dominican saints

Bl. John of Vercelli, C.O.P.

Feast Day December 1st

Born: 1205 at Mosso Santa Maria, Italy as John Garbella

Died: September 1283 at Montpelier, France of natural causes; buried at the Dominican convent at Montpelier; his tomb was desecrated by Calvinists in 1562, and his body disappeared

Beatified: 1903 by Pope Pius X (cultus confirmed), 1909 elevated him to the honors of the altar

Patronage: Holy Name Society

John Garbella was born early in the 13th century, somewhere near Vercelli. He studied at Paris and was ordained priest before 1229. He taught canon law at the University of Paris. While he was professor there, Jordan of Saxony (who was a friend of Saint Albert the Great) came to Paris, and John saw one after another of his best pupils desert their careers to join the Dominicans. He seems to have considered them quite objectively, without reference to himself, until one day he had an interior voice that spoke to him that it was God’s will for him to join the Dominicans. No one can say that John did not respond with alacrity; he dropped everything and ran down the street. (“Let me go; I am on my way to God!”) Jordan received him happily and gave him the habit.

In 1232, John was sent to Vercelli to establish a convent there. He built this and several other convents in Lombardy as houses of regular observance. While provincial of Lombardy, he also became inquisitor. It was a particularly difficult moment. His brother in religion, Peter of Verona, had just been killed by the heretics in Como. The entire countryside was in a state of war, with roving bands of heretics and robbers. It was the task of the new inquisitor to try to bring order out of this chaos, and what John did was remarkable, considering the situation. In spite of his heavy labors, which included the supervision of 600 friars in 28 different cities (he reached them only by walking), John of Vercelli established the ideals of study and regular observance in all of his houses.

It was the good fortune of John of Vercelli to live in an age that was well peopled by saints. He formed a close friendship with Saint Louis, the king of France. Several of his tasks in the order, particularly the Commission on the Program of Studies, he shared with Saint Albert the Great, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Peter of Tarentaise (the future Pope Innocent V). In such company one would need to have a superior set of talents; John did.

In 1264 the chapter of the order met at Paris. Blessed Humbert had resigned as master general of the order. John went to the chapter hoping that he could resign as provincial of Lombardy. Instead of escaping one office, he fell heir to a still more difficult one. He was elected master general in 1264 and served in that capacity until 1283. John was then a man in his sixties and was, moreover, handicapped by a crippled leg. However, he accepted the office which would require him to walk, not only all over Lombardy, but all over Europe. It took a brand of courage and obedience that was little short of heroic.

During the generalate of John of Vercelli, the relics of Saint Dominic were transferred to the new tomb that had been prepared for it by Nicholas of Pisa. When the transfer was made, John of Vercelli fixed his seal on the tomb; the seals were still intact on their examination in 1946. During the translation of the relics, according to the account in the Vitae Fratrum, when the body of Saint Dominic was exposed to view, the head was seen to turn towards John of Vercelli. John, embarrassed, moved to another part of the church and gave his place to a cardinal. Whereupon, the head of Saint Dominic was seen by all to turn again in John’s direction.

On the death of Clement IV, John of Vercelli was very nearly elected pope. Being warned of the possibility, he fled in fright. However, his good friend Cardinal Visconti, was elected and took the name Gregory X. He appointed John as legate on several different missions.

He was commissioned by the pope to draw up the Schema for the second ecumenical council of Lyons in 1274–that council to which Saint Thomas Aquinas was hurrying when death found him on the road. At the council John distinguished himself for his assistance by offering to the council the talents of his best men. At the council, he accepted for the Dominican Order the special commission of promoting reverence for the Holy Name of Jesus and fighting blasphemy, which was, in that day as in ours, a prevalent vice. He can thus be considered the founder of the Holy Name Society, even though the Confraternity was not formed until 1432.

Several precious relics were suitably enshrined by John of Vercelli. These included several thorns from the Crown of Our Lord, which had been given him by Saint Louis of France. The cord of Saint Thomas, with which he had been guided by the angels and which he had worn until death, was given into the care of the master general, who gave it to the convent of Vercelli for safe keeping.

John’s career was rapidly reaching its end. In 1279, he presided over the famous chapter of Paris at which the order made the doctrine of Saint Thomas officially its own. The following year he laid the foundations of the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. One of his last official acts was to provide for a work on the instruction of novices (Benedictines, Dorcy).

Prayers/Commemorations

First Vespers:

Ant. Strengthen by holy intercession, O John, confessor of the Lord, those here present, have we who are burdened with the weight of our offenses may be relieved by the glory of thy blessedness, and may by thy guidance attain eternal rewards.

V. Pray for us, Blessed John11.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Lauds:

Ant. Well done, good and faithful servant, because Thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will set thee over many, sayeth the Lord.

V. The just man shall blossom like the lily.
R. And shall flourish forever before the Lord.

Second Vespers:

Ant. I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock..

V. Pray for us. Blessed John.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer:

Let us Pray: O God, who didst enable Blessed John, Thy Confessor, to preach the gospel of peace by word and deed, make us, we beseech Thee through his intercession, to receive Thy law with a perfect heart and fulfill it by holy deeds. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer

God of all truth, you chose Blessed John to preach the gospel of peace and to promote the regular life. By the help of his prayers may we devote ourselves to proclaiming the faith and bearing the yoke of Christ with fidelity. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. – General Calendar of the Order of Preachers

Novena to Bl. John Vercelli

FIRST DAY:

John Garbella was born in Vercelli, a town of northern Italy, in 1205. He was a very bright, studious boy, and because of his great promise, he was sent to the University of Paris where he eventually gained the Doctorate in law. He remained there as a teacher, and later returned to Vercelli to begin a university in his home town. His love of learning and constant study prepared him well for his future as a leader in the Church.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, source of all Truth, You sent your divine Son into the world to share with us the truth that makes us free – free to seek You with quiet minds and joyous hearts. Through the intercession of Blessed John of Vercelli, grant us a deep love of sacred truth, and a growing desire to know You more clearly and love You with greater ardor. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

SECOND DAY:

When Blessed John was about 25 years old, and busy at his teaching in Vercelli, there came to that town the head of the newly-founded Order of Preachers, or Dominicans, as they were called because of Dominic, their founder. This successor of the great preacher, Dominic, preached so movingly that the young professor, John Garbella, was touched by God’s grace to ask for admittance to the new Order of Preachers. Blessed Jordan of Saxony, the Dominican Master General, gave him the habit of the Friars Preachers, and sent him to the city of Bologna to begin his preparation for the priesthood, and for an outstanding career in the history of the Order and the Church.

Let us pray:

 Lord, our God, You have planted deep in the heart of man a thirst for the truth, and a desire to attain union with You in love. As the young John of Vercelli sought the truth, and surrendered himself lovingly to your vocation to a great apostolate, grant that we, too, may seek You with constancy, and serve You with all our hearts. Through the intercession of Blessed John, we ask in particular that You attract the hearts of many young people to your gospel, your love, and a vocation of service in your Church as priests and religious. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

THIRD DAY:

After 15 years of sacred study and very successful preaching in the university city of Bologna, John was sent back to his home town of Vercelli to establish a Dominican priory there. He was made its superior. The small states of those times were wracked with war between the Germanic emperor and the papal states. John’s remarkable gift of peace-making became evident, and he was sent to Venice to reconcile that city-stae with its former enemies. He succeeded so well at this, that for the rest of his life, the Popes made use of his sanctity, prudence, and diplomacy to establish peace between warring rulers and states.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, You have revealed yourself to us as a God of peace, justice, and unity. Through the grace of your divine Son, the Prince of Peace, bring peace to our divided world, justice for all men, unity to the human family. Through the intercession of Blessed John, help us root out of our own hearts the pride, selfishness, and indifference to others that lie at the root of discord and disunity. Make us truly peacemakers, as befits those who call themselves Christians. We ask this in the most Holy Name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

FOURTH DAY:

God’s grace continued to bear much fruit in the life of Blessed John. His religious superiors sent his as official visitor to the newly established houses in Hungary; he was elected Prior of the large priory in Bologna; he was likewise appointed spiritual guide of the Dominican nuns in that city. At the age of 52, he was elected Provincial of the province of Lombardy, and in that position, had to fight the heresies that had sprung up in northern Italy. In all of his works, he turned to God through prayer and the sacraments as his source of remarkable success in the vineyard of the Lord.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, You gave to each of us a mission – a task in your kingdom. And you likewise prepare for us the graces we need to accomplish our tasks with success, so as to contribute to the extension of your kingdom, and our own sanctification. Let us imitate Blessed John in turning constantly to You, for the strength, the wisdom, and the resources to do your holy will and thus attain our salvation. We ask this in the most Holy Name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

FIFTH DAY:

In the year 1264, at the age of 59, Blessed John was elected Master General of the Dominican Order, the fifth successor of St. Dominic himself. He did not believe himself worthy of the great trust. He wrote to his brethren: “My fears at my inability should be yours as well, wherefore I beg you to give me the help of your prayers so that divine mercy may supply that which I lack in my own strength”. As Master General, he combatted the growing spirit of competition between the nations, so as to establish a truly catholic spirit within the spreading Order. He provided a uniform way of celebrating the sacred liturgy for the entire Order, thus ensuring the dignity and beauty of divine worship, and he counselled his priests and brothers constantly to be men of prayer and penance.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, Your divine Son commands us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His holiness”. Make us truly men and women of prayer, frequenting the sacraments, loving God and our neighbor, and conforming ourselves to Christ, our savior. Through the intercession of Blessed John, grant that we may always give to you the first priority in our lives, and love You with our whole heart, our whole mind, our whole strength. We ask this in the most Holy Name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns, with You and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

SIXTH DAY:

Pope Clement IV had such admiration for Blessed John, and depended so heavily upon his wisdom and counsel that the Pope requested that John go to live in Viterbo, where the papal court was then located. Blessed John remained with the Pope until Clement died. A number of cardinals wished to elect Blessed John, but he had no such ambition, and was destined to govern his own Order, until his death. Again, he was called upon to make peace between the feuding states of Venice and Genoa, and between France and Castille. He wrote to his priests and brothers: “Watch the little things. He who grows careless in little things, little by little falls. He who does not push himself to make progress, goes backward.”

Let us pray: Lord, our God, grant us the generosity to seek opportunities for doing good; the prudence to do it wisely and well; and the humility to rely upon God for all that we need, and to trust in Him unquestioningly. In imitation of Blessed John, help us to be true apostles of Jesus, our Lord, and faithful followers of His gospel of peace and humility. We ask this in the most Holy Name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

SEVENTH DAY:

In April, 1273, Pope Gregory X announced an ecumenical council to be convoked in May, 1274, in the city of Lyons in southeastern France. Among the acts of that council, in which Blessed John actively participated, was a decree that greater reverence, should be paid to the Holy Name of Jesus by all Christian people. Pope Gregory entrusted Blessed John with the leadership of this renewed devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus throughout Europe. In his letter to Blessed John, Pope Gregory wrote: “Let them honor with special reverence that Name which is above all names, the only Name given by heaven to men for their salvation, which is the Name of Jesus, who saved His people from their sins”.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, by the message of an Archangel, You instructed both Mary, the Mother of the Savior, and St. Joseph, his foster-father, that his name was to be JESUS, meaning “God is Savior”. Grant us a deep reverence for this HOLY NAME of JESUS, and a constant gratitude to our Divine Savior for the graces of redemption, which He has lavished upon us by his life of sufferings, death, and resurrection. We ask this in that Most Holy Name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

EIGHTH DAY:

Upon receipt of Pope Gregory’s commission to spread devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus throughout Europe, Blessed John immediately wrote to all Dominicans as follows: “Desirous of protecting the honor of God, of obeying this apostolic command, and of promoting in our neighbor an increase in devotion, we beseech you to stir up your zeal to the end that you personally see to it that this request of the Holy Father receives full compliance by having your subjects preach with convincing arguments and with scrupulous diligence the need for reverencing the Holy Name”. Confraternities of the Holy Name were founded in every Dominican church; altars were dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. As the movement spread and gathered momentum, it coalesced into the Holy Name Society as we know it today, brought into being by an ecumenical council and nurtured and spread by Blessed John of Vercelli.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, give to all of us a warm, loving reverence for the Holy Name of Jesus, your divine Son, our Lord. Bless and prosper the work of the Holy Name Society throughout the world. As it has existed and functioned for seven centuries, grant that its purpose of spreading reverence and respect for the Name of Jesus may continue and grow to your glory and the good of souls. We ask this in that most Holy Name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns, with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

NINTH DAY:

In the year 1276, Blessed John had the great happiness of seeing one his own brethren, Peter of Tarentaise, elected as the first Dominican Pope. Two years later, when John was 73 years old, Pope Nicholas III appointed him to be Archbishop of the city of Jerusalem. Besides his basic modesty which shied away from the honor of the episcopacy, his prudence dictated that a man of his years and declining health was not up to the job of governing a diocese wracked by war between Christian crusaders and Moslems. He begged to be released from that appointment, and to be allowed to retire as Master General of his Order. The Pope acceded to his first request, but left to the Dominican brothers the decision as to his retirement. They would not hear of it, and he thus served his brethren as their General until his death in 1283, at the age of 78. His Dominican brothers, and all who know him, realized that a saint had gone to his eternal reward. In 1903, Pope St. Pius X officially inscribed the name of John of Vercelli among the Blesseds of the Church; we await the day when he will be accorded the full recognition of canonization.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we give you thanks and praise for the life, the accomplishments, and the virtues of Blessed John. Through his intercession, we commend to your love and your protection the Order of Preachers to which he devoted his life, the Holy Name Society, which he founded, and the devotion to the most Holy Name of Jesus, which he promoted with such great zeal. We pray in that most Holy Name of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Readings

Watch the little things. He who grows careless in little things, little by little falls. He who does not push himself to make progress, goes backward. –Blessed John, writing to his priests

Desirous of protecting the honor of God, of obeying this apostolic command, and of promoting in our neighbor an increase in devotion, we beseech you to stir up your zeal to the end that you personally see to it that this request of the Holy Father receives full compliance by having your subjects preach with convincing arguments and with scrupulous diligence the need for reverencing the Holy Name. –Blessed John, writing on the creation of the Holy Name Society