Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Raymond Nonnatus, Patron of Midwives, Pregnant Women, Unborn Children & Women in Labor

Patron of midwives, pregnant women, unborn children, and women in labor.
In Mexico, he is invoked for silence and protection against curses.
He was called non natus, “not born,” because he was taken out of his mother’s womb after she died in labor.
He voluntary offered himself as a slave to save others and while in captivity,
he gave comfort to other Christians in captive and hoped to convert his captors to Christianity.
To punish and to stop St. Raymond from preaching, his lips were pierced with a
red-hot iron and his mouth closed with a padlock.

SAINT RAYMOND NONNATUS
Confessor

DOUBLE / WHITE
Raymond Nonnatus (c.1204-40), a Catalonian, was a pioneer member of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy for the redemption of Christians enslaved by the Mohammedans. After freeing hundreds of Christian captives in Africa, he gave himself up as a hostage so as not to expose to apostasy those still unransomed. At length he himself was ransomed and he returned to Spain. He died soon after Pope Gregory IX had nominated him a cardinal. He believed with St. John Chrysostom that the greatest charity of all is to contribute to the salvation of a soul.

Mass of a 
CONFESSOR OF THE FAITH, except

COLLECT
O God, You granted remarkable success to the efforts of the holy confessor Raymond in releasing Christians from the slavery of unbelievers. May his prayers free us from the slavery of sin, so that we may fulfill Your wishes with complete freedom. Through our Lord . . .