0207 Tressan d. 550

Jack and Thom,
Good morning, I love you
110118, 1110

It’s a dreary day outside. Inside, in a familiar and friendly workspace I’m alone but not – posters elicit feeloughts of people and places and purpose; symbols [like the flag and crucifix] elicit more powerful and purposeful feeloughts. Then there are the symbols connected to the specific purpose of this room and my reasons for being here to get work done – later. St Expectus ora pro nobis.


February 7

Tressan d. 550

In Angels and Saints we get the cursory blurb.

Tressan was an Irish missionary. It seems almost redundant to say Irish Missionary when referring to one of our saints: to any of the Irish priests. Growing up we had the FBI – foreign born Irish. Maybe in 550’s as well as the 1950’s there were an abundance of priests, too few flocks to fleece in Ireland so they went abroad. I cherished the spirit and the accent of our own FBIs – Mass felt more at home and more catholic.

Tressan left his native country to assist the spread of the faith in Gaul (modern France). Where do you go to spread our faith? How do you daily spread the gift of faith indelibly imprinted on your soul? Pay it forward. Tressan went to Gaul. [All Gaul is divided into three parts. So Caesar began his treatise about his conquering of Gaul. My sophomore year in high school we translated the entire thing. Caesar wore a white scarf at the head of his legions to show his men and his foes where he was – upfront outfighting all takers.]

Why Tressan went to Gaul, before he was ordained a priest, to be a missionary is not explained in this brief bioblurb. Read on, from brigid-undertheoak.blogspot.com, I expect we’ll get the scoop.

Tressan received ordination from the hands of St. Remigius, the Apostle of the Franks. How did Tressan hook up with the numero uno honcho of the Catholic Gauls? When you follow your vocation, remember to look for the best to follow and imitate – starting with Jesus and his Apostles. I wonder if there is an Apostle for Greensboro? Stop off at St Bernard’s. It wasn’t so long ago that Catholicism was brought to GSO. It does matter that you know your roots. It does matter with whom you associate. It matters more whom you follow and imitate. Discern properly and choose wisely.

A brief aside for St Remigius. b. 437 d. 533 [ninety six? In the sixth century? Wow.]

Remigius is the Apostle of the Franks, Archbishop of Reims. Remigius’ father was Emile, Count of Laon. Remigius was born with many advantages, which he apparently took full advantage of. How are you doing with the advantages, talents, gifts, and graces you’ve received?

Remigius studied literature at Reims and soon became so noted for learning and sanctity that he was elected Archbishop of Reims in 458, at 21. Extraordinary talent plus the charism of sanctity. How do you weave your sanctity with your talents? Your piety with your learning? Your holiness with your foray into our secular, anti-Catholic world?


Remigius’ chief aim was the propagation of Christianity in the realm of the Franks. Which, maybe, included recruiting FBIs like Tressan?


From brigid-undertheoak.blogspot.com


Saint Tressan of Mareuil 7 February

Brigid has Tressan’s feast on February 7th [in 2009. Maybe it’s changed? It doesn’t matter. It matters when our Church celebrates Easter but not the feast of St Tressan.]

The earliest biographic material on Tressan testify to his humility, sanctity and miracles. I suppose that we should start with humility. Obedience. God’s law engraved on our hearts. Our purpose to know, love, and serve God. There is One greater than us [many many greater than I], who created us, who Loves us, to whom we owe the honor of respect and reciprocal love – both the first and fourth commandment, ya think?

Sanctity and miracles. It’s a miracle to be sanct, ya think? Sanctity is a gift to be embraced, osmosed, lived. Like the priest said, the first decision is whether to be – i.e., live – catholic. Whether or not to be holy. Whether or not to respond to the grace that the sacraments filled our hearts with. From there, life is one miracle after another.

St. Tressan had six holy brothers, viz. : Saints Gibrian, Helan, German, Veran, Aleran, Petran, and three sisters, Fracla, Promptia, and Posemna. All of these were very devout persons, who despised the things of earth, that they might aspire only to those of Heaven.

Maybe we don’t aspire ONLY to the things of Heaven. Let us aspire to the things of Heaven FIRST. Imagine growing up within a family of ten children, all devout. I wish we were able to give you two devout parents and the nurturing of y’all’s mutual devoutness. You have the responsibility to be devout first to God, to be Catholic. With this foundation, you have the opportunity to share devoutness with one another [being the world’s best brothers] then in concentric circles spread that devoutness to family across miles and generations as well as into the future.

Tressan apparently was inspired by the words of God first spoken to Abraham: "Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land, which I shall show thee."

Afterwards, Tressan sought a secret place for his dwelling, where he might more freely serve God in solitude. We do have the tradition, exemplified by John the Baptist and then by Jesus – to go off in solitude, mano a mano with God, in preparation for the next big step in our lives. Don’t rush ahead. Stop and pray. Re-affirm with God: not my will but Your will be done. And then seek His blessing and the strength of righteousness.

Wishing to lead the life of a pilgrim, Tressan went to France, taking along with him six brothers and three sisters. Talk about a family sticking together. You have two. Stick together. I promise you it is better for you and everything you do to be nearby one another.

But, Tressan, being simple-minded and ignorant to a degree, this pious man was regarded as an idiot; and, when resolved to earn his livelihood, by some kind of menial service, he retired to a village. A native of the place, finding him to be an Irishman born, and quite ignorant of the Frankish language, set him to the humble occupation of tending swine.

Perhaps Tressan came by Humility with honor. We all, being Irish born in our ancestry, should remember the kindness of those who recognized our humility (and sanctity?) rewarded us with our first job. Whose graciousness we honored with our labor.

Tressan was in France A.D. 509. Faithful to his charge, and mindful of his Apostolic mandate, "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear," the lowly swineherd carefully governed all the movements of his soul. Remember man that you are dust…. Even the swineherd rises above dust but not very far – be humble in your profession for it is the honor of your work that raises you above dust and sanctifies the labor. Jesus kept telling us ‘do not be afraid.’ Our English version of ‘fear’ is not the same meant by our biblical forebears. Fear God and Do Not Be Afraid.

At this same time, St. Remigius lived in that part of the country. Are our encounters by chance? I suggest you assume that all whom you meet not only are Jesus but were sent to you by God for some greater purpose for your salvation.

Tressan was an illiterate man . Tressan was also a very religious and a very good Christian. We are all illiterate to the degree that although we ‘know it all’ we have much to learn. It is what we do know and what we do with it that matters. We know that we are baptized and confirmed Catholics. What are you doing with that? Humbly? Holy?


A church, dedicated to St. Martin, happened to be in the village of Murigny. Not losing sight of his herd, Tressan would steal towards the doors of the church, while he endeavored to learn all he could regarding the sacred rites. How are you putting yourself in position to learn all you can about our faith, regarding our sacred rites?

Then, miracle of miracles - the Lord was pleased with Tressan’s efforts. God miraculously rewarded Tressan’s holy thirst for knowing, by filling his mind with a knowledge of letters. Do your best to be who you are created to be and God will reward you too. It’s a miracle!

Tressan had unwittingly excited the prejudice of neighbors in that place known as Ay. Just your existence can piss people off or turn them against you. On top of that humility and sanctity have a way of engendering opposition and efforts to suppress you – your faith, your holiness, your relationships with those aligned with the seal of the Holy Spirit on your soul.

When St. Remigius visited a village nearby, these peasants accused the poor swineherd, for having caused their vineyards to be injured, their fields and meadows to be grazed and trodden down, through his neglect. St. Remigius was not the bishop, to hear a one-sided accusation, without sifting its truth. He sent a messenger for Tressan to appear.

When Tressan appeared before the Bishop, the holy prelate, fully convinced of his innocence, consoled him with gentle words, while he drove the malignant accusers away from his presence.

The Acts of Tressan give us a look into the heart of the Irish, even the saintly Irish. This is who we are. After Remigius cleared Tressan of the false accusations, Tressan stood on an elevated spot, known thenceforward as St. Tressan's Mount. Looking towards Ay, in the spirit of prophecy, he exclaimed : "You, who have falsely accused me to the high priest of our Lord, shall pass out of this life, when you have lived to the age of thirty years, nor will your worldly substance increase; thus, it shall be better, that you receive punishment here, rather than suffering without end, in the other world." The Almighty was pleased to make good these words of his faithful servant; and, to the time when his ancient Acts were written, the people remarked, how the descendants of St. Tressan's accusers never lived beyond the thirtieth year, that they were obliged to subsist by manual labor, to be in want, and even to beg for the necessaries of life. [We hope, of course, that the second half of Tressan’s prophecy holds true – that the people of Ay, having served their punishment in this world, get a free pass through purgatory to heaven.]

Tressan returned the swine to their owners. Tressan thenceforth devoted himself entirely to God's service.



After some years, having acquired sufficient learning, Tressan went to the town of Laon, in the province of Picardy. The Bishop of Laon, who admired the humility, good dispositions, and progress Tressan had made in learning, got Tressan ordained priest by St. Remigius.

In Tressan, St Remigius found a truly good subject. Tressan fasted and prayed almost continuously, while he crucified the flesh, with its vices and concupiscences. He avoided all snares of the enemy; he despised the things of this world. Tressan gave alms to the poor, and spent much time in vigil. So closely did Tressan adhere to God's law and to the works ordered by Christ, that he might be regarded as being with him, both in soul and body.

I suggest that you reread the previous paragraph frequently. You’re not going to find a more succinct admonition for being a good and faithful servant.

After his ordination, Tressan chose for a place of residence Marville, where a church had been dedicated to St. Hilary, Bishop of Poictiers. Tressan preached with great zeal. I wish our priests would get some of this zeal in their preaching.

Tressan’s manner of life was extremely simple. KISS!

One day, having celebrated the Matins, Office and Mass, in the church of St. Martin at Murigny, and while returning to Mareville, he felt wearied, and he sat down on the side of a dry hill, from which water had never flowed. Fixing his staff in the ground, the wearied saint fell asleep ; but, on awaking, he found the staff had grown into a tree, which was covered with a bark and green leaves. At the same time, a fountain of most delicious water ran from the root of this tree, to the very foot of the mount.

When the holy priest, Tressan, witnessed this, he drank from the well, and he asked of the Almighty, that no injustice or turpitude should there occur. It was regarded as a "holy well," while several persons, troubled with tertian and quartan agues, came thither, drank of its waters, and were cured.

After the Lord had manifested these and other wonders of His glory, through this humble servant, Tressan was seized with a fever. He then called various priests and clerics around him, confessing that he was a sinner and an unworthy priest, having offended God, and having injured his fellow-men. Lying on the bed, in his last agony, he was consoled by his visitors, while with great humility and contrition; he received the sacraments of reconciliation.



Then Tressab cried out : according to that saying of the Prophet David, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Then he added : "Meditation on death is the beginning of wisdom."

< A substantial portion of Ignatian Spirituality is a meditation on death. If we make our strategic plans by beginning with our endpoint, why not our spiritual strategy. The endpoint is our death – our judgment day, our standing before Peter and Jesus and the pearly gates. And remember, our death will come in God’s time, not ours. At any moment. Just like you had ‘no control’ over your creation, your birth, your parents, you have none whatsoever over when you will face God in the end/at the beginning. Meditation on death IS the beginning of wisdom.>

I love you,
Dad
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