St. Lawrence of Brindisi

St. Lawrence of Brindisi

Born at Brindisi in the Kingdom of Naples, Lawrence entered the Capuchin order as a young man. He acquired a thorough knowledge of philosophy and theology and became proficient in several languages, ancient as well as modern. When he had been ordained a priest, he undertook the work of preaching, in which he labored indefatigably throughout almost all Italy and other European countries. Possessed of unusual prudence as well as the gift of counsel, he was given authority over the whole Order and was often employed by the popes for very important diplomatic missions. Indeed, it has been attributed chiefly to him that the Christian princes joined their forces against the invading Turkish troops. The Christian army engaged the Turkish forces in Hungary, and with Lawrence himself riding before the army, armed with the Crucifix, and urging on the soldiers and generals, they won a remarkable victory. Among all these important activities, he practiced the virtues of the religious to heroic degree. Whatever spare time he had, he devoted to prayer, wonderfully combining the interior life with the external and active life. Finally he died in 1619, at Lisbon, in the line of battle, at it were: he had been sent there by the people of Naples to put their case before the King of Spain, as a forceful pleader for Christian freedom and justice. He left many writings devoted to the defense of Catholic faith against heretics, and to the explanation of Sacred Scripture. Pope Leo XIII enrolled him among the Saints, and Pope John XXIII declared him a doctor of the Universal Church.

Deus, qui ad árdua quæque pro nóminis tui glória et animárum salúte beáto Lauréntio, Confessóri tuo atque Doctóri, spíritum sapiéntiæ et fortitúdinis contulísti: da nobis in eódem spíritu et agénda cognóscere; et cógnita, eius intercessióne, perfícere.

Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.

R. Amen.

O Lord, you conferred the spirit of wisdom and fortitude on St. Lawrence, Confessor and teacher of faith, to help him perform difficult tasks for the glory of Your name and for the salvation of souls. At his intercession grant us by the same Spirit the grace to know what we ought to do and the courage to do it.

Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.