Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

- July 16th

Mt. Carmel is a mountain in Palestine. It became famous when the prophet Elias, who lived before Our Lord was born, worked a great miracle there. For many years there had been no rain in that land, and everything was dying. Elias went up Mt. Carmel to beg the Lord to send the rain, and his prayer was answered.


Much later, after Pentecost, some of the Jews who had become Christians decided to build a shrine on Mt. Carmel in honor of Mary, the Mother of God. There, several times a day, they went to pray together. For this reason the people started to call them “friars of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.” This was the way the Carmelite Order was begun.


Many, many years later, St. Simon Stock, an Englishmen, became Superior of all the Carmelites. Since they were bring persecuted, he prayed with great confidence to Our Lady. In her goodness, she appeared to St. Simon and gave him the brown scapular, promising her protection to all those who would wear the blessed habit. Many miracles proved her words.


St. Pius X said that the same blessings could be had by wearing the scapular medal, which has a picture of Our Lady of the Scapular on one side and the Sacred Heart on the other.


Let us wear the holy scapular or medal. We will be protected by Our Lady in life and helped by her in death. And after death, she will bring us to Heaven.

St. Henry the Emperor

St. Henry the Emperor - Patron of Benedictine Oblates - July 15th

Henry was Duke of Bavaria when one night he had an unusual vision. St. Wolfgang, who had been his beloved teacher when he was a boy, appeared to him and pointed to the words, “After six” written on the wall. What could that mean? Perhaps Henry was to die in six days? With that thought, he prayed with great fervor for six days, only to find himself alive and in perfect health. Perhaps it meant six month? The good Duke devoted himself to doing good more than ever. At the end of six months, he was healthier than before. So he decided he had six years to get ready for a holy death. But instead of dying after that time had passed, he was elected Emperor of Germany, and then he understood what the vision had meant.

As Emperor, Henry worked hard to keep his people happy and at peace. To defend justice he had to fight many wars, but he always won, since before every battle he prayed and made his soldiers pray. He preserved both his purity and his humility, even though as Emperor, he received great honor and power. He and his wife, St. Cunegundes, lived as brother and sister, and when they went to Rome to be crowned Emperor and Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, it is said that Jesus rewarded Henry for his purity and justice with a wonderful vision. The Saint was praying in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, when he saw Our Lord Himself, Jesus the Eternal Priest, offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

Even when we are very busy, we should stop a few minutes now and then, to say a prayer for the salvation of our souls.

St. Ignatius of Laconi

St. Ignatius of Laconi - May 11th

Ignatius was the son of a poor farmer in Sardinia. Though he was a sickly boy, he worked hard in the fields to help support the family of eleven. When he was about seventeen, he fell ill, and promised to become a Franciscan if he should get better. But when the illness left him, his father said, “We did not promise to do anything in a hurry. It’s the same whether you keep your promise today or next year.” A couple of years later, Ignatius was almost killed when he lost control of his horse. Suddenly, however, the horse stopped and trotted on quietly. Ignatius was convinced, then, that God had saved his life, and he made up his mind to become a religious at once.

Brother Ignatius never had any important position in the Franciscan Order. For fifteen years he worked in the weaving shed of one monastery and then for forty years, until he died at the age of eighty, he was out on the road as a begging friar. Sometimes doors were slammed in his face, sometimes the weather was bad, and always, there were miles and miles to be walked. Yet Ignatius held himself erect, kept calm and cheerful, and did good everywhere he went. He visited the sick, made peace between enemies, converted sinners, and advised people in trouble. He especially loved children, and they loved him so much.

There was one house from which Brother Ignatius never begged anything. The owner was a rich moneylender who made the poor pay back much, much more than they could afford. This man felt humiliated because Ignatius never came to beg from him, and he complained to the Superior of the monastery. The Superior ordered Brother Ignatius to go to that house, because he did not know what kind of man the moneylender was. The Saint obeyed and brought back a large sack of food. It was then that God worked a miracle, for when the sack was emptied, blood dripped out! ‘This is the blood of the poor,” explained the Saint. “That is why I never ask for anything at that house.”

The seventh commandment of God is: “Thou shalt not steal.” Let us be honest and keep our conscience clean, not only when it is a matter of big things, but even small things, such as stealing apples from a neighbor’s tree or by cheating on a test in school.

St. Bonaventure

St. Bonaventure - July 14th

Bonaventure’s name means “good luck”, and it is said that St. Francis of Assisi gave it to him when he was a baby, after curing him from a serious sickness. Bonaventure became a Franciscan and left his own country of Italy to study at the University of Paris. He became a learned writer and such a great lover of God that he was called the “Seraphic Doctor.”

One of Bonaventure’s famous friends was St. Thomas Aquinas. Thomas asked him one day where he got all the beautiful things he wrote. St. Bonaventure took his friend by the hand and led him to his desk. Pointing to the large crucifix which always stood on the desk, he said, “Look! It is He Who tells me everything. He is my only Teacher.” Another time, when Bonaventure was writing the life of St. Francis of Assisi, he was so full of fervor that St. Thomas exclaimed: “Let us leave a Saint to write the Saint!”

St. Bonaventure always kept himself humble, even though his books made him famous. The Pope wanted him to become an Archbishop, but Bonaventure begged to be excused from the honor. He did accept the office of Superior of the Franciscans because he knew it was God’s will. Then, later on, another Pope commanded him to become a Cardinal, and he sent two messengers to present him with the red hat that is given only to Cardinals. The Pope’s messengers found the Saint washing dishes in one of the monasteries! Since his hands were greasy, he asked them to hang the hat on a tree branch, and to be patient with him until he finished the dishes. Then he dried his hands and sorrowfully went out to accept the new honor. As a Cardinal, St. Bonaventure was a great help to the Pope, Blessed Gregory X. It was said, “No one ever saw Bonaventure without feeling great respect and affection for him, because he was gentle, polite, humble, pleasing to all, prudent, pure, and virtuous in every way.”

“Jesus is my only Teacher,” said St. Bonaventure. We, too, should have a crucifix on our desk, or in our own room and turn often to Jesus for light and for strength.

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.

St. John Gualbert

St. John Gualbert - July 12th

St. John was the son of an Italian nobleman. He and his father were heartbroken when the only other brother, Hugh, was murdered by a man who was supposed to be his friend. Urged on by his father and by his own anger, John began looking for a way to avenge his brother’s death. He felt that his personal honor depended on it.

One Good Friday, he came face to face with the murderer in a narrow passageway. John drew his sword and started toward the man, who fell upon his knees and crossed his arms on his chest, imploring forgiveness, in the name of Our Lord’s holy Passion and Death. At that moment, John remembered how Jesus forgave His murderers as He was dying on the cross. With a tremendous effort, he dropped his sword, embraced his enemy and moved on down the road.

When he came to a monastery church, he went and knelt before the crucifix and asked for forgiveness for his sins. Then a miracle happened! Christ on the cross bowed his head three times, as if to tell John that He was pleased with him for forgiving his enemy and that his own sins were forgiven. Such a change came over John that he went straight to the Abbot of that monastery and asked if he could join the monks.

When John’s father heard about it, he said he would burn the whole monastery if his son did not come out. The monks did not know what to do, but John solved the problem by cutting off his hair himself and borrowing a habit from one of the monks. Even his father was moved at that, and so he let him remain.

St. John later went off to live a stricter life and to start his own Community of monks. He became a model to all for his great love for poverty and for the poor, and by his humility. God granted him the power to work miracles and cure the sick who came to him for help.

Even the greatest offenses can be forgiven with the help of God. If we forgive those who do wrong to us, God will also forgive us our offenses to Him.

St. Oliver Plunkett

St. Oliver Plunkett - July 11th

Oliver was an Irishman who went to Rome when he was sixteen to become a priest. After he was ordained, he could not go back to Ireland because of the persecution there, so he became a teacher of theology in Rome. For twelve years, he led a busy and virtuous life until the Pope made him Archbishop of the most important diocese in Ireland.

St. Oliver was able to labor for his people only two years before a new persecution forced him to go into hiding. But in those two years he put new fervor and love of God into the hearts of the Catholics in Ireland. He converted many desperate bandits; he made peace between disagreeing groups; he corrected wrong practices, and he won the love and respect even of the Church’s enemies.

This holy Archbishop was inclined to be touchy and hot-tempered, but his humility and charity kept his temper under control. In fact, he defended a bishop who had had disagreement with him and even cared for him tenderly when the bishop lay dying in prison.

St. Oliver was put to death for the Faith, after spending nine months in jail himself. Always cheerful and kind, he prayed for his enemies before he died.

Those who truly love God also love their neighbors, and willingly sacrifice themselves for them.

St. Felicity and Her Seven Sons

St. Felicity and Her Seven Sons - July 10th

Felicity was a noble Christian women of Rome. After her husband’s death, she served God and employed herself in prayer and works of charity. Her good example led others to embrace the faith. This angered the pagan priests, who complained to Antoninus Pius, the Emperor. They said she was an enemy of the state because she was making the gods angry. So the Emperor ordered Felicity arrested along with her seven sons. She came, calm and unafraid. The governor took her aside and tried in vain to make her sacrifice to the gods. He ended with the words, “Unhappy women, if you wish to die, die! But do not destroy your children!”

“My children,” she said, “will live forever if, like me, they scorn the idols and die for their God.”

This holy mother was forced to watch her sons being put to death. One was scourged, two were beaten with clubs, three beheaded and another drowned. Four months later, she, too, was beheaded. Her strength came from knowing that in Heaven she would be with God and her sons forever in perfect happiness.

St. Felicity, we may say, was martyred eight different times, because she had to watch each of her sons die before she too gave up her life for Jesus. What courage and faith!

Let us pray every day that God will bless our family and friends and that we will all meet again in Heaven.

St. Thomas More

St. Thomas More - Patron of Lawyers - July 9th

Thomas More is a famous English writer and martyr. He was a good scholar and studied to become a lawyer. While he was in school, his father gave him only a small allowance, so that he would not get into mischief. St. Thomas was always grateful to him for bringing him up strictly, and even when he had a much higher position than his father, he would ask his blessing right in public.

St. Thomas married, because he knew that was God’s will for him. His wife was a simple women who could not even read or write, but Thomas patiently tried to teach her. She loved him and her four children very much and did all she could to make her brilliant husband happy. People liked to pay visits to the More family. One of the young children there read from the Bible during meals. Then they would have fun telling jokes and making each other laugh. St. Thomas often had poorer neighbors in to dinner, too, because he always helped the poor as much as he could. This saint loved to delight his guests with surprises-he even kept some playful monkeys as pets! Yet no one knew that such a merry man always wore a painful hair short and practiced other severe mortifications.

St. Thomas held a number of important offices under the King, Henry VIII. He was his favorite and sometimes the King put his arm affectionately around Thomas’ shoulder. Yet, although the Saint was a most loyal subject, he was loyal to God first of all. In fact, when the King tried to make him disobey God’s law, Thomas refused. Henry wanted to obtain a divorce from his wife to marry another women, but the Pope could not give permission, since that is against God’s law. Henry was stubborn and at last he left the Church. He wanted everyone to recognize him as the head of the Church in England, but St. Thomas was one of those who remained faithful to God. He was condemned to death for that, yet he forgave his judges and said he hoped he would see them in Heaven.

At the scaffold, where he was to die, St. Thomas kissed his executioner and then joked, saying that his bread should not be cut off because it had not done anything wrong! And so he died, this holy martyr who had said: “I am the King’s good servant, but God’s servant first.”

Like St. Thomas More, we want to be the best and most affectionate children of our Holy Mother the Church.

St. Elizabeth of Portugal

St. Elizabeth of Portugal - Patroness of Peacemakers - July 8th

Elizabeth was a Spanish princess who was given in marriage to King Denis of Portugal at the age of twelve. She was very beautiful and very lovable. She was also very devout, and went to Mass every day. Elizabeth was a holy wife, but although her husband was fond of her at first, he soon began to cause her great suffering. Though a good ruler, he did not imitate his wife’s love of prayer and other virtues. In fact, his sins to impurity gave great scandal to the people.

Later, to make matters worse, the King believed a lie told about Elizabeth and one of her pages by another pages, who was jealous of his companion. In great anger the King ordered the one he believed guilty to be sent to a lime-burner. The lime-burner was commanded to throw into his furnace the first page who came. The good page set out obediently, not knowing death was waiting for him. On his way he stopped for Mass, since he had the habit of going daily. The first Mass had begun, so he stayed for a second one. In the meantime, the King sent the wicked page to the lime-burner to find out if the wicked page had been killed. And so it was this page who was thrown into the furnace! When the King, learned what had happened, he realized that God had saved the good page, punished the liar, and proven Queen Elizabeth to be innocent.

This amazing event helped greatly to make the King live better. He apologized to his wife in front of everyone and began to have great respect for her. In his last sickness, she never left his side, except for Mass, until he died a holy death. St. Elizabeth lived for eleven years more, doing even greater charity and penance. She was a wonderful model of kindness toward the poor and a successful peacemaker between members of her own family and between nations.

Because St. Elizabeth was faithful to daily Mass, she found strength to carry her many great crosses. And because her page was faithful to daily Mass, he escaped death. Let us, too, try our best to make it a habit to go to Mass daily.