Bl. Dominic Collins

 So, we come to the end of our November of Saints. I began the month telling you about my trip to Europe earlier this year and visiting St. Vitus' Cathedral in Prague. To bookend the month, I want to end with another story from that trip. 

At the conclusion of our trip, we flew out of Munich. As I was having my passport checked in preparation for departure, I encountered a woman who was excited to hear that I was from Columbus because her brother lives in Columbus -- he is a seminarian at the Josephinum. In the rush of the moment, I did not get her name, but her brother's name is Collins. I have not yet had an opportunity to meet this young man. However, I pray for him every day because I figured that that was why God orchestrated this encounter. So, today's Saint is in honor of my other seminarian.

Dominic Collins was born to a prominent merchant family in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, in 1566. When he was 20, he went to Brittany and worked in various hostelries to earn enough to buy a horse so he could join the calvary. In 1589, he joined the Catholic League in the war against the Huguenots of Brittany. He was soon promoted to the rank of Captain and appointed as military governor of the territory taken from the Huguenots. 

Dominic met a Jesuit priest from his home country of Ireland in 1598. He had become disenchanted with the life of a soldier and confided to the priest that he was seeking something more in his life. He requested to join the Jesuits as a brother. The superiors were initially reluctant to take him, feeling that a battle-hardened soldier might find it difficult to settle into religious life. Dominic bombarded the provincial with requests and was ultimately admitted to the novitiate at Santiago de Compostella in Spain. 

Dominic's entry into religious life was not quite and contemplative as he may have expected. Soon after his entry into the order, the Jesuit college was struck with the plague. Some members of the community fled out of fear. Dominic stayed and nursed the sick and comforted the dying. A report from that time described him as a man of sound judgement and great physical strength. He was mature, prudent and sociable, but inclined to a hot temper and obstinance. 

Dominic professed religious vows in February 1601. About this time, King Phillip III of Spain organized an expedition to Ireland to help the Irish in their attempt to overthrow English rule. The Jesuit priest assigned as chaplain to the army specifically requested that Dominic be assigned as his companion and assistant. Dominic was attending to the spiritual needs of soldiers in a besieged Irish Castle when the castle was overtaken by the English on June 18, 1602. While the others were immediately hanged, the Jesuit and two others were taken prisoner and transported to Cork. The three were tortured and the two soldiers executed. 

Relishing the idea of having a Jesuit abjure his faith in his very hometown, the English took him back to Youghal. Even though some of his own family visited him to encourage him to pretend conversion to save his life, he stood firm. At his execution, he addressed the crowds in both Irish and English telling them that he had come to Ireland to defend the Catholic Faith. For this he was happy to die. 

His feast day is June 20. Blessed Dominic Collins, pray for us!

Happy Advent, my friends!

St. Andre Bessette

 I know what I want to post tomorrow for the last day of my "month of Saints", but I wasn't at all sure what Saint to feature for this second-to-the-last-day -- until I got home from work. I found that the concrete contractors who have been repairing sidewalks around my apartment complex had poured me a new stoop today. It is still wet. One of the contractors helped me get into my apartment, but I'm pretty much in for the night. Thinking about doors and entry/exit got me to thinking about doorkeepers. In the Church, the term "Porter" is used, and you might be surprised at how many Saints have held the office of Porter. I found a website that listed 11, but I know that that is just a sampling. Here is a link to an article about the history of the office: CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Porter (Doorkeeper) (newadvent.org)

Our Saint for today is one of the more well-known of the Porter Saints, but I will consider sharing about some of the others in future years (God willing). 

St. Andre Bessett was born Alfred in a small town southwest of Montreal, Canada, in 1845. He was so frail that he was baptized in an emergency ritual the day after his birth. His father was a carpenter and a lumberman who was killed by a falling tree when Alfred was 9. Alfred and his siblings were left as orphans when his mother died of tuberculosis just three years later.  Twelve-year-old Alfred was placed in the care of his aunt and uncle, Timothee and Rosalie Nadeau. He did his best to help out on the farm, but the work was too strenuous for his weak constitution. He was apprenticed out in turn to a cobbler, a baker, a wheelwright, a tinsmith and a blacksmith, but had difficulty with those jobs as well. During this time, he also received catechism lessons from his parish priest and developing lifelong devotions to St. Joseph and the Passion of Christ. He also received minimal schooling, learning only to read and sign his name, both poorly. 

Searching for work, Alfred moved to Connecticut when he was 18 and worked in textile mills across Connecticut and Rhode Island. He returned to Canada in 1867. The pastor of his parish had noted the devotion and generosity of the young man and presented him to the Congregation of Holy Cross in Montreal as a potential postulant. The note that the pastor sent to the Congregation stated, "I am sending you a saint." Although initially rejected because of his poor health, he was accepted in 1872 and was given the name Brother Andre, by which he was known the rest of his life. 

Brother Andre was given the task of porter and also served as sacristan, laundry worker and messenger. He stated, "When I joined this community, the superiors showed me the door, and I remained 40 years," Andre's great devotion to St. Joseph inspired him to recommend devotion to the Saint. Many people claimed that they had been cured by the prayers of Brother Andre and of St. Joseph. Andre steadfastly refused to take any credit for the cures. His great devotion to the Saint led him to start a campaign to build a chapel in St. Joseph's honor in 1904. In 1924, Constuction of a Basilica to be known as St. Joseph's Oratory began near Brother Andre's chapel. 

Brother Andre died in 1937 at the age of 91. A million people filed past his coffin. The Oratory that he inspired was completed 30 years later and his remains lie in a tomb below the Oratory's main chapel. His feast day is January 6 (January 7 in Canada). 

St. Andre Bessett, pray for us.

St. Denise et al

 We are nearing the end of the month. I am searching my sources for a few last Saints that you should meet. Today, we have a whole group.

Denise (Dionysia, Dionisia), Dativa, Leontia, Tertius, Emalianus, Boniface, Majoricus, and Servus are venerated as martyrs. They were killed in the late 5th century by the Arian Vandals. They were killed during the reign of the Arian king Hunneric. 

Denise was a beautiful, widowed noblewoman who was killed at the stake with her son, Majoricus, and her sister, Dativa. Also killed were Leontia, daughter of Bishop Germanus of Perada; A doctor named Emalianus (Emilius), brother-in-law of Dativa; a monk named Tertius; and Boniface, who has been identified as bishop of Sicilibba. Emalianus and Tertius were flayed alive. 

Two other martyrs killed in the same persecution were venerated on the same feast day: Servus and Victoria (or Victrix). Servus was hung and dropped from ropes and then dragged through the streets. Victoria was hung by the wrists above a fire. Her husband begged her to abjure her faith - to think of her children, but she refused. 

The cult of this group of martyrs was mentioned in the martyrologies of various ancient churches. The Roman martyrology commemorates their feast day on December 6, although Servus is mentioned on December 7 and Victoria's name is left out. They are patrons of persecuted Christians. 

Saints Denise, Dativa, Leontia, Tertius, Emalianus, Boniface, Majoricus, Servus and Victoria, pray for us.

St. Cyprian

 We are such an impatient generation. Two-day shipping is no longer good enough - we want it today. I think of Veruca Salt in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, "I want it now!" I think of this today as we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent. So many in our culture are impatient for Christmas. They want it and they want it now - so much so that they have already started singing the songs, feasting on the goodies and celebrating in a way that will make the day itself seem like an afterthought. There is no concept of waiting, preparing or anticipation. But Advent is a season of waiting, preparing and anticipation. Advent is a season of patience.

In a search for a "patron saint of patience", I came upon the story of St. Cyprian. Cyprian was the Bishop of Carthage in North Africa in the 3rd century. He was elected by the people, who loved him, but other members of the clergy disputed his election. During the Decian persecution, many Christians fell away from the faith. To avoid the persecution, some obtained signed papers saying that they had sacrificed to the Roman gods, others actually performed the sacrifices. When the persecution ended, a schism arose in the Church regarding how to treat those who had fallen away. Some wanted to bring them back into the fold with little or no public penance. Others were adamant that those who had lapsed could not be reconciled to the church. Cyprian convoked a council of North African Bishops and advocated for a middle way. 

During this major theological argument, Cyprian said and did some things that he later regretted. His attitude became heated, and his patience gave out even to the point of publicly disagreeing with the pope. Cyprian became known for having a problem with patience. To his credit, he recognized it and tried to correct it. He even wrote a book called On the Advantage of Patience. 

A new persecution broke out under Emperor Valerian. Cyprian tried to prepare his people for what they would face and set an example when he himself was brought before the roman proconsul. He refused to sacrifice to the gods and firmly professed his faith in Christ. After a period of banishment and imprisonment, he was executed. 

Although Cyprian is not an official patron of patience, if you are struggling with impatience, he understands your struggle. His feast day is Sept 16. 

Venerable Elisabetta Tasca Serena

 We have had a lot of Saints who were clergy or vowed religious, so today I went looking for a layperson.

Elisabetta Tasca was born April 24, 1899, the last of seven children to modest peasants. Her parents were devout and fostered in their children a devotion to the Cross. Elisabetta was a sociable child who was attentive to the needs of others. When she was tasked with taking lunch to her brother who was working on the construction of the local church and he complained that the food was too little for him, she would return home and ask her mother to let her take her lunch to the construction site to eat with her brother. Instead of eating her own lunch, she would give the food to her brother.

Her future husband, Giuseppe Serena was a serious but generous man who served in WWI. She was not too interested in his attempts to court her and politely turned him down twice. He was persistent and even had the local priest speak to Elisabetta on his behalf. She was still unsure and visited the Sanctuary of Monte della Madonna to contemplate the matter. It was here that she decided to pursue the relationship and the couple were married on April2, 1921.

The Serenas had 12 children, with two dying in childhood and four entering religious life. When Giuseppi fell ill, Elisabetta devoted herself to caring for him until he died in 1967. When technological advances saw her neighbors start to purchase television sets, Elisabetta set out her own so-called "TV channels" for a practical life:

• Go to the first Mass
• Recite the rosary
• Make stockings and mend clothes
• Work the stall
• Teach the lessons to the children and prepare for school
• Prepare the food
• Do the laundry
• Sing for joy
• Wish well t everyone
• So many jobs to do, and never idleness for a moment

Elisabetta attended her final Mass before her illness on October 1, 1978. She fell ill on October 2. She was diagnosed with bronchopneumonia. She died on November 2. 

The cause for canonization for Elisabetta was opened in December 1991. She became titled as Venerable in December, 2014, after Pope Francis confirmed that she had lived a life of heoric virtue. Since she has not yet been beatified, a feast day has not officially been given to her. 

Venerable Elisabetta, pray for us.

St. Charles Borromeo

 Tomorrow is Charles Schulz (creator of  Peanuts) 100th birthday. Although Shulz was not Catholic, he brought his Christian faith into his work  - most notably in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." In his memory, today we are talking about St. Charles Borromeo.

Charles (Borromeo not Shulz) was born Oct 2, 1538 in Milan.  He was a descendant of nobility  - one of the most ancient and wealthy in Lombardy. He was the second son in a family of six children. When he was about 12 his uncle turned over to him the income from the rich Benedictine abbey of Sts. Gratinian and Felin, one of the ancient perquisites of the family. Charles also received the tonsure at this time and he made it clear to his father that all revenues from the abbey, beyond what was needed to prepare him for a career in the church, belonged to the poor. 

Charles attended the University of Pavia and applied himself to study of civil and cannon law. He had a slight speech impediment and so was regarded as "slow", but he made rapid progress and earned a doctorate. 

On Dec 25, 1559, his uncle was elected as Pope Pius IV. The new Pope brought his nephew to Rome and on Jan 31, 1560, created him a cardinal, entrusting him with both the public and privy seal of the ecclesiastical state. During his time in Rome, Charles lived in austerity, obliged the Roman Curia to wear black, and established an academy of learned persons. He organized the third and last session of the Council of Trent (1562-63), had a large share in the making of the Tridentine Catechism and founded and endorsed a college. 

In Nov 1562, his older brother died suddenly. His family urged him to seek permission to return to the lay state  so he could marry and have children so that the family name would not become extinct. Charles declined and the family name lives on through his sanctity. 

He was appointed an administrator of the Archdiocese of Milan on Feb 7, 1560. He was ordained a priest in Sep 1563 and consecrated bishop in December of the same year. He was formally appointed Archbishop of Milan on May 12, 1564. He devoted himself to reform of his diocese. Milan was the largest Archdiocese in Italy at the time and both clergy and laity had drifted from church teaching. He believed that abuses in the church arose from ignorant clergy. He established seminaries, colleges and communities for the education of candidates for Holy Orders. 

In 1584, during his annual retreat, he fell I'll and he died on Nov 3 at the age 46. His patronage includes apple orchards, bishops, catechists, catechumens, colic, intestinal disorders, cardinals, seminarians and spiritual directors. His feast day is Nov 4.

St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us. 

St. Mildburh

 Happy Thanksgiving! or as some say, "Turkey Day" (I have never liked that term). I have been enjoying the time with family. We all like puzzles and completed one today featuring birds. So, for the turkey and for the bird puzzle, today's Saint is a patron of birds.

Mildburh (Millburga) lived in the eighth century. She was the daughter of Merewalh, King of the Magonsaete. She was the order sister of St. Mildrith and St. Mildgytha. The three sisters have been likened to the three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. 

Mildburh was sought in marriage by a neighboring prince. She escaped across a river and the prince was prevented from following when the river miraculously became so swollen that he was unable to ford. She entered the Benedictine monastery of Wenlock, Shropshire.

Mildburh was noted for her humility and was said to be endowed with the gift of healing. She organized the Evangelization and pastoral care of South Shropshire. She is said to have had a mysterious power over birds; they would avoid damaging local crops when she asked them to. She was also associated with other miracles in local legends. Her Feast Day is February 23.

St. Mildburh, pray for us. 

Bl. Ghebre-Michael

 Apart from the post yesterday, most of our Saints this month have been from the Church's early centuries and the Middle Ages. I think we need a Saint from more modern times for balance.

Ghebre-Michael was born in Ethiopia in 1791. He was a part of one of the three Ethiopian sects called the Kevats. At an early age he lost an eye in an accident. This rendered him unfit to perform most types of work in his culture. After his early education, he went to High School in one of the local monastic schools, where he was known as a gifted student. He was professed as a monk in the Coptic Orthodox Church in 1813. As a monk, he started studying the history of monasticism and set out to discover the cause of the declining standards of monasticism in Ethiopia. He was permitted to visit other monasteries around the country in the course of his research. At each monastery he visited, he formed small groups of like-minded monks. He instructed them and left them to form the nucleus of monastic reform in their own monastery. He then decided to go to Jerusalem for further research.

On this pilgrimage, Michael met a Catholic Bishop named Guistino de Jacobis. Ghebre-Michael's initial reaction to the bishop was one of mistrust and suspicion, simply because he was a Catholic priest. However, as they traveled and lived in close company day after day, he began to admire de Jacobis for his holiness, prayer life and his way of handling people and situations. 

Upon returning to Ethiopia, Ghebre-Michael's hope had been to convert the new Orthodox Bishop to his way of thinking of theological truth and monastic reform. After meeting with the bishop, he realized that his vision would not be. The bishop had his own political agenda and saw the monk as an obstacle to his plans. The bishop openly opposed Ghebre-Michael and some of the bishop's followers even tried to poison him. This disappointment led him to once again seek out the Catholic Bishop, de Jacobis. Over a period of about 6 months, the two had many discussions and in 1844, de Jacobis brought Ghebre-Michael into the Catholic Church. It was six years later that de Jacobis asked Ghebre-Michael to give some thought to becoming a priest (most Ethiopian monks were not priests). Ghebre-Michael was ordained on January 1, 1851. 

Later that year, the Orthodox bishop instituted a persecution of Catholics and de Jacobis and Ghebre-Michael were arrested. The bishop was eventually released, but Ghebre-Michael was kept in chains and tortured in an attempt to get him to apostatize. He died of his ill-treatment on August 28, 1855 (or July 30). He was buried where he died, at the side of the road under a cedar tree. His remains were never found. He was beatified as a martyr in 1926. 

His feast day is July 14 and is also celebrated on August 30 by the Vincentians. Blessed Ghebre-Michael, pray for us.

Bl. Cecilia Eusepi

 Today is the Feast Day of my Parish's patroness, St. Cecilia. I am really looking forward to the Mass we will be celebrating this evening in honor of the day. I did a post on St. Cecilia 8 years ago and, on principle, I do not repeat Saints. So, today I will share the story of one of St. Cecilia's namesakes.

Cecilia Eusepi was born in Italy on February 17, 1910. She was the youngest in a family of 11 children. Her father died just a few months later of illness. On his deathbed, he entrusted his wife and children to the care of his brother-in-law. Cecilia grew up on her uncle's farm and was educated at a convent school run by Cistercian Nuns. In 1922, she joined the Servite order as a secular member and also became a member of Catholic Action. 

In 1923, Cecilia received permission to join the Servite Order as a postulant despite the objections of her mother and uncle. She studied in Rome, Pistoia and Zara., but she had to go home in 1926 when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Her illness ended her hopes of becoming a missionary. During her final illness, her religious practice was a comfort to members of the Catholic Action movement as well as Seminarians and Priests who often visited her and asked for her opinions. It was at this time that she met Servite Priest Gabriele Roschini who became her confessor and spiritual director. She began to keep a journal on his instructions and continued it until just weeks before her death.

At the end of her life, Cecilia dreamt of St. Therese of Lisieux and predicted the date of her death - October 1, 1928. She was beatified on June 17, 2012. She is a patron of Servite tertiaries. Her feast day is Oct 1. Blessed Cecilia Eusepi, pray for us.

Basil the Great

 As we begin the week of Thanksgiving, our thoughts (or at least, my thoughts) naturally turn to family. So, the post for today is for my Dad.

Basil of Caesarea, or Basil the Great, was born in Caesarea of Cappadocia in 330. He was one of 10 children of Basil the Elder and Emmelia, both recognized as Saints in their own right, as are four of his siblings. Can you imagine growing up in that household? Young Basil was educated at school in Caesarea, as well as Constantinople and Athens. It was at school that he met Gregory of Nazianzus, who became his close friend and also a Saint. After completing his education, Basil taught rhetoric and practiced law for about a year. 

When he was about 27, Basil encountered a charismatic bishop and ascetic named Eustathius of Sebaste and experienced a spiritual awakening. He abandoned his law practice and traveled to Palestine, Egypt, Syria and Mesopotamia to study ascetics and monasticism. However, he eventually recognized that the solitary life was not his calling. Basil felt called to the communal life and began to gather around himself a group of like-minded disciples, including his brother, Peter. Together they founded a monastic settlement on the family estate. Here Basil wrote about the monastic communal life. His writings are pivotal to the monastic traditions of the Eastern Church. 

In 362, Basil was ordained as a deacon and three years later, he was summoned back to Caesarea to be ordained as a presbyter (priest). In 370, he was made a bishop. He spent several years, along with his friend Gregory, combating the Arian heresy. As a bishop, he was known to be hot-blooded and imperious, but also generous and sympathetic. He actively worked to reform thieves and prostitutes, encourage priests, select candidates for holy orders, and criticize public officials who failed in their duty of administering justice. At the same time, he preached twice a day in his own church to large congregations.

Basil continued to face the growing spread of Arianism. He died before the factional disturbances ended. He suffered from liver disease, but his excessive ascetic practices possibly also contributed to his early death. He died at the age of 48.

St. Basil the Great is the patron saint of Russia, Cappadocia, Hospital Administrators, Reformers, Monks, Educators, Excorcism and Liturgists. In the Roman Church, his feast is celebrated on January 2. St. Basil, pray for us.

St. Ethelreda (Audrey)

 Today we have another Saint that I found in my Encyclopedia. 

St. Ethelreda, also known as Audrey, was born in East Anglia, England, in the seventh century. She had taken a vow of perpetual virginity but was given in marriage to a prince named Tonbert. She convinced her husband to respect her vow and they lived as brother and sister. After three years of marriage, Audrey's husband died. She withdrew from the world to the Isle of Ely, which she had received as part of her dowery. 

A few years later, Audrey was remarried for political reasons to a powerful king from Northumberland named Egfrid, who was in his mid-teens at the time. Initially, her new husband also respected her vow of virginity, but as he matured, he started to make advances toward her. He even petitioned the local Bishop asking him to release Audrey from her vow. However, the Bishop backed Audrey and helped her escape. After 12 years of marriage, the two separated and Audrey founded an Abbey at Ely, took the veil and lived an austere life. She was not yet fifty when she died of an enormous and unsightly tumor on her neck, which she accepted as Divine retribution for all of the necklaces that she had worn in her younger days. 

Throughout the Middle Ages, "St. Audrey's Fair" was held at Ely on her feast day. The merchandise sold at the fair came to be seen as old fashioned and cheaply made, giving the English language the word "tawdry." St. Audrey's feast day is June 23, and she is a patron of throat complaints. 

St. Audrey pray for us.

St. James the Less/St. James the Greater

 I'm still thinking about the movie I saw last night. There was a very moving scene with Jesus and "Little James" (no spoilers!). In The Chosen, they call the two Jameses "Big James" and "Little James", but I prefer the Catholic tradition where they are usually known as St. James the Greater and St. James the Less. I have often worried that I have conflated the two in my mind, so I want to review them both to make sure I get who is who. Warning: this post will be a bit longer as we discuss two Saints.

James the Less (also known as "the Younger") is identified as such in St. Mark's Gospel (15:40) where his mother, Mary, is identified as being with the group of women looking on at the crucifixion. This Mary is identified as James' mother in a few other passages of the Gospels (Mt 27:56, Mk 16:1, Lk 24:10). James is also identified as the son of Alphaeus (Mt 10:3, Mk 3:18, Lk 6:15, Acts 1:13). So, although this James is elsewhere identified as "the Lord's brother"(Mk 6:3, Mt 13:55, Gal 1:19), it is clear that he was not the son of Mary and Joseph. It is most likely that he was a cousin or other close male relative. There is no separate word for cousin in Hebrew or Aramaic. In these languages, any kinsman or countryman was a "brother."

The Acts of the Apostles shows that James the Less was the first Bishop of Jerusalem and was at the Council of Jerusalem in about 50 AD. He is also believed to be the author of the Epistle of St. James. According to the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, around the year 62, the Jewish High Prist Ananus handed James over to be stoned to death.

James the Greater was the brother of St. John and the son of Zebedee. He and his brother were fishermen and were called to follow Jesus while mending their nets by the Sea of Galilee. The epithet "Greater" or "Elder" denotes older or taller rather than more important. However, James, John and Peter did form a sort of inner circle of the inner circle of the 12 apostles. These three were the only apostles present for the raising of Jairus' daughter, the Transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden. The two brothers were given the nickname "Sons of Thunder" (Mk 3:17), which may imply that the sons of Zebedee shared a fiery temper. 

After the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, James is believed to have spread the Gospel across the Roman Empire, perhaps traveling as far as the Iberian Peninsula. He returned to Jerusalem a some point as the Acts of the Apostles record that he was killed by King Herod by beheading in 44AD (Acts 12:1-2). He was the first of the Apostles to die. Legend holds that he was not allowed to be buried following his martyrdom, but his remains were taken by some of his followers to Compostela, Spain. 

St. James the Less' feast is celebrated on May 3. St. James the Greater's feast is celebrated on July 25. St. James and St. James, pray for us.

 

Mary Magdalene

 I went to see the Chosen on the big screen this evening. If you are not familiar, The Chosen is a series based on the Gospel accounts but enhanced with the writers filling in some of the back-story of the lives of the disciples. The first two episodes of Season 3 have been released on the big screen. Many of my friends really love the series, but I have not been able to get into it as well. However, I really enjoyed the show tonight - maybe it's the movie theater experience or maybe it was just the part of the story that was being told.

Because I have been taken back to Biblical times by the movie tonight, my Saint for today will be one of the disciples - Mary of Magdala, also known as Mary Magdalene. All that is known about Mary is what we can read in the four canonical Gospels, but what is there is pretty impressive. Mary is mentioned 12 times in the Gospels. This is more than most of the apostles and more than any other woman in the Gospels outside of Jesus' family. 

The name Magdalene indicates that Mary came from the town of Magdala. She is mentioned in Luke's Gospel as one of a group of women who traveled with Jesus and helped support his ministry "out of their resources." This implies that she was probably a woman of means. The Gospel accounts also say that seven demons had been driven out of her. All four Gospels place her as a witness to the crucifixion and as the first, or one of the first, witness to the empty tomb. In St. John's Gospel, the risen Jesus sends Mary to the Apostles to tell them of his resurrection, earning her the title of "apostle to the apostles."

The portrayal of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute date from the late 6th century. Her story was conflated with that of Mary of Bethany and the "sinful woman" who anointed Jesus' feet. This is a misreading of the text as Mary of Magdala and Mary of Bethany are clearly two separate women, and the "sinful woman" remains unnamed. 

Mary Magdalene has a whole list of patronages, which I am not going to list here for the sake of time - you can look them up yourself if it interests you. Her feast day is July 22. St. Mary of Magdala, pray for us.

St. Vedast

 Today I have chosen another "random" Saint from my Encyclopedia. 

St. Vedast is also known as Vedastus (or Vaast, Waast, or Gaston). He was born in France in or about 453. As a young man, the Bishop of Toul took notice of his many virtues and ordained him a priest (I guess this we before they sent guys to seminary). 

After victory at the battle of Tolbiac, the Frankish King, Clovis, was on his way to Rheims and contemplating baptism. His wife, Clotilde, was a Christian and he believed that the God of the Christians had helped him prevail in the battle. Clovis stopped at Toul to request that a priest instruct him on the way. Vedast agreed to accompany the King. He joined the retinue on their journey. As they were crossing the Aisne River, a blind man met them on the bridge and begged Vedast to heal him. The priest prayed for the man and made the Sign of the Cross over his eyes and his blindness was cured. This miracle confirmed for Clovis his decision to become a Christian.

When they reached Rheims, Clovis was baptized by the city's bishop, St. Remigius. Remigius then recruited Vedast for his own diocese and later consecrated him a Bishop. Opinions differ as to whether Remigius entrusted the diocese of Arras and the diocese of Cambria to Vedast or if Vedast was more of an itinerant bishop without a specific see. Vedast died at Arras about 540 AD. The locals reported that the night he dies they saw a luminous cloud ascend from his house, apparently carrying away his soul.

St. Vedast is invoked on behalf of children who walk with difficulty and for diseases of the eyes. His feast day is February 6. St. Vedast, pray for us.

St. Gertrude the Great

 So, a friend took pity on me today and gave me a suggestion for today's post. Actually, she said, "Don't forget today is St. Gertrude's Feast Day!!!"  I rarely post about a Saint on their Feast Day, but what a blessing it is to be given the gifts of feast days to get to know and celebrate our friends who have completed their race. 

Getrude was born on the Feast of the Epiphany in 1256. At the age of, she entered the monastery school of St. Mary at Helfta. It is speculated that she was offered as a child oblate by very devout parents. However, it is also possible (maybe even more probable) that she entered the monastery school as an orphan. 

Gertrude was entrusted to the care of the younger sister of the Abbess, Mechtilde, who became her teacher and friend (and is also a Saint). She was well educated in a range of subjects. Her writings show that she was very familiar with scripture, with the Church Fathers and also with more contemporary spiritual writers. She also showed that she was well versed in rhetoric and fluent in Latin. 

At the age of 25, she received the first of a series of visions that continued for the rest of her life. Her focus shifted from secular knowledge toward the study of scripture and theology. She devoted herself to personal prayer and meditation and wrote spiritual treaties for the benefit of her fellow nuns. She was one of the great mystics of the 13th century and, with her friend, Mechtilde, practiced a spirituality called "nuptial mysticism" as a Bride of Christ. She died in Helfta (near Eisleben, Saxony) around 1302 - the exact date is not known. 

St. Gertrude was never solemnly canonized, but a liturgical office of prayers, readings and hymns in her honor was approved by Rome in 1606, which is considered the equivalent of canonization.  Pope Benedict XIV gave her the title "the Great" to distinguish her from St. Gertrude of Hackeborn and to recognize the depth of her spiritual and theological insight. (Note: this is the only time in the Liturgical year that we celebrate the feasts of two Saints known as "the Great" back-to-back - the feast of St. Albert the Great was yesterday.)

St. Gertrude's feast day is today - November 16! St. Gertrude, pray for us.

St. Anthony the Abbot

 Well, we are half-way through November, so it is about time for me to run out of ideas for my Saint posts. Happily, I have the Encyclopedia of Catholic Saints that my sister rescued for me, so I have picked a Saint at random. The book came open to the Feast of St. Antony. Whenever I see St. Antony's name, I think of my friend who is a member of San Antonio Abad parish is Puerto Rico - so this post is for you, Lu!

St. Antony (or Anthony) was a Christian Monk from Egypt. He is distinguished from other Saints named Anthony by various epithets: Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Anthony the Hermit and Anthony of Thebes. He is also known as Anthony the Great. 

Most of what is known about Anthony is from a biography written by Athanasius about 360. Anthony was born in Lower Egypt to wealthy landowner parents about 100 years prior to this biography being written. His parents died when he was about 20, leaving him with the care of an unmarried sister. Upon hearing the Gospel exhortation proclaimed, "If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven." Mt 19:21, he felt a convicting call from God. He gave some of his property away and sold the rest, giving the proceeds to the poor. He placed his sister in the care of a group of Christian virgins and left to live an ascetic life. 

Anthony spent the next 15 years in the area as a disciple of another hermit. He kept a very strict diet, eating only once a day (at most) and consuming only bread, salt and water. The devil afflicted him with boredom, laziness and fantoms of women. He overcame these afflictions with prayer. After 15 years, Anthony decided to withdraw from the habitations of men and remove to a life of absolute solitude. 

At the age of 35, he went into the desert and lived enclosed in an abandoned Roman fort for the next 20 years. Food was thrown to him over the wall. Pilgrims began to visit him, but he refused to see them. Eventually, many would-be disciples established themselves in caves and huts nearby. They begged Anthony to come out and be their guide in the spiritual life. About the year 305, he relented. For about 5-6 years he devoted himself to the instruction and organization of the great body of monks that had gathered around him. After that, he withdrew once again into the desert between the Nile and the Red Sea. Here he spent the last 45 years of his life in seclusion, but not so strict as before as he freely saw those who came to visit him.

Anthony was not the first ascetic or hermit, but he is called the "Father of Monasticism" in Christianity because he organized his disciples into a community and was the inspiration for similar communities in Egypt and elsewhere. He lived to the age of 105.

St. Anthony is the patron of animals, skin diseases, farmers, butchers, basket makers, brush makers, and grave diggers. His Feast Day is January 17. St. Anthony, pray for us.

St. Agnes

 I often try to find the most obscure Saints to learn about. There are so many good stories that few people have heard. But sometimes we think we know about a Saint because we have heard her name so often, but how much do we really know? We may think we know St. Agnes. We often hear her name invoked in Eucharistic Prayer I at Mass, listed along with the other early virgin martyrs. But how many of us know more than her name? 

Agnes, also known as Agnes of Rome, was born around 291 AD. According to legend, she was from a noble Roman family and was raised as a Christian. As a beautiful young girl of a wealthy family, she had many high-ranking suitors. However, Agnes was devout in her faith. She refused her suitors saying that she could have no spouse but Christ. This did not sit well with the young men. Her name was submitted to the authorities as a follower of the Christian faith, which at that time was condemned as a cult. 

Agnes was condemned to be dragged naked through the streets to a brothel. In one account, she prayed, and her hair grew to cover her body and protect her modesty. Other stories say that any man that approached her in the brothel was struck blind. The son of a prefect was struck dead but revived after she prayed for him. She was released from the brothel to stand trial again. This time she was sentenced to death. She was led out bound to a stake, but the wood would not burn, so she was beheaded. It is said that her blood poured to the stadium floor where other Christians soaked it up with cloths. Agnes was only about 12 or 13 at the time of her death. 

St. Agnes is patron Saint of girls, chastity and virgins, victims of sexual abuse, betrothed couples, Girl Guides, the diocese of Rockville Center NY and other places. She is usually depicted in art with a lamb (agnus in Latin) - a symbol of her purity as well as a play on her name. Her feast day is January 21.

St. Agnes, pray for us.

St. Benedict the Moor

 I wasn't sure what Saint that I wanted to feature today, so I just started searching for someone who had an interesting background. I look for people who come from all walks of life and all different backgrounds to illustrate that a Saint can come from anywhere. I want you to know that you are not disqualified because of who you are or where you come from. 

Benedetto da San Fratello is known as Benedict the Moor because of his African heritage and dark skin color. His parents, Cristoforo and Diana Manasseri, were African slaves that were taken to San Fratello in Sicily in the early 16th century. They were given Italian names and later converted to Christianity. They were granted freedom for their son before his birth because of their "loyal service." 

Like most peasants, Benedict did not go to school. During his youth, he worked as a shepherd and gave away most of his earnings to the poor. At the age of 21, he was publicly insulted for the color of his skin. His forbearance of the incident caught the notice of a local group of hermits. This independent group followed the rule for hermit life written by St. Francis of Assisi. They quickly invited Benedict to join them and soon after he gave up all of his earthly possessions and took them up on their invitation. He worked as the hermit for the group until at the age of 28 he succeeded to the position as leader of the group.

In 1564, Pope Pius IV disbanded independent groups of hermits, ordering them to attach themselves to established religious orders. Benedict's group joined the Order of Friars Minor. Once a friar of the Order, he was assigned to a friary in Palermo, where he again started out as a cook. However, he showed a degree of advancement in his spiritual advancement and was soon appointed Master of Novices. He was later promoted to Guardian of the community, even though he was a lay brother and not a priest and was illiterate. When he accepted the promotion, he helped the Order adopt a stricter version of the Franciscan Rule. He was widely respected for his intuitive understanding of Scripture and Theology; he was often sought for counseling and was reputed to be a healer. Because he enjoyed cooking, he returned to the kitchen in his later years. He died at the age of 65, and it is said that he predicted the date of his death.

St. Benedict the Moor is patron of black and African missions, African Americans, Palermo and San Fratello. His feast day is April 4. St. Benedict, pray for us.

Saint Ninnoc

I was speaking with someone today about one of my Saint posts. He said, "I had never heard of him before." I told him that that was really the point. Our Communion of Saints is so vast and varied and most Catholics know relatively few of the Saints. I enjoy writing these posts because I learn so much and make new friends among the Saints. If one of these posts helps you find a member of the Church Triumphant whose story can help you on your walk toward eternity - or someone whose prayers will help you grow closer to Christ, I am happy to have helped you on your journey.

So, today I will continue the journey with another Saint that I'm willing to bet most of you have not heard of before.

St. Ninnoc (or Ninnog) of Breton was born around the year 414 in Wales. Her father was King Brychan, and her mother was Meneduc. The couple had had fourteen sons who had all left their parents' home to follow the call to be missionaries. The King and Queen prayed, promising a tenth of all their possessions to the church, that they would have a child that could inherit. That child was Ninnoc.

When Ninnoc was 15, a Scottish prince asked for her hand in marriage. Ninnoc, who had recently heard the preaching of Germanus (a disciple of St. Patrick), wanted instead to devote herself to God. After Germanus' intervention, her father agreed and sent her to Brittany with a "Ship, money and attendants." In Brittany, she founded a religious house and became its abbess. The establishment became known as Lanennoc after its foundress. She reportedly taught new agricultural techniques to the local community and encouraged tree planting so that they could better support themselves. Abused women found shelter at Lanennoc and Ninnoc became known as a protector of women. 

Ninnoc lived at her monastery for approximately 38 years until her death. It is believed that the structure was destroyed by Vikings in the 9th or 10th century. 

St. Ninnoc is a patron of agriculture, forestry and women. Her feast day is June 4. St. Ninnoc, pray for us.

Bl. Nicholas Charnetsky

Today I offer a Saint and a prayer for our brothers and sisters who are suffering from the war in Ukraine. As a secondary motivation, I want to do a post for our Pastor, Fr. Nic since I've done a post for Fr. Kyle and one for our seminarian, Matthew. So, I have today a Blessed who is named Nicholas as well as being Ukranian.  

Nicholas Charnetsky was born in western Ukraine in 1884. He was the eldest of nine children of a family who were members of the Ukranian Greek Catholic Church, which is in communion with the Bishop of Rome and distinct from the Ukranian Orthodox Church. From an early age, he expressed a desire to become a priest. He went to the Ukranian Seminary in Rome at the age of 18. 

Nicholas was ordained in 1909. After ordination he completed a doctorate in Theology and then he taught at seminary for 9 years. Wanting to live a more austere life than that of a Seminary Professor, he chose to join the Redemptorists. As a Redemptorist, he worked to promote better relations between Catholic and Orthodox Ukrainians. Because of this work, Pope Pius XII named him titular bishop of Lebed and Apostolic Visitor to Ukranian Catholics.

In 1939, Soviet armed forces invaded western Ukraine, causing the Redemptorists to flee Lviv. Nicholas was able to return two years later after Nazi Germany had taken control of the city. He taught at Lviv Theological Seminary. In 1944, the Soviets invaded a second time. A year later all the Ukranian Greek Catholic bishops were arrested as part of the Soviet plan to suppress the church and transfer its property to the state sanctioned Russian Orthodox church. Nicholas was arrested on April 11, 1945. He was charged with collaborating with and being an agent of a foreign power (i.e., The Vatican). During his time in prison, he endured many violent interrogations. Between his arrest and his release eleven years later, he was moved around to about thirty different prisons. It was reported that during this time, he maintained a dignified, gentle and calming presence in spite of the hundreds of hours of interrogation and torture. 

By 1956, Nicholas was in such poor health that a shroud had already been prepared. Prison authorities decided to release him so that he would die elsewhere. He made enough of a partial recovery that he was able to pastor the Ukranian Catholic Community, which was then operating clandestinely. He was also able to secretly prepare and ordain young men called to the priesthood. He died on April 2, 1959. His feast day is April 2.

Blessed Nicholas, pray for us.

St. Paula of Rome

 This evening we had our last Women's Bible Study at our Parish for the Fall semester. I wanted, therefore, to share about a female Saint who had a special relationship with Scripture. St. Paula of Rome was a friend and disciple of St. Jerome, who is best known for his vulgate translation of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin. Everything we know about Paula is thanks to what Jerome wrote about her.

Paula was born in Rome in 347. She had led a luxurious life and had a great status. She dressed in silks and was carried about the city by her eunuch slaves. At the age of 32, Paula was widowed. She continued to dedicate herself to her family, but also became more interested in religion. She became a member of a semi-monastic group of women and met and learned from bishops. In 382, she met St. Jerome. While on pilgrimage with him to the Holy Land, she visited monks and other ascetics. She settled in in Bethlehem and established a monastery for men, a convent for women and a hostel for pilgrims. Jerome lived and wrote in one of the cells of the monastery and Paula was the abbess of the convent.

In Jerome's writings, Paula is noted as maintaining her ascetic devotion through the Old and New Testaments, often under his own guidance. She also practiced a strict fasting regimen, abstinence, and a destitute lifestyle "to preserve a singular attachment to God." While maintaining this lifestyle, she still interacted with local clergy and bishops and had first-hand connection with relics of Christ's passion. Through these practices, Paula became a recognized figure in the Christian community. When she died in 404, her funeral was noted as having a significant portion of the Palestine population in attendance. 

St. Paula's patronage includes widows, monks and nuns. Her feast day is January 26. St. Paula, pray for us.

Bl. Matthew Flathers

 This week the Diocese of Columbus, along with Catholics across the country, are engaging in a week of prayer for Vocations. In honor of that, today I will share a Saint chosen especially for my favorite seminarian, Matthew. However, instead of St. Matthew the Evangelist, who most of you will know about already, I have chosen another man named Matthew.

Matthew Flathers was born in Yorkshire, England about 1580. The Catholic Church had been outlawed in England about two decades earlier, so he went to Douai, France for his seminary education. He was ordained on March 25, 1606, in Arras in Northern France. Three months later, he was sent on mission to his native England. He was captured almost immediately by agents of the Government. The recent Gunpowder Plot (1605) had made them particularly vigilant in hunting down Catholic Priests. He was brought to trial on the charge of receiving Orders abroad and was condemned to death. His sentence was commuted to banishment.

Matthew was determined to serve the Catholic faithful of his native land, so after a brief exile, he secretly reentered England. After ministering for a short time to Catholics in Yorkshire, he was once again apprehended. He was brought to trial at York and was offered his life on the condition that he take the recently enacted Oath of Allegiance. He refused and he was sentenced to death for being Ordained abroad and for exercising priestly functions in England. This time the sentence was carried out - with exceptional barbarity. He was executed by drawing and quartering. This was always a horrific form of execution, but in Fr. Flathers' case it was done with such brutality that the Protestant onlookers were horrified and sympathized with the martyred priest.  

Matthew Flathers was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II along with 55 other priests who were educated at Douai and gave their lives ministering to English Catholics during the time that being a priest in England carried a death sentence. Blessed Matthew's feast day is March 21; the feast day of the Douai Martyrs is November 22. 

Blessed Matthew Flathers, pray for us.

Bl. Conchita Cabrera

 I get a lot of emails from Catholic organizations or apostolates. Most of them get deleted. I know that they have good content, but I just don't have time to read every devotion and blog post, nor listen to every podcast or log into every webcast. However, one caught my eye and I read a little bit more, discovering some quotes from today's Saint that I thought would be worth sharing - but first, her story.

Maria Concepcion Cabrera Arias (more commonly known as Conchita) was born in Mexico in 1862, the seventh of nine children of well-to-do, landowning parents. Although she had a normal childhood in many respects, she began to experience supernatural graces at an early age. Even as a young girl she had such a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament that she was allowed to receive her First Communion at the age of 10 at a time when the normal age for First Communion was 12-14. 

Conchita married Fracisco de Armida in 1884. The couple had nine children. Sadly, she was widowed at the age of 39, after only 22 years of marriage. Her youngest child was only 2 years old. Life as a widow was not easy, but Conchita's mystical life flourished during the years of raising her children. 

Her spiritual intimacy with Christ began before the death of her husband. In 1894, she entered into what is known as a "spiritual marriage" with Jesus. She never claimed direct visions of Jesus or Mary but spoke of Jesus through her prayers and meditations. She reported that she heard God telling her, "Ask me for a long suffering life and to write a lot . . . That's your mission on earth." And write she did. Her children said that they hardly ever saw her in the process of writing, but her religious writings and meditations total over 60,000 handwritten pages. Thus, her output rivals that of St. Thomas Aquinas. In her writing she aimed to show her readers how to love the Catholic Church. In addition to her writing, Conchita founded several apostolates under the banner of "Works of the Cross." 

In one of her locutions from the Lord about the priesthood, she says that Jesus told her, "We do not pray enough for priests, thinking that they are beyond all temptation and passions. My Heart seeks souls who dedicate themselves fervently, zealously and tirelessly, to praying day and night for them." This is the quote that struck me in the blog post that I received in email because I do try to pray daily for "my" priests and "my" seminarians (in my prayers I often call them "my boys"). I think that I need to read more of Conchita's writings - I think I have found a soul sister.

Conchita died in 1937 at the age of 74. Her feast day is March 3. Blessed Conchita, pray for us!

Bl. Karl of Austria

 Members of the communion of Saints come from all eras of Church history and all walks of life, from peasant to Pope and from beggar to King. Today, we will visit with royalty.

Karl I of Austria (also known as Charles I), was born on August 17, 1887, in the castle of Persenbeug in lower Austria. At the time, his Grand Uncle, Franz Joseph was Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. Karl was brought up as a devout Catholic and, as a member of the royal family, was privately educated. He entered the army as a young man and studied law and political science concurrently with his military duties. He was several degrees removed from the throne and was not close to the emperor, but he lived the life of a prince destined for a high-ranking political career. He married Princess He was several degrees removed from the throne and was not close to the emperor. Zita of Bourbon-Parma in 1911. She shared Karl's devout Catholic Faith and was of impeccable royal linage.

Upon the death of his father in 1906, Karl had become the second in line to Franz Joseph's throne. When the Heir Presumptive, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914 (starting WWI) Karl became the Heir Presumptive. Only now did the elderly emperor begin to initiate him into the affairs of state, but the outbreak of the war interfered with his political education. He succeeded to the throne on November 21, 2016, upon the death of Emperor Franz Joseph. On December 2, he assumed the title of Supreme Commander of the Austro-Hungarian Army. Karl secretly entered into peace negotiations with France in 1917 but was unsuccessful. His Empire was wracked by internal turmoil during the last years of the war due to escalating tension between ethnic groups. On Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, Karl issued a carefully worded proclamation in which he recognized the Austrian people's right to determine the form of the state and "relinquish[ed] every participation in the administration of the State."

After the war, Karl was dethroned and banished. He and his wife and children were exceled to Maderia, Portugal. He died of respiratory failure in 1922 in the presence of his wife (pregnant with their 8th child) and their son Otto.

Leaders of the Catholic Church have praised Karl for putting his faith first in making political decision, and for acting as peacemaker during the war. From the beginning, Emperor Karl conceived of his office as a holy service to his people. His chief concern was to follow the Christian vocation to holiness in all of his political actions.

Emperor Karl was beatified in 2004. His feast day is October 21. He is patron of prayers for World Peace. Blessed Karl, pray for us.

St. Pelagia

 Our Saint for today is one that I came across in my reading. I think we all like a good story of sin and redemption. Although this story may contain more legend than fact, it is a good example of how we all need other people to help us grow closer to Christ.

St. Pelagia lived in Antioch in the fourth or fifth century. She is also known as Pelagia of Antioch, Pelagia the Penitent or Pelagia the Harlot. Her story is attributed to James or Jacob, deacon of the church of Heliopolis. 

Pelagia was the foremost actress and a prominent harlot in Antioch. During one of the church councils held in the city, she passed by riding on a donkey, perfumed, hair uncovered, her shoulders bare and the shape of her body clearly visible beneath her garment made of "gold cloth." She was surrounded by her entourage and a crowd of "worldly people." As she passed, most of the churchmen looked away in shame. Only Bishop Nonnus stared openly; he declared himself delighted. Mocking his fellows, he condemned both them and himself for taking less care of their souls than she had of her body.

Pelagia attended Bishop Nonnus' next Sunday sermon and was moved by his preaching on hell and paradise. She sent a message to the bishop, calling herself "sinful" and a "servant of the devil" but seeking the mercy of God. Nonnus responded that God knew her and her past. He would see her, but only in the presence of other bishops. When she went to the basilica to meet them, Nonnus demanded surety that Pelagia would not return to her former way of life. She fell to the ground and said that if she were denied entry into the Church, all of her future sins would be held against the bishop at the last judgement. Nonnus took her confession and had her baptized. 

After her baptism, Pelagia had her steward take an inventory of her possessions and then give them to Bishop Nonnus for distributions to be distributed to widows, orphans and the poor. She freed her slaves, taking their golden torques off with her own hands. Shortly afterward, she stole out at night and headed for Jerusalem, where she built a cell on the Mount of Olives. She lived there three or four years disguised as a male recluse and eunuch under the name Pelagius. She died there, apparently from extreme asceticism. Upon discovery that the renowned monk had actually been a woman, the church fathers tried to keep it a secret. When word came out, her relics drew pilgrims from as far as Jerico and the Jordan valley. 

St. Pelagia's feast day is October 8. Pray for us, St. Pelagia.

St. Charbel Makhlouf

 One of the reasons that I like to share Saint stories is to help us all learn more about Saints that we are unfamiliar with. I was helped with this not too long ago when a friend happened to mention St. Charbel Makhlouf. St. Charbel is very well known and much loved in the Eastern Church, but he is barely known in the West.

Charbel was born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on May 8, 1828, in Lebanon. He was one of five children of a mule driver. His father died when he was only 3, and his mother remarried. His stepfather went on to Holy Orders and became the local Parish Priest. Raised in this pious home, Makhlouf was drawn to the lives of the Saints and the eremitical life as lived by two of his uncles. 

He left home in 1851 to enter the monastery of Our Lady in Mayfouq to train as a monk of the Lebanese Maronite Order. When he received his habit, he took the religious name of Charbel after the 2nd century Christian Martyr of Antioch. He was ordained in 1859 and lived a life of severe asceticism. In 1875, he was given permission by his abbot to live as a hermit in a hermitage under the care of the monastery.  He lived the next 23 years alone until his death by stroke in 1898.

A few months after Makhlouf's death, a bright light was seen surrounding his tomb. The monastery superiors opened the tomb to find his body still intact. During the investigation for his cause for canonization, Makhlouf's body was exhumed 3 times in the 1950's - once on tape for television. Each time, his body was found to be incorrupt. When his body was exhumed a final time in 1976, prior to his canonization in 1977, only his skeleton remained.

St. Charbel Makhlouf is known at the "Miracle Monk of Lebanon" because of the favors received through his intercession. He is the Patron Saint of Lebanon. His feast day is celebrated on the third Sunday in July on the Maronite calendar and on July 24 on the Roman calendar. 

St. Charbel, pray for us.

St. Karolina Gerhardinger

 A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation with a fairly new Catholic about praying to our Guardian Angels. The conversation evolved into talking about Patron Saints. Being new to the Catholic faith, Carolyn doesn't know much about the Saints -- yet. So, today's post is for her - and for all the other Carolyns, Carolines, Carols and Carries in my list of friends. 

Karolina Gerhardinger was born in Bavaria in 1797. She was an only child. As a young girl, she was encouraged by her parish priest to become a teacher. She took her teacher training as a lay teacher at a local monastery, until the monastery was closed - like all monasteries - when Bavaria was occupied by the Napoleonic Army. Karolina was able to obtain her teaching accreditation in 1812 and began her teaching career at a girls' school in Regensburg, although she felt a call to religious life.

In 1828, Bavaria reached an accord with the Holy See that allowed religious orders to re-establish themselves. Rather than join a previously established religious order, Karolina decided to begin an order of her own, dedicated to the education of poor children. She moved in with two companions on October 24, 1833, to begin living as a religious. This was the establishment of the Poor Teachers Sisters of Notre Dame. After some initial complications involving official recognition of the order, Karolina made her religious vows on November 1, 1835, taking the name Maria Theresia of Jesus. By 1847, the order had expanded to the United States to help the many German immigrants who were starting new lives there. By 1850, the order had spread to England and other European nations.

Karolina (Sister Maria Teresia) fell ill in 1877, prompting Pope Pius to send her a telegram with his blessings, and died on May 9, 1879, in the presence of her religious sisters and the Papal Nuncio. 

As a side note, I was taught by Sisters of Notre Dame in elementary school, but I don't know if there were from St. Karolina's order.

St. Karolina is a patron of educators, and her Feast Day is May 9. 

St. Karolina, pray for us.

Bl. Justo Takayama

 A couple of days ago when you participated in the Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints, your Priest probably spoke about the Communion of Saints - I know mine did. He talked about how there are no "cookie cutter" Saints and how each Saint images the glory of God through his/her individual state in life and his/her own personality. Our Blessed for today illustrates the uniqueness that can be found among the Saints.

Takayama Hikogoro was born in Japan about 1552. In 1564, his father converted to the Catholic faith after meeting Portuguese missionaries. Hikogoro was baptized at that time at the age of 12 and was given the name Justo (Justus).  As a young man, he became a samurai warrior. In 1571, he fought an important and successful battle as part of his coming-of-age ritual. The ritual culminated in a duel to the death with a compatriot, who Justo killed. While recovering from serious wounds he sustained in the battle, he came to realize how little he had valued the faith he had received.

Justo married and fathered four children. He and his Father became daymio (feudal lords) of the Takatsuki region and implemented Christian policies in the region that they governed. Many of their subjects converted to Christianity under their rule. However, in 1587 Hideyoshi (the great unifier of Japan) became hostile to the faith and ordered that all missionaries be evicted from the country and all Christian daymios renounce their faith. While many daymio obeyed the order, Justo declared that he would rather give up his land and possessions than his faith. He was able to remain in Japan for several decades under the protection of a warrior friend, but in 1614 the Japanese ruler at that time forbade the Christian faith and Justo was evicted from the country. 

On November 8, 1614, he and 300 other Japanese Christians set sail from Nagasaki to Manila, where they were warmly welcomed by the Spanish Jesuits and the local Filipinos. The colonial Spanish government of the Philippines offered to overthrow the Japanese government and install Justo in a position of power and influence. Justo not only refused the offer, but he totally opposed the plan.

Blessed Justo died in the Philippines just a couple of months later. He is the only Japanese daymio to be buried there. His Feast Day is February 3.

Blessed Justo, pray for us.

St. Kyle

 For this second day of November, I thought I would give a little shout out to our new Parochial Vicar. Although Father prefers to go by his last name, for the purposes of this post I will call him Fr. Kyle (and I will expect an extra penance at my next confession). When Fr. Kyle first came to our parish I got to wondering if he was named for a Saint as I had never heard of a St. Kyle. People who know me know that I am not content to wonder - I need to find things out. And so, I did.

Kyle turns out to be an abbreviated form of the name of St. Kennocha. Kennocha was the daughter (yes, St. Kyle is female) of a royal family of Scotland. She was the only daughter, very beautiful and the heiress of her family's fortune. She was also endowed with every virtue - meekness, humility, modesty and devotion. Kennocha desired to consecrate herself as a bride of Christ, but her family was opposed. Because of that, she endured many persecutions and hardships, but she persevered. She made her religious profession in a nunnery in the county of Fife. There she persisted in perfecting her virtues and many miracles were attributed to her intercession. She passed to God in a good old age in the year 1007.

Mark your calendars to wish Fr. Kyle a Happy Feast Day on March 25. This date also happens to be the Solemnity of the Annunciation, one of only two feast days that usually fall in Lent where we make the switch from fasting to feasting. So, I'm happy to say that Fr. Kyle will be able to enjoy a special treat on his Feast Day guilt free.

St. Kyle, pray for us!

St. Vitus

 Happy Feast Day!  Welcome to another November month of Saints.

When I was in Europe this Spring, I had the pleasure of visiting St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. The next day, I visited another church dedicated to St. Vitus in Cesky Krumlov. When I showed my pictures to my Dad, he wanted to know more about this Saint who seems to be very popular in The Czech Republic. 

St. Vitus (also known as Guy or Guido) was a martyr from Sicily. Other than that, there is nothing concrete known about his life. The dates of his actual life are not even known, although he is believed to have lived in the third century. Unreliable legend says that Vitus, the son of a Senator, became a Christian at the age of 12. He resisted his father's attempts to make him turn from his faith and fled with his tutor. He eventually ended up in Rome, where he successfully exorcised an evil spirit from Emperor Diocletian's son. However, because he remained faithful to his Christian faith, he and his tutor were tortured and subsequently died from the effects of the torture. 

So much for the legend. The fact is the cult of St. Vitus goes back to the fifth century. A great devotion to St. Vitus developed in Germany when his relics were translated there in 836. He is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers that have been venerated in the Western Church since the 14th century. These Saints were called upon for their intercession which was believed to be particularly effective, especially against certain diseases. 

St. Vitus became associated with dance allegedly because, in Germany, his feast was celebrated with dancing before his statue. Due to this, his special intercession is invoked against epilepsy and the neurological disorder Sydenham's chorea - more commonly known as "St. Vitus' Dance" He is also a patron of actors, dancers, comedians, against storms - and many places in Europe. But what really made me want to share about St. Vitus is that he is also the patron of oversleeping. How fun is that! I just love being Catholic - in what other faith do we have someone we can pray to for intercession when we've hit the snooze button one too many times? St. Vitus, pray for us!

St. Vitus' Feast Day is June 15. 

Saints of November 2022

 November starts in just a couple of days. If you have followed me on Facebook (or actually read my blog) for at least a year, you will know that November is the month of Saints. I do this every year primarily because I enjoy it, but I know that some of my friends also look forward to these posts - I've already been asked by a couple people if I will be continuing the tradition. I have been considering which Saints I want to learn about this year. I have several in mind, but I am also willing to entertain suggestions from you. 

To give credit where credit is due, most of my information is taken from Wikipedia and Saints & Angels - Catholic Online. This year, I have also been reading The Encyclopedia of Catholic Saints that my sister rescued for me from a library that was purging their collection. These books were published the year I was born, so they are quite old, but the stories of the Saints are still relevant (the prose style is just a little dated). I'm looking forward to meeting some new friends with you this year!