I realize that many of the Saints I have featured in "Fun With Saints" this month were clergy or vowed religious, so I want to conclude with a layperson, Bl. Eurosia Fabris.
Eurosia, popularly known as Mama Rosa, was born in 1866 in an agricultural area near Vicenza Italy. She was only able to attend school for two years because she needed to help her parents with farm work and domestic chores. She was still able to learn to read enough to read several religious texts during her youth, including the Bible, the Catechism, and Church history. She joined the Association of the Daughters of Mary in her parish church and developed a special devotion to Mary, the Holy Spirit and the Eucharist. She was active in parish life, teaching catechism to children and sewing to girls who came to her home.
At eighteen, Eurosia had received several offers of marriage, but she declined not feeling herself alled to the vocation of marriage. In 1885, a young mother who lived nearby died tragically leaving three young daughters. One of the girls died shortly after. The other two were 20 months and 2 months old. Their father was away caring for sick relatives, so Eurosia went to the home every day for six months to care for the children and maintain their home. After this act of charity, she contemplated, prayed and consulted relatives and the parish priest before deciding to marry their father. She considered this marriage as an act of sacrifice to follow the will of God and embrace a new mission. She adopted the two girls and had nine more children of her own. She also kept her home open to other children as well, who called her "Mama Rosa."
Mama Rosa lived an intense life of prayer and emulated the strong women of the Bible. She died on January 8, 1932 and was buried at the parish church. Her heroic charity and serenity, fidelity to prayer, and dedication to catechesis surely contributed to the fact that of her nine children, three entered the priesthood and another three entered the religious life.Her feast day is January 8 and she is a patron of catechists and families.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Thursday, November 28, 2019
St. Ambrose
"No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks." St. Ambrose
Aurrelius Ambrosius (c340-397), Ambrose in English, is one of the original four doctors of the Church. Legend is that as an infant, a swarm of bees settled on Ambrose's face and left behind a drop of honey. His father took this as a sign of future eloquence and a honeyed tongue.
In the late 4th century, there was a deep conflict in Milan between the Nicene Church and the Arians. In 374 when the bishop died, the Arians challenged the succession. Ambrose went to the church where the election was being held to prevent an uproar. His address was interrupted by calls for him to be the new bishop. At first, he refused - he was not baptized and had no formal training in theology. Upon accepting, within a week he was baptized, ordained and consecrated as bishop.
As bishop he adopted an ascetic lifestyle, giving money to the poor and donating all of his land. Bishop Ambrose was instrumental in the conversion of St. Augustine. His feast day is December 7. Among his patronages are bees, beekeepers and candle makers.
Aurrelius Ambrosius (c340-397), Ambrose in English, is one of the original four doctors of the Church. Legend is that as an infant, a swarm of bees settled on Ambrose's face and left behind a drop of honey. His father took this as a sign of future eloquence and a honeyed tongue.
In the late 4th century, there was a deep conflict in Milan between the Nicene Church and the Arians. In 374 when the bishop died, the Arians challenged the succession. Ambrose went to the church where the election was being held to prevent an uproar. His address was interrupted by calls for him to be the new bishop. At first, he refused - he was not baptized and had no formal training in theology. Upon accepting, within a week he was baptized, ordained and consecrated as bishop.
As bishop he adopted an ascetic lifestyle, giving money to the poor and donating all of his land. Bishop Ambrose was instrumental in the conversion of St. Augustine. His feast day is December 7. Among his patronages are bees, beekeepers and candle makers.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
St. Philip the Apostle
My Uncle Phil passed away one year ago today, so to day I will feature St. Philip the Apostle in his memory.
According to the New Testament, Philip was one of Jesus' twelve Apostles. He was from Bethsaida in Galilee and is connected in the Gospel with Peter and Andrew who were from the same town. He was the one who introduced Nathanael to Jesus.
Philip the Apostle is often confused with Philip the Evangelist who (in the Acts of the Apostles) was appointed with Stephen to oversee the charitable contributions and was the one who witnessed to the Ethiopian eunuch on the road from Jerusalem. They are clearly not the same person in scripture, but this confusion has resulted in later traditions of Philip's life to be confused.
Church tradition is that Philip was sent with his sister, Mariamne, and Bartholomew to preach in Greece, Phrygia and Syria. He was martyred in the city of Hierapolis about the year 80. For some reason, he is another patron of pastry chefs. His Feast day is celebrated on May 3, in the General Roman Calendar -- the Eastern Orthodox celebrate on November 14 and the Anglicans and Lutherans on May 1.
According to the New Testament, Philip was one of Jesus' twelve Apostles. He was from Bethsaida in Galilee and is connected in the Gospel with Peter and Andrew who were from the same town. He was the one who introduced Nathanael to Jesus.
Philip the Apostle is often confused with Philip the Evangelist who (in the Acts of the Apostles) was appointed with Stephen to oversee the charitable contributions and was the one who witnessed to the Ethiopian eunuch on the road from Jerusalem. They are clearly not the same person in scripture, but this confusion has resulted in later traditions of Philip's life to be confused.
Church tradition is that Philip was sent with his sister, Mariamne, and Bartholomew to preach in Greece, Phrygia and Syria. He was martyred in the city of Hierapolis about the year 80. For some reason, he is another patron of pastry chefs. His Feast day is celebrated on May 3, in the General Roman Calendar -- the Eastern Orthodox celebrate on November 14 and the Anglicans and Lutherans on May 1.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
St. Honoratus
Tonight, I am baking the pies for Thanksgiving Dinner, so it is appropriate to mention the patron saint of pastry chefs (not that I'm a chef, but I have to have a reason for picking a Saint today 😊).
St. Honoratus was born in Port-le-Grand near Amiens (France) in the sixth century. He was said to be virtuous from births -- which is one of those pious things said in biographies about Saints that annoy me. I prefer Saints who have human struggles. It gives me more hope.
He resisted being elected Bishop of Amiens believing himself unworthy of this honor. According to legend, his former nursemaid also felt that he was unworthy. When it was known in his hometown that he had been proclaimed bishop, she refused to believe that Honoratus had been elevated to such a position. She was baking bread and is said to have remarked that she would believe the news only if the peel she had been using to bake put down roots and turned itself into a tree. When the peel was placed into the ground, it was transformed into a mulberry tree that gave flowers and fruit. The miraculous tree was still being shown in the sixteenth century.
St. Honoratus' devotion is widespread in France. He has given his name to a popular French pastry, the St. Honore Cake. His feast day is May 16 and he is a patron Saint of bakers, confectioners, bakers of altar bread, candle-makers, florists, flour merchants, corn chandlers and oil refiners as well as pastry chefs.
St. Honoratus was born in Port-le-Grand near Amiens (France) in the sixth century. He was said to be virtuous from births -- which is one of those pious things said in biographies about Saints that annoy me. I prefer Saints who have human struggles. It gives me more hope.
He resisted being elected Bishop of Amiens believing himself unworthy of this honor. According to legend, his former nursemaid also felt that he was unworthy. When it was known in his hometown that he had been proclaimed bishop, she refused to believe that Honoratus had been elevated to such a position. She was baking bread and is said to have remarked that she would believe the news only if the peel she had been using to bake put down roots and turned itself into a tree. When the peel was placed into the ground, it was transformed into a mulberry tree that gave flowers and fruit. The miraculous tree was still being shown in the sixteenth century.
St. Honoratus' devotion is widespread in France. He has given his name to a popular French pastry, the St. Honore Cake. His feast day is May 16 and he is a patron Saint of bakers, confectioners, bakers of altar bread, candle-makers, florists, flour merchants, corn chandlers and oil refiners as well as pastry chefs.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Bl. Rosa Maria Benedetta Gattorno Custo
One of my cousins requested that I do a post on St. Rosemary. This is a very sweet gesture as she is aware that this is the first Thanksgiving week we will spend without my Mon (whose name was Rosemary, for any who may not know). I think that this will be the hardest holiday for me and my family as Thanksgiving was Mom's favorite holiday - and she owned it. She always started planning well ahead of time and she kept a schedule posted inside a cupboard door so that everything would be ready at the right time - and of course we all had are marching orders, too.
As for St. Rosemary - there isn't one. At least not officially. But there is a Blessed Rosa Maria, which works in my book. Rosa Maria Benedetta Gattorno was born in October 1831 in Genoa. At 21, she married Gerolamo Custo and moved to Marseille. They were forced to returned to Genoa after some financial problems. They had three children.
Gerolamo's death in March 1858 opened up the way to a new vocation for Rosa Maria Benedetta. She became a member of the Third Order of Franciscans and dedicated herself to the poor and children. IN 1862, she received the stigmata. Afraid that her new vocation would force her to abandon her children, she consulted with a Capuchin Friar, her confessor and the Archbishop of Genoa. She even obtained an audience with Pope Pius IX in 1866. He encouraged her to start her new order while remaining with her children. Rosa Maria established the Daughters of Saint Anne later that same year. She assumed the habit in 1867 and took the religious name Anna Rosa.
In the beginning of 1900, she contracted influenza and her health started to deteriorate. She died on May 6, 1900. Her feast day is May 6 and she is patroness of Widows and Mothers.
As for St. Rosemary - there isn't one. At least not officially. But there is a Blessed Rosa Maria, which works in my book. Rosa Maria Benedetta Gattorno was born in October 1831 in Genoa. At 21, she married Gerolamo Custo and moved to Marseille. They were forced to returned to Genoa after some financial problems. They had three children.
Gerolamo's death in March 1858 opened up the way to a new vocation for Rosa Maria Benedetta. She became a member of the Third Order of Franciscans and dedicated herself to the poor and children. IN 1862, she received the stigmata. Afraid that her new vocation would force her to abandon her children, she consulted with a Capuchin Friar, her confessor and the Archbishop of Genoa. She even obtained an audience with Pope Pius IX in 1866. He encouraged her to start her new order while remaining with her children. Rosa Maria established the Daughters of Saint Anne later that same year. She assumed the habit in 1867 and took the religious name Anna Rosa.
In the beginning of 1900, she contracted influenza and her health started to deteriorate. She died on May 6, 1900. Her feast day is May 6 and she is patroness of Widows and Mothers.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
St. Anastasia
This morning at Mass, Fr. Patrick used Eucharistic Prayer I. I like that he usually announces what Eucharistic Prayer he is using so that I can follow along in the missalette. In this prayer, we remember many of the early Saints and Martyrs by name - last on the list is St. Anastasia.
Anastasia lived in the second century. Little is known about her except that she died in the persecutions of Diocletian. She has long been venerated as a healer and exorcist, but most of the stories written about her date from centuries after her death.
Anastasia is one of seven women who, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated by name in the Roman Canon of the Mass. Her feast day is December 25. Prior to the liturgical reforms of the twentieth century, this martyr enjoyed the distinction, unique in the Roman liturgy, of having a special commemoration in the second Mass of Christmas day.
Anastasia lived in the second century. Little is known about her except that she died in the persecutions of Diocletian. She has long been venerated as a healer and exorcist, but most of the stories written about her date from centuries after her death.
Anastasia is one of seven women who, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated by name in the Roman Canon of the Mass. Her feast day is December 25. Prior to the liturgical reforms of the twentieth century, this martyr enjoyed the distinction, unique in the Roman liturgy, of having a special commemoration in the second Mass of Christmas day.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
St. Claude de la Colombiere
I have been busy trying to unwind from a stressful week today and am getting to this pretty late, so I will try to make my post brief.
St. Claude de la Colombiere was a Jesuit priest and the confessor of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. He was born in 1641 and at the age of 18 entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Avignon. After professing the Fourth Vow of the Society in 1675, he was appointed rector of the Jesuit community at Paray-le-Monial, where he also became the Spiritual Director of the Monastery of the Visitation Sisters located next to the Church. This is how he came to know St. Margaret Mary. She had suffered greatly from the disbelief of her sisters in the Monastery regarding her visions. When Fr. Claude began to hear the confessions of the sisters, she felt that she had found someone who would understand and she opened her heart to him. After much prayer, he was convinced of the validity of her visions and became an ardent supporter of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In 1676, Fr. Claude was sent to England as preacher to the Duchess of York. He took up residence in the royal court while still observing all his religious duties as a Jesuit. In 1678, while awaiting recall to France, he was arrested and accused of being part of a Popish plot against the English throne. Caught up in the anti-Catholic hysteria, he was confined in severe conditions which aggravated his already fragile health. Thanks to his position at the Royal Court and the protection of the King of France, he escaped death and was expelled to France. He died in 1682 at the age of 41.
St. Claude is a patron of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. His Feast Day is February 15.
St. Claude de la Colombiere was a Jesuit priest and the confessor of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. He was born in 1641 and at the age of 18 entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Avignon. After professing the Fourth Vow of the Society in 1675, he was appointed rector of the Jesuit community at Paray-le-Monial, where he also became the Spiritual Director of the Monastery of the Visitation Sisters located next to the Church. This is how he came to know St. Margaret Mary. She had suffered greatly from the disbelief of her sisters in the Monastery regarding her visions. When Fr. Claude began to hear the confessions of the sisters, she felt that she had found someone who would understand and she opened her heart to him. After much prayer, he was convinced of the validity of her visions and became an ardent supporter of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In 1676, Fr. Claude was sent to England as preacher to the Duchess of York. He took up residence in the royal court while still observing all his religious duties as a Jesuit. In 1678, while awaiting recall to France, he was arrested and accused of being part of a Popish plot against the English throne. Caught up in the anti-Catholic hysteria, he was confined in severe conditions which aggravated his already fragile health. Thanks to his position at the Royal Court and the protection of the King of France, he escaped death and was expelled to France. He died in 1682 at the age of 41.
St. Claude is a patron of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. His Feast Day is February 15.
Friday, November 22, 2019
St. Angela Merici
If you've been keeping track (and I know you have), you will have noted that "Fun with Saints" has featured more male Saints than female. So to start to even us out, today I will share about St. Angela de Merici.
Angela was born in 1474 on a farm in the Lombardy region of Italy. She and her older sister, Giana Maria, were left orphans when she was 15. They went to live with an uncle. Angela's sister also died and then her uncle died when she was 20. She then went to live near her brothers on property that was left to her in lieu of the dowry she would have had had she married.
At the prompting of a vision, she founded an association of virgins who came together to devote their lives to the education of young girls. In November 1535, Angela and the 12 young women who joined her in her work formed the Company of St. Ursula (known as the Ursulines). Her goal was to elevate family life through the Christian Education of future wives and mothers. They were the first teaching order of women religious. The women wore no special habits and took no formal vows. Angela Merici wrote a Rule of Life for the group that emphasized the practice of celibacy, poverty and obedience in their own homes. When Angela died in January 1540, there were 24 communities of the Company of Ursula serving the Church throughout the region.
Angela de Merici's feast day is January 27. She is a patron of those who have lost their parents, handicapped people and sickness.
Angela was born in 1474 on a farm in the Lombardy region of Italy. She and her older sister, Giana Maria, were left orphans when she was 15. They went to live with an uncle. Angela's sister also died and then her uncle died when she was 20. She then went to live near her brothers on property that was left to her in lieu of the dowry she would have had had she married.
At the prompting of a vision, she founded an association of virgins who came together to devote their lives to the education of young girls. In November 1535, Angela and the 12 young women who joined her in her work formed the Company of St. Ursula (known as the Ursulines). Her goal was to elevate family life through the Christian Education of future wives and mothers. They were the first teaching order of women religious. The women wore no special habits and took no formal vows. Angela Merici wrote a Rule of Life for the group that emphasized the practice of celibacy, poverty and obedience in their own homes. When Angela died in January 1540, there were 24 communities of the Company of Ursula serving the Church throughout the region.
Angela de Merici's feast day is January 27. She is a patron of those who have lost their parents, handicapped people and sickness.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
St. Aldegunais
Our Saint today is courtesy of TheDailyMass.com. This is another one that I herd about on my Flash Drive that I got from the Abbey Gift Shop, but I could find little written about her online.
St. Aldegunais (also known at Adelgundis, Aldegonde or Orgonne) lived from about 639 to 684. She was a member of the royal family of the Merovingians and both her parents are also Saints (St. Walbert and St. Bertila). The family resided in a region of Flanders. Aldegunais refused offers of marriage from other nobles and entered religious life instead. She founded a convent near the Sambre River which later became Mauberge, a noted Benedictine Monastery. She is reported to have died of cancer at the age of 54.
St. Aldegunais feast day is January 30. She is a patron of those suffering from cancer or other wounds.
St. Aldegunais (also known at Adelgundis, Aldegonde or Orgonne) lived from about 639 to 684. She was a member of the royal family of the Merovingians and both her parents are also Saints (St. Walbert and St. Bertila). The family resided in a region of Flanders. Aldegunais refused offers of marriage from other nobles and entered religious life instead. She founded a convent near the Sambre River which later became Mauberge, a noted Benedictine Monastery. She is reported to have died of cancer at the age of 54.
St. Aldegunais feast day is January 30. She is a patron of those suffering from cancer or other wounds.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
St. Godric
I received a letter from my brother in the Monastery today. He told me that their newest Brother entered the Novitiate on Sunday. Known as Danny in the world, he has taken the name Godric upon entering the Novitiate. So today's post will be in celebration of the newly minted Brother Godric.
St. Godric of Finchale was born about 1065 in England. He was of humble beginnings. His parents were described by contemporary biographers as "both of slender rank and wealth, but abundant in righteousness and virtue." Godric was a peddler, then a sailor and then an entrepreneur. He also may have been captain and owner of his own ship and conveyed Baldwin I of Jerusalem in 1102. After years at sea, Godric reportedly went to the island of Lindisfarne and encountered St. Cuthbert. This was likely a vision as Cuthbert was not a contemporary of Godric, but the encounter changed Godric's life. He devoted himself to the service of God thereafter.
After many pilgrimages around the Mediterranean, he returned to England and spent two years living with a hermit named Aelric. Upon Aelric's death, Godric made one last pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Upon his return to England, he resided in Finchale as a hermit for the last 60 years of his life. St. Godric is best remembered for his kindness towards animals and the protection of the creatures who lived near his forest home. Reginald of Durham recorded four songs of St. Godric's which are the oldest songs in the English language for which the original music settings survive. He is said to have learned the songs from visions of the Virgin Mary.
Brother Godric has a special affinity for St. Godric as he (Brother G.) served in the Navy for 8 years. St. Godric's feast day is May 21.
St. Godric of Finchale was born about 1065 in England. He was of humble beginnings. His parents were described by contemporary biographers as "both of slender rank and wealth, but abundant in righteousness and virtue." Godric was a peddler, then a sailor and then an entrepreneur. He also may have been captain and owner of his own ship and conveyed Baldwin I of Jerusalem in 1102. After years at sea, Godric reportedly went to the island of Lindisfarne and encountered St. Cuthbert. This was likely a vision as Cuthbert was not a contemporary of Godric, but the encounter changed Godric's life. He devoted himself to the service of God thereafter.
After many pilgrimages around the Mediterranean, he returned to England and spent two years living with a hermit named Aelric. Upon Aelric's death, Godric made one last pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Upon his return to England, he resided in Finchale as a hermit for the last 60 years of his life. St. Godric is best remembered for his kindness towards animals and the protection of the creatures who lived near his forest home. Reginald of Durham recorded four songs of St. Godric's which are the oldest songs in the English language for which the original music settings survive. He is said to have learned the songs from visions of the Virgin Mary.
Brother Godric has a special affinity for St. Godric as he (Brother G.) served in the Navy for 8 years. St. Godric's feast day is May 21.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Ven. Fulton J. Sheen
For "Fun With Saints", I prefer to feature those who have been declared 'Blessed' or canonized as 'Saints' in the Catholic Church. Every once in a while, I will write about someone who is merely 'Venerable.' Today I will make that exception because it was announced today that this Venerable will be Beatified on December 21.
Ven. Fulton J. Sheen was born in Illinois on May 8, 1895. He was baptized Peter John Sheen. He took the name Fulton which was his Mother's maiden name. He was ordained to the Priesthood in September 1919, and then attended The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, for his doctorate in philosophy. Fr. Sheen served as an Associate Pastor of a Parish for a year and then as a Pastor for 9 months before returning to Catholic University to teach Philosophy. In 1929, Sheen gave a speech at the National Catholic Educational Association. He encouraged teachers to "educate for a Catholic Renaissance" in the United States. Sheen was hoping that Catholics would become more influential in their country through education, which would help attract others to the faith. He believed that Catholics should "integrate" their faith into the rest of their daily life. (Sounds like Vatican II thinking to me.) A popular instructor, he wrote his first book in 1925 and began a weekly radio broadcast in 1930.
Fulton Sheen was consecrated a Bishop in 1951 and served as Auxilary Bishop of the Archdiocese of New York for the next 14 years. In February 1952, he began a weekly television program on the DuMont Television Network. The program consisted of the unpaid Sheen simply speaking in front of a live audience without a script or cue cards, occasionally using a chalkboard. The show did surprisingly well and the number of stations carrying "Life is Worth Living" jumped from 3 to 15 in just 2 months. Sheen won an Emmy Award for the show and paid tribute to his writers, "Matthew, Mark, Luke and John." The show ran until 1957, drawing as many as 30 million viewers on a weekly basis.
In 1966 he was made Bishop of Rochester where he served for three years until his retirement. After his retirement, Sheen was appointed Archbishop of the titular see of Newport, Wales. This ceremonial position left him time to continue his extensive writing. Archbishop Sheen wrote 73 books and numerous articles and columns.
Soon after open heart surgery, Archbishop Sheen died on December 9, 1979 in his private chapel. The Diocese of Peoria announced today that Venerable Fulton Sheen will be beatified Dec. 21 at the city's Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception. (Road trip anyone?)
Sunday, November 17, 2019
St. Ildefonsus
Last weekend at the Abbey gift shop I bought a Flash Drive with stories of Saints. I have been listening to the stories in my car and am discovering some Saints that I had not heard of before. Today, I will tell you about St. Ildefonsus (also spelled Ildephonsus or Ildefonso).
Ildefonsus was born to a prominent Visigothic family in Toledo, Spain, in 607. He was educated by his uncle Eugenius, who later became Bishop of Toledo, and was ordained a deacon about 632. He then became a monk at the Agali Monastery outside the city. In 650 he was elected Abbot of the Monastery. When his uncle, Bishop Eugenius, died in 657, Ildefonsus was elected his successor as Bishop of Toledo. He served in this capacity for the last ten years of his life.
There is a legend that Bishop Ildefonsus was visited by a vision of the Blessed Virgin who appeared to him and presented him with a priestly vestment to reward him for honoring her. Even during the Muslim occupation of Spain, when the Basilica was turned into a Mosque, the area where the vision occurred remained sacred and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Ildefonsus was well known during his life as a scholar and theologian. Unfortunately, most of his writings have been lost to history. His feast day is January 23.
Ildefonsus was born to a prominent Visigothic family in Toledo, Spain, in 607. He was educated by his uncle Eugenius, who later became Bishop of Toledo, and was ordained a deacon about 632. He then became a monk at the Agali Monastery outside the city. In 650 he was elected Abbot of the Monastery. When his uncle, Bishop Eugenius, died in 657, Ildefonsus was elected his successor as Bishop of Toledo. He served in this capacity for the last ten years of his life.
There is a legend that Bishop Ildefonsus was visited by a vision of the Blessed Virgin who appeared to him and presented him with a priestly vestment to reward him for honoring her. Even during the Muslim occupation of Spain, when the Basilica was turned into a Mosque, the area where the vision occurred remained sacred and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Ildefonsus was well known during his life as a scholar and theologian. Unfortunately, most of his writings have been lost to history. His feast day is January 23.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
St. Agatha Kwon Chin-i
Today, we will move further to the East for our "Fun with Saints" post. St. Agatha Kwon-Chin-I was born in Korea around 1819. She had been married at a very young age, but her husband deferred taking her into his home because of his poverty. She was instead entrusted to the care of his relatives.
When Agatha was about 21, she was arrested along with her mother, St. Magdalene Han Yong-I, and two other young Catholic women. Magdalene was separated from the younger women who were placed under house arrest. An apostate Christian offered to reward Agatha if she consented to go away with him and threated her if she refused. She rejected his invitation. The officers guarding the women were so moved by her steadfastness that in order to save her from the apostate's advances, they allowed all three girls to escape. The guards were punished and Agatha was soon recaptured. At court she was brutally beaten, but she was allowed to see her mother in prison one last time before Magdalene was executed. A month later, Agatha was beheaded.
Agatha and Magdalene were both among the 103 Korean Martyrs canonized en masse by Pope St. john Paul II in May 1984. Their collective Feast Day is celebrated on May 9. Another 123 Korean Martyrs have been beatified by Pope Francis.
When Agatha was about 21, she was arrested along with her mother, St. Magdalene Han Yong-I, and two other young Catholic women. Magdalene was separated from the younger women who were placed under house arrest. An apostate Christian offered to reward Agatha if she consented to go away with him and threated her if she refused. She rejected his invitation. The officers guarding the women were so moved by her steadfastness that in order to save her from the apostate's advances, they allowed all three girls to escape. The guards were punished and Agatha was soon recaptured. At court she was brutally beaten, but she was allowed to see her mother in prison one last time before Magdalene was executed. A month later, Agatha was beheaded.
Agatha and Magdalene were both among the 103 Korean Martyrs canonized en masse by Pope St. john Paul II in May 1984. Their collective Feast Day is celebrated on May 9. Another 123 Korean Martyrs have been beatified by Pope Francis.
Friday, November 15, 2019
St. Nimatullah Kassab
For "Fun with Saints" today, I would like to highlight the universal nature of the Church by showcasing a Saint from the Maronite Catholic Church. St. Nimatullah Kassab was born in Lebanon in 1808. He was given the name Youssef at birth. His grandfather was a priest of the Maronite Church.
After finishing his studies at a school run by the monks of the Lebanese Maronite Order, Youssef joined the order himself. Upon entering the novitiate, he took the name Nimatullah meaning "the grace of God." He spent his initial formation period in the monastery learning how to bind books and in frequent prayer. He made his religious profession of vows in November 1830, after which he was sent for further formation to pursue ordination. After ordination, he taught at the order's seminary and was the director of seminarians.
Nimatullah spent his time as a monk in prayer and service to the Order. He served on its General Council and served as Assistant Abbot General by appointment of the Holy See. He was severe on himself, but was a model of patience and forbearance to his fellow monks. He fell ill in the winter of 1858 and died after suffering with a high fever for two weeks. In 1864, when his body was exhumed for reburial, it was found to be intact. He was held in such reverence that his body was exposed to the veneration of the public until 1927.
St. Nimatullah's feast day is December 14.
After finishing his studies at a school run by the monks of the Lebanese Maronite Order, Youssef joined the order himself. Upon entering the novitiate, he took the name Nimatullah meaning "the grace of God." He spent his initial formation period in the monastery learning how to bind books and in frequent prayer. He made his religious profession of vows in November 1830, after which he was sent for further formation to pursue ordination. After ordination, he taught at the order's seminary and was the director of seminarians.
Nimatullah spent his time as a monk in prayer and service to the Order. He served on its General Council and served as Assistant Abbot General by appointment of the Holy See. He was severe on himself, but was a model of patience and forbearance to his fellow monks. He fell ill in the winter of 1858 and died after suffering with a high fever for two weeks. In 1864, when his body was exhumed for reburial, it was found to be intact. He was held in such reverence that his body was exposed to the veneration of the public until 1927.
St. Nimatullah's feast day is December 14.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
One of the ladies in my Bible Study has recently moved house and is struggling with the whole unpacking and "what box did we put that in?" game. Our table leader jokingly suggested praying to the patron saint of moving, so of course I had to Google it. While there is no "official" patron of moving, St. Joseph seems to be a logical choice - the whole flight into Egypt with no notice must have been a packing nightmare (not to mention the change of address cards). But good St. Joe has so much on his plate already. Another blog I read suggested Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, so we will look at her life.
Frances was born in 1850 in the Italian region of Lombardy, which was a part of the Austrian Empire at that time. She was the youngest of 13 children, only four of whom survived beyond adolescence. Born two months early, she was small and weak and remained frail her entire life. At 20, she applied to the religious congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart, but was rejected due to her frail health. She then became headmistress of an orphanage where she taught. She soon drew other women to join her in living a religious way of life. In 1877 she took religious vows and added Xavier to her name to honor St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of missionary service.
By 1880, Sr. Frances Xavier and her six companions formed a religious community called the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mother Cabrini remained the community's Superior General for the remainder of her life. They took in orphans and foundlings, ran a free school and opened a day school to help pay expenses.
In 1877, Frances Xavier had gone to the Pope to seek permission to establish missions in China. The Pope suggested instead that she go to America. Poverty stricken Italians were flooding the United States at that time. Eventually, Mother Cabrini followed the Pope's advice, arriving in New York City on March 31, 1889. She encountered difficulty and discouragement, but she persevered. She founded schools and orphanages, organized catechism and education classes for Italian immigrants and founded hospitals as well. She was as resourceful as she was prayerful, finding people who would donate what she needed in money, time, labor, and support. She founded 67 institutions: in New York; Chicago and Des Plaines, Illinois; Seattle; New Orleans; Denver and Golden, Colorado; Los Angeles; Philadelphia; and in countries throughout South America and Europe. (I think that counts as a lot of moving, qualifying her for a patronage of moving!)
Mother Cabrini died from complications of dysentery at the age of 67. Her feast day is November 13.
Frances was born in 1850 in the Italian region of Lombardy, which was a part of the Austrian Empire at that time. She was the youngest of 13 children, only four of whom survived beyond adolescence. Born two months early, she was small and weak and remained frail her entire life. At 20, she applied to the religious congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart, but was rejected due to her frail health. She then became headmistress of an orphanage where she taught. She soon drew other women to join her in living a religious way of life. In 1877 she took religious vows and added Xavier to her name to honor St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of missionary service.
By 1880, Sr. Frances Xavier and her six companions formed a religious community called the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mother Cabrini remained the community's Superior General for the remainder of her life. They took in orphans and foundlings, ran a free school and opened a day school to help pay expenses.
In 1877, Frances Xavier had gone to the Pope to seek permission to establish missions in China. The Pope suggested instead that she go to America. Poverty stricken Italians were flooding the United States at that time. Eventually, Mother Cabrini followed the Pope's advice, arriving in New York City on March 31, 1889. She encountered difficulty and discouragement, but she persevered. She founded schools and orphanages, organized catechism and education classes for Italian immigrants and founded hospitals as well. She was as resourceful as she was prayerful, finding people who would donate what she needed in money, time, labor, and support. She founded 67 institutions: in New York; Chicago and Des Plaines, Illinois; Seattle; New Orleans; Denver and Golden, Colorado; Los Angeles; Philadelphia; and in countries throughout South America and Europe. (I think that counts as a lot of moving, qualifying her for a patronage of moving!)
Mother Cabrini died from complications of dysentery at the age of 67. Her feast day is November 13.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
St. Drogo
Okay, so I'll admit that I chose today's Saint simply because of his unusual name - the next Catholic couple who announces to you that they are expecting, suggest that they name their precious bundle of joy after St. Drogo.
Saint Drogo of Sebourg, also known as Dreux, Drugo and Druron, is a Flemish saint born in 1105. His mother died when he was born and he held himself responsible. Later in his life, he went to extreme penances, perhaps to relieve his guilt. His father died when he was a teenager. He subsequently rid himself of all his property and became a penitential pilgrim, traveling to Rome several times. During one of his pilgrimages, he was stricken with an unsightly bodily affliction and became so deformed that he frightened people.
In spite of this, Drogo was considered to be a very holy man (he reportedly was able to bilocate - witnesses claimed seeing him working in the fields and going to Mass simultaneously. I have a holy envy of this spiritual gift). Because of his frightening appearance, a cell was built for him adjacent to the local church. Drogo lived in the cell for the next 40 years. His only human contact was through a small window through which he received the eucharist and his food (he survived on barley, water and the Holy Eucharist).
St. Drogo is the patron saint of unattractive people (and many other things as well). His feast day is April 16.
Saint Drogo of Sebourg, also known as Dreux, Drugo and Druron, is a Flemish saint born in 1105. His mother died when he was born and he held himself responsible. Later in his life, he went to extreme penances, perhaps to relieve his guilt. His father died when he was a teenager. He subsequently rid himself of all his property and became a penitential pilgrim, traveling to Rome several times. During one of his pilgrimages, he was stricken with an unsightly bodily affliction and became so deformed that he frightened people.
In spite of this, Drogo was considered to be a very holy man (he reportedly was able to bilocate - witnesses claimed seeing him working in the fields and going to Mass simultaneously. I have a holy envy of this spiritual gift). Because of his frightening appearance, a cell was built for him adjacent to the local church. Drogo lived in the cell for the next 40 years. His only human contact was through a small window through which he received the eucharist and his food (he survived on barley, water and the Holy Eucharist).
St. Drogo is the patron saint of unattractive people (and many other things as well). His feast day is April 16.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Pope Saint Cornelius
Today's post is for my Brother-in-Law who took the name Cornelius as his confirmation name. Pope Saint Cornelius was a Roman Priest elected to the papacy in March of 251 as the 21st Pope. He succeeded Pope Fabian who had died over a year prior. Cornelius' election was delayed by persecution.
During the persecution of Emperor Decius, all citizens were ordered to perform a religious sacrifice in front of commissioners or else face death. Many refused and were martyred (including Pope Fabian), but others complied in order to save their own lives. Under the new Pope's reign, the question of how to treat those Christians who had been apostatized during the persecution divided the Church. The Rigorist party, under the leadership of Anti-Pope Novatian, held that idolatry was an unpardonable sin and the Church did not have the authority to forgive apostates. The opposing side, including Cornelius, felt that those who had lapsed could be restored to the Church through repentance and penance. Cornelius convened a synod of bishops who confirmed him as the rightful pope and excommunicated Novatian. They also issued a verdict that the apostates could be readmitted to the Christian community only after doing penance.
In June 251, Decius was killed in battle with the Goths and persecutions of Christians were resumed under his successor. Pope Cornelius was exiled and later died of the hardships he was forced to endure. He is the patron against earache, epilepsy, fever, twitching, and also of cattle, domestic animals, earache sufferers, epileptics, and the town of Kornelimünster, Germany, where his head is enshrined. His feast day is September 16.
During the persecution of Emperor Decius, all citizens were ordered to perform a religious sacrifice in front of commissioners or else face death. Many refused and were martyred (including Pope Fabian), but others complied in order to save their own lives. Under the new Pope's reign, the question of how to treat those Christians who had been apostatized during the persecution divided the Church. The Rigorist party, under the leadership of Anti-Pope Novatian, held that idolatry was an unpardonable sin and the Church did not have the authority to forgive apostates. The opposing side, including Cornelius, felt that those who had lapsed could be restored to the Church through repentance and penance. Cornelius convened a synod of bishops who confirmed him as the rightful pope and excommunicated Novatian. They also issued a verdict that the apostates could be readmitted to the Christian community only after doing penance.
In June 251, Decius was killed in battle with the Goths and persecutions of Christians were resumed under his successor. Pope Cornelius was exiled and later died of the hardships he was forced to endure. He is the patron against earache, epilepsy, fever, twitching, and also of cattle, domestic animals, earache sufferers, epileptics, and the town of Kornelimünster, Germany, where his head is enshrined. His feast day is September 16.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Bl. Maria Gabriella Sagheddu
Upon returning from a weekend trip to the Trappist Monastery in KY, today I will feature a sister of the Trappist order. Maria Gabriella was an Italian nun and professed member of the Trappist order. She was born in 1914.
Maria's father and three brothers died during her childhood. She left school after her primary education in order to help the family. She was a willful, obstinate, and argumentative child, but she was also serious and had a strong sense of duty. She accepted her share in family life by doing housework, laundry and baking bread. For a short time she served as a maid.
In 1932, her beloved younger sister, Giovanna Antonia, died. It seems that this event prompted Maria to deepen her faith life. She joined Catholic Action, taught the catechism to children, spent long periods praying in church and began discerning her vocation. Her local priest suggested a Trappist Monastery. She entered the Trappist monastery of Grottaferra on Sept.30, 1935. She was given the religious name of Maria Gabriella.
In 1937, for the first time, the pamphlet "The Week of prayer for the unity of Christians" came to the Monastery. An elderly nun asked for permission to give the remaining years of her life as a offering. The offer was accepted and the nun died a month later after five days of agony due to paralysis. Inspired by this example, when another pamphlet came a year later, Sr. Maria Gabriella chose to offer her life for the intention of Christian Unity. Every suffering, spiritual and physical, was offered for this intention. She soon fell ill with tuberculosis. The doctors declared the condition uncurable and she died 15 months later.
Maria Gabriella's feast day is April 22. She is a patron saint of Ecumenism.
Maria's father and three brothers died during her childhood. She left school after her primary education in order to help the family. She was a willful, obstinate, and argumentative child, but she was also serious and had a strong sense of duty. She accepted her share in family life by doing housework, laundry and baking bread. For a short time she served as a maid.
In 1932, her beloved younger sister, Giovanna Antonia, died. It seems that this event prompted Maria to deepen her faith life. She joined Catholic Action, taught the catechism to children, spent long periods praying in church and began discerning her vocation. Her local priest suggested a Trappist Monastery. She entered the Trappist monastery of Grottaferra on Sept.30, 1935. She was given the religious name of Maria Gabriella.
In 1937, for the first time, the pamphlet "The Week of prayer for the unity of Christians" came to the Monastery. An elderly nun asked for permission to give the remaining years of her life as a offering. The offer was accepted and the nun died a month later after five days of agony due to paralysis. Inspired by this example, when another pamphlet came a year later, Sr. Maria Gabriella chose to offer her life for the intention of Christian Unity. Every suffering, spiritual and physical, was offered for this intention. She soon fell ill with tuberculosis. The doctors declared the condition uncurable and she died 15 months later.
Maria Gabriella's feast day is April 22. She is a patron saint of Ecumenism.
St. Lazarus of Bethany
This evening, several of the monks came over after vespers to dine with our family (we are at Gethsemane visiting Br. Matthias). I sat across from and had a nice visit with Br. Lazarus. Tonight I share a little about his Patron Saint.
St. Lazarus of Bethany, also known as Lazarus of the Four Days Dead in the Eastern Orthodox Church, was the brother of Martha and Mary. Their story is featured in the Gospel of John. Personal opinion - the Gospel story tells us more about the sisters' faith than it does about Lazarus', but you can't deny he was a major part of the story.
The name Lazarus is latinized from the Aramaic Eleazar, meaning "God is my help." Nothing is said in scripture about what happened to him after Jesus raised him from the dead. Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic tradition differ on his later life. He is most often associated with Cyprus and Provance. In each tradition he is said to have been a Bishop. More about these stories can be found on Wikipedia.
In the West, we celebrate St. Lazarus' feast on December 17. In the East, it's celebrated on either March 17 or October 17.
Friday, November 8, 2019
St. Lidwina
For the coldest day so far this season, we will feature the Patron Saint of Ice Skaters, St. Lidwina. Lidwina was born in Holland in 1380, one of nine children. At the age of 15, she was ice skating when she fell and broke a rib. She never recovered and became progressively disabled through the rest of her life. After her fall, Lidwina fasted frequently and gained renown as a healer and a holy woman. Contemporary descriptions of her sufferings lead some to think that hers is one of the first known cases of Multiple Sclerosis. She died at the age of 53, and is also the patron of those with chronic illness.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
St. Adjutor
Today we have a short post about a little known Saint named Adjutor. Adjutor was born in France in 1073. He was made a knight of the first Crusade. Some stories say that he was captured by Muslims in the Crusade and was urged by his captors to abandon his faith. He refused and escaped persecution by swimming. The legend says that he swam back to France - which seems a bit far-fetched to me. Because of this legend, he is credited with being the patron saint of swimmers, boaters and drowning victims. Back in France, he entered the Abbey of Tiron where he lived as a recluse until his death in 1131. His Feast Day is April 30.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Bl. Marianna Biernacka
Our saint of the day today is Blessed Marianna Biernacka. Marianna was born in 1888 in Poland. She married a farmer and had six children, only two of whom survived infancy. In 1943, during the second World War, Marianna's son, Stanislaw, and daughter-in-law, Anna, were arrested by German Soldiers in retaliation for the death of some German Soldiers who had been shot in a near-by village. Anna was pregnant with the couple's second child. Stanislaw and Anna were singled out by the German's to be shot, but Marianna offered to take the place of her daughter-in-law. The soldiers agreed and, after two weeks of imprisonment, Marianna was shot and killed on July 13, 1943. Her last request was to hold her rosary, which was granted.
Anna, spared by this act of self-sacrifice, lived to be 98. Their descendants still live in the area.
In June 1999, Marianna was beatified and recognized as a martyr along with 107 other Polish victims of Nazi Germany. Collectively, they are known as the 108 Blessed Polish Martyrs.
Anna, spared by this act of self-sacrifice, lived to be 98. Their descendants still live in the area.
In June 1999, Marianna was beatified and recognized as a martyr along with 107 other Polish victims of Nazi Germany. Collectively, they are known as the 108 Blessed Polish Martyrs.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
St. Giuseppe Moscati
Today Fun With Saints will return to more modern times with the story of St. Giuseppe (Joseph) Moscati.. Giuseppe was born in 1880 to a noble Italian family, the seventh of nine children. The family moved to Naples when Giuseppe was about 4 years old and he spent the rest of his life in that city.
Observing the care that his brother received after a fall from a horse gave Giuseppe an interest in medicine and he received his doctorate in 1903. He joined the staff of the Ospedale degli Incurabili, eventually becoming an administrator. When not on duty, he continued his studies and did medical research. He was well known for his dedication. In the aftermath of an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 1906, he won further recognition by overseeing the evacuation of a hospital only a few miles from the volcano. Many of its patients were elderly, and many were paralytics as well. When cholera broke out in Naples in 1911, Moscati was charged by the civic government with performing public health inspections, and with researching both the origins of the disease and the best ways to eradicate it. This he did quickly, presenting his suggestions to city officials. During WWI, he tried to enroll in the armed forces, but the military authorities thought he would better serve the country by treating the wounded.
Giuseppe was true to his faith throughout his life, taking a vow of chastity and practicing charity in his daily work. He viewed his practice of medical science as a way of alleviating suffering, not as a way of making profits. He retired regularly for prayer and also attended Mass daily. He would sometimes use a patient's faith, as well as the sacraments, in his treatments. He also refused to charge the poor for their treatment, and was known to sometimes send a patient home with a prescription and a 50-lira note in an envelope.
Giuseppe died on April 12, 1927. Reports of his good works continued well after his death, with further reports that he interceded in impossible cases. His feast day is November 16. He is a patron of bachelors, physicians, and people rejected by religious orders.
Observing the care that his brother received after a fall from a horse gave Giuseppe an interest in medicine and he received his doctorate in 1903. He joined the staff of the Ospedale degli Incurabili, eventually becoming an administrator. When not on duty, he continued his studies and did medical research. He was well known for his dedication. In the aftermath of an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 1906, he won further recognition by overseeing the evacuation of a hospital only a few miles from the volcano. Many of its patients were elderly, and many were paralytics as well. When cholera broke out in Naples in 1911, Moscati was charged by the civic government with performing public health inspections, and with researching both the origins of the disease and the best ways to eradicate it. This he did quickly, presenting his suggestions to city officials. During WWI, he tried to enroll in the armed forces, but the military authorities thought he would better serve the country by treating the wounded.
Giuseppe was true to his faith throughout his life, taking a vow of chastity and practicing charity in his daily work. He viewed his practice of medical science as a way of alleviating suffering, not as a way of making profits. He retired regularly for prayer and also attended Mass daily. He would sometimes use a patient's faith, as well as the sacraments, in his treatments. He also refused to charge the poor for their treatment, and was known to sometimes send a patient home with a prescription and a 50-lira note in an envelope.
Giuseppe died on April 12, 1927. Reports of his good works continued well after his death, with further reports that he interceded in impossible cases. His feast day is November 16. He is a patron of bachelors, physicians, and people rejected by religious orders.
Monday, November 4, 2019
St. Ermelinda
Today I will give a little gift to my cousin, Linda, who commented on my last post. This is her patroness, St. Ermelinda.
Ermelinda (or Ermelinde) was born in 510 in Belgium. Her parents were rich chatelaines and wanted her to marry. In those days, as in most of history, marriage did not just concern the bride and groom, but involved a family's social and economic position. So, when she refused, it was very generous of them to allow her to follow her chosen vocation as a hermitess. They even gave her a little land. She spread her charity to the poor. Later, she set up a hermitage in Meldert and spent the rest of her life in prayer and mortification of the flesh.
She died sometime between 590 and 595 (sources differ). Her feast day is October 29.
Ermelinda (or Ermelinde) was born in 510 in Belgium. Her parents were rich chatelaines and wanted her to marry. In those days, as in most of history, marriage did not just concern the bride and groom, but involved a family's social and economic position. So, when she refused, it was very generous of them to allow her to follow her chosen vocation as a hermitess. They even gave her a little land. She spread her charity to the poor. Later, she set up a hermitage in Meldert and spent the rest of her life in prayer and mortification of the flesh.
She died sometime between 590 and 595 (sources differ). Her feast day is October 29.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Blessed Isidore Bakanja
In these posts, I like to take my few readers around the world to show that holiness does not discriminate based on color, race, country of origin or age. Today, we visit Africa. Blessed Isidore Bakanja was born in 1887 in Congo Free State (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Isidore was a convert to the faith. He was instructed in Catholicism by Trappist missionaries and was baptized on May, 6, 1906 at the age of 18. He had a great devotion to the rosary and the brown scapular and used every opportunity to share his faith. He worked as a domestic servant on a Belgian rubber plantation. Many of the Belgian agents were atheists. They despised Christianity and missionaries because of their promotion of justice and fair treatment for native workers.
Isidore's employers ordered him to stop teaching the Gospel message to the other workers and to stop wearing the brown scapular that was a symbol of his faith. He refused to comply. On April 22, 1909, the superintendent noticed Isidore wearing the scapular and tore it off of him, had him severely beaten and chained up. When an inspector came to the plantation, Isidore was hidden in the woods so that he would not be seen. However, he crawled from his hiding place. When the inspector saw the harsh treatment that Isidore had been subject to, the inspector took him into his own home to care for his wounds. However, the medical treatment came too late. Isidore died of his wounds on August 15, 1909. Before he died, missionaries from the area urged him to forgive the supervisor. He responded that he already had and said, "When I am in heaven, I shall pray for him very much."
Bl. Isidore's Feast Day is August 15.
Isidore was a convert to the faith. He was instructed in Catholicism by Trappist missionaries and was baptized on May, 6, 1906 at the age of 18. He had a great devotion to the rosary and the brown scapular and used every opportunity to share his faith. He worked as a domestic servant on a Belgian rubber plantation. Many of the Belgian agents were atheists. They despised Christianity and missionaries because of their promotion of justice and fair treatment for native workers.
Isidore's employers ordered him to stop teaching the Gospel message to the other workers and to stop wearing the brown scapular that was a symbol of his faith. He refused to comply. On April 22, 1909, the superintendent noticed Isidore wearing the scapular and tore it off of him, had him severely beaten and chained up. When an inspector came to the plantation, Isidore was hidden in the woods so that he would not be seen. However, he crawled from his hiding place. When the inspector saw the harsh treatment that Isidore had been subject to, the inspector took him into his own home to care for his wounds. However, the medical treatment came too late. Isidore died of his wounds on August 15, 1909. Before he died, missionaries from the area urged him to forgive the supervisor. He responded that he already had and said, "When I am in heaven, I shall pray for him very much."
Bl. Isidore's Feast Day is August 15.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
St. Dulce Lopes Pontes
On day two of "Fun with Saints", we will take a radical shift: from male to female, from the old world to the new, from ancient to modern times. Our Saint today is new to the cannon of Saints, having just been canonized on October 13. Her name is St. Dulce Lopes Pontes.
Sister Dulce was born to a middle class family in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, in 1914. She was given the name Maria Rita. When she was 13 years old, her Aunts took her to visit one of the poorest areas of the city. She was so struck by what she saw that she began dedicating herself to the poor and needy of her neighborhood. At the age of 18, she entered the religious order of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God. She was given the name Dulce in memory of her mother who had died when she was 6. Soon she founded the Sao Francisco’s Workers Union and opened a clinic, a library, a school and even cinema for the poor. Her work was not confined to Salvador, Bahia, but was expanded to the communities of Alagados and Itapagipe. The people began calling her the "Angel of Alagados".
Determined to help the sick people who came to her, in 1939 Sister Dulce started to shelter them in abandoned houses in Salvador's 'Ilha dos Ratos' (rats' island) district. When they were evicted from these houses, she sought other places to shelter her people. Eventually, she gained permission from her Mother Superior to use the Chicken Yard of the convent, provided that she take care of the chickens (which she did by feeding them to her patients). This in time became the Hospital Santo Antonio, the center of a medical, social and educational complex which continues to open doors for the poor in Bahia and throughout Brazil.
During the last 30 years of her life, Sr. Dulce suffered from lung ailments, to which she ultimately lost her life on March 13, 1992, at the age of 77. According to Wkipedia, her feast day is August 13 (I could not determine why it is not the date of her death as is the usual practice).
Sister Dulce was born to a middle class family in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, in 1914. She was given the name Maria Rita. When she was 13 years old, her Aunts took her to visit one of the poorest areas of the city. She was so struck by what she saw that she began dedicating herself to the poor and needy of her neighborhood. At the age of 18, she entered the religious order of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God. She was given the name Dulce in memory of her mother who had died when she was 6. Soon she founded the Sao Francisco’s Workers Union and opened a clinic, a library, a school and even cinema for the poor. Her work was not confined to Salvador, Bahia, but was expanded to the communities of Alagados and Itapagipe. The people began calling her the "Angel of Alagados".
Determined to help the sick people who came to her, in 1939 Sister Dulce started to shelter them in abandoned houses in Salvador's 'Ilha dos Ratos' (rats' island) district. When they were evicted from these houses, she sought other places to shelter her people. Eventually, she gained permission from her Mother Superior to use the Chicken Yard of the convent, provided that she take care of the chickens (which she did by feeding them to her patients). This in time became the Hospital Santo Antonio, the center of a medical, social and educational complex which continues to open doors for the poor in Bahia and throughout Brazil.
During the last 30 years of her life, Sr. Dulce suffered from lung ailments, to which she ultimately lost her life on March 13, 1992, at the age of 77. According to Wkipedia, her feast day is August 13 (I could not determine why it is not the date of her death as is the usual practice).
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