St. Peter Canisius

St. Peter Canisius - Patron of Germany - April 27th

Peter was a Dutchman whose father wanted him to be a lawyer. To please him, young Peter began to study law after he had finished all his other studies. Soon enough, however, he realized that he would never be happy in that life. About that time, people all over were talking about the wonderful preaching of Blessed Peter Faber, who was one of the first members of the Jesuit order. When Peter Canisius listened to him, he knew he, too, would be happy serving God as a Jesuit. So he entered, and after more years of study and prayer, he was ordained a priest.

The great St. Ignatius soon realized what an obedient and zealous apostle St. Peter Canisius was. He sent him to Germany where Peter labored for forty years.

It would be hard to name all St. Peter Canisius’ great works, prayers and sacrifices to save many cities of Germany from heresy and to bring back to the Catholic Church those who had accepted false teachings. It is said that he traveled about twenty thousand miles in thirty years, sometimes on foot and sometimes on horseback.

In spite of all this, St. Peter Canisius still found time to write many books on the Faith. He realized how important books are. So he made a campaign to stop bad books from being sold. And he did all he could to spread good books to teach the Faith. The two catechisms St. Peter Canisius wrote were so popular that they were printed over two hundred times and were translated into fifteen languages.

To those who said he worked too hard, St. Peter Canisius would answer, “If you have too much to do, with God’s help, you will find time to do it all.”

Most of the wrong ideas on our Faith are the result of not knowing enough about it. Let us often take out books from our school or parish library so that we will know our holy Faith well and be able to explain it to others.

Our Lady of Good Counsel

Our Lady of Good Counsel

- April 26th

Good Counsel means “good advice.” The beautiful devotion of Our Lady of Good Counsel goes way back to the year 1467. Even before then, Christians had prayed to our Blessed Mother for her help and advice when they were in doubt. But devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel really spread everywhere when on April 25, 1467, a most beautiful picture of her appeared in the old Church of Santa Maria at Genazzano, Italy. It was a small picture but the wonderful thing about it was that it stayed right in mid-air, without being held up by anything! At once people began to come from all over to visit the Church of Santa Maria.


Many miracles happened and are still happening at this shrine of Mary. Bishops and even Popes have had great devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel. One Pope had her holy picture crowned with gold. There are also many churches named for Our Lady of Good Counsel.


When we have a problem, who can give us better advice than our own good Mother Mary? Let us always pray to Our Lady of Good Counsel to ask her help.

St. Mark the Evangelist

St. Mark the Evangelist - Patron of Notaries - April 25th

Mark lived in Palestine at the time of Our Lord. He was a relative of St. Barnabas. While still a young man, he went with the great Apostles Paul and Barnabas on a missionary journey to bring the teachings of Christ to new lands. Before it was over, though, he grew discouraged and went back home to Jerusalem. Later, he was much braver, and he became a beloved disciple of St. Peter, the first Pope. With St. Peter, he went to Rome. Here St. Peter preached about Jesus to the Romans. The people asked St. Mark to write down everything St. Peter said, and he did. This book is called the Gospel of St. Mark.

It is a life of Christ told by St. Peter himself and it gives us many little details that are not in the other Gospels.

Mark was consecrated a bishop and sent to Egypt. There he converted many people. After a life of sufferings serenely endured for the glory of God, he went through a long and very painful martyrdom.

His wicked enemies tied his feet with rope and dragged him through the streets for a whole day. The ground was stained with St. Mark’s blood, but he was happy for the chance to suffer for Jesus. That night in prison, Jesus Himself came to comfort and strengthen St. Mark. The next day his enemies dragged him on the ground again until he died of his many wounds.

St. Mark’s relics were later brought to Venice and today they are venerated in the beautiful Basilica of St. Mark.

There is no book in the world more important than the Holy Gospels. The wisest and holiest of men have always loved to read them over and over again. Let us, too, make sure we have a copy of the Holy Gospels and that we read them.

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen - April 24th

This Saint’s name was Mark Rey. He was born in Germany and went to a famous University of Freiburg to become a lawyer. Even as a young student, he liked to visit the sick and the poor and to spend many hours praying. His brother became a Capuchin priest, but Mark finished his studies and became a famous lawyer.

Many times he would help poor people who had no money to a pay a lawyer. For this reason, he was given the nickname, “The Poor Man’s Lawyer.”

Because he was very honest and polite, Mark became disgusted with the arguments and dishonesty of those law courts. He decided to become a Capuchin priest. He received the holy robe of the monks and took the name, Fidelis, which means “faithful.”

Father Fidelis knew that his life was in danger, yet he went to go to Switzerland to preach. In Switzerland there were many enemies of the Catholic faith, and he wanted to try to win these people back to Jesus. His preaching brought wonderful results, and many people converted. The bitterest enemies grew wild with anger at his success.

St. Fidelis knew that his life was in danger, yet he went right on preaching. In the middle of one sermon, a shot was fired at him, but the bullet missed. He started back over the road on which he had come to town. A group of men with guns stopped him and ordered him to give up the Catholic religion. The Saint answered meekly but firmly, “I will not renounce the Catholic Faith!” At once, the cruel men struck him down.

St. Fidelis pulled himself up and kneeling, prayed: “Lord, forgive my enemies. They do not know what they are doing. Lord Jesus, have mercy on me! Holy Mary, my Mother, help me!” Another blow hit him and then more and more blows until this hero’s life was taken away.

It is a great honor to be able to help others come back to Jesus, back to Church. Let us try, by prayer, good example and kind words, to be real apostles.

St. George

St. George - Patron of England and of Soldiers - April 23rd

Pictures of St. George usually show him killing a dragon to rescue a beautiful lady. The dragon stands for wickedness. The lady stands for God’s holy truth. St. George was a brave martyr who was victorious over the devil.

He was a soldier in the army of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, and he was one of the Emperor’s favorite soldiers. Now Diocletian was a pagan and a bitter enemy of the Christians. He put to death every Christian he could find. George was a brave Christian, a real soldier of Christ. Without fear, he went to the Emperor and sternly scolded him for being so cruel. Then he gave up his position in the Roman army. For this he was tortured in many terrible ways and finally beheaded.

So boldly daring and so cheerful was St. George in declaring his Faith and dying for it that Christians felt courage when they heard about it. Many songs and poems were written about this martyr. Soldiers, especially, have always been devoted to him.

We all have some “dragon” we have to conquer. It might be pride or anger or laziness or greediness or something else. Let us make sure we fight against these “dragons,” with God’s help. Then we can call ourselves real soldiers of Christ.

Sts. Soter and Caius

Sts. Soter and Caius - April 22nd

St. Soter was Pope long ago, in the times of the Roman Emperors. He was a real father to all Christians. He gave much help to those who had been condemned to work in dangerous mines because they would not give up their faith. These brave Christians had little to eat and were not allowed to rest hardly at all. Other Christians were chained in prisons. Good Pope Soter did everything he possibly could to comfort and help them.

St. Soter also helped churches that were far away from Rome. This holy Pope was a great preacher. All the Christians loved to listen to him explain our religion, because he spoke so beautifully. He inspired them with new courage to die for Christ rather than sacrifice to false gods. After ten years as Pope, St. Soter himself gave his life for Jesus.

St. Caius was Pope about one hundred years later. He, too, lived in times of persecution and he did all he could to prepare his good people to keep the Faith at any sacrifice. In order to be of more help to his people, he lived eight years in underground rooms, called catacombs. These were cemeteries where the Christians often met in secret to pray and receive the Sacraments. This was their hiding place from the cruel pagan soldiers, who would kill them if they caught them.

St. Caius was Pope for twelve years. Then, he, too, was put to death for the Faith.

Today people in different parts of the world are persecuted because they are good Christians. Let us offer our prayers and sacrifices that they may keep up their courage.

St. Anselm

St. Anselm - April 21st

Anselm was born in northern Italy. From his home, you can see the high mountains called the Alps. When Anselm learned from his mother that God is in Heaven, he loved to look up at the very tops of those mountains. Since he was a little boy then, he thought that the mountains were like ladders leading up to the palace of the King of Heaven.

When Anselm was fifteen, he tried to enter a monastery, but his father was against it. Then Anselm became sick and not long after he got better, his mother died. He was still young and rich and clever, and soon he forgot about wanting to serve God. He began to think only of having good times.

Yet, after a while, Anselm became bored with this way of life. He wanted something better, something more important. So he went to visit the holy Abbot Lanfranc of the great monastery of Bec. He became Lanfranc’s very close friend and the and the holy abbot brought him close to God. He also helped Anselm decide to become a monk.

Three years later, Anselm was made the superior. He was a very warm-hearted man who were jealous of him at first became his friends. When he had to leave them to become Archbishop of the great diocese of Canterbury in England, he told them that they would always live in his heart.

The people of England loved and respected Anselm very much. However, the king at this time was the wicked William Rufus. This king persecuted the Saint in every way and even forbade him to go to Rome to ask the Pope’s advice. But Anselm went anyway, and stayed with the Pope until the king died. Then he went back to his diocese in England.

Even in the midst of his many duties, St. Anselm always found time to write important books of philosophy and theology. To please his monks, he also wrong down the many wonderful instructions he had given them about God. He used to say: “Would you like to know the secret of being happy in the monastery is a real Heaven on earth for those who live only for Jesus.”

Let us realize that just having a lot of fun will not make us happy. True happiness can only be found in loving God and helping our neighbor.

St. Agnes of Montepulciano

St. Agnes of Montepulciano - April 20th

This young saint was born of wealthy parents near the city of Montepulciano in Italy.

When she was just nine years old, she begged her mother and father to let her enter a convent. Agnes was very happy living with the sisters, and before too long she was so good a nun that the other sisters were very pleased to have her. She was of good example to all, especially because of the wonderful way she prayed.

When she was only fifteen, Agnes was chosen superior of a whole convent of nuns! The Pope had to give a special permission to let such a young girl be the head of a convent.

Agnes was a very good superior because she was much wiser than most teenagers are. Besides that, she did great penance and was always very sweet and charitable. She truly loved God and her neighbor. God was especially pleased with Agnes and gave her many graces in answer to her prayers. Once He even let her hold the Christ Child in her arms!

Agnes was a sickly women, but she bore her sickness for years with heroic patience. She never complained of felt sorry for herself. Instead, she offered everything to God.

Towards the end of her life, when her sisters saw that she was not going to get better, they were very sad. “If to love me, you would be glad,” said Agnes, “because I am going to enter the glory of Jesus.” She died while she was praying very fervently.

We must always trust that our Heavenly Father will hear our prayers and give us whatever is for our best.

St. Alphege

St. Alphege - April 19th

Alphege is an English saint. He became a monk and after a few years was made abbot of the monastery. When he was thirty years old, he became Bishop of Winchester. He had not wanted this honor, but he accepted it because it was God’s will. And he did much good. He was so kind to the poor that there were no beggars left in his whole diocese. Next he was made archbishop of Canterbury, the most important Church in England.

The year after he came to the city, a group of fierce raiders, called the Danes, attacked. They burned the buildings and killed many people, even women and children. St. Alphege tried to make them stop, but the cruel raiders took him prisoner and carried him off. They told the people of Canterbury that they would have to pay a large amount of money if they wanted to have their Archbishop back.

St. Alphege would not let his poor Christian people pay that much money for him. He said, “It is better to give what we have to the poor than to take from them the little they have.”

When the Saint had been in prison seven months, the men who had captured him became drunk on night. Angry because they had not gotten the money they wanted, they took the holy Archbishop and beat him. Then they stoned him. At last, on killed him with an axe.

Like Our Lord, St. Alphege prayed for his murderers just before he died.

Even in prison St. Alphege did not want people to think of him or sacrifice for him. Let us remember that what we suffer silently for God gains a great reward in Heaven for us.

Blessed Mary of the Incarnation

Blessed Mary of the Incarnation - April 18th

Beautiful Barbara Acarie was a French girl who was married when she was seventeen. God sent her six children, and her home was a happy one. She was a very good wife and mother. All her children, her husband, and her servants, too, learned from her a great love for prayer and works of charity.

Once, when her husband was accused of a crime, Barbara herself saved him. She went to court, and all alone proved that he was not guilty.

Although she was so busy with her own family, she always found time to feed starving people, to teach heretics about the faith, to help the sick and dying, and to encourage sinners to change their ways.

When her husband died, Barbara entered the Carmelite Order. Her three daughters were Carmelites, too. Barbara’s new name as a sister was Sister Mary of the Incarnation. She joyfully worked in the kitchen among the pots and pans. When her own daughter became a superior, Blessed Mary willingly obeyed her. So humble was she that as she was dying, she said: “The Lord forgive me the bad example I have given.” But the truth was that she had only done good all her life.

God gives everyone the grace to become a saint in his state in life. Let us, then, pray so that we will do in life what god wants us to do.