What is a Saint?

Saint Anthony of Padua

2010-06-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

St. Anthony of Padua
Feast Day: January 17
Doctor of the Church

St. Anthony of Padua was always seen in public squares and market places preaching and defending the truths of the Catholic Faith. His preachings were simple yet it resounded and touched the hearts of so many that crowds of people including the heretics returned to the Church. For this reason, he is called the “hammer of the Heretics”.

Though most of his work was in Italy, Anthony was born in 1195 at Lisbon, of a noble Portuguese family. His father was a captain in the royal army. At the age of fifteen he joined the canons regular of St. Augustine where for a period of eight years, he devoted himself to study and prayer.

One day, a group of missionaries on their way to preach the Gospel of Christ to the inhabitants of Morocco passed by their monastery. These missionaries namely St. Bernard, St. Peter, St. Otho, St. Accursius, and St. Adjutus were massacred by the Moors and became the first martyrs of the Franciscan Order. When the remains were brought to be buried in his church, Anthony was so moved by their martyrdom that he repeatedly begged his superiors to be given the permission to join the Franciscan Order and go to Morocco to evangelize. He was 26 years old when this earnest wish was fulfilled.

On his way to Africa, he was stricken with severe illness and so resigning to the will of God, he boarded a ship back to Portugal. As the ship was driven out of its course by storm winds, St. Anthony found safety in the harbour at Messina, Sicily. From there, he made his way to Assisi. St. Anthony was greeted by the Franciscans and remained there for nine months as chaplain to the Friars. When he was not praying, he was serving them by doing the lowliest duties in the convent.

In 1222, a ceremony of ordination attended by a number of Dominicans and Franciscans was held at Forli. The scheduled speaker failed to appear, so the provincial asked if someone else can give a sermon. All declined the invitation, until finally, St. Anthony was asked to give it. St Anthony so impressed them that he was thereafter constantly invited to evagelize, preach, and teach theology throughout Italy and France. A gifted speaker, he attracted crowds everywhere he went and St Anthony's devotion to the Sacred Scriptures and to Mary were evident in his teachings.

Saint Anthony was only 36 years old when he died. Upon receiving the last sacrament he gazed
up and smiled. When asked what he saw, he answered: "I see my Lord."

The following year after his death, Saint Anthony was canonized by Pope Gregory IX and was
proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946.

Reflection:

Prayer is St Anthony's expression of his dependence on God.

Saint Anthony earnestly sought God through prayer and diligent study of the Scriptures,
meditating constantly on the Divine. It is this deep relationship with God that made his
heart burn within him to share and proclaim Christ to all people. By this relationship, St.
Anthony lived more faithfully as Jesus' disciple, evangelizing, reconciling sinners with God
and sharing Jesus love with others.

Another fruit that St Anthony manifested was humility. Humility is accepting ourselves as we
truly are before God and realizing that our confidence and our greatness lies
in Christ.

Saint Barbara

2010-06-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Feast Day: December 4

Barbara lived in the 4th century in the city of Heliopolis. She was the daughter of
Dioscorus, a wealthy nobleman and a pagan. In his zeal to protect his young daughter,
Barbara was kept shut up in a tower and forbade her to have friends or speak to anyone
without his permission.

By way of a basket on a rope, she got her food and other things she needed. It was in this
way too that she got the bible from a stranger. One day, Barbara got ill and her father
sent for a doctor. Unknown to Dioscorus, a priest name Origen was sent instead and it was
through this that Barbara received baptism. In her solitude, she gave herself to prayer and
studied the Christian faith.

Dioscorus, before going on a journey, instructed that a bath-house with 2 windows be built
for her daughter. During his absence, Barbara had three windows put in instead of two, as a
symbol of the Holy Trinity and on the marble wall placed a large cross. She, then
acknowledged herself to be a Christian.

His father was enraged by her conversion and dragged her before the civil tribunal. She was
cruelly tortured but Barbara stood firm in her faith and would not deny Christ. Finally, she
was condemned to death by beheading and her father himself carried out the death sentence.
On his way home, Dioscorus was struck by lightning that consumed his body.

St. Barbara is often depicted in art as standing in a tower with three windows and carrying
the palm of a martyr in her hand or she is seen holding a chalice and sacramental wafer.

Many pilgrims who came to her grave were healed or received aid and consolation. Before the
ninth century, Saint Barbara was publicly venerated and became the patron saint in time of
danger from thunder-storms and fire as well as protector of artillerymen and miners.
Saint Barbara was proclaimed martyr on December 4, 306.

Reflection:

In her solitude, Barbara encountered God. Her mind, heart and soul were opened by the grace of God to feel His presence and because of this she was convinced of the existence of God and was able to endure the terrible torture.

Her love for God made Barbara stood firm as she held to her faith in Jesus in the face of death. She fearlessly bore witness to Jesus by suffering death rather than recanting her faith.

Saint John Bosco

2010-06-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

Feast Day : January 31

Don Bosco was born on 16 August 1815 in a village called Becchi north of Italy. John’s father died when he was two years old and was brought up by his mother, Margaret. At the age of nine, John Bosco had been having dreams that revealed God's will in his life. He was in a field with an unruly crowd of children and John was asked to lead them. “Not with blows, but with kindness and love you must win over these your friends. I shall give you a Teacher under whose guidance you will become wise”. This vision became a guiding force that inspired him to become a priest and led him to minister to the poor and neglected boys.

While attending college and seminary, he did myriads of work such as a shoemaker, tailor, carpenter, baker and John Bosco would go to circuses, fairs and carnivals to learn how to juggle and do magicians tricks in order to relate to the boys that he was teaching. His aim was to provide fun and games with teaching and praying so as to catch the attention of the children. After this entertainment, he would talk about God and teach them.

John Bosco was ordained in 1841, just short of his 26th birthday. In Italy, priests are called Don, so John Bosco was also known as Don Bosco. He continued to teach catechism to orphans and with loving guidance led the young people to a useful, fulfilled lives. Don Bosco saw education as the key to helping the boys. He built technical schools to teach them skilled jobs like printing, bookbinding and mechanics. In those days, these were the skills that were needed to provide a better future for these young generation.

Soon enough, others were inspired to follow him in responding to the needs of the youth. Thus, he started the Salesian Missions in South America and founded the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) in 1859. He also founded the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians in 1872, and Union of Cooperator Salesians three years after.

Don Bosco died on January 31, 1888 and was canonized a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1934.

Reflection:

Saint John Bosco became the bearer of God's love to these young boys. With John's gift of friendship, joy, love of life...he dedicated his life to service and reached out to these children to provide for them both their material and spiritual needs.

May we continue to walk with others in the spirit of St. John Bosco and fulfill every human longing for love, joy and meaning.

Saint Clare of Assisi

2010-05-24T00:43:00.000-07:00

Saint Clare of Assisi
Feast Day: August 11

Chiara Offreduccio more known as St. Clare of Assisi was born on July 16, 1194. She was the
eldest daughter of Favorino Scifi, Count of Sasso-Rosso and Ortolana also belonging to a
noble family. Her father owned a large palace in Assisi being a wealthy representative of
an ancient Roman family.

As a child, Chiara was most devoted to prayer. When she turned eighteen, she had a chance
to hear St.Francis of Assisi preached. This kindled a flame in her heart and desired to
imitate Francis and live a poor humble life for Jesus.

Clare decided to lay aside her privileged life and sought to imitate Francis' virtues and the Franciscan theology of joyous poverty in imitation of Christ. One evening, she ran away from home, proceeded to the humble chapel of the Porziuncula and gave herself to God. She became the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi.

She was temporarily placed by St. Francis in San Paolo with the Benedictine nuns then transferred to another monastery of the Benedictine nuns at Sant' Angelo in Panzo, then finally to the poor chapel of San Damiano, which Francis himself had rebuilt. Other women joined and thus the first community of the Order of Poor Ladies (Order of San Damiano) was founded. This is a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition, and their lives consisted of manual labour and prayer. St Claire led it for 40 years. Following
her death, the order was renamed in her honor as the Order of Saint Clare also known as the
Poor Clares.

St Claire died at the age of 59, two days after the pope confirmed the Rule of Life (the rule written by Claire for her community and is considered the first monastic rule written by a woman) to serve as the governing rule for St. Clare's Order.

Reflection:

St Claire determined to live the gospel in a radical way and she desired to own nothing in
this world except her divine spouse, depending entirely on the providence of the Almighty.

Saint Blaise

2010-04-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

Feast Day: February 3
Patron of Throat Illnesses

Only a few facts are known about Saint Blaise.

Saint Blaise was born in to a noble and affluent family who raised him to be a man of God. He spent time studying philosophy and later medicine.

Saint Blaise became the bishop of Sebastea in Armenia during the reign of Licinius in the early fourth century, when a series of persecution began again. In one of his prayers, he got a message to set off to the mountains so as to escape persecution. He lived in a cave on Mount Argeus but as soon as people found out where he was, they came flocking to him from nearby countries and provinces for the cure of their ailments both spiritual and physical.

He was discovered by the huntsmen when they saw the myriads of people waiting outside the cave while Blaise was praying. He was arrested, put in prison and was martyred. While in prison, a boy was brought to him who had a fishbone stuck in his throat -this led to the blessing of throats on February 3- Saint Blaise’s feast day.

The blessing of St. Blaise is done by consecrating two candles which are then held in a crossed position by a priest and pressed against the throat or over the head as the following blessing is said: "May God at the intercession of St. Blasius preserve you from throat troubles and every other evil."

Saint Maria Goretti

2010-04-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

Feast Day: July 6

Maria Teresa Goretti was born in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy, on October 16 1890. She was the third out of six children of Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. By the time she turned six, her family had become so poor that they were forced to give up their farm and moved to the Serenelli farm to survive. His father, a farmworker died of malaria and her mother had to struggle to feed her children. Her mother, sisters and brother worked in the fields while Maria stayed home to clean the house, sew and cook.

While alone in the house, sewing, Alessandro (Alexander) Serenelli came in and tried to rape her. Maria Goretti was 11. Not submitting to her assailant, she was stabbed several times with a knife.
As Maria Goretti lay in the hospital for two days, she prayed and forgave her attacker and died holding a crucifix and looking at the picture of the Blessed Virgin.

Alexander was captured and since he was a minor the sentence was commuted to 30 years in prison. He remained unrepentant until he had a dream that he was in a garden and Maria was there giving him lilies. This vision led to his conversion and later became a laybrother at the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin) where he worked as a receptionist and gardener.

Maria Goretti was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950 and Assunta attended the canonization of her child. Alexander too witnessed St. Maria Goretti's canonization.

Maria Goretti, one of the youngest canonized saints is represented as a young girl with a bouquet of lilies in her hands.

Reflection:

St. Maria Goretti prayed for Alexander - the first step and act in forgiveness as this let's you focus on God instead of the offender.

To forgive and be forgiven are two powerful, grace-filled experiences.

St Maria Goretti had extended to Alexander the love and forgiveness that God has extended to all of us through Our Lord Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Because of this St Maria Goretti was able to see her assailant as Jesus sees him. She loved as God loves.

Saint Arnold Janssen

2010-03-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

Feast Day: January 15

Arnold Janssen was born in Goch, Germany on November 5, 1837. At a young age, he manifested an inclination for the priesthood. He took up philosophy at the Academy of Munster and then studied at the University of Bonn and was ordained a Catholic priest on August 15, 1861. He is best known for founding 3 congregations. One is the Society of the Divine Word also known as the Divine Word Missionaries. This society was designed to provide priests and lay brothers for the missions. The first missionaries were sent out in the mid 1890's and rapidly spread around the world. The 2 other congregations are for women in recognition of the important role women played in the missionary outreach. "Servants of the Holy Spirit served as educators especially for young girls while the "Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration" are contemplative nuns who devote themselves to praying for the success of the missions.

Father Arnold Janssen died in Steyl on January 5, 1909, and was beatified in 1975 by Pope Paul VI. He was canonized on October 5, 2003 by Pope John Paul II after the miraculous healing of a Filipino teenager.

Reflections:

Saint Arnold Janssen demonstrated how it is to be a true servant of God. He was in constant search for God's will and he let God use him for His purposes.

Saint Vincent Ferrer

2010-03-18T01:32:00.000-07:00

Feast Day: April 5

Saint Vincent Ferrer was born at Valencia, Spain on January 23, 1357.

In 1374, he entered the Order of St. Dominic and on the following year was sent to the house of studies at Barcelona. He received his doctorate at Catalonia and devoted most of his time to preaching. For twenty years, St. Vincent Ferrer evangelized nearly every province of his country and had tread through Western Europe preaching in France, Italy, Germany, the Alpine Region, Flanders, England, Ireland and Scotland. People flocked as he preached in marketplaces and squares and though St Vincent Ferrer could only speak the language of Valencia, multitudes were won over by his preaching and numerous conversions were made. For this, he was known as the missionary of the fourteenth century.

Saint Vincent labored zealously among the people. He not only preached but he lived them. He arose at two in the morning for prayer and meditation. Celebrated the daily Mass at six, preached, visited the sick and made himself available for spiritual counseling. At eight in the evening, St. Vincent Ferrer would prepare his sermon for the next day. He lived simply and refused all ecclesiastical dignities, including the opportunity to be a cardinal.

St Vincent Ferrer lived in an era when the Church was divided by the great schism. During his last days, St Vincent lived to see the Council of Constance ending the Western Schism and electing Martin V as pope.

Because of his work in uniting and building the church in brotherly love, St. Vincent Ferrer became the patron saint of builders.

Reflection:

St. Vincent Ferrer’s zeal is remarkable. He worked for the salvation of souls and for unity in the Church. He also showed great humility and patience in bearing all things for the love of Christ and for the work of the Church.

For someone who had constantly preached about brotherly love and unity, the schism must have been a constant source of misery to St. Vincent Ferrer. And what amazes me is that God in His goodness, relieved St Vincent of this burden by letting him witness the end of the great schism.

Saint Josephine Bakhita

2010-03-08T01:12:00.000-08:00

Feast Day: February 8

Bakhita was not the name given to her by her parents at birth. The trauma of her abduction caused her to forget her own name and Bakhita, an Arabic name which means “lucky” or “fortunate”, was given to her by her captors.

St. Josephine Bakhita was born in the Darfur region of Sudan in 1869. At about 9 years old, she was kidnapped and sold into slavery, and resold in the markets of El Obeid and of Khartoum. She experienced a series of humiliations, was tortured, mutilated and was even left half dead.

Finally, Bakhita was bought by an Italian diplomat, Callisto Legnani. When the consul had to leave for Italy, Bakhita obtained permission to go with them. On arrival in Genoa, at the request of Michieli’s wife, Bakhita became the nanny to Michieli’s daughter, Mimmina. Josephine Bakhita was loved and treated well by the family.

When the Michieli’s moved to the Red Sea to manage their hotel business in Suakin, Bakhita and Mimmina were entrusted to the Institute of the Daughters of the Canossian Charity. It was there that Bakhita came to know about God. After several months, Bakhita was baptized into Catholic faith on January 9, 1890 and was given the name, Josephine.

When Mrs. Michieli came back to get her daughter and her nanny, Bakhita in her great desire to know and serve God, remained with the Canossian Sisters.

For another 50 years, Bakhita lived in the community in Schio doing various services. And because one her duties was attending to the door, she was in frequent contact with the local community. She is well-known for her smile, gentleness as well as charisma and everyone calls her “Mother Moretta (Our little brown mother).
Josephine Bakhita died on February 8, 1947 and on her death bed she uttered her last words with a smile saying “Our Lady! Our Lady!”

Reflection:

In her trials, Bakhita met Jesus. She didn’t know His name. Perhaps, she just called Him hope until she met this familiar face again whom the nuns in the Canossian Charity called Jesus. Bakhita’s hope is in the Lord and her trials led her into a deeper spiritual life that made Bakhita’s life fruitful.

Whatever situation you find yourself in, there is hope. It maybe difficult to see or feel it at the moment, but it is there for you.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."- Jeremiah 29:11

Please feel free to share your reflections/input/insights in the comment box below. Thank you and God bless

Saint Joan of Arc

2010-02-25T01:12:00.000-08:00

Saint Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc also known as Jeanne la Pucelle, the Maid)
Feast Day: May 30

A peasant girl, Joan of Arc was born on January 6, 1412 in the village of Domremy, at the time of the Hundred Years’ War when Henry V of England begun invading Normandy. The English king along with the Duke of Burgundy, were gobbling up more and more French territory and regions were being lost to the English and the Burgundians. Domremy is a frontier village and during her childhood several local raids occurred there. On one occasion, as her village was being burned by the Burgundians, Joan along with her parents and siblings fled eight miles distant to Neufchatel.

St. Joan of Arc experienced her first vision at the age of 12, when she heard voices as she was out alone in the fields. These “voices” are from St. Michael, St. Catherine of Alexandria, and St. Margaret who constantly spoke to her and which she afterward came to call her "counsel". Gradually, the call of God was made known and the mission to take Charles to Rheims to be crowned, and to recover her homeland from English domination was revealed to her. By May 1428, at the age of 16, the voices insisted for Joan of Arc to see Robert Baudricourt who commanded for Charles VII in the neighboring town of Vaucouleurs and say that she was appointed to lead the Dauphin to his crowning. Baudricourt laughed and said that her father ought to give her a whipping. His sarcastic response, however, did not deter Jeanne d’Arc to ask permission to visit the royal French court at Chinon.

In January 1429, Joan of Arc left Domremy to go again to Vaucouleurs where she made a notable prediction about a military reversal near Orléans. After a perilous journey through the territory of the Burgundians, Jeanne d'Arc reached Chinon on March 6. Two days later, she was admitted into the presence of Charles VII. On May 8, 1429, after overcoming opposition from prelates, courtiers and lawyers, the 17-year-old Joan was given a small army with which she raised the siege of Orleans.

Jeanne la Pucelle, the Maid, carried a sacred sword that bore a white banner adorned with lilies, and a holy cross with the names of "Jesus, Maria,". The siege of Orleans was raised on the 9th of May and a series of spectacular military victories followed that led to Charles VII's coronation at Reims. Joan stood proudly behind the King with her banner bearing the figure of God the Father with two kneeling angels and the words, "Jesus Maria" ; Jesus on the cross and a little girl offering to Our Lady a fleur-de-lis, the royal emblem of France.

During the fight, Joan was wounded in the shoulder by an arrow and in another incident was again injured and had to be dragged to safety.

After the winter truce, Jeanne d'Arc hurried off to the aid of Compiegne where she was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the Duke of Bedford. After months of imprisonment, she was tried at Rouen by an ecclesiastical court and when she refused to retract the statement she had about her “counsel” who commanded her to do what she had done, she was condemned to death as a heretic and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. Joan of Arc was nineteen years old.

Twenty-four years later, she was exonerated of all guilt and was declared a martyr. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920.

St. Joan of Arc is the patroness of soldiers and of France.

Reflection:

For Saint Joan of Arc to obey as she did, she must have had a deep relationship with God. Because of this intimate relationship with Him, she is convinced of His existence and knows God’s nature and His “voice”. This is shown in her ardent faith in God. Someone who knows what God is like knows what his voice is like. For this reason, she is able to obey despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

This brings to mind the responsorial psalm: “I know my sheep and my sheep knows me”

John 10: 2-5 “But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”

We will not recognize God’s voice unless we know Him and if we want to follow God’s will, we must know how to discern His leadings.

Discernment is the art of knowing the “voice” of God.

To Jeanne la Pucelle, the idea might well seem too absurd, but because of her intimate relationship with the “Shepherd” she knew what she was doing. Saint Joan of Arc acted boldly. She remained simple and never became conceited or self-seeking. To her obeying God and doing what pleases Him (no matter the outcome) is her mission, and this she accomplished triumphantly.

Please feel free to share your reflections and insights in the comment box below. Thank you and God bless!

Joan of Arc

Saint Martin de Porres

2010-02-19T22:04:00.000-08:00

Feast Day: November 3

The father of Martin de Porres was a Spanish knight & adventurer and his mother a colored freed-woman from Panama. Martin de Porres was born on the 9^th of December, 1579 in Lima, Peru. Don Juan de Porres left Martin’s mother and just sent money every now and then. Martin grew up in poverty and bore the stigma of having mixed blood and the shame of being an illegitimate child.

When Martin turned 8, his father sent money for him and his sister to go to school. At age 12, he became an apprentice to a barber-surgeon where he learned to cut hair as well as to draw blood, prepare medicinal herbs, set broken bones and to properly care for the sick. It was also during this time that he became a servant in the Holy Rosary Dominican priory. At fifteen, he was allowed to become a lay brother at the Dominican Friary and was placed in charge of the infirmary.

St. Martin de Porres spent much time in prayer and meditation and had a great devotion to the sacrament of the Eucharist. God endowed him with many supernatural graces and lights. There are recorded instances when he was seen bi-locating or was inside the chapel levitating and so filled with love for Christ. He went about curing the sick and giving alms to the poor; helped the farm laborers, Negroes and mulattoes. He was good-natured and charitable and thus gained the name “Martin the charitable”. He is also known as the first Black Saint from the Americas.

Reflection:

*What amazes me about Saint Martin de Porres is his profound humility. He had suffered much and had experienced terrible humiliation yet instead of wallowing in self-pity or instead of redeeming himself by compensating or retaliating he continued to live in self- imposed poverty and reached out to the sick, the poor and the oppressed. To me, this is a clear evidence that he was able to transcend the prejudice and humiliation he went through in his childhood.

This reminds me of the quote from Mother Teresa about if you are humble nothing can hurt you. Here's an accurate quote on that one:

"Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal."
-Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 'The Joy in Loving' page 363

To Martin de Porres, only God suffices. His knowledge of the greatness of God, made him aware of his dignity as a child of God as well as his nothingness. Though he is nothing, God loves him profoundly. This experience of God’s love is all that mattered. God’s love redeemed Martin and healed him of his pains. To Saint Martin de Porres, God’s love was the source of all the love he generously shared to the poor, the sick and the unwanted and he looked on these poor people the way he looked at himself - a child of God.

* In God’s great wisdom, He chose Martin de Porres, an illegitimate, Negro to be a Saint to show that His love is universal.

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini

2010-02-11T23:46:00.001-08:00

Feast Day: November 13

Patron of immigrants

St. Frances was born in Lombardi, Italy on July 15, 1850. She was the thirteenth child of a farmer's family and was educated to be a school teacher.

In her teens, she desired to become a Nun, but poor health stood in her way. The idea however, never deserted her so she sought admission from one religious order to another only to be rejected over and over. Finally, Monsignor Serrati, saw her potential and assigned her to a small orphanage which had been poorly managed and the funds squandered. Despite this, Frances attracted other recruits to the community. She made her vows and took the religious habit in September 1877. Eventually, at the request of her Bishop, St Frances Xavier Cabrini founded the "Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart" to care for poor children in schools and hospitals. Along with her are 6 other sisters from the orphanage.

St Frances Cabrini's time marked the period of great migrations to America. In Italy, Bishop Scalabrini, spoke to her about the religious and social conditions of the Italian immigrants in the States and pleaded her to go there.

Even with her frail condition, Frances Cabrini along with other six sisters traveled to New York City to work among the thousands of Italian immigrants. Upon arriving, they were told that the house intended to be Cabrini’s first orphanage in the United States was not available. Cabrini was advised to return, but determined to establish the orphanage and believing that this was God’s will for her, she refused to leave. St Frances Xavier Cabrini set up orphanages and schools for the Scalabrini Fathers; organized schools and adult education classes for the immigrants as well as put up hospitals in New York and Chicago and a mission in New Orleans. She didn’t stop there but went all the way to Nicaragua, South America, England and Spain to set up schools and hospital. At the time of her death, on December 22, 1917, at Chicago, Illinois. Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini founded nearly seventy institutions dedicated to caring for the poor, abandoned, uneducated and the sick. In these institutions, she was known to have an astute business sense and fine administrative abilities.

In 1946, she was elevated to sainthood by Pope Pius XII making Frances Xavier Cabrini the first American citizen to be canonized. One of the miracles attributed to her was the complete healing of the baby accidentally blinded at birth.

Reflection:

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini is a woman of prayer and action. Surely, she met disappointment and difficulties in executing these tasks but her deep trust in God gave her the strength to continue doing Christ's work. She always accepted challenging moments in her life with patience and love. And because of her persistence and desire to give herself wholly to God she became a pioneer worker for the Italian immigrants and established orphanages, schools, and hospitals, in over eight countries in Europe, North, Central and South America.

Mother Cabrini is a source of inspiration to women of today. She is consistent and uncompromising in her faith and values. By balancing prayer and action whether in taking care of the children, cooking, cleaning the house or working or running an institution…..etc. Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini proclaimed Christ not only by words, but by example and service as well.

Please feel free to share your reflections/inputs/insights in the comment box below. Thank you and God Bless!

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz

2010-02-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

Feast Day: September 28

Lorenzo Ruiz was born in Binondo, Manila on November 28, 1594. His father was Chinese and his mother Filipino. During his youth, Lorenzo was educated by the Dominican Fathers and from them he learned the fundamentals of faith. He became the errand boy of the friars and was an altar boy at Binondo convent. As he grew older, he was employed as their "escribano" because of his skillful hand.

Lorenzo is a devout Catholic and was a great devotee of the Blessed Virgin. He was blessed with two sons and a daughter and had a happy and harmonious married life. Things changed, however, when he found himself being accused of a crime he did not commit after having an argument with a Spaniard. Fearing for his life, he sought to escape and when he learned that the Dominicans were preparing to embark on a mission to Japan, he joined the group. He bade goodbye to his loved ones and left the Philippines with a heavy heart.

The expedition was a clandestine one for the Christians were hunted down, persecuted and put to death in Japan at that time. His intention, at the start was to remain in Macau to earn a living for his family. But St. Lorenzo Ruiz changed his plan and decided to be a missionary instead. Not many days after their arrival in Okinawa, the missionaries were arrested and thrown into prison. Two years after, they were brought in a torture chamber in Nagasaki. There they suffered incredible torture as they were hung by their feet and were submerged in water which brought some of his companions to recant their faith. There were beaten and needles were inserted inside their finger nails while they were being questioned.

"If we grant you your life, are you willing to renounce your faith?"

To this St. Lorenzo Ruiz answered:

"I am a Christian and this I profess, and although I did not come to Japan to become a martyr, I am now willing to give up my life for God. You can do with me as you will please."

On September 1637, muzzled and hand tied the prisoners marched to the place of execution. Saint Lorenzo Ruiz was hanged head down inside a small pit called a 'horca y hoya'. Only his limbs were seen from above the ground. To slow down the flow of blood, he was bound and his flesh slightly cut. For three days, his torturer left him this way. Their bodies were burned and the ashes were thrown into the sea.

He and his companions were beatified by Pope John Paul II during the Papal visit to Manila on 18 February 1981. He was canonized on October 18, 1987.

He is recognized as the first Filipino Saint and Martyr.

Reflections:

Anyone can be a saint. Saint Lorenzo Ruiz or more known to Filipinos as San Lorenzo Ruiz is an ordinary man. Just like us, he simply wants to have a happy, peaceful, harmonious life. However, his circumstances changed and he was thrust into a situation so complicated. Yet, even if he didn’t want what was happening in his life, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz faced it with unwavering courage and unyielding faith and trust in God. In the end, he willingly gave his life to a God who is truly deserving of all Saint Lorenzo Ruiz can offer.

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz encourages us to never lose faith and to always trust in God no matter what. Surely, God was with him during those terrible last days and though his body was suffering, his soul found happiness, peace and assurance that his suffering was not in vain.

Saint Vincenta Maria Lopez y Vicuña

2010-02-01T04:14:00.000-08:00

Feast Day: December 26

Saint Vincenta Maria Lopez y Vicuña was born at Cascante, Spain in March 24, 1847. Vicenta had a happy childhood. She was a daughter of a famous lawyer, reared in a Catholic home and educated in Madrid. She may have had a good chance of living a comfortable life yet she chose the way of austerity and sacrifice. Vicenta’s uncle was a priest while her aunt was a nun who founded a home for domestic servants. This perhaps, fostered her attraction to religious life. At 23, she too became a nun and organized a group of ladies to protect and promote the welfare of the working girls- This was the beginning of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate. Along with this, Vicenta Maria founded several foundations, technical training schools, hostels, canteen, and provided these working girls boarding houses while they are away from home. She was a mother and homemaker to them, helping and teaching them in the ways of the Lord.

Her congregation spread throughout Spain and other parts of Europe as well as in Latin America. She endured many trials and difficulties which she faced with courage and faith. Saint Vicenta Maria died on December 26, 1890. Sixty years after her death and through numerous graces obtained through her intercession, she was canonized Saint.

Reflection:

What could have prompted Saint Vicenta Maria to abandon a life of comfort and live an austere life for others?
LOVE.
In her desire to give herself totally to God, she gave up all that she had and all that she might have been. She love God abundantly (a love that she first received from God) and that love overflowed to her neighbors.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

2010-01-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

Feast Day: January 28
Doctor of the Church (Angelicus Doctor), Prince of Scholastics
Patron of Catholic universities, colleges, and schools

Born at Rocca Secca in the Kingdom of Naples, the year of Thomas’ birth is not certain; either 1225 or 1227.

His father, Landulph, was Count of Aquino while his mother, Theodora, was Countess of Teano. His family was related to the Emperors Henry VI and Frederick II, and to the Kings of Aragon, Castile, and France.

At the age of five, as it was the custom of that time, he was sent to obtain his first training from the Benedictines of Monte Casino then to the University of Naples around 1236. At the age of seventeen, in spite of the opposition of his family, he entered the Order of St. Dominic in Naples.

At the request of their mother, the brothers of Thomas, who were soldiers under the Emperor Frederick, took him back forcibly and imprisoned him in the fortress of San Giovanni. He was detained nearly two years; they even went so far as to send a beautiful young lady into Thomas’ room for the purpose of alluring him. But as soon as the lady came inside, he drew a burning stick from the fire and drove her out from his room.

These long months of imprisonment were not put to waste, however, for Thomas spent his time reading the valuable books (Holy Scriptures, Aristotle's Metaphysics, and the "Sentences" of Peter Lombard),which his kind sister obtained for him.

After eighteen months or so in confinement and with all their efforts put in vain, her mother relented and Thomas was set free.

He was ordained priest in 1250. Upon the advice of Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas then journeyed to Paris to continue his studies and to teach in their Study House. This may be regarded as the beginning of his public career, for his teaching soon attracted the attention of both the professors and the students. Subsequently, St. Thomas began teaching, lecturing and writing. At the same time, he also began to publish his first works.

The reputation of Saint Thomas as a Philosopher and theologian spread far and wide, and he was frequently invited to preach and give lectures.

In due time, Saint Thomas was admitted to the degree of Doctor in Theology. By the age of thirty-one, he received his doctorate.

On his way to the second Council of Lyons, he fell sick and died at the Cistercian monastery of Fossa Nuova in 1274 leaving the "Summa Theologica" unfinished.

St. Thomas was one of the greatest and most influential theologians of all time. But despite that, he remained childlike. Once, there was this friar who made a ruse about a horse flying over the priory. The friars were laughing at Thomas as he ran to the window to look at the flying horse. Laughing at himself, he added, “I thought it was easier for a horse to fly than for a friar to utter a lie”.

Saint Thomas was canonized in 1323 and declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V.

Reflections:

Before he began his study, Saint Thomas always prays for God's assistance, for he acknowledged that not all truths are learned by human intellect alone but that some truths are known through revelation (God revealing the truth to us) and through experience (our own personal experience of God).

For Saint Thomas Aquinas, faith and reason are not in conflict.
The fullness of truth is found only in God.
Saint Thomas Aquinas' constant search for truth is essential in a life dedicated to the pursuit of sanctity and perfect charity.

Please feel free to share your reflections/inputs/insights to other readers of this blog. Thank you and God bless

Here's a video I saw in YouTube (Fr. Barron comments on St. Thomas Aquinas) that I'd like to share with you.

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Saint Genevieve

2010-01-14T12:44:00.000-08:00

Feast Day: January 3
Patroness of Paris

St. Genevieve was born at Nanterre near Paris around the year 422. She was seven years old when Bishop Germanus of Auxerre along with Bishop Lupus of Troyes, stopped at Nanterre, on their way to Great Britain to contest the heresy of Pelagius. Amidst the crowd, Genevieve eagerly listened as her father hoisted her up to his shoulder so that she could have a better view. Her fervor attracted the attention of Bishop Germanus that at the end of his sermon he gave Genevieve a medal engraved with a cross.

At age 15, Genevieve took her religious vows. During her lifetime she had visions and prophesied future events. But these special favors caused her so much suffering for her visions and prophecies were treated as frauds and deceits. Yet, in spite of it she continued to do the will of God.

In 449, the barbaric tribe of the Franks besieged the city of Paris. King Childeric planned on starving the people for them to surrender. Genevieve helped the soldiers procure grain for the starving citizens and though Paris came under enemy control, King Childeric of the Franks respected Genevieve, and at her request spared the lives of many citizens.

Then in the year 451, Attila the Hun went marching toward Rome; Paris lay in his path. The people were terrified and prepared to flee. But Genevieve gathered the people of Paris in prayer for God’s protection. “Do not run to fortified castles in the countryside, but run to your churches here in Paris. Do not rely on arms and armies, but put your trust in God.” She also urged them to do works of penance; and her exhortations prevailed. The barbarians, for no apparent reason, suddenly changed the route of the march, leaving Paris untouched.

The life of St. Genevieve was one of great asceticism and constant prayer and this is seen in her love for the people and her country.

Genevieve was eighty nine when she died.

Reflection:

*Genevieve believed in God and she followed God’s leadings. Despite the calumny she suffered she continued to do God‘s will, that’s how she trusted God. She would rather go through the shame of being maligned than risk being told “Oh, you of little faith!” To her pleasing God is all that matters.

*How people easily believe in rumors and yet remain skeptical in the word of God. Our egos and self-righteousness hinder us from hearing the message; we tend to see only the messenger, who is just like us, a sinner. “Why would God choose her or him over me? “ “What has she or he done to deserve God’s favor?” In our efforts to belittle others to look better ourselves, we misuse our energy and fail to see the loving God behind the messenger and the message.

*St. Genevieve showed us that it is indeed by the path of fidelity, and not by the path of feelings or reasoning that we will know God and begin to hear His voice.

I would be glad to read your reflections/inputs/insights or comments regarding this post. Hope to hear from you soon! Thank you and God bless!

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Saint Francis de Sales

2010-01-08T00:19:00.000-08:00

Feast Day: January 24
Patron Saint of Journalists, Writers

Francis de Sales was born to a wealthy family in France in 1567. His parents intended for him to become a lawyer, but Francis believed he is pre-destined to be a priest.

During the time of the Protestant reformation (1517-1648), Francis decided to go to Switzerland then a Calvinist territory, to convert around 60,000 Calvinists back to Catholicism. Everyone thought this to be an absurd plan that even his father refused to help him. By the time he left, he only got one supporter - his cousin.

They trudged through the countryside enduring the bitter winter and patiently evangelizing from district to district. Doors shut in their faces and rocks thrown at them. After three years with not a single convert, his cousin left him alone.

Francis kept on praying and continually searched for ways to reach the people. As no one would even open their doors to him, he wrote out his sermons, made several copies of it and slipped them under the doors. These tracts consist of the leading dogmas of the Church and the logical reasoning behind the teachings of the Church. This first recorded religious tracts were later collected and printed in a volume called Catholic Controversy: St. Francis De Sales Defense of the Faith

By the time Francis left to go back to France, he is said to have converted 40,000 Calvinists back to Catholicism.

In 1602, Francis was made bishop of the diocese of Geneva, another Calvinist territory.
He believed that the foremost duty of a bishop was spiritual direction. Francis gave spiritual direction to lay people and proved with his own life that people can grow in holiness even when they are not called for “religious life”. To keep his flock strong in faith he wrote books such as Introduction to Devout Life, Treatise on the Devout Life and Treatise of the Love of God. Francis advice to busy people is to "Retire at various times into the solitude of your own heart, even while outwardly engaged in discussions or transactions with others and talk to God."

Through his zeal and kind preaching he brought encouragement and guidance to innumerable persons, one of whom was St. Jane Frances de Chantal.

Reflection:

St. Francis de Sales love for God enabled him to surpass all the obstacles, even conquering his own temper and impatience. He was convinced of the existence of God and the teachings of the Church instituted by Christ that he defended God and His Church amidst all the difficulties and seemingly hopeless efforts. He shared this love with others by patiently bringing people to God and accompanying them on their spiritual journey so that they too will experience and see for themselves this wonderful, awesome God.

Please feel free to share your reflections/inputs/insights in the comment box. Thank you and God bless

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Saint Nicholas

2009-12-22T14:25:00.000-08:00

Saint Nicholas

Feast Day: December 6

Though he did not dream of becoming a bishop, Nicholas accepted it as God’s call and became bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor (Demre, Turkey).

Even before he became a bishop, he was known for his generosity. He lived his life among the people and he helped them in every way he can. He made himself available to anyone.

As Nicholas served the hungry, the persecuted and those in desperate need, stories of miracles began to spread. In an effort to emphasize his holiness, facts were embellished and his life’s stories became make-believe. One story tells about how Nicholas toss a bag full of gold through the open window of a poor family. The father had no money for a dowry which means that his daughters would not be able to get married and would likely have to be sold into slavery. Bishop Nicholas’ generosity saved the poor man’s daughters from that terrible plight.

After his death on December 6 345 A.D. many miracles were reported and the devotion to St. Nicholas spread. In most parts of Europe, a custom to celebrate his generous heart was made at the eve of his feast day by anonymously giving treats to needy children.

Reflection:

St. Nicholas is known as a generous giver. As a follower of Christ, he is emulating Christ's generosity. He lived to be just like Christ.

Christ is the reason why we celebrate Christmas. So, let us put Christ back into Christmas for this is the greatest gift we can have this season.

Please feel free to share your reflections/inputs/insights in the comment box below. Thank you and God bless!

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Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (Jeanne-Francoise Fremyot)

2009-12-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (Jeanne-Francoise Fremyot - de Chantal)
Feast Day: August 12

Jeanne-Francoise Fremyot was born in 1572 and raised in a Catholic family during the time of the Protestant reformation. Her mother died before she turned 2.

At age 20, she got married to Baron Christopher de Chantal. They shared many common interests, loved each other very much and were blessed with 4 children. After 9 years of marriage, Christopher was mortally wounded in a hunting accident. For 9 days, Jane Frances de Chantal suffered intense agony. She beseeched God to take everything she has in this world save for her husband. Nevertheless, Christopher died. (Over the course of her life, she experienced the death of her stepmother, her sister and her first 2 children).

However friends and family tried to distract her, Jane was inconsolable. After months of mourning, her father-in-law invited her to stay with them at Monthelon. She busied herself with the family estate and continued to carry out her charitable works. During this time, she had been feeling a strong attraction to religious life.

In the lent of 1604, she received an invitation from her brother to meet the Bishop of Geneva who was coming over to their hometown, Dijon, France to preach. Jane was deeply touched by Bishop Francis de Sales’ sermon. Five months later, the bishop became her spiritual director.

Jane Frances de Chantal had everything to live for and yet she chose to be a nun.

Under the direction of Francis de Sales, the Visitation Sisters, a religious order was formed. The name of the congregation was after the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. A combination of contemplation depicted by the Blessed Virgin’s prayer –The Magnificat (considered as the most spiritual and contemplative canticle ever written) and the charity toward neighbor that Mary showed by serving Elizabeth. A contemplative in action - the Visitation Sisters share a common life centered on prayer and balanced with action as they go out to care for the poor and the sick.

These years of productivity and accomplishments were also years of spiritual darkness for Jane de Chantal. She was plague with temptation and for 41 years Jane struggled to fight it.

One of St. Francis de Sales’ advice to Jane was to seek God’s will in her everyday life and to love God’s will.

Jane Frances de Chantal was a beacon to many. And to St. Vincent de Paul, who began the Sisters of Charity to serve the poor, Jane Frances de Chantal (Jeanne-Francoise de Chantal) was an inspiration.

Reflection:

God's love is ineffable. No one on earth, not even the ones who loved you that most can even come close to God's love for us. God wants us to experience this deep, everlasting love. And once we are captivated by His love, we can't help but love Him back. This love of Christ leads to imitation of Christ. And serving and loving others is the result of knowing and loving God.
God removed all the things that hinders Jane from experiencing God's indescribable love. In due course, Jane de Chantal lived this love and became a true disciple of God.

Please feel free to share your reflections/inputs/insights in the comment box below. Thank you and God bless!

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Saint Thomas More

2009-11-30T00:07:00.000-08:00

Feast Day: June 22
Patron of Lawyers

Early Life

Thomas was born in 1478. His father, Sir John More, is a judge at the royal court. While still a child, Thomas was sent to St. Anthony's School in London and at 13, was placed in the household of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The boy’s merry disposition and brilliant intellect attracted the notice of the archbishop, who sent him to Canterbury College of the Benedictines at Oxford. Thomas took interest in law, French, Greek, Latin, history, math and learned to play the flute as well as the violin. He also involved himself in mini-comedies and epigrams.

His father sent him to law school in London and at the age of 21, Thomas More was a lawyer himself. His great abilities had attracted attention and he was appointed lecturer on law and his lectures were highly esteemed that the appointment was renewed for three successive years. At 26, he joined the House of Commons wherein he began to oppose the large and unjust exactions of money which King Henry VII was making from his subjects.

Successful Career

By 1510, Thomas became a legal advisor to the mayor and a judge in civil cases.
He went to live near the London Charterhouse and has taken part in the spiritual exercises of the monks there. His mind wavered for some time between joining the Carthusians or the Franciscans. In the end, he abandoned the hope of becoming a priest or religious and married Jane Colt, the 17-year-old daughter of a country squire. Of it were born three daughters, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Cecilia, and a son, John. After about 6 year, Jane More died. Thomas married again very soon after his first wife's death and he chose a widow named Alice Middleton, who became devoted to the care of More's young children.

Despite his busy political career, he is a devoted family man and has maintained the deep ascetical life. Thomas was good humored and can pull out jokes and find laughter even from things that are most serious.

The Mores kept an open house and invited poor neighbors in for dinner and even let them sleep over at their house. He also put up a hospital. Thomas is known for his sense of justice, humor and integrity.

King’s Favorite

In 1521, Thomas was knighted; made sub-treasurer to the king and was nominated speaker in Parliament. Sir Thomas More came to be the favorite of the King.

Thomas had purchased a piece of land in Chelsea. Here, he built himself a mansion about a hundred yards from the north bank of the Thames, with a large garden stretching along the river. The king would sometimes visit without previous notice and he loved to dine with Thomas or walk in the garden with his arm amicably flung over More's shoulder, enjoying his brilliant conversation. In 1525, Sir Thomas More became Chancellor, controlling the courts of Lancaster and managing the properties of the king.

Sights Set on God

But the Chancellor had no illusions about the royal favor he enjoyed.

When Henry VIII appealed to Rome for a dispensation from his marriage with Catherine of Aragon, Henry hoped to have a powerful support from his close friends. Sir Thomas, however, denied him that, firmly believing that a valid marriage can never be annulled.

A few months later came the royal proclamation ordering the clergy to acknowledge Henry as "Supreme Head" of the Church. Thomas at once filed his resignation as chancellor and for the next eighteen months, Thomas More lived in seclusion and gave much time to writing. He stayed away from Anne Boleyn's coronation despite an expressed invitation, and adapted silence as the least offensive manifestation of his protest.

In 1534, the king passed a law imposing upon all the demand to abjure the authority of the Pope. Sir Thomas More adhered to his conscience and refused to make this oath.

Thomas spent his days of imprisonment in prayer and recollection. After 15 months of imprisonment, he was beheaded.

Thomas More was beatified by Pope Leo XIII, in 1886 and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935.

Reflection:

St Thomas More was concerned with the unity of the church and what the church teaches. He was against intimidation and would rather displease the King than to cowardly conform and give displeasure to God.

Please feel free to share your reflections/insights/inputs in the comment box below. Thank you and God Bless
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Saint Jean-Marie Vianney / Saint John Mary Vianney

2009-11-24T05:01:00.001-08:00

Feast Day: August 4
Patron of Parish Priests
Year of the Priest (2009 -2010)

Father Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney arrived in the church around 2 in the morning, carrying a lighted candle in his hand. Thousands of pilgrims from all over France all wanted to confess to the Curé of Ars. Day in and day out, Fr. Vianney started very early and end late in the night to accommodate the continual flow of pilgrims willing to hear confessions.

Early Years

Jean-Marie was born in 1786 in the village of Dardilly, France and grew up in a peasant family.
His family would attend mass in secret as the churches were closed during the French Revolution.

At 16, Jean-Marie Vianney told his family his desire to become a priest. To this, his father objected. And not until 3 years after, that his father finally relented and Jean-Marie left for the neighboring town, Ecully. Though the young lad had little formal schooling, had known no Latin and had struggled academically, Father Balley saw his potential. He accepted and trained Vianney himself.

Ordained a Priest

By the time he reached 29, John Vianney was ordained a priest.

His first assignment was to serve as Father Balley’s assistant in Ecully. Fr. Vianney’s sermon caused the church to be filled as simple people identified themselves with him. After the death of Father Balley, the young priest was sent to the little town of Ars, an obscure place known for its taverns and the villager’s indifference to religion.

Father Vianney’s first mass was attended only by a handful of old ladies. “There is not much love for God in the parish” was the vicar general’s warning and this echoed as he saw the almost empty church. Thus, his mission of bringing the people to repentance and leading his flock to holiness began. He intensified his prayers and penance. Vianney maintained the habit of reading & studying and he took efforts in preparing his sermons. And by the example he set, he inspired many.

He would exhort the people to stay out of taverns, visited them in their homes and invited them to love the Church. Eventually, the bars closed one after another and the people’s attention shifted in repairing their dilapidated church.

Father Jean-Marie encouraged devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, held an annual procession in honor of the Feast of Corpus Christi and called the villagers to a life of prayer. This made them understand the necessity of the sacraments and gradually people were brought to confession and Holy Communion that created waves of conversions. Soon, Ars was known as the “Islet of Holiness”.

A Life Lived For Others

His care for the people was genuine and many came to seek him. All kinds of people from neighboring places came to Ars to listen to him. The sick came to be healed and St. Vianney sought the intercession of St. Philomena for the healing of the sick. He also put a free school for girls that eventually turned into an orphanage. Everyday he would spend not less than 15 hours in the confessional and sometimes he would be heard weeping at the offenses made against God. Such was the love, patience, compassion and zeal Father Vianney lavished on God’s people.

As Father Jean-Marie Vianney was winning souls, he was on the other hand battling the preternatural harassment of the Devil. The parish priest would be knocked down by a hard slap and yet no one was in the room with him. Shouts, loud knocks and other strange noises were heard. Vianney noticed that this intensified the night before a huge conversion or “a big catch” was made and he sees this as a good sign.

For 41 years, Father Jean-Marie Vianney remained the parish priest in Ars, and yet unknown to many, the temptation to leave Ars and to live in solitude was among the many challenges he had to face. He felt unworthy to be a parish priest and repeatedly sought permission from the Bishop to leave the town but each time he was denied. In his great desire to live in a monastery, he attempted several times to slip out of the village only to come back again for he sensed deep within him that God was calling him to remain in Ars and his work with the sinners was his mission in life.

Reflection:

*Before Fr. Jean-Marie Vianney was sent to Ars, the Lord was not the center of the townspeople’s lives. Father Vianney’s vocation as a priest was lived to the point where he truly became "another Christ" and his prayers and examples made the people feel that Christ is present among them.
When the people began living their lives centered on God, their lives began to change.

*No matter how little we have to offer, God is able to use our lives to benefit others.

*Matthew 12: 29
“How can anyone break into the strong man’s house and make off with his belongings, unless he first ties him up? Only then can he plunder his house.”

The role of priests is vital and irreplaceable - they administer the sacraments, presides over Mass, absolves sins…. No wonder priests are constantly assailed by God’s enemies. In the above verse, the priest represents the strong man in the house. Bring the priest down and the rest will follow. Father Vianney fought against these evils with prayer, fasting, penance and a deep relationship with God.
Our duty is to pray for our priests and provide them with the support and encouragement they need.

Please feel free to share your reflections/insights/inputs in the comment box below. Thank you and God bless!

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Saint Catherine of Siena

2009-10-27T01:48:00.000-07:00

Doctor of the Church
Feast Day: April 29

Early Years

Catherine Benincasa was born in Sienna in 1347, she is the youngest in the 25 siblings.

At the age of six, while on the way home with her brother, she suddenly stopped still, gazing up into the sky. Her brother who had walked on ahead came back for her and grabbed her by the hand and at once Catherine woke up from her trance. The vision she was having was of Christ seated in glory with the Apostles Peter, Paul, and John. After that experience, little Catherine made a vow to herself that she will give her whole life to God.

At sixteen, she was allowed to become a Dominican tertiary which was customarily granted only to matrons or widows. She wore the habit but was permitted to live with her family.

Catherine continued to have visions, mystical experience and ecstatic flights. Soon she was known all over town, many thought her a saint but others see her as a fanatic.

During the dreadful outbreak of the plague, Catherine worked incessantly to relieve the plague-stricken people. She nursed them, prepared them for death and even buried them with her own hands. She also spent time with the prisoners and converted them.

Great Schism

It is impossible to explain here in detail the turbulent period in which Catherine lived and the work she has done during this complex political and religious turmoil. Suffice it to say that the traditional See of the Holy Father from the time of Saint Peter is Rome. However, the newly elected Pope Clement V chose to have his coronation at Lyons. He established his residence at Avignon and for seventy-four-year the popes had been residing there. The Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy were engaged in a sporadic struggle for power - Ghibelline was the name given to the imperial party in Italy and Guelph to the supporters of the Papacy. This is a period which historians called the Babylonian Captivity. Both popes excommunicated each other, launched troops against one another and Italy was bursting with internal strife. The Italians railed against the long absence of the popes from Rome as well as the meddling of France in papal administration.

Catherine labored to restore unity in the Church. Catherine was said to be an uneducated girl yet letter after letter was unleashed to popes, princes and leaders of Europe. She wrote to the Popes at Avignon, beseeching them to return to Rome. To Pope Urban (the second pope she had counseled and commanded), Catherine wrote to warn him to control his harsh and arrogant temper. She made stern calls aimed at Pope Gregory XI for church reforms and she kept on writing the Popes to labor for peace. St. Catherine also corresponded to the King of France urging him to form a crusade and end the dissensions in Christendom. She would boldly go to Avignon to see the Pope and say that he had been appointed by God to plead that the Pope return to Rome. St. Catherine of Siena was known for her ability to settle dispute and had build a reputation as a worker of miracles.

Stigmata

In 1375, Catherine accepted an invitation to visit Pisa. While making her Communion and gazing at the crucifix, five rays of blood descended and pierced her hands, feet and heart. The wounds remained as stigmata (wounds corresponding with those made in the hands and feet of the Our Lord, Jesus when he was crucified on the cross).

Finally, yielding to the pleadings of Catherine of Siena, Pope Gregory XI left Avignon in 1377 and returned to Rome thus ending the so-called Babylonian Captivity.

After having written 380 astonishing letters, Catherine died when she was only 33. Her body was found incorrupt in 1430.

Reflection:

*After reading her biography and all the things she had accomplished, I was surprised to see that she was only 33 when she died. This reminds me of the song my niece sings in her nursery class “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” Indeed her accomplishment was supernatural. On her own she could not have done it.

*St. Catherine defended the cause of God. Her political and social involvement is a practical application of her intense prayer life and religious convictions.

*One is never a Christian only for oneself. God made us for others.

Please feel free to share your reflections/insights/inputs in the comment box below. Thank you and God Bless!

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Saint John Fisher

2009-10-24T03:51:00.000-07:00

Feast Day: June 22

John Fisher was born in 1459 at Beverly, Yorkshire, England. He studied theology in Cambridge and in 1491, he occupied the vicarage of Northallerton, Yorkshire. Three years after, he became proctor of his university and soon after was appointed Master of Michaelhouse. It was also during this time that he became chaplain and confessor to Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby and mother of King Henry VII.

By Bull dated 14 October, 1504, Fisher became Bishop of Rochester and in the same year was elected Chancellor of Cambridge University. He also acted as tutor to Prince Henry who later became King Henry VIII.

Fisher was known to be a good preacher and had denounced various abuses in the Church.

When Henry VIII called all the Bishops of England and asked them to declare his marriage with Catherine of Aragon invalid. Fisher did not give his consent for he fear offending God more than the King, adding that just like St. John the Baptist, he was ready to die on behalf of the indissolubility of marriage. Henry VIII was so enraged that he issued a document entitled “The Supremacy Act” declaring that he was henceforth be considered the supreme head of the Church in England. Those who refused to sign the act were immediately imprisoned.

In May, 1532, Sir Thomas More resigned the chancellorship and in August, the Archbishop of Canterbury, died and was succeeded by Cranmer. By January, Henry secretly married Anne Boleyn; Cranmer's consecration took place two months after. All this time, St. John Fisher preached publicly against the divorce and a week after Cranmer’s consecration, Fisher was arrested and was sent to the Tower of London.

The purpose of this arrest was to prevent Bishop Fisher from opposing the sentence of divorce which Cranmer pronounced in May, as well as the coronation of Anne Boleyn a month after. In March, 1534, a special bill of attainder against the Bishop of Rochester and others was passed forfeiting all their goods and personal estate. In the same session, the Act of Succession was passed, declaring that all who should be called upon to do so were compelled to take an oath of succession, acknowledging Henry and Anne as legitimate heirs to the throne.

Several efforts were made to induce to change his mind, but without effect.

Bishop John Fisher along with his friend Sir Thomas More gave up their lives in testimony to the indissolubility of marriage and to the unity of the Church.

The Bishop’s friend Thomas More, said to have written this about John, "I reckon in this realm no one man, in wisdom, learning, and long approved virtue together, meet to be matched and compared with him."

John Fisher had always been a man of principles and he met death with a calm dignified courage. He blessed his executioner before speaking briefly to the crowd and said his prayer of thanksgiving to God

Of all the English bishops, only Bishop John Fisher of Rochester publicly opposed Henry VIII's Oath of Allegiance, which unlawfully declared him the head of the Church of England. He was canonized in 1935 by Pope Pius XI.

Reflection:

John Fisher showed how it is to be a good leader. God had entrusted him with this task and he defended it to the point of death.

As St. Paul says, “and keep your faith and a clear conscience. Some men have not listened to their conscience and have made a ruin of their faith.” 1 Timothy 1:19

Please feel free to share your reflections and your idea on what is a saint. Thank you and God bless!

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Saint Vincent de Paul

2009-10-22T00:50:00.001-07:00

Feast Day: Sept 27
Patron of Charitable Institutions

Early Years

Born at Pouy, a village in southwestern, France, in April 24, 1581 to a peasant family. Vincent was faithful to his studies as well as to his duties, spending a good part of his early years working in the fields and tending the sheep. His father arranged for him to attend a Franciscan school and soon after went to study theology in Toulouse University.

Vincent was ordained in 1600 during which France was suffering from the effects of religious wars. Large parts of the country had converted to Protestantism, some had abandoned their faith and most seminaries closed doors.

Charity in Action

Pierre de Bérulle, a well-known priest and leader of a movement of church renewal became Vincent’s confessor and spiritual director. At the request of M. de Berulle, Vincent took charge of the poor rural parish of Clichy near Paris, but several months later, he was called back to Paris to serve as a tutor for the children of Philippe-Emmanuel de Gondi, an illustrious French family. He also became the chaplain and gave missions to the peasants working in the family’s vast estate. In January 1617, while giving a sermon on confession, the peasants responded so overwhelmingly that additional priests had to be called in to help hear confessions.

It was during Vincent’s period of spiritual darkness that he was convinced he was meant to serve the poor. He left the Gondi and with the approval of M. de Berulle, was made curé of Chatillon-les-Dombes. As he was preparing for Mass, a parishioner told him of a poor family in need of help. Deeply moved, he urged parishioners to organize themselves for the service of the poor. Out of this he founded the Confraternities of charity, which later gave rise to Ladies of Charity. In his missions, he also converted several people back to the faith.

Five months later, he was recalled by the Gondi and devoted himself to evangelizing and organizing more conferences for the poor. Several priests, inspired by his example, joined him and nearly everywhere a conference of charity was founded for the benefit of the poor.

In the next seven years, St. Vincent turned his attention towards the condemned convicts in the galleys, who were chained on their legs and fed only with black bread and water. Assisted by a priest, they went down into the galleys to bring food, medicine and spoke kind words to them. He was made chaplain-in-chief of the galleys and converted many of them as well as led back to God many fallen-away Catholics.

Apostle to All

In 1625, Vincent was given a substantial financial gift from the Gondi family and by this, founded a religious institute of priests known as the Congregation of the Mission.

It was also around this time that Vincent met Louise de Marillac, a wealthy widow who came to him for spiritual direction. Eight years later, they co-founded the Daughters of Charity, the first non-cloistered women’s religious order. Friends of Vincent from high places gave funds to build hospitals and homes for the poor, and the women from the Daughters of Charity worked in the hospitals, in schools and among the sick at home. He also secured for the poor the services of the Ladies of Charity, such as the Duchesse d'Aiguillon and about as many as 200 ladies of the highest rank. It was due to them that he was able to collect a sizeable amount to fund his various projects in uplifting the lives of the poor and the abandoned.

St. Vincent de Paul established a seminary for ecclesiastics studying theology and founded Saint-Lazare for young clerics, laymen as well as priests. There was also a lesser seminary called the Seminary of St. Charles.

The king granted the lands for the erection of the hospital and with the assistance of some nameless donors Vincent founded the Hospice of the Name of Jesus, which took care of forty old people of both sexes.

St. Vincent's zeal and charity was not restricted to Paris, but reached to all other provinces in dire need of help. All the things he had done had made him famous even to the nobilities. These honors, however, did not change Vincent's modesty and simplicity. He went to the Court only through necessity and he made no use of his influence except for the welfare of the poor and in the interest of the Church.

Up to the time of St. Vincent's death, he had accepted the direction of eleven seminaries, organized 550 missions to the poor in rural areas, not to mention the international missions to Tunis, Italy, Scotland, Ireland and Madagascar.

What kept Vincent going despite his busy schedule was prayer, and it was in his prayers that he developed faith and trust in God and received the strength to overcome his weakness.

During the French Revolution, some 130 years after Vincent’s death, a group of rioting mobs smashed the statues of saints to replace it with statues of secular heroes and heroines. But upon seeing the statue of Vincent de Paul who had helped so many and done so much good for the people, the revolutionaries just didn’t have the heart to destroy his image.

Reflection:

*St. Vincent de Paul’s life is focused on God and everywhere he looked (whether in the learned and the uncouth, nobility or peasants, rich and poor) he saw the face of God. To him there is no difference between the rich and poor for they are all children of the true living God. “Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3); and on the other end, “Whatsoever you did to the least of these, you did to Me.” (Matthew 25:40)

*St. Vincent de Paul invites us to work with him in the mission of healing through justice and compassion, so that we too can do great things out of love. We are made for people and not for things, and by following him we might also be fully men and women, not for things or possessions, but for others.

* St. Vincent must be a man so simple, selfless, and pure-hearted for him to resist the temptation that comes along with wealth, power and fame. He mingled with the rich and the poor and touched their lives to bring out the best in them – the image of Jesus Christ in them.

What is your idea of "a saint"?

Please feel free to share your reflections/insights/inputs in the comment box. Thank you & God Bless!

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Saint Augustine

2009-10-22T00:41:00.001-07:00

Feast Day: August 28

After the death of his mother St. Monica, Augustine remained several months in Rome, chiefly engaged in refuting Manichæism. He sailed for Africa and after a short sojourn in Carthage, returned to his native Tagaste in 388.

Upon arriving, he sold his father’s estate as well as all his possessions and gave the proceeds to the poor. Then, with his friend, Alypius, he carried out his idea of living a life in poverty, devoting themselves to reading the Scriptures and intensive prayer. It was also during this time that Augustine wrote his first philosophical treatises. This sabbatical, however, lasted only 3 years for one day as he entered the basilica, the churchgoer upon recognizing him as the famous rhetorician, suddenly gathered around him, cheered him, and begged Bishop Valerius to raise him to the priesthood. Augustine did not think of entering the priesthood but eventually was obliged to yield to their appeal, and was ordained in 391.

The two friends were ordained priests at Hippo. Alypius became the bishop of Tagaste; serving in that capacity for thirty years. Before long, Bishop Valerius made Augustine coadjutor and then bishop of Hippo in 396. Augustine remained in that post for almost 40 years until his death.

Right in the first paragraph, on his famous Confessions, there is a sentence "You have made us for yourself, Oh God, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."

Augustine saw that the human heart is created with a great abyss that only God can fill. The earthly satisfactions that we can throw to fill this abyss are but a handful of stones that is not even enough to cover the bottom.

Reflection:

*The one practical thing we can do really is to do the will of God. It can be the most difficult thing we can do but in the end you will realize that the best thing you’ve really done in your life is following God.

*In St. Augustine, we read a great deal about human weakness and how much we need every day to be converted. At the same time, you see God’s grace, His ineffable love, compassion, mercy and infinite goodness. He longs to embrace us... and if we only let Him he can take hold of our lives and change it.

Please feel free to share your reflections/insights/inputs in the comment box below. You can also include your idea on what is a saint. Thank you and God bless.

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