Saints of the Day & More

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...

Born in 1515 in Florence, he showed the impulsiveness and spontaneity of his character from the time he was a boy. In fact one incident almost cost him his life. Seeing a donkey loaded with fruit for market, the little boy had barely formed the thought of jumping on the donkey's back before he had done it. The donkey, surprised, lost his footing, and donkey, fruit, and boy tumbled into the cellar with the boy winding up on the bottom! Miraculously he was unhurt. His father was not successful financially and at eighteen Philip was sent to work with an older cousin who was a successful businessman. During this time, Philip found a favorite place to pray up in the fissure of a mountain that had been turned into a chapel. We don't know anything specific about his conversion but during these hours of prayer he decided to leave worldly success behind and dedicate his life to God. After thanking his cousin, he went to Rome in 1533 where he was the live-in tutor of the sons of a fellow...

Known as the "Saint of the Impossible". Rita Lotti was born in 1381 in the tiny hamlet of Roccaporena, near Cascia, in the Province of Umbria, Italy. Her parents Antonio and Amata looked upon their only child as a very special gift from God since she was born to them as they were already getting on in years. The Lottis were a devout Christian couple, offering their daughter the witness of strong faith in God and a practical example of Gospel living, especially in their role as official peacemakers or reconcilers among their fellow citizens. It should not have been surprising then that Rita, who shared her parents strong faith and religious devotion, would have desired to dedicate her life to God as a nun. Unexpected, rather, was the response of Antonio and Amata, who preferred to see Rita married, and who, in fact, had arranged a suitable husband for her. Though initially disappointed, Rita understood this choice to be the expression of God’s will for her and so she consented...

Agnes was born into a noble family in Gracciano, a small village near Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy where, at the age of nine, she entered the monastery (or convent). in 1281, the administration of the castle of Proceno, a fief of Orvieto, invited the nuns of Montepulciano to send some of their sisters to Proceno to found a new convent. Agnes was among the sisters at the new convent. In 1288 Agnes, despite her youth at 20 years of age, was selected as prioress. There she gained a reputation for performing miracles: people suffering from mental and physical ailments seemed cured by her presence. She was reported to have "multiplied loaves", creating many from a few on numerous occasions, recalling the Gospel miracle of the loaves and fishes. Later about 1306, Agnes established a convent of Dominican nuns in Gracciano. She presided over this convent until her death. After her death, her body was said to remain incorrupt rather than decomposing. It was reported that a perfumed...

On February 11, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, recalls the apparitions of the Virgin to a girl of 14 who could neither read nor write, but he prayed the rosary every day, Bernadette Soubirous. Born in Lourdes in 1844 of very poor parents. Through it the Virgin brought forth a prodigious source of the miracle, to which pilgrims flock from around the world to rekindle their faith and hope. Many also come back from Lourdes cured in his body. The Virgin, during the second occurrence, she said: "I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the other." In spite of being docile instrument in order to extend the devotion to the Immaculate Conception, Bernadette was not contaminated with human glory. The day the bishop of Lourdes, to 50,000 pilgrims placed the statue of the Virgin on the rock of Massabielle, Bernadette had to remain in his cell, a victim of an asthma attack. And when the physical pain became more unbearable, he sighed: "No, do not seek relief, but only...

Virginia Centurione, Bracelli widow, was born on April 2, 1587 in Genoa (Italy). She was the daughter of George Centurione, Doge of the Republic in the year 1621-1622, and Lelia Spinola, both descendants of ancient noble families. Baptized two days later, received her first religious and literary formation of his mother and a tutor. Although since his teens expressed an inclination to the life of the cloister, had to accept the decision of his father, who wanted to marry, on 10 December 1602, with Grimaldi Bracelli Gaspar, a young wealthy heir of an illustrious family, but inclined to a disorderly life and gambling addiction. She gave birth to two daughters: Lelia and Isabella. Virginia married life was short lived. Gaspar Bracelli, however the marriage and parenthood, did not abandon his dissipated lifestyle, to the point of endangering its own existence. Virginia, with her great patience, prayer and affection, tried to convince her husband to undertake a modest life. Unfortunately, G...

Francis Xavier wasborn in the castle of Xavier in Spain on April 7 1506, corresponding to the expectations of his parents, graduated from the famous university of Paris. During these years he was fortunate to live side by side, sharing a room including the pension, with Peter Faber, who will be like a Jesuit and then blessed him, and with a strange student, quite late in life to sit on the benches of school, called Ignatius. Ignatius understood very well that soul: "A big heart and a soul so noble," he said "can not be satisfied with the ephemeral earthly honors. Your ambition should be the glory that shines forever. " The Feast of the Assumption, 1534, in the crypt of the church of Montmartre, Francis Xavier, Ignatius Loyola and five colleagues were consecrated to God by vow of absolute poverty, and decided to go to the Holy Land from there to begin his missionary work , putting the total dependence of the Pope. Ordained priests in Venice and abandoned the perspect...

Charles was born in Arona, Italy in 1538. He came from a very renowned family the Borromeo Family, his father was the count of the region and his mother was the sister of Pope Pius IV, meaning he was the nephew of the Pope. When Borromeo was about twelve years old, his uncle Giulio Cesare Borromeo, resigned to him an abbacy, during this time he studied the charity towards the poor. He studied the civil and canon law at Pavia. In 1554 his father died, and although he had an elder brother, Count Federigo, he was requested by the family to take the management of their domestic affairs. After a time, he resumed his studies, and in 1559 he took his doctoral degree. In 1560 his uncle, Cardinal Angelo de' Medici, was raised to the pontificate as Pope Pius IV. Pope Pius IV then named Borromeo to the post of Cardinal of Romagna and the March of Ancona, and supervisor of the Franciscans, Carmelites and Knights of Malta. Borromeo declined the proposal. He worked even harder for the welfare of...