On the Feast of St. Stephen of Hungary

On September 2 Holy Mother Church honors the Apostle of Hungary, St. Stephen the king.  Renowned for establishing Hungary as a Catholic country, he was crowned king in 1001 on the feast of the Assumption of Mary.  St. Stephen held a great love for our Lady and declared her to be the patroness of Hungary.  His zeal for the souls throughout his kingdom brought him to spend many nights in humble prayer and penance for them.  St. Stephen is also recognized for his great care for the poor, and he often disguised himself to attend to them in secret, serving their every need.  As a sign of his charity towards the poor, St. Stephen's right hand remains incorrupt.  

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St. Stephen desired his eldest son Emeric, a saintly young man, to follow the path of leading Hungary as a Catholic nation, and instructed him thus, “My dearest son, if you desire to honor the royal crown, I advise, I counsel, I urge you above all things to maintain the Catholic and apostolic faith with such diligence and care that you may be an example for all those placed under you by God and that all the clergy may rightly call you a man of true Christian profession. Failing to do this, you may be sure that you will not be called a Christian or a son of the Church... My beloved son, delight of my heart, hope of your posterity, I pray, I command, that at every time and in everything, strengthened by your devotion to me, you may show favor... to all who come to you... Be merciful... Be patient with everyone, not only with the powerful, but also with the weak. Finally be strong lest prosperity lift you up too much or adversity cast you down. Be humble in this life, that God may raise you up in the next. Be truly moderate and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately. Be gentle so that you may never oppose justice. Be honorable so that you may never voluntarily bring disgrace upon anyone. Be chaste so that you may avoid all the foulness of lust like the pangs of death.  All these virtues I have noted above make up the royal crown and without them no one is fit to rule here on earth or attain to the heavenly kingdom.”

However, Emeric died seven years before St. Stephen; the king's remaining children also died, leaving him with no heirs to protect the Catholic faith in Hungary.  In 1038 St. Stephen died on his favorite day, the feast of the Assumption of Mary after receiving the Last Sacraments.  His final prayer was to our Lady, whom he loved much.   “To thee, O Queen of heaven, and to thy guardianship, I commend the holy Church, all the bishops and the clergy, the whole kingdom, its rulers and inhabitants; but before all, I commend my soul to thy care.”  St. Stephen and Emeric were canonized on the same day in 1083.

In imitation of the devotion and love towards our Lady by St. Stephen of Hungary, may we remember to honor our Heavenly Mother, offering her acts of love and reparation.  May we always remember to entrust our Lady with our own souls.

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Reparation for Insults to the Blessed Virgin Mary

O Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, look down in mercy from Heaven, where thou art enthroned as Queen, upon me, a miserable sinner, thine unworthy servant. Although I know full well my own unworthiness, yet in order to atone for the offences that are done to thee by impious and blasphemous tongues, from the depths of my heart I praise and extol thee as the purest, the fairest, the holiest creature of all God’s handiwork.

I bless thy holy name, I praise thine exalted privilege of being truly Mother of God, ever Virgin, conceived without stain of sin, Co-Redemptrix of the human race. I bless the Eternal Father Who chose thee in an especial way for His daughter; I bless the Word Incarnate Who took upon Himself our nature in thy bosom and so made thee His Mother; I bless the Holy Spirit who took thee as His bride. All honour, praise and thanksgiving to the ever-blessed Trinity who predestined thee and loved thee so exceedingly from all eternity as to exalt thee above all creatures to the most sublime heights.

O Virgin, holy and merciful, obtain for all who offend thee the grace of repentance, and graciously accept this poor act of homage from me thy servant, obtaining likewise for me from thy Divine Son the pardon and remission of all my sins. Amen.
(--The Raccolta)

God bless!

+JMJ+