Saints of the Day & More

Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith in effectual, commended him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270. Pope Julius I is said to have built a church near Ponte Mole to he memory, which for a long time gave name to the gate now called Porta del Popolo, formerly, Porta Valetini. The greatest part of his relics are now in the church of St. Praxedes. His name is celebrated as that of an illustrious martyr in the sacramentary of St. Gregory, the Roman Missal of Thomasius, in the calendar of F. Fronto and that of Allatius, in Bede, Usuard, Ado, Notker and all other martyrologies on this day. To abolish the heathens lewd superstitious custom of boys drawing the names of girls, in honor of their go...

St. John Berchmans was born the eldest son of a shoemaker in 1599 at Diest, Belgium. At a very young age he wanted to be a priest, and when thirteen he became a servant in the household of one of the cathedral canons at Malines. After his mother's death, his father and two brothers followed suit and entered religious life. In 1615 he entered the Jesuit college there, becoming a novice a year later. In 1618 he was sent to Rome for more study and was known for his diligence and piety, and his stress on perfection even in small things. That year his father was ordained and died six months later. John was so poor and humble that he walked from Antwerp to Rome. He died at the age of 22 on August 13. Many miracles were attributed to him after his death; he was canonized in 1888 and is the patron saint of altar boys. Although he longed to work in the mission fields of China, he did not live long enough to permit it. After completing his course work, he was asked to defend the "enti...

The feast is associated with an event recounted not in the New Testament, but in the apocryphal Infancy Narrative of James. According to that text, Mary's parents, Joachim and Anne, who had been childless, received a heavenly message that they would bear a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, they brought her, when still a child, to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate her to God. Mary remained in the Temple until puberty, at which point she was assigned to Joseph as guardian. Later versions of the story (such as the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary) tell us that Mary was taken to the Temple at around the age of three in fulfillment of a vow. Tradition held that she was to remain there to be educated in preparation for her role as Mother of God. This feast commemorates the dedication of the church of Saint Mary, which was built in Jerusalem near the site if the Temple. With Christians of the East, the Latin Church also recalls on th...

Bernward of Hildesheim (b c.960; d Hildesheim, 20 Nov. 1022). German ecclesiastic and art patron. He was abbot of the Benedictine monastery at Hildesheim in Saxony from 993 until his death, and for the church of St Michael there (begun 1001) he commissioned the famous bronze doors and a great bronze column, probably intended to support the paschal candle. They are important not only for being among the outstanding European works of their period, but also for marking the revival of the cire-perdue technique of casting, which had virtually disappeared since the time of Charlemagne. A contemporary biographer records that Bernward himself practised metalwork and manuscript illumination, but no work can be attributed to him. He was canonized in 1192 and is a patron saint of goldsmiths. PRAYER Lord you have blessed your beloved servant Bernward with the gift of Sainthood, let us also enter your kingdom, and also let us answer the calling of Sanctity AMEN

Francesca Cabrini was born on July 15, 1850, in the village of Sant’ Angelo. At Codongno, Italy, in the diocese of Lodi, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart in 1880. In 1887 she established many schools, hospitals and orphanages. With the encouragement of Pope Leo XII, she set out for the United States of America in 1889, where for the next 28 years, she established many schools, hospitals and orphanages. Her missionary zeal also led her to South America where she founded schools in Argentina, Brazil and Nicaragua. Mother Cabrini died in Chicago on December 22nd, 1917, and on July 7, 1946 she became the first United States citizen to be cannonized PRAYER Lord let us not shy away from your divine service and let the spirit of your beloved Sister Francesca Cabrini be an example to spread your word to those in all areas of this earth. Whether It'd be in schools, hospitals, orphanages, churches, and even to those who roam the earth and have never heard of your divine...

Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych was born in the Ukraine of Orthodox parents about the year 1580. Embracing the Catholic faith, he became a Basilian Monk. Ordained to the priesthood and chosen bishop of Polock, he worked faithfully for unity of the Church. Enemies plotted his death, and he was martyred in 1623. Prayer Lord, fill your Church with the Spirit that gave Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych courage to lay down his life for his people. By his prayers may your Spirit make us strong and willing to offer our lives for our brothers and sisters. We ask that you grant this through Christ. AMEN .

Martin was born in Savaria, Pannonia(which is now Hungary) in the year of 316. His father was part of the Roman Army, he was stationed in what is now Pavia, Italy; where Martin grew up. At the young age of 10 Martin went against his parents' wishes and enlisted in catechism to receive baptism. Since his father was a part of the Roman Army, at age 15 Martin had to enlist into the Calvary division. In the year 334 he was stationed in what is now Amiens, France. While in Amiens, Martin and his soldiers were making their way through the city, when they came to the gates he saw a beggar, at his Martin cut his cloak in half and gave the half to the beggar. That very same night Martin had a dream, in his dream he saw Jesus the half of the cloak he had given the man. Christ also said to his angels " This is Martin, a Roman soldier, who is not baptized but still comes to me." Also when Martin was asked why he had done that act of charity, he said " I have seen the face of Ch...

Born in 1521 in Basilicata,Italy. Baptized with the name of Lancillotto. Andrew was a ecclesiastical lawyer. He then left his career of being a lawyer, to become a priest. Andrew was ordained priest at age twenty four. Andrew encountered with the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits.Andrew becam a part of the Theatines. Andrew was assigned to a convent in Naples,Italy that becaome a brothel. When he became a priest a local man threatened to murder Andrew. Andrew traveled all of the nation of Italy, reforming other religious orders. Andrew was giving a mass when he had a heart attack and died during mass. He died Nvember 10, 1608 at age eighty eight. In 1624, only 16 years after his death, he was beatified by Pope Urban VIII, and in 1712 was canonized by Pope Clement XI. His patronages are Naples, Sicily; invoked against sudden death. Prayer God Almighty in this year of the Priest, may your servant St. Andrew Avellino be an example to live by. Grant this through Christ our Lord. AMEN .