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. Francis Borgia

St. Francis Borgia - Patron of Portugal - October 10th

Francis was a young nobleman at the court of the King of Spain. He became a Duke when he was only thirty-three and lived a happy, peaceful life with his wife Eleanor and their eight children. But unlike so many other powerful nobles, Francis was a perfect Christian gentleman, a true man of God, and his great joy was to receive Holy Communion often.

This happy life ended when his beloved wife died. Just a few years later, Francis did something that astonished all the nobles of Spain: he gave up his dukedom to his son Charles and became a Jesuit priest. So many people came to his first Mass that they had to set up an altar out doors. But his superior tested him by treating him in exactly the opposite way he had been used to all his forty-one years of life. He who had once had been a duke had to help the cook, carrying wood for the fire and sweeping the kitchen. When he served the food to the priests and brothers, he had to kneel down in front of them all and beg them to forgive him for being so clumsy! Still he never once complained or grumbled. The only time he became angry was when anyone treated him with respect, as if he were still a duke.

Once a doctor who had to take care of a painful wound Francis had gotten said to him: “I am afraid, my lord, that I have to hurt your grace.” The Saint answered that he would not hurt him more than he was right then by calling him “my lord” and “your grace.”

It was not too long before the humble priest accomplished wonderful works for God’s glory as he preached everywhere and advised many important people. He spread the Society of Jesus all over Spain and in Portugal. When he was made Superior General of the Jesuits, he sent missionaries all over the world. Under his guidance, the Jesuits grew to be a very great help to the Church in many lands.

Through all such success, St. Francis Borgia remained completely humble.

How did this Spanish nobleman learn such humility, after so long being honored as a great man in the world? By reflecting often on the humiliations of Our Lord and strongly willing to imitate Him.

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. Bridget of Sweden

St. Bridget of Sweden - Patroness of Sweden - October 8th

From the time she was a child, Bridget was greatly devoted to the Passion of Our Lord. When she was only ten, she seemed to see Jesus on the Cross and to hear Him say, “Look upon Me, My daughter.” “Who had treated you like this?” cried the holy child. “They who despise Me and refuse My love for them,” answered Jesus. From then on, Bridget tried to stop people from offending Our Lord any more.

While she was just a very young teenager, she was married to a young man named Ulf who, like herself, set his whole heart on serving God. They had eight children, of whom one was St. Catherine of Sweden. At the Swedish court of King Magnus and Queen Blanche, Bridget tried to make these rulers lead better lives, but they did not listen to her for the most part. All her life, the Saint had many marvelous visions and received special messages from God. In obedience to them, she visited many rulers and important people in the Church to tell them what God expected of them.

After her good husband died, Bridget put away forever her wealthy clothes and lived as a poor nun. Later, she founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior, who are called Bridgettines. She still kept up her own busy life, however, traveling about doing good everywhere. And through all this activity, Our Lord continued to reveal many secrets to her, all of which she received without the least bit of pride.

Shortly before she died, the Saint went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where Jesus had lived. At the shrines there, she had visions of what Our Lord had said and done in each place. All St. Bridget’s revelations on the sufferings of Jesus were published after her death.

I will learn from St. Bridget the devotion to Jesus Crucified. Like this saint, I, too, for love of Jesus Crucified, will keep my soul pure from every fault, and will go to Confession and Holy Communion often.

The Holy Rosary

The Holy Rosary

– October 7th

It was St. Dominic who urged everyone to say the beautiful prayer of the Holy Rosary. St. Dominic was greatly saddened by the spread of a terrible heresy called Albigensianism, and with the members of his new Order of Preachers, he was trying his best to destroy this dangerous heresy. He begged the Blessed Virgin for help, and it is said that she told him to preach devotion to the Holy Rosary. St. Dominic obeyed, and he was very successful in stopping the heresy with this wonderful, holy weapon.

The Hoy Rosary is a simple devotion which can be practiced by all people-old and young, learned and unlearned. It can be said anywhere at any time. While we say the Our Father, Hail Marys and the Glory Be to the Father, we think about different great moments in the lives of Jesus and Mary. In this way, we grow closer and closer to Our Lord and His Blessed Mother and we learn to imitate their holy lives.

Mary is very pleased when we say the Holy Rosary often and well. She used to say it with St. Bernadette when she appeared to her at Lourdes, and the three little children of Fatima learned from Our Lady how powerful the Holy Rosary is to obtain all graces and save sinners from hell.

Let us acquire the beautiful habit of saying the Rosary every day. “Those who love the Blessed Mother will be saved, and those who love her much will become saints,” a great Saint once said.

St. Bruno

St. Bruno - Patron of those Expelling Demons - October 6th

The founder of the Carthusian Order of monks was at first not a hermit at all, but rather a famous priest-teacher in his own country of France. For eighteen years he taught very learned men and tried his best to lead them closer to God. Then he was made chancellor of the diocese of Rheims.

But Bruno did not take delight in the honors that had come to him. His heart began to long to be alone with Jesus, and soon he gave up his position right when he was about to be chosen Archbishop of the great city of Rheims. St. Hugh of Grenoble gave Bruno and his friends a hidden desert land called Chartreuse, and there they built a church and little huts to live in. This was the beginning of the Carthusian Order. They were very happy there, working their fields, fasting and praying, hidden in God.

After six years, however, the Pope required a great sacrifice of Bruno. He asked him to go to Rome to be his adviser. It broke the Saint’s heart, but he obeyed, and left one of the monks in charge at Chartreuse. He served Pope Urban II well, until finally the Holy Father allowed him to be a monk again, but nearer Rome. So with new disciples, he began all over again in Italy.

As we know by his letters, St. Bruno was always a cheerful, active man, who did not want to see any of his monks sad. He describes their hard life in delightful expressions and urged a close friend to come see for himself.

Just before he died, the holy founder confessed himself out loud in front of his monks, and then professed his Faith for the last time.

God loves those who serve Him with joy. St. Bruno used to say, “Try, and you will see how sweet and rewarding it is to serve God with all the love of your heart.”

St. Flora of Beaulieu

St. Flora of Beaulieu – October 5th

This French saint came from a good family and entered a convent of nuns which was called Beaulieu. She was an innocent, good girl who had resisted all her parents’ plans to marry her. But once she gave herself to God as His spouse, He allowed her to prove her love by overcoming all kinds of trials and temptations.

Sometimes it seemed to Sister Flora that she was leading too comfortable a life. At other times, she was tempted to return home to enjoy herself.

Yet, because she kept trying to love God, she grew dearer and dearer to Him. At last, He blessed her with wonderful visions and the gift of knowing the future. Soon, people realized that Sister Flora was very holy and they came to ask her prayers and her advice. Once Holy Communion was brought to her from a church eight miles away, by an angel. This Saint also received the privilege of suffering the pain of Christ’s cross, which she seemed to feel pressing into her, and making a wound in her side. She joyfully accepted this suffering put of her great love for our Lord.

I will force myself to be brave and full of courage when the devil suggests things to me which would offend our Lord.

St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi - Patron of Italy, of Catholic Action, and of Merchants - October 4th

As a young man in his Italian hometown of Assisi, Francis loved parties and good times. He was handsome and rich, so he bought himself the finest clothes and spent money right and left. Francis had no desire to study or to learn his father’s business-he just wanted to have fun. Yet he was never impure or selfish.

After two illnesses and other adventures, Francis realized that he must serve Christ, and so he began by praying much more and making sacrifices to grow strong in spirit. Once he kissed a horrible-looking leper, while giving him money. Often he gave his clothes and money to the poor and served the sick in hospitals. Still he felt he must do more. He fasted and prayed and began to go around in rags, in order to humble himself. It is not hard to imagine how his former rich friends must have looked at him now! His father was so angry that he beat him and locked him up at home. Francis bore all this suffering for love of Christ, and when his father took everything from him in disgust, Francis put all his trust in his Father in Heaven. He said that he was married to “Lady Poverty” and he began to live as a beggar, with no shelter or food but what kind people gave him. Everywhere he went, he urged people to stop sinning and to go back to God. Soon many men began to realize how close to God this poor man was, and they became his disciples. That is how the great Franciscan Order of priests and brothers began.

Even after the Order had been spread all over Italy, Francis insisted that they should not own anything and should all love poverty as he did. The brothers helped the poor and sick and preached everywhere. St. Francis had the power of working miracles and even of making birds and animals obey him! As a reward for his great love, Christ gave him His own wounds in his hands and feet, but the humble Francis tried to hide them.

When he had been sick for a long time and was told he could only live a few more weeks, he exclaimed, “Welcome, Sister Death!” He asked to be laid on the ground and covered with an old habit. Then he urged his Brothers to love God, to love poverty, and to obey the Holy Gospel. “I have done my part,” he said. “May Christ teach you to do yours.”

For love of God, today I will help someone, without asking or accepting a reward of any kind.

St. Theresa of Lisieux

St. Theresa of Lisieux - Patroness of Foreign Missions and of Aviators

- October 3rd

St. Theresa, often called the Little Flower, was the youngest of the five daughters born to Louis and Zelie Martin. She was a very lively, lovable little girl, whose father called her his “little queen.” Yet she was quite sensitive and touchy, and in the story she wrote of her life, she tells how the Infant Jesus helped her overcome this defect.

It was Theresa’s great desire to enter the Carmelite convent where two of her sisters were already nuns. But since she was only fifteen, permission was not granted. Theresa felt sure that Jesus wanted her to spend her life loving Him alone, so she kept praying and asking to be admitted. She even dared to ask the Pope himself to grant her heart’s desire. And finally she was allowed to enter.

Although she was only fifteen, St. Theresa did not expect to be babied. “Obedience, prayer and sacrifice” were her program. She had a thirst to suffer for the love of God, and she had the spiritual courage of real heroine. “May Jesus make me a martyr of the heart or of the body-or even better, both!” she wrote, and she meant it. Whenever she suffered from the bitter cold in her plain cell or whenever she was humiliated, she would offer her pain to her beloved Jesus and hide it under a smile. She called herself Jesus’ little ball, and told Him to do with her whatever He pleased.

St. Theresa was very humble, and she called her great confidence in God her “little way” to sanctity. She always had a burning desire to become a saint and wanted to find a “short cut,” an “elevator” to take her quickly to sanctity. So she looked in the Holy Bible, and found the words, “Whoever is a little one, let him come to me.” When she lay dying, she could say: “I have never given the good God anything but love, and it is with love that He will repay. After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my Heaven doing good upon earth.”

St. Theresa taught us her LITTLE WAY. Yes, it is a small and yet a great thing to offer Jesus the flowers of our little sacrifices moment by moment.

The Holy Guardian Angels

The Holy Guardian Angels – October 2nd

A feast of the Guardian Angels, distinct from that of St. Michael, was celebrated in Spain in the 16th century. In 1670 Clement X extended its celebration to the whole Church, placing it on October 2, the first free day after Michaelmas. – The prime duty of the angels, who have already entered into everlasting glory, is the adoration of God (Int., Off., Comm.) and so in the Preface of the Mass we ask God to allow us to join our praise to theirs*. But, as their name indicates, they are also God’s messengers, charged to carry out His behests (Off.) and to watch over us (Ep., Grad.), whence their name Guardian Angels. It is generally agreed that all Christian communities, countries, families, dioceses, churches and religious houses, have each their Guardian Angel**; it is certain that every baptized Christian has his own. To each of us the Church applies what was written of God’s people under the Old Law: “I am sending my angel to go before thee and guard thee on thy way, and lead thee to the place I have made ready for thee” (Ep.) ***. Our Guardian Angel is commissioned to protect and defend us always against the cunning enemies of our soul and all adversities, so that we may reach the promised land of everlasting life (Coll., Sec., Postcomm.). As our faithful companion, we owe him our gratitude, as a saint enjoying the vision of God in heaven, our veneration (Gospel). It is to remind us of this duty that to-day’s feast has been instituted.

* “I have seen the Seraphim,” says Isaias, “they stood near the sublime throne, where Jehovah was seated: their faces veiled they cried out to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isa. 6, 1-3.

** In some countries they celebrate the feast of the angel of the nation. St. Francis de Sales says that the bishop as such has another guardian angel. Ezechiel says that the angel of the Temple of Jerusalem has a writing case hanging from his girdle (Ezech. 11). These angels of the churches, adds St. Basil, write down our irreverences.

***St. Bernard: Sixth Lesson at Martins.