Saintly Miracle Worker

Today we learn about a saint who gave his life to the priesthood with great zeal and understanding.

St. Joseph of Oriol

Feast Day: March 23
Birth: 1650
Death:  1702
Spain
Poverty

Born into a poor family in Barcelona, Spain.  He studied at the University of Barcelona, receiving the degree of Doctor of Theology in 1964.  He was later ordained a priest in 1976.  His priestly life was remarkable for a spirit of penance, profound humility, and prudence in directing souls.

Joseph made a pilgrimage to Rome on foot in 1686 and was granted a a permanent Church appointment in the church of Nuestra Señora del Pino in Barcelona.

Wanting to experience martyrdom, he began a return visit to Rome in April 1698 to offer himself for the foreign missions, but he fell sick at Marseilles and returned to Barcelona.

God bestowed upon him prophetic and miraculous power. The dying, the blind, the deaf and dumb, the lame, and the paralytic, were instantly cured by his intercession.  He is called the "Miracle Worker of Barcelona"    

He died in 1702 in his beloved Barcelona.

Saintly Educator of Girls

Today's saint lived a life in full obedience to her authority.  God was able to use her obedience to assist in the education of girls in her region.

St. Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello

Feast day: March 21
Birth: 1791
Death: 1858
Italy

Benedicta grew up in a loving Catholic home.  She was a very devout young girl and always tried to be obedient to her parents and to God's calling.  As she grew into adulthood, she began to have mystical experiences that drew her even closer to God.  She had a great desire to enter a religious life; however, her parents had a strong desire for her to marry.

Out of obedience to her parents, Benedicta married Giovanni Frassinello in 1816. They lived together for two years as man and wife. In 1818, the couple agreed to live together chastely, dedicated to God. At this same time, they took Benedicta's younger sister Martha into their home to nurse her through her final fight with Cancer. When Martha died, in 1825, the two entered religious orders, Benedicta joining the Ursiline Congregation, and Giovanni the order founded by St Jerome Emiliani.

Much to her dismay, Benedicta became ill and was forced to return home within a year.  Soon after her return home, she obtained a miraculous cure through the intercession of Saint Jerome Emiliani (feast day February 8).  With this new energy and zeal for life, she began to devote herself to the education of young girls. She obtained her bishop's approval, and the bishop also requested that Giovanni leave the seminary in order to assist with this work. The two took a vow of perfect chastity into the hands of their bishop, and set out on their joint task.

Unfortunately, just as the school was gaining support terrible rumors began which would destroy all of their hard work.  The community was tainted by these rumors that Benedicta and Giovanni were not living a chaste life.  Benedicta was wise enough to withdraw and leave the school in the hands of the bishop to prevent further distress.

She would live as a nun in Ronco Scrivia.  Eventually, she was able to found the Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters of Providence.  Their focus would be on the education of young girls and full abandonment to God in the living out of their vows.

After correctly predicting the time of her death, Benedicta died peacefully in Ronco Scrivia at her mother house on March 21 1858.

A Martyr and Her Companions

Little is known about today's saint.  However, during a time of persecution, when she could have hid her faith, she choice to speak out and claim her Christianity with courage.

St. Alexandra and companions

Feast day: March 20
Birth: ??
Death: 300
Patron saint of Defender of Humanity

Alexandra was a secret Christian and was martyred for the faith at the order of her husband.  Along with Alexandra were Claudia, Euphrasia, Matrona, Juliana, Euphemia, Theodosia, Derphuta, and her sister.

They were arrested in the city of Amisa (on the coastal region of the Black Sea) during the persecution against Christians.

Under interrogation, they confessed their faith and were subjected to torture. The pagans scourged and beat them with rods, and cut off their breasts. After this, they were suspended and torn with sharp hooks. Finally, the holy virgins were burned alive in a red-hot oven.

The Chosen Provider for Jesus

Our family has a great devotion to today's saint.  We have often asked him to intercede on our behalf, especially when moving, buying and selling homes, looking for work and other times of transitions in our life.  Of the many churches we have known as our parish church over the years, many have been dedicated to St. Joseph as well or the priest was named Joseph. St. Joseph seems to be a part of our lives and we like it that way!

painted by
another mother 2015

St. Joseph

Feast day: March 19

According to an Apocryphal account (uncanonical Gospel) Joseph's birth is 90 BC in Bethlehem and his death is July 20, AD 18 in Nazareth.

Patron of the Universal Church, unborn children, fathers, workers, travelers, immigrants, and a happy death

Everything we know about the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus comes from the Gospels (Matthew and Luke).

• We know he was a carpenter, a working man (Matthew 13:55).
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• He wasn't rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24).
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• His descent from David, the greatest king of Israel is shown in his genealogy (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38).  Joseph is also greeted by the angel Gabriel as "son of David," a royal title used also for Jesus (Matthew 1:20).
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• We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been betrothed, he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God. He knew women accused of adultery could be stoned to death, so he resolved to send her away quietly (Matthew 1:19)
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• When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back (Matthew 2:13-23).
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• We know Joseph loved Jesus.  When Jesus stayed in the Temple we are told Joseph (along with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Luke 2:48). We also know that Joseph treated Jesus as his own son for over and over the people of Nazareth say of Jesus, "Is this not the son of Joseph?" (Luke 4:22)

Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians believe Joseph probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry.

It would be nice to know more about Joseph, but the Gospel of Matthew has left us with the most important knowledge of who he was -- "a righteous man" (Matthew 1:18).

The Exiled Bishop of Jerusalem

This is the opening paragraph at one of my website resources on saints for today's saint:

"Make your fold with the sheep; flee from the wolves: depart not from the Church," Cyril admonished catechumens surrounded by heresy. These were prophetic words for Cyril was to be hounded by enemies and heretics for most of his life, and although they could exile him from his diocese he never left his beloved Church.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Feast day: March 18
Birth: 315
Death: 386
Jerusalem

We know little about Cyril's early life. Historians estimate he was born about 315 and that he was brought up in Jerusalem.  He most likely came from a caring family and he loved them deeply.  He exhorted catechumens to honor parents "for however much we may repay them, yet we can never be to them what they as parents have been to us."

He was part of a group of men who lived in their own houses in the cities but practiced a life of complete chastity, asceticism, and service.  They were known as the Solitaries.

Soon after he was ordained as a priest, his bishop asked him to be in charge of instructing the catechumens.  Many of his instruction is written and we still have these lessons to enjoy today.  Imagine an attentive pupil of the faith furiously writing notes on Cyril's lectures.  I can see myself doing the same thing...may my notes from my many classes one day be read by others as the only source of our faith!  WOW!

On one occasion, Cyril had anticipated a pupil (the same who took care to write notes so diligently?) asking how they would ever be able to remember all the mysteries of the faith.  So Cyril stated:

"But some one will say, If the Divine substance is incomprehensible, why then do you discourse of these things? So then, because I cannot drink up all the river, am I not even to take in moderation what is expedient for me? Because with eyes so constituted as mine I cannot take in all the sun, am I not even to look upon it enough to satisfy my wants? Or again, because I have entered into a great garden, and cannot eat all the supply of fruits, would you have me go away altogether hungry?.. I am attempting now to glorify the Lord, but not to describe him, knowing nevertheless that I shall fall short of glorifying God worthily, yet deeming it a work of piety even to attempt it at all."

Trapped between the two sides of the Arian heresy of the time, Cyril was appointed to the position of bishop upon the death of the previous bishop.  Then add to this a famine that led to mass poverty.  Cyril cared for his flock and sold church property to feed the hungry.  This greatly enraged many who were already distressed by Cyril's actions.

To further bring stress to Cyril's situation, another bishop (Acacius) began to over step his position and jurisdiction, overlapping into Cyril's diocese.  Cyril argued that his authority did not include Jerusalem because Jerusalem was an "apostolic see" -- one of the original sees set up by the apostles. When Cyril did not appear at councils that Acacius called, Acacius accused him of selling church goods to raise money and had him banished.

The situation did not go as Acacius had planned.  The result of the council was the Acacius and the other Arian bishops were condemned. There's no final judgment on Cyril's case but it was probably thrown out when Acacius refused to testify and Cyril returned to Jerusalem.

Unfortunately, Acacius chose to appeal to the emperor and embellished stories of the wrongs that would bring shame to the empire.  Cyril was banished by the emperor and this lasted until a new emperor was in place some years later.

Through his exile, Cyril remained faithful to his diocese and was allowed to return to his position.  When Acacius died, each of the bishops nominated their own replacement for Caesarea. Cyril appointed his nephew Gelasius, which may seem like nepotism, except that all orthodox sources spoke of Gelasius' holiness. A year later both Cyril and Gelasius were driven out of Palestine again as the new emperor's consul reversed the past emperor's ruling.

Eleven years later, Cyril was allowed to go back to find a Jerusalem destroyed by heresy and strife. He was never able to put things completely right. He did attend the Council at Constantinople in 381 where the Nicene Creed and orthodoxy triumphed and Arianism was finally condemned. Cyril received justice at the same Council who cleared him of all previous rumors and commended him for fighting "a good fight in various places against the Arians."

Cyril had eight years of peace in Jerusalem before he died in 386, at about seventy years old.

Saint for the Cat Ladies

Everyone knows this guy...and his feast is celebrated each year by many, even non-Catholics.  I am sure I will one day tell his story on my blog.  Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

painted by another mother in our saint exchange 2015

However, today I wanted to focus on a not so familiar saint.

St. Gertrude of Nivelles

Feast day: March 17
Birth: 626
Death: 659
Patron Against mice; cats; mental illness; travelers (a funny combination!)
Nobility
France

There seems to be little information about Gertrude's early life.  I found this quote and found it to be very mysterious and obscure...

"...it would be tedious to insert in this account in what line of earthly origin she was descended.  For who living in Europe does not know the loftiness, the names, and the localities of her lineage?"  (anonymous author of her Vita soon after her death)

It seems Gertrude lived among the nobility of early France.  Her family actually moved and traveled with the royal court at times.  Gertrude became introduced to politics during her childhood in the atmosphere of the royal court.

On one occasion, her father held a banquet in honor of the king.  At this feast, the King asked Gertrude if she would like to marry the "son of a duke of the Austrasians.... for the sake of his worldly ambition and mutual alliance." Gertrude declined and "lost her temper and flatly rejected him with an oath, saying that she would have neither him nor any earthly spouse but Christ the Lord." (from Vita)

Her father would like have encouraged this union.  After the king's death in 640, he returned to the east, taking Gertrude with him. Gertrude would not be forced into this strategic marriage as her father died soon after.  Her mother, worried for her daughter's virtue, had Gertrude's head shaved and tonsured.  This ensured her choice to live a consecrated life.  Even after this action, suitors came to their noble home wishing to marry Gertrude and ensure an alliance to this prestigious family.  Her mother than created the Monastery of Nivelles, which finally stopped the constant flow of suitors interested in marrying Gertrude.  Gertrude and her mother both resided in the convent.  However, after they entered the religious life, they suffered, "no small opposition" from the royal family.

In 650, her mother died and Gertrude took over the monastery as abbess.  She was "an intelligent young woman, scholarly and charitable, devoting herself to the sick, elderly, and poor," and as knowing much of the scripture by memory. Gertrude also memorized passages and books on divine law, and she "openly disclosed the hidden mysteries of allegory to her listeners." (from Vita)

Gertrude welcomed foreigners, lay or religious. She especially welcomed Irish monks who, since the sixth century, traveled to evangelize. Among the numerous pilgrims that visited the monastery of Nivelles were the two brothers, Foillan (feast day October 31) and Ultan (feast day May 1), both Irish monks on their way from Rome.  In an addition to Gertrude's story we learn about the life of these saints.

Some time while the abbess, Gertrude began receiving visions while in prayer at the chapel.  The visions were bright beams of light that many believed to represent a "visitation of the True Light."  Miracles were attributed to the intercession of Gertrude while she lived and after her death.

Gertrude is portrayed as leading a devout life until her death. It is possible that after taking the veil in she never left the monastery at Nivelles, thus escaping politics and local affairs. Gertrude is described as "exhausted by a life of charity, fasting and prayer" at the end of her short life.

Gertrude's Vita describes her after relinquishing her role as abbess, spending her time praying intensely and secretly wearing a hair shirt. According to her biographer, Gertrude felt the time of her death approaching, and asked a pilgrim from the Fosses monastery when she would die.  Ultan prophesied that Gertrude would die on March 17, the very next day, and also the feast day of Saint Patrick. Furthermore, Ultan prophesied that "she may pass joyously because blessed Bishop Patrick with the chosen angels of God... are prepared to receive her." True to the prophecy, Gertrude died the next day after praying all night and taking communion.

Many tales that came much later, after her death, associate her with cats and hunter of mice.  It seems that the folklore would go with a young lady who spent her life in a convent, but one never knows how these stories truly begin.

Bishop of the Roman Empire

Well, I am sure there was more than one but during this pivotal time in history, today's saint played an important part.  He has become important in our lives also as his feast happens to fall on our son's birthday!

St. Heribert of Cologne

Feast day: March 162
Birth: 970
Death: 1021
Patron of Rain
Nobility
Germany

Heribert was the son of a count and well educated from youth at the cathedral school of Lorraine.  He was later ordained a priest in 994 at the same cathedral.  Later in the same year, Emperor Otto III appointed him chancellor for Italy and four years later also for Germany, a position which he held until Otto's death in 1002. Heribert accompanied Otto to Rome in 996 and again in 997, and was still in Italy when he was elected Archbishop of Cologne by Pope Sylvester II.

Heribert was present at the time of the emperor's death and was chosen to accompany the royal procession upon the return to Germany.  While returning to Germany with the Emperor's remains and the imperial insignia, he was held captive for some time by the future Henry II, whose candidacy he at first opposed, but whom he served faithfully subsequently.

Heribert served Emperor Henry (feast day July 13) well for the remainder of his life. Heribert built the monastery of Deutz.  He also performed miracles, includ­ing ending a drought. He is thus invoked for rains.

Heribert died in Cologne on March 16, 1021  and was buried at Deutz.