FEBRUARY 4TH, ST. ANDREW CORSINI, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR

Month in honor of the Holy Family of JMJ.

This Andrew was born at Florence, of the noble family of Corsini, upon the 30th day of November, in the year 1302. His birth was a special answer to prayer, and his parents vowed him to the Blessed Virgin. God fore-showed even before his birth what he was to be. While his mother was great with child she dreamt that she brought forth a wolf, which ran to the Carmelite Church and was changed into a lamb as soon as it reached the porch. The lad was brought up in godliness and learning becoming his rank, but turned to bad courses; wherefore his mother often rebuked him. Nevertheless, when he knew how his parents had vowed him to the Maiden Mother of God, the love of God touched his heart, and the vision of his mother moving him, he betook himself to the Institute of the Carmelites. In that place the devil exercised him with many and diverse temptations, but could not break him off from his determination to profess as a friar. He was soon after sent to Paris, where he finished his studies at the University, and took his degree; after which he returned to his own country, and was set over the houses of his order in Tuscany. The Church of Fiesole, having been widowed by the death of her shepherd, chose Andrew Corsini for his successor. He held himself altogether unworthy of that office, and for a long time lay hidden and unknown, till he was betrayed by the voice of a child marvellously speaking, and found outside the city. Then, lest he should seem to resist the Will of God, he took the Bishopric, in the year 1360. Being dignified with this office, he set himself to a more perfect exercise of the. virtue of lowliness, whereof he was already a diligent practitioner. He was eminent in watchfulness over the flock committed to his charge, joining thereto great tenderness and liberality towards the poor. He continued instant in prayer and watching. Thus was he so adorned with these and many other virtues, and even with the gift of prophecy, that the fame of his holy life was in the mouths of all men. Urban V., moved by the fame of his godly conversation, sent him as his Legate to quiet disturbances at Bologna. He endured much in the discharge of this duty, calming with great wisdom the angry passions of the citizens, who had broken out into civil war, and when peace was restored, he returned home. Shortly after, he received from the Blessed Virgin a warning of his approaching death, and being worn out with his unceasing toil, and the rigour of his voluntary mortifications, he passed to the kingdom of heaven, (upon the 6th day of January,) in the year of our Lord 1373, and the 71st of his own age. His name became illustrious for many and great miracles, and Urban VIII. enrolled him in the number of the Saints. His body resteth at Florence in the Church of his Order, and is looked on with great reverence by the citizens, to whom, even in these days, he hath more than once shown himself a protector.