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August 1 |
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St. Alphonsus Liguori
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Alphonsus was born near Naples, Italy, in 1696.
He received his degree in law at the age of sixteen
and became a successful lawyer. But a mistake he
made in court caused him to lose an important case,
and Alphonsus decided to leave his practice to follow
his true calling to be a priest. His father, who had
high expectations for his son, tried to persuade him
not to do it. However, Alphonsus had made up his
mind. He joined the Oratorians and was ordained in
1726. His life was filled with activity. He preached
and wrote books. He started a religious congregation
called the Redemptorists. Alphonsus offered wise
spiritual direction and brought peace to people
through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He also
wrote hymns, played the organ, and painted pictures.
St. Alphonsus wrote sixty books. This is incredible
considering his many other responsibilities. He
also was often sick. He had frequent headaches, but
would hold something cold against his forehead and
keep doing his work.
Although he was naturally inclined to be hasty,
Alphonsus tried to control himself. He became so
humble that when the pope wanted to make him a
bishop in 1762, he gently said “no.” When the pope’s
messengers had come in person to tell him of the
pope’s choice, they called Alphonsus “Most illustrious
Lord.” Alphonsus said, ”Please don’t call me that again.
It would kill me.” The pope knew that Alphonsus
would help the church greatly and appointed him
bishop of St. Agatha of the Goths. Alphonsus sent
many preachers all over his diocese. The people
needed to be reminded again of the love of God and
the importance of their religion. Alphonsus told the
priests to preach simple sermons. ”I never preached a
sermon that the simplest person in the church could
not understand,” he said.
As he got older, St. Alphonsus suffered from illnesses.
He had painful rheumatism and became crippled.
He grew deaf and almost blind. He also had disappointments
and suffered from depression. But he
had great devotion to the Blessed Mother as we
know from his famous book called The Glories of
Mary. The trials were followed by great peace and
joy and a holy death.
Alphonsus died in 1787 at the age of ninety-one.
Pope Gregory XVI proclaimed him a saint in 1839.
Pope Pius IX proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church
in 1871.
We can increase our devotion to our Blessed
Mother by reading about her, and especially by
praying to her. Let’s ask St. Alphonsus to help us love
Mary as he did.
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August 2 |
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St. Peter Julian Eymard
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In 1811, Peter was born in a small town in the
diocese of Grenoble, France. He worked with his
father making and repairing knives until he was
eighteen. Peter spent his free hours studying. He
taught himself Latin and received instruction in the
faith from a helpful priest. In the back of Peter’s
mind was a longing to become a priest. When he
was twenty, he began his studies at the seminary of
Grenoble. Peter Julian became a priest in 1834 and
served in two parishes during the next five years.
The people realized what a gift he was to them.
When Father Eymard asked his bishop’s permission
to join a new religious Order called the Marists, the
bishop gave his consent. Father Eymard served the
Marists as spiritual director of the seminarians. In
1845, he became the superior of his Order at Lyons,
France. But even though Father Eymard fulfilled
many diligent responsibilities all his life, he is
remembered especially for something else.
Father Eymard had a glowing love for the Holy
Eucharist. He was very attracted to the presence of
Jesus in the Eucharist. He loved to spend time daily in
adoration. One feast of Corpus Christi (the feast of the
Body and Blood of Jesus), Father Eymard had a powerful
religious experience. As he carried the sacred Host
in procession, he felt the presence of Jesus like warmth
from a fireplace. The Host seemed to surround him
with love and light. In his heart, he spoke to the Lord
about the spiritual and material needs of all people. He
begged that the mercy and love of Jesus touch everyone,
as he had been touched through the Eucharist.
In 1856, Father Eymard followed an inspiration
that he had prayed about for several years. With the
approval of his superiors, he started a religious
Order of priest-adorers of the Holy Eucharist. They
became known as the Priests of the Blessed
Sacrament. Two years after the Order of priests was
begun, Father Eymard began an Order of sisters, the
Servants of the Blessed Sacrament. Like the priests,
these sisters had a special love for Jesus in the Holy
Eucharist. They devoted their lives to adoration of
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Father Eymard started
parish organizations to help people be prepared
to receive First Communion. He wrote several
books on the Eucharist that were translated into different
languages. The books are still available in
English today.
Father Eymard lived at the same time in history
as the saint whose feast we celebrate on August 4—
St. John Vianney. The two men were friends and
each highly admired the other. Father Vianney said
that Father Eymard was a saint and added, “A community
of priests devoted to adoring the Eucharist!
How fine! I will pray for Father Eymard’s work every
day.”
St. Peter Julian Eymard spent the last four years of
his life in severe pain. He also suffered because of difficulties
and criticism. But Father Eymard continued
his life of adoring the Eucharist. His witness and his
sacrifice helped many others find their call in his religious
Orders. He died on August 1, 1868, at the age of
fifty-seven. Pope John XXIII proclaimed him a saint
on December 9, 1962.
We can ask St. Peter Julian Eymard to help us
grow in love for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. We can
ask him to help us learn from him how to adore the
Holy Eucharist.
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August 3 |
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St. Philip Benizi
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Philip was born on August 15, 1233 in Florence,
Italy. He became a doctor at the age of nineteen and
opened a medical practice in his native city. After
only a year, he left his practice and joined the Servite
Order. He was ordained in Siena in 1258.
Father Philip soon became well known for his
preaching. He also served his Order as novice master
and superior. In 1267, he was elected superior general
of the Servite Order, even though he tried to
protest the appointment. He worked hard to organize
the Servite Rule and was admired for his holiness of
life. He even had the gift of miracles.
In 1268, Pope Clement IV died, and Father Philip’s
name was mentioned as a possible successor.
Frightened that he might be chosen as the next pope,
Philip ran away and hid in a cave until Pope Gregory
X was elected.
Because of his humility and love, Father Philip
brought many people back to the Church. He acted
as a peacemaker for people who had disagreements
with each other. Near the end of his life, he resigned
his position as superior general and lived his last
days in a poor and humble house of his Order. He
died there on August 22, 1285. He was declared a
saint in 1671.
Like St. Philip Benizi, we should try to cultivate
the virtues of humility and simplicity. These virtues
help us to trust in God instead of ourselves, and
with them we give an example of real holiness to
others.
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August 4 |
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St. John Mary Vianney
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John Mary Vianney was born near Lyons, France,
in 1786. As a child he took care of his father’s
sheep. He loved to pray and when he was eighteen,
he asked his father’s permission to become a priest.
His father was worried about losing his help on the
family farm. After two years, however, Mr. Vianney
agreed. At twenty, John studied under Father Balley.
The priest was very patient but Latin soon became
a major problem for John. He became discouraged.
It was then that he decided to walk sixty miles to
the shrine of St. John Francis Regis, a popular saint
in France. We celebrate his feast on June 16. John
prayed for help. After that pilgrimage, he still had as
much trouble as ever with his studies. But he never
again grew discouraged.
John was finally able to enter the seminary. Studies
were hard. No matter how much he tried, he never did
very well. When the final examinations came, they
were spoken, not written. John had to face a board of
teachers and answer their questions. He was so upset
that he broke down in the middle of the test. Father
Balley spoke up for John. He pointed out that John was
a good and holy man, he was full of common sense,
and he understood what the Church taught about the
faith. It was agreed that these qualities made up for
what John was lacking in learning. John was ordained.
At first, he was appointed as Father Balley’s
curate, assisting him until his death in 1817. Then
Father Vianney was sent to a little parish called Ars,
where he would spend the rest of his life. When he
first arrived, the people of Ars did not care much
about their faith. They drank too much, worked all
day Sunday, and never went to church. Many used terrible
language. Father Vianney fasted and did penance
for his people. He tried to stop them from sinning.
Eventually, one tavern after another closed down
because business became so slow. People began to
worship regularly on Sundays and attended weekday
Mass. The swearing was not so frequent. What had
happened in Ars? “Our priest is a saint,” the people
would say, ”and we must obey him.”
God gave John the power to see into people’s
minds and to know the future. Because of this gift, he
converted many sinners and helped people make the
right decisions. Hundreds of pilgrims began to come to
Ars each day. St. John Vianney often spent sixteen hours
daily hearing confessions. Even though he felt he would
be happier and more at peace in a monastery, he
remained at Ars for forty-two years and died there in
1859 at the age of seventy-three. St. John Vianney was
proclaimed a saint in 1925 by Pope Pius XI.
St. John Vianney devoted an enormous amount
of time to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this
sacrament, our sins are forgiven and we receive the
graces we need to live our life according to the
teachings of Jesus. Let’s make it a point to take
advantage of this sacrament by going to confession
more frequently.
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August 5 |
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Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major
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Today we celebrate the dedication of one of the
great basilicas in Rome. It was built in the fourth century
under the direction of Pope Liberius. A quaint
story tells of Mary herself choosing the spot where
the church was to be built. She appeared to the married
couple who owned the land, and also to the
pope, telling them each separately that the place on
the hill covered with snow was the site she had
picked. The following morning on August 5, an
oppressively hot time of year in Rome, there was a
covering of snow on the Esquiline Hill. The married
couple was honored to donate their land and the
money necessary to build the church as a gift to Mary.
At first the church was called the Liberian
Basilica, after the pope who had it built. It was also
called St. Mary of the Snow because of the remarkable
way that Mary pointed out the spot for its con-
struction. It was later dedicated to the Virgin Mary by
Pope Sixtus III, after the Council of Ephesus declared
that Mary is the Mother of God. It stands as a beautiful
reminder of the love and honor that the Church
has for the Mother of the Lord. The name “Major” was
given because it is the first church in the West to
honor Mary.
Within the Basilica of St. Mary Major is the manger
from Bethlehem where Mary cradled the infant Jesus.
This is exposed for veneration on Christmas Day,
with a silver replica of the Christ Child lying in it.
The Catholic Church honors the Mother of God
with special shrines and churches that Christians
can visit as a way of showing their love for Mary
and of asking for graces. Making a pilgrimage to one
of these, if possible, is a wonderful faith experience.
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August 6 |
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Transfiguration of the Lord
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The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke record
the marvelous event of the Lord’s Transfiguration.
Before he suffered and died, he let three of his apostles
see him shining with great glory. He did this to
make their belief in him stronger.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him up
Mount Tabor, which stands in the middle of Galilee.
When they were by themselves, suddenly the Lord’s
face began to shine bright like the sun. His robes
became as white as snow. The apostles were speechless.
As they watched, two famous prophets of old,
Moses and Elijah, appeared. They were talking with
Jesus. Imagine the joy those apostles felt. ”Lord,” said
St. Peter, ”it is good for us to be here. If you want, let
us set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses,
and one for Elijah.” Peter really did not know what to
say, because he was trembling with wonder and awe.
As he was talking, a bright cloud overshadowed
them. From it the voice of God the Father was heard,
saying, ”This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”
When they heard that, the apostles were so struck
with fear that they fell to the ground. Then Jesus
came near and touched them. ”Arise,” he said. ”Do not
be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one but
Jesus. As they came down the mountain, Jesus told
them not to tell anyone what they had seen until he
had risen from the dead. They did not understand
what he meant by these words at the time. But after
his glorious resurrection, they would realize what
Jesus had meant.
Let’s listen to what Jesus tells us. He continues to
speak to us through Scripture, through the pope,
through our bishops and priests, and through other
teachers in the Church.
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August 7 |
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St. Cajetan
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Cajetan was born in Vicenza, Italy, in 1480, the son
of a count. He graduated from the University of Padua
with degrees in civil and Church law. Then he
worked in the papal offices in Rome. Cajetan became
a priest in 1516. He returned to his own city of
Vicenza. Although it angered his rich relatives, the
saint joined a group of humble, simple men who
devoted themselves to helping the sick and the poor.
St. Cajetan would go all over the city looking for
unfortunate people and would serve them himself.
He helped at the hospital by caring for people with
the most disgusting diseases. In other cities, he did
the same charitable work. He also kept encouraging
everyone to go to Holy Communion often. “I shall
never be happy,” he said, ”until I see Christians flocking
to feed on the Bread of Life with eagerness and
delight, not with fear and shame.”
Together with three other holy men, St. Cajetan
started an Order of religious priests called the
Theatines. This group devoted themselves to preaching.
They encouraged frequent confession and
Communion, helping the sick, and other good works.
Cajetan died at the age of sixty-seven. In his last
sickness, he lay on hard boards, even though the doctor
advised him to have a mattress. ”My Savior died on
a cross,” he said. ”Let me at least die on wood.” Cajetan
passed away on August 7,1547, in Naples. He was proclaimed
a saint by Pope Clement X in 1671.
In imitation of this saint, we should make the
Holy Eucharist the center of our lives. We can ask
St. Cajetan to help us love the Eucharist as he did.
The Church also celebrates the feast of St. Sixtus
II on this date.
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August 8 |
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St. Dominic
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Dominic was born in Castile, Spain, in 1170. He
was a member of the Guzman family and his mother
is Blessed Joan of Aza. When Dominic was seven, he
began to go to school. His uncle, a priest, directed his
education. After years of study, he became a priest
too. Dominic lived a quiet life of prayer and obedience
with other virtuous priests. But God had a special
plan for Dominic. He would begin a new religious
Order. It would be called the Order of
Preachers, or Dominicans.
The Dominicans preached the faith. They helped
correct false teachings called heresies. It all began
when Dominic was on a trip through southern
France. He realized that the heresy of Albigensianism,
a false teaching, was doing great harm. St. Dominic
felt such pity for the people who were being misled
by it. He wanted to help them. The Dominicans
helped to spread the truth with preaching and
prayer, especially the Holy Rosary. Dominic also
encouraged the people to be humble and to make
sacrifices. Once someone asked St. Dominic what
book he used to prepare his wonderful sermons. ”The
only book I use is the book of love,” he said. He
always prayed to be filled with true love of neighbor.
He urged the Dominicans to be devoted to the study
of the Bible and to prayer. No one did more than St.
Dominic and his preachers to spread the beautiful
practice of saying the Rosary.
St. Dominic and St. Francis of Assisi were close
friends. Their two Orders of Dominicans and Franciscans
helped Christians become holier. Dominic’s
friars opened centers in Paris, France; Madrid, Spain;
and Rome and Bologna, Italy. He lived to see his Order
spread to Poland, Scandinavia, and Palestine. The friars
also went to Canterbury, London, and Oxford, all
in England. Dominic died in Bologna on August 6,
1221. His great friend, Cardinal Ugolino of Venice
became Pope Gregory IX. He proclaimed Dominic a
saint in 1234.
We can ask St. Dominic to help us grow in our
love for our Catholic faith. We can also ask him to
teach us to be as devoted to the Rosary as he was.
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August 9 |
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St. Edith Stein
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Edith Stein was born on October 12, 1891 in a
part of Germany that is now Poland. Her father died
when she was two, and her mother, a woman of deep
Jewish faith, struggled to run the family business and
care for her children.
By the time Edith was a teenager, she fell away
from the practice of Judaism and considered herself
an atheist. In 1911, she began studying psychology at
the University of Breslau, then transferred to another
school where she could enroll in the classes of
Edmund Husserl, a well-known philosopher. When
World War I broke out, she put her education on hold
and volunteered as a nurse. She finally earned her
doctorate degree in 1916, and accepted a position as
Husserl’s assistant.
After reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of
Avila, Edith felt a strong pull toward the Catholic
faith. She asked to be baptized, and on January 1,
1922, she became a Catholic. Her family and friends
found it difficult to understand this decision. As the
Nazi party was growing stronger, they felt that Edith
was turning her back on her Jewish religion at a time
when Jews needed to encourage and support each
other more than ever.
Edith became a leader in the Catholic Women’s
Movement. She taught in a school that was run by the
Dominicans and translated some of St. Thomas
Aquinas’ writings.
In 1934, she became a Discalced Carmelite in
Cologne. Her new name as a nun was Sister Teresa
Benedicta of the Cross. She continued to write, but
most of her work could not be published at the time
because she was a woman and because of her Jewish
roots. As the Nazi party became stronger and more
threatening, she was forced to escape to a Carmelite
monastery in Holland.
When Germany invaded Holland, many Catholics
of Jewish heritage were arrested and deported to the
concentration camps of Auschwitz. Edith was among
them. She died in Auschwitz in the gas chambers on
August 9, 1942. Pope John Paul II canonized her on
October 11, 1998.
As a philosopher, St. Edith Stein was devoted to
seeking the truth. Her faith in Christ gave her the
courage to die for the Jewish people whose heritage
she shared. Our faith should make us just as courageous
when we see people suffering discrimination
for their beliefs.
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August 10 |
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St. Lawrence
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This famous martyr of Rome lived in the third
century. He was one of seven deacons who were in
charge of giving help to the poor and the needy.
When a persecution broke out, Pope St. Sixtus II was
condemned to death. As he was led to execution,
Lawrence followed him weeping. ”Father, where are
you going without your deacon?” “I am not leaving
you, my son,” answered the pope. ”In three days you
will follow me.” Full of joy, Lawrence gave to the poor
the rest of the money he had on hand. He even sold
some of the Church’s possessions to have more to
give away.
The prefect of Rome, a greedy man, thought the
Church had a great fortune hidden away. He ordered
Lawrence to bring the Church’s treasure to him. The
saint said he would, in three days. Then he went
through the city and gathered together all the poor
and sick people who were being supported by the
Church. He showed them to the prefect and said: ”This
is the Church’s treasure.” The prefect was furious. In
his anger he condemned Lawrence to a slow, cruel
death. The saint was tied on top of an iron grill over a
slow fire that roasted him. God gave him so much
strength and joy that Lawrence is said to have instruct-
ed his executioner, ”Turn me over. I am broiled enough
on this side.” Before he died, he prayed that the city of
Rome might be converted to Jesus. He prayed that the
Catholic faith would spread all over the world.
Lawrence died on August 10, 258. Devotion to
him spread throughout Italy and northern Africa.
Emperor Constantine built a beautiful basilica in
Lawrence’s honor. St. Lawrence is among the saints
mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer at Mass.
When we’re inclined to complain about something
that bothers us, we can ask St. Lawrence to
help us be patient. The martyrs had the grace to be
faithful to Christ in terrible circumstances because
they had been faithful to him in the little everyday
situations that we all face.
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August 11 |
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St. Clare
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Clare was born around 1193 in Assisi, Italy. St.
Francis of Assisi lived in the same town. Clare used to
listen to Francis preach. Her heart burned with a
great desire to imitate him. Like him, she wanted to
live a poor, humble life for Jesus. But her parents
would never agree to such a plan. So on the night of
Palm Sunday, 1212, when she was eighteen years old,
she left her comfortable home and her family whom
she loved. In a little chapel outside Assisi, she gave
herself to God. St. Francis cut off her hair and offered
her a rough brown habit to wear. She stayed with the
Benedictine nuns until more nuns would join her.
Her parents tried in every way to make her return
home, but Clare would not. Soon her fifteen-year-old
sister Agnes joined her.
Other young women wanted to be “poor ladies”
of Jesus, too. Before long there was a small religious
community. They lived in a house at the church of
San Damiano, which St. Francis himself had repaired.
St. Clare and her nuns wore no shoes. They never ate
meat. They lived in a poor house in an atmosphere of
silent prayer. Yet they were very happy because they
were living a life of poverty as Jesus had done. Once
an army of rough soldiers came to attack the city of
Assisi. Although very sick, St. Clare asked to be carried
to the window. She had the Blessed Sacrament
placed right where the soldiers could see it. Then
she knelt and begged God to save the nuns and the
city. “O Lord, protect these sisters whom I cannot
protect now,” she prayed. And a voice within her
seemed to say: ”I will keep them always in my care.”
At the same time, a sudden fright struck the attackers.
They fled as fast as they could.
St. Clare was abbess of her convent for forty years.
Twenty-nine of those years she was sick. But she said
that she was joyful anyway because she was serving
the Lord. Some people worried that the nuns were
suffering because they were so poor. St. Clare spent
most of her life defending what she called the “privilege
of poverty.” The pope tried to soften her Rule’s
requirement of poverty, but Clare convinced him that
she and her nuns were called to live with no possessions,
trusting completely in God. St. Clare died on
August 11, 1253. Just two years later she was proclaimed
a saint by Pope Alexander IV.
Sometimes we forget to give time to the Lord. We
might be so concerned about certain things that we
allow them to drown out the voice of Jesus. That’s
when we can ask St. Clare to show us how to keep
Jesus as the center of our lives and hearts.
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August 12 |
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St. Stanislaus Kostka
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Stanislaus was born in 1550, the son of a senator
in Poland. His parents hired a private tutor to educate
him, and when he was fourteen they sent him to a
college in Vienna, which was run by the Jesuits.
Stanislaus soon distinguished himself for his devotion
to prayer and to his studies. He strongly disapproved
of crude jokes. His family used to warn their
guests not to talk carelessly in front of Stanislaus,
adding, ”We wouldn’t want him to faint!” His older
brother, Paul, used to tease and bully him, making fun
of his prayerfulness.
After a serious sickness, Stanislaus felt God calling
him to become a member of the Society of Jesus. His
father was against this idea, and the Jesuit provincial
in Vienna did not want to go against the senator’s
wishes. But this did not stop Stanislaus. Convinced
that he had a vocation as a Jesuit, he walked 350
miles to Upper Germany, where St. Peter Canisius
took him in. He was then sent to Rome, where St.
Francis Borgia, father general of the Jesuits, welcomed
him into the Order. Stanislaus was seventeen
years old.
Stanislaus began his life as a Jesuit with intense
devotion to prayer and penance. He valued the virtue
of obedience and made an effort to do his everyday
tasks as perfectly as he could. But he quickly found
Rome’s summer heat to be unbearable. He fainted
often, and on August 10 was so sick that he was confined
to bed. On August 15, only nine months after he
entered the Society of Jesus, he died in Rome. When
his brother Paul learned of his death, he began to
regret how he had treated his brother. Eventually, he
too joined the Jesuits. Stanislaus was canonized in
1726, and is one of the patron saints of Poland.
St. Stanislaus didn’t worry about being made
fun of for practicing his faith. He was able to forgive
those who ridiculed him, while at the same time
treating them with respect and praying for them.
The closer we are to God, the less the opinions of
others will matter to us.
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August 13 |
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St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus
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St. Hippolytus was a priest and a scholar in the
Church of Rome. He wrote many excellent works of
theology and was a great teacher. Hippolytus, however,
became frustrated with Pope St. Zephyrinus, who
he felt had not been quick enough to stop people
who were teaching errors. When St. Zephyrinus was
martyred in the year 217, St. Callistus I was chosen as
his successor. Hippolytus was not pleased with the
choice of the new pope. Hippolytus himself had a
large following, and he gave in to their suggestion
that he be appointed pope. He broke ties with the
Church and became an antipope, or false pope.
St. Pontian was elected pope in the year 230. In
235, Maximinus became the emperor of Rome.
Almost immediately, he began a persecution of the
Christians. One of the common punishments of bishops
and priests was to be sent into exile to the dangerous
and unhealthy mines in Sardinia, Italy. Pope
Pontian was one of those banished to the mines. And
so was Hippolytus, the antipope.
Pope Pontian and Hippolytus met in exile.
Hippolytus was touched by the humility of the pope.
He asked to return to the Church and felt the anger
lifted from his heart. Pope Pontian understood the
priest and loved him. He realized their need to help
and encourage each other in their love for Jesus. Both
became martyrs and remain for all time witnesses of
forgiveness and Christian hope.
If we should ever become angry and frustrated
about something, we have these two saints to help
us. We can ask St. Pontian for his understanding
heart and St. Hippolytus for his loving obedience.
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August 14 |
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St. Maximilian Kolbe
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Raymond Kolbe was born in Poland in 1894. He
joined the Franciscan Order in 1907 and took the
name that we know him by: Maximilian. Maximilian
loved his vocation very much, and he especially loved
the Blessed Mother. He added the name “Mary” when
he pronounced solemn vows in 1914. Father
Maximilian Mary was convinced that the world of the
twentieth century needed their Heavenly Mother to
guide and protect them. He used the printing press to
make Mary more widely known. He and his fellow
Franciscans published two monthly newsletters that
soon went to readers around the world.
The Mother of God blessed Father Maximilian’s
work. He built a large center in Poland. This center
was called “City of the Immaculate.” By 1938, 800
Franciscans lived there and labored to make the love
of Mary known. Father Kolbe also started another
City of the Immaculate in Nagasaki, Japan. Still another
was begun in India. In 1939, the Nazis invaded the
Polish City of the Immaculate. They stopped the
wonderful work going on there. In 1941, the Nazis
arrested Father Kolbe. They sentenced him to hard
manual labor at Auschwitz.
He was at Auschwitz three months when a prisoner
successfully escaped. The Nazis made the rest
of the prisoners pay for the escape. They chose ten
prisoners at random to die in the starvation bunker.
All the prisoners stood at attention, while ten men
were pulled out of line. One chosen prisoner, a married
man with a family, begged and pleaded to be
spared for the sake of his children. Father Kolbe, who
had not been picked, listened and felt deeply moved
to help that suffering prisoner. He stepped forward
and asked the commander if he could take the man’s
place. The commander accepted his offer.
Father Kolbe and the other prisoners were
marched into the starvation bunker. They remained
alive without food or water for several days. One by
one, as they died, Father Kolbe helped and comforted
them. He was the last to die. An injection of carbolic
acid hastened his death on August 14, 1941. Pope John
Paul II proclaimed him a saint and a martyr in 1982.
St. Maximilian Kolbe was a hero who gave up
his life that someone else might live. He was such a
special person because he was a great friend of the
Blessed Mother. We can be friends of Mary, too, if we
honor her and pray to her.
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August 15 |
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Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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This feast celebrates a special privilege of Mary,
our Mother. When her life on earth was over, Mary
was assumed, or taken up, into the glory of heaven
—not only with her soul, but also with her body.
The Son of God began his human life in Mary’s pure
womb. It was fitting, then, that her body should be
glorified by God as soon as her life here on earth
was ended.
Now Mary is in heaven. She is Queen of Heaven
and Earth. She is the Mother of Jesus’ Church. Every
time Mary asks Jesus to give us graces, he listens to
her request.
After the resurrection from the dead, our bodies,
too, will share in our heavenly reward. After the res-
urrection, our bodies will be perfect. They will not be
subject to illness anymore. They will not need food
and drink to keep alive. They will not get tired or
worn out. They will be able to go every place without
time or effort. They will be beautiful and splendid!
Mary’s Assumption, body and soul into heaven, is
a Church teaching. This wonderful truth was proclaimed
by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950.
It’s so wonderful to remember that Mary is our
Mother in heaven. She really does love us. She’s there
for us whenever we call to her in prayer. She wants
to helps us so that when our life is ended, we too
will enjoy the happiness of heaven. We can pray the
Hail Mary often throughout the day.
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August 16 |
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St. Stephen of Hungary
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St. Stephen was born around 970 in Hungary. This
saint’s name had been Vaik. When he became a
Christian at the age of ten, he was given the name of
Stephen. At the same time, his father, the duke of
Hungary, and many nobles also became Christians.
However, when Stephen himself became king, the
country was still quite pagan. Some people were violent
and fierce. So he decided to establish the Church
solidly in Hungary. His efforts were blessed by God.
The secret of St. Stephen’s amazing success in leading
his people to the Christian faith was his devotion to
Mary. He placed his whole kingdom under her protection
and built a magnificent church in her honor.
Pope Sylvester II sent a beautiful king’s crown to
Stephen. This treasure became known as the crown
of St. Stephen. During World War II, American soldiers
captured the crown. The United States kept it in safety,
and returned it to Hungary in 1978.
Stephen was a strong, wise ruler. He enforced just
laws. But he was also generous and kind to the poor.
He loved to give gifts of money to beggars without
letting them know who he was. Once he was giving
these gifts in disguise when a crowd of rough beggars
knocked him down and struck him. They pulled
his hair and beard and stole his money pouch. They
never could have imagined they were bullying their
king. And they never found out from him. He took
the insult quietly and humbly. He forced his thoughts
to turn to Mary and prayed: ”See, Queen of Heaven,
how your people have treated me, whom you made
king. Since they are your Son’s subjects, I will take
this joyfully, and I thank you for it.” In fact, King
Stephen made a promise then and there to give more
than ever to beggars.
Stephen was king of Hungary for forty-two years.
He died on August 15, 1038. St. Stephen was proclaimed
a saint by Pope St. Gregory VII in 1083.
We don’t have to be kings or presidents to realize
the powerful impact of example. Some people
preach wonderful sermons every day by the way
they live. When we need more courage to imitate
the good example of holy people, we can ask St.
Stephen of Hungary to help us.
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August 17 |
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Blessed Joan Delanoue
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The youngest of twelve children, Joan Delanoue
was born in 1666 in Saumur, France. Her family had a
small but successful business. When her widowed
mother died, she left the store to Joan. Joan was selfish
and greedy, and she thought only of making money.
She committed many little sins to do it. She had once
been devout, but now there was little love in her heart.
Her mother had always been generous to beggars.
Joan, instead, would buy food just in time for dinner.
This way she could tell any beggars who came to the
door during the day: ”I have nothing to give you.”
Joan was not happy living like this. At last, when
she was about thirty, the good example of a widow
named Frances Souchet helped her change her life.
Then she finally saw that her “business” was not to
hoard money, but to use it to help others. Joan began
taking care of poor families and orphans. Eventually,
she closed her shop entirely to devote her time
to them. People called her house full of orphans
“Providence House.” Later, she persuaded other
young women to help her. They became the Sisters
of St. Anne of Providence of Saumur.
Joan lived a very self-sacrificing life. St. Louis
Grignon de Montfort met Joan. He thought at first that
her pride was causing her to be so hard on herself. But
then he realized that her heart was really full of love
of God. He said: ”Go on in the way you have begun.
God’s Spirit is with you. Follow his voice and fear no
more.” Joan died peacefully in 1736. She was seventy
years old. The people of Saumur said, ”That little shopkeeper
did more for the poor of Saumur than all the
town councilors put together. What a woman! And
what a holy person!” Joan was proclaimed blessed by
Pope Pius XII in 1947, the same year St. Louis Grignon
de Montfort was declared a saint.
Many people suffer every day from hunger. We
can realize the importance of not wasting food.
Even if we are served something that we don’t care
for, we can eat it. We can ask Blessed Joan to give
us her self-sacrificing spirit.
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August 18 |
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St. Jane Frances de Chantal
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Jane was born in Dijon, France, in 1572. Her father,
the president of the Burgundy parliament, was a
devout man. He brought up his children well, after
the death of his wife. Jane, whom he dearly loved, married
Christopher, the baron de Chantal. Jane and
Christopher loved each other very much. God blessed
them with six children. Jane showed her love for God
by loving her husband and children with her whole
heart. Then suddenly, a great sorrow fell upon that
happy home. Baron Christopher was accidentally shot
by a friend on a hunting trip. When he died, Jane was
heartbroken. She forgave the man who had caused his
death and even became his child’s godmother.
St. Jane began to ask the Lord to send a holy priest
into her life for guidance. In the meantime, she
prayed and brought up her children in the love of
God. She visited the poor and the sick and comforted
the dying. When she met St. Francis de Sales, she
knew this was the holy man God had sent to guide
her. We celebrate his feast on January 24.
Following his plan, Jane and three other young
women started the Order of the Visitation. But first,
she made sure that her children, now grown, were
settled. She had other responsibilities and challenges
too. But Jane tried to follow God’s plan as she saw it,
no matter how difficult. St. Jane was courageous in all
the difficulties she faced. She opened up many convents
and struggled as well with her own temptations.
“Despite all her suffering,” wrote St. Vincent de
Paul, “her face never lost its peaceful look. And she
was always faithful to God. So I consider her one of
the holiest souls I have ever met.”
St. Jane died on December 13, 1641. She was proclaimed
a saint by Pope Clement XIII in 1767.
Like St. Jane, we too can be true to God’s plan
for us, even when we have to make sacrifices. We
can imitate St. Jane’s courage and willpower.
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August 19 |
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St. John Eudes
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John Eudes was born in Normandy, France, in
1601. He was the oldest son of a farmer. Even as a
child, he tried to copy the example of Jesus in the
way he treated his family, friends, and neighbors.
When he was only nine, another boy slapped his
face. John felt himself becoming angry. Then he
remembered Jesus’ words in the Gospel and offered
his other cheek to the surprised boy.
John’s parents wanted him to marry and have a
family. He gently but firmly convinced them that he
had a priestly call. He joined the Congregation of the
Oratory and studied for the priesthood. After John
was a priest, the plague hit Normandy. It brought terrible
suffering and death. Father Eudes volunteered to
help the sick, caring for both their souls and bodies.
Later, he became a popular preacher of missions in
parishes. In fact, during his lifetime he preached 110
missions. St. John is responsible for the establishment
of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge.
Father Eudes also started the Congregation of Jesus
and Mary for priests. This Congregation was dedicated
to training young men to become good parish
priests.
St. John was very devoted to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus and to the Holy Heart of Mary. He wrote a book
about these devotions. John became sick after he
preached an outdoor mission in very cold weather. He
never fully recovered. John died in 1680. He was proclaimed
blessed by Pope St. Pius X in 1908. This pope
called John Eudes the apostle of devotions to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He
was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1925.
We can ask St. John Eudes to show us how to
grow in love of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
We can also find out about devotion to the Nine
First Fridays and the Five First Saturdays so that we
can practice them.
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August 20 |
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St. Bernard
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Bernard was born in 1090 in Dijon, France. He
and his six brothers and sisters received an excellent
education. When he was just seventeen, his
mother died. He might have let sadness get the best
of him had it not been for his lively sister
Humbeline, who helped to cheer him up. Soon
Bernard became very popular. He was handsome
and intelligent, full of fun and good humor. People
enjoyed being with him.
Yet one day, Bernard greatly surprised his friends
by telling them he was going to join the very strict
Cistercian Order. They did all they could to make
him give up the idea. But in the end, it was Bernard
who convinced his brothers, an uncle, and twenty-six
friends to join him. As Bernard and his brothers left
their home, they said to their little brother Nivard,
who was playing with other children: ”Goodbye, little
Nivard. You will now have all the lands and property
for yourself.” But the boy answered: ”What! Will you
take heaven and leave me the earth? Do you call that
fair?” And not too long after, Nivard, too, joined his
brothers in the monastery.
St. Bernard became a very good monk. After three
years, he was sent to start a new Cistercian monastery
and to be its abbot. The new monastery was in
the Valley of Light and became known by that name.
In French, the Valley of Light is “Clairvaux.” Bernard
was the abbot there for the rest of his life.
Although he would have liked to stay working
and praying in his monastery, he was called out sometimes
for special assignments. He preached, made
peace between rulers, and advised popes. He also
wrote beautiful spiritual books. He became the most
influential man of his time. Yet Bernard’s great desire
was to be close to God, to be a monk. He had no
desire to become famous. This saint had a great devotion
to the Blessed Mother. He often greeted her with
a “Hail Mary” when he passed her statue. It is said that
one day, the Blessed Mother returned his greeting:
“Hail, Bernard!” In this way, Our Lady showed how
much his love and devotion pleased her.
St. Bernard died in 1153. People were saddened
because they would miss his wonderful influence. He
was proclaimed a saint in 1174 by Pope Alexander III.
He was also named a Doctor of the Church in 1830
by Pope Pius VIII.
St. Bernard reminds us that every individual
makes a difference. Each of us can give the gift of
our talents and our energy to make the world better.
If you wonder what gifts the Lord is asking you
to use, you can pray to St. Bernard for help.
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August 21 |
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St. Pius X
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This great pope was born Joseph Sarto in 1835.
He was the son of a mailman in Riese, Italy. Joseph
was given the affectionate nickname of “Beppi.” When
Joseph decided to be a priest, he had to make many
sacrifices to get an education. But he didn’t mind. He
even walked miles to school barefoot to save his one
good pair of shoes. After he was ordained a priest,
Father Sarto labored for the people in poor parishes
for seventeen years. Everybody loved him. He used to
give away everything he had to help them. His sisters
had to hide his shirts or he would have had nothing
to wear. Even when Father Joseph became a bishop,
and then a cardinal, he still gave away what he owned
to the poor. He kept nothing for himself.
When Pope Leo XIII died in 1903, Cardinal Sarto
was chosen pope. He took the name Pius X. He
became known as the pope of the Holy Eucharist.
Pope Pius X encouraged everyone to receive Jesus as
often as they could. He also lowered the age for children
to be permitted to receive Holy Communion.
Before that time, boys and girls had to wait many years
before they could receive the Lord. He is also the
pope of religious instruction. He believed in and loved
our Catholic faith. He wanted every Catholic to share
in the beauty of the truths of our faith. He really cared
about every single person and their spiritual and
material needs. He encouraged priests and religion
teachers to help everyone learn about their faith.
When World War I broke out, St. Pius X suffered
greatly. He knew so many people would be killed. He
had said: ”I would gladly give my life to save my poor
children from this horrible suffering.” Toward the
end of his life, he also said: ”I have lived poor, and I
wish to die poor.” He never kept anything for himself,
right to the end of his life. Pope Pius X died on
August 20, 1914.
Pope St. Pius X was proclaimed a saint by Pope
Pius XII in 1954. He was the first pope to be canonized
in 242 years.
St. Pius X understood the importance of religious
education. Teaching children to love God and
preparing them to receive the sacraments was very
close to this pope’s heart. Is there a way we can
honor his legacy by helping out in our parish religious
education program?
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August 22 |
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Queenship of Mary
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We can think of today’s feast in connection with
the Assumption of Mary, which we celebrated on
August 15. Today we think of Mary united with her
Son in heaven. She is there—body and soul.
Even though governments today are often democracies,
we can still understand the importance of kings
and queens in the history of many countries. A good
queen was greatly loved and served with joy. That is
the kind of Queen we have in Mary. She is a kind and
loving Queen. She is our Mother and Teacher, too.
As our Mother, Mary takes care of us. We never have
to be ashamed to ask her for anything. She will give us
spiritual gifts. She will help us with our physical needs.
She is also our Teacher, because she left us an example
of how to be true disciples of Jesus. If we invite Mary to
be our Queen, she will teach us many wonderful things
about the life of Jesus in us. She will lead us to her Son.
We can honor Mary every day in several ways. We
can pray the Hail Mary during the day. We can spend
some quiet time in prayer and say the Rosary. We can
keep a little statue or picture of Mary nearby to
remind us to honor her with prayer. This is the way
we make Mary the center and Queen of our hearts.
We can say the Hail Mary often throughout the
day: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the
fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of
God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our
death. Amen.
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August 23 |
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St. Rose of Lima
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This South American saint was born in Lima, Peru,
in 1586. Her real name was Isabel, but she was such
a beautiful baby that she was called Rose. She
received the Sacrament of Confirmation from St.
Turibio, archbishop of Lima. We celebrate his feast on
March 23. As Rose grew older, she became more and
more beautiful. One day her mother put a wreath of
flowers on her head to show off her loveliness to
friends. But Rose was not impressed. She only wanted
Jesus to notice her and love her.
Rose did not think she was special because of her
physical beauty. She realized that appearance had
nothing to do with what a person was on the inside.
Because of this, Rose avoided being concerned with
her looks and focused on the beauty of her soul. She
knew that she would be spiritually beautiful with
prayer, penance, and the practice of virtue.
St. Rose worked hard gardening and sewing to
support her parents who were very poor. She humbly
obeyed them, too, except when they tried to persuade
her to marry. That she would not do. Her love
for Jesus was so great that when she talked about
him, her face glowed. Rose wanted to live for Jesus
alone. She joined the Dominican Third Order and
lived in a little hut on her parent’s property.
She had many temptations from the devil. There
also were times when she had to suffer terrible loneliness
and sadness. During those times, God seemed
far away. Yet she cheerfully offered all these troubles
to him. She kept praying for her trust to grow
stronger. In her last long, painful sickness, this heroic
young woman used to pray: “Lord, increase my sufferings,
and with them increase your love in my
heart.” She was just thirty-one when she died on
August 24, 1617, in Lima.
St. Rose of Lima was proclaimed a saint by Pope
Clement X in 1671. He also named her patroness of
the Americas, Philippines, and West Indies.
St. Rose of Lima did not take pride in her physical
beauty. She tried to grow spiritually beautiful
for Jesus. When we’re overly concerned with our
appearance, we can ask St. Rose to help us focus on
what’s really important in our lives.
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August 24 |
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St. Bartholomew
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Bartholomew was one of the first followers of
Jesus. This apostle’s other name was Nathaniel. He
came from Cana in Galilee. He became a disciple of
Jesus when his friend Philip invited him to come and
meet the Lord. Nathaniel received high praise from
Jesus, who said, as soon as he saw him, “Here is a
man in whom there is no deceit.” Jesus knew that
Nathaniel was an honest, sincere man. His one desire
was to know the truth.
Nathaniel was very surprised to hear those words
from the Lord. “How do you know me?” he asked.
“Before Philip called you,” Jesus answered, ”I saw you
under the fig tree.” That was a favorite praying place.
Nathaniel must have realized then that Jesus had read
his heart as he prayed. ”Master!” he cried. ”You are the
Son of God, the King of Israel!” And Nathaniel became
one of the Lord’s faithful apostles.
Like the other apostles, Nathaniel, or Bartholomew,
preached the Gospel of Jesus at the risk of his life. It is
believed that he went to India, Armenia, and other
lands. He preached with great zeal, until he gave his life
for the faith. And so, St. Bartholomew not only received
the reward of an apostle, but also the martyr’s crown.
Jesus admired the honesty of St. Bartholomew.
Even though Bartholomew had his own opinions,
he wasn’t stubborn, so Jesus praised him. He also
gave Bartholomew the grace of faith and the vocation
to be an apostle. We can ask St. Bartholomew
to help us grow in our faith, too.
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August 25 |
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St. Louis of France
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Louis was born on April 25, 1214. His father was
King Louis VIII of France and his mother was Queen
Blanche. The story is told that when Prince Louis
was small, his mother hugged him tightly. She said, ”I
love you, my dear son, as much as a mother can love
her child. But I would rather see you dead at my feet
than ever to have you commit a mortal sin.” Louis
never forgot those words. He grew to cherish his
Catholic faith and his upbringing. When he was
twelve, his father died and he became the king.
Queen Blanche ruled until her son was twenty-one.
Louis became a remarkable king. He married
Margaret, the daughter of a count. They loved each
other very much. They had eleven children. Louis
was a good husband and father. And as long as his
mother, Queen Blanche, lived, she was his valued
advisor. Busy as he was, the king found time for daily
Mass and the recitation of the Divine Office. He was
a Third Order Franciscan and lived a simple lifestyle.
He was generous and fair. He ruled his people with
wisdom, charity, and true Christian principles. There
was no separation between what he believed as a
Catholic and how he lived. He knew how to settle
arguments and disputes. He listened to the poor and
the underprivileged. He had time for everybody, not
just the rich and influential. He supported Catholic
education and built monasteries.
The historian, Joinville, wrote a biography of St.
Louis. He recalls that he spent twenty-two years in
the king’s service. He was daily in the king’s company,
and he could say that he never heard King Louis
swear or use any kind of profanity in all those years.
Nor did the king permit bad language in his castle.
St. Louis felt an urgent obligation to help the suffering
Christians in the Holy Land. He wanted to be part
of the Crusades. The first time, he was taken prisoner.
But even in jail, he behaved as a true Christian knight.
He was unafraid and noble in all his ways. He was freed
and returned to take care of his kingdom in France. Yet
as soon as he could, he started back for the Holy Land
again. On the way, however, this greatly loved king contracted
typhoid fever. A few hours before he died, he
prayed, ”Lord, I will enter into your house, worship in
your holy temple, and give glory to your name.” St. Louis
died on August 25, 1270. He was fifty-six years old. He
was proclaimed a saint by Pope Boniface VIII in 1297.
It isn’t easy to live up to Christian values at any
time in history. St. Louis of France teaches us by his
example that we have to make time for God and for
prayer. If we’re ever tempted to think that we’re too
busy to pray, we can ask St. Louis to convince us
otherwise.
We also celebrate the feast of St. Joseph Calasanz
on this day.
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August 26 |
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St. Elizabeth Bichier
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Elizabeth was born in 1773 in France. As a little
girl, her favorite game was building castles in the
sand. Many years later, this holy woman had to take
charge of building convents for the Order of nuns
she founded. “I guess building was meant to be my
business,” she joked, ”since I started it so young!” In
fact, by 1830, eight years before her death, Elizabeth
had already opened over sixty convents.
During the time of the French Revolution,
Elizabeth’s family lost everything they owned. This
was because the republicans were taking property
from the nobility. But this intelligent young woman of
nineteen studied law so she could fight her family’s
case in court. When she won and saved her family
from ruin, the village shoemaker exclaimed: ”All you
have to do now is marry a good republican!”
Elizabeth, however, had no intention of marrying anyone
—republican or noble. On the back of a picture
of Our Lady, she had written: ”I dedicate and consecrate
myself to Jesus and Mary forever.”
With the help of St. Andrew Fournet, Elizabeth
started a new religious Order called the Daughters of
the Cross. (For more on St. Andrew Fournet, see June
14.) This new Order was dedicated to teaching children
and caring for the sick. Elizabeth would face any
danger to help people. Once she found a homeless
man lying sick in a barn. She brought him to the convent
hospital and did all she could for him until he
died. The next morning the police chief came to tell
her she could be arrested for sheltering a man
believed to be a criminal. Elizabeth was unafraid. “I
only did what you yourself would have done, sir,” she
said. ”I found this poor sick man and took care of him
until he died. I am ready to tell the judge just what
happened.” Of course, the saint’s honesty and charity
won her great respect. People admired her straightforward,
clear answers.
St. Andrew Fournet, the Order’s co-founder, died
in 1834. St. Elizabeth wrote to the sisters, ”This is our
greatest and saddest loss.” St. Elizabeth died on August
26, 1838.She was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XII
in 1947.
St. Elizabeth Bichier was courageous and energetic.
We can pray to her to obtain the grace to live
our Christian calling more enthusiastically. She’ll
help us be generous followers of Jesus.
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August 27 |
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St. Monica
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Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, was born in
Tagaste, northern Africa, in 332. She was brought up
in a good Christian home. Her strong training was a
great help to her when she married the pagan
Patricius. Patricius admired his wife, but he made her
suffer because of his bad temper. Monica bore this
with patience and fervent prayer. At the end of his
life, Monica saw her prayers answered. Patricius
accepted the Christian faith in 370. He was baptized
on his deathbed a year later. His mother, too, became
a Christian.
St. Monica’s joy over the holy way in which her
husband had died soon changed to great sorrow. She
found out that her son Augustine was living a bad,
selfish life. This brilliant young man had turned to a
false religion and to an immoral way of life. Monica
prayed and wept and did much penance for her son.
She begged priests to talk to him. Augustine was brilliant,
yet very stubborn. He did not want to give up
his sinful life.
But Monica would not give up either. When he
went to Rome without her, she followed him. At
Rome, she found he had become a teacher in Milan.
So Monica went to Milan. And in all those years, she
never stopped praying for him. What love and faith!
After years of prayers and tears, her reward came
when Augustine was converted. He not only became
a good Christian, as she had prayed. Augustine also
became a priest, a bishop, a great writer, and a very
famous saint. We celebrate his feast on August 29, the
day after St. Monica’s.
Monica died in Ostia, outside Rome, in 387.
Augustine was at her bedside. St. Monica is the patron
of married women and of Christian mothers.
We shouldn’t become discouraged if our prayers
aren’t answered right away. Like St. Monica, we
should keep praying. Jesus tells us in the Gospel to
ask with perseverance and we shall receive.
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August 28 |
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St. Augustine
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St. Augustine was born in Tagaste in modern
Algeria on November 13, 354. He was brought up in
a Christian atmosphere by his mother, St. Monica,
whose feast we celebrated yesterday. Augustine went
to Carthage to study. After a while, he left the practice
of the Christian faith and spent many years in sinful
living and in false beliefs. His mother Monica
prayed daily for her son’s conversion. In Milan, the
marvelous sermons of St. Ambrose made their
impact too.
Finally, Augustine became convinced that
Christianity was the true religion. Yet he did not
become a Christian then, because he thought he
could never live a pure life. One day, however, he
heard about two men who had suddenly been converted
after reading the life of St. Anthony of Egypt,
whose feast we celebrate on January 17. Augustine
felt ashamed. ”What are we doing?” he cried to one of
his friends. “Unlearned people are taking heaven by
force. Yet we, with all our knowledge, are so cowardly
that we keep rolling around in the mud of our sins!”
Full of bitter sorrow, Augustine went into the garden
and prayed, ”How much longer, Lord? Why don’t
I put an end to my sinning now?” Just then he heard
a child singing the words, “Take up and read!”
Thinking that God intended this as a message for
him, he picked up the Bible and opened it. His eyes
fell on St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 13,
where Paul says to stop living immoral lives and to
live in imitation of Jesus. It was just what Augustine
needed. From then on, he began a new life.
He was baptized on Holy Saturday, 387. Four years
later, he was ordained a priest. In 396, he was made
bishop of Hippo when Bishop Valerius died. Augustine
wrote many works to explain and defend the Catholic
faith. Even today, his letters, sermons, and treatises are
important to the study of theology and philosophy. On
the wall of his room, he had the following sentence
written in large letters: ”Here we do not speak evil of
anyone.” St. Augustine defended the Church’s teachings
against errors, lived simply, and supported the
poor. He preached very often and prayed with great
fervor right up until his death. ”Too late have I loved
you,” he once cried to God. But Augustine spent the
rest of his life in loving God and leading others to love
him, too.
Thinking over the lives of the saints, we should
ask ourselves, “Can’t we do what these men and
women did?” We can become saints too, if we pray
each day to know and do God’s will.
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August 29 |
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Beheading of St. John the Baptist
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St. John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus. His
mother was St. Elizabeth and his father was
Zechariah. The first chapter of Luke’s Gospel tells of
the wonderful event of John’s birth. Mark’s Gospel,
chapter 6, verses 14–29, records the cruel details of
John the Baptist’s death.
King Herod had married his brother’s wife,
Herodias. John told Herod that this was wrong. But
Herod and Herodias did not want to hear how they
stood with God. They wanted to make their own
rules. St. John the Baptist had to pay the price for his
honesty. Yet he would have had it no other way. He
would never have kept silent in the face of sin and
injustice. His mission was to call people to repentance
and he wanted everyone to be reconciled to God.
Herodias held a grudge against John, and when
she had the chance, she arranged to have him
beheaded. What harsh consequences John accepted
for teaching the truth.
John had preached a baptism of repentance,
preparing people for the Messiah. He baptized Jesus
in the Jordan River and watched with quiet joy as
the Lord’s public ministry began. John encouraged
his own disciples to follow Jesus. He knew that
Jesus’ fame would grow, while his would fade away.
In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, St. John the
Baptist calls himself a voice crying in the desert to
make straight the path of the Lord. He invited people
to get ready, to prepare themselves to recognize the
Messiah. His message is the same to each of us.
We can ask St. John the Baptist to help us be
always ready to recognize the coming of Jesus into
our lives.
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August 30 |
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St. Fiacre
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Fiacre was born in Ireland in the seventh century.
Looking for a place where he could live close to God
in solitude, he sailed to France. The bishop of Meaux
offered him part of his own land in a forest. Legend
has it that the bishop told Fiacre he could have as
much land as he could plow in a day. Instead of using
a plow, which would have made his claim much larger,
Fiacre showed how simply he wanted to live by
using the point of his walking stick to turn the soil.
Fiacre cleared his ground and built a little house
for himself, as well as a chapel in honor of the Blessed
Virgin. He also built a place for travelers to stop and
rest. Before long, many people were coming to him
for spiritual advice. He shared whatever he had with
the poor and cared for the sick, sometimes restoring
their health with miracles.
Even after his death, many miracles were reported
to have taken place when people visited his little
chapel. St. Fiacre is the patron saint of gardeners.
St. Fiacre shows us that helping the poor isn’t
only the responsibility of wealthy people. Even if we
don’t have a lot, we can always share what we do
have with those who have even less.
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August 31 |
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St. Aidan of Lindisfarne
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Aidan was a seventh-century Irish monk. He lived
at the great monastery of Iona, which St. Columban
had founded. St. Oswald became king of North
England in 634. He asked for missionaries to preach
to his pagan people. The first missionary to go soon
came back complaining that the English were rude,
stubborn, and wild. The monks got together to talk
about the situation. ”It seems to me,” St. Aidan said to
the returned monk, “that you have been too harsh
with those people.” He then explained that, as St. Paul
says, easy teachings are to be given first. Then when
the people have grown stronger on the Word of God,
they can start to do the more perfect things of God’s
holy law.
When the monks heard such wise words, they
turned to Aidan. “You should be the one to go to
North England to preach the Gospel,” they said.
Aidan went willingly. He took on his new assignment
with humility and a spirit of prayer. He began by
preaching. King Oswald himself translated Aidan’s
sermons into English until the saint learned the language
better. St. Aidan traveled all over, always on
foot. He preached and helped the people. He was
kind to the poor and preferred a simple lifestyle. He
did much good and was greatly loved by the people.
After thirty years of St. Aidan’s ministry, any monk or
priest who came into the village was greeted with
great joy by all the villagers.
On the island of Lindisfarne, St. Aidan built a large
monastery. So many saints were to come from there
that Lindisfarne became known as the Holy Island.
Little by little, the influence of these zealous missionaries
changed North England into a civilized,
Christian land. St. Aidan died in 651.
We can learn from St. Aidan’s life that the witness
of a joyful, kind person truly touches others.
When we need help seeing the good in people, we
can pray to St. Aidan.
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