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January 1 |
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Mary, Mother of God
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Today we begin a new year. It’s one week since
Christmas Day. In the nativity scene we have at home
or at our parish, we gaze at Baby Jesus in the manger
just as the shepherds did so long ago. We see Mary,
his mother, and Joseph, Jesus’ foster-father.
Mary was the daughter of Joachim and Anne. She
loved God and her Jewish religion very much. Her
neighbors probably thought Mary was very ordinary.
It would be God’s work in her that would make her
so special, so full of grace.
God chose Mary from all women to be the mother
of his Son. The Lord sent the Archangel Gabriel to
Mary’s town of Nazareth. Gabriel asked Mary to
become the mother of God’s Son. Mary wanted to
please God, and so she answered “yes.” With her “yes,”
Mary became pregnant through the power of the
Holy Spirit. She became Jesus’ mother. Because she is
the mother of Jesus, God’s Son, Mary really is the
Mother of God! What a blessing it was for Mary and
her husband, Joseph, to be the ones to raise Jesus!
They spent many happy years with him in Nazareth.
When Jesus was about thirty years old, he began
his preaching and healing ministry. This is usually
called his public life. (It seems that Joseph had died
sometime before.) Mary often went with her friends
to be near her Son and listen to his words. One day,
she attended a marriage celebration in a town called
Cana. Jesus and his disciples came too. When the
wine ran out, Mary asked Jesus to do something. She
wanted him to save the couple from being embarrassed
in front of their guests. That’s when Jesus
worked the miracle of turning plain water into delicious
wine!
Mary loved Jesus and believed in him. She was
there when he was nailed to the cross. She received
his body into her arms after he had died and was
taken down from the cross. After Jesus’ resurrection,
Mary waited with Jesus’ apostles for the coming
of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The apostles
loved her. They knew they needed more courage to
be real followers of Jesus. Mary prayed for them and
encouraged them. She taught them how to be disciples
of her Son. Mary’s feast days are special
events that we celebrate throughout the year.
Today we honor Mary as God’s Mother by going to
Mass. We can be very happy because Jesus gave
Mary to us as our mother, too.
Mary’s life was closely connected with the life of
Jesus. To remember the events of Mary’s life is to
remember the life of Jesus too. Let’s ask Mary to help
us love her Son Jesus more each day of this new year.
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January 2 |
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St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen
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Basil and Gregory were born around the year 329
in Asia Minor. Today we call this area Turkey. Basil’s
grandmother, father, mother, two brothers and a sister
are all saints. Gregory’s parents are St. Nonna and St.
Gregory the Elder. Basil and Gregory met and became
great friends at school in Athens, Greece.
Basil became a well-known teacher. But he wasn’t
satisfied. He felt that God was calling him to live as a
monk. Basil visited monasteries in Syria, Egypt and
Palestine, then moved to the wilderness and started
his first monastery. The rule he gave his monks was
very wise. Monasteries in the East have followed it
down to our own times.
Both Basil and Gregory became priests and then
bishops. They often preached about the Holy Trinity,
because the errors of Arianism were confusing many
people. Arianism was a teaching that denied that
Jesus is God.
While he was bishop of Constantinople, Gregory
converted many people with his wonderful preaching.
But it nearly cost him his life! Once, a young man
planned to murder him. He repented at the last moment
and begged Gregory’s forgiveness. Gregory did forgive
him and won him over with his gentle goodness.
Forty-four of Gregory’s speeches, 243 letters and
many poems were published. His writings are still
important today. Many people have based their writings
on his.
Gregory’s good friend Basil had a very kind and
generous heart. He always found time to help the poor.
He even invited poor people to help those who were
worse off. ”Give your last loaf of bread to the beggar at
your door,” he urged, “and trust in God’s goodness.”
Gregory sold his inheritance to help the poor. He also
built a hospital where he visited the sick.
Basil died in 379 at the age of fifty. Gregory died
in 389 at the age of sixty. He is buried in St. Peter’s
Basilica in Rome.
Our education, time and talents are all gifts
that God has given us. If we want to be like St.
Gregory, we can use these gifts to help the people
around us become closer to God.
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January 3 |
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Most Holy Name of Jesus
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In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul wrote: “At
the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10).
The name “Jesus” means “God saves” in Hebrew.
This name was given to God the Son by the angel
Gabriel at the annunciation. The name “Jesus” tells us
who our Lord is and what he came on earth to do.
Jesus came to save us, his people, from our sins. St.
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, declared, ”There is no
other name under heaven given to the human race
by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12).
In the fifteenth century, St. Bernardine of Siena
promoted devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. He
preached about the power of Jesus’ name and was
responsible for the addition of the name Jesus to
the Hail Mary: ”Blessed is the fruit of your womb,
Jesus.”
Through the centuries, the Church has taught us
to use the name of Jesus with reverence and love. In
the liturgy, we end every prayer with the words,
“through our Lord Jesus Christ.” There is even a
short prayer called The Jesus Prayer, which is very
easy to memorize and repeat. It goes like this: ”Lord
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
“ Many great followers of Jesus, such as St. Joan
of Arc, have died pronouncing his name as a prayer.
We should always use the holy name of Jesus
with respect. It’s a very bad habit to use the Lord’s
name in the wrong way, and we should never do
this. When we hear other people using the name of
Jesus disrespectfully, we can make up for it by praying
silently, “Blessed be the name of Jesus.”
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January 4 |
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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
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“Mother Seton” was the name everyone knew
Elizabeth by when she died on January 4, 1821, in
Emmitsburg, Maryland. A life full of surprises had led
to that name.
Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born in New York City
on August 28, 1774. Her father, Richard Bayley, was a
well-known doctor. Her mother, Catherine, died
when Elizabeth was just three years old.
In 1794, Elizabeth married William Seton. He was a
rich merchant who owned a fleet of ships. Elizabeth,
William, and their five children had a happy life together.
Elizabeth devoted her time to her family, to helping
others, and to prayer. The Seton family belonged to
Trinity Episcopal Church in New York City.
But soon, Elizabeth’s happy life would change.
First her father, whom she loved very much, died.
Then her father-in-law also died, and the Seton fortune
quickly dwindled. Next Elizabeth’s husband
Will became sick.
In October, 1803, Elizabeth brought Will to Italy, hoping
the climate there might help him get better. With
their oldest daughter, Anna, they journeyed by ship. But
Will died shortly after their arrival. In her grief, Elizabeth
prayed, ”My God, I am alone in the world with you and
my little ones. But you are my Father and doubly theirs.”
Elizabeth and Anna remained in Italy as guests of
the Filicchi family. The Filicchis were very kind. They
tried to ease Elizabeth and Anna’s sorrow by sharing
with them their own deep love for the Catholic faith.
Elizabeth returned home to New York convinced that
she would become a Catholic. Her family and friends
didn’t understand and were upset with her decision.
But Elizabeth went ahead with courage. She joined
the Catholic Church on March 14, 1805.
A few years later, Elizabeth was asked to come
and open a girls’ school in Baltimore. It was there that
Elizabeth decided to live as a religious sister. Many
women came to join her, including her sister and sister-
in-law. Her own daughters, Anna and Catherine,
also joined the group. They became the Sisters of
Charity, and Elizabeth was given the title “Mother
Seton.” The sisters’ first house was small, with no running
water. In the winter, they would wake up in the
morning covered with a dusting of snow that had fallen
through the roof! They had to walk several miles
every Sunday to attend Mass in town.
More young women came to join Mother Seton,
and the community grew. The sisters moved into a
larger house, and Elizabeth’s good works continued
to spread. Besides founding many Catholic schools,
she also opened orphanages. She even made plans
for a hospital, which was begun after her death.
Elizabeth loved to write. She also translated some
textbooks from French to English. But she was best
known for the way she visited the poor and the sick.
Elizabeth was canonized a saint by Pope Paul VI
on September 14, 1975. She is the first U.S.-born citizen
to be declared a saint.
Whenever we have a problem we can talk to
God about it. He will always help us to know
what to do. When we trust God as St. Elizabeth
Seton did, he will bring good out of even difficult
situations.
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January 5 |
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St. John Neumann
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John Nepomucene Neumann was born on March
28, 1811, in Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech
Republic. His parents were Philip and Agnes
Neumann. John had four sisters and a brother. After
finishing college, he entered the seminary. John was
very intelligent and did really well in his studies. He
learned to speak eight modern languages fluently,
besides Latin, Greek, and Hebrew!
But when it came time for ordination, there was a
problem. John could not be ordained because
Bohemia had more than enough priests just then!
Since he had been reading about missionary activities
in the United States, John decided to go to America to
be ordained. He walked most of the way to France
and then boarded the ship Europa.
John arrived in Manhattan on June 9, 1836. Bishop
John Dubois was very happy to see him. There were
only thirty-six priests to serve the 200,000 Catholics living
in the state of New York and part of New Jersey. Just
sixteen days after his arrival, John was ordained a priest
and sent to Buffalo, New York. There he would help
Father Pax care for his parish, which was 900 square
miles in size. ”Father John, would you like to work in the
city or in a country area?” Father Pax asked him. Now
John’s heroic character began to show. ”I’d like to work
in the country,” John responded. He knew that this was
the more difficult area. Father John decided to stay in a
little town with an unfinished church. Once it was completed,
he moved to another town that had a log-church.
There he built himself a small log cabin. The farms in his
area were far apart. John had to walk long distances to
reach his people. They were German, French, Irish and
Scotch. In addition to the languages he already spoke,
John now learned English and Gaelic. Before he died, he
knew and spoke twelve different languages!
Father John joined the Redemptorist Order and
continued his missionary work. He became bishop of
Philadelphia in 1852. Bishop John Neumann built
fifty churches and began building a cathedral. He
opened almost one hundred schools. During the time
he was bishop, the number of parochial school students
grew from 500 to 9,000. Bishop John made sure
to visit all his parishes on a regular basis. Once, he
even walked twenty-five miles both ways to administer
the sacrament of Confirmation to a boy.
Bishop John died suddenly on January 5, 1860.
He was walking home from an appointment when he
suffered a stroke and fell to the ground. He was
carried into the nearest house and died there at
3:00 P.M. Bishop John Neumann would have been
forty-nine that March. He was proclaimed a saint by
Pope Paul VI on June 19, 1977.
St. John put his whole self into the work God
gave him to do. Instead of looking for an easier life,
he chose to do as much as he could and as cheerfully
as possible. The little everyday things we must
do are the work God gives us. Like St. John
Neumann, let’s do them with all our hearts.
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January 6 |
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Blessed André Bessette
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Alfred Bessette was born on August 9, 1845, not
far from Montreal, Canada. He was the eighth of
twelve children. When Alfred was nine, his father, a
woodcutter, died in an accident at work. Three years
later, Alfred’s mother died of tuberculosis. The
Bessette children were placed in different homes.
Alfred went to live with his aunt and uncle.
Because his family had been so poor and he was
often sick, Alfred had very little education. So for the
next thirteen years he tried learning farming,
shoemaking and baking. He even worked in a factory
in Connecticut. But his poor health kept him from
continuing a trade.
When Alfred was twenty-five years old, he
joined the Congregation of the Holy Cross and
chose the name Brother André. He spent the next
forty years as a general maintenance man and messenger.
The remaining years of his life were spent
as the doorkeeper for his congregation’s college.
Here, Brother André became known for his healing
power. When people came to ask him for a cure,
he would tell them to first thank God for their suffering
because it was so valuable. Then he would
pray with them. Most of the people he prayed with
were cured. Brother André always refused credit
for any healing. He insisted that cures were due to
the person’s faith in God and the intercession of
St. Joseph.
Brother André had a great love for the Eucharist
and for St. Joseph. When he was young, he dreamt he
saw a big church, but he couldn’t tell where it was.
Little by little he came to realize that God wanted a
church built in honor of St. Joseph. That church was
to be erected on top of Mount Royale in Montreal,
Canada. Prayer and the sacrifices of Brother André and
many other people made the dream come true. The
magnificent church honoring St. Joseph was built. It is
called St. Joseph’s Oratory and is a testimony to
Brother André’s great faith. Pilgrims continue to come
to St. Joseph’s all year long. Some come from distant
places. They want to honor St. Joseph and show their
trust in his loving care, as Brother André did.
Brother André died peacefully on January 6, 1937.
Nearly a million people climbed Mount Royale to St.
Joseph’s Oratory for his funeral. They came in spite
of sleet and snow to say good-bye to their dear friend.
Brother André was proclaimed “blessed” on May 23,
1982, by Pope John Paul II.
Brother André is remembered for his deep devotion
to St. Joseph, which helped him to live a holy
life. We can learn a lot from the examples of the
saints. By reading about their lives and praying to
them, we will form close friendships with them. The
saints will help us to live as good friends of Jesus—
just as they did.
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January 7 |
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St. Raymond of Peñafort
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Raymond was born in 1175 in a little town near
Barcelona, Spain. He was educated at the cathedral
school in Barcelona and became a priest. Raymond
graduated from law school in Bologna, Italy, and
became a famous teacher. He joined the Dominican
Order in 1222 and became a priest. Father Raymond
preached throughout Spain, hearing confessions and
bringing many people back to God and the Church.
In 1230, Pope Gregory IX asked him to come to
Rome. When Raymond arrived, the Pope gave him
several assignments. One duty was to collect and
publish all the official letters of the popes since 1150,
which was the last time such a work had been done.
It took Raymond three years to gather all the letters.
He published them in five books. Raymond also
helped to write Church law.
In 1238, Raymond was elected master general
(the highest superior) of the Dominicans. With his
knowledge of law, he revised the order’s rule, making
it clearer and easier to understand. At the age of
sixty-five, he resigned his position and dedicated
the rest of his life to parish work. That is what he
really wanted to do. His compassion helped many
people return to God through the sacrament of
Reconciliation.
During his years in Rome, Raymond learned of
the difficulties that missionaries were having. They
were trying hard to bring the Gospel to people in
Northern Africa and Spain. To help the missionaries,
Raymond started a school that taught the language
and culture of the people to be evangelized. Father
Raymond also asked the famous Dominican, St.
Thomas Aquinas, to write a booklet. This booklet
would explain the truths of the Catholic faith in a
way that non-Christians could understand. (We celebrate
the feast of St. Thomas on January 28.)
Raymond lived nearly one hundred years. He died
in Barcelona on January 6, 1275. He was proclaimed
a saint in 1601 by Pope Clement VIII. This pope
declared Raymond the patron of Church lawyers
because of his great influence on Church law.
St. Raymond could never have done as much as
he did without his love for prayer and for the
Blessed Mother. Sometimes, when we have a lot to
do, we might think that we’re too busy to pray. But
when we put God first and make time for prayer,
God will always help us, and we’ll be surprised to
see how much we get done!
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January 8 |
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St. Andrew Corsini
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Andrew Corsini was born in Italy in 1302. Before
he was born, his mother had a mysterious dream. She
dreamt that she gave birth to a wolf. In her dream, the
wolf went into a church and was changed into a
lamb. Later, when Andrew was living an out-of-control
life as a young man, his mother told him, ”You are the
wolf I dreamt about.” The next day, Andrew went into
a Carmelite church to pray. While he was praying, he
felt inspired to change his life and become a
Carmelite priest.
As a priest, Andrew worked in Florence, and then
went to France to continue his studies. He became
well known for his gifts of prophecy and healing. He
also was able to convince sinners to repent and lead
holy lives. Once he even helped his cousin overcome
a gambling problem.
In 1349, Andrew was chosen to be bishop of
Fiesole. Because he felt he was not worthy, Andrew
tried to hide. But a child found him by accident, and
he was made a bishop. He lived a humble life and
practiced penances. Every Thursday he washed the
feet of the poor in memory of the time that Jesus
washed his apostles’ feet on Holy Thursday. Besides
his works of kindness to the poor, Bishop Andrew
also became known as a peacemaker, and he was sent
by the pope to Bologna to settle a dispute between
the nobility and the people of that city.
Bishop Andrew Corsini became ill on Christmas
night in 1372, and died on January 6, 1373. He was
declared a saint in 1629.
We can be peacemakers just like St. Andrew.
When we treat people with love and respect, we are
spreading peace. When we forgive those who have
hurt us, we are spreading peace. When we try to
cheer up people who are sad, we are spreading peace.
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January 9 |
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St. Adrian of Canterbury
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Adrian was from Africa. He became a Benedictine
monk in a monastery near Naples, Italy. He would
have preferred to remain a simple monk, but his holiness
and intelligence led his community to choose
him as their abbot.
After a few years, the archbishop of Canterbury,
England died. Pope Vitalian chose Adrian to take his
place. But Adrian didn’t want a position of such
importance. He asked the pope to choose someone
else. Adrian even recommended Theodore of Tarsus,
who was also well qualified. The pope agreed, but he
asked Adrian to go to Canterbury with Theodore, as
his adviser.
On the way to England, Theodore and Adrian
were arrested in France. They were suspected of
being supporters of the Byzantine emperor who
wanted to take over the west. They were kept in
custody for two years. After their release, they finally
made their way to England, where Theodore took
his place as archbishop of Canterbury. Theodore
named Adrian abbot of Saints Peter and Paul
Monastery, which later became St. Augustine’s.
Adrian was abbot of this monastery for thirty-nine
years. He turned it into a wonderful center of learning.
Adrian taught Sacred Scripture, theology, law,
Greek, and Latin at the monastery.
Adrian died in the year 710 on January 9. He
was buried in his monastery, which quickly became
famous for the miracles that took place there.
St. Adrian would have chosen to live the quiet
life of a monk. But God had other plans. He wanted
Adrian to travel and to be very active. This shows
that we can be close to God no matter what we are
doing or where we are. We are always close to God
because God lives in our hearts.
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January 10 |
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St. John the Almsgiver
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John was a dedicated Christian nobleman from
the island of Cyprus. He used his wealth and position
to help poor people. After his wife and child died,
John gave his belongings to the poor and became a
priest. Later he was ordained a bishop. In 608, Bishop
John was consecrated the patriarch of Alexandria,
Egypt. What could people expect of this man who
now had such an important position? John focused
his efforts on healing the divisions among his people.
He made up his mind to practice a “charity without
limits.” The first thing he did was to ask for a complete
list of his “masters.” ”What do you mean?” the other
priests asked in surprise. ”I mean that I would like a
list of all the poor people in Alexandria,” Bishop John
explained. ”They will be my masters because I have
come to serve them.” Bishop John discovered that
there were 7,500 poor people living in Alexandria! He
promised to be their personal protector.
As patriarch, Bishop John passed laws and corrected
things that were not right. He was respectful
and kind, but firm. Every Wednesday and Friday he
met with anyone who wished to see him. People
lined up and waited patiently for their turn. Some
were rich. Some were homeless and destitute. All
received the same respect and attention. When John
found out that the church treasury had 80,000
pieces of gold, he divided it all among the hospitals
and monasteries. He set up a system that provided
poor people with the money they needed to support
themselves. He warmly welcomed refugees
from neighboring areas. After the Persians had plundered
Jerusalem, Bishop John sent money and supplies
to the suffering people. He even sent workmen
to assist in rebuilding the churches there.
When people wanted to know how Bishop John
could be so charitable and unselfish, he had an amazing
answer. Once when he was very young he had a
dream or vision. He saw a beautiful girl and he realized
that she represented “charity.” She told him: “I
am the oldest daughter of the King. If you are devoted
to me, I will lead you to Jesus. No one is as powerful
with him as I am. Remember, it was for me that
he became a baby to redeem humankind.” John
never tired of telling about that vision. He gently led
the rich to be generous. He helped the poor trust
that God would always be there for them.
St. John died peacefully on November 11, 619.
Because of his great charity, he is called “the almsgiver,“ which means someone who gives money, food, or
clothing to those who need it.
Sometimes we might be tempted to think only of
ourselves. When we have thoughts and attitudes
like this, we can pray to St. John. We can ask him to
teach us to be as loving and generous as he was.
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January 11 |
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Blessed Bernard of Corleone
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Philip Latini was born in 1605. When he grew up,
he became a shoemaker in Sicily, Italy. Philip did not
lead a very religious life. In fact, he hardly ever
thought about God. Once in a while he even found
himself in trouble with the law.
Philip was a skilled swordsman. One day in 1632,
he wounded a police officer. He ran into a church so
that he couldn’t be arrested. While he was there, he
had time to think. Little by little, a change began to
come over him. Philip realized that if he continued living
his life as he was, he would spend the rest of it in
jail! God gave him the grace to want to live a better life.
Philip entered the Capuchin Order as a lay brother.
He received the new name Bernard. He devoted
himself to prayer, penance, and humble service. He
spent the second half of his life making up for the
sins he had committed in the first half.
God was pleased with Bernard, and even blessed
him with many special gifts. Bernard soon became
known for his miracles and prophecies. He also had
the gift of levitation, which means that he would
sometimes rise off the ground while he was praying.
Bernard died on January 12, 1667 in Palermo,
Italy. He was beatified in 1768.
To become saints, we don’t have to be able to perform
miracles as Blessed Bernard did. These gifts
are not what made the saints holy. Loving God and
other people, praying and obeying the Ten
Commandments are what make a person holy.
These are the things we should try to imitate in the
lives of the saints.
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January 12 |
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St. Marguerite Bourgeoys
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Marguerite was born in Troyes, France, on April
17, 1620. She was the sixth of twelve children. Her
parents were hardworking, religious people. When
Marguerite was nineteen, her mother died. Marguerite
took care of her younger brothers and sisters.
Her father died when she was twenty-seven. The
family was now raised, and Marguerite prayed to
know what to do with her life. The governor of
Montreal, Canada, was visiting France at that time, trying
to find teachers for the New World. He invited
Marguerite to come to Montreal to teach school and
religion classes. She accepted.
Marguerite gave the inheritance her parents had
left her to other members of the family. They couldn‘t believe that she would really leave their civilized
country to go to live in the wilderness an ocean away.
But on June 20, 1653, she did just that. She sailed from
France and arrived in Canada in mid-November.
Marguerite began the construction of a chapel in
honor of Our Lady of Good Help in 1657.She opened
her first school in 1658.Soon Marguerite realized that
she needed more teachers. She sailed to France in
1659 and returned to Canada with four companions.
In 1670, she went to France again. This time she
brought six more teachers back to Canada with her.
These brave women became the first sisters of the
Congregation of Notre Dame.
Mother Marguerite and her sisters helped people
in the colony survive when food was scarce. They
opened a vocational school and taught young people
how to run a home and farm. Mother Marguerite’s
congregation was growing. By 1681 there were
eighteen sisters. Seven of them were Canadian. They
opened more missions, including a Native American
mission. Mother Marguerite herself received the first
two Native American women into the congregation.
In 1693, Mother Marguerite asked Sr. Marie Barbier,
the first Canadian to join the order, to take over as
the community’s superior. The Church approved
Marguerite’s religious rule in 1698. Marguerite spent
her last few years praying and writing the story of her
life. On the last day of 1699, a young sister lay dying.
Mother Marguerite asked the Lord to take her own life
in exchange. By the morning of January I, 1700, the sister
was completely well, and Mother Marguerite had
a very high fever. She suffered for twelve days and died
on January 12, 1700. Pope John Paul II proclaimed
Marguerite Bourgeoys a saint on April 2, 1982.
When we feel we don’t have enough courage to
do what God asks of us, we can ask St. Marguerite
to make us brave and generous like her. We can ask
her to help us to be more concerned about helping
others than about our personal comfort.
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January 13 |
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St. Hilary of Poitiers
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In the early centuries of Christianity, there were
still many people who did not believe in God as we do.
They believed that there were many gods, some more
powerful than others. In the year 315, Hilary was born
into just such a family in Poitiers, a town in France. His
family was rich and well known. Hilary received a
good education. He married and raised a family.
Through his studies, Hilary learned that a person
should practice patience, kindness, justice and as
many good habits as possible. These good acts would
be rewarded in the life after death. Hilary’s studies
also convinced him that there could only be one God
who is eternal, all-powerful and good. He read the
Bible for the first time. When he came to the story of
Moses and the burning bush, Hilary was very
impressed by the name God gave himself: I AM WHO
AM. Hilary read the writings of the prophets, too.
Then he read the whole New Testament. By the time
he finished, Hilary was completely converted to
Christianity, and he asked to be baptized.
Hilary lived the faith so well that he was appointed
a bishop. This did not make his life easy because
the emperor was interfering in Church matters.
When Hilary opposed him, the emperor exiled him.
That was when Hilary’s great virtues of patience and
courage stood out. He accepted exile calmly and used
the time to write books explaining the Catholic faith.
Since he was becoming famous, Hilary’s enemies
asked the emperor to send him back to his home in
France. They hoped that people would pay less attention
to him there. So Hilary was sent back to Poitiers
in 360.He continued writing and teaching the people
about the faith. Hilary died eight years later, at the age
of fifty-two. His books have influenced the Church
right to our own day. That is why he is called a
Doctor of the Church.
Faith is a wonderful gift from God. Because St.
Hilary was honest in seeking the truth, God blessed
him with the gift of faith. We have received the gift
of faith too. Let’s try to make our faith stronger by
praying every day and by always being eager to
learn more about God.
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January 14 |
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St. Macrina the Elder
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On January 2, we celebrated the feast of St. Basil
the Great, who was a grandchild of today’s saint,
St. Macrina. Basil, who was born around 329, came
from a family of saints. Macrina, his father’s mother,
was one of his favorites. She seems to have raised
Basil. As an adult, Basil praised his grandmother for all
the good she had done for him. He especially thanked
her for having taught him to love the Christian faith
from the time he was very small.
Macrina and her husband learned the high price of
being true to their Christian beliefs. During one of the
Roman persecutions, they were forced into hiding.
They found refuge in the forest near their home.
Somehow the couple managed to escape their persecutors.
They were always hungry and afraid, but they
would not give up their faith. Instead, they patiently
waited and prayed for the terrible persecution to end.
It lasted for seven long years. During that time Macrina
and her husband hunted for food. They managed to
survive by eating wild vegetation. St. Gregory
Nazianzen, who shares St. Basil’s feast day on January 2,
is the one who wrote down these few details about
St. Basil’s grandparents.
During another persecution, Macrina and her husband
had all their property and belongings taken
from them. They were left with nothing but their
faith and trust in God’s care for them.
St. Macrina lived longer than her husband, but the
exact year of each of their deaths is not known. It is
believed that Macrina died around 340. Her grandchild,
St. Basil, died in 379.
St. Macrina was a loving grandmother. She
showed Basil and the rest of her family the beauty
of Christianity by really living all that she believed
in. We can ask St. Macrina to help us to be strong
Christians too.
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January 15 |
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St. Paul the Hermit
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Paul was born into a Christian family in the year
229. They lived in Thebes, Egypt. Paul’s parents showed
him by their own lives how to love God and worship
him with one’s whole heart. Paul was very sad to lose
both his parents when he was just fifteen years old.
A few years later, in 250, Emperor Decius started
a cruel persecution of the Christians. Paul hid in his
friend’s home, but he still wasn’t safe. His brother-in-law
was after his money and property. Paul realized
that this greedy relative could easily betray him to the
authorities, so he ran away to the desert. Paul found a
cave near a palm tree and a spring of fresh water and
he settled there. He sewed palm branches together
for clothes, and he lived on fruit and water.
Paul had intended to stay in the desert only until
the persecution was over. But by the time it ended,
he had fallen in love with his life of prayer. He felt so
close to God. How could he give it all up? He decided
to remain in the desert and never return to his
wealthy city life. He would spend his life praying for
the needs of all people and offering God penances to
make up for sin.
There was another holy hermit living in the desert
at that same time. His name was Anthony. Anthony
thought he was the only hermit. But God showed Paul
to him in a dream and told Anthony to go visit him.
Paul was so happy to see Anthony because he
knew he was going to die in a few days. Anthony
was sad because he didn’t want to lose his new
friend so soon. But, as Paul predicted, he died on
January 15, 342, at the age of 113. Anthony buried
him in a cloak that had belonged to St. Athanasius.
Then Anthony took home the garment of palm
leaves that Paul had been wearing. He never forgot
his wonderful friend.
We should feel a close connection with those
who are in heaven. We can treasure a keepsake, or
even a beautiful memory, of someone we love who
has died, just as St. Anthony treasured the garment
of St. Paul. This way we feel them close to us until
we meet them again in heaven.
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January 16 |
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St. Berard and Companions
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Five Franciscan friars accepted from St. Francis of
Assisi an assignment to preach the Gospel in
Morocco. Friars Berard, Peter, Adjutus, Accursio and
Odo traveled by ship in 1219. Morocco is in the northwest
corner of Africa, and the journey was long and
dangerous. The group first arrived at Seville, Spain.
They started preaching immediately, in streets and in
public squares. People treated them as if they were
crazy and had them arrested. To save themselves from
being sent back home, the friars explained that they
were on their way to see the sultan in Morocco. So the
governor of Seville sent them to Morocco.
The sultan received the friars and gave them freedom
to preach in the city. But some of the people
didn’t like this. They complained to the authorities.
The sultan tried to save the friars by sending them to
live in Marrakech, on the west coast of Morocco. A
Christian prince and friend of the sultan, Dom Pedro
Fernandez, took them into his home. But the friars
knew that their mission was to preach the Catholic
faith. They returned to the city as often as they could.
This angered some people who didn’t want to hear the
friars’ message. These complaints annoyed the sultan
so much that one day when he saw the friars preaching,
he ordered them to stop or leave the country. Since
they didn’t feel it was right for them to do either one,
they were beheaded right then and there. It was
January 16, 1220.
Dom Pedro went to claim the bodies of the martyrs.
Eventually he brought their relics to Holy Cross
Church in Coimbra, Portugal. The friars’ mission to
Morocco had been brief and an apparent failure. But
the results were surprising. The story of these heroes
fired the first Franciscans with the desire to be missionaries
and martyrs too. It was the particular witness
of Berard and his companions that inspired a
young man to dedicate his life to God as a Franciscan
priest. We know him as St. Anthony of Padua, whose
feast day is June 13.
As long as we try our best, we don’t have to
worry about the success or failure of what we do. St.
Berard and his companions seemed to fail in their
preaching mission, but their love for Jesus inspired
other people. God can always use our effort and
dedication to help people live better lives.
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January 17 |
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St. Anthony of Egypt
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St. Anthony was born in 251 in a small village in
Egypt. When he was twenty years old, his parents
died. They left him a large estate and placed him in
charge of the care of his younger sister. Anthony felt
overwhelmed and turned to God in prayer. Gradually
he became more and more aware of the power of
God in his life. About six months later, he heard this
quotation of Jesus from the Gospel: “Go, sell what
you own and give the money to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven” (Mark 10:21). He took
the words as a personal message in answer to his
prayer for guidance. Anthony sold most of his possessions,
keeping only enough to support his sister and
himself. Then he gave the rest of the money to people
who needed it.
Anthony’s sister joined a group of women living a
life of prayer and contemplation. Anthony decided
to become a hermit. He begged an elderly hermit to
teach him about the spiritual life. Anthony also visited
other hermits so that he could learn each one’s
most outstanding virtue. Then he began his own life
of prayer and penance alone with God.
When he was fifty-five, Anthony built a monastery
where monks could worship and serve God together.
Many people heard of his holiness and came to him
for advice. Anthony would tell them how they could
become closer to God. Once he said, “The devil is
afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices and
when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid
when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when
we make the Sign of the Cross.”
St. Anthony visited Paul the hermit (whose feast
is celebrated on January 15). He learned a lot from
the example of Paul’s holy life. Anthony died after
a long, prayerful life. He was 105 years old. St. Athanasius
wrote a well-known biography of St. Anthony of
Egypt. (St. Athanasius’s feast day is May 2.)
God was first in St. Anthony’s life. Sometimes we
can think we need everything we see advertised on
TV to make us happy. But no amount of money or
things can make us really happy. Only loving and
serving God can.
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January 18 |
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Blessed Christina Ciccarelli
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Blessed Christina lived in the sixteenth century.
She was born in Abruzzi, Italy. Her baptismal name was
Matthia. As she grew up, Matthia felt God calling her to
a life of prayer and penance. She chose to become a
cloistered nun. Matthia entered the convent of St.
Augustine in Aquila. She was called Sister Christina.
Sister Christina’s life as a nun was hidden and
silent. But the people of Aquila soon realized that she
and the other nuns were bringing many blessings to
them through their prayer and loving dedication.
Even though Sister Christina never left her convent,
she was very aware of the needs of the poor people
of her area. She and the nuns provided whatever they
could for them. Sister Christina also paid attention to
the sufferings of others. She prayed and offered sacrifices
for all those who suffered.
Jesus sometimes gave Sister Christina the ability to
know the future. The Lord even used her to work miracles
for the good of others. When she died on January
18, 1543, a large crowd of people came to honor
and thank her for the gift she had been for their city.
There are many different ways to help others.
Blessed Christina shows us how to help other people
by praying for them and being attentive to their
needs and sufferings.
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January 19 |
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St. Paula
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Paula was born in 347 in Rome. She belonged to
a wealthy, noble family. When she grew up, she married
a man named Toxotius. They lived a happy married
life and had five children.
When Paula was thirty-two years old, her husband
died. Paula began to live a life completely dedicated
to God. She devoted herself to prayer and to reading
the Bible. She offered God the sacrifice of her fasting.
Because she was wealthy, she was able to help the
poor and needy.
Paula was fortunate to have the holy and learned
priest, St. Jerome, to give her good advice. (We cele-
brate the feast of St. Jerome on September 30.) From
him, Paula learned the importance of reading and
studying Holy Scripture. When Paula’s oldest daughter
died, Jerome comforted her in her time of sorrow.
He helped her to rely on her faith in God and the
hope of heaven.
When St. Jerome made a journey to the Holy Land
in order to work on his translation of the Bible into
Latin, Paula went with him. There she saw the places
where Jesus lived and taught. She decided to live in
Bethlehem, and she established a convent there,
where she lived a simple life of prayer. She helped St.
Jerome in his work, and he valued her knowledge of
the Bible. Paula continued to use her money to build
churches and monasteries in the Holy Land. She also
took care of St. Jerome.
Paula died on January 26, in 404. She had lived in
Bethlehem for twenty years. She was buried beneath
the Church of the Nativity. She is the patron saint of
widows.
St. Paula was able to bear suffering and loss in
her life because of her faith and trust in God. She
knew God very well because she read his Word
daily. An important part of being close to God is
allowing him to speak to us in Sacred Scripture. It’s
good to set aside a little time each day to read the
Bible and make it part of our lives.
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January 20 |
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St. Fabian and St. Sebastian
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Fabian, who lived in Rome, was the first man who
was not a priest to be elected pope. He was elected
pope in the year 236. We know very little about this
saint. It is said that he was chosen to be pope because
a dove rested on his head during the election. We do
know that Fabian spoke out against Bishop Privatus
who was spreading false teachings in Africa. Pope
Fabian was also responsible for having the catacombs
(underground Roman cemeteries where many of the
early Christians were buried) repaired and restored.
In the year 250, he died a martyr’s death during
Emperor Decius’ persecution. St. Fabian is buried in
the Basilica of St. Sebastian. The two martyrs share
the same feast day.
Sebastian was a soldier in the Roman army from
283 to 288. According to legend, he gave encouragement
to the Christians who were condemned to
death for their faith. He also convinced many
pagans to embrace Christianity. Emperor Diocletian
didn’t know that Sebastian was a Christian, and he
made him captain of the praetorian guards (men
who guarded a Roman commander or emperor).
When Maximian became emperor, he discovered
that Sebastian was a Christian and ordered him to
be put to death. Sebastian was shot with arrows.
When the Christians came to bury him, they realized
he was still alive! They cared for him until he
got well again. Soon after this, Sebastian confronted
the emperor and spoke out against his cruel treatment
of the Christians. The emperor, shocked to
see him alive, ordered that Sebastian be beaten to
death. St. Sebastian is the patron saint of archers,
athletes, and soldiers.
St. Fabian and St. Sebastian were very different
from one another. One was a pope and the
other was a soldier. They teach us that Jesus
loves us individually, just as we are. Like
Fabian and Sebastian, we each have our own
gift to give others. The important thing is to
give our gifts with all our hearts.
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January 21 |
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St. Agnes
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Much of Agnes’ story comes down to us in the
form of legend, but it is a fact that she was a martyr
in the early fourth century. She has always
been a popular saint because St. Ambrose and
other well-known early Church saints have written
about her.
Agnes was a beautiful young girl who belonged
to a wealthy Roman family. She loved God very
much and wanted to give her heart only to him. She
chose Jesus as her spouse and would not marry anyone
else.
Because Agnes was rich and beautiful, many
young Roman noblemen wanted to marry her. But
she answered them all by saying, “I already have a
husband in heaven—Jesus.” The young men became
angry and reported Agnes to the governor, accusing
her of being a Christian. This was in the year 304,
when Christians were being put to death by order of
the emperor Diocletian.
Even though Agnes was only thirteen years old,
she faced the governor bravely. She would not turn
away from God. She would not burn incense to the
idols. She wasn’t even afraid when the governor
threatened to have her tortured. This made the governor
so angry that he sent Agnes to the house of
some evil women, so that they could lead her to sin.
But Agnes remained pure and holy, trusting in Jesus,
who made her strong.
When Agnes was brought back to the governor,
he ordered her to be beheaded. Agnes bowed her
head before the executioner. She felt happy to give
her life for Jesus, and she looked forward to being
with him soon in heaven. In one stroke, the executioner
cut off Agnes’ head. She is buried in a cemetery
named after her. In 354, Emperor Constantine
‘s daughter built a large church there and had
Agnes’ body placed under the altar. St. Agnes’ symbol
is the lamb.
St. Agnes made heroic decisions and stuck to
them. She could do this because she made Jesus the
center of her life. Her love for Jesus gave her the
strength she needed to be true to her Christian
faith. We can ask St. Agnes for her courage and love
for Jesus.
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January 22 |
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St. Vincent of Saragossa
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St. Vincent was born in Huesca, in Spain. He was
educated by Valerius, the bishop of Huesca. Bishop
Valerius ordained Vincent a deacon and gave him the
task of preaching, even though he was still young.
This was because Bishop Valerius recognized
Vincent’s talents and goodness.
In 304, both Vincent and Bishop Valerius were
arrested by Dacian, the governor of Spain. The
emperors Diocletian and Maximian had published a
decree ordering that all Christians be put to death.
Vincent and Valerius were imprisoned in Valencia,
where they suffered from hunger and were treated
cruelly. When they were brought before Dacian,
Vincent spoke for both of them, saying they were
ready to suffer and die for the true God.
Dacian banished Valerius from Spain. But he handed
Vincent over to be tortured. In spite of the terrible pains
he suffered, Vincent remained peaceful and strong in his
faith. He refused to sacrifice to idols or to hand over the
sacred books of his church to be burned. The more
pains he endured, the more strength God gave him.
When the tortures were over, Vincent was brought
back to his prison cell. No one was allowed to bring
him food or visit him. When the prison warden saw
Vincent’s faith and his peaceful attitude, he was convinced
that Vincent worshiped the true God, and he
became a Christian. After this, Emperor Dacian
allowed Vincent to have visitors. The Christians came
to his dungeon to take care of him, but a short time
later Vincent died.
St. Vincent remained strong during a time of
persecution because of the influence of the holy
bishop, Valerius. Vincent had learned from the bishop
what it takes to be a follower of Jesus. Let’s ask
St. Vincent to help us recognize and follow the good
example of others.
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January 23 |
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St. William of Bourges
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William came from a wealthy French family. As a
boy, he loved to pray and study. When he grew up he
joined the Cistercian Order, and tried to be a good
monk. His fellow monks admired him, even though
he was not trying to impress anybody.
William had a great devotion to Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament. He always seemed to be happy. When he
was made abbot of his community of monks, he
remained humble. After the archbishop of Bourges
died, William was chosen to take his place. He was
grateful to be consecrated a bishop, but unhappy
because of all the attention he would receive. He kept
humble by doing penance to make up for his own sins
and to ask God for the conversion of sinners.
Although William loved to be alone with God in
the Blessed Sacrament, he knew it was his duty as
archbishop to travel all over his diocese and care for
his people. William celebrated the Eucharist and
preached the faith. He visited the poor and the sick,
consoling them and reminding them of how much
God loved them.
Archbishop William died on January 10, 1209. He
was buried in the cathedral of Bourges. Miracles were
reported by people who prayed at his tomb. William
was proclaimed a saint in 1218 by Pope Honorius III.
Even though St. William had an important
position as an archbishop, he was humble. He
never thought he was more important than other
people. We can ask St. William to help us when we
feel like showing off or acting like we know more
than others.
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January 24 |
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St. Francis de Sales
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Francis de Sales was born in his family’s castle at
Savoy, France, on August 21, 1567. Because he was
born two months early, he was very weak as a baby.
But he grew strong and healthy and was a very obedient
and kind little boy.
Francis’s mother taught him to pray. She read the
lives of the saints to him, and took him with her
whenever she went out to visit the poor. He
received a very good education. He studied at
Annecy, and then went to Paris to attend the Jesuit
College of Clermont. After this he went on to study
law and theology at the University of Padua. By the
age of twenty-four, Francis had already earned a doctorate
in law.
Francis’s world was opening up to him with many
promises of a successful career. But he felt called to
the priesthood. It was hard to persuade his disappointed
father, but Francis followed God’s call and
became a priest on December 18, 1593.
He volunteered to go to Chablais to work as a missionary
among many people who had left the Church
and were very unfriendly toward priests. Even
though some of these people tried to kill him, Father
Francis continued working among them. His patience
and kindness brought many back to the Church.
In 1602, Francis was made bishop of Geneva,
Switzerland. He worked very hard to bring unity back
to the Church at a time when there were many problems.
He opened schools, taught and preached.
In 1604, Francis met a holy woman named Jane
Frances de Chantal. (Jane later became a saint too.) He
became her spiritual director, and in 1610 he helped her
found the Order of the Visitation, a new order of sisters.
Francis de Sales wrote many wonderful books
about God and the way to become closer to him. In
these books Francis taught that holiness is possible in
everyday life, and that God calls us all to become
saints. Some of Francis’s books, like Introduction to
the Devout Life, written in 1609, and Treatise on the
Love of God, written in 1616, are still in print today.
Bishop Francis de Sales died in Lyons, France, on
December 28, 1622. He was fifty-six years old. Pope
Innocent X declared Francis a saint in 1665. Because
of his heroic dedication to the Church, he was given
the special title “Doctor of the Church.” He is also the
patron saint of journalists.
We can learn many lessons from St. Francis de
Sales. He shows us that with love and patience, we
can bring many people closer to Jesus. The best way
to preach the Gospel of Jesus is to live it sincerely.
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January 25 |
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Conversion of St. Paul
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Saul was a Jew, born in Tarsus and brought up in
Jerusalem. As a young man, he was very zealous for
the Jewish law and traditions. He thought that the
Christian way of life was something opposed to God
and his law. Because of this, Saul persecuted the
Christians with all his might.
One day, Saul headed for Damascus with some
men. He had permission to capture any Christians he
could find in the city and bring them back to
Jerusalem to be imprisoned and punished. Just before
he got to the city, a bright light flashed around him
and he fell to the ground. A voice called to him, ”Saul!
Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
Saul was confused. He asked the voice, ”Who are
you, Sir?”
The voice answered, ”I am Jesus, the one you are
persecuting.”
“What do you want me to do?” Saul asked.
Jesus told Saul to go to Damascus, where he
would find out what he should do. At that moment,
through the power of God, Saul received the gift to
believe in Jesus. Weak and trembling, he reached out
for help. His companions led him into Damascus.
Now that he was blind he could really “see” the truth.
And Jesus had come personally to meet him, to invite him to conversion. In Damascus, a Christian named
Ananias stood before him and said, “Brother Saul,
receive your sight back. ”And Saul could see again!
Ananias told Saul that God had chosen him to tell
many people in many lands about Jesus. Saul was
baptized, and started to live the life of a Christian. He
used his Roman name, Paul, from then on because he
had been chosen by God to go to the people who
were not Jewish and tell them about Jesus.
St. Paul traveled all over the world, preaching the
Good News. He led countless people to Jesus. He
worked and suffered. His enemies tried to kill him
several times. But nothing could stop him. When Paul
was old and tired, he was once again put in prison
and sentenced to die. Still St. Paul was happy to suffer
and even die for Christ.
This great apostle wrote wonderful letters to the
Christians. They are in the Bible. These letters, called
epistles, are read often during the Liturgy of the Word
at Mass.
The story of St. Paul’s conversion is found in the
Acts of the Apostles, in chapters 9, 22, and 26. For
more about St. Paul, see June 29, the Feast of St. Peter
and St. Paul.
St. Paul’s conversion was very important for the
life of the Church. But Jesus calls us just as he called
Paul on the road to Damascus. He invites us to give
up doing whatever keeps us from coming closer to
him. Let’s ask St. Paul to help us.
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January 26 |
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St. Timothy and St. Titus
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Besides having been bishops in the early Church,
Timothy and Titus have something else in common.
Both men received the gift of faith through the
preaching of St. Paul.
Timothy was born at Lystra, in Asia Minor. His father
was Greek and his mother was Jewish. When Paul
came to preach in Lystra, Timothy, his mother and his
grandmother all became Christians. Several years later,
Paul went back to Lystra. Timothy was grown up now,
and Paul felt that God was calling him to be a missionary.
Paul invited Timothy to join him in preaching the
Gospel. And so Timothy left his home and parents to
follow Paul. Paul and Timothy shared both the joys and
sufferings of bringing the Word of God to many, many
people. Timothy was like a son to Paul. He went everywhere
with him until he became bishop of Ephesus.
Then Timothy stayed at Ephesus to shepherd his people.
St. Timothy died a martyr, just as St. Paul had.
Titus was a Gentile (a non-Jewish person) converted
by St. Paul. He became Paul’s secretary and
was with him at the Council of Jerusalem. Titus was
generous and hardworking. He joyfully preached the
Good News with Paul on their missionary travels.
Because Titus was so trustworthy, Paul freely sent
him on many “missions” to the Christian communities. Titus helped people strengthen their faith in
Jesus. He had a special gift for being a peacemaker
and was able to bring Christians together again after
there had been arguments among them. Paul appreciated
this gift in Titus and recognized it as the Holy
Spirit’s work.
While preaching in Crete, Paul was called away to
other churches that needed him. Not wanting to
leave the Christians at Crete without a shepherd, he
ordained Titus bishop and left him there to continue
his work. Titus remained at Crete for the rest of his
life. Paul wrote a letter to him from Macedonia in the
year 65.
St. Timothy and St. Titus gave their whole
lives—their time and energy—to Jesus. They were
true disciples of St. Paul. It’s easy to overlook the
people in our lives who help us better understand
our faith. Let’s pray today for all who spread the
Good News as Paul, Timothy and Titus did.
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January 27 |
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St. Angela Merici
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Angela Merici was born on March 21, 1470, at
Desenzano, Lombardy, in Northern Italy. She was
orphaned at age ten, and she and her sister went to
live with their uncle at Salo, a nearby town.
When she was thirteen years old, Angela joined the
Secular Franciscan Order (also called the Third Order),
and began to live a life of prayer and self-discipline.
In 1495 her uncle died, and Angela moved back to
Desenzano. Here she had a vision. She saw herself
teaching a group of young girls. Angela invited some
of her Third Order friends to help her teach girls
from poor families, and she opened a school in her
home. In 1516, she was asked to come to Brescia to
start another school just like it.
Angela made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
During the trip, she lost her sight, but miraculously
received it back. In 1525 Angela went to Rome for the
Holy Year. While she was there, Pope Clement VII
asked her if she would like to be the superior of a
community of nursing sisters. But she explained that
God wanted her to devote herself to teaching the
poor, and she went back to Brescia.
In 1533 Angela started training a group of women
to be teachers. By November 25, 1535, there were
twenty-eight women in the group. Together with
Angela they wanted to dedicate their lives to God and
to teaching young girls, especially the poor. They chose
St. Ursula, the patroness of medieval universities, as
their patron saint. The women remained in their own
homes at first. Because of many difficulties, it was a long
time before they could live together in a convent. But
little by little this community of young women started
by St. Angela developed into the Ursuline Sisters, the
first congregation of teaching sisters in the Church.
Angela died on January 27, 1540, when her congregation
was still in its beginning stages. Her trust in
God had gotten her through many hard tests in her
lifetime. There was no doubt in her mind that the
Lord would take care of the mission she had begun.
And so he did.
Today the Ursuline Sisters have spread to many
countries. Angela’s sisters continue to work for Jesus
and his Church, especially in the education of children
and young adults. Angela was proclaimed a saint
by Pope Pius VI in 1807.
St. Angela Merici reminds us that our own struggles
and disappointments can help us understand
the hurts of others. When we are willing to reach
out, the Lord will use us to bring his blessings to
others. We can ask St. Angela to show us how to be
sensitive and compassionate.
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January 28 |
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St. Thomas Aquinas
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Thomas was born to a noble family around 1225,
in Aquino, Italy. When he was five or six years old, his
mother and father sent him to the Benedictine
Monastery at Monte Cassino to study. In the fall of
1239 he transferred to the University of Naples to
continue his education.
In Naples, Thomas met some members of a new
religious order called the Order of Preachers. Their
founder, St. Dominic, was still living. Thomas knew
that he wanted to be a priest, and he felt called to the
life being lived by the followers of St. Dominic (soon
to become known as the “Dominicans”). Thomas
joined the Order of Preachers, but his family was
totally against his decision. His brothers even kidnapped
him and brought him back to Roccasecca
castle. His family kept him there, almost like a prisoner,
for about fifteen months, trying to make him
change his mind. But Thomas spoke so beautifully
about the joy of serving God that they finally changed
their minds and let him go back to the Dominicans!
Thomas rejoined the Order in 1245, and was sent to
study at Paris. Even though he was very intelligent,
Thomas was always very humble. He never showed off.
In fact, his classmates often thought that he was not very
bright because he was so quiet in class. Thomas was
ordained a priest at Cologne, Germany, in 1250 or 1251.
After his ordination, Thomas began to teach at
the University of Paris. He soon became famous for
his wonderful teachings about the Bible. Around
1259 he returned to Italy. He continued his work as
a teacher there.
During these years Thomas also wrote many
books. Some were all about God. Others explained
many important things about our Catholic faith. St.
Thomas wrote so well that people all over the world
still use his books. His explanations about God and
the faith came from his great love for God. Thomas
was effective because he wasn’t trying to make an
impression on anyone. He only wanted with all his
heart to offer the gift of his life to Jesus and the
Church. Even though his intelligence was amazing,
Thomas knew that holiness of life was the most
important thing. He used to say, ”I learn more things
from praying before a crucifix than I do from books.”
Around the end of 1273, Pope Gregory X asked
Thomas to be part of an important Church meeting
called the Council of Lyons. While traveling to the
meeting, Thomas became ill. He had to stop at a
monastery at Fossanova, Italy, where he died. It was
March 7, 1274. He was only forty-nine. Thomas Aquinas
was canonized a saint in 1323 by Pope Benedict XI.
St. Thomas is also a Doctor of the Church and the
patron saint of universities, colleges and schools.
All of St. Thomas’ learning, writing, and teaching
are not what made him a saint. He became a
saint by doing everything for God with love. He will
help us do the same if we ask him.
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January 29 |
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St. Genevieve
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Genevieve was born in the small village of
Nanterre, near Paris, France, around the year 422.
When she was seven years old, St. Germanus, the
bishop of Auxerre, visited her town. After hearing
him preach, Genevieve decided to consecrate her
life to God.
When Genevieve’s parents died, she went to live
with her godmother in Paris. She became a nun at the
age of fifteen (this was not unusual in those days).
Genevieve was very close to God, and God sometimes
let her know things that would happen in the future.
The people of Paris made fun of her predictions about
the future, but Bishop Germanus believed her. When
her predictions started to come true, Genevieve’s enemies
began to believe and respect her.
When Childeric and the Frank army took over Paris,
the people suffered very much. Since there was a
famine in the city, Genevieve went out with a group of
people to look for food. They came back with several
boats loaded with corn. Even though Childeric didn’t
believe in God, he respected Genevieve and spared the
lives of many prisoners when she asked him to.
In 451, the people of Paris learned that Attila II
and his Huns were headed toward them. In their fear,
they decided to leave the city. But Genevieve convinced
them to stay. She predicted that if everyone
prayed and did penance, Attila and his Huns would
pass around Paris, leaving it unharmed. As the people
prayed with Genevieve, Attila suddenly changed the
direction of his march, and did not invade Paris.
Genevieve died on January 3, 512, at the age of
eighty-nine. She was buried in the Church of Saints
Peter and Paul, which she had designed and had convinced
King Clovis to build. Because of the many miracles
that took place near her tomb, the church was
renamed in her honor. St. Genevieve is the patron
saint of Paris.
St. Genevieve helped save the people of Paris by
her prayers and by her courage in standing up for
what was right. One of the best ways for us to help
our country is to pray for our leaders. We should
ask God to guide them for the good of us all.
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January 30 |
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St. Maria Soledad Torres-Acosta
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Vibiana Torres-Acosta was born in Madrid, Spain,
in 1826. As a child, her mother taught her to love God
and his mother Mary. She also became aware of the
poor people who were her neighbors, and she did
what she could to help them. Vibiana would visit
them when they were sick, and offer prayers and sacrifices
for them.
When she was older, Vibiana wanted to be a
Dominican nun. But the convent was full, and she
was placed on a waiting list. In the meantime, she
heard about a new religious order of sisters being
started by a priest named Father Michael Martinez.
He wanted to do something to help the poor who
could not afford to go to the hospitals when they got
sick. Vibiana decided to ask Father Michael if she
could help in his work.
In 1851, at the age of twenty-four, Vibiana and six
other young women became the first members of the
Congregation of the Sister Servants of Mary. Vibiana
received the name Sister Maria Soledad.
The new community met with many hardships.
But they were able to carry out their difficult work
of taking care of the sick by seeing Jesus himself in
their suffering patients. In 1856, a cholera epidemic
struck the city of Madrid. Sister Soledad and her
sisters worked tirelessly to help its victims.
Because of their selflessness and courage in the
face of danger, they became well known throughout
Spain.
After this, Father Michael left to work in the missions.
He named Sister Soledad the superior general
of the community before he left. This position of
authority did not stop Sister Soledad from helping
with the chores, working alongside her sisters as they
washed their laundry at the river, gathered firewood,
and cooked their simple meals.
As the order grew, the Sister Servants of Mary
opened foundations in Europe and the Americas.
Sister Soledad died of pneumonia in Madrid in 1887.
She was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.
Saint Maria Soledad became a great saint by
remaining humble and by living a poor and simple
life. Sometimes we’re tempted to want a lot of things
that we really don’t need. We can follow the example
of St. Maria and think more of the treasures we
will have in heaven.
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January 31 |
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St. John Bosco
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John Bosco was born on August 16, 1815, in
Becchi, a small town near Turin, Italy. His parents were
poor farmers. When John was only two years old, his
father died. John’s mother struggled to keep the family
together. As soon as he was old enough, John began
working as hard as he could to help his mother.
As he grew up, John started to think about
becoming a priest. But he didn’t say anything to his
mother because he knew they couldn’t afford the
seminary tuition. Besides, his mother needed help to
run their farm. So John waited and prayed and
hoped. Finally, a holy priest named Don Joseph
Cafasso (“Don” is a special title of respect and honor
which people in Italy use for priests) became aware
of John’s desire. Don Cafasso helped him enter the
seminary.
John had to work his way through school. He
learned all kinds of trades. He was a carpenter, a shoemaker,
a cook, a pastry maker and a farmer. He did
many other jobs as well. He could never have guessed
how much this practical experience would help others
later on.
John became a priest in 1841. After his ordination,
Don Bosco began working with Don Cafasso visiting
the prisons in Turin. He was saddened to see
how many boys were in the prisons, and how hopeless
their futures were. Don Bosco decided to open a
home for troubled boys.
Because of his kindness and caring, it was easy for
him to attract youngsters. Don Bosco taught the boys
different trades so that they could get good jobs and
not be tempted to steal or get into trouble. He prayed
with them, and took them on outings. He even organized
a brass band! By 1850, there were 150 boys living
at his home for boys. Don Bosco’s mother was the
housekeeper.
At first, people didn’t understand what Don
Bosco was trying to do. But soon everyone began to
realize that he was carrying on a very important
work. His boys were learning skills and receiving an
education. They were becoming young men who
would contribute to society instead of turning to
lives of crime. Don Bosco even built a church for the
boys. Daily Mass and the sacrament of Reconciliation
were the foundation of their whole education.
Don Bosco felt that his success with the boys was
due to an attitude of love and respect rather than the
use of harsh discipline. Religious instruction and
prayer helped the boys want to lead good lives.
Don Bosco started his own religious order of
priests and brothers too. They were called the
Salesians, in honor of St. Francis de Sales. An order of
Salesian sisters was started later, with the help of
Mary Mazzarello (who also became a saint). When
Don Bosco died in Turin on January 31, 1888, there
were 250 Salesian houses around the world educating
130,000 children. By the same time, over 6,000 of
his boys had chosen to become priests! One of them,
Dominic Savio, who became one of Don Bosco’s students
at the age of twelve, is now a saint too. A young
parish priest who had once met Don Bosco later
became Pope Pius XI. He had the joy of declaring
Don Bosco a saint in 1934.
We can learn from St. John Bosco to use our
skills and abilities to help others. What special talents
do you have? Think of ways you can use these
talents to help those around you. Try to also reach
out in friendship to people you may find it hard to
like. This is another way to imitate St. John Bosco.
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