At the suggestion of my friend Becky, today's story is about St. Teresa of Avila.
St. Teresa is well known for her sanctity, her reform of the Carmelite Order and her mystical experiences -- sometimes in prayer her body would actually leave the ground. However, she did not start out holy and it took her a very long time to reach this point.
As a young girl, Teresa loved romance novels. As a teenager, she cared only about boys, flirting, clothes and rebelling. At the age of 16, her father sent her to a convent because he thought she was out of control. When the time came for her to make a choice whether to stay in the convent or leave for marriage, she chose to stay because she thought that a convent was the only safe place for someone as sinful as she was.
In the convent, Teresa started to learn and practice mental prayer, but there were too many distractions for her to make progress in her spiritual life. She found it too easy to slip into a worldly life and ignore God. After nearly dying of malaria, she almost stopped praying altogether.
It was at the age of 41 that a priest convinced her to return to prayer. This is when her mystical experiences began during her times of prayer. Two years later, she became determined to found a new convent that went back to the basics of a contemplative order: a simple life of poverty devoted to prayer, and at 51 she decided to reform her order. She faced much opposition from her brothers and sisters in religious life, but Teresa looked on these difficulties as good publicity. Soon she had postulants clamoring to get into her reform convents. Many people thought about what she said and wanted to learn about prayer from her. Soon her ideas about prayer swept not only through Spain but all of Europe.
Her feast day is Oct 15.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
St. Eligius of Noyon
Sorry that I missed posting a Saint story yesterday -- believe me, it was a really long day! So this is for yesterday -- and for Natasha.
St. Eligius of Noyon is the patron saint of mechanics and car repair. St. Eligius lived in the 7th century. He was an extremely skillful metalsmith and was Master of the mint under King Clotaire II in Paris, France; and a trusted advisor to the King. He was known for his piety and honesty and was also known for being generous to the poor, ransoming slaves and building churches.
Eligius was ordained Bishop in 640. He was friend and counselor to many of his contemporaries who later were named Saints. As Bishop he brought many to faith by his example of charity and he also encouraged devotion to the Saints and their relics.
He was traditionally known as the patron of smiths, metal workers and craftsmen because of his metal working skill. As cars replaced horses and garages replaced smithies, St. Eligius' patronage evolved to include mechanics and gas station attendants. His feast day is December 1.
St. Eligius of Noyon is the patron saint of mechanics and car repair. St. Eligius lived in the 7th century. He was an extremely skillful metalsmith and was Master of the mint under King Clotaire II in Paris, France; and a trusted advisor to the King. He was known for his piety and honesty and was also known for being generous to the poor, ransoming slaves and building churches.
Eligius was ordained Bishop in 640. He was friend and counselor to many of his contemporaries who later were named Saints. As Bishop he brought many to faith by his example of charity and he also encouraged devotion to the Saints and their relics.
He was traditionally known as the patron of smiths, metal workers and craftsmen because of his metal working skill. As cars replaced horses and garages replaced smithies, St. Eligius' patronage evolved to include mechanics and gas station attendants. His feast day is December 1.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
St. Terese of Lisieux
Our Saint for today is courtesy of a request from my cousin Amy Williams.
St. Therese of Lisieux was born in 1873, the youngest daughter of Saint Marie-Azelie and Saint Louis Martin (the only married Saints to be canonized together). She was a very precocious, high-strung child. Her mother died when she was barely 4 1/2, which she later saw as a turning point in her life.
As one by one, her older sisters entered into religious life, Therese also desired to become a Carmelite Nun. She even went so far as to directly petition the Pope for permission to enter the convent at a young age - which was eventually granted when she was only 15.
She lived a quiet, obscure life in the cloister - during her brief life, no one outside her community had heard of her. Her Superior, who was also her sister, had her write her autobiography, which was published after her death from tuberculosis at the age of 24. This autobiography, "Story of a Soul", brought her hidden life to the world's attention. She is known for her "little way" to holiness as well as for her promise to spend her heaven doing good on earth, saying the prayers she answered would fall "like a shower of roses."
Among other things, she is the patroness of missionaries, florists, gardeners, tuberculosis and Alaska (go figure). Her feast day is October 1.
St. Therese of Lisieux was born in 1873, the youngest daughter of Saint Marie-Azelie and Saint Louis Martin (the only married Saints to be canonized together). She was a very precocious, high-strung child. Her mother died when she was barely 4 1/2, which she later saw as a turning point in her life.
As one by one, her older sisters entered into religious life, Therese also desired to become a Carmelite Nun. She even went so far as to directly petition the Pope for permission to enter the convent at a young age - which was eventually granted when she was only 15.
She lived a quiet, obscure life in the cloister - during her brief life, no one outside her community had heard of her. Her Superior, who was also her sister, had her write her autobiography, which was published after her death from tuberculosis at the age of 24. This autobiography, "Story of a Soul", brought her hidden life to the world's attention. She is known for her "little way" to holiness as well as for her promise to spend her heaven doing good on earth, saying the prayers she answered would fall "like a shower of roses."
Among other things, she is the patroness of missionaries, florists, gardeners, tuberculosis and Alaska (go figure). Her feast day is October 1.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
St. Hope
Theresa, I did a post on St. Bernadette two years ago (see 11/12/13). Because of the enormous number of Saints in our Cannon, I will not do repeats, but I have another Saint for you and Hope.
St. Hope is largely legendary. She is reported to be one of the daughters of St. Sophia (sister of Faith and Charity). She was Tortured and martyred for her faith at the age of ten in the persecutions of Hadrian. Her feast day is August 1.
St. Hope is largely legendary. She is reported to be one of the daughters of St. Sophia (sister of Faith and Charity). She was Tortured and martyred for her faith at the age of ten in the persecutions of Hadrian. Her feast day is August 1.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
St. Christina
For Christina:
St. Christina was the daughter of a rich and powerful magistrate. Her father, who was a heathen, had several golden idols. Christina destroyed the idols and gave the pieces to the poor. This infuriated her father who then began to persecute his daughter. He had her whipped with rods and thrown into prison. When her faith was still not shaken, he then had her flesh torn by iron hooks and fastened her to a rack beneath which a fire was kindled. But God watched over her and turned the flames back onto the onlookers. She was then thrown into a lake with a heavy rock tied around her neck, but she was saved by an angel and even outlived her father. The judge who succeeded her father continued to torture Christina - she was thrown into a burning furnace, thrown into a pit of serpents, had her tongue cut out and was pierced by arrows, earning her martyr's crown. Her feast day is July 24.
St. Christina was the daughter of a rich and powerful magistrate. Her father, who was a heathen, had several golden idols. Christina destroyed the idols and gave the pieces to the poor. This infuriated her father who then began to persecute his daughter. He had her whipped with rods and thrown into prison. When her faith was still not shaken, he then had her flesh torn by iron hooks and fastened her to a rack beneath which a fire was kindled. But God watched over her and turned the flames back onto the onlookers. She was then thrown into a lake with a heavy rock tied around her neck, but she was saved by an angel and even outlived her father. The judge who succeeded her father continued to torture Christina - she was thrown into a burning furnace, thrown into a pit of serpents, had her tongue cut out and was pierced by arrows, earning her martyr's crown. Her feast day is July 24.
St Lambert
Thank you for all the Saint suggestions in response to my last post. I will start with a suggestion from my cousin Lambert.
Saint Lambert was a native of Maestricht. His father intrusted his education to the holy Bishop St. Theodard, and on that good man being assassinated, Lambert was chosen his successor. A revolution overturned the kingdom and Lambert was banished from his see on account of his devotion to his sovereign. He took refuge in a monastery, where he observed the rule as stringently as the lowest novice.
The martyrdom of St. Lambert seems to be obscured by legend since I found several different versions. However, it appears that he was martyred for defending the sanctity of marriage. His feast day is September 17.
Saint Lambert was a native of Maestricht. His father intrusted his education to the holy Bishop St. Theodard, and on that good man being assassinated, Lambert was chosen his successor. A revolution overturned the kingdom and Lambert was banished from his see on account of his devotion to his sovereign. He took refuge in a monastery, where he observed the rule as stringently as the lowest novice.
The martyrdom of St. Lambert seems to be obscured by legend since I found several different versions. However, it appears that he was martyred for defending the sanctity of marriage. His feast day is September 17.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
All Saints Day / St. Jerome Hermosilla
Happy Feast of All Saints! If you have been my FB friend for a year or more, you know that I celebrate All Saints Day for the full month of November (actually, I celebrate year round, but only subject you to it for 30 days!). If you have a favorite Saint or Blessed of the Catholic Church that you would like to hear about, let me know - or if you just want to know "Who is the patron Saint of _____?" I will try to honor all requests -- and I already have a couple that I will get to over the next few days.
For today, however, I got to thinking about all the poor Saints and Blesseds who never get their Feast Day honored on the Liturgical Calendar because they are always trumped by a major Solemnity such as All Saints. According to Catholic Online (catholic.org), one of my primary sources, there are no less than 25 Saints and Blesseds whose Feast Day is November 1, so they have to share their day with all the saints. One of these is St. Jerome Hermosilla.
St. Jerome was born in La Calzada, in old Castile. He joined the Dominicans and was sent first to Manila where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1828. He was then sent as a missionary to Vietnam. The Catholic Church was devastated by rebellion and persecution in the late 18th century, but it had revived by the time of St. Jerome Hermosilla in the 19th century. However, Converts began to be harassed without official edicts in the late 1820s, by local governments. In 1831 the emperor passed new laws on regulations for religious groupings in Viet Nam, and Catholicism was then officially prohibited. Both Missionaries and converts suffered persecution and martyrdom throughout the next 10 years until the emperor's death in 1841. However, some persecution still continued after the new emperor took office. Catholic villages were forced to build shrines to the state cult.
St. Jerome survived this period of persecution. He was eventually Consecrated a bishop and succeeding St. Ignatius Delgado as vicar apostolic, Jerome was arrested by Vietnamese authorities and was horribly tortured and then beheaded. He was canonized by St. John Paul in 1988 along with thousands of other Vietnamese martyrs.
For today, however, I got to thinking about all the poor Saints and Blesseds who never get their Feast Day honored on the Liturgical Calendar because they are always trumped by a major Solemnity such as All Saints. According to Catholic Online (catholic.org), one of my primary sources, there are no less than 25 Saints and Blesseds whose Feast Day is November 1, so they have to share their day with all the saints. One of these is St. Jerome Hermosilla.
St. Jerome was born in La Calzada, in old Castile. He joined the Dominicans and was sent first to Manila where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1828. He was then sent as a missionary to Vietnam. The Catholic Church was devastated by rebellion and persecution in the late 18th century, but it had revived by the time of St. Jerome Hermosilla in the 19th century. However, Converts began to be harassed without official edicts in the late 1820s, by local governments. In 1831 the emperor passed new laws on regulations for religious groupings in Viet Nam, and Catholicism was then officially prohibited. Both Missionaries and converts suffered persecution and martyrdom throughout the next 10 years until the emperor's death in 1841. However, some persecution still continued after the new emperor took office. Catholic villages were forced to build shrines to the state cult.
St. Jerome survived this period of persecution. He was eventually Consecrated a bishop and succeeding St. Ignatius Delgado as vicar apostolic, Jerome was arrested by Vietnamese authorities and was horribly tortured and then beheaded. He was canonized by St. John Paul in 1988 along with thousands of other Vietnamese martyrs.
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