St. Flannan

St. Flannan – December 18th

Flannan was the son of an Irish chieftain named Turlough. He was educated by the monks and also learned from them all manner of farming chores. When he was a grown man, Flannan decided to make a pilgrimage to Rome.

In Rome, Pope John IV made him a bishop, for he recognized the wisdom and holiness of this man. When St. Flannan returned to Ireland, all the people of his region, Killaloe, came to meet him. They were eager to learn the instructions the Saint had brought back from the Holy Roman See.

St. Flannan taught his people so well that even his father, the chieftain Turlough, decided to become a monk. The old man went to St. Colman to be instructed in the life of a monk. At the same time, he asked for a blessing for his family, since three of his sons had been killed. The Saint predicted: “From you shall seven kings spring.” And so it happened.

St. Flannan was afraid that since he was one of the family, he, too, might be made king. So he prayed to become ugly, and his face was soon covered with big scars and rashes. Thus he could be sure that he could devote himself entirely to the service of God and his people.

The honors, riches and pleasures of this world last only a short time. The happiness and glory of Heaven, instead, lasts forever. Let us often think of this, as the Saints did, and we too, shall become saints.

St. Olympias

St. Olympias – December 17th

This Saint belonged to a great family of Constantinople and when she was left an orphan, she was given into the care of a wonderful Christian woman. Olympias had inherited a large fortune and was both sweet and attractive. So her uncle found it easy to marry her to Nebridius, a man who had been governor of Constantinople. St. Gregory of Nazianzen apologized for not being able to attend the wedding, and sent a poem full of good advice for Olympias.

Nebridius died very soon afterwards, however, and the Emperor urged Olympias to marry again. She answered: “Had God wished me to remain a wife, He would not have taken Nebridius away.” And she refused to marry again. St. Gregory called her “the glory of the widows in the Eastern Church.”

With a number of other pious ladies, Olympias gave herself to works of charity. She dressed plainly, prayed much, and gave her money away to everyone. Finally St. John Chrysostom had to tell her to be careful in giving away her goods. “You must not encourage laziness of those who live upon you without necessity,” he said. “It is like throwing your money into the sea.”

When St. John Chrysostom became Archbishop of Constantinople, he guided St. Olympias and her disciples in their works. A home for orphans and a chapel were opened, and help given to great numbers of people.

Among St. Olympias’ friends were five other saints, but her own bishop, St. John Chrysostom, was her dearest guide and when he was exiled, she was deeply grieved. She then had to suffer persecution and her community of widows and maiden were forced to stop their charitable works. Besides this, she was in poor health and was being criticized and even exiled. Yet St. John wrote to her: “I cannot stop calling you blessed. The patience and dignity with which you have borne your sorrows, your prudence, wisdom and charity have won you great glory and reward.”

St. Olympias died when she was about forty. Some one described her as “a wonderful woman, like a precious vase filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Let us make sure to have a good guide in our spiritual work, so that we will be certain of spending our lives in the best possible way.

St. Adelaide

St. Adelaide – December 16th

At the age of sixteen, this Burgundian princess was married to King Lothair. Three years later her husband died, and the ruler who is believed to have poisoned him tried to get Adelaide to be his wife. She absolutely refused. In anger, he treated her with great cruelty and locked her up in a castle on a lake.

Adelaide was saved when King Otto the Great of Germany conquered this ruler. Although she was twenty years younger than he, Otto married the lovely Adelaide on Christmas Day. When he took his new Queen back home, the German people loved her at once. She was as gentle and gracious as she was pretty. God sent five children to the royal couple, and they lived happily for twenty-two years.

When Otto died, Adelaide’s oldest son became the ruler. This son, Otto the Second, was good, but too quick to act without thinking. So it happened that he turned against his own mother and she left the palace. In her great sorrow, she appealed to the abbot, St. Majolus, and he made Otto feel sorry for what he had done. Adelaide met her son in Italy and the King begged her forgiveness on his knees. She in turn prayed for her son, sending offerings to the great shrine of St. Martin of Tours.

In her old age, St. Adelaide was called on to rule the country while her grandson was still a child. She founded many monasteries and convents and worked to convert the Slavs.

All her life, this saintly empress had obeyed the advice of holy men and had ever been willing to forgive those who had hurt her. St. Odilo of Cluny called her a “marvel of beauty and grace.”

In His goodness God gives us all some things to suffer here on earth. If we accept them with patience, He will reward us later with a beautiful place in Heaven.

St. Nino

St. Nino – December 15th

Nino was a Christian maiden who was captured and carried off to Iberia as a slave. In that pagan country, her goodness and purity made a great impression on the people. Noticing how much she prayed, they asked her about her religion. The simple answer she gave them was that she adored Jesus Christ as God.

God chose this pure, devout slave-girl to bring Christianity to Iberia. One day, a mother brought her sick child to Nino, asking her to suggest a cure. The Saint wrapped the baby in her old cloak and told the mother that Jesus Christ can cure the worst cases of sickness. Then she handed the child back and the mother saw that it was completely cured.

The Queen of Iberia learned of this miracle, and since she herself was sick, she went to the Saint. When she, too, was healed, she tried to thank the Christian girl, but Nino said: “It is Christ’s work, not mine. And He is the Son of God who made the world.”

The Queen let the King know the whole story of her cure, and she repeated what the slave-girl had said about Jesus Christ. Shortly after this, the King got lost in a fog while out hunting. Then he remembered what his wife had told him and he said that if Jesus Christ would lead him safely home, he would believe in Him. At once, the fog lifted, and the King was true to his promise.

St. Nino taught the King and Queen the truths of Christianity, and she was given permission to teach people. Meanwhile the King began building a Christian Church. Then he sent messengers to the Christian Emperor Constantine to tell him of his conversion and to ask for bishops and priests.

So it was that a poor slave brought a whole country into the Church.

If we are humble, God will use us to do much good.

St. Spiridion

St. Spiridion – December 14th

This Saint lived on the island of Cypress, in the Mediterranean Sea. He was a shepherd, was married, and had a family. So great was his charity that he was even kind to thieves who tried to steal his sheep.

Later, Spiridion was made bishop of Tremithus on the sea coast of Cypress. His people were poor but they were devout Christians. When Galerius’ persecution began in Cypress, the Saint suffered gloriously. His right eye was put out and he was crippled and sent to work in the mines. Yet he lived through these trials and kept on serving God in joy.

St. Spiridion had had little education. Still he had studied the Holy Bible so much each day that he had gained marvelous wisdom. He was a simple man who spoke plainly and used common words. For this reason, when a famous preacher substituted a fancier word for the term Jesus had used in the Holy Gospel, St. Spiridion objected, “Isn’t the word Our Lord Himself used good enough for you?”

God gave the Saint the power of working miracles. A certain man had asked Spiridion’s daughter to keep a very valuable possession of his where it would be safe. When she died, and the man came for his article, no one knew where it was. So the Saint went to her grave and called her by name. He asked her where she had put the man’s valuable possession. The dead girl explained where she had hidden it, and they found it in that exact spot.

After his own death, the Saint’s relics were highly honored by all the people.

The knowledge of heavenly things is what we should look for. With it we will be happy and will find it easy to please God.

St. Lucy

St. Lucy - Patroness of Those With Eye Trouble - December 13th

This beloved Saint lived in Syracuse in Sicily. She was the daughter of very noble and rich parents. Her father died while she was still young, and Lucy secretly promised Jesus that she would never marry so that she could be His alone.

Now Lucy was a lovely girl, with beautiful eyes. More than one young noble set his heart on her, and her mother urged her to marry one whom she had chosen for Lucy. But the Christian maiden would not consent. Then she formed a plan to win her mother. She knew her mother was suffering from hemorrages, so she convinced her to go to the shrine of St. Agatha and pray for her recovery. Lucy went along with her and together they prayed. When God heard their prayers and cured her mother, Lucy told her of her vow to be Christ’s bride. Her mother left her free to follow her vocation, out of gratitude for her cure.

But the young pagan to whom she had promised Lucy was furious at losing out. In his bitter anger, he accused her of being a Christian and threatened her with torture, but she was even willing to lose both her eyes rather than belong to anyone but Jesus. Many statues show us St. Lucy holding her lovely eyes in the palm of her hand. To reward her for her heroic love, Jesus worked a miracle and gave her back her eyes, more beautiful than ever.

The pagan judge tried to send the Saint to a house of sinful women in the hope that she might be tempted to give up Christ. But when they tried to carry her away, God made her body so heavy that they could not budge her! In the end, she became a martyr for Jesus, being killed by a knife blow.

Today I will conquer every temptation with a little prayer.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe*

– December 12th

On December 9th, A.D. 1531, the Blessed Virgin appeared on one of the hills of the Guadalupe range, Tepeyac Hill, to Juan Diego, a Mexican Indian. Our Lady told him to build a chapel in her honor on the place of her apparition, and left him with a picture of herself impressed upon his mantle, and caused a miraculous spring to arise, in the waters of which many people were cured. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most celebrated places of pilgrimage in the New World.

*The faithful who shall devoutly visit a church where the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe is exposed, can gain: Indulgence of 300 days, once a day.-Indulgence of 7 years on the 12th of each month.-Plenary, on the Feast of the Motherhood of our Blessed Virgin Mary, on the last Sunday after Pentecost and on the 12th of December, when they shall confess and receive Holy Communion and shall pray for the intentions of His Holiness.

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.

Blessed Franco Grotti

Blessed Franco Grotti – December 11th

Franco was born in the town of Grotti near Siena, Italy. He grew to be a lazy, nasty-tempered teenager who would not obey anyone. When his father died, Franco became worse than ever. He spent all his time and all his money in sinful acts and in gambling. Then he got into serious trouble, and to avoid being brought to trial on a murder charge, he joined up with a band of raiders.

In the company of these outlaws, Franco became a first-class criminal. He lived so wickedly that by the time half his life was over, he had ruined his health.

Franco Grotti was fifty years old when he suddenly became blind, and this event made him start examining himself. He began to think about what life is, and he took a good look at the kind of man he had become. Sorrow filled his heart. He made a good confession of his whole life and then set out on a long, hard trip to the Shrine of St. James in Spain. There his blindness was cured, but Franco by now was a completely different man who never again would go back to his evil ways.

One day, while he was praying in a Carmelite church, our Blessed Mother came to tell him that he must do penance and make up for the terrible scandal he had given to the people of Siena by his great sins. At once, Franco began going through the streets dressed like a penitent and whipping himself. By now he was sixty-five, but he still humbly begged the Carmelite monks to accept him into their order. They told him to try again in five years, because they were afraid to accept him. Who could forget what a terrible man he had been! But Franco did not give up, and at last they let him enter as a lay-brother.

Blessed Franco lived ten more years. That was time enough for him to give such wonderful examples of fervent penance that all the monks and people were amazed. He even received the grace of heavenly visions and of working miracles. Devotion to him began right after he died.

So how good God is! He is so patient and so merciful that as soon as a sinner turns to Him and sincerely asks for pardon, God fills that soul with blessings and graces.

St. John Roberts

St. John Roberts – December 10th

John was born in Wales, and although he was not a Catholic, he was taught by an elderly priest. So, as he said later, at heart he was always a Catholic. John went to Oxford University in England for a while, but then he took a trip to France to have a good time. As it turned out, this trip brought him more than just fun, for in Paris he found great happiness in joining the Catholic Church.

John lost no time after this in taking steps to become a priest. . He went to an English college in Spain and then became a Benedictine monk. His great dream of going back to England came true three years later when he and another monk were given permission to set out for that land. Although they entered England wearing plumed hats and swords at their sides, they were soon arrested for being priests and sent out of the country.

St. John Roberts went back to England again and worked day and night to keep the Faith alive under Queen Elizabeth’s terrible persecution of Catholics. Over and over again he was captured, put in prison, exiles, and always he came back. The last time Father John was arrested was as he was finishing Mass, and this time there was no escape.

When asked, he declared he was a priest and a monk and that he had come to England to work for the salvation of souls. “Were I to live longer,” he added, “I would continue to do what I have been doing.” St. John was given a fake trial and condemned to death.

The night before he and another Catholic were to be hanged, a good Spanish lady arranged for them to be brought into the company of eighteen other prisoners who were also suffering for Christ’s sake. During their supper together, St. John was full of joy. Then he thought perhaps he should not show so much happiness. “Do you think I may be giving bad example by my joy?” he asked his hostess. “No, certainly not,” she replied. “You could not do anything better than to let everyone see the cheerful courage you have as you are about to die for Christ.” Then she insisted on washing the feet of the martyrs, to show her respect for them.

The next day, St. John was hanged, and the crowds were so attracted by the personality of this young priest that they did not let the executioners make him suffer.

Today I will say an “Our Father” for Missionaries, pausing especially on the words: “Thy Kingdom come.”