Saint Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem
by VP
Posted on Wednesday October 29, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
"Perjury and its punishment.-St. Narcissus, who governed the Church of Jerusalem in 195, when we find him assisting at a council held in that town, was about eighty years old when elevated to the episcopacy. Notwithstanding the miracles that God vouchsafed to his piety, the venerable bishop was accused of an abominable crime by three impious men, who only resorted to this expedient for the purpose of shielding themselves from a better-founded accusation which he might have laid against them. They each swore with an imprecation. May I be burnt alive!" said one. May I be struck with leprosy!" said another. 'May my eyes never more behold the light of day!" added the third. The holy old man, rather than compromise them by seeking to justify himself, withdrew to a solitude where he might remain unknown. The evils which his accusers had invoked upon themselves speedily befell them; being then justified by God himself, he reappeared, and was more beloved than ever by his flock. He lived to the age of 116, but St. Alexander, in the capacity of coadjutor, helped him to discharge the pastoral functions.
MORAL REFLECTION.-"Let no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, for the Lord is the avenger of all such," says the great Apostle.-(1 Thess. iv. 6.)
Prayer for Persecuted Priests
All Powerful and Eternal God, through
the merits of Your Son Jesus, and Through Your love for Him, I implore
You, have pity on the priests of the Holy Church. In spite of their
sublime dignity, they are fearful and weak, like all created beings. In
your infinite mercy, inflame their hearts with the fire of Divine Love.
For the sake of Jesus, Your Son, bestow grace on the priests and uphold
them. Do not let them fall into temptation and tarnish their noble
vocation.
O Jesus, we implore you. Look with pity on the priests of the Holy
Church: those who are serving You faithfully and proclaiming Your glory;
those who are persecuted for tending your flock; those who are
abandoned, weary and sorrowful: those who are lukewarm, confused and who
have denied their faith; those who are sick, dying, or in Purgatory.
Lord Jesus, we entreat You. Listen to our supplication, have pity and
console them.
O Jesus, we entrust to You the priests of the whole world: the priests
who baptized me, absolved my sins, offered Holy Mass and consecrated the
Eucharist to nourish my soul. We entrust to You the priests that
instructed me when I was ignorant, gave me strength in my weakness,
showed me the Way and the Truth and comforted me in my sorrow and
affliction. For all the blessings they obtained for me, I implore You to
support them in Your Loving Kindness.
O Jesus, shelter our priests in Your Sacred Heart. Let them take refuge
in Your mercy and love, in this life, and to the hour of death. Amen.
By his Eminence the late Ignatius Cardinal Kung, Bishop of Shanghai.
Published 7/16/1953 during the early years of persecution of the Roman
Catholic Church in China by its communist government. He was imprisoned
from 1955 to 1988.
