Dear Friends in Christ,

In this week’s bulletin, I invite us to explore the life of a great Saint who lived not too long ago in our modern time, and who served as Pope at a pivotal time in the life of the Church. The Pope that I am referring to is St. Pius X, whose memorial we will celebrate this week on August 21st. St. Pius X served as Pope from 1903-1914, and he is known as one of the greatest reformers of the Church after the Council of Trent that occurred in the 16th century. Here, we will highlight the many contributions that St. Pius X made in the realm of his pastoral care, the liturgical and legal reforms he made, and his desire to bring everything into the light of Christ.

First, St. Pius X was born in 1835 with the name Giuseppe Sarto to a poor family in the Kingdom of Lombardy, a part of the Austrian Empire which is now part of Northern Italy. As a young boy, he would complete his studies as an average student, but he excelled in developing hobbies, practicing the sacramental life of the Church, and teaching others about the Catholic Faith. He began studies in the seminary at the age of fifteen and was ordained to the priesthood at the age of twenty-three. He was later made a Bishop in 1884 and a Cardinal in 1893 when he served as Patriarch of Venice. When Pope Leo XIII died in 1903, Cardinal Sarto was elevated to the Papacy and took the name of “Pius X.”

One of the most striking elements to Pius’ papacy was his simplicity of life. At a time when the papacy enjoyed much pomp, Pius brought much reform to the Roman Curia, the body of Cardinals, Bishops, and Priests who assisted him in his ministry. In addition to bringing simplicity to the hierarchy of the Church, Pius also brought back simplicity into the Church’s liturgical life, especially through the promotion of Gregorian Chant. After liturgical music had become ornate and complicated, Pius wished to bring simplicity back into the life of the Church.

Another important element of Pius’ papacy was his love and devotion to the Eucharist. He would arise every day at 4:00 AM to devote himself to prayer before 6:00 AM Mass. In addition, Pius lowered the age of First Communion from 14 years old to 7 years old, with the understanding that young children have a simple ability to grasp the mystery of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. In doing this, he wished to highlight that the Eucharist is a unique food that sustains us in our spiritual lives.

Finally, St. Pius X wished to bring all into relationship with Christ in a way to combat the effects of Modernism. At a time when much of the world was leaning towards secularism, Pius wished to, “Restore all things in Christ,” by highlighting the importance of a true study of science in the light of Faith, and the necessity to educate the young in the Faith. He urged people to go to frequent confession, which was not a practice done much at this time in the Church.

St. Pius X died on August 20th, 1914, just a few weeks after the beginning of WWI. He was later canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1954 and had many miracles attributed to him. As we begin our new school year, may St. Pius X inspire us to live a life of simplicity and zeal for the Faith as we continue to restore all things in Christ.

May Christ’s peace be with you,

Father Briggs