Mark’s Gospel is very likely the first one written (sometime between 60 and 70 while in Rome) and is the shortest of the four. He often goes into much more detail in describing Jesus' ministry than the other evangelists.

Mark apparently was writing for Gentiles who were unfamiliar with Jewish customs. Mark is not mentioned in any of the Gospels, though he may have been referring to himself when he wrote of the young man who attempted to follow Jesus after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:51-52). Modern biblical scholars believe that Mark's Gospel provided Matthew and Luke with a common source for their Gospels.

In the Acts of the Apostles and the letters of Peter and Paul, Mark is mentioned several times. He was the son of Mary at whose house in Jerusalem Peter and the other Apostles stayed. He was a cousin of Barnabas. He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on Paul's first missionary journey, and he was with Paul in Rome during Paul's first imprisonment. Mark was evidently a disciple of Peter who refers to him as "Mark, my son." An early, though uncertain, tradition about Mark is that he was the first bishop of Alexandria.

Saint  Mark is the patron saint of Venice. This city claims that his body was brought from Alexandria to Venice, where it now lies in Saint Mark's Cathedral. He is also the patron of notaries. We celebrate the feast day of this Evangelist on April 25.

Mark’s message today: Imagine telling the story of Jesus’ life to people who have never heard it before. Some of today’s evangelists are the teachers of faith formation who tell Jesus’ story to children.

• Have you considered offering to teach or help in some way the Faith Formation program in your parish? Your help would be most appreciated.

All that we know for certain about this saint is that he was martyred in the early fourth century. During this period, a great persecution of Christians was taking place under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian.

George, a Christian knight from Cappadocia, saw that some were being terrified into giving up their faith. He went into the public square and announced loudly that the Christian God is the only true God. Arrested by the provost, Datianus, George was tortured unmercifully, but, in the night, Jesus came to him and restored him to good health. Next a magician was sent to give him a potion containing a deadly poison. George drank this with no ill effects and the magician, converted by this act, also died a martyr. Further attempts to crush the saint between two spiked wheels and to boil him to death in a vat of molten lead had no effect.

Datianus then tried promises and cajolery to sway George. Pretending to agree to sacrifice to the false gods, George prayed and a fire rained down from heaven destroying their temple and idols. Even though his wife had also converted after witnessing these events, Datianus then ordered the saint beheaded. After this was carried out, a fire from heaven consumed the provost.

No story about Saint George would be complete without the tale of the dragon slaying. While this account was not added to his lore until the twelfth century, it was widespread throughout Europe during the middle ages. There is, however, no factual basis for it.

According to legend, George was riding in the province of Libya when he came upon a city called Sylene, near which was a marshy swamp. In this swamp lived a dragon which the people could not kill because its breath was so terrible that none could approach it. To keep the dragon at bay, the people supplied it with two sheep every day, but when sheep became scarce, a human victim had to be substituted.

On the day that George arrived, the victim, chosen by lot, was the king’s daughter. Dressed as a bride, she went forward to meet her fate. Coming on the scene, George pierced the dragon with his lance. Then he fastened a belt around the dragon’s neck and the princess led the captive dragon into the city. The people were about to flee, but George told them to have no fear. If they would just believe in Jesus Christ and be baptized, he would slay the dragon. The king and all of his subjects readily agreed and some fifteen thousand men (not counting women and children) were baptized.

George then killed the dragon and four ox-carts were needed to carry the carcass to a safe distance. The king offered the knight great treasures, but George told him to give these to the poor. Upon leaving, George left four orders for the king: that he maintain churches, that he honor priests, that he himself attend religious services, and that he show compassion for the poor.

Probably as a result of this myth, Saint George became the patron of England and of the Order of the Garter. Saint George is also the patron saint of Portugal, Germany, Aragon, Genoa, and Venice. His optional memorial is celebrated on April 23.

George’s message today: We have all met people like the provost, Datianus, who, even when presented with overwhelming evidence, refuse to believe. We may even have someone like this in our families. Our quiet and regular prayer may do wonders for these people.

• Are you praying for those people in your life who do not believe in Jesus?

Think a bit about Jesus and his passion. After being humiliated by the people who, only days before, had welcomed him by spreading their cloaks before him on his way into Jerusalem, he was condemned to death and scourged. Beaten and bloodied as he was, the soldiers were uncertain that Jesus could survive long enough to reach Calvary. Simon, the Cyrenian, was pressed into service to carry the cross to the place of Jesus’ crucifixion. Along the way, Jesus falls several times.

Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels tell of the large number of women following Jesus on the Way of the Cross who were grieving over his condemnation. While there is no specific mention of the incident in the Scriptures, Tradition tells us that when Jesus fell, one of the women in the crowd who saw his suffering rushed forward with a veil to wipe his bloody face. This was a simple act perhaps, but it was an indication of the sorrow felt by these women who had been Jesus’ disciples. Jesus’ gift to the woman was the image of his face on the cloth.

Very little is known about this saintly woman. Even her real name is unknown. Veronica is derived from the Latin and Greek words, vera and icon (true image). More important, however, is the compassion and courage which this woman displayed in one single act. Veronica and the others could easily have been shoved aside by the soldiers anxious to get on with their grisly task. Her love and understanding for Jesus would not allow her to step aside while he was suffering.

Saint Veronica has been called the patron saint of photographers and laundry workers. She is especially honored on July 12.

Veronica's message today: Showing compassion for a suffering human being is never out of date. Many in our world today need your help.

• Are you aware of those in need around you? In other parts of the world? Have you done anything about those who are suffering?

This saint’s family is thought to be of Roman origin, but his father was from Cartagena and Isidore was born in Seville. As a boy, Isidore was entrusted to his much older brother, Leander, for his education. Isidore received a very strict but firm grounding and later became known as the most learned man of his time and a strong supporter for good education. (Incidentally, Leander and another brother, Fulgentius, also became bishops and saints and a sister, Florentia, founder and abbess of several convents, became a saint as well.)

Isidore worked as an assistant to Leander, who had become bishop of Seville. Upon Leander’s death in about 599, Isidore succeeded him in this post. As bishop, Isidore accomplished much. He completed the conversion of the Goths from Arianism to Catholicism and adapted a missal and breviary for them, both tasks having been started by his brother. Isidore was responsible for establishing seminaries or church schools in every diocese of Spain. These schools did not teach merely the liberal arts and the classical languages, but had medicine, law, the sciences, and Aristotelian philosophy as part of their curriculum.

Isidore presided over two Church councils in Spain during his episcopate, the second Council of Seville in 619 and the fourth Council of Toledo in 633. He hosted the Council of Seville, but the other bishops chose him to preside over the Council of Toledo in recognition of his superior distinction as the greatest teacher in Spain.

Isidore was a prolific writer with many books to his credit on topics ranging from astronomy to theology. One book, written about the Goths, provides the only source of information available on a period of history of that people. Another, called the Etymologies or Origins, was a virtual encyclopedia of all the knowledge of his age. Alban Butler, in his Lives of the Saints, tells us that it was used as a text book until the middle of the sixteenth century.

Throughout his years, Isidore lived an austere life taking very little for himself and giving away what he did have. In the last six months of his life, he even increased his charities. The poor crowded his house daily to share his generosity. When he was near death, Isidore invited other bishops to visit him. At his request, they clothed him in sackcloth and ashes, the clothing of penitents, and he prayed for forgiveness of his sins. After receiving the last rites, Isidore distributed all his remaining worldly goods to the poor, forgave those indebted to him and then returned to his house where he died.

Saint Isidore is the patron of Seville. His optional memorial is celebrated on April 4.

Isidore's message today: God endows each of us with many gifts. Isidore had a strong drive to spread education throughout Spain at a time when, generally, only the aristocracy and priests were educated. He managed to do all of this while still living an austere life and tending to the needs of the poor.

• How well do you put to work the gifts which God has given you? Are you helping those who have less than you, whether materially or spiritually?

The emperor Constantine ended the bloody persecution of Christians and declared Christianity to be the state religion. But persecution did not end with Constantine. Some years after his death, his half-brother, Julian, became emperor in 361. While initially raised as a Christian, Julian, as a young boy, came under the influence of a pagan philosopher. When he became emperor, Julian, who came to be known as Julian the Apostate, sought to re-impose paganism as the state religion. He issued several edicts stripping Christian churches of property and ordering all towns to re-establish pagan temples for worship.

Mark, the bishop of Arethusa (in present day Syria), had gained many converts to Christianity beginning in the reign of Constantine. He demolished pagan temples and replaced them with churches. When Julian became emperor, some in Arethusa reverted to paganism and sought payment for the temples which had been destroyed. The bishop fled into hiding, but, when members of his flock were arrested and tortured, he turned himself in.

Even though he was an old man, Mark, through many tortures, refused to pay even as the demands of the pagans dwindled to near zero. “Not one coin!” His fortitude drew much admiration from those witnessing the torture that he was undergoing. Concerned with this show of approval for the bishop’s stand and worried that his death would only bring more people to his cause, the emperor pardoned him.

Having observed the steadfastness of Mark in the face of his tormentors, many pagans of Arethusa came to Mark to learn about this religion that could inspire such resolve. The bishop made many more converts to Christianity.

Saint Mark is honored primarily in the eastern and Orthodox churches on March 29.

Saint Mark's message today: It is never easy to stand up for one’s beliefs. Most of us will not have to endure torture to support our values and standards. But we can’t turn away from our faith because someone ridicules us.

• Are you strong enough to endure scorn and mockery for your faith?

As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation this week on March 25, it is appropriate that we choose Mary, the greatest and first among all of our saints, as our Saint of the Week.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we learned that the angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced that she was to be the mother of Jesus. Greeting her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” [Lk 1:28] Troubled by this greeting, Mary did not know what to make of it. Gabriel assured her of God’s love for her and told her, “…you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” [Lk 1:31] The angel informed her how the Holy Spirit would come to her and, to help her to understand the power of God, told her that her cousin, Elizabeth, had conceived a child in her old age. Mary’s response to Gabriel’s words were, “…I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” [Lk 1:38]

Mary did not immediately think of herself, but set out to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, to be with her at the birth of John the Baptist. We will celebrate this unselfish act on May 31, the Visitation.

Mary's message today: Our greatest saint, Mary did one simple thing. She listened to God’s will—that she was to be the mother of Jesus—and she accepted God’s will.

• Have you accepted God’s will in your life? Pray for an understanding of what God is calling you to do?

So much of what is commonly accepted about Patrick is clouded in legend and myth. The facts about Patrick's life are drawn primarily from his Confessio, a short treatise written against his detractors. Even these few facts are sketchy.

Patrick was the son of a Roman-British official and was probably born somewhere on the island of Britain (though some sources say he may have been born in Gaul). At about the age of sixteen, Patrick was captured by raiders and carried off in slavery to Ireland, then a pagan land. He was put to work as a shepherd for six years until he escaped.

During his captivity, Patrick experienced a conversion, and he turned from being a thoughtless youth to one with a deep faith in God. Upon returning to his family and his homeland, Patrick began his studies in the monastery at Lerins (an island off Cannes in France) and was probably ordained around the year 417.

Patrick felt called to preach the Good News to the Irish people who had held him captive. He was consecrated a bishop by Saint Germanus about 432, and sent back to Ireland to succeed Saint Paulinus who had died in the previous year. Patrick traveled to all corners of Ireland, meeting fierce opposition from Druids and hostile chieftains. He usually overcame his opposition by miraculous means and eventually converted most of the island to Christianity. During his nearly three decades in Ireland, Patrick baptized hundreds of thousands of people, raised intellectual standards, founded several monasteries, ordained many priests, divided Ireland into dioceses, held Church councils, and brought the Irish into closer relations with the rest of the Western Church.

One legend about Saint Patrick explains the association of this saint with the shamrock. Upon arriving in Ireland, Patrick traveled to Ulster where he sought to gain favor with the High-King Laoghaire. Although the king himself apparently never became a Christian, many of his people and members of his family were converted. In instructing the king's two daughters, Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to exemplify the Holy Trinity.

The Irish have been strong defenders of the faith since accepting Christianity through Saint Patrick. Soon after Patrick's time, Irish missionaries began to spread out over northern Europe, bringing the whole of that region into Christianity. To this day, Irish missionaries continue to spread the Good News throughout the world. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.

Patrick's message today: It is not easy to “forgive and forget” one’s enemies. When we have a problem forgiving others, it is well to recall the words which Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer, “...Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us....” Patrick well heeded these words when he returned to Ireland to serve the people who had previously enslaved him.

• How easily do you forgive your enemies? Would you give of yourself, as Patrick did, to help an enemy?

Cyril and Methodius were brothers born at Thessalonika, Greece, of a senatorial family. Cyril was sent to study at the imperial university in Constantinople at an early age. In time, he was ordained and assumed the chair of his teacher, Photius. In this position, he became known as "The Philosopher." Methodius, meanwhile, became governor of one of the Slavic colonies in Greece before becoming a monk.

Both brothers wanted to live out their lives in a monastery. In 861, however, Emperor Michael III sent them to convert the Khazars in the Dneiper-Volga regions of Russia. The brothers learned the Khazar language and made many converts before returning to their monastery several months later. In 863, Photius, now the patriarch of Constantinople sent the two brothers to Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic) to convert the Moravian people, since German missionaries had achieved little success in their evangelization efforts there.

The brothers put their knowledge of the Slavonic language to good use. They invented an alphabet, based largely on Greek capital letters which marked the beginnings of Slavonic literature. (The Cyrillic alphabet attributed to Cyril was probably the work of his followers.) With the new alphabet, the brother began translating the liturgical books into Slavonic and began using the Slavonic tongue in their Church services. Because of this, and the fact that they were from Constantinople where heresy was abundant, they incurred the wrath of the German clergy and bishops.

Summoned to Rome in 869 to defend their positions, the brothers were received warmly by Pope Adrian II, who, convinced of their orthodoxy, approved their use of the Slavonic language in their liturgies and announced that they were to be consecrated bishops. But shortly after, Cyril died on February 14, 869. It is not known whether he ever was consecrated as a bishop. Methodius was consecrated, however, and returned to Moravia as bishop. Later he was named archbishop of Velehrad, Czechoslovakia.

Methodius' problems with the Germans continued. In 870, King Louis and the German bishops deposed Methodius at a synod and threw him into prison. He was released two years later by order of the pope, now John VIII, but Pope John deemed it advisable to forbid the use of the Slavonic language in the liturgy. Methodius was again summoned to Rome in 878 when his orthodoxy was questioned. He was able to convince Pope John of his conformity and the need for the use of the vernacular in the liturgy and the pope again authorized its use.

Methodius finished the translations of the Scriptures which his brother had begun. He and Cyril are called the "Apostles of the Slavs" and to this day the liturgical language of the Russians, Serbs, Ukrainians, and Bulgars is that designed by Cyril and Methodius.

Saints Cyril and Methodius are the patrons of Moravia and are specially venerated by Catholic Czechs, Slovaks, Croatians, Orthodox Serbians, and Bulgarians. Their memorial, celebrated on February 14, was extended to the universal Church by Pope Leo XIII.

Cyril and Methodius' message today: These brothers recognized the needs of the people among whom they were working. Over a thousand years ago, Cyril and Methodius translated Scripture into their language and used the vernacular in their worship. Ministering to their people in this manner brought condemnation from others, but Cyril and Methodius persevered despite obstacles.

• Do you defend those principles that you know are right when others condemn them? Do you spend time studying the background so that you can apply persuasive arguments to your defense or do you just base your stand on a “feeling?”

Scholastica was the twin sister of Saint Benedict and was a member of a wealthy family from the central area of present-day Italy. Like her brother, Scholastica was drawn early on to a religious life. After Benedict founded a monastery at Monte Cassino, south of Rome, she joined a convent in Plombariola, which was a town located a few miles away from Monte Cassino. Scholastica became Abbess of the convent and is considered to be the first Benedictine nun.

Scholastica and her brother visited each other once each year. Because Scholastica was not permitted in the monastery, they met at a nearby farmhouse. In these meetings, the twins discussed spiritual matters. At their last meeting, Scholastica sensed that her death was near at hand. She asked her brother to remain overnight so that they might continue their discussion. Benedict refused because he did not want to remain outside of the monastery overnight as this would break his own rule.

According to the writings of Saint Gregory, Scholastica then prayed to God that her brother remain. Hardly had she finished her prayer when a major storm came up which prevented Benedict and the monks who had accompanied him from venturing outside of the farmhouse. Benedict cried, "God forgive you, Sister. What have you done?" Scholastica answered him, "I asked a favor of you and you refused. I asked it of God and He granted it." The twins parted the next morning after their long discussion.

Three days later, Benedict saw a vision of his sister's soul, in the form of a dove, ascending to heaven. He announced the death of his sister to his fellow monks and sent his monks to bring her body to the monastery. Benedict then interred her in the tomb which he had prepared for himself.

Saint Scholastica is often called upon to intercede with God when children suffer convulsions. A memorial for this saint is celebrated on February 10.

Scholastica's message today: The story of Scholastica’s last meeting with her brother provides an excellent example of how God listens to all of our prayers and, if we pray with enough faith, grants even our smallest requests. Yet often, we do not put our trust in God, but try to get along without God’s help.

• Faith can move mountains, but only if it is strong. Do you pray with faith that God will answer your prayer? Do you really believe it?

Bishop Blaise (sometimes spelled Blase) was martyred around 316 by order of Governor Agricolaus in Sebastea, Armenia, during Licinius' persecution of Christians. That is the only certain knowledge that we have about this saint.

According to legend, Blaise was born in Armenia to wealthy Christian parents and was made a bishop in his youth. He was known as a good bishop who encouraged the spiritual and physical health of his people. When the persecution of Christians began in Armenia, Blaise was forced to flee. He went to live as a hermit in the back country, where he cured wild animals that were sick or wounded.

One day, while seeking animals for the amphitheater, a group of hunters, came across Blaise kneeling in prayer in a cave surrounded by patiently waiting wolves, lions, and bears. Recognizing him as a Christian, the hunters hauled Blaise off to prison. On the way there, a mother came to him with her young son who was choking to death on a fish bone caught in his throat. Blaise cured the boy; thus, he later became the patron and protector of throats. Many Catholics in this country still have their throats blessed on St. Blaise's feast day, February 3.

Blaise’s message today: All of God’s creatures, great and small, are entitled to our care and compassion. There are many people, young and old, who may not be able to look after their own needs. It is up to us to help them in whatever way we can.

• Are you aware of the needs in your own community? What can you do to alleviate the suffering of others?

Angela Merici was orphaned at the age of ten and, together with an older sister and a younger brother, was raised by an uncle. As a teenager, Angela became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and lived a life of great austerity. She gave up all her possessions and lived almost entirely on bread and water.

When Angela was twenty-two, her uncle died and she returned to her home town of Desenzano, in Lombardy (Italy).  Appalled at the ignorance among poorer children, she recognized a greater calling than the quiet contemplative life. With other members of the Third Order, she began bringing the little girls of her neighborhood together on a regular basis for instruction in religion and in the basic skills of running a household. This proved to be so successful that Angela was asked to open a school in Brescia where she gained a reputation for her charity and saintliness.

In 1533, Angela brought together a number of the young women who had been helping in her schools and began an informal novitiate. Two years later, she founded the first teaching order of women in the church, called the Company of St. Ursula, who was the patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader among women. This order is today called the Ursuline order.

The sisters met together for classes and for worship. Because the idea of a teaching order of nuns was so novel, this group did not live in a community or seclude themselves as did most other orders of nuns. Though the early rule prescribed poverty, chastity, and obedience, the members continued to live at home, wore no special habit, and took no formal vows.

The Ursuline order was dedicated to re-Christianizing family life by giving future wives and mothers a solid Christian education. Even today, the work of the Ursuline nuns stresses religious education for girls, especially the poor.

An Optional Memorial is celebrated in honor of St. Angela on January 27.

Angela's message today: Angela recognized and met a need in the Church of her time—that of educating young girls in their faith as well as in running a household. Today, Catholic schools and parish Faith Formation programs provide an opportunity for all children (as well as their parents) to be educated in the faith.

• Every parish has a faith formation program for its young people. How could you contribute your talents to the success of this program?

Born in Savoy in the south of France, Francis studied in Paris and at the University of Padua where he received his doctorate in law at the age of twenty-four. Despite the opposition of his father and an offer of a high government position, Francis chose to become a priest and was ordained in 1593. Unknown to Francis, his cousin had proposed him as the provost of the chapter of Geneva. The pope appointed Francis to this academic post and, somewhat reluctantly, Francis took up these duties.

Francis’ first love, however, was ministering to the poor and preaching, and these things he did with great enthusiasm. His preaching style was very simple, but effective. The oration style of the times called for filling sermons with quotations from Greek and Latin, but, although he was an excellent scholar, Francis chose to preach in clear language and thus won a large following.

But a greater mission was in store for Francis de Sales. The people of Chablais, an area south of Lake Geneva, had fallen into Calvinism, and the few Catholics left in the area were too afraid of violence to declare themselves openly. Francis volunteered to go to Chablais and win back the people to Catholicism. Within months of his arrival, Francis was the target of two assassination attempts and other trials, but his simple message of love had its effect.

During this period, Francis began writing tracts which set forth the teachings of the Church versus the errors of Calvinism. These papers—the originals are still preserved in the archives at Annecy—were copied many times and distributed widely. When Claude de Granier, the bishop of Geneva, came to visit him a few years after his arrival in Chablais, he found that the Catholic faith had been firmly reestablished there.

The bishop had for some time considered Francis as a worthy successor and proposed to the pope that Francis be appointed as coadjutor of the see of Geneva. Pope Clement VIII, having heard of the good works of Francis, invited him to Rome where he was to be examined before his appointment. The pope and others, including St. Robert Bellermine and Cardinal Frederick Borromeo (cousin of St. Charles), put thirty-five complex theological questions to Francis. These he answered knowledgeably, yet with simplicity and modesty, and his appointment was confirmed.

Francis succeeded to the see of Geneva upon the death of Bishop de Granier in 1602. As bishop, Francis continued to live in an austere manner. While preaching in Dijon in 1604, he met Jane Frances de Chantal with whom, in 1610, he founded the order of the Visitation nuns. Francis also continued to write. In his Treatise on the Love of God, he wrote, “The measure of love is to love without measure.”

Francis de Sales died in 1622, having carried on his preaching and ministrations almost up to his death. The beatification of Francis took place in St. Peter’s basilica in Rome, the first beatification to take place in that church. He was canonized three years later and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1877. Francis was named patron of journalists by Pope Pius XI; he is also the patron of authors, other writers, and of the deaf.

We celebrate the memorial for St. Francis de Sales on January 24.

Francis' message today: Despite the clear danger to himself, Francis did not hesitate to volunteer to help bring back the “lost sheep” of Chablais. Each of us probably knows some lost sheep, family members or neighbors who no longer go to church. We can encourage them to return to the faith by prayer, our example, and a quiet word or two.

• Have you prayed for those people who have fallen away? Invite someone who has left the fold to attend church with you.

As is the case with many of the early saints, much of what we know about Agnes is based on legend. What is generally agreed upon is that Agnes was a young girl when she died (thirteen years of age according to St. Ambrose and St. Augustine). She was a very beautiful girl and of a wealthy Roman family. Agnes was sought after by many young men in Rome, but she resolved at an early age to consecrate her virginity to God.

One of Agnes’ spurned suitors denounced her to the governor as a Christian during the persecution by Emperor Diocletian. The governor, first by gentle persuasion and then by a display of instruments of torture, tried to induce Agnes to give up her faith. When that failed, he condemned her to a house of prostitution. Her saintly bearing deterred all of the men who approached her except one. Legend tells us that he was struck blind. His friends, terrified, carried him to Agnes who, by prayer, restored his sight and health.

The governor then sentenced Agnes to death. The stories vary on whether she was beheaded, burned, or stabbed, but all agree that Agnes was martyred. Her body was buried a short distance from Rome on the Nomentan Road. At this spot, in the year 354, a basilica was erected in her honor by Constantina, the daughter of Emperor Constantine.

St. Agnes (her name is derived from the Greek word for “pure”) has become the great Christian symbol of virginal innocence. She is honored by mention in the Mass and is the patron of the children of Mary and of young girls. A memorial to this saint is celebrated on January 21.

Agnes' message today: Agnes dedicated herself to God. None of the threats or the prospect of death could turn her from this course. Like many martyrs, indeed, like Jesus himself, Agnes prayed for her persecutors.

• How do you treat those who persecute you: the person at work who spreads gossip about you, the neighbor who constantly complains, or the merchant who tries to cheat you?

As is the case with many of the early saints, much of what we know about Agnes is based on legend. What is generally agreed upon is that Agnes was a young girl when she died (thirteen years of age according to St. Ambrose and St. Augustine). She was a very beautiful girl and of a wealthy Roman family. Agnes was sought after by many young men in Rome, but she resolved at an early age to consecrate her virginity to God.

One of Agnes’ spurned suitors denounced her to the governor as a Christian during the persecution by Emperor Diocletian. The governor, first by gentle persuasion and then by a display of instruments of torture, tried to induce Agnes to give up her faith. When that failed, he condemned her to a house of prostitution. Her saintly bearing deterred all of the men who approached her except one. Legend tells us that he was struck blind. His friends, terrified, carried him to Agnes who, by prayer, restored his sight and health.

The governor then sentenced Agnes to death. The stories vary on whether she was beheaded, burned, or stabbed, but all agree that Agnes was martyred. Her body was buried a short distance from Rome on the Nomentan Road. At this spot, in the year 354, a basilica was erected in her honor by Constantina, the daughter of Emperor Constantine.

St. Agnes (her name is derived from the Greek word for “pure”) has become the great Christian symbol of virginal innocence. She is honored by mention in the Mass and is the patron of the children of Mary and of young girls. A memorial to this saint is celebrated on January 21.

Agnes' message today: Agnes dedicated herself to God. None of the threats or the prospect of death could turn her from this course. Like many martyrs, indeed, like Jesus himself, Agnes prayed for her persecutors.

• How do you treat those who persecute you: the person at work who spreads gossip about you, the neighbor who constantly complains, or the merchant who tries to cheat you?

John and his brother, James, were the sons of Zebedee. Like his father and brother, John was a fisherman on Lake Gennesaret until, with James, he was called by Jesus to follow him. John was the youngest of the apostles. He and James were called "sons of thunder" by Jesus because of their volatile temperaments.

Many events in all of the gospels attest to the fact that John was among those apostles closest to Jesus. Perhaps the best known incident is at the Crucifixion, where Jesus placed his mother, Mary, in the care of John. And he, representing all of us, was commended to Mary as her son.

St. Paul refers to John, along with Peter and James, as "these leaders, these pillars" of the Church in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:9). According to tradition, John went to Rome during one of the early persecutions under Emperor Domitian and miraculously escaped martyrdom by emerging from a cauldron of boiling oil unscathed. He was exiled to the island of Patmos where the Book of Revelation was written. Later, after the death of Domitian, John returned to Ephesus where the fourth gospel and three epistles were written. He died there in about 100, the last surviving apostle and the only apostle who did not suffer martyrdom.

The writings of John are unique among the Evangelists. Many of the events recorded by him are written as a playwright would; first setting the stage, then describing the characters, and, finally, presenting the action and the dialog which took place. Three examples of this quality found in his gospel are Jn 4:5-42 (the woman at the well); Jn 9:1-41 (the man born blind), and Jn 11:1-45 (Lazarus raised from the dead).

St. John the Evangelist is often called St. John the Divine in England and in the Eastern Church. A feast day honors this saint on December 27.

John’s message today: Imagine being one of Jesus’ closest friends! Imagine living, working, and sharing your life with the Messiah, traveling where he traveled, witnessing his miracles, listening to his stories. Toward the end of his life, John recorded his experiences as a disciple of Jesus so that we can have an idea of what it was like to know Jesus.

• Reading Scripture will help you develop a stronger relationship with Jesus. Start with John’s first letter to get an idea of how much God loves you.

Lucy is an early saint whose name has proved to be very popular over the centuries. Her name is mentioned in the canon of the Mass and many places throughout the world have been named after her.

What is known about Lucy is that she lived in Sicily in the early fourth century, the daughter of noble and wealthy parents. Lucy chose to remain a virgin and wished to give the fortune that she inherited to the poor. She was denounced as a Christian by a disappointed suitor during the Emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians. According to tradition, Lucy survived several attempts to execute her, but finally died after being stabbed through the throat.

Lucy’s name means light. There is a saying associated with her name and feast day which goes: “Lucy-light, Lucy-light / the shortest day and the longest night.”  She has developed a strong following in Scandinavia where her day is a cause for special celebration. Santa Lucia (St. Lucy) is often portrayed with a wreath of candles on her head.

Perhaps because her name means light, St. Lucy has been invoked by those with eye troubles since the middle ages. She is also the patroness of writers. A memorial celebrates this saint’s life on December 13.

Lucy’s message today: Each of us, no matter what our talents may be, can bring light to others through the way we live our lives. As Christians, we have a directive from Jesus, who said: “You are the light of the world. No one after lighting lamp puts it under a bushel basket, but on the lamp stand and it gives light to all in the house” (Mt 5:14-15).

• Think of a few ways that you can bring some light into the lives of those around you.

There is some doubt that the virgin, Barbara, ever existed. Nevertheless, she was one of the most popular saints in the middle ages.

The story of Barbara is that she was the daughter of a pagan official in the time of the Emperor Maximian. The girl was so beautiful that her father built a tower for her to live in to isolate her from the world. Many princes came to woo her, but she resisted her father’s efforts to have her marry one of them, choosing instead to dedicate her life to Christ.

While her father was away on a long sojourn, Barbara came down from her tower to inspect a bath house which he was having built. When she saw that they were only putting two windows into the building, she ordered them to install a third window. In this bath house, Barbara was baptized, and she lived there for a time before returning to the tower.

When her father returned from his journey, he questioned why there were now three windows in his bath house. The workmen told him that Barbara had ordered it. The father angrily confronted Barbara, who explained that the three windows were like the Holy Trinity, bringing light into the world.

Furious, her father took her before a judge who had her tortured. Still not satisfied with her punishment, her father then took Barbara to the top of a mountain where he killed her. On coming down from the mountain, Barbara’s father was consumed by a fire so intense that only some ashes from his body could be found. The site of Barbara’s martyrdom is variously described as being in parts of modern day Greece and in Rome.

St. Barbara is the patron saint of architects. She is also invoked for protection from fire, presumably referring to the fire which killed her father.

Barbara’s message today: While most parents would not treat their children as harshly as did Barbara’s father, many of us do not consider the strong and lasting effects of our words on our children. Gentle guidance, understanding, and prayers can often accomplish much more than harsh words.

• When you have a disagreement with one of your children, do you try to resolve it with arguments and anger? Or do you try to talk out the problem, with kindness and understanding as your guide?

Juan Diego was a poor Aztec Indian and devout Christian who lived in the Mexican village of Tolpetlac. Juan and his wife were childless and, after she died, his only companion was an old uncle who had raised him.

Juan had little want for anything but the few vegetables which grew on his small farm. On Saturdays and Sundays, he would start out before dawn for a larger village a few miles away where the Franciscan priest would say Mass for him and the other peasants who came from nearby villages.

En route to Mass on the Sunday following the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, (December 8), Juan followed his usual route which took him over Tepeyac Hill. As he approached the top of this hill, Juan heard beautiful music and, the sounds of birds, although on this cold, wintry day, there were no birds around. Juan then heard a voice calling him by name. When he looked up, Juan saw a beautiful lady wearing a sky-blue veil and a dress the color of roses. Juan recognized at once that this was Mary, the Mother of God.

Mary told Juan that she had a special errand for him. He was to go to the bishop of Mexico City and tell him that she wanted a chapel built on this hill for all who seek her aid. Juan immediately set off for Mexico City and, after waiting many hours, was allowed to see the bishop. He relayed Mary’s request to the skeptical bishop, then left to return to his village, downcast because he had failed to convince the bishop that Mary had indeed spoken to him.

As he came by Tepeyac Hill on his way home, once again Our Lady appeared to Juan. He protested that he was not worthy to carry out her mission, but Mary told him to return to the bishop the next day and repeat the request. So Juan again went to Mexico City and told his story to the bishop. This time, the bishop found it difficult to believe that this simple man could be making up such a tale.  But, to be sure, he asked Juan for a sign that this was really a request from the Mother of God.

Juan returned to the hill and told Mary of the bishop’s request. Mary told Juan to return the next morning for a sign. But when Juan returned to his village, he learned that his uncle was suffering from a high fever. Juan spent all night and the next day with his uncle, but his uncle’s condition did not improve. Indeed, Juan thought that his uncle would soon die.

Leaving his uncle in the care of a neighbor, Juan set out for the Franciscan mission to have one of the priests bring the last sacraments to the dying man. When he reached the foot of Tepeyac Hill, Juan decided to avoid another meeting and so took a winding path around the hill. But as he was rounding the hill, Juan saw the Blessed Mother coming toward him. Standing in front of him, she asked him why he was taking this route. Juan, in tears, told her of his uncle’s illness and how he had to bring a priest.

Mary smiled in understanding, but told Juan not to worry, that his uncle was already cured and strong. She told Juan to go to the top of the hill and gather an armful of roses. Juan set off on this heavenly task knowing that he would find the flowers. (Roses did not bloom in Mexico in December and certainly not on that hill which was covered in cactus.) He gathered as many of the roses as he could carry and took them to the Lady. She, in turn, told him to bring the roses to the bishop, assuring him that, this time, he would be believed.

Juan put the roses in his tilma (a woolen cloak) and set off to see the bishop. When he unwrapped the roses from the tilma, they fell to the floor as fresh with the morning dew as when they were picked. But this was not what caught the bishop’s attention. On Juan’s tilma was the image of Our Lady just as Juan had seen her on the hill.

When Juan, anxious to see his uncle, finally returned to his village, the old man and the other villagers came out to greet him. His uncle told him that his fever had mysteriously gone away and that the Blessed Mother had then appeared to him and told him of Juan’s errand. She also told Juan’s uncle that, henceforth, she was to be known as Holy Mary of Guadalupe, Ever-Virgin.

When the chapel was built, Juan Diego was assigned by the bishop to guard it. His tilma was displayed there in a place of honor, where it remains to this day. A magnificent basilica now stands on the spot where the chapel was first built. After more than 400 years, the garment, with its vision of our Lady of Guadalupe, is as fresh and unmarred as it was on the day the bishop first saw it.

Pope John Paul II canonized this saint on July 31, 2002 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Saint Juan Diego is honored by the Church with a memorial on December 9, the date of his first vision.

Juan’s message today: Although Juan was a man of very simple means, he was not afraid to speak to the bishop when emboldened by Mary’s request. Our faith can help us to speak boldly as well, whether it be in the name of justice or simply to help someone in need.

• Who or what needs your boldly spoken words right now?

Francis Xavier was born in the Basque region of Spain and entered the University of Paris when he was seventeen. While there, he met Ignatius Loyola who repeated the words to him, "For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?” (Mt 16:26).

Although Francis didn't immediately fall under the influence of Ignatius, he became one of a band of seven, the first Jesuits, who vowed themselves to God's service in 1534. Francis was ordained three years later and, in 1540, was appointed by St. Ignatius to the first missionary expedition of the young order. He sailed to Goa, on the west coast of India and, for the next ten years, labored to bring the faith to such widely scattered peoples as the Hindus, the Malayans, and the Japanese.

Wherever he went, Francis lived with the poorest people, sharing their food and their living conditions and ministering to the poor and the sick, especially to lepers. He traveled thousands of miles to the most inaccessible of places under the most harrowing conditions, and converted hundreds of thousands. His missionary impact in the East has endured for centuries.

When missionaries returned to Japan in the nineteenth century after a gap of several hundred years, they found many Christians who were descendants of St. Francis’ converts. Indeed, with the possible exception of St. Paul, St. Francis Xavier was the greatest of all Christian missionaries. Appropriately, he is the patron of foreign missions.

We celebrate the memorial for this saint on December 3.

Francis’ message today: Although we are most likely not called to become missionaries in foreign lands, we can try to bring one person to Christ through our prayers and our example. We can also help the missions by financially contributing to the work of the priests, religious, and laypeople who are evangelizing throughout the world.

• Have you contributed in some way to the support of the missions? Also, pray that you might be a strong and good influence on one person’s life?

Often, if we think at all about martyrs in modern times, we remember saints like Maximilian Kolbe or Edith Stein, victims of the Nazi Holocaust. But others also gave their lives for their faith in the 20th century, even in the western hemisphere. Miguel Agustin Pro was one of these.

Born January 13, 1891, at Guadalupe, Mexico, to Miguel Pro Sr. and Josefa Juarez, Miguel might not have impressed people with his saintliness as a child. From an early age, he was a practical joker whose mischievousness sometimes got him into trouble. Nevertheless, he maintained his sense of humor throughout his life.

Sadly, like many young people in our time, Miguel drifted away from his faith and the sacraments for a time as a teenager. However, when an older sister entered the convent, Miguel began to give some serious thought to his own calling. In 1910, nearing the age of 20, Miguel applied to and entered the Jesuit novitiate in El Llano, Michoacan. Unfortunately, this coincided with the beginning of the Mexican Revolution which soon led to the persecution of the Catholic Church, beginning with the overthrow of Porfino Diaz, the Mexican leader in 1911.

In 1914, when the seminary in Mexico was forced to close, Miguel began a trek which would lead him through Jesuit schools in California and Spain before he was finally ordained in Belgium in 1925. Around this time, Miguel suffered from severe stomach disorders which did not respond to several surgeries. In 1926, his superiors allowed him to return to his native Mexico despite the severe persecution taking place there.

Miguel was not initially known to be a priest and so, with several disguises, he was able to minister to Mexican Catholics. While, with the help of these Catholics, he had escaped detection, the ring was closing in around him. In one case, while being chased by the police, Miguel asked a young woman who happened to be walking along the street to help him. The police ran right by the arm-in-arm lovers.

Time began to run out for the priest when, in November 1927, a bomb was thrown from a car at the newly elected president of Mexico. The car had once belonged to Miguel’s brother and, while none of them had anything to do with the attempt, Miguel and his brothers were falsely charged with the assassination attempt and arrested.

On November 23rd, Miguel and his brothers were led out to be executed. The arresting policeman quietly asked his forgiveness which Miguel gladly granted as he also did for the firing squad. When stood up before the firing squad, Miguel refused a blindfold. He said in a loud voice, “Viva Cristo Rey!” (Long Live Christ the King!), spread his arms in the manner of Jesus on the cross, and was shot.

The government, hoping to intimidate the people away from the practice of their religion, allowed Miguel Pro’s execution to be covered by the press and pictures of his death appeared in the papers and became widespread among Catholics. The opposite effect of the government’s aim occurred and it soon became illegal to possess copies of the picture.

Miguel Pro was beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 25th, 1988. A memorial to this saint’s life is celebrated on November 23rd.

Miguel's message today: Few of us are born with a faith strong enough to withstand the kind of pressure applied to Catholics in Mexico to abandon their beliefs during the early 20th Century. Attending Mass often, serving in a parish ministry, and frequent personal prayer will all help to strength our faith.

• Pray daily that God will give you the strength to stand up for your faith if ever called upon to do so.

Albert was the eldest son of the count of Bollstädt and heir to that title. Despite the strong opposition of his family, he became a Dominican in 1222.

Teaching and studying at various universities, Albert soon developed a widespread reputation for his learning and intellect. He received his doctorate from the university at Paris in 1245 and became the regent of a new school established in Cologne in 1248. Among his students was Thomas Aquinas, whose genius Albert early recognized and proclaimed. The two became close friends.

Albert was named provincial of his order in 1254. On a journey to Rome to defend the Dominicans against attacks, he served as personal theologian to the pope. In 1257, he resigned this position to continue his teaching and studies. Together with Thomas Aquinas and others, Albert drew up a new study curriculum for Dominicans.

Against his wishes, Albert was named bishop of Regensburg in 1260, but resigned two years later to return to teaching and writing at Cologne. He was very active in the Council of Lyons in 1274, working toward uniting the Greek Church with Rome. In 1277, he fiercely and brilliantly defended Thomas Aquinas against the bishop of Paris and a group of theologians there who were attacking Aquinas’ philosophical stand.

One of the great intellects of the medieval Church, Albert was one of the first and among the greatest of the natural scientists. His knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and geography (one of his treatises proved that the earth was round) was so encyclopedic that he was often accused of magic. He wrote on these subjects as well as on logic, metaphysics, mathematics, the Bible and theology. The writings of Albert the Great on all of these subjects fill thirty-eight volumes. His brilliance and intellect brought him the title “Universal Doctor,” conferred on him by his contemporaries.  It was also his peers who dubbed him Albert the Great.

St. Albert the Great was canonized and named a Doctor of the Church in 1931 by Pope Pius XI. He is the patron of scientists and philosophers. An optional Memorial honors this saint on November 15.

Albert's message today: Since Albert's time, scientific breakthroughs have wiped out many diseases, improved living conditions for most of the world's peoples, and  harnessed power unthinkable in his time. Expanding our knowledge in any field contributes to the betterment of the whole human race.

• Think of one or two ways that your knowledge can help better the lives of those in your community.

Margaret was born in Hungary, the daughter of royal parents. Brought to the court of King Edward the Confessor in England when she was twelve, she and her family were forced to flee after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Shipwrecked off Scotland, they were befriended by King Malcolm of Scotland who married Margaret in 1070.

Margaret and Malcolm had six sons and two daughters. Contrary to the general practice of royalty in that time, Margaret took charge of raising and educating her children. The youngest son, Saint David of Scotland, succeeded his father and two older brothers as king. One daughter, who became known as Good Queen Maud, married King Henry I establishing a line which runs through the present royal family of England.

King Malcolm was good-hearted, but rough and uncultured. Because of his love for Margaret, she was able to soften his temper and she became his advisor in state matters. It was said that the main goals of Malcolm and Margaret were to maintain justice, to establish religion, and to keep their subjects happy. Margaret encouraged arts and education in her adopted country and instigated religious reform. With her husband, she founded several churches.

Despite her heavy involvement in the affairs of her household and her country, Margaret led an austere private life. She ate sparingly and slept little in order to have time for her devotions. She and her husband kept two Lents - one before Easter and one before Christmas. At these times, Margaret, often joined by Malcolm, would arise before midnight to attend Mass. On her way home, she would tend to the poor. Margaret was always surrounded by beggars and never refused them. Especially during Advent and Lent, Margaret and her husband often fed hundreds of poor people, serving them the same food that they had for their own meal.

Saint Margaret is the patroness of Scotland. She is honored by an optional memorial on November 16.

Margaret's message today: A heavy responsibility falls on those who have been given exalted positions. Margaret and her husband recognized the need to provide for those who were less fortunate than themselves. We too must do the same.

• Have you accepted the responsibility of caring for those who need your assistance?

Philippine, as she was called by her family, was born into an aristocratic family in Grenoble, France. The marriage of her mother, Rose Périer, to her father, Pierre-François Duchesne, had united the two most prosperous textile manufacturing families of the town. The family traits of strong will and determination were passed on to Philippine, along with a passion for reading and study.

When Philippine was not yet ten years old, a Jesuit missionary visited her family. Telling tales of working with Indians in the Louisiana territories of the New World, he enkindled a desire in Philippine to be a missionary to those Indians, a wish that would take over sixty years to fulfill.

Philippine was schooled in her early years in the Visitandine Convent of Ste-Marie-d’en-Haut, and was greatly influenced by the nuns. At the age of seventeen, Philippine entered the convent there, although her parents, who had been urging her to marry, were reluctant to grant consent for this move. Then, in 1791, the French Revolution reached its peak. All churches and religious houses were closed and confiscated by the government, and all priests and religious were secularized. Philippine was sent back home to her family, where she maintained, as much as possible, her religious practices.

In 1801, a pact was signed by the pope and the leader of France which allowed the churches and religious houses to reopen. While her order had been scattered, Philippine was resolute in her efforts to regain and reopen Ste. Marie. She offered the convent to Mother Madeleine Sophie Barat, who had founded the Society of the Sacred Heart four years previously. Philippine resumed her novitiate with Mother Barat’s order and took her vows in 1805, eighteen years after she first entered the convent.

In 1817, the bishop of New Orleans visited the convent at Ste. Marie and requested that several nuns of the order be sent to his diocese as missionaries. Five nuns were selected for this mission, with Mother Duchesne appointed as their superior. After an arduous fifty-six day voyage which included several storms and an encounter with a pirate ship, Mother Duchesne and her sisters arrived in New Orleans on the feast of the Sacred Heart, May 29, 1818.

The sisters moved up the Mississippi River to Missouri shortly after their arrival. Over the next several years, Mother Duchesne founded several convents and schools, including the first free school for girls west of the Mississippi. By 1830, the society had six convents in the Mississippi valley and sixty-four nuns, and more than 350 children in their schools.

In 1841, Mother Duchesne, now seventy-two and relieved of her duties as superior, finally realized her childhood dream of working among the Indians. She and three other sisters established a school at a Potawatomi Indian mission in what is now Kansas. When the Indians were leaving in the morning to begin their labors, Mother Duchesne would be on her knees in the chapel praying. When the Indians returned in the evening, they found her in the same position. This gained for her the Indian name, Quah-kah-ka-num-ad, Woman-who-prays-always.

This saint is the patron of the diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri. An optional memorial honors her on November 18.

Philippine's message today: Philippine contributed much energy to regaining her convent in France and to organizing schools and convents in the diocese of New Orleans. But perhaps her greatest contributions came from her lifelong dedication to prayer. Much has been accomplished through prayer, and God certainly answered the prayers of this saint.

• If you are having difficulty in praying, perhaps you may want to look into a different way of prayer. Ask your pastor or a pastoral minister for some suggestions on resources that can help you in your search.

The Revelation of St. John tells us that Michael led the heavenly hosts that cast Satan and his followers out of heaven. He was also regarded in the early Church as the protector of Christians against the devil. Appropriately, he is the patron saint of infantry, paratroopers, mariners, and police.

Gabriel was the archangel who was God's messenger. He was mentioned twice as such in the Old Testament (Book of Daniel), but is more prominently known in two New Testament passages. He foretells the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah (Lk 1:11-20), and proclaims the birth of Jesus to Mary (Lk 1:26-38). Gabriel is the patron of messengers, postal workers, and those working in various telecommunications fields.

Raphael is the only other archangel identified by name. One of the seven archangels who stand before the Lord, Raphael was sent by God to minister to Tobias and his family (Book of Tobit). He also is the angel who healed the earth when it was defiled by the sins of the fallen angels (Enoch 10:7). Raphael is the patron of physicians, nurses, travelers, the blind, and lovers.

The three archangels are honored together with a Feast on September 29. This date was formerly St. Michael's feast day and has been known for centuries as Michaelmas Day.

The Archangels' message today: In Christian tradition, angels are sent by God to guide, guard, and heal us. They also inform people of a particular mission from God. There has been a renewed interest in angels in the past few years as more and more people seek out ways to better communicate with God.

• How do you regard the idea of angels? Where do they fit in with your overall spirituality?

John was the son of a German knight who was brought into the service of the King of Naples, Louis I. While his father died when John was quite young, he had the advantage of access to education. Having studied law, he was appointed governor of Perugia.

At this time in history, much turmoil and disease afflicted the European landscape and the Church.  Bubonic plague claimed the lives of as many as thirty percent of the population. There were three claimants to the throne of St. Peter. And the many city-states in Italy were often at war with each other.

In this setting, John tried to arrange a truce with Malatesta with which Perugia was at war. Instead of negotiating with John, the Malatestans threw him into prison. During John’s imprisonment, he resolved that politics and governance were not the fields in which he wanted to spend the rest of his life.

Upon his release, John entered the Franciscan order. Ordained in 1420, he became a preacher and a force for reform of the Franciscan order which had become lax. John also preached against the heresies that had spread throughout Europe at the time. Traveling around much of Europe, he preached to crowds numbering in the tens of thousands. Since no church could hold the multitudes that came to listen to him, John preached in town squares. He turned thousands away from heresy and converted many Jews and Moslems during his journeys.

After the fall of Constantinople to the Turks, John was commissioned by the pope to organize a crusade against the Moslems who were besieging Belgrade and threatening Europe. Having raised an army of 70,000, John, at the age of seventy, was then asked to lead this campaign. He was successful in this endeavor which turned back the Turks and saved Europe. Having completed this mission, John contracted the plague and died a few months later.

St. John of Capistrano is the patron saint of jurists and military chaplains. An optional memorial honors this saint on October 23.

John's message today: Having changed careers close to mid-life, John undertook several missions during the remainder of his life. It is possible, with God’s help, to accomplish much in your life.

• Have you contributed all that you can do for your ministry, your church, your city? It is not too late to help.

Kateri was born in upstate New York, the daughter of a Mohawk warrior. Her mother died of smallpox when Kateri was four and she was adopted by her two aunts and an uncle. Kateri had also contracted smallpox and the disease left her with a lingering illness and a disfigured face.

During this time, the French Jesuits had undertaken an evangelization mission to the Indians. Kateri’s uncle, a powerful Mohawk chief, warned her against the Jesuit “Black Robes” whom he blamed for the sickness and disease which had fallen on the tribe. The girl’s experience with the Jesuits was quite different however. She found them to be kind and gentle and through their message, she felt called to Christianity. Converted as a teenager, Kateri was baptized at the age of twenty and dedicated her virginity to Jesus. She developed a great devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and to the crucified Christ.

Her conversion incurred great hostility among her tribesmen; but Kateri remained steadfast in her faith. She refused marriage which was considered the duty of Mohawk women in order to have a man who would provide food for the family.

In 1678, Kateri’s confessor, Father Jacques de Lamberville, fearing for her life, sent Kateri to a new Christian colony of Indians in Canada. Here, Kateri lived a life of prayer, penance, and care for the sick and the aged. Each morning, even in the bitterest winter, she rose long before dawn and stood at the chapel door until it opened at four. She remained there until after the last Mass when she went into the fields with the other women of the community. When their work was done, Kateri returned to the chapel for her daily Rosary and evening devotions. On Sundays and feast days, Kateri often spent the whole day in prayer at the chapel.

Still suffering the effects of her childhood sickness, Kateri died during Holy Week in 1680. Her last words were, “Jesus, Mary, I love you.” The story is told that at the moment of her death, the scars on her face disappeared.

Kateri Tekakwitha is known as the “Lily of the Mohawks” and a book by that name was written about her life. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980, is the first Native American to be beatified in the Catholic Church. She is a patron of ecologists and environmentalists. We celebrate a Memorial to this saint on July 14.

Kateri's message today: Imagine the strong faith that this young woman developed in her short lifetime. When the vast majority of her tribe and the members of her family were against her, she stood resolute in her determination to dedicate her life to Jesus.

• Is your faith strong enough to stand up to your acquaintances—perhaps even your family—when they try to discourage you?

Born the son of a wealthy merchant, Francis spent his youth in extravagant living and pleasure-seeking. Although he was wont to lavishly spend his money, he was also generous. Francis never refused a beggar who asked for alms for the love of God.

When a war broke out between the cities of Assisi and Perugia about the year 1200, Francis was taken prisoner and held for a year. Upon his release, he was stricken by a long and serious illness which he bore with great patience. Francis recovered and for a while returned to his former way of life, but he found that he no longer had the heart for it.

At one point, he heard a voice from heaven which told him “to serve the master rather than the man.” While Francis did not immediately recognize what he was being called to, he began to devote himself to a life of poverty and care of the sick and poor. For this he was angrily denounced by his father and disinherited.

Francis had a vision of Christ who told him to "build up my house, for it is nearly falling down." Seeing this call first in the physical sense, Francis rebuilt several churches in Assisi which had fallen into disrepair. Eventually Francis saw a deeper meaning to Christ's words.

Many people were attracted to the simple way of life espoused by Francis, and he founded the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) in 1209. Within a few years, his order had spread over the Alps to France, Spain, Germany, and Hungary. In 1219, he sent missionaries from his order to Tunis and Morocco and he himself went to Egypt to evangelize the Mohammedans. Though he met with the Sultan at Damietta, Egypt, which was then under siege by Crusaders, his mission was a failure.

At Christmas, 1223, Francis built a crèche at Grecchia, Italy, and thus popularized a custom observed all over the Christian world to the present day.  In September of the following year, Francis received the stigmata, where his feet, hands, and left side were marked as were Jesus’ during his passion and death.

Though never ordained, Francis had an enormous impact on religious life. Probably no saint has affected so many people in so many different ways. Francis of Assisi, born to wealth, devoted his life to poverty and delighted in God's works as revealed in nature. Alban Butler, in writing of St. Francis two centuries ago, said that “he is the one saint whom, in our day, all non-Catholics have agreed in canonizing.”

St. Francis of Assisi is the patron of Italy. He is also the advocate for Catholic Action and the protector of merchants. His Memorial is celebrated on October 4.

Francis’ message today: This saint discovered the “selfish secret” which is made clear in his prayer, “It is in giving that we receive; in loving that we are loved....” Francis received much and was loved greatly, for he himself gave generously and loved abundantly.

• Do you recognize that giving of your time reaps tremendous rewards? That loving the unloved will bring love back to you many times over?

Wenceslaus was born into the royal family of Bohemia (Czech Republic in modern times), and was raised a Christian by his grandmother, St. Ludmilla. At this time, Christianity was not widespread throughout the land; indeed, most of the nobility were very much against it.

In 925, he assumed the throne shortly after the death of his father. Wenceslaus announced that he would support God's law and endeavor to rule with justice and mercy. The severity with which he punished oppression by the nobility as well as the friendly relations which he established with Germany raised bitter opposition. He was betrayed by his brother, Boleslaus, and other nobles and was assassinated in 935 while on his way to attend Mass.

While the carol which we sing at Christmas time honors his name, there is no evidence to support the particular deeds with which he is credited in that tune. In fact the carol was written in England sometime during the seventeenth century.

St. Wenceslaus is the patron saint of Czech Republic. An optional memorial on September 28 honors him.

Wenceslaus’ message today: Being a just and merciful ruler has never been an easy task—not when surrounded by the sycophants who are attracted to those in positions of leadership. Nevertheless, being just and merciful is exactly what our Christian beliefs call on us to do.

• If you are a leader or a manager, how do you treat your employees? With justice? With mercy?

One of thirteen children, Gianna Beretta was born in the small Italian town of Magenta on October 4, 1922. Raised by devout Catholic parents, Gianna was taught that life is a gift from God and should be used for the good of mankind. As a result, Gianna, and her siblings who survived into adulthood, chose professions in which they could serve God and provide benefit to the world, such as the priesthood, religious life, engineering, and medicine. Medicine was Gianna’s chosen field.

After graduation from the University of Pavia in 1949 with degrees in medicine and surgery, Gianna opened a clinic near her hometown where she specialized in care for mothers, babies, elderly people, and the poor. Her love of children led her to the University of Milan for a specialization in pediatrics in 1952.

Gianna was certainly not a stereotypical saint. She loved to ski and to hike in the mountains. But, throughout her life, she was a daily communicant and, as a young girl, she became active in the St. Vincent de Paul Society and worked among the poor. Later, as a doctor, she offered her time to Catholic Action and not only took no money from the poor that she treated, but often gave them money for medicine or food.

In 1955, Gianna married Pietro Molla and, in November 1956, became the mother of Pierluigi. Over the next three years Gianna and Pietro had two more babies, girls named Mariolina and Laura. Though a professional, Gianna was also very much a loving mother who was able to balance the demands of her career and her growing family.

In September 1961, Gianna, pregnant with her fourth baby, was found to have a uterine tumor. A hysterectomy, a relatively uncomplicated operation, could correct the problem, but at the cost of the fetus and any future children. A second option was to have an abortion, but this was morally offensive to Gianna. Another, but more complex and higher risk operation was to have the tumor removed while making every effort to save the baby. This was the choice that Gianna made.

Before the operation, Gianna insisted that nothing was to be done to endanger the life of the baby. She wrote, “I trust in God, yes; but now it is up to me to fulfill my duty as a mother. I renew to the Lord the offer of my life. I am ready for everything, to save my baby." The operation was successful.

On April 20th, 1962, Gianna entered the hospital to give birth to her fourth child. She told her husband, "If you must decide between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child--I insist on it. Save the baby." Gianna Emanuela was born on April 21st. In giving birth to her daughter, Gianna contracted an infection which led to her death one week later on April 28th.

Gianna Molla was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1994 and canonized by him on May 16th 2004. Her family and many friends attended these ceremonies. She has been called the Pro-Life Saint. Her life is celebrated by a memorial on April 28.

Gianna Molla's message today: In an age when a more casual attitude is taken by many toward the lives of the unborn, we should look back at Gianna Molla’s choice, a choice similar to that made by Jesus on the cross when he died for us.

• What can you do to influence a family member or friend to respect all human life?

Born the son of an imperial military officer, John studied rhetoric and theology under the best Roman scholars before converting to Christianity in 369. John preferred the simple life of a monk, and in 374, he became a hermit under the guidance of Saint Basil. The austere life undermined his health, however, and he was forced to return home.

John became a deacon in 381 and was ordained in 386 by the bishop of Antioch, whom he served for the next twelve years. It was during this time that his reputation for preaching began to spread. John became noted for the eloquence of his sermons which earned him the surname, Chrysostom, meaning “golden mouth.” In his sermons, John called for justice and charity, enjoining the rich to share their wealth with the poor.

In 397, John became the object of an imperial ruse to make him the Archbishop of Constantinople, then the greatest city in the Roman empire. It was known that if the popular preacher were to leave Antioch, there would be a general uproar by the people. So the emperor’s agent came to Antioch and secretly asked John to accompany him out of the city to the tombs of the martyrs. Once outside the city, John was delivered to an imperial officer who took him straight to Constantinople where he was consecrated bishop in 398.

John immediately instituted reforms in his own household by cutting down on the expenses of the office. The sums which were saved in this manner were applied to hospitals and for the relief of the poor. John’s preaching and Christian practice gained him many enemies, both in the imperial court and among less worthy bishops. In 403, Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria (who had desired the see in Constantinople when John was named archbishop) came to Constantinople and convened a council of thirty-six bishops. Here a list of false and frivolous charges was drawn up against John and handed over to the emperor, who then ordered John to be exiled.

Soon after John left Constantinople, an earthquake struck. This so unnerved the empress Eudoxia, who had been the object of some of John’s sermons and the instigator of his exile, that she implored the emperor to return John to his see.

Some time later, public games were celebrated in connection with the dedication of a statue of Eudoxia in front of a church. John once again spoke out against the evils sponsored by the empress; this time, Eudoxia had enough of John. At her instigation, he was driven into final exile in 404 and died in 407.

Saint John Chrysostom is the patron saint of preachers and orators. We celebrate his memorial on September 13.

John's message today: Taking an unpopular view is certain to gain enemies. Yet John, like many other saints, spoke out against the excesses of his time. Most people in our times would shy away from pointing out the immoral positions of certain groups.

• Do you speak out against the injustice? Do you write to the editor when your paper publishes stories slanted toward immoral views?

This saint is said to have been born into a patrician family of Alexandria and converted after seeing a vision of Our Lady and the Holy Child.

When the Emperor Maxentius began persecuting Christians, Catherine, only eighteen, went to him and scolded him for his tyranny. Unable to answer her arguments against his gods, Maxentius summoned fifty philosophers to oppose her. The fifty were themselves converted by Catherine and the infuriated Maxentius had them burned to death.

Maxentius tried other bribes to force Catherine to give up Christianity, but when these failed, he had her beaten and imprisoned. Upon returning from a trip, Maxentius found that Catherine had converted his wife, one of his officers, and 200 soldiers of the guard. The emperor had them all put to death and sentenced Catherine to die on a spiked wheel. When she was placed on it, her bonds were miraculously loosened and the wheel broke. Catherine was then beheaded.

Since about the tenth century, a great devotion to St. Catherine has existed in the Eastern Church and numerous churches are named in her honor. St. Catherine is said to have been one of the voices from heaven heard by St. Joan of Arc. Because of her legendary erudition, St. Catherine is the patroness of philosophers and teachers. An optional Memorial is celebrated in honor of this saint on November 25th.

Catherine's message today: Just as Catherine stood up to tyranny, we are called upon to do the same, whether it be tyranny of a foreign country or something more localized, like the tyranny of a school board. There are many effective ways for Christians to respond such as offering time, writing a letter, or contributing money.

• Do you stand up to tyranny, either in your own community or on a broader scale?

Teresa, sometimes known as Teresa of Jesus, was born in Avila in Castile, Spain. She was one of nine children of Don Alonzo Sanchez de Cepeda and his second wife, Doña Beatrice Davila y Ahumada. Teresa wrote of her large family that "all, through the goodness of God, were like our parents in being virtuous, except myself."

At the age of seven, Teresa was already intrigued by the lives of the saints. She and a younger brother, Rodrigo, decided that the easiest way to become a saint was to be martyred since martyrs seemed to have bought heaven very cheaply by their sufferings. With that in mind, the two young children set off from home to travel to Morocco where, they were certain, they would be martyred and, thus, become saints. An uncle found them not too far from home and returned them to their frightened mother, so their sainthood was postponed.

After attending school in an Augustinian convent, Teresa became a Carmelite nun in 1536. At that time, the convent parlor acted as the social center of the town. Many of the townspeople would come to the convent on Sunday afternoons; they and the nuns would sit in the parlor and discuss the issues of the day. Teresa participated in this and enjoyed it for some time, even to the point of giving up much of her prayer and meditation.

Teresa eventually came to believe that the Carmelite order was too relaxed and began to fight for reforms. In that regard, she founded the St. Joseph Convent in Avila and several other convents in Spain for nuns who wished to live a cloistered life. These nuns came to be known as the Discalced Carmelites for the sandals they wore (as opposed to the shoes which the other nuns wore). With St. John of the Cross, Teresa also founded a similar monastery for men.

Teresa chose her novices in a way which might seem strange to us. Before considering their piety, Teresa wanted to know about their intelligence and common sense. A person could train herself to piety, she felt, but not to good judgment. "May God preserve us from stupid nuns!" she exclaimed.

In her efforts to effect reform within the Carmelites, Teresa traveled all over Spain and wrote many letters and books which are regarded as classics of spiritual literature. Her book Way of Perfection was written for the guidance of her nuns and Foundations was written for their encouragement. But Teresa also wrote for the rest of the Church. Her book Interior Castle explains the contemplative life for the layperson.

Though a contemplative, Teresa managed to successfully blend a highly active life with spiritual meditation. She was a popular person who combined charm and wit with humility and courtesy, so that even her enemies respected her.

St. Teresa was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI, the first woman so honored.

Teresa's message today: What a magnificent combination of characteristics this saint possessed: charm, wit, humility, courtesy, all combined with sanctity. Too often, we picture cloistered nuns as rather grim, but Teresa shows us that this does not have to be. We too should maintain a cheerful demeanor even as we practice penance and sacrifice.

• How well do you succeed at keeping time for quiet prayer and meditation a part of your daily life?

Most often, we think of martyrs as those who suffered for their faith during the early days of the Church. Yet Maximilian Kolbe was a martyr in the 20th century.

Maximilian was the prior of the largest friary in the world located at Niepokalanow, a small village near Warsaw in Poland. When World War II began in 1939, Hitler's Germany quickly overran Czechoslovakia. Father Kolbe prayed for the world, but he knew that his country was going to be involved. Poland, in fact, was next.

When Poland fell in September, 1939, the friary was taken over by the Nazis and turned into a deportation camp for refugees, political prisoners, and Jews. Yet Kolbe and the few priests remaining with him saw this as an opportunity to conduct a ministry to the sick and terrorized prisoners.

Adolph Hitler's plan for Poland was to exterminate the Jews, the governing class, and the intellectuals. The remainder of the population would be forced into slave labor for the Nazis. Priests were to preach what the Nazis told them and to keep the people submissive. This was not a plan which Maximilian Kolbe could subscribe to. Arrested in February, 1941, he was found guilty of writing unapproved materials and sentenced to Auschwitz, the infamous Nazi concentration camp. Upon his arrival at the camp in May, 1941, Father Kolbe was told by an SS officer that the average life expectancy of priests in the camp was one month.

Like others prisoners who were not scheduled for immediate execution, Maximilian was assigned to a labor detail. The guards were quick to beat prisoners who, through exhaustion, fell down on the job. One time, Maximilian collapsed under a heavy load. He was kicked and beaten by the guards, then shoved into a ditch and left for dead. Another prisoner somehow got Maximilian to the camp hospital where he miraculously survived and regained his strength. After his recovery, Maximilian was assigned to another barracks and work detail. In this barracks, he continued his ministry, offering encouragement and the little food which was his ration to his fellow prisoners.

In the camp, prisoners who tried to escape, if caught, were subjected to a slow and agonizing death as a lesson to others. If a prisoner was successful in an escape attempt, the Nazis would usually select several of his or her barracks mates to die. This happened in Maximilian Kolbe’s barracks, and ten of his fellow prisoners were chosen to be starved to death in a bunker. One of these cried out, "My poor wife! My poor children! What are they to do?"

Hearing this, Kolbe stepped up to the commandant and offered to die in the man's place. Approaching the commandant was unheard of and could, of itself, bring a death sentence. But the Nazi officer accepted his offer. Maximilian marched off with the other prisoners to the windowless bunker where all food and water were cut off. Normally, those assigned to die in the starvation bunker could be heard throughout the camp wailing and crying in despair and attacking one another. This time, those in the camp heard singing from the bunker.

Father Kolbe, a gentle shepherd, was leading his flock to Jesus, the Great Shepherd. Maximilian Kolbe was the last of the prisoners to die. On August 14, 1941, when the Nazis needed the bunker for another batch of prisoners, a doctor, several SS troops, and another prisoner went into the bunker, the latter to carry out the bodies. Kolbe, barely alive, was sitting against the wall with a smile on his face, as if seeing some distant vision. The doctor injected him with a poison and, in a moment, Father Maximilian Kolbe was dead, still with a smile on his face.

St. Maximilian Kolbe was canonized on October 10, 1982. We celebrate his memorial on the date of his death, August 14.

Maximilian’s message today: Maximilian Kolbe was a 20th century martyr who gave up his life for another. In many ways, we all suffer as martyrs in some form. Think of those with AIDS or cancer, or those who have undergone a traumatic change in their lives, such as a death or divorce. It is how we approach this suffering, this martyrdom, which counts.

• The next time some seemingly intolerable event takes place in your life, try a prayer accepting this as God's will and offering this to God.

The greatest and first among all of our saints and a patron for all of us, Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of his son. Very little is known about Mary outside of the New Testament. By tradition, she was born in Jerusalem, the daughter of Joachim and Anne. Catholics believe in Mary's Immaculate Conception, which means that Mary was born without original sin, the only human so honored by God.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we learn that the angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced that she was to be the mother of Jesus. We further learn about the angel's visit to Joseph; Mary’s journey to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who acknowledged her as the mother of God; and about the birth and early life of Jesus. This is most of what we know about Mary until Jesus began his ministry.

Mary is mentioned from time to time in all of the Gospels. We come to know that she was instrumental in having Jesus perform his first miracle by turning water into wine at Cana. We also know that she was there at Jesus' crucifixion, and present with the disciples in Jerusalem before Pentecost. It is believed that she was also present with the apostles after Jesus' Resurrection and at the Ascension.

Mary has been the intercessor for all people who call upon her and for many different causes. Over the centuries, her appearance on Earth has often been reported: at Lourdes, Fatima, La Salette, Guadalupe, and Medjagore. There feast days in honor of Mary. By tradition, her birthday is celebrated on September 8. Besides the Solemnity of Mary celebrated on January 1, some of the other feast days for which, at least in part, we honor Mary the Annunciation (March 25), the Visitation (May 31), the Assumption (August 15), the Queenship of Mary (August 22), Our Lady of Sorrows (September 15), Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7), the Immaculate Conception (December 8) and Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12). Under the title of the Immaculate Conception, Mary is the patron of the United States.

Mary's message today: Our greatest saint, Mary did one simple thing. She listened to God's will—that she was to be the mother of Jesus—and she accepted God's will. "Here I am, the servant of the Lord: let it be it done to me according to your word." (Lk 1:38)

• Have you accepted God’s will in your life? Pray for an understanding of what God is calling you to do?

Jesus spoke to his disciples of persistence in prayer (Lk 11:5-10). This saint’s life demonstrated the effectiveness of following that advice. She provides a model for parents whose children have drifted away from their family values and their Church.

Monica was born in Tagaste, North Africa and raised a Christian by her parents. A part of her upbringing by a strict family retainer was to abstain from drinking anything between meals. When she was old enough to marry, her parents arranged a marriage with Patricius, a pagan who was also from Tagaste. Patricius was described as a man with good qualities, but having a raging temper and inclined to dissoluteness. This was only the first of the crosses which Monica had to bear however. Her mother-in-law, a quarrelsome woman, lived with them, as well. Though the early years of her marriage were a trial, Monica persisted in prayer for her husband and mother-in-law; eventually, they were converted to Christianity.

Monica and Patricius had three children, the oldest of whom became St. Augustine. Augustine showed much promise from his earliest days and his parents gave him the best education possible. But while he became a catechumen at an early age, Augustine drifted away from Christianity during his school years. About two years after the death of her husband, Monica was crushed to learn that he had taken up a life of immorality, and was caught up in the Manichaen heresy.

When Augustine returned to Tagaste to teach, she at first refused to let him into her house. But a vision caused her to relent when a voice told her to dry her tears, “Your son is with you.” Monica had wit as well. When told of her vision, her son responded that they could well be together if she would give up her faith. Her astute response was “He did not say that I was with you; he said that you were with me.” Augustine later wrote that he regarded this as a watershed moment in his life though it was still several years before his conversion.

Monica continued to pray and fast for her son’s spiritual health. She sought help from her priests and bishop whom she hoped could convince Augustine of his error. They recognized that such argument would have no effect on him in his state of mind. Her bishop sent her away gently with the words, “Go now, I beg of you; it is not possible that a son of so many tears should perish.”

Augustine’s time was not yet at hand, however. He decided to move to Rome to teach when he was twenty-nine, and Monica decided to follow him there. But by the time Monica reached Rome, her son had already moved on to Milan. In that city, Augustine fell under the influence of the bishop, St. Ambrose. When Monica finally arrived in Milan, he could announce to her that he no longer believed in the Manichaen heresy. Though this delighted Monica, he reminded her that he was not yet a Christian. She responded with patience that he would be before she died.

Monica also fell under the strong influence of St. Ambrose. When the bishop was in the midst of confronting the Arian Catholics, he was added to her prayers. Monica deferred to Ambrose’s judgment on most matters, something that Augustine suspected would never happen with another bishop. When she found the rules on fasting in Milan and Rome different and confusing, Ambrose gave her the advice which has been shortened to “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Monica’s prayers for Augustine were finally answered when he was baptized by St. Ambrose at the Easter Vigil in 387. Augustine, who earlier had been living with a mistress and had fathered a son, declared that, henceforth, he would live a celibate life. Together with his mother and son, Augustine made plans to return to North Africa. Monica, though apparently in good health, knew that she would not return to her home. She spoke of her death and told Augustine, “Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight; all my hopes for this world have been fulfilled. All I wished to live for was that I might see you a Catholic and a child of heaven. God has granted me more than this.” A few days later, Monica became ill and shortly after that, died.

St. Monica is the patron of mothers and for those seeking perseverance in prayer. A memorial honors this saint on August 27.

Monica's message today: Monica provides a stunning example of the power of prayer. While it took several years before all of her prayers were answered, she died a happy woman, knowing that God had granted her wishes. We too can trust that God hears and answers all of our prayers, even though the response may not come exactly when we would like it to come or in exactly the way we would like.

• When you are having difficulty in your prayer, ask St. Monica to intercede on your behalf that you might receive the grace to persevere in prayer.

Aloysius was the oldest son and heir of the Marquis Ferrante of Castiglione who was in the service of Philip II of Spain. His father wished to see Aloysius become a military officer, but Aloysius had another idea in mind.

At about the age of seven, Aloysius had a spiritual awakening and began his day with regular prayers, including the Office of Mary and the Psalms. At nine, he was sent to Florence to be educated. By the time he was eleven, Aloysius was teaching the catechism to poor children and fasting three days a week as well as practicing other austerities.

After reading a book about the Jesuits’ experiences in the missions of India, Aloysius decided to enter the Society of Jesus. His father strongly objected to his decision and enlisted the aid of eminent churchmen and noblemen to persuade Aloysius to pursue a more “normal” career. After a four-year struggle, his father relented and Aloysius joined the Jesuits in Rome in 1585.

During his studies at the Jesuit seminary in Milan, Aloysius undertook different spiritual practices. Under his spiritual advisor, St. Robert Bellermine, he was obliged to eat more than he previously had, to take exercise with his fellow seminarians, and to pray only at the appointed times. Because of his frail health, Aloysius was called to Rome and took his vows there in 1587.

Several years later, a plague struck Rome. The Jesuits, in response, opened a hospital to care for the victims. Together with the other Jesuits, Aloysius performed personal services for the patients, nursing them, washing them and making their beds. Aloysius, already in frail health, caught the affliction himself. He became so weak that he could scarcely get up from his bed, yet he continued his daily devotions. Within three months, after receiving the last rites from St. Robert Bellermine, Aloysius Gonzaga died at the age of 23 on June 21, 1591.

Aloysius Gonzaga was canonized in 1726. He was declared protector of young students by Pope Benedict XIII, and patron of Catholic youth by Pope Pius XI. We honor this saint on June 21 by a memorial.

Aloysius' message today: Aloysius chose the path he wanted to follow very early in his life and he let nothing deter him from it. In today’s world, there is much to distract us from the goals we have set for ourselves. We should try to emulate Aloysius and persevere until we reach our own goals.

• Do you let yourself become distracted from your goals? Say a prayer to St. Aloysius asking his help in staying on track.

With the exception of Mary, the mother of Jesus, few women are more honored in Scripture than Mary Magdalene.

An unfounded, but persistent legend identifies her as the unnamed, sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus (Luke 7:37-38), but this story has largely been discounted by modern church scholars. The next chapter of Luke's Gospel mentions Mary Magdalene as the one from whom Christ cast out "seven devils," - an indication, at the worst, of extreme demonic possession, or, more likely, severe illness.

Mary probably received her name from Magdala, a place on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee near Tiberias. It seems likely that Jesus first met her while on his Galilean ministry. Many legends surround Mary, but no evidence exists to confirm any of them. According to a French tradition, for example, Mary Magdalene is identified as the Mary who is the sister of Martha and Lazarus. In this story, she accompanied Martha and Lazarus to Marseilles where the three evangelized the people of Provence. While no factual evidence supports this legend, a great devotion to St. Mary Magdalene exists today in southern France and parts of northern Italy along the Mediterranean.

Mary was one of many who helped support Jesus and his apostles during Jesus' ministry (Luke 8:3). But perhaps Mary Magdalene is best remembered for her closeness to Jesus during his passion, death, and resurrection. Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross with Jesus' mother and St. John. Out of all of the disciples of Jesus who might have been selected, Mary Magdalene was the first to become aware of the Resurrection when she came to Jesus' tomb early on Easter morning to anoint his body.

Mary's message today: It isn't really important whether Mary Magdalene was a great sinner, possessed by demons, or very sick. What is important is that she became one of Jesus' good friends and a disciple. That is also what is important for us today: the relationship which we have with Jesus right now.

• What kind of a relationship do you have with Jesus? Do you consider him a friend and companion for your life’s journey?

Born into an aristocratic family at Bocchianico in the Abruzzi province of what is now Italy, he grew swiftly to be a big man--six feet six inches tall and similarly proportioned. When Camillus was seventeen, he went off with his father to fight with the Venetians against the Turks.

During this sojourn, Camillus became infected with a disease in his leg which was both painful to him and repulsive to others. This disease was to hound him for the remainder of his life. Admitted to the San Giacomo Hospital for the Incurables in Rome, Camillus developed a gambling habit. More than once, he lost everything he owned, including the shirt off his back, to gambling.

Discharged from the hospital, Camillus became a mercenary in order to earn his way. But often, gambling reduced him to want and a peace treaty between the Venetians and Turks took this livelihood away as well. Meanwhile the disease in his leg brought him back to San Giacomo. When his health improved, the hospital administrators gave Camillus menial jobs to do for a small pay, but gambling took most of his money from him. Finally having enough of his bad habits, the administrators fired Camillus and threw him out on the street.

In a fit of remorse, Camillus vowed to join the Franciscans, hoping that he might kick his gambling habit. Perhaps with this vow in mind, he accepted work as a laborer in the construction of new buildings at a Capuchin monastery. During this period, Camillus, almost twenty-five and recognizing where his gambling was taking him, fell on his knees and cried to God to have mercy on him. This, he later noted, was the mark of his conversion.

To fulfill his vow, Camillus entered the novitiate of the Capuchins, but the problem with his leg returned and he could not continue. Returning to San Giacomo, Camillus devoted himself to the care of the sick. This time, the administrators noted his sincerity and Camillus was eventually made superintendent of the hospital.

One of the problems of the time in a hospital for incurables was that no one really wanted to be working there. Consequently, prisoners, the very poor, and those who somehow felt that they could take advantage of the sick were about the only people who were employed in the care of these unfortunates. Theft was common, and those near death were sometimes thrown into the burial pits with the dead bodies so that their belongings could be stolen.

Camillus tried hard to change this disreputable situation. His wanted to form a community who would care for the sick from a motive of charity rather than avarice, but his efforts were met with jealousy and suspicion. With the support of his confessor, St. Philip Neri, Camillus realized that he could only be successful in this ministry if he were a priest. Upon ordination, Camillus left San Giacomo and began to lay the foundation for his congregation.

During his lifetime, the congregation of Camillus de Lellis, known as the Ministers of the Sick (today called the Order of Hospitallers), opened several houses and hospitals for the care of the sick and wounded. His congregation also went along with troops who were fighting in Hungary and Croatia, thus establishing the first "field hospitals."

God granted Camillus the power of prophecy and the gift of miracles. He also was known to have received personal revelation from God on many occasions. St. Camillus de Lellis was canonized in 1746 and declared the patron of hospitals, nurses, and of the sick. The health care professions honor this saint and celebrate his gifts to their field on this date.

Camillus’ message today: This saint recognized the slippery slope down which he was descending and, with the grace of God, turned himself around. God’s grace is available to everyone whether they need abundant help, as Camillus did, or just enough to keep them on the right path in their journey of faith.

• Do you regularly ask for God’s grace or do you sometimes think that you can do it all on your own?

Born into the family of a Jewish merchant in Breslau, Germany, in the fall of 1891, Edith Stein was the youngest of eleven children. Losing her father when she was two years old, Edith developed a strong love for her mother who kept the family, with seven surviving children, together at the same time she was continuing to run the family business. While she admired her mother’s strong faith, by the time she was a teenager, Edith was an avowed atheist.

A precocious child, Edith was an excellent student. She entered University of Breslau in 1911 to study, initially, psychology. Having developed an admiration for a renowned philosopher who was teaching at the University of Göttingen she transferred to that school where she was one of the first women admitted to the program. There, she became a member of a group of students who all went on to become famous philosophers. One, Max Scheler, was the subject of the doctoral-thesis of Karol Wojtyla who later became Pope John Paul II. After receiving her PhD, Edith began teaching, eventually moving back to the University of Breslau where she had started.

While still a student at Göttingen, Edith began to form an interest in Catholicism. One of her professors, a friend, was killed in World War I. Edith helped his widow to sort through his papers and was very impressed by her faith. In 1921, Edith picked up the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila from a friend’s library and read it in one sitting. When she set the book down, she declared, “This is truth!” She was baptized on January 1, 1922. Like her inspiration, St. Teresa, Edith wished to become a Carmelite nun, but the double blow of becoming a Catholic and then a nun might prove to be too much for her elderly mother.

Instead, Edith took a position teaching at a Dominican teachers college and, later, at the German Institute for Scientific Pedagogy while, at the same time, translating the works of Thomas Aquinas and Cardinal Newman into German. During this period, she also began writing some of her many works.

When the Nazis came to power in 1933, Edith was dismissed from her teaching position because of her Jewish background. At this time, she did enter the Carmelite convent at Cologne, taking the name, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

Teresa continued her writing in the convent, producing some of her more important works about the role of women in the world. Pope John Paul II studied her writings when preparing his encyclical, The Dignity and Vocation of Women.

In 1938, after a night of terrible violence that became known as Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass), during which thousands of Jewish businesses and hundreds of synagogues were destroyed and many Jews killed, the Carmelites, fearing for Teresa’s safety, sent her, and her sister, Rosa, who had joined her after their mother’s death, to a convent in Holland. When Holland fell to the Nazis, plans were being formulated to send the two sisters to Switzerland, however, before this could happen, when the Dutch bishops criticized the Nazi treatment of Jews, all Jews in the country were rounded up. Both women were arrested on August 2, 1942, and sent to Auschwitz where they were executed a week later.

Teresa Benedicta was beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 1, 1987, and canonized on October 11, 1998. Her memorial is celebrated on August 9th.

Teresa’s message today: Teresa did not choose martyrdom, but when it was thrust upon her, she did not shrink from it. Her faith in God gave her the strength that she needed. As they were led away from their convent by the Nazis, Teresa encouraged her sister, “Come, Rosa. We go for our people.”

• How strong is your faith? Pray daily that God will give you the strength to face any ordeals that may arise in your life.

Saints don’t necessarily have to have lived a long, sanctified life. This saint was only twelve years old when she was martyred.

Born the third of seven children to a poor farmer near Ancona, Italy, Maria was described by her mother as “happy, good, openhearted, without whim, but with a sense and seriousness far beyond her years, and never disobedient.” The family’s circumstances meant that even the children had to work as farmhands for other people. Because of this, Maria and the other children received no schooling.

When Maria was nine, her father died. Maria’s mother, sisters, and brother continued to work the fields while Maria cooked, sewed, and kept house for the family. At the age of eleven, Maria received her first communion, but the strongest test of her faith was yet to come.

The Gorettis were forced to take another family in to room with them. The son, an eighteen-year-old named Alessandro, soon began making indecent proposals to Maria. While she turned him down time and again, she never told anyone about them since Alessandro had threatened her and her mother if she told.

One day when Maria was home mending clothes and the others were working in the fields, Alessandro came home and tried to force himself on Maria. When she again resisted, the enraged youth stabbed her several times with a knife. Maria was rushed to a hospital where doctors tried in vain to save her, but, before she died on June 6, 1902, she forgave Alessandro and said that she wished to see him in heaven.

Alessandro was tried for Maria’s murder and sent to prison. At first, Alessandro showed no remorse for his crime. But, after eight years, Maria appeared to him in a dream and his life changed completely. When his sentence was complete, Alessandro went to Maria’s mother to beg forgiveness, which he received. He then became a Capuchin lay brother.

St. Maria Goretti was canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 25, 1950. Present at the canonization were her mother, her siblings, and Alessandro, her attacker.

This saint is the patron of youth and of teenage girls. She is honored by a memorial on July 6.

Maria’s message today: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We say these words daily, but do we pay attention to what we are saying? Maria, mortally wounded, could forgive and pray for her attacker.

• If Maria could forgive (and pray for) her killer, can you forgive someone who has done much less harm to you?

Saint Peter was named Simon and he was the brother of Saint Andrew. They were both fishermen in Galilee. Peter’s brother introduced him to Jesus. Peter was a zealous follower of Jesus. He was the first disciple to recognize that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” However, we also know that Peter doubted Jesus when walking on water and betrayed Jesus three times on the night Jesus died.

In spite of Peter’s doubt and betrayal, Jesus recognizes God at work in Peter. Jesus chooses Peter to lead his Church. Jesus said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 13:18). As the leader of the Church, Peter endured persecution and imprisonment. Yet, Peter remained faithful. The Acts of the Apostles illustrates his role as head of the Church after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. Peter led the Apostles as the first Pope and ensured that the disciples kept the true faith.

St. Peter lived his last years in Rome. He was martyred in the year 64. He was crucified upside-down at his own request, because he claimed he was not worthy to die as Jesus had.

Paul, Apostle, First Century

Before his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul was known as Saul. Saul was a Jewish pharisee who zealously persecuted Christians.

Paul’s recollection of his amazing conversion is told in the Acts of the Apostles 22:6-16. Saul was traveling to Damascus to persecute the Christian community there. As he was traveling along the road, he was suddenly surrounded by a great light from heaven. He was blinded and fell off his horse. He then heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He answered, “Who are you, Lord?” Christ said, “I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.” Saul continued to Damascus, where he was baptized and his sight was restored. He took the name Paul and spent the remainder of his life preaching the Gospel fervently.

Saint Paul became the Apostle to the Gentiles, those who were not Jewish. His letters are included in the writings of the New Testament, and through them we learn much about his life and the faith of the early Church.

Eventually, Paul suffered persecution and was imprisoned. He was beheaded in the year 67.

Peter and Paul’s message today: Both Peter and Paul devoted their lives to spreading the Good News. They both led the church and helped it to grow.

• Give an example of one way you spread the Good News.

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus – also known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux and the Little Flower – was born Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin in Alençon, France on January 2, 1873. She was the youngest of five surviving children, all girls, of Louis and Azélie-Marie Martin.

Thérèse had a happy childhood, surrounded by good influences. She wrote that her earliest memories were “of smiles and tender caresses”.  When her mother died in 1877, her father sold his watchmaking business and moved the family to Lisieux so that the children could be near an aunt who would help to raise them. Mary, an older sister, ran the household and Pauline, the eldest, took charge of the family’s religious training.

When Thérèse was nine, Pauline entered the Carmelite convent at Lisieux, something that Thérèse also longed to do. Mary entered the same convent when Thérèse was nearly fourteen. It was at this time that Thérèse experienced her first vision of the baby Jesus.

During the next few months, Thérèse made known her wish to enter the Carmelite convent. While her father agreed, the Carmelites and the bishop felt that, at fourteen, she was too young. Shortly thereafter, when her father took Thérèse on a pilgrimage to Rome, she boldly spoke up at a general audience with the pope seeking his permission to enter the convent. “You shall enter if it be God’s will,” Pope Leo XIII told her in a kindly dismissal.

Some time later, the bishop gave her permission to enter. Only fifteen, Thérèse joined her two sisters in the Carmelite convent in April, 1888. (A fourth sister, Céline, also entered the convent a few years later after the death of their father.) In the convent, Thérèse was content with the life of hard work and prayer. "I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifice to all ecstasies. To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul," echoing her way of life.

Thérèse’s superiors, one of whom was her sister Pauline, recognized the saintliness of this humble girl and directed her to write her autobiography. This book, L’histoire d’une âme (The Story of a Soul), was instantly successful and is still read and loved throughout the world.

During Holy Week in the year 1896, Thérèse took ill. Over the next eighteen months, her disease worsened and she died on September 30, 1897 at the age if twenty-four. Shortly before that, she wrote, "I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth." She also said that “After my death I will let fall a shower of roses,” a prophecy that has become a sign of the saint’s intercession even to our own time.

Due to her popularity and the miracles which were attributed to her soon after her death, the Holy See dispensed with the period of fifty years which ordinarily elapsed in those days before the beatification process could begin. Pope Pius XI beatified her in 1923 and declared her a saint in 1925.

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus is the patroness of all foreign missions and of all works for Russia. She is also a patroness of aviators. We honor St. Thérèse with a Memorial on October 1.

Thérèse's message today: “To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul.” Thérèse understood that anything we do for another in God’s name is done for love. Even in doing the humblest and most mundane of chores, Thérèse was serving God in the most magnificent manner. We too should dedicate our daily tasks to God and do them with love.

• Do you go about your daily tasks with joy or do you complain about what you are asked to do?

St. Gregory the Great, pope during Augustine’s adult life, had a vision of re-evangelizing Anglo-Saxon England. To accomplish this, he selected about thirty of the monks from his monastery in Rome, including their prior, Augustine. This group set out for England in 596.

When the group reached the English Channel, they received warnings that the Anglo-Saxons were a wild and fierce people and the monks would be in great danger if they crossed over the Channel to England. The monks asked Augustine to seek reassurance from the pope, so Augustine returned to Rome where St. Gregory encouraged him and his monks to continue with their mission, promising them that he was certain that the English were ready for conversion.

Arriving in the territory of Kent, the missionaries sent word to the English king that they came to spread the good news. King Ethelbert (later St. Ethelbert), whose wife was Christian though he himself was not, came to meet them. Ethelbert had no objection to the monks preaching, allowing them to convert any of his people who would believe in Christ. King Ethelbert himself was baptized in the following year. Having learned well from his teachers, the king would not force any of his people to become Christian, the service of Christ being voluntary. Upon his conversion, however, many of his followers were also baptized. Soon after, Augustine was consecrated the bishop of the English.

Augustine’s success in his mission overjoyed the pope who sent another band of missionaries to assist him. Gregory outlined for Augustine the steps which he should take to establish the Church in England. Local customs were to be maintained as far as possible, substituting the feast days of saints for heathen festivals. Pagan temples were to be purified and consecrated as Christian churches for, as Gregory wrote, “he who would climb to a lofty height must go by steps, not leaps.”

Augustine kept busy spreading the faith. In Canterbury, he rebuilt an ancient church as the center of his see, which stood on the site of the present day cathedral. Outside the walls of Canterbury, he established an abbey which he dedicated to Sts. Peter and Paul. After his death, this abbey became known as St. Augustine’s. He also established sees in London and Rochester.

Augustine died on May 26 in about the year 605, seven years after his arrival in England. He is honored in England and Wales on that date. In this country, his memorial is celebrated one day later, on the 27th of May.

Augustine’s message today: Like many of us, Augustine had some doubts before he set off on his mission, but, with God’s reassurance through the pope, he proceeded on to great successes.

• From whom have you received reassurance when unsure about a particular undertaking? Have you brought the issue to someone you love and trust, perhaps to your pastor?

Born into one of the richest and most powerful families in Italy in that era, this saint was christened Caterina in honor of St. Catherine of Siena. From an early age, the girl loved prayer and practiced penance. She also performed works of charity for the poor. She developed a love for the Blessed Sacrament while she was very young and liked being around anyone who had just received Eucharist or anyone who was talking about the sacrament.

Caterina received her First Communion at the age of ten, rare at that time, and experienced the first of many ecstasies that she would experience in her lifetime when she was twelve years old. Her mother watched as Caterina, watching a sunset, was able to focus her mind totally on God.

Sent to a convent school when she was fourteen, Caterina lived such a holy life that the sisters predicted that she would become a great saint. From this experience, she told her parents that she wished to become a religious. While they were loath to give up their only daughter, being saintly people, they agreed to allow her to respond to her calling. In 1582, Caterina entered the Carmelite convent of Santa Maria deali Angeli. She chose this convent because of the rule which had the sisters receiving Communion daily, not a common practice at the time.

After entering the convent and, a few months later, receiving the veil, the young girl took the name Maria Maddalena (Mary Magdalen). Sr. Maria became quite ill and, fearing she might die, the superior allowed her to take her final vows in the Spring of 1584. Immediately after, Maria experienced a series of ecstasies for forty consecutive days. Seemingly at the point of death following this sequence, she had what was described as a miraculous cure and, despite a constant state of poor health, was able to carry on with all of the duties to which she was assigned.

For several years following, Maria suffered from terrible depression. The steps which she took to overcome these trials so impressed her sisters that they were more convinced than ever of this young girl’s virtue. Feeling that she was called to renew the Church, she wrote letters to the pope, cardinals of the curia, her archbishop, and others, twelve in all, asking them to make commitments to “The Renovation of the Church.” Finally, on Pentecost in 1590, her sufferings from the depression and temptations abated.

Over the years, Maria filled several positions in the convent: teacher, novice mistress, and finally, in 1604, superior. In the last few years of her life, she was stricken with consumption and was forced to withdraw gradually from the life of her community. The terrible physical and spiritual pain with which she was afflicted lasted until her death in May 25, 1607.

An optional memorial honors this saint on the anniversary of her death.

Mary Magdalen de Pazzi’s message today: God will give us the strength that we need to overcome any trials that come to us. We just need to ask for his grace.

• Do you ask for God’s help when difficulties come into your life?

Brendan is a very popular Irish saint about whom little is known outside of legend. He was probably born near Tralee in Kerry, Ireland. When he was six, he was sent to a monastic school in Tuam for his education. He was ordained in 512 by Bishop St. Erc.

Brendan founded many monasteries in Ireland. The most famous of these, Clonfort, was a center of missionary activity for many centuries. Some three thousand monks lived, worked, studied, and prayed there under his direction.

Brendan made many missionary journeys by small sailing boat (a curragh) around Ireland and to England, Scotland and Wales, but his most famous journey, lasting from five to seven years, was to the Land of Promise. His epic manuscript on this adventure, Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis, was translated into many languages and was a best seller in Europe in the Middle Ages.

In this saga, Brendan described what may have been, in the middle of the 6th Century, a voyage to North America. While many people doubted this over the centuries, some modern scholars believe that Brendan was actually the first European to visit North America. In the 1970s, Tim Severin, an expert on exploration, followed the directions in Navigatio and sailed a hide covered curragh from Ireland to Newfoundland. His observations, documented in his book, The Brendan Voyage, (McGraw-Hill 1978) demonstrated the accuracy of Brendan’s directions and the descriptions of the places he wrote about.

St. Brendan is a patron of sailors. The Irish celebrate his feast on May 16.

Brendan’s message today: Brendan is one of those saints who, while fully dedicated to God, were also devoted to advancing the state of human knowledge. We often think that living a life for God, means shunning the ways of the world. Brendan proved otherwise by his love of exploration and ability to communicate with others through the tales of his adventures.

• Where do you most often find God in your everyday life? Where do you most see God’s presence in the world?

As with many of the early martyrs, little is known with certainty about these two saints and many of the accounts are conflicting. What is not disputed is the site of their graves, the catacomb of Domitilla in Rome. But, with that as a starting point, we can surmise the most likely history of their martyrdom.

Persecution of Christians occurred over much of the first three centuries of the Church; however none of the early harassment matched that which began with the ascension of Trajan to Emperor in 98 A.D. An elite unit assigned to the emperor was charged with hunting down Christians and killing those who would not apostatize. Achilleus and Nereus were members of this unit.

While it is not known how long Achilleus and Nereus participated in this persecution, it is believed that, witnessing the strong faith of those who suffered martyrdom at their hands, these two were converted to Christianity and resigned their commissions. As had their victims, Achilleus and Nereus refused to offer sacrifices to the pagan gods which would have spared their lives. For this, they were beheaded in about 100 A.D. Their bodies were recovered and placed in the catacomb of Domitilla where many of their victims had been buried.

Pope Damasus (366-384 A.D.) was extremely interested in the history and tombs of the martyrs of the early Church and had an epitaph inscribed near the tombs of these two soldiers which praised these two praetorian soldiers who volunteered for military service and were carrying on their “cruel” duty, but suddenly laid aside their madness, “cast down shields, helmets, and bloodstained weapons,” were converted, and “bear with the triumph of Christ, they were put to death with the sword.”

An optional memorial honors these two martyrs on May 12.

Achilleus and Nereus’ message today: While it is never easy to stand up for what is right in the face of strong opposition, and few of us would face death for our position, we must not back down when we know that our view is correct.

• How are you at standing up against hostility when you know that you are right?

Athanasius was born into a Christian family and was given an excellent education. At the age of about twenty-one, he was ordained a deacon and became the secretary to Bishop Alexander of Alexandria. In this position, he attended the Council of Nicaea. This council was called to denounce Arianism, the heresy which denied the divinity of Jesus, and it is from decrees of this council that the Nicene Creed came about. While Athanasius did not play an especially active role in the council, it at least presaged the later work of his life.

Elected bishop of Alexandria following Alexander’s death in 327, Athanasius set out to visit his far-flung diocese which included Ethiopia. It is probably during this journey that Athanasius came to know St. Anthony the Abbot, a friend who came to his aid in the fight against Arianism and about whom Athanasius wrote in later years.

The Council of Nicaea provided only a temporary setback to the Arians, who were joined in Egypt by the Meletians, another dissident group. Athanasius provided a strong voice against the heresy and made many enemies by the position he took. In one case, his adversaries accused Athanasius of murdering a Meletian bishop. The “dead” bishop was actually in hiding and Athanasius, aware of this, ignored the summons to answer this charge.

The Arians then persuaded the emperor Constantine to call a council which was held in Tyre in 335. Realizing that a guilty verdict had been reached prior to the council meeting, Athanasius left the council and presented himself to the emperor. Constantine at first sided with Athanasius, but then agreed with the condemnation of Athanasius and sent him into exile in northern Gaul.

Upon the emperor’s death in 337, Athanasius was returned to his see. But Eusebius, who was the Arian bishop of Nicodemia, persuaded Pope Julius to hold a synod in Rome for the purpose of reopening the charges against Athanasius. During this time, an Arian bishop was installed in Alexandria. Although he was wholly vindicated by the synod, Athanasius was unable to return to Alexandria and remained in exile in Rome.

Athanasius’ third exile came after Roman soldiers broke into his church one night while a vigil celebration was going on. Several people were killed or wounded in this raid and Athanasius had to flee to a monastery in the desert. He remained hidden there for many years, during which time he completed most of his major writings.

Under the emperor Valens, Athanasius was finally able to return to his see in Alexandria. He remained there for the last seven years of his life and continued his writing. A greatly beloved shepherd of his people, Athanasius was also the strongest bulwark of the faith during the Arian heresy. He was praised by John Cardinal Newman as the principal instrument by which the faith has been “secured to the world.”

St. Athanasius’ memorial is celebrated on May 2.

Athanasius’ message today: Athanasius kept the faith when it would have been easy to give in to the heavy pressures which he was under. There are a lot of false gods in our times: more money, a bigger house, a fancier car. Our culture would have us put these things into our lives at the cost of our faith.

• Are you strong in your faith, enough to resist the cultural influences which may put you in conflict with it?

Born in Aosta (now Valle D’Aosta in northwest Italy), Anselm developed a love of God and a love of learning from his mother. When he was fifteen, Anselm sought to enter a monastery. Fearing the displeasure of his father, the monks turned Anselm away. Nevertheless, Anselm determined to someday become a monk.

A few years later, after his mother died, Anselm felt free to pursue his goal. With a companion, he set out on a journey which eventually led him to the Abbey at Bec in Normandy. This abbey had become renowned for the teaching of the prior, Lanfranc. Anselm became a student and protégé of Lanfranc. Anselm advanced quickly and, soon, he was helping Lanfranc with teaching.

Sometime later, Anselm felt torn between a monastic life, becoming a hermit, or, since his father had died and left him some money, remaining a layman and using his wealth to support those in need. Seeking advice from Lanfranc, that monk referred this question to the Archbishop of Rouen. The prelate believed that Anselm was best suited for the monastic life and the young man became a monk at Bec in 1060.

About three years later, Lanfranc was appointed Abbot of a monastery at Caen and Anselm was elected to succeed him as Prior at Bec. A few of the older monks resented this action feeling that someone with more experience should fill that position. Anselm’s wisdom soon won over the doubters.

Anselm longed for a quiet, contemplative life and sought relief from his duties from the Archbishop of Rouen. This prelate advised him, not only to retain his position, but to prepare for greater responsibilities. This counsel proved to be prophetic. After fifteen years as Prior, Anselm, despite his objections, was chosen as Abbot of Bec in 1078.

During his terms as Prior and Abbot, Anselm composed most of his theological and philosophical writings, most notably, “Monologium” and “Proslogium.” In the latter document, he put forth an argument for the existence of God. Beginning with the idea that God is “that than which nothing greater can be thought,” he suggested that what exists in actuality is greater than anything that is only in the mind; therefore, since “God is that which nothing greater can be thought,” he must exist in reality.

As Abbot of Bec, Anselm was called upon to visit England where the abbey held several properties. Upon his arrival in Canterbury, Anselm was greeted by his old friend and mentor, Lanfranc, who was now the Archbishop of Canterbury. After a break of several years, the two had the opportunity to resume their discussions as equals.

Anselm’s reputation as a scholar and a holy man had spread through most of Europe and he was often called upon by kings and princes for his advice. William the Conqueror, for example, sought his consolation while on his death bed.

When, sometime later, Lanfranc died, the English people wished to have Anselm named as his successor as Archbishop of Canterbury. In that age, rulers had a much larger hand in the naming of bishops. The king, William II, the son of William the Conqueror, refused to name a bishop for Canterbury, but instead, seized Church revenues and generally allowed the Church to sink into a state of anarchy. Some years later in 1093, the king fell ill and was somehow moved to remorse. At the urging of nobles and prelates, he agreed to fill the vacancy and, giving in to the obvious desire of the people, named Anselm as Archbishop of Canterbury. As he had when elected prior and abbot, Anselm tried to decline this appointment, but he was literally dragged to the king’s bedside where the pastoral staff was thrust into his hand. While King William and his successor, King Henry I, later resumed harassment of the Church hierarchy and tried to get him deposed as archbishop, Anselm served in that capacity for the remaining sixteen years of his life.

Anselm’s knowledge, passed on in his writings, has been favorably compared to that of Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas and he was considered the foremost theologian of his time. He was canonized in 1494 by Pope Alexander VI. He is honored by an optional memorial on the anniversary of his death, April 21.

Anselm’s message today: Thrust into positions which he did not seek and tried to decline, Anselm nevertheless served well and earned the respect of all but a few of his flock.

• How do you approach those unwelcome assignments into which you have been thrust? Do you put your best effort into them? Ask St. Anselm to help you.

Our saint this week experienced the kindness and sympathy of others in her time of grief. In turn, she spent much of the remainder of her life caring for others.

Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was born in New York City on August 28, 1774, just two years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. She might truly be called a daughter of the American Revolution.

Elizabeth’s father, Dr. Richard Bayley, was a professor in the medical school of what is now Columbia University. Her mother, and later, her stepmother, were staunch Episcopalians who instilled in her an appreciation of prayer and the Scriptures. At nineteen, Elizabeth married a handsome, wealthy businessman, William Magee Seton, with whom she had five children.

In the first years of her marriage, Elizabeth plunged into social work and in 1797, helped to found the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children. Just a few years later, in 1803, her husband's business failed and William contracted tuberculosis. He and Elizabeth went to Italy hoping to effect a cure, but he died shortly after they arrived.

Elizabeth remained in Italy for some months after, and while there, observed Catholicism in action through a compassionate couple with whom she was staying. She became convinced that the Catholic Church led back to the Apostles and to Christ. After her return to the United States in 1805, she became a Catholic. This action angered her family and friends; in turn, they rejected her and left her without support. To provide for herself and her children, she opened a school in Boston.

In 1809, the rector of St. Mary's seminary in Baltimore invited Elizabeth to open a school there. Shortly thereafter, Elizabeth founded a religious community along with four companions. The sisters opened a school for poor children in Emmitsburg, Maryland, which was the beginning of the Catholic parochial school system in the United States.

Archbishop Carroll of Baltimore approved the rule of Elizabeth’s religious community's rule in 1812 and, in 1813 Elizabeth and eighteen other women took vows in the new order, the Sisters of Charity, the first American religious society. The order spread throughout the United States and numbered some twenty communities by the time of her death.

Elizabeth Ann Seton became the first American-born saint when she was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975. She is honored by a Memorial on January 4th.

Elizabeth’s message today: Accepting our faith sometimes leads to rejection by those we love. Remembering that God loves both us and those who have forsaken us can help to ease the pain of rejection. We must learn to pray not just for those who love us and accept us, but also for those who have turned their backs on us.

• Have you prayed for those who have rejected you? Have you forgiven them?

Stanislaus was the only child of noble family from a town near Cracow, Poland. Childless for many years of marriage, his parents’ prayers were answered with his birth. In thanksgiving, they dedicated his life to God.

Stanislaus was educated in Gnesen and in Paris and was ordained by Bishop Lambert Zula of Cracow who gave him a canonry and later appointed him his archdeacon and preacher. The young priest soon became known for his preaching and he was able to bring about a reformation of the morals of the people of Cracow including many clergy.

Bishop Lambert wished to resign his episcopacy in favor of Stanislaus, but the priest would not hear of it. Nevertheless, upon the death of Lambert, he was overwhelmingly chosen bishop by the people. Their choice was ratified by the pope and Stanislaus reluctantly became the bishop of Cracow in 1072. The bishop proved a worthy shepherd, tireless in the care of his flock and tending especially to the poor of his see.

Boleslaus II, the ruler of Poland at the time, was noted for his uncontrolled lust and brutality. Stanislaus was the only person who would speak out against this tyrant’s cruelty. For a time, Boleslaus appeared to be repentant, but this soon wore off and he fell back into his old ways. The final straw occurred when Boleslaus had the beautiful wife of a nobleman abducted and carried off to his palace. The Polish nobles went first to the archbishop of Gnesen, then the capitol of Poland, and his court to have them denounce this act, but the fear of offending Boleslaus caused them to remain silent.

Stanislaus was not so restrained. He went to Boleslaus and condemned him for this abduction. He warned the king that he would be excommunicated if he persisted in his sinful ways. The king reacted angrily, and he set about slandering the bishop.

The story is told that Stanislaus had bought some land for a church from a man who died soon after. It was suggested to the man’s nephews that the land was never paid for and that they should claim it back. When the case came before the king, he would allow no witnesses for the defense and a verdict for the plaintiffs was certain until Stanislaus called upon the dead man to exonerate him. The dead man appeared in the court, wrapped in his shroud, and vindicated the bishop.

Finding that his reprimand had no effect on Boleslaus, Stanislaus followed through with the excommunication. At first, the king ignored this sentence, but upon entering the cathedral, the services were suspended at Stanislaus’ order. This completely enraged the king. With a small band of troops, Boleslaus followed Stanislaus to a small chapel outside of Cracow where they found the bishop celebrating Mass. The king ordered his troops to go in and kill the bishop. When they could not carry out this command, Boleslaus himself went into the chapel and killed Stanislaus.

One tradition is that Boleslaus, finally remorseful, left Poland and spent the rest of his life in repentance in a monastery. Butler tells us that while there was no immediate popular uprising, this murder hastened Boleslaus’ fall from power.

St. Stanislaus is the patron of Cracow. A memorial celebrates this saint’s life on April 11.

Stanislaus' message today: This saint finds himself in the good company of saints like John the Baptist, Thomas Becket and Thomas More. Like them, he opposed the tyranny of a despot and, like them, he paid with his life. We often hear a great hue and cry about the separation of church and state and, usually, this is a good thing. There are times, however, when the church must take a stand for what is right in the same way that Stanislaus did.

• Do you support your bishops when they take a position in opposition to the government on some moral issues?

Mary Rose Julie Billiart was born at Cuvilly, in northern France, to the family of a farmer-merchant on April 8, 1751. This saint was exceptionally gifted. Though she had little education, Julie, as a child of seven, had memorized the catechism and was teaching the other children of her village about its lessons.

Recognizing the extraordinary holiness of this young girl, her pastor allowed Julie to receive her First Holy Communion and be confirmed at the age of nine. (These sacraments were reserved to adults at this time in the Church.) At the age of fourteen, Julie took a private vow of chastity and dedicated her life to teaching the poor.

Two traumatic events happened in Julie’s young life. A robbery of her father’s store when Julie was only sixteen made the already poor family even more destitute. To help her family, Julie went to work in the fields. The second event had even more dire consequences. When she was twenty-two, Julie was sitting next to her father at a café when someone fired a shot at him. The shock of this incident left Julie partially paralyzed and unable to walk.

Confined to her bed, Julie spent several hours per day in prayer and continued to catechize the young children of the town who would gather by her bed. Her reputation for holiness was well known throughout the area. With the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, Catholics were under suspicion for siding with the royalists. With Julie’s reputation, she became the subject of the revolutionaries’ wrath. No longer safe in her home, Julie fled to Compiegne where she remained for several years. During this period, Julie experienced a vision in which God was calling her to found an order of sisters dedicated to teaching.

After some time, a friend moved her to Amiens where Julie met Françoise Blin de Bourdon, Viscountess of Gizaincourt. The two, though from vastly different backgrounds, were both holy and prayerful women. This led to a great friendship and, ultimately, to the establishment of the teaching order.

With the guidance of Fr. Varin, the superior of the Fathers of Our Faith, and with the concurrence of the bishop of Amiens, an order of sisters was established in 1803 for the purpose of saving the souls of young girls and training teachers. Julie, Françoise, and two other women took their vows on October 15, 1804.

It was also in 1804 that Julie, during a novena offered by her confessor, was asked by the priest to pray for an intention that he had. Five days into the novena, on the feast of the Sacred Heart, the priest said to her, “Mother, if you have faith, take one step in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Mother Julie, after twenty-two years of paralysis, stood up and was cured.

In 1809, misunderstandings with the bishop of Amiens caused the order to move to Namur, Belgium where they were welcomed by the bishop and where the motherhouse of the order, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, remains today. Over the next few years, Mother Julie traveled around Europe and established several convents. In early 1816, Mother Julie became ill and died on April 8 of that year.

Today, the Sisters of Notre Dame have convents in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

St. Julie Billiart was canonized in 1969 by Pope Paul VI. Her feast day is celebrated on May 13. St. Julie is the patron of those suffering from illness or impoverishment.

Julie’s message today: God will give us all of the strength and knowledge that we need to accomplish the mission that he has given us.

• How are you using the gifts that God has given to you to undertake and complete your calling?

Cyril is thought to have been the son of Christian parents and, if not born in Jerusalem, he certainly was raised there. He received an excellent education from his parents which helped to prepare him for his coming trials.

Ordained by St. Maximus, the bishop of Jerusalem, one of Cyril’s first duties was to instruct the catechumens as they prepared for the reception of the sacraments at the Easter vigil (what we call the period of Purification and Enlightenment) and during the Easter season after the sacraments have been received (Mystagogy). Much of what we know about the way the catechumens were prepared for baptism in the early Church has been gleaned from the writings of Cyril, and his work has been instrumental in developing the Rite of Christian Initiation as it is used today.

Cyril succeeded St. Maximus as bishop of Jerusalem. The Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ, was rampant through most of the Christian world in the mid-fourth century and nowhere had it hit harder than in Palestine. It should be noted that during this time, the young and growing Church was still in the process of defining itself. Beliefs that we take for granted today were not so sharply determined in the fourth century. The Council of Nicaea was called in 325 specifically to counter the Arian heresy, but, as with many Church councils, it was many years before the full effects were felt.

Cyril’s troubles began when Acacius, the Arian bishop of Caesarea, claimed jurisdiction over Jerusalem as metropolitan of Caesarea, and tried to advance the Arian heresy in Cyril’s episcopate. When Cyril disputed both the claim and the heresy, open warfare broke out. Acacius called a synod of Arian bishops and accused Cyril of being rebellious against authority. When the Arian bishops condemned Cyril, he was driven out of Jerusalem until, two years later, his appeal absolved him and he was reinstated to his see.

When Cyril finally returned to Jerusalem in about the year 387, he found chaos reigned. Schisms and heresy abounded and party factions were literally at war with each other. When Cyril requested help from the Council of Antioch, St. Gregory of Nyssa was sent to assist him, but this saint found that it was more than he could handle and soon left Jerusalem. Gregory did report back to the council, however, that, while major problems existed in Jerusalem, Cyril’s faith was orthodox.

In 381, Cyril and Gregory both attended the Council of Constantinople where an amended Nicene Creed was adopted. At this council, many of his contemporaries praised Cyril as a champion of orthodoxy against Arianism.

An optional memorial honors St. Cyril on March 18. In 1882, Pope Leo XIII declared him a Doctor of the Church.

Cyril’s message today: Cyril took a strong stand for what he believed in. At the cost of placing ourselves in the middle of controversy, we too must sometimes stand up for what we believe.

• Do you tend to “go along with the crowd” or do you defend those things you strongly believe in?