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.

St. Germaine of Pibrac

St. Germaine of Pibrac - June 15th

Pibrac is the little village in France where Germaine was born and spent her life. In fact, her right hand was deformed and helpless. Her father paid little attention to her, and her stepmother did not want her around her own healthy children. So Germaine slept with the sheep in the barn, even in cold weather. She dressed in rags and was laughed at by other children. When she came home at night with the flock of sheep she had tended in the fields, her stepmother often screamed at her and beat her.

Yet this poor girl learned to talk with God and to remember that He was with her all the time. She always managed to get to Mass and she received Holy Communion as often as she could. Her sheep she would leave in care of her Guardian Angel, and never once did one wander away from the staff she planted in the ground.

Germaine often gathered young children around her to teach them their faith and fill their hearts with God’s love. She tried her best to help the poor, too. She shared with beggars the little bit of food she was given to eat. One winter day, her stepmother accused her of stealing bread and chased her with a stick. But what fell from Germaine’s apron was not the expected bread. It was summer flowers!

By now people no longer made fun of Germaine. In fact, they loved and admired her. She could have begun to live in her father’s house, but she chose to keep sleeping in the barn. Then, one morning, when she was twenty-two, she was found dead on her straw bed. Her life of great suffering was over and God worked miracles to show that she was a Saint.

The main virtue of this Saint was patience, she carried her big cross well, because she went to Holy Communion often. In our little sufferings, let us turn to Our Lord in Holy Communion and ask His help.

St. Basil the Great

St. Basil the Great - Patron of Hospital Administrators - June 14th

Basil was born in Asia Minor. His grandmother, father, mother, two brothers and a sister are all saints. He was an excellent student and then a teacher, but his sister, St. Macrina, advised him to give up his high place in the world to become a monk. He settled in a wild spot and there founded his first monastery. The rule he gave his monks was so wise that monasteries in the East have followed it down to our own times. Yet Basil himself was called from his monastery to become an archbishop and a great champion of the true Faith against the Arian heretics.

When the Emperor sent one of his officials, a prefect, to make Basil stop preaching against the Arian heresy, he found he could get nowhere with the Saint. “Are you crazy?” the prefect answered. “Are you not afraid of the Emperor’s anger, or exile, or death?” “No,” said St. Basil. “A man who has nothing does not have to be afraid of losing anything. And you cannot exile me, because the whole earth is my home. As for death, it would be a kindness. One blow would end my life and my sufferings together.” The prefect could not believe his ears. “Never before has anyone dared to talk to me like this,” he said. St. Basil answered, “Perhaps you have not had much to do with Christian bishops!”

The Emperor tried three times to write an order for the exile of the Saint, but each time the pen split in his hand.

Basil always found time to help the poor. He grew very angry with selfish people who refused to give to those in need. “You say you do not have enough for yourselves,” he once exclaimed. “Yet while your tongue makes excuses, your hand accuses you. That ring shinning on you finger declares you to be a liar!” He wanted poor people themselves to help those worse off. “Give your last loaf to the beggar at your door,” he urged, “and trust in God’s goodness.”

We will never be ashamed of being devout and showing our Faith with such actions as blessing ourselves every time we pass a Catholic Church.

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Anthony of Padua - Patron of Finding Articles and of the Poor - June 13th

This very popular saint was born in Portugal and the name given him at Baptism was Ferdinand. At the age of fifteen, he entered the Augustinian Order and spent all his time in prayer and study.

When he was twenty-five, he heard about some Franciscans who had been martyred by the Moors in China. From then on, Ferdinand felt a strong desire to die for Christ. He joined the Franciscans, who had been founded only a little while before, and took the name of Anthony. Then he went off to Africa to preach to the Moors. But he soon became so sick that he had to leave. No one in his new Order knew what a brilliant mind he had, because he kept his talents hidden. So he was sent to a lonely hermitage in Italy, and there he washed pots and pans and did other humble chores.

Our Lord, however, wanted St. Anthony to save many souls by preaching. One day, at a gathering of many priests, it was suddenly discovered that there was no preacher! Anthony was told to get up and give the sermon as best he could. How amazed everyone was when he preached a marvelous sermon, full of wise and holy thoughts! From then on, until he died nine years later, St. Anthony preached all over Italy. He was so popular that people even closed their stores to go to hear him. Often the churches could not hold the crowds and then he would preach out in the open. Heretics, criminals, and sinners of every kind were converted.

Anthony was short and rather plump, but he had such virtue and such a love for sinners that just the sight of him was enough to make many repent and confess their sins.

So many miracles have taken place and so many people have obtained favors by praying to him that St. Anthony is famous as the “Wonder-worker.”

The statue of St. Anthony shows him with Baby Jesus. This is because once the Holy Child appeared to the Saint. Other pictures show him holding a Bible because he knew and loved the Word of God very much.

Like St. Anthony, let us love to pray and work unseen. In this way, we shall not become proud, and God will reward every prayer we say and everything we do for love of Him.

St. John of Sahagun

St. John of Sahagun - June 12th

St. John was born in Sahagun, Spain. He received his education from the Benedictine Monks of his town, and then became a parish priest. He could have lived a very comfortable life in the cathedral parish or in other wealthy parishes, but John wanted to imitate Our Lord’s poverty. He chose to keep charge only of a small chapel, where he offered Mass, preached, and taught catechism. He began to be very hard on himself and to practice real poverty.

St. John next went to the great University of Salamanca, because he realized that he that he needed to know theology better. After four years of study, he became famous as a preacher. Nine years later, after a serious but successful operation, he joined a community of Augustinian Friars. There he was outstanding for his obedience and humility. His beautiful sermons brought about a change in the people of Salamanca. They were always quarreling violently among themselves and often the young noblemen fought each other in revenge. St. John succeeded in ending a great many of these bitter fights and persuading people to forgive. He was not afraid to correct evils, even when the sinners were important people who might take revenge. Once he corrected a powerful Duke for the way he was making the poor people suffer. In anger, the Duke sent two men to kill St. John. But when these two saw the Saint, so calm and holy, they were struck with sorrow and asked his pardon. Then the Duke fell sick, and through the prayers of St. John, he repented his sins and even got better.

It was the graces he received from prayer and from the Holy Mass that gave St. John his special power as a preacher. He said Mass so devoutly that sometimes he had the great privilege of seeing Jesus at the moment of the Consecration.

This Saint was so calm and inspiring because he was holy. If we keep our conscience clean, we, too, will have peace and be very happy.

St. Barnabas

St. Barnabas - Patron of Antioch - June 11th

Even though he was not one of Our Lord’s twelve Apostles, Barnabas is called an apostle by St. Luke because he received a special mission from God. He was a Jew and was born on the island of Cyprus. His name was Joseph, but the Apostles changed it to Barnabas, which means “son of consolation.”

As soon as he became a Christian, St. Barnabas sold all he owned and gave the money to the Apostles. He was a good, kind-hearted man, full of zeal to win souls to Christ. When he was sent to the city of Antioch to govern the new Christians there, he found that there were too many for only one man to guide. Then, because he was very humble, he asked St. Paul to come to share the government of the Church there with him. He was never interested in keeping honor for himself; he only wanted to give glory to God.

Sometime later, the Holy Ghost said through the prophets at Antioch: “Set apart for Me Paul and Barnabas for the work to which I have called them.” Not long afterwards, the two apostles set off on a daring missionary journey. They had many sufferings to bear and often risked their lives, but their preaching won many converts.

Later St. Barnabas went on another missionary journey, this time with his relative, John Mark. They went to St. Barnabas’ own country of Cyprus. So many convert did the Saint win there that he is called the Apostle of Cyprus.

When there is some good to be done, let us do it eagerly and only for God’s greater glory, not for praise.

St. Margaret of Scotland

St. Margaret of Scotland - June 10th

Margaret was an English princess. She and her mother sailed to Scotland to escape from the king who had conquered their land. King Malcolm of Scotland welcomed them and fell in love with the beautiful princess. Margaret and Melcolm were married before too long.

As Queen, Margaret changed her husband and the country for the better. Melcolm was good, but he and his court were very rough. When he saw how wise his beloved wife was, he listened to her good advice. She softened his temper and led him to practice greater virtue. She made the court beautiful and civilized. Soon all the princes had better manners, and the ladies copied her purity and devotion. The King and Queen gave wonderful example to everyone by the way they prayed together and fed crowds of poor people with their own hands. They seemed to have only one desire: to make everyone happy and good.

Margaret was a blessing for all the people of Scotland. Before she came, there was great ignorance and many bad habits among them. Margaret worked hard to obtain good teachers, to correct the evil practices, and to have new churches beautiful for God’s glory, and she embroidered the priest’s vestments herself.

God sent this holy Queen six sons and two daughters. She loved them dearly and raised them well. The youngest boy became St. David. But Margaret had sorrows, too. In her last illness, she learned that both husband and son, Edward, had been killed in battle. Yet she prayed: “I thank You, Almighty God, for sending me so great a sorrow to purify me from my sins.”

Let us take this saintly queen for our example. While we do our duties, let us keep in mind the joys that God will give us in Heaven.

St. Columba of Iona

St. Columba of Iona - Patron of Ireland - June 9th

Columba was an Irishman and sometimes he is called by his Irish name of Columkille. He studied at famous monastery schools and became a good poet. Then he became a pupil of St. Finian and later a priest. Before he was twenty-five, he had had the good fortune to study with a number of great Irish saints.

Columba was a tall, strong man with a loud, beautiful voice that people said could be heard a mile away. For fifteen years, he went all over Ireland preaching and starting monasteries. Yet he never stopped studying and he made every effort to obtain many books.

When he was forty-two, St. Columba left Ireland to try to win pagans in Scotland for Christ. On the island of Iona he built a monastery, many missionaries to Scotland and England were to come. St. Columba began his mission to Scotland by going to the castle of the pagan King. The King had commanded his soldiers not to let the Saint enter. But when Columba lifted his arm to make the sign of the cross, the gates fell open by themselves! The King was so amazed that he listened to his words about the Christian Faith and greatly honored St. Columba from then on. Because of the many converts he made, the Saint is called the Apostle of Scotland.

Columba was once a rather rough, quick-tempered man and, though his name means “dove,” he was not gentle at all. But he changed so much that he became loving with everyone, serene and full of holy joy.

The saints were not born saints. They had to overcome their defects. Let us, too, see what our greatest defect is and then pray and work hard to correct it.

St. William of York

St. William of York - June 8th

William Fitzherbert was born in England and was the nephew of King Stephen. As a young man, he was rather easy-going and even a bit lazy. He was very popular with the people of his city of York, however, and years later, when their archbishop died, he was elected to take his place. In those times princes used to interfere in the election of the bishops. This is why many priests did not think William had been properly chosen, since it was his uncle, the King, who had appointed him. Even the great St. Bernard persuaded the Pope to make someone else Archbishop of York. Poor William! Sent away and humiliated, he went to live with his uncle, a bishop, and would not accept any of the comforts his uncle offered him. He was a very different man now.

The people of York were angry at what had happened and there were fights between them and those who did not want William. But the Saint kept praying for peace for six years, and his prayers were answered. When the other archbishop died, the Pope sent William back to York, to the immense happiness of all the people. But he was an old man by this time, and one month later, he died.

St. William silently suffered all the accusations made against him, even though he did not deserve them. This teaches us to take corrections well.

Blessed Anne Mary Taigi

Blessed Anne Mary Taigi - June 7th

Anne Mary came from a poor Italian family. Because her father was not a hard-working man, her good mother worked all day long as a servant. To make sure her daughter would grow up to be good, she placed her with the sisters during the day and took her home each evening. She also taught her how to take care of a house and sent her to learn dressmaking. The family grew poorer all the time, and Anne Mary’s mother decided to let her become maid to the rich women for whom her father was working.

Anne Mary was very pretty and she began to admire her own good looks. When she was twenty, she met and married a handsome young servant named Dominic Taigi. He was proud of his pretty wife and the two of them thought only of dressing up and having as much fun as they could. After some months, however, Anne Mary felt unhappy over the way she was living and she made up her mind to change. She began to wear plain clothes and to pray much more.

The Taigis had seven children in their forty-eight years of married life. Their home was poor but always neat and peaceful. Although the Saint’s husband was a rough, stubborn man who easily flew into a rage, Anne Mary was so loving and so good to him that he became a better Christian. She kept her children busy all the time and taught them to be obedient. The whole family prayed together and all were happy, even though sickness, suffering and death often caused them sorrow. Anne Mary was always busy in the simple duties of the house, but she kept herself very close to God all the time. Our Lord even gave her the gift of working miracles and telling the future. And sometimes, right in her kitchen, the love of God would burn so strong in her heart that she would have to lean against the wall until she came out of ecstasy.

Though poor herself, Anne Mary offered what she could to the poor. She gave good advice to the many people who came to her, especially young persons. Even bishops and public leaders asked her advice, because they knew she was very dear to God.

Let us say our morning and night prayers every day. During the day, let us do well everything we do, and offer it up to Jesus. In this way we, too, will become saints in whatever life God plans for us.