St. Hilary of Poitiers
Confessor,
Bishop and Doctor
Hilary was born of a noble family in Aquitaine, and
was distinguished for his learning and eloquence. He was married, but the life
he led was almost that of a monk, so that later on, on account of his great
virtues, he was made Bishop of Poitiers, and so well did he discharge the
episcopal office as to be the object of the deepest veneration on the part of
the faithful. At that time the Emperor Constantius was inflicting every sort of
harsh treatment, intimidation, confiscation of their property, and banishment,
on the Catholics who refused to side with the Arians. Hilary set himself as a
bulwark against the Arians. thereby bringing on himself all their fury. On this
account they many times sought to ensnare him and at length, by the treachery
of Saturninus, the Bishop of Aries, he was banished from the Council at Beziers
into Phrygia. There he raised a dead man to life, and wrote his twelve-books
On the Trinity, against the Arians. Four years after a Council was called at
Seleucia, a town in lsauria, at which Hilary was compelled to assist. Thence he
set out for Constantinople where seeing the extreme dangers to which the true
faith had been exposed, he petitioned the Emperor, by three public petitions to
grant him an audience. In order that he might obtain permission to hold a
controversy with his adversaries concerning matters of faith. But Ursacius and
Valens, two Arian Bishops whom Hilary had refuted in his writings, were afraid
of allowing, so learned a man to continue there any longer and persuaded
Constantius to restore him to his episcopal see, under the pretense of showing
him honor. Then did the Church of Gaul open her arms as St Jerome says, to
receive Hilary on his return from battle with the heretics. St Martin, who was
afterwards Bishop of Tours followed the holy Doctor to Poitiers; how much he
profited by the instructions of such a master is evidenced-by the sanctity of
his after-life. From that that time, he was left in perfect peace in the
government of the Church of Poitiers. He led the whole of Gaul to condemn the
Arian blasphemies. He composed a great many exceedingly Iearned books, of which
St Jerome, in a letter to Laeta, says that they may be all read without the
slightest fear of meeting any false doctrine in them; he assures her that she
may run through the books of Hilary without stumbling on anything dangerous. He
passed from this earth to heaven on the Ides of January (January 13th), during
the reign of the Emperors Valentinian and Valens, in the year of our Lord 369.
Hilary was called by several Fathers and Councils an illustrious Doctor of the
Church, and was publicly honored as such in certain dioceses. At length, at the
petition of the Council of Bordeaux, the Supreme Pontiff, Pius the Ninth, after
having consulted the Sacred Congregation of Rites, declared him to have been
justly called, and to be in effect, a Doctor of the universal Church; and
ordered that on his Feast all should recite the Mass and Office of Doctors.
St. Felix of Nola
This holy priest was born at Nola, a little town in the
south of Italy and died towards 312.
Violently persecuted for the faith, he earned the title of
martyr, although he survived the cruel torments which he underwent.
January 14
MASS PROPERS
St. Hilary, BISHOP AND DOCTOR
Com. St. Felix, Confessor and Martyr
Double – White vestments
Missa – ‘In Medio’
INTROIT - Ecclesiasticus
15: 5; Psalm 91: 2
In medio ecclesiæ aperuit os
ejus: et implevit eum Dominus spiritu sapientiæ, et intellectus: stolam gloriæ
induit eum. Ps. Bonum est confiteri Domino: et psallere nomini tuo, Altissime.
Gloria Patri.
In the midst of the Church
the Lord opened his mouth: and filled him with the spirit of wisdom and
understanding: He clothed him with a robe of glory. Ps. It is good to give
praise to the Lord: and to sing to Thy Name, O Most High. Glory be to the
Father.
St. Hilary of Poitiers baptizing St. Martin of Tours
COLLECT
O God, Who didst give unto
Thy people blessed Hilary to be a minister of eternal salvation: grant, we
beseech Thee, that we may be worthy to have as an intercessor in Heaven him,
whom we have had as teacher of life on earth. Through our Lord.
Commemoration of St Felix of Nola
Grant, we beseech Thee, O
almighty God, that the examples of Thy Saints may stir us up to a better life,
so that we may also imitate the good deeds of those whose festivals we
celebrate. Through our Lord.
EPISTLE - II Timothy 4: 1-8
Dearly beloved, I charge
thee, before God and Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the living and the dead, by
His coming and His kingdom: preach the word: be instant in season, out of
season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall
be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own
desires they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and will
indeed turn away from the truth, but will be turned into fables. But be thou
vigilant, labor in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy
ministry. Be sober. For I am even now ready to be sacrificed. And the time of
my dissolution is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown
of justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, will render to me in that day: and
not only to me, but to them also that love His coming.
GRADUAL - Psalm 36: 30-31
The mouth of the just shall
meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment. The law of His God is in
his heart: and his steps shall not be supplanted.
ALLELUIA - Ecclesiasticus 45: 1, 9
Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord
loved him and adorned him: He clothed him with a robe of glory. Alleluia.
GOSPEL - Matthew 5: 13-19
At that time, Jesus said to
His disciples: You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savor,
wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast
out, and be trodden on by men. You are the light of the world. A city seated on
a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a
bushel but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are before men
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, Who is in heaven.
Do not think that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come
to destroy, but to fulfil. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled. He
therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and so shall teach
men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but he that shall do
and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
St. Hilary (Hilarius)
OFFERTORY Psalm 91: 13
The just shall flourish like
the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus.
SECRET
May the holy prayer of St.
Hilary, Thy Bishop and Doctor, fail us not, O Lord: may it render our offerings
acceptable, and ever obtain for us Thy pardon. Through our Lord .
Commemoration of St Felix of Nola
O Lord, graciously accept
the offerings consecrated unto Thee, through the merits of Thy blessed Martyr,
Felix: and grant that they may be to us an abiding source of help. Through our
Lord.
COMMON PREFACE
It is truly meet and just,
right and for our salvation that we should at all times and in all places, give
thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God: through Christ our
Lord. Through Whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, Dominations worship, Powers
stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed
Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we
entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say
in lowly praise:
COMMUNION - Luke 12: 42
The faithful and wise
servant, whom his lord setteth over his family: to give them their measure of
wheat in due season.
POSTCOMMUNION
We beseech Thee, O Lord, that blessed Hilary,
Thy Bishop and illustrious Doctor, may approach to pray for us, that these Thy
sacrifices may bring us salvation. Through our Lord.
Commemoration of St Felix of Nola
We beseech Thee, O Lord,
that we, who have been fed with these mysteries of our salvation, may be aided
by the prayers of blessed Felix, Thy Martyr, whose festival we celebrate.
Through our Lord.
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