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December 1 |
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St. Edmund Campion
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Edmund lived in the sixteenth century.
Originally raised a Catholic, he received a scholarship
to St. John’s College in Oxford. He was a very
popular and brilliant young student. In fact, Edmund
was chosen to deliver a welcoming speech to
Queen Elizabeth when she visited the college. A
group of his fellow students were attracted by his
happy nature and his many talents. They made him
their leader. Even the queen and her chief ministers
admired this attractive young man. Edmund became
an Anglican deacon in 1564.
But Edmund began to have doubts about
Protestantism. He went to Ireland to study. Becoming
convinced of the authenticity of the Catholic
Church, he considered returning to the Catholic religion.
At the time, there was a persecution of
Catholics in England. Edmund knew that he would
lose the queen’s favor and all his chances for a great
career if he chose to become a Catholic. The young
man prayed and reached his decision. He would
become a Catholic anyway.
After he had escaped from England, Edmund studied
to become a priest. He entered the Society of
Jesus. When the Holy Father decided to send some
Jesuits to England, Father Campion was one of the
first to go. The night before he left, one of his fellow
priests wrote over his doorway: “Father Edmund
Campion, martyr.” Although he knew what danger
faced him, the holy priest set out cheerfully. In fact,
he had many a laugh because of his disguise as a
jewel merchant.
In England he preached with great success to
Catholics who had to meet with him in secret. Spies
of the queen’s men were everywhere trying to catch
him. He wrote: “I won’t escape their hands much
longer. Sometimes I read letters that say, ‘Campion has
been caught’!” It was a traitor who finally brought
about the Jesuit’s capture. Edmund was imprisoned
in the Tower of London, where he was visited by the
government officials who had been so fond of him. It
seems that even Queen Elizabeth came. But none of
their threats or promises could make him give up the
Catholic faith. Nor could tortures break him. In spite
of all his sufferings, he still defended himself and his
fellow priests in such a marvelous manner that no
one could answer him.
Yet the enemies of the Church condemned him
anyway. Before he was put to death, St. Edmund forgave
the man who had betrayed him. He even helped
save the man’s life. St. Edmund Campion died in 1581.
He was about forty-one years old. Pope Paul VI canonized
him in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of
England and Wales.
St. Edmund Campion studied his faith, was
deeply convinced of its truth, and was heroic in witnessing
to it. Like him, we can try to understand
our faith always better. Let’s ask him for the grace
to be true to our convictions and values.
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December 2 |
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St. Bibiana
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Bibiana’s father, Flavian, had been prefect of the
city of Rome in early Christian times. He and his
wife were known as fervent Christians. When
Emperor Julian renounced the faith, he began persecuting
Christians. That is when Flavian was arrested.
He was branded on the face with a hot iron and
then exiled.
After he died, his wife, Dafrosa, who led a good
Christian life, was made a prisoner in her own house.
Then she, too, was put to death. Left alone with her sister,
Demetria, Bibiana tried with all her heart to trust in
God and pray. Everything they had was being taken
from them. Then the two young women were brought
to court. Poor Demetria was so frightened that she
dropped dead at the judge’s feet. Bibiana was handed
over to a sinful woman, who was supposed to make
the girl as evil as she was. This woman tried by sweet
words and many clever tricks to make Bibiana commit
sins of impurity. However, the saint could not be
moved. She was brought back to court and beaten. Yet
she held to her faith and chastity as strongly as ever.
St. Bibiana was beaten to death with leaden
scourges. A priest buried her at night beside her
mother and sister.
Sometimes we can’t understand why good people
are allowed to suffer. It may also seem that people
who do evil get away with it. When we feel confused
or resentful about this, we can ask St. Bibiana
for help. From heaven, where she enjoys the reward
of her fidelity, she’ll help us see that fair judgment
doesn’t always come in this world, but in the next.
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December 3 |
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St. Francis Xavier
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This great missionary was born at Xavier Castle in
Spain in 1506. He went to the University of Paris
when he was eighteen. Here he met St. Ignatius
Loyola, who was about to start the Society of Jesus. St.
Ignatius tried to get Francis to join him. At first the
happy-go-lucky young man would not think of it. St.
Ignatius repeated to him the words of Jesus in the
Gospel: “What does it profit a person to gain the
whole world and lose his own soul?” At last, Francis
saw clearly that his place in life was among the Jesuits.
When Francis was thirty-four, St. Ignatius sent him
as a missionary to the East Indies. The king of
Portugal wanted to give him presents and a servant
to accompany him. Francis refused his kind offer and
explained: ”The best way to acquire true dignity is to
wash one’s own clothes and boil one’s own pot.”
During the course of his amazing career in Goa,
India, Japan, and other lands of the East, St. Francis
received thousands of converts. In fact, he baptized
so many people that he became too weak to raise his
arms. He gathered the little children around him and
taught them the Catholic faith. Then he invited them
to spread the faith they had learned. There was nothing
St. Francis wouldn’t do to help people. Once he
faced a fierce band of raiders, alone, with no weapon
but his crucifix. They backed away and did not attack
his Christian tribes. The saint also brought many bad-living
Christians to repentance. His only “tools” were
his gentle, polite ways and his prayers.
In the midst of his painful journeys and great
labors, the saint was full of a special joy coming from
God. St. Francis longed to go into China, where no foreigners
were permitted. At last, the arrangements
were made, but the great missionary became ill. He
died almost alone in 1552 on an island off the coast
of China. He was just forty-six years-old. Francis
Xavier was proclaimed a saint by Pope Gregory XV in
1622. He was in the best of company at the canonization
ceremony in Rome. Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa
of Avila, Philip Neri, and Isidore the Farmer were also
proclaimed saints that day.
We can ask St. Francis Xavier to help us understand
and love the missions. So many people still
wait for the Gospel message. But they need generous
missionaries to bring that message. We can pray to
St. Francis Xavier and ask him to send many more
holy missionaries to those who still wait.
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December 4 |
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St. John of Damascus
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St. John lived in the seventh and eighth centuries.
He was born in the city of Damascus of a good
Christian family. When his father died, he became the
governor of Damascus. At this time, the emperor
made a law forbidding Christians from having statues
or pictures of our Lord and the saints. John joined
with many others to defend this Christian practice.
The pope himself asked John to keep telling people
that it is a good thing to have statues and holy pictures.
They make us think of our Lord, the Blessed
Mother and the saints. But the emperor would not
give in to the Holy Father. He continued to forbid putting
statues in public places. St. John bravely wrote
three letters in an attempt to explain the practice to
the emperor.
The emperor became so furious that he wanted
revenge. John decided he should resign as governor.
He gave away all his money to the poor and became a
monk. He kept on writing marvelous books to defend
the Catholic religion. At the same time, he did all
kinds of humble work in the monastery. One day he
even went to sell baskets in the streets of Damascus.
Many of those who had known him before began to
laugh at him. Here was the man who had once been
the great governor of the city now selling baskets. But
John knew that the money received would be put to
good use at the monastery. He thought of Jesus, the
Son of God, who chose to be born in a stable. He felt
privileged to imitate our Lord’s humility.
St. John died a peaceful, happy death in the year
749.
The crucifix on our wall and the statues and
pictures of saints in our homes and churches
remind us that our everlasting home is heaven. We
can ask St. John of Damascus to help us to live in
such a way that the Lord will welcome us into his
eternal home someday.
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December 5 |
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St. Sabas
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Sabas, born in 439, is one of the most famous
monks of Palestine. His father was an officer in the
army. When the officer had to go to Alexandria,
Egypt, he left his young son with his brother-in-law.
Since his aunt treated him badly, young Sabas ran
away to another uncle. When an argument over his
property arose between the two uncles, Sabas felt terrible.
He liked to see people at peace. So he ran away
to live in a monastery. His two uncles felt ashamed of
themselves. They told Sabas to come out and they
would give him all his property. But by this time,
Sabas was too happy in the monastery. He did not
want to leave.
When he was eighteen, Sabas went to Jerusalem.
He wanted to learn to live alone with God. He was
advised to live in another monastery for a while
because he was still young. He obeyed and joyfully
did all the hard work. He chopped wood for fires and
carried heavy jugs of water. One day, St. Sabas was
sent to Alexandria, Egypt, as the traveling companion
of another monk. There he saw his father and mother!
They tried their best to make him come home
with them. They wanted him to enjoy the same honors
his father had won. But Sabas was only interested
in the honor that comes from doing the will of God.
He did not even want to take the money they tried to
give him. Finally he accepted three gold pieces.
Then, when he got back to the monastery, he gave
them to the abbot.
At last, he was able to spend four years completely
alone, as he desired. But so many disciples came to
him to learn to live the life of a monk that he had to
start a new monastery for them. Before long, he was
put in charge of all the monks in Palestine.
Sometimes Sabas was sent to the emperor on
important Church affairs. Even then, he wore his
poor cloth habit and kept to his hours of prayer. St.
Sabas died in 532.
St. Sabas was a very prayerful person. He went
out of his way to keep in touch with God. If we feel
the noise of distractedness and anxiousness inside,
we can say a prayer to St. Sabas. He’ll help us be
peaceful and calm so that we can hear God’s voice.
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December 6 |
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St. Nicholas
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Nicholas is the great patron of children and of
Christmas giving. He lived in the fourth century. Santa
Claus is a Dutch form of the name St. Nicholas. This
famous saint was born in Asia Minor, which is modern-
day Turkey. After his parents died, he gave all his
money to charity.
Once, a certain poor man was about to abandon
his daughters to a life of sin because they did not have
the money needed to get married. Nicholas heard
about his problem. He went to the man’s house at
night and tossed a little pouch of gold through a window.
This was for the oldest daughter. He did the
same thing for the second daughter. The grateful
father kept watch to find out who was being so good
to them. When St. Nicholas came a third time, the
man recognized him. He thanked Nicholas over and
over again.
Later St. Nicholas became bishop. He loved justice.
It is said that once he saved three innocent men who
had been falsely condemned to death. He then turned
to their accuser. He made the man admit that he had
been offered money to get rid of the three men.
St. Nicholas died in Myra, and a great basilica was
built over his tomb. Many churches were dedicated in
his name. When his relics were brought to Bari, Italy,
this city became a famous shrine for pilgrims from all
over Europe. Nicholas is the patron of sailors and
prisoners, as well as children. With St. Andrew, he is
the patron of Russia.
We can learn from St. Nicholas how to have generous,
loving hearts. He went out of his way to do
good for people. He’ll teach us how to be the same
kind of person if we ask him.
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December 7 |
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St. Ambrose
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Ambrose was born in Germany around 340. He
was the son of the Roman prefect of Gaul. When his
father died, his mother took her family back to Rome.
She and her daughter, St. Marcellina, brought Ambrose
up well. He became an outstanding lawyer. Then he
was made governor of Milan and the territory around
it. But, by a strange event, Ambrose the governor
became Ambrose the bishop. In those days, the people
used to suggest to the pope the name of the one
they would like as bishop. To Ambrose’s great surprise,
the people of Milan chose him. He tried to
refuse, but it seemed to be God’s will. Thus, Ambrose
became a priest and then bishop of Milan.
Ambrose became a great model and father to his
people. Wanting to be as worthy as he could be of
this high office, Ambrose gave away everything he
owned and started to live more simply. He studied
theology and the Bible.
Ambrose resisted all evil with amazing courage.
He faced an attacking army and convinced the leader
to turn back. Another time, Emperor Theodosius
came from the East. He wanted to save Italy from
invaders. He urged all his officers to respect the bishop
of Milan. Yet, when this emperor ordered the massacre
of 7,000 Thessalonians, Ambrose did not hesitate
to confront him. He made Theodosius do public
penance. The emperor did not become furious and
take revenge. He realized that the saint was right. Very
humbly, he publicly made penance for his sin.
Ambrose had shown the world that no human being,
even a ruler, is above the laws of God and the Church.
People were afraid of what would happen to Italy
when Ambrose died. When he became sick, they
begged him to pray for a longer life. The saint
replied, ”I have not behaved among you in such a way
that I should be ashamed to live longer; nor am I
afraid to die, for we have a good Master.”
Bishop Ambrose died on Good Friday in the year
397.
St. Ambrose was a great priest and bishop. He
put his whole heart and energy into his ministry
for God’s people. We can ask him to help us value
the priesthood. He’ll teach us to appreciate priests
and to pray for them.
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December 8 |
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Immaculate Conception of Mary
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Our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned seriously
by disobeying God. We call this first sin “the fall.”
Because of it, everyone since Adam and Eve is born
into the world with original sin. We are all children
of our first parents. Therefore, the whole human race
is marked by their first sin.
But God gave the Blessed Virgin Mary a marvelous
privilege. Because she was to be the mother of Jesus,
she was conceived in the womb of her mother, St.
Anne, without this original sin. God preserved Mary
from all sin, including original sin, in view of Jesus’
redemptive act on the cross. There was never the
slightest sin in our Holy Mother. That is why in one
of the Church’s favorite hymns we sing: ”You are all-beautiful,
O Mary, and there is no sin in you.”
This great privilege of our Lady is called her
Immaculate Conception. In 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed
to the whole world that there was no doubt
at all that Mary was conceived without sin. Four years
later, she appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes. When
St. Bernadette asked the lovely lady who she was,
Mary joined her hands, raised her eyes toward heaven,
and said, ”I am the Immaculate Conception.”
We can honor Mary as the Immaculate
Conception with the prayer: “O Mary, conceived
without sin, pray for us.” We can also honor her by
reciting three Hail Marys every morning and night.
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December 9 |
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St. Juan Diego
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It was to Juan Diego that Mary, the Mother of God,
first introduced herself to the world as Our Lady of
Guadalupe. Juan lived in the sixteenth century when
Mexico City was known as the Valley of Anahuac. He
belonged to the Chichimeca people, and was called
Talking Eagle. Juan Diego was his Christian name.
On December 12, the feast of Our Lady of
Guadalupe, we can read about the miraculous events
of Mary’s appearances to Juan Diego. After Juan’s particular
mission was completed, it is said that he
became a hermit. He spent the rest of his life in
prayer and penance. His little hut was near the first
chapel that was built on Tepeyac Hill. He was greatly
esteemed. Parents considered it their fondest wish to
have their children grow up to be like Juan Diego.
Juan took care of the little church and greeted the
pilgrims who began to come there to honor their
Mother of Guadalupe. He would show them the
miraculous tilma or cloak, that preserves Mary’s
beautiful image.
Pope John Paul II declared Juan Diego blessed on
May 14, 1990. The pope personally visited the magnificent
Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He prayed
there for all of the people of Mexico. He prayed especially
for those who were killed during the terrible persecution
of the Church in the early part of the twentieth
century. He prayed for all the pilgrims who come to
this beautiful church with such faith in the Mother of
God.
Blessed Juan Diego was a prayerful, sensitive
person. His lifestyle helped others see in the miraculous
image of Guadalupe God’s love for his people.
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December 10 |
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St. John Roberts
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John was born in Wales in 1577. Although he was
not a Catholic, he was taught by an elderly priest. So,
as he said later, he was always a Catholic at heart.
John went to Oxford University in England for a
while. Even though he was a Protestant, his respect
for the Catholic Church prevented him from signing
the Oath of Supremacy, which denied the authority
of the pope. He had to leave Oxford, so he went to
Paris, where he joined the Catholic Church.
John lost no time after this in taking steps to
become a priest. He went to an English college in Spain
and became a Benedictine monk. His great dream of
going back to England came true three years later. He
and another monk were given permission to set out for
that land. They knew the dangers they would meet. In
fact, they did not have long to wait before trouble
began. They entered England wearing plumed hats and
swords at their sides. Soon, however, they were arrested
for being priests and sent out of the country.
St. John Roberts went back to London again in
1603 to help the thousands of people who fell victim
to the plague. He worked day and night to keep the
faith alive during a time when Catholics were persecuted
mercilessly. Several times he was captured, put
in prison, and exiled, yet he always came back. The
last time Father John was arrested, he was finishing
Mass. This time there would be no escape. When
asked, he declared he was a priest and a monk. He
explained that he had come to England to work for
the salvation of the people. ”Were I to live longer,” he
added, “I would continue to do what I have been
doing.” When he refused to sign the Oath of
Supremacy, he was condemned to death.
The night before he was to be hanged, a good
Spanish lady arranged for him to be brought into the
company of eighteen other prisoners. They were also
suffering for their faith. During their supper together, St.
John was full of joy. Then he thought perhaps he
should not show so much happiness. ”Do you think I
may be giving bad example by my joy?” he asked his
hostess. ”No, certainly not,” she replied. ”You could not
do anything better than to let everyone see the cheerful
courage you have as you are about to die for Christ.”
The next day, December 10, 1610, St. John was
hanged. He was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as
one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.
Missionaries need our prayers because of the
many sacrifices they make. We can ask St. John
Roberts to help us understand the important role
that missionaries fulfill in Jesus’ Church.
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December 11 |
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St. Damasus I
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Damasus was born in Rome and lived in the fourth
century. He was a priest who was generous and self-sacrificing.
When Pope Liberius died in 366, Damasus
became the pope. He faced many grave difficulties.
There was a false pope named Ursinus. He and his followers
persecuted Damasus. They lied about him,
making accusations about his personal moral life. The
pope had to stand trial before the Roman authorities.
He was proved innocent, but he suffered very much
through it all. His great friend, St. Jerome, spoke
emphatically for the virtue of this pope.
Pope Damasus realized that the clergy in the city
of Rome were living too wealthy a lifestyle. The
country priests were much more austere. Damasus
asked the priests to simplify their lifestyles and not to
accumulate money and possessions. He set a wonderful
example himself.
There were also many false teachings during his
time as pope. Damasus explained the true faith. He
also called the Second Ecumenical Council, which
was held in Constantinople. Pope Damasus, a biblical
scholar, greatly encouraged love of the Scriptures. It
was this pope that published the canon, or official
list, of the books of the Bible. He assigned St. Jerome
to translate the Bible into Latin and encouraged him
to write commentaries explaining parts of the Bible.
He also changed the official language of the liturgy
from Greek—except for the Kyrie—to Latin.
Pope St. Damasus died at the age of about eighty
on December 11, 384. He was buried with his mother
and sister in a little chapel he had built for them.
Pope St. Damasus was able to do great things for
the Church, because of his faith and love. He nourished
this faith and love by reading, studying, and
meditating on Sacred Scripture. We can imitate this
holy pope by making the resolution to take a few
minutes each day to read from the Bible.
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December 12 |
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Our Lady of Guadalupe
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We celebrated the feast of Blessed Juan Diego on
December 9. Today, we celebrate Mary’s appearances
on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico. The heavenly visitor came
to her people on December 9, 1531. Juan was a fifty-five-
year-old convert to the Catholic faith. He was
going to Mass when our Lady stopped him as he was
making his way down Tepeyac Hill. Mary asked him
to go to the bishop. She wanted a great church built
on the very spot where she was standing. The poor
man was overwhelmed. He wanted with all his heart
to do what the Lady commanded. But how could he
approach the bishop? How could anyone believe
such an unusual request? Juan Diego went to the
bishop. The bishop, not sure if he should believe this
amazing story, thought of a way to handle the situation.
“Ask for a sign,” he told Juan. Before granting the
Lady’s request, the bishop wanted proof.
Early on the morning of December 12, Juan Diego
was hurrying along the path. His uncle was dying and
he was going for the priest. Mary met Juan and told
him that his uncle was better. (Juan found out a little
later that his uncle had been cured at that moment.)
The Lady wanted Juan to go back to the bishop to ask
him to build a church. Juan told Mary that the bishop
had asked for a sign.
Mary sent Juan into the rocky area nearby and
told him to gather the roses that were there. Juan was
puzzled. It was winter and the bushes were bare. But
Juan followed Mary’s instructions and was surprised
to find that there really were roses—beautiful roses!
Juan picked them all and went to the bishop. He carried
them carefully in his tilma, or cloak. In the bishop‘s
house, he let down his cloak and the beautiful
roses fell to the floor. Juan smiled and then realized
that something else was capturing the bishop’s attention.
He followed the bishop’s eyes, which were riveted
to his cloak. There on his tilma was a beautiful
image of Mary, exactly as she had appeared on
Tepeyac Hill. The bishop had received his sign, and
Mary would have her church.
Today a great church, called a basilica, marks the
spot where Our Lady of Guadalupe came to her people.
Our Lady of Guadalupe was named patroness of
Mexico by Pope Benedict XIV. She is also patroness
of Latin America and the Philippines.
We can pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe for the
graces we most need. She’s a gentle and good
Mother who’ll speak to the Heart of her Son for us.
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December 13 |
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St. Lucy
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It is believed that this beloved saint lived in
Syracuse, Sicily. She was born toward the end of the
third century, the daughter of noble and rich parents.
Her father died when she was still young.
Lucy was a lovely girl, and more than one young
noble sought her hand. Her mother arranged for her
to marry one whom she thought would make a good
husband for Lucy. But the girl would not consent.
Lucy had secretly promised Jesus that instead of getting
married, she would belong to him alone. She
thought of a way to explain her wishes to her mother.
She knew her mother was suffering from hemorrhages,
which are bouts of bleeding. She convinced
her to go with her to the shrine of St. Agatha and
pray for her recovery. When God heard their prayers
and cured her mother, Lucy told her of her vow to be
a bride of Christ. Her mother was convinced and, out
of gratitude for her cure let Lucy follow her vocation.
But the young pagan to whom she had promised
Lucy was furious. In his bitter anger, he accused Lucy
of being a Christian. He threatened her with the
frightening torture of being blinded. But Lucy was
even willing to lose both her eyes rather than belong
to anyone but Jesus. St. Lucy is often shown holding
her lovely eyes in the palm of her hand. Jesus rewarded
her for her heroic love. He worked a miracle and
restored her eyes, more beautiful than ever.
A pagan judge tried to send the saint to a house
of sinful women. He hoped that Lucy might be tempted
to give up her faith in Christ. But when her enemies
tried to carry her away, God made her body so
heavy that they could not budge her. In the end, she
was stabbed to death, becoming a martyr for Jesus in
the year 304.
St. Lucy’s beautiful eyes remind us of the wonderful
faith that lit her soul. We can ask St. Lucy to
help us grow in the kind of faith she had.
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December 14 |
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St. John of the Cross
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John was born in Spain in 1542. He was the son
of a weaver, who died when John was still a baby. He
went to a school for poor children and became a servant
to the director of a hospital. At the same time, he
attended the Jesuit college. Even as a youth, he
understood the value of offering up sufferings for the
love of Jesus.
When he was twenty-one, his love of God
prompted him to enter the Carmelite Order. With St.
Teresa of Avila, St. John was chosen by God to bring a
new spirit of fervor among religious. But his life was
full of trials. Although he succeeded in opening new
monasteries where his holy way of life was practiced,
he himself was criticized. He was even thrown into
prison and made to suffer terribly. It seemed that God
had left him alone, and he suffered greatly. Yet when
these storms of trouble passed, the Lord rewarded his
faithful servant. He gave him deep peace and joy of
heart. John was very close to God. After nine months,
he managed to escape from his imprisonment.
St. John had a marvelous way with sinners. Once
a beautiful but sinful woman tried to tempt him. He
was able to bring her to a true sorrow for her sins
and a complete change of life. Another lady, instead,
had such a temper that she was nicknamed “the terrible.”
Yet St. John knew how to calm her down by
his kind manners.
St. John of the Cross asked God to accept his daily
sufferings for love of Jesus. This saint is famous for
his spiritual books, which show us how to grow close
to God. He died on December 14, 1591. John of the
Cross was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by
Pope Pius XI in 1926.
St. John of the Cross was able to overcome life’s
obstacles and sufferings by remaining closely united
to God. We can ask him to help us improve our
life of prayer, our relationship with the Lord.
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December 15 |
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St. Mary di Rosa
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This saint was born Paula di Rosa in 1813. She was
from a large family in Brescia, Italy. Her father was the
successful owner of a textile mill. Her mother died
while she was still young, and she received her education
from nearby sisters.
When she was seventeen, Paula left school to
help her father at home. Her father thought she
should get married, but Paula wanted to devote her
life to helping others instead. She began by organizing
a group of women who worked in her father’s
mill. They prayed together and did charitable
works. During a cholera epidemic, Paula took care
of the sick in the hospital. When a shelter was
opened up for poor and homeless girls, Paula was
asked to operate it. She also provided work opportunities
for the young women and started a school
for the hearing-impaired.
But all these activities were leading up to her life’s
work. When she was twenty-seven, Paula started a
community of sisters called the Handmaids of
Charity. Her sisters were dedicated to the bodily and
spiritual care of the poor and sick. In wartime, Paula
and her sisters took care of the wounded in military
hospitals and on the battlefield.
The Handmaids of Charity received final approval
in 1850. This was when Paula took the name Sister
Mary of the Crucified. She died in 1855, worn out
from her service to the sick.
St. Mary di Rosa can be a model of compassion
for us. She can show us how to look at those
around us with the eyes of Jesus, seeing those who
are hurt or lonely and reaching out to them in
friendship.
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December 16 |
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St. Adelaide
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St. Adelaide was born in 931. At the age of sixteen,
this Burgundian princess was married to King
Lothair. Three years later, her husband died. The
ruler who is believed to have poisoned him tried to
get Adelaide to marry his son. She absolutely refused.
In anger, he treated her with great cruelty. He even
locked her up in a castle on a lake.
Adelaide was freed when King Otto the Great of
Germany conquered this ruler. Although she was
twenty years younger than he, Otto married the lovely
Adelaide on Christmas Day. When he took his new
queen back home, the German people loved her at
once. She was as gentle and gracious as she was pretty.
God sent five children to the royal couple. They
lived happily for twenty-two years. When Otto died,
Adelaide’s oldest son became the ruler. This son, Otto
II, was good, but too quick to act without thinking.
He allowed his wife to turn him against his own
mother, and Adelaide was forced to leave the palace.
But she had not been gone long when Otto realized
how much he had relied on her valuable advice. The
abbot of Cluny, St. Majolus, helped the mother and
son to reconcile. Adelaide met her son in Italy and
the king begged her forgiveness. She in turn prayed
for her son, sending offerings to the great shrine of St.
Martin of Tours.
In her old age, St. Adelaide was called on to rule
the country while her grandson was still a child. She
started many monasteries and convents and was an
example of Christian faith for the Slavic people. All
her life, this saintly woman had followed the advice
of holy people. She had always been willing to forgive
those who had hurt her. St. Addle of Cluny called
her a “marvel of beauty and grace.” She died on
December 16, 999.
St. Adelaide was beautiful not just because of
her physical features. She was a beautiful person
because she was deeply Christian and a woman
who lived her Catholic values. We can strive to be
Christians true to our values, just as she was.
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December 17 |
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St. Olympias
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This saint was born around the year 361. She
belonged to a great family of Constantinople. When
she was left an orphan, she was given into the care of a
devout Christian woman. Olympias, who had inherited
a large fortune, married Nebridius, a man who had been
governor of Constantinople. St. Gregory Nazianzen
apologized for not being able to attend the wedding.
He even sent a poem full of good advice for Olympias.
Nebridius died very soon afterward, however, and
the emperor urged Olympias to marry again. She
answered: ”Had God wished me to remain a wife, he
would not have taken Nebridius away.” And she
refused to marry again. St. Gregory called her “the
glory of the widows in the Eastern Church.” With a
number of other pious ladies, Olympias spent her life
performing works of charity. She dressed plainly and
prayed much. She gave her money away to whoever
was in need. Finally, St. John Chrysostom had to tell
her to be careful in giving away her goods. ”You must
not encourage the laziness of those who live upon
you without necessity,” he said. “It is like throwing
your money into the sea.”
St. John Chrysostom became archbishop of
Constantinople. As archbishop, he guided St.
Olympias and her disciples in their works. The
women started a home for orphans and they opened
a chapel. They were able to give help to great numbers
of people. St. John Chrysostom became
Olympias’ dearest guide. When he was exiled, she was
deeply grieved. She then had to suffer persecution,
too. Her community of widows and unmarried
women was forced to stop their charitable works.
Besides this, Olympias was in poor health and was
being criticized. Yet St. John wrote to her: “I cannot
stop calling you blessed. The patience and dignity
with which you have borne your sorrows, your prudence,
wisdom, and charity have won you great glory
and reward.”
St. Olympias died in 408, when she was about
forty. She has been described as “a wonderful woman,
like a precious vase filled with the Holy Spirit.”
St. Olympias received many blessings from God.
She used those gifts—her time, money, and talents
—to help people. We can ask St. Olympias to
help us recognize our special gifts so that we can
use them for others.
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December 18 |
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Blessed Anna Rosa Gattorno
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Anna Rosa was born in Genoa, Italy, on October
14, 1831. Her parents were very devout, and she was
baptized the day she was born. Since her family was
wealthy, she was educated at home, according to the
custom of the time. Anna Rosa was a good student.
She also gave great importance to studying the Word
of God and living her life according to it.
When she was twenty-one, Anna Rosa married
Gerolamo Custo, and the couple moved to Marseilles.
But they had financial difficulties and it was necessary
to return to Genoa. There were other hardships
in store for Anna Rosa. Her daughter Carlotta became
seriously ill and was left deaf and mute for the
remainder of her life. After only six years of marriage,
and after unsuccessfully trying to improve their
financial stability, Gerolamo died. Not long after, Anna
Rosa’s youngest son also died.
In spite of all this suffering, Anna Rosa did not
lose her confidence in God. She entrusted herself and
her family, in life and in death, to his loving protection.
She later looked back at this time in her life as a
period of personal conversion. She felt God bringing
her closer and closer to himself, even as she lost
those most dear to her.
Anna Rosa dedicated her life to God. She became
a Franciscan tertiary and lived a life of prayer and
good works. She started a community of sisters called
the Daughters of St. Anne. She opened nursing
schools and schools for the poor. She established daycare
centers for the children of field laborers, and
shelters for women who were trying to get their lives
back on track. As a personal sign that the Lord was
blessing her and her work, she received the grace of
the marks of Christ’s wounds in her body, which she
could feel, but which were invisible. Anna Rosa died
on May 6, 1900 in Rome. Pope John Paul II beatified
her on April 9, 2000.
Blessed Anna Rosa teaches us by her life that
things don’t have to be going our way for us to
believe that God is with us. Let’s ask for an increase
of trust, so that we’ll feel God close to us even when
we suffer disappointments and sorrow.
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December 19 |
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Blessed Urban V
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Blessed Urban’s name before he became pope
was William de Grimoard. He was born in France in
1310, and he became a Benedictine monk. After serving
the Church in many high positions, he became
pope. At this time, the pope lived in a city in France
called Avignon. However, Urban made up his mind to
return to Rome, because that is where the pope
should live. The pope is the bishop of Rome, and
Urban knew that his place was in Rome. There were
many difficulties. The people in France objected to
his going, but Urban did what he knew was right.
The people of Rome were overjoyed to have the
pope back. They were especially joyful to have such
a holy man as was Urban V. He set about at once to
repair the great churches of Rome. He helped the
poor and encouraged the people to be fervent and
devout again. Emperor Charles IV showed great
respect to the Holy Father. But Urban had a great
many problems. For one thing, he was getting sicker
and weaker all the time. War was breaking out in
Italy and between England and France. Many of his
cardinals kept urging him to go back to Avignon. So
at last he gave in. As he prepared to leave Rome, the
people of the city begged him to stay. He was very
sad, but left anyway. About three months later, he
died. It was in the year 1370.
Urban was a very holy and good man. He did
much for the Church, for schools and universities,
and for the people. He was called “a light of the world
and a way of truth.”
The pope has many concerns and responsibilities.
Let’s remember to pray every day for our present
pope. We can say: “Lord, cover with your protec-
tion our Holy Father, the pope. Be his light, his
strength, his comfort.”
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December 20 |
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St. Dominic of Silos
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Dominic, a Spanish shepherd boy, was born at the
beginning of the eleventh century. He spent many
hours alone tending his sheep at the bottom of the
Pyrenees mountains. It was there that he developed a
love for prayer. Soon he became a very holy monk.
Dominic was appointed abbot of his monastery and
brought about many changes for the better. One day,
however, King Garcia III of Navarre, Spain, claimed
that some of the monastery’s possessions were his.
St. Dominic refused to give them to the king. He did
not think it was right to give the king what belonged
to the Church. This decision greatly angered the
king. He ordered Dominic to leave his kingdom.
Abbot Dominic and his monks were given a friendly
welcome by another king, Ferdinand I of Castile.
Ferdinand told them they could have an old
monastery called St. Sebastian at Silos. This
monastery was located in a lonely spot and was very
run-down. But with Dominic as the abbot, it soon
began to take on a new look. In fact, he made it one
of the best-known monasteries in all Spain.
St. Dominic worked many miracles to cure all kinds
of sicknesses. Many years after his death, Dominic
appeared to a wife and mother. Her name was Joan.
Now she is called Blessed Joan of Aza. Dominic told
her that God would send her another son. When that
son was born, Joan gratefully named him Dominic.
And this son became the great St. Dominic, founder of
the Dominican Order. We celebrate his feast on August
8. Today’s saint died on December 20, 1073.
By his life St. Dominic of Silos shows us that
prayer is as essential to us as breathing and eating.
We can ask St. Dominic to remind us often each day
that we need to spend time with God.
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December 21 |
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St. Peter Canisius
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Peter was born in the Netherlands in 1521. His
father wanted him to be a lawyer. To please him,
young Peter began to study law before he had finished
all his other studies. Soon enough, however, he realized
that he would never be happy in that life. About that
time, people all over were talking about the wonderful
preaching of Blessed Peter Faber. He was one of the
first members of the Jesuit Order. When Peter Canisius
listened to him, he knew he, too, would be happy serv-
ing God as a Jesuit. So he joined the Order. After more
years of study and prayer, he was ordained a priest.
The great St. Ignatius soon realized what a willing
and zealous apostle St. Peter Canisius was. He sent
him to Germany where Peter labored for forty years.
It would be hard to name all St. Peter Canisius’ great
works, prayers, and sacrifices during that time. His
concern was to clarify the teachings of the Church in
many cities of Germany. He also labored to bring
back to the Catholic Church those who had been
confused by false teachings. It is said that he traveled
about 20,000 miles in thirty years. This he did on foot
or on horseback. In spite of all this, St. Peter Canisius
still found time to write many books on the faith. He
realized how important books are, so he organized a
campaign to stop the sale of harmful reading material.
And he did all he could to spread good books to
teach the faith. The two catechisms St. Peter Canisius
wrote were so popular that they were printed over
200 times and were translated into fifteen languages.
To those who said he worked too hard, St. Peter
Canisius would answer, ”If you have too much to do,
with God’s help, you will find time to do it all.” This
wonderful saint died in 1597. He was proclaimed a
Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in 1925.
Like St. Peter Canisius, we should be enthusiastic
about having an ever deeper understanding of
our faith. Studying Scripture and the truths of our
Catholic faith are daily, ongoing, life-long projects.
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December 22 |
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St. Marguerite d’Youville
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Marguerite was born in Quebec, Canada, on
October 15, 1701. Her father died in 1708 and the
family lived in poverty. Relatives paid her tuition at
the Ursuline convent school in Quebec. Her two
years at the boarding school prepared her to teach
her younger brothers and sisters. Marguerite was gracious
and friendly. She helped support her family by
making and selling fine lace. In 1722, Marguerite married
Francois d’Youville. It seemed like the marriage
was going to be a truly happy one. But Francois’ real
self came out as the months passed. He was more
interested in making and spending money than in
being with his family. He left Marguerite alone with
their children and did not take care of them.
Francois died quite suddenly in 1730 after eight
years of marriage. He left Marguerite with large debts
to pay. A kind priest named Father du Lescoat gave
her courage. He assured her that she was loved by
God and that soon she would begin a great work for
him. Marguerite took in a blind, homeless woman on
November 21, 1737. This marks the beginning of a
marvelous work of caring for the sick poor in infirmaries
and then actual hospitals. She began a community
of sisters who became known as the “Grey
Nuns,” because their religious habit was grey. The sisters
took over the general hospital in Montreal. It was
run-down and very much in debt. People laughed at
the sisters. It was hard to believe they would be able
to succeed at such a difficult task. But Mother
d’Youville and her sisters did not lose heart. They
worked, and built, and fixed. Above all, they welcomed
everyone in need. No one was too poor or too
sick to come to their hospital. In 1765, a fire
destroyed the hospital, but Mother d’Youville and her
sisters had it rebuilt in four years.
Marguerite’s two sons became priests: Charles,
pastor of Boucherville, and Francois, pastor of St.
Ours. In 1769, Father Francois broke his arm. His
mother hastened to take care of him. Mother
d’Youville was equally generous when an epidemic
of smallpox spread through the Indian missions of
Montreal. And during the Seven Years’ War between
the French and British, she helped soldiers on both
sides. She hid the British soldiers in the dark rooms of
the convent cellar. There her sisters quietly nursed
them back to health.
Mother Marguerite d’Youville died on December
23, 1771. She was proclaimed a saint by Pope John
Paul II on December 9, 1990. She is the first Canadian-born
saint.
Mother d’Youville didn’t let the difficulties of her
life discourage her. She saw what needed to be done,
believed she was able to do it, and with trust in God
she went ahead with faith and conviction. Do we
see anyone in need? Is there something we can do
to help?
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December 23 |
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St. John of Kanty
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This Polish saint was born in 1390, the son of
good country folk. Seeing how intelligent their son
was, his parents sent him to the University of
Krakow. He did well in his studies. Then John
became a priest, a teacher, and a preacher. He was
also well known for his great love of the poor. Once
he was eating in the university dining hall. At the
beginning of the meal, he happened to see a beggar
passing by the window. Immediately, he jumped up
and brought his dinner to the man.
Some people became very jealous of St. John’s
success as a teacher and preacher. They managed to
have him removed from his teaching position at the
university and sent to a parish as a pastor. Here, he
put his whole heart into the new life. At first, however,
things did not go well at all. The people did not
particularly care for John, and John was afraid of the
responsibility. He did not give up, however, and his
efforts brought results. By the time he was called
back to the university, the people of his parish loved
him dearly. They went part of the way with him. In
fact, they were so sad to see him go that he had to tell
them: “This sadness does not please God. If I have
done any good for you in all these years, sing a song
of joy.”
Back in Krakow, St. John taught Bible classes and
again became a very popular teacher. He was invited to
the homes of rich nobles. Still, however, he gave everything
he had to the poor and dressed very poorly himself.
Once he wore an old black habit, called a cassock,
to a banquet. The servants refused to let him in. St.
John went home and changed into a new one. During
the dinner, someone spilled a dish of food on the new
cassock. ”Never mind,” said the saint with good humor,
“my cassock deserves some food, anyway, because
without it, I wouldn’t have been here at all.”
St. John lived to be eighty-three. Again and again
during all those years he gave everything he owned
to help the poor. When people burst into tears on
hearing that he was dying, he said, “Don’t worry
about this prison which is decaying. Think of the
soul that is going to leave it.” He died in 1473 and was
proclaimed a saint by Pope Clement XIII in 1767.
We can learn from St. John of Kanty to do our
schoolwork and our chores with diligence. God
expects us to do the best we can, and he will bless
our efforts. We can ask St. John of Kanty to help us
to do so cheerfully.
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December 24 |
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St. Peter Nolasco
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St. Peter Nolasco was born in Spain, near
Barcelona, at the end of the twelfth century. He
belonged to a family of merchants who traveled
across the Mediterranean Sea. As Peter traveled, he
became aware of the great numbers of Christians who
had been enslaved in North Africa. His heart went out
to his brothers and sisters in Christ, and he used his
own money to ransom as many of them as he could.
St. Raymond of Peñafort, archdeacon of Barcelona,
organized a group of lay people for this purpose,
and Peter helped lead it. The group became an
Order, which was placed under the protection of
Mary, Our Lady of Ransom. The members of the
Order were called Mercedarians. They took the vows
of chastity, poverty, obedience, and a fourth vow—
which Peter added—to give their own freedom, and,
if necessary, their lives, in exchange for the freedom
of the Christian slaves.
Peter spent the rest of his life traveling through
Spain and Algeria, ransoming hundreds of slaves. He
died around the year 1256. The Order he helped to
found still continues today, working to free people
around the world from various types of oppression.
Do we know people who are being bullied or
treated unfairly? Do we have the courage of St. Peter
Nolasco to stand up for them? Do we dare to be the
ones to show friendship and kindness?
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December 25 |
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Christmas, the Birthday of Jesus
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The time had come for God to send his own Son
to be the Savior of the world. Mary, Mother of the
Promised One about to be born, and Joseph, her husband,
had to leave their home in Nazareth and go to
Bethlehem. The reason for this journey was the
Roman emperor’s request to count the number of his
subjects. So every Jewish family had to go to the city
of their ancestors and register for the census. Since
Mary and Joseph belonged to the royal family of
David, they had to go to David’s city of Bethlehem. It
was the emperor who made the decree, but it served
to fulfill God’s plan. According to Scripture, the
Savior was to be born in Bethlehem.
It was a slow, hard journey over mountainous
country. But Mary was calm and peaceful. She
knew she was doing God’s will. She was happy
thinking of her divine Son soon to be born. When
Mary and Joseph reached Bethlehem, they found
there was no place for them to stay. At last they
found shelter in a cave. There, in that rough stable,
the Son of God was born on Christmas Day. His
blessed Mother wrapped him up warmly and laid
him in a manger. Our Lord chose to be born in
such poverty so that we would learn not to overvalue
riches and comforts.
The very night in which Jesus was born, God sent
his angels to announce his birth. The angels were not
sent to the emperor or the king. They were not sent
to the doctors and priests in the Temple. They were
sent to poor, humble shepherds, watching their
flocks on the hillsides near Bethlehem. As soon as
they heard the angels’ message, they hurried to adore
the Savior of the world. Then they went home giving
praise and glory to God.
The patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament
had been comforted by the thought that someday the
Savior would come into the world. Now he had been
born among us. Jesus came for all of us. The Bible
says: “God so loved the world that he sent his only
begotten Son.” If those who lived in the hope of his
coming were happy, how much more should we
rejoice. We have his teachings, his Church, and Jesus
himself on our altars at every Eucharistic Celebration.
Christmas is the time when we realize more
than ever how much God loves us.
We can say a prayer to Mary and Joseph today. We
can ask them to help us know which gift Jesus most
wants to receive from us on Christmas Day.
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December 26 |
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St. Stephen
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The name Stephen means crown. Today’s saint
was the first disciple of Jesus to receive the martyr’s
crown. Stephen was a deacon in the early Church.
We read about him in chapters 6 and 7 of the Acts of
the Apostles. In this book, Luke tells us that as the followers
of Jesus continued to grow, Peter and the
apostles decided that they needed helpers to see to
the care of widows and the poor. So they ordained
seven deacons. Stephen is the best known of these.
God worked many miracles through St. Stephen. He
spoke with such wisdom and grace that many of his
hearers became followers of Jesus. The enemies of the
Church of Jesus were furious to see how successful St.
Stephen’s preaching was. At last, they laid a plot for
him. They could not answer his wise arguments, so
they got men to lie about him. These men said that he
had spoken sinfully against God. St. Stephen faced that
great assembly of enemies without any fear. In fact, the
Holy Bible says that his face looked like the face of an
angel.
Stephen spoke about Jesus, proclaiming him to be
the Savior God had promised to send. He scolded his
enemies for not having believed in Jesus. At that, they
rose up in great anger and shouted at him. But
Stephen looked up to heaven. He said that he saw the
heavens opening and Jesus standing at the right hand
of God. His hearers plugged their ears and refused to
listen to another word. They dragged St. Stephen outside
the city of Jerusalem and stoned him to death.
The saint prayed, ”Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then
he fell to his knees and begged God not to punish his
enemies for killing him. After such an expression of
faith, the martyr went to his heavenly reward.
St. Stephen had a forgiving heart. He let the Holy
Spirit work in him and didn’t let himself give in to
thoughts or actions of revenge. We can ask him to
obtain for us the grace to forgive and forget when
someone has hurt us.
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December 27 |
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St. John the Apostle
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St. John was a fisherman in Galilee. He was called
to be an apostle with his brother, St. James. Jesus gave
these sons of Zebedee the nickname “sons of thunder.“
St. John was the youngest apostle and is believed
to be the one called “the beloved disciple.”
At the Last Supper, it was John who was permitted
to lean his head on the chest of Jesus. He was also
the only apostle who stood at the foot of the cross.
The dying Jesus gave the care of his Blessed Mother
Mary to this beloved apostle. Looking at Mary, he said,
“Behold your mother.”
On Easter morning, Mary Magdalene and the
other women went with spices to Jesus’ tomb to
anoint his body. They came running back to the apostles
with disturbing news. The body of Jesus was
gone from the tomb. Peter and John set out to investigate.
John arrived first but waited for Peter to go in
ahead of him. Then he went in and saw the neatly
folded linen cloths, and he understood that Jesus had
been raised from the dead. Later, that same week, the
disciples were fishing on the lake of Tiberias without
success. A man standing on the beach suggested
they let down their nets on the other side of the boat.
When they pulled it up again it was full of large fish.
Now John, who recognized this man, called to Peter,
“It is the Lord!”
With the descent of the Holy Spirit the apostles
were filled with new courage. After the ascension of
Jesus, Peter, and John cured a crippled man by calling
on the name of Jesus.
It is believed that John lived nearly a century and
was the only apostle not to suffer martyrdom. He
preached the Gospel and may have become bishop of
Ephesus. It is said that in the last years of his life, when
he could no longer preach, his disciples would carry
him to the crowds of Christians. His simple message
was, ”My dear children, love one another.” St. John died
in Ephesus around the year 100.
We can honor St. John by reading the Gospel and
letters attributed to him. The more we read the
Bible, the more it becomes a part of our way of
thinking and living. St. John’s message is the central
theme of the teachings of Christ: “Love one another.”
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December 28 |
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The Holy Innocents
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According to the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus
was born in Bethlehem, the Wise Men came from the
East to worship him. They went to Herod, the king,
asking where they could find the newborn king of
the Jews, the Savior. Herod was a cruel, clever tyrant.
When he heard the Wise Men speak of a newborn
king, he began to worry about losing his throne. But
he did not let the Wise Men know what he was thinking.
He called in his chief priests and asked them
where the Bible said the Messiah was to be born.
They answered: Bethlehem.
“Go and find out about this child,” the wicked king
said to the Wise Men. “When you have found out
where he is, come and tell me. Then I, too, will go and
worship him.” The Wise Men went on their way. They
found Jesus the Messiah with Mary and Joseph. They
adored him and offered their gifts. Meanwhile, they
were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. An
angel came to tell St. Joseph to take Mary and the Child
Jesus into Egypt. In this way, God spoiled the murderous
plans of Herod concerning the Divine Child.
When Herod realized that the Wise Men had not
come back to him, he became furious. He was an evil,
violent man, and now the fear of losing his throne
made him worse. He sent his soldiers to kill all the
boy babies of Bethlehem under the age of two, in the
hope of killing the Messiah among them. The soldiers
carried out the terrible order. There was great
sorrow in the little town of Bethlehem, as mothers
wept over their murdered babies. These little children
are honored today by the Church as martyrs.
They are called the Holy Innocents.
We can ask the Holy Innocents to protect all children
from harm. We can ask them to change the
hearts of those who promote abortion. We can also
pray for those who abuse and neglect children.
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December 29 |
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St. Thomas Becket
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Thomas Becket was born in 1118, in London,
England. After his parents died, he accepted a position
in the household of the archbishop of
Canterbury. He began studying for the priesthood.
He soon became a great favorite of King Henry II
himself. People said that the king and Thomas had
only one heart and one mind—they were such
close friends.
When Thomas was thirty-six, King Henry made
him his chancellor. As chancellor of England, Thomas
had a large household and lived in splendor. When
the archbishop of Canterbury died, Henry wanted
the pope to give Thomas this position. It would
require that Thomas be ordained a priest. But Thomas
told him plainly that he did not want to be the archbishop
of Canterbury. He realized that being in that
position would put him in direct conflict with Henry
II. Thomas knew that he would have to defend the
Church against Henry, and that would mean trouble.
“Your affection for me would turn into hatred,” he
warned Henry. The king paid no attention and
Thomas was made a priest and a bishop in 1162.
He immediately began to change his life. He lived
more austerely and devoted much more time to
prayer. At first, things went along as well as ever. All
too soon, however, the king began to demand
money, which Thomas felt he could not rightly take
from the Church. The king grew more and more
angry with his former friend. Finally, he began to
treat Thomas harshly. For a while, Thomas was tempted
to give in a bit. Then he began to realize just how
much Henry hoped to control the Church. Thomas
was very sorry that he had even thought of giving in
to the king. He did penance for his weakness and
ever after held firm.
One day, the king was very angry. ”Will no one rid
me of this archbishop?” Some of his knights took him
seriously. They went off to murder the archbishop.
They attacked him in his own cathedral. He died, saying,
“For the name of Jesus and in defense of the
Church, I am willing to die.” It was December 29,
1170. The entire Christian world was horrified at
such a crime. Pope Alexander III held the king personally
responsible for the murder. A year later,
Henry II performed public penance. Miracles began
to happen at Thomas’ tomb. He was proclaimed a
saint by the same pope in 1173.
St. Thomas Becket teaches us that we must put
our faith and loyalty to Christ ahead of our personal
friendships. If a friend expects us to do something
we know is displeasing to God, we must
choose what we know to be the right thing.
Hopefully, our courage and good example will help
our friends grow closer to God as well.
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December 30 |
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Blessed Vicente Vilar David
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The youngest of eight children, Vicente was born
to a ceramics manufacturer and his wife on June 28,
1889, in Valencia, Spain. His parents were devoted to
their Catholic faith, and their children received a good
Christian education. After attending a school run by
the Piarist Fathers, Vicente enrolled in a technical
school and earned an industrial engineer’s degree.
Vicente married a young woman named Isabel
and the two lived a model Christian life together.
Vicente became involved in his parish, helping the
priests however he could. He also took over the management
of his father’s ceramics factory. His workers
saw him not only as their boss, but also as a caring
father. He was concerned that they would be treated
with the justice and dignity to which all workers
have a right.
In the summer of 1936, the Spanish Civil War was
at its peak in Valencia. The persecution of Catholics
and of the Church by the governing regime was also
very intense. Vicente, who had been teaching at a
ceramics trade school, was fired because of his
Catholic beliefs. He bravely continued to encourage
other Catholics and to give the priests whatever support
and help he could.
On February 14, 1937, he was called to appear
before a tribunal and commanded to stop his activities
on behalf of the Catholic Church. Vicente replied
that being a Catholic was his greatest calling and he
would not give it up, even if it meant death. He was
immediately sentenced to be executed. He was permitted
to see his wife and encouraged her with
words of faith and conviction. He publicly forgave his
persecutors and enemies. Then he was shot to death
on the very same day he was arrested.
The ceramics factory workers were outraged. In
protest of Vicente Vilar David’s execution, they went
on strike for three days. They told the socialist officials
who tried to prevent their strike, “You have
robbed us of our employer and our father. Because he
was prudent, kind, and concerned for our working
conditions, we not only respected him; we loved him.”
Vicente Vilar David was beatified on October 1,
1995 by Pope John Paul II. His death by violent hands
was recognized as a true martyrdom for the faith.
Our faith applies to every aspect of our lives. In
our family and social life, our time at school, our
time spent working, we are called to put into practice
the values that Jesus taught in the Gospel.
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December 31 |
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St. Sylvester I
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This pope lived in early Christian times, during
the reign of Constantine. Sylvester I became pope in
314 and he reigned for twenty-one years until his
death in 335.
The story is told that Constantine had at first persecuted
Pope Sylvester. The emperor contracted leprosy
and, desperate for a cure, was going to have a
pagan ritual performed. It seems that Constantine
had a dream in which St. Peter and St. Paul spoke to
him. They told the emperor to go to Pope Sylvester
for a cure. Constantine asked to be baptized. It was
during the reception of Baptism in the Basilica of St.
John Lateran that Constantine was completely cured.
As a result, Constantine not only permitted the
Christian religion in his empire, but encouraged it.
Devotion to Pope Sylvester I was well known during
the early Church. He is the first pope who was
not a martyr to be proclaimed a saint. In the Basilica
of St. John Lateran in Rome, an impressive mosaic
decorates one wall. It shows Jesus giving keys of spiritual
power to Pope St. Sylvester I.
On this last day of the year, we can ask Pope St.
Sylvester I to watch over us, the Christians of today, just
as he cared for his flock when he lived on earth.
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