Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time: October 9, 2011

My Dear Parishioners,

Traditionally the Feast of St. Edward the Confessor is celebrated on October 13th. This weekend I thought it would be good to write about our patron saint Edward the Confessor , born in England in 1003. At the age of 13 Edward was sent to Normandy with his mother when the Danes invaded England. While in exile he made a vow to go on a pilgrimage to St. Peter’s tomb in Rome, if God would grant an end to his family’s misfortune. In 1042 Edward returned to England and was proclaimed King at the age of 40. The reign of Edward was a peaceful one, characterized by his good rule and remission of military taxes. He is considered one of the most popular of all English Kings.
After settling on the thrown, Edward announced his vow of a pilgrimage to Rome. He was advised
by council not to go because the kingdom would be left exposed to domestic division and to foreign enemies during his absence. Pope St. Leo IX dispensed Edward from his vow if he would give the pilgrimage money to the poor and if he would build, or repair and endow a monastery in honor of St. Peter. King Edward selected an abbey already close to London. It had come to be called West minister. The present church called Westminster Abbey on the site of St. Edward ‘s building was built in the 13th century. The abbey church was consecrated on December 26, 1065 but Edward was too ill to be present and died a week later and was buried in the Abbey. In 1161 St. Edward was canonized by Pope Alexander III on October 13, the day fixed for his feast. The holiness of St. Edward gained him the surname “Confessor”. In medieval times the shrine attracted many pilgrims and a place for many miracles. St. Edward was described in later years as “a man by choice dedicated to God, living the life of an angel in the administration of his Kingdom…. He was so gentle that he would not say a word of reproach to the meanest person.” His favorite diversions were hunting and hawking which he would do for days on end, but never omitted Mass ev
ery morning. He was tall, well-built, with a muddy face and white hair and beard.

We should be very proud our Parish is named after St. Edward the Confessor.

Fr. Leroy