Quote of the day

Poignant advice in a "Me" Centered, anything on demand world. It's a maxim many of the great saints practiced, and something St. Francis took very seriously. Just another little tidbit to meditate on.

Quote of the Day

Wise words. Prayer should be the center of Christian life. I read once that "God governs the world, but prayer governs God." Just a little tidbit to meditate on. Have an awesome day!

Saint of the week-- St Thomas A' Becket

           

St Thomas started out studying at Merton Priory, in Surrey, England. He studied law at London and later in Paris. In about 1141 he joined the household of Archbishop Theobold of Canterbury. The Archbishop sent him on several missions to Rome, and in 1144 he was sent to Bologna and Auxerre to study Canon Law. He was ordained a Deacon in 1154 and was later nominated to be Archdeacon by Archbishop Theobold.  He became a favorite of Henry of Anjou after opposing the claim of the son of King Stephen of Blois, Eustace, to the throne of England, and convincing Pope Eugene III. Henry later became King Henry II of England. Thomas was  appointed Chancellor of England in 1155. He was the second most powerful man in England, next to the King. He became known for the extravagance of his lifestyle. He accompanied Henry, on a military expedition, to Toulouse, in 1159, with his own army behind him. When Archbishop Theobald died in 1161, King Henry nominated Thomas as Theobald's successor. Thomas objected to the nomination, but was elected in 1162. He resigned as Chancellor, was ordained a Priest the day before his consecration, and became Archbishop of Canterbury. Upon consecration, he completely changed his lifestyle, becoming very austere. Soon, he was at odds with the king over Church and clerical rights. In 1164 Thomas had a falling out with the king over the Constitutions of Clarendon, which denied clerics the right to be tried in an ecclesiastical court and to appeal to Rome. As a result, he was forced to flee to France. He appealed to Pope Alexander III, who was then at Sens. Alexander didn't want to get on Henry's bad side and so refused to support Thomas. When both Henry and Thomas stayed firm in their opinions, Alexander suggested that Thomas enter the Cistercian abbey at Pontigny, which he did. In 1166 Henry threatened to expel all Cistercians from England, Thomas went to St. Columba Abbey, near Sens, which was protected by King Louis VII of France. Thanks to the efforts of King Louis, Henry and Thomas came to a peaceful agreement, at Normandy, in 1170. Thomas then returned to England. Peace didn't last long, soon they were at odds again, when Thomas refused to lift  an excommunication on the Archbishop of York, and on other Bishops who had participated in the coronation of Henry's son. The coronation had gone ahead without Thomas's approval and was an infringement of the rights of the Archbishop of Canterbury, unless they swore allegiance to the Pope. Henry threw a fit and in his anger he spoke rashly, saying that he wished he was rid of the "Troublesome Prelate". Four knights took his words literally and murdered Thomas, in his cathedral, on December 29, 1170. This shocked the whole of Europe. Thomas was proclaimed a martyr, and he was declared a saint in 1173, by Pope Alexander III. Henry did public penance in 1171. His feast is the date of his martyrdom, December 29.

Quote of the day

 

 

Another piece of good advice. Christ, when appearing or speaking to His saints, often tells them not to be afraid. Fear keeps us from God and from doing His Will. There were plenty of scary things happening in the lives of the saints, but when they trusted in God's love, Providence and promises, everything always turned out right, even after the trials and tribulations of life.

Saint of the week- Bd. Louis of Thuringia- Sept. 11

Blessed Louis (Ludwig) of Thuringia  (A.D. 1227)



 Bd. Louis was born in 1200 to Landgrave Hermann I of Thuringia and Sophia of Bavaria . He was betrothed at age 11 to Elizabeth (St Elizabeth of Hungary), daughter of  King Andrew II of Hungary, who was only 4 at that time. Elizabeth was later taken to the Thuringian court where she was raised alongside her betrothed. Louis Succeeded his father, as landgrave, in 1221. At that time the marriage was ratified, Elizabeth was 14, Louis was 21. Their marriage was originally arranged for the sole purpose of a political alliance between Hungary and Thuringia (now a part of present day Germany), but the two soon fell deeply in love. The couple had 3 children, a boy and 2 girls. Their youngest daughter has now become known as Bd. Gertrude of Altenberg. He was very encouraging of his wife's every devotion and charitable work. In fact, he is known for having paid for the building of a Lazar House on the slope near their castle, known as the Wartburg after having found a leper in his bed, who had come to the castle looking for help. Instead of seeing a sick man, he saw  the suffering Christ lying in his bed. He was both a good ruler and a good man. More than once, he came to the rescue of victims of robbery. In 1226 he assisted the Emperor Frederick II, with his army, in the diet of Cremona. He was gone throughout a very hard winter and  through an entire spring. Elizabeth was overjoyed at his return and, according to Berthold "a thousand times and more [she] kissed him with her heart and with her mouth". He then asked her how the people had done during the winter. Elizabeth replied "I gave to God what was his, and God has kept for us what was ours".  Louis later replied to a complaining treasurer " Let her do good and give to God whatever she will, so long as she leaves me Wartburg and Nuenburg".  The next year, Louis volunteered to follow Emperor Friedrich into battle in the Holy Land. It was shortly before his departure that Elizabeth found a cross in his satchel and had a premonition that they would never see each other again, on this earth. Soon after, with Louis in Command, the German forces gathered at Schmalkalden. On St John's day, he and Elizabeth said their goodbyes, as Louis and the other Crusaders from Germany headed of to do battle with the Muslims. Louis and his army met with the Emperor at Troja, and the army set off in September. Just 3 days later, Louis fell sick, and took to his bed with Malaria. He received the Last Rites and it seemed to him that his entire sick room was filled with white doves.  Louis said "I must fly away with these white doves", having said this, he died.  When Elizabeth received the news, she said "The world is dead to me and all that was pleasant in it." Bd. Louis was buried at Reinhardsbrunn Benedictine Abbey. He is venerated there, to this day, as St Ludwig.

Quote of the day.

A good piece of advice, I think.  All too often, people forget that God is in control, then they lose faith and start to think that everything is a hopeless cause.  Saints and theologians agree that Dependence on God and his providence is a must for sainthood. We are all called to be saints.

Belated Saints of the day- Apr 5th- April 8th

 Apr 5- Bd Cresentia Hoss , Virgin    (A.D. 1744)

Born in 1682 to poor parents. She entered the convent of the 3rd Order Regular of St. Francis, at age 21. She was treated poorly, in the convent, at first, but eventually was recognized as a living saint. She later became the prioress of the convent in which she lived. Later on in her life, people would seek her out, at the convent, for advice and prayers. she died in 1744. even today, pilgrims still visit her tomb. She was beatified in 1900, by Pope Leo XIII.



 Apr 6- Bd Catherine of Pallanza, Virgin    (A.D. 1478)

Born in 1437 in Pallanza, Italy. Her entire family died of the plague when she was very young. She was rescued by a local lord and was placed in the care of and later adopted and educated by a noble woman in Milan. After the death of the woman who raised her, she became a hermitess in the mountains above Varese. She lived this austere life for 15 years. She was joined by other women who wished to imitate her, and she later started a community which followed the Augustinian rule. She founded a convent called Santa Maria di Monti. She died after 4 years of being prioress of the community, she died at age 40. She had the gift of prophesy. Her cultus was approved in 1769.



Apr 7- Bd Alexander Rawlins, Priest and Martyr  (A.D. 1595)

Born on the border between Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. He was educated at the English College at Rheims, in preparation for receiving Holy Orders. He and Bd Henry Walpole were executed together. Alexander had been working for the English mission ever since his ordination in March 1590. He had been arrested at about the time of Henry's return from the Tower to York castle. They were taken to the place of execution on the same hurdle. In order to keep them from talking to each other, they were laid with one's head at the feet of the other. Alexander was tortured and executed first, followed by Henry.


Apr 8- St Julia Billiart, Virgin      (A.D. 1816)

Blessed Mary Rose Julia Billiart was the child of fairly well to do peasant farmers. She was born in 1751 in Cuvilly, in Picardi, France. She was an intelligent girl who had a habit of teaching the catechism to other children. Her parish priest encouraged her to continue this practice and she was allowed to receive First Communion at age 9, which was rare in those days. She took a vow of chastity at age 14. Although she had to work very hard, when her family fell on hard times, she still took time to visit the sick, teach the ignorant and pray. Quite suddenly, after a gun was fired through a window at her father, whom she was sitting next to at the time, she became completely paralyzed, unable to use her arms or legs. She had become an invalid because of the shock of this event. She remained that way for 22 years. Throughout that time she continued to instruct children in catechism. During this time, she was also the co-foundress of an order called The Institute of Notre Dame de Namur. In 1804, during a mission held by the Fathers of Faith, in Amiens, which they entrusted to the sisters of the order, of which Mother Julia was the prioress, a novena was held for an unknown intention. On the 5th day, which was the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Father Enfantin asked Julia "Mother, if you have any faith, take one step in honor of the Sacred Heart". At this, Mother Julia stood for the first time in years, she was completely cured. During the years that followed, she continued to further the order which she had co-founded and at one point she suffered persecution and calumny from a young priest who turned many of her friends against her. She ended up relocating, with some of her sisters, to Namur, which later became the permanent location of the Mother House. Mother Julia spent the last 7 years of her  life founding more houses and training her spiritual daughters. She became sick in 1816 and was failing fast. She died on April 8, while reciting the Magnificat. She was beatified in 1906. She was canonized Jun 22, 1969, by Pope Paul XI.















                           

Belated Saints of the day - April 3rd and 4th

April 3- SS Agape, Chionia and Irene, Virgins and Martyrs (A.D. 304)
        
          In 303 Emperor Diocletian issued a decree making it illegal to have any portion of the Sacred Scriptures in a person's possession. At that time,  there were 3 Christian sisters living in Thessalonica in Macedonia named Agape, Chionia and Irene. Their parents were pagan, but they had become Christians and the owned several volumes of Sacred Scripture. They kept them so well hidden that they were not found until the following year, in 304. At that time, their home was searched after the sisters had been arrested on another charge.  They had been arrested, along with 3 others, for refusing to eat meat that had been sacrificed to the gods. Agape and Chionia  were later burned at the stake, for refusing to renounce their faith in Christ and for refusing to eat the sacrificial  meat.  Irene was imprisoned for a while and later brought again before the governor. No matter how much he tried to convince her to renounce her faith, she still refused to the very end, even after she realized that the Sacred Scriptures had been discovered in the home where she and her sisters had lived.  She was more cruelly treated. She was stripped and exposed in a brothel, which was being watched closely by guards. legend tells that she was miraculously concealed from view and protected from the advances of the men who came to the house. She also was martyred, legends say, either by being burned alive, after
being forced to herself into the flames, or, as some legends say, by being shot in the throat with an Arrow.

April 4- St Benedict the Black or Benedict the Moor,  Monk       (A.D. 1589)

            

      He was born in a village near Messina, Sicily, to poor Christian parents, who were African slaves,  and who were owned by a rich landowner. His father's name was Christopher. Christopher had been made foreman over the landowner's other slaves, and had been promised that his oldest son, Benedict, would be free. As a child, Benedict was sweet natured and religious. At the age of 10, he was nicknamed "the Holy Black", a moniker which stuck with him for life. One day, at the age of 21, while he was being ridiculed by a neighbor, and gently replying to the man's insults, because of his skin color and parentage, a young man named Lanzi, who was very impressed by Benedict's demeanor during these attacks, passed by and rebuked the man and prophesied that Benedict would soon be known for great things. Soon after this, Benedict sold his few worldly posessions and became a hermit. He, Lanzi, and their companions settled on Montepellegrino, near Palermo. soon after this, Lanzi, who had invited Benedict to join the hermits, died. Benedict was chosen superior in his place, even though he tried to refuse the position. At about the age of 38, Pope Pius IV decreed  that the hermits had to either disband or join an order. Benedict joined the Friars Minor of the Observance, and became a Lay-brother. At first, he worked as a cook. From this post, he became known for his little acts of kindness and his extraordinary goodness. When in the chapel, his face would often shine with an unearthly light, and food seemed to multiply miraculously in his hands. The order held a chapter in Palermo, where it was decided that the house of St Mary should become a convent of the reform. Therefore, Benedict was chosen as Guardian by the chapter. He couldn't read or write and this appointment bothered him. Still he obeyed and soon proved himself worthy of the assignment. Rumors of his sanctity and miracles soon spread all over Sicily. When he went to the chapter of his order, at Girgenti. Here, the clergy and people from all over came to meet him and to try to kiss his hand or obtain a piece of his habit as a relic.  Here, he was relived of the office of guardian and made vicar of the convent and novice-master. He also proved himself in this post. He was infused with an incomparable sacred knowledge of the Scriptures and sacred truths. he is known to have been endowed with the ability to read people's thoughts, and with great sympathy. He was happy when he was finally released from this post and could return to being a cook. However, he was no longer as obscure as he once was and he was continually visited by the poor and dignitaries alike, all seeking his help in some form. Although he never refused visitors, he shrank from praise and honors. Whenever he travelled, he covered his face in order to avoid recognition. He lived an austere life and ate only enough to sustain life. Benedict died in 1589, at age 63, after suffering a short illness.

    

Belated Saint of the day- Bd Leopold of Gaiche- Apr 2

Blessed Leopold of Gaiche, Priest and Monk        (AD 1815)
         


He was born at Gaiche, in the diocese of Perugia. He was born to humble parents, and baptized John. He was educated by a priest from a nearby town. At age 18 he became a Franciscan friar at the friary of Citabola. He took the name Leopold. He was ordained a priest in 1757. Afterwards he was sent to preach courses of Lenten sermons, which he became famous for. Because of the eloquence and fervor with which he gave his sermons, many were converted, enemies were reconciled to each other, and people clamored to make their confessions to him. He was made
Papal missioner to the states of the church in 1768, and for 10 years he preached missions in several dioceses. Even after he was made minister provincial, he continued to preach his missions. Inspired by the examples of Bd Thomas of Cori and St Leonard of Port Maurice, he wanted to found a house where missioners and preachers could come for their yearly retreat and where other brothers and friends of the order could come for retreat. He met with many obstacles to this dream, until he was finally able to open a house on a lonely hill, called Monte Luco., which is near Spoleto. In 1808, Napoleon invaded Rome and imprisoned Pope Pius VII. The dictator suppressed religious houses, and forced the religious who occupied them to leave. At this time, Bd Leopold was 77. Because of Napoleon's invasion of Rome, He was forced to abandon the house he had founded, and had to live, with 3 of his fellow brothers, in a small, very poor hut in Spoleto. While in this town, he helped a local parish priest. Soon afterward, he had to take charge of a whole parish because its pastor had been driven into exile by Napoleon's army. Leopold was imprisoned for a while because he refused to take an oath which he believed to be unlawful. His imprisonment was short, and he was soon back to preaching missions again. His fame became even greater because of his powers of prophesy and strange things that began to happen in his presence, For example, during his sermons he often seemed to bear the marks of a crown of thorns. When Napoleon was finally overthrown, Leopold quickly made his way back to Monte Luco. There, he began the task of getting things back to the way they were before the French invasion of Rome. However, he only lived a few months after the dictators overthrow. He died on April 15, 1815, at age 83. Soon after his death, miracles were reported at his tomb, and his cause for beatification began quickly as a result. He was declared Blessed in 1893.

Belated Saint of the day- St Catherine of Palma- April 1

St Catherine of Palma, Virgin                (AD 1574)

St Catherine of Palma, also known as St Catherine Tomas, spent her whole life on the Island of  Majorca. She was born at Valdemuzza , and died in Palma. Catherine was the youngest of 7 children. Her parents died when she was 7, leaving her without an inheritance or a dowry. She spent her remaining formative years in the home of her paternal uncle. Even though she was very young, she was made to do the worst tasks. The servants were even encouraged to overwork and ignore her. Even so, she remained ever sweet and patient. At age 15, she began having visions of St Anthony and St Catherine; her patroness. It was then that she began to feel a calling to the Religious life. She confided these desires to a holy hermit priest, Father Antony Castagneda. Believing that Catherine needed time to discern if this was really her vocation, he told her that she would receive a reply in time, if she continued to pray about it, as he would also do. She agreed without question or argument. She had to wait a long time. The wait was made even more frustrating by the treatment she endured at the hands of her relations, who increased their mistreatment of her, because they feared losing her services. Father Antony hadn't forgotten her though. He was finding it very hard to find a convent that could afford to take a girl with no dowry. As a preliminary step to entering a convent, he sent Catherine to serve a family in Palma, where nothing could stand in the way of her spiritual life. one of the daughters in the household taught her reading and writing. This girl soon became Catherine's disciple in religious matters, since Catherine had already come very far on the road to holiness. Soon, several convents offered to take her. She decided to enter the Canonesses of St Augustine, at their convent of St Mary Magdalen in Palma. She was 20 years old at that time. From the moment she was admitted, she was admired by the other sisters, because of her sanctity, and loved because of her humility, and her willingness to serve others. The life of Catherine Tomas, in the convent, was ordinary at first, and there was nothing to distinguish her. Then, strange things began to happen to her. Every year, between 13 and 15 days before the feast of St Catherine of Alexandria, she would lay in a profound trance. Also, after communion, she would always remain in ecstasy, which would last most of the day, or sometimes a whole week. There were times when she appeared to be in a coma, with no signs of life, for days, but at other times, she would move around the convent with her feet together and her eyes closed, sometimes conversing with Angels and other heavenly beings and oblivious to everything and everyone around her. At other times she would intelligently answer questions, while in one of these "Comas". She also had the gift of prophesy. In between these events, she would be severely attacked and tempted by demons. she not only suffered evil suggestions and hallucinations, and physical manifestations of demons, but she also suffered physical assaults at their hands. When this happened, frightening screams and sounds could be heard coming from Catherine's cell. The other nuns could never see what was attacking her, but they could see what the attacks left in their wake, and they would try to relieve her suffering. She tried very hard not to let these experiences get in the way of the timely discharge of her work. She foretold her own death, and died at age 41. Catherine was beatified in 1792, and canonized in 1930. Her feast is April 1.

Belated Saint of the day -Blessed Bonaventure of Forli - March 31

Blessed Bonaventure of Forli, Monk           (AD 1491)


Blessed Bonaventure Tornielli Was born in Forli, Italy. He was the son of a good family. He entered the Order of Servites in 1448 at age 37. However, his austerity and fervor allowed him to make up for lost time quickly. After he was ordained Priest, he made preparation for a life of apostolic work by a year in solitude. After this period of retirement, he began to preach eloquently and successfully. He was specially commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV to undertake an apostolic mission. He traveled throughout the Papal states, Tuscany, and the Venetian Province. Everywhere he preached, his sermons produced a great reformation of life in many who heard him. Toward the end of 1488, Bonaventure was elected Vicar General of the Servites. In this office, he gave proof of wonderful administrative ability and charity. He continued his Missionary work until his death. He had just finished preaching for Lent in Udine when God called him to his Heavenly reward on Maundy Thursday 1491. He was worn out by age and his austerities. His relics were ultimately taken to Venice, where a cultus grew up around him, it was marked by many miraculous cures. This cultus was confirmed in 1911. His Feast is March 31.

Belated Saint of the day- Bl Dodo- Mar 30

Blessed Dodo, monk and hermit        (AD 1231)

Despite his obvious vocation to the religious life, Dodo's parents made him marry. When his father died, he was able to follow his vocation and enter the Premonsratensian Order. Meanwhile, his wife and  his mother entered a convent. With permission from the Abbot, he withdrew to a secluded place, where he lived a solitary life for 4 years.  his only visitors were the evil spirits, who tried to tempt him. He moved to another place in Friesland, called Asch or Hasch, where he increased his austerities. As he prostrated himself before a crucifix one day, the figure on it spoke. The figure told him that he would suffer a long time on the cross. Dodo had the gift of healing, and many people were cured at his hands. When he became a very old man, he was killed when a collapsing wall fell on him. After he died, The marks of Our Lord's Holy Wounds were said to have been found on his body. This may be the earliest known case of the Stigmata, however it may be possible that these wounds were caused by the wall falling on him. his feast is March 30.

Belated Saint of the Day- SS Jonas and Barachisius- Mar 29.

Saints Jonas and Barachisius (or Barachismus), Martyrs       (AD 327)

In the 18th year of the Reign of King Sapor II of Persia began a severe persecution of Christians.
Two monks from Beth-Iasa, named Jonas and Barachisias, heard that several Christians were being held prisoner, and had been sentenced to death at Hubaham. These 2 saints went to encourage these people to be strong in their faith, no matter what tortures or Martyrdom they faced, and to serve them. Of that group, 9 were crowned with Martyrdom. After these Christians had been executed, Jonas and Barachisias were arrested for going to the aid of the prisoners. The president of that area urged them to obey the King of Kings (King Sapor II), and to worship the sun. They answered that it was better to obey the immortal King of Heaven, than to obey an earthly prince. Barachisius was thrown into a narrow cell. Meanwhile, Jonas was kept at the court and commanded to sacrifice to the sun. The guards made him lay face down, flat on the ground, with a metal stake under the middle of his body. The guards then beat him with rods. The whole time Jonas continued to pray. The Judge ordered that he be put into a frozen pond. This also did nothing to dampen his faith in Christ. Later on, that day, Barachisius was brought back. The Judge told him that Jonas had given in and sacrificed.  Barachisius knew better, he replied that Jonas couldn't have given in, as he would never Worship fire, a created thing, and spoke zealously of God in his power  and infinite majesty. Therefore, the Judge decided that later hearings would be conducted under the cover of darkness. Meanwhile, they tortured Barachisius as well, in hopes of breaking his will. In the morning, Jonas was brought from the frozen pond. When asked if he had had an uncomfortable night, he replied that the cold was nothing, he had been comforted by thoughts of the sufferings of Christ. The Magians taunted him, saying that Barachisias had apostatized and sacrificed. Jonas interrupted their taunts, saying "I know that he long ago renounced the Devil and his angels!" The judges warned him to be careful or he might die, abandoned by both God and man. Jonas replied "If you possess your vaunted wisdom judge weather it is not wiser to sow corn rather than to hoard it. Our life is seed, sown to rise again in the world to come, where it will be renewed by Christ in immortal life." He continually defied his torturers until , after still more abuse, he was crushed to death in a wooden press. His body was then dismembered and thrown into a well. Guards were posted there afterwards, to make sure that the other Christians could not come and collect the Martyr's relics. After the Martyrdom of Jonas, Barachisius was then advised to give in and save his own body. The Martyr's reply was "This body I did not frame, neither will I destroy it. God who made it will restore it, and will judge you and your king." He was tortured once more, and was finally martyred by having hot pitch and brimstone poured into his throat. As soon as on old friend heard of their martyrdom, he bought their bodies for 500 drachmas and 3 silk robes, and a promise that he would take the secret of the sale to his grave. Their feast is March 29.
 

Belated Saint of the day- Saint Tutilo- Mar 28

St Tutilo, Religious               ( c. AD 915)

 

                                                                                                      Tutilo was educated at the celebrated Benedictine Monastery of Saint-Gall, by Iso and Marcellus. Two of his classmates were Bd Notker Balbulus and Ratpert. All 3 later became monks in that same Abbey. Tutilo was appointed head of the cloister school, and Notker became the librarian. Tutilo was handsome, eloquent and had a quick wit.  He was a universal genius and jack of all trades. He is said to have been a poet, a gifted speaker, an architect, a painter, a sculptor, a metal worker, a mechanic and a musician, able to play every instrument which were taught to the monastery scholars. He is said to have written many hymns and sequences, and to have written words for the last Alleluia in the Gradual. He was admired by King Charles the Fat, who said that it was a shame that such a genius was closed up in a monastery. St Tutilo did his best to stay out of the spotlight, and avoid compliments. When he had to go into cities, because his talents were in such high demand, he did everything he could to avoid being noticed. So much so, in fact, that he didn't even sign his many works of art. There are still a number of artworks attributed to him all over France. Of his musical works, only 3 eligies and 1 hymn have been published. He died in about 915. He was buried in the Chapel of St Catherine, which was renamed St Tutilo's after him. His feast is March 28.

Belated Saint of the day- Bd William Tempier- Mar 27

Blessed William Tempier, Bishop of Poitiers              (AD 1197)

           He was the 46th Bishop of Poitiers, he was also the third Bishop to be named William.  He was born in Poitiers. He entered the Monastery of St Hilare-de-la-Celle in his home city, at a very early age, and became a canon regular. He became well known for his piety and austerity, and he soon rose to the rank of Superior. In 1184, he was chosen as Bishop, to succeed John in the Episcopal see of Poitiers.  He greatly opposed Simony, and of any secular control ecclesiastical affairs. He endured calumny and persecution while defending the churches rights. He died in 1197 and was buried behind the High altar in the church of St Cyprian in Poitiers. His tomb became a pilgrimage site because of the miracles of healing which had been reported there.  His feast is March 27.                                            

Belated Saint of the day- St Castulus- March 26

St Castulus, Martyr        (AD 286)

            During the reign of Emperor Diocletian, Pope St Caius became very worried about the safety of the Christians in Rome. Legend tells of St Castulus, a zealous Christian who was chamberlain to the Emperor himself, had offered to arrange to arrange for religious services to be held at the palace itself, Since no one was likely to search for Christians hiding there. Still further, he supposedly sheltered Christians in his own home, which was next to the palace, and showed them a safe place to meet. Yet, he did not settle for serving the church in this way. He and his friend, Tiburtius, went throughout Rome, evangelizing and converting many, and subsequently bringing them to the Pope to be baptized. Eventually, an apostate Christian named Torquatus turned St Castulus in and brought him to the Prefect of Rome, Fabian. Castulus was viciously  tortured. He was then thrown into a pit and asphyxiated with sand. A cemetery and a church on the Via Labicana were named for him. His feast is March 26.

Belated Saint of the Day- St Dismas- Mar 25

 

St Dismas, The Good Theif           (AD 29)



Not much is known of this saint, other than that he was crucified at the right hand of Our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary. It was he who rebuked the thief on the left of Christ, who is traditionally called Gestas.  St. Dismas is most often called the Good Thief. It was Dismas who said "Jesus, Remember me when you come into your kingdom", to which Our Lord replied "Amen I say to you, this day you shall be with me in paradise." His feast is March 25.

Belated Saint of the day- St Irenaeus of Sirmium- Mar 24

St Irenaeus of Sirmium, Bishop and Martyr           (AD 304)

        Sirmium was the Capital of Pannonia, Pannonia is now modern day Serbia, Sirmium was on the site of what is now Mitrovica, which is 40 or so miles to the West of present day Belgrade, Serbia.
St Irenaeus, apart from his role as leader of the Christians in that area, was also a man of influence in the city itself. During the persecution of Diocletian, Irenaeus was arrested as a Christian, and brought before Probus, the governor of Pannonia. He commanded Irenaeus to sacrifice to the gods. Irenaeus refused saying "He that sacrifices to the gods will be cast into hell-fire!" Probus said "The edicts of the most clement emperors require that all should sacrifice to the gods or suffer under the law."  Irenaeus is said to have replied "The law of my God bids me rather to suffer all torments than to sacrifice to the gods." He was strung on the rack and tortured. The guards told him to relent and sacrifice, but his resolve was unshakeable. His relatives gathered around him, and begged him to relent. his wife put her arms around him and pleaded with him to give in, for his children's sake.  His children begged him to change his mind, as well. Irenaeus steeled himself  against their cries, ou of fear that he would be offering a divided allegiance to God. He repeated the words of Our Lord Jesus, "If anyone  renounces me before men, him will I renounce before my Father who is in Heaven." He avoided making a direct answer to those who pleaded with him.  He was thrown into prison once more. He was kept there for a long time . He suffered more hardships and tortures. but he unflinchingly remained faithful to his Lord and Master. A second trial was as ineffective as  the first had been. A sentence of death was passed down from the emperor, for Irenaeus' disobedience to imperial edicts. He was sentenced to be drowned in the river. Irenaeus argued that such a death was no worthy of the cause he was suffering for. He asked to be given the chance to prove that a faithful Christian could endure whatever tortures were done to him. The Judge conceded that this brave martyr should be beheaded and his body thrown from the bridge into the river. His feast is March 24.

Belated Saint of the Day- Bl Sibyllina of Pavia- Mar 23

 
                  
Blessed Sibyllina of Pavia, Virgin                  (AD 1367)


         Sibyllina Biscossi was orphaned as a small child, in the town of Pavia, Italy. She was made to earn her keep as a maid-servant by the age of 10.  She could not read or write and at age 12, she became totally blind. When her blindness made it so that she couldn't do any meaningful work, some lay religious took her in, to live with them. Sibyllina was a devout child. She had a great deal of faith. She was convinced, for some time, that if she prayed hard enough to St Dominic, she would obtain the cure of her blindness. The days went by, and still no cure. When all hope of a miracle had practically left her, she had a dream or vision. In it, she felt she was being led by the hand through a long dark tunnel, by St Dominic. All around her she could feel the presence of evil spirits. This might have caused her to faint, from fear, had it not been for the comforting presence of her guide. At the very end of the tunnel, she saw a faint glimmer of light. It became brighter as they came nearer to it. In the end , the arrived in a place of profound peace and light. When she woke up, she had no doubt that God meant for her to remain blind. So, she decided to embrace her blindness, and to second God's Divine purpose for her. Since she was already an exile from the world, she decided to become a recluse, and had herself shut up in a cell, beside the Dominican Church in Pavia. At first, she had a roommate, but she died after 3 years, and no one came to take her place. She lived an austere life as a solitary. She lived to be 80 years old. people from all over, and from all walks of life came to seek her advice, and to talk with her, through the window of her cell. Many miracles were attributed to her intercession. It is said that she was especially devoted to the Holy Spirit, and that she believed Whitsunday to be the most important feast of the year. When she died, she had been a recluse for 65 years. Her body was still incorrupt in 1853. Her feast is Mar 23.

Belated Saint of the day- St Basil of Ancyra- March 22

St Basil of Ancyra, Priest and Martyr            (AD 362)

Basil was a priest in Ancyra, in the middle of the 4th century, a time when Arians and semi-Arians were spreading their doctrines in the area. He had been trained by the saintly Bishop Marcellus, in the full doctrine of the Catholic faith, and was known for his holiness.
After Marcellus was banished by the Arian Emperor Constantius, and a Semi-Arian, also called Basil, had invaded his see, St Basil never stopped encouraging people to stay strong in the Orthodox faith. In 360, the extreme Arians gained the upper hand in the see of Ancyra. They not only un seated the Semi-Arian Bishop, Basil, but also ordered the degradation of St Basil. They forbade him to  hold any kind of religious gathering. Basil disregarded the orders, continued to support and encourage his own flock, persuaded many Arians to return to the church, and boldly defended the Catholic Faith, even before the Emperor Constantius himself.  When Julian the Apostate took the throne, persecution stopped for a while, since the Emperor used more subtle means to Undermine the faith. There were cases where he became impatient with well known Christian leaders and permitted -if he didn't actually urge- their punishment, for having continued to teach the faith.  Basil, who continued to do everything in his power to undermine Imperial policy in Ancyra, was arrested and accused of sedition, of overturning pagan altars, of turning people against the gods, and of speaking irreverently against the Emperor and his religion. He boldly confessed his faith, and was subsequently hung by his wrists and his ankles, and having his flesh torn with rakes, his persecutors threw him in prison, and eventually put him to death.  He is not to be confused with his better known  opponent, Bishop Basil of Ancyra.  His feast is Mar 22.

Belated saint of the Day- St Serapion of Thumis- Mar 21

St Serapion, Bishop of Thumis       (Died  c. AD 370)

Often called "The Scholastic", because of his knowledge of both Sacred and secular subjects. He was the headmaster of the catechetical school in Alexandria. After this, he retired to the desert, where he became a monk, and became friends with St Antony, who left one of his tunics to St Serapion when he died. St Serapion felt himself drawn from his retreat to rule the see of Thumis, a city in Lower Egypt, which was near Diospolis. He was part of the Council of Sardica in 347. He was close to St Athanasius in defending the Catholic faith. St Jerome states that he was banished by Emperor Constantius. It was this Saint who informed St Athanasius of the new Macedonian Heresy, which was being spread at that time. The 4 letters  written by St Athanasius, from his hideaway in the desert, to St Serapion, were the first refutation of this heresy that was published. St Serapion was very successful in preaching against the Arian and Macedonian heresys. He also wrote a wonderful book which refuted the Manichean Heresy. He wrote several letters, and a treatise on the titles of the Psalms, which have been lost. His most important work is the "Euchologion", which was discovered and published at the end of the 17th Century.  Socrates said that St Serapion summarized Christian perfection in this way "The mind is purified by spiritual knowledge (holy meditation and prayer), the spiritual passions of the soul by charity, and the irregular appetites by abstinence and penance." He is thought to have died in exile. however, the exact date of his death isn't known.

Belated St of the Day- St Martin of Braga- Mar 20

St Martin, Archbishop of Braga, Portugal.    (Died AD 579)


An intelligent young man, he was said, by St Gregory of Tours, to have surpassed many of the scholars of his time.  It was also said of him, by the Christian poet Fortunatus, to have been very holy and to have "earned the name of St. Martin of Tours". The two are not to be confused. St Martin of Tours was a Roman Soldier, this St Martin was an Archbishop. Legend says he made a pilgrimage to Palestine. He later made his way to Galicia in Spain, probably with some returning Pilgrims.  Here, a group called the Suevi  ruled the area, and had been spreading the Arian Heresy. St Martin, by  his sincere preaching, soon brought Galicia back to the Catholic Church. He began by converting King Theodomir, and subsequently converted other other Arians and Catholics who had lapsed. He built many monasteries, the most important of which was Dumium, which served as the home base for his missionary efforts. The Suevian Monarchs, out of their great respect for this Saint, made Dumium the Seat of a bishopric. St Martin became its first bishop. He was so closely tied to the royals that he became known as "the Bishop of the Royal Family". However, he never became lax in governing his monks.  He was soon promoted to the See of Braga, thus becoming the Metropolitan of all of Galicia, a dignity that he held until his death. Besides his missionary work, he also did a great service to the church, by his writings. the most important of these are a collection of 84 canons, a "Formula vitae honestae"; a guide to the good life written at the request of King Miro, "De correctionae rusticorum" which was a description of  the superstitious customs of the local peasants, a symposium of moral rules, and a selection of the sayings of  the Egyptian hermits. St Martin died at his monastery in Dumium. His body was translated to Braga in 1606.

Tomahawk Associates News

The Associates of the Tomahawk Cluster are going to be studying the book "The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic" by Matthew Kelly, as our project for the next few months. The 4 signs are Prayer, Study, Generosity, and Evangelization. It was very insightful to see how each of us practiced each of the 4 signs, and where we are on the "scale". We discussed the first 2 chapters in last month's meetings, and will continue to study 2 (or more) chapters at each meeting, if time allows. We strongly recommend this book to everyone, no matter where you are on your spiritual journey as a Dynamic Catholic.  Peace and God Bless.

Saint of the day- Bd Andrew of Siena

Blessed Andrew of Siena      Died AD 1251


Also Known as Bd Andrew De' Gallerani.  He was a highly respected soldier. He led the Sienese to a victory against the Orvietans. He killed a man for blaspheming God's name openly. After this, he had no choice but to retreat into hiding at a family estate, by the coast, to avoid Justice or the revenge of the man's friends. When he came back to Siena, it was for the sake of charity. He gave himself to good works and prayer. He founded the Society of Mercy, at Siena. The purpose of the order was to help the sick. Andrew also started a hospital there. The rest of his days were spent in prayer and Charitable works. The society continued to operate independently, until 1308 when it merged with the Dominicans. Several miracles have been attributed to Bd Andrew. He is said to have once healed someone's foot, which was infected and had begun to die and decay, he also walked in the rain through the streets of Siena, and was untouched by the torrential downpour. On another occasion, upon arriving home late  from a journey he had made for mercy's sake, the doors to his home opened by themselves. His feast is March 19.

Saint of the day- St Salvatore of Horta

St Salvator of Horta.   died Ad 1567


He spent many years in the Franciscan Friary of Horta, Spain. He was born in Santa Columba, Spain, to a poor family. Both parents died while he was still a child. He worked as a shoemaker in Barcelona, until the age of 20, but his hearth was set on the religious life. He became a Franciscan of the observance. He was employed in the kitchen, and he quickly grew in virtue, but he wanted to live a still more austere life. He migrated twice and finally ended up at the Friary of St Mary of the Angels, in Horta. Observance was very strict in this place. He stayed there a while, but then returne to Barcelona. It was here that he became known for his supernatural gifts. the sick came from all over to be healed by him. He walked barefoot, scourged himself daily, and kept long, strict fasts. He was devoted to Our lady and St Paul, who appeared to him many times, most notably as he was dying.  He went to Sardinia, on orders from his superiors. It was here that he became mortally ill. He died in Cagliari, Sardinia, at age 47. He was venerated as a saint, both in life and in death. He was canonized in 1938. His feast is March 18.

Saint of the day- St Patrick

St Patrick of Ireland, Archbishop of Armagh, Apostle of Ireland       Died AD 461

          He was born in Roman Britain, the Son of Calpurnius, a deacon and town official. During his early life, like many young people, he was worldly and not interested in spiritual things. In about 403, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and taken back to Ireland, to serve as a slave and shepherd, to the pagan people of the country. During this time, he grew in his faith by leaps and bounds, and spent much of his time in prayer. Before long he developed a close union with God, and so was converted from his previous, worldly lifestyle. After 6 years of slavery, he had a dream. In this dream, he was instructed to prepare to make his bid for freedom. Soon after, he made a break for it and escaped from his master. He traveled 200 miles to the coast, and there he met a group of sailors, who refused at first. It was only after a fervent, silent prayer to the Lord that they agreed to grant him passage on their ship. Soon they arrived in France, where Patrick is said to have been captured and enslaved again, but only for a short time. he was soon released, and was again on his way home. A year or so later, he was finally reunited with his family.
         According to legend, about 3 years passed, and then he had a dream. In this dream, he saw a man, called Victoricus, who gave him a letter. The heading read "The voice of the Irish". and then he heard, within his mind, the voices of those that lived near the forest of Foclut. They were saying "We beseech thee, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more".  He took this to be a call from God, and began tom study for the Priesthood. After 15 years of study, he was ordained Priest by St Germanus , Bishop of Auxerre.  he was sent to Ireland by Pope St Celestine I. He was later consecrated Archbishop in place of Palladius, who had been killed by the Picts, in northern Britain. He spent the rest of his days building churches and converting the pagan Irish. At last, after many years of prayer and penance, and of traveling, he was worn out. He died in  461, and was buried at Saul, near a church he had built. His feast is March 17.

Saint of the day -St Eusebia

St Eusebia or Xenia , Abbess       Died c. 680 AD


She was the oldest daughter of St Adalbald of Ostrevant and St. Rictrudis. After St Adalbald was murdered, Rictrudis and her 2 younger daughters retired to the convent of Marchiennes. St. Eusebia was sent to the Abbey of Hamage. This Abbey was under the direction of Eusebia's great grandmother, St Gertrude, at that time. After St Gertrude died, Eusebia wad elected Abbess in her place, in accordance with St Gertrude's dying wish. Eusebia was only 12 at that time. Eusebia's mother thought she was too young to be in charge and so she sent for Eusebia, and instructed her and her nuns to come to Marchiennes. Eusebia was not happy with the arrangement but obeyed. Soon she and her nuns arrived at Marchiennes, carrying with them the body of St Gertrude.
              Once everyone had settled in to the new arrangement, almost everyone was content, except Eusebia. She continued to long for Hamage. One night, she and some of her nuns secretly ventured back to Hamage. There they said the office and lamented that St Gertrude's dying wish had not been fulfilled.
         Although this did not go unpunished, Rictrudis, realizing that Eusebia was still longing for Hamage, consulted with the Bishop and other holy men. They advised her to let Eusebia return there.
         Rictrudis consented and Eusebia and her nuns returned to Hamage. Rictrudis did not regret her decision. Eusebia proved to be a wise and capable Abbess. She reestablished the dicipline that had been the norm during the time of St Gertrude, and continued to live by the example of St Gertrude for the rest of her life. Nothing special seems to have happened during the rest of her life. At age 40, she had a premonition that her life would soon come to an end. She gathered her nuns around her and gave them her final instruction and blessing. Almost as soon as she finished speaking, her room was filled with a bright light. Soon afterward, her soul winged its way to its heavenly reward.  Her feast is March 16.

Saint of the day-St Leocritia of Cordova

St Leocritia or Lucritia , Virgin and Martyr          died 859 AD          

She lived at Cordova, Spain, which was, at that time, a Moorish (Muslim ruled) city . She was converted to the Christian faith by St Eulogius. Her parents were wealthy Muslims. When they discovered her conversion, they were furious. They begged her to renounce her faith in Jesus Christ. When their pleading fell on deaf ears, they beat and confined her. Still, she remained steadfast. She remained silent, never uttering a cry against her abusers. Her parents mistook this as a sign of her giving in. As a reward, they allowed her to attend a wedding. While there, she escaped and fled to the protection of her fellow Christians, who strengthened her for the coming trials. She was soon captured, and she and St. Eulogius were brought before a judge. When questioned, Eulogius replied that he was only acting in his office as a priest, and that he would have done the same for the judge, had he been in Leocritia's situation. Both St Leocretia, and St Eulogius were scourged and sentenced to death. St Eulogius was martyred a few days before Leocritia. Leocretia was beheaded and her body was thrown into the river Guadalquivir. It was later retrieved by the Christian community and entombed beside those of St Eulogius, at Oviedo. Her feast is March 15.

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