St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini – Patroness of Immigrants and Emigrants - December 22nd

When Frances was a child growing up in Italy, she used to dream about being a missionary to China. She would send paper boats down a stream pretending that they were ships taking missionaries to China. And she began giving up candy because in China, she wouldn’t be able to have any.

But when she grew up, Frances was not accepted into the two convents which she asked to join because her health was not too good. She taught school until a priest asked her to help out in a small home for orphans. Things were very hard for Frances here, because of the very queer lady who ran the house. Yet Frances stuck to the work, and some other generous women joined her. Together they took vows. At last the Bishop told Frances to begin her own Congregation of missionary nuns, and without hesitating, Frances started at once. Her Congregation is called the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Before long, it began to grow, first in Italy and then in many other countries.

Frances, whom everyone called Mother Cabrini, had always had her heart set on going to China. But it seemed that God wanted her to come to America. When the Pope himself told her, “Go West, not East,” the matter was settled. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini came to the United States, and became an American citizen. She came especially to help the poor people who had come from Italy to make their home in America. She was a real mother and friend to these immigrants.

Mother Cabrini and her sisters had a very hard time in the beginning. The Archbishop of New York even told them that since things had not worked out as they had hoped, they perhaps should go back to Italy. But Mother Cabrini answered firmly, “No, Your Excellency. The Pope sent me here and here I must stay.” The Archbishop admired her pioneer spirit, and so she and her Sisters began their great work for God. Schools, hospitals, and homes for children were opened up in different states, and as the years passed, Mother Cabrini made many trips to spread her Congregation and its works. There were always difficulties, but she put all her trust in the Sacred heart. “It is He Who is doing everything, not us,” she would say.

Forty-nine years after she died, Mother Cabrini was canonized. She is the first American citizen to be made a Saint.

Where did this sickly woman get the strength to do all she did? In prayer. We, too, will find the courage we need in nothing else but in prayer.

St. Finnian

St. Finnian – December 12th

Finnian is one of the famous Irish saints who lived in the period after St. Patrick. He visited Wales and from St. Cadoc, he learned to have great respect for the life of monks. When he got back to Ireland, Finnian established monasteries, schools and churches. His greatest monastery was at Clonard, and that is why he is called St. Finnian of Clonard.

To this monastery came many disciples to learn from the Saint. About three thousand were instructed by him in religion and in other subjects. St. Finnian came to be called “Teacher of the Saints of Ireland.” He was especially famous for his knowledge of the Holy Bible. In fact, the monastery of Clonard was known for its studies of Sacred Scripture.

St. Finnian was not satisfied with teaching those who came to him at Clonard. He also went out on preaching missions. He had a surprising gift for softening the hearts of opposing tribal chiefs. At times God worked miracles through him, too.

This Saint had a good Irish sense of humor. Once, he met an old pagan who prided himself on being a magician. “Where did you get your magic art?” asked Finnian. “Find out for yourself,” answered the proud pagan. “All right,” said the Saint. “Tell me where the place of my resurrection is.” “In Heaven,” said the pagan. “Try again,” answered Finnian. “Tell where I will rise from.” The magician answered again, “Heaven.” “Try once more,” said St. Finnian as he rose from his chair. Then the pagan realized he was being teased. “It is from where you are sitting!” he cried out, and St. Finnian went away laughing.

The Saint died from yellow fever, at a time when this disease was killing many. He offered his life for the Irish, his countrymen, and they have always been very devoted to him.

All Saints worked hard, prayed much, and loved everybody. Many even had a good sense of humor. However, they never hurt anyone. Neither will I make remarks or tell jokes which might hurt somebody.

St. Francis Xavier

St. Francis Xavier - Patron of Foreign Missions, of the Apostleship of Prayer, of Borneo, Australia, New Zealand and China - December 3rd

This great missionary was born at Xavier Castle in Spain and went to the University of Paris when he was eighteen. Here he met St. Ignatius Loyola, who was about to start the Society of Jesus. St. Ignatius tried to get Francis to join him, but at first the happy-go-lucky young man would not think of it. St. Ignatius often repeated to him the words of Jesus: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” At last, Francis saw clearly that his place in life was among the Jesuits.

When he was thirty-four, St. Ignatius sent him as a missionary to the East Indies. The King of Portugal wanted to give him presents and a servant, but Francis answered, “The best way to acquire true dignity is to wash one’s own clothes and boil one’s own pot.”

During the course of his amazing career in Goa, India, Japan and other land of the East, St. Francis made thousands of converts. In fact, he baptized such great crowds that his arms were so weak he could hardly lift them. He gathered the little children about him and taught them about Our Lord. Then he made little “lay apostles” out of them, telling them to spread the Faith they had learned.

There was nothing St. Francis wouldn’t do to help souls. Once he faced a fierce band of raiders, alone, with no weapon but his Crucifix. They backed up and did not attack his Christian tribes. The Saint also brought many bad-living Christians to repentance, by his gentle, polite ways and by his prayers.

In the midst of his painful journeys and great labors, the Saint was full of a special joy coming from God. Sometimes he had to cry out: “Enough, O Lord, enough! My heart cannot hold any more of this tremendous joy!”

It had long been St. Francis’ great longing to get into China, into which no foreigner was permitted. At last, the arrangements were made, but the great missionary fell ill and died almost alone on an island off the Chinese coast.

This great saint stood out for three virtues: a great wish to bring souls to the Heart of Jesus; a heroic obedience; and a great spirit of sacrifice. Today I will ask myself what I can do for the missions.

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.

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.

Sts. Felix and Cyprian

Sts. Felix and Cyprian – October 12th

Felix and Cyprian were African bishops who suffered with over 4,900 martyrs in the terrible persecution by the Vandals. Huneric, the Vandal king, drove these Christians into exile in the Libyan desert. They were treated with great cruelty by the Moors. Some were stoned; others were dragged over stony ground, some forced to run by spear tips, and some torn apart.

A holy Bishop named Victor used to try to help the poor Christians who had been shut up in a horrible prison, packed in without air or light. He wrote the story of their courage and their sufferings, and he says that when they were ordered into exile in the terrible desert, they came out that prison singing hymns. Other Christians burst into tears at the sight and even women and children went with them to exile and death. The Bishop St. Felix was so old and so crippled that someone said to the Vandal King: “You might just as well leave him here to die.” But King Huneric cruelly answered, “If he cannot ride a horse, he can be dragged by oxen!” In the end, they decided to tie the brave old bishop to a donkey and he was carried off to die in the desert.

The bishop St. Cyprian risked his own life to take care of as many prisoners as he could. He spent every minute he could and every ounce of strength he had, plus everything he owned, to assist them. At last, he, too, was arrested and sent into exile. There he also died a martyr from the cruel treatment given to all these strong defenders of the Catholic Faith.

The Martyrs gave up all they had, even life itself, to keep their Faith in God. And I? Do my words and deeds reflect my Faith, even when little difficulties come up?

St. Kenneth

St. Kenneth – October 11th

This saint, who is sometimes called St. Canice or Kenny, was an Irishman, but he is famous in both Ireland and Scotland. His father was a bard, that is, a professional singer of ballads and stories in song. As a young man, Kenneth went to Wales to study for the priesthood with St. Cadoc as his teacher. After he became a priest, he went to visit Rome, and then returned to Ireland to study at the school of St. Finnian. He became good friends with three other Irish Saints-Kieran, Comgall and Columba.

After preaching through Ireland, St. Kenneth went with St. Columba to Scotland on a mission to the pagan King Brude. When this King angrily seized his sword to strike the two missionaries, St. Kenneth made the sign of the cross, and a miracle took place! The King’s hand was suddenly paralyzed, and the Saints were saved! St. Kenneth and St. Columba were always very close friends. Once Columba was sailing with some companions and Kenneth was far away in his monastery in Ireland. Suddenly he learned from God that Columba was in great danger at sea. He jumped up from the dinner table and ran to church to pray for his beloved friend. Out at sea, Columba cried to his frightened companions: “Don’t be afraid! God will listen to Kenneth. Right now he’s running to church with only one shoe on to pray for us!” And as he had said, they were saved!

St. Kenneth founded many monasteries in Ireland and converted many pagans in Scotland. He became famous for his zealous preaching of the Gospel and even more, for the perfect way in which he himself practiced the teachings of Jesus.

I will read a page of the Holy Gospel every day.

St. Louis Bertrand

St. Louis Bertrand – October 9th

Louis was born in Valencia, Spain, in a family of nine children. His good parents brought him up well, and he became a Dominican priest. He was very severe as the Master of the Novices, but even though he did not have a good sense of humor, he taught the novices to give themselves completely to God. When first he began to preach, it did not seem as though he would be very successful, but his deep love for souls brought great results.

At the age of thirty-six, St. Louis left for South America. He stayed in the New World only about six years, but in that short time, this great apostle baptized thousands of persons. Although he knew only Spanish, God gave him the gift of tongues, so that when he spoke, all the different tribes of Indians understood him. Yet his apostolate was not without dangers. A tribe called the Caribs of the Leeward Islands even tried to poison the Saint when he visited them to preach the Gospel of Our Lord.

Once he was called back to Spain, St. Louis trained other preachers, teaching them to prepare themselves by fervent prayer, first of all. The last two years of his life were full of painful suffering, but still he kept preaching. Finally he was carried from the pulpit to his bed, and he never left it again, for he died eighteen months later.

Success in life lies in generosity and prayer. Today I will try to overcome my selfishness and say my prayers well.

St. Pacificus of San Severino

St. Pacificus of San Severino – September 24th

When a little Italian boy named Charles Anthony was just five years old, his good parents both died, and he was given to the care of his uncle. This uncle was a cross, mean man and he treated Charles worse than a servant. Yet the boy took this hard treatment quietly and patiently. When he was seventeen, Charles entered a monastery and took the name of Pacificus, which means “peaceful.” After he became a priest, he was made a teacher, but his great desire was to become a preacher. How happy he was when his superior sent him on a preaching mission to many little towns and villages!

St. Pacificus was very popular with the good country folk because his talks were simple and sweet. Besides that, he had the marvelous gift of reading consciences! Once, he reminded a man in confession that he had been unkind to his mother and had kept impure thoughts in his mind. Everywhere the Saint went to preach and hear confessions, he did much good.

But when he had been preaching only about six years, Pacificus had to give it up because he became blind, deaf and crippled. He spent his time praying and doing penance in his monastery, helping others in any way he could. God was always very close to this humble Saint and He gave him the gift of prophecy. St. Pacificus foretold the great victory of the Christian armies over the Turks at Belgrade. He also said to a Bishop: “Your Excellency-Heaven! Heaven! And I will follow you soon!” About two weeks later, the bishop died, and not long after, just as he had said, St. Pacificus died, too. Many miracles took place at his grave.

St. Pacificus’ rule of life, for himself and for the others, was: “Do well, moment by moment.” Let us, too, make this our own rule of perfection.

St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist

St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist - Patron of Bankers and Tax Collectors – September 21st

Matthew was a tax-collector in the city of Capharnaum, where Jesus was living. He was a Jew but he was working for the Romans, who had conquered the Jews. For this reason, his countrymen disliked him. They would not have anything to do with these “publicans”, as tax collectors like Matthew were called.

But Jesus did not feel that way about Matthew. One day, He saw him sitting in his office and He said, “Follow Me.” At once, Matthew got up and left his money and his position to follow Our Lord, Who seemed so holy and king-like. He gave a big supper for Jesus and invited other publicans like himself to meet Jesus and listen to Him teach. When some people criticized Our Lord for eating with sinners, Jesus answered, “They who are well do not need the doctor; the sick do. I have not come to call the just, but sinners to repentance.”

When Jesus went back to Heaven, St. Matthew stayed in Palestine for some time to preach about Our Lord. He also wrote his Gospel, which is the story of Jesus and what He taught. In his Gospel, St. Matthew showed his countrymen that Jesus is the Messias whom the Prophets had said would come to save us.

After preaching the Gospel to many people, Matthew ended his life as a glorious martyr for the Faith.

If my parents ask me to do something, I will obey promptly, without asking them any questions or giving any excuses.

Blessed Francis de Posadas

Blessed Francis de Posadas – September 20th

This Spanish boy’s parents were vegetable merchants and they were happy at the thought that their son wanted to become a priest. But his father died and when his mother married again, his stepfather would not let him go ahead with his studies. He sent Francis to work, and the boy’s employer at first was very mean to him. Poor Francis! All his hopes seemed ruined now. Yet he worked hard and patiently, even when his master stormed at him. At last, the master was won by his goodness, and even helped Francis to go ahead with his studies whenever he had free time.

When he was nineteen, Francis finally saw his dream come true: he entered the Dominican order. Yet, here, too, he had to suffer, because at first, the others did not understand him and some of them made fun of him. But he did not quit. He stayed right there and became a priest.

After he was ordained, Francis began his preaching missions, which were to last for forty years, until his death. He traveled on foot all over the southwest part of Spain and made a great impression on sinners by his words and his penances. People began to live such better lives that many bad theaters had to close down because they had no business.

Blessed Francis tried to avoid all praise and admiration. He would not accept any high positions and turned down chances to become a bishop. He also tried to hide the miracles God worked for him.

When we feel like quitting, we must not give in. Instead, let us fight against every obstacle until we are gloriously successful.

The Martyrs of Japan

The Martyrs of Japan – September 10th

On September tenth, in 1622, on a hill near Nagasaki, there took place what is called the great Martyrdom of Japan. Missionaries and lay people from Europe, and Japanese priests, men, women and children were put to death because they refused to give up their Faith in Jesus. The tortures they suffered seem unbelievable, yet they faced them cheerfully. They were killed by slow fires; they were lowered into a pit of hot sulphur called Hell’s Mouth; they were buried alive, branded with a cross, or left out in open prisons without coverings of food. Yet, one Japanese Christian wrote: “How happy I would be if I could be one of those glorious prisoners of Jesus Christ whose blessedness it is to die a martyr’s death!”

One little child named Peter, just six years old, was awakened in the morning to be told that he was to die with his father. Without a word, the little fellow put on his best clothes and placed his hand into the hand of the soldier who had come to lead him to his death. The first thing he saw when he reached the execution site his father’s dead body. Peter did not scream or run away. Quietly he knelt down beside that headless corpse and prayed. Then he loosened his collar and presented his neck for the stroke of the sword.

At the sight of such courage in a six-year-old child the executioner flung down his sword and ran away. No one but a cruel slave would behead the little Christian, and even he trembled so that he made the child suffer terribly before he finally killed him. Yet Blessed Peter never made a sound!

Mothers died with their children, husbands and wives were martyred together. An English sea captain said that the little ones, five and six years old, being burned in their mothers’ arms, cried out: “Jesus, receive out souls!”

So it was that in the year 1622, Japan gave many glorious and blessed martyrs to the Church and to Heaven!

What generous souls these martyrs were! And what are we doing for the salvation of our souls? If they could die for God, we can at least avoid complaining about little pains….

St. Peter Claver

St. Peter Claver - Patron of Colombia and of Negro Catholic Missions - September 9th

This Spanish priest of the Society of Jesus is known as the Apostle of the Slaves. While he was still studying to become a Jesuit, he felt a burning desire to go to South America as a missionary. He volunteered and was sent to the seaport of Cartagena, where great shiploads of African slaves were brought to be sold.

At the sight of those poor people all crowded together, sick and suffering, Peter felt great pity. He made up his mind to help them and to convert them. “The slave of the Negroes forever” is what he called himself. As soon as a shipload arrived, he would go among the hundreds of the sick slaves giving them medicine and food, baptizing the dying and the little babies, and nursing the ill. It was such hard, sickening work, in that terrible heat, that one man who went once with St. Peter could never face the horrible sight again. Yet Peter did it for forty years!

Although their owners tried to stop him, the Saint patiently taught the Faith to the slaves. He used pictures of Jesus Crucified, to show them how much God loved them. He used a picture of Hell to make them feel sorry for their sins. In this way, he succeeded in baptizing about 300,000 slaves over the years. Yet it was slow, discouraging work and many people criticized him, saying it was all a waste of time. They thought the slaves would never keep the Faith. St. Peter, however, went to visit them after they left Cartagena and never stopped urging the slaveowners to take care of the souls of their slaves and to be better Christians themselves.

When people praised St. Peter for being able to treat disgusting diseases in conditions that no one else could stand, he would simply say: “If being a saint means having no taste and having a strong stomach, I admit that I may be one!” As if all he did were not enough penance, he also treated his body very harshly and practiced great mortifications. During the last four years of his life, he was so sick that he had to stay in his room and could not even celebrate Mass. Most everyone forgot about him, but he never complained. Then suddenly at his death, the whole city realized they had lost a saint and from then on he was never forgotten again.

Today let us pray for Missionaries. Also let us help them with little offerings every time we can.

Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta

Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta – September 7th

Maria Assunta was a young Italian country girl who spent her days as a teen doing farm chores and helping in the fields. Every one of the young men and women around the countryside knew that they could not use any rough or immodest words when she was around-there was something so pure about her that no one would have dared.

Maria entered the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. In her humility she felt so much less worthy than her Sisters that she always chose the less pleasing chores for herself. Joyfully and with a smile ever on her lips, she would “work for Jesus,” as she said. “I want to take advantage of every chance I get to work for sanctity.”

Sister Mary Assunta was sent as a missionary to China. A fierce storm arose on this trip, and the ship seemed about to sink. “Aren’t you afraid, too?” one of the passengers asked the calm-looking Sister. “No,” answered Blessed Maria Assunta. “There’s no reason why I should be. It’s all the same to me whether I reach my mission or go to the bottom of the ocean, if that’s what Jesus wants.”

Blessed Maria was stationed at the same spot where seven Sisters of her Congregation had been killed four years before. So she hoped to be able to give her life for Our Lord, too, but in the meantime, she worked hard, cooking for the Sisters and the orphans they cared for. When typhoid fever struck that region, she lovingly nursed her Sisters, without a thought of the danger to herself. One year after she had come to China, Blessed Maria Assunta caught typhoid, too, and died of it. At her death, a mysterious, sweet perfume filled her room and followed her body as it was carried to the cemetery. Even the pagans came to her grave to pray to her and ask her protection.

Let us pray to receive the strength we need to overcame ourselves and give our best to duties we do not like.

St. Aidan

St. Aidan – August 31st

Aidan was an Irish monk who lived at the great monastery of Iona, which St. Columba had founded. One day the King of the northern part of England, St. Oswald, asked for the missionaries to preach to his pagan people. The first one to go soon came back complaining that the English were rude, stubborn and wild. “It seems to me,” said St. Aidan, “that you have been too harsh with those people.” He then explained that, as St. Paul says, first easy teachings are to be given, and then when the people have grown stronger on the word of God, they can start to do the more perfect things of God’s holy law.

When the monks heard such wise words, they turned to Aidan and said that he should be the one to go to Northern England to preach the Gospel. The humble, devout monk was well received by King St. Oswald, who used to translate Aidan’s sermons until the Saint learned English better. St. Aidan traveled all over, always on foot, preaching and helping the people. He did so much good and was so loved by the people that after thirty years, any monk or priest who came into a village was greeted with great joy by all the villagers.

On the Island of Lindisfarne, St. Aidan built a great monastery, from which so many Saints were to come that Lindisfarne became known as the Holy Island. Little by little the influence of these zealous missionaries changed Northern England into a civilized Christian land.

The secret to be friendly with everyone is to be kind to all.

St. Francis Solano

St. Francis Solano - Patron of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru - July 13th

Francis was born in Spain. Even as a young boy, he was a wonderful peacemaker. Once he threw himself between two fighting boys and took blows from both of them without moving. In that way, he forced them to stop, because neither wanted to hit him.

When he was twenty, Francis became a Franciscan. His desire to be a missionary was satisfied when he was sent to Peru in South America. On the way, he preached the Faith to many Negro slaves. When their ship was wrecked in a storm, the captain ordered everyone, except the slaves, to save themselves in a lifeboat. But Francis refused to leave the slaves alone on the sinking ship. He stayed with them, prayed with them and baptized them. Right afterwards, half the ship went down. Francis and the rest of the slaves were rescued, and he got safely to Peru.

There the Saint learned the many Indian languages, traveled far and wide preaching, and baptized great numbers. He worked so many miracles that he was called the “Wonder-worker of the New World.” Yet he was so simple that in his great love for Our Lady, he loved to play his flute and sing in front of her altar.

The courage of St. Francis Solano was amazing. Once when some Indians planned to massacre a great number of Christians, he went out alone to try to talk them out of it. And he spoke so beautifully of how Jesus suffered and died for us that on that very day, many of those men accepted the Faith and were baptized!

The way to please God the most is to do something good for our neighbor every time we can, and to do it for the love of God. At the judgment, Jesus will tell us, “What you did to other, you did to Me.” And He will reward us.

Sts. Cyril and Methodius

Sts. Cyril and Methodius - July 7th

These two brothers were born in Macedonia. Methodius was much older than Cyril, but they both became priests and shared the same holy desires to spread the faith. Cyril was the first to lead a group of missionaries to central Europe to convert a people called Khazars. He learned their language in a short time and succeeded in converting both ruler and his people.

The mission of Methodius, who had become a monk, had a very unusual beginning. He was an excellent artist and was sent to the King Bulgaria to paint a picture for his palace. The king, a pagan, asked the saint to paint a terrifying scene, and St. Methodius painted a tremendous picture of the Last Judgement. When he explained it, it made a great impression on the King. In this wise way, Methodius had a chance to preach the Faith, and the King was converted. At first the people were angry, but before too long, they followed their King’s example.

Saints Cyril and Methodius are called the Apostles of the Southern Slavs, because they brought the Faith to so many of the Slavic people. They also are remembered for having invented an alphabet in which the Slavic language might be written.

After St. Cyril died, his holy brother continued his work for another fifteen years.

Let us always remember that after death, Jesus will judge us for every thought, word and action.

The Martyrdom of St. Paul

The Martyrdom of St. Paul - June 30th

St. Paul is the great Apostle who first persecuted the Christians and then was converted. At the time of his conversion, Jesus had said: I will show him how much he must suffer for Me.”

St. Paul loved Jesus Crucified very much-so much that he became living copy of Our Divine Savior. All his life, during his many missionary trips, St. Paul met troubles and went through dangers of every kind. He was whipped, stoned, shipwrecked, and lost at sea. Many, many times, he was hungry, thirsty, and cold.

Yet, he always trusted in God. He never stopped preaching. “The love of Jesus presses me onward,” he said. In reward, God gave him great comfort and in every suffering.

When St. Paul found out that the Emperor Nero had begun a terrible persecution in Rome, he hurried back to Rome to comfort and encourage the Christians. The thought of the danger did not stop him. Before long, however, he and St. Peter were also put in prison and condemned. They were led out to execution together. As they walked along, these two great heroes of Christ encouraged each other.

At a certain point they were separated. St. Peter was crucified on Vatican Hill, and St. Paul was taken and beheaded near the place where his Basilica now stands. With what faith St. Paul bowed his head to accept the blow! From prison he had written: “Behold, the time of my deliverance is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have kept the Faith. And there is laid up for me a crown, which the Lord will give me and to all those who love and serve Him.”

When we have some trouble or little cross, let us think of St. Paul, and let us pray to him for patience and more love of God.

St. John Francis Regis

St. John Francis Regis - June 16th

When he was eighteen, this French Saint entered the Jesuit Order. In the seminary, his love for God and for souls showed in the way he prayed and in his eagerness to teach catechism in the parishes when he could. After he was ordained a priest, St. John Francis began his work as a missionary preacher. He gave very simple talks that came right from his heart. He especially spoke to the poor, ordinary folks, and they came in great crowds to hear him. He spent his mornings praying, hearing confessions, and preaching. In the afternoon, he would visit prisons and hosptials. To someone who said that the prisoners and bad women he converted would not stay good for long, the Saint answered: “If my efforts stop just one sin from being committed, I shall consider them worthwhile.”

Into wild mountain parishes he went in the coldest days of winter to preach his missions. “I have seen him stand all day on a heap of snow at the top of a mountain preaching,” said one priest, “and then spend the whole night hearing confessions.” Sometimes he would start off for a far-away town at three o’clock in the morning with a few apples in his pocket.

Once, on his way to a village, St. John Francis fell and broke his leg. Yet he kept on going, leaning on a stick and on his companion’s shoulder. When he reached the village, he went at once to hear confessions, without letting his leg be treated. At the end of the day, when the doctor looked at it, his leg was found to be completely healed!

St. John Francis died on one of his preaching missions, after falling sick while lost at night in the woods. Just before he died, he exclaimed: “I see Our Lord and His Mother opening Heaven for me!”

God would give us many more blessings and graces if we would forget our own wants and help our parents, family, and friends.