Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

Forty Martyrs of Sebaste – March 10th


Under the Emperor Licinius, these martyrs suffered at Sebaste in Armenia. When all the soldiers of their legion were commanded to offer sacrifice to the gods, these forty heroes bravely refused. They said they would willingly die for their country but they would never commit the sin of offering sacrifice to false gods. In punishment, they were stripped of their clothes and lowered into a little pond. It was winter time and very cold. They were to be left there all night to freeze to death. "It will be a terrible night," they exclaimed, ""but it will win us a happy eternity!"


The pagans kept trying to persuade them to give up their faith in the true God. If they would, they could jump into a warm bath prepared nearby. At last, one soldier gave in to the temptation. But no sooner did he enter the warm bath than he died!


A pagan guard had a vision right then of blessed spirits descending from heaven with thirty-nine crowns. He was converted himself, and casting of his clothes, he joined the other thirty-nine. So the number of forty martyrs was complete again, and the Church honors these brave heroes of Christ as saints.


Let us admire the courage of these soldiers and learn from them how to bear without complaining the heat or the cold.

St. Dominic Savio

St. Dominic Savio - Patron of Choir Boys - March 9th


St. Dominic Savio was born in Italy in 1842. One day when he was just four, he disappeared and his good mother went looking for him. She found the little fellow in a corner praying with his hands joined and his head bowed. Already he knew all his prayers by heart. At five, he was an altar boy. When he was seven, he received his First Holy Communion. On that solemn day he chose a motto: "Death, but not sin!" And he kept it always.


"A teenager such as Dominic, who bravely struggled to keep his innocence from baptism to the end of his life, is really a saint," said Pope St. Pius X.


Yes, Dominic was an ordinary boy with an extraordinary love for God.


At the age of twelve, Dominic entered the school run by St. John Bosco. Don Bosco examined his first and at the end of the questions, Dominic asked, "What do you think of me?"


"I think you’re good material," answered the priest, with a big smile.


"Well, then," said Dominic, "you are a good tailor, so if the material is good, take me and make a new suit out of me for Our Lord!"


Everyone in the school soon saw from the way he prayed that this boy was different. He greatly loved all the boys and even though he was younger, he used to worry about them. He was afraid that they would lose the grace of God by sinning.


One day, a fellow brought a magazine full of bad pictures to school. In a minute, a group of boys had gathered around him to see it. "What’s up?" wondered Dominic and he, too, went to look. Just one peek was enough for him. He grabbed the magazine and tore it to pieces! "Poor us!" he cried in the meantime, "Did God give us eyes to look at such things as this? Aren’t you ashamed?"


"Oh, we ere just looking at these pictures for the fun of it," said one boy.


"Sure, for fun," answered Dominic, "and in the meantime you’re preparing yourselves to go to hell!"


"Oh, what’s so wrong about looking at these pictures anyway?" another fellow demanded.


Dominic had a ready answer. "If you don’t see anything wrong," he said sadly, "this is even worse. It means you’re used to looking at shameful things!"


No one said anything after that. They all realized that Dominic was right.


Another time he stopped a terrific stone-throwing fight between two angry boys. Holding up a little crucifix between them, he said, ‘Before you fight, look as this and say, ‘Jesus Christ was innocent and He died forgiving His murderers. I am a sinner, and I am going to hurt Him by not forgiving my enemies.’ Then you can start-and throw your first stone at me!"


The two boys were so ashamed of themselves that they made up and promised to go to confession, besides.


One day Dominic began to feel sick and was sent home to get better. There he grew worse, instead, and received the last Sacraments. He was only fifteen then but he did not fear death. In fact, he was overjoyed at the thought of going to Heaven. Just before he died, he tried to sit up. "Goodbye," he murmured to his good father. Suddenly his face lit up with a smile of great joy and happiness. "I am seeing such wonderful things!’ he exclaimed. Then he spoke no more, for he had gone to Heaven.


Let us make Dominic’s motto, "Death, but not sin" our motto, too.

St. John of God

St. John of God - Patron of Hospitals, of the Sick, and of Nurses - March 8th


St. John was born in Portugal. His parents were poor, but very pious. John was a shepherd for a while, then a soldier, and then a storekeeper. All this time he led a bad life. His friendship with sinful men had made him lose his fear of offending God.


When he was forty, a sermon he heard made him feel very sorry for the life he was living. He promised to make up for it. He sold the little that he had and gave to the money to the poor. Then he began a new life. Day and night he prayed and did hard penances. His great charity led him to give himself as a servant to a poor family sent into exile.


When he was forty-five, John got a house where he could care for the sick who were too poor to go to the hospital. He founded a religious order for the care of the poor. The members are called Brothers of St. John of God.


One night, St. John found a poor man on the streets who seemed half-dead. He carried him to his hospital. There he put him to bed and began to bathe him, as was his custom. But when he reached his feet, how surprised he was to see that the man’s feet seemed to be pierced like Our Lord’s. John looked up and saw that the poor man was really Jesus Himself! “John,” said Our Lord, “everything you do for the poor in My name you do for me.” Then Jesus disappeared and St. John was left with a great joy in his heart.


After ten years of hard work in his hospital, St. John became sick himself. He died on his knees in front of the alter.


St. John of god turned from his bad way of living to lead a holt life because of one sermon he heard and thought much about. We, too, could become better if we thought more about the good things we read.

St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas - Patron of Universities, Colleges, and Schools - March 7th


St. Thomas Aquinas was the son of a noble family of Italy. Thomas was very, very intelligent, but he was never proud about it. He knew that his mind was a gift from God.


When he was nineteen, he entered the Dominican Order, even though his family was very much against it. When he was on his way to Paris to study, his angry brothers captured him and kept him a prisoner in one of their castles for two years. During that time they did all they could to make him change his mind. They even sent bad women to his room to tempt him. But Thomas grabbed a burning brand from the fireplace and chased her away! His sister also came to try to give up his vocation. But Thomas spoke so beautifully about the joy of serving God that it was she who changed her mind and decided to give her life to God! At last the Saint was set free.


Because this lovable Saint was chubby and a bit quiet, he was teased and called the “dumb ox” while he was a student. Yet Thomas never grew angry. He just offered it all to Jesus and Mary, whom he loved with all his heart.


St. Thomas wrote so well about God that people all over the world have used his books for hundreds of years now. The secret of his success was that he never began to write anything without first praying.


When traveling to see the Pope, Thomas became ill. Just before he died, a brother asked him what was the best way of living without offending God. Thomas answered, “He who lives in the presence of God and loves Him will never be separated from Him by sin.”


If we want to do well in school, let us imitate St. Thomas by praying and trying our very best.

Sts. Felicitas and Perpetua

Sts. Felicitas and Perpetua - St. Felicitas, Patroness for Motherhood - March 6th


Perpetua was a young wife who lived long ago in the early days of the great Roman Empire. Her father was a rich nobleman, so Perpetua had everything she wanted. But she loved Jesus more than anything in this world.


Perpetua’s father was a pagan, and he did everything possible to make her give up her Christian faith to save her life. But Perpetua did not give in, no matter how her father cried and begged and threatened her. At last, he fell onto his knees and kissed her hands, calling her “Lady,” instead of “daughter.” Still Perpetua did not give up her resolution to be loyal to Christ - not even when she was asked to do it for the sake of her little baby.


She and her Christian maid, Felicitas, were condemned to death.


Felicitas was also a young wife, and while she was in prison for her Faith, she became a mother, too. Her little baby was at once adopted by a good Christian women. Felicitas was happy because now she could die as a martyr.


Perpetua and Felicitas bravely faced martyrdom together, encouraging and helping each other.


The martyrs were faithful to Christ as to make great sacrifices and to give up their lives for Him. Let us learn from them at least to make cheerfully the little sacrifices that come our way.

St. John Joseph of the Cross

St. John Joseph of the Cross - March 5th


St. John Joseph of the Cross was born in southern Italy on the feast of the Assumption. He was a young noble, but dressed like a poor man. He did that because he wanted to be as poor as Jesus was.


At the age of sixteen, John Joseph entered the Franciscan Order. He made many sacrifices. He slept only three hours every night and ate very plain food.


Later he became a priest and the Superior of the monastery. Still he always insisted on doing the hardest work. He did the kind of duties that no one would ordinarily like to do.


St. John Joseph had a very loving nature. But he did not try to win love for himself. Instead, he showered all his affection on his brethren and was like a father to all.


This good priest loved God so much that even when he was sick, he kept on working. He dearly loved the Blessed Virgin, too, and tried to bring others to love her.


From this saint let us learn not to be selfish. Let us love everyone alike and show our love in words and deeds.

St. Casimir of Poland

St. Casimir of Poland - Patron of Poland - March 4th


St. Casimir was one of the thirteen children of the King of Poland. With the help of his virtuous mother and his devout tutor, Casimir grew in wisdom and virtue.


At the age of thirteen he had the chance to become king, but he refused. The rest of his life he spent in trying to become a saint. He was always cheerful and friendly with everyone. He fasted, slept on the ground and prayed in the middle of the night. He loved to meditate on the Passion of Jesus, which is a good way of learning to love our God, Who loves us so much. Casimir also loved the Blessed Virgin with a special love. In her honor he loved to recite a beautiful hymn very often. We have a part of it in English and it is called, "Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary."


Casimir was never too healthy, yet he was courageous and strong in character. He would always do what he knew was right. Sometimes he would even advise his father, the King, to rule the people fairly. He always did this with great respect, and his father would listen to him.


St. Casimir had a great love for virginity. Even though his parents found a very beautiful and virtuous young woman for him to marry, he chose to give his heart to God alone.


St. Casimir died when he was still very young.


Even if we are not too strong or healthy, we can still be strong in character. We can always stand up for what is right, but in a kind way.

St. Cunegundes

St. Cunegundes - Patroness of Poland - March 3rd

St. Cunegundes was the daughter of a King. She was married to the Emperor, St. Henry II. This holy couple leg virgin lives, like brother and sister. Even though she was the Empress, St. Cunegundes spent a great deal of her time in prayer and in works of charity. She gave up all the good times she could have had in the palace. She visited the poor and the sick in the hospitals and also cared for lepers.

St. Cunegundes and her husband, St. Henry loved each other very much. They never quarreled. And they gave one another good example in the practice of every virtue. But the devil was jealous of their goodness and he tried to cause trouble between them. Wicked people accused the Empress of having committed a shameful sin. Since she remained silent about it, her husband believed them and felt very bad. For this reason, she asked to be permitted to go through the trial by fire, according to the custom of those days. She walked barefoot on red-hot pieces of metal for quite some time. Yet she was not burned at all! By this miracle God showed her husband and all the people that she was innocent.

When her husband, St. Henry, died, Cunegundes sold all that she owned and gave it to the poor. Then she followed the call of Christ to the convent.

There, for fifteen years, she was the most humble and obedient of all the nuns. She seemed to have forgotten completely that she was ever an Empress. She even begged her Superiors to give her the hardest and most lowly work to do.

St. Cunegundes was made Patroness of Poland.

We can always keep ourselves pure, even in the midst of many dangers. But we have to pray and to avoid bad companions, bad books and magazines, bad movies and TV shows. We also have to mortify our senses, especially our eyes and our sense of touch - whether we are alone or with others.

St. Simplicius

St. Simplicius - March 2nd


St. Simplicius was a Pope. In his day great numbers of the people had many wrong ideas about the Christian faith and many, many others were pagans. St. Simplicius was alone in trying to correct these evils but since he was both learned and holy he never gave up. More than by words, he taught with the example of his holy life and always he corrected others with charity and humility. Yet his good, fatherly heart had to suffer very much because some Christians stubbornly held on to their wrong opinions. Then with great sorrow, St. Simplicius had to put them out of the Church.


He was Pope for fifteen years and eleven months. Then Our Lord called him to receive the reward of his labors.


Let us be grateful to those who correct us, even when it hurts, because they are the ones who love us.

St. Eudocia

St. Eudocia - March 1st


Eudocia was a very beautiful young women who loved rich clothes and jewels. People called her the most beautiful women of her times. She lived a carefree, sinful life in her rich house in Egypt. One night she awoke because the sound of singing was coming from the next house. After the singing stopped, she heard the same voice reading aloud about what sinners suffer in hell, and what the Saints enjoy in Heaven. Eudocia was so frightened that she could not sleep any more. The next morning she found out that the strange voice was a monk’s. He was the guest of her neighbor and had gotten up at night, as he always did, to praise God and pray. She asked him to explain to her what he had read. When she began to cry over her sins, the holy monk told her not to be discouraged. He told her to start leading a good life from then on.


Eudocia was taught all about the Christian religion and was then baptized. Right afterwards she freed all her slaves. She encouraged them to become Christians, too. No more did she care for money and left her rich house. From then on, she became a model Christian because of the great virtue she practiced.


Eudocia went off to live alone and serve Jesus with prayer and penance. She ended her life by gaining the crown of martyrdom during the Emperor Trajan’s persecution of the Christians.


When we make the resolution to become better, the devil tries to make us break it. Let us never listen to him. Instead, we must pray and go to Confession and Communion often. Then we will be strong enough to overcome every temptation.