Saints of the Day & More

The Leper Priest, the Hero of Molokai. Born in Tremelo, Belgium, on January 3, 1840, he joined the Sacred Hearts Fathers in 1860. He was bom Joseph and received the name Damien in religious life. In 1864, he was sent to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he Was ordained. For the next nine years he worked in missions on the big island, Hawaii. In 1873, he went to the leper colony on Molokai, after volunteering for the assignment. Damien cared for lepers of all ages, but was particularly concerned about the children segregated in the colony. He announced he was a leper in 1885 and continued to build hospitals, clinics, and churches, and some six hundred coffins. He died on April 15 , on Molokai. Slandered by a Protestant minister, Mr. Hyde, Damien was defended by Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote an impassioned defense of Damien in 1905. He was declared venerable in 1977. Pope John Paul II declared him beatified on June 4, 1995.

Saint Waltrude is the patron saint of Mons, Belgium, where she is known in French as Sainte Waudru, and of Herentals, Belgium, where she is known in Dutch as Sint-. Both cities boast a large medieval church that bears her name. Married to the Count of Hainault, she raised four children. After her husband retired to an abbey, she herself became a nun in 656. She founded her own convent and the city of Mons grew around it. The shrine of Saint Waltrude is kept in the collegiate church dedicated to her in Mons. Each year as part of the Ducasse de Mons festival, the shrine is placed on the car d'or, a gilded cart, and drawn by horses through the city streets. She died April 9, c. 688 AD. This is all that is known ab out this Saint. Prayer Father may the life of St. Waldetrudishelp us become better Christians so we can love Christ,Virgin Mary,abd the Blessed Sacrament more each and every day. AMEN References: Wikipedia.Org

Saint Mutien-Marie Wiaux was a Belgian member of the Brothers of Christian Schools. He was born Louis Wiaux, the third of six children, in French-speaking Belgium to a devout Catholic family. After joining the Christian Brothers, he took the religious name Mutien-Marie, "Mutien" being a reference to the early Roman martyr Mucian. He began the novitiate at Namur. After teaching at an elementary school, he was assigned to teach at a boarding school, where he taught fine arts, including music and art, for fifty-eight years. At first teaching was a difficult assignment for him, and his students were known as disruptive and out of control. But in time Brother Mutien grew into an effective teacher also known for his patience and piety. He taught music and art, a saint of sensibility not intellect. Mutien-Marie was buried in Malonne. His fame began to grow after his death and miracles were attributed to him. Prayer Lord bless us with the memory of your humble servant Mutien-Marie, s...