Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - March 25th

When the time came for Our Savior to come down from Heaven, God sent St. Gabriel to the little town of Nazareth, where the Blessed Virgin Mary lived. The glorious Archangel entered Mary’s little house and found her praying.
“Hail Mary, full of graces!” said the Angel. “The Lord is with you, and you are blessed among women.” Mary was surprised to hear the angel’s words of praise.

“Do not be afraid, Mary,” said St. Gabriel. Then he told her that she was to be the Mother of Jesus our Savior. Mary understood what great honor God was giving her. Yet she said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord!” At that very moment, she became the Mother of God. And still she called herself His handmaid-His servant!

Mary knew, too, that as the Mother of Jesus, she would have many sorrows. She knew she would have to suffer when her Son suffered. Yet, with all her heart, she said, “Be it done to me according to your word.”

On this occasion, our Blessed Mother gave us a wonderful example of humility and obedience. Let us, too, show God our love by obeying those who represent Him-our parents and teachers.

St. Gabriel, Archangel

St. Gabriel, Archangel - Patron of Radio, Television, Telephone, and Mail Workers - March 24th


Gabriel is one of the three glorious Archangels, whom we honor and to whom we pray.


It was St. Gabriel who appeared to the Blessed Mother and told her she was to be the mother of God. God chose him for this very special mission.


In the Holy Bible we read of his appearances on the earth. In each of his visits to men, St. Gabriel gives us wonderful examples of charity and humility. He came to tell the Prophet Daniel when Jesus would be born, and he spoke to him with great courtesy and kindness. When he appeared to Zachary to tell him he was to be the father of St. John the Baptist, he showed his humility. He did not even say who he was until just before he disappeared.


And when Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was to be the Mother of God, he was very respectful and reverent. With loving devotion, he greeted her and have her God’s message. What great joy it was for him to announce to the Queen of Heaven and earth the coming of Jesus!


Devoutly and respectfully we will say three Hail Mary’s to the Blessed Mother every morning and night.

St. Toribio

St. Toribio - March 23rd

This Spanish saint was a famous judge, wise and just. Although he was not a priest at that time, he was asked to become Archbishop of Lima in Peru, South America. That was because everyone knew what a fine Christian he was. Toribio did not think he was worthy. He begged to be excused from the honor. But when he learned about the miserable condition of the Indians in Peru, he could not refuse to help them and to bring them to the Faith. He was ordained a priest and set out for Peru.

As Archbishop, St. Toribio traveled all over the land, over the snowy mountains on foot, over the hot sands of the seashore. He built churches and hospitals. He built schools to train priests. He learned the different languages of the Indians so that he could preach to them in their troubles and protected them from being treated cruelly by those who had conquered them.

After a life of charity to his beloved Indians, St. Toribio was called to heaven.

Let us treat everyone in the same kind manner, and be especially good to those who are not as fortunate as we.

St. Catherine of Sweden

St. Catherine of Sweden - March 22nd


St. Catherine was born in Sweden of holy parents. Her mother was St. Bridget and her father, the good Prince Ulfo. When she was seven, Catherine was placed in a convent to be educated.


At the age of fourteen, she was given marriage to a good young nobleman. So well did Catherine speak of the happiness of belonging to God alone that her husband agreed to live with her as her brother. These two holy servants of God spent most of their time in prayer, mortification and works of charity.


St. Catherine had to suffer insults and unkind treatment, even from her own relatives. Yet, she did not become upset. She offered it all to God.


When St. Catherine accompanied her mother to Rome, she received news of her husband’s death in Sweden. Many people wanted her to marry again, because she was still young and pretty. But Catherine firmly refused. With the help of God, she remained a virgin all her life.


Four hours a day Catherine prayed. She spent the rest of her time serving God and doing good to many people. After her mother died, she entered a convent. St. Catherine had the great joy of seeing her own mother canonized as a saint.


Let us learn from this pure virgin never to look at anything impure or displeasing to God.

St. Benedict

St. Benedict - Patron Against Poisoning and of Speleologists - March 21st


St. Benedict was the son of a rich Italian family. His life was full of adventure and wonderful deeds. As a young boy, he was sent to Rome to study in the public schools. When he was a young man, because he was disgusted with the vices of the world, he left the city and went looking for a place where he could devote all his time to praying and loving God. In a cave in the mountain of Subiaco, he spent three years alone. The devil often tempted him to go back to his rich home, but Benedict overcame these temptations by prayer and penance. One day, the devil kept making him think of a beautiful lady he had once seen in Rome. He tried to make him go back to look for that lady. Benedict almost gave in to the temptation, but then he felt so sorry that he threw himself into a bush of long, sharp thorns. He rolled around in these terrible thorns until he was covered with blood. From then on, he had no more temptations to impurity.


After three years, God let a priest know where Benedict was living, and soon many people came to him to learn how to become holy. He became the leader of some men who had asked his help. But when he tried to make them do penance, they grew angry. They were so wicked that they even tried to poison Benedict. He made the Sign of the Cross over the poisoned wine and by a miracle, the glass shattered to pieces! God had saved him!


Later, Benedict became the leader of many good monks.


He founded twelve monasteries in Subiaco, and then went to Cassino, where he built a famous monastery. It was here that St. Benedict wrote the wonderful rules for the Benedictine order. He taught his monks to pray and work hard, and, especially, to be humble always. Both Benedict and his monks greatly helped the people of their times by teaching them how to read and write, how to farm, and how to work at different trades.


St. Benedict was able to do so much good, because he prayed very much.


Whenever we are tempted, especially to impurity, let us say a prayer at once. And let us make whatever sacrifice must be made to avoid sinning.

St. Cuthbert

St. Cuthbert - Patron of Sailors - March 20th


St. Cuthbert lived in England. He was a poor shepherd boy who loved to play games with his friends. He was very good at them, too. One of his friends scolded him for loving to play so much. Cuthbert never forgot this wise correction. Our Lord granted him a vision when he was fifteen; and after that he strongly desired to become a saint. He entered a monastery and later became a missionary.


From one village to another, from house to house, St. Cuthbert went, on horse or on foot. He did good everywhere, and brought many souls to God. So cheerful and kind was he that everyone felt attracted to him. Yet he himself was more contented to be alone with God.


When Cuthbert was made Bishop, he worked just as hard as ever to help souls. As he lay dying, he urged his monks to live in peace and charity with everyone.


Let us be so kind and good that no one will find it hard to get along with us.

St. Joseph

St. Joseph - Patron of Universal Church and of Working Men - March 19th

St. Joseph is a great saint, the foster-father of Jesus Christ, and the husband of the Blessed Mother. He was given the great privilege of taking care of God’s Son, Jesus, and His Mother, Mary. Joseph was poor all his life, even though he came from a family of kings. He has to work very hard in his carpenter shop, but he did not mind. He was happy to work for his little family, the holiest family there ever was.

Whatever the Lord wanted him to do, St. Joseph did at once, no matter how hard it was. He was humble and pure; he was gentle and wise. Jesus and Mary obeyed his perfectly. What an honor for St. Joseph to see the Son of God Himself obeying him and helping him, as a good son!

St. Teresa chose St. Joseph as the protector of her Order of Sisters. She had great trust in his prayers. "Every time I ask St. Joseph for something," she said, "he always obtains it for me."

As Jesus obeyed and helped St. Joseph in his hard and humble work, let us, too, willingly help our parents with the work to be done at home.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

St. Cyril of Jerusalem - March 18th

St. Cyril was born in Jerusalem and at the age of thirty was ordained a priest. He was given the duty of instructing the preparing the people for baptism. Cyril taught in a very clear, simple way that everyone could understand. He often repeated the words of the Holy Bible. Because the words of the Bible are the words of God, they move peoples hearts.

When the Bishop died, Cyril was chosen to take his place. Not long after he became Bishop of Jerusalem, a bright cross appeared in the sky. It was two miles long and reached from Mt. Calvary, where Jesus died, to Mt. Olivet, where Jesus suffered the Agony in the Garden. Perhaps this was a sign of the great persecutions the Church had to suffer in this period.

In St. Cyril’s time, the Emperor Julian, who had given up his Christian faith, said that Jesus had been wrong when He declared that the temple of Jerusalem would not be rebuilt. He decided to try to prove it. So he spent much money and sent all the materials for a new temple. Many people helped by giving jewels and precious metals. Yet St. Cyril was sure that the temple could not be built, because Jesus, Who is God, said so. And sure enough, first a storm, then an earthquake and finally a fire stopped the Emperor, and those with him had given up. God had put an end to their wicked plan!

Let us make up our minds never to read or to listen to anything which is different from what Jesus and His holy Church teach us.

St. Patrick

St. Patrick - Patron of Ireland - March 17th


It is believed that St. Patrick was born in Britain of Roman parents.


When he was sixteen, he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland. There he was sold as a slave. His owner sent him to tend his flocks on the mountains. St. Patrick had very little food and clothing. Yet every morning, even in rain, snow and ice, he would get up early to pray. A hundred time a day and a hundred times during the night, Patrick prayed to God. His faith thus grew stronger all the time and his love for God increased.


Later, when he escaped from Ireland, he studied to become a priest. But Patrick always felt that he must go back to Ireland to bring that pagan land to Christ. At last his wish came true. He was consecrated a Bishop and sent by the Holy Father to Ireland. How happy he was to bring the good news of the true God to the poor pagans of the land where once he had been a slave!


Right from the start, Patrick suffered much. His relatives and friends wanted him to quit before the pagan Irish killed him. Yet the Saint kept on preaching about Jesus, traveling from one village to the another. He never rested, and he did great penance for these people whom he so loved. Before he died, the whole nation was Christian! And besides bringing the Irish to the Faith, he made them a civilized, learned people.


Despite such great success, St. Patrick never grew proud. He called himself a poor sinner and gave all the praise to God.


Today, we shall perform at least one spiritual work of mercy. For example, we may pray for missionaries in pagan lands.

St. Abraham

St. Abraham - March 16th


St. Abraham was born in Mesopotamia of a rich, noble family. He married because that was what his parents wanted. But immediately after the wedding, he told his wife that he wanted to live and die as a virgin. Then secretly he left home to live only for God. His friends looked for him for seventeen days. They finally found him praying in a little cell outside the city. He begged them to let him stay and at last they gave in.


Abraham’s cell had only one little window, through which he received food and drink. Here he spent all his time. Adoring and praising God, and begging His mercy. All he had was a cloak and a piece of sackcloth to wear and one dish out of which he ate a drank. Ten years after Abraham had left the world, he received all his parents’ fortune. But he gave it to the poor. Many people called upon him for advise. On seeing this, the Bishop ordained Abraham a priest and sent him to preach to people who were enemies of our holy Faith. Abraham would have been happier to stay in his cell, but he obeyed cheerfully.


He was often beaten and insulted by those people. Three times he was sent away, but each time he returned with greater zeal. After three years, the people were finally moved by his meekness and patience. Through the prayers of Abraham, they all received baptism!


When his brother died, St Abraham took upon himself the care of his brother’s only child, Mary. He placed her in a little cell next to his own and instructed her himself. Mary became very pious and dear to God. But after twenty years of this holy life, she was attracted by the world. She ran away to a distant town and there committed many sins. For two years, St. Abraham wept and prayed for her conversion. Finally he found out where she was living, and he went to talk to her. She was so ashamed when she saw him! “Mary,” he said, “what has become of your angelic life and your prayers?” Then, seeing how sorry she was, he comforted her lovingly. He promised her that she would be happy again if she would follow his advice. Poor Mary! She cried and thanked him for coming. She promised to obey perfectly. So Abraham put her on his horse and led her back to her cell. There Mary did great penance and wept for her sins until she died a saint fifteen years later. She was so sorry that she had offended God. And Our Lord showed how pleased He was with Mary’s sorrow for her sins. He gave her the gift of working miracles by her prayers.


St. Abraham lived ten more years after he had led his niece, St. Mary, back to God.


St. Abraham converted the pagans and his niece with his prayers and mortifications. We must pray and offer up little sacrifices when we need graces.