Saints of the Day & More

The fourth century AD , which had its important moment in the 380 with the edict of Emperor Theodosius who ordered that the Christian faith had to be adopted by all peoples of the empire , is full of great figures of saints, Athanasius , Hilary, Ambrose, Augustine , Chrysostom , Basil and Jerome. The latter was born in Stridonia (Dalmatia ) around the year 340, he studied in Rome where he was baptized. His spirit is encyclopedic , his literary work reveals the philosopher, the orator , the grammarian , the dialectical , able to think and write in Latin, Greek, Hebrew writer, rich , pure and robust at the same time. He was responsible for the Latin translation of the Old and New Testament, which became, with the title of Vulgate, the official Bible of Christianity. Jerome is a personality very strong : everywhere where you raise enthusiasm or controversy. In Rome lashes the vices and hypocrisies and calls for new forms of religious life , attracting them to some influential women patric...

St. Michael When GOD created the angels, these beautiful spirits of light and love lived in the Kingdom of Heaven, when GOD created them he gave them holiness, beauty, and wisdom. GOD wanted to test the angels to see if they loved him before they saw him face to face in Heaven. Outof many angels, one of the most powerful angels was Lucifer, whose name meant "Receiver of Light." Glad with his power, he shouted a yell of disobedience yelling "I shall not serve GOD!" But another Archangel, Michael, shouted a yell of love and obedience yelling "Who is like GOD?!" In a great battle, the Good Angels threw the Evil Angels out of Heaven and into Hell. As a reward for his love and obedience GOD made Michael Prince of the Celestial Courts. Since the beginning of time, St. Michael was the chief of the temple chosen by GOD. In the new testament Michael is the Guardian Angel and protector of the Holy Catholic Church. The name Michael means "Who is like GOD?" ...

DOMINGO Domingo Ibanez , Spanish, Dominican priest . Born in Reginato (San Sebastian ), son of the Province of Spain to his affiliation with the Rosary Province . In Manila teaches at the College of St. Thomas and preach the Gospel in different parts of the Philippines . Went to Japan in 1623, where he worked incognito . Denounced by a Christian apostate is imprisoned and executed. Played an important role as the Vicar Provincial of the mission. It retains some of his letters. Age , 44. FRANCISCO SHOYEMON , Japanese, cooperator Dominican . Companion of Fr Domingo Ibanez . Arrested in 1633, the Dominican habit in jail. He was killed alongside his spiritual father. SANTIAGO KYUSHEI Tomonaga DE SANTA MARIA , Japanese, Dominican priest . family noble Christian Kyudetsu studying with the Jesuits in Nagasaki. Expelled from Japan in 1614 as a catechist. In Manila became a priest , a missionary in Taiwan , returns to his homeland in 1632 , in order to help their fellow Christians. He is arrest...

Vincent was born at Pouy in Gascony, in the south of France, in 1580 or 1581, the third child in a family of four sons and two daughters. His family was a solid peasant family capable of making ends meet only through hard work and frugality. His father encouraged and helped him toward the priesthood, to which he was ordained on September 23, 1600, at the age of nineteen or twenty. Among his chief reasons for becoming a priest was his desire to get an office in the Church from which he could obtain enough money to retire early, return home, and provide for his family. His early hopes for advancement came to nothing (two trips to Rome, promises of a bishopric, money from a will). In 1608, Vincent moved to Paris, where he came under the influence of Father (later Cardinal) Pierre de Bérulle, whom he took as his spiritual director, and Father André Duval, a professor of the Sorbonne, who was to be his "wise man" for the next three decades. This marked a turning point in Vincent...

Saints Cosmas and Damian (c. 300). St. Gregory of Tours, in his book martyrium glory , writes: " The twin brothers Cosmas and Damian, medical profession, after they became Christians , frightened by the disease only merit of his virtues and the intervention of your prayers ... her crown after various tortures , they gathered in the sky and make in favor of their compatriots many miracles. For, if a patient presents full of faith to pray over his grave, when you get healing. Many also refer to these saints will be appearing on the sick dreams telling them what to do , and then run it , are cured. On hearing this I refer many things that would be too long to tell , considering that enough has been said " .- Despite references to martyrdom and breviary , it seems certain that both brothers were martyred and buried in Cyro , not far from the Syrian city of Aleppo. Theodoret , who was Bishop of Cyrus in the V century , refers to the magnificent Basilica Saints both had there. Sinc...

She has fallen into my hands a little story of Mercy , and I look forward to dedicate this message today to Our Lady of Mercy, a name and a beautiful invocation of Mary, who appeared to St. Peter Nolasco, the Court held St. Raymond Nonnatus and liberaated many captives. They called the Merced for using the highest charity with their children most in need. We have to move to Europe at the beginning of the twelfth century . The Mediterranean was infested by pirates and Saracens, Turks , Muslim fanatics who attacked the boat , down the coast , leveling homes and entire villages , robbed , murdered , and , worst of all, Christians were carried to North Africa to be sold as slaves and make them forsake the faith. Given the impotence of the Christian nations , will be the Virgin Mary - the same as always , which is the Help of Christians - who is involved with a hand gently but firmly , and with Mother's heart . A wealthy merchant of Barcelona asked anxious relatives and friends - But wh...

Pio (Francesco Forgione) was born to Mamma Peppa and Grazio Forgione in the little town called Pietrelcina, in Southern Italy, during the month of flowers, May 25th 1887. He was fifth of eight children. His Mamma Peppa confided he was different from other boys: “he was never impolite or misbehaved”. He had celestial visions and diabolical oppressions from the age of five years and he saw and spoke with Jesus and Our Lady and with his Guardian Angel, but unfortunately this heavenly life was interwoven with hell and with the devil. In 1903, Discipline and ill health had been woven together to crown the youth of Pio. Doctors diagnosed him as consumptive and were sure he would die. Strong in spirit Pio received the Capuchin Franciscan garb initialling religious life and therefore; Noviciate with its intense study, prayer, austerity, penance and finally vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. In 1909, we find him at Pietrelcina because of his illness, at his mother’s side. Now another inte...

Saint Maurice (also known as Maurice , Moritz or Mauritius) . He was the commander of the Theban Legion martyred and died in the early third century. The Theban Legion , consisting only of Christians from Egypt , was ordered to leave for Gaul to aid the Emperor Maximian. Although they fought bravely , refused to obey the imperial order to persecute Christians , so they were decimated. Refusing a second time, all members of the Theban Legion were executed. The place where these events allegedly took place , known as Agaunum , is now the headquarters of the Abbey of Saint Maurice in the Swiss canton of Valais. This is the earliest version of the story of the martyrdom of the Theban Legion , according to the letter Eucherius , archbishop of Lyon (c. 434-450 ) went to the bishop also Salvius . In other versions varies the cause of martyrdom, and the legionnaires were executed for refusing to make sacrifices to Roman gods. References: Catholic.Net

Any reference to the Apostle St. Matthew, author of the first book of the New Testament, is made with such solemnity and reverence that speaking of him as a man seems almost sacrilegious, so close to the divine is he considered. But when Jesus came upon Matthew, he was a man who could scarcely be viewed with little but contempt by the human eye; the divine insight of Christ, however, saw in this man which he beckoned to his service that spark of greatness invisible to the rest of the world. It is doubtful that Matthew himself was aware of what lay dormant in him that was to place him in the forefront of Christianity. Matthew was a native of Cana, the scene of the wedding feast at which Jesus performed his first miracle of changing the water to wine. He became a tax collector for the Roman government, a position that has endeared no one to the taxpayer at any time in history, but which in the time of Christ, when the populace was taxed to excess, was deemed second in unpopularity only t...

When one realizes that it is done for the Lord , everything looks through the prism of his love. Young Eustace lived between 98-117 . No doubt , when considering his personality, one realizes that he was the youngest general and appreciated throughout the Roman Empire. But happy. One day while hunting, achieved something that had long expected : his conversion to Christianity and to escape the false gods that had the Roman Empire. A deer , which was pursued , turned and turned his face, he saw a cross in the woods and it led him to embrace the life of believers in Christ the Lord. At the same time , his wife Teopista was visited by an angel and also became a Christian. The next day, were so happy that they told her the idea of converting his two children, and were baptized. Ten days later he returned to tell the deer Eustachian pray a lot because the devil was going to attack hard. Within a week all of his slaves died of fever along with their cattle. The bandits came and burned the ca...

Joseph was born in 1603 in the small Italian town called Cupertino. His parents were extremely poor. The child came into the world in a poor shed attached to the house because the father, a humble carpenter , was unable to pay the fees to be their home and had been arrested .- At 17, he asked to be admitted to Franciscan but was not admitted . He asked to be received in the Capuchins and was accepted as a lay brother , but after eight months he was expelled because he was extremely distracted. Dropped when carrying dishes to the dining room. You forgot the trades that had been placed . It seemed I was always thinking of other things. As useless as they sent out .- To be discarded, Joseph sought shelter with a family member who was rich, but he said that this young man " was not good for nothing " , and threw him into the street. He was then forced to return to misery and contempt of his house. Mom felt not the slightest pleasure at returning to such " useless " , an...

Saint Robert Bellarmine was the first Jesuit priest to develop the theory of the indirect power of the Pope in temporary affairs. He all but eliminated the Divine-Rights-of-Kings untenable principle that had been in existence many years before we worked at the Vatican. He described and explained the head of hell-Satan and his cohorts. The titles of Gentle Doctor of The Controversies, one of his more notable writings, and the title "Prince of Apologists" are two of the most known names that identify him. Robert is the Doctor of Church, State and Country Relations. The pope made him a Cardinal and insisted on having him by his side as his personal theologian. The more he stepped down, the more God raised this humble priest up with greater responsibilities at the Vatican. This brilliant Jesuit lived in an age of great deflection within the church amidst religious controversy. His writings, intelligence, and character served the church at a time that was most needed. Diplomats, a...

St. Euphemia was the daughter of a respectable man of Chalcedon , near Constantinople. At the time of Diocletian , was captured, tortured and finally thrown to the lions. Usually it is represented with the palm of martyrdom , the wheel and beside it, one or more lions. Devout Christians recovered his body and took him to Constantinople where the Emperor Constantine had built a church in her honor. His sarcophagus remained there until they reached the iconoclasts , at 800 . According to tradition, a stormy night , the coffin disappeared from Constantinople, and July 13 of 800 reached the coast of Rovinj. He was picked up by a young man who , by dragging it with the help of two horses , took him to the church of San Francisco. The appearance of the sarcophagus was considered miraculous , so that people began to venerate the saint as their patron saint . The sarcophagus dates from the third century, is of marble, but is not finished. Has about 208 cm . long, 195 cm. high and 95 cm wide. I...

This excerpt from a sermon by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (Sermo in dom. infra oct. Assumptionis, 14-15: Opera omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 5 [1968}, 273-274) is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15. It speaks of the martyrdom of the Virgin at the foot of the cross--her heart is pierced by a sword as Simeon predicted as her Son's body is pierced by nails and spear. The martyrdom of the Virgin is set forth both in the prophecy of Simeon and in the actual story of our Lord’s passion. The holy old man said of the infant Jesus: He has been established as a sign which will be contradicted. He went on to say to Mary: And your own heart will be pierced by a sword. Truly, O blessed Mother, a sword has pierced your heart. For only by passing through your heart could the sword enter the flesh of your Son. Indeed, after your Jesus - who belongs to everyone, but is especially yours - gave up his life, the cruel spear, which was not withheld from ...

Around the year 320 in Constantinople by the Empress Helena found the True Cross , the cross that killed Jesus Christ, The Empress and her son Constantine were built on the site of the discovery of the Holy Sepulchre Basilica , which kept the relic. Years later, King Chosroes II of Persia, in 614 invaded and conquered Jerusalem and carried the cross , putting it under the feet of his throne as a sign of his contempt for Christianity. But in 628 the emperor Heraclius managed to beat him and recovered the Cross and took her back to Jerusalem on 14 September that year. This ceremony was performed in which the cross was taken in person by the emperor through the city. Since then, the day was noted in the liturgical calendars as that of the Exaltation of the True Cross. Christianity is a message of love . Why then exalt the Cross? In addition, the Resurrection , rather than the Cross, gives meaning to our lives. But that is the Cross , the scandal of the Cross , St. Paul. We would not have ...

Antioch was a capital city subject to the Roman emperor Theodosius I in 344, the year John Chrysostom was born. He was the only son of the chief commander of the Roman Imperial Army based in Syria. His mother was a Christian. Widowed at the age of 20, she never remarried but made the spiritual instruction of her children her highest priority. Eloquence was the highest art form of the time and so John studied under the most famous orators of the age, He trained under the masters of science and literature and his advanced studies included philosophy and religion. His genius became apparent as he pleaded legal cases before the bar and at twenty, John was already famous. His interests then turned away from the world of wealth and opportunity that was already his, and he began a serious study of Sacred Scripture. Rejecting worldly ideas, he spent his time in prayer and silence while adopting austere penitential practices. He became aware that prayer was the great channel of heavenly grace...

Most Holy Name of Mary, Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, or simply Holy Name of Mary is a feast day in the Roman Catholic Church celebrated on 12 September to honour the name of Mary the mother of Jesus. It has been a universal Roman Rite feast since 1684, when Pope Innocent XI included it in the General Roman Calendar to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. The entry in the Roman Martyrology about the feast speaks of it in the following terms: The Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a day on which the inexpressible love of the Mother of God for her Holy Child is recalled, and the eyes of the faithful are directed to the figure of the Mother of the Redeemer, for them to invoke with devotion. The feast day began in 1513 as a local celebration in Cuenca, Spain, celebrated on 15 September. In 1587 Pope Sixtus V moved the celebration to 17 September. Pope Gregory XV extended the celebration to the Archdiocese of Toledo in 1622. In 1666 the Discalced Carmelites received...

Jean-Gabriel was born at Le Puech, Lot, France, one of eight children born to Pierre Perboyre and Marie Rigal. He entered the noviciate of the Congregation of the Mission, in the seminary of Montauban, December, 1818. On the feast of the Holy Innocents, 1820, he made the four vows of the Vincentians. He was raised to the priesthood, 23 September 1825, in the chapel of the Sisters of Charity, by Dubourg, Bishop of New Orleans, and on the following day he said his first Mass. Shortly after, he was sent to the seminary of Saint-Flour to teach dogmatic theology, and two years later, he was appointed superior of the preparatory seminary of Saint-Flour. His success induced his superiors, in 1832, to appoint him subdirector of the novitiate in Paris. He continued in this office until 1835, when he had permission to go to China. He left Le Havre on 21 March, and on 29 August 1835, arrived at Macau, where he spent some time studying the Chinese language. On 21 December 1835, he began his journe...

Saint Aubert was bishop of Avranches in the 8th century and is credited with founding Mont Saint Michel. He lived in France during the reign of Childebert III (695-711) and died in 720. According to legend, in 708 he had a vision in which the Archangel Michael instructed him to build an oratory on the rocky tidal island at the mouth of the Couesnon. Aubert did not pay attention to this vision at first, until in exasperation Michael appeared to him again, this time driving his finger into Aubert's skull and ordering him to complete the task again. Michael is said to have appeared to him a total of three times. After this the oratory was built. It was dedicated in October 16, 709, and Aubert is reputed to have been buried in it. The relic of Aubert's skull, complete with hole where the archangel's finger pierced it, can still be seen at the Saint-Gervais Basilica in Avranches. It is more generally believed nowadays that the skull is in fact a prehistoric relic showing evidenc...

Peter Claver was born into a prosperous farming family in the Spanish village of Verdu, about 54 miles from Barcelona, in 1580, about 70 years after King Ferdinand of Spain had set in motion the brutal colonial slavery culture by authorizing the purchase of 250 African slaves in Lisbon for his territories in New Spain. His parents were devout Catholics and taught Peter from early childhood to let nothing come between him and the love of God. As a student at the University of Barcelona, Claver was noted for his piety as well as high intelligence. He was given permission to enter the Jesuit College at Palma, Majorca in 1602, and after two years of study there, he wrote these words in a notebook which he kept with him throughout his life, "I must dedicate myself to the service of God until death, on the understanding that I am like a slave." He was respected by his instructors for his, "humility and obedience, silence and reserve." Claver arrived in Cartagena in 1610. ...

The Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been celebrated in the Church at least since the 8th Century. The Church's calendar observes the birthdays of only two saints: Saint John the Baptist (June 24), and Mary, Mother of Jesus. John the Baptist is considered especially sanctified even before his birth. His birth to Elizabeth and Zachariah is foretold in the first chapter of Luke, and it is also recorded (Lk 1:41) that Elizabeth felt the infant John "leap in her womb" when Mary approached her soon after the Annunciation. The birth of Mary was also miraculous. She was conceived without sin as a special grace because God had selected her to become the mother of His Son (the feast of her Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8). The dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, though generally believed throughout the Church for many centuries, was formally declared by Pope Pius IX in 1854. There is nothing contained in Scripture about the bir...

Gondulphus of Metz is the one concerning whom our information is most reliable. His feast is celebrated on 6 September. As bishop, Gondulphus succeeded Angilram, him who caused Paul the Deacon to write the "Liber de episcopis Mettensibus", and who died probably in 791. At the death of Angilram there was a vacancy in the episcopal See of Metz, which was terminated by the accession of Gondulphus. The "Annales S. Vincentii Mettenses" give the date as 819. But, as it is known, on the other hand, that since the time of Bishop Chrodegang episcopal ordination took place on Sunday, the date of the consecration of Bishop Gondulphus must be set down as 28 (?) December, 816. The old episcopal catalogue of the church of Metz informs us that Gondulphus occupied the see of this church for six years, eight months, and seven days, and that he died on the 7th of the Ides of September, which would be the sixth of that month, in the year 823. He was buried in the monastery of Gorze, w...

“By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus. ”Small of stature, rocklike in faith, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was entrusted with the mission of proclaiming God’s thirsting love for humanity, especially for the poorest of the poor. “God still loves the world and He sends you and me to be His love and His compassion to the poor.” She was a soul filled with the light of Christ, on fire with love for Him and burning with one desire: “to quench His thirst for love and for souls.” This luminous messenger of God’s love was born on 26 August 1910 in Skopje, a city situated at the crossroads of Balkan history. The youngest of the children born to Nikola and Drane Bojaxhiu, she was baptised Gonxha Agnes, received her First Communion at the age of five and a half and was confirmed in November 1916. From the day of her First Holy Communion, a love for souls was wi...