Homily for Memorial of St. Pius V

Homily for the Memorial of
St. Pius V
Tuesday, 5th Week of Easter

April 30, 2024
Collect
Acts 14: 19-28
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

God, in his providence, “raised up Pope St. Pius V” to safeguard the faith and provide “more fitting worship” by the Church toward God (Collect).

Pius was elected Pope just 3 years after the Council of Trent concluded.  He undertook a serious implementation of the council, thus both safeguarding the faith and organizing fitting worship of God.  He oversaw the publication of a catechism for the Church and the reform of the breviary and the missal, and he fostered the training of priests in seminaries.  He put together a naval coalition to oppose the invasion of Europe that the Turks were planning, and thru the intercession of our Blessed Mother the Christian fleet smashed the Turkish fleet, quite unexpectedly, in the Gulf of Lepanto.

Pope St. Pius in the late 16th century was doing what Paul and Barnabas did in the 1st:  proclaiming the Good News in spite of hardships and even danger, strengthening the spirits of the disciples, and appointing presbyters for the service of Christ’s flock (Acts 14:21-23).

We don’t use Pius’s liturgical books any longer, and his catechism has been supplanted by other formats and methods.  The way we train the Church’s ministers is very different.  But his principles remain:  it’s important to present clearly the truths of the faith, promote faithful living of the Gospel, prepare priests and other ministers for service of God’s people, and worship God thru Christ with beautiful liturgy based on the Church’s ancient traditions.