September 26: Blessed Caspar Stanggassinger, Priest

Caspar Stanggassinger , the second of 16 children, was born in Berchtesgarden, Germany on January 12, 1871. His father, a respected man, was a well-to-do farmer who owned a stone quarry. From his youth Caspar had a growing desire to become a priest.  He used to engage his brothers and sisters with preachings and processions.

At the age of ten, he went to Freising to continue his schooling were he found the studies rather difficult, so that there was even question of quitting his studies. But  he succeeded in making steady progress in his studies with effort and prayer.  In 1884 he is admitted to the minor seminary in Freising. During summer vacations he formed boys' clubs with the intent of forming them in the Christian life.

In 1890, after his baccalaureate diploma, he entered the diocesan seminary. During this time it became clear to him that the Lord was calling him to live as a religious. In 1892, after a visit of the Redemptorist missionaries, he was inspired to follow their vocation as missionaries.  In spite of his father' opposition he entered the novitiate the same year and was ordained a priest in 1895.

Caspar had entered the Congregation with the intention of preaching the Gospel to the most abandoned.  But instead his superiors appointed him to form future missionaries.  In addition to teaching he always gave pastoral assistance at churches in neighbouring villages, especially by preaching.   Although very busy, he was always available especially to the students who saw in him more a friend than a superior.   He was deeply devoted to the Eucharistic Lord and in his preaching invited all to have recourse to the Blessed Sacrament in times of need and anxiety.  His preaching, he did not have recourse to the threats of punishment that were common in the preaching of the time.  Rather he was simple and direct, inspiring the faithful to confidence and fraternal charity and to take Christian life seriously.     In 1899, the Redemptorists opened a seminary in Gars, Bavaria and he was sent there as director.  He was only 28 years old at the time, but was only able to preach the retreat to the students and to participate in the opening of the school year before succumbing to a case of peritonitis on September 26.  He used to say: "The saints have a special intuition.  For me, who am not a saint, what is important are the simple eternal truths; the Incarnation, the Redemption and the Holy Eucharist." He was proclaimed blessed by John Paul II on April 24, 1988.

is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs, says the Lord.  (Mk 10:14)

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty and eternal God,

who gave Blessed Caspar the grace to announce the faith with joy

and to dedicate himself to educate young men for the sacred ministry,

grant, through his intercession,

that we may follow his example

and become cooperators of the divine Redeemer,

in word and in deed.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

FIRST READING                                                                  Phil. 4:4-9

To express our gratitude.

A reading from the Letter of  Paul to the Philippians.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM             (Ps 130)

R.  Be my strength, O Lord.

O LORD, my heart is not proud,

nor haughty are my eyes.

I Iave not gone after things too great

nor marvels beyond me.   R.

Truly I have set my soul

in silence and peace.

A weaed child on its mother's breast,

even so is my soul.   R.

O Israel, hope in the Lord

both now and for ever.   R.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION    (Mk 10:15)

R.  Allelulia, allelulia

"Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it," says the Lord.

R.  Allelulia, Allelulia

GOSPEL      (Mark 10:13-16)

Jesus and the little children

A reading of the holy gospel according to Mark.

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

The gospel of the Lord.

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

God, our Father, accept the gifts of your people

in honour of Blessed Caspar,

and through our participation in this sacrifice

grant that we may express in our lives the power of your love. 

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

PREFACE

Priest:         The Lord be with you.

People:       And also with you.

Priest:         Lift up your hearts.

People:       We lift them up to the Lord

Priest:         Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

People:       It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Father,  all powerful and ever-living God,

We do well always and everywhere to give you thanks

and to raise up to you the hymn of blessing and of praise.

Today we honour your saints

who consecrated their lives to Christ

for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

What love you show us

as you recall humankind to its first innocence,

and invite us to taste on earth

the gifts of the world to come!

Now with the saints and all the angels

we praise you for ever:

Communion Antiphon  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends..                                               (Jn 15:13)

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Lord, may this holy banquet sustain us,

so that, after the example of blessed Caspar,

we may bear witness in thought and deed

to the light of your truth and to love for our brothers and sisters.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.