Blessed Richard Gwyn

Blessed Richard Gwyn – October 25th

Richard was a Welshman who lived in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, ruler of England and Wales, too. Because most of the people in Wales were still Catholic, the Queen and her ministers determined to crush the Faith there by cruel laws. Priests or people who were loyal to the Holy Father were put in prison, tortured and killed by a horrible method. Richard himself only became a Catholic after he had finished college and had become a teacher.

Before long, he was a hunted man. He escaped from jail once and a month later was arrested again. “You will be freed,” he was told, “if you will give up the Catholic Faith.” Bl. Richard absolutely refused. He was brought to a non-Catholic Church by force, but he upset the preacher’s whole sermon by clanking his chains loudly! Furious, the officials put him in the stocks for eight hours, and many came to abuse and insult him.

More time in prison and periods of torture followed. The Queen’s men wanted him to give them the names of other Catholics, but Richard would not. At his trial, men were paid to lie about him, as one of them admitted. The men on the jury were so dishonest that they asked the judge whom he wanted them to condemn! After Blessed Richard was sentenced to death, his wife and baby were brought into court. “Do not imitate your husband,” the poor woman was told. In disgust, she bravely snapped, “If you want more blood, you can take my life with my husband’s. If you give more money to your witnesses, they will surely find something to say against me, too!”

As Blessed Richard was being cruelly martyred, he cried out in terrible agony: “My God, what is this?” One of the officials mockingly answered: “An execution for Her Majesty, the Queen.” “Jesus, have mercy on me!” exclaimed the martyr, and then he was beheaded. The beautiful religious poems Bl. Richard wrote in prison are still in existence. In them, he begged his countrymen of Wales to be loyal to the Catholic Faith.

If today I have to suffer a little, I will not complain.

St. Raphael the Archangel

St. Raphael the Archangel - Patron of Doctors, Nurses, Lovers, and Travelers - October 24th

The Holy Bible tells us that a very kind and devout man named Tobias had become blind. But in his suffering, he remained as faithful to God as ever. One day, desiring to collect some money that a man owed him, he sent his son, young Tobias, off on a long trip to this man’s country. As the youth was about to leave, a handsome young man who called himself Azarias offered to go with him as his guide. Young Tobias soon found out what a wonderful companion he had! Azarias saved him from a monstrous fish and brought him to the home of a relative whose daughter, Sara, Tobias married on the advice of Azarias.

Sara was a holy young woman who had begged God to give her a good husband. Her prayer, too, was answered when Tobias asked her to be his wife. In the meantime, Azarias went on to collect the money owed to Tobias. When he got back, he and the young couple set off for home. Young Tobias and Azarias went on ahead toward the end of the trip. What joy there was when young Tobias’ worried parents saw him arriving! Next, Azarias told his friend to take the gall of the fish and apply it to his father’s eyes. He did do, and Tobias regained his sight! Meanwhile, Sara, the rich and beautiful bride of young Tobias, arrived with all the servants, cattle, camels, and money which was her dowry. For a whole week, everyone celebrated the wonderful happiness that had come to Tobias and his family.

The good man and his son were so grateful to the young man, Azarias, that they did not know how they would ever repay him. When they called him aside to ask him to accept half of all they owned, he revealed a tremendous secret to them: “I am the Angel Raphael,” he declared, “one of the seven who stand before the Lord!” Tobias and his son were filled with fear and fell to the ground. “Peace be to you, and fear not,” said the Archangel. “For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God.” He told them that God was pleased with Tobias because he had prayed, done penance and helped so many people. So He had sent St. Raphael to bring him many blessings. “It is time that I return to God,” Raphael concluded, and with that he was taken from their sight and they could see him not more.

To make sure that our prayers are heard by God, we should accompany them, as Tobias did, with little sacrifices and acts of charity toward our neighbor.

St. Allucio

St. Allucio – October 23rd

This Italian Saint was a simple shepherd and herdsman who took great interest in an almshouse nearby. An almshouse was a “poor house” for those who could not support themselves. Allucio’s kind heart was moved to pity for these poor people and he did everything he could to help them. This was his way of showing his love for God.

Although he was just a shepherd, the Saint was put in charge of the almshouse, because the officials knew how much good he would do there. And they were not disappointed either. St. Allucio made so many improvements that it almost seemed a new place entirely. Next, the Saint noticed how badly some shelters were needed at places where people had to cross rivers, and at mountain passes. He saw to it that many were built and he put generous young men to run them for the benefit of all travelers. Later these good men were called Brothers of St. Allucio.

It seemed as if the Saint felt he could never do enough to make the world a better place to live in. He took care of still more projects such as building a bridge over a big river. He made peace, too, between two cities about to fight each other.

St. Allucio might have tended to his sheep and let other people face their own problems. But those who love God never do that. He made other peoples’ troubles his own and in this way, he grew very dear to God.

I will be ready when I see a need. I will help, even at the cost of sacrifice.

St. Philip of Thrace

St. Philip of Thrace – October 22nd

Philip was a bishop in the time of the Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of Christians. When the orders against Christians were first published in his city, many who loved him begged him to leave. But he would not even consider it. The door of his Church was sealed up first of all, so he held services outdoors in front of it. When the soldiers came to take the sacred vessels and the Holy Scriptures, he encouraged his Christian people to stand up bravely for the Faith, and nothing could frighten him away.

As the holy bishop was being taken to prison, some people in the watching mob pushed him down. Others admired the way he quietly picked himself up, smiling all the while. As he and his deacon Hermes entered the prison, their faces shone with joy. They even sang a hymn of thanksgiving!

To every command to offer sacrifice to the gods, Philip answered, “I am a Christian and cannot do that. You can punish our refusal, but you cannot make us do what you command.” The officer threatened to torture him, yet the Bishop said: “You may torment me, but you cannot conquer me. No power can make me sacrifice to the gods.”

And the rulers discovered he meant just what he said. No matter what they did to Saints Philip and Hermes, they would not give up the Faith. On the contrary, as they were being led out to execution, Hermes joyfully said to his Bishop: “Let us hurry to go to the Lord!”

In imitation of these heroic martyrs, I will offer up little sacrifices for love of Our Lord.

St. Hilarion

St. Hilarion – October 21st

Hilarion was a pagan lad when he left his home in Palestine to go to school in Egypt. There he learned about the Christian Faith, and soon he was baptized. Hilarion was only about fifteen at this time, but before long, he was off on a visit to the famous St. Anthony in the desert. He wanted to be alone to serve Jesus, whom he had just come to love. Hilarion stayed two months with St. Anthony, but it was not quiet enough there for him. Too many people came to St. Anthony for help, in his opinion. So he left and after giving everything he had to the poor, he went into the wilderness to live as a hermit.

Hilarion had to battle many temptations. At times it seemed to him as if none of his prayers were heard at all. Yet he did not let these temptations stop him from praying even harder.

After twenty years in the desert, the holy man worked his first miracle and soon many people began coming to his hut to beg his help. Many men asked him to let them stay with him to learn how to pray and do penance. In his great love of God and souls, the Saint did not refuse. But finally, when he was sixty-five, he began going from one country to another trying to find peace and quiet. The fame of his miracles of mercy always brought crowds of visitors, however. It was not until a few years before he died at eighty that this great lover of God could be alone with Him.

When I say my prayers I will avoid every willful distraction.

St. John Kanti

St. John Kanti – October 20th

This Polish Saint was the son of good country-folk. Seeing how intelligent their son was, they sent him to the University of Cracow. He did well in his studies and became a priest, a teacher, and a preacher. John was also well-known for his great love of the poor. Once he was eating in the University dinning hall when he happened to see a beggar passing by the window. Immediately he jumped up and brought the man his meal!

There were some people who became very jealous of St. John’s success as a teacher and preacher. They finally managed to have him sent to a parish as the pastor. Here, he put his whole heart into the new life, but at first things did not go well at all. The people did not particularly care for John, and John himself was rather afraid of the responsibility. He did not give up, however, and his efforts brought results. By the time he was called back to the University, the people of his parish loved him dearly. They went part of the way with him and were so sad to see him go that he had to tell them: “This sadness does not please God. It I have done any good for you in all these years, sing a song of joy!”

Back in Cracow, St. John taught the Holy Bible and again became a very popular teacher. He was invited to the homes of rich nobles, but still he gave everything he had to the poor and dressed very poorly himself. Once he wore such an old cassock to a banquet that the servants refused to let him in. St. John went home and changed into a new one. During the dinner, someone spilled a dish of food on the new cassock! “Never mind,” said the Saint with good humor, “my cassock deserves some food, anyway, because without it, I wouldn’t have been here at all!”

St. John lived to be eight-three, and again and again during all those years he cleaned out everything he owned to help the poor. When people burst into tears on hearing that he was dying, he said, “Don’t worry about this prison which is decaying! Think of the soul that is going to leave it.”

From this saint I want to learn to do my duties for God alone, without expecting any reward here on earth.

Sts. Varus and Cleopatra

Sts. Varus and Cleopatra – October 19th

Varus was an Egyptian soldier who brought food to seven holy monks who had been put in prison for their Faith. When one of them died, the fearless Christian soldier took his place in prison. St. Varus was cruelly tortured because he would not give up his belief in Christ, and finally he died a martyr.

A saintly Christian woman named Cleopatra secretly obtained the body of the soldier-martyr and hid it in a bundle of wool. In this manner she brought it out of Egypt and back to her home in Palestine. There many people came to visit the Saint’s tomb. Cleopatra had a son named John, and when he was about to go into the army, she decided to have a big church built to honor the relics of St. Varus. At the same time, she asked him to pray for her son.

When the beautiful church was ready, she and John brought the martyr’s remains to the new shrine. But that very night, John became sick and died! Poor mother! She had her dead son carried into the church and laid in front of the altar, sobbing as though her heart would break. She stayed there, begging God to bring her son back to life, until the next night. She even spoke angry words to St. Varus, whom she had honored so much before. At last, she was so tired out by her weeping that she fell fast asleep. And in a dream she saw St. Varus leading John by the hand. They both looked so gloriously happy that St. Cleopatra could not say a word.

“Have I forgotten all the love you showed me?” St. Varus said to her. “You asked for health and success for your son, and look! He is safe forevermore!” The good woman felt contented now. Then she was told to lay John’s body there in the church and to wait awhile until they came for her. She spent seven years in prayer and penance, until at last God called her to share the glory of St. Varus and her son.

Let us pray to these saints to make us brave and patient amid the troubles of life.

St. Luke the Evangelist

St. Luke the Evangelist - Patron of Painters, Glass-Workers, and Doctors - October 18th


Luke was a pagan doctor, a good kind man who came to know Our Lord from the great Apostle Paul. After he had become a Christian, he went everywhere with St. Paul and was a great help to him in spreading the Faith. In the Bible this holy convert is called: “Luke, the beloved physician.”


St. Luke himself is the author of two books in the Bible: “The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke,” and “The Acts of the Apostle.” Although he did not know Jesus while Our Lord was on this earth, he wanted to write about Him for other new converts like himself. So he talked to those who had known Jesus and he wrote down all that they had seen Our Lord do and heard Him say. It is believed that St. Luke learned from the Blessed Virgin Mary herself all about the Angel Gabriel’s appearance to her, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, and many other facts we read in his Gospel.


Luke also wrote the story of how the Apostles began to teach the message of Jesus after Our Lord went back to Heaven. It is in his book, “The Acts of the Apostles,” that we learn how the Church began to grow and spread.


St. Luke is the patron saint of doctors and of painters, too, because it is believed that he painted a beautiful picture of our Blessed Mother.


In his Gospel St. Luke wrote especially of the mercy of God for repentant sinners. Today I will read in it the parable of the Lost Sheep.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque – October 17th

Margaret Mary is the famous French nun to whom Our Lord showed His Sacred Heart. As a child, she had a horror of being naughty and she was a healthy, happy little girl who loved the nuns at school. But when she was eleven, she became very sick and it was four years before she was well again. Her father had died, and an aunt had moved into their home. This aunt and her husband made Margaret Mary and her beloved mother suffer very much. Day after day, the young teenager would hide herself in the garden to cry and pray. What hurt her most was to see her mother being hurt.

Yet Margaret Mary grew to love good times and a few years later, she was considering marriage. Her mother wanted her to marry and so did her relatives, especially when she brought beggar children into the garden to try to teach them!

But Christ wanted her for His own. Margaret Mary hesitated a while, neither marrying nor entering the Convent, but at last she generously gave herself to Jesus as His bride.

In the Visitation Convent she entered, she was of good example to everyone because of her charity and humility. Often she made others impatient since she was rather slow and clumsy, but she was dear to Jesus, and He began to appear to Sister Margaret Mary to show her how much He loves us all. Jesus wanted her to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart. It was a very hard thing to do, because many people thought the good Sister really had not seen Our Lord at all. Some were very angry with her for trying to spread the new devotion, and all this brought great suffering to the Saint. Yet she still did her best to carry out Our Lord’s wish, and today, this wonderful devotion to the Sacred Heart is practiced all over the world.

Our Lord made great promises to St. Margaret Mary for those who are devoted to His Most Sacred Heart. Some of these promises are: “I will comfort them in all their afflictions. I will establish peace in their homes. I will bestow abundant blessings on all their undertakings. I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.” The greatest promise Our Lord made is this: “My Divine Heart shall be the safe refuge in the last moment to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday for nine months in a row.” I want to make sure of making the Nine First Fridays.

St. Gerard Majella

St. Gerard Majella - Patron of Mothers - October 16th

Gerard was born in a little Italian town. Even as a boy, he loved to visit Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. “He would stop in church,” said his mother, “and then forget to come home for dinner.” When Gerard’s father died, the boy was taken out of school and sent to learn to be a tailor. His master was good to him, but the helper in the shop treated him roughly. Later Gerard started out in business for himself. One third of the money he earned he gave to his mother. Another third he gave away to poor people, and the rest he gave as offerings to have Masses said for the poor souls in Purgatory.

St. Gerard had once tried to enter the Capuchin Order, but they thought he looked too weak. Now he asked the Redemptorists to accept him as a brother. They did, but not too eagerly at all. At first they thought he would be useless, but soon they found him to be very humble and eager to do what he was told. While he was a novice, one priest heard him say, as he knelt in front of the altar: “Lord, let me go, I beg You. I have work that I must do!”

God gave St. Gerard marvelous and extraordinary gifts. He could read minds, appear to be in two places at once, cure people, tell what was going on someplace far away, and make animals and nature obey him. Yet Gerard had his sufferings, too. Once, a wicked woman accused the holy brother of committing a mortal sin, and since he did not excuse himself, he was punished by his Superior. He was sent away from everyone else and forbidden to receive Holy Communion. But all the Saint said was: “There is God in Heaven and He will provide.” Later, the evil woman repented and freely confessed that she had lied. Then everyone knew that Gerard was innocent and had said nothing because of his deep humility.

God alone sees my thoughts, word and deeds. I will never worry about what the others say about me. I will remember instead that God will be my Judge one day, and He will reward me if I was good, or punish me if I was bad.

Link to an audio story of St. Gerard Majella by Regina Martyrum Productions:

http://www.angeluspress.org/oscatalog/item/8201/to-heaven-through-the-window