St. Bruno

Yes, we have a skull on display in our home all year round. No, it’s not a Halloween decoration.

It is to remind us of the reality of our death and to prompt us to meditate on the Four Last Things, often.

It is our desire to prepare well for our true home. This requires that we keep it ever before our eyes!

“Remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.”

Many saints such as Mary Magdalene, Jerome, Francis of Assisi, and Ignatius of Loyola are pictured with a skull.

Todays saint (10.6) is also one pictured with the skull. Below is practical consideration given by #frweninger

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Practical Considerations

A great and celebrated Doctor, who, to all appearance, had lived piously, died after receiving the holy Sacraments; but was condemned. Truly a terrible event! He had either received the holy Sacraments unworthily, or had afterwards committed a mortal sin and died in it.

Those who have received the sacraments do not always die happy. Not all who confess and partake of the blessed Eucharist before their end, save their souls. Many confess and receive holy Communion on their death-bed and yet are condemned. Among them are, first, those who, when in health have often received the holy Sacraments unworthily, either by willfully concealing a mortal sin in confession, or by not repenting of their misdeeds, or by not having the firm purpose, not only of avoiding all sin but also all occasion of sin; and who, in this state, dare to partake of holy Communion.

The shame which keeps them from rightly confessing their sins in health, is with many, much greater at the hour of death than it was before. The Evil One makes them believe that their sickness is not dangerous, and that they will be better able to confess this sin when they are well again; or that it is impossible to repeat all their former unworthy confessions. Hence it happens, that as, in health, they made bad confessions and unworthy communions, so in sickness, they do the same.

Secondly, those who have lived a long time in great hatred, not forgiving their enemies. Thirdly, those who were addicted to the vice of unchastity, and did not endeavor to reform while they had health.

These have every reason to fear that, although they receive the holy Sacraments worthily on their death-bed, they may afterwards fall again into the old sin, die in it, and thus go to eternal perdition; because the Evil One returns to the attack after they have received the Sacraments, and most vividly represents to them the wrong done them, and renews their hatred or the sensual delight in which they formerly indulged, and makes them sin by complacency and desire. As they have been accustomed to yield to the temptations of the devil, they will then very easily be again overcome; and should they die without another, confession, or if this is impossible, without perfect contrition, they will most surely be condemned.

Oh! that the three classes of men above mentioned would rightly consider the terrible danger of their situation. If you would avoid it, confess and receive holy Communion as you ought.

Do not harbor any hatred in your heart, and be not a slave to the sin of impurity, or, if unhappily it has taken hold of you, tear yourself away from it.

Accustom yourself always to fight bravely against the temptations of Satan.

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Saint Bruno was filled with a wholesome terror by the miserable end of the celebrated Doctor (who lived piously and went to hell despite receiving the Holy sacraments on his death bed), and resolved to live in great austerity, in order to be able to justify himself before the judgment-seat of the Almighty and to escape hell.

You hear and read so many awful examples of persons dying without time for repentance. Why then do you not determine to do penance and reform?

I fear you do not consider as earnestly as Saint Bruno did, what it is to appear before the judgment-seat of a just and omniscient Judge, or what it is to be eternally lost.

For your own salvation, I exhort and beseech you to think in future frequently on the judgment of God. Think often of hell.

“Think of the divine judgment,” says Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, “and neither impurity nor any other vice will gain power over you. As soon as you forget God and His judgment, you will think of sin and you will commit it.”

“I beseech you,” says Saint Chrysostom, “think of hell. The Evil One leaves nothing undone to make you forget hell. By thinking earnestly of hell, we prevent our falling into it.”

“For what should we ask St. Bruno on his feast day?

• The love of recollection and humility, to be without pretensions, to love to live unknown and ignored by others.
• Even if we are obliged to live among others, to not be concerned about what they are thinking about us.
• To love spiritual solitude, turned exclusively to Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lady, and the Holy Catholic Church.
• To be faithful to grace and the orthodoxy of true Catholic doctrine, and to strive for the salvation of our souls so that we might go to Heaven and see God face to face.