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June 1 |
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St. Justin
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Justin was from Samaria. He lived in the second
century. His father brought him up without any belief
in God. When he was a boy, Justin studied poetry, history
and science. As he grew up, he kept on studying
because he wanted to find out the truth about God.
One day as he was walking along the shore of the
sea, Justin met an old man. They began to talk
together. Since Justin looked troubled, the man asked
him what was on his mind. Justin answered that he
was unhappy because he had not found anything
certain about God in all the books he had read. The
old man told him about Jesus, the Savior. He encouraged
Justin to pray so that he would be able to understand
the truth about God.
So Justin began to pray and to read the Word of
God, the Bible. He grew to love it very much. He
was also impressed to see how brave the Christians
who were dying for their belief in and love for
Jesus were. After learning more about the Christian
religion, Justin became a Christian when he was
about thirty years old. Then he used his great
knowledge to explain and defend the faith with
many writings.
Justin went to Rome and began teaching there. It
was in Rome that he was arrested for being a
Christian. The judge asked him, ”Do you think that by
dying you will enter heaven and be rewarded?” “I
don’t just think so,” the saint answered. ”I am sure of
it!” And he died a martyr around the year 166.
To keep our faith strong like St. Justin’s we can
pray an act of faith often. A short one that’s easy to
remember is: “My God, I believe in you.”
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June 2 |
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St. Marcellinus and St. Peter
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These two saints are mentioned in the First
Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass. They were widely
honored and prayed to by the early Christians. The
feast of these two martyrs was included in the Roman
calendar of saints by Pope Vigilius in 555.
Marcellinus was a priest. Peter assisted him in
his ministry. Both were very brave in the practice of
their Christian faith. They served the Christian com-
munity with great self-sacrifice. During the persecution
of Diocletian, many Christians were killed.
Marcellinus and Peter were martyred in 304. As they
awaited execution in prison, they continued to witness
to their faith in Jesus. Many people, including
their jailer and his family, were impressed by their
strong faith and became Christians too. When the
time came for their execution, Marcellinus and Peter
were brought to a hidden spot in a forest called
Silva Nigra. This was done to keep the Christians
from finding them. Marcellinus and Peter were put
to work clearing the briars away to prepare the
place where they would be buried. Then they were
beheaded. Some time later, their executioner was
sorry for the terrible thing he had done. He led the
Christians to the graves. Then Marcellinus and Peter
were buried in the catacomb of St. Tiberius. Pope
Gregory IV sent their relics to Frankfurt, Germany,
in 827. He believed that the relics of these two
saints would bring blessings to the Church in that
nation.
We can learn from the martyrs that our lives
should show that we believe in and love Jesus. Let’s
pray to St. Marcellinus and St. Peter and ask them
for the grace to grow in our faith and love.
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June 3 |
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St. Charles Lwanga and Companions
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Christianity was still quite new to Uganda, Africa,
when a Catholic mission was started there in 1879.
The priests were members of the Missionaries of
Africa. Because of their white religious habit, they
became popularly known as the “White Fathers.”
King Mwanga did not understand Christianity. But
he became angry when Joseph Mkasa, the teacher of
the court pages and a Catholic, denounced him for
his corrupt way of life. The king had murdered a
Protestant minister. He had also been committing sins
against purity with his young court pages. King
Mwanga’s anger turned into resentment and hatred
for Joseph Mkasa and his Catholic religion. A few of
the king’s ambitious officers fueled his fears with lies.
Joseph Mkasa was beheaded on November 18, 1885.
The persecution had begun. Before it was over, a hundred
people died. Twenty-two of them would be
declared saints.
With the death of Joseph Mkasa, Charles Lwanga
took his place as master of the king’s pages. On May 26,
1886, the king found out that some of his pages were
Catholic. He called in Denis Sebuggawo. He asked
Denis if he had been teaching religion to another page.
Denis said yes. The king grabbed his spear and flung it
violently through the young man’s throat. Then the
king shouted that no one was permitted to leave his
headquarters. War drums beat throughout the night. In
a hidden room, Charles Lwanga secretly baptized four
pages. One was St. Kizito, a cheerful, generous thirteen-year-
old. He was the youngest of the group.
Most of the twenty-two Uganda martyrs who
have been proclaimed saints were killed on June 3,
1886. They were forced to walk thirty-seven miles to
the execution site. After a few days in prison, they
were thrown into a huge fire. Seventeen of the martyrs
were royal pages. One of the martyred boys was
St. Mbanga. His own uncle was the executioner that
day. Another of the martyrs, St. Andrew Kaggwa, died
on January 27, 1887. He was among the twenty-two
proclaimed saints in 1964 by Pope Paul VI.
St. Charles Lwanga is the patron of African
young people. He and his companions really appreciated
their gift of faith and refused to give it up.
They were heroes! St. Charles and the Ugandan martyrs
show us how to witness to Jesus and his Church.
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June 4 |
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St. Francis Caracciolo
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Francis was born in the Abruzzi region of Italy on
October 13, 1563. His father was a Neapolitan prince.
His mother was related to the Aquino family to which
the thirteenth-century saint, Thomas Aquinas,
belonged. Francis had a good upbringing. He was
active in sports. But when he was twenty-two, a disease
similar to leprosy, brought him close to death.
While he was sick, he thought about the emptiness of
the pleasures of the world. He realized that real happiness
could only be found in something deeper.
Francis made a vow that if he got better, he would
dedicate his life to God. He recuperated so quickly
that it seemed like a miracle. Francis kept his promise.
He began his studies to become a priest.
After being ordained, Father Francis joined a
group who were devoted to prison ministry. They
cared for the prisoners and prepared condemned
men to die reconciled to God. Francis and another
priest, John Augustine Adorno, started a new religious
congregation called the Minor Clerics Regular. When
Father John died, Francis was chosen as the superior
or leader of the group. He was not at all comfortable
with this position. In fact, he was so humble that he
actually signed his letters, ”Francis the sinner.” He also
took his turn, along with the other priests, sweeping
the floors, making beds and washing dishes.
Father Francis often spent almost the whole night
praying in church. He wanted all the priests to spend
at least one hour a day in prayer before the Blessed
Sacrament. Francis spoke so often and so well about
God’s love for us that he became known as “the
preacher of the love of God.”
Francis did not live a long life. He died in June, 1608,
at the age of forty-four. Just before he died, he suddenly
cried, ”Let’s go!” ”Where do you want to go?” asked the
priest by his bed. “To heaven! To heaven!” came the
answer in a clear, happy voice. Francis Caracciolo was
proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius VII in 1807.
In his second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul
reminds us that “God loves the cheerful giver.” This
was the kind of person St. Francis was. We can ask
him to help us to be generous in cheerfully offering
our help to others.
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June 5 |
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St. Boniface
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This great apostle of Germany was born in
Devonshire, England, around the year 680. When he
was small, some missionaries stayed a while at his
home. They told the boy all about their work. They
were so happy and excited about bringing the Good
News to people. Boniface decided in his heart that he
would be just like the missionaries when he grew up.
While still young, Boniface went to a monastery
school to be educated. Some years later, he became a
popular teacher. When he was ordained a priest, he
was a powerful preacher because he was so full of
enthusiasm.
Boniface wanted everyone to have the opportunity
to know about and love Jesus and his Church. He
became a missionary to the western part of Germany.
Pope St. Gregory II blessed him and sent him on this
mission. Boniface preached with great success. He
was gentle and kind. He was also a man of great
courage. Once, to prove that the pagan gods were
false, he did a bold thing. There was a certain huge
oak tree called the “oak of Thor.” The pagans believed
it was sacred to their gods. In front of a large crowd,
Boniface cut down the tree with an axe. The big tree
crashed. The pagans realized that their gods were
false when nothing happened to Boniface.
Everywhere he preached, new members were
received into the Church. In his lifetime, Boniface
converted great numbers of people. In place of the
statues of the pagan gods, he built churches and
monasteries. In 732, the new pope, St. Gregory III,
made Boniface an archbishop and gave him another
mission territory. It was Bavaria, which is part of
Germany today. Boniface and some companions went
there to teach the people about the Christian faith.
Here, too, the holy bishop was very successful.
Then, one day, Bishop Boniface was preparing to
confirm some converts. A group of fierce warriors
swooped down on the camp. Boniface would not let
his companions defend him. “Our Lord tells us to
repay evil with good,” he said. ”The day has come for
which I have waited so long. Trust in God and he will
save us.” The Barbarians attacked, and Boniface was
the first one killed. He died a martyr on June 5, 754.
He was buried at the famous monastery that he had
founded at Fulda, Germany. This was what he wanted.
Even today, many people who say they believe
in God don’t have a true idea of who he is. We can
learn more about God by studying our faith, reading
the Bible, and having a personal prayer relationship
with God our loving Father. Let’s also ask
St. Boniface to help all those people who have still
never heard about Jesus, God’s Son.
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June 6 |
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St. Norbert
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Norbert, the son of Count Heribert, was born in
Germany around the year 1080. He was good boy as
a child and teenager. But when he went to live at the
court of Emperor Henry V, Norbert really changed.
He was anxious to be given positions of honor. He
was the first to arrive at parties and celebrations. All
he ever thought about was having fun.
Then one day, while Norbert was riding across a
field, a sudden storm came up. A flash of lightning
struck the ground in front of him. His horse bolted.
Norbert was thrown to the ground and knocked
unconscious. When he woke, he began to think seriously
about the way his life was going. He felt that
God was very near. Norbert realized that the Lord
was offering him the grace to change for the better.
He decided to become a priest. He was ordained to
the priesthood in 1115.
Father Norbert worked hard to make others turn
from their worldly ways. He gave everyone a good
example by selling all he had to give the money to
the poor. Norbert became the founder of a religious
congregation for the spreading of the faith. His original
group included thirteen men. They lived as a
community in the valley of Premontre. That is why
they were called Premonstratensians. Today the
members are also called Norbertines, in honor of
their founder, Norbert.
Norbert was chosen bishop of the city of
Magdeburg. He entered the city wearing very poor
clothes and no shoes. The porter at the door of the
bishop’s house didn’t know him and refused to let
him in. He told the bishop to go and join the other
beggars. “But he is our new bishop!” shouted those
who knew the saint. The porter was shocked and
very sorry. “Never mind, dear brother,” Norbert said
kindly. ”You judge me more correctly than those who
brought me here.”
Norbert had to clarify a false teaching that denied
the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. His
beautiful words about our Lord’s presence in the
Blessed Sacrament brought the people back to their
holy faith. In March, 1133, Norbert and his great
friend, St. Bernard (whose feast is celebrated on
August 20) walked in an unusual procession. When
Anacletus II claimed to be the pope, they joined the
emperor and his army to accompany the true pope,
Innocent II, safely to the Vatican.
Norbert died in 1134. Pope Gregory XIII proclaimed
him a saint in 1582.
We can learn many good things from St.
Norbert. We can especially learn that the way we
live here on earth is preparing us for a life that will
never end. St. Norbert also teaches us to love and
honor Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.
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June 7 |
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Blessed Anne García
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Anne, the daughter of peasants, was born in
Almendral, Spain, in 1549. She took care of sheep
until she was twenty years old. Four miles from her
hometown was Avila, the city where St. Teresa and
her Carmelite nuns lived. Anne wanted to be a nun
too, and St. Teresa accepted her into the monastery.
Anne became a lay sister instead of a cloistered nun.
This meant that Sister Anne could go out and do the
errands while the other nuns who stayed home
prayed.
For the last six years of her life, St. Teresa chose
Sister Anne to be her traveling companion and secre-
tary. St. Teresa went around to visit the communities
of Carmelite nuns. Sometimes she started a new convent.
Sometimes she helped the nuns become more
enthusiastic about the wonderful life they had chosen.
St. Teresa thought very highly of Sister Anne and
praised her to the other nuns.
Although Sister Anne never had the chance to go
to school, she knew how to read and write. She
recorded her experiences with the great St. Teresa. It
was Sister Anne who was with her when she died.
Sister Anne’s life continued quite normally for six
years after St. Teresa’s death. Then the superiors
decided to open a new convent in Paris, France. Five
nuns were selected to go and Sister Anne was one of
them. While the people of Paris were warmly greeting
the nuns, Sister Anne slipped into the kitchen and
prepared a meal for her hungry sisters. Eventually,
four of the five nuns moved on to the Netherlands.
Sister Anne remained behind in France because she
had been appointed the prioress or superior.
Considering herself unworthy of this office, she
reminded the Lord that most of the young French
women joining their community were from rich,
noble families. She was only a shepherdess. Within
her heart, Sister Anne heard the Lord’s answer: ”With
straws I light my fire.”
Sister Anne was later sent to the Netherlands to
start more new convents. She went first to Mons and
then to Antwerp. The young women who came to
join the Carmelites thought of Sister Anne as a saint.
Sister Anne died in Antwerp in 1626. She was proclaimed
“blessed” by Pope Benedict XV.
Blessed Anne liked to be in the background. She
wasn’t ambitious. Whenever we find ourselves
wanting to be considered more important than others,
we can pray to this holy nun. She will help us
concentrate on pleasing God rather than impressing
other people.
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June 8 |
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St. William of York
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William Fitzherbert was born in England in the
twelfth century. He was the nephew of King Stephen.
As a young man, William was rather easy-going and
even a bit lazy. He seems to have given the impression
to some that he was not very serious about taking
responsibility in life. However, William was very
popular with the people of his city of York.
Years later, when the archbishop of York died,
William was chosen to take his place. In those times,
princes used to interfere in the election of the bishops.
This is why many priests did not think William
had been properly chosen. It was his uncle, the king,
who had appointed him. Even the great St. Bernard
persuaded the pope to make someone else archbishop
of York. William was asked to step aside because
many people felt that his appointment was not valid.
William left his bishop’s house feeling hurt and
humiliated. He went to live with another uncle, a
bishop. It seems that William then became a much
more spiritual person. He would not accept any of
the comforts his uncle offered him. He prayed and
performed penances. He began to show how much
he cared about his faith and about the Church.
The people of York were angry at what had happened
to their archbishop. They could not understand
how something like this could take place.
There were street fights between those who wanted
William and those who did not. Six years passed.
William continued to live a quiet life of prayer in the
home of his uncle. He asked the Lord for peace for his
archdiocese. It did not matter any more if he had
been treated unjustly. What mattered was that his
people be taken care of.
Finally, his prayers were answered. When the
other archbishop died, the pope sent William back to
York. He arrived in May, 1154. The people were very
happy. But William was an old man by this time, and
he died about a month later. He was proclaimed a
saint by Pope Honorius III in 1227.
Sometimes people may say things about us that
are untrue or exaggerated. When this happens we
can ask St. William to help us be as forgiving as he
was. We can also ask him to help us not to hold
grudges.
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June 9 |
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St. Ephrem
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Ephrem was born in Mesopotamia around the
year 306. He was baptized when he was eighteen.
Ephrem eventually went into the hills and became a
hermit. He found a cave near the city of Edessa in
Syria. His wore patched rags for clothes and he ate
what the earth provided.
Ephrem used to become angry easily. But little by
little, he gained control over himself. People who met
him even thought that he was a very calm person by
nature. Ephrem often went to preach in Edessa. He
spoke so fervently about God that the people wept.
He would tell them that he was a great sinner. He really
meant it, too, because although his sins were small,
they seemed very big to him. When St. Basil met him,
he asked, “Are you Ephrem, the famous servant of
Jesus?” Ephrem answered quickly, ”I am Ephrem who
walks unworthily on the way to salvation.” Then
Ephrem asked and received advice from St. Basil on
how to grow closer to God.
Ephrem spent his time writing spiritual books. He
wrote in several languages—Syriac, Greek, Latin and
Armenian. His books are so beautiful and spiritual
that they have been translated into many languages.
They are still read today. Ephrem also wrote hymns
for public worship. That is why he is called “the harp
of the Holy Spirit.” Ephrem’s hymns became very
popular. As the people sang them, they learned much
about the faith. Ephrem died in June of 373. Because
he taught so many people through his writings, he
was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church many years
later in 1920.
When we gather with our parish community for
Mass, we can ask St. Ephrem to help us participate
as well as we can. An important way to do this is
to pray the prayers and responses out loud, and to
join in singing the songs.
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June 10 |
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Blessed Anna Maria Taigi
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Anna Maria was born in Siena, Italy, in 1769.
Because her family was poor, they moved to Rome
soon after in order to find work. As soon as Anna
Maria was old enough, she took a job as a house servant
in Rome. There she met another servant named
Dominic Taigi. They were married in 1790.
Even though the young couple had little income,
Anna Maria liked to spend what she could on nice
clothes. She was very pretty and she knew it. She
spent a lot of time admiring herself in the mirror. But
one day, after going to confession, she realized how
empty and superficial her life had become. She start-
ed to realize that beauty of the soul is the most important
thing. So Anna Maria changed her way of living.
She began to dress simply and modestly. And she
became more prayerful and concerned about others.
Anna Maria and Dominic were blessed with
seven children. Three of them died in infancy, but
the other four received an excellent upbringing
from their mother. In addition to taking care of the
needs of her home and family, Anna Maria spent
much time in prayer, even while doing her household
tasks. She helped those less fortunate than her
own family, visiting the hospital and helping to care
for the sick. She was an example of Christian virtue
to all who knew her.
God blessed Anna Maria with special visions and
other spiritual experiences, which she managed to
keep hidden from her husband. She felt that Dominic
deserved to have a “normal” wife. But many people
came to know of her closeness to God and soon she
had visitors, even priests and bishops, coming to ask
for advice.
Anna Maria Taigi died on June 9, 1837, after forty-eight
years of marriage. She was sixty-eight years old.
She was beatified in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.
Blessed Anna Maria Taigi did not become holy
because of her visions or her gift of prophecy. What
made her a saint was her great love for God and her
dedication to her family. Her story proves that people
from all walks of life are called to become holy.
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June 11 |
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St. Barnabas
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Although he was not one of the original twelve
apostles, Barnabas is called an apostle by St. Luke in
the Acts of the Apostles. This is because, like Paul the
apostle, Barnabas received a special mission from
God. He was a Jew born on the island of Cyprus. His
name was Joseph, but the apostles changed it to
Barnabas. This name means “son of consolation.”
As soon as he became a Christian, Barnabas sold
all he owned and gave the money to the apostles. He
was a good, kind-hearted man. He was full of enthusiasm
to share his belief in and love for Jesus.
Barnabas was sent to the city of Antioch to preach
the Gospel. Antioch was the third largest city in the
Roman Empire. It was where the followers of Jesus
were first called Christians. Barnabas realized that he
needed help. He thought of Paul of Tarsus, a former
persecutor of the Christians who had been converted
when Jesus appeared to him. It was Barnabas who
convinced St. Peter and the Christian community that
Paul really loved Jesus and wanted to spread his
Gospel. Barnabas asked Paul to come and work with
him. Barnabas was a humble person. He was not
afraid of sharing responsibility and power. He knew
that Paul, too, had a great gift to give, and he wanted
him to have the chance to share that gift.
Sometime later, the Holy Spirit chose Paul and
Barnabas for a special assignment. Not long afterward,
the two apostles set off on a daring missionary
journey. They had many sufferings to bear and often
risked their lives. Despite the hardships, their preaching
won many people to Jesus and his Church.
Later St. Barnabas went on another missionary
journey, this time with his relative, John Mark. They
went to Barnabas’ own country of Cyprus. So many
people became believers through his preaching that
Barnabas is called the apostle of Cyprus. It is commonly
believed that this great saint was stoned to
death in the year 61.
St. Barnabas received a name that symbolized
what he was—a good person who encouraged others
to love the Lord. Let’s always try to cheer up
those who are sad or lonely. Let’s encourage others
to love God by the good example we give.
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June 12 |
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St. John Gonzalez de Castrillo
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John was born at Sahagún, Spain, in 1419. He
received his education from the Benedictine monks
of his town. Then John became a parish priest. He
could have lived a very comfortable life in the cathedral
parish or in other wealthy parishes. But John felt
attracted to poverty and the simple lifestyle that Jesus
had lived. Father John chose to keep charge only of a
small chapel. There he celebrated Mass, preached
and taught catechism.
Father John realized that he needed to know theology
better. He enrolled in classes at the great
Catholic University of Salamanca. After four years of
hard study, he became famous as a preacher. Nine
years later, he joined a community of Augustinian friars.
They were very impressed by the way he practiced
the Christian virtues. He was obedient to his
superiors and humble, too. He also continued his
preaching. His beautiful homilies or sermons brought
about a change in the people of Salamanca. They had
been quarreling violently among themselves. Often
young noblemen fought each other in revenge. Father
John succeeded in ending many of these bitter fights.
He even persuaded people to forgive one another.
He was not afraid to correct evils, even when the
evildoers were powerful people who could take
revenge. Once he corrected a duke for the way he
was making the poor people suffer. In anger, the duke
sent two of his men to kill John. The two men found
the priest and approached him. Father John was so
calm and kind. Both men were overcome with sorrow
and asked his pardon. Then the duke became
sick. Through Father John’s prayers he repented of
his sins and recovered.
It was the graces he received from prayer and
from the Mass that gave Father John his special
power as a preacher. He celebrated the Mass with
great devotion.
John died on June II, 1479. He was proclaimed a
saint by Pope Alexander VIII in 1690.
St. John was a peacemaker because he tried to
be loving and kind with everyone. How can we be
peacemakers at home or at school?
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June 13 |
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St. Anthony of Padua
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This very popular saint was born in Lisbon,
Portugal, in 1195. His baptismal name was
Ferdinand. Ferdinand was taught by the Augustinian
friars. When he was old enough, he joined their
order. At the age of twenty-five, Ferdinand’s life took
an exciting turn. He heard about some Franciscans
who had been martyred by the Moors in Morocco.
These friars were St. Berard and his companions. (We
celebrate their feast on January 16.) Ferdinand was
so impressed with the courage of the martyrs that he
got permission to transfer from the Augustinian
Order to the Franciscan Order. This order was very
new. St. Francis, its founder, was still alive. Ferdinand
took the new name “Anthony.” He went off to Africa
to preach about Jesus to the Moors. But he soon
became so sick that his superiors called him back to
Portugal. On the way there, however, his ship was
caught in a terrible storm. It had to land in Italy
instead of returning to Portugal.
No one in his new religious order realized how
brilliant and talented Anthony was. He never spoke
about himself or how much he knew. So the
Franciscan superiors assigned him to a quiet friary in
Italy. There he washed pots and pans. One day
Anthony was unexpectedly asked to preach in front
of a crowd of priests and important people.
Everyone was surprised at the wonderful things he
said about God. From then on, until he died nine
years later, Anthony was sent to preach all over Italy.
He was so popular that people even closed their
stores to go to hear him.
After 1226, Anthony remained in the city of
Padua, Italy. There his preaching completely changed
the lives of the people. He helped the poor and
worked to keep people who couldn’t pay their bills
from being thrown into prison. His sermons helped
people to not only understand their faith better, but
to put it into practice, too.
Anthony died at Arcella, near Padua, Italy, on June
13, 1231. He was only thirty-six years old. Pope
Gregory IX proclaimed him a saint just one year later.
Many people ask St. Anthony to pray to God for
them when they need help. And many miracles have
taken place through his intercession. Statues of St.
Anthony show him holding the Infant Jesus because
Jesus once appeared to him as a baby. Other pictures
show St. Anthony holding a Bible. This is because he
knew, loved and preached the Word of God so well.
In fact, St. Anthony knew Scripture so well that Pope
Pius XII proclaimed him the “Evangelical Doctor,” or
Doctor of Sacred Scripture.
Sometimes we want to be recognized for the
things we do well. It may be that we won’t always
receive as much attention as we would like. That’s
when we can ask St. Anthony to teach us how to use
our gifts without expecting any praise in return.
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June 14 |
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St. Andrew Fournet
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St. Andrew Fournet was born on December 6,
1752. He was from Maille, a little town near Poitiers,
in France. Andrew’s parents were religious people.
Mrs. Fournet had her heart set on Andrew becoming
a priest. The little boy heard this more often than he
cared to. Once he declared, ”I’m a good boy, but I’m
still not going to be a priest or a monk!”
When he grew up, Andrew went to Poitiers to
study philosophy and law. But that didn’t last long. He
was having too much of a good time to study! His
mother encouraged him to find good jobs, but they
fell through, one after another. Then his mother suggested
that Andrew go and stay for a while with his
uncle, a holy priest who was living in a poor parish.
To his mother’s surprise, Andrew agreed.
Andrew’s uncle recognized his nephew’s good
qualities. And the priest’s own good example sparked
something in Andrew. Andrew began to feel drawn to
the priesthood. He started to study seriously to make
up for lost time. Andrew was eventually ordained a
priest and assigned to be his uncle’s assistant. In
1781,he was transferred to his home parish in Maille.
His mother was so happy! Andrew had become a caring
and prayerful priest.
When the French revolution began, Andrew
refused to take an oath that was against the Church. He
became a hunted man. In 1792, he was forced to flee
to Spain. There he remained for five years. But he worried
about his people and went back to France. The
danger was as great as before. But Father Andrew was
protected by the people. He nearly escaped death several
times. Meanwhile, he heard confessions, celebrated
the Eucharist, and anointed the sick and dying.
When the Church was free again, Andrew came
out of hiding. He was always inviting his people to
love and serve God. One of the good ladies from the
area, Elizabeth Bichier des Ages (who also became a
saint) helped Father Andrew very much. Together
they started an order of sisters called the Daughters
of the Cross. (St. Elizabeth’s feast day is August 26.)
Andrew died on May 13, 1834, at the age of eighty-two.
He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI on
June 4, 1933.
Let’s ask St. Andrew to help us never to be afraid
or ashamed to stand up for what’s right.
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June 15 |
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St. Germaine of Pibrac
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Pibrac is the little village in France where
Germaine was born around 1579. She spent her life
there. She was a sickly and unattractive girl. In fact,
her right hand was deformed and helpless. Her father
paid little attention to her. And her stepmother didn’t
want her around her own healthy children. So
Germaine slept in the barn, even in cold weather. She
dressed in rags and was laughed at by other children.
She spent all day tending the sheep out in the fields.
When she came home at night, her stepmother often
shouted at her and beat her.
Yet this poor girl learned to talk with God and to
remember that he was with her all the time. She
always managed to get to daily Mass. She left her
sheep in care of her guardian angel. Never once did
one wander away from her shepherd’s staff, which
she would leave standing upright in the ground.
Germaine often gathered young children around
her to teach them about the Catholic faith. She wanted
their hearts to be full of God’s love. She tried her
best to help the poor, too. She shared with beggars
the little bit of food she was given to eat. One winter
day, her stepmother accused her of stealing bread.
The woman chased her with a stick. When she finally
caught up with Germaine, she demanded to see
what Germaine had wrapped in her apron. Her stepmother
was amazed to discover not bread but summer
flowers!
By now people no longer made fun of Germaine.
In fact, they loved and admired her. She could have
begun to live in her father’s house, but she chose to
keep her little corner in the barn. Germaine died in
1601. She was only twenty-two years old. Her life of
great suffering was over. And God worked miracles
to show everyone that she was a saint.
St. Germaine was very patient in putting up
with all the difficulties she had. At Mass and in Holy
Communion she received the help she needed from
God. Whenever something makes us suffer we
should pray for God’s help too.
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June 16 |
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St. John Francis Regis
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This French saint was born in 1597. When he was
eighteen, he entered the Jesuit Order. In the seminary,
John’s love for God and his vocation showed in the
way he prayed. He was also eager to teach the faith to
people in the parishes whenever he could. After he
was ordained a priest, John Francis began his work as
a missionary preacher. He gave very simple talks that
came right from his heart. He especially liked to speak
to the poor, the ordinary people. They came in great
crowds to hear him. Father John Francis spent his
mornings praying, celebrating the sacrament of
Reconciliation and preaching. In the afternoon, he
would visit prisons and hospitals. To someone who
said that the prisoners and other sinners he converted
would not stay good for long, Father John Francis
answered: ”If my efforts stop just one sin from being
committed, I shall consider them worthwhile.”
Father John Francis journeyed to remote mountain
parishes even on the coldest days of winter to
preach his missions. ”I have seen him stand all day on
a heap of snow at the top of a mountain preaching,”
one priest said, “and then spend the whole night
hearing confessions.” Sometimes he would start off
for a far-away town at three o’clock in the morning
with a few apples in his pocket for his day’s food.
Once, on his way to a village, Father John Francis
fell and broke his leg. But he kept on going, leaning
on a stick and on his companion’s shoulder. When he
reached the village, he went at once to hear confessions,
without going to see a doctor. At the end of the
day, when the doctor finally examined it, his leg was
already completely healed! God rewarded the priest’s
great love with this miracle.
Father John Francis died on one of his preaching
missions. He became very ill while lost at night in the
woods. Just before he died, he exclaimed: ”I see our
Lord and his Mother opening heaven for me.” He died
on December 31, 1640.
In 1806, a pilgrim joined the crowds going to pray
at the shrine of St. John Francis Regis. This pilgrim
believed all his life that St. John Francis obtained his
vocation to the priesthood for him. The pilgrim was
St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars. His feast is celebrated
on August 4.
The story of St. John Francis shows us what
amazing things God can do when we let him work
in our lives. Let’s pray that God will use us to bring
his love to many other people.
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June 17 |
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St. Emily de Vialar
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Emily de Vialar was an only child. She was born in
France in 1797. Her wealthy parents sent her to
school in Paris. Fifteen-year-old Emily returned to her
small town of Gaillac when her mother died. Her
father was interested in finding her a suitable husband.
He became angry when Emily refused to marry.
Emily knew that she wanted to be a religious sister
and give her life to God. But her father was against
this idea and used to start arguments to get her to
change her mind.
When Emily was twenty-one, a new priest arrived
in Gaillac. His name was Father Mercier. He helped
Emily to discover that God did want her to serve the
poor and the sick. Father Mercier helped her set up
an outpatient service right on the terrace of the de
Vialar home. Emily’s father was upset by all this. This
tense situation between Emily and her father lasted
for fifteen years. Then Emily’s grandfather, the Baron
de Portal, died, leaving her a fortune. At last she had
the independence she needed to begin her great
work for God.
With the help of Father Mercier, Emily bought a
large house in her hometown. She and three other
women began a religious order. They designed a
habit and chose a name. They called themselves the
Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition. (In Matthew’s
Gospel, an angel had appeared to Joseph to tell him
that Mary’s child was from God.) The archbishop
blessed their congregation and ministry. These sisters
would be dedicated to the care of the sick and poor,
and to the education of children. Twelve young
women joined the group within three months. Sister
Emily pronounced her vows in 1835 along with seventeen
other sisters. The archbishop approved the
rule they would live by.
The Sisters of St. Joseph opened branch convents.
In 1847, some went to Burma and in 1854 other sisters
went to Australia. In forty years, Mother Emily
saw her congregation grow from the patio of her
home in Gaillac, France, to some forty foundations
around the world.
Mother Emily wrote many letters that revealed
her tremendous love for God, for his Church and for
people. She cared about everyone. She saw in her
heart people everywhere who needed the truth of
the Gospel and the love that Christianity brings. She
asked Jesus for the strength she needed to continue
on. Mother Emily’s health began to fail around 1850.
She died in August 1856. Pope Pius XII proclaimed
her a saint in 1951.
It’s not enough to just believe in the teachings of
Jesus. We also have to put them into practice, as St.
Emily did. How can you reach out to others? Can
you help a friend who’s having a hard time with
schoolwork? Can you visit elderly people living in a
nursing home? How can you help out around the
house?
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June 18 |
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St. Gregory Barbarigo
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Gregory was born in 1625. He was raised and
educated in his native city of Venice, Italy. While still
in his twenties, Gregory was chosen to go with the
Venetian ambassador to Munster, Germany, for the
signing of the Treaty of Westphalia on October 24,
1648. This treaty would bring an end to the Thirty
Year War. This war, begun in 1618, was fought in
Germany. It involved local, Swedish and French
troops and was basically caused by Catholic-
Protestant misunderstanding.
At Munster, Gregory met the pope’s representative.
This man was to become Pope Alexander VII in
1655. He realized the goodness and spiritual qualities
of Father Gregory. He made him a bishop and assigned
him to the diocese of Bergamo, Italy. In 1660, the pope
called Gregory to Rome again. This time he made
Gregory a cardinal and assigned him to Padua.
Cardinal Gregory Barbarigo was to spend the rest
of his life in that city already made famous by St.
Anthony. People often said that Cardinal Barbarigo
was like a second Cardinal Borromeo. (We celebrate
the feast of St. Charles Borromeo on November 4.)
Cardinal Barbarigo lived a simple, self-sacrificing
life. He gave large sums of money to charitable
works. He kept his door open and was always available
when people were in trouble. He started an
excellent college and seminary to train men to be
priests. He gave the seminary a wonderful library
with many books by the early Church Fathers and
books about Sacred Scripture. He even equipped the
seminary with a printing press.
Cardinal Gregory Barbarigo died in June, 1697, at
the age of seventy-two. He was canonized by Pope
John XXIII in 1960.
St. Gregory was always ready to help those who
were in trouble. We can imitate him in small ways
by being kind and welcoming to those who might
not have many friends at school, or by smiling at
someone who looks sad. When we try to treat others
as Jesus would we can make a difference.
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June 19 |
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St. Romuald
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Romuald, an Italian nobleman, was born around
951 in Ravenna, Italy. When he was twenty, he was
shocked to see his father kill a man in a duel.
Romuald went to a Benedictine monastery. He wanted
to set his own life straight. He also wanted to do
penance for his father’s drastic deed. The monastery
surroundings and lifestyle were new to Romuald. He
was used to luxury and an easy way of life without
much work. The nobleman was impressed by the
good example of many of the monks. He became a
monk, remaining at the monastery for three years.
After that, he decided to find a stricter way of life. He
asked a good hermit named Marinus to be his spiritual
guide. Both Marinus and Romuald tried to spend
each day praising and loving God. Romuald’s own
father Sergius came to observe his son’s new way of
life. He was struck by its spirit of simplicity and self-sacrifice.
Sergius realized that there had to be great
happiness in this kind of life because his son had
given up everything to live like this. That was all
Sergius needed. He too gave up his wealth and spent
the rest of his life as a monk.
Eventually, Romuald began the Camaldolese
Benedictine order. He traveled around Italy starting
hermitages and monasteries. Wherever he went, he
gave his monks a wonderful example of love and
penance. He ate very simple meals consisting of food
he grew himself. Through these sacrifices Romuald
grew closer to God.
Romuald died on June 19, 1027, at the monastery
of Valdi-Castro. He was alone in his cell and passed
away quietly, probably whispering his favorite prayer:
“Oh, my sweet Jesus! God of my heart! Delight of
pure souls! The object of all my desires!”
Let’s ask St. Romuald to help us to value prayer
and the life of Jesus within us. We can also ask him
to help us keep our priorities straight. He knows
how hard that can sometimes be.
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June 20 |
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Blessed Michelina of Pesaro
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Michelina was born in 1300 in Pesaro, Italy. Her
family was wealthy and she married a rich man.
Michelina was a happy person by nature. She and
her husband lived a life of luxury and comfort. But
when she was just twenty, her husband died. All of a
sudden, Michelina found herself alone with a little
son to raise.
A holy Franciscan laywoman lived in Pesaro. Her
name was Syriaca. Syriaca realized that Michelina
was really a wonderful person who needed direction
and help to become closer to God. The two women
became friends, and Michelina took Syriaca into her
home. The holy woman greatly influenced
Michelina. Michelina became prayerful. She took
good care of her son and her home. She spent her
free time serving the poor and needy. She visited the
lonely and took care of those too sick or too old to
look after themselves.
Then, Michelina’s son died suddenly. Michelina
decided to become a Third Order Franciscan. At first,
her relatives were concerned when she gave away
her money and fancy clothes and started to eat plain
food. But after a while, they became convinced that
Michelina was very close to God.
Michelina lived her whole life in the same house
in Pesaro. She died in 1356 at the age of fifty-six. In
her memory, the people of her town kept a lamp
always lit in her home. In 1590, Blessed Michelina’s
house was made into a church.
Blessed Michelina had the choice to live a selfish,
easy life or a life of loving, Christian service. It
was through the example of her friend Syriaca that
Michelina became holy. Let’s thank God for the gift
of our own good friends.
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June 21 |
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St. Aloysius Gonzaga
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Aloysius, the patron saint of young Catholics, was
born on March 9, 1568 in Castiglione, Italy. Since he
was so full of life, his father planned to make a great
soldier out of him. When Aloysius was just five, his
father took him to the army camp. There, little
Aloysius marched in parade. He even managed to
load and fire a gun one day while the army was resting.
He learned rough language from the soldiers, too.
But when he found out what the words meant,
Aloysius felt very bad that he had used them.
As he grew, Aloysius was sent to the court of the
Duke of Mantua. Dishonesty, hatred, and impurity were
common there. But the only effect it all had on Aloysius
was to make him more careful to live as a good follower
of Jesus. He became sick. That gave him an excuse to
spend some time praying and reading good books.
When Aloysius was sixteen, he decided to become a
Jesuit priest. His father refused to allow it. However,
after three years, he finally gave in. Once Aloysius had
joined the order, he asked to do hard and humble tasks.
He served in the kitchen and washed the dishes.
When a terrible sickness called the plague broke
out in Rome, Aloysius asked to be allowed to care for
the sick. The young man who had grown up with servants
waiting on him now washed the sick and made
their beds. He served them until he caught the sickness
himself.
Aloysius was only twenty-three years old when he
died. It was the night of June 20, 1591. He said simply,
“I am going to heaven.” The body of Aloysius Gonzaga
is buried in the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome. He was
proclaimed a saint by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726.
Peer pressure can sometimes make us say and
do things that we shouldn’t. Let’s ask St. Aloysius for
the courage to do what’s right no matter what others
are doing or what they think about us.
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June 22 |
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St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More
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John Fisher was born in Yorkshire, England, in
1469. He was educated at Cambridge University and
became a priest. Father John taught at Cambridge,
too. He was a wonderful teacher and helped the students
grow in their knowledge of the Catholic faith.
But there was a lot of confusion about religion in
those days. Father John helped people to know the
truth about God and the Catholic Church.
In 1504, he became the bishop of Rochester,
England. It was a poor diocese. Bishop John was to
remain its shepherd for thirty years. Besides being the
bishop of Rochester, he was the head of Cambridge
University. Bishop John also heard the confessions of
King Henry VIII’s mother.
Bishop John had many friends, including the
famous scholar, Erasmus, and the great Sir Thomas
More. Bishop John and Thomas More would have
never guessed that one day they would be sharing a
feast day on the calendar of saints!
King Henry VIII became angry with Bishop John
for insisting that his marriage to Queen Catherine
was true. Then Henry VIII divorced Catherine and
married Anne Boleyn in a civil ceremony. The king
demanded that people sign an oath of loyalty to him.
He made himself head of the Church in England.
Bishop John would not sign the oath. He was arrested
in 1534 and sent to the Tower of London. The
tower was damp and the treatment was harsh. Bishop
John suffered very much, but he would not betray his
faith. Even though there were no televisions and
radios back then, people found out about what
Bishop John, Sir Thomas More and others like them
were going through. They were shocked and saddened.
On June 12, 1535, Pope Paul III named Bishop
John a cardinal. He hoped this would make King
Henry set him free. But the king only became angrier
and meaner. After ten months in prison, Cardinal
John was beheaded on June 22, 1535.
Along with his friend, Sir Thomas More, Cardinal
John Fisher was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI in
1935.
Sometimes it’s much easier to go along with the
crowd rather than stand up for the truth. But the
story of St. John shows that God will always give us
the strength we need to do the right thing.
Sir Thomas More was a famous lawyer and writer.
He was born in London in 1478. His father had been a
lawyer, too, and a judge. Thomas was always grateful to
his father for being so loving and for not spoiling him.
Thomas’ first wife, Jane Colt, died when she very
young. Thomas was left with four small children. He
got married again to a widow named Alice Middleton.
She was a good but simple woman who could not
even read or write, even though Thomas tried to
teach her. Thomas made home life enjoyable for his
family because he was so pleasant to be with. During
meals, one of the children would read from the Bible.
Then they would have fun and tell jokes. Thomas
often invited poorer neighbors to come to dinner,
too. He always helped the poor as much as he could.
He loved to delight his guests with surprises. He even
kept some playful monkeys as pets. But few people
could have imagined how deeply religious Thomas
really was. He prayed long hours into the night and
performed penances, too. He was very much aware
that he needed the grace and help of God to live as a
true Christian.
Thomas held important government positions in
England. For three years he was Lord Chancellor,
another name for prime minister. King Henry VIII
used to put his arm around Thomas’ shoulder
because they were such good friends. Although
Thomas was most loyal to the king, he was loyal to
God first of all. In fact, when the king tried to make
him disobey God’s law, Thomas refused. King Henry
wanted to divorce his wife and marry another
woman. However, the pope could not give permission,
since that is against God’s law. Henry was stubborn
and at last he left the Church. He wanted everyone
to recognize him as the head of the Church in
England. Thomas could not do that. He chose to
remain faithful to the Catholic faith and to God. He
was condemned to death for that, yet he forgave his
judges. Thomas even said that he hoped he would
see them in heaven. He really meant it, too.
At the scaffold, where he was to die, Thomas
declared himself “the king’s good servant, but
God’s first.” He kissed his executioner on the
cheek. Then he joked, saying that his beard should
not be cut off because it had not done anything
wrong. Sir Thomas More was martyred on Tuesday,
July 6, 1535, at the age of fifty-seven. Sir Thomas
More was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI in
1935, together with his friend, Bishop John Fisher.
He is the patron saint of lawyers.
St. Thomas risked losing everything: his fortune,
his position, his own security and even the safety of
his family. But he held fast to his Catholic faith,
even to the point of sacrificing his life. Like his
friend St. John, Thomas was able to remain strong
because he prayed and trusted in God. Let’s try to be
like him.
St. Paulinus of Nola also shares this feast day with St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More.
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June 23 |
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St. Joseph Cafasso
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Joseph Cafasso was born in 1811, in northern Italy,
near the city of Turin. (Four years later, in 1815, one of
his most famous students John Bosco—who would
also become a saint—was born in the same town. We
celebrate his feast on January 31.) Joseph had loving
parents who, although poor, were willing to sacrifice
for his education. When he was old enough, Joseph
went to Turin to study to become a priest.
Joseph met John Bosco in 1827 when John was
just twelve. The two became friends for the rest of
their lives. In 1833, Joseph was ordained a priest. He
began his priestly work and went to an excellent
school of theology for priests. When Father Joseph
graduated, he became a theology professor. He taught
many young priests over the years. They could tell
that he really loved them.
Father Joseph became known as the priest who
believed in the gentle and loving mercy of God.
Because he was so kind himself, he gave people
courage and hope. He guided many priests, religious
and lay people. He helped John Bosco, who had
become Father John Bosco, begin his great work with
troubled boys. Father Joseph also guided Father John
in starting his religious order known as the Salesians.
Father Joseph gave good advice to founders of other
religious orders too.
There were many social needs in Father Joseph
Cafasso’s time. One of the most urgent was the
prison system. Prison conditions were terrible. But
what most disturbed Father Joseph was the custom
of publicly hanging prisoners sentenced to death.
Father Joseph went to them and heard their confessions.
He stayed with them, telling them of God’s love
and mercy until they died. He helped over sixty convicted
men. All of them repented and died in the
peace of Jesus.
No one could ever measure Father Joseph’s great
influence on people and works in the Church. He
died on June 23, 1860. His devoted friend, Father
John Bosco, preached the homily at his funeral.
Pope Pius XII proclaimed Father Joseph Cafasso a
saint in 1947.
We can never be too kind and understanding
with people. St. Joseph was especially known for his
kindness to those in prison. We may not be able to
help those in prison as St. Joseph did, but we can
and should pray for them.
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June 24 |
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Birth of St. John the Baptist
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John’s parents were Zachary and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was an elderly cousin of Mary, the mother
of Jesus. The archangel Gabriel appeared to Zachary
and told him that Elizabeth would have a son, whom
he should name John. Zachary doubted the angel,
because he and his wife were too old to have children.
To show God’s power, the angel told Zachary
that he would not be able to speak until everything
had happened as the Lord had promised.
Later, Gabriel visited Mary and told her that she
would become the mother of the Savior. Gabriel also
told Mary that Elizabeth was soon to be a mother.
Mary went to visit and help her cousin. Then
Elizabeth had her baby. Zachary named him John, as
the angel had requested. At that moment, Zachary
was able to speak again, and he began praising God.
When the neighbors of Zachary and Elizabeth
witnessed this, they began to ask each other, ”What
will this child become?” They knew that God was
calling him to something great. John did have a special
calling. He was going to prepare the way for the
coming of Jesus.
As a young man, John went into the desert to prepare
himself for his mission with silence, prayer and
penance. Soon crowds started to come to him. They
realized he was a holy man. John warned the people to
be sorry for their sins. He told them to change their
lives, and he gave them the baptism of repentance.
That is why he is called John the Baptist. One day, Jesus
himself came to John. He wanted to be baptized with
John’s baptism to begin making up for our sins. On that
day, John told the crowds that Jesus was the Messiah,
the one they had been waiting for. He told them and
everyone else to follow Jesus. John said, “Jesus must
become more and more important and I must become
less and less important.” He said that he was not even
worthy to loosen the strap of Jesus’ sandal.
We also celebrate the day that John the Baptist
was killed by King Herod because that is the day he
went to live with Jesus in heaven. This feast is on
August 29.
St. John the Baptist was a great prophet. He pointed
Jesus out and prepared people to follow Jesus. Let’s
listen to the advice of St. John and allow Jesus to
become more and more important in our lives.
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June 25 |
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St. William of Vercelli
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William was born in Vercelli, Italy, in 1085. His
parents died when he was a baby. His relatives raised
him. When William grew up, he became a hermit. He
worked a miracle, curing a blind man, and found himself
famous. William was too humble to be happy
with the people’s admiration. He really wanted to
remain a hermit so that he could concentrate on
God. So he went out in the wilderness to live alone
on a high mountain. He thought that there no one
would bother him. But he was wrong. Many men
wanted William to help them become closer to God.
They came to live with him, and they built a
monastery dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Because
of William’s monastery, people gave the mountain a
new name. They called it the Mountain of the Virgin.
After a while, some of the monks began to complain
that their way of life was too hard. They wanted
better food and an easier schedule. William would
not relax the rule for himself. Instead, he chose a
prior for the monks. Then he and five faithful followers
set out to start another monastery, where they
could live the strict kind of life they felt called to.
One of William’s companions was John of Matera.
Both William and John were leaders. They realized, as
time went on, that it would be better if they split up,
and each start a separate monastery. They were great
friends, but they saw things differently. So John went
east and William went west. Both did very well. In
fact, both became saints.
Later, King Roger I of Naples helped William.
William’s good influence on the king angered some
evil men of the court. They tried to prove to the king
that William was really evil and that he was hiding
behind a holy habit. They sent a bad woman to tempt
William, but she was unsuccessful. It seems that she
repented and gave up her life of sin. St. William died
on June 25, 1142.
The story of St. William shows that even good
friends don’t always agree on everything. Even
though St. William and St. John had different ideas
they didn’t let this interfere with their friendship.
We can ask St. William to help us to respect the
ideas of our friends even when they are different
from our own.
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June 26 |
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St. Josemaría Escrivá
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Josemaría Escrivá was born in Barbastro, Spain, on
January 9, 1902. He was one of the six children of
José Escrivá and Dolores Balaguer. After he graduated
from high school, Josemaría studied law at Saragossa
and received his doctorate in Madrid. Then he
returned to Saragossa and entered the seminary. After
he was ordained a priest on March 28, 1925,
Josemaría continued his studies in Rome and earned
a doctorate in theology.
Father Escrivá began his priestly ministry in country
parishes. Later, he began working with university
students. He worked in the slums of Saragossa and
Madrid, where he came into contact with people
from every level of society. He recognized the need
to bring the Christian message of faith and hope to
the rich and poor, the educated and the simple. In
order to fulfill this need, Father Escrivá started an
association called Opus Dei, which means “the work
of God” in Latin. It was an organization for people
from all levels of social and professional life who
wanted to live the Christian life more fully. Members
of Opus Dei offer up the work they do each day in
union with Jesus. In this way, they make their work,
themselves, and others holy.
Father Escrivá traveled throughout Europe and
Latin America bringing Opus Dei to people in other
nations. He taught that everyone is called to live a
holy life and to carry out a mission in the Church. He
wrote many books on history and law, but his spiritual
works were especially popular. His book, The
Way, which was first published in 1934, has sold over
four million copies in over forty languages!
Father Escrivá died suddenly on June 26, 1975, in
Rome. At the time of his death, Opus Dei had spread
to six continents with more than 60,000 members
representing eighty nationalities.
Pope John Paul II canonized Father Josemaría
Escrivá on October 6, 2002.
St. Josemaría Escrivá taught that the work we
do in our everyday lives is a way to become closer
to God. When we offer Jesus our schoolwork, our
daily chores, and even our times of fun, our whole
life becomes a prayer and a fulfillment of God’s
will. This is what true holiness is.
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June 27 |
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St. Cyril of Alexandria
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Cyril was born in Alexandria, Egypt, around the
year 370. His uncle, Theophilus, was the patriarch or
archbishop. His uncle meant well, but he had a bad
temper and could be stubborn at times. Archbishop
Theophilus was responsible for sending Bishop John
Chrysostom (who became a saint) into exile in 403.
But the emperor brought the famous bishop back to
his archdiocese of Constantinople. It seems that Cyril
was influenced by his uncle’s prejudice of John, and
agreed when Bishop John was sent into exile. (We
celebrate the feast of St. John Chrysostom on
September 13.)
When Theophilus died in 412, Cyril became the
archbishop. He was very clear about his love for the
Church and for Jesus. He was a brave man in confusing
times, and he preached what the Church taught.
Cyril was honest and straightforward. He was not
looking for praise or positions. However, Cyril could
be impulsive and stubborn at times. He wanted to
express the truths of the Church with his preaching
and writing, and he did. But when he became upset,
he was not concerned about saying things in a gentle
way, so he blurted out angrily at times.
This must have caused him sorrow. Yet Christians
were grateful for his many wonderful qualities, such as
courage in defending the Church and her teachings.
Cyril was the representative of Pope St. Celestine I
at the Council of Ephesus in 431. This was an official
Church meeting of over 200 bishops. They had to
study the teachings of a priest named Nestorius. The
Council explained clearly that Nestorius was wrong
about some important truths we believe. For example,
he was teaching that Jesus Christ was God, but
not man. Of course, Jesus is truly God and truly man.
The pope gave Nestorius ten days to promise that he
would not keep preaching his errors. But Nestorius
would not give in. The Council explained to the people
of God that such errors about Jesus could not be
accepted. The bishops were so clear in their explanation
that these false teachings would never again
be a major threat.
The people were very grateful to Cyril of
Alexandria who led the Council meetings. Cyril went
back to his archdiocese and worked hard for the
Church, writing and explaining the truths of the faith
until he died in 444. Pope Leo XIII proclaimed St.
Cyril a Doctor of the Church in 1882.
It doesn’t pay to become discouraged after we’ve
done something that we shouldn’t have. What we
should do is pray to do better next time. St. Cyril had
a hard time controlling his temper, but he kept
working on it. Let’s ask him to help us become more
like Jesus in that virtue that we need the most.
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June 28 |
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St. Irenaeus
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Irenaeus was a Greek who was born between the
years 120 and 140. He had the great privilege of being
taught by St. Polycarp, who had been a disciple of St.
John the Apostle. Irenaeus once told a friend: “I listened
to St. Polycarp’s instructions very carefully. I
wrote down his actions and his words, not on paper,
but on my heart.”
After he became a priest, Irenaeus was sent to the
French city of Lyons. It was in this city that the bishop,
St. Pothinius, was martyred along with a great
many other saints. Irenaeus was not martyred at that
time because he had left the city to do an errand. His
brother priests had asked him to take an important
message from them to the pope in Rome. In that letter
they spoke of Irenaeus as a man full of zeal for the
faith. After reading that letter, the pope made
Irenaeus a bishop and sent him back to Lyons.
When Irenaeus returned to Lyons, the persecution
was over. But there was another danger—a false
religion called Gnosticism was spreading. This false
religion attracted some people by its promise to
teach them secret mysteries. Irenaeus studied all its
teachings and then wrote five books to explain their
errors. He wrote with respect, because he wanted to
win people to Jesus. However, sometimes he had to
use strong words, too. Many people read Irenaeus’
book. Before long, the false religion began to die out.
St. Irenaeus died around the year 202. Many believe
he was martyred.
St. Irenaeus always remembered what he had
been taught by St. Polycarp. Let’s try to form the
habit of being grateful to all those who have taught
us many good things: our parents or guardians, our
priests and teachers. Let’s pray for them and try to
put all that we’ve learned into practice.
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June 29 |
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St. Peter and St. Paul
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Peter, the first bishop of Rome (we now call the
bishop of Rome the pope), was a fisherman from
Bethsaida. Jesus invited him to follow him, saying: ”I
will make you a fisher of people.” Peter was a simple,
hard-working man. He was generous, honest and very
attached to Jesus.
This great apostle’s original name was Simon, but
Jesus changed it to Peter, which means “rock.” “You
are Peter,” Jesus said, ”and on this rock I will build my
Church.” Peter was the leader of the apostles.
When Jesus was arrested, Peter became afraid.
That’s when he denied that he knew Jesus three
times. But Peter was very sorry for what he had done,
and Jesus forgave him. After his resurrection Jesus
asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” “Lord,”
Peter answered, ”you know all things. You know that
I love you.” Peter was right. Jesus really did know!
Jesus said kindly, “Feed my lambs. Feed my sheep.”
Jesus was telling Peter to take care of his Church
because he would be ascending into heaven. Jesus
made Peter the leader of his followers.
Peter eventually went to live in Rome. Rome was
the center of the whole world at that time. Peter converted
many nonbelievers there. When the fierce
persecution of Christians began, they begged Peter to
leave Rome and save himself. There is a tradition that
says Peter actually started to run away. But he met
Jesus on the road. ”Lord, where are you going?” Peter
asked him. Jesus answered, ”I am going to Rome to be
crucified a second time.” Then Peter turned around
and went back. He realized that this vision meant that
he was to suffer and die for Jesus. Soon after, he was
taken prisoner and condemned to death. Because he
was not a Roman citizen, he, like Jesus, could be crucified.
This time he did not deny the Lord. This time
he was ready to die for him. Peter asked to be crucified
with his head downward since he was not worthy
to suffer as Jesus had. The Roman soldiers did not
find this unusual because slaves were crucified in the
same manner.
St. Peter was martyred and buried on Vatican Hill.
It was around the year 67. Emperor Constantine built
a large church over that holy spot in the fourth century.
Today the beautiful church called St. Peter’s
Basilica stands there.
St. Peter has another feast that we celebrate. It is
on February 22 and is called the Chair of St. Peter.
We can learn from St. Peter that when we make
Jesus the center of our hearts and lives everything
else will work out. Our sins and failings will never
keep Jesus from loving and forgiving us.
Saul was Jewish, but because he was born in
Tarsus, he was also a Roman citizen, with the Roman
name “Paul.” He studied his Jewish faith carefully and
was very dedicated to it. Saul made his living as a tentmaker.
Before Saul’s conversion, he thought he was
pleasing God by persecuting the Christians. At the
time of his conversion, Jesus had said: “I will show
him how much he must suffer for me.” After Jesus
appeared to Saul, Saul began to use his Roman name
Paul. Paul loved Jesus very much, so much, in fact, that
he tried to imitate him in every way. All his life, during
his many missionary trips, Paul met troubles and
went through dangers of every kind. He was
whipped, stoned, shipwrecked, and lost at sea. Many,
many times he was hungry, thirsty and cold. But Paul
always trusted in God. And he never stopped preaching.
“The love of Jesus presses me onward,” he said. In
reward, God gave him great comfort and joy in spite
of every suffering.
We read about St. Paul’s marvelous adventures for
Jesus in St. Luke’s Acts of the Apostles, beginning with
chapter nine. But St. Luke’s story ends when Paul
arrives in Rome. He is under house arrest, waiting to be
tried by Emperor Nero. A famous early Christian writer,
Tertullian, tells us that Paul was freed after his first trial.
But then he was put in prison again. This time he was
sentenced to death. He died around the year 67,during
Nero’s terrible persecution of the Christians.
Paul called himself the apostle of the Gentiles
because he preached the Gospel to the people who
weren’t Jewish. That took him across the then-known
world. Because of Paul, we too, have received
the Christian faith. In the New Testament, we can
read many of the letters which he wrote to the
churches which he helped form. In these letters, St.
Paul gives helpful advice on living the Christian life.
We celebrate another feast of St. Paul, the feast of
his conversion, on January 25.
Once St. Paul discovered who Jesus was, he dedicated
his whole life to loving and serving the Lord
and telling as many people as he could about him.
What can we do to help others know Jesus better?
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June 30 |
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First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
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The people we honor today had one thing in
common: they all gave up their lives for Jesus. They
were killed because they were his followers. By the
year 64, Emperor Nero’s human rights violations had
reached proportions beyond description. When a
fire broke out in Rome on July 16, it was commonly
believed that the emperor himself had set it. As
almost the entire city lay in ruins, the anger of the
people grew. Nero became fearful. He needed to
blame the fire on someone else, and he picked the
Christians.
Tacitus, a well-known historian, recorded that
the Christians suffered cruel deaths. Nero had some
of them fed to wild animals. Others were tied to
posts and became human torches that lit the
Roman streets. The exact number of these
Christian heroes is not known, but their gift of witness
and their holy lives made a lasting impact on
the people. Nero was the first Roman emperor to
persecute the Christians, but he was not the last.
And the more the Church was persecuted, the
more it grew. The martyrs had paid the price so
that all who would come after them would be free
to practice the Catholic faith.
We can be grateful that we live in a country in
which we are free to practice our Catholic faith.
Many other people do not have this same gift. Let’s
ask the Martyrs of Rome to help all those who are
persecuted because of their faith in Jesus.
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