Daily Saints

Blessed John Francis Burte and companions

These priests were victims of the French Revolution. Though their martyrdom spans a period of several years, they stand together in the Church’s memory because they all gave their lives for the same principle. In 1791, the Civil Constitution of the Clergy required all priests to take an oath which amounted to a denial of the faith. Each of these men refused and was executed.

John Francis Burté became a Franciscan at 16 and after ordination taught theology to the young friars. Later he was guardian of the large Conventual friary in Paris until he was arrested and held in the convent of the Carmelites.

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Saint Giles

Daily Saints

Despite the fact that much about Saint Giles is shrouded in mystery, we can say that he was one of the most popular saints in the Middle Ages. Likely, he was born in the first half of the seventh century in southeastern France. That is where he built a monastery that became a popular stopping-off point for pilgrims making their way to Compostela in Spain, and the Holy Land. In In Germany, Giles was included among the so-called 14 Holy Helpers, a popular group of saints to whom people prayed, especially for recovery from disease, and for strength at the hour of death. Also among the 14 were Saints Christopher, Barbara, and Blaise. Interestingly, Giles was the only non-martyr among them. The pilgrimage center that once drew so many fell into disrepair some centuries after Giles’ death.

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Saint Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus

Daily Saints

The actions of these two influential Jewish leaders give insight into the charismatic power of Jesus and his teachings and the risks that could be involved in following him.

Joseph was a respected, wealthy civic leader who had become a disciple of Jesus. Following the death of Jesus, Joseph obtained Jesus’ body from Pilate, wrapped it in fine linen and buried it. For these reasons, Joseph is considered the patron saint of funeral directors and pallbearers. More important is the courage Joseph showed in asking Pilate for Jesus’ body.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and, like Joseph, an important first-century Jew. We know from John’s Gospel that Nicodemus went to Jesus at night—secretly—to better understand his teachings about the kingdom. Later, he spoke up for Jesus at the time of his arrest and assisted in Jesus’ burial. We know little else about Nicodemus.

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Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

Daily Saints

St. John the Baptist has two feasts in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church. One, in August, celebrates his death, and one in June, celebrates his birth.
Herod is to Joh while Pilate is to Jesus. Like Pilate, out of cowardice and fear, led them to commanding death of an innocent man. According to Saint Mark, “Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man…When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him” (Mk 6: 20). “[Herod] was deeply grieved” (Mk 6: 26) that he had to order John’s death. But he didn’t actually have to order John’s death. If he were truly grieved, he could have stood up in the midst of the happy crowd, said “I made a stupid promise which I now regret,” and granted Salome (her name is not found in the Bible) some other handsome gift instead of a blood-splattered plate. Herod beheaded a man to save face, to avoid embarrassment, and to avoid having to say “I made a mistake.”

The Passion, or Beheading, of Saint John the Baptist is one of the very oldest liturgical feasts on the Church’s calendar.

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Saint Augustine of Hippo

Daily Saints

St. Augustine was born in Thagaste in Africa of a Berber family. He was brought up a Christian but left Church early and spent a great deal of time seriously seeking the truth by observing different heretical practices, until at length, through the prayers of his mother, St. Monica, and the teachings of St. Ambrose of Milan, he was converted back to Christianity and baptized in 387, shortly before his mother’s death.

He had a brilliant legal and academic career, but after his conversion he returned home to Africa and lead an ascetic life. He was elected Bishop of Hippo and spent 34 years as the Shepherd of his flock. He wrote enormous amount and left a permanent mark on both philosophy and theology. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1308.

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Saint Monica

Daily Saints

St. Monica was born in Thagaste, Africa of a Christian Family. Although she was a Christian, her parents gave her in marriage to a pagan, Patricius, and among her children was St. Augustine. Patricius had some redeeming features, but he had a violent temper and was licentious. Monica also had to bear with a cantankerous mother-in-law who lived in her home. Patricius criticized his wife because of her charity and piety, but always respected her.

The circumstances of St. Monica’s life could have made her a nagging wife, a bitter daughter-in-law, and a despairing parent, yet she did not give way to any of these temptations. Monica’s prayers and example finally won her husband and mother-in-law to Christianity. Her husband died in 371, one year after his baptism. With many tears she prayed unceasingly to God for his conversion and her prayers were answered shortly before she died. She had a deep faith and outstanding virtue and is a wonderful example of a Christian mother.

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Saint Bregwin

Daily Saints

Bregwin, Bregowine, or Breguivine was a medieval Archbishop of Canterbury. Little is known of his origins or his activities as an archbishop, although a number of stories were told about his possible origins after the Norman conquest in 1066. There are no records of him prior to his becoming archbishop. He possibly owed his elevation to the Kentish monarch. The records after his elevation to Canterbury are mainly about disputes over land, but knowledge of his time in office is hampered by the destruction of many of the contemporary records. He died August in the year 764. After his death, he was considered a saint and a life about him was written in the 12th century.

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Saint Joseph Calasanz

Daily Saints

From Aragon where he was born in 1556, to Rome where he died 92 years later, fortune alternately smiled and frowned on the work of Joseph Calasanz. A priest with university training in canon law and theology, respected for his wisdom and administrative expertise, he put aside his career because he was deeply concerned with the need for education of poor children. A combination of various prejudices and political ambition and maneuvering caused the institute much turmoil. Some did not favor educating the poor, for education would leave the poor dissatisfied with their lowly tasks for society! Others were shocked that some of the Piarists were sent for instruction to Galileo—a friend of Joseph—as superior, thus dividing the members into opposite camps. Repeatedly investigated by papal commissions, Joseph was demoted; when the struggle within the institute persisted, the Piarists were suppressed. Only after Joseph’s death were they formally recognized as a religious community. His liturgical feast is celebrated on August 25.

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Saint Bartholomew

Daily Saints

He was born at Cana and brought by the Apostle Philip to meet Jesus. Nothing further is known for certain. Eusebius speaks of him in India, but the Roman Martyrology has him martyred in Armenia, skinned alive according to the Persian custom. Because his relics were enshrined on the island in the Tiber that is principally used as a hospital, he has become a patron saint of the sick.

In the New Testament, Bartholomew is mentioned only in the lists of the apostles. Some scholars identify him with Nathanael, a man of Cana in Galilee who was summoned to Jesus by Philip.

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Saint Rose of Lima

Daily Saints

The first canonized saint of the New World has one characteristic of all saints—the suffering of opposition—and another characteristic which is more for admiration than for imitation—excessive practice of mortification.

She was born to parents of Spanish descent in Lima, Peru, at a time when South America was in its first century of evangelization. She seems to have taken Catherine of Siena as a model, in spite of the objections and ridicule of parents and friends. What might have been a merely eccentric life was transfigured from the inside. If we remember some unusual penances, we should also remember the greatest thing about Rose: a love of God so ardent that it withstood ridicule from without, violent temptation, and lengthy periods of sickness. When she died at 31, the city turned out for her funeral. Prominent men took turns carrying her coffin. She was the first person in the Americas to be canonized, and is a patron saint of South America.

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Blessed John Francis Burte and companions

Saint Giles

Saint Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Saint Monica

Saint Bregwin

Saint Joseph Calasanz

Saint Bartholomew

Saint Rose of Lima

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