Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Today on May 20th we celebrate the life and works of St. Willibrord. St. Willibrord was an apostle of Frisia, Netherlands, a missionary archbishop. Born in Northumbria, England, circa 658, he studied at Ripon monastery under St. Wilfrid and spent twelve years studying in Ireland at the abbey of Rathmelsigi under Sts. Egbert and Wigbert. He spent many years of his life devoted to the mastery of many languages to better spread the word of God. God Bless St. Willibrord for all that he gave to the Lord during his time on earth.

Today on May 16th we remember the life and works of St. Patiens. St. Patiens is the Patron saint of Metz, France. He served as the fourth bishop of that diocese. His acts of generosity became known for miles away from the diocese that he served. He is credited with several public miracles and was always seen carrying a crystal rosary. An illness during novitiate left him with lifelong fragile health; that did not keep him from becoming an accomplished teacher. God Bless him and all of the many works he accomplished in his time on this earth.

Today on May 15th we remember the life and works of St. Monica. St. Monica was married by arrangement to a pagan official in North Africa, who was much older than she, and although generous, was also violent tempered. Following her ordination as a sister of the blessed heart he served in various leadership positions. She found many ways to aid her community during harsh times. God Bless her sacrifice to our Lord and grant her eternal rest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today on May 14th we celebrate the life and works of St. Matthias. What was the holiness of St. Matthias? Obviously he was suited for apostleship by the experience of being with Jesus from his baptism to his ascension. He must also have been suited personally, or he would not have been nominated for so great a responsibility.Before he died he opened a number of missions for the poor and clearly demonstrated a sense of selflessness. God Bless him and all of the many works he accomplished in his time on this earth.

Today on May 13th we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Mary came to three children and told them secrets. Mary gave the children three secrets. Since Francisco died in 1919 and Jacinta the following year, Lucia revealed the first secret in 1927, concerning devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The second secret was a vision of hell. We should always hold our Holy mother close to our hearts. God Bless and remember to pray to her today.

Today on May 10th we celebrate the life and works of St. Damien Joseph de Veuster of Moloka’i. When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy (Hansen’s disease). By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease. His works were known many miles from his native land. Clearly he and his associates were giving their entire lives in service to our Lord. God Bless them and all of the many works they accomplished in their time on this earth.

Today on May 8th we as a community celebrate the life and works of St. Peter of Tarentaise. The Peter we’re focusing on became a Cistercian monk and eventually served as abbot. In 1142, he was named archbishop of Tarentaise, replacing a bishop who had been deposed because of corruption. Peter tackled his new assignment with vigor. They are remembered widely in France and many people of the French heritage hold a personal devotion to this saint. God Bless them and all of the many works they accomplished in their time on this earth.

Today on May 7th we celebrate the life and works of St. Rose Venerini. St. Rose Venerini was born at Viterbo in Italy, the daughter of a doctor. Following the death of her fiancé she entered a convent, but soon returned home to care for her newly widowed mother. Meanwhile, Rose invited the women of the neighborhood to recite the rosary in her home, forming a sort of solidarity with them. Their personal life was filled with turmoil and tragedy. They fought through all of this to become the saint that we remember today. God Bless them and all of the many works they accomplished in their time on this earth.

Today on May 6th we, as a community, celebrate the lives and works of Sts. Marian and James. Sts. Marian and James were born in North Africa, Marian was a lector or reader; James was a deacon. For their devotion to the faith they suffered during the persecution of Valerian. Prior to their persecution, Marian and James were visited by two bishops who encouraged them in the faith not long before they themselves were martyred. A short time later, Marian and James were arrested and interrogated. They are often remembered for taking care of some of the poor children in their community. They frequently gave all they had to keep them from starvation. God Bless their sacrifice to our Lord and grant them eternal rest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today on May 3rd we as a community celebrate the life and works of Sts. Philip and James. We know nothing of these men except their name, and of course the fact that Jesus chose him to be one of the 12 pillars of the New Israel, his Church. He is not the James of Acts, son of Clopas, “brother” of Jesus and later bishop of Jerusalem and the traditional author of the Letter of James. The Lord of their land actually gave them great favor due to their ability to improve morale among the people. God Bless their sacrifice to our Lord and grant them eternal rest in the Kingdom of Heaven.