Today the College celebrates our Patron, the Northumbrian Monk Bede, who died in the year 735 and is widely recognised as not only a great historian but also a great learned figure of Anglo-Saxon England. His scholarship covered a huge range of subjects, including commentaries on the bible, observations of nature, music and poetry. The Opening Prayer at Today’s Mass speaks of a marriage in the learned Monk of the gifts of wisdom and merit ( virtue ) and in our own lives as disciples of Christ Jesus we ask for his intercession and inspiration that we may emulate our Patron ! Here in Rome tomorrow we keep the Feast of Saint Philip Neri, known as ‘ il santo sorridente’ , the smiling Saint. In the work of evangelization let us call on both of these saintly figures so that WISDOM, VIRTUE and A SMILE will be our gifts to others today ! Saint Bede, pray for us !