouvriers agricoles, pauvres et vertueux. Dès ses premières années, sa mère qui le menait fréquemment à l'église, lui apprit à adorer Jésus présent dans l'Eucharistie. Un jour qu'il était disparu de la maison, ses parents le retrouvèrent à l'église, le plus proche possible du tabernacle, si absorbé dans sa prière qu'il ne s'aperçut pas du bruit qui se faisait autour de lui. Cette ardente dévotion à l'Eucharistie devait constituer le trait distinctif de sa piété.
Dès qu'il fut en âge de pouvoir rendre service, son père le plaça comme berger chez un riche propriétaire, Martinez Garcia, qui fut bon envers lui ; en revanche, Pascal montra une grande docilité envers son maître. Déjà il manifestait un vif attrait pour la solitude et la prière. S'étant procuré quelques livres de piété, il se faisait apprendre à lire par des personnes de rencontre et apportait une grande application à s'instruire des vérités de la religion.
Il avait aussi une dévotion particulière envers le Sainte Vierge. Quand il le pouvait, il conduisait son troupeau auprès du sanctuaire de Notre-Dame de la Sierra. Sur sa houlette, il avait sculpté l'image de Notre-Dame, surmontée d'une hostie rayonnante, afin d'avoir toujours sous les yeux le double objet de sa dévotion. A genoux, au milieu des champs, devant sa houlette, il priait avec autant de piété que s'il se fût trouvé à l'église. Tout ce qui se présentait à son regard servait à exciter sa foi. Sans cesse il méditait sur les merveilles de la création, et s'élevait, vers Dieu qu'il contemplait dans toutes ses œuvres. Il eut plusieurs fois des ravissements et ne put pas toujours cacher aux yeux des hommes les faveurs dont il était comblé par Dieu.
Tout pauvre qu'il fût, Pascal trouvait cependant moyen de faire l'aumône, prenant pour assister les malheureux sur ce qu’on lui fournissait pour assurer sa subsistance. Plein de sollicitude pour le troupeau qui lui avait été confié, jamais on ne le vit maltraiter ses brebis. Il veillait également avec soin à ne causer aucun dommage dans les pâturages voisins ; si quelque dégât se produisait, il indemnisait le propriétaire sur son propre salaire. Un jour qu'un propriétaire lui refusa son argent, il l’aida à couper les blés jusqu'à concurrence du dommage causé par ses bêtes. Son maître, ravi de cette conduite si sage et si sainte, lui exprima souvent son contentement au point que n’ayant pas d’enfant, il voulut adopter Pascal qui refusa de peur que les biens de la terre le détournassent des biens du ciel.
Vers l'âge de vingt ans, Pascal se sentait appelé à la vie religieuse, se rendit dans le royaume de Valence pour rejoindre le couvent des franciscains « Soccolans[1] », construit dans un lieu désert, près de la ville de Montforte. Son allure un peu gauche et son accoutrement bizarre, mirent en défiance les supérieurs qui lui refusèrent l'entrée du couvent. Il reprit alors son métier de berger chez des cultivateurs du voisinage, sans s'éloigner pour ne pas perdre des vue le petit campanile du couvent vers lequel se portaient ses aspirations, suivant par la pensée les offices dont il entendait les sonneries, et s’unissant profondément à la messe. Un jour que la cloche annonçait l'approche de 1'élévation, et qu’il était à genoux une hostie lui apparut soutenue par deux anges.
Sa réputation de sainteté se répandit dans toute la région et, lui ouvrit les portes du couvent. Le 2 février 1564, il reçut l'habit de Saint-François. Ses supérieurs, édifiés de l'humble soumission avec laquelle il avaiit supporté ce temps d'épreuve, voulurent le faire religieux de chœur, mais il refusa pour rester frère convers, afin de remplir les offices les plus bas et les plus pénibles, et de se sanctifier davantage dans l’humilité.
Il pratiqua la règle de saint Francois dans toute sa rigueur, partageant son temps entre la prière et le travail. Jamais on ne l'entendit se plaindre ni critiquer personne. Son amour de la mortification lui faisait ajouter de nouvelles austérités à celles de la règle. S'il lui arrivait de dépasser les limites de la prudence, cet excès était compensé par sa pureté d'intention et le peu d'attache qu'il avait à son propre sentiment ; dès que ses supérieurs le rappelaient à la modération, il déférait à leur avis avec la plus humble soumission.
Pascal prononça ses vœux perpétuels le jour de la Purification de la sainte Vierge de l'an 1565, n'ayant pas encore vingt-cinq ans accomplis. Son père gardien aimait à dire qu'il n'avait connu personne qui fût à la fois plus dur et plus doux que frère Pascal : « plus dur à lui-même et plus doux pour les autres. » L'idéal qu'il se proposait était d'avoir « pour Dieu un cœur de fils, pour le prochain un cœur de mère, et pour lui-même un cœur de juge. »
Quand il changeait de couvent[2], conformément à la coutume de son ordre qui veut ainsi prévenir les attaches secrètes du cœur, on ne l'entendait jamais émettre la moindre plainte. Il trouvait là une excellente occasion de se regarder comme un étranger sur la terre. En quelque lieu qu'il allât, il était toujours le même, gai, doux, affable et très déférent pour tous. Dans les différents couvents où il passait, Pascal était ordinairement chargé de la porterie et du réfectoire, parce qu'on le savait affable, discret, vigilant, actif et fidèle. Comme portier, il devait distribuer aux pauvres les restes de la table des religieux, et pour que cette aumône fût profitable à leur âme autant qu’à leur corps, il adopta l’usage de prier avec eux avant et après chaque repas.
A l'ombre du cloître, son amour pour la sainte Eucharistie grandit encore. Le plus souvent, quand ses fonctions ne le retenaient pas ailleurs, on le trouvait à 1'église, tout absorbé en Dieu. Le premier, il était debout au milieu de la nuit pour les saintes veilles ; le dernier, il regagnait sa pauvre couche pour y prendre un très court repos.
Pendant quelques temps aussi, il remplit l'office de quêteur. Sa première visite, en arrivant dans un village, était pour l'hôte divin du tabernacle. Et quand, le soir, il rentrait au monastère, épuisé de fatigue, pour se dédommager de n'avoir pu passer auprès de son bien-aimé tout le temps de ses courses, il consacrait une grande partie de la nuit à l'adoration du Très Saint-Sacrement.
Le général de son ordre, Christophe de Cheffontaines[3], étant à Paris, il fut député vers lui pour les affaires de sa province. Il partit pour la France, sans se laisser effrayer par les dangers qu'il aurait à affronter de la part des huguenots, maîtres de presque toutes les villes qu'il lui fallait traverser. Maintes fois il fut exposé à la fureur des hérétiques qui le poursuivirent à coups de pierres et de bâton. C’est en une de ces occasions qu’il reçut à l’épaule une blessure dont il souffrit tout le reste de sa vie. Deux fois il fut arrêté comme espion et menacé de mort. Mais Dieu le délivra de tout danger.
Etant près d'Orléans, il se vit environné d'une troupe de gens qui lui demandèrent s'il croyait que le corps de Jésus-Christ était dans le sacrement de l'Eucharistie. Sur la réponse qu'il leur fit, ils voulurent entrer en controverse avec lui, pour se donner le plaisir de l'embarrasser par leurs subtilités. Mais quoiqu'il n'eût de la science théologique qu'autant qu'il avait plu à Dieu de lui en communiquer par infusion, et qu'il ne sût point d'autre langue que celle de son pays, il les confondit de telle sorte, qu'ils ne purent lui répliquer qu'à coups de pierres. Il en fut quitte pour quelques blessures dont une à la bouche qui lui donna l’air d’un éternel sourire. Etant heureusement sorti de leurs mains, il passa devant la porte d'un château où il demanda par aumône un morceau de pain, comme il avait coutume de faire lorsqu'il était pressé par la faim. Le maître du lieu était un gentilhomme huguenot, grand ennemi des catholiques, et il était à table lorsqu'on lui dit qu'il y avait à la porte une espèce de moine en fort mauvais équipage qui demandait l'aumône. Il le fit entrer, et après avoir longtemps considéré son hatit déchiré, et son visage basané, il jura que c'était un espion espagnol, et il l’aurait tué si sa femme, qui en eut compassion, ne l'eût fait secrètement mettre à la porte, mais sans songer à lui donecr un morccau de pain. Une pauvre femme catholique du village voisin lui fit cette charité ; lorsqu'après avoir repris ses forces, il se croyait en quelque sureté, il pensa être sacrifié de nouveau à la fureur de la populace que son habit avait attirée. Un de la bande le saisit, sans s'expliquer sur ce qu'il voulait faire, et le jeta dans une étable qu'il ferma à la clef. Pascal se prépara toute la nuit à mourir le lendemain ; mais au lieu de la mort qu'il attendait, celui qui l'avait renfermé vint lui apporter l'aumône, et le fit sortir deux heures après le soleil levé.
Lorsqu'il se fut acquitté de sa mission auprès de son général, Pascal retourna en Espagne. En chemin, il vit venir à lui un cavalier qui, sans le saluer, lui mit la pointe de la lance contre la poitrine, et lui demanda : « Où est Dieu ? » Pascal, sans s'effrayer, mais aussi sans avoir le temps de réfléchir, lui répondit : « Dans le ciel » le cavalier retira aussitôt sa lance, et partit sans rien dire de plus. Pascal, d'abord étonné de cette conduite, la comprit en réfléchissant davantage : le soldat l'avait épargné, parce qu'il s'était contenté de dire que Dieu est dans le ciel ; s'il avait ajouté qu'il est aussi dans l’Eucharistie, il l'aurait percé de sa lance. Pascal crut alors que Dieu l’avait jugé indigne de la couronne du martyre.On ne l'entendit jamais parler des dangers qu'il avait courus ; il se contentait de répondre en peu de mots aux questions qu’on lui posait, en supprimant avec soin tout ce qui aurait pu lui attirer quelques louanges.
Il passa les dernières années de sa vie au couvent Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire de Villa-Réal, près de Valence. Un jour, au cours du saint sacrifice de la messe, Dieu lui révéla sa mort prochaine dont il conçut une vive joie. Quelques jours après, il tomba gravement malade. Transporté à l’infirmerie, il y reçut les derniers sacrements avec une tendre piété, et il s'endormit doucement dans le Seigneur en prononcant le nom de Jésus. C'était le dimanche de la Pentecôte, l7 mai 1592, au moment de l'élévation de la sainte hostie dans la chapelle du couvent.
De nombreux miracles, accomplis à son sépulcre, y attirèrent de grands concours de peuple. Le 29 octobre 1618, le pape Paul V le déclara bienheureux et permit au royaume de Valence de célébrer son office. En 162l, Grégoire XV accorda cette même faveur à tous les religieux de l'ordre de Saint-François. Le 16 octobre 1690, Alexandre VIII l'inscrivit au catalogue des saints. Enfin il fut proclamé patron des congrès et œuvres eucharistiques, le 28 novembre l897, par Léon XIII. Le 13 août 1936, sa tombe fut profanée par les communistes espagnols qui brûlèrent sa dépouille incorrompue. Les ossements calcinés furent recueillis et déposés dans une nouvelle châsse le 3 juin 1952.
[1] Les Soccolans ou les Alcantarins, constituaient une réforme particulièrement austère des Francisains observants, faite par Pierre Garavito dit Pierre d’Alcantara. Pierre Garavito né en 1499 à Alcantara (Estramadure) où son père était gouverneur. A quatorze ans, il perdit son père, sa mère se remaria et il partit étudier les arts libéraux, la philosophie et le droit canon à Salamanque où il décida d'entrer chez les Frères Mineurs dont il reçut l'habit, en 1515, au couvent de Los Majaretes. En 1519 il est choisi comme gardien du couvent de Badajoz ; ordonné prêtre en 1524, il commença une si brillante carrière de prédicateur qu'on l'appelât à la cour du Portugal. Elu provincial de son Ordre (province Saint-Gabriel) en 1538, instaure un régime très austère et, son mandat terminé, il se retire dans un désert, à l'embouchure du Tage, où il fonde un couvent d'ermites (1542). Rappelé dans sa province (1544), il y fonde, près de Lisbonne, un couvent qui sera le germe d'une province nouvelle (1550). Lors d'un voyage à Rome, il reçoit l'approbation de Jules III pour expérimenter une réforme radicale, sous la juridiction des mineurs observants dont le commissaire général le nomme commissaire général des mineurs réformés d'Espagne (1556) ; Paul IV lui donne tous pouvoirs pour ériger de nouveaux couvents (1559).
[2] Outre Montforte, Pascal Baylon fut dans les couvents d’Elche, de Jumilla, d’Almanza, de Jativa et de Valence.
[3] Christophe de Cheffontaines, né près de Saint-Pol-de-Léon, entra chez les frères mineurs de l'observance, au couvent de Cuburien prés Morlaix. Ordonné prêtre, il devint bien vite un prédicateur célèbre qui fut appelé à prêcher à Paris. Pour combattre les protestants, il ne reculait ni devant les nouveautés et ni devant les témérités. Après avoir rempli diverses charges dans sa province religieuse de Bretagne, il fut élu ministre général de son ordre par le chapitre réuni à Rome en 1571. Il gouverna pendant huit ans, consacrés en grande partie a la visite des couvents en différents pays. Quand il quitta sa charge, il fut créé archevêque de Césarée et donné pour auxiliaire au cardinal de Pellevé, archevêque de Sens. Il écrivit beaucoup mais la nouveauté de ses opinions le fit appeler à Rome en 1586, pour y demeurer à la disposition du Saint-Office. Trois de ses livres furent alors absolument condamnés et les autres interdits. C’est de là sans doute que provient l'obscurité qui entoure ses dernières années. Christophe de Cheffontaines mourut à Rome, le 26 mai 1595, âgé de 63 ans, au couvent de Saint-Pierre in Montorio, où aucun monument ne conserve sa mémoire.
Prière
Ce qu’il y eut d’admirable, Seigneur, en votre serviteur saint Pascal Baylon, c’est qu’il eut pour votre Corps et votre Sang un respect, un amour, une faim et une soif incomparables. Puissions-nous, Seigneur, désirer comme lui votre Eucharistie, et nous en retirer comblés et ivres de joie. Nous vous le demandons par Jésus-Christ, votre fils unique, notre Seigneur et notre Dieu, qui vit et règne avec vous, dans l'unité du Saint-Esprit, pour les siècles des siècles.
- Amen.
.jpg)
Pedro Atanasio Bocanegra (1638–1688).
San Pascual Bailón (1540-1592), 1683, 202 x
152, Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes,
Granada
St Pascal Baylon, confesseur
Déposition à Villa-Real près de Valence en 1592. Canonisé en 1690. Fête en 1784. Patron de toutes les œuvres eucharistiques sous Léon XIII
Leçons des Matines avant 1960
St. Paschal Baylon {1540 - 1592}
Quatrième leçon. Pascal Baylon, né de parents pauvres et pieux dans le bourg de Torre-Hermosa, au diocèse de Siguenza en Aragon, donna dès ses plus tendres années de nombreux indices de sa sainteté future. Son âme était portée au bien et remplie d’attraits pour les choses célestes ; il passa son enfance et son adolescence à garder les troupeaux ; il aimait particulièrement ce genre de vie, parce qu’il le trouvait propre et favorable à la pratique de l’humilité et surtout à la conservation de l’innocence. Sobre dans sa nourriture, assidu à la prière, il avait une telle autorité et possédait à un si haut degré la confiance de ses compagnons, comme de tous ceux qui l’entouraient, qu’il accommodait leurs différends, corrigeait leurs fautes, éclairait leur ignorance et stimulait leur indolence, en sorte qu’ils l’honoraient et l’aimaient comme leur père et leur maître, et que la plupart d’entre eux avaient même déjà coutume de l’appeler le bienheureux.
Cinquième leçon. Cette fleur des vallées, qui avait grandi si heureusement dans la terre déserte et aride du siècle, exhala autour d’elle un admirable parfum de sainteté, dès qu’elle fut plantée dans la maison du Seigneur. Pascal ayant donc embrassé un genre de vie plus sévère, et étant entré dans l’Ordre des Frères Mineurs déchaussés de la stricte observance, s’élança comme un géant pour parcourir sa carrière. Se livrant tout entier au culte du Seigneur, il songeait jour et nuit aux moyens de se rendre de plus en plus conforme à son divin Maître. Aussi bientôt les plus anciens religieux se proposèrent d’imiter Pascal, le considérant comme un modèle de la perfection séraphique. Mais lui, placé dans l’humble rang des Frères destinés à servir, s’estimant le rebut de tous, recevait avec la plus grande joie les tâches les plus pénibles et les plus abjectes de la maison, comme si elles lui eussent été spécialement dues, et faisait paraître dans leur accomplissement autant d’humilité que de patience. Il affligea sa chair par une mortification continuelle, aussi longtemps qu’elle tenta de se révolter contre l’esprit, et la réduisit ainsi en servitude. Par une incessante abnégation de lui-même, il augmentait de jour en jour la ferveur de son âme.
Sixième leçon. Pascal s’était mis, dès son enfance, sous la protection de la Vierge Mère de Dieu ; il l’honorait comme sa mère par des hommages quotidiens, et l’invoquait avec une confiance filiale. Il serait difficile de dire quelle était l’ardeur et la tendresse de sa dévotion envers le très saint Sacrement de l’Eucharistie ; il sembla même, après sa mort, qu’elle persévérait encore dans son corps privé de vie : étendu dans son cercueil, il ouvrit et ferma les yeux deux fois au moment de l’élévation de la sainte Hostie, à la grande admiration de tous ceux qui étaient présents. Ayant professé publiquement et ouvertement, devant les hérétiques, la croyance à la présence réelle, il eut à souffrir beaucoup de mauvais traitements ; on le chercha même à bien des reprises pour le faire mourir, mais la providence de Dieu l’arracha aux mains des impies. Dans l’oraison il était souvent privé du sentiment des choses extérieures, et il languissait dans une extase d’amour. On pense que ce fut en ces moments que cet homme simple et illettré puisa la science céleste qui le rendit capable de répondre sur les mystères les plus obscurs de la foi, et d’écrire même quelques ouvrages. Enfin Pascal, plein de mérites, s’en alla heureusement au Seigneur, à l’heure même qu’il avait prédite, l’an du salut mil cinq cent quatre-vingt douze, le seize des calendes de juin, le jour de la Fête de la Pentecôte, jour auquel il était né : il était âgé de cinquante-deux ans. Célèbre par les vertus dont nous avons parlé et par d’autres encore, illustre par ses miracles aussi bien pendant sa vie qu’après sa mort. Pascal fut déclaré Bienheureux par le Souverain Pontife Paul V, et Alexandre VIII l’a inscrit au catalogue des Saints. Enfin Léon XIII l’a déclaré et constitué le céleste Patron des Congrès eucharistiques et de toutes les Associations du Saint Sacrement, instituées jusqu’ici ou devant l’être à l’avenir.
Dom Guéranger, l’Année Liturgique
Le séraphin d’Assise ne pouvait manquer de députer quelques-uns de ses fils au-devant de son Maître ressuscité. Aujourd’hui c’est un des plus humbles et des plus ignorés du monde qu’il lui envoie ; dans trois jours un autre s’avancera chargé des palmes évangéliques, puissant en œuvres et en paroles. Pascal Baylon est l’enfant de la vie champêtre ; c’est en gardant son troupeau qu’il a trouvé le Seigneur Jésus. L’attrait de la contemplation s’est déclaré en lui ; les campagnes et les forêts lui ont révélé leur créateur, et dans son désir de l’approcher de plus près, il a voulu le suivre jusque dans les hauteurs de la plus sublime perfection. Il a convoité comme un trésor l’humilité de l’Homme-Dieu, sa vie pauvre et souffrante ; et c’est vers le cloître franciscain qu’il s’est dirigé. Sur cette terre bénie il a fleuri comme un arbre du ciel, et le monde entier a entendu parler de l’humble frère lai qu’abrita un obscur couvent espagnol. La sainte Église nous le montre en ce jour ravi dans la contemplation du triomphe de son Maître. Avec Jésus il a marché dans la voie de l’humiliation et de la croix ; n’est-il pas juste qu’il ait part aussi à la victoire de ce divin chef ? N’était-il pas présent à la pensée du Rédempteur lorsqu’il disait : « A vous qui êtes demeurés avec moi dans mes épreuves, mon Père a préparé un royaume où vous mangerez et boirez avec moi à ma table, et vous serez assis sur des trônes pour juger les douze tribus d’Israël ? [1]. » Ainsi la Pâque du temps se résoudra dans la Pâque éternelle. Priez, ô Pascal, afin qu’à votre exemple nous tenions ferme ce que nous possédons déjà par la grâce de notre divin Ressuscité.
[1] Luc. XXII, 28-30.] »
Les cieux se sont ouverts pour vous recevoir, ô Pascal ! Des ici-bas, l’ardeur de votre contemplation vous fit souvent pressentir les délices de l’éternité ; mais aujourd’hui tous les voiles sont abaissés, et vous contemplez pour jamais celui que vous avez tant désiré. Il ne s’agit plus pour vous de s’unir à lui par la souffrance et les abaissements ; c’est sa propre gloire, sa félicité, sa victoire, qu’il vous invite à partager. Daignez jeter un regard sur nous qui n’avons pas votre empressement à suivre les traces du Rédempteur, et qui ne possédons encore que l’espérance d’être réunis à lui dans son éternité. Soutenez notre faiblesse, et obtenez-nous cet amour qui fait aller droit à Jésus, qui passe par-dessus les obstacles de la chair et du sang, et établit l’homme dans une parfaite conformité avec son modèle divin Faites-nous aspirera la transformation en Jésus ressuscité, qui ne peut plus mourir. Les arrhes de cette transformation sont déjà en nous par la communion au mystère pascal ; qu’elles se complètent par notre fidélité à nous tenir près de notre chef triomphant. S’il nous laisse encore dans la vallée des larmes, son œil nous suit, son amour aspire à nous voir fidèles ; encore un peu de temps, et il paraîtra. « Voici que j’arrive vite, nous dit-il ; tiens ferme ce que tu as reçu ; je suis à la porte, et je frappe déjà. Celui qui entendra ma voix et m’ouvrira la porte, j’entrerai près de lui, et je ferai festin avec lui, et lui avec moi [Apoc. III, 11, 20.
Bhx Cardinal Schuster, Liber Sacramentorum
Saint pascal baylon, Serafico in ardore [2] (+ 1592) continue vraiment la tradition hagiographique de l’Ordre des Mineurs, et mérite d’être considéré comme l’un des plus illustres modèles de la dévotion au Saint-Sacrement. On peut lui appliquer ce verset du Psalmiste : Cor meum et caro mea exultaverunt in Deum vivum ; car, même après sa mort, son corps tressaillit et ses yeux s’ouvrirent dans un acte d’adoration, quand, à la messe, le prêtre éleva la sainte Hostie.
Sa fête date du temps de Pie VI. La messe est du Commun : Os iusti, sauf la première collecte qui est propre.
A Rome, deux églises portent le nom de cet humble frère lai, que le Saint-Siège a déclaré céleste Patron de tous les congrès et assemblées eucharistiques. La première de ces églises s’élève près du titulus Callisti ; elle avait été primitivement dédiée aux Quarante Martyrs de Sébaste, mais vers 1735, les Alcantarins espagnols y unirent, en lui donnant la préséance, le nom de leur célèbre compatriote. La seconde se trouve près de la basilique de Sainte-Cécile, et une maison religieuse y est annexée.
Prière. — « O Dieu qui avez orné votre confesseur Pascal d’un tendre amour envers les saints mystères de votre Corps et de votre Sang ; accordez-nous de retirer de ce divin banquet cette même ferveur spirituelle qu’il en rapportait. Par notre Seigneur, etc. »
De même que l’aimant attire le fer, qu’ainsi Jésus-Eucharistie attire nos âmes. Qu’une force irrésistible nous pousse sans cesse vers le tabernacle, sans que nous puissions trouver de repos ailleurs qu’aux pieds du Roi de gloire, caché pour notre amour sous les voiles de l’Hostie.
[2] Dante, Le Paradis, XI, 37. Ces mots s’appliquent à saint François d’Assise dans le texte de la Divine Comédie.
Dom Pius Parsch, le Guide dans l’année liturgique
Puissions-nous recevoir dans la sainte communion l’abondance de l’Esprit.
Saint Pascal. — Jour de mort : 17 mai 1592. Tombeau : dans l’église des Clarisses à Villaréal, près de Valence. Image : On le représente en franciscain ; devant — lui, apparaît le calice surmonté de l’hostie. Vie : Pascal Baylon, le simple et le pieux petit berger qui fut plus tard le séraphique fils de saint François et en qui nous saluons aujourd’hui le patron du culte eucharistique, compte parmi les saints du temps de la Réforme. Il est un de ces hommes de Dieu qui, par leur admirable sainteté, rendirent à l’Église les pierres précieuses que les novateurs d’Allemagne avaient fait tomber de sa couronne. Il naquit dans la campagne de Valence et mourut à l’âge de 52 ans. Comme il était déjà mou et couché sur le brancard mortuaire, il ouvrit et ferma deux fois les yeux à l’Élévation de la sainte hostie. Léon XIII le proclama patron des congrès eucharistiques et des confréries du Saint-Sacrement.
Pratique : « Puissions-nous recevoir dans la sainte communion l’abondance de l’Esprit », lisons-nous dans l’oraison du jour. Celui qui veut vivre avec l’Église doit faire de la sainte Eucharistie le centre de sa vie. Il faut participer de la manière la plus active possible au sacrifice qu’offre le prêtre et communier en union avec le prêtre.
La messe (Os justi) est du commun des confesseurs.
Saint Pascal Baylon (1540 – 1592)
LEÇON DU BRÉVIAIRE ROMAIN
Pascal Baylon, né de parents pauvres et pieux, dans le bourg de Torre-Hermosa, en Aragon, passa son enfance et son adolescence à garder les troupeaux. Ayant ensuite embrassé une règle de vie sévère, en entrant dans l'ordre des Frères Mineurs, il songeait nuit et jour aux moyens de se rendre de plus en plus conforme au Christ crucifié. Il s'était mis, dès son enfance, sous la protection de la Vierge, Mère de Dieu. Il lui rendait chaque jour, comme à une mère, un culte filial. Envers l'Eucharistie, il brûlait d'un sentiment d'amour, tendre et continuel, qu'il sembla garder après sa mort. Étendu dans son cercueil, il ouvrit et ferma deux fois les yeux pour l'élévation de la sainte Hostie, à la grande admiration de tous les assistants. Plein de mérites il s'en fut au Seigneur, l'an quinze cent quatre-vingt-douze. Léon XIII l'a déclaré et constitué Patron céleste tout spécial des Congrès eucharistiques et de toutes les associations du Saint-Sacrement.
Pascal est né dans le pays d'Aragon en Espagne, dans une famille de cultivateurs fort modestes. Durant son enfance, tout en gardant les moutons, il se plongeait avec délices dans la prière silencieuse qui lui donnait le désir de se consacrer à Dieu. Mais n'étant pas accepté dans la vie religieuse à cause de son manque d'instruction, il se place comme berger près du couvent pour participer aux offices, au moins de loin, quand sonnait la cloche. Finalement, il put entrer comme frère convers chez les franciscains et il y remplit la tâche de portier. Il rayonnait par son amabilité et sa douceur envers tous ceux qui se présentaient à la porte du couvent. Beaucoup de gens pour cette raison venaient lui demander conseil, même des prédicateurs qui estimaient que sa théologie était celle du coeur et non pas celle d'un intellectuel. Maltraité par les Huguenots au cours d'une mission dans la France déchirée par les guerres de religion, il leur pardonna en disant que c'est pour servir Dieu qu'ils l'avaient ainsi traité. Il puisait sa force dans sa ferveur pour l'Eucharistie et passait de longues heures en adoration silencieuse devant le Saint Sacrement. Après sa mort, les miracles se multiplièrent sur sa tombe.
Apparizione dell'Ostensorio a San Pasquale Baylon, Diocesan Museum of Naples
Also known as
Paschal
Profile
Son of the pious peasants Martin
Baylon and Elizabeth Jubera. From youth he displayed great devotion to
the Eucharist.
Worked as a shepherd from
ages 7 to 24, and was a good influence on his shepherd friends,
an often rowdy group. Franciscan lay
brother with friars of the Alcantarine Reform, often serving
as cook or doorkeeper.
His charity to
the poor and afflicted,
his unfailing courtesy and humility were remarkable even by Franciscan standards.
While travelling in France,
he defended the Real Presence against the blasphemies of a Calvinist preacher,
and narrowly escaped death at
the hands of a Huguenot mob.
Poorly educated,
he was still a counselor sought by rich and poor alike.
His cultus is
especially strong in Spain and
southern Italy,
in Central and South
America.
Born
24 May 1540 (feast of Pentecost)
at Torre Hermosa, Aragon,
(modern Spain)
15 May 1592 (feast of Pentecost)
at Villa Reale, Spain of
natural causes
29 October 1618 by Pope Paul V
16 October 1690 by Pope Alexander
VIII
Eucharistic
congresses and organizations (proclaimed by Pope Leo XIII on 28 November 1897)
–
Obado,
Bulacan, Philippines
Segorbe-Castellón
de la Plana, Spain, diocese of
man in adoration before a vision of the Host
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Additional Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Catholic
Encyclopedia, by Oswald Staniforth
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
Roman
Martyrology, 1914 edition
Saint
Paschal Baylon, Man of the Eucharist, by Father Elgar
Mindorff
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other sites in english
1001 Patron Saints and Their Feast Days, Australian
Catholic Truth Society
images
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sitios en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
sites en français
Abbé Christian-Philippe Chanut
fonti in italiano
nettsteder i norsk
MLA Citation
“Saint Pascal Baylon“. CatholicSaints.Info. 17
May 2021. Web. 17 May 2021. <https://catholicsaints.info/saint-pascal-baylon/>
St. Pascal Baylon
Born at Torre-Hermosa, in the Kingdom
of Aragon, 24 May, 1540, on the Feast of Pentecost, called
inSpain "the Pasch of
the Holy Ghost", whence the name Pascal; died at Villa Reale, 15 May,
1592, onWhitsunday.
His parents, Martin Baylon
and Elizabeth Jubera, were virtuous peasants. The child
began very early to display signs of that
surpassing devotion towards the Holy
Eucharist, which forms the salient feature of his character. From his
seventh to his twenty-fourth year, he led the life of a shepherd, and during
the whole of that period exercised a salutary influence upon his
companions. He was then received as a lay
brother amongst the Franciscan friars of
the Alcantarine Reform. In the cloister, Paschal's life
of contemplation and self-sacrifice fulfilled the promise of his
early years. His charity to the poor and afflicted, and his
unfailing courtesy were remarkable. On one occasion, in the course of a journey
through France,
he triumphantly defended the dogma of
the Real
Presence against the blasphemies of
a Calvinist preacher,
and in consequence, narrowly escaped death at the hands of a Huguenot mob.
Although poorly educated,
his counsel was sought for by people of every station in life, and he was on
terms of closest friendship with personages of eminent sanctity.
Pascal was beatified in
1618, and canonized in
1690. His cultus has flourished particularly in his native land and in Southern Italy,
and it was widely diffused in Southern and Central America, through
the Spanish Conquests. In hisApostolic letter, Providentissimus
Deus, Leo
XIII declared St. Pascal the
especial heavenly protector of all Eucharistic
Congresses and Associations. His feast is
kept on 17 May. The saint is usually depicted in adoration before
a vision of the Host.
Staniforth, Oswald. "St. Pascal
Baylon." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York:
Robert Appleton Company, 1911.16 May
2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11512a.htm>.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1911. Remy
Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop
of New York.
Copyright © 2020 by Kevin Knight.
Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
St. Paschal Baylon
From his childhood Saint Paschal seems to have been marked out for the service of God. Amid his daily labors as a shepherd, he found time to instruct and evangelize the rude herdsmen who kept their flocks on the hills of Aragon. At the age of twenty-four he entered the reformed Franciscan Order near the town of Monfort, Spain, where he remained, out of humility, a simple lay brother, occupying himself by preference with the roughest and most servile tasks.
He was distinguished by his ardent devotion and love for the Blessed Sacrament. He would spend hours on his knees before the tabernacle, often being raised from the ground in the fervor of his prayer. And there, from the authentic and eternal Truth, he drew such stores of wisdom that, unlettered as he was, he was considered by all a master in theology and spiritual science.
Shortly after his profession he was sent to Paris on business connected with his Order. The journey was full of perils, owing to the hostility of the Huguenots, who were numerous at the time in the south of France; and on four separate occasions Paschal was in imminent danger of death at their hands. Twice he was taken for a spy; but it was not God’s will that His servant should obtain the crown of martyrdom which he so earnestly desired, though he regarded himself as unworthy of it. He returned in safety to his convent, where he would later die in the odor of sanctity in 1592.
Multitudes witnessed the miracles which took place during the three days his body was exposed for veneration. He was canonized in 1690, and in 1897 declared patron of all Eucharistic congresses and confraternities.
SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/saints/saint-paschal-baylon/
From his childhood Saint Paschal seems to have been marked out for the service of God. Amid his daily labors as a shepherd, he found time to instruct and evangelize the rude herdsmen who kept their flocks on the hills of Aragon. At the age of twenty-four he entered the reformed Franciscan Order near the town of Monfort, Spain, where he remained, out of humility, a simple lay brother, occupying himself by preference with the roughest and most servile tasks.
He was distinguished by his ardent devotion and love for the Blessed Sacrament. He would spend hours on his knees before the tabernacle, often being raised from the ground in the fervor of his prayer. And there, from the authentic and eternal Truth, he drew such stores of wisdom that, unlettered as he was, he was considered by all a master in theology and spiritual science.
Shortly after his profession he was sent to Paris on business connected with his Order. The journey was full of perils, owing to the hostility of the Huguenots, who were numerous at the time in the south of France; and on four separate occasions Paschal was in imminent danger of death at their hands. Twice he was taken for a spy; but it was not God’s will that His servant should obtain the crown of martyrdom which he so earnestly desired, though he regarded himself as unworthy of it. He returned in safety to his convent, where he would later die in the odor of sanctity in 1592.
Multitudes witnessed the miracles which took place during the three days his body was exposed for veneration. He was canonized in 1690, and in 1897 declared patron of all Eucharistic congresses and confraternities.
SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/saints/saint-paschal-baylon/
St. Paschal Baylon {1540 - 1592}
Paschal was born in the little village of Torre Hermosa, Spain. He was given the name of Paschal because he was born on Whit-Sunday, which in Spain is called the “Pasch of the Holy Ghost.” He came into the world during the time of the Protestant Reformation, when many Catholics lost their Faith, revolted against the Catholic Church, and left the Catholic Church.
The boy’s parents were poor peasants, but they were rich in the Catholic Faith. Even though they did not have much in worldly goods, they were full of Charity and gave much to the poor. His father, Martin, and his mother, Elizabeth, had a great love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
With such good parents, Pascal grew in holiness and love of God. The first words that he pronounced with his baby lips were the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. The first time his mother carried him to Holy Mass, the little fellow kept looking at the Sacred Host. At the elevation of the Host, Paschal’s body shook and from then on, he had a great love for the Church and the Altar.
One day little Paschal was lost, and his parents feared that he had been stolen by the gypsies. Elizabethran through the streets looking for her baby. She decided to look in the Church and there she saw Paschal climbing up the Altar steps on his knees! He had crawled to the Church, for he could not walk, and was looking at the Tabernacle. The little boy truly loved God.
When Paschal was seven years old, he became a shepherd and looked after his father’s sheep. His parents had two older children as well, but they needed all the help they could get. The young boy loved this work. It gave him a chance to be alone with God. He had no schooling and could not read or write. One time he got hold of a book of the “Little Office of the Blessed Virgin,” and begged all those who passed by to give him a little lesson in reading. He learned to write in the same way, by asking people to help him.
St. Paschal loved to pray at a shrine of Our Lady, which was near the place he pastured his sheep. When he went to other areas, he carried his staff, which had an image of Our Lady and three crosses on top of it. Then when he wanted to pray, he would use his staff as a shrine and stick it in the ground.
Some of Paschal’s fellow shepherds were not very pious. They often spoke bad language. But when they were in Paschal’s presence, they learned to hold their tongue. They respected his holiness, his purity, and his other virtues.
The shepherd life was helping the boy to become a saint but it was not an easy life. He was out in the heat or cold, day and night. He fasted often, slept on the hard ground and went barefoot over thorns and stones! He lived on the poorest food and always shared that food with the most needy. Paschal also made rosaries with knotted rope and gave them to his fellow shepherds.
In time, God provided Paschal with a very dear friend named John Apparicio, who was also a shepherd. They would meet each morning, and while tending their flocks, they would talk to each other about the things of God, the sorrows of this world, and the happiness of Heaven. Paschal would often play on a small type of guitar and sing hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
One evening Paschal told John that he longed to quite this job and become a religious. “An excellent idea,” John said, “Why not go to the Cistercian Monastery, nearby? You would be in your own part of the country, and could work out your salvation quietly and easily there.”
“No, no,” Paschal cried, “I want to go far away, where nobody will know me. I am looking for some place where I can live in poverty and complete abandonment into the hands of God!” John quickly understood.
A short time later, Paschal told his friend that while he was praying a Franciscan Friar and a Sister appeared to him and invited him to enter religion. Many writers believe that it was St. Francis and St. Clare.
Not long afterwards, Paschal worked a miracle. It was very hot and John and his friend were not able to find any good water. Suddenly, St. Paschal got an inspiration! He took his staff and struck the ground with it. Suddenly a fountain of water gushed out. Paschal told his friend, “In future when you want a drink, you need only strike the ground with your staff like I did and water will come.” They drank and washed, and ate their meal in silence.
Shortly afterwards, Paschal showed up in a different outfit. Under his shepherd’s cloak he wore a light grey tunic with a cord around his waist. Around his neck, he wore a large Rosary and a sombrero. St. Paschal read John’s thoughts, “Our Lord has again sent a Friar from Heaven to urge me to quit the world and enter religion. As you may see it, is high time to answer this call and to promise myself to the Divine Master! Good-bye my friend.” They shook hands, embraced, and the holy youth was on his way.
Paschal, now eighteen went to Valencia and applied at the Monastery of the Franciscan Friars of Reform. The Monks refused him because he was so young and because they did not think that he would make a very good monk.
The saint did not worry. For the present, he decided to become a shepherd again. A man called Martin Garcia hired him. He continued his prayers out in the fields, as he had done before. His greatest joy was to assist at Mass at the Monastery, where he prayed more like an Angel than a human. When it was impossible for him to go to Mass on a weekday, he would follow the Holy Sacrifice by the sound of the bells, while he watched his sheep.
One day a great miracle happened. St. Paschal was out in the fields with his sheep and unable to go to Mass at the Monastery. While he was waiting for the sound of the Consecration Bell, in his longing to be present at the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, he cried out, “My Master, My adorable Master, Oh that I might see Thee!” Suddenly he saw the Angels bowed down before a Chalice, with the Blessed Sacrament floating above it. In the Divine Presence of Our Lord, Paschal fell flat on his face and adored God. Then taking courage he gazed upon the beautiful vision.
Wanting to share his vision with the other shepherds he ran to them crying, “Kneel Down! Kneel Down! Do you not see on high the golden Chalice and the bright rays darting from the Host?” and he pointed towards the vision. “It is the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. The Angels are adoring It. Come let us join our adoration to theirs!” The shepherds fell pun their knees in adoration. But even though they could not see what St. Paschal saw they knew that he was telling the truth. This vision happened many times as the days passed by, and Paschal was able to enjoy its beauty.
Martin Garcia and his wife greatly admired Paschal, for they knew that he was good and virtuous. One day Martin spoke to the holy youth, “My wife and I are getting old and we have no children. We would like to adopt you as our son. You could forget about being a shepherd and come and live with us in town. Then when we die, you shall obtain all that is ours.”
Paschal replied, “I am very grateful for your kindness, but I wish to become a monk and I want to live far away from all worldly things.” Martin understood. He now had an even greater respect for the youth. From then on, Paschal was treated in the house, like one of the family.
In time, the Franciscans allowed Paschal to join them. He was humble, obedient, and fervent in all his duties. Paschal’s motto was, “Whoever wants to save his soul, must have three hearts in one: He must have the heart of a Son towards God, he must have the heart of a mother towards his neighbour, and he must have the heart of a judge towards himself.”
St. Paschal would not take much sleep and would spend the time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. He loved Jesus with all his heart. He would kneel without moving and remain with his eyes looking at the tabernacle. One Holy Thursday, he was concentrating so much on his meditation of the Blessed Sacrament, that he remained kneeling in the same position for five hours!
Paschal loved all the monks in the monastery. He also had a very great love for the poor. The saint was given the job of being Porter (door keeper) for the monastery. The crowds of poor grew in number, when they saw that Brother Paschal was their true friend, and that who loved to help them.
The Brother Gardener often scolded St. Paschal for taking the vegetables from the monastery garden, and giving them to the poor. On one occasion Paschal said, “Calm yourself brother! Our Lord will provide for us and the vegetables will grow up again!” That night a miracle took place. The vegetables that had been pulled up in the evening, sprung up again during the night. In the morning, the garden looked as if it had never been touched!
The next morning the Brother Gardener saw the garden, and asked St. Paschal for an explanation. “Let us praise God’s goodness,” said Paschal. “God wanted to console the poor sick people so He caused the vegetables to spring up during the night! God can create anything in an instant!” The Brother Gardener was not fooled. He believed that Paschal had prayed and done penance, so that God would perform the miracle in the garden.
St. Paschal loved the sick. When he saw how they suffered, he would cry with them and console them. Br. Paschal would often go out begging for food. When people would see him, they would often show him a house where a sick person was lying and waiting for him. Upon entering the sickroom, the holy Brother would humbly pray, “May Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Joachim, Anne and Catherine cure you of every ill and deliver you from all pain.”
Paschal went to a house one day, begging for food. When he entered, he noticed that a little girl had sores all around her neck. He passed his hand lightly over the child’s neck, and three days later the girl was completely cured.
Another time a woman had an infection in her jaw. When she saw St. Paschal, she begged him for a miracle. The holy brother said that he was a poor sinner and not worthy to cure her. The woman did not give up. She grabbed Paschal’s hand and held it to her jaw. She was instantly cured!
St. Paschal was also an Angel of Peace. He was able to destroy hatred and get the worst enemies to forgive and forget. In one case, the father of a family was murdered. His youngest son Martin hated the men who killed his father and told others that he would kill them when he was older.
One Good Friday morning, a priest was carrying a crucifix and leading the people in procession, through the streets. The priest tried to convert Martin but he refused to listen. Suddenly St. Paschal stepped forward. “My son,” he said in a sorrowful tone, “You have just seen the Crucifix. For the love of Jesus Crucified, my son, forgive the ones who killed your father.” The young man was converted on the spot. Ashamed and weeping, he said, “Yes, Father, I will do so. I forgive them with all my heart for the love of God.
Paschal was very strict with himself. Here are some ideas of his rules :
1. I should think of myself as a rotting, smelling, dead person.
2. If anyone hurts me, I deserve it, because I am a sinner. They can tear out my eyes, cut off my ears and tongue, and injure my whole body.
3. I should not be angry if others think the same, about these two points. I should think it a favour, if I am told to do penance and make sacrifices.
4. If I get discouraged when doing penance or making sacrifices, I should think of Jesus who was innocent and suffered because He loved me.
St. Paschal did much penance. He slept in the cold and would not give himself much rest. He wore a habit that was patched all over. And under his habit he wore an outfit of steel and iron, something like a knight would wear in battle. Sometimes he wore a tunic lined with rough pig hair, and at other times he wore a coat with steel spikes! On great feast days, he covered his body with chains, collars and other rough things, so that he could suffer for God.
The holy monk lived mostly on bread and water for almost ten years. On Sundays he would eat a few boiled vegetables, which had been soaked in water with a terrible smelling weed, called wormwood. Sometimes he ate scraps from the kitchen, or some soup that was, from the day before.
St.Paschal also did some traveling to some far away places. Fr. Christopher, the Superior-General of the Franciscans, was living in Paris, France. The Superiorof the Franciscans in Spain wanted to send some very important news to Fr. Christopher.
TheSuperior called Paschal and asked him if he would agree to go to Paris. But it was dangerous for a religious to travel in this land because the country of France was being persecuted by the Protestant Calvinists (Huguenots). The Calvinists hated all Catholics! They had already burned a great many Convents and Monasteries to the ground! And worse, they had also killed many Priests, Monks and Nuns.
Paschal agreed to go, even though his life was in danger. He was not afraid and wanted to set out at once. Nor did he worry about food, shelter, and other things that were necessary for his journey. God would provide!
It was a long distance to Parisand he had to walk. As long as in was in Spain, the people showed Paschal kindness and gave him food. But when he entered France it was a different story. The people came running out of their houses saying to each other, “Quick! Quick! Come and look at a sort of man you have never seen before.” And they would stare at the saintly monk, walking along, in his patched habit. Everyday the same type of thing happened.
But soon things got worse as he passed through the little French towns and villages. At first the people were shocked. Then they would threaten the saint, “Down with the Papist! Death to the idol worshiper!” They would throw dirt at St. Paschal and in one village the people threw stones at him.
Another group fell upon him and gave him a terrible beating. They hated the Blessed Sacrament and had robbed tabernacles and thrown the Hosts to the pigs! How wicked they were. They fired a bunch of questions at Paschal, hoping to get him confused. But the Holy Ghost was with St. Paschal, helping him to give the perfect answer to their stupid questions. In the end they threw stones at the saint bruising his body and breaking his shoulder.
Again and again, he was put in prison, and often he came very close to death. But though he suffered much, God guided him and he delivered the message to Fr. Christopher. After visiting some holy shrines in Paris, and taking a few days rest, he set out for his monastery in Spain. His hair was black when he left Spain, but when he returned, it was all white; because of all that he had suffered. His only disappointment was that he had not become a martyr.
After that whenever an important message had to be delivered, St. Paschal was always given the job. When he went begging for alms in distant places, even though he was tired he would spend the whole night adoring the Blessed Sacrament. Whenever he arrived at a new town, he would always make a stop at the church to visit the Blessed Sacrament.
It was Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, that gave St. Paschal great wisdom. He was hardly able to read and write but he was able to hold intelligent conversations with learned doctors in theology. Some of the theologians felt that Paschal was inspired by God. The priests of the monastery used to ask his advice about preaching. When the saint spoke about the Birth of Jesus and the Last Supper, it was as though he had been present at these events.
With all the penance and sacrifices that St. Paschal did, it is a wonder that the holy monk lived as long as he did. One day he was too sick to get up and unlock the Chapel door. The doctor was called and he told the holy monk, "This is your last illness, good Brother; how does it seem to yourself?"
"I think so too," he said calmly. "You could not give me more welcome news. For many years I have longed for this day and have often begged Our Lord to take me from this world. Believe me this is my sincere desire. Which day will it be Doctor?"
"I do not think you get through Friday!" the Doctor replied.
Paschal looked at the Doctor, "You are mistaken there Doctor. I have asked Our Lord to permit me to live until Saturday at least."
Most likely, Paschal wanted to live a while longer, so that he could honour Our Lady on one more Saturday, before he died. He then counted on his fingers and said, "It will be useless to watch by me before the seventh day. Spare the Brothers, as this would cause them to become very tired."
His suffering became worse and he had a burning fever. Friends and benefactors hearing that Paschal would soon die hurried to the monastery to see the holy Brother for the last time. He spoke to his visitors kindly, giving each one a bit of good advice. He also encouraged them to persevere in prayer, to generously practice virtue, and to love the poor of Jesus Christ. Then the monks came to visit their holy Brother and also received advice from him.
On Whit-Sunday, in 1592, St. Paschal turned fifty-two years old. He knew that death was near and tried to put his habit on, but being very weak he fell to the floor. Just then, a Brother entered. He placed the habit on Paschal, and put him in bed. When the devil tempted Paschal to sin, the saint asked for Holy Water and cried out, "Jesus! Jesus!" and the devil disappeared!
During this time the monks told Paschal that Mass had started and his heart was filled with joy. As the monastery bell was ringing for the Elevation of the Host, the dying saint said, "Jesus, Jesus," and then breathed his last. The news of his death spread like fire over the whole country.
On the day of St. Paschal's funeral Mass, a wonderful miracle took place. Paschal opened his eyes, and looked at the Host and the Chalice during the elevation of the Mass He adored God publicly, even though he was dead.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about St. Paschal, are the strange happenings known as the "Knocks of St. Paschal." At first, the knocks came from Paschal's tomb. Later they came from relics and pictures of the saint. Sometimes the knocks have come as a kind of warning, to let people know that a terrible event was about to take place. It is also said that in Spain and Italy, those who are devoted to St. Paschal, are warned about their death, days before, so that they may have a chance to receive the Last Sacraments.
St. Paschal Baylon, Pray for Us !
SOURCE : http://www.sspx.ca/EucharisticCrusade/2002_June/Saint_Paschal_Baylon.htm
May 17
St. Paschal Baylon, Confessor
From his two lives, one written by John Ximenes, his
companion; the other, in order to his canonization. See other monuments in
Papebroke, t. 4, Maij, pp. 48, 132.
A.D. 1592.
THE
STATE of poverty was honoured by the choice of our blessed Redeemer, and hath
been favoured with his special blessing. It removes men from many dangers and
temptations, and furnishes them with perpetual occasions for the exercise of
self-denial, patience, penance, resignation to the divine will, and every other
heroic Christian virtue: yet these great means of salvation are by many,
through ignorance, impatience, and inordinate desires, often perverted into
occasions of their temporal and eternal misery. Happy are they who by making a
right use of the spiritual advantages which this state, so dear to our divine
Redeemer, offers them, procure to themselves present peace, joy, and every
solid good; and make every circumstance of that condition in which providence hath
placed them a step to perfect virtue and to everlasting happiness. This in an
eminent degree was the privilege of St. Paschal Baylon. He was born in 1540, at
Torre-Hermosa, a small country town in the kingdom of Arragon. His parents were
day-labourers, and very virtuous; and to their example our saint was greatly
indebted for the spirit of piety and devotion, which he seemed to have sucked
in with his mother’s milk. Their circumstances were too narrow to afford his
being sent to school; but the pious child, out of an earnest desire of
attaining to so great a means of instruction, carried a book with him into the
fields where he watched the sheep, and desired those whom he met to teach him
the letters; and thus in a short time, being yet very young, he learned to
read. This advantage he made use of only to improve his soul in devotion and
piety: books of amusement he never would look into; but the lives of the
saints, and above all, meditations on the life of Christ, were his chiefest
delight. He loved nothing but what was serious and of solid advantage, at a
time of life in which many seem scarcely susceptible of such impressions. When
he was of a proper age, he engaged with a master to keep his flocks as under
shepherd: he was delighted with the innocent and quiet life his state permitted
him to lead. That solitary life had charms for him. Whatever he saw was to him
an object of faith and devotion. He read continually in the great book of
nature; and from every object raised his soul to God, whom he contemplated and
praised in all his works. Besides external objects, he had almost continually a
spiritual book in his hands, which served to instruct and to inflame his soul
in the love and practice of virtue. His master, who was a person of singular
piety, was charmed with his edifying conduct, and made him an offer to adopt
him for his son, and to make him his heir. But Paschal, who desired only the
goods of another life, was afraid that those of this world would prove to him
an incumbrance; he therefore modestly declined the favour, desiring always to
remain in his humble state, as being more conformable to that which Christ
chose for himself on earth, who came not into the world to be served, but to
serve. He was often discovered praying on his knees under some tree, whilst his
flocks were browsing on the hills. It was by this secret entertainment of his
soul with God, in the most profound humility, and perfect purity of his
affections, that he acquired a most sublime science and experience in spiritual
things, at which those who were the most advanced were struck with admiration.
He could truly say with David: “Blessed is he whom thou thyself shalt instruct,
O Lord.” 1 He spoke of God and of virtue with an inimitable unction and
experimental light, and with sentiments which the Holy Ghost alone forms in
souls which are perfectly disengaged from earthly things, and replenished with
his heavenly fire. Often was he seen ravished in holy prayer; and frequently
was not able to conceal from the eyes of men the vehement ardour of the divine
love, with which his soul melted in an excess of heavenly sweetness. He felt in
himself what many servants of God assure us of, that, “the consolation which
the Holy Ghost frequently infuses into pious souls, is greater than all the
pleasures of the world together, could they be enjoyed by one man. It makes the
heart to dissolve and melt through excess of joy, under which it is unable to
contain itself.” 2 In these sentiments did this servant of God sing with David: “My soul
shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall be delighted in his salvation. All my
bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to thee!” 3 The reward of virtue is reserved for heaven; but some
comforts are not denied during the present time of trial. Even in this vale of
tears, “God will make its desert as a place of pleasure; and its wilderness as
the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found in it, thanksgiving and
the voice of praise.” Isai. li. 3. It is sufficiently understood that the saint
did not receive these heavenly comforts without severe interior trials, and a
constant practice of self denial, by which his heart was crucified to the
world. The dew of extraordinary spiritual comforts never falls on unmortified
souls, which seek the delights of this world. St. Paschal in his poverty joined
alms with his continual prayer; and not having any other means to relieve the
poor, always gave them a good part of his own dinner which was sent him into
the fields.
How
great soever his love was for his profession, he found however several
difficulties in it which made him think of leaving it. He was not able,
notwithstanding all the care he could take, to hinder a flock of goats he had
in charge from sometimes trespassing on another’s ground. This occasioned his
giving over the inspection of that flock. But he found other troubles in taking
care of other cattle. Some of his companions, not having the same piety with
himself, were but too much addicted to cursing, quarrelling, and fighting; nor
were they to be reclaimed by his gentle rebukes on these accounts. He was
therefore determined to leave them, not to participate in their crimes. And to
learn the will of God in this important choice of a state of life in which he
might most faithfully serve him, he redoubled his prayers, fasts, and other
austerities. After some time spent in this manner, he determined to become a
religious man. Those to whom he first disclosed his inclination to a religious
state, pointed out to him several convents richly endowed. But that
circumstance alone was enough to disgust him; and his answer was: “I was born
poor, and I am resolved to live and die in poverty and penance.” Being at that
time twenty years of age he left his master, his friends, and his country, and
went into the kingdom of Valentia, where was an austere convent of barefoot
reformed Franciscans, called Soccolans, which stood in a desert solitude, but
at no great distance from the town of Montfort. He addressed himself to the
fathers of this house for spiritual advice; and, in the mean time, he entered
into the service of certain farmers in the neighbourhood to keep their sheep.
He continued here his penitential and retired life in assiduous prayer, and was
known in the whole country by the name of the Holy Shepherd. To sequester
himself from the world, he made the more haste to petition for the habit of a
lay-brother in the house above-mentioned; and was admitted in 1564. The fathers
desired to persuade him to enter himself among the clerks, or those who aspired
to holy orders, and sing the divine office in the choir; but they were obliged
to yield to his humility, and admit him among the lay-brothers of the
community. He was not only a fervent novice, which we often see, but also a
most fervent religious man, always advancing, and never losing ground. Though
his rule was most austere, he added continually to its severity, but always with
simplicity of heart, without the least attachment to his own will; and whenever
he was admonished of any excess in his practices of mortification, he most
readily confined himself to the letter of his rule. The meanest employments
always gave him the highest satisfaction. Whenever he changed convents,
according to the custom of his order the better to prevent any secret
attachments of the heart, he never complained of anything, nor so much as said
that he found anything in one house more agreeable than in another; because,
being entirely dead to himself, he everywhere sought only God. He never allowed
himself a moment of repose between the church and cloister duties, and his
work; nor did his labour interrupt his prayer. He had never more than one
habit, and that always threadbare. He walked without sandals in the snows, and
in the roughest roads. He accommodated himself to all places and seasons, and
was always content, cheerful, mild, affable, and full of respect for all. He
thought himself honoured if employed in any painful and low office to serve any
one.
The
general of the Order happening to be at Paris, Paschal was sent thither to him
about some necessary business of his province. Many of the cities through which
he was to pass in France, were in the hands of the Huguenots, who were then in
arms. Yet he offered himself to a martyrdom of obedience, travelled in his
habit, and without so much as sandals on his feet, was often pursued by the
Huguenots with sticks and stones, and received a wound on one shoulder of which
he remained lame as long as he lived. He was twice taken for a spy; but God
delivered him out of all dangers. On the very day on which he arrived at his
convent from this tedious journey, he went out to his work and other duties as
usual. He never spoke of anything that had happened to him in his journey
unless asked; and then was careful to suppress whatever might reflect on him
the least honour or praise. He had a singular devotion to the mother of God,
whose intercession he never ceased to implore that he might be preserved from
sin. The holy sacrament of the altar was the object of his most tender
devotion; also the passion of our divine Redeemer. He spent, especially towards
the end of his life, a considerable part of the night at the foot of the altar
on his knees, or prostrate on the ground. In prayer he was often favoured with
ecstasies and raptures. He died at Villa Reale, near Valentia, on the 17th of
May, in 1592, being fifty-two years old. His corpse was exposed three days,
during which time the great multitudes which from all parts visited the church,
were witnesses to many miracles by which God attested the sanctity of his
servant. St. Paschal was beatified by Pope Paul V. in 1618, and canonized by
Alexander VIII. in 1690.
If
Christians in every station endeavoured with their whole strength continually
to advance in virtue, the church would be filled with saints. But alas! though
it be an undoubted maxim, that not to go on in a spiritual life is to fall
back, “Nothing is more rare,” says St. Bernard, “than to find persons who
always press forward. We see more converted from vice to virtue, than increase
their fervour in virtue.” This is something dreadful. The same father assigns
two principal reasons. First, many who begin well, after some time grow again
remiss in the exercises of mortification and prayer, and return to the
amusements, pleasures, and vanities of a worldly life. Secondly, others who are
regular and constant in exterior duties, neglect to watch over and cultivate
their interior; so that some interior spiritual vice insinuates itself into
their affections, and renders them an abomination in the eyes of God. “A man,”
says St. Bernard, 4 “who gives himself up entirely to exterior exercises without looking
seriously into his own heart to see what passes there, imposes upon himself,
imagining that he is something whilst he is nothing. His eyes being always
fixed on his exterior actions, he flatters himself that he goes on well, and
neither sees nor feels the secret worm which gnaws and consumes his heart. He
keeps all fasts, assists at all parts of the divine office, and fails in no
exercise of piety or penance; yet God declares, ‘His heart is far from me.’
He only employs his hands in fulfilling the precepts, and his heart is hard and
dry. His duties are complied with by habit and a certain rotation: he omits not
a single iota of all his exterior employments; but whilst he strains at a gnat,
he swallows a camel. In his heart he is a slave to self-will, and is a prey to
avarice, vain-glory, and ambition: one or other or all these vices together
reign in his soul.”
Rev.
Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume V: May. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/5/171.html
Paschal Baylon, OFM (RM)
Born in Torre Hermosa, Aragon, Spain, in 1540; died Villareal, Spain, 1592; beatified in 1618; canonized in 1690; declared patron of all Eucharistic congresses and confraternities in 1897.
Saint Paschal Baylon, son of the peasants Martin Baylon and Elizabeth Jubera, received his name from the day on which he was born: Whitsunday. He worked as a shepherd for his father and others until the age of 24. At 18, after a vision, he had applied to join the Franciscans at Loreto, 200 miles away, but the monks turned him down, knowing nothing of him personally. He applied again, a few years later (1564), and was accepted, and he lived a strict life according to the recently initiated reforms of Saint Peter of Alcantara.
He served primarily as a doorkeeper at various friaries in Spain. His intense devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is obvious from the long hours he spent kneeling before the tabernacle, with his clasped hands outstretched.
He was sent to France with a message to Father Christopher de Cheffontaines, the minister general of the Observants, and travelled wearing his habit during a dangerous time of religious wars. He was accosted several times and once narrowly escaped with his life, after he defended the doctrine of the Real Presence of the Holy Eucharist to a Calvinist preacher and a crowd. He was stoned by a party of Hugenots and suffered from the injury for the rest of his life.
This miracle worker died on a Whitsunday, just as the bell was tolling to announce the consecration at the high Mass.
Saint Paschal Baylon is the patron of shepherds, the Eucharist and Eucharistic guilds, societies and congresses, and of Italian women (there seems no obvious explanation of this except that his name-- "Baylonna," in Italian--rhymes with "donna"). He is portrayed in art in the act of adoration before the Host; or watching sheep (Attwater2, Benedictines, White).
SOURCE
: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0517.shtml
Cominciamo col dire che il nome Pasquale è di origine cristiana ed è molto usato anche nel femminile Pasqualina. Veniva dato ai bambini nati il giorno di Pasqua, ma le sue lontane origini sono ebraiche (Pesah = passaggio) volendo indicare il passaggio del popolo ebraico del Mar Rosso e il passaggio dell’angelo del Signore che salvò, segnandone le case con il sangue dell’agnello, i primogeniti ebrei per distinguerli da quelli egiziani destinati alla morte nell’ultima piaga d’Egitto.
Non è tuttavia il caso di Pasquale Baylón, che nacque il 16 maggio 1540, giorno di Pentecoste (che è detta anche “Pasqua rosata” o, in spagnolo, “Pascua de Pentecostés”), a Torre Hermosa in Aragona, Spagna, da Martín Baylón e da Isabel Jubera. Fin da bambino dimostrò una spiccata devozione verso l’Eucaristia, che sarà poi la caratteristica di tutta la sua vita religiosa.
Fu pastore prima del gregge della famiglia, poi a servizio di altri padroni. La solitudine dei campi favorì la meditazione, il suo desiderio di spiritualità, la continua preghiera; prese anche a mortificare il suo giovane corpo con lunghi digiuni e flagellazioni dolorose.
Vocazione francescana
A 18 anni chiese di essere accolto nel convento di Santa Maria di Loreto, dei Francescani Riformati detti Alcantarini da san Pietro d’Alcantara, riformatore dell’Ordine; non fu accettato, forse per la giovane età.
Pur di rimanere nei dintorni del convento, entrò al servizio, sempre come pastore, del ricchissimo possidente Martín García. Ammirato da questo suo giovane dipendente, gli propose di adottarlo così da poter diventare suo erede universale, ma lui oppose un deciso rifiuto, perché più che mai era deciso ad entrare tra i frati di san Francesco.
Dopo due anni, nel 1560, venne ammesso nel convento di S. Maria di Loreto, dove fece la sua professione religiosa il 2 febbraio 1564. Non volle mai ascendere al sacerdozio, nonostante il parere favorevole dei superiori, perché non si sentiva degno: si accontentò di rimanere un semplice fratello laico.
Frate portinaio dotato di scienza infusa
Fu per anni addetto ai vari servizi del convento, specialmente come portinaio, compito che espletò sempre con grande bontà, anche nei conventi di Jatíva e Valencia. Sebbene così giovane, si acquistò una certa fama di santità per le virtù cristiane e morali, ma anche per fatti prodigiosi che gli vennero attribuiti.
Fu davvero “pentecostale”, cioè favorito dagli straordinari doni dello Spirito Santo, tra cui quello della sapienza infusa: sapeva leggere e scrivere, ma non era molto colto. Eppure, era costantemente richiesto per consiglio da tanti illustri personaggi.
In missione tra i calvinisti
Anche il Padre Provinciale degli Alcantarini di Spagna, nel 1576, dovendo comunicare con urgenza col Padre Generale risiedente a Parigi, pensò di mandare fra Pasquale con la missiva, ben sapendo le gravi difficoltà del viaggio per l’attraversamento di alcune province francesi, che in quell’epoca erano dominate dai calvinisti.
Infatti il frate fu fatto oggetto di continue derisioni, insulti, percosse. A Orléans fu anche in pericolo di morte per lapidazione: aveva tenuto una serrata disputa sull’Eucaristia, tenendo testa agli oppositori e rintuzzando le loro false argomentazioni.
Serafino dell’Eucaristia
Al ritorno della sua delicata e pericolosa missione, fra Pasquale compose un piccolo libro di definizioni e sentenze sulla reale presenza di Gesù nell’Eucaristia e sul potere divino trasmesso al pontefice romano. A testimonianza di questa grande devozione, per cui venne soprannominato “Serafino dell’Eucaristia”, ci sono pervenuti i suoi pensieri personali e preghiere, che aggiungeva alle raccolte di scritti su temi eucaristici che trascriveva in un suo scartafaccio.
La morte
Per il suo desiderio di maggior perfezione, si sottoponeva a continue e pesanti mortificazioni e a penitenze sempre più numerose, al punto che la sua salute era ormai compromessa.Fu sorpreso dalla morte il 17 maggio 1592, il giorno dopo il suo cinquantaduesimo compleanno, presso il convento del Rosario a Villarreal, vicino Valencia. Come era accaduto il giorno della sua nascita, anche allora era Pentecoste.
I funerali videro la partecipazione di una folla di fedeli, che volle fare omaggio di una sentita venerazione alla salma dell’umile fratello laico francescano, la cui santità, per i miracoli che avvennero, fu conosciuta in tutto il mondo cattolico.
Culto e iconografia
Fu particolarmente venerato a Napoli, soggetta alla dominazione spagnola. Il culto si concentrò in due grandi e celebri conventi francescani,un tempo degli Alcantarini, ma ancora esistenti: San Pasquale a Chiaia e San Pasquale al Granatello, quest’ultimo nella città di Portici. Il suo nome fu dato a generazioni di bambini, come del resto in tutto il Sud Italia.
Fu beatificato 26 anni dopo la morte, il 29 ottobre 1618, da papa Paolo V e proclamato santo il 16 ottobre 1690 da papa Alessandro VIII. I suoi resti, che si veneravano con grande devozione a Villarreal, furono profanati e dispersi durante la guerra civile spagnola; in parte furono successivamente recuperati e restituiti alla città nel 1952.
La sua appassionata devozione per l’Eucaristia ha ispirato nei secoli i tanti artisti che l’hanno raffigurato: nelle opere d’arte, come nelle immaginette devozionali, compare sempre nell’atto di adorare il Santissimo Sacramento nell’ostensorio.
Patronati ufficiali e tradizionali
Papa Leone XIII, il 28 novembre 1897, lo proclamò patrono delle opere eucaristiche e dei congressi eucaristici. Popolarmente è considerato patrono anche dei cuochi e dei pasticcieri, in base ai suoi umili servizi svolti nel convento; secondo una tradizione, sarebbe l’inventore dello zabaione, il cui nome deriva evidentemente dal suo. Probabilmente per un’assonanza con il suo cognome (“San Pasquale Baylonne, protettore delle donne”), viene infine invocato dalle nubili in cerca di marito e dalle donne in generale.
Autore: Antonio Borrelli
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Paschal Baylon, OFM (RM)
Born in Torre Hermosa, Aragon, Spain, in 1540; died Villareal, Spain, 1592; beatified in 1618; canonized in 1690; declared patron of all Eucharistic congresses and confraternities in 1897.
Saint Paschal Baylon, son of the peasants Martin Baylon and Elizabeth Jubera, received his name from the day on which he was born: Whitsunday. He worked as a shepherd for his father and others until the age of 24. At 18, after a vision, he had applied to join the Franciscans at Loreto, 200 miles away, but the monks turned him down, knowing nothing of him personally. He applied again, a few years later (1564), and was accepted, and he lived a strict life according to the recently initiated reforms of Saint Peter of Alcantara.
He served primarily as a doorkeeper at various friaries in Spain. His intense devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is obvious from the long hours he spent kneeling before the tabernacle, with his clasped hands outstretched.
He was sent to France with a message to Father Christopher de Cheffontaines, the minister general of the Observants, and travelled wearing his habit during a dangerous time of religious wars. He was accosted several times and once narrowly escaped with his life, after he defended the doctrine of the Real Presence of the Holy Eucharist to a Calvinist preacher and a crowd. He was stoned by a party of Hugenots and suffered from the injury for the rest of his life.
This miracle worker died on a Whitsunday, just as the bell was tolling to announce the consecration at the high Mass.
Saint Paschal Baylon is the patron of shepherds, the Eucharist and Eucharistic guilds, societies and congresses, and of Italian women (there seems no obvious explanation of this except that his name-- "Baylonna," in Italian--rhymes with "donna"). He is portrayed in art in the act of adoration before the Host; or watching sheep (Attwater2, Benedictines, White).
SOURCE
: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0517.shtml
Pictorial
Lives of the Saints – Saint Paschal Baylon
Article
From a child Paschal seems to have been marked out for
the service of God; and amidst his daily labors he found time to instruct and
evangelize the rude herdsmen who kept their flocks on the hills of Aragon. At
the age of twenty-four he entered the Franciscan Order, in which, however, he
remained, from humility, a simple lay-brother, and occupied himself, by preference,
with the roughest and most servile tasks. He was distinguished by an ardent
love and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He would spend hours on his knees
before the tabernacle — often he was raised from the ground in the fervor of
his prayer—and there, from the very and eternal Truth, he drew such stores of
wisdom that, unlettered as he was, he was counted by all a master in theology
and spiritual science. Shortly after his profession, he was called to Paris on
business connected with his Order. The journey was full of peril, owing to the
hostility of the Huguenots, who were numerous at the time in the south of
France; and on four separate occasions Paschal was in imminent danger of death
at the hands of the heretics. But it was not God’s will that His servant should
obtain the crown of martyrdom which, though judging himself all unworthy of it,
he so earnestly desired, and he returned in safety to his convent, where he
died in the odor of sanctity, May 15th, 1592. As Paschal was watching his sheep
on the mountain-side, he heard the consecration bell ring out from a church in
the valley below, where the villagers were assembled for Mass. The Saint fell
on his knees, when suddenly there stood before him an angel of God, bearing in
his hands the Sacred Host, and offering it for his adoration. Learn from this
how pleasing to Jesus Christ are those who honor Him in this great mystery of
His love; and how to them especially this promise is fulfilled: “I will not
leave you orphans; I will come unto you.” John 14:18.
Reflection – Saint Paschal teaches us, never to suffer
a day to pass without visiting Jesus in the narrow chamber where He, whom the
heaven itself cannot contain, abides day and night for our sake.
MLA Citation
John Dawson Gilmary Shea. “Saint Paschal
Baylon”. Pictorial Lives of the Saints, 1889. CatholicSaints.Info.
29 March 2014. Web. 17 May 2021.
<https://catholicsaints.info/pictorial-lives-of-the-saints-saint-paschal-baylon/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/pictorial-lives-of-the-saints-saint-paschal-baylon/
San Pasquale Baylon Religioso
francescano
Torre Hermosa, Spagna, 16 maggio 1540 – Villarreal,
Spagna, 17 maggio 1592
Nacque il
16 maggio 1540, nel giorno di Pentecoste, a Torre Hermosa, in Aragona. Di umili
origini, sin da piccolo venne avviato al pascolo delle greggi. Durante il
lavoro si isolava spesso per pregare. A 18 anni chiese di essere ammesso nel
convento dei francescani Alcantarini di Santa Maria di Loreto, da cui venne
respinto, forse per la giovane età. Tuttavia non si perse d'animo, venendo
ammesso al noviziato il 2 febbraio 1564. L'anno successivo, emise la solenne
professione come «fratello laico» non sentendosi degno del sacerdozio. Nel 1576
il ministro provinciale gli affidò il compito, estremamente pericoloso, di
portare documenti importanti a Parigi, rischiando di essere ucciso dai
calvinisti. L'impegno venne comunque assolto in modo proficuo. Tutta la sua
vita fu caratterizzata da un profondo amore per l'Eucaristia che gli valse il
titolo di «teologo dell'Eucaristia». Fu anche autore di un libro sulla reale
presenza di Cristo nel pane e nel vino. Morì nel convento di Villa Real, presso
Valencia il 17 maggio 1592, domenica di Pentecoste. Fu canonizzato da
Alessandro VIII nel 1690. Nel 1897 Leone XIII lo proclamò patrono dei Congressi
eucaristici. (Avvenire)
Patronato:
Patrono dei Congressi Eucaristici (Leone XIII)
Etimologia:
Pasquale = in onore della festa cristiana
Emblema: Ostensorio
Martirologio
Romano: A Villa Real presso Valencia in Spagna, san Pasquale Baylon, religioso
dell’Ordine dei Frati Minori, che, mostrandosi sempre premuroso e benevolo
verso tutti, venerò costantemente con fervido amore il mistero della Santissima
Eucaristia.
Infanzia
e primi anni
Cominciamo col dire che il nome Pasquale è di origine cristiana ed è molto usato anche nel femminile Pasqualina. Veniva dato ai bambini nati il giorno di Pasqua, ma le sue lontane origini sono ebraiche (Pesah = passaggio) volendo indicare il passaggio del popolo ebraico del Mar Rosso e il passaggio dell’angelo del Signore che salvò, segnandone le case con il sangue dell’agnello, i primogeniti ebrei per distinguerli da quelli egiziani destinati alla morte nell’ultima piaga d’Egitto.
Non è tuttavia il caso di Pasquale Baylón, che nacque il 16 maggio 1540, giorno di Pentecoste (che è detta anche “Pasqua rosata” o, in spagnolo, “Pascua de Pentecostés”), a Torre Hermosa in Aragona, Spagna, da Martín Baylón e da Isabel Jubera. Fin da bambino dimostrò una spiccata devozione verso l’Eucaristia, che sarà poi la caratteristica di tutta la sua vita religiosa.
Fu pastore prima del gregge della famiglia, poi a servizio di altri padroni. La solitudine dei campi favorì la meditazione, il suo desiderio di spiritualità, la continua preghiera; prese anche a mortificare il suo giovane corpo con lunghi digiuni e flagellazioni dolorose.
Vocazione francescana
A 18 anni chiese di essere accolto nel convento di Santa Maria di Loreto, dei Francescani Riformati detti Alcantarini da san Pietro d’Alcantara, riformatore dell’Ordine; non fu accettato, forse per la giovane età.
Pur di rimanere nei dintorni del convento, entrò al servizio, sempre come pastore, del ricchissimo possidente Martín García. Ammirato da questo suo giovane dipendente, gli propose di adottarlo così da poter diventare suo erede universale, ma lui oppose un deciso rifiuto, perché più che mai era deciso ad entrare tra i frati di san Francesco.
Dopo due anni, nel 1560, venne ammesso nel convento di S. Maria di Loreto, dove fece la sua professione religiosa il 2 febbraio 1564. Non volle mai ascendere al sacerdozio, nonostante il parere favorevole dei superiori, perché non si sentiva degno: si accontentò di rimanere un semplice fratello laico.
Frate portinaio dotato di scienza infusa
Fu per anni addetto ai vari servizi del convento, specialmente come portinaio, compito che espletò sempre con grande bontà, anche nei conventi di Jatíva e Valencia. Sebbene così giovane, si acquistò una certa fama di santità per le virtù cristiane e morali, ma anche per fatti prodigiosi che gli vennero attribuiti.
Fu davvero “pentecostale”, cioè favorito dagli straordinari doni dello Spirito Santo, tra cui quello della sapienza infusa: sapeva leggere e scrivere, ma non era molto colto. Eppure, era costantemente richiesto per consiglio da tanti illustri personaggi.
In missione tra i calvinisti
Anche il Padre Provinciale degli Alcantarini di Spagna, nel 1576, dovendo comunicare con urgenza col Padre Generale risiedente a Parigi, pensò di mandare fra Pasquale con la missiva, ben sapendo le gravi difficoltà del viaggio per l’attraversamento di alcune province francesi, che in quell’epoca erano dominate dai calvinisti.
Infatti il frate fu fatto oggetto di continue derisioni, insulti, percosse. A Orléans fu anche in pericolo di morte per lapidazione: aveva tenuto una serrata disputa sull’Eucaristia, tenendo testa agli oppositori e rintuzzando le loro false argomentazioni.
Serafino dell’Eucaristia
Al ritorno della sua delicata e pericolosa missione, fra Pasquale compose un piccolo libro di definizioni e sentenze sulla reale presenza di Gesù nell’Eucaristia e sul potere divino trasmesso al pontefice romano. A testimonianza di questa grande devozione, per cui venne soprannominato “Serafino dell’Eucaristia”, ci sono pervenuti i suoi pensieri personali e preghiere, che aggiungeva alle raccolte di scritti su temi eucaristici che trascriveva in un suo scartafaccio.
La morte
Per il suo desiderio di maggior perfezione, si sottoponeva a continue e pesanti mortificazioni e a penitenze sempre più numerose, al punto che la sua salute era ormai compromessa.Fu sorpreso dalla morte il 17 maggio 1592, il giorno dopo il suo cinquantaduesimo compleanno, presso il convento del Rosario a Villarreal, vicino Valencia. Come era accaduto il giorno della sua nascita, anche allora era Pentecoste.
I funerali videro la partecipazione di una folla di fedeli, che volle fare omaggio di una sentita venerazione alla salma dell’umile fratello laico francescano, la cui santità, per i miracoli che avvennero, fu conosciuta in tutto il mondo cattolico.
Culto e iconografia
Fu particolarmente venerato a Napoli, soggetta alla dominazione spagnola. Il culto si concentrò in due grandi e celebri conventi francescani,un tempo degli Alcantarini, ma ancora esistenti: San Pasquale a Chiaia e San Pasquale al Granatello, quest’ultimo nella città di Portici. Il suo nome fu dato a generazioni di bambini, come del resto in tutto il Sud Italia.
Fu beatificato 26 anni dopo la morte, il 29 ottobre 1618, da papa Paolo V e proclamato santo il 16 ottobre 1690 da papa Alessandro VIII. I suoi resti, che si veneravano con grande devozione a Villarreal, furono profanati e dispersi durante la guerra civile spagnola; in parte furono successivamente recuperati e restituiti alla città nel 1952.
La sua appassionata devozione per l’Eucaristia ha ispirato nei secoli i tanti artisti che l’hanno raffigurato: nelle opere d’arte, come nelle immaginette devozionali, compare sempre nell’atto di adorare il Santissimo Sacramento nell’ostensorio.
Patronati ufficiali e tradizionali
Papa Leone XIII, il 28 novembre 1897, lo proclamò patrono delle opere eucaristiche e dei congressi eucaristici. Popolarmente è considerato patrono anche dei cuochi e dei pasticcieri, in base ai suoi umili servizi svolti nel convento; secondo una tradizione, sarebbe l’inventore dello zabaione, il cui nome deriva evidentemente dal suo. Probabilmente per un’assonanza con il suo cognome (“San Pasquale Baylonne, protettore delle donne”), viene infine invocato dalle nubili in cerca di marito e dalle donne in generale.
Autore: Antonio Borrelli
Attributed to Andrés de la Calleja (1705–1785),
San Pascual Bailón, circa 1755, 58,5 x 41,5, Museum Cerralbo, Madrid
Den hellige Paschalis Baylón (1540-1592)
Minnedag: 17.
mai
Den hellige Paschalis Baylón (Pascal) ble født den 16.
mai 1540 i Torre Hermosa i Aragón på grensen til Castilla i Spania. Han var
sønn av den beskjedne bonden Martin Baylón og hans hustru Elisabeth Jubera. Han
ble født på pinsedag og skulle dø på pinsedag, og navnet hadde han også fra
denne festens navn: «Pascua de Pentecosta». På italiensk og spansk gis
navnet Pascua også til andre store fester i årets løp enn påsken.
Foreldrene var fattige, og unge Paschalis måtte som
syvåring ut og tjene som gjeter, først hos faren og deretter hos en rik
godseier, og noen skolegang kom ikke på tale. Han lærte seg imidlertid å lese
og skrive på egen hånd etter den eneste boken han hadde, en bønnebok med
Mariaofficiet. Han var en påpasselig gjeter, men noen ganger skadet sauene
vingårder i nærheten, kanskje mens hyrden knelte i bønn, og da insisterte han å
betale for skadene av sin egen beskjedne lønn.
Som 17-åring fikk Paschalis høre om
fransiskanerordenen, og han ønsket å leve som dem. Han skal angivelig ha hatt
visjoner av de hellige Frans og Klara av Assisi,
som ba ham om å bli fransiskaner. Han gikk til godseieren han tjente hos og sa
opp jobben, og han avslo sin herres tilbud om å bli adoptert og innsatt som arving.
Deretter dro han til nærmeste fransiskanerkloster, Monteforte eller Loreto ved
Alicante på Spanias østkyst, 30 mil unna. Men her sa guardianen (superioren) at
han måtte gjennom en lang prøvetid for å finne ut om kallet til å leve som munk
virkelig kom fra hjertet. Men Paschalis ventet tålmodig, og i syv år bodde han
nær klosteret og livnærte seg ved å gjete sauer. For øvrig fulgte han
fransiskanernes livsrytme, og hver gang han hørte klosterklokken, gjorde han
for seg selv det brødrene hadde på sin dagsorden.
I 1564 ble han endelig som 24-åring tatt opp hos
fransiskanerne i Monteforte. De tilhørte den grenen av ordenen som var
reformert av den hellige Peter av Alcántara (1499-1562).
Den kalles også alcantarinerne (Ordo Fratrum Minorum Discalceatorum
[Excalceatorum, Alcantarinorum] – OFMAlc) eller (OFM Strictoris
[Strictissimae] Observantiae Discalceatorum – OFMDisc). I klosteret ville
hans overordnede gi ham muligheten til å studere og bli prest, men han holdt
seg selv for uverdig og fortsatte å være legbror hele livet. Han levde et liv i
bønn og arbeid uten de store ytre begivenheter. Han fulgte ordenens regel
strengt, dyrket fattigdommen og adlød sine overordnede i stort og smått. Han bodde
i flere klostre, for det meste arbeidet han som portner. Om livet bar han som
botsverktøy en tung jernlenke, den sov han også med.
Paschalis viet seg til nestekjærlig arbeid, og med
konstant godt humør tok han seg av de syke og de fattige. En dag han stengte
seg inne i refektoriet, ble han observert av en medbror mens han utførte en
kunstferdig dans foran statuen av Jomfru Maria som en moderne Jongleur de
Notre Dame. Men fremfor alt øvde alterets sakrament en uimotståelig
tiltrekningskraft på ham. For det meste sov han bare tre timer, resten av
natten og ellers når pliktene tillot det, tilbrakte han i dyp andakt foran
tabernaklet. Deretter tjente han ved den ene messen etter den andre tidlig på
morgenen.
I 1570 sendte hans overordnede ham til Frankrike med
en viktig beskjed til den svært lærde p. Christophe de Cheffontaines i
Bretagne, som da var ordensgeneral for fransiskanerordenens observantgren. På
veien dit måtte han gjennom Sør-Frankrike, hvor det på den tiden var voldsomme
sammenstøt mellom katolikkene og kalvinistene. Selv om prester og ordensfolk
var svært utsatte, falt det ikke Paschalis inn å ta av den brune kutten for å
beskytte seg. Han ble angrepet flere ganger, og en gang ble han steinet slik at
han for resten av livet ble lam i en arm, og det var et under at han kom fra
det med livet.
Hans siste sykdom var kort og heftig, og pinsedag den
17. mai 1592 sovnet han inn, 52 år gammel i Villarreal (Castellón de la Plana)
ved Valencia. På grunn av den store tilstrømningen av mennesker som ønsket å se
den avdøde, ble hans legeme båret fra den beskjedne cellen hvor han hadde dødd
til et av kapellene i kirken Vår Frue av Rosenkransen. De sørgende som
defilerte forbi legemet var forbløffet over å se den himmelske utstrålingen og
den parfymerte væsken som hadde samlet seg på hans panne etter hans død. I de
tre dagene legemet var utstilt strømmet det store mengder «hellig svette» fra
Paschalis' legeme. Bevæpnede vakter skal ha vært nødvendig for å kontrollere
folkemengden. Mange klarte å samle opp noe av væsken på små tøystykker, og de
skal senere ha helbredet mange uhelbredlig syke. Flere underlige ting hendte
mens legemet var utstilt, blant annet skal den døde ha åpnet øynene flere
ganger.
Etter tre dager ble Paschalis' legeme ikledd en ny
drakt, for den gamle var revet i stykker av relikviesamlere. Før begravelsen
dekket husets guardian legemet med et tykt lag kalk så kjøttet raskt skulle
forsvinne fra knoklene, som ville bli fine og hvite og egne seg for utstilling.
Legemet lå slik i åtte måneder inntil ordenens provinsial, p. Johannes Ximenes,
som hadde vært syk og derfor ikke i stand til å delta i begravelsen, besøkte
Paschalis' grav med det formål å åpne graven i hemmelighet. Da det ble gjort,
fant de at legemet på mirakuløst vis var like friskt.
Den andre åpningen av graven skjedde den 22. juli
1594. Legemet var fortsatt like friskt, bortsett fra neseborene og deler av
huden. Det ble også funnet at deler av et øre og en finger tidligere var tatt
som relikvier. Datoen for den tredje private åpningen av graven er ukjent, men
en av munkene foretok da uten autorisasjon en amputasjon av begge føttene og
fjernet dem. Da denne helligbrøden ble oppdaget, forlangte de overordnede at
føttene straks ble returnert, under trussel om ekskommunikasjon, og i løpet av
få timer var føttene igjen på plass i kisten. Fra disse amputerte føttene ble
det senere tatt utallige relikvier.
Nitten år etter Paschalis' død ble det foretatt en
offisiell åpning av graven i anledning saligkåringsprosessen. I nærvær av
biskopen av Segorbe, provinsialen, sakens postulator, visse fremstående
dignitærer, leger og en notar, ble de tre låsene på kisten åpnet, og legemet
ble igjen funnet helt uråtnet.
Det ble meldt om tallrike undere ved hans grav, der
hørte man også gjentatte mystiske bankelyder (golpes), noe som skjedde med
jevne mellomrom i 200 år.
Han ble saligkåret den 29. oktober 1618 av pave Paul V
(1605-21) og helligkåret den 16. oktober 1690 av pave Alexander VIII (1689-91).
Helligkåringsbullen var datert 15. juli 1691. På grunn av sin hengivenhet til
alterets sakrament og sitt forsvar av den sanne lære om nattverden overfor en
kalvinistisk mobb, ble han i 1897 utropt til vernehelgen for eukaristiske
kongresser og sakramentsbrorskap av pave Leo XIII (1878-1903) i hans
apostoliske brev Providentissimus Deus.
Hans minnedag er dødsdagen 17. mai. Ved
kalenderreformen i 1969 ble hans minnedag fjernet fra den universelle
kalenderen og henvist til lokale og spesielle kalendere. Hans navn står i
Martyrologium Romanum. Hans relikvier ble vanhelliget og brent i 1936 under den
spanske borgerkrigen. Han blir fremstilt som fransiskaner med en lenke om
livet, ofte med en monstrans. Hans biografi ble skrevet av hans medbror og
superior, p. Ximenes.
Kilder:
Attwater/John, Attwater/Cumming, Farmer, Bentley, Butler, Butler (V),
Benedictines, Delaney, Bunson, Cruz (1), Engelhart, Schauber/Schindler,
Melchers, Dammer/Adam, Index99, KIR, CE, CSO, Patron Saints SQPN, Infocatho,
Bautz, Heiligenlexikon - Kompilasjon og oversettelse: p. Per Einar Odden -
Opprettet: 2000-05-11 23:40 - - Sist oppdatert: 2005-12-26 16:26
