Saint Pope Pius X born on 2nd June 1835 AD reigned as Pope from 1903 AD till 1914 AD. Among his many reforms was the publication of the Code of Canon Law which collected the laws of the Catholic Church into one volume for the first time. He was particularly devoted to Mary and his encyclical AD Diem Illum expresses his desire through Mary to renew all things in Christ which he had defined as his motto in the encyclical. When he realised that the Bishops could not visit their parishes for many years to administer the sacrament of Confirmation, thus depriving the children the privilege of receiving Communion, he changed the order and made the sacrament of First Holy Communion before the Sacrament of Confirmation and authorised the priests to give the First Holy Communion which was done earlier by the Bishops. He promoted the daily Communion for all Catholics, a practice that was criticized for introducing irreverence. He however said that Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to heaven. He lowered the age of discretion for the children from 12 to 7, so that children could receive Holy Communion at an earlier age. On one occasion the Pope personally gave communion to a 4 year old child, whom he had gently asked if he knew who was being received in the Eucharist because the child answered ‘Jesus.’ He abolished the practice of Pope dining alone and invited his friends to eat with him. He never used his position to favour his brothers and sisters. When asked, as to why he could not make his peasant sisters the papal countesses, to which the Pope responded, “I have made them the sisters of the pope, what more can I do for them?” He developed a reputation as being very friendly with the children. He carried candies in his pockets for the street urchins and taught catechism to them. During papal audience, he would gather children around and talk to them about the things that interested them. Happening to be one day, in the group of Cardinals, the Pope asked them, ”What is the thing most necessary at the present time to save society?” “Build Catholic schools”, said one. “No”, said the Pope. “Multiply churches”, replied another. “No again” “Increase the recruiting of the Clergy” said a third. “No, no”, replied the Pope. “What is most necessary at the present time is to have in each parish a group of virtuous laymen, enlightened, determined and really apostolic.” He motivated his priests by saying that Christ identifies Himself with the priest in a special way. They are like supplementary heart pumping on its way the supernatural life blood to souls. He died on 20th August 1914 AD. He was beatified on 3rd June 1951 AD by Pope Pius XII and was canonised by the same Pope on 29th May 1954 AD.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 08:45:35 +0000