St. Dorothy

St. Dorothy - Patroness of Gardners - February 6th


St. Dorothy was a young and beautiful girl who lived in the city of Caesarea. Both her father and mother died for the Faith. They left her a great deal of money, and Dorothy used it to help the poor people and prisoners. Everyone knew her and loved her for her modesty and piety. She was so beautiful and holy that many young men wanted to marry her. But she has given herself to God alone. So they called her, “The Bride of Christ.”


When Dorothy herself was put in prison for the Faith, the wicked governor sent two young girls named Crista and Callista to persuade her to deny Jesus. There girls had been Christians once. They had given up their Faith when the governor made them many promises and gave them gifts. But these girls could not change Dorothy. It was she who made them cry for their sin and encouraged them to die bravely for Jesus.


Furious, the governor tortured Dorothy, but she would not worship the gods of Rome. “I cannot worship them or the Emperors either,” she said. “I worship only the true God, the Creator of Heaven and earth.” At last, the governor gave up. The saint was getting the best of him, with her wise answers. So he condemned her to death by beheading.


When Dorothy was on her way to be beheaded, a young pagan made fun of her Faith. “Send me some roses and apples from the garden where you are going after you die,” he shouted. Then he laughed cruelly. But St. Dorothy promised that she would. As soon as she died, a child appeared to that pagan carrying three roses and three apples! Where could they have come from? It was not the season for apples and roses! The amazed man realized that the child was an angel come from God and that the flowers and fruit were sent from Heaven. He was converted right then. Soon afterwards, he, too, have his life for God.


Today let us pray especially for someone who is far away from God, so that he will return to our Heavenly Father.

St. Agatha

St. Agatha - Patroness of Island of Malta - February 5th


Agatha was a beautiful and holy Christian girl of Sicily. When the governor heard of Agatha’s beauty, he had her brought to his palace. He wanted to make her commit sins against purity, but she was brave and would not give in. “My Lord Jesus Christ,” she prayed, “You see my heart and You know my desire. You alone must have me, because I am yours. Save me from that evil man. Make me worthy of winning out over the devil.”


The governor tried sending Agatha to the house of a wicked women in the hope that she would change for the worse. But Agatha had great trust in God and prayed all the time. She kept herself pure and would not listen to the evil suggestions of that woman and her daughters. After one month, she was brought back to the governor. He tired again to win her. “You are a noblewomen,” he said kindly. “Why have you lowered yourself to be a humble Christian?”


"Even though I am a noble,” answered Agatha, “I am a slave of Jesus Christ.”


“Then what does it really mean to be a noble?” the governor asked.


Agatha answered wisely, “It means to serve God.”


When he saw that she would not sin, the governor had her whipped and tortured very cruelly. As she was being carried back to prison she said, “Lord, my Creator, You have protected me from the cradle. You have taken me from the love of the world and given me patience to suffer. Now receive my soul.” And with that, her beautiful soul went home to Heaven.


Let us learn from this saint to pray with all our heart when we feel tempted to do something wrong.

St. Jane Valois

St. Jane Valois - February 4th


St. Jane was the daughter of King Louis XI of France. Since the King wanted a son, he was very disappointed when Jane was born. Later, he did not even want her to live at the Palace, because she was very short and deformed. When she was five years old, she was sent away to live with other people.


Jane did not want to marry when she grew up because she has given herself to Jesus and His Most Blessed Mother. Her Father, however, forced her to marry the Duke of Orleans. Jane was a devoted wife for twenty-two years, but after the Duke became King, he sent Jane to live by herself in a far-off township. The Queen did not complain at such unkindness. She exclaimed, instead: “God be praised! He has permitted this that I may serve Him better than I have up until now.”


St. Jane performed many penances and prayed very fervently. She gave all of her money to the poor and founded and Order of Sisters called the Sisters of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.


Let us remember that no matter what a person looks like, what really counts is the goodness in his heart.

St. Blaise

St. Blaise - Patron of Throat Ailments - February 3rd


St. Blaise, as a young man, was a doctor, and a very good one. All the sufferings and troubles he saw made him realize that only spiritual joys can make us really happy. He became a priest and then a Bishop. With all his heart, St. Blaise worked to make his people holy and happy. He prayed and preached; he tried to help everyone.


When the Emperor Licinius began to persecute the Christians, St. Blaise was captured and sent to prison to be beheaded. On the way, people crowded the road to see their beloved bishop for the last time. He blessed them all, even the pagans. A poor mother rushed up and begged him to save her child who was choking to death from a fishbone. The Saint prayed and then worked the miracle. This is why St. Blaise is called upon by all those who have throat diseases. On his feast day, we have our throats blessed, and we ask him to protect us from all sicknesses of the throat.


In prison, the saintly bishop converted many pagans. No torture could make him give up his faith in Jesus. Finally he was beheaded and went to be with Jesus forever.


Today let us honor St. Blaise by going without that candy bar or ice cream cone we planned to have.

Purification of the Blessed Virgin

Purification of the Blessed Virgin - February 2nd


Forty days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph brought Him to the Temple to be Presented to the Lord; that was the Law of God and they obeyed it perfectly.


While they were in the Temple, Mary also fulfilled another ceremony of the Hebrew Law. After the birth of their children, all mothers were suppose to go to the Temple for the ceremony called the Purification. Our Blessed Mother really did not have to fulfill this ceremony, because she was all pure. She went anyway, to teach us to be humble and obedient.


A holy old priest of the Temple named Simeon learned from God that the Infant Jesus was the Savior. With what joy he held Mary’s Son in his arms! Then inspired by God, he told her that she would have to suffer much. He was talking about the terrible pain our Blessed Mother would feel when Jesus died on the Cross.


The Feast of the Presentation and the Purification remind us that we belong to God, first of all. Because He is our Father and Creator, we owe Him our loving obedience.


In imitation of the Blessed Mother, let us cheerfully obey the rules laid down by our parents and teachers.

St. Bridget of Ireland

St. Bridget of Ireland - Patroness of Ireland - February 1st

A Few years after St. Patrick arrived in Ireland, there was born a little girl called Bridget. Her father was and Irish lord named Duptace.

As Bridget grew up, she became holier and more pious each day. She loved the poor and would often bring food and clothing to them. One day she gave away a whole pail of milk, and then began to worry about what her mother would say. She prayed to the Lord to make up for what she had given away. When she got home, her pail was full!

Bridget was a very pretty young girl, and her father thought that it was time for her to marry. She, however, had given herself entirely to God when she was very small, and she would not think of marrying anyone. When she learned that her beauty was the reason for the attentions of so many young men, she prayed fervently to God to take it from her. She wanted to belong to Him alone. God granted her prayer. Seeing that his daughter was no longer pretty, her father gladly agreed when Bridget asked to become a Sister.

She became the first Religious in Ireland and founded a convent so that other young girls might become Sisters, When she consecrated herself to God a miracle happened. She became very beautiful again! Bridget made people think of the Blessed Mother because she was so pure and sweet, so lovely and gentle. They called her the “Mary of the Irish.”

Let us not be vain or proud of our appearance. God looks at our heart, not at our face or our clothes!

St. John Bosco

St. John Bosco - Patron of Editors and of Laborers - January 31st

St. John Bosco was born near Turin, Italy. Like many Saints, he was a poor farm lad, who was brought up by his holy mother in the love of God and Our Lady. John’s father died when he was young and his mother had to work very hard to feed her family. John, too, worked hard as he could to help his mother. He was an intelligent lad. Who knew how to keep his playmates from offending God. He would do tricks to win their attention and then he would talk to them about spiritual things.

In order to become a priest, John had to work his way through school. He did all kinds of work. He was a carpenter, a shoemaker, a cook, a pastry maker, a farmer, and many other things. At the same time he was a fine student and was always happy and cheerful.

After he became a priest, Don Bosco, which means, Father Bosco, began his great mission of helping orphan boys. He gathered together hundreds of these boys who had no home. He taught them all kinds of work, so that they would not steal and get into trouble. At first, people were angry with Don Bosco, because they did not think those boys would turn out to be good. But he proved that they would.

“Do you want to be Don Bosco’s friend?” he would ask each new boy who came to him. “You do? Then, you must help me save your soul.” Every night, he wanted the boys to say three Hail Marys, so that the Blessed Mother would help them avoid sin. He also recommended that they go to Confession and Communion as often as possible.

One of Don Bosco’s boys became a saint, St. Dominic Savio.
Later on, Don Bosco founded two Religious Orders to take care of poor children and he also built many homes and schools for them.

Let us help our parents at home as much as we can. The more things we learn to do, the better we can serve God.

St. Bathildes

St. Bathildes - January 30th

Born in England, St. Bathildes was taken to France and sold as a slave while she was still a young girl. She was bought for a very cheap price by the mayor of the Palace. As she grew older, she became very wise and virtuous. She was so gentle and good that King Clovis married her and made her Queen Bathildes. Three sons were born to her, but the King died when the oldest was still just a little boy. So, St. Bathildes ruled the Kingdom until they grew up.

She used her new honor to help the Church in every way she could. She did not become proud or unkind. Rather, this good Queen cared for the poor, forbade that Christians be made slaves, filled France with hospitals for the sick and founded a seminary and a convent.

Later she entered the convent herself. There she forgot her royal dignity and became very obedient and humble. She showed great charity to the sick. When she became ill, she suffered long and patiently until her death.

Because St. Bathildes was never selfish, she became a great saint. By sharing our things, we will make others happy and win much glory in Heaven.

St. Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales - Patron of Journalists - January 29th


While in school, this young Frenchman received the highest honors. His greatest joy was to be with God in prayer, and when he was given time to play, he would read the lives of the Saints and reflect on their love of God.


St. Francis gave up the chance to be a great man in the eyes of the world, for he wanted to be a priest. He wanted to become great in the eyes of God.


At that time there were many people who had lost the true faith. Francis set out to convert them. He went on foot with the Bible, a breviary and one companion, his cousin, Father Louis de Sales. Every place they went, they met people who wanted to kill them. They were insulted and made to suffer. Yet, they did not turn back. And, after four years of hard work, the Saint had converted 72, 000 souls! He gave all the credit to God, Who had given him the power to preach and convert.


St. Francis once had a very hot temper, but after praying and trying to correct his fault, he finally became a model of gentle meekness.


He became Bishop of Geneva and founded the Order of the Visitation. He also wrote wonderful books that teach everyone how to grow holy. As Bishop, he lived in a very simple house and practiced mortification. He sacrificed himself to help everyone. Once, a group of men came to ask this help. They lived in a town high in the mountains. Part of a mountain had fallen and blocked off the road leading to their town. They needed someone to go to see what had happened and then tell the King. “I’ll go at once,” saint the Saint. The men were so surprised! A bishop would come to climb over those rocks just to help them! Yes, St. Francis de Sales would do anything to help people.


After a life spent in good works, this kindly Saint died. Pope Pius IV gave him the title of Doctor of the Church.


To keep peace with everyone, we will watch our words. Those who do not sin with the tongue, says the Apostle St. James, are saints.

St. Peter Nolasco

St. Peter Nolasco - January 28th


St. Peter Nolasco was born in France. Even while he was just a boy, he found great joy in helping the poor. He loved the Blessed Virgin with all his heart and made up his mind to spend his life serving his neighbor. St. Peter felt especially sorry for all the Christians who had been dragged off as slaves by the Moslems. He prayed hard for them, and the Blessed Mother appeared to tell him to start a Religious Order to help them. She said it would please her and Jesus very much, and she would protect the new religious. When St. Peter told his Confessor, St. Raymond of Pennafort, he found that Our Lady had appeared to him, too. Together they went to tell the King, but they were surprised to learn that he, too, had seen the Blessed Mother! So, all three dedicated themselves to the new work of mercy. They promised to do all they could to free the slaves, even if they had to sacrifice their own lives.


Right from the beginning, a great number of slaves were freed, not only in Spain, but also in Africa. St. Peter was not afraid to risk his life many times to come to the rescue of the poor prisoners.


The person who sins becomes a slave of the devil. When temptations come, let us ask our Blessed Mother to help us, so that we may win over the devil and remain faithful to our Divine King.