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September 1 |
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St. Giles
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Giles was born in Athens, Greece, in the eighth century.
When his parents died, he used the large fortune
they left him to help the poor. For this reason and especially
because he worked many miracles, Giles found
himself a greatly admired young man. He did not want
this praise and fame at all. So, to be able to serve God in
a hidden life, he left Greece and sailed to France.
There he went to live alone in a dark forest. He
made his home in a rough cave behind a thick thorn
bush. Giles lived there contented, safe from the danger
of becoming conceited at hearing himself praised. But
one day, a certain king and his men went hunting in
the forest. They chased a deer that often came to
Giles’ cave. The deer escaped by going into Giles’ cave,
which was hidden behind the large thorn bush. One of
the men shot an arrow into the thorn bush, hoping to
hit the deer. When they forced their way in, they discovered
Giles sitting wounded by the arrow.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?”
demanded the king. St. Giles told them the story of
his life. When they heard it, they asked his forgiveness.
The king sent his doctors to take care of the
saint’s wound. Although Giles begged to be left
alone, the king felt such respect for him that he
came often to see him. Giles never would accept the
king’s gifts. Finally, however, he agreed to let the
king build a large monastery there. Giles became its
first abbot.
This monastery became so famous that a whole
town grew up there. When the saint died, his grave at
the monastery became a great shrine where many
people came on pilgrimage.
St. Giles realized that only God can make us
really happy. The next time we notice that we’re
being self-centered, we can pray to St. Giles. He’ll
help us become God-centered in our lives and generous
with our time.
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September 2 |
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Blessed John DuLau and the September Martyrs
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Blessed John was the archbishop of Arles,
France. He and his companions are celebrated today
because they died heroic martyrs’ deaths during the
French Revolution.
The people were being forced to take an oath to
uphold the Constitution of 1790, which was against
the Church. If they did not take the oath, they were
imprisoned. By 1792, the punishment was death.
Many brave bishops, priests, religious, and lay people
would not sign the oath supporting the new
Constitution. They knew they would be betraying
God and his Church. Pope Pius VI told them that they
were right and denounced the Constitution. It was a
sad time for the people of France.
On September 2, 1792, a crowd of several hundred
people rioted and broke into a former
monastery, which was now a prison for priests and
religious. The mob approached several priests and
told them to sign the oath. Each priest definitely
refused. Each was slain on the spot.
Among the martyrs was Blessed Alexander
Lenfant, a Jesuit. Just a few minutes before he died, he
had been hearing the confession of a fellow priest.
Both were killed moments later. The rioters then
went to the Carmelite church, which was also being
used as a prison. Blessed John, archbishop of Arles,
and other bishops and priests were being held there.
All refused to take the oath and all were murdered.
On September 3, the same mob went to the Lazarist
seminary. It was also a temporary prison, with ninety
priests and religious. Only four escaped death.
By the time the terrible Revolution had ended,
1,500 Catholics had been killed. Several were bishops,
priests, and religious. The September Martyrs,
whom we celebrate today, number 191. They were
proclaimed blessed in 1926 by Pope Pius XI.
We can ask today’s martyrs to help us understand
that we should cherish the precious gift of
our Catholic faith. We never want to take our religion
for granted.
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September 3 |
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St. Gregory the Great
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St. Gregory was born in 540 in Rome. His father
was a senator. His mother was St. Celia. Gregory studied
philosophy and while still young became prefect
of Rome. When his father died, Gregory turned his
large house into a monastery. For several years he
lived as a good and holy monk. Then Pope Pelagius II
made him one of the seven deacons of Rome. When
the pope died, Gregory was chosen to take his place.
He did not want that honor at all. He was so holy and
wise, however, that everyone knew he would be a
good pope.
For fourteen years he ruled the Church. Gregory
was one of the greatest popes the Church has ever
had. He wrote many books and was a wonderful
preacher. He cared for people all over the world. In
fact, he considered himself the servant of all. He was
the first pope to use the title “Servant of the Servants
of God.” All the popes since have used this title.
St. Gregory took special, loving care of poor people
and strangers. During a famine, he fed the hungry
people. He restored Rome, which had earlier been
devastated by invasions and earthquakes. He was also
very sensitive to the injustices people suffered. It is
said that when he was still a monk, he saw some boys
up for sale in the slave market of Rome. He asked
where they were from and was told that they were
from England. The saint felt a great desire to go to
England to bring the love of Jesus to those pagans.
When he became pope, one of the first things he did
was to send some of his best monks to tell the
English about Christ.
The last years of this holy pope’s life were filled
with great sufferings, yet he continued working for
his beloved Church until the very end. St. Gregory
died on March 12, 604.
Every morning we can decide to do at least one
good deed or act of kindness during the day. Then
we’ll imitate St. Gregory the Great, who knew that
true greatness lies in reaching out in loving service
to our neighbor for the love of Jesus.
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September 4 |
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St. Rose of Viterbo
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Rose was born around 1235 in Viterbo, Italy. She
was a poor girl who lived at the time when Emperor
Frederick had conquered land that belonged to the
Church. Rose’s special mission was to make the people
of her own city and nearby cities remain faithful to the
Church and the Holy Father. And this she did when
she was just a teenager. In fact, Rose was only eight
years old when our Blessed Mother appeared to her
while she was sick and told her that she was to wear
the habit of St. Francis. Our Lady also told Rose to give
good example by her words and actions. Slowly the
girl regained her health. She began to think more and
more about how much Jesus suffered for us and how
much he was offended by sin. She prayed and made
sacrifices to show Jesus how much she loved him.
When she was twelve, this daring girl began to
preach in the streets of the city. She told people to
stand up to the emperor who had taken land from
the Church. So many people listened to the saint that
Rose’s father became frightened. He told her he
would punish her if she did not stop preaching. She
answered gently, “If Jesus could suffer for me, I can
suffer for him. I do what Jesus has told me to do, and
I must not disobey him.”
For two more years Rose preached with such success
that the enemies of the pope wanted her killed.
In the end, Rose and her parents had to leave the city.
She foretold the death of the emperor a few days
before it happened. Back in Viterbo, the saint tried to
become a nun, but was not accepted; so she returned
to her own home. There she died in 1252, when she
was only seventeen. Her body is still preserved and
venerated in Viterbo.
In her very short life St. Rose did much good. She
did what she knew was the right thing to do, even
though it was difficult and did not make her popular.
We can ask her to help us be as energetic and
courageous every day as she was.
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September 5 |
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Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
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Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born in 1910, in
what was then Yugoslavia. Her parents were Albanian.
By the time she was twelve years old, she knew she
wanted to be a missionary. When she was eighteen,
she entered the community of the Loreto Sisters in
Calcutta, India.
Sister Teresa taught geography at St. Mary’s High
School in Calcutta. She later became principal. Her
students were all from well-off families. The poor
children from Calcutta’s slums were not allowed
admission. There was a big difference between the
comfortable lifestyle in the convent and the
wretched poverty just outside.
On September 10, 1946, while riding on a train,
Sister Teresa felt an unmistakable call from God to
serve the poorest of the poor. By the spring of 1948,
she had received permission to go out of her safe
convent walls and work among the poor. In August,
she put on a white cotton sari edged in blue, which
was to become her new Order’s habit. After taking a
nurse’s training course, Mother Teresa opened a
school in Moti Jheel, the poorest section of Calcutta.
Soon other young women joined her and in 1950
the Missionaries of Charity became a new community
in the Church. Mother Teresa and her sisters lived
among the poor in order to serve them better. Each sister
was allowed only two saris, which cost about a dollar
each. In this way, they could teach by their example
that it is possible to keep clean with only one change
of clothing. Mother Teresa valued poverty so highly,
that she only accepted gifts from benefactors if they
could be used to help the poor. She once turned down
a donation of $500,000 because the donor said it must
be used only as security for the Order. Mother Teresa
knew that God would provide for her community’s
future. It was up to her to help the poor today.
Mother Teresa knew that she and her sisters
would not have the strength needed to do this work
if they did not stay united to Jesus in the Eucharist.
They began each morning with Mass and Communion.
They ended each day with an hour of adoration
before the Blessed Sacrament.
Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1979. As she became known throughout
the world, she remained humble and poor. She took
every opportunity to speak out for the poorest of the
poor, for the helpless people on the fringes of society,
and for unborn children. She challenged people
with power and means to take responsibility for
those who had none.
Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997. She was
beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 19, 2003.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta once said: “Christ will
judge us on our love for him, how we fed him, not
only with rice and bread, but with the understanding
love we showed in our own homes, in our own
communities.” We can ask Blessed Teresa to help us
feel and show this love, too.
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September 6 |
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Blessed Bertrand of Garrigues
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Bertrand lived at the turn of the thirteenth century.
His country, France, was troubled by civil war.
There was also great confusion about Church teaching.
Bertrand’s parents managed to live a peaceful life
and they brought up their son in the true faith.
In 1200, the Cistercian monasteries were attacked by
an army led by Raymond of Toulouse. He believed in
an erroneous teaching called Albigensianism. He
attacked people who did not believe as he did.
Raymond of Toulouse especially persecuted the
Cistercian monks because they were trying very hard
to help people understand the true Catholic faith.
Bertrand became a Cistercian priest. Around
1208, he met St. Dominic. This was God’s invitation
to him to begin a very important ministry. He was
one of the six men who joined Dominic in 1215 to
form a new religious congregation, the Order of
Preachers. They are often called “Dominicans,” after
their founder. Blessed Bertrand was sent to Paris to
start the Order there. After a short while, St. Dominic
called for Friar Bertrand to go to Bologna to establish
the Order of Preachers there. Bertrand obeyed happily.
Meanwhile, the Order was growing. They
preached the Gospel message in the towns and countryside.
They wanted people to know and love their
Catholic faith. In 1219, Bertrand accompanied St.
Dominic on a trip to Paris. He loved and admired St.
Dominic very much.
In 1221, the Dominicans had a big meeting called
a General Chapter. Bertrand was there. The Order was
divided into eight provinces so that the religious and
their ministries could be more effective. Bertrand was
made the superior or provincial of southern France.
He spent the rest of his life preaching and helping
people grow closer to God. He died in 1230 and was
proclaimed blessed by Pope Leo XIII in 1881.
When we wonder about what to do with our
lives, we can pray to Blessed Bertrand. By living our
faith and taking time each day for prayer, we’ll
learn God’s plan for us.
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September 7 |
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Blessed John Duckett and Blessed Ralph Corby
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This is the second time the name Duckett appears
as we go through the calendar of saints and blesseds.
The story of James Duckett, an English martyr, is
found on April 22. He was related in some
way to one of today’s martyrs, John Duckett. Both
John Duckett and Ralph Corby were priests. They
lived in the seventeenth century and died as martyrs
for the faith in 1644.
Father John studied at the English college of
Douay and became a priest in 1639. He studied for
three more years in Paris and spent several hours
each day in prayer. Before being sent back to his persecuted
England, he spent two months with the
Cistercian monks, devoting that time to prayer and
solitude. The young priest labored for a year in
England. He was caught with holy oils and a book of
rites. When his captors threatened harm to his family
and friends if he did not confess his identity, he
admitted that he was a priest. He was brought to
a prison in London. There he met a fellow priest,
Ralph Corby, a Jesuit. Father Corby had been laboring
in England for twelve years before he was caught celebrating
Mass. The Jesuit Order tried feverishly to
save Father Corby. Finally, a reprieve came. Father
Corby insisted that Father John Duckett, who was
younger, use it. But Father John would not allow himself
to walk away and leave his friend.
Actually, neither priest would have been allowed to
take advantage of the reprieve. The judges ignored it
and condemned both priests to death. On September
7, 1644, at ten o’clock, the two men mounted the cart
that would take them to Tyburn, the place of execution.
Their heads were shaved and they wore their cassocks.
Each made a short speech, then embraced the
other before the two were executed. They would
meet again in the presence of the Lord of glory.
Who can ever really understand why injustices
take place? It’s hard to forgive when innocent people
suffer. When we’re angered by injustice, we can
pray to Blessed John Duckett and Blessed Ralph
Corby. We can ask them to help us be forgiving as
they were.
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September 8 |
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Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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We do not usually celebrate the birthdays of the
saints. Instead, we celebrate the day each died,
because that is the day each was born into the joys of
heaven. But the birthday of Mary, our Blessed Mother,
is an exception. We do celebrate her birthday
because she came into this world full of grace and
because she was to be the Mother of Jesus.
The birth of Our Lady was like a dawn. When the
sky starts to turn a rosy pink early in the morning, we
know the sun will soon come up. In the same way,
when Mary was born, she brought great happiness to
the world. Her birth meant that soon Jesus, the Sun of
justice, would appear. Mary was the wonderful
human being whose privilege it was to bring the
Lord Jesus to all people.
Even today, if we have Mary, we have Jesus. This is
because Mary always brings her Son. When we go to
Mary, she leads us to Jesus. Whoever is very devoted
to her is very close to the heart of Jesus.
We can make Mary’s birthday special by saying
the Hail Mary often throughout the day.
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September 9 |
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St. Peter Claver
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This Spanish priest of the Society of Jesus was
born in 1580. He is known as the “apostle of the
slaves.” While he was still studying to become a
Jesuit, he felt a burning desire to go to South America
as a missionary. He volunteered and was sent to the
seaport of Cartagena in present day Colombia.
There, great shiploads of African slaves were brought
to be sold.
Peter felt great pity at the sight of those poor people,
sick and suffering, all crowded together. He made
up his mind to help them as much as he could. As
soon as a slave ship arrived, he would go among the
hundreds of sick slaves. He gave them food and medicine.
He taught them about Christ and baptized
those who accepted the faith. He cared for the sick.
It was hard work in terrible heat. One man who went
once with St. Peter could not bring himself to face
the heartbreaking sight again. Yet Peter did it for
forty years. He baptized some 300 thousand people.
He was always there when the ships came in. He
cared for and loved those who were treated so
unjustly by society.
Although the slave owners tried to stop Father
Claver, he taught the faith to the slaves anyway. It was
slow, discouraging work. Many people criticized him,
saying it was all a waste of time. They thought the
slaves would never understand and keep the faith.
But St. Peter was patient and he trusted that God
would bless his people. He also went to visit his converts
after they left Cartagena, staying in the slaves’
quarters. He wanted to see firsthand how the slaves
were being treated, and what their living conditions
were. The priest never stopped urging the slave
owners to take care of the souls of their slaves and to
become better Christians themselves.
During the last four years of his life, Father Claver
was so sick that he had to stay in his room. He could
not even celebrate Mass. Almost everyone forgot
about him, but he never complained. Then suddenly
at his death on September 8, 1654, it was as if the
whole city woke up. They realized that they had lost
a saint. He would never again be forgotten. Pope Leo
XIII proclaimed him a saint in 1888.
Prejudice against people because of their race,
religion, gender, culture, or birthplace offends God,
the good Father of us all. We can ask St. Peter Claver
to help us love everybody as God’s children. We can
also ask him to help us get rid of any prejudice that
may be in our hearts.
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September 10 |
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St. Nicholas of Tolentino
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Nicholas was born in 1245 in Ancona, Italy. His
parents had waited long and anxiously for a child.
Nicholas was the answer to their prayers and a pilgrimage
the couple had made to the shrine of St.
Nicholas of Bari. The couple was so grateful to the
saint that they named their baby after him.
When the boy grew up, he talked about becoming
a priest. He was prayerful and wanted to live close
to God. Friends of his family wanted him to be a
priest in a wealthy parish where Nicholas would be
promoted. Nicholas didn’t say much, but he quietly
searched and prayed. One day he slipped into a
church. A fervent Augustinian priest was preaching a
sermon. He said: ”Don’t love the world or the things
of this world because this world is passing away.”
Nicholas thought about this. He went away with the
words dancing in his head. He realized that God had
used that preacher to touch his own life. He became
convinced of the importance of preaching God’s
Word. He made up his mind to ask to join the same
Order to which that priest belonged.
The Order was the Augustinian Friars and the
priest was Father Reginald, who became his novice
master. Friar Nicholas professed his vows when he
was eighteen. Then he began his studies for the
priesthood. He was ordained around 1270. Father
Nicholas performed his preaching ministry in various
parishes. Then while praying in church one day, he
seemed to hear a voice saying: “To Tolentino, to
Tolentino. Stay there.” Shortly afterward, he was
assigned to the town of Tolentino. He spent the
remaining thirty years of his life there.
There was great political unrest in those times.
Many people did not come to church to hear the
Word and to worship the Lord. The friars of St.
Augustine decided that preaching in the streets was
necessary. St. Nicholas was chosen to be part of this
initiative. He preached in outside gathering places
willingly. People listened and many repented of their
sins and lack of caring. They led better lives. Father
Nicholas spent hours in the poor areas of Tolentino.
He visited the lonely. He brought the sacraments to
the sick and dying. He took care of the needs of children
and visited prisoners. Miracles were reported
while St. Nicholas was still alive. He once touched a
diseased child and said, ”May the good God make you
well,” and the child was cured.
St. Nicholas of Tolentino was sick for about a year
before he died on September 10, 1305. He was proclaimed
a saint by Pope Eugene IV in 1446.
St. Nicholas of Tolentino was an answer to his
parents’ prayers. Because he listened to the call of
God in his heart, he was able to help many people
find the Lord. We can ask St. Nicholas of Tolentino
to help us be good listeners to the voice of God.
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September 11 |
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St. Lawrence Justinian
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Lawrence was born in Venice, Italy, in 1381. His
mother sometimes thought her son was aiming too
high. He always told her that he wanted to become
a saint. When he was nineteen, he felt he should
serve God in a special way. He asked the advice of
his uncle, a holy priest of the community of St.
George. ”Do you have the courage to turn down the
delights of the world and to live a life of penance?”
asked his uncle. Lawrence was quiet for a long
time. Then he looked up at a crucifix and said,
“You, O Lord, are my hope. In this cross there is
comfort and strength.”
His mother wanted him to marry, but Lawrence
joined the community of St. George. His first assignment
was to go out among the people of his city and
seek donations for the support of the community.
Lawrence was not ashamed to beg. He realized that
the offerings of money or goods would help God’s
work. He even went in front of his own home and
asked for donations. His mother would try to fill up
his sack with food so that he could go back to the
monastery early. But Lawrence would only accept
two loaves of bread and then would be off to the
next house. In this way, he learned how to make little
acts of self-denial and grew very dear to God.
One day a friend of his came to try to persuade
Lawrence to leave the monastery. Instead, the saint
spoke of how short life is and how wise it is to live
for heaven. His friend was very impressed and was
persuaded to become a religious himself.
Later, Lawrence was made a bishop. His people
soon learned what a kind and holy man their bishop
was. Crowds came to him for help every day. Bishop
Lawrence became known for his works of charity
and his success as a peacemaker. When he was
dying, he would not lie on a comfortable bed. ”That
shall not be!” he exclaimed humbly. “My Lord was
stretched out on a hard and painful tree.” St. Lawrence
Justinian died in 1455.
Let us pray for priests, that they’ll be full of faith
and love in their service of God’s people, the
Church. We can ask God to give them consolation,
strength, and joy.
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September 12 |
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Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Honoring Mary’s name in the liturgy goes back to
the sixteenth century, when individual churches celebrated
the feast of the Name of Mary. In 1683, Pope
Innocent XI made September 12 a feast of the universal
Church to honor Mary’s name and to thank her
for her protection.
Mary’s name means “star of the sea” in Hebrew.
Just as sailors caught in a storm will use the stars to
keep their coarse, we can look to Mary as our “star”
who keeps us on the path that Jesus marked out for
us. If we get off track in our life, we can look to Mary
and she will guide us back to Jesus and his Church.
St. Bernard wrote: “As you struggle through the
stormy sea of life, do not turn away from Mary, star of
the sea. If the winds of temptation blow your little
boat, or if you are headed toward the rocks of suffering,
look at the star—call Mary! If you are tossed by
waves of ambition or envy, look at the star—call
Mary! If anger or greed rocks the little boat of your
heart, look at Mary! If you are getting discouraged
because of your sins, think of Mary! In dangers and
difficulties, remember Mary—call Mary! Do not let
her name be far from your lips. Keep the thought of
her fixed in your heart! She will keep you from losing
your way. She will protect you so you have nothing
to fear. She will guide you to Jesus, your Savior!”
When we experience sadness, doubt, or disappointment,
do we think of Mary and call to her? Do
we believe that Mary truly loves us and wants us to
be happy? How is Mary leading us closer to Jesus?
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September 13 |
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St. John Chrysostom
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St. John Chrysostom was born in Antioch around
344. His father died when he was a baby. His mother
chose not to marry again. She gave all her attention
to bringing up her son and daughter. She made many
sacrifices so that John could have the best teachers.
He was very intelligent and could have become
a great man in the world. When he gave speeches
everyone loved to listen to him. In fact, the name
Chrysostom means “Golden-mouthed.” Yet John
wanted to give himself to God. He became a priest
and later was made bishop of the great city of
Constantinople.
St. John was a wonderful bishop and accomplished
a tremendous amount of good. He preached
once or twice every day, fed the poor, and took care
of orphans. He corrected sinful customs and stopped
bad plays from being performed. He loved everyone,
but he was not afraid to tell even the empress when
she did something wrong.
Because he fought sin, St. John had enemies, even
the empress herself. She had him sent away from
Constantinople. On the trip he suffered greatly from
fever and from lack of food and sleep. Yet, he was
happy to suffer for Jesus. Just before he died, he cried
out, ”Glory be to God!”
St. John died in Turkey on September 14, 407. A
terrible hailstorm fell on Constantinople when he
died. Four days later, the empress died, too. Her son
honored St. John’s body and showed how sorry he
was for the harm his mother had done.
God knows us better than we know ourselves. If
we do everything as well as we can for him, then
we don’t have to be afraid of what others say or do
against us. We can ask St. John Chrysostom to give
us courage.
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September 14 |
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Exaltation of the Holy Cross
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Today we celebrate our gratitude and love for
Jesus through our respect for his cross. The cross
was once the greatest symbol of shame. Death by crucifixion
was reserved for the lowest of criminals.
Jesus took on the suffering of the cross in order to
obtain our salvation. With that suffering came shame.
By his death on the cross, Jesus has made it a symbol
of eternal life and glory. The cross has become
the most sacred Christian symbol. When the cross
has the image of the suffering Christ on it, it is called
a crucifix. The crucifix on our bedroom wall and the
crucifix or cross we wear around our neck are
reminders for us that Jesus paid a price for our salvation.
For centuries, relics of the true cross have been
cherished by devout Christians. It is believed that
Emperor Heraclius recovered pieces of wood from
the cross of Jesus in 629. He and his group of pilgrims
honored the relics and invited all the people in the
area to join them. Even before that time, Christians
honored and loved the symbol of the cross.
The word “cross” can also mean the sufferings
that come our way. When we accept them lovingly
and with patience, as Jesus did his cross, we become
“cross-bearers” like Jesus.
Let’s consider what the symbol of the cross
means to us Christians. We might like to say the following
short prayer today: We adore you, O Christ,
and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you
have redeemed the world.
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September 15 |
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Our Lady of Sorrows
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Our Lady had many great joys as the Mother of
Jesus, but she had much to suffer, too. Her great love
for her divine Son caused Mary to suffer when she
saw Jesus treated cruelly by his enemies. Mary is the
Queen of Martyrs because she went through spiritual
torments greater than the bodily agonies of the
martyrs. Her heart was like an altar when on Calvary
she offered up her beloved Jesus to save us. What a
terrible suffering it was for so loving a mother to see
her Son die on the cross!
We especially remember seven occasions of great
suffering in Mary’s life. The first was when she took
Baby Jesus to the Temple. There the prophet Simeon
told her that a sword of suffering would pierce her
heart. This would be when Jesus was put to death. Her
second sorrow was when she and St. Joseph had to flee
to Egypt with Jesus because Herod’s soldiers were trying
to kill him. The third suffering came when Mary
searched three days in Jerusalem for Jesus. She finally
found him in the Temple. Our Lady’s fourth sorrow was
when Jesus was whipped and crowned with thorns.
Her fifth great pain was caused by seeing him lifted on
the cross, where he died after three hours of agony.
Mary’s sixth sorrow was the moment when Our Lord’s
lifeless body was placed in her arms. And her seventh
suffering came when he was buried in the tomb.
Mary did not pity herself or complain because
she had to suffer so much during her life. Instead, she
offered her sorrows to God for our sakes. She is our
Mother. Because she loves us dearly, she was happy to
suffer along with Jesus her Son, so that we might
some day share her joy with Jesus in heaven.
In honor of Our Lady of Sorrows, today we can
offer up some little sacrifice without complaining.
We can also think about each of the seven sorrows
of Mary and thank her for her great love for us.
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September 16 |
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St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian
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In the middle of the third century the Church was
still being suppressed. The fierce persecution of
Emperor Decius claimed the life of Pope St. Fabian.
The Church was without a pope for nearly a year. A
holy priest of Rome, Cornelius, was elected in 251. He
accepted because he loved Christ. He would serve the
Church as pope even if his ministry would cost him
his life. That is why Pope Cornelius was so greatly
admired throughout the world. The bishops of Africa
were especially outspoken in their love and loyalty to
the pope. Bishop Cyprian of Carthage sent him letters
of encouragement and support. Cyprian had been a
convert at the age of twenty-five. He had astonished
the Christians of Carthage by pledging a vow of perpetual
chastity right before his Baptism. He had eventually
become a priest and, in 248, a bishop.
Bishop Cyprian greatly encouraged and supported
Pope Cornelius. St. Cyprian’s writings explain the love
that Christians should have for the whole Church.
This love should be for the pope as well as for the
local diocese and parish. Cyprian wrote a scholarly
work on the unity of the Church. This remains an
important topic for all times, including our own.
Pope St. Cornelius died in exile at the port of Rome
in September of 253. Because he suffered so much as
pope, he is considered a martyr. St. Cyprian died five
years later during the persecution of Valerian. He was
beheaded at Carthage on September 14, 258. Together
they share a feast day to remind us of the unity that the
Church should always enjoy. This unity is a sign of the
presence of Jesus as Head of the Church.
We can ask St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian to help
us grow in our love for the Church—for the pope,
bishops, priests, religious, and lay people everywhere.
They can help us to be true to our Christian
faith even in difficult times.
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September 17 |
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St. Robert Bellarmine
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Robert was born in Italy in 1542. As a boy, he
was not interested in playing games. He liked to
spend his time repeating to his younger brothers
and sisters the sermons he had heard. He also liked
to explain the lessons of the catechism to the little
farm children of the neighborhood. Once he had
made his first Holy Communion, he used to receive
Jesus every Sunday.
It was his great desire to become a Jesuit priest,
but his father had different plans for him. Robert’s
father hoped to make a famous gentleman out of his
son. For this reason, he wanted him to study many
subjects and music and art, too. For a whole year,
Robert worked to persuade his father. At last, when
he was eighteen, he was permitted to join the
Jesuits. As a young Jesuit, he did very well in his studies.
He was sent to preach even before he became a
priest. When one good woman first saw such a
young man, not even a priest yet, going up into the
pulpit to preach, she knelt down to pray. She asked
the Lord to help him not to become frightened and
stop in the middle. When he finished his sermon,
she stayed kneeling. This time, however, she was
thanking God for the magnificent sermon.
St. Robert Bellarmine became a famous writer,
preacher, and teacher. He wrote thirty-one important
books. He spent three hours every day in prayer. He
had a deep knowledge of sacred matters. Yet even
when he had become a cardinal, he considered the
catechism so important that he himself taught it to
his household and to the people.
Cardinal Bellarmine died on September 17, 1621.
He was proclaimed a saint in 1930 by Pope Pius XI.
In 1931, the same pope declared St. Robert
Bellarmine a Doctor of the Church.
We can ask St. Robert to help us realize how
important our religious instruction classes are. We
should make an effort to be on time for classes, to
pay attention and complete our assignments, and
to take the study of our faith seriously.
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September 18 |
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St. Joseph of Cupertino
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Joseph was born on June 17, 1603, in a small Italian
village to poor parents. He was very unhappy as a boy
and a teenager. His mother considered him a nuisance
and treated him harshly. Joseph soon became very
slow and absentminded. He would wander around as
if he were going nowhere. But he had a temper, too,
and so he was not very popular. He tried to learn the
trade of shoemaking, but failed. He asked to become a
Conventual Franciscan, but they would not accept
him. Next, he joined the Capuchin Order, but eight
months later he was advised to leave. He could not
seem to do anything right. He dropped piles of dishes
and was very forgetful. His mother was not at all
pleased to have the eighteen-year-old Joseph back
home again. She finally got him accepted as a servant
at a Franciscan monastery. He was given the Franciscan
habit to wear and was assigned to care for the horses.
About this time, Joseph began to change. He grew
more humble and gentle. He became more careful
and successful at his work. He also began to do more
penance. It was decided that he could become a
member of the Order and could start studying to
become a priest. Although he was very good, he still
had a hard time with studies. But Joseph trusted in
God’s help and he was ordained a priest. God began
to work miracles through Father Joseph. Over seventy
times people saw him rise from the ground while
celebrating Mass or praying. He would be suspended
near the ceiling like a star at the top of a Christmas
tree. Often he went into ecstasy and would be completely
wrapped up in talking with God. He became
very holy. Everything he saw made him think of God.
Father Joseph became so famous for his miracles
that he was sent to Assisi to avoid unwanted publicity.
This made him happy for the chance to be alone
with his beloved Lord. Jesus was always in his heart,
and one day came to bring him to heaven. Joseph
died in 1663 at the age of sixty. He was proclaimed a
saint in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII.
Maybe we feel that we are not very special. We
might even put ourselves down. That’s when we can
pray to St. Joseph of Cupertino. He’ll help us have confidence
in ourselves. He’ll remind us that Jesus lives in
our hearts and that we’re very special to him.
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September 19 |
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St. Januarius
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Januarius lived in the fourth century. He was born
either in Benevento or Naples, Italy. He was the bishop
of Benevento when Diocletian’s persecution
began. St. Januarius is popularly called “San Gennaro.”
According to common belief, San Gennaro learned
that some Christian deacons had been put in prison
for their faith. The bishop was a gentle, compassionate
man. He truly cared about his people and went to
the prison to visit them. The jailer reported him to
the governor, who sent soldiers to find San Gennaro.
The bishop was arrested along with a deacon and a
lector. They joined the other prisoners.
San Gennaro and six others were martyred for
their faith. Their deaths took place near Naples
around 305. The people of Naples have claimed a
special love for and devotion to “San Gennaro.” In
fact, he is considered their patron saint.
The people of Naples remember San Gennaro for
another special reason: his martyr’s blood was preserved
centuries ago in a vial. The blood has become
dark and dry. But at certain times of the year the
blood liquefies. It becomes red, sometimes bright red.
At times, it even bubbles. The special case containing
the vial of blood is honored publicly on the first
Saturday of May, on September 19 (the feast of San
Gennaro), within the octave (or eight days after the
feast), and at times on December 16. The liquefied
blood has been seen and honored since the thirteenth
century.
We can ask San Gennaro to give us loving, compassionate
hearts so that we can bring joy and
comfort to the people around us as he did.
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September 20 |
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St. Andrew Kim Taegŏn and St. Paul Chŏng Hasang
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St. Andrew Kim Taegŏn was a priest and St. Paul
Chŏng Hasang was a layperson. These two martyrs
represent the many Catholics who died for their faith
in Korea. They were proclaimed saints by Pope John
Paul II during his visit to Korea in 1984.
Christianity was brought to Korea by lay people
in the seventeenth century. Believers quietly grew
and flourished, nourishing their faith on the Word of
God. Missionary priests arrived in Korea from France
and introduced the Korean people to the sacramental
life of the Church. Off and on throughout the nineteenth
century the Christian faith came under attack
by the Korean government. A total of 103 Korean
Catholics were killed between 1839 and 1867. Ten
members of the Foreign Mission Society of Paris were
martyred too: three bishops and seven priests. This
brought the total number of martyrs to 113.
St. Andrew Kim Taegŏn and St. Paul Chŏng
Hasang represent the courageous Korean Catholics
who paid with their lives for their love for Christ. St.
Andrew Kim Taegŏn, the first Korean priest, was martyred
on September 16, 1846, just a year after his ordination.
Andrew’s father had been martyred in 1821.
St. Paul Chŏng Hasang was a heroic lay catechist. He
was martyred on September 22, 1846.
The Church continues to grow rapidly in Korea.
The gift of faith is received and nurtured because of
the sacrifices of the martyrs who paved the way.
Every martyr preaches a lesson without ever
saying a single word. When we consider the death
of a martyr, we hear the message. Let’s ask the
Korean martyrs to help us love Jesus and his
Church as much as they did.
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September 21 |
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St. Matthew
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Matthew was a tax collector in the city of
Capernaum, where Jesus was living. He was a Jew,
but he was working for the Romans, who had conquered
the Jews. For this reason, his countrymen disliked
him. They would not have anything to do with
these “public sinners,” as tax collectors like Matthew
were called.
But Jesus did not feel that way. One day, Jesus
saw Matthew sitting in his booth and said, “Follow
me.” At once, Matthew left his money and his position
to follow Jesus, becoming one of the twelve
apostles. Matthew gave a big supper for Jesus. He
invited other friends like himself to meet Jesus and
listen to him teach. Some people found fault with
Jesus for sharing a meal with those whom they considered
sinners. However, Jesus had a ready answer:
“Those who are well do not need a doctor; sick people
do. I have not come to call the just, but sinners
to repentance.”
After Jesus ascended into heaven, St. Matthew
stayed in Palestine. He remained there for some time,
preaching about the Lord.
We are familiar with the Gospel according to
Matthew, which is the story of Jesus and what he
taught. This Gospel was inspired by and named
after St. Matthew, but we are not sure if he was actually
involved in writing it. In the Gospel of Matthew,
Jesus is presented to his own Jewish people as the
Messiah who the prophets had said would come to
save us.
After preaching the Gospel to many people, St.
Matthew ended his life as a martyr for the faith.
Do we sometimes label people as “bad” or as
“sinners”? Then we should pray to St. Matthew. We
can ask him to help us avoid labels. We don’t want
to imitate the wrong things people might do, but we
shouldn’t look down on them either. We should just
say “no” to sin and treat the person who committed
the sin with compassion and understanding.
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September 22 |
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St. Thomas of Villanova
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Thomas was born in Spain in 1488. From his kind
parents, he learned to be very charitable with the
poor. He did well in school and became a teacher of
philosophy when he finished his studies. Next he
joined the Augustinian Order. After he became a
priest, he was given many important responsibilities.
Finally, he was made archbishop of the city of Valencia.
His priests tried to convince him to change his old,
mended habit for more dignified robes. However, St.
Thomas told them his old clothes had nothing to do
with his duty. He would take good care of the spiritual
needs of his people. Every day he fed hundreds of poor
people. When he received a large sum of money to
buy furniture for his house, he gave it to a hospital, saying,
“What does a poor monk like me want with furniture?
“ No wonder he was called the “father of the
poor”!
St. Thomas was very gentle with sinners at a
time when most people were not. Once when he
tried to encourage one man to change his sinful
ways, the man angrily insulted him and stormed out
of the room. ”It was my fault,” said the humble archbishop.
“I told him a little too roughly.” Never would
he permit anyone to criticize someone who wasn’t
there. “He may have had a good reason for doing
what he did,” the saint would say. ”I, for one, believe
he did.”
Before he died, St. Thomas of Villanova gave to
the poor everything he had. He even directed that his
bed be sent to the jail for prisoners to use.
St. Thomas died in 1555. He was proclaimed a
saint by Pope Alexander VII in 1658.
We can remember St. Thomas of Villanova’s
words when we need to be more generous. He used
to say: “If you want God to hear your prayers, you
should help those who are in need.”
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September 23 |
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St. Pio of Pietrelcina
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Francisco Forgione was born on May 25, 1887
near Naples, Italy. His parents were poor and hardworking.
From childhood, Francisco had a deep love
for prayer and a strong desire to be holy.
When Francisco was ten years old, a Capuchin
Franciscan friar came to Pietrelcina. Francisco was
impressed by his simplicity and humility. He decided
that he would one day be a Capuchin priest. To help
make his son’s dream a reality, Francisco’s father traveled
to the United States to find work and earn the
money needed to give Francis an education.
On January 6, 1903, Francisco entered the
Capuchin community in Morcone. He was given the
name Brother Pio. He was ordained a priest in 1910.
Because of poor health, his superiors thought it
would be better for him to spend some time in his
hometown. He was assigned to his own parish
church to assist his pastor. It was during this time that
Padre Pio received a special grace. In order to be
more like the suffering Jesus, he began to feel the nail
marks of the crucifixion in his hands and feet, and the
spear wound in his side. After a while they became
permanent, but were invisible. On September 20,
1918, this stigmata would become visible and last for
fifty years until his death.
After seven years in Pietrelcina, Padre Pio was
sent to the Capuchin friary in Foggia. He was happy
to be among his Franciscan brothers at last. And his
community was happy to have him with them too,
because he was always cheerful and witty. He began
hearing confessions and soon crowds of people were
coming to him for advice.
In July of 1916, Padre Pio’s superiors sent him to
San Giovanni Rotondo, a remote village where they
hoped he would have some peace and quiet. Here his
health improved. But he also was experiencing
extraordinary gifts from God. He could read souls,
and was even able to help people in confession by
reminding them of details he could only have learned
from God himself. He also had the gift of bilocation
(the ability to be in two places at the same time), and
his stigmata gave off a fragrance of roses and violets.
Padre Pio’s superiors questioned whether or not
these special gifts were real. In case they were a
hoax, Padre Pio was forbidden to celebrate Mass in
public and to hear confessions. This was a heavy
cross for him, but he accepted it as another opportunity
to be like Jesus. After a while, he was again permitted
to administer the sacraments, and once again
vast numbers of people crowded the church for his
Mass and lined up to go to confession to him. Often,
he heard over 100 confessions in one day!
Padre Pio spent most of his priesthood hearing
confessions and giving hope and encouragement to
countless people from all around the world. He did
this right up to his death on September 21, 1968. He
was declared a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Do we believe that in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation we meet the Lord himself, who
knows us better than we know ourselves and loves
us more than we ever could? Let’s ask St. Pio to
enlighten us so we can see the things in our life that
keep us from following Jesus more closely. Then we
can celebrate Reconciliation more fruitfully.
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September 24 |
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St. Thecla
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According to legend, Thecla was a beautiful,
young, pagan noblewoman who lived in the first century.
She was from the city of Iconium, in Turkey. She
read many philosophy books, yet nothing satisfied
her desire to know about her Creator. When St. Paul
the apostle came to preach the Gospel of Jesus in
Iconium, Thecla’s prayer to know the one true God
was answered. From St. Paul she also learned that a
young woman could remain unmarried and become
the bride of Christ. By this time, Thecla desired nothing
else than to give herself entirely to God.
Thecla’s pagan parents tried their best to make
her give up her Christian faith, but she would not.
Her fiancé, Thamyris, begged her not to break their
engagement. However, Thecla had made up her
mind. She wanted to be Christ’s bride not his. At last,
in great anger, Thamyris denounced her to the legal
authorities. When she still refused to give up her
faith in Jesus, they ordered that she be burned to
death. The beautiful young woman bravely prepared
to die. However, it is said that no sooner had the fire
been lit than a storm from heaven put it out. Later,
she was condemned to be eaten by lions. Once
again, however, God saved Thecla’s life. Instead of
clawing her, the fierce beasts walked gently up to
her, lay down at her side, and licked her feet like pet
kittens. At last, in fear, the judge set Thecla free. She
went to live in a cave where she spent the rest of her
long life. She prayed and taught the people who
came to visit her about the Lord Jesus.
If we want to deepen our faith in and love for
Jesus, we can ask him for the help we need to live
each day generously. By putting God first, and loving
him above all things, we’ll be able to truly love
the other people in our lives.
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September 25 |
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St. Sergius
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This famous Russian saint lived in the fourteenth
century. He was given the name of Bartholomew
when he was baptized. He was not as bright as his
two brothers, but he did learn to read and write. This
made him very happy because he greatly desired to
read the Bible. Bartholomew’s parents were nobles.
While he was still a boy, the family had to flee from
enemies. They had to go to work as peasants. After
his parents died, Sergius and his brother Stephen
went off to live as hermits. They built a little church
from trees they had cut down. The church was dedicated
to the Most Holy Trinity.
When his brother went to Moscow to enter a
monastery, Bartholomew lived alone. He wore the
habit of a monk and took the name Sergius. He was a
tall, husky young man. He was strong enough to stand
the biting cold and fierce winds of his forest home.
He was happy praying to God and loving him with all
his heart. He said that fire and light were his companions,
and he even made friends with bears!
Before too long, other young men came to share
St. Sergius’ holy life. They asked him to be their abbot
and he agreed. He was ordained a priest and ruled his
monastery very wisely. Once, when some of the
monks together with his own brother, Stephen, who
had come back, disagreed with Sergius, he went away
so as to keep peace. Four years later, he was asked to
return. The monks were so happy to see him and
welcomed him back enthusiastically. Powerful rulers
often went to ask St. Sergius for advice. He became so
famous that he was asked to become bishop of the
greatest Russian diocese. But he was too humble to
accept. Once, the prince of Moscow was not sure if
he should try to fight the terrible Tatars who were
oppressing the Russians. St. Sergius said, ”Do not fear,
sir. Go forward with faith against the foe. God will be
with you.” And the Russians were victorious.
St. Sergius died in 1392.
It was not great learning that brought people to
trust and love St. Sergius. It was his confidence in
God and his desire to help everybody. When someone
disagrees with us or starts an argument, we can
remember that the same thing happened to St.
Sergius. We can ask him to help us remain peaceful.
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September 26 |
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St. Cosmas and St. Damian
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These two martyrs were twin brothers from Syria
who died at the beginning of the fourth century.
They were very famous students of science and both
became excellent doctors. Cosmas and Damian saw
in every patient a brother or sister in Christ. For this
reason, they showed great charity to all and treated
their patients to the best of their ability. Yet, no
matter how much care a patient required, neither
Cosmas nor Damian ever accepted any money for
their services. For this reason, they were called by a
name in Greek, which means “the penniless ones.”
Every chance they had, the two saints told their
patients about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Because
the people all loved these twin doctors, they listened
to them willingly. Cosmas and Damian often brought
health back to both the bodies and the souls of those
who came to them for help.
In 303, when Diocletian’s persecution of Christians
began in their city, the saints were arrested at
once. They had never tried to hide their great love
for their Christian faith. Nothing could make them
give up their belief in Christ. They had lived for him
and had brought so many people to faith in him.
They were put to death along with their three other
brothers. These holy martyrs are named in the First
Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass.
Like St. Cosmas and St. Damian, we can be signs
of Christian faith for those we meet each day. By
seeing Christ in others and treating all people fairly
and with kindness, we’ll set an example of loving
others as Jesus loves us.
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September 27 |
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St. Vincent de Paul
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Vincent, the son of poor French peasants, was
born in 1581. When he grew up and became famous,
he loved to tell people how he had taken care of his
father’s pigs. Because he was intelligent, his father
sent him to school; and after finishing his studies,
Vincent became a priest.
At first, he was given an important position as the
teacher of rich children, and he lived rather comfortably.
Then one day, he was called to the side of a
dying peasant. In front of many people, this man
declared that all his past confessions had been bad
ones. Suddenly Father Vincent realized how badly the
poor people of France needed spiritual help. When
he began to preach to them, crowds went to confession.
He finally decided to start a congregation of
priests to work especially among the poor.
The charities of St. Vincent de Paul were so many
that it seems impossible for one person to have
begun so much. He ministered to the galley slaves who
worked on the sailing ships. He started the
Congregation of the Sisters of Charity with St. Louise
de Marillac. He opened hospitals and homes for
orphans and the elderly. He collected large sums of
money for poor areas, sent missionaries to many countries,
and bought back Christian slaves from northern
Africa. Even though he was such a charitable man,
however, he humbly admitted that he was not so
by nature. “I would have been hard, rough, and ill-tempered,”
he said, “were it not for God’s grace.”
Vincent de Paul died in Paris on September 27, 1660.
He was proclaimed a saint in 1737 by Pope Clement XII.
Jesus asks us to be good to others, especially to
those who suffer. He says to us, “As long as you did
it to one of the least of my brothers or sisters, you
did it to me” (Mt 25:40). We can put these words of
our Lord into practice and follow the example of St.
Vincent de Paul by reaching out to those around us
when we see them in need.
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September 28 |
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St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions
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Today’s celebration honors a layperson from the
Philippines. St. Lawrence Ruiz and his fifteen companions
were martyred for their faith in 1637, in
Nagasaki, Japan. Born in Manila, Lawrence was married
and had three children. He joined a group of nine
Dominican priests, two brothers, and four lay volunteers
who were going to Japan to preach the Gospel.
All were associated with the Dominican Order and all
died rather than give up their faith in Jesus. They
were men and women who had originally come from
France, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, and Spain. What a
wonderful reminder they are that the Church reaches
out to the whole world!
These martyrs suffered greatly before they died,
but they would not give up their Catholic faith. It is
recorded that St. Lawrence Ruiz told his judges that if
he had a thousand lives to give for Christ, he would
gladly offer each one.
This group of heroes was proclaimed saints by
Pope John Paul II on October 18, 1987.
Let’s ask St. Lawrence Ruiz and his companion
martyrs to inspire Christians who are living now to
be fervent and generous followers of Jesus. The
more we learn about our faith, the more we’ll love
it and want to share it with others.
The feast of St. Wenceslaus is also celebrated on
this day.
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September 29 |
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St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael
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Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are called “saints”
because they are holy. But they are different from the
rest of the saints because they are not human. They
are angels; more specifically, archangels. They are
protectors of human beings and we know something
about each of them from the Bible.
Michael’s name means “who is like God?” Three
books of the Bible speak of St. Michael: Daniel,
Revelation, and the Letter of Jude. In the book of
Revelation, chapter 12, verses 7–9, we read of a great
war that took place in heaven. Michael and his angels
battled with Satan. Michael became the champion of
loyalty to God and the protector of the People of God.
We can ask St. Michael to make us strong in our love
for Jesus and in the practice of our Catholic faith.
Gabriel’s name means “the power of God.” He, too,
is mentioned in the book of Daniel. He has become
familiar to us because Gabriel is an important person
in Luke’s Gospel. This archangel announced to Mary
that she was to be the mother of our Savior. Gabriel
also announced to Zechariah that he and his wife
Elizabeth would have a son and call him John. Gabriel
is the messenger of the Good News. We can ask him
to help us be good messengers as he was.
Raphael’s name means “God has healed.” We read
the touching story of Raphael’s role in the Bible’s
book of Tobit. He brought healing to the blind Tobit,
and accompanied Tobit’s son Tobiah on his journey.
At the very end of the journey, Raphael revealed his
true identity. He said he was one of the seven angels
who stand before God’s throne. We can ask St.
Raphael to protect us in our travels, even for short
journeys, like going to school. We can also ask him to
help when we or someone we love becomes sick.
We can say a short prayer like this one to these
three archangels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael,
be with me today. Protect me from whatever could
cause spiritual or physical harm. Help me to be
faithful to Jesus and a good messenger of his divine
love. Amen.
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September 30 |
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St. Jerome
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Jerome was a Roman Christian who lived in the
fourth and fifth centuries. His father instructed him in
the Christian faith, but sent him to a famous pagan
school. There, Jerome grew to love pagan writings
and lost some of his love for God. Yet, in the company
of a group of holy Christians, with whom he
became great friends, his heart was turned completely
to God and he was baptized.
Later, this brilliant young man decided to live
alone in a wild desert. For four years he lived a life of
prayer and penance, struggling against temptations.
He learned Hebrew and wrote a biography of St. Paul
of Thebes. He became such a great scholar of Hebrew
that he could later translate the Bible into Latin,
which, at that time, was understood by anyone who
could read. Many more people were then able to read
and understand the Holy Bible. After his time in the
desert, Jerome went to Antioch and was ordained a
priest. He went to Constantinople to study Scripture
and then to Rome, where he revised the Latin version
of the Gospels.
St. Jerome spent long years of his life in a little
cave at Bethlehem. There he prayed, studied, and
translated the Bible. He taught many people how to
serve God. He wrote a great many letters and books
to explain the faith.
St. Jerome died in Bethlehem in 419 or 420. He is
a Doctor of the Church.
To overcome his strong temptations, St. Jerome
worked and studied hard. He also read the Bible.
We can imitate Jerome’s wonderful habits of hard
work, serious study, and frequent reading of the
Bible. God’s holy Word has the power to change us
for the better.
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