St. Andrew, Apostle

St. Andrew, Apostle - Patron of Scotland, of Old Maids, and Fishermen - November 30th

Andrew, like his brother, Simon Peter, was a fisherman. He became a disciple of the great St. John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” Andrew understood that Jesus was greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master.

Jesus knew that Andrew was walking behind him, and turning back, He asked, “What do you seek?” When Andrew answered that he would like to know where Jesus dwelt, Our Lord replied, “Come and see.” Andrew had been only a little time with Jesus when he realized that this was truly the Messias. From then on, he decided to follow Jesus. Andrew was thus the first disciple of Christ.

Next Andrew brought his brother Simon (St. Peter) to Jesus and Jesus received him, too, as His disciple. At first the two brothers continued to carry on their fishing trade and family affairs, but later the Lord called them to stay with Him all the time. He promised to make them fishers of men, and this time they left their nets for good.

It is believed that after Our Lord ascended into Heaven, St. Andrew went to Greece to preach the Gospel. He is said to have been put to death on a cross, to which he was tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle.

Two countries have chosen St. Andrew as their Patron-Russia and Scotland.

When St. Andrew saw the cross on which he was to die, he exclaimed, “O good cross, made beautiful by Christ’s body, you are welcome!” Today I will remember the words of Our Lord: “Whoever does not carry his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

PRAYER TO OBTAIN FAVORS

HAIL and blessed be the hour and moment in which the son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.

(It is piously believed that whoever recites this above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30th Nov.) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)

Imprimatur
†MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York
New York, February 6, 1897

Bl. Francis Anthony of Lucera

Bl. Francis Anthony of Lucera – November 29th

This Saint, who was nicknamed Johnnie as a child, was the son of an Italian farmer. His father died before he was ten, but his mother’s second husband was good to him and sent him to be educated by the Franciscans.

When he was fifteen, the lad asked to be admitted to the Order. Brother Francis Anthony did very well in all his studies, and after becoming a priest, he became famous as a preacher and teacher. He also was elected Superior and he tried to make all the monks as holy as he was.

Bl. Francis Anthony had a special interest in prisoners. The prisons of his day were terrible places, and he did his best to help the poor prisoners in every way. His love went out to everyone in need. It was he who began the custom of collecting gifts at Christmas time for poor families. In Lucera, the city in which he spent his life, it was said: “If you want to see St. Francis of Assisi, just look at Father Francis Anthony!”

Bl. Francis Anthony had a great devotion to our Blessed Mother and he loved to pay special honor to her Immaculate Conception. It was at the beginning of the solemn novena for the Feast that he died. Some time before, when he was in good health, he had said he would die soon. He had even suggested to a priest-friend that he come along. This good priest replied a bit excitedly, “Listen, Father, if you want to die, that is your affair, but I’m in no hurry!” What did the Saint reply? “We must both make this journey,” he said, “I first and you afterwards.” And that is just what happened. The good priest lived only two months after Bl. Francis Anthony passed to his eternal reward.

The Saints were not afraid to die because they often thought of Heaven. Today I too will do everything for Heaven.

St. Catherine Laboure

St. Catherine Laboure – November 28th

Zoe Laboure was the daughter of a French farmer, and she was the only one of her large family who did not go to school. She could not read or write at all. Her mother died while she was still very young, and Zoe had to run the house when her older sister became a nun.

Zoe, too, would have liked to enter the convent when she was in her early teens, but had to wait until she was twenty-four. She became a Sister of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul and took the name of Catherine.

Shortly after she finished her period of training as a postulant, Sister Catherine began to receive the special privilege of seeing the Blessed Mother. One night, she was awakened from sleep by a “shining child” who led her to the chapel. There Our Lady came to talk to her. The Blessed Mother, in another vision, showed herself standing on a globe with streams of light coming from her hands. Underneath were the words: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who turn to thee!” Sister Catherine was told that a medal was to be made of this picture of Our Lady and that all who wore it would receive many graces from God through His Mother’s prayers.

Sister Catherine told her confessor and he later told the bishop. So it was that the medal which we call the miraculous medal was made, and soon many, many people all over the world were wearing it. Yet no one in the convent knew that humble Sister Catherine was the one to whom Our Lady had appeared! She spent the remaining forty-five years of her life answering the door, looking after the hens that provided the nuns with eggs, and taking care of old and sick people. She was happy to keep her special privilege hidden, for she was only interested in serving God as best she could.

I will wear the Miraculous Medal and often repeat the ejaculation: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who turn to thee!”

St. James Intercisus

St. James Intercisus – November 27th

James was a Persian who was a great favorite of the King Yezdigerd I. When this king began to persecute Christians, James did not have the courage to confess his faith. He was too afraid to lose the King’s friendship. So he gave up his faith or at least pretended to.

James’ wife and mother were broken-hearted. When the King died, they wrote a strong letter warning him to change his ways. This letter had its effect on James. He had been a coward, but at heart, he was still good. Now he began to stay away from court and to blame himself openly for having given up his faith.

The new King sent for him, but this time, James hid nothing, “I am a Christian,” he said. The King accused him of being ungrateful for all the honors his father, King Yezdigerd, had given him. “And where is your father now?” St. James calmly answered.

The angry King threatened to put the Saint to a terrible death, but he replied, “May I die the death of the just!”

The King and his council condemned James to die only after all his limbs should be cut off. But his fears had gone, and he said, “This death which appears so dreadful is very little for the purchase of eternal life.” Then he told the executioners, “Begin your work.” Each time a finger was cut off, he rejoiced and thanked God, praying: “Savior of Christians, receive a branch of the tree.” He kept declaring his faith that his body would one day rise in glory.

This great saint martyr was called “Intercisus”, which means “hacked-to-pieces” in memory of his heroic death.

When we make mistakes and our parents or teachers correct us, let us listen to them. They correct us because they love us. This saint became a saint because when his mother corrected him strongly, he blamed himself and started a new life immediately.

St. John Berchmans

St. John Berchmans – Patron of Youth and Altar Boys – November 26th

This Belgian Saint once said, “If I do not become a saint when I am young, I shall become one.” In fact, he did indeed die at the early age of twenty-two-and he had, without any doubt, reached his goal of sanctity.

As a child, John stayed very close to his sick mother, but still, he liked to join with his playmates in putting on plays about stories from the Bible. He was especially good at playing the part of David defending the innocent Susanna. By the time he was thirteen, he wanted to begin studying for the priesthood, but his good father, a shoemaker, needed his help in supporting the family. However, he finally decided to let John become a servant in the household of a priest, from where he could go to classes in the seminary.

Three years later, John Berchmans entered the Society of Jesus. He studied hard, enthusiastically acted out parts in holy plays, and above all, prayed fervently. He made a motto: “Have great care for little things,” and he lived up to it. For St. John Berchmans never performed any great, heroic deeds. But he did every little thing well, from waiting on table to copying down notes on his studies.

When he fell sick, no doctor could discover what illness he had, yet he knew he was going to die. He was very cheerful as always. When the doctor ordered that his forehead be bathed with wine, John joked: “It’s lucky that such an expensive sickness is not going to last long!” Miracles took place at his funeral, and people at once began to call him a Saint.

This saint can be a model for every youngster. He was a good son, a diligent student, a modest and pure boy. To be all this, in fact, to become a saint, John worked hard and prayed, especially to the Blessed Mother.

St. Catherine of Alexandria

St. Catherine of Alexandria – Patroness of Philosophers, Jurists, Teachers, Students, and Wheel-Makers – November 25th

Catherine was the daughter of a wealthy pagan family of Alexandria, Egypt. She was a very beautiful girl whose great interest was in learning. She loved to study deep questions of philosophy and religion, and one day she began to read about Christianity. Soon she became a Christian herself.

St. Catherine was only eighteen when the Emperor Maxentius began persecuting the Christians. Fearlessly, the lovely young Christian maiden went to tell him what she thought of his cruelty. When he spoke of the pagan gods, she very plainly showed him that they were false. Maxentius could not answer her arguments, so, he sent for fifty of his best pagan philosophers. Once again, it was Catherine who proved the truth of her religion, and all fifty of those philosophers were convinced that she was right! In great fury, Maxentius had them all killed. Next, he himself tried to win her by offering her a queen’s crown. When Catherine absolutely refused it, he had her beaten and thrown into prison.

While Maxentius was away at camp, his wife and an officer were very curious to hear this amazing Christian girl speak. They went to her cell, and the result was that they and two hundred soldiers of the guard were converted. For this, they were all put to death, and Catherine was placed on a wheel full of spikes to be tortured to death. But the wheel snapped in two miraculously and the spikes flew off, killing many pagans.

Finally, St. Catherine was beheaded. She has always been the patroness of Christian philosophers.

To be able to resist the evil around us, we must know our Religion well.

St. John of the Cross

St. John of the Cross – November 24th

John was born in Spain and was the son of a poor weaver. He went to school for poor children and became a servant to the director of a hospital. For seven years, John worked as a servant while also studying at a Jesuit college. Even as a youth, he liked to do penance, and when he was twenty-one, his love of God prompted him to enter the Carmelite Order.

With St. Teresa of Avila, St. John was chosen by God to bring a new spirit of fervor among religious. But his life was full of trials. Although he succeeded in opening new monasteries where his holy way of life was practiced, he himself was criticized and even thrown into prison. He was beaten and made to suffer terribly by his enemies. At one time, too, he had fierce temptations. God seemed to have left him alone, and he suffered greatly.

Yet when these storms of trouble passed, the Lord rewarded his faithful servant by giving him deep peace and joy of heart. John was very close to his God. In fact, the Blessed Mother herself showed John how to escape from his prison cell!

St. John had a marvellous way with sinners. Once when a beautiful but sinful woman tried to make him do wrong, he talked to her so well that she was led to change her life. Another lady, instead, had such a sharp temper that she was nicknamed “the terrible.” Yet St. John knew how to calm her down by his kind manners.

Every time he could, this Saint chose what would bring him the most suffering. He prayed God to let him suffer every day for love of Jesus, and in reward, Our Lord revealed Himself to St. John in a special way.

St. John is famous for his spiritual books which show us how to grow close to God.

Today, if I have something to suffer, I will be patient.

St. Columban

St. Columban – November 23rd

Columban, the greatest of Irish missionary-monks, had a good education as a boy. But when he was a teenager, he was strongly tempted to sins of impurity by certain immodest girls. Columban felt a great inclination to give in, and in this terrible situation, he turned to a holy nun for advice.

“You must run away from this temptation,” she told him. “Turn from the river of impurity into which many fall!”

Columban decided not only to avoid those young women but to go off into the wilderness to become a monk. His mother could not bear the thought of him leaving her, but Columban felt he must serve God in solitude.

After many years as a monk in Ireland, Columban and twelve other monks set sail for France where good priests were badly needed. People saw their penance, devotion and charity, and many young men came to join them. Soon they had to build other monasteries to house all the disciples of St. Columban.

There were some people, however, who gave trouble because they thought the rules of these monks were too strict, and St. Columban also faced danger when he scolded the king for his sins. As a result, he and his Irish monks had to leave France. St. Columban, though fairly old, still tried to preach to unbelievers in Switzerland. When he was seventy, he went into Italy and defended the Faith against the Arian heretics.

In his letter to the Pope, St. Columban proclaims his great devotion to the Holy Father. “All we Irish, living in the furthest parts of the earth,” he says, “are bound to the Chair of St. Peter.” He calls the Pope the “leader of leaders,” and “the only hope, mighty through the honor of Peter the Apostle.”

In his last years, St. Columban built the great monastery of Bobbio in Italy, and after his death, both the Irish and the Italians were very devoted to this wonderful missionary.

If I find someone to be an occasion of sin, I will make sure to avoid that person.

Feast of All Saints

Feast of All Saints
November First
Taken from, “Divine Intimacy,” by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., pp. 1164-1166

PRESENCE OF GOD – Through the intercession of Your saints, O Lord, may I tread the way of holiness courageously.

MEDITATION

1. Holy Mother Church, always solicitous and anxious for our salvation, exults today with exceeding joy as she contemplates the glory of her children who, having reached their heavenly fatherland, are safe for all eternality, forever delivered from the snares of the evil one, and now numbered everlastingly among the elect, the people of God. Like a mother, proud of the triumph of her children, she presents them to the whole Christian world, inviting all the faithful to share her maternal joy: “Let us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a feast in honor of all the saints, at whose solemnity the angels rejoice and give praise to the Son of God” (Introit).

The Epistle (Ap 7, 2-12) offers us the apocalyptic vision of the glory of the saints: “I saw a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and in the sight of the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and with palms in their hands.” Ranks of martyrs, apostles, confessors, and virgins, luminous hosts who delight unceasingly in the vision of God, adore Him continually and praise Him as they repeat: “Benediction and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Who are these glorious saints? Men who have lived upon earth as we have, who have known our miseries, our difficulties, our struggles. Some of them we recognize easily, for the Church has raised them to the honors of the Altar, but the great majority are entirely unknown to us. They are humble people who lived obscurely in the accomplishment of duty, without display, without renown, whom no one here below remembers, but whom the heavenly Father looked upon, knew in secret, and, having proved their fidelity, called to His glory. The honorable positions occupied by some in this vast gathering, or the mighty deeds accomplished by others, no longer possess any value of themselves: eternal beatitude is not determined by the great things achieved here below. One thing only endures, for the humble and the great, the poor and the wealthy: the degree of glory which now renders them eternally happy.

2. While the Epistle gives us a glimpse of the life of the saints in heavenly glory, the Gospel (Mt 5, 1-12), citing a passage from the beatitudes, unveils the life which was theirs upon earth: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…Blessed are the meek…Blessed are they that mourn…Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice…Blessed are the merciful… Blessed are the clean of heart…Blessed are the peacemakers…Blessed are they who suffer persecution.” Poverty, humility, detachment from earthly goods; meekness of heart, resignation and patience in sorrow, uprightness, hunger for justice; kindness and understanding toward one’s neighbor; purity of mind and heart; peacefulness of spirit and bearer of peace; fortitude and generosity, which, for love of God, embrace every suffering and endure every injustice: such are the characteristics of the life led by the saints on earth, and such must be our program, too, if we wish to attain sanctity as they did.

We want to become saints, but in the easiest way possible, without effort, without fatigue or violence to ourselves; we should like to practice virtue, but only to a certain point, only when it does not ask for great sacrifice, or go too much against the grain. And so it happens that when faced with acts of virtue which exact greater self-renunciation, of the acceptance of difficult and repugnant things, such as quelling the resentments of self-love, renouncing an attempt to make our opinion prevail, submitting ourselves and meekly condescending to one who is opposed to us, very often-if not always-we refuse, thinking it unnecessary to go to such lengths.
Yet our progress in holiness depends precisely upon these acts which we hesitate to make; without them we shall always lead a mediocre life, we shall always remain on the same level, if indeed we do not lose ground. Let us the saints whom we honor today to help us overcome our laziness, our lassitude, our cowardice; let us ask those who have gone before us in the arduous way of sanctity to obtain for us the strength to follow them. “If such as these [have attained to sanctity], why not I?” (St. Augustine). God offers us the grace which He gave to the saints; but alas! what is lacking is our correspondence with it.

St. Cecilia

St. Cecilia – Patroness of Musicians, Poets, Singers and Organ-Builders – November 22nd

This famous Patroness of music was a Roman noblewoman, who had given her heart to Christ. Beneath the rich clothes worn by women of her class, Cecilia wore a rough shirt that caused her suffering; she wanted to be able to offer this suffering to Jesus, whose bride she intended to be.

But Cecilia’s father gave her in marriage to young pagan nobleman! During the celebration of the wedding, the lovely bride sat apart singing to God in her heart and praying for His help. When she and Valerian, her husband, were alone, she gathered up courage and said to him: “I have a secret to tell you. You must know that I have an angel of God watching over me. If you let me keep my promise to be Christ’s bride only, my angel will love you as he loves me.”

“Show me this angel,” answered Valerian. “If he comes from God, I will do as you wish.”

Cecilia said, “If you believe in the one true God and receive the waters of Baptism, then you shall see the angel.” Valerian went to the Bishop Urban and was received with joy. After he had professed his belief in the Christian religion, he was baptized and returned to St. Cecilia.

There by the Saint’s side, the young man saw the splendid angel! The angel raised his hand and placed a crown of roses and lilies on the heads of the young couple. What joy filled their pure, holy hearts at that moment!

Valerian’s brother, Tiburtius, learned of the Christian faith from Cecilia and she spoke so beautifully of Jesus that before long, he too was baptized. Together the two brothers performed many works of holy charity. When they were arrested for being Christians, they went bravely to death rather than give up their new faith in Jesus.

St. Cecilia lovingly buried their bodies, before she too was arrested. She converted the very officers who tried to make her sacrifice to false gods! When she was put into a fire, it did no harm her. At last, a man was sent to behead her. He struck her at the neck three times, but she did not die right away. She lay on the floor of her own home unable to move. Yet by holding out three fingers of one hand, and one of the other, she still professed her faith in the Blessed Trinity.

Today I will think often that I have a Guardian Angel watching over me.

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

– November 21st

When she was only three years old, the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem by her holy parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne. Mary’s whole life was to belong to God because He had chosen her to be the Mother of His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.


The Blessed Virgin was happy to begin serving God in the Temple of Jerusalem, even though she had to leave her dear father and mother. And St. Joachim and St. Anne were content to offer their saintly little girl to God, for they knew that He had sent her to them.


In the Temple, the High Priest received the child Mary among the maidens who were dedicated to prayer and the service of the Temple. He kissed and blessed the holy child, seeing that the Lord had great plans for her. Then he set her down upon the altar step. Mary did not weep or turn back to her parents. She came so happily to the altar that everyone in the Temple loved her at once.


St. Joachim and St. Anne went back home, praising God for their blessed daughter. And Mary remained in the Temple, where she grew more beautiful and holy every year. She spent her days in loving God, reading the Bible, praying and serving the priests of the Temple. She made beautiful linens and splendid vestments, and was loved by all the other young girls because she was so kind. In doing each of her duties well, to please God, the Blessed Virgin Mary gained immense grace and gave great glory to the Lord.


Every morning I will offer myself to God with my whole heart.

St. Edmund the Martyr

St. Edmund the Martyr – November 20th


Edmund was an English prince who became king when he was only fourteen. Yet his high position did not make him proud or conceited. Instead, he took as his model the holy King David and tried to serve God as well as David did. In fact, Edmund even learned all David’s Psalms by heart. The Psalms are beautiful hymns of praise to God contained in the Holy Bible.


King Edmund governed wisely, showing kindness to all his subjects. When the Danish barbarians invaded his land, he fought them bravely, even though their army was much larger than his. At last, he was captured.


The barbarian leader offered to spare Edmund’s life if he would agree to certain terms. But since these terms were opposed to his country and his religion, the king refused. He declared he would never purchase his life by offending God and his people. In anger, the pagan chief condemned this Christian hero to death.


St. Edmund was tied to a tree and then cruelly whipped. The holy king took it all patiently, invoking the Name of Jesus. Next, his torturers shot arrows into every part of his body. They were careful not to hit any vital organ, so that the poor martyr would suffer longer before dying. At last, he was dragged down from the tree and beheaded.


Devotion to St. Edmund the martyr became very popular in England, and many churches were dedicated in his honor.


From this saint let us learn loyalty to God and to our country, and be good Christians and good citizens.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

St. Elizabeth of Hungary – Patroness of Third Order Members – November 19th


This daughter of the King of Hungary was married to Louis, the ruler of Thuringia, while she was very young. She was a beautiful bride who dearly loved her handsome husband, and Louis returned her affection with all his heart. God sent them three children and they were as happy as can be for six years.


Then St. Elizabeth’s sorrows began. Louis died of the plague, and she was so heart-broken that she cried: “The world is dead to me and all that is joyous in the world!” Louis’ relatives had never liked Elizabeth because she had given so much food away to the poor. While Louis was alive, they had not been able to do anything, but now they could and they did. Within a short time, this beautiful, gentle princess and her three children were sent away from the castle and suffered hunger and cold. Yet Elizabeth did not complain at her terrible sufferings. Instead she blessed God and prayed with great fervor, just as she had done in her years of joy.


Elizabeth’s relatives came to her rescue and she and her children had a home once more. Her uncle wanted her to marry again, for she was still very young and attractive. But the Saint had determined to give herself to God, imitating the poverty of St. Francis. She went to live in a poor cottage and spent the last few years of her life serving the sick and the poor. She would even go fishing to try to gain more money for her beloved poor, and when she was sick herself, she still spun wool for them.


St. Elizabeth was only twenty-four when she died. On her death bed, she was heard to sing softly. She had great confidence that Jesus would take her to Himself.


Today I want to take everything from the hands of God. If He sends me joys, I will thank Him. If He asks me to suffer a little, I will offer it up for His love.

St. Odo of Cluny

St. Odo of Cluny – November 18th

This French saint was not a very holy young man when he first began his service to the Church. He was more interested in music than in divine things. But one day, this young student realized how different his life was from the perfect life taught by the Rule of St. Benedict. So Odo entered a monastery, and tried to please God in every way. Sometimes, however, his kind heart caused him to do unwise things, but as he grew older, he learned to be more prudent.

St. Odo was forty-eight when he became Abbot of Cluny, which was to be the most famous monastery in Europe. Many other monasteries copied Odo’s way of keeping all the monks fervent and close to God. He was called to Rome by the Holy Father to try to keep peace between two angry kings. He was invited to many monasteries by Abbots who wanted his advice. Yet he still found time to write several books, hymns and holy poems.

All through his life, St. Odo showed charity to those who were opposed to him. Once a peasant tried to kill him with a rock, shouting that Odo’s monks owed his money. Odo escaped, and then went to pay the man the money he had demanded. He thought no more about the matter until he heard that he king had ruled the peasant’s right arm should be cut off in punishment. At once the Saint went to court and persuaded the ruler to set the man free.

Just before he died, St. Odo wrote a hymn in honor of St. Martin of Tours, whose great charity he had always imitated.

Today I will try hard to imitate the charity of this saint in words and deeds.

Bl. Philippine Duchesne

Bl. Philippine Duchesne – November 17th

This Saint, who labored for Christ in the United States, was born into a wealthy French family. As a youngster, there was nothing especially holy about Philippine. In fact, she often did her best to get her own way and was apt to command everyone else to do what she wanted. In school, her favorite subject was history, and she later became very interested in stories about the American Indians.

At the age of seventeen, Philippine entered the convent, but she was not allowed to take her vows when the time came, because of the French Revolution. All the Professed Sisters were forced by the Revolutionaries to leave the country, and Philippine had to go home. Still she did not give up her desire to belong to Jesus, and several years later she joined the newly Society of the Sacred Heart.

Mother Philippine Duchesne’s great desire was to be a missionary, but she was fifty before she was sent to the United States, which was still a mission land at this time. In Mississippi, she and a small group of Sisters started a free school for the children of poor families, both white and Indian. The work was hard, because of the different languages and ways of the people. But despite the many difficulties, Mother Duchesne never lost her youthful enthusiasm, even though she did become less commanding and more gentle as she grew older.

Mother Duchesne was a real heroine who went through terrible journeys, nearly died from yellow fever and overcame all kinds of obstacles to open Convents in the New World. Then when she was seventy-one, she resigned her position as Superior and went off to open a school among her beloved Indians. She died at the age of eighty-three in a tiny room in which she had chosen to live in great poverty.

I will ask Our Divine Lord to increase my faith and confidence in Him, especially when things are hard.

Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King

Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King
Last Sunday of October
Taken from, “Divine Intimacy,” by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., pp.1161-1163

PRESENSE OF GOD – O Jesus, Prince of Ages, King of Nations, be the sole Ruler of my mind and heart.

MEDITATION

1. The liturgy today is truly a triumphant hymn celebrating the Kingdom of Christ. From the First Vespers of the Feast, the figure of Jesus is majestically portrayed, seated on a royal throne and dominating the entire world; “His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all kings shall serve and obey Him…. He shall sit and rule and shall speak peace unto the nations.”

The Mass opens with the apocalyptic vision of this extraordinary King whose majesty is intimately linked to His immolation for the salvation of souls…. “The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honor. To Him belong glory and power forever and ever.”(Introit).

In the Epistle (Col. 1, 12-20) St. Paul enumerates the titles which make Christ King of all kings: He is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; for in Him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.” These titles belong to Jesus Christ inasmuch as He is God, perfect image of the Father, exemplary cause of all earthly and heavenly creatures and, at the same time, Creator, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, of all that exists, for nothing has existence without Him, but “all things were created by Him and in Him…by Him all things consist.”

Then come His titles to Kingship as Man: “He is the Head of the Mystical Body, the Church…. Through Him [God]…reconciled all things unto Himself, making peace through the Blood of His Cross.” He, who is already our King by reason of His divinity, is also King through His Incarnation, which has constituted Him the Head of all humanity, and through His Passion, by which at the price if His Blood He has regained our souls, which already belonged to Him as His creatures.

Jesus is our King in the full sense of the word: He has created us, redeemed us, vivified us by His grace, He nourishes us with His Flesh and Blood, He governs us with love, and by love He draws us to Himself. In the face of such considerations, the cry of St. Paul rises spontaneously from our heart: “Giving thanks to God the Father…who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption…the remission of sins.”

2. In today’s Gospel (Jn. 18, 33-37) we have the most authoritative proclamation of the Kingship of Christ, since it comes from His own lips in that most solemn moment during the trial which preceded His Passion. Pilate explicitly questioned Him on the subject: “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” Jesus did not reply directly to this first question; actually, He is not King of any one determined nation; His Kingdom has nothing to do with the kingdoms of the earth. But to Pilate’s second and more precise question, “Art Thou a King then?” Jesus replied unhesitatingly: “Thou sayest it; I am a King.” He proclaims His Kingship in the most formal manner before the highest civil authority in Palestine; He proclaims it, not in the midst of an enthusiastic crowd, nor in the triumph of His miracles, but bound with chains, before him who is about to condemn Him to death, before being dragged to Calvary where, from the heights of the Cross, above His thorn-crowned head, will appear for the first time the title of His royalty: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (Jn. 19, 19). He had fled when the enthusiastic crowd wished to make Him their King; now He proclaims Himself King in the midst of the unspeakable humiliations of His Passion, thus affirming in the clearest manner that His Kingdom is not of this world, that His Kingdom is so sublime that no dishonor, no insults can eclipse it. But by this act Jesus also tells us that He prefers to manifest his Kingship far more as a conquest of His Blood than as a title belonging to Him in virtue of His divine nature.

We should go to meet this divine King with all the yearning of our soul. He presents Himself to us under an appearance so human, so loving, so welcoming, stretching out His arms on the Cross to invite all to come to Him, showing us the wound in his side as the symbol of His Love. Far from trying to escape His dominion, we should beseech Him to be the sole Ruler of our mind and heart, and the complete master of our will. We should submit ourselves and all that belongs to us to “His most gentle rule” (Collect).

St. Gertrude the Great

St. Gertrude the Great - Patroness of the West Indies - November 16th


Gertrude entered a Convent in Saxony when she was very young and under the care of St. Mechtildis, she grew to be a very happy and holy nun.


Gertrude was a likeable, intelligent young woman who did very well in Latin studies. In fact, she liked the study of religion less than her other subjects her other subjects at first. But when she was twenty-six, Jesus appeared to her and told her that from now on, she would think only of loving Him and trying to become perfect. Now she began to study the Holy Bible with deep delight and became very learned in our holy religion.


Jesus appeared to St. Gertrude many times. He showed her His own Sacred Heart and twice He let her rest her head on this Heart of His. Because of her great love for Jesus, her divine Spouse, St. Gertrude tried to correct her every fault, not matter how small. She trusted in Him with her whole heart and was full of peace and joy.


St. Gertrude had a great devotion to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and loved to receive Holy Communion often, even though in those days, it was not the custom. She was also very devoted to St. Joseph, and foster-father of Jesus.


St. Gertrude wrote many beautiful prayers, which have been very helpful in teaching many souls. After suffering for about ten years, but always very cheerfully, St. Gertrude went to join the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who had made her His spouse.


I will have a picture of the Sacred Heart enthroned in my bedroom. Also, I will spread devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

St. Albert the Great

St. Albert the Great - Patron of Scientists - November 15th

This Saint was born in a castle on the Danube River in Swabia. He went to the University of Padua and there he decided to become a Dominican. His uncle tried to persuade him not to enter, but Albert entered anyway, as God wanted. His father, the Count of Bollstadt, was very angry, and it was thought that might make Albert come out. The young monk was moved to another monastery, however, and his father did not pursue him.

St. Albert loved to study. He especially was interested in natural sciences-physics, geography, biology, and so forth-and of course in the study of religion and the Holy Bible. He used to go out to watch the ways of animals and write down what he saw, just as scientists do today. He wrote a great number of books on these subjects, as also on philosophy, and was a very popular teacher in different schools.

One of St. Albert’s pupils was the great St. Thomas Aquinas, and when Thomas died, St. Albert learned of it directly from God. He had guided St. Thomas in beginning his great works in Philosophy and Theology and he defended his teachings after Thomas died.

As he grew older, St. Albert grew more holy. Before, he had expressed his deep thoughts in his writings. Now he expressed them in tears, in his whole way of living for God.

Two years before his death, St. Albert’s memory failed him and his end came very peacefully while he was sitting in his chair with his fellow Dominicans. St. Albert is the Patron Saint of students and natural sciences.

I will try to force myself to study well, especially my religious subjects.

St. Lawrence O’Toole

St. Lawrence O’Toole – November 14th

Lawrence was an Irishman and the son of a chief of the Murrays. When he was only ten years old, a neighboring king made a raid on his father’s territory and carried the lad away. The boy had a lot to suffer for two years, until his father forced the king to give him up to the care of a bishop. When he did, the Murray chief hurried to see his son, and great was their happiness at being together again.

The chief wanted one of his sons to enter the service of the Church, and while he was wondering which one it might be, Lawrence told him with a laugh that he need not wonder any more. “It is my desire,” said Lawrence, “to have for my inheritance the service of God in the Church.” So his father took him by the hand and gave him into the care of the bishop.

Lawrence O’Toole became a priest and the Abbot of a great monastery. When food became very scarce in the whole neighborhood of the monastery the good abbot gave great quantities away to keep the people from starving. He had many problems to handle as head of the monastery because there were those who criticized him for being too strict. But he kept right on guiding his monks in the way of mortification and perfection, despite the criticism. Then, there was the problem of the robbers and outlaws who lived in the nearby hills. Yet nothing discouraged the fearless Lawrence O’Toole.

He became so famous that before long he was chosen to be Archbishop of Dublin. In this new position, he lived as holy a life as ever. Every day, he invited many poor people to be his guests at table, and he helped many others besides. Lawrence dearly loved his people and Ireland, his country, and he did all he could to keep it at peace.

Once a madman attacked him as he was going up to the altar to say Mass, and he was knocked unconscious to the floor. Yet he came to his senses right away, had the wound washed at once, and then went right ahead with the High Mass. God had preserved him from harm!

After years of labor for the Church, St. Lawrence O’Toole became very ill. When they asked him if he wanted to make a will, the holy Archbishop smiled and answered, “God knows that I don’t have a penny in the world.” He had long ago given everything he had to others, just as he had given himself completely to God.

We should do our duty to please God alone and to gain Heaven. Criticism should never stop us.

St. Stanislaus Kostka

St. Stanislaus Kostka - Patron of Youth - November 13th

This Polish youth was sent to a Jesuit school at Vienna with his older brother Paul. The two boys were not at all alike, however. Stanislaus had the courage to keep pure and to avoid bad language. He did well in his studies and the other boys admired his devotion at prayer. Paul, instead, was hard on his younger brother because he himself was not leading a good life.

After two years of patiently putting up with Paul’s bullying, Stanislaus became so ill that he was close to death. The man who owned the boarding house in which they lived was an enemy of the Catholic faith and refused to let a priest bring Holy Communion to the sick youth. Stanislaus prayed in desperation and God sent two angels to him with the Blessed Sacrament. Later, the Blessed Mother herself appeared to the Saint to tell him to enter the Society of Jesus. Stanislaus had already thought of that, so he asked to be admitted into the Society. But the Superior at Vienna dared not accept him because Stanislaus’ powerful father would be furious. The boy refused to give up. He stole away secretly and set out on foot to walk all the way to Rome, to ask the Superior General himself. On the way he stopped at the Jesuit house where St. Peter Canisius was superior.

St. Peter tested Stanislaus by setting him to wait on the seminarians at table and to clean their rooms. The holy young man served the students so humbly and respectfully that everyone was amazed.

At Rome, Stanislaus was accepted even though his father had written a very angry letter, telling him that he was following a profession not good enough for a nobleman’s son. But the seventeen-year-old saint answered respectfully that he must follow his vocation. He knew it was a far higher profession than any career his father could give him.

In the Jesuit college at Rome, St. Stanislaus performed every duty cheerfully and well. His face seemed to glow when he entered church, because of his great love for Jesus. But before his year of Novitiate was up, the holy Novice fell sick. No one thought his illness was serious, but the Saint was already thinking of going to Heaven. He told a priest friend that he hoped to be there for the next Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother into Heaven. And so it happened.

Early the morning of August 15th, the Feast of Our Lady’s Assumption, the sick young man whispered that he could see Our Lady coming with angels to take him home to Heaven.

One month after St. Stanislaus’ death, his brother Paul arrived in Rome, intending to force him to return. What was his surprise on finding Stanislaus dead! And what remorse he felt! From that time on, Paul began to live a good life, and he willingly testified to the virtues of his holy brother.

I will ask the Blessed Mother to let me know in which state of life Jesus wants me.

St. Nilus the Elder

St. Nilus the Elder – November 12th

Nilus was an important official in the great city of Constantinople. From St. John Chrysostom, he learned to love God so much that he wanted to serve Him. Nilus was married and had two children, yet he felt that God wanted him to become a monk. His good wife agreed that they should separate so as to serve the Lord with their whole hearts. Nilus took his son Theodulus and went to live with the monks of Mt. Sinai.

A few years passed in peace and happiness. Then a troupe of cruel raiders swept down upon the monastery and killed many of the monks. When they rode off, they carried Theodulus with them. His poor father, St. Nilus, followed them, hoping to be able to buy his son back from the raiders. He had many terrible experiences trying to find his son, but at last he found him living with a bishop. This bishop had bought the boy from the raiders in order to save him and Theodulus was working in the service of the Church. Before Nilus and his son left, the good bishop ordained them priests, since they were both ready.

St. Nilus was so wise that many people asked his advice. He wrote many, many letters in reply to priests, monks and high officials, and from these letters we know how holy St. Nilus was.

To a man who had decided to live on a pillar just to make people think he was holy, St. Nilus wrote: “Every man who exalts himself will be humbled!”

This Saint had to undergo many troubles and temptations in his life, but with prayer, he was always victorious. That is why he knew how to help so many other people overcome temptations and live good lives.

Even though people of the world can become saints, they have many dangers to overcome. If God calls me closer to Him, I will leave all my dear ones to follow Him generously.

St. Martin of Tours

St. Martin of Tours – November 11th

This soldier saint entered the Roman army in Italy when he was only fifteen. Although his parents were pagans, he began to study the Christian religion. Those who study the Christian religion are called catechumens until they are baptized.

One very cold winter day, Martin and his comrades came upon a poor beggar at the gate of the city of Amiens. The man’s only clothes were nothing but rags and he was shaking with cold. The other soldiers passed him by, but Martin felt that it was up to him to help the beggar. Having nothing with him, he drew his sword and cut his long cloak in half. Some laughed at his funny appearance as he gave one half to the beggar, but other felt ashamed of their own selfishness. That night, Our Lord Jesus Christ, wearing the half of the cloak that Martin had given away, appeared to him!

“Martin, still a catechumen, has covered me with this garment,” Jesus said. Right after this wonderful event, St. Martin went to be baptized.

A few years later, the Saint left the army and became a disciple of St. Hilary, the Bishop of Poitiers, France. Because of his strong opposition to the Arian heretics in various cities, Martin had to go into exile. But he was happy to live in the wilderness with other monks, and when the people of Tours asked for him as their bishop, he refused. The people would not give up, however. They got him to come to the city to visit a sick person, and once he was there, they took him to the Church!

As Bishop of Tours, St. Martin did all he could to rid France of paganism. He prayed, he worked, he preached everywhere.

Our Lord let Martin know when his death was near. As soon as his followers heard of it, they began to weep and to beg him not to leave them. So the Saint prayed: “Lord, if Your people need me yet, I will not refuse the work. Your will be done.” He was still laboring for the Divine Master in a far-off part of his diocese when death finally came.

St. Martin’s tomb became one of the most famous shrines in a Europe.

I will try to imitate the charity of St. Martin.

St. Andrew Avellino

St. Andrew Avellino – November 10th

This Italian priest was a skillful lawyer before he decided to devote himself only to the care of souls. One day he was defending a friend of his in court and he caught himself telling a lie. That evening, as he was reading the Holy Bible, he came upon these words: “The lying mouth kills the soul.” The more the Saint thought about these words, the more he realized that he had not given enough thought to the things of God.

At the age of thirty-five, he joined a Congregation of priests called Theatines. He worked so hard for souls that he soon became Novice Master and then Superior. St. Charles Borromeo had such a high opinion of him that he asked for him at Milan. In the city of Piacenza he converted many noble ladies and inspired many to become Brides of Christ. It is said that St. Andrew “turned the city upside down.”

The Saint lived until he was eighty-nine, even though he suffered terrible pains for fifty years and always found it hard to walk. Yet he had never taken a carriage or slowed down in his work for God. On the last day of his life, he got up as usual to say Mass. He was so weak that he could hardly reach the altar, but he tried anyway. Just as he started Mass, he fell ill for the last time. That afternoon he died peacefully with his brethren all around him.

This saint told one lie, and after he read the Bible, he was very sorry and did much penance. I too will think over the words of the Bible, “The lying mouth kills the soul,” and will try very hard never to tell any lies.

St. Theodore Tiro

St. Theodore Tiro – November 9th

Theodore was a new soldier in the Roman army when he was called on to die for the Faith. Although he was young, he knew how to keep his soul pure, and he considered the devil as his only real enemy.

When his legion had camped for the winter in the country of Pontus, all the soldiers were taking part in services to the pagan gods. Since he was a Christian and knew that these gods did not exist, he refused to join his comrades.

“How dare you profess a religion which the emperor punishes with death?” demanded the governor, when Theodore was arrested. Without hesitation, the young soldier answered, “I do not know your gods. Jesus Christ, the only son of God, is my God. If you take my answer as an offense, cut off my tongue. Every part of my body is ready for the sacrifice when God calls for this sacrifice.”

The pagan judges let Theodore go this time, but he was arrested later on for setting fire to a pagan temple. The judges first tried to win him with kindness. When that treatment did not work, they tried frightening him by describing the tortures he would go through. In the end, they did turn him over to the torturers.

When the suffering soldier was led back into prison, Angels came to comfort him. After he had been examined three times, he was finally condemned to death by fire. A beautiful church was later built to enshrine his ashes, and people began going to it in great crowds to pray to the martyr.

Neither fear nor beautiful promises should ever stop us from being faithful to God.

Blessed Madeline of Canossa

Blessed Madeline of Canossa – November 8th

Madeline was one of those very lovable children, full of life, and pretty as a picture. She was the daughter of an Italian nobleman, and her rich parents showered her with love. But when she was only five, her dear father died. Two years later, her mother married again and Madeline was entrusted to a governess, who was supposed to be like a good mother to her. Instead, this mean woman treated the beautiful and intelligent child in the worst way possible. Madeline’s brother and sisters tried to tell on the governess, but that clever woman always made it look as though she were right and the child was guilty.

How did Madeline take all this? The great sorrow she felt and the humiliations she suffered only served to strengthen her character. A serious illness attacked her next, and when it was over, her worried relatives were happy to see that she was the same lovely, cheerful young lady as before. But there was one difference. Madeline had resolved to turn down all chances to marry, because she had decided to become a nun.

At first, she thought God wanted her to serve Him as a Carmelite. Later, she realized that she was to be Foundress of a Congregation of nuns who would take care of children. God blessed the new Institute in every way. Schools, homes for orphans, raining centers for the blind and for the deaf and dumb were opened in many cities. Madeline’s tender heart was full of love for little ones in difficulty, because she remembered how much she herself had suffered as a child.

This Saint had a great devotion to our Heavenly Mother and when she was dying she said three Hail Marys with touching love. At the third, she stretched out her arms, and her eyes shone as though she could see the Blessed Virgin coming for her. Then she bowed her head and left this earth forever.

I will remember in my prayers all the little children without a mother. I will pray to our Blessed Lady to be their Mother.

St. Willibrord

St. Willibrord - Patron of Holland - November 7th

Willibrord was born in England and educated for many years at an Irish monastery. Yet most of his life and mission was among the lands which today are Germany, Holland, Luxemburg, and Denmark. He had long had a great desire to preach the Gospel to the pagans of these countries, and at last, his dream came true. With the encouragement of the Pope, who made him a bishop, and with the help of the Frankish King Pepin, St. Willibrord won many souls to Christianity.

There was one very stubborn pagan King, however, who made it hard for the Saint. This was Rodbod, King of Upper Friesland. At one time the missionary’s ship was driven onto an island which the pagans of Denmark and Friesland considered sacred to their god. No one was to kill any animal on it, to eat any vegetable or fruit that grew there, or to draw from its spring, unless in complete silence. To show them their god did not exist, St. Willibrord killed some game to provide food for his companions and baptized three persons in the spring. Hearing him pronounce the words, “I baptize thee…” loudly, the pagans felt sure he would drop dead, but of course, nothing happened. King Rodbod was told of this event and he ordered that one of the Christians should die to “calm the god’s anger.” So it was that one became a martyr.

After this King died, St. Willibrord eagerly went ahead converting many pagans. Although he was growing very old, nothing could stop this apostle. He was still a fine-looking man, cheerful, wise, devout and full of love for souls, right to the end of his life.

Let us be brave today! Let us do something which will help somebody to live closer to God.

Bl. Theophane Venard

Bl. Theophane Venard – November 6th

Even as a youngster this holy French priest dreamed of being a martyr. He went to study for the priesthood and then entered a college for future missionaries in Paris. His family, whom he dearly loved, were greatly saddened to think that after his ordination, he would leave them.

“My darling sister,” he wrote right afterwards, “How I cried when I read your letter! Yes, I well knew the sorrow I was going to bring on my family, and especially on you, my dear little sister. But don’t you think it cost me bloody tears, too, to take such a step, and give all of you such pain? Whoever loved his home more than I do? All my happiness on this earth was centered there. But God, who has united us all in bonds of most tender affection, wanted to draw me from it.”

So after being ordained a priest, Theophane set out for Hong Kong. He studied languages over a year there and then went on to Tongking. Two obstacles were in the way of this zealous missionary: his own poor health and a terrible persecution. Yet he struggled bravely on. Often he wrote to tell his beloved sister in France all his adventures and narrow escapes from his persecutors. At last, after bravely serving the many Christians in Tongking, Theophane was captured and chained in a cage for two mouths.

His gentle ways won even his jailers, and he managed to write a letter home in which he said: “All those who surround me are civil and respectful, and a good many love me. From the great mandarin down to the humblest private soldier, everyone regrets that the laws of the country condemn one to death. I have not been put to the torture like my brethren.”

After he had been beheaded, crowds rushed to soak linen handkerchiefs in his blood, so great was their love for this young martyr of the last century.

Jesus said: “Blessed are the meek, because they will possess the earth.” This means that whoever is meek will be liked by all.

St. Martin de Porres

St. Martin de Porres – November 5th

Martin was the son of a Spanish knight and a Negro woman who had been freed from slavery. He himself looked like his mother. His father at first left Martin and his mother and sister alone in Peru. They were very poor and people looked down on them, but Martin grew up good and devout anyway. He was sent to learn the trade of a barber, and he also learned how to cure many diseases according to the practices of those days. Martin’s father finally decided to take care of his son’s education, but Martin had now decided he wanted to give himself to God as a Dominican brother.

Brother Martin soon proved to be a wonderful religious. No one was kinder or more obedient or holy. Before long, he began to work miracles, too. He cured so many sick people that everyone in the city of Lima would send for Brother Martin when there was sickness. He would go to them all, Negroes and whites alike, for he loved all men as his brothers in Christ. Great sums of money were given to this good, lovable Brother for his charities, because people saw how well he could organize works of charity.

Not even animals were forgotten by this kindhearted Saint. He excused the comings and goings of rats and mice by saying, “The poor little things don’t have enough to eat.” In his sister’s house, moreover, he kept a “home for wandering cats and dogs”!

Despite his fame in Lima, St. Martin always had a very low opinion of himself. His name for himself was, in fact, “Brother Broom.” And once, when his community owed a lot of money and could not pay it, Brother Martin said, “I’m the property of the Order-sell me!” When he died, this beloved Saint was carried to his tomb by bishops and noblemen, who wanted to honor the humble and holy Brother.

We are all children of God. God has no regard for the color of a man’s skin, but looks instead into his heart. He rewards everyone who is good and punishes everyone who is bad.

St. Charles Borromeo

St. Charles Borromeo - November 4th

Charles was the son of a rich and holy Count of Italy. Like other young men of his high position, he went to the University of Pavia, but unlike many of them, he would have nothing to do with sinful activities. He seemed to be a slow student because he was not a good speaker at all, but he really made good progress.

He was only twenty-three when his uncle, Pope Pius IV, gave him many important duties. He managed to handle all his affairs well, but he was always afraid that he might stray from God because of the many temptations there were for the rich. For this reason he was always careful to deny himself many pleasures and to be humble and patient at all times.

As a priest and later the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, St. Charles was a model Shepherd of souls. He gave away great amounts of money to the poor, and at home had only one shabby cassock to his name. In public, though, he dressed as a Cardinal should and attended with great care to the dignity and proper respect owed to Church ceremonies. In Milan many had practices and much superstition was practiced. By wise laws, by gentle kindness and by his own marvelous example, St. Charles made his diocese a model for the whole Church. He was never a good speaker-people could barely hear him-yet his words took effect.

When a terrible disease caused a great many deaths in Milan, the Cardinal thought of nothing else but caring for his people. He prayed and did penance; he organized crews of attendants and went into dept to feed the hungry. He even had altars set up in the streets so that the sick could assist at Mass from their windows.

This great man was never too busy to help simple people. He once stayed with a poor little shepherd lad until he had taught him the Our Father and the Hail Mary. As he lay dying at the age of forty-six, St. Charles said peacefully, “Behold, I come!”

What a fascinating motto this would be: “To God all the glory, to my neighbor all the joy, to me all the sacrifice”!

St. Malachy O'More

St. Malachy O'More - November 3rd

At the time this Irish Saint was born in St. Patrick's city of Armogh, Ireland was suffering greatly from the effects of many attacks by the Danes. As a boy, Malachy went to the school in which his father taught. When his parents died, he asked a good hermit to bring him up. At the age of twenty-five, he was ordained by St. Celsus and sent to preach all over the neighborhood of Armogh. The people had fallen into many superstitions brought to Ireland by the pagan conquerors, so Malachy had to burn branches, thorns, and trees which were supposed to be magic! Feeling the need for more instruction, the zealous priest went to St. Malchus to learn as much as he could of Church law.

Next St. Malachy was made Bishop of Connor. Here he changed many wolves into lambs, that is, he converted hardened sinners into good Christians again. As Archbishop of the great diocese of Armogh, Malachy brought about a change in evil customs and established peace between enemies through his calm dignity and courage. Many other works the Saint performed for the good of the Church. Then, in spirit of obedience, he went to see the Pope to make sure he had made no mistakes.

It was a long journey from Ireland to Rome in those days, but one good part of it was that he met the great St. Bernard. The two became very close friends. On another trip to see the Pope, Malachy called on St. Bernard and his monks again. This time he fell very ill, and the monks took loving care of him. "All your efforts are useless," he assured them, "for I will not get better." Sick as he was, he insisted on going to the chapel to receive the Sacraments for the last time. He promised to remember all the monks when he was in heaven, and then died peacefully in the arms of St. Bernard.

When we ask advice from our parents and all those who are in charge of us, we are sure of not making mistakes.

St. Marcian

St. Marcian – November 2nd

This Syrian Saint came from a noble family, but he wanted to give up everything for Christ’s sake. He might have just given away his possessions, or left his home for a monastery. Marcian, however, left everything-family, money, and even country. He went to a far-away desert and into the most distant spot in the desert. There he built a low, narrow hut, in which he could not even stand up straight.

Marcian considered this lonely spot a heaven on earth. He spent his time praying, working and singing psalms. God gave him a wonderful knowledge of the great truths of our holy Faith, too. But despite his desire to remain hidden from the world, people began to learn of his holiness. In time, Marcian had a great number of followers, and he made his first disciple the abbot of the others.

Once St. Flarian and other bishops called on St. Marcian and asked him to speak to them of the things of God. The humble hermit was upset by the high position of his visitors and he was quiet for a while. Finally, when they urged him to speak, he said: “God speaks to us every day by His creatures and by this whole world we see. He speaks to us in His Gospel. In it He teaches us what we ought to do both for ourselves and for others. What more can Marcian say that can be of use?”

Because he worked several miracles, he was called a wonder-worker. This he did not like at all. One day a hermit came to ask him to bless some oil to cure a friend’s sick daughter. St. Marcian refused rather abruptly, because he did not want to be considered able to work miracles. Yet at that very hour, the girl was cured!

Because many people were arguing over who should have his body when he died, Marcian told his first disciple to bury it in a secret place.

I will make sure I have a copy of the Gospel for himself and I will read a page of it every day The Holy Gospel is the best book, for it tells me all about God.

Feast of All Souls Day

Feast of All Souls Day

– November 2nd
(On November 3, if the 2nd is a Sunday)

There is a natural close connexion between the feast of All Saints and the thought of the holy souls who are for ever securely established in grace and will one day enter heaven, but are detained in Purgatory to expiate their venial sins or suffer the temporal punishment due to sin. These other members of the Communion of Saints, the Church Suffering, therefore, fill the thought of the Church Militant on the morrow of her celebration of the glory of the Church Triumphant. “On this day”, says the Roman Martyrology, “the commemoration of all the faithful departed, in which their common loving Mother the Church, after celebrating with due praise all her children already in heaven, strives by her powerful intercession with Christ, her Lord and Spouse, to aid all those who are still suffering in Purgatory to come as soon as possible to the company of the inhabitants of heaven”. There is no more striking expression than this of the mysterious unity between the Church Triumphant, the Church Militant and the Church Suffering, no more effective means of fulfilling the duty of both justice and charity incumbent on every Christian through his membership of Christ’s mystical Body. There is no more consoling truth than the Communion of Saints; the fact that the merits and prayers of each one are able to help all; once this life is over, God’s justice applies in all its strictness, but the Church is able to join her prayer with that of the Saints in heaven; she can supply what is wanting to the souls in Purgatory by means of Holy Mass, indulgences and the alms and sacrifices of her children, offering to God on their behalf Christ’s infinite merits in his Passion and in his members. The sacrifice of Calvary, continued on the altar, is the centre of the liturgy, and this has always been the chief means offered us by the Church for fulfilling towards the dead the great commandment of charity, for relieving our neighbour’s needs as though they were our own, on account of the supernatural bond which unites us all, in heaven, on earth and in purgatory, in Christ.


Masses for the dead are already spoken of in the 5th century, but the commemoration of all the faithful departed together on the day after All Saints was instituted in 998 by St Odilo, fourth abbot of the great Benedictine Abbey of Cluny. Cluny’s great influence lead to the speedy adoption of the custom throughout Christendom. Benedict XIV granted priests in Spain and Portugal and their overseas possessions the privilege of saying three Masses on this day; on August 10, 1915, Benedict XV extended it to priests everywhere*.


In Mass the priest offers God Christ’s blood, the price of our Redemption; Christ Himself, present under the apprearance of bread and wine, offers himself to his Father in the very act of his Redeeming Sacrifice. Consequently, as the Council of Trent declared**, “the souls in purgatory are helped by all the suffrages of the faithful, but especially by the sacrifice of the Mass”. Every day the Church prays for the dead; in the Canon of the Mass a special Memento is made, calling to mind all who have fallen asleep in the Lord, and praying that they may be granted a place of rest, light and peace; but today is especially given up to them, so that no soul in purgatory may be left without our spiritual assistance, and all may be prayed for together by their common Mother (St Augustine at Matins). At Mass to-day, let us join with the whole Church in asking God to grant remission of sins and everlasting rest to the dead, who can now do nothing for themselves. Let us also visit the cemeteries where their bodies rest*** until the day when Christ’s victory over sin and death is perfected in them and they rise again glorious and immortal (Ep. Of 1st Mass).


* By this same institution the Holy See granted a plenary indulgence toties quoties on the same conditions as on August 2, applicable to the souls of the departed on All Soul’s Day, to all those who visited a church between noon on All Saint’s and midnight on the following day and prayed for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff.


** Sessio XXII., cap. II.


*** The word cemetery comes from a Greek word meaning a place where one rests in sleep.

St. Mary the Martyr

St. Mary the Martyr – November 1st

Mary was a Christian slave in the home of a Roman official named Tertullus. She was the only one in that household who was Christian. It was her delight to pray every chance she had, and she often fasted, too. Yet St. Mary knew that God is pleased only when we do our duty, so she never neglected her chores around the house. Moreover, she was very loyal to her mistress. Although this lady did not approve of so much prayer, she could not help but be grateful for the girl’s faithful service.

When persecution of Christians began, Tertullus did his best to make his slave give up her Faith, but she would not. He realized that if someone told the governor about her, he would he would lose her. Therefore, he whipped her without mercy and hid her in a closet. But somehow word of what had happened got around, and Tertullus was commanded to turn her in or pay the penalty of hiding a Christian.

A mob at the court was furious when Mary bravely said, “I am a Christian!” “Burn her alive!” they shouted. But Mary just kept praying to Jesus to give her courage so that she would not surrender when tortured. “The God whom I serve is with me,” she said. “I am not afraid of your tortures. They can only take away my life, and I myself am willing to lay it down for Jesus.” But when she was tortured, the sight was so terrible that the crowds cried, “Let her go! Stop this! Set her free!”

The judge gave St. Mary over to a soldier. Seeing how meek and good she was, he let her escape. St. Mary died a peaceful death later, but she is honored as a martyr because of all her sufferings.
I will think of what the martyrs went through and will not cry or complain any more over my small sufferings.

Feast of All Saints

Feast of All Saints

– November 1st

On May 13, 610, the pagan temple of Agrippa, called the Pantheon since its dedication to all the pagan gods under the Emperor Augustus, was consecrated as a Christian church by Pope Boniface IV, under the title of “our Lady and the Martyrs”, many of whose relics he brought there from the catacombs. The dedication later became more general as “our Lady and all the Saints”. Pope Gregory VII transferred the dedication feast of this church to November 1, on which day Pope Gregory IV had in 835 fixed the commemoration of all the Saints, previously celebrated on different days in different places. All Saint Day therefore commemorates Christ’s triumph over the false gods of the pagans, and the original dedication of the church accounts for the use in the Mass, on the feast as well as on the Vigil, of many texts from the liturgy of the martyrs.

The Epistle puts before us St John’s vision of heaven, the twelve thousand (twelve is a symbolic number signifying fullness) from every tribe of Israel and the numberless host from every nation, tribe, people and tongue, standing before the throne and the Lamb, clad in white robes, with palms in their hands. Christ, our Lady and the nine choirs of angels, the apostles and prophets, the martyrs in the crimson of their blood, the white-robed confessors and the choirs of chaste virgins form the majestic throng (Vespers hymn). All are there who here below followed Christ’s teaching: the poor in spirit, the meek, the afflicted, those who hungered and thirsted after justice, the merciful, the clean of heart of heart, peacemakers, those who suffered persecution for Christ; to all these Christ said: Rejoice, for a rich reward awaits you in heaven (Gospel, Comm.). Among these millions who served Christ faithfully on earth are some who were close to us, our relations and friends, our brethren in our parochial family: now they share in the glory of “the Lord, the King of kings, the Crown of all the Saints”. At Mass everything recalls this heavenly homeland we enter into communion with it: in the Preface we join in praise with the Angels; in the Communicantes we join in prayer with the Saints; our altar, where the Lamb of God is offered, is one with the heavenly altar where the lamb stands “upright, yet slain … in sacrifice”; it is the same priest, Christ, who offers himself unseen thereon and visibly in heaven.