First Disciple

St. Andrew has traditionally been given the honor of first disciple of Jesus.  He never tired of bringing new disciples to Christ.

Feast Day:  November 30
Born ??
Death ??
Patron of fisherman
Bethsaida in Galilee

As follower of John the Baptist, it was easy to find Andrew choosing to shift his discipleship to Jesus when shown the path.  John gave Andrew this path when he gave the message to the crowds, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  However, only a few of this crowd actually took the step that Andrew did to leave all behind and become an apostle of Christ.  (John 1:35-37)

When Andrew followed Jesus, he was quickly asked, "What do you seek?" When Andrew answered that he would like to know where Jesus lived, Our Lord replied, "Come and see." Andrew had been only a little time with Jesus when he realized that this was truly the Messiah. (John 1:38-40)

Andrew did not take this position as Jesus' first disciple for granted.  He immediately went to his brother Peter and told him the news of the Messiah. (John 1: 41)

At first the two brothers continued to carry on their fishing trade and family affairs, but later, the Lord called them to stay with Him all the time. He promised to make them fishers of men, and this time, they left their nets for good. (Matthew 4:  18-20)

After the Resurrection, Andrew made his way to Greece and Turkey to spread the message of the Gospel. Little is known about his travels but legend tells that he was put to death on an X-shaped cross after being tied and left for two days in that state of suffering.  He never gave up his calling as an apostle, as he continued to preach to the people gathered around him until his death.

Our Lady of Kibeho

Through the years there have been many visions of Mary to help guide us during difficult times.  Although all the visions have not been approved by the Church, the message of love sent is always meant to be a warning for those that Mary encounters.  Given these special blessing from Our Lady, the Church has chosen to acknowledge some of these visions due to the universal message that is given.

Today's feast shares one of these accepted visions that took place in Kibeho, a small village in southern Rwanda.   The visions began in 1981 when a high school student, Alphonsine Mumureke, saw a woman of great beauty calling herself "Nyina Wa Jambo," which means "Mother of the Word."  In these visions, Mary asked for "conversion, to keep faith and to pray without hypocrisy."

Alphonsine was ridiculed and scorned when she spoke of the visions.  Those in charge of the school as well as students begged for a way to bring credit to her claims of visions.  When she would go into an ecstasy (a spiritual trance), teachers and students would often test her to determine her sincerity.

Alphonsine was so distressed by the actions of the others that she begged Mary to present her visions to others.  Her request was granted in two new visionaries, Nathalie Mukamazimpaka and Marie Claire Mukangango.  Nathalie's visions brought messages of "redemptive suffering and unceasing prayer for a world that is very bad and at risk of falling into an abyss."  However, the surprising visions of Marie Claire were enhanced by her once severe opposition to the visions of Alphonsine.  Marie Claire's vision insisted on the praying of the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows and the desire for repentance.

By the end of 1981, there was a group of converts that met to pray and sing along with Alphonsine.  This group continued to grow, as well as those who believed to have their own visions.  By May 1982, the spread of the message had gone far beyond the school and throughout the region.  However, with the documented visions that were considered valid, there were also false visions.

An investigation took place throughout the time of the visions and the Church authorities officially conclude the visions in 1989 as well.  A year into the investigation, the officials verified the visions of fourteen girls.  Of these visions, most ended within a year after they began and were repetitive of the original messages.  Alphonsine continued her visions for eight years.  She stated at that time that there would no longer be any public messages.

In 1990, Pope John Paul II visited Rwanda and asked the faithful to turn to the Virgin as a simple and sure guide, and to pray for greater commitment against local divisions, both political and ethnic.

One of the key reasons the visions were deemed as authentic was the anticipated vision of the Rwanda genocide that occurred 12 years later, in 1994. On August 19, 1982, the seers saw “a river of blood, people who were killing each other, abandoned corpses with no one to bury them, a tree all in flames, bodies without their heads.” This prophecy seemed at first incredible, but about a decade later, in the spring of 1994, a horrifying civil war erupted in Rwanda, and, in just three months, an estimated 500,000 to one million were killed, many beheaded by machetes and dumped into the Kagea River (“river of blood”).

The Blessed Virgin had warned us at Kibeho that sexual promiscuity would lead to disaster. That was before the world knew about AIDS, but by 1994, Africa has seventy percent of the world's AIDS cases – and entire villages were destroyed! So far, 25 million Africans have contracted AIDS.

The warnings of the Blessed Virgin Mary were not just for Africa.  Our Lady spoke to Marie Claire about the world:

"When I tell you this, I am not addressing myself strictly to you, child, but I am making this appeal to the world," 

Marie Claire, who would later be killed in the war, said that Mary described the world as in revolt against God, the world “is on the edge of catastrophe.”  To avoid war, all were to pray, to fast, and to make penance.

Alphonsine would continue to be educated and desired to answer her religious vocation.  After many years, she was able to take her vows under the order of the Poor Clares in 2006.

Nathalie remains in Kibeho because on June 24th, 1982, the Blessed Virgin asked Nathalie to remain at Kibeho and, until further notice, fully engage herself in prayer life and mortifications for the salvation of the world.  She continues to serve at the shrine built in honor of the visions.  She often greets visitors to the shrine and prays fro them daily.

Marie Claire would later become a teacher and marry soon after college.  She and her husband were separated during the genocide of Rwanda and both were killed.

Regardless of the number of visions or those who saw the visions, the message is clear that we must live lives of repentance and pray for conversion.  This message emphasized is much what we are asked to do as Christians so it is not surprising that the visions should be taken for truth.  Let us begin today to live out the message that Christ gives to us and assures us to be true through his mother, Mary, also known as Our Lady of Kibeho.

Our Lady of Kibeho, pray for us!

In Thanksgiving for the Eucharist

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving.  As our wonderful priest told us this last weekend, for a Catholic this happens every time we go to Mass as we celebrate the Eucharist....Greek for thanksgiving!  Today's saint truly loved the Eucharist and all that it means for those who believe that our God can truly give to us in the Eucharist himself!

St. Conrad of Constance

Feast day: November 26
Born: 900
Death: 975
Patron of Germany
Noble family of Germany

Conrad was educated at the cathedral school in Constance and ordained a priest.  He soon assisted the bishop and was ready to take the episcopal seat in 934 when he was elected bishop.  At this time, he gave up all forms of his inheritance to the Church and the poor.  He also began building and repairing many churches within his diocese.

In 962, Conrad was asked to accompany the emperor to Rome.  Conrad agreed, but only so he could take care of religious matter, remaining distant to any political matters at hand.  Conrad also made pilgrimage trips to Jerusalem in order to bring back a piece of the True Cross for his diocese.

He remained the bishop of Constance for 42 years.

Saint Conrad is sometimes represented as a bishop holding a chalice with a spider in it or over it. This refers to a story that once when he was celebrating mass a spider fell into the chalice. Spiders were believed at that time to be deadly poisonous, but Conrad nevertheless drank the Blood of Christ, which had been transubstantiated from wine, with the spider in it, as a token of faith.

Denied the Wheel of Torture

A young woman of great faith and courage...today's saint is a great model for apologists and young women.

St. Catherine of Alexandria

Feast Day:  November 24
Born 296?
Death 313?
Patroness of philosophers and preachers
Noble family of Alexandria, Egypt

Unsure of any history for her early life, Catherine chose to become a Christian after receiving a vision of the Madonna and Child.  She denounced the emperor Maxentius for persecuting Christians. The emperor summoned fifty of the best pagan philosophers and orators to dispute with her, hoping that they would refute her pro-Christian arguments, but Catherine won the debate. When several of these debaters had conversions, the emperor decided that he would torture her by having fifty of her converts burned to death.

It seems the emperor admired Catherine for her beauty, so he asked her to renounce her faith and become his wife.  When she refused his offer, Catherine was put in prison.  When the emperor was away, Catherine had to opportunity to convert the emperor's wife and two hundred of his soldiers!  When the emperor returned, he had them all put to death in front of Catherine.

This time Catherine was also sentenced to death on a spiked wheel.  However, when the spiked wheel broke, she was beheaded.  She is traditionally revered as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

St. Catherine of Alexandria, pray for us!

The Other Andrew

When most think of St. Andrew, their thoughts go to Andrew the Apostle.  However, today we celebrate another Andrew.

St. Andrew Dung Lac and companions

Feast Day:  November 24
Born:  1795
Death: 1839
Born to a poor pagan family in a small village
Patron of Vietnam

Through the missionary efforts of various religious families beginning in the sixteenth century and continuing until 1866, the Vietnamese people heard the message of the gospel, and many accepted it despite persecution and even death.

Andrew along with 117 other martyrs were given the opportunity to give the ultimate price for their witness to that Good News between 1820 and 1862.  Andrew was one of the named martyrs because his devotion led him to the calling of the priesthood.  At the age of 12, he met a Catholic catechist and was educated in the faith for three years before being baptized.  He then took on the role of catechist himself.  In 1823 he was ordained a priest with the Foreign Mission Society of Paris.

Andrew worked with other priests and missionaries to spread the Gospel.  He led a simple life with constant fasting in order to give more to those he ministered.  In 1835 he was imprisoned under emperor Minh-Mang's persecution but was ransomed.  He would be arrested on three other occasions.  On the last arrest, he was taken to a prison to be tortured in hopes that he would renounce the faith.  He and another companion (Peter Thi) were eventually beheaded in 1839.

They showed that they wanted the gospel of Christ to take root in their people and contribute to the good of their homeland.

St. Andrew and companions, pray for us!

Bridge from Peter to Apostolic Church

A disciple of St. Peter and St. Paul today's saint would take on the role of pope just a few short years after the beginning of Christianity.

St. Pope Clement I

Feast day: November 23
Born: ??
Death: 100
Patron of Boatmen; marble workers; sailors; sick children

The early life of Clement it is not recorded in history.  It is possible he is the companion who Paul wrote about in Philippians:

I ask you, my true comrade, to really help them. These women have struggled hard for the gospel with me, along with Clement and all my other fellow-workers, whose names are written in the book of life. (4:3)

The first information we have about Clement is somewhat confusing.  The historian Tertullian wrote that Peter appointed two bishops to assist him in his duties, Linus and Cletus.  Clement would be the next in line for the succession in the role as bishop of Rome.  Because of this differentiation of roles, Tertullian considers Clement to be St. Peter's successor.  Later historians took the more spiritual approach that shows the line proceeding through Linus and Cletus.

Regardless of the order of popes, Clement proved to be a leader for the Church.  He is known for his letter to the Corinthians.  Clement decisively stopped a dispute in which certain presbyters of the Corinthian church had been forcefully removed from office.  He asserted the authority of the presbyters as rulers of the church on the ground that the Apostles had appointed such.  This is considered one of the most ancient and precious documents surviving from early Christian times.


Clement most likely died a martyr in 102 AD.  In works of art, Saint Clement can be recognized by having an anchor at his side or tied to his neck.  He is considered the first Apostolic Father of the Church.

Christ the King

I love this time of year and not just because of the fall colors and especially not because the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are lower.  No...it is this time of the liturgical year that brings joy to my heart.

Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King.  This is our last Sunday of the year and it is traditionally a day to recall that Christ is glorified in Heaven and that we will one day join Him in glory at the end of time.  Next week the cycle begins again as we begin the Advent season.

The Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 due to the increasing destructive nature of secularism, which leads people down the road that God is not needed and eventually that God does not exist.  The feast brings to light the need for Christ as our victorious king for all those who seek him.

In today's liturgy, the first reading (Sean was the ...so proud of him!) explains the message from Daniel that professes that Christ is God who reigns supreme of all things as well as his role as Redeemer.   Furthermore, Jesus is the head of the Church in addition to his reign over all the earth..

We then read from the gospel of John and we can understand the qualities of Christ's kingdom. This kingdom is supreme, universal, eternal and spiritual.

We are thankful for the redemptive power of Jesus and are confident that we will one  day stand before him on his kingly throne.

Today we enjoyed a delicious meal, followed by a simple desert.  I made cupcakes and asked the children to decorate the crowns with special jewels.

I hid a little white jelly bean in one of the cupcakes to represent that Christ is the pure sweetness that we seek in our lives.  Edward was the one who found our little king in his cupcake to earn a prize.

We also end our day praying for peace which the ultimate end to this world that will lead us into the next one for eternity.

Christ the King, have mercy on us.

Presenting the Mother of God

Ann and Joachim present Mary to the Temple consecrating her to the Lord.

Saint of Canterbury

The king of a small providence within England chose to leave his throne for a life of penance and left his throne in the protection of today's saint.

St. Edmund the Martyr

Feast day: November 20
Birth: 1175
Death: 1240

Patron of various colleges, including Cambridge

Archbishop of Canterbury England, who battled for discipline and justice, also called Edmund of Abingdon. Born in Abingdon, on November 30, 1180. he studied at Oxford, England, and in Paris, France. He taught art and mathematics at Oxford and was ordained. He spent eight years teaching theology and became Canon and treasurer of Salisbury Cathedral. An eloquent speaker, Edmund preached a crusade for Pope Gregory IX and was named archbishop of Canterbury. He became an adviser to King Henry III and presided in 1237 at Henry's ratification of the Great Charter.

After a disagreement with the king, Edmund resigned from his position and lived out the remainder of his life as a Cistercian monk.

St. Edmund, pray for us.

Saintly Teacher

Today's saint would spend many years teaching the poor in France.  However, her real call was to the mission fields of the thriving new nation known as the United States.

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

Feast day: November 18
Born  1769
Death: 1852
Patron of Opposition of Church authorities
Born in Grenoble, France
Wealthy parents

From a young age, Rose was educated among the nuns along with her cousin.  However, when her father saw that she was drawn to this life of prayer, he had Rose return home to a private tutor.  At the age of 18, she chose to enter the Visitation of Holy Mary religious order in spite of her family opposition.  Due to the French Revolution, she was returned to her family but she continued to live out her prayerful duties.  When stability returned to the country, she tried to reunite the order of nuns but due to the harsh conditions only three companions remained with her.

With the assistance of Madeleine-Sophie Barat (feast day in May), Rose was able to merge her order with the Society of the Sacred Heart order.  In 1815, after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Rose followed Barat's instructions and established a Convent of the Sacred Heart in Paris, where she both opened a school and became the Mistress of novices.

In 1817, the nuns were visited by the Bishop of New Orleans who was looking for a group of educators willing to minister to the Indian and French children of his diocese.  Rose quickly begged Barat to allow her to accept the bishop's request.  A year later, Rose would be accompanied by four nuns as they traveled to the United States.  However, when they arrived in New Orleans, they found that there was no place for them to stay.  Rose and her companions left and were able to establish themselves in St. Charles which was in the Missouri territory.

The first convent of the order outside of France would be in a log cabin.  Rose would begin to form the first free school west of the Mississippi River by the end of 1818.  Within the first ten years, she would have six communities throughout the area running schools for the poor.  The nuns would later have the assistance of the Jesuits as well.

In 1841 the Jesuits asked the Sisters to join them in a new mission with the Potawatomi tribe in eastern Kansas.  Although Rose was 71 years old and not initially chosen for the mission, a priest who was part of the mission insisted that she join the group.  Rose was unable to learn the language of the natives, but she worked tirelessly to assist the tribal people through prayer.  She was known as "The Woman who Always Prays" by the children of the village.

"We cultivate a very small field for Christ, but we love it, knowing that God does not require great achievements but a heart that holds back nothing for self…. The truest crosses are those we do not choose ourselves…. He who has Jesus has everything." (St. Rose Philippine Duchesne)

She would soon return to St. Charles due to her health.  She was a lonely woman as she lived out another ten years of prayer in a small area among the other nuns.  She died in 1852 at the age of 83 thinking herself a failure, yet she was the first missionary nun among the Indians, blazing the trail for a host of valiant women who were to follow her.

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, pray for us!

Feeding the Hung(a)ry

A very interesting tale of this young saint.  Much of her life was surrounded by political intrigue but she chose to remain holy and fulfill her duties to the poor.

Elizabeth of Hungary

Doll painted by another mother

Feast Day:  November 16
Birth:  1207
Death 1231
Hungary
Patron of widows and young brides
Daughter of King of Hungary

At the young age of four years old, Elizabeth was sent from her parents and home.  She was sent to live with the family of the prince (province in Germany) she was betrothed to marry to provide stability between the two kingdoms.  The idea was to have Elizabeth learn the language and customs of this kingdom.

Elizabeth would marry Ludwig IV when she was 14 years old at the same time he was raised to the throne (being only 16 years old himself).  In spite of this young arranged marriage, they cared for each other and were happy.

Ludwig approved of Elizabeth's care for the poor in his kingdom as he felt it would bring prosperity to his kingdom and their eternal lives.  She was often seen distributing bread to the poor, as well as wool that she herself spun into cloth.

In 1223, Franciscan missionaries came to the kingdom and taught Elizabeth their ways of charity.  This furthered her desire to take care of the poor.  This, along with the introduction of a pious confessor (Konrad von Marburg), came at a time of upheaval in the area.  In 1226, Ludwig was sent away to represent the emperor and Elizabeth was left to care for the kingdom.  At this time, floods, famine, and plague had taken over the area.  Elizabeth was quick to act, even giving away castle riches to support the needs of the people.  She set up a hospital directly in front of the castle, and cared for patients herself if needed.

In 1227, Elizabeth was left a widow when Ludwig died of a fever in his route to the 6th Crusade.  By this time, the two had been blessed with three children but the eldest was only five years old and could not take the thrown.  This left Ludwig's brother to carry out the royal duties.  Elizabeth would follow the request of her Konrad and leave the castle, although the royal family desired her to remain.  It seems the royal family wanted her to remarry for political stability.  It was at this time that she took on special vows much like a nun that she would retain for the remainder of her life.

Unfortunately, Konrad took advantage of Elizabeth's obedience and treated her cruelly,  She was practically a hostage within the walls of the castle.  She was finally able to retrieve her own inheritance and created a hospital at the castle where she ministered to the sick and continued to give to the poor.

There are many stories of miracles in association with Elizabeth during her life.  I would like to think these stories reflect her pious desire to care for those around her.  She lived a short life, dying in 1231 at the age of 24.  Very soon after the death of Elizabeth, miracles were reported that happened at her grave in the church of the hospital, especially those of healing.

A Great Woman

As I learn more about the saints, I realize that it can be easy to be bogged down by gender equality.  I do not think the Church intentionally chooses male over female.  Maybe there are more male saints because their extraordinary lives are  more public.  Traditionally, the females are more likely to show their faith through the ordinary daily routine.  In fact, we can probably all agree that there is a woman or two in our lives who quietly live their faith and are examples for others of the virtues that are often attributed to the saints I mention on this blog.  In turn, to be fair there are also men who I greatly admire who will never be among the canonized saints of the Church.

With all that said, I am thankful for the Church that can allow me to be inspired regardless of gender as we look to the soul of the matter...the virtuous life portrayed for us to learn what it means to be a Christian as they lived out their lives with Christ.

Today's saint (I had several to choose from but have decided to only have one saint per blog unless there is a real connection.  Again, it is so nice to have this problem that I have to struggle to choose who to learn about in more detail!)  is the ONLY female saint who has the honor of being considered a GREAT (a term given to a saint who is prolific in their religious writing)!

Gertrude the Great

Feast Day:  November 16
Born  1256
Death  1302
Holy Roman Empire
Patron of the West Indies; Nuns; travelers
Devout parents

Gertrude was sent to a convent school at an early age.  It is not known if her parents desired their daughter to be at this convent school to further her faith or if Gertrude entered the school as an orphan.  She would join the convent as a novice in 1266.

In 1281, Gertrude began to receive visions that would continue for the rest of her life.  At this time, she dedicated her life to the knowledge of prayer and theology.  Gertrude became one of the great mystics of the 13th century. Together with her friend and teacher St. Mechtild, she practiced a spirituality called "nuptial mysticism," that is, she came to see herself as the bride of Christ.

Gertrude produced numerous writings, though only some survive today.  The longest survival of her writings is the The Herald of Divine Love, partly written by other nuns. The Herald is composed of five books. Book 2 forms the core of the work, and was written by Gertrude herself; she states that she began the work on Maundy Thursday 1289. Books 3, 4, and 5 were written by another nun, or possibly more than one, during Gertrude's lifetime and probably at least in part at her dictation. Book 1 was written shortly before or after Gertrude's death as an introduction to the whole collection; it is possible it was written by Gertrude's confessor, but far more like that the author was another Helfta nun.  She also wrote many books of prayers.  Her books were highly regarded by saints after her death and was taken up as a must read by Carmelites in the 16th century.

Gertrude introduced the devotion to the Sacred Heart which, four centuries later, St. Margaret Mary spread throughout the Church.  Gertrude showed "tender sympathy towards the souls in purgatory" and urged prayers for them.  She is therefore invoked for suffering souls in purgatory. The following prayer is attributed to St. Gertrude :

Eternal Father, I offer You the most precious blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, for those in my own home and in my family. Amen.

Saintly Scientist

Today's saint was a great scientist but more important a great teacher of science.  He was known to be the teacher of everything there is to know.

Albert the Great

Feast day: November 15
Born before 1200
Death: 1280
Lauingen (now in Bavaria)
Patron of Scientists
Born of middle class family

Albert was educated at the university in Padua and then had an "encounter" with the Blessed Mother in which he was inspired to take vows under the Dominican order.  He became an instructor in theology soon after and began writing about the theological errors of the day.  He would eventually find himself teaching at the University of Paris and instructing Thomas Aquinas among his other students.  In fact, Albert is often depicted in discussion with Thomas Aquinas.

Albert spent much of his time studying the teachings of Aristotle.  He then furthered his understanding of the Muslim teachings.  In 1254 Albert was made provincial of the Dominican Order.  He publicly defended the Dominicans against attacks by the secular and regular faculty of the University of Paris and answered what he perceived as errors of the Islamic philosopher Averroes.  In 1259, Albert (along with Thomas Aquinas) attended a meeting of the Dominicans to establish areas of study.  They would introduce the study of philosophy as an innovation for those not sufficiently trained to study theology.

In 1260, Albert was named the bishop of Regensburg.  He would only spend three years in this position, but would travel by foot to various sections of the diocese to ensure he remained faithful to the Dominican order rule.  The pope would then send him into the German provinces to preach the need for an 8th Crusade (a crusade launched by Louis IX of France against the city of Tunis in 1270).  This led to his position as mediator between the various groups involved in the crusades.

In 1278, Albert became ill and was no longer able to travel.  He would die in a Dominican convent in Cologne in 1280.

Albert's writings collected in 1899 went to thirty-eight volumes. These displayed his prolific habits and encyclopedic knowledge of topics such as logic, theology, botany, geography, astronomy, astrology, mineralogy, alchemy, zoology, physiology, phrenology, justice, law, friendship, and love.

He was canonized and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1931 by Pope Pius XI.

“Above all one should accept everything, in general and individually, in oneself or in others, agreeable or disagreeable, with a prompt and confident spirit, as coming from the hand of his infallible Providence or the order he has arranged.”
― Albert the Great, On Cleaving to God

Maybe we should be reading Albert the Great writings on Muslims and then look over to his writings on friendship and love as well.

St. Albert the Great, pray for us!

Obedient Giver

Known as the first canonized saint of the United States, Frances Xavier Cabrini can give us much insight into a life of obedience and self-giving.

Feast day: November 13
Born:  1850
Death: 1917
Italy-United States
Patron of immigrants, hospital administrators; orphans

Frances was born into a large Italian family and led a simple life surrounded by the traditions of the faith.  Her desire was to become a nun after hearing stories of the missionaries told by her father.  However, her health led her in a different direction.  She would spend the next few years caring for her parents until their deaths.  She would then work on a farm until a priest asked her to assist in teaching at the local village school for girls.

In 1877, her bishop would ask her to found the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for the poor children of the diocese.  She began one school but this quickly grew to many schools throughout the area and beyond.

From her earliest days of hearing stories of the missionaries, Frances had wanted to spread the message of the Gospel in China.  However, the success of her schools in Italy led Frances to the United States by request of Pope Leo XIII.  In 1889, Frances, along with six other nuns, would arrive in New York to assist the Italian immigrants.  She first established an orphanage in the city.  Soon, her work spread through the United States and other countries due to her guidance.  She would erect schools, kindergartens, clinics, orphanages, and foundling homes, and numbers of hospitals for the needy sick.

Frances crossed the Atlantic twenty-five times to visit the various houses and institutions. In spite of all her travels, she chose to become an American citizen in 1909.   On December 22, 1917, she died of malaria alone in a chair in Columbus Hospital at Chicago, Illinois, while making dolls for orphans in preparation for a Christmas party.

At the time of her death, her institute numbered over seventy houses in England, France, Spain, the United States, and South America.    In 1946, she became the first American citizen to be canonized when she was elevated to sainthood by Pope Pius XII. 

Quote:  "We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone."

It is easy to compare ourselves to others and we are then hindered by our lack of abilities.  However, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is an example of what one can do if we rely on the strength of God.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, pray for us!

Unifier of the Church

In 1054, a formal split called a schism took place between the Eastern Church centered in Constantinople and the Western Church centered in Rome. Trouble between the two had been brewing for centuries because of cultural, political, and theological differences. However, in 1054 a a representative from Rome was sent to Constantinople to try and reconcile the two groups but the to no avail.  In fact, the patriarch of the area was eventually excommunicated and the differences remain until this day.  The split only grew worse from there, centering mostly on whether to except the authority of the Pope and Rome.  There have been many opportunities for reconciliation over the years, but pride and years have always gotten in the way. One such opportunity came about due to the assistance of today's saint.

Saint Josephat of Polotsk

Feast day: November 12
Birth: 1580
Death: 1623
Present day Poland-Lithuania
Patron of Ukraine
Born with given name Ioann Kuntsevych

It would seem that Josephat was born at the right time to be a unifer of the Church.  Soon after he was born an edict was sent out to all the people of the land to seek out peace within the Church.  The king (Sigismund III Vasa) sought to not only unify the Orthodox and Roman Church but to also bring back those who left the faith for Protestantism or who were non-Catholic.  Through various delegations there were compromises made within the various groups; however, there continued to be those who refused to change.

As a young boy being raised in this religious environment, his parents tried to bring balance to his life.  His father was a business man and wanted to please all those around him, but mostly wanted to follow God to the best of his ability and lead his family in the same direction.  In spite of all of this upheaval and indecision, young Josephat excelled in his religious studies. While being instructed as a child on the sufferings of our Savior, his heart is said to have been wounded by an arrow from the sacred side of the Crucified.

Josephat was soon apprenticed to a merchant who influenced his ideas of Church and government.  The merchant approved of the unification of the various religious sects and taught Josephat the importance of unity and adherence to the authority of Rome.

In 1604, in his early 20s, Josephat entered the Monastery of the Trinity of the Order of Saint Basil the Great and was given his religious name as we know him.  In 1609, he would be ordained a priest and soon took on the role of leadership at various monasteries in the area.

By 1617, Josephat would be named bishop and in a year's time would be known as the arch patriarch of Polotsk.  He faced a daunting task of bringing the local populace to accept union with Rome. He faced stiff opposition from the monks, who feared liturgical Latinisation of the Byzantine Rite. As archeparch, he restored the churches: he issued a catechism to the clergy, with instructions that it should be memorized; composed rules for priestly life, and entrusted deacons the task of superintending their observance.  Through all of his efforts to bring unit among the sects, he was able to find hope; however, the governmental interference left to further strife.  This influence of the government led to a separate sect that rivaled Josephat for the rest of his life.

After 1620, according to a historian, sectarian violence over ownership of church property increased and "hundreds of clerics on both sides died in confrontations that often took the form of pitched battles."

The foes of union decided to assassinate him. In a sermon, he himself spoke of his death as imminent. When he visited Vitebsk (now in Russia), his enemies attacked his lodging and murdered a number of his companions. Meekly the man of God hastened toward the mob and, full of love, cried, "My children, what are you doing? If you have something against me, see, here I am." With furious cries of "Kill the papist!", they rushed upon him with gun and sword. Josaphat's body was thrown into the river but emerged, surrounded by rays of light, and was recovered. Upon hearing of this miracle, his murderers ask forgiveness and became Catholics.

After numerous miracles attributed to Josephat were reported to Church officials, Pope Urban VIII appointed a commission in 1628, to inquire into his possible canonization, which examined 116 witnesses under oath. Josaphat's body was claimed to be incorrupt five years after his death. In 1637, a second commission investigated his life and, in 1643, Josaphat was beatified. He was canonized on June 29, 1867 by Pope Pius IX.

St. Jospehat, pray for us...especially for unity of all Catholics under one leadership and for all Christians unified with Christ.





 

Soldier for Christ

A fitting saint on this day also set aside to honor our veterans.

St Martin of Tours

Feast day: November 11
Born:  315
Death:  397
Patron of soldiers, beggars
Pannonia (Roman province in modern Hungary)
Pagan parents

A historian of the early Church (Sulpicius) has provided us with the biography of Martin with great details directly from the saint before his death.  We are told that Martin had a great desire to learn of Christianity although his parents held to the old pagan customs of their homeland.  At the young age of ten years old, Martin would knock at the door of the church begging to be admitted as a catechumen.

At the age of fifteen, Martin was forced into the service of the Roman army.  He had not yet completed his studies to come into full communion with the Church, yet his real desire was to be a soldier for Christ as a monk.  The army had to place him in chains in order for him to accept the oath of service.  True to his desire to live as a Christian, Martin accepted his fate and performed his duties to the best of his abilities.  He was assigned to a ceremonial cavalry unit that protected the emperor and rarely saw combat. Like his father, he became an officer and eventually was assigned to garrison duty in Gaul.

However, Martin was also remained true to his desire to live as a monk.  For example, his treatment of a servant he was assigned was beyond compare.  Martin would switch roles with his servant on may occasion by taking on the servant's tasks, even going so far as to clean the belongings of the servant.

This effort to be the servant to others has since been portrayed in many forms of art.  The story relayed in the art shows Martin giving of his cloak to a beggar.  This was unheard of in these times to give up part of one's ceremonial uniform.  Yet, Martin could not resist the desire to help bring comfort to this man on a cold wintry night.  Many in the crowd thought this was so ridiculous a sight that they laughed and jeered but some realized that they were seeing Christian goodness. That night Martin dreamed that he saw Jesus wearing the half mantle he had given the beggar. Jesus said to the angels and saints that surrounded him, "See! this is the mantle that Martin, yet a catechumen, gave me." When he woke, it was the "yet a catechumen" that spurred Martin on and he went immediately to be baptized. He was eighteen years old.

From that moment, Martin then battled an internal conflict that would shape the remainder of his life.  This would come to a climax before a battle to defend the empire from the Franks.  As was the custom, the army was lined up before battle to accept payment to ensure their allegiance to the emperor.  Martin refused his tribute and furthermore would not go into battle.

Martin, likely never having gone into battle, stated, "Put me in the front of the army, without weapons or armor; but I will not draw sword again. I am to become the soldier of Christ." Emperor Julian, furious at what he saw as cowardice, told Martin he would grant him his wish and put him right in the middle of battle the next day. Until that happened, he had Martin imprisoned. However, against all predictions and all explanation, the nomads sent word that they wanted to negotiate for peace and the battle was postponed. Martin was released from his prison and from the army.

Unsure of what to do with his life, Martin wandered into the care of St. Hilary (further study of this saint in January).  Hilary desired to make Martin a priest or deacon; however, Martin refused this out of humility.  He finally agreed to be ordained an exorcist (someone who performed rituals for those who were sick or possessed) when Hilary told him his refusal meant that he thought he was too good for such a lowly job.

Martin's new battle for Christ would be the Arian heresy.  He returned to his hometown to visit his parents (possibly to convince his father of conversion) and was driven out of town after being whipped.  He had made the choice to denounce the wrongs of the Arian heresy in the public square.

Martin also found that St. Hilary had been exiled because of his own rejection of these heresies.  Martin would assist in the return of his mentor, and then Hilary would in turn help Martin to establish a monastery so he could live out his life as a prayer warrior for the Church.

Throughout the remainder of his life, many miracles would be attributed to his intercession.  Martin was often sought out for advice.  The people of the nearby village would come to him, so it was not surprising that they would want him to lead their spirituality when the opportunity arose.  Upon the death of their bishop, they were quick to choose Martin as their next leader.

However, they knew he would never agree to be a bishop so they conceived a trick. A citizen of Tours came to Martin and begged him to come visit his sick wife. When the kindhearted Martin got to Tours crowds of people came out of hiding and surrounded him. Unable to escape, he was swept into the city. The people may have been enthusiastic about their choice but the bishops there to consecrate the new bishop declared they were repelled by this dirty, ragged, disheveled choice. The people's reply was that they didn't choose Martin for his haircut, which could be fixed by any barber, but for his holiness and poverty, that only charity and grace could bring. Overwhelmed by the will of the crowds the bishops had no choice but to consecrate Martin.

Instead of living in a palace, Martin made his first home as bishop in a cell attached to a church in hopes of being able to maintain his lifestyle as a monk.  Martin would again have to face an internal battle with this conflicting role of his life.  At this time, the role of bishop was both as a spiritual and political leader.  Many more people would come to Martin for assistance.

To regain some of his solitude Martin fled outside the city to live in a cabin made of branches. There he attracted as many as eighty disciples who wanted to follow him and founded a monastery. He kept in touch with Tours through priest representatives who reported to him and carried out his instructions and duties with the people.

Martin did have a great desire to bring conversion to the people, many who were still living pagan lives, so he spent much of his time going from house to house bringing the Gospel to the people.  Then he would organize the converts into a community under the direction of a priest of monk. In order to let them know of his continued love and to keep them following the faith, he would then visit these new communities regularly.

Martin tore down many non-Christian temples and always built a Christian church in their place to make a point about true worship and give people a genuine replacement for their false idols.  Martin was also dedicated to freeing of prisoners, so much so that when authorities, even the emperors, heard he was coming, they refused to see him because they knew he would request mercy for someone and they would be unable to refuse.

Martin died when he was over 80 years old.  His feast is November 11, the day he was buried, at his request, in the Cemetery of the Poor.

There are many stories of miracles and wisdom associated with St. Martin.  The most fascinating tales are told of Martin through Sulpicius.  It is hard not to follow these stories with great interest as they were collected by eyewitness accounts.  To continue with these many stories would make for a very long post, so I encourage you to read more about St. Martin beyond this blog.

It just goes to show you that when given the opportunity to be soldiers for Christ, we can all do amazing things through the power of prayer and sacrifice.  So as we learn about St. Martin on this day also set aside for our veterans, let us remember that even as we are placed in our various secular roles we can find a way to glorify God.

Amanda, 1998

 Our own family began celebrating this feast day while living in Germany.  Our little village would come together on the night of his feast as a way to begin their 40 days of spiritual  preparation for Christmas (now known as Advent).  "St. Martin" would appear on his white horse and lead a procession of lights throughout the town.  The school children would make lanterns for the occasion and lead the procession.  The people of the village would pray and sing praises to God.  For many years, we continued our own celebration similar to this, lighting our way around our neighborhood singing hymns related to God as the light of the world.  I think we will bring that tradition back for our family tonight as I am not sure why we ever stopped.

St. Martin of Tours, pray for us!

Tamer of the Huns

My boys love to hear the stories of Pope Leo the Great because he stood before Attila the Hun without fear.  That is not all he stood up to without fear!

Pope Saint Leo the Great

Feast Day: November 10
Born ??
Death: 461
Tuscany, Italy


Little is known of Leo's early years.  His story begins when he was first given his role of leading the people in his adult life.  As a deacon of the Roman Church, Leo was sent to Gaul to negotiate for the emperor.

Before Leo was elevated to the office of Pope in 440 AD, he also fought the forces within the Church.  He had opposed the heresy of Pelagianism which taught that grace was not necessary for salvation, but was rather a bonus that God granted to those who earned it by their good works.  As pope, Leo would later write about the idea of the Incarnation to clarify this issue further.

Pope Leo contributed to the development of the doctrine on papal primacy, based on his personal devotion to St Peter and on the veneration for the Apostle and his tomb in Rome.  Pope Leo also describes his own special relationship with St Peter in terms derived from Roman law. He calls himself the (unworthy) heir and deputy (vicarius) of Peter, having received his apostolic authority and being obliged to follow his example.

Pope Leo appealed to the emperor for support to his claim, and obtained a decree in 445, which recognized the primacy of the bishop of Rome based on the merits of Peter, the dignity of the city, and the legislation of the First Council of Nicaea.  The emperor provided for the forcible extradition by provincial governors of any bishop who refused to answer a summons to Rome.

There were many through Christiandom who did not approve of Pope Leo's assertion for primacy.  However, from the beginning of his pontificate in 440, his goal was to unite the Church.  His most famous writing, commonly known as the Tome of St. Leo (449), was the basis of the Council of Chalcedon's (451) dogmatic definition of Christ as one Divine Person possessing two complete natures, human and divine.  It was upon hearing Pope Leo's discourse on this topic, that brought the leaders of the Church to support him in his role as pope.  They called out to the assembly, "This is the faith of the fathers ... Peter has spoken thus through Leo ..."

While Pope Leo was battling to bring order to the Church, Barbarian armies were ravaging the once mighty Roman Empire. While other officials were leaving the area for safety, Pope St. Leo filled the void and became the advocate for the temporal as well as spiritual needs of his flock.  He is perhaps most famous for persuading Attila the Hun to abandon his plans to sack the city of Rome and to withdraw his forces beyond the Danube river (452).

Unfortunately, Pope Leo's intercession could not prevent the full onslaught of the city by the Vandals in 455, but murder and arson were repressed by his influence. Leo did, however, assist in rebuilding the city of Rome; restoring key places such as Saint Peter's.

Leo died in 461 leaving behind a treasury of  over 143 letters and 96 sermons.  His sermons cover every season of the liturgical year and are still helpful to this day in understanding the teachings of he Church.  He wished to be buried as close as possible to the tomb of St Peter, his body was placed in a tomb in the portico of Saint Peter's basilica on 10 November of that year and in 688 was moved inside the basilica itself.

Pope Saint Leo the Great, pray for us!

A Couple of Old Saints and a Mother

Today we celebrate the Biblical couple of Zachariah and Elizabeth.  I also added to my saintly pegs and saint from the early Church, St. Sylvia.

The story of Zachariah and Elizabeth is a touching story of faithfulness which led to the great prophet who would herald the true coming of the Lord and Savior.  The knowledge we have of this couple can be found in the Gospel of Luke.  I cannot tell the story better than Luke:

Zachariah is the work of Henry
and Elizabeth was painted by another mother last summer

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:  5-25)

The story continues after Gabriel presents himself to Mary and announces the coming of the Messiah through her yes to the Lord!  Mary is also told of her cousin's child and hurries to help Elizabeth in her time of need.

Mary entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:  39-45)

The months pass and the birth of John the Baptist takes place.  All are amazed by the turn of events and what happens:

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. (Luke 1:  57-66)

The rest of the story of John the Baptist is told in all the Gospels (Matthew  3; Mark 1; Luke: 3; John 1) , but we never hear any more of his parents.

St. Zachariah and St. Elizabeth, pray for us!


St. Sylvia

Feast Day:  November 5
Born:  515
Death:  594
Patron:  Expectant mothers
Sicily

Little is known of the early life of Sylvia.  However, we do know that she was most likely born to a prominent family in Sicily.  She married Gordian (whose life would end as a martyr) and she was the mother of two sons.  Her own son would later present her to

the Church as a saint as he would be raised to the position of pope as Pope Gregory the Great.

Upon Gordian's death, Gregory would turn their home into a monastery and Sylvia spent the remainder of her days in a small home near a church.  She was happy to lift up her prayers for the Church.  She would live another twenty years lifting her prayers up to the Lord for all the needs of the Church and those around her.

St Sylvia, pray for us!

Organizer of the Church

Imagine a young man destined to reform the Church and you would have today's saint.

Feast Day:  November 4
Born:  1538
Death: 1584
Patron of learning and the arts
Italy

Some would say Charles was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  He has wealthy parents who could give him all that he desired as well as a good education.  He was even born in a castle!  Furthermore, his (maternal) uncle was a well known religious man who would one day be the pope.  No one could deny that Charles has all the needed.  He could have also been quite conceited about his circumstances.  

Charles took a different approach to his station in life.  At the age of 12 years old, he would receive his first tonsure (rite of inducting someone into the clergy, including shearing of his hair and the investment with the surplice).  It was soon after this choice that his (paternal) uncle turned over the wealth obtained by his family in relation to an abbey.  One must wonder if this was a test to young Charles desire to enter the priesthood.  Charles was quick to explain that any profit from the abbey would be returned to the use of the Church.  Charles then spent the remainder of his youth at university studying civil and canon law.  I found it interesting that he was considered a slow learned because a speech impediment; however, he was always very successful in his studies.  He even had to take a break from his coursework when his father died and he was asked to manage the family affairs.  He was still able to complete his doctorate in law by the time he was 21 years old.

When his uncle became Pope Pius IV, Charles was immediately called to Rome to assist as an adviser.  He would soon be named a cardinal and entrusted with both the public and the privy seal of the ecclesiastical state.  He was also entrusted in the government of the Papal States and appointed supervisor of the Franciscans, Carmelites and Knights of Malta.  During this time, he brought order to all that areas of the establishment, including the renewal of the Council of Trent (1562-1563).  This role led to his efforts to create the Church's first official catechism.  

Although asked to leave the priesthood to take over the family affairs when his older brother died, Charles as determined to remain true to his calling and took on the position of bishop of Milan.  He devoted himself wholly to the reformation of his diocese, especially since it had lacked a bishop for almost 80 years.  He was determined to put into practice the many aspects of the Council of Trent, and his diocese would soon become a model for all other dioceses.  Not everyone approved of all the improvements and attempt on his life was miraculously thwarted.

After the plague broke out in Milan, Charles quickly took action and began to take care of the sick.  Supposedly, the leaders of the town fled and Charles took over the every day workings of the town as well as the needs of the sick and dying.  There are accounts of him feeding 50,000-70,000 daily during this time.  

Charles took to wearing a noose around his neck as a symbol of his desire to die in the place of the villagers.  In 1584, during his annual retreat at Monte Varallo, he was stricken with an intermittent fever and ague, and on returning to Milan grew rapidly worse. After receiving the Last Sacraments, the beloved bishop died quietly at the age of 46 years old.  Following his death, popular devotion to Charles arose quickly and continued to grow.

"Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head."  - St. Charles Borromeo

St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us!

Saintly Healers

Today we have two saints who are known for miraculous healings.

St Winfred

Feast Day:  November 3
Born: ??
Death: 660
Patron of virgins
Wales

Our first saint is a legendary saint.  Winifred was born to a wealthy family and sister to another saint (Beuno).  Supposedly, she was beheaded by a suitor whom she rebuffed.  However, Beuno took up her head from the ground and set it back in its rightful place. From where it had fallen, there instantly sprang up a well of pure clear water. At the same time, he commanded the congregation to pray that Winifred might be restored to life and fulfill her vow of chastity; and, when they arose from praying, she arose with them. For the rest of her life she had a red mark round her throat where it had been sliced through.

Winifred became a nun in the nearby village of Denbigshire.  She succeeded the abbess and remained there until her death 15 years later.

The spring where Winifred's head fell, is called Holy Well or St. Winifred's Well and became a great pilgrimage center where many cures have been reported over the centuries.

St. Winifred, pray for us!

Love this little peg painted by another mom
Aren't the animals so cute?

St. Martin de Porres

Feast Day: November 3
Born:  1579
Death: 1639
Patron of Mixed Race, Barbers, Public Health Workers, Innkeepers
Lima, Peru

There could not be two different saints yet they both are known for their healing abilities.

Martin was born to a freed slave who had not married.  His father (a Spanish gentleman) abandoned the mother and son (as well as a sister) when he was very young.  Their financial situation became so extreme that he was placed as an apprentice in a barber shop at a very young age.  He had little education but learned quickly and was able to learn the barber's skill as a physician as well as other duties.

In Peru, by law, all descendants of African or Indians were not allowed to become full members of religious orders.  At the age of 15 years old, Martin, who spent long hours in prayer, longed to join the Dominicans.  He found his only way into the community would be to volunteer to perform the most menial tasks in the monastery. In return, he would be allowed to wear the habit and live within the religious community.

Martin was eventually given the task of distributing money to deserving poor.  During this time, Martin took on his old trades of barbering and healing. He also worked in the kitchen, did laundry and cleaned.

After eight years, Martin was granted the privilege to take his vows as a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic against the laws of the day.  Even though he also completed all his tasks, Martin was called horrible names and mocked for being illegitimate and descending from slaves.

At the age of 24, Martin was allowed to be ordained a lay brother.  He would later be placed in charge of the infirmary.  His ability to heal could not be surpassed.  Martin was praised for his unconditional care of all people, regardless of race or wealth. He took care of everyone from the Spanish nobles to the African slaves. Martin didn't care if the person was diseased or dirty, he would welcome them.

It is said Martin had many extraordinary abilities, including aerial flights, bilocation, instant cures, miraculous knowledge, spiritual knowledge and an excellent relationship with animals. Martin also founded an orphanage for abandoned children and slaves and is known for raising dowry for young girls in short amounts of time.

In 1639, Martin became very ill with chills, fevers and tremors causing him agonizing pain. He would experience almost a year full of illness until he passed away.   After his death, the miracles received when he was invoked in such greatness that when he was exhumed 25 years later, his body exhaled a splendid fragrance and he was still intact.

At Martin's canonization in 1962, Saint John XXIII remarked: "He excused the faults of others. He forgave the bitterest injuries, convinced that he deserved much severer punishments on account of his own sins. He tried with all his might to redeem the guilty; lovingly he comforted the sick; he provided food, clothing and medicine for the poor; he helped, as best he could, farm laborers and Negroes, as well as mulattoes, who were looked upon at that time as akin to slaves: thus he deserved to be called by the name the people gave him: 'Martin of Charity.'"

St. Martin de Porres, pray for us!

The Church Suffering

As yesterday was a day to remember the Church Triumphant, today we set aside a day to remember those who have died who need to be purified from their sins before entering into heaven.  This might seem a confusing concept to many of my family and friends (especially those who have not been catechized or who are non-Catholics).  I cannot explain it better than the words of our catechism.

First we must understand that there are three states of the Church (alluded to in my last post).  The Church teaches:

The three states of the Church. “When the Lord comes in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to him. But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating ‘in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as he is’” (CCC #954; Matthew 25: 31; 1 Corinthians 15: 26-27)

From this understanding we can see that there are those who need assistance into God's glory.  The catechism speaks of this in great detail:

All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. (CCC #1030)

The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence (1431) and Trent (1545-1563). the tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire (CCC #1031; specifically 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 and 1 Peter 1:7):

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come. (CCC #1472)

This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: “Therefore Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.” (2 Maccabes 12:46) From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead (2 Maccabes 12:45):

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice (Job 1:5), why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them. (CCC #1032; Homily of St John Chrystostom)

This all becomes clear when we study what is known as the "last things."  To understand the eschatology (the study of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind) of our beliefs, we are better able to understand how to help those along the journey of life.  I have always been fascinated with this subject.  And although today I do not have peg dolls to share...I place these faceless pegs in place of those we should continue to remember so that we can pray for their souls.  This in hopes that we will one day be united as we are taught:

In the one family of God. For if we continue to love one another and to join in praising the Most Holy Trinity—all of us who are sons of God and form one family in Christ—we will be faithful to the deepest vocation of the Church. (CCC #959 in reference to Hebrews 3:6)

We will be going to Mass today...not because we are told we must but because we love those who have gone before us and want to do all we can...in union with the Church through Christ...to help them obtain happiness with God in glory!  Praise to God for His mercy and providing us all the help we need even in death to be with Him!

For All the Holy Men and Women

Today is the feast of All Saints...a day dedicated for all the named and un-named saints who have attained heaven.  There is know way of knowing all the holy men and women who are praising God before His altar to this day.  However, the Church has tried to bring before the militant (those still on this earth who are trying to seek God in their day to day life) those who are the triumphant (those who are with Him in Paradise).  Furthermore, with all these named saints, we have those (maybe even some in our own lives) who have obtained this status.  We thank God for their inspiration that leads us to want to live holy lives and follow in the footsteps of Jesus...or at least right beside.

What I loved most of all about this feast day is that it represents those who have walked in our paths along our own journey to Christ...who lead us to the almighty Lord.  God placed them in our lives for a short time and now we feel that through the grace of God they are with Him.  They accepted Jesus as their Savior and have taught us in some way to do the same.

Pope Benedict XVI once wrote, "...to become saints means to fulfill completely what we already are, raised to the dignity of God's adopted children in Christ Jesus...The saints bring to light in creative fashion quite new human potentialities ... The saints are themselves the living spaces into which one can turn ... There is no isolation in heaven.  It is the open society of the saints and, consequently, also the fulfillment of all human togetherness ... One might say that the saints are, so to speak, new Christian constellations, in which the richness of God's goodness is reflected.  Their light, coming from God, enables us to know better the interior richness of God's great light ... Nothing can bring us into close contact with the beauty of Christ himself other than the world of beauty created by faith and light that shines out from the faces of the saints, through whom his own light becomes visible."

I pray that we will all find our own ways to shine Christ's love to others.  Our lives on this earth are only a short glimpse of reality...we can find our way but it sure is nice to have those little lights along the path.  I hope that can humble myself before the Lord one say to be one of those lights as well.

Praise God for all the saints...and I do ask all ye...holy...men and women...pray for us!