St. Pio of Pietrelcina

23/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

-Born in Pietrelcina, Italy
-Prayerful from childhood
-Got inspired by a capuchin friar and his simplicity
-Joined capuchin friars when he was old enough
-Became priest and ministered in his own parish due to bad health
-Got the gift of stigmata and it remained for fifty years
-Moved to Foggia and started hearing confessions for hours
-Went to San Giovanni Rotondo and ministered there
-Performed many miracles to increase faith of people in Jesus
-Started a big hospital for poor

Francisco Forgione was born on May 25, 1887 near Naples, Italy. His parents were poor and hardworking. From childhood, Francisco had a deep love for prayer and a strong desire to be holy.  When Francisco was ten years old, a Capuchin Franciscan friar came to Pietrelcina. Francisco was impressed by his simplicity and humility. He decided that he would one day be a Capuchin priest. To help make his son’s dream a reality, Francisco’s father traveled to the United States to find work and earn the money needed to give Francis an education.  On January 6, 1903, Francisco entered the Capuchin community in Morcone. He was given the name Brother Pio. He was ordained a priest in 1910. Because of poor health, his superiors thought it would be better for him to spend some time in his hometown. He was assigned to his own parish church to assist his pastor. It was during this time that Padre Pio received a special grace. In order to be more like the suffering Jesus, he began to feel the nail marks of the crucifixion in his hands and feet, and the spear wound in his side. After a while they became permanent, but were invisible. On September 20, 1918, this stigmata would become visible and last for fifty years until his death.  After seven years in Pietrelcina, Padre Pio was sent to the Capuchin friary in Foggia. He was happy to be among his Franciscan brothers at last. And his community was happy to have him with them too, because he was always cheerful and witty. He began hearing confessions and soon crowds of people were coming to him for advice.  In July of 1916, Padre Pio’s superiors sent him to San Giovanni Rotondo, a remote village where they hoped he would have some peace and quiet. Here his health improved. But he also was experiencing extraordinary gifts from God. He could read souls, and was even able to help people in confession by reminding them of details he could only have learned from God himself. He also had the gift of bilocation (the ability to be in two places at the same time), and his stigmata gave off a fragrance of roses and violets.  Padre Pio’s superiors questioned whether or not these special gifts were real. In case they were a hoax, Padre Pio was forbidden to celebrate Mass in public and to hear confessions. This was a heavy cross for him, but he accepted it as another opportunity to be like Jesus. After a while, he was again permitted to administer the sacraments, and once again vast numbers of people crowded the church for his Mass and lined up to go to confession to him. Often, he heard over 100 confessions in one day!  Padre Pio spent most of his priesthood hearing confessions and giving hope and encouragement to countless people from all around the world. He did this right up to his death on September 21, 1968. He was declared a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002.  

  Do we believe that in the Sacrament of Recon-ciliation we meet the Lord himself, who knows us better than we know ourselves and loves us more than we ever could? Let’s ask St. Pio to enlighten us so we can see the things in our life that keep us from following Jesus more closely. Then we can celebrate Reconciliation more fruitfully.

St. Thomas of Villanova

22/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Thomas of Villanova

-Born in Spain
-His parents taught him to be charitable
-Studied philosophy and started teaching it
-Joined Augustinians monks and became priest
-Raised as bishop
-Known for his kindness towards poor
-Gave away everything he had
-Fed the poor everyday
-Simple in his ways and preached gospel

Thomas was born in Spain in 1488. From his kind parents, he learned to be very charitable with the poor. He did well in school and became a teacher of philosophy when he finished his studies. Next he joined the Augustinian Order. After he became a priest, he was given many important responsibilities. Finally, he was made archbishop of the city of Valencia. His priests tried to convince him to change his old, mended habit for more dignified robes. How-ever, St. Thomas told them his old clothes had nothing to do with his duty. He would take good care of the spiritual needs of his people. Every day he fed hundreds of poor people. When he received a large sum of money to buy furniture for his house, he gave it to a hospital, saying, “What does a poor monk like me want with furniture?” No wonder he was called the “father of the poor”! St. Thomas was very gentle with sinners at a time when most people were not. Once when he tried to encourage one man to change his sinful ways, the man angrily insulted him and stormed out of the room. “It was my fault,” said the humble archbishop. “I told him a little too roughly.” Never would he permit anyone to criticize someone who wasn’t there. “He may have had a good reason for doing what he did,” the saint would say. “I, for one, believe he did.” Before he died, St. Thomas of Villanova gave to the poor everything he had. He even directed that his bed be sent to the jail for prisoners to use. St. Thomas died in 1555. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Alexander VII in 1658.

We can remember St. Thomas of Villanova’s words when we need to be more generous. He used to say: “If you want God to hear your prayers, you should help those who are in need."

St. Matthew the Apostle

21/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Matthew the Apostle

Matthew was a tax collector in the city of Caper-naum, where Jesus was living. He was a Jew, but he was working for the Romans, who had conquered the Jews. For this reason, his countrymen disliked him. They would not have anything to do with these “public sinners,” as tax collectors like Matthew were called. But Jesus did not feel that way. One day, Jesus saw Matthew sitting in his booth and said, “Follow me.” At once, Matthew left his money and his position to follow Jesus, becoming one of the twelve apostles. Matthew gave a big supper for Jesus. He invited other friends like himself to meet Jesus and listen to him teach. Some people found fault with Jesus for sharing a meal with those whom they considered sinners. However, Jesus had a ready answer: “Those who are well do not need a doctor; sick people do. I have not come to call the just, but sinners to repentance.” After Jesus ascended into heaven, St. Matthew stayed in Palestine. He remained there for some time, preaching about the Lord. We are familiar with the Gospel according to Matthew, which is the story of Jesus and what he taught. This Gospel was inspired by and named after St. Matthew, but we are not sure if he was actually involved in writing it. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is presented to his own Jewish people as the Messiah who the prophets had said would come to save us. After preaching the Gospel to many people, St. Matthew ended his life as a martyr for the faith.

Do we sometimes label people as “bad” or as “sinners”? Then we should pray to St. Matthew. We can ask him to help us avoid labels. We don’t want to imitate the wrong things people might do, but we shouldn’t look down on them either. We should just say “no” to sin and treat the person who committed the sin with compassion and understanding.

St. Andrew Kim Daegeon and St. Paul Cho˘ng Hasang

20/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Andrew Kim Daegeon and St. Paul Cho˘ng Hasang

-Native Korean martyrs
-Andrew was a priest and Paul a layperson
-Korea was first preached with gospel in seventh century
-Believers flourished and grew in numbers
-Many missionaries from france arrived in Korea to preach
-Many became martyrs when local king started persecution
-Andrew and Paul were native believers who died for Jesus

St. Andrew Kim Daegeon was a priest and St. Paul Cho˘ng Hasang was a layperson. These two martyrs represent the many Catholics who died for their faith in Korea. They were proclaimed saints by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Korea in 1984. Christianity was brought to Korea by lay people in the seventeenth century. Believers quietly grew and flourished, nourishing their faith on the Word of God. Missionary priests arrived in Korea from France and introduced the Korean people to the sacramental life of the Church. Off and on throughout the nineteenth century the Christian faith came under attack by the Korean government. A total of 103 Korean Catholics were killed between 1839 and 1867. Ten members of the Foreign Mission Society of Paris were martyred too: three bishops and seven priests. This brought the total number of martyrs to 113. St. Andrew Kim Daegeon and St. Paul Cho˘ng Hasang represent the courageous Korean Catholics who paid with their lives for their love for Christ. St. Andrew Kim Daegeon, the first Korean priest, was martyred on September 16, 1846, just a year after his ordination. Andrew’s father had been martyred in 1821. St. Paul Cho˘ng Hasang was a heroic lay catechist. He was martyred on September 22, 1846. The Church continues to grow rapidly in Korea. The gift of faith is received and nurtured because of the sacrifices of the martyrs who paved the way.

Every martyr preaches a lesson without ever saying a single word. When we consider the death of a martyr, we hear the message. Let’s ask the Korean martyrs to help us love Jesus and his Church as much as they did.

St. Januarius

19/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Januarius

-Born in Italy
-Lived around 4th century
-Became priest and then bishop of Benevento
-He heard about some deacons were put in prison for their faith
-Visited them in prison
-Soldiers captured him there
-Became martyr of faith
-His blood is still preserved and shows miracle of liquefaction

Januarius lived in the fourth century. He was born either in Benevento or Naples, Italy. He was the bishop of Benevento when Diocletian’s persecution began. St. Januarius is popularly called “San Gennaro.” According to common belief, San Gennaro learned that some Christian deacons had been put in prison for their faith. The bishop was a gentle, compassionate man. He truly cared about his people and went to the prison to visit them. The jailer reported him to the governor, who sent soldiers to find San Gennaro. The bishop was arrested along with a deacon and a lector. They joined the other prisoners. San Gennaro and six others were martyred for their faith. Their deaths took place near Naples around 305. The people of Naples have claimed a special love for and devotion to “San Gennaro.” In fact, he is considered their patron saint. The people of Naples remember San Gennaro for another special reason: his martyr’s blood was preserved centuries ago in a vial. The blood has become dark and dry. But at certain times of the year the blood liquefies. It becomes red, sometimes bright red. At times, it even bubbles. The special case containing the vial of blood is honored publicly on the first Saturday of May, on September 19 (the feast of San Gennaro), within the octave (or eight days after the feast), and at times on December 16. The liquefied blood has been seen and honored since the thirteenth century.

We can ask San Gennaro to give us loving, compassionate hearts so that we can bring joy and comfort to the people around us as he did.

St. Joseph of Cupertino

18/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Joseph of Cupertino

-Born in an Italian village
-Very unhappy and absent minded in childhood
-Even his parents were sad about him
-Tried to join many congregations and got rejected
-He was admitted in Francisan monastery as helper
-His behaviour started changing
-Later allowed to study for priesthood
-Used to fly up during prayer and mass
-Performed miracles and still he was humble
-Spend time in deep sleep

Joseph was born on June 17, 1603, in a small Italian village to poor parents. He was very unhappy as a boy and a teenager. His mother considered him a nuisance and treated him harshly. Joseph soon became very slow and absentminded. He would wander around as if he were going nowhere. But he had a temper, too, and so he was not very popular. He tried to learn the trade of shoemaking, but failed. He asked to become a Conventual Franciscan, but they would not accept him. Next, he joined the Capuchin Order, but eight months later he was advised to leave. He could not seem to do anything right. He dropped piles of dishes and was very forgetful. His mother was not at all pleased to have the eighteen-year-old Joseph back home again. She finally got him accepted as a servant at a Franciscan monastery. He was given the Franciscan habit to wear and was assigned to care for the horses.  About this time, Joseph began to change. He grew more humble and gentle. He became more careful and successful at his work. He also began to do more penance. It was decided that he could become a member of the Order and could start studying to become a priest. Although he was very good, he still had a hard time with studies. But Joseph trusted in God’s help and he was ordained a priest. God began to work miracles through Father Joseph. Over seventy times, people saw him rise from the ground while celebrating Mass or praying. He would be suspended near the ceiling like a star at the top of a Christmas tree. Often he went into ecstasy and would be completely wrapped up in talking with God. He became very holy. Everything he saw made him think of God.  Father Joseph became so famous for his miracles that he was sent to Assisi to avoid unwanted publi-city. This made him happy for the chance to be alone with his beloved Lord. Jesus was always in his heart, and one day came to bring him to heaven. Joseph died in 1663 at the age of sixty. He was proclaimed a saint in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII.  

  Maybe we feel that we are not very special. We might even put ourselves down. That’s when we can pray to St. Joseph of Cupertino. He’ll help us have confidence in ourselves. He’ll remind us that Jesus lives in our hearts and that we’re very special to him.

St. Robert Bellarmine

17/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Robert Bellarmine

-Born in Italy
-From childhood, he was very holy in his ways
-He was keen in the faith and its explanations
-Zealous to teach catechism for children in neighbourhood
-Joined Jesuits and studied to became priest
-Very good in preaching and leading people spiritually
-Spend hours in prayer everyday
-Wrote many spiritual books
-He became cardinal

Robert was born in Italy in 1542. As a boy, he was not interested in playing games. He liked to spend his time repeating to his younger brothers and sisters the sermons he had heard. He also liked to explain the lessons of the catechism to the little farm children of the neighborhood. Once he had made his first Holy Communion, he used to receive Jesus every Sunday.  It was his great desire to become a Jesuit priest, but his father had different plans for him. Robert’s father hoped to make a famous gentleman out of his son. For this reason, he wanted him to study many subjects and music and art, too. For a whole year, Robert worked to persuade his father. At last, when he was eighteen, he was permitted to join the Jesuits. As a young Jesuit, he did very well in his studies. He was sent to preach even before he became a priest. When one good woman first saw such a young man, not even a priest yet, going up into the pulpit to preach, she knelt down to pray. She asked the Lord to help him not to become frightened and stop in the middle. When he finished his sermon, she stayed kneeling. This time, however, she was thanking God for the magnificent sermon.  St. Robert Bellarmine became a famous writer, preacher, and teacher. He wrote thirty-one important books. He spent three hours every day in prayer. He had a deep knowledge of sacred matters. Yet even when he had become a cardinal, he considered the catechism so important that he himself taught it to his household and to the people.  Cardinal Bellarmine died on September 17, 1621. He was proclaimed a saint in 1930 by Pope Pius XI. In 1931, Pius XI declared St. Robert Bellarmine a Doctor of the Church.  

  We can ask St. Robert to help us realize how important our religious instruction classes are. We should make an effort to be on time for classes, to pay attention and complete our assignments, and to take the study of our faith seriously.

St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian

16/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian

-Cornelius was elected as pope in difficult times of church
-Under him, the church stayed strong during persecution
-He worked for unity and zeal of gospel life
-Cyprian was a bishop who supported Cornelius during his papacy
-He wrote many things about unity of church as a body and head as Jesus
-Both of saints faced martyrdom
-Cornelius died in exile and Cyprian by beheading

In the middle of the third century the Church was still being suppressed. The fierce persecution of Emperor Decius claimed the life of Pope St. Fabian. The Church was without a pope for nearly a year. A holy priest of Rome, Cornelius, was elected in 251. He accepted because he loved Christ. He would serve the Church as pope even if his ministry cost him his life. That is why Pope Cornelius was so greatly admired throughout the world. The bishops of Africa were especially outspoken in their love and loyalty to the pope. Bishop Cyprian of Carthage sent him letters of encouragement and support. Cyprian had been a convert at the age of twenty-five. He had astonished the Christians of Carthage by pledging a vow of perpetual chastity before his Baptism. He had eventually become a priest and, in 248, a bishop. Bishop Cyprian greatly encouraged and supported Pope Cornelius. St. Cyprian’s writings explain the love that Christians should have for the whole Church. This love should be for the pope as well as for the local diocese and parish. Cyprian wrote a scholarly work on the unity of the Church. This remains an important topic for all times, including our own. Pope St. Cornelius died in exile at the port of Rome in September of 253. Because he suffered so much as pope, he is considered a martyr. St. Cyprian died five years later during the persecution of Valerian. He was beheaded at Carthage on September 14, 258. Together they share a feast day to remind us of the unity that the Church should always enjoy. This unity is a sign of the presence of Jesus as Head of the Church.

We can ask St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian to help us grow in our love for the Church, for the pope, bishops, priests, religious, and lay people everywhere. They can help us to be true to our Christian faith even in difficult times.

Our Lady of Sorrows

15/09/15

Today's Feast:

Our Lady of Sorrows

Our Lady had many great joys as the Mother of Jesus, but she had much to suffer, too. Her great love for her divine Son caused Mary to suffer when she saw Jesus treated cruelly by his enemies. Mary is the Queen of Martyrs because she went through spirit-ual torments greater than the bodily agonies of the martyrs. Her heart was like an altar when on Calvary she offered up her beloved Jesus to save us. What a terrible suffering it was for so loving a mother to see her Son die on the cross!  We especially remember seven occasions of great suffering in Mary’s life. The first was when she took Baby Jesus to the Temple. There the prophet Simeon told her that a sword of suffering would pierce her heart. This would be when Jesus was put to death. Her second sorrow was when she and St. Joseph had to flee to Egypt with Jesus because Herod’s soldiers were trying to kill him. The third suffering came when Mary searched three days in Jerusalem for Jesus. She finally found him in the Temple. Our Lady’s fourth sorrow was when Jesus was whipped and crowned with thorns. Her fifth great pain was caused by seeing him lifted on the cross, where he died after three hours of agony. Mary’s sixth sorrow was the moment when Our Lord’s lifeless body was placed in her arms. And her seventh suffering came when he was buried in the tomb.  Mary did not pity herself or complain because she had to suffer so much during her life. Instead, she offered her sorrows to God for our sakes. She is our Mother. Because she loves us dearly, she was happy to suffer along with Jesus her Son, so that we might some day share her joy with Jesus in heaven.  

  In honor of Our Lady of Sorrows, today we can offer up some little sacrifice without complaining. We can also think about each of the seven sorrows of Mary and thank her for her great love for us.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

14/09/15

Today's Feast:

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Today we celebrate our gratitude and love for Jesus through our respect for his cross. The cross was once the greatest symbol of shame. Death by crucifixion was reserved for the lowest of criminals. Jesus took on the suffering of the cross in order to obtain our salvation. With that suffering came shame.  By his death on the cross, Jesus has made it a symbol of eternal life and glory. The cross has become the most sacred Christian symbol. When the cross has the image of the suffering Christ on it, it is called a crucifix. The crucifix on our bedroom wall and the crucifix or cross we wear around our neck are reminders for us that Jesus paid a price for our salvation.  For centuries, relics of the true cross have been cherished by devout Christians. It is believed that Emperor Heraclius recovered pieces of wood from the cross of Jesus in 629. He and his group of pilgrims honored the relics and invited all the people in the area to join them. Even before that time, Christians honored and loved the symbol of the cross.  The word “cross” can also mean the sufferings that come our way. When we accept them lovingly and with patience, as Jesus did his cross, we become “cross-bearers” like Jesus.  

  Let’s consider what the symbol of the cross means to us Christians. We might like to say the following short prayer today: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

St. John Chrysostom

13/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. John Chrysostom

-Born in Antioch
-His father died when he was young
-Mother didn't marry second time and spend time to help him grow
-This help him to be a learned man and good speaker
-Became priest and then bishop
-Preached the people about Jesus and faith
-Spoke against sins, even about deeds of empress
-Put in exile by empress
-Died because of lack of food and rest
-He was happy to suffer for Jesus and to stand firm for truth

St. John Chrysostom was born in Antioch around 344. His father died when he was a baby. His mother chose not to marry again. She gave all her attention to bringing up her son and daughter. She made many sacrifices so that John could have the best teachers. He was very intelligent and could have become a great man in the world. When he gave speeches everyone loved to listen to him. In fact, the name Chrysostom means “Golden-mouthed.” Yet John wanted to give himself to God. He became a priest and later was made bishop of the great city of Constantinople.  St. John was a wonderful bishop and accomplished a tremendous amount of good. He preached once or twice every day, fed the poor, and took care of orphans. He corrected sinful customs and stopped bad plays from being performed. He loved everyone, but he was not afraid to tell even the empress when she did something wrong.  Because he fought sin, St. John had enemies, even the empress herself. She had him sent away from Constantinople. On the trip he suffered greatly from fever and from lack of food and sleep. Yet, he was happy to suffer for Jesus. Just before he died, he cried out, “Glory be to God!”  St. John died in Turkey on September 14, 407. A terrible hailstorm fell on Constantinople when he died. Four days later, the empress died, too. Her son honored St. John’s body and showed how sorry he was for the harm his mother had done.  

  God knows us better than we know ourselves. If we do everything as well as we can for him, then we don’t have to be afraid of what others say or do against us. We can ask St. John Chrysostom to give us courage.

Feast of the Holy Name of Mary

12/09/15

Feast of the Holy Name of Mary 

Feast Day: September 12th

The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, on September 12th in honor to the name of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  This feast day has been celebrated since 1684 when Pope Innocent XI officially included it in General Roman calendar, but actually dates back to 1513 as local celebrations were held in Spain.   

The entry in the Roman Martyrology about the feast speaks of it in the following terms, “The Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a day on which the inexpressible love of the Mother of God for her Holy Child is recalled, and the eyes of the faithful are directed to the figure of the Mother of the Redeemer, for them to invoke with devotion”. 

Before the Battle of Vienna in 1683, John III Sobieski placed his troops under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In the following year, to celebrate the victory, Pope Innocent XI inserted the feast into the General Roman Calendar, assigning to it the Sunday within the octave of the Nativity of Mary, which falls on September 8th. 

To honor the name of Mary, this Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus our Savior – we continue the tradition set many centuries ago, by our forefathers.  There is wisdom in honoring the mother of Jesus, the virgin named Mary – as she is our spiritual mother as well.  She will lead you to her Son.

St. Lawrence Justinian

11/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Lawrence Justinian

-Born in Italy
-Very zealous believer from young age
-Joined in congregation of St. George
-Assigned to find money for the monastery
-Begged to earn money for his fellow beings
-He was spiritually good that many came to get his advice
-He was very humble man
-He became a bishop
-He was very generous and helped poor and needy

Lawrence was born in Venice, Italy, in 1381. His mother sometimes thought her son was aiming too high. He always told her that he wanted to become a saint. When he was nineteen, he felt he should serve God in a special way. He asked the advice of his uncle, a holy priest of the community of St. George. “Do you have the courage to turn down the delights of the world and to live a life of penance?” asked his uncle. Lawrence was quiet for a long time. Then he looked up at a crucifix and said, “You, O Lord, are my hope. In this cross there is comfort and strength.”  His mother wanted him to marry, but Lawrence joined the community of St. George. His first assignment was to go out among the people of his city and seek donations for the support of the community. Lawrence was not ashamed to beg. He realized that the offerings of money or goods would help God’s work. He even went in front of his own home and asked for donations. His mother would try to fill up his sack with food so that he could go back to the monastery early. But Lawrence would only accept two loaves of bread and then would be off to the next house. In this way, he learned how to make little acts of self-denial and grew very dear to God.  One day a friend of his came to try to persuade Lawrence to leave the monastery. Instead, the saint spoke of how short life is and how wise it is to live for heaven. His friend was very impressed and was persuaded to become a religious himself.  Later, Lawrence was made a bishop. His people soon learned what a kind and holy man their bishop was. Crowds came to him for help every day. Bishop Lawrence became known for his works of charity and his success as a peacemaker. When he was dying, he would not lie on a comfortable bed. “That shall not be!” he exclaimed humbly. “My Lord was stretched out on a hard and painful tree.” St. Lawrence Justinian died in 1455.

  Let us pray for priests, that they’ll be full of faith and love in their service of God’s people, the Church. We can ask God to give them consolation, strength, and joy.

St. Nicholas of Tolentino

10/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Nicholas of Tolentino

-Born in Italy
-His birth was after long prayers by his parents
-Decided to become priest from young age
-Got inspired by preaching of an Augustinian priest
-Joined in Augustinian monastery and became priest
-Assigned to parishes
-Preached gospel in public places
-Took care of poor and sick people
-Performed miracles
-Brought repentance to people

Nicholas was born in 1245 in Ancona, Italy. His parents had waited long and anxiously for a child. Nicholas was the answer to their prayers and a pilgrimage the couple had made to the shrine of St. Nicholas of Bari. The couple was so grateful to the saint that they named their baby after him.  When the boy grew up, he talked about becoming a priest. He was prayerful and wanted to live close to God. Friends of his family wanted him to be a priest in a wealthy parish where Nicholas would be promoted. Nicholas didn’t say much, but he quietly searched and prayed. One day he slipped into a church. A fervent Augustinian priest was preaching a sermon. He said: “Don’t love the world or the things of this world because this world is passing away.” Nicholas thought about this. He went away with the words dancing in his head. He realized that God had used that preacher to touch his own life. He became convinced of the importance of preaching God’s Word. He made up his mind to ask to join the same Order to which that priest belonged.  The Order was the Augustinian Friars and the priest was Father Reginald, who became his novice master. Friar Nicholas professed his vows when he was eighteen. Then he began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained around 1270. Father Nicholas performed his preaching ministry in various parishes. Then while praying in church one day, he seemed to hear a voice saying: “To Tolentino, to Tolentino. Stay there.” Shortly afterward, he was assigned to the town of Tolentino. He spent the remaining thirty years of his life there.  There was great political unrest in those times. Many people did not come to church to hear the Word and to worship the Lord. The friars of St. Augustine decided that preaching in the streets was necessary. St. Nicholas was chosen to be part of this initiative. He preached in outside gathering places willingly. People listened and many repented of their sins and lack of caring. They led better lives. Father Nicholas spent hours in the poor areas of Tolentino. He visited the lonely. He brought the sacraments to the sick and dying. He took care of the needs of children and visited prisoners. Miracles were reported while St. Nicholas was still alive. He once touched a diseased child and said, “May the good God make you well,” and the child was cured.  St. Nicholas of Tolentino was sick for about a year before he died on September 10, 1305. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Eugene IV in 1446.  

  St. Nicholas of Tolentino was an answer to his parents’ prayers. Because he listened to the call of God in his heart, he was able to help many people find the Lord. We can ask St. Nicholas of Tolentino to help us be good listeners to the voice of God.

St. Peter Claver

09/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Peter Claver

-Born in spain
-Became a priest in Society of Jesus
-Desired to go in mission to South America
-Reached Colombia for preaching gospel
-Went to the port were thousands of slaves were brought for sale
-Preached gospel to slaves and their merchants
-Stood against slavery and preached those who involved in it
-Many slaves repented and believed in Jesus
-Took care of sick and needy among them
-He went in all places were slaves are there
-Called as Apostle of the slaves

This Spanish priest of the Society of Jesus was born in 1580. He is known as the “apostle of the slaves.” While he was still studying to become a Jesuit, he felt a burning desire to go to South America as a missionary. He volunteered and was sent to the seaport of Cartagena, in present day Colombia, where shiploads of African slaves were brought to be sold.  Peter felt great pity at the sight of those poor people, sick and suffering, all crowded together. He made up his mind to help them as much as he could. As soon as a slave ship arrived, he would go among the hundreds of sick slaves. He gave them food and medicine. He taught them about Christ and baptized those who accepted the faith. He cared for the sick. It was hard work in terrible heat. One man who went once with St. Peter could not bring himself to face the heartbreaking sight again. Yet Peter did it for forty years. He baptized some 300 thousand people. He was always there when the ships came in. He cared for and loved those who were treated so unjustly by society.  Although the slave owners tried to stop Father Claver, he taught the faith to the slaves anyway. It was slow, discouraging work. Many people criticized him, saying it was all a waste of time. They thought the slaves would never understand and keep the faith. But St. Peter was patient and he trusted that God would bless his people. He also went to visit his converts after they left Cartagena, staying in the slaves’ quarters. He wanted to see firsthand how the slaves were being treated, and what their living conditions were. The priest never stopped urging the slave owners to take care of the souls of their slaves and to become better Christians themselves.  During the last four years of his life, Father Claver was so sick that he had to stay in his room. He could not even celebrate Mass. Almost everyone forgot about him, but he never complained. Then suddenly at his death on September 8, 1654, it was as if the whole city woke up. They realized that they had lost a saint. He would never again be forgotten. Pope Leo XIII proclaimed him a saint in 1888.  

  Prejudice against people because of their race, religion, gender, culture, or birthplace offends God, the good Father of us all. We can ask St. Peter Claver to help us love everybody as God’s children. We can also ask him to help us get rid of any prejudice that may be in our hearts.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

08/09/15

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Patronage: Everyone named Mary-in any form

Feast Day: September 8th

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary refers to the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary by her parents St. Anne and St. Joachim.  The Catholic Church celebrates Mary’s birthday on September 8th, nine months after the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated on December 8th.   

The Feast, like the Assumption of Mary, originated in Jerusalem.  It began in the fifth century as the Feast of the “Basilica Sanctae Mariae ubi nata est”, now called the Basilica of St. Anne.  In the seventh century, the feast was celebrated at Rome as the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.   

The scene was frequently depicted in art, as part of cycles of the Life of the Virgin Mary.  These late medieval depictions are often valuable records of domestic interiors from their period, and were often in a wealthy household.  Apostolic tradition places Mary’s birthplace either in the Church of Saint Anne in Jerusalem, or in Tzippori, Israel where St. Anne once lived.  

We as Catholics, celebrate the birth of Mary, as this is truly the “Birth of Salvation”.  We know that Mary went on to give birth to Jesus, our Savior.  Many faithful throughout the world hold a birthday party for Mary, and celebrate to commemorate that beautiful event.  Here is a prayer that can be said on this Feast Day.  

Prayer  

Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Blessed John Duckett and Blessed Ralph Corby

07/09/15

Today's Saint:
Blessed John Duckett and Blessed Ralph Corby

-Both were Catholic christian priests in England
-John studied to become priest
-Afterwards, he spend three years in Paris for further studies
-Spend much time in prayer and relationship with God
-Returned to England and done many ministries
-It was time of persecution against Catholics
-Caught by officials and put to jail
-There he met Jesuit priest Ralph
-He was ministering in England for years
-Both were sentenced to death

This is the second time the name Duckett appears as we go through the calendar of saints and blesseds. The story of James Duckett, an English martyr, we studied on April 22. He was related in some way to one of today’s martyrs, John Duckett. Both John Duckett and Ralph Corby were priests. They lived in the seventeenth century and died as martyrs for the faith in 1644. Father John studied at the English college of Douay and became a priest in 1639. He studied for three more years in Paris and spent several hours each day in prayer. Before being sent back to his persecuted England, he spent two months with the Cistercian monks, devoting that time to prayer and solitude. The young priest labored for a year in England. He was caught with holy oils and a book of rites. When his captors threatened harm to his family and friends if he did not confess his identity, he admitted that he was a priest. He was brought to a prison in London. There he met a fellow priest, Ralph Corby, a Jesuit. Father Corby had been laboring in England for twelve years before he was caught celebrating Mass. The Jesuit Order tried feverishly to save Father Corby. Finally, a reprieve came. Father Corby insisted that Father John Duckett, who was younger, use it. But Father John would not allow himself to walk away and leave his friend. Actually, neither priest would have been allowed to take advantage of the reprieve. The judges ignored it and condemned both priests to death. On September 7, 1644, at ten o’clock, the two men mounted the cart that would take them to Tyburn, the place of execution. Their heads were shaved and they wore their cassocks. Each made a short speech, then embraced the other before the two were executed. They would meet again in the presence of the Lord of glory.

Who can ever really understand why injustices take place? It’s hard to forgive when innocent people suffer. When we’re angered by injustice, we can pray to Blessed John Duckett and Blessed Ralph Corby. We can ask them to help us be forgiving as they were.

Blessed Bertrand of Garrigues

06/09/15

Today's Saint:
Blessed Bertrand of Garrigues

-Born in France
-Country was facing civil war and wrong ideologies
-Became Cistercian monk
-Later he met St. Dominic and joined him for new congregation
-Congregation of Dominicans were called Preachers
-Accompanied Dominic for several mission
-Started new monasteries
-Lived humble by preaching people about true faith

Bertrand lived at the turn of the thirteenth century. His country, France, was troubled by civil war. There was also great confusion about Church teaching. Bertrand’s parents managed to live a peaceful life and they brought up their son in the true faith. In 1200, the Cistercian monasteries were attacked by an army led by Raymond of Toulouse. He believed in an erroneous teaching called Albigensianism. He attacked people who did not believe as he did. Raymond of Toulouse especially persecuted the Cistercian monks because they were trying very hard to help people understand the true Catholic faith. Bertrand became a Cistercian priest. Around 1208, he met St. Dominic. This was God’s invitation to him to begin a very important ministry. He was one of the six men who joined Dominic in 1215 to form a new religious congregation, the Order of Preachers. They are often called “Dominicans,” after their founder. Blessed Bertrand was sent to Paris to start the Order there. After a short while, St. Dominic called for Friar Bertrand to go to Bologna to establish the Order of Preachers there. Bertrand obeyed happily. Meanwhile, the Order was growing. They preached the Gospel message in the towns and countryside. They wanted people to know and love their Catholic faith. In 1219, Bertrand accompanied St. Dominic on a trip to Paris. He loved and admired St. Dominic very much. In 1221, the Dominicans had a big meeting called a General Chapter. Bertrand was there. The Order was divided into eight provinces so that the religious and their ministries could be more effective. Bertrand was made the superior or provincial of southern France. He spent the rest of his life preaching and helping people grow closer to God. He died in 1230 and was proclaimed a blessed by Pope Leo XIII in 1881.

When we wonder about what to do with our lives, we can pray to Blessed Bertrand. By living our faith and taking time each day for prayer, we’ll learn God’s plan for us.

Blessed Mother Theresa of Culcutta

05/09/15

Today's Saint:

Blessed Mother Theresa of Culcutta

-Born in Skopje, present day Macedonia
-She was brought up in good Catholic faith
-Grown in vibrant jesuit parish
-Involved in missionary works
-Later joined to become nun in Loreto sisters
-Reached at a girls school in Culcutta as a mission
-Moved to Darjeleeng where she felt a call within a call
-She was concerned about poverty and sickness of people in Culcutta
-Meditated the thirst for souls by Jesus on the cross
-Went to Culcutta and started mission among poor and downtrodden
-Established new congregation of nuns
-Many joined her effort
-All people encouraged her and all saw her as Saint of India

The remarkable woman who would be known as Mother Theresa began life named Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. Born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, she was the youngest child born to Nikola and Drane Bojaxhiu, Receiving her First Communion at the age of five, she was confirmed in November 1916. Her father died while she was only eight years old leaving her family in financial straits.

Gonxha's religious formation was assisted by the vibrant Jesuit parish of the Sacred Heart in which she was very involved as a youth.

Subsequently moved to pursue missionary work, Gonxha left her home in September 1928 at the age of 18 to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto, in Ireland. She received the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Therese of Lisieux. In December of 1929, she departed for her first trip to India, arriving in Calcutta. After making her First Profession of Vows in May 1931, Sister Teresa was assigned to the Loreto Entally community in Calcutta and taught at St. Mary's School for girls.

Sister Teresa made her Final Profession of Vows, On May 24, 1937, becoming, as she said, the "spouse of Jesus" for "all eternity." From that time on she was called Mother Teresa.

She continued teaching at St. Mary's and in 1944 became the school's principal. Mother Teresa's twenty years in Loreto were filled with profound happiness. Noted for her charity, unselfishness and courage, her capacity for hard work and a natural talent for organization, she lived out her consecration to Jesus, in the midst of her companions, with fidelity and joy.

It was on September 10, 1946 during a train ride from Calcutta to Darjeeling for her annual retreat,Mother Teresa received her "inspiration, her call within a call." On that day, in a way she would never explain, Jesus' thirst for love and for souls took hold of her heart and the desire to satiate His thirst became the driving force of her life.

By means of interior locutions and visions, Jesus revealed to her the desire of His heart for "victims of love" who would "radiate His love on souls." "Come be My light,'"He begged her. "I cannot go alone."
Jesus revealed His pain at the neglect of the poor, His sorrow at their ignorance of Him and His longing for their love. He asked Mother Teresa to establish a religious community, Missionaries of Charity, dedicated to the service of the poorest of the poor.

Nearly two years of testing and discernment passed before Mother Teresa received permission to begin. On August 17, 1948, she dressed for the first time in a white, blue-bordered sari and passed through the gates of her beloved Loreto convent to enter the world of the poor.

After a short course with the Medical Mission Sisters in Patna, Mother Teresa returned to Calcutta and found temporary lodging with the Little Sisters of the Poor. On December 21, she went for the first time to the slums. She visited families, washed the sores of some children, cared for an old man lying sick on the road and nursed a woman dying of hunger and tuberculosis. She started each day with communion then went out, rosary in her hand, to find and serve Him amongst "the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for." After some months, she was joined, one by one, by her former students.

On October 7, 1950 the new congregation of the Missionaries of Charity was officially established in the Archdiocese of Calcutta. By the early 1960s, Mother Teresa began to send her Sisters to other parts of India. The Decree of Praise granted to the Congregation by Pope Paul VI in February 1965 encouraged her to open a house in Venezuela. It was soon followed by foundations in Rome and Tanzania and, eventually, on every continent. Starting in 1980 and continuing through the 1990s, Mother Teresa opened houses in almost all of the communist countries, including the former Soviet Union, Albania and Cuba.

In order to respond better to both the physical and spiritual needs of the poor, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity Brothers in 1963, in 1976 the contemplative branch of the Sisters, in 1979 the Contemplative Brothers, and in 1984 the Missionaries of Charity Fathers.

Mother Theresa's inspiration was not limited to those with religious vocations. She formed the Co-Workers of Mother Teresa and the Sick and Suffering Co-Workers, people of many faiths and nationalities with who she shared her spirit of prayer, simplicity, sacrifice and her apostolate of humble works of love.

This spirit later inspired the Lay Missionaries of Charity. In answer to the requests of many priests, in 1981 Mother Teresa also began the Corpus Christi Movement for Priests as a "little way of holiness" for those who desire to share in her charisma and spirit.

During the years of rapid growth the world began to turn its eyes towards Mother Teresa and the work she had started. Numerous awards, beginning with the Indian Padmashri Award in 1962 and notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, honored her work, while an increasingly interested media began to follow her activities. She received both prizes and attention 'for the glory of God and in the name of the poor."

There was a heroic side of this great woman that was revealed only after her death. Hidden from all eyes, even from those closest to her, was her interior life marked by an experience of a deep, painful and abiding feeling of being separated from God, even rejected by Him, along with an ever increasing longing for His love. She called her inner experience, the darkness. The "painful night" of her soul, which began around the time she started her work for the poor and continued to the end of her life, led Mother Teresa to an ever more profound union with God. Through the darkness she mystically participated in the thirst of Jesus, in His painful and burning longing for love, and she shared in the interior desolation of the poor.

In spite of increasingly severe health problems towards the end of her life, Mother Teresa continued to govern her Society and respond to the needs of the poor and the Church. By 1997, Mother Teresa's Sisters numbered nearly 4,000 members and were established in 610 foundations in 123 countries of the world. In March 1997 she blessed her newly-elected successor as Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity and then made one more trip abroad. After meeting Pope John Paul II for the last time, she returned to Calcutta and spent her final weeks receiving visitors and instructing her Sisters.

On September 5, Mother Teresa's earthly life came to an end. She was given the honor of a state funeral by the Government of India and her body was buried in the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity. Her tomb quickly became a place of pilgrimage and prayer for people of all faiths, rich and poor alike.

Mother Teresa left a testament of unshakable faith, invincible hope and extraordinary charity. Her response to Jesus' plea, "Come be My light," made her a Missionary of Charity, a "mother to the poor," a symbol of compassion to the world, and a living witness to the thirsting love of God. As a testament to her most remarkable life, Pope John Paul II permitted the opening of her Cause of Canonization. On December 20, 2002 he approved the decrees of her heroic virtues and miracles.