Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Ha-Sang & their Companions

Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Ha-Sang 

& their Companions

Andrew Kim Tae-gon was born on 21 August 1821, in Chungchong Province, Korea. His parents, being converts to Catholicism, were subject to persecution, to avoid which they moved to Kyonggi Province. At 15 years old, Kim Tae-gon was chosen by a visiting priest to be a seminarian, and was sent with two other seminarians to Macao. He arrived in 1873 and began his studies with the missionaries of the Far Eastern Procure of the Parish Foreign Mission Society.  In 1842 Kim Tae-gon left Macao as an interpreter for a French admiral aboard a warship. When the admiral returned to France, Kim Tae-gon tried to return to his homeland through the strictly guarded norther frontier, but he failed. He was ordained a deacon in China in 1844 and managed to return to Korea the next year, arriving in Seoul early in 1845. He then led the French missionaries by sea to Shanghai, where Bishop Ferreol ordained him the first Korean priest in the Church’s 60-year history in Korea. He returned to Korea with Bishop Ferreol, reaching Chungchong Province in October of the same year. In his home town and vicinity, he catechized the faithful, until Bishop Ferreol summoned him to Seoul. At the Bishop's command, he tried to introduce French missionaries from China into Korea, enlisting the aid of Chinese fishermen. For this, Father Kim Tae-gon was arrested and sent to the central prison in Seoul, where was charged as the ringleader of a heretical sect and traitor to his country. He was sentenced to death and was beheaded on 16 September 1846.  He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1925, and canonized by Pope John-Paul II on 6 May 1984.

Archabbot Egbert Donovan, O.S.B.

Archabbot Egbert was born on January 15, 1913 and later entered the Order of Saint Benedict on July 2, 1934. After his ordination to the priesthood on June 16, 1941, he served in the Saint Vincent Prep School for many years, as Dean in the College, and four years in our campus ministry apostolate at Penn State. He then served as Prior of the monastery and principal at our Priory in Savannah before being blessed with the Office of Archabbot. He was a decisive and warm archabbot who had a firm but gentle leadership. None can forget his malapropisms that kept us smiling. Because of poor health, Archabbot Egbert resigned his office. He continued to live with the community for almost twenty years until his death on September 17, 1998. In his later years, Archabbot Egbert tried to develop some computer skills which is so characteristic of our dear Father in Christ. He was always ready for a new adventure; indeed he fulfilled his own motto, “We Must Act Now.”

Saint Hildegard of Bingen

Today, September 17th, is the feast of Saint Hildegard of Bingen. Hildegard was born in 1098, in the Rhineland of Germany. She became a Benedictine nun and served as Abbess of her community. Hildegard was a mystic who received visions from

God. Her major work, Sci Vias Domine, Know the Way of the Lord, details her many visions. Hildegard was also a gifted musician, artist, poet, cook, a "proto-pharmacist", gardener, brilliant author, master of humility, and dedicated Benedictine nun, who was on fire with the love of God. She died on September 17, 1179, at the Abbey of Bingen, near the Rhine river in Germany. She was canonized by popular acclaim not long after her death. For a thousand years, she has been honored by the Benedictines nuns and monks for her model of openness to God. Pope Benedict XVI recently made her canonization official and on October 7, 2012, will proclaim Hildegard of Bingen,the 35th Doctor of the Church, for the tremendous contribution that she made to Christianity and the importance of her message in today's world. Saint Hildegard, pray for us! Happy Feast of Saint Hildegard to all!

Feast of the Veneration of the Most Holy Cross

Veneration of the Cross. This feast began in the 4th century after the miraculous discovery of the True Cross in Jerusalem by St. Helen. A traditional prayer for this is, "We adore you Jesus Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world." 

In the seventh century, the Church in Rome adopted the practice of Adoration of the Cross from the Church in Jerusalem, where a fragment of wood believed to be the Lord's cross had been venerated every year on Good Friday since the fourth century. According to tradition, a part of the Holy Cross was discovered by the mother of the emperor Constantine, St. Helen, on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 326. A fifth century account describes this service in Jerusalem. A coffer of gold-plated silver containing the wood of the cross was brought forward. The bishop placed the relic on the a table in the chapel of the Crucifixion and the faithful approached it, touching brow and eyes and lips to the wood as the priest said (as every priest has done ever since): 'Behold, the Wood of the Cross.'

Adoration or veneration of an image or representation of Christ's cross does not mean that we actually adore the material image, of course, but rather what it represents. In kneeling before the crucifix and kissing it we are paying the highest honor to our Lord's cross as the instrument of our salvation. Because the Cross is inseparable from His sacrifice, in reverencing His Cross we, in effect, adore Christ. Thus we affirm: 'We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee because by Thy Holy Cross Thou has Redeemed the World.

The Most Holy Name of Mary

The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary was suppressed after the liturgical revisions following Vatican II, but restored as an optional memorial to September 12th in the revised Missal.

After the most holy and adorable Name of Jesus, there is no name more glorious or more powerful than the name of Mary. At the mention of this name, the Angels rejoice and the devils tremble; through this invocation of this name, sinners obtain grace and pardon. --St. Peter Canisius

As wax melts before fire, so do the devils lose their power against those souls who remember the name of Mary and devoutly invoke it. --St. BonaventureHer Son esteems Her prayers so greatly, and is so desirous to satisfy Her, that when She prays it seems as if She rather commanded than prayed, and was rather a queen than a handmaid." --St. Peter Damian



Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica has a chapel dedicated to the names or titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mary, Gate of Heaven

 Mary, Ark of the Covenant

Mary, Health of the Sick

Mary, Seat of Wisdom

Mary, Vessel of Honor

Mary, Vessel of Devotion