Daily Saints

Saint Methodius of Constantinople

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Methodius was educated in Syracuse, Sicily. While in Constantinople to seek a position at court, he felt the call to enter the religious life. He built a monastery and started a monastic community on the island of Chinos. Soon after finishing construction, Methodius was summoned by the Patriarch of Constantinople to help govern the diocese.

The Eastern Church was debating the use of icons in worship and as tools to bring the faithful closer to God. Methodius and the Patriarch of Constantinople worked against the iconoclasts, and together suffered nearly as much abuse as the images. They worked to unify and reconcile the sides. Methodius traveled to Rome, Italy to seek the Pope‘s help; during his absence, he was exiled. After seven years, he returned as Patriarch of Constantinople in 842, and continued to work for unity.

Born

8th century at Syracuse, Sicily

Died

847 of natural causes

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Patronage

Chios, Greece

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-methodius-of-constantinople/

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Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor

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1195–1231; Patron Saint of amputees, animals, mail, horses, expectant mothers, fishermen, harvests, lost articles, boatmen, and travelers, as well as the elderly, oppressed, poor, and starving; Canonized by Pope Gregory IX on 30 May 1232; Declared the Evangelizing Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946

Saint Anthony of Padua is one of the most revered saints within the Catholic Church. He was born in Lisbon, Portugal and was given the name Fernando Martins de Bulhões. His parents were wealthy nobility who provided a good education for him as a youth, most likely at the Cathedral school in Lisbon. At the age of fifteen, Fernando decided to enter religious life and joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, not far from his home. During his two years with the canons, he excelled in his studies and prayer. However, being so close to his home led to frequent visits from family and friends, prompting Fernando to desire greater solitude to more deeply embrace his vocation. He moved to Coimbra, just over 100 miles north of Lisbon, to join the Santa Cruz Monastery. At Santa Cruz, Fernando enjoyed nine years of excellent formation, studying, praying, and growing in virtue. After completing his formation in 1220, Fernando was ordained a priest.

During his nine years of formation in Coimbra, a small group from the newly-founded Franciscan Order took up residence nearby in a hut dedicated to Saint Anthony of Egypt. Fernando came to know these friars and was impressed by their simplicity, poverty, humility, and radical dedication to Christ. The Franciscans, founded by Saint Francis of Assisi only eleven years prior to their arrival in Coimbra, were a new and rapidly growing order within the Church. They were traveling preachers, relying upon divine providence rather than the income produced by large estates. They owned nothing except for the single piece of clothing they wore.

One day, news reached Coimbra that five Franciscan missionaries had been martyred in Morocco by Muslims. The King of Portugal ransomed their bodies, which were then brought back in a solemn procession to Coimbra for burial. The courage of these martyrs, coupled with the witness of their fellow friars, so impressed Fernando that he requested and received permission to leave the Canons Regular and join the Franciscans. He took the name Anthony after Saint Anthony of Egypt, the patron of the friars’ house in Coimbra.

Desiring to emulate these five martyrs, Father Anthony sailed to Morocco to preach to the Muslims. However, he soon fell seriously ill and required medical attention, prompting his return journey to Portugal. A storm blew his ship off course, resulting in a landing in Sicily instead. Shortly after Father Anthony recovered from his illness, Saint Francis called the famous “Chapter of Mats” in Assisi. Most of the Franciscan Friars attended, including one of their newest members, Father Anthony.

In 1209, Saint Francis founded his order with twelve members. By 1221, the number of Franciscan friars had grown to about 5,000. Such rapid growth brought not only zeal and enthusiasm, but also growing pains, divisions, and the need for clarity. At the General Chapter of Mats, Saint Francis resigned as the head of the order, turning leadership over to those he felt were more qualified. He preferred a life of greater humility, poverty, simplicity, and prayer. It was at that Chapter that Father Anthony and Brother Francis likely met for the first time. Shortly afterwards, Father Anthony was assigned to the hermitage of Monte Paola in Forli.

Anthony’s initial time in Forli was spent in solitude, study, and prayer. One day, due to confusion between the Dominicans and Franciscans, no one was assigned to preach at a first Mass in the local church. At the last minute, Father Anthony reluctantly agreed to preach. His sermon left the congregation in awe of his exceptional gift for preaching, his profound knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, and his depth of holiness. From then on, Father Anthony became a well-known and sought-after preacher, changing many lives with his humble, down-to-earth, yet theologically profound preaching. He drew on the storehouse of wisdom from ancient saints but never presented himself in a proud or arrogant manner. His allegorical method of preaching sought to bring out the symbolic and hidden meanings of the text in a way that connected with people. His preaching and humble wisdom even caught the attention of Saint Francis, who was concerned about higher education for the friars, fearing that advanced studies could lead to pride and undermine the order’s mission. In Father Anthony, however, Francis found someone he could trust and put him in charge of the theological training of the friars preparing for ordination.

Father Anthony continued to preach far and wide for the next several years until his death at the age of thirty-five. One day, he was even invited to preach to the pope and the cardinals. During that sermon, Father Anthony was given the gift of tongues, enabling everyone present to understand him in his native language. Pope Gregory IX was so impressed with Anthony’s insight into Scripture that he referred to him as the “Ark of the Testament.” The pope asked Father Anthony to compose sermons for Sundays and feast days of the liturgical year, which he did in the form of outlines and commentaries on the Scriptures. It is those sermons that later led to him being named a Doctor of the Church with the unique title of “Evangelizing Doctor.”

Many other legends surround Father Anthony’s preaching and miracles. He is said to have preached to fish one day when the heretical townspeople had rejected him. When they saw the fish sticking their heads out of the water to listen attentively, the people converted. For this reason, he is often called the “Hammer of Heretics.” He is known as the patron saint of lost items because one day a friar stole a Gospel book from Father Anthony and when Father Anthony prayed for its return, the friar was so convicted in his heart that he returned it and repented.

Saint Anthony is often depicted holding the Child Jesus, a portrayal inspired by an account of a friar who reportedly saw Anthony in deep prayer, conversing with the Christ Child. Sacred Scripture is also frequently featured in art as a symbol of his profound knowledge of Scripture. Lilies, signifying his poverty and chastity, are present in many depictions.

Although Saint Anthony lived just thirty-five years, God used him in powerful ways. His life bears testament to the idea that the quality of life supersedes its length. “Quality” of life can only be attained through grace, and Saint Anthony received an abundance of grace in his life. It’s worth reflecting on the importance of seeking as much holiness as possible in life. Too often, we pursue longevity rather than holiness. However, many of the great saints, including Saint Anthony, lived on this earth for only a brief period. As we honor this great saint, remember that God wants you to spend whatever time you have left on earth dedicated to growing in holiness and serving His holy will. Doing so will imbue your life with a quality that far surpasses mere longevity.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-13–st-antony-of-padua/

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Pope Saint Leo III

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Pope Leo III was the son of Atyuppius and Elizabeth. He was a priest, Cardinal, and a Papal treasurer. He was elected pope the day after his predecessor’s burial, probably so there would not be any outside interference with the decision of the cardinals.

Upon his election, he sent Charlemagne the keys of Saint Peter and the standard of the city of Rome, Italy indicating his choice of Charlemagne as protector of the city and the see. Charlemagne, with his letters of congratulations, sent a fortune which Leo used to build churches and found charitable institutions.

On 25 April 799, members of Pope Adrian I‘s family hired thugs to attack Leo in a procession. They scarred his face and tried to tear out his tongue and eyes to render him unfit for the papacy. He survived the attack, scarred but his tongue and eyes miraculously healed. He fled to Charlemagne‘s protection at Paderborn, Germany where his enemies tried to turn the king against him. When Leo recovered, Charlemagne escorted him back to Rome. In 800, he conducted a trial of Leo and of his accusers. There was no evidence of Leo’s guilt, but there was of his accusers, and they were imprisoned. On Christmas day in 800, Leo crowned Charlemagne emperor, marking the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire.

Born

at Rome, Italy

Papal Ascension

26 December 795

Died

12 June 816 relics at Saint Peter’s, Rome, Italy

Canonized

1673 by Pope Clement X

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/pope-saint-leo-iii/

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Saint Barnabas the Apostle

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Early First Century–c. 61; Patron Saint of Cyprus, Antioch, and peacekeeping missions; Invoked against hailstorms; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Barnabas, originally named Joseph, was born on the isle of Cyprus and was a Jew of the tribe of Levi (see Acts 4:36). Nothing else is known about his early life. During Jesus’ public ministry, Joseph became His fervent follower and might have been one of the seventy-two disciples whom Jesus sent out on a mission (see Luke 10:1–24). After Pentecost, as the Church in Jerusalem began to grow, the Apostles changed Joseph’s name to Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” His name change might have occurred because Barnabas supported the Church when he “sold a piece of property that he owned, then brought the money and put it at the feet of the apostles” (Acts 4:37). This is the first mention of Barnabas in the New Testament.

Three years later, after Saint Paul had undergone his conversion to the Christian faith and spent three years fasting and praying in Arabia, he traveled to Jerusalem to consult with the Apostles. The Apostles and the Christian community were at first hesitant to receive him, for they were aware of the persecutions he had issued against the Church. Barnabas, however, “brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27). After spending a short period of time in Jerusalem, Saint Paul returned to his hometown of Tarsus to avoid persecution. He remained in Tarsus for the next several years.

During that time, some of the Christians who left Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Saint Stephen traveled north to Antioch in Syria, where many Greek Gentiles lived. In Antioch, the Greek-speaking Christians began to preach the Word of God to the Gentiles. As a result, many of the Gentiles converted and accepted the faith. When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas to minister to these new converts. Barnabas was so impressed that he went to find Saint Paul in Tarsus and brought him back to Antioch to help share the Good News. It was there, in Antioch, that the word “Christian” was first used, perhaps because the new converts were Gentiles who converted not to the Jewish faith, but directly to Christ.

After a year in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas returned to Jerusalem on a relief mission to assist those suffering from a famine. They brought with them money that was raised among the Christians in Antioch. After returning to Antioch, the Holy Spirit revealed to the Christian community that Paul and Barnabas were to be “set apart” for a special mission. The two were then ordained as bishops and sent forth on a mission, bringing with them Barnabas’ relative, John Mark, the Gospel writer. Over the next year, they traveled to Seleucia, Cyprus, Salamis, Paphos, Perga of Pamphylia, Antioch of Pisidia, Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, and back to Antioch, Syria. During this journey, they won many converts; some Greeks even tried to worship the two as gods. They also encountered opposition, including an unsuccessful attempt to kill Paul by stoning. The two later returned to Jerusalem to help settle disputes about Gentile converts before being sent off on another mission. Before the second journey, Barnabas and Paul disagreed about John Mark’s involvement in the mission, since John Mark had previously abandoned them for an unknown reason while in Pamphylia. The disagreement was so severe that Paul and Barnabas parted ways. Barnabas took John Mark with him to Cyprus, and Paul took Silas with him to Syria and Cilicia.

Nothing else is known for certain about Barnabas’ missionary activity with John Mark in Cyprus. Based on Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians and his letter to the Colossians, the disagreement the two had over John Mark did not have any lasting effect on their friendship. Even John Mark is later affectionately mentioned by Paul.

The only source we have that details Barnabas’ martyrdom comes from the fifth century, which makes its historicity uncertain. According to that tradition, Barnabas was preaching the Gospel around the year 61 and was arrested, dragged out of the city, and either burned to death or stoned. One tradition states that John Mark found his remains and buried them.

Another legend holds that in the year 478, Saint Barnabas appeared to the Archbishop of Cyprus and revealed the location of his burial to him. Archbishop Anthemios then found Saint Barnabas’ body incorrupt, holding the Gospel of Matthew. The Roman emperor then erected a church at the site and buried Saint Barnabas there. Though the church was later lost to history, excavations of the site have found a tomb believed to be that of Saint Barnabas. Saint Barnabas is the patron saint of Cyprus because he was the first missionary bishop on that island.

As we honor this great apostolic bishop, ponder the impact his ministry has had over time. Although the number of converts during his lifetime might have only been in the hundreds or thousands, the effect those converts had on subsequent generations multiplied over and over again. Saint Barnabas traveled, preached, baptized, celebrated the sacraments, and founded many Christian communities. He endured rejection, hardship, violence, and martyrdom, but he pressed on. His fervor stemmed from knowing his Lord, not only through his firsthand witness of Jesus’ ministry but also through his life of prayer and his reception of the Holy Spirit. Try to see his mission as one similar to yours. You, too, are called to zealously preach the Gospel to others. Do not hesitate to do so, no matter the cost. Pray that God uses you as He wills, and offer yourself to His service in imitation of this holy Apostle.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-11—saint-barnabas-the-apostle/

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Saint Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor

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c. 306–373; Patron Saint of spiritual directors and spiritual leaders; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XV in 1920

Ephrem was born in the town of Nisibis, near Syria’s border with present-day Turkey. At the time of Ephrem’s birth, Nisibis was part of the Roman Empire. Nisibis was a diverse city of Syrians, Arameans, Arabs, Greeks, Jews, Parthians, Romans, and Iranians. Among the religious beliefs were Judaism, Christianity, and polytheism. Aramaic was commonly spoken, and to a lesser extent, Greek and Latin.

When Ephrem was just a boy, Emperor Constantine the Great issued the Edict of Milan, legalizing Christianity throughout the empire. Ephrem likely learned the faith from his mother at an early age. Stories from his youth, however, suggest that even though he was raised in the Christian faith, he failed to practice it. One story relates that one day when Ephrem was walking through a field and saw a cow, he decided to have fun by throwing rocks at it, forcing the beast to run. Ephrem pursued the cow, pelting it all the more until the poor animal died. When Ephrem later encountered the cow’s owner, he denied ever seeing the animal. He would come to regret his double sin.

Some months later, Ephrem was spending time with a friend who was a shepherd. After the shepherd had too much to drink, he lost the sheep to thieves or wolves. As a result, the shepherd and Ephrem were arrested and imprisoned on the charge that they stole the sheep. Within that prison, something life-changing took place. An angel was sent to chastise Ephrem, explaining that even though he was innocent of the crime against the sheep, he was not innocent of other crimes, such as the death of the cow. The angel’s holy rebukes did wonders in Ephrem’s soul, and he was filled with remorse and repentance as he came face-to-face with Divine Justice. By God’s grace, when the sorrowful Ephrem was released from prison after two months, he vowed to turn his life around.

Some time after his release, Ephrem consulted with the local bishop-monk, Saint James of Nisibis, seeking spiritual direction. Bishop James took Ephrem under his wing and began to teach him in his school, mentoring him in the ways of monastic life. At that time, Syrian monasticism was different from the monastic life that was developing in Egypt. In Egypt, monks would escape into the wilderness, seeking silence and solitude from the Roman Empire and society, so that they could focus exclusively on God. Saint Anthony of the Desert is among the most renowned of these desert fathers. In northern Syria, where Ephrem lived, those who sought out the monastic life did so within the community of believers. They lived as ascetics, doing penance and praying devoutly, but they also remained servants of the local church, serving the community and addressing their needs. This is the life that Ephrem undertook after vowing to live in poverty and celibacy. As a hermit, he spent time in the solitude of caves and in the wilderness. Within the community, he performed good works.

Over the next forty to fifty years, Ephrem studied under Bishop James and lived an ascetic life of prayer, penance, and service. He used his many gifts for the glory of God. Ephrem’s enduring legacy is his writings. He was a prolific writer of hymns, poems, biblical commentaries, and homilies. It is believed that during his lifetime, he composed as many as 400 hymns and 3,000 poems that were tools for catechetics and worship. They were rich in imagery, theologically precise, insightful, melodic, and covered important topics such as the Incarnation, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the sacraments, and the purpose of the Christian life. His hymns and poems were also apologetical, meaning, a defense of the faith. At that time, numerous heresies abounded, and some heretics sought to push their beliefs on others by composing hymns, since a hymn was easily remembered. Ephrem took the same approach, only with orthodox poems and hymns that sought to dispel the heresies’ errors. Ephrem’s gifts of artistically presenting the deep truths of the faith led many over the centuries to refer to him as the “Harp of the Holy Spirit.”

Around the year 350, Ephrem’s mentor, Bishop James, formally opened the School of Nisibis, which became an important center for education within the Syriac church. Ephrem assisted the bishop, becoming a respected and influential teacher.

In 363, Roman Emperor Jovian lost a battle to the Persians and had to surrender the Roman town of Nisibis. All Christians were expelled from Nisibis. Ephrem settled in the town of Edessa, about 125 miles to the west, a flourishing Christian city. In Edessa, Ephrem continued to teach, write, and serve the community in any way he could. He founded a school there, which became another important Christian center for learning. In Edessa, Ephrem became known as the saint of daily living because he often came out of his solitude to teach people how to live the faith in a practical way. At some point, he was ordained a deacon, and as a deacon, he became a true servant of others. When famine hit Edessa, he helped distribute food to the poor. When a plague struck, he cared for the sick. During a plague in 373, Ephrem contracted the disease and became a martyr of charity.

Though Saint Ephrem died in the fourth century, he was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV. Saint Ephrem is the only Syrian Doctor of the Church and is not only highly revered in the Eastern Catholic Church but in the Orthodox Church as well. It might be that the 1920 declaration was done in part as a way of further bridging the gap between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.

As we honor this great saint, ponder especially the powerful effect that music has upon the human person. What types of songs do you listen to? Consider following the example of Saint Ephrem by filling your mind with hymns that give praise and glory to God and do so in a clear and theologically rich way. Such a habit will certainly help you grow in holiness.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-9—saint-ephrem-deacon-and-doctor/

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Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

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Celebrated the Monday after Pentecost

Little is said about the most glorious Mother of God in the Scriptures. In many ways, she lived a quiet and hidden life. Since her Assumption into Heaven, the Church has prayerfully pondered her life and role in the mystery of salvation. Little by little, saint after saint and pope after pope have shed greater light upon her singularly unique and glorious role in the Father’s eternal plan. As the Church’s understanding of the Blessed Mother has deepened, new titles and new dogmas have been proclaimed about Mary. In 2018, a new liturgical memorial honored her with the title “Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.”

To understand the Blessed Virgin Mary’s role as Mother of the Church, we need to begin with Scripture. As Jesus hung on the Cross, John’s Gospel records that the mother of Jesus and two other women stood before Him, alongside John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. From the Cross, Jesus entrusted His mother to John’s care. “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26–27).

In 1895, in his encyclical on the rosary, Pope Leo XIII wrote about that Gospel passage:

Now in John, as the Church has constantly taught, Christ designated the whole human race, and in the first rank are they who are joined with Him by faith…She was, in very truth, the Mother of the Church, the Teacher and Queen of the Apostles, to whom, besides, she confided no small part of the divine mysteries which she kept in her heart” (Adiutricem #6).

In 1964, Pope Saint Paul VI promulgated the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church). After presenting a complete picture of the mystery of the Church, the final chapter of that constitution presents “The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God in the Mystery of Christ and the Church.” That chapter highlights her singularly unique and maternal role within the Church. Lumen Gentium did not go so far as to ascribe the title “Mother of the Church” to the Blessed Mother, but it did go into great detail about her maternal role within the Church. Four years later, in a motu proprio letter, Pope Paul VI referenced Lumen Gentium and took it a step further by bestowing upon the Mother of God the title “Mother of the Church.”

…we believe that the Blessed Mother of God, the New Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven her maternal role with regard to Christ’s members, cooperating with the birth and growth of divine life in the souls of the redeemed (Solemni Hac Liturgia #15).

Since that time, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis have continually referred to the Mother of God as the Mother of the Church. What does the title “Mother of the Church” mean? On September 17, 1997, Pope John Paul II defined it this way in a Wednesday catechesis:

The title “Mother of the Church” thus reflects the deep conviction of the Christian faithful, who see in Mary not only the mother of the person of Christ, but also of the faithful. She who is recognized as mother of salvation, life and grace, mother of the saved and mother of the living, is rightly proclaimed Mother of the Church. (#5).

On March 3, 2018, Pope Francis announced that a new memorial would be added to the General Roman Calendar and celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday, entitled “The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.”

In the decree instituting this memorial, Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, said:

This celebration will help us to remember that growth in the Christian life must be anchored to the Mystery of the Cross, to the oblation of Christ in the Eucharistic Banquet and to the Mother of the Redeemer and Mother of the Redeemed, the Virgin who makes her offering to God.

It is significant that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, was entrusted to the Church in the person of Saint John the Apostle at the foot of the Cross. From the Cross, the Church was conceived by the outpouring of grace that flowed from Jesus’ Sacred Heart. At Pentecost, our Blessed Mother was present as the Church was born.

Today, the Mother of the Church reigns in Heaven next to her Son; from there, she continues to nurture the Church as a loving mother. She not only intercedes for us but also mediates her Son’s saving grace, making her the ongoing instrument of grace and mother of all.

Because our understanding of the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary has continually unfolded over the centuries, it is fair to say that we do not yet fully understand her glorious role in the Father’s plan of salvation. Some have proposed that she be given the dogmatic titles “Mediatrix of All Grace” and “Co-Redemptrix.” Regardless of what comes next in our ever deepening understanding of the role of the Blessed Mother, we can be certain that those who one day gaze upon the essence of God Himself as he reveals all truth will immediately become aware of the most profound mysteries of Mary’s hidden life.

As we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, know that she is your spiritual mother insofar as you are a member of Christ’s Body, the Church. By giving birth to the Head, she gives birth to the members. As members of that Body, it is essential that we seek spiritual nourishment from the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is our mother and queen. From her, we are born into God’s grace. She is the chosen instrument and mediatrix of grace. Rely upon her motherly intercession and mediation, and entrust yourself more fully to her care.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/mary-mother-of-the-church-memorial/

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Pentecost Sunday

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Today, we celebrate the most glorious Solemnity of Pentecost, the promised Gift of the Father and the Son to Jesus’ disciples. After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared to His disciples for forty days. During those appearances, He offered them proof of His resurrection, continued to teach them, and reminded them of all He had revealed to them about His death and Resurrection, preparing them for the next step of their mission. “While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for ‘the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit’” (Acts 1:4–5).

During the ten days after Jesus’ Ascension, the eleven Apostles gathered together in the upper room with the mother of Jesus and many other disciples, totaling 120 in all. The gathering place was most likely the same place that the Apostles ate the Passover meal, the first Eucharist, with Jesus. As they met, the first order of business was to choose a successor to Judas. They cast lots, and Matthias was chosen to be one of the Twelve.

On the fiftieth day after Jesus’ Resurrection, ten days after His Ascension, the 120 disciples were once again gathered in the upper room when they experienced something beyond their imagination. From the sky came a noise like a strong driving wind. It filled the room they were in. Tongues, as of fire, fell upon all gathered, and they were given the gift of tongues, which enabled them to speak in different languages—by the power of the Holy Spirit—to the diverse groups of people in Jerusalem. This is what Jesus had promised them, and suddenly they understood as they received the Gift of God.

After receiving the Holy Spirit, the disciples went out into the community of Jerusalem and began to boldly proclaim the Gospel to all. The inhabitants of Jerusalem were shocked and confused. Some accused the disciples of being drunk and scoffed at them. Some, however, quickly believed. Peter then stood up and gave a stirring and powerful sermon that presented the whole mystery of salvation. He spoke of Jesus as the Savior and the need to repent and be baptized. “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day” (Acts 2:41). The new followers then devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles and to the celebration of the Eucharist. A strong Christian community was formed in Jerusalem.

As the community continued to grow, learn the teachings of the Apostles, and receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, miracles took place. Peter and John cured a blind man. Soon, there were 5,000 converts to Christ who were filled with the Holy Spirit. More miracles took place at the hands of all of the Apostles, people from the surrounding villages came and were converted, and the new believers lived as one, sharing their food and resources with others.

Soon the members of the Sanhedrin became concerned. They thought they had stopped Jesus, but they saw that the Apostles were converting thousands. The Apostles were arrested and jailed, but an angel let them out in the night, and they appeared in the Temple the next day, continuing to preach and heal. The bewildered Sanhedrin members did not know what to do. They hoped that the new excitement would soon subside and everything would go back to normal—but it didn’t.

Recognizing the need to better care for the poor with the money and provisions the thousands of disciples held in common, the Apostles appointed seven men to be deacons for the task, so that the Apostles could continue to preach, heal, and offer the sacraments. Shortly afterward, blood was shed. Stephen, one of the newly ordained deacons, was martyred. “On that day, there broke out a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1).

The above illustrates the role of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost was the birthday of the Church. The Holy Spirit’s mission was to form the Church and empower each baptized member of Christ’s body to fulfill his or her specific duty. Some were to preach, some cared for the poor, some shed their blood for their faith, and others were to be sent to other towns and villages. The scattering of the community of the believers in Jerusalem was clearly permitted by the Holy Spirit as a way of expanding the Church beyond Jerusalem. The newly converted and empowered disciples traveled far and wide to expand the newborn Church that grew at a rapid pace as the new Body of Christ matured and fulfilled its mission.

In the years and centuries ahead, the Holy Spirit continued to form the Church. The Apostles were inspired to write what is today the New Testament so that future believers would have firsthand accounts of the Gospel. From there, the successors to the Apostles, in union with the successor of Saint Peter, helped to form the Sacred Tradition, which is the ongoing deepening revelation of the Word of God to address new questions that arose. Jesus’ promise to Peter and his successors that He would give to him the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, so that he and his successors could bind and loose on earth as it is in Heaven, evolved and helped the Church to mature. The Holy Spirit enabled the growing communities to continue to take nourishment through the Sacraments. The believers were empowered to pray and to enter into a personal relationship with Him Who rose and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Other believers were filled with charisms needed to build up the Church. The Gospel continued to be preached to the ends of the earth, and the people of God were drawn into lives of profound holiness and union with God. This is all effected by the Gift of the Holy Spirit first given at Pentecost and continually given today.

In addition to building up the Church and enabling it to fulfill its divine mission, the Holy Spirit also sanctifies every individual believer, especially through the bestowal of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord…They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations” (#1831). Additionally, the Holy Spirit instills twelve fruits: “The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: ‘charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity’” (#1832). These graces are first given in Baptism and perfected in Confirmation. Each baptized and confirmed member of Christ has the potential to fully realize these graces so as to grow in holiness and fulfill their divine mission.

As we celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost, call on the Holy Spirit in your life. Too often we receive Baptism and Confirmation with a closed mind and heart. We fail to allow the Holy Spirit to become fully active in our lives. Pray to the Holy Spirit today, and open yourself more fully to all that God wishes to bestow upon you so that you will become holy and a more active member of His Body, the Church.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/pentecost/

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Saint Deochar

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Deochar is a hermit in the Franconia forests near Fulda, an area in modern Germany. He was a spiritual student of Blessed Alcuin at Aachen, Germany. He became a Benedictine monk and first abbot of Herriedon abbey; he was chosen for the position by Blessed Charlemagne. He was appointed as missus regius (king‘s messenger), a royal office, in 802. He helped translate the relics to Saint Boniface to Fulda in 819. He attended the synod of Mainz, Germany in 829. A famous miracle ascribed to him was healing a young boy‘s blindness by prayer.

Born

late 8th century, probably in Bavaria, Germany

Died

847 at the abbey of Herriedon, Germany of natural causes
interred in the church of Saint Vitus
some relics were moved to Saint Lawrence church, Nuernberg, Germany in 1316
these relics were moved to Eichstätt, Germany in 1845

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Patronage

blind people
eye patients
–
Eichstätt, Germany

Representation

man enthroned under Christ among the apostles
man giving thanks before an altar while nearby is the boy whose blindness was healed
man standing in front of an open tomb, which may be identified as that of Saint Boniface

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-deochar/

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Saint Norbert, Bishop

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c. 1080–1134; Patron Saint of expectant mothers and Bohemia; Canonized by Pope Gregory XIII on July 28, 1582

Saint Norbert did not begin his life as a saint. He was born in the town of Xanten, within the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Germany, to noble parents. Because of his nobility, he was educated at the Church of Saint Victor in Xanten and later became a canon in that church. Though not ordained, he was considered a cleric, receiving the ministry of subdeacon. In his role as a canon, Norbert prayed the Divine Office each day with the other canons and received a salary for this simple duty—the primary reason he accepted the canonry. However, he soon discovered a way to increase his income. He paid someone to take his place praying the Divine Office each day in Xanten and moved to the court of the Prince-Archbishop of Cologne. Soon after, he became a member of the court of Holy Roman Emperor Henry V and was put in charge of distributing the royal alms. The income from his canonry and his position at the court enabled him to live a very comfortable lifestyle.

In the court of King Henry, Norbert witnessed firsthand an ongoing controversy between the pope and the emperor. In 1111, Henry V traveled to Rome to resolve a dispute called “the lay investiture controversy.” The emperor wanted to retain spiritual authority to appoint and invest bishops, to which the pope was opposed. Once negotiations broke down, Henry apprehended the pope and held him captive until the pope agreed to his terms. The pope finally agreed, but once Henry left, the pope excommunicated Henry. Norbert was sympathetic to the pope’s position and was shaken by this controversy.

Over the next year, Norbert began to have a moral awakening. That awakening came to a head one day as he rode his horse during a violent storm. Lightning struck, knocking him off his horse. In that near-death experience, Norbert sensed God asking him why he was living such a vain life, to which Norbert replied, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” The Lord responded, “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” This experience initiated a profound conversion. He resigned from the emperor’s court and spent the next three years in prayer and penance in the Abbey of Siegburg, just south of Cologne.

After his three-year-long period of prayer and penance, Norbert approached the Prince-Archbishop of Cologne in 1115 and requested priestly ordination, which was granted. He then returned to his hometown, to the church of Saint Victor in Xanten to celebrate Mass and preach. The newly converted Father Norbert was not well received by the younger and worldly canons of that church. His newfound zeal and opposition to worldly living convicted them. They eventually forced him to leave. After leaving, Father Norbert sold all his property and possessions, distributed the money to the poor, and began walking from town to town across Europe, often barefoot, preaching the Gospel, calling for the reform of the Church, and begging for food as he went.

In 1118, controversy with King Henry V continued under the new pope, Gelasius II. Soon after, the pope had to flee Rome for fear of Henry. While the pope was in exile, Father Norbert met up with him in France and sought his direction for his priestly ministry. The pope encouraged Father Norbert and granted him universal faculties to preach and minister anywhere he felt called.

In 1119, after Pope Gelasius died, Father Norbert sought out the counsel of his successor, Pope Calixtus II, who encouraged him to found a religious order. At the invitation of the bishop of the Diocese of Laon, in northern France, Father Norbert and his one companion decided to found their monastery of priests in a remote part of the diocese called Prémontré, a valley within a forest. Upon arriving, they were joined by twelve others. They built small huts around a chapel and later built a larger monastery. They adopted the rule of Saint Augustine and structured their daily life in such a way that they could become true contemplatives so that they could then bring that contemplative union they enjoyed into their priestly ministry to the people. The order was named Canons Regular of Prémontré, or the Premonstratensians. Later, it would become known as the Norbertines after their founder. Within a few years of its founding, women’s branches were established, and more than a dozen monasteries were erected in France, Germany, and Belgium.

Father Norbert continued his traveling, founding, and preaching. While traveling through the city of Antwerp, in modern-day Belgium, Father Norbert came upon a large group of people who had started following a heretical itinerant preacher named Tanchelm. Among his heretical teachings was a denial of the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Tanchelm was so fierce that he even had his followers confiscate, desecrate, and discard the Eucharist in hidden places. To combat that heresy, Father Norbert preached powerfully, won over many of Tanchelm’s followers, and then commissioned them to gather up the desecrated hosts. When they found the hosts, they were discovered to be untouched and unsoiled, despite many of them being thrown into dirt and moisture. The hosts were gathered together, and Father Norbert carried them in procession back to the local church. For this reason, sacred art often depicts him carrying a monstrance or ciboria containing the Blessed Sacrament.

In 1126, Father Norbert and his companions traveled to Rome to obtain final papal approval for his new order from Pope Honorius II. On their way home, they traveled through the city of Würzburg, where Father Norbert cured a blind woman. He also cast out demons and restored peace between feuding noble families. The people were so impressed that they and others from Magdeburg rallied to have him appointed as their bishop. The king of the Germans and the papal legate agreed, and the pope appointed him as Archbishop of Magdeburg, a post Norbert reluctantly accepted.

Bishop Norbert served as archbishop for about eight years until his death. As archbishop, he continued to work on reforming the Church by weeding out immoralities among the clergy, resolving schisms, securing the right of the Church to govern itself without the interference of the civil authority, helping the Premonstratensian Order to grow, and preaching to the people, converting many.

Saint Norbert started his life as a worldly cleric, living a lavish lifestyle. After experiencing a profound encounter with God, he entered a period of deep prayer to more clearly discern God’s will. During this time, God took hold of him and never let go, leading him to great fruitfulness for the Church. If you find yourself pursuing worldly goals, let Saint Norbert’s story inspire you. Choose to focus on that which is eternal, and God will begin to work great spiritual transformations within your soul today.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/june-6—saint-norbert-bishop/

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John 21:18-19

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True Love

“Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Reflection:

On this, the third time that Jesus appeared to His disciples, Jesus enters into a threefold discourse with Peter. Each time that Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, Peter responds that he does. And Jesus responds back each time, “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” The passage quoted above concludes Jesus’ discourse with Peter using very powerful language. Jesus tells Peter that when he grows old, “someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” This was Jesus’ way of saying to Peter that he would ultimately express his love of Jesus by dying for Him. As we know, tradition states that Peter was ultimately crucified. And at Peter’s request, he was crucified upside down because he felt unworthy of dying in the exact same way Jesus died.

As we consider this conversation between Jesus and Peter, it is clear that Jesus’ understanding of love is very different from the way many others understand it today. Jesus was not only telling Peter that he would die for Jesus, but Jesus was clearly offering His approval of this act of love Peter would one day offer. Most often when we love someone, we would do all we can to keep them from any such fate. In fact, when a loved one suffers, we often will do all we can to look for a way to relieve them of that suffering. So which approach is most loving?

Clearly, Jesus sees suffering differently than most of us. For Jesus, suffering is not opposed to love when the suffering is freely embraced for a higher purpose. Suffering in and of itself is of no value. But when suffering is embraced sacrificially out of love for another, it is able to take on tremendous power. And when Jesus offered His clear support to Peter who would one day die out of love for Jesus, Jesus was focusing upon the eternal merit that would be won by Peter’s cross. The fact that Jesus did not shy away from Peter’s future sacrificial suffering is one of the clearest signs of Jesus’ more perfect love for Peter.

Reflect, today, upon your attitude toward the sufferings that your loved ones endure. Do you find that your primary goal is to rid them of their sufferings? Or do you understand that even their sufferings have the potential to become a source of their own holiness and the source of grace for others? Strive to see suffering as Jesus sees it. Look at the sacrificial love that is made possible when your loved ones unite their sufferings to the Cross of Christ and try to commit yourself to the mission of helping them embrace that sacred gift of love.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/06/05/true-love-4/

John 21:18-19 Read More »

Saint Methodius of Constantinople

Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor

Pope Saint Leo III

Saint Barnabas the Apostle

Early First Century–c. 61; Patron Saint of Cyprus, Antioch, and peacekeeping missions; Invoked against hailstorms; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor

c. 306–373; Patron Saint of spiritual directors and spiritual leaders; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XV in 1920

Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Celebrated the Monday after Pentecost

Pentecost Sunday

Saint Deochar

Saint Norbert, Bishop

c. 1080–1134; Patron Saint of expectant mothers and Bohemia; Canonized by Pope Gregory XIII on July 28, 1582

John 21:18-19

True Love

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