May 1:
St.
Joseph the Worker
Apparently in response to the “May Day” celebrations for workers
sponsored by Communists, Pius XII instituted the feast of St. Joseph
the Worker in 1955. But the
relationship
between
Joseph and the cause of workers has a longer history. In a constantly
necessary effort to keep Jesus from being removed from ordinary human
life, the Church has from the beginning proudly emphasized that Jesus
was a carpenter, obviously trained by Joseph in both the satisfactions
and the drudgery of that vocation. Humanity is like God not only in
thinking and loving, but also in creating. Whether we make a table or a
cathedral, we are called to bear fruit with our hands and mind,
ultimately for the building up of the Body of Christ.
“The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden,
to cultivate and care for it” (Genesis 2:15). The Father created all
and asked humanity to continue the work of creation. We find our
dignity in our work, in raising a family, in participating in the life
of the Father’s creation. Joseph the Worker was able to
help
participate in the deepest mystery of creation. Pius XII emphasized
this when he said, “The spirit flows to you and to all men from the
heart of the God-man, Savior of the world, but certainly, no worker was
ever more completely and profoundly penetrated by it than the foster
father of Jesus, who lived with Him in closest intimacy and community
of family life and work. Thus, if you wish to be close to Christ, we
again today repeat, ‘Go to Joseph’” (see Genesis 41:44). In Brothers of
Men, René Voillaume of the Little Brothers of Jesus speaks about
ordinary work and holiness: “Now this holiness (of Jesus) became a
reality in the most ordinary circumstances of life, those of word, of
the family and the social life of a village, and this is an emphatic
affirmation of the fact that the most obscure and humdrum human
activities are entirely compatible with the perfection of the Son of
God...in relation to this mystery, involves the conviction that the
evangelical holiness proper to a child of God is possible in the
ordinary circumstances of someone who is poor and obliged to work for
his living.” (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 2:
Saint
Athanasius, bishop and doctor of the Church (295?-373)
Athanasius led a tumultuous but dedicated life of service to the
Church. He was the great champion of the faith against the widespread
heresy of Arianism. The vigour of his writings earned him the title of
doctor of the Church. Born of a Christian family in Alexandria,
Egypt,
and given a classical education, Athanasius entered the priesthood,
became secretary to Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, and eventually
was named bishop himself. His predecessor, Alexander, had been an
outspoken critic of a new movement growing in the East—Arianism.
When Athanasius assumed his role as bishop of Alexandria, he continued
the fight against Arianism. At first it seemed that the battle would be
easily won and that Arianism would be condemned. Such, however, did not
prove to be the case. The Council of Tyre was called and for several
reasons that are still unclear, the Emperor Constantine exiled
Athanasius to northern Gaul. This was to be the first in a series of
travels and exiles reminiscent of the life of St. Paul.
After Constantine died, his son restored Athanasius as bishop. This
lasted only a year, however, for he was deposed once again by a
coalition of Arian bishops. Athanasius took his case to Rome, and Pope
Julius I called a synod to review the case and other related matters.
Five times Athanasius was exiled for his defence of the doctrine of
Christ’s divinity. During one period of his life, he enjoyed 10 years
of relative peace — reading, writing and promoting the Christian life
along the lines of the monastic ideal to which he was greatly devoted.
His dogmatic and historical writings are almost all polemic, directed
against every aspect of Arianism. Among his ascetical writings, his
Life of St. Anthony achieved astonishing popularity and contributed
greatly to the establishment of monastic life throughout the Western
Christian world.
The hardships Athanasius suffered in exile, hiding, fleeing from place
to place remind us of what Paul said of his own life: “On frequent
journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my
own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the
wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and
hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst,
through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from
these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all
the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:26-28). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 3:
Saints
Philip and James, Apostles
James, Son of Alphaeus: We know nothing of this man but his name, and
of course the fact that Jesus chose him to be one of the 12 pillars of
the New Israel, his Church. He is not the James of Acts, son of Clopas,
“brother” of Jesus and later bishop of Jerusalem and the traditional
author of the Letter of James. James, son of Alphaeus, is also known as
James the Lesser to avoid confusing him with James the son of Zebedee,
also an apostle and known as James the Greater.
Philip came from the same town as Peter and Andrew, Bethsaida in
Galilee. Jesus called him directly, whereupon he sought out Nathanael
and told him of the “one about whom
Moses wrote” (John 1:45). Like the
other apostles, Philip took a long time coming to realize who Jesus
was. On one occasion, when Jesus saw the great multitude following him
and wanted to give them food, he asked Philip where they should buy
bread for the people to eat. St. John comments, “[Jesus] said this to
test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do” (John 6:6).
Philip answered, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be
enough for each of them to have a little [bit]” (John 6:7). John’s
story is not a put-down of Philip. It was simply necessary for these
men who were to be the foundation stones of the Church to see the clear
distinction between humanity’s total helplessness apart from God and
the human ability to be a bearer of divine power by God’s gift. On
another occasion, we can almost hear the exasperation in Jesus’ voice.
After Thomas had complained that they did not know where Jesus was
going, Jesus said, “I am the way...If you know me, then you will also
know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (John
14:6a, 7). Then Philip said, “Master, show us the Father, and that will
be enough for us” (John 14:8). Enough! Jesus answered, “Have I been
with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9a). Possibly because
Philip bore a Greek name or because he was thought to be close to
Jesus, some Gentile proselytes came to him and asked him to introduce
them to Jesus. Philip went to Andrew, and Andrew went to Jesus. Jesus’
reply in John’s Gospel is indirect; Jesus says that now his “hour” has
come, that in a short time he will give his life for Jew and Gentile
alike.
“He sent them...so that as sharers in his power they might make all
peoples his disciples, sanctifying and governing them.... They were
fully confirmed in this mission on the day of Pentecost (cf. Acts
2:1–26) in accordance with the Lord’s promise: ‘You shall receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for
me...even to the very ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8). By everywhere
preaching the gospel (cf. Mark 16:20), which was accepted by their
hearers under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the apostles gathered
together the universal Church, which the Lord established on the
apostles and built upon blessed Peter, their chief, Christ Jesus
himself remaining the supreme cornerstone...” (Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, 19). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 4:
Blessed
Michael Giedroyc (d. 1485)
A life of physical pain and mental torment didn’t prevent Michael
Giedroyc from achieving holiness. Born near Vilnius, Lithuania, Michael
suffered from physical and permanent handicaps from birth. He was a
dwarf who had the use of only one foot. Because of his delicate
physical condition, his formal education was frequently interrupted.
But over time, Michael showed special skills at metalwork. Working with
bronze and silver, he created sacred vessels, including chalices. He
travelled to Cracow Poland, where he joined the Augustinians. He
received permission to live the life of a hermit in a cell adjoining
the monastery. There Michael spent his days in prayer, fasted and
abstained from all meat and lived to an old age. Though he knew the
meaning of suffering throughout his years, his rich spiritual life
brought him consolation. Michael’s long life ended in 1485 in Cracow.
Five hundred years later, Pope John Paul II visited the city and spoke
to the faculty of the Pontifical Academy of Theology. The 15th century
in Cracow, the pope said, was “the century of saints.” Among those he
cited was Blessed Michael Giedroyc. (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 5:
St.
John Joseph of the Cross (1654-1734)
Self-denial is never an end in itself but is only a help toward greater
charity — as the life of Saint John Joseph shows. John Joseph was very
ascetic even as a young man. At 16 he joined the Franciscans in Naples;
he was the first Italian to follow the reform movement of Saint Peter Alcantara. John’s reputation for holiness prompted his superiors to put
him in charge of establishing a new friary even before he was ordained.
Obedience moved John to accept appointments as novice master, guardian
and, finally, provincial. His years of mortification enabled him to
offer these services to the friars with great charity. As guardian he
was not above working in the kitchen or carrying the wood and water
needed by the friars. When his term as provincial expired, John Joseph
dedicated himself to hearing confessions and practicing mortification,
two concerns contrary to the spirit of the dawning Age of
Enlightenment. John Joseph was canonized in 1839.
John Joseph’s mortification allowed him to be the kind of forgiving
superior intended by St. Francis. Self-denial should lead us to
charity — not to bitterness; it should help us clarify our priorities and
make us more loving. John Joseph is living proof of Chesterton’s
observation: "It is always easy to let the age have its head; the
difficult thing is to keep one’s own" (G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy,
page 101). "And by this I wish to know if you love the Lord God and me,
his servant and yours — if you have acted in this manner: that is, there
should not be any brother in the world who has sinned, however much he
may have possibly sinned, who, after he has looked into your eyes,
would go away without having received your mercy, if he is looking for
mercy. And if he were not to seek mercy, you should ask him if he wants
mercy. And if he should sin thereafter a thousand times before your
very eyes, love him more than me so that you may draw him back to the
Lord. Always be merciful to [brothers] such as these" (St. Francis,
Letter to a Minister).
(AmericanCatholic.org)
St. Hilary of Arles (400-449)
It has been said that youth is wasted on the young. In some ways, that was
true for today’s saint. Born in France in the early fifth century, Hilary came
from an aristocratic family. In the course of his education he encountered his
relative, Honoratus, who encouraged the young man to join him in the monastic
life. Hilary did so. He continued to follow in the footsteps of Honoratus as
bishop. Hilary was only 29 when he was chosen bishop of Arles. The new,
youthful bishop undertook the role with confidence. He did manual labor to
earn money for the poor. He sold sacred vessels to ransom captives. He became
a magnificent orator. He travelled everywhere on foot, always wearing simple
clothing. That was the bright side. Hilary encountered difficulty in his
relationships with other bishops over whom he had some jurisdiction. He
unilaterally deposed one bishop. He selected another bishop to replace one who
was very ill-but, to complicate matters, did not die! Pope St. Leo the Great
kept Hilary a bishop but stripped him of some of his powers. Hilary died at
49. He was a man of talent and piety who, in due time, had learned how to be a
bishop. (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 6:
Sts.
Marian and James (d. 259)
Often, it’s hard to find much detail from the lives of
saints of the early Church. What we know about the third-century
martyrs we honour today is likewise minimal. But we do know that they
lived and died for the faith. Almost 2,000 years later, that is enough
reason to honour them. Born in North Africa, Marian was a lector or
reader; James was a deacon. For their devotion to the faith they
suffered during the persecution of Valerian. Prior to their persecution
Marian and James were visited by two bishops who encouraged them in the
faith not long before they themselves were martyred. A short time
later, Marian and James were arrested and interrogated. The two readily
confessed their faith and, for that, were tortured. While in prison
they are said to have experienced visions, including one of the two
bishops who had visited them earlier. On the last day of their lives,
Marian and James joined other Christians facing martyrdom. They were
blindfolded and then put to death. Their bodies were thrown into the
water. The year was 259. (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 7:
Blessed
Rose Venerini (1656-1728)
Rose was born at Viterbo in Italy, the daughter of a doctor. Following
the death of her fiancé she entered a convent, but soon returned
home to care for her newly widowed mother. Meanwhile, Rose invited the
women of the neighbourhood to recite the rosary in her home, forming a
sort of sodality with them. As she looked to her future, Rose, under
the spiritual guidance of a Jesuit priest, became convinced that she
was called to become a teacher in the world rather than a contemplative
nun in a convent. Clearly, she made the right choice: She was a born
teacher, and the free school for girls she opened in 1685 was well
received. Soon the cardinal invited her to oversee the training of
teachers and the administration of schools in his Diocese of
Montefiascone. As Rose's reputation grew, she was called upon to
organize schools in many parts of Italy, including Rome. Her
disposition was right for the task as well, for Rose often met
considerable opposition but was never deterred. She died in Rome in
1728, where a number of miracles were attributed to her. She was
beatified in 1952. The sodality, or group of women she had invited to
prayer, was ultimately given the rank of a religious congregation.
Today, the so-called Venerini Sisters can be found in the United States
and elsewhere, working among Italian immigrants.
Whatever state of life God calls us to, we bring with us an assortment
of experiences, interests and gifts — however small they seem to us.
Rose’s life stands as a reminder that all we are is meant to be put to
service wherever we find ourselves. (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 8:
St.
Peter of Tarentaise (c. 1102-1174)
There are two men named St. Peter of Tarentaise who lived one century
apart. The man we honour today is the younger Peter, born in France in
the early part of the 12th century. (The other man with the same name
became Pope Innocent the Fifth.) The Peter we’re focussing on became a
Cistercian monk and eventually served as abbot. In 1142 he was named
archbishop of Tarentaise, replacing a bishop who had been deposed
because of corruption. Peter tackled his new assignment with vigour. He
brought reform into his diocese, replaced lax clergy and reached out to
the poor. He visited all parts of his mountainous diocese on a regular
basis. After about a decade as bishop Peter “disappeared” for a year
and lived quietly as a lay brother at an abbey in Switzerland. When he
was “found out,” the reluctant bishop was persuaded to return to his
post. He again focussed many of his energies on the poor. Peter died in
1175 on his way home from an unsuccessful papal assignment to reconcile
the kings of France and England. (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 9:
St.
Catharine of Bologna (1413-1463)
Some Franciscan saints led fairly public
lives; Catharine represents the saints who served the Lord in
obscurity. Catharine, born in Bologna, was related to the nobility in
Ferrara and was educated at court there. She received a liberal
education at the court and developed some interest and talent in
painting. In later years as a Poor Clare, Catharine sometimes did
manuscript illumination and also painted miniatures. At the age of 17,
she joined a group of religious women in Ferrara. Four years later the
whole group joined the Poor Clares in that city. Jobs as convent baker
and portress preceded her selection as novice mistress. In 1456 she and
15 other sisters were sent to establish a Poor Clare monastery in
Florence. As abbess Catharine worked to preserve the peace of the new
community. Her reputation for holiness drew many young women to the
Poor Clare life. She was canonized in 1712.
Catharine wrote a book on the seven spiritual
weapons to be used against temptation. "Jesus Christ gave up his life
that we might live," she said. "Therefore, whoever wishes to carry the
cross for his sake must take up the proper weapons for the contest,
especially those mentioned here. First, diligence; second, distrust of
self; third, confidence in God; fourth, remembrance of the Passion;
fifth, mindfulness of one’s own death; sixth, remembrance of God’s
glory; seventh, the injunctions of Sacred Scripture following the
example of Jesus Christ in the desert" (On the Seven Spiritual
Weapons). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 10:
Blessed
Damien of Molokai (1840-1889)
When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few
people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy (Hansen's
disease). By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the
world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human
compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. Forced to quit
school at age 13 to work on the family farm, six years later Joseph
entered the Congregation of the Sacred
Hearts of Jesus and Mary, taking
the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to
go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in
his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission,
Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of
Hawaii. In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government's leper colony on
the island of Molokai, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of
four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year,
Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people's
physical, medical and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most
effective advocate to obtain promised government support. Soon the
settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage.
Morale improved considerably. A few years later he succeeded in getting
the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Kope, to
help staff this colony in Kalaupapa. Damien contracted Hansen's disease
and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his
body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien's body was returned to his
beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995.
When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its
two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Some
people thought Damien was a hero for going to Molokai and others
thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was
guilty of immoral behaviour, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended
him in an "Open Letter to Dr. Hyde." During the beatification homily,
Pope John Paul II said: "Holiness is not perfection according to human
criteria; it is not reserved for a small number of exceptional persons.
It is for everyone; it is the Lord who brings us to holiness, when we
are willing to collaborate in the salvation of the world for the glory
of God, despite our sin and our sometimes rebellious
temperament." (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 11:
St.
Ignatius of Laconi (1701-1781)
Ignatius is another sainted begging brother. He was the second of seven
children of peasant parents in Sardinia. His path to the Franciscans
was unusual. During a serious illness, Ignatius vowed to become a
Capuchin if he recovered. He regained his health but ignored the
promise. A riding accident prompted him to renew the pledge, which he
acted on the second time; he was 20 then. Ignatius’s reputation for
self-denial and charity led to his appointment as the official beggar
for the friars in Cagliari. He fulfilled that task for 40 years; he was
blind the last two years. While on his rounds, Ignatius would instruct
the children, visit the sick and urge sinners to repent. The people of
Cagliari were inspired by his kindness and his faithfulness to his
work. He was canonized in 1951.
Why did the people of Cagliari support the friars? These followers of
Francis worked hard but rarely at jobs that paid enough to live on.
Under these conditions St. Francis allowed them to beg. The life of
Ignatius reminds us that everything God considers worthwhile does not
have a high-paying salary attached to it. "And I used to work with my
hands, and I [still] desire to work; and I firmly wish that all my
brothers give themselves to honest work. Let those who do not know how
[to work] learn, not from desire of receiving wages for their work but
as an example and in order to avoid idleness. And when we are not paid
for our work, let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, seeking
alms from door to door" (St. Francis, Testament).
(AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 12:
Sts.
Nereus and Achilleus (1st century)
Devotion to these two saints goes back to the fourth century, though
almost nothing is known of their lives. They were praetorian soldiers
of the Roman army, became Christians and were removed to the island of
Terracina, where they were martyred. Their bodies were buried in a
family vault, later known as the cemetery of Domitilla. Excavations by
De Rossi in 1896 resulted in the discovery of their empty tomb in the
underground church built by Pope Siricius in 390. Two hundred years
after their death, Pope Gregory the Great delivered his 28th homily on
the occasion of their feast. “These saints, before whom we are
assembled, despised the world and trampled it under their feet when
peace, riches and health gave it charms.”
As in the case of many early martyrs, the Church clings to its memories
though the events are clouded in the mists of history. It is a
heartening thing for all Christians to know that they have a noble
heritage. Our brothers and sisters in Christ have stood in the same
world in which we live — militarist, materialist, cruel and cynical — yet
transfigured from within by the presence of the Living One. Our own
courage is enlivened by the heroes and heroines who have gone before us
marked by the sign of faith and the wounds of Christ. Pope Damasus
wrote an epitaph for Nereus and Achilleus in the fourth century. The
text is known from travellers who read it while the slab was still
entire, but the broken fragments found by De Rossi are sufficient to
identify it: “The martyrs Nereus and Achilleus had enrolled themselves
in the army and exercised the cruel office of carrying out the orders
of the tyrant, being ever ready, through the constraint of fear, to
obey his will. O miracle of faith! Suddenly they cease from their fury,
they become converted, they fly from the camp of their wicked leader;
they throw away their shields, their armour and their blood-stained
javelins. Confessing the faith of Christ, they rejoice to bear
testimony to its triumph. Learn now from the words of Damasus what
great things the glory of Christ can accomplish.” (AmericanCatholic.org)
Saint
Pancras, martyr (died about 304). Hardly fourteen years old, St
Pancras was martyred during the reign of Diocletian. According to
tradition he preferred to die rather than renounce his faith in Christ.
He was buried on the Via Aurelia, where Pope Symmachus built a basilica
over his tomb.
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May 13:
Our
Lady of Fatima
Between May 13 and
October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children received apparitions of Our
Lady at Cova da Iria, near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon.
(See February 20 entry for Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto). Mary
asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of
World War I, for sinners and for the conversion of Russia. Mary gave
the children three secrets. Since Francisco died in 1919 and Jacinta
the following year, Lucia, who later became a Carmelite nun, revealed
the first secret in 1927, concerning devotion to the Immaculate Heart
of Mary. The second secret was a vision of hell. Pope John Paul II
directed the Holy See's Secretary of State to reveal the third secret
in 2000; it spoke of a 'bishop in white' who was shot by a group of
soldiers who fired bullets and arrows into him. Many people linked this
to the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's
Square on May 13, 1981. The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was approved by
the local bishop in 1930; it was added to the Church's worldwide
calendar in 2002. Sister Lucia died in 2005 at the age of 97.
The message
of Fatima is simple: Pray. Unfortunately, some people — not Sister
Lucia — have distorted these revelations, making them into an apocalyptic
event for which they are now the only reliable interpreters. They have,
for example, claimed that Mary's request that the world be consecrated
to her has been ignored. Sister Lucia agreed that Pope John Paul II's
public consecration in St. Peter's Square on March 25, 1984, fulfilled
Mary's request. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith prepared
a June 26, 2000, document explaining the "third secret" Mary is
perfectly honoured when people generously imitate her response "Let it
be done to me as you say" (Luke 1:38). Mary can never be seen as a
rival to Jesus or to the Church's teaching authority, as exercised by
the college of bishops united with the bishop of Rome. "Throughout
history there have been supernatural apparitions and signs which go to
the heart of human events and which, to the surprise of believers and
non-believers alike, play their part in the unfolding of history. These
manifestations can never contradict the content of faith, and must
therefore have their focus in the core of Christ's proclamation: the
Father's love which leads men and women to conversion and bestows the
grace required to abandon oneself to him with filial devotion. This too
is the message of Fatima which, with its urgent call to conversion and
penance, draws us to the heart of the Gospel" (The Message of Fatima,
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, June 26, 2000). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 14:
Saint
Matthias, Apostle
According to Acts 1:15-26, during the days after the Ascension, Peter
stood up in the
midst of the brothers (about 120 of Jesus’ followers).
Now that Judas had betrayed his ministry, it was necessary, Peter said,
to fulfil the scriptural recommendation: “May another take his office.”
“Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the
whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the
baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become
with us a witness to his resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22). They nominated
two men: Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. They prayed and drew lots. The
choice fell upon Matthias, who was added to the Eleven. Matthias is not
mentioned by name anywhere else in the New Testament.
What was the holiness of Matthias? Obviously he was suited for
apostleship by the experience of being with Jesus from his baptism to
his ascension. He must also have been suited personally, or he would
not have been nominated for so great a responsibility. Must we not
remind ourselves that the fundamental holiness of Matthias was his
receiving gladly the relationship with the Father offered him by Jesus
and completed by the Holy Spirit? If the apostles are the foundations
of our faith by their witness, they must also be reminders, if only
implicitly, that holiness is entirely a matter of God’s giving, and it
is offered to all, in the everyday circumstances of life. We receive,
and even for this God supplies the power of freedom.
Jesus speaks of the apostles’ function of being judges, that is,
rulers. He said, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in
the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will
yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel”
(Matthew 19:28).
(AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 15:
St.
Isidore the Farmer (1070-1130)
Isidore has become the patron of farmers and rural communities. In
particular he is the patron of Madrid, Spain, and of the United States
National Rural Life Conference. When he was barely old enough to wield
a hoe, Isidore entered the service of John de Vergas, a wealthy
landowner from Madrid, and worked faithfully on his estate outside the
city for the rest of his life. He married a young woman as simple and
upright as himself who also became a saint — Maria de la Cabeza. They had
one son, who died as a child. Isidore had deep religious instincts. He
rose early in the morning to go to church and spent many a holiday
devoutly visiting the churches of Madrid and surrounding areas. All day
long, as he walked behind the plow, he communed with God. His devotion,
one might say, became a problem, for his fellow workers sometimes
complained that he often showed up late because of lingering in church
too long. He was known for his love of the poor, and there are accounts
of Isidore’s supplying them miraculously with food. He had a great
concern for the proper treatment of animals. He died May 15, 1130, and
was declared a saint in 1622 with Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier,
Teresa of Avila and Philip Neri. Together, the group is known in Spain
as “the five saints.”
Many implications can be found in a simple labourer achieving
sainthood: Physical labour has dignity; sainthood does not stem from
status; contemplation does not depend on learning; the simple life is
conducive to holiness and happiness. Legends about angel helpers and
mysterious oxen indicate that his work was not neglected and his duties
did not go unfulfilled. Perhaps the truth which emerges is this: If you
have your spiritual self in order, your earthly commitments will fall
into order also. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,”
said the carpenter from Nazareth, “and all these things will be given
you besides” (Matthew 6:33). “God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fertile and
multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.... See, I give you every
seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has
seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the
land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl
on the ground, I give all the green plants for food’” (Genesis 1:28a,
29–30a). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 16:
St.
Margaret of Cortona (1247-1297)
Margaret was born of farming parents in Laviano, Tuscany. Her mother
died when Margaret was seven; life with her stepmother was so difficult
that Margaret moved out. For nine years she lived with Arsenio, though
they were not married, and she bore him a son. In those years, she had
doubts about her situation. Somewhat like St. Augustine she prayed for
purity—but not just yet. One day she was waiting for Arsenio and was
instead met by his dog. The animal led Margaret into the forest where
she found Arsenio murdered. This crime shocked Margaret into a life of
penance. She and her son returned to Laviano, where she was not well
received by her stepmother. They then went to Cortona, where her son
eventually became a friar.
In 1277, three years after her conversion, Margaret became a Franciscan
tertiary. Under the direction of her confessor, who sometimes had to
order her to moderate her self-denial, she pursued a life of prayer and
penance at Cortona. There she established a hospital and founded a
congregation of tertiary sisters. The poor and humble Margaret was,
like Francis, devoted to the Eucharist and to the passion of Jesus.
These devotions fueled her great charity and drew sinners to her for
advice and inspiration. She was canonized in 1728.
Seeking forgiveness is sometimes difficult work. It is made easier by
meeting people who, without trivializing our sins, assure us that God
rejoices over our repentance. Being forgiven lifts a weight and prompts
us to acts of charity. "Let us raise ourselves from our fall and not
give up hope as long as we free ourselves from sin. Jesus Christ came
into this world to save sinners. ‘O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!’ (Psalm 95:6). The Word calls
us to repentance, crying out: ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and
are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28).
There is, then, a way to salvation if we are willing to follow it"
(Letter of Saint Basil the Great). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 17:
St.
Paschal Baylon (1540-1592)
In Paschal’s lifetime the Spanish empire in the New World was at the
height of its power, though France and England were soon to reduce its
influence. The 16th century has been called the Golden
Age of the
Church in Spain, for it gave birth to Ignatius of Loyola, Francis
Xavier, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Peter of Alcantara, Francis
Solano and Salvator of Horta. Paschal’s Spanish parents were poor and
pious. Between the ages of seven and 24 he worked as a shepherd and
began a life of mortification. He was able to pray on the job and was
especially attentive to the church bell which rang at the Elevation
during Mass. Paschal had a very honest streak in him. He once offered
to pay owners of crops for any damage his animals caused! In 1564
Paschal joined the Friars Minor and gave himself wholeheartedly to a
life of penance. Though he was urged to study for the priesthood, he
chose to be a brother. At various times he served as porter, cook,
gardener and official beggar. Paschal was careful to observe the vow of
poverty. He would never waste any food or anything given for the use of
the friars. When he was porter and took care of the poor coming to the
door, he developed a reputation for great generosity. The friars
sometimes tried to moderate his liberality! Paschal spent his spare
moments praying before the Blessed Sacrament. In time many people
sought his wise counsel. People flocked to his tomb immediately after
his burial; miracles were reported promptly. In 1690 Paschal was
canonized; in 1897 he was named patron of eucharistic congresses and
societies.
Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament occupied much of St. Francis’
energy. Most of his letters were to promote devotion to the Eucharist.
Paschal shared that concern. An hour in prayer before our Lord in the
Eucharist could teach all of us a great deal. Some holy and busy
Catholics today find that their work is enriched by those minutes
regularly spent in prayer and meditation.
"Meditate well on this: Seek God above all things. It is right for you
to seek God before and above everything else, because the majesty of
God wishes you to receive what you ask for. This will also make you
more ready to serve God and will enable you to love him more perfectly"
(St. Paschal).
(AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 18:
Pope
St. John I (d. 526)
Pope John I inherited the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of
Christ. Italy had been ruled for 30 years by an emperor who espoused
the heresy, though he treated the empire’s Catholics with toleration.
His policy changed at about the time the young John was elected pope.
When the eastern emperor began imposing severe measures on the Arians
of his area, the western emperor forced John to head a delegation to
the East to soften the measures against the heretics. Little is known
of the manner or outcome of the negotiations — designed to secure
continued toleration of Catholics in the West. When John returned to
Rome, he found that the emperor had begun to suspect his friendship
with his eastern rival. On his way home, John was imprisoned when he
reached Ravenna because the emperor suspected a conspiracy against his
throne. Shortly after his imprisonment, John died, apparently from the
treatment he had received.
We cannot choose the issues for which we have to suffer and perhaps
die. John I suffered because of a power-conscious emperor. Jesus
suffered because of the suspicions of those who were threatened by his
freedom, openness and powerlessness. “If you find that the world hates
you, know it has hated me before you.” “Martyrdom makes disciples like
their Master, who willingly accepted death for the salvation of the
world, and through it they are made like him by the shedding of blood.
Therefore, the Church considers it the highest gift and supreme test of
love. And while it is given to few, all however must be prepared to
confess Christ before humanity and to follow him along the way of the
cross amid the persecutions which the Church never lacks” (Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, 42). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 19:
St.
Theophilus of Corte (1676-1740)
If we expect saints to do marvellous things
continually and to leave us many memorable quotes, we are bound to be
disappointed with St. Theophilus. The mystery of God's grace in a
person's life, however, has a beauty all its own. Theophilus was born
in Corsica of rich and noble parents. As a young man he entered the
Franciscans and soon showed his love for solitude and prayer. After
admirably completing his studies, he was ordained and assigned to a
retreat house near Subiaco. Inspired by the austere life of the
Franciscans there, he founded other such houses in Corsica and Tuscany.
Over the years, he became famous for his preaching as well as his
missionary efforts. Though he was always somewhat sickly, Theophilus
generously served the needs of God's people in the confessional, in the
sickroom and at the graveside. Worn out by his labours, he died on June
17, 1740. He was canonized in 1930.
There is a certain dynamism in all the saints that
prompts them to find ever more selfless ways of responding to God's
grace. As time went on, Theophilus gave more and more single-hearted
service to God and to God's sons and daughters. Honouring the saints
will make no sense unless we are thus drawn to live as generously as
they did. Their holiness can never substitute for our own. Francis used
to say, "Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up to now
we have made little or no progress" (1 Celano, #193). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 20:
St.
Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)
Most of the saints suffer great personal opposition, even persecution. Bernardine, by contrast, seems more like a human dynamo who simply took
on the needs of the world. He was the greatest preacher of his time,
journeying across Italy, calming strife-torn cities, attacking the
paganism he found rampant, attracting crowds of 30,000, following St.
Francis’s admonition to preach about “vice and virtue, punishment and
glory.” Compared with St. Paul by the pope, Bernardine had a keen
intuition of the needs of the time, along with solid holiness and
boundless energy and joy. He accomplished all this despite having a
very weak and hoarse voice, miraculously improved later because of his
devotion to Mary. When he was 20, the plague was at its height in his
hometown, Siena. Sometimes as many as 20 people died in one day at the
hospital. Bernardine offered to run the hospital and, with the help of
other young men, nursed patients there for four months. He escaped the
plague but was so exhausted that a fever confined him for several
months. He spent another year caring for a beloved aunt (her parents
had died when he was a child) and at her death began to fast and pray
to know God’s will for him. At 22, he entered the Franciscan Order and
was ordained two years later. For almost a dozen years he lived in
solitude and prayer, but his gifts ultimately caused him to be sent to
preach. He always travelled on foot, sometimes speaking for hours in
one place, then doing the same in another town. Especially known for
his devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, Bernardine devised a
symbol—IHS, the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek, in
Gothic letters on a blazing sun. This was to displace the superstitious
symbols of the day, as well as the insignia of factions (for example,
Guelphs and Ghibellines). The devotion spread, and the symbol began to
appear in churches, homes and public buildings. Opposition arose from
those who thought it a dangerous innovation. Three attempts were made
to have the pope take action against him, but Bernardine’s holiness,
orthodoxy and intelligence were evidence of his faithfulness. General
of a branch of the Franciscan Order, the Friars of the Strict
Observance, he strongly emphasized scholarship and further study of
theology and canon law. When he started there were 300 friars in the
community; when he died there were 4,000. He returned to preaching the
last two years of his life, dying while travelling.
Another dynamic saint once said, “...I will not be a burden, for I want
not what is yours, but you.... I will most gladly spend and be utterly
spent for your sakes” (2 Corinthians 12:14). There is danger that we
see only the whirlwind of activity in the Bernardines of faith—taking
care of the sick, preaching, studying, administering, always
driving—and forget the source of their energy. We should not say that
Bernardine could have been a great contemplative if he had had the
chance. He had the chance, every day, and he took it.
(AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 21:
St.
Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions (d. 1915-1928)
Like Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, S.J., Cristóbal and
his 24 companion martyrs lived under a very anti-Catholic government in Mexico,
one determined to weaken the Catholic faith of its people. Churches, schools and
seminaries were closed; foreign clergy were expelled. Cristóbal established a
clandestine seminary at Totatiche, Jalisco. Magallanes and the other priests
were forced to minister secretly to Catholics during the presidency of Plutarco
Calles (1924-28). All of these martyrs except three were diocesan priests.
David, Manuel and Salvador were laymen who died with their parish priest, Luis
Batis. All of these martyrs belonged to the Cristero movement, pledging their
allegiance to Christ and to the Church that he established to spread the Good
News in society — even if Mexico's leaders once made it a crime to receive Baptism
or celebrate the Mass. These martyrs did not die as a single group but in eight
Mexican states, with Jalisco and Zacatecas having the largest number. They were
beatified in 1992 and canonized eight years later.
Every martyr realizes how to avoid execution but refuses to pay the
high price of doing so. A clear conscience was more valuable than a long life.
We may be tempted to compromise our faith while telling ourselves that we are
simply being realistic, dealing with situations as we find them. Is survival
really the ultimate value? Do our concrete, daily choices reflect our deepest
values, the ones that allow us to “tick” the way we do? Anyone can imagine
situations in which being a follower of Jesus is easier than the present
situation. Saints remind us that our daily choices, especially in adverse
circumstances, form the pattern of our lives. During his homily at the
canonization Mass on May 21, 2000, Pope John Paul II addressed the Mexican men,
women and children present in Rome and said: “After the harsh trials that the
Church endured in Mexico during those turbulent years, today Mexican Christians,
encouraged by the witness of these witnesses to the faith, can live in peace and
harmony, contribute the wealth of gospel values to society. The Church grows and
advances, since she is the crucible in which many priestly and religious
vocations are born, where families are formed according to God's plan, and where
young people, a substantial part of the Mexican population, can grow with the
hope of a better future. May the shining example of Cristóbal Magallanes and his
companion martyrs help you to make a renewed commitment of fidelity to God,
which can continue to transform Mexican society so that justice, fraternity and
harmony will prevail among all.” (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 22:
St. Rita of
Cascia (1381-1457)
Like Elizabeth Ann Seton, Rita of Cascia was a wife,
mother, widow and member of a religious community. Her holiness was reflected in
each phase of her life. Born at Roccaporena in central Italy, Rita wanted to
become a nun but was pressured at a young age into marrying a harsh and cruel
man. During her 18-year marriage, she bore and raised two sons. After her
husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died, Rita tried to join the
Augustinian nuns in Cascia. Unsuccessful at first because she was a widow, Rita
eventually succeeded. Over the years, her austerity, prayerfulness and charity
became legendary. When she developed wounds on her forehead, people quickly
associated them with the wounds from Christ's crown of thorns. She meditated
frequently on Christ's passion. Her care for the sick nuns was especially
loving. She also counselled lay people who came to her monastery. Beatified in
1626, Rita was not canonized until 1900. She has acquired the reputation,
together with St. Jude, as a saint of impossible cases. Many people visit her
tomb each year.
Although we can easily imagine an ideal world in which to live out
our baptismal vocation, such a world does not exist. An “If only ….” approach to
holiness never quite gets underway, never produces the fruit that God has a
right to expect. Rita became holy because she made choices that reflected her
Baptism and her growth as a disciple of Jesus. Her overarching, lifelong choice
was to cooperate generously with God's grace, but many small choices were needed
to make that happen. Few of those choices were made in ideal circumstances—not
even when Rita became an Augustinian nun. For the Baptism of adults and for all
the baptized at the Easter Vigil, three questions are asked: “Do you reject sin
so as to live in the freedom of God's children? Do you reject the glamour of
evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin? Do you reject Satan, father of sin and
prince of darkness?” (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 23:
St. Felix of
Cantalice (1515-1587)
Felix was the first Franciscan Capuchin
ever canonized. In fact, when he was born, the Capuchins did not yet exist as a
distinct group within the Franciscans. Born of humble, God-fearing parents in
the Rieti Valley, Felix worked as a farmhand and a shepherd until he was 28. He
developed the habit of praying while he worked. In 1543 he joined the Capuchins.
When the guardian explained the hardships of that way of life, Felix answered:
"Father, the austerity of your Order does not frighten me. I hope, with God’s
help, to overcome all the difficulties which will arise from my own weakness."
Three years later Felix was assigned to the friary in Rome as its official
beggar. Because he was a model of simplicity and charity, he edified many people
during the 42 years he performed that service for his confreres. As he made his
rounds, he worked to convert hardened sinners and to feed the poor as did his
good friend, St. Philip Neri, who founded the Oratory, a community of priests
serving the poor of Rome. When Felix wasn’t talking on his rounds, he was
praying the rosary. The people named him "Brother Deo Gratias" (thanks be to
God) because he was always using that blessing. When Felix was an old man, his
superior had to order him to wear sandals to protect his health. Around the same
time a certain cardinal offered to suggest to Felix’s superiors that he be freed
of begging so that he could devote more time to prayer. Felix talked the
cardinal out of that idea. Felix was canonized in 1712.
Grateful people
make good beggars. Francis told his friars that if they gave the world good
example, the world would support them. Felix’s life proves the truth of that
advice. In referring all blessings back to their source (God), Felix encouraged
people to works of charity for the friars and for others. "And let us refer all
good to the most high and supreme lord God, and acknowledge that every good is
His, and thank Him for everything, [He] from Whom all good things come. And may
He, the Highest and Supreme, Who alone is true God, have and be given and
receive every honour and reverence, every praise and blessing, every thanks and
glory, for every good is His, He Who alone is good. And when we see or hear an
evil [person] speak or act or blaspheme God, let us speak well and act well and
praise God (cf. Rom 12:21), Who is blessed forever (Rom 1:25)" (St. Francis,
Rule of 1221, Ch. 17). (AmericanCatholic.org)
Saint William
of Rochester:
This 12th century saint was a Scottish fisherman from Perth. As a young
man he experienced a conversion and devoted himself to caring for
orphans and the poor. One child in his care had been abandoned as a
baby on a church doorstep. In 1201 he set off on a pilgrimage to the
Holy Land, but only reached Rochester in Kent, when he was set upon by
thieves and murdered. His body was found by a madwoman. She covered him
in honeysuckle and was apparently cured. William was buried in
Rochester cathedral where many other miracles soon began to occur. In
1256 bishop Laurence obtained permission from the Pope to set up an
official shrine. Offerings there contributed to the rebuilding work of
the cathedral. There were many bequests made at the shrine including
gifts from King Edward I in 1300, and Queen Philippa in 1352. St
William's Hospital, on the road to Maidstone, marks the place of his
death. (Saints)
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May 24:
Mary
Help of Christians (picture below: Lepanto)
Pope Pius VII, after he returned
to Rome in 1815 from several years of captivity imposed by the emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte, instituted this feast day in honour of the
assistance which the Blessed Virgin had accorded the Church. The
occasion of the Pope’s exile and captivity was the emperor’s resistance
to the authority of the Vicar of Christ, superior before God to his
own. A decree of the emperor in 1809 had ordered that the papal States
be joined to the French empire; violence
followed in Rome, when the
French tricolor flag was set up and the papal arms broken. The Pope’s
very courageous bull of excommunication of the emperor was made public
in the following month. Then, one morning, a group of armed men entered
the Quirinal Palace by breaking down the doors with axes, and its
leader announced that the pope must either renounce his sovereignty
over Rome or be taken by the troop to a French General, who would
communicate to him his next destination. The sacrilegious seizure of
his person was executed, and he spent five years in exile in various
places, finally at Fontainebleau, France. After 1815 the clemency of
the great Pope towards the Emperor and his family is a matter of
history; the latter were afforded a secure refuge in Rome itself, when
Napoleon was exiled. And for the Emperor himself, relegated to the
island of Saint Helena, the Pope pleaded for clemency with the
Prince-Regent of England. When Napoleon died, it was with the
assistance of chaplains sent to him by Pius VII. Our Lady, Help of
Christians, was made better known by Saint John Bosco, who consecrated
his Order of Salesian priests to Her. And in Turin, beginning in 1865,
he began to raise in Her honor a vast and magnificent church. Without
ever having a penny in advance, always the needed sums of money arrived
in time. About three-fourths of the gifts offered were presented in
thanksgiving for favors obtained through Her intercession. An example
of her intercession is as follows: A certain Senator of the Kingdom of
Italy was ill; Don Bosco went to visit him and found him very
discouraged and speaking of his imminent death. “What would you do,”
said Don Bosco, “if Our Lady Auxiliatrix obtained your cure from God?”
“My cure! Well, I would give two thousand francs a month for Her
church, for six months.” “Be of good courage,” said the Saint on
rising; “I will see that prayers are said for you.” Three days later,
Baron Gotta, perfectly cured, went to Don Bosco to make his first
payment, giving more than he had promised; and he did not cease to
outdo himself in generosity.
(L’histoire ecclésiastique)
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi (1566-1607)
Mary Magdalene de Pazzi was born into a noble family in
Florence in 1566. The normal course would have been for Catherine de
Pazzi to have married wealth and enjoyed comfort, but she chose to
follow her own path. At nine she learned to meditate from the family
confessor. She made her first Communion at the then-early age of 10 and
made a vow of virginity one month later. When 16, she entered the
Carmelite convent in Florence because she could receive Communion daily
there. Catherine had taken the name Mary Magdalene and had been a
novice for a year when she became critically ill. Death seemed near so
her superiors let her make her profession of vows from a cot in the
chapel in a private ceremony. Immediately after, she fell into an
ecstasy that lasted about two hours. This was repeated after Communion
on the following 40 mornings. These ecstasies were rich experiences of
union with God and contained marvellous insights into divine truths. As
a safeguard against deception and to preserve the revelations, her
confessor asked Mary Magdalene to dictate her experiences to sister
secretaries. Over the next six years, five large volumes were filled.
The first three books record ecstasies from May of 1584 through
Pentecost week the following year. This week was a preparation for a
severe five-year trial. The fourth book records that trial and the
fifth is a collection of letters concerning reform and renewal. Another
book, Admonitions, is a collection of her sayings arising from her
experiences in the formation of women religious. The extraordinary was
ordinary for this saint. She read the thoughts of others and predicted
future events. During her lifetime, she appeared to several persons in
distant places and cured a number of sick people. It would be easy to
dwell on the ecstasies and pretend that Mary Magdalene only had
spiritual highs. This is far from true. It seems that God permitted her
this special closeness to prepare her for the five years of desolation
that followed when she experienced spiritual dryness. She was plunged
into a state of darkness in which she saw nothing but what was horrible
in herself and all around her. She had violent temptations and endured
great physical suffering. She died in 1607 at 41, and was canonized in
1669. (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 25:
St. Bede the
Venerable (672?-735)
Bede is one of the few saints
honoured as such even during his lifetime. His writings were filled with such
faith and learning that even while he was still alive, a Church council ordered
them to be read publicly in the churches. At an early age Bede was entrusted to
the care of the abbot of the Monastery of St. Paul, Jarrow. The happy
combination of genius and the instruction of scholarly, saintly monks produced a
saint and an
extraordinary scholar, perhaps the most outstanding one of his day.
He was deeply versed in all the sciences of his times: natural philosophy, the
philosophical principles of Aristotle, astronomy, arithmetic, grammar,
ecclesiastical history, the lives of the saints and, especially, Holy Scripture.
From the time of his ordination to the priesthood at 30 (he had been ordained
deacon at 19) till his death, he was ever occupied with learning, writing and
teaching. Besides the many books that he copied, he composed 45 of his own,
including 30 commentaries on books of the Bible. Although eagerly sought by
kings and other notables, even Pope Sergius, Bede managed to remain in his own
monastery till his death. Only once did he leave for a few months in order to
teach in the school of the archbishop of York. Bede died in 735 praying his
favourite prayer: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit. As in the beginning, so now, and forever.” His Ecclesiastical History of
the English People is commonly regarded as of decisive importance in the art and
science of writing history. A golden age was coming to an end at the time of
Bede’s death: It had fulfilled its purpose of preparing Western Christianity to
assimilate the non-Roman barbarian North. Bede recognized the opening to a new
day in the life of the Church even as it was happening.
Though his History is the greatest legacy Bede has left us,
his work in all the sciences (especially in Scripture) should not be overlooked.
During his last Lent, he worked on a translation of the Gospel of St. John into
English, completing it the day he died. But of this work “to break the word to
the poor and unlearned” nothing remains today. “We have not, it seems to me,
amid all our discoveries, invented as yet anything better than the Christian
life which Bede lived, and the Christian death which he died” (C. Plummer,
editor of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 26:
Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595)
Philip Neri was a sign of contradiction, combining popularity with
piety against the background of a corrupt Rome and a disinterested clergy, the
whole post-Renaissance malaise. At an early age, he abandoned the chance to
become a businessman, moved to Rome from Florence and devoted his life and
individuality to God. After three years
of
philosophy and theology studies, he gave up any thought of ordination. The next
13 years were spent in a vocation unusual at the time—that of a layperson
actively engaged in prayer and the apostolate. As the Council of Trent was
reforming the Church on a doctrinal level, Philip’s appealing personality was
winning him friends from all levels of society, from beggars to cardinals. He
rapidly gathered around himself a group of laypersons won over by his audacious
spirituality. Initially they met as an informal prayer and discussion group, and
also served poor people in Rome. At the urging of his confessor, he was ordained
priest and soon became an outstanding confessor, gifted with the knack of
piercing the pretences and illusions of others, though always in a charitable
manner and often with a joke. He arranged talks, discussions and prayers for his
penitents in a room above the church. He sometimes led “excursions” to other
churches, often with music and a picnic on the way. Some of his followers became
priests and lived together in community. This was the beginning of the Oratory,
the religious institute he founded. A feature of their life was a daily
afternoon service of four informal talks, with vernacular hymns and prayers.
Giovanni Palestrina was one of Philip’s followers, and composed music for the
services. The Oratory was finally approved after suffering through a period of
accusations of being an assembly of heretics, where laypersons preached and sang
vernacular hymns! Philip’s advice was sought by many of the prominent figures of
his day. He is one of the influential figures of the Counter-Reformation, mainly
for converting to personal holiness many of the influential people within the
Church itself. His characteristic virtues were humility and gaiety. (Cardinal
Newman founded the first English-speaking house of the Oratory.)
Many people wrongly feel that such an attractive and jocular
personality as Philip’s cannot be combined with an intense spirituality.
Philip’s life melts our rigid, narrow views of piety. His approach to sanctity
was truly catholic, all-embracing and accompanied by a good laugh. Philip always
wanted his followers to become not less but more human through their striving
for holiness. Philip Neri prayed, "Let me get through today, and I shall not
fear tomorrow." (AmericanCatholic.org)
St
Philip Neri, priest (1515-1595). Born in Florence, he came
to Rome and began to devote himself to work among the young men, while
at the same time he led a Christian life and formed a brotherhood to
look after the sick poor. In 1552 he became a priest and formed the
Oratory in which he held services consisting of spiritual readings and
hymns, as well as performing charitable works. He was outstanding for
love of his neighbour, an evangelical simplicity and joyfulness in the
service of God. He was noted for his zeal in converting sinners through
the Sacrament of Penance, and he was a catechist and spiritual guide of
great talent. The Oratory is present in many countries (though not
Australia), and one of its most illustrious members was Cardinal Newman
who began the Oratory in England. (Saints)
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May 27:
St. Augustine of Canterbury (d. 605?)
In the year 596 a small party of some 40 monks set out from Rome to evangelize
the Anglo-Saxons in England. Leading the group was Augustine, the prior of their
monastery in Rome. Hardly had he and his men reached Gaul (France) when they
heard stories of the ferocity of the Anglo-Saxons and of the treacherous waters
of the English
Channel. Augustine returned to Rome and to the pope who had sent
them — St. Gregory the Great — only to be assured by him that their fears were
groundless. Augustine again set out and this time the group crossed the English
Channel and landed in the territory of Kent, ruled by King Ethelbert, a pagan
married to a Christian. Ethelbert received them kindly, set up a residence for
them in Canterbury and within the year, on Pentecost Sunday, 597, was himself
baptized. After being consecrated a bishop in France, Augustine returned to
Canterbury, where he founded his see. He constructed a church and monastery near
where the present cathedral, begun in 1070, now stands. As the faith spread,
additional sees were established at London and Rochester. Work was sometimes
slow and Augustine did not always meet with success. Attempts to reconcile the
Anglo-Saxon Christians with the original Briton Christians (who had been driven
into western England by Anglo-Saxon invaders) ended in dismal failure. Augustine
failed to convince the Britons to give up certain Celtic customs at variance
with Rome and to forget their bitterness, helping him evangelize their
Anglo-Saxon conquerors Labouring patiently, Augustine wisely heeded the
missionary principles — quite enlightened for the times — suggested by Pope Gregory
the Great: purify rather than destroy pagan temples and customs; let pagan rites
and festivals be taken over into Christian feasts; retain local customs as far
as possible. The limited success Augustine achieved in England before his death
in 605, a short eight years after he arrived in England, would eventually bear
fruit long after in the conversion of England. Truly Augustine of Canterbury can
be called the “Apostle of England.”
Augustine of Canterbury comes across today as a very human saint, one who could
suffer like many of us from a failure of nerve. For example, his first venture
to England ended in a big U-turn back to Rome. He made mistakes and met failure
in his peacemaking attempts with the Briton Christians. He often wrote to Rome
for decisions on matters he could have decided on his own had he been more
self-assured. He even received mild warnings against pride from Pope Gregory,
who cautioned him to “fear lest, amidst the wonders that are done, the weak mind
be puffed up by self-esteem.” Augustine’s perseverance amidst obstacles and only
partial success teaches today’s apostles and pioneers to struggle on despite
frustrations and be satisfied with gradual advances. In a letter to Augustine,
Pope Gregory the Great wrote: "He who would climb to a lofty height must go by
steps, not leaps." (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 28:
St. Mary Ann
of Jesus of Paredes (1614-1645)
Mary Ann grew close to God and his people during
her short life. The youngest of eight, Mary Ann was born in Quito, Ecuador,
which had been brought under Spanish control in 1534. She joined the Secular
Franciscans
and led a life of prayer and penance at home, leaving her parents’
house only to go to church and to perform some work of charity. She established
in Quito a clinic and a school for Africans and indigenous Americans. When a
plague broke out, she nursed the sick and died shortly thereafter. She was
canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
Francis of Assisi overcame himself (and his
upbringing) when he kissed the man afflicted with leprosy. If our self-denial
does not lead to charity, the penance is being practised for the wrong reason.
The penances of Mary Ann made her more sensitive to the needs of others and more
courageous in trying to serve those needs. "At times when especially impelled by
love for God and fellowmen, she afflicted herself severely to expiate the sins
of others. Oblivious then to the world around her and wrapped in ecstasy, she
had a foretaste of eternal happiness. Thus transformed and enriched by God's
grace, she was filled with zeal to care not only for her own salvation, but also
for that of others to the utmost of her ability. She generously relieved the
miseries of the poor and soothed the pains of the sick. And when severe public
disasters such as earthquakes and plagues terrified and afflicted her fellow
citizens, she strove by prayer, expiation, and the offering of her own life to
obtain from the Father of mercies what she could not accomplish by human effort"
(Pope Pius XII). (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 29:
St. Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865)
The legacy of Madeleine Sophie Barat can be found in the more than 100 schools
operated by her Society of the Sacred Heart, institutions known for the quality
of the education made available to the young. Sophie herself received an
extensive education, thanks to her brother, Louis, 11 years older and her
godfather at Baptism. Himself a seminarian, he decided that his younger sister
would likewise learn Latin, Greek, history, physics and mathematics — always
without interruption and with a minimum of companionship. By age 15, she had
received a thorough exposure to the Bible, the teachings of the Fathers of the
Church and theology. Despite the oppressive regime Louis imposed, young Sophie
thrived and developed a genuine love of learning. Meanwhile, this was the time
of the French Revolution and of the suppression of Christian schools. The
education of the young, particularly young girls, was in a troubled state. At
the same time, Sophie, who had concluded that she was called to the religious
life, was persuaded to begin her life as a nun and as a teacher. She founded the
Society of the Sacred Heart, which would focus on schools for the poor as well
as boarding schools for young women of means; today, co-ed Sacred Heart schools
can be found as well as schools exclusively for boys. In 1826, her Society of
the Sacred Heart received formal papal approval. By then she had served as
superior at a number of convents. In 1865, she was stricken with paralysis; she
died that year on the feast of the Ascension. Madeleine Sophie Barat was
canonized in 1925.
Madeleine Sophie Barat lived in turbulent times. She was only 10 when the Reign
of Terror began. In the wake of the French Revolution, rich and poor both
suffered before some semblance of normality returned to France. Born to some
degree of privilege, she received a good education. It grieved her that the same
opportunity was being denied to other young girls, and she devoted herself to
educating them, whether poor or well- to-do. We who live in an affluent country
can follow her example by helping to ensure to others the blessings we have
enjoyed. (AmericanCatholic.org)
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May 30:
St.
Gregory VII (1020-1085)
The tenth
century and the first half of the eleventh were dark days for the
Church, partly because the papacy was the pawn of various Roman
families. In 1049, things began to change when Pope Leo IX, a reformer,
was elected. He brought a young monk named Hildebrand to Rome as his
counsellor and special representative on important missions. He was to
become Gregory VII. Three evils plagued the Church then: simony (the
buying and selling of sacred offices and things), the unlawful marriage
of the clergy and lay investiture (kings and nobles controlling the
appointment of Church officials). To all of these Hildebrand directed
his reformer’s attention, first as counsellor to the popes and later
(1073-1085) as pope himself. Gregory’s papal letters stress the role of
bishop of Rome as the vicar of Christ and the visible centre of unity
in the Church. He is well known for his long dispute with Holy Roman
Emperor Henry IV over who should control the selection of bishops and
abbots. Gregory fiercely resisted any attack on the liberty of the
Church. For this he suffered and finally died in exile. He said, “I
have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore I die in exile.”
Thirty years later the Church finally won its struggle against lay
investiture.
The Gregorian Reform, a
milestone in the history of Christ’s Church, was named after this man
who tried to extricate the papacy and the whole Church from undue
control by civil rulers. Against an unhealthy Church nationalism in
some areas, Gregory reasserted the unity of the whole Church based on
Christ and expressed in the bishop of Rome, the successor of St. Peter.
Gregory has much to say to our age in which civil or national religion
is making subtle demands: “In every country, even the poorest of women
is permitted to take a lawful husband according to the law of the land
and by her own choice; but, through the desires and evil practices of
the wicked, Holy Church, the bride of God and mother of us all, is not
permitted lawfully to cling to her spouse on earth in accordance with
divine law and her own will” (A Call to the Faithful).
St. Joan of Arc The Maid of
Orleans was the daughter of a peasant, born in Domremy in Lorraine, in
1412. From the age of 13 she began hearing heavenly voices telling her
to take up arms and lead the French army against the English who had
invaded the country. She obtained an audience with the the Dauphin,
Charles, and after a searching interview, he entrusted her with a staff
of attendants and a suit of armour. They joined the army at Blois and
ten days later routed the English who had been besieging Orleans.
Further victories followed and Charles was crowned King at Rouen.
However, Joan was captured by the Burgundians and handed over to the
English. She was tried by a church court, presided over by the Bishop
of Beauvais, on charges of witchcraft and heresy. During 15 sessions,
St Joan defended herself and her 'heavenly voices'. She was condemned a
a heretic and burnt at the stake in 1431. The case was tried again in
1456 and she was found innocent. After centuries of popular veneration
she was canonised in 1920. St Joan was declared Patron of France in
1922.
(Saints)
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May 31:
St. Mechtildis
Benedictine abbess and miracle worker. She was the daughter of
Count Berthold of Andechs, in modem Bavaria, Germany. The count and his wife,
Sophia, founded a monastery on their estate at Diessen, Bavaria, and placed
Mechtildis there at the age of five. She became a Benedictine nun, and then
abbess. In 1153 the bishop of Augsburg placed her in charge of Edelstetten
Abbey. Mechtildis was revered for her mystical gifts and miracles. She died at
Diessen on May 31. (www.Catholic.org)
Saint
Petronilla Little is known about this early Roman martyr,
except that she refused to marry a nobleman named Flaccus in the first
century. He threatened to kill her but she died naturally after three
days fasting. She was a member of the Domitilla family and was buried
in their catacomb. During the eighth century her sarcophagus was moved
to St Peter's. Her chapel there was later used by the kings of France
and by the Popes who employed Michelangelo. Her image is often depicted
in English mediaeval stained glass windows and screens. Her usual
emblem is a set of keys. presumably borrowed from St Peter's. On this
day, Mass is offered in the chapel for France and is attended by French
residents in Rome. (Saints)
The Visitation
This is a fairly late feast, going back only to
the 13th or 14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to
pray for unity. The present date of celebration was set in 1969 in order to
follow the Annunciation of the Lord (March 25) and
precede
the Birthday of John the Baptist (June 24). Like most feasts of Mary, it is
closely connected with Jesus and his saving work. The more visible actors in the
visitation drama (see Luke 1:39-45) are Mary and Elizabeth. However, Jesus and
John the Baptist steal the scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with
joy — the joy of messianic salvation. Elizabeth, in turn, is filled with the Holy
Spirit and addresses words of praise to Mary — words that echo down through the
ages. It is helpful to recall that we do not have a journalist’s account of this
meeting. Rather, Luke, speaking for the Church, gives a prayerful poet’s
rendition of the scene. Elizabeth’s praise of Mary as “the mother of my Lord”
can be viewed as the earliest Church’s devotion to Mary. As with all authentic
devotion to Mary, Elizabeth’s (the Church’s) words first praise God for what God
has done to Mary. Only secondly does she praise Mary for trusting God’s words.
Then comes the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Here Mary herself (like the Church)
traces all her greatness to God.
“Moved by charity, therefore, Mary goes to the
house of her kinswoman.... While every word of Elizabeth’s is filled with
meaning, her final words would seem to have a fundamental importance: ‘And
blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been
spoken to her from the Lord’ (Luke 1:45). These words can be linked with the
title ‘full of grace’ of the angel’s greeting. Both of these texts reveal an
essential Mariological content, namely the truth about Mary, who has become
really present in the mystery of Christ precisely because she ‘has believed.’
The fullness of grace announced by the angel means the gift of God himself.
Mary’s faith, proclaimed by Elizabeth at the visitation
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