Today we celebrate the Feast of St. James the Greater, (meaning older of the two St. James’.) I was privileged to attempt the Camino Santiago de Campostela in Galicia. However, due to my disability I was not able to walk the way as much as I liked and had to make use of the van. Still, I was given the honor of offering Holy Mass, (Tridentine) at the very tomb of Saint James, underneath the high altar. I also sang the Ave Maria in the Cathedral at the behest of the Dean of the Cathedral. All this was a great blessing from Almighty God through Great Saint James.
He is the patron of Spain and is venerated in the Cathedral under the title Montemores- which is to say that he is the vanquisher of the Muslim hordes and is credited with appearing, mounted on a white horse to rid the Iberian peninsula of the Musleman.
The Lord is using Islam to chastise the West and this will only grow in the next few years, as predicted by Archbishop Fulton Sheen before he died. God rest his immortal soul. I was also privileged to receive the last letter written by the good Archbishop before he died.
O Glorious Saint James, because of your fervor and generosity, Jesus Our Lord chose you to witness his glory on the Mount of Transfiguration and his Agony in the Garden. Obtain for us strength and consolation in the unending struggles of life. Help us to follow Christ generously, to be victors over all our difficulties, and to receive the crown of glory in heaven. Amen.
Eternal Rest grant unto Fulton Sheen, O Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the Faithful Departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
