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February 1 |
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St. Brigid of Ireland
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St. Brigid was born around the year 450 in
Ireland. Her parents had been baptized by St. Patrick,
who brought the faith to that country. Much of what
we know about her is from legend.
As Brigid grew up, she grew in her love for Jesus.
She looked for him in the poor and often brought
food and clothing to them. The story is told that one
day she gave away a whole pail of milk. Then she
began to worry about what her mother would say.
She prayed to the Lord to make up for what she had
given away. When she got home, her pail was full
again!
As a young girl, Brigid wanted to devote her life
to Jesus. She became a nun with the help of St. Mel,
St. Patrick’s nephew. She formed a religious community
with seven other young women.
Brigid started the first Irish convent at Kildare
and became its abbess. She also founded a school of
art, which won fame for its beautifully illuminated
manuscripts. The monastery at Kildare became a
center of education and spirituality. In time, the city
of Kildare with its cathedral grew up around it.
Brigid became known as the “Mary of the Irish”
because her love and compassion reminded people of
the Blessed Mother. She died in 525 and was buried at
Downpatrick near St. Columba and St. Patrick.
Jesus loves each one of us. St. Brigid imitated the
love and compassion of Jesus, especially for the poor.
She reminds us that every person is special to God.
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February 2 |
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Presentation of the Lord
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Forty days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph
brought him to the great Temple in Jerusalem. There
they presented Jesus to the Heavenly Father. That
was the Jewish law. The Holy Family obeyed it with
loving hearts.
While they were in the Temple, Mary also fulfilled
another requirement of the law. After the birth of
their children, all Jewish mothers were supposed
to go to the Temple for the ceremony called the
Purification. Mary did her duty cheerfully. She teaches
us to be humble and obedient as she was.
A holy old man named Simeon was in the
Temple. He had learned from God that the Infant
Jesus was truly the Savior. With what joy he held
Mary’s Son in his arms. ”My own eyes are looking at
my salvation!” he exclaimed. God let Simeon recognize
Jesus as the Savior, and Simeon put his trust in
Jesus. Imagine what Mary and Joseph were thinking.
Then, inspired by God, Simeon told Mary that she
would have to suffer very much. He was talking
about the terrible pain our Blessed Mother would
feel when Jesus died on the cross.
This feast of the Presentation reminds us that we
belong to God first of all. Because he is our Father
and Creator, we owe him our loving obedience.
We, too, can try to be like Mary and Joseph. We
can cheerfully obey our parents, guardians and
teachers in all that is right. We can ask the Holy
Family to help us live in goodness and love.
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February 3 |
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St. Blase
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St. Blase lived in the fourth century. It is
believed that he came from a rich family and
received a Christian education. As a young man,
Blase became a priest and then bishop of Sebaste
in Armenia, which is now modern Turkey. With all
his heart, Blase worked to make his people holy
and happy. He prayed and preached. He tried to
help everyone.
When the governor, Licinius, began persecuting the
Christians, Blase went to live and pray and do penance
by himself. He became a hermit. In his solitude, wild
animals that were sick or hurt would come to him, and
he would heal them. One day some hunters found
Blase and brought him to the governor. Blase was sent
to prison to be beheaded. On the way, people crowded
the road to see their beloved bishop for the last time.
He blessed them all, even the non-Christians.
Just then, a poor mother rushed up to him. She
begged him to save her child who was choking to
death on a fishbone. The saint whispered a prayer
and blessed the child. He worked a miracle that saved
the child’s life. That is why St. Blase is called upon by
all who have throat diseases. On his feast day, we
have our throats blessed at Mass. We ask St. Blase to
protect us from all sicknesses of the throat.
While he was in prison, Bishop Blase brought
many people to believe in Jesus. No torture could
make him give up his faith in Jesus. He was beheaded
in the year 316. Now St. Blase is with Jesus forever.
Even on his way to prison, St. Blase was ready to
help others. He gave up his life because of his great love
for Jesus. When we make little sacrifices such as doing
things we don’t especially like, or giving up something
that we do like, we can think of the happiness we will
have in heaven, which will last forever.
February 3 is also the feast of St. Ansgar.
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February 4 |
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St. Jane Valois
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St. Jane was the daughter of King Louis XI of
France. She was born in 1464. Since the king wanted
a son, he was very disappointed at the birth of Jane.
He did not even want his little daughter to live at the
palace because she had been born with a physical
deformity. When the princess was just five years old,
she was sent to live with other people. In spite of the
unkind way her father treated her, Jane was good and
gentle with everyone. She was convinced that Jesus
and Mary loved her. Jane also believed that the Lord
would use her to do good in his name. And she was
right!
When she grew up, Jane decided that she did not
want to get married. She had given herself to Jesus
and his Blessed Mother. But her father ignored her
wishes. He forced her to marry the duke of Orleans.
Jane was a devoted wife for twenty-two years. After
the duke became king, however, he sent Jane to live
by herself in a far-off township. The queen did not let
herself become resentful. Instead, she exclaimed:
“God be praised! He has permitted this that I may
serve him better than I have up until now.”
Jane lived a prayerful life. She practiced penances
and acts of kindness. She gave all her money to the
poor. She even started an order of sisters called the
Sisters of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. She spent the rest of her life joyfully serving
Jesus and his Mother. Jane died in 1505. She was proclaimed
a saint by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
When someone treats us unfairly, let’s remember
that God loves us and that we are precious to
him. St. Jane can help us to be as patient and forgiving
as she was
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February 5 |
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St. Agatha
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Most of what we know about St. Agatha is
based on legend. Agatha was a beautiful Christian
girl from a wealthy family in Sicily. She lived in the
third century, a time when the emperor Decius
was persecuting the Christians. While she was still
young, she dedicated her life to God, vowing not to
get married.
The governor heard of Agatha’s beauty and
brought her to his palace. He wanted to make her do
sinful things. But she was brave and would not give
in. ”My Lord Jesus Christ,” she prayed, ”I belong only
to you. Help me to be strong against evil.”
Then the governor tried sending Agatha to the
house of a wicked woman. He hoped the woman
would convince Agatha to do sinful things. But Agatha
had great trust in God and prayed all the time. She
kept herself pure. She would not listen to the evil
suggestions of the woman and her daughters. After a
month, Agatha was brought back to the governor.
“You are a noblewoman,” he said kindly. ”Why have
you lowered yourself to be a humble Christian?”
“Even though I am a noble,” answered Agatha, “I
am a slave of Jesus Christ.”
“Then what does it really mean to be noble?” the
governor asked.
Agatha answered, ”It means to serve God.”
When he realized that Agatha would not agree to
the evil he wanted her to do, the governor became
angry. He had Agatha whipped and tortured. As she
was being carried back to prison she whispered,
“Lord, my Creator, you have protected me from the
cradle. You have taken me from the love of the
world and given me patience to suffer. Now receive
my soul.”
Agatha died a martyr at Catania, Sicily, in the
year 251.
We can learn from St. Agatha’s example. Like her,
we can pray with all our heart when we are tempted
to do anything wrong. This is the way we can
develop a good and strong character.
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February 6 |
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St. Paul Miki and Companions
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These twenty-six martyrs are sometimes called
the martyrs of Nagasaki and the martyrs of Japan.
St. Francis Xavier brought the Good News of
Christianity to Japan in 1549. Many people accepted
the Gospel and were baptized by St. Francis himself.
Although Francis moved on and eventually died near
the shores of China, the Catholic faith continued to
grow in Japan. By 1587 there were 200,000 Japanese
Catholics. Missionaries from various religious orders
were working in the country, and Japanese priests,
religious and lay people lived the faith joyfully.
Paul Miki was born at Tounucumada, Japan, in
1562. He was educated by the Jesuits at Anziquiama,
and joined their order in 1580. Paul was an excellent
preacher and catechist.
In 1588, the emperor of Japan ordered all Jesuits
to leave the country within six months. Many stayed,
in disguise, because they knew that faithful Catholics
would need them, especially during the coming
times of persecution.
In 1597, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who ruled Japan in
the emperor’s name, heard a false rumor that the missionaries
were only bringing Christianity to the
Japanese so that it would be easier for Spain and
Portugal to defeat Japan. Fearing this was true,
Hideyoshi ordered all the Christians to be arrested
and put to death.
On February 5, 1597, Paul Miki was crucified
along with two other Japanese Jesuit catechists, six
Franciscans from Spain, Mexico and India, and seventeen
Japanese Catholic lay people, including children
as young as twelve and fifteen. Paul’s last words from
his cross were to encourage the community of believers
to be faithful, even in the face of death. Then, at
the same moment, twenty-six executioners thrust
twenty-six spears into the Christians as they hung on
their crosses.
St. Paul Miki and his companions were canonized
as the martyrs of Japan by Pope Gregory XVI in 1862.
We can pray every day for people who live in
parts of the world where they are persecuted for
their belief in God. We can also ask St. Paul and his
companions for the courage to be faithful to Jesus.
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February 7 |
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Blessed Giles Mary
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Brother Giles Mary was born near Taranto, Italy, in
1729. As a child he learned the art of rope making
and was good at his trade.
When he was twenty-five, Giles entered the
Friars of St. Peter Alcántara in Naples. His full reli-
gious name was Brother Giles Mary of St. Joseph.
Brother Giles Mary became known for his simplicity
and humility.
Brother Giles focused all his attention on serving
God with love. He was the porter, the one in charge
of answering the door of the monastery. Brother
Giles opened the door promptly and with a smile
every time a visitor pulled the rope that rang the
bell. He took gentle care of the poor, the homeless,
and the lepers who came asking for help. He was
given the responsibility of distributing the food and
money that his community could spare. Brother
Giles Mary loved to do that. No matter how much
he gave to needy people, something was always left
to give to others. Brother Giles knew it was St.
Joseph who kept him from running out of food and
money to give to the poor. After all, St. Joseph had
once taken such good care of Jesus and Mary.
Brother Giles Mary spent his whole life spreading
devotion to St. Joseph.
After a life of love and service to God and his
neighbor, Brother Giles Mary of St. Joseph died on
February 7, 1812. He was declared “blessed” by Pope
Pius IX in 1888.
The life of Blessed Giles shows that it’s not great
things or important responsibilities that make us
“successful” in God’s eyes. What pleases God the
most is a loving and generous heart.
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February 8 |
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St. Josephine Bakhita
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St. Josephine Bakhita was born in Sudan, Africa, in
1869. When she was a child, she was captured and
sold as a slave. The cruel and harsh treatment she suffered
as a slave made her forget her name. The name
“Bakhita,” which means “fortunate,” was given to her
as a joke by the people who kidnapped her.
Bakhita was taken to Italy and put into service as
a nanny. She was sent to live with the Canossian
Sisters in Venice. From the sisters she learned about
God and Christianity. In time, she asked to be baptized,
and took the name Josephine.
At the age of twenty-four, Josephine felt God calling
her to become one of the sisters. The
Canossian Sisters accepted her into their community.
For fifty-four years, Sister Josephine carried
out humble services in the convent. She cooked,
sewed, took care of the chapel and answered the
door. During World War I, Sister Josephine helped to
care for the wounded. She became known for her
kindness and goodness. She was a source of comfort
and encouragement to everyone who came to
her in need.
Someone once asked Sister Josephine how she
would react if she ever met the people who had kidnapped
her. She answered, ”I would kiss their hands
to thank them for giving me the chance to become a
Christian and a sister.”
As Sister Josephine grew older, her health began
to decline. She continued to live a life of loving kindness
and faith even in sickness and pain.
As her death drew near, she said, ”Why should I be
afraid to die? Death brings us to God, and I love God
and want to be with him.”
Sister Josephine Bakhita died in 1947 at the age of seventy-
eight. Her last words were “Our Lady! Our Lady!”
She was canonized on October 1, 2000, by Pope John
Paul II. St. Josephine is the patron saint of the
Christian Sudanese people who still suffer persecution
for their faith.
Let’s learn from St. Josephine Bakhita to put our
trust in God when we have problems or when we
have something to suffer. God, who loves us without
limits, can bring good even out of bad circumstances.
February 8 is also the feast of St. Jerome Emiliani.
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February 9 |
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St. Apollonia and the Martyrs of Alexandria
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A holy woman named Apollonia lived in
Alexandria, Egypt, in the third century. Christians
were being persecuted there during the reign of
Emperor Philip. Apollonia had spent her whole life
serving God. Now that she was growing old, she was
not about to take time to rest. She bravely risked her
life to comfort suffering Christians in prison.
“Remember that your trials will not last long,” she
would say. ”But the joys of heaven will last forever.”
It was just a matter of time until Apollonia, too,
was captured. When the judge asked her name, she
courageously said, “I am a Christian, and I love and
serve the true God.”
Angry people tortured Apollonia, trying to force her
to give up her faith. First, all her teeth were smashed
and then knocked out. Because of this, St. Apollonia is
the patron of dentists. But even this painful ordeal did
not shake the woman’s faith. Apollonia was then told
that if she did not deny Jesus, she would be thrown into
a raging fire. The woman would not let her fear overcome
her. She chose to die by fire rather than abandon
her faith in Jesus. When the pagans saw how heroic
she was, many were converted to faith in Jesus.
Apollonia died around the year 249.
St. Apollonia and the other martyrs were willing
to give up their lives for Jesus. What are we willing
to do for him? Do we love Jesus enough to
accept a little inconvenience without complaining?
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February 10 |
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St. Scholastica
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St. Scholastica and St. Benedict were twins born in
central Italy in 480. When they grew up, Benedict
founded an order of monks called the Benedictines.
Scholastica wanted to dedicate herself to God also, so
she began a community of nuns near her brother’s
monastery of Monte Cassino.
Scholastica and Benedict decided that they
would only visit each other once a year as a sacrifice
to show their love for God. They used to meet at a
house near their monasteries. When it was time to
visit Benedict in 547, God let Scholastica know that
it would be the last time they saw each other on
earth. Because of this, she wanted to stay and talk
longer than usual, but her brother said no.
According to their Rule of Life, Benedict had to go
back to his monastery at night, and Scholastica had
to return to hers.
Since Benedict would not give in, Scholastica quietly
turned to God in prayer. All of a sudden, a terrible
storm began. Thunder crashed overhead, light-
ning lit up the sky, and rain poured down in sheets. It
was impossible to step out of the house!
Benedict asked in surprise, ”Sister, what have you
done?”
“Since you would not give me the favor I asked,”
Scholastica calmly replied, ”I asked God to give it to
me, and he did.”
The brother and sister spent that whole night
talking about God and heaven. In the morning, after
the storm had ended, they each went home. Three
days later, St. Scholastica died. At the same time, in his
own monastery, Benedict was praying. He saw the
soul of his sister flying up to heaven like a dove.
St. Scholastica and St. Benedict helped each
other draw closer to God by the way they treated
one another. Our parents, guardians, teachers and
good friends can all help us to become closer to
God.
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February 11 |
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Our Lady of Lourdes
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It was on February 11, 1858, that a beautiful Lady
first appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in the small
town of Lourdes, France. Bernadette had asthma and
was often sick. Her family was so poor that they
were living in a cold, damp room that had once been
a jail. Even though she was fourteen, Bernadette still
could not read or write. She had a bad memory and
never could remember her religious instruction lessons,
but she loved God very much. She tried to learn
all that she could about God, and she tried even
harder to please him.
The beautiful Lady Bernadette saw appeared in a
grotto, a kind of natural cave carved into a rocky cliff.
She wore a white dress and a light blue sash. A white
veil covered her head and fell over her shoulders to
the ground. On her feet were two lovely golden roses.
Her hands were joined and a rosary hung from her
right arm. Its chain and cross shone like gold. The
lovely Lady encouraged Bernadette to pray the rosary.
The Lady appeared eighteen times to Bernadette. She
asked her to tell the people to pray, to do penance and
to recite the rosary, especially for sinners.
At first, people did not believe that Bernadette was
seeing a beautiful Lady at the grotto, because they
could see no one. But soon large crowds began to follow
her to the site. On February 25, the Lady pointed
to a spot nearby and told Bernadette to scratch at the
ground. A spring of water began to flow. This spring
still produces 27,000 gallons of water each day!
During the last apparition, on March 25, 1858,
Bernadette asked the beautiful Lady her name. The Lady
replied, ”I am the Immaculate Conception.” Bernadette
did not understand what this meant. She hurried to tell
her pastor. The priest understood. This name meant
that the Lady was Mary, the Mother of God!
Bernadette entered the convent in 1866. She lived
a hidden, humble life until her death on April 16,
1879.
Three beautiful churches have been built at different
levels on the rocky cliff where Bernadette saw
the Blessed Mother. Although the apparitions took
place over a hundred years ago, miracles still happen
there. Many people are cured of sicknesses. Some
crippled people walk again. Some blind people see
again. But more importantly, people have their faith
in God renewed and receive many spiritual graces. At
Lourdes, where she once appeared to St. Bernadette,
our Lady still shows her love for all of us.
Let’s try to say the rosary to our Blessed Mother
every day, just as St. Bernadette did. Through this
prayer, we receive all the graces we need for ourselves
and for those we love.
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February 12 |
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St. Meletius
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Meletius lived in the fourth century. The Roman
persecutions were over, and Emperor Constantine
had recognized Christianity as a legal religion in
315. But a serious problem was dividing Christians.
While most people considered themselves Catholic,
others were Arian. The Arians denied that Jesus is
God. They taught that he was only a holy man. Some
people believed this false teaching because they
were very confused.
Meletius loved the Church and was true to
Jesus. He knew and believed that Jesus is God, and
he was not afraid to teach this. Meletius realized
that the Church needed to explain this truth to
everyone. Meletius became the bishop of Antioch
in 361. The Arians were not pleased. For twenty
years, Meletius was a patient, loving bishop. But his
life was made difficult by people who did not
accept him. He often had to go into exile because
other men were claiming to be the bishop of his
diocese. But St. Meletius was the true bishop and
would patiently return as soon as possible. When
Emperor Valens died in 378, the Arians finally
stopped their persecution.
In 381, the famous Council of Constantinople, a
special Church meeting, was called. The bishops
wanted to talk about important truths of our faith.
Bishop Meletius opened the council meetings and
directed the sessions. Then, to the sadness of all the
bishops, he died right there at one of the meetings.
Great saints like John Chrysostom and Gregory
of Nyssa attended his funeral along with all the bishops
at the Council. The people of Constantinople
poured into the church as well. St. Gregory of Nyssa
delivered the funeral homily. He spoke of Bishop
Meletius’ calmness and radiant smile, his fatherly
voice and gentleness. St. Gregory said that Meletius
was a Christ-like bishop whom everyone loved. And
he was right: everyone who loved the Church loved
St. Meletius.
St. Meletius was always kind and good-natured.
Many people made his life difficult, but he never
lost his gentle ways. This is how he proved his love
for Jesus. Let’s try to be kind even to those who are
not kind to us.
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February 13 |
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St. Catherine of Ricci
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Alexandrina was born in 1522 into the Ricci family
of Florence, Italy. When she was about thirteen
years old, she entered the Dominican order. (Girls
could become sisters at a very young age in those
days.) Her new name was Sister Catherine.
Sister Catherine loved Jesus very much. She used
to think a lot about all the sufferings he went
through for all of us. From the time she was twenty
until she was thirty-two years old, Jesus let her have
visions of what his crucifixion was like. This happened
every week. Jesus also gave Catherine the
great privilege of receiving in her own body the
marks of his wounds. This special gift is called the
stigmata. Sister Catherine was happy to share in the
sufferings of Jesus.
Catherine also felt very sorry for those people
who have died but are not yet ready to live with God
in heaven. Their souls must be purified or made
clean before they can see God. This happens in purgatory.
Sister Catherine prayed and did penance for
the souls in purgatory.
When Catherine was thirty, she was elected the
superior of her convent for life. She devoted her time
to prayer, to assisting those who came to her for
advice, and to helping the sick and the poor.
Sister Catherine died at the age of sixty-eight, after
a long, painful illness. It was February 2, 1590. She
was proclaimed a saint by Pope Clement XII in 1747.
We can help the souls in purgatory with our
prayers just as St. Catherine did. We can pray that
they soon may be with the Lord. When they are in
heaven, they will pray for us.
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February 14 |
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St. Cyril and St. Methodius
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These two brothers were from Thessalonica,
Greece. Methodius was born in 815 and Cyril in 827.
Both became priests and shared the same holy desire
to spread the Catholic faith.
In 861, Emperor Michael III asked Cyril and
Methodius to travel to Russia to teach the people
about Jesus. The brothers learned the Russian language
so that they could use it to explain the
Gospel. Many people in Russia understood the message
of Jesus because they heard it in their own
language from Cyril and Methodius. Many asked to
be baptized.
Two years later Prince Rostislav of Moravia asked
Cyril and Methodius to come to bring the good news
of Christ to his land. This time the two brothers used
the Slavonic language in preaching and in the liturgy,
because it was the language the Moravians could
understand.
Some people at that time thought that it was
wrong to use the language of the people instead of
the Latin language in Church services. They complained
about Cyril and Methodius and the two
brothers were called to Rome by Pope Adrian II.
But the Pope was so pleased with their good work
in telling others about Christ, that he gave his
approval and said that Cyril and Methodius should
be made bishops.
Cyril died soon after this in 869, and we don’t
know if he was ever consecrated a bishop. But
Methodius was, and he went back to Moravia. The last
part of his life was spent finishing a translation of
the Bible, a work he had begun with Cyril. Methodius
died in 885. He and Cyril are known as the apostles to
the Slavs. On December 31, 1980, Pope John Paul II
declared St. Cyril and St. Methodius co-patrons of
Europe along with St. Benedict.
We can learn a lot from the generosity of St.
Cyril and St. Methodius. We can also ask them to
help us be respectful of all people even if their religion,
customs, language and culture may be different from our own.
Also traditionally remembered on February 14:
St. Valentine
Valentine was a holy priest who lived in Rome in
the third century. When Emperor Claudius II banned
Christianity, Valentine helped and encouraged the
Christians who faced martyrdom rather than give up
their faith. It is said he even performed marriage ceremonies
for Christian couples.
Then Valentine himself was arrested. When he
refused to give up his faith and worship the pagan
Roman gods, he was put in prison. According to one
legend, the official who imprisoned him had a blind
daughter. Valentine cured her, and the official’s whole
family became Christian. When Valentine was condemned
to death, he wrote a farewell letter to the girl
and signed it, “from your Valentine.” This could be
where we get the custom of sending “Valentines” on
February 14.
St. Valentine was beheaded on February 14 in the
year 269 or 270. He was buried on the Flaminian
Road, where a basilica, a large and beautiful church,
was built in 350.
Some people think the custom of sending
valentines grew from a belief in the Middle Ages
that birds began to choose their mates on
February 14. But the best reason for honoring
St. Valentine as the patron saint of love is his own
great love of God, which never weakened—even at
the cost of his life.
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February 15 |
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St. Faustinus and St. Jovita
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St. Faustinus and St. Jovita were brothers who
lived in Brescia, Italy. They were among the early
Christian martyrs. The two brothers suffered during
the persecution of Emperor Hadrian in the second
century.
From the time they were young, Faustinus and
Jovita were well known for their great love for their
religion. They also performed works of Christian
charity. They helped each other do good for the people
who needed them. The bishop of Brescia made
them both priests. They began to preach everywhere,
to both the rich and the poor. They spared
themselves no sacrifice to bring many people to God.
Because it was a time of persecution, it was easy to
be afraid. But Faustinus and Jovita would not give in
to fear of the soldiers even though these soldiers
were actually putting many Christians to death.
When the emperor heard that Faustinus and
Jovita dared to preach openly about Jesus, he sent
them to prison and had them tortured. He hoped that
torture would stop them from teaching about Jesus.
But the emperor was wrong. No matter what the two
priests suffered, they would not promise to stop
preaching about Jesus. They prayed and offered all
their sufferings to the Lord. Faustinus and Jovita
encouraged each other to be courageous even if they,
too, would have to die as martyrs for Jesus.
Both brothers remained true to their belief in and
love for Jesus until they were martyred. The exact
date of their death was not recorded, but the Church
remembers their heroic example.
God is very pleased to see brothers and sisters
helping one another to study and learn about their
faith. Like St. Faustinus and St. Jovita, they can
encourage each other to love and live for Jesus.
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February 16 |
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St. Onesimus
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Onesimus lived in the first century. He was a
young slave who stole something from his master
and then ran away to Rome. In Rome he went to see
the great apostle, St. Paul, who was in prison for
preaching about Jesus. Paul welcomed Onesimus
with kindness and helped him realize that he had
done wrong to steal. But more than that, Paul led
Onesimus to believe in and accept the Christian faith.
After Onesimus became a Christian, Paul sent him
back to his master, Philemon, who was Paul’s friend.
But Paul did not send the slave back alone and
defenseless. He “armed” Onesimus with a brief, powerful
letter. Paul hoped his letter would set everything
right for his new friend, Onesimus. Paul wrote
to Philemon: “I plead with you for my own son, for
Onesimus. I am sending him back to you. Welcome
him as though he were my very heart.”
That touching letter is now in the New Testament
of the Bible. Philemon accepted Paul’s letter and
Paul’s advice. When Onesimus returned, Philemon
set him free. Later, Onesimus went back to St. Paul
and became his faithful helper.
St. Paul made Onesimus a priest and then a bishop.
The former slave dedicated the rest of his life to preaching
the Good News that had changed his life forever.
If we ever hurt anyone in any way, let’s ask forgiveness
right away. God will be pleased to see that
we’re sorry and he will bless us as he blessed
Onesimus.
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February 17 |
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Seven Founders of the Order of Servites
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In the thirteenth century in the city of Florence,
Italy, seven young men formed a group called the
Praisers of Mary. They met in order to pray, and they
were especially devoted to Mary.
The way they came to be founders of the
Servite Order is remarkable. On the feast of the
Assumption, while the seven friends were deep in
prayer, the Blessed Mother appeared to them. She
inspired them to leave everything behind and to
live alone with God. After several years of living as
hermits, they went to their bishop. They asked him
for a rule of life to follow. The bishop encouraged
them to pray and to ask for guidance from Mary.
Mary again appeared to the men. This time she was
carrying a black habit (a kind of robe). At her side
was an angel holding a scroll with the words
“Servants of Mary” written on it. In this vision, the
Blessed Mother said that she had chosen them to
be her servants. She asked them to wear a black
habit. This was the habit they started to wear in
1240. They also began to live their religious life
according to the rule of St. Augustine.
The seven founders’ names are Bonfilius,
Bonajuncta, Amideus, Hugh, Manettus, Sostenes, and
Alexius. All of them except Alexius became priests.
Alexius felt himself unworthy to be ordained.
Others joined the group and the Servite Order
grew. The purpose of the members was to become
more and more like Jesus, to preach the Gospel, and
to spread devotion to Mary, especially as Our Lady of
Sorrows. The Servite Order was approved by the
Vatican in 1259. The seven holy founders were
declared saints by Pope Leo XIII in 1888.
Like these seven saints, let’s love our Blessed
Mother and ask her to help us in every need.
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February 18 |
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Blessed Elisabetta Canori-Mora
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Elisabetta was born in Rome in 1774 into a well-to-
do Christian family. When she was eleven years
old, she began attending school with the Augustinian
nuns. She was a student with the nuns for three years.
She became very close to God during this time.
When she was twenty-two, Elizabeth married a
lawyer named Cristoforo Mora. They had four children,
but two of them died when they were very
young. Cristoforo turned out to be a cruel husband.
He mistreated Elisabetta. After a while, he left home.
Now Elisabetta had to care for her two children all by
herself.
Elisabetta lived in poverty. She worked as a maid
and took in sewing and laundry to earn some money.
Besides having to provide for her children, she also
had to pay Cristoforo’s debts. But this did not keep
Elisabetta from reaching out to those who had even
less than she did. She shared what little she had with
the poor and she took care of the sick. The doors to
her home were always open to anyone who needed
her help. Because she was a deeply prayerful woman,
she was a source of peace and faith for the discouraged
and hopeless.
Instead of holding a grudge against her husband,
Elisabetta prayed for him and offered up her sufferings
for his conversion. After her death in 1825,
Cristoforo was touched by God’s grace. He repented
of his sins and eventually became a priest.
Elisabetta was beatified in 1994 by Pope John
Paul II.
Blessed Elisabetta faced many difficulties in her
life. But they didn’t make her bitter or self-centered.
Instead, she asked herself what she could do to
make life easier for others. When someone is
unkind to us, we can ask Blessed Elisabetta to help
us be kind and forgiving instead of holding a
grudge.
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February 19 |
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St. Barbatus
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Barbatus was born in Benevento, Italy, in 612. He
took his faith seriously and especially liked to read
the Bible. As soon as he was old enough, Barbatus
was ordained a priest. Later he was made a pastor.
But his life as a pastor was not easy. Some people did
not like it when Father Barbatus encouraged them to
lead better lives or when he reminded them to be
sorry for their sins. Some of the people got angry.
They persecuted him and finally forced him to leave
the parish.
The young priest felt badly. He went back to
Benevento where he had been born. He was
received with great joy. But there were challenges in
that city, too. Many converts to Christianity still kept
pagan idols in their homes. They found it hard to
destroy their good luck charms. They believed in
magical powers. Father Barbatus preached against
these superstitions. But the people hung on to their
false gods. Barbatus warned them that because of
this sin, their city would be attacked by enemies.
And it was.
Afterward, the people gave up their error and
peace returned. Father Barbatus was made bishop. He
continued his work to convert his people. He died on
February 29, 682, at the age of seventy.
Good parish priests, like St. Barbatus, will challenge
us to live according to the teachings of Jesus.
Let’s listen to their advice and follow it.
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February 20 |
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St. Margaret of Cortona
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Margaret was the daughter of a farmer in the
Tuscany region of Italy. Her mother died when she was
only seven years old, and her stepmother treated her
harshly. When she was about sixteen, she ran away
from home to live with a wealthy young man. They
had a son and lived a life of luxury. Nine years after she
went to live with him, the man was murdered.
Margaret realized the life of sin she had been leading,
and decided to change. She was twenty-five years old.
Margaret went to the church at Cortona and confessed
in front of everyone the sins she had committed.
She and her son were taken in by two ladies in
the town, and Margaret joined the Franciscan Third
Order. Two Franciscan friars became her spiritual
directors. They helped her through three difficult
years of discouragement and troubles in prayer. They
also tried to make sure that Margaret’s penances
were not too severe. Because she was so sorry for the
wrong things she had done, Margaret wanted to
make up for her sins by fasting and performing other
acts of self-denial.
After some time spent living all alone, Margaret
devoted herself to the poor and the sick. In 1286 she
received the bishop’s approval to form a community
of women who would care for the sick. She founded
a hospital for this purpose.
Because of her holiness of life, many people came
to her from all over Italy, France and Spain to ask her
advice on spiritual matters. God worked many miracles
of healing through her, and she was able to help
many people to be sorry for their sins. St. Margaret
died at Cortona in 1297.
Instead of becoming discouraged when we do
something wrong, we can be like St. Margaret and
try to do better next time because we want to show
our love for God.
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February 21 |
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St. Peter Damian
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St. Peter Damian was born in 1007, in Ravenna,
Italy. He was left an orphan as a little child. An older
brother brought Peter to live with him, but he treated
him as a servant and sent him to take care of the
pigs. After some time, another brother named
Damian, who was a priest, found out how Peter was
being treated. He took over Peter’s care and treated
him with love and kindness. Peter was so grateful to
his brother Father Damien that he added the name
“Damian” to his own name. Father Damian educated
Peter and encouraged him in his studies. When Peter
grew up, he became a teacher. He was very good at
his work, but God had other plans for him.
Peter Damian lived at a time when many people
in the Church were forgetting that we are all called to
live like Jesus. Peter wanted the Church to shine with
the holiness of Jesus. After seven years of teaching,
Peter made the decision to become a monk. He
would live the rest of his life in prayer and penance
so that many people in the Church would become
holy. In 1035, Peter Damian went to a monastery of
St. Romuald. There he wrote a rule for the monks. He
also wrote a life of St. Romuald. Twice his abbot sent
him to neighboring monasteries. Peter helped the
monks to change their way of life and become closer
to God. The monks were grateful because Peter was
so kind and respectful. Around 1043, the monks elected
Peter abbot. He continually encouraged his monks
to live in imitation of Jesus.
In 1057, Pope Stephen IX named Peter cardinal bishop
of Ostia. Throughout his long life, several
popes sent Peter on missions to straighten out
Church affairs in different places. He also wrote many
books explaining the teachings of the Church.
Peter Damian died in 1072 at the age of eighty three.
Because he did so much to spread the truth of
the Gospel, Pope Leo XII declared him a Doctor of
the Church in 1828.
Even though his older brother was unkind to
him when he was growing up, St. Peter Damian
trusted in God’s love and help. And God took care of
him. Let’s ask St. Peter to let us know how much God
loves us too.
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February 22 |
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Chair of St. Peter
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The feast of the Chair of St. Peter has been celebrated
in Rome since the fourth century. It is a
reminder to us that St. Peter established the Christian
community in Rome. The chair is a symbol of authority,
since a king rules from his throne. But where did
St. Peter’s authority come from?
In the Gospel, we read how Jesus told Peter,
“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my
church” (Mt. 16:18). Jesus knew that when he
ascended back to his Father in heaven, his Church
on earth would need a leader and guide. Jesus
chose Peter to carry out this important mission.
Peter would be the chief shepherd of the flock of
Jesus. In John’s Gospel, the risen Jesus asks Peter
three times, ”Do you love me?” And just as the weak
Peter denied knowing Jesus three times the night
before he died, the Peter strengthened by faith in
the resurrection declared three times, “Yes, Lord.
You know that I love you!” And three times, Jesus
told Peter, ”Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my
sheep.” (See John 21:15-17.)
The bishops of the Church are like shepherds
taking care of their flocks. At first, Peter cared for
God’s people in Jerusalem and in Antioch, two big
cities of the east. Later, he went to preach the Gospel
in Rome, the capital of the world. St. Peter was the
first bishop of the Church in Rome. After he was martyred,
a new bishop was chosen to take his place.
From the beginning of the Church until today, there
has been an unbroken line of bishops following St.
Peter as the bishop of the Church of Rome. And
because Jesus put Peter in charge of all his followers,
Peter and his successors have also been the leaders
of the whole Church throughout the world. The
bishop of Rome is called by a special name. We call
him the pope.
On this special day, we should pray in a special
way for our Holy Father the pope, who leads and
guides the Church with the authority that Jesus gave
St. Peter.
We love and honor the pope because he takes
the place of Jesus on earth. Let’s always pray for our
Holy Father. We ask that God may give him
strength, light and comfort.
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February 23 |
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St. Polycarp
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Polycarp was born around the year 75. He
became a Christian when there were still not many
followers of Jesus. In fact, Polycarp was a disciple of
one of the original apostles, St. John. All that Polycarp
learned from St. John he taught to others. Polycarp
became a priest and then bishop of Smyrna in present-
day Turkey. He was Smyrna’s bishop for many
years. The Christians recognized him as a holy, brave
shepherd.
Christians in Polycarp’s time faced persecution
and death under Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Someone
betrayed Polycarp to the authorities. When his captors
came to arrest him, Polycarp invited them to first
share a meal with him. Then he asked them to let him
pray awhile. When he was brought to trial, the judge
tried to force Bishop Polycarp to save himself from
death by cursing Jesus. ”I have served Jesus all my life,”
answered Polycarp, “and he has never done me any
wrong. How can I curse my King who died for me?”
After he had said this, the soldiers tied Polycarp’s
hands behind his back. The old bishop was then
placed on a burning pile. But the fire did not harm
him. One of the soldiers then thrust a lance into his
heart. And so, in the year 155, when he was eighty
years old, Polycarp died a martyr. He went to live for-
ever with Jesus, the Divine Master whom he had
served so bravely.
St. Polycarp chose to die rather than curse Jesus.
We have many choices to make every day too. If we
want to be good and strong Christians like Polycarp
we will choose to watch only good TV shows and
videos, listen to good music, and be careful about
the kinds of books and magazines we read. Our
choices will also determine the kind of language we
use and the way we treat our family and friends.
The choices we make are very important.
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February 24 |
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Blessed Josefa Naval Girbes
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Josefa was born on December 11, 1820, in a town
near Valencia in Spain. When her mother died in
1833, Josefa took over the running of the household.
When she was eighteen, she joined the Carmelite
Third Order and took a private vow of chastity, promising
never to get married.
Josefa gave embroidery classes in her home. As
she taught the girls the art of embroidery, she also
taught them about God. She prayed with her pupils
and encouraged them to lead holy lives. Because of
her good example and the wonderful things she
taught them about the Lord, many of the young
women who took her embroidery classes were
inspired to enter the religious life. As Pope John Paul II
said at her beatification, ”her students filled the cloistered
convents while she followed her vocation as an
unmarried woman in the world.”
In 1885, a cholera epidemic broke out. Josefa
bravely and selflessly brought relief and comfort to
the sick and dying. Josefa’s love of neighbor was a
direct result of her love of God. God allowed Josefa to
become very, very close to him.
Josefa died on February 24, 1893. She was beatified
on September 25, 1988, by Pope John Paul II.
No matter what walk of life God has called us to,
we are all called to become saints. Like Blessed Josefa,
we can witness to Jesus and lead lives of prayer and
goodness wherever we are or whatever we’re doing.
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February 25 |
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St. Caesarius of Nazianzen
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Caesarius lived in the fourth century in the area
that is today the country of Turkey. His father was the
bishop of Nazianzen. (At that time bishops and priests
could be married.) Caesarius’ brother is St. Gregory of
Nazianzen (Gregory’s feast day is January 2).
Both Caesarius and Gregory received an excellent
education. Gregory wanted to become a priest, and
Caesarius wanted to become a doctor. The two
brothers went to the schools that would help them
reach their goals.
Caesarius completed his studies in medicine at
Constantinople. He soon became a well-known and
trusted doctor. In fact, Emperor Constantius, who
lived in Constantinople, wanted Caesarius to be his
personal physician. Caesarius thanked the emperor
but kindly refused. He wanted to go back to
Nazianzen, his home city.
Some time later, however, Caesarius was called to
serve the new emperor at Constantinople. This
emperor is known in history as Julian the Apostate.
(An apostate was someone who gave up the
Christian faith.) Emperor Julian had issued several
official orders against the Christians. He knew that
Caesarius was a Christian, but he liked him because
he was such a good doctor. Julian tried to talk
Caesarius into giving up his faith. He even offered
him bribes and privileges. But Caesarius remained
faithful. He followed the advice of his father and
brother and went back to Nazianzen.
In 368, Caesarius was almost killed in an earthquake.
He escaped unharmed but was badly shaken
by the incident. He felt that God was telling him to
live a life of prayer away from the noise and flattery
of the court. Caesarius gave away his possessions to
the poor. He began to live a quiet, prayerful life.
St. Caesarius died shortly after in 369. His brother,
St. Gregory, preached the homily at his funeral.
We all have a special call or vocation to follow
in life. God has given us the gifts we need to live
that vocation. Like St. Caesarius, we need the wisdom
to listen to people we trust. We also need to
refuse to follow people who want us to use our talents
or education in wrong ways.
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February 26 |
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St. Porphyry
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Porphyry was born in 353 to wealthy, noble parents.
He left his family when he was twenty-five.
Porphyry went to Egypt to enter a monastery. After five
years, he made a trip to Jerusalem. He wanted to visit
the places where Jesus had actually been while he was
on earth. Porphyry was very impressed by the Holy
Land. His love for Jesus made him more deeply aware
of the sufferings of the poor. At home in Thessalonica
he had never known what it was like to be poor. Now
he still owned all that his parents had left him. But not
for long. He asked his friend Mark to go to Thessalonica
and sell everything for him. After three months, Mark
returned with the money. Porphyry then gave it away
to those who really needed it.
At the age of forty, Porphyry became a priest. He
was given care of the relics of the true cross of Jesus.
Porphyry was then made bishop of Gaza. He worked
generously to lead the people to believe in Jesus. But
his labors were slow and required heroic patience.
Most of the people of Gaza at that time followed
pagan practices and superstitions. Although
Porphyry was able to stop many of these practices,
he had enemies who made him suffer greatly.
Others who were Christians loved and admired
him deeply. They prayed and sacrificed for him. They
begged the Lord to preserve him. Bishop Porphyry
spent many years strengthening the Christian community.
He was never afraid to teach others about
Jesus. He died in 420.
The story of St. Porphyry teaches us that we
should not be superstitious and believe in things
such as good luck charms. God is the one who
watches over us and gives us all the help we need,
if we ask him.
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February 27 |
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St. Gabriel Possenti
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This saint was born in Assisi, Italy, in 1838. He
received the name Francis at baptism, in honor of the
great St. Francis of Assisi. His mother died when he
was only four. Francis’s father sent for a governess to
raise him and the other children.
Francis grew to be very handsome and likable. He
was often the most popular person at a party. He
loved to have fun, but there was another side to him,
too. Even while having good times, he was sometimes
bored. He couldn’t explain why. He seemed to feel in
his heart a strong desire for God and the deeper
things of life.
Twice Francis became so sick that he nearly died.
Each time he promised our Lady that if she would
obtain his cure, he would become a religious. He did
get better both times, but he didn’t keep his promise.
One day, he saw a picture of the Sorrowful Mother
that was being carried in a procession. It seemed that
the Blessed Mother was looking straight at him. At the
same time, he heard a voice in his heart telling him,
“Francis, the world is not for you anymore.”
That did it. Francis entered the Passionist
monastery. He was eighteen years old. The new name
he took was Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. Gabriel’s
great loves became the Holy Eucharist and Mary, the
Sorrowful Mother. He loved to spend time thinking
about the passion of Jesus and how much the Lord
had suffered for him. Gabriel also learned to practice
two virtues in a special way: humility and obedience.
His special trademark was joy. He was always happy,
and he spread happiness to those around him. After
only a few short years in the Passionist Order, Gabriel
died on February 27, 1862.He was proclaimed a saint
by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.
Trying to have only good times will leave us
empty and dissatisfied. True happiness comes from
living according to God’s plan. We can ask St. Gabriel
to help us find real joy and meaning in our lives.
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February 28 |
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St. Romanus and St. Lupicinus
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These French saints were brothers who lived in
the fifth century. As a young man, Romanus was
admired by everyone for his goodness. He had a great
desire to become a saint. Since he saw that in the
world it was too easy to forget about God, Romanus
decided to live as a hermit. First, he asked the advice
of a holy monk, and then he started off. He took a
book with him. It was The Lives of the Fathers of the
Desert by Cassian. He also took seeds to plant and a
few tools. With these supplies, he went into the
forests of the Jura Mountains between Switzerland
and France. Romanus found a huge fir tree and settled
beneath it. He spent his time praying and reading his
book. He also planted and cared for his garden, quietly
enjoying nature.
Soon afterward, his brother Lupicinus joined him.
The two brothers were very different. Romanus was
hard on himself. However, he was kind and gentle
and full of understanding with others. Lupicinus was
demanding with himself and usually the same with
others. But he meant well. The two brothers understood
each other and got along fine.
Many men came to join them. They wanted to be
monks, too, so they built two monasteries. Romanus
was the abbot of one and Lupicinus was the abbot of
the other. The monks lived simple, hard lives. They
prayed much and made sacrifices cheerfully. They
performed penances to strengthen themselves in
their vocation. They had a farm and worked very
hard growing their own food. They kept silent all the
time so that they could listen to and speak to God. Romanus died in 460. His younger brother,
Lupicinus, died in 480.
St. Romanus and St. Lupicinus were both saints,
even though they had different personalities. God
gave each of us our own unique personality, which
makes us different from any other person on earth.
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