November 10th is the Feast of St. Andrew Avellino, the patron saint against Apoplexy. The following is taken from Father Hugo Hoever's "Live of the Saints:
St. Andrew was born in the Kingdom of Naples, in 1520. After a youth spent in virtue and good works, he received his doctorate in law and was ordained a priest. His occupation for some time consisted in pleading causes in the ecclesiastical court. Once a lie escaped him and he was so filled with remorse that he resolved to renounce his profession and give himself up to the care of souls. After exercising the ministry for some time at Naples, he joined the Theatines, in 1556, and changed his name of Lancelot to that of Andrew.
Such was his desire for perfection that he bound himself by vow aways to combat his own will and to advance to the utmost of his power in Christian perfection. He founded several convents of his Order, and God honored him with the gifts of prophecy and miracles. He practiced the greatest mortifications, and gave an admirable example of that Christian charity which consists in doing good to those who do harm to us. All his spare moments he devoted to prayer and contemplation. The souls committed to his care made great progress in perfection. As superior of his Order, he laboured hard to promoted religious discipline, setting the example himself.
St. Andre enjoyed the friendship of St. Charles Borromeo, who loved to consult him on affairs of importance. He was seized with an attack of apoplexy at the foot of the altar when about to being Mass, and having received the sacraments of the Church, he calmly expired at the venerable age of eighty-eight, in 1608.
His final words were "Introibo ad altare Dei." May we all possess St. Andrew's devotion to the truth and good works and persevere in grace as he did. St. Andrew Avellino, pray for us!
(This prayer can be said as a Novena for nine consecutive days)
I. O most glorious saint, whom God has made our protector against apoplexy, seeing that thou thyself didst die of that disease, we earnestly pray thee to preserve us from an evil so dangerous and so common. Pater, Ave, Gloria.
V. By the intercession of St Andrew, stricken with apoplexy.
R. From a sudden and unprovided death deliver us, O Lord.
II. O most glorious saint, if ever by the just judgment of God we should be stricken with apoplexy, we earnestly beseech thee to obtain for us time enough to receive the Last Sacraments and die in the grace of God. Pater, Ave, Gloria.
V. By the intercession of St Andrew, stricken with apoplexy.
R. From a sudden and unprovided death deliver us, O Lord.
III. O most glorious saint, who didst endure, before dying, a terrible agony, through the assaults of the devil, from which the Blessed Virgin and St. Michael delivered thee, we earnestly beseech thee to assist us in the tremendous moment of our death. Pater, Ave, Gloria.
V. By the intercession of St Andrew, stricken with apoplexy.
R. From a sudden and unprovided death deliver us, O Lord.
(Indulgence: 300 days)
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