St. Columba of Iona

St. Columba of Iona - Patron of Ireland - June 9th

Columba was an Irishman and sometimes he is called by his Irish name of Columkille. He studied at famous monastery schools and became a good poet. Then he became a pupil of St. Finian and later a priest. Before he was twenty-five, he had had the good fortune to study with a number of great Irish saints.

Columba was a tall, strong man with a loud, beautiful voice that people said could be heard a mile away. For fifteen years, he went all over Ireland preaching and starting monasteries. Yet he never stopped studying and he made every effort to obtain many books.

When he was forty-two, St. Columba left Ireland to try to win pagans in Scotland for Christ. On the island of Iona he built a monastery, many missionaries to Scotland and England were to come. St. Columba began his mission to Scotland by going to the castle of the pagan King. The King had commanded his soldiers not to let the Saint enter. But when Columba lifted his arm to make the sign of the cross, the gates fell open by themselves! The King was so amazed that he listened to his words about the Christian Faith and greatly honored St. Columba from then on. Because of the many converts he made, the Saint is called the Apostle of Scotland.

Columba was once a rather rough, quick-tempered man and, though his name means “dove,” he was not gentle at all. But he changed so much that he became loving with everyone, serene and full of holy joy.

The saints were not born saints. They had to overcome their defects. Let us, too, see what our greatest defect is and then pray and work hard to correct it.

St. William of York

St. William of York - June 8th

William Fitzherbert was born in England and was the nephew of King Stephen. As a young man, he was rather easy-going and even a bit lazy. He was very popular with the people of his city of York, however, and years later, when their archbishop died, he was elected to take his place. In those times princes used to interfere in the election of the bishops. This is why many priests did not think William had been properly chosen, since it was his uncle, the King, who had appointed him. Even the great St. Bernard persuaded the Pope to make someone else Archbishop of York. Poor William! Sent away and humiliated, he went to live with his uncle, a bishop, and would not accept any of the comforts his uncle offered him. He was a very different man now.

The people of York were angry at what had happened and there were fights between them and those who did not want William. But the Saint kept praying for peace for six years, and his prayers were answered. When the other archbishop died, the Pope sent William back to York, to the immense happiness of all the people. But he was an old man by this time, and one month later, he died.

St. William silently suffered all the accusations made against him, even though he did not deserve them. This teaches us to take corrections well.

Blessed Anne Mary Taigi

Blessed Anne Mary Taigi - June 7th

Anne Mary came from a poor Italian family. Because her father was not a hard-working man, her good mother worked all day long as a servant. To make sure her daughter would grow up to be good, she placed her with the sisters during the day and took her home each evening. She also taught her how to take care of a house and sent her to learn dressmaking. The family grew poorer all the time, and Anne Mary’s mother decided to let her become maid to the rich women for whom her father was working.

Anne Mary was very pretty and she began to admire her own good looks. When she was twenty, she met and married a handsome young servant named Dominic Taigi. He was proud of his pretty wife and the two of them thought only of dressing up and having as much fun as they could. After some months, however, Anne Mary felt unhappy over the way she was living and she made up her mind to change. She began to wear plain clothes and to pray much more.

The Taigis had seven children in their forty-eight years of married life. Their home was poor but always neat and peaceful. Although the Saint’s husband was a rough, stubborn man who easily flew into a rage, Anne Mary was so loving and so good to him that he became a better Christian. She kept her children busy all the time and taught them to be obedient. The whole family prayed together and all were happy, even though sickness, suffering and death often caused them sorrow. Anne Mary was always busy in the simple duties of the house, but she kept herself very close to God all the time. Our Lord even gave her the gift of working miracles and telling the future. And sometimes, right in her kitchen, the love of God would burn so strong in her heart that she would have to lean against the wall until she came out of ecstasy.

Though poor herself, Anne Mary offered what she could to the poor. She gave good advice to the many people who came to her, especially young persons. Even bishops and public leaders asked her advice, because they knew she was very dear to God.

Let us say our morning and night prayers every day. During the day, let us do well everything we do, and offer it up to Jesus. In this way we, too, will become saints in whatever life God plans for us.

St. Norbert

St. Norbert - June 6th

Norbert was a German who was good while a boy and young man. Then at the court of the Emperor, Henry V, he spent nearly all his time in the pleasures of the world, and he thought only of honors, feasts and parties. One day, however, frightened by a flash of lightning, his horse threw him and he was knocked unconscious. When he came to his senses, he was touched by the grace of God, and he made up his mind to lead a better life. Moreover he went back to the idea he once had had-to become a priest, and he did.

Then he worked hard to make others turn from their worldly ways and gave good example by selling all he had to give the money to the poor. St. Norbert also became the founder of a new Congregation for the spreading of the Faith.

Later, he was chosen bishop of the city of Magdeburg. He entered the city wearing very poor clothes and no shoes. The porter at the door of the bishop’s house did not know him and refused to let him in. He told him to go join the other beggars! “But he is our bishop!” shouted those who knew the Saint. The porter was amazed and very sorry. “Never mind, dear brother,’ said St. Norbert kindly, “you judge me more correctly than those who brought me here.”

St. Norbert had to combat a heresy which denied that Jesus is really present in the Holy Eucharist. His beautiful words about Our Lord’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament brought the people back to their holy Faith.

Let us go to receive Jesus in Holy Communion often-at least once a week. If we feel little love for the things of God, Jesus will make us warm with devotion. If we feel weak in spirit, He will make us strong. If we feel sad, he will console us.

St. Boniface

St. Boniface - Patron of Germany - June 5th

This great Apostle of Germany was an English man. When he was a small boy, some missionaries who were staying at his home talked to him about their work and filled him with a great desire to become like them. While still very young, he entered a monastery school and some years later he himself became a very popular teacher. When he was ordained a priest, he gave many sermons taken from the Bible, which he dearly loved to read.

Boniface daily grew in love for God and for souls. So, with his Superior’s permission, he became a missionary to Germany, which at that time covered a large part of Europe. With the blessing of Pope St. Gregory, he preached with wonderful success.

Boniface was a man of great courage. Once, to prove that the pagan gods were false, he did a bold thing. There was a certain huge oak tree that the pagans thought was sacred to their gods. In front of a large crowd, Boniface struck it a few times with an axe. The big tree crashed, and split into four parts. The pagans saw that their gods were false when nothing happened to the Saint for this act.

Everywhere Boniface preached, new members came into the church. In his lifetime, he converted millions. In place of the statues of the gods, he built churches and monasteries.

When he was seventy-three, St. Boniface left someone else in charge of his work, and sailed with some companions to preach to more pagans. Here, too, he was successful and he baptized large numbers. Then, one day, as he was about to give some converts the Sacrament of Confirmation, he was martyred. A group of fierce pagans swooped down on their camp, and the Saint would not let his companions defend him. "Our Lord tells us to repay evil with good,” he said. "The day has come for which I have waited so long. Trust in God, and He will save our souls.” The barbarians attacked, and Boniface was the first one they killed.

Even today there are millions of souls who do not know the true god. Let us pray for them, and if God inspires us to become missionaries, let us be generous and courageous enough to follow His call.

St. Francis Caracciolo

St. Francis Caracciolo - June 4th

This Italian Saint lived like other young noblemen, even though he was a devout Christian and very charitable. He loved all sports, but his favorite was hunting. Then when he was twenty-two, a disease something like leprosy brought him very close to death. While he was sick, he thought about the emptiness of the pleasures of the world and the happiness of those who serve God alone. So he made a vow that if he got better, he would dedicate his life to God. The disease left him so fast that it seemed a miracle, and the young man began his studies to become a priest.

Later, the new priest joined a group who were devoted to caring for prisoners and preparing condemned criminals to die a good death. But his great mission was began when he and another priest, John Augustine Adorno, started the Congregation of Minor Clerks Regular.

When John Adorno died, Francis was chosen superior, even though he did not want the honor. So humble was he that he used to sign his letters, “Francis the sinner.” And he took his turn, like the other priest, in sweeping floors, making beds, and washing dishes. He often spent almost the whole night praying in church, and he wanted all the priest to spend at least one hour a day in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

St. Francis spoke so often and so well about God’s love for us that he was called, “Preacher of the Love of God.” he carefully guarded his purity and converted some evil women who tried to make him sin. Always he practiced mortifications of every kind.

Just before he died, St. Francis suddenly cried, “Let’s go!” “Where do you want to go?” asked the priest by his bed. “To Heaven! To Heaven!” came the answer in a clear, happy voice. And right afterwards, the Saint died.

Good times are not enough to fill our hearts. Let us use some of our free time doing something worthwhile so that our life, too, may be useful.

St. Clotilda

St. Clotilda - June 3rd

Clotilda was the daughter of the King of Burgundy. After her father’s death, her uncle became King, and the princess was brought up in his court. Although this court was full of dangers to her soul, she did not let the attractions of pleasures make her sin. When the pagan King of the Franks, Clovis, asked for her as his wife, her uncle gave permission, but said she must be allowed to practice her Christian Faith.

King Clovis of France was a hot-tempered barbarian, but his Queen Clotilda soon won his heart with her beauty, sweetness, and charming ways. Although she spent many hours in prayer and secretly practiced penance, she dressed and acted as a Queen should, to please her husband. The great desire of her heart was to see him become a Christian.

One day, as he was going to battle, she told him to pray to the God of the Christians. During the battle, King Clovis’ soldiers began to go over to the enemy. He saw that he would surely lose, and he vowed that if Clotilda’s God would make him victorious, he would become a Christian. He won the battle, and on Christmas Day, Clovis and over three thousand Franks were baptized. It is easy to see why St. Clotilda is called the Apostle of France.

After her husband’s death, she had to suffer much from the fighting of her sons, and she tried in every way to keep peace among them. When she was dying, she begged them to treat their subjects well, to protect the poor, and to live in peace. Then she turned all her thoughts to God and prepared herself for death by praying with great devotion.

In the midst of many dangers and in the company of very rough people, Clotilda became a saint. We, too, can become saints if we try to imitate her by praying and being kind all the time.

St. Pothinus and the Martyrs of Lyons

St. Pothinus and the Martyrs of Lyons - June 2nd

Lyons is a city in France, and back in the very early days of the Church, there was a great persecution of the Christians in that region. As it grew worse, some weak Christians were so afraid of being tortured that they gave up their Faith. But the braver ones, who trusted in God, soon won back their weaker brothers, and all together, they suffered for Jesus.

Some were burned with red-hot plates; some were thrown to beasts; some were whipped; and some were roasted in an iron chair. A slave girl named Blandina amazed her persecutors by her courage. She was tortured all day long, but in the end, it was her torturers who gave up, not she. On the last day of the martyrdoms, Blandina was brought out before all the people to suffer again. Yet she looked as happy as if she were going to her wedding! In fact, she was so intent on talking in her heart to Jesus that she did not even feel it when she was tossed over and over again by a bull! When she was killed, the pagans themselves said they had never seen a women show such courage.

The leader of all these martyrs was the bishop of Lyons. St. Pothinus. He was ninety years old. They kicked and beat him so much that he died two day later in prison.

Let us always be thankful that we share in the divine Faith as these strong Christians. May we never be ashamed of being followers of Christ.

St. Pamphilus

St. Pamphilus - June 1st

Pamphilus was born in Lebanon and became a famous scholar in his own city. He studied in Egypt and then settled down in Palestine. Here he became a priest and started a school for the study of the Holy Bible.

Pamphilus loved to read and to study religious writings. He collected a wonderful library of them, which was preserved for a long time after he died. He was so anxious to have many people read God’s message in the Bible that he would give away his copies of the holy Book. In those days, when there were no printing presses, books cost a great deal of money, because they had to be copied all by hand. Yet St. Pamphilus was so generous that he gave many away.

This Saint treated everyone, even the poor slaves, as his brothers. He gave all the money he received from his father to his relatives and friends and to poor people. After working hard all his life, he was put in prison for refusing to worship false gods. He kept on writing the two years he was in prison. Then he and other faithful Christians were beheaded and so won the martyr’s crown.

Little by little, let us build up on an inspiring home library. Then let us make use of it. We will be surprised at how good we feel when we read books on our holy Faith!

St. Angela Merici

St. Angela Merici - May 31st

Angela was born in a small Italian town and became an orphan at ten. She and her beloved sister were taken care of by their uncle. When she was thirteen, another big sorrow fell upon Angela. The sister she loved so much died suddenly, even before there was time to give her the last Sacraments. Angela was worried about her, but in His goodness, Jesus let her know that her sister was saved. To thank Him, the Saint gave her heart completely to Him.

When she was about twenty-two, she began to realize how little the poor children in her town knew about religion. Their parents were not teaching them anything about it. Angela asked some of her girlfriends to join her in teaching Catechism to these children. None of the girls had money or important positions, but they were anxious to help Angela do good to the children.

At that time there were no orders of teaching sisters at all. No one had ever thought of such a thing. St. Angela Merici was the first one to gather together a group of women to open schools for children. At first these women lived in their own homes, and because of many difficulties, it was a very long time before they could live together in a convent. The Saint herself died when her Congregation had just started. But she had great trust in God. She knew He would take care of the mission she had begun. And so He did. Her Congregation, called the Ursuline Sisters, spread to many countries and has become famous for its many good works in the Church of God.

The life of this Saint was one of prayer and patience. Let us not be discouraged even if we cannot do all the good we want to do. God will reward us for trying to do what we can.