Daily Saints

Saint Bartholomew the Apostle

First Century; Patron Saint of bookbinders, butchers, cobblers, leatherworkers, plasterers, shoemakers, tanners, trappers, and whiteners; Invoked against neurological diseases; Pre-Congregation canonization

Today, the Church honors one of the Twelve Apostles whom Jesus handpicked to form His Church and to go forth to the ends of the earth to share the Good News. Bartholomew, as he is named in the Synoptic Gospels, is most likely not his actual name, but a description of his lineage. His name in Aramaic is bar-Tôlmay, which is translated as “son of Tolmai.” While there are mentions of others named Tolmai in the Old Testament, nothing is known about Bartholomew’s father or background. Though nothing is certain about “Bartholomew,” most scholars agree that the Bartholomew mentioned in the Synoptics is the same person as Nathanael in John’s Gospel. Hence, it might be that “Nathanael, the son of Tolmai,” is the full name of today’s saint.

The only mentions of Bartholomew in the Synoptic Gospels are in the lists of the Apostles (Matthew 10:2–4, Mark 3:16–19, and Luke 6:14–16). The Acts of the Apostles mentions him as one of the Apostles present in Jerusalem after Jesus’ ascension (Acts 1:13). In John’s Gospel, there are only two mentions of Nathanael (John 1:45–51 and John 21:2). The former relates the calling of Nathanael, and the latter identifies him as one of the seven who were present when Jesus appeared to them at the Sea of Galilee after His resurrection. Although the most significant thing we know about Nathanael from these passages is that he was chosen by our Lord to be one of the Twelve Apostles, the story of his calling and the discourse he has with Jesus provides much to ponder.

In John 1:43–51, we read that Jesus found Philip when He went to Galilee and simply said to him, “Follow me.” Philip appears to immediately follow. Philip is so excited that he finds Nathanael, who might have been his friend or relative. He says to Nathanael, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” This was the first time Nathanael heard the beginnings of the Good News, which he would later preach with all his heart. Like many people, Nathanael is initially skeptical. He retorts, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip’s response is ideal and clearly inspired by the Holy Spirit. Philip tells Nathanael, “Come and see.” And that’s what Nathanael does.

It’s important to pause here and ponder Nathanael’s response to his first invitation to come to Jesus. “Come and see” is a phrase that applies to all of us. In countless ways, God sends us that invitation every day. It’s not enough to simply hear about Jesus. It’s not enough to only read about Him, or even to study Him. We must come to meet Him, meet the Person, and encounter Him. Nathanael did this in human form; we are invited to do it in somewhat the same way.

Because of His Incarnation, the Son of God is able to come to us, personally, truly, and substantially. When we pray, we do not only speak or listen to a distant god. We are able to come to the true God Who is able to communicate to us in a way that will convince us of His love, so that we will follow Him with our whole being. This is what happened to Nathanael. Yes, he saw the physical presence of the Son of God with his eyes, but just as in our case, the Son of God came to Nathanael in hidden form. Jesus did not radiate light, He was not continuously transfigured in glory. He was hidden in the form of a man, yet truly present as God. So it is with us. Every time we turn to our Lord in prayer, attend the Holy Mass, adore the Holy Eucharist, or read the Living Word of the Bible, we encounter the same God whom Nathanael did that first day.

When Nathanael came to Jesus, Jesus said to him, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” Jesus had read Nathanael’s heart and revealed it to him. Nathanael inquired further about how Jesus knew him, and Jesus replied that He had seen Nathanael sitting under a fig tree. That’s all Jesus said! Nonetheless, this touched Nathanael so deeply that, with this short comment from Jesus, Nathanael was converted. He cries out, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” It wasn’t Jesus’ words that touched Nathanael, it was His divine Person, masked behind His human form. Nathanael’s soul perceived the presence of God in Jesus, and he immediately became His follower. We must do the same.

As one of the Twelve, Nathanael accompanied Jesus throughout his public ministry. He learned from Him, was formed by Him, and gave his life to Him. He witnessed Jesus’ arrest, experienced His death from a distance, and then saw Him resurrected with his own eyes. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, Nathanael was among those whom Jesus told, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20).

Though we do not know for certain how Nathanael, son of Tolmai (Bartholomew), fulfilled this Great Commission that he received from Jesus Himself, one early tradition from Eusebius of Caesarea, a Church historian from the third to fourth century, stated that he went to India where he left a copy of the Gospel of Matthew. Later traditions state that he also went to Armenia, Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, Parthia, and Lycaonia. Some traditions say that he was martyred in a city named Albanopolis, which might be one of two ancient towns either in modern-day Armenia or Albania. Those traditions state that he was beheaded or flayed alive and crucified upside down in retribution for converting the King of Armenia. It is for this reason that Saint Bartholomew often appears in sacred art holding his skin, such as in Michelangelo’s Last Judgment scene found in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican.

Though legends are hard to prove or disprove, what we know for certain is that when this man met Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of Israel, his life was forever changed. The same must be said of each one of us. We must meet our Lord, encounter Him personally, allow His divine presence to change our lives, and never look back. Ponder your own willingness to imitate the conversion of Saint Bartholomew and seek his intercession today.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/saint-bartholomew—august-24/

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Saint Rose of Lima, Virgin

Daily Saints

1586–1617; Patron Saint of the Americas, Peru, embroiderers, florists, gardeners, needleworkers, and people ridiculed for their piety; Invoked against vanity and self-love; Canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671

In 1532, Spanish explorers arrived in modern-day Peru. They soon became covetous of the silver and gold that was plentiful in this New World. Over the next several years, missionaries from the Mercedarians, Dominicans, Franciscans, and Augustinians arrived on Spanish ships with the purpose of sharing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The missionaries tried to temper the often-brutal Spanish conquerors. In 1537, Pope Paul III, concerned about reports of Spanish cruelty to the native peoples, issued a papal bull named Sublimis Deus in which he highlighted the intrinsic dignity of the natives, called for an end to the cruelty, and encouraged missionaries to share the Gospel in these new lands so that all could come to know and love Christ. In 1541, the pope established the Diocese of Lima and appointed its first bishop, hastening the missionaries’ efforts.

Today’s saint, Saint Rose of Lima, was born in the capital city of the newly established Viceroyalty of Peru, governed by the Kingdom of Spain, fifty-five years after the first Spanish conquerors arrived and began colonizing the territory. She was born Isabel Flores de Oliva, the seventh of eleven children. She was reportedly given the nickname “Rose” shortly after birth when one of the family servants said she saw the infant’s face transform into a rose. Her father was a Spaniard and a member of the Spanish army. Though her mother was born in Peru, at least one of her mother’s parents was a Spanish settler. Both of Isabel’s parents were devout Catholics who instilled a deep faith in their children from an early age.

As a child, Isabel manifested a deep devotion to God. She is said to have often spent long periods of prayer in the middle of the night before a shrine she set up in her room. At the age of eleven, she received the Sacrament of Confirmation and formally took the name Rose. Her confirmation was most likely administered by the diocesan bishop who was later canonized as Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo.

As Rose matured into a young woman, she was known for her physical beauty, catching the attention of many young men and their families who saw her as an ideal future spouse. However, Rose had no interest in marriage and wanted to become a nun. She was concerned that her beauty was a distraction, and even a temptation, to others. Her remedy was to cut off her beautiful hair to make herself less attractive. She also rubbed pepper on her face and lime juice on her hands to make her skin less appealing to young men. Although that may seem extreme to some, her intent was to remain pure for God and to take Jesus as her sole Spouse. Though her father refused to permit her to become a nun, after several years he acquiesced to her desire not to marry, allowing her to live in a small hut on the family property where she could be with her divine Spouse through solitude and prayer.

Her hut, or hermitage, became a place in which Rose engaged in charitable works. She brought the poor and sick into her hut, fed them, and nursed the sick back to health. She worked to support herself and her family, who were facing hardship, by selling at the local market lace and embroidery she made and flowers she grew. After learning about Saint Catherine of Siena, she sought to emulate her. She practiced severe penances, slept on a hard floor, wore a crown of thorns while alone in her room, fasted, and inflicted numerous penances upon herself every day. Eventually, she chose to abstain from meat. She quickly discovered that penances opened the door to spiritual abundance. Once she discovered that, she never turned back. She went to Mass daily and adored the Blessed Sacrament at church. When she turned twenty, because she could not become a nun, she followed in the footsteps of her role model, Saint Catherine of Siena, and became a lay member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. She carried on her life of continuous prayer and penance, sleeping only two hours a night so she could have more time for prayer. Her self-made bed consisted of broken glass, stone, potsherds, and thorns. She wore her crown of thorns continuously, which pierced her skull, but was covered with roses to conceal the metal spikes. She wore a chain of spikes around her waist. Her fasts were extreme, her penances doubled, but life for Rose was good—very good—and she could not have been happier.

For the next eleven years, Rose lived a beautiful and hidden life. She continued her charitable works and entered deeply into union with God. Some saints do great things in the world and Church in a visible way. Some give supreme witness to their faith through martyrdom. Others enter or found religious orders, or orchestrate new movements within the Church. Rose became a saint because she entered into divine union, the seventh mansion, or what has been called ‘spiritual marriage’ with her Savior. During those eleven years of her life, she frequently had visions of Jesus, the Mother of God, and the saints, with whom she conversed and received spiritual guidance. She entered into ecstasies and raptures and experienced untold interior spiritual favors from her Lord. One of the greatest gifts she received from her divine Spouse was long periods of exceptionally painful spiritual dryness. This interior cross produced abundant good fruit as she persevered in her fidelity to her Spouse, thus deepening her divine union with Him. As her interior purifications were completed and she completely detached from selfishness, her soul was flooded with the reward of Jesus’ manifest presence. He communicated with her as His beloved.

Because of her intimate union with God, Rose was able to predict the day of her own death. Her Lord wanted her fully with Him in Heaven, so at the age of thirty-one, Jesus took her to Himself where she could live forever as one with Him. The archbishop offered her funeral Mass, and she was quickly acknowledged as a saint. Around fifty years after her birth into Heaven, she was canonized a saint on earth, the first from the Americas to receive that honor. Miraculous healings had been attributed to her intercession while she was alive, and they continued after her death. One legend states that after her death, all of Lima smelled of roses that fell from the sky.

The life of Saint Rose of Lima reveals many things to us. Penance is good, but it takes great holiness to discover this mysterious and deep truth. The “good life” is not one that is filled with worldly successes, riches, or honors, but is discovered only in an act of divine union. Furthermore, those who make the biggest difference in this world for the good are those who radically and completely give themselves over to the service of God, holding nothing back, so that God can take to Himself all that they are. As we honor this great saint of Peru, ponder her simple and hidden life. Everyone can imitate her life and virtues, even though her depth of prayer and commitment to penance can, at first, be intimidating. Try to discover the truths that she discovered, and seek to imitate her by making at least one small choice each day to live a deeper life of prayer and penance. From Heaven, you will never regret such a decision.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-30st-rose-of-lima/

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Queenship of Blessed Virgin Mary

Daily Saints

The twentieth century saw a great resurgence in devotion to the Mother of God. Several decades prior to that century, on December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Four years later, the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, a fourteen-year-old peasant girl, in Lourdes, France. In this apparition, when Bernadette asked who the Heavenly Lady was, she responded, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” This mystical confirmation of the papal dogma sparked great devotion to the Mother of God, and Lourdes became a frequent pilgrim site where many miracles have taken place.

In 1916, three shepherd children in Fátima, Portugal received three apparitions from the Angel of Peace, the Guardian Angel of Portugal. Then, in 1917 they received six apparitions from the Lady of the Rosary, as she called herself. On the day of her final apparition, some 70,000 had gathered and all witnessed the promised miracle. A pouring rain immediately stopped, the sun danced and plunged to the earth, and everything and everyone were immediately dry. This apparition and miracle continue to fuel devotion to the Mother of God.

In 1950, Pope Pius XII issued an apostolic constitution by which he declared as a dogma of our faith “that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” Since Jesus is the King of Kings, and since He sits on His throne at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, and since his mother was assumed into Heaven, body and soul, then the logical conclusion flowing from these truths necessarily leads us to today’s memorial.

Early Church Fathers used what is referred to as “typology” to clearly establish the continuity between the Old and New Testaments. For example, though King Solomon sinned, he is also a prefigurement, or “type” of Christ because he was a peacemaker, filled with wisdom, and built the Temple. Saint Augustine, in his commentary on Psalm 127, states that our Lord is “the true Solomon” and that “Solomon was the figure of this Peacemaker.” The true Peacemaker is Christ, and just as Solomon built the Temple, so our Lord built the true Temple of His Body, the Church.

Following this form of typology, the Book of 1 Kings states, “Then Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king stood up to meet her and paid her homage. Then he sat down upon his throne, and a throne was provided for the king’s mother, who sat at his right. She said, ‘There is one small favor I would ask of you. Do not refuse me.’ The king said to her, ‘Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you’” (1 Kings 2:19–20). If King Solomon, an Old Testament type of Christ, honored his Queen Mother’s requests and sat her on a throne next to his, then so much more does our Lord, the true King of Kings, do so with His mother. Therefore, today’s memorial celebrates the fact that, in Heaven, Jesus’ mother is seated on a throne next to His, and like Solomon, Jesus says with certainty to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”

It is for these reasons, that on October 11, 1954, four years after the proclamation of the Assumption, Pope Pius XII instituted the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary with his encyclical letter, Ad Caeli Reginam (The Queen of Heaven). This memorial was first assigned the date May 31, which followed the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. However, in 1969, Pope Paul VI moved the date to August 22, eight days after the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In large part, this was done to create an octave of anticipation and to show that the Assumption necessarily results in the Mother of God being also the Queen Mother of Heaven and Earth.

As Queen, Mother Mary not only intercedes on our behalf, she also acts as her Son’s mediator. From her heavenly throne, the Queen Mother of Heaven and Earth is entrusted with the grace of God. She is not the source, but she is privileged to be the instrument of distribution. As a loving mother, nothing pleases her more than to lavish every good thing upon her children on earth. She longs to gather all of her children together in Heaven, with and in her divine Son.

Though the liturgical and theological evolution of today’s memorial might seem complex, the heart of it is simple. We not only have a mother in Heaven, we also have a Queen Mother. As Mary is the Queen Mother of God, we must turn to her with childlike faith and simplicity. As a young child runs to a loving mother in time of need, never questioning her love, protection, and care, so we must run to her. She is our protectress, our refuge, our hope, and our sweet delight. Her affection is perfect and her motherly love unmatched.

As we honor the Queen of Heaven today, ponder the Church’s ever-deepening understanding of her role. As the Church has increased its comprehension of Mary’s exalted role through the centuries, so we must individually make this discovery throughout our lives. Turn to her, seek her prayers, rely upon her intercession, and honor her as your mother and your queen.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-22—queenship-of-blessed-virgin-mary/

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Saint Pius X, Pope

Daily Saints

1835–1914; Patron Saint of First Communicants and pilgrims; Canonized by Pope Pius XII on May 29, 1954

Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto was born in Riese, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, present-day Italy. He was born into a poor family, the second of ten children. His father was a postman and his mother a seamstress. His family was very devout and Giuseppe learned the Catholic faith by both word and example. As a child, he was educated at home and by the local parish priest, Father Tito Fusaroni, who was very impressed by Giuseppe’s piety and intelligence. As a result, when Giuseppe was old enough, Father Fusaroni paid for his education at the gymnasium of Castelfranco Veneto, just a few miles from his home to which he walked each day. Because he was poor, he was often teased by the other students, but this only built his character. The gymnasium, as it was called, was a school geared toward academic excellence with the intent of preparing students for further studies. Around the age of fifteen, Father Fusaroni secured a scholarship for Giuseppe, who was sent to the Seminary of Padua, just over twenty miles south of his home, where he studied the classics, philosophy, and theology. He advanced to the top of his class but remained prayerful, generous, kind, and humble, while manifesting an unwavering faith throughout. Upon completing his studies, he was ordained a priest on September 18, 1858 at the age of twenty-three.

After ordination, Father Sarto became an assistant priest at the parish in Tombolo where he spent the next eight years. The pastor, Father Constantini, was older and often sick, which meant that Father Sarto quickly became the de facto pastor, fulfilling most of the priestly duties. He had a great respect for his pastor and often sought his advice. Father Constantini, in turn, grew in admiration for Father Sarto. He later said of him, “He is so zealous, so full of good sense, and other precious gifts that it is I who can learn much from him. Some day or other he will wear the mitre, of that I am sure. After that—who knows?” In Tombolo, Father Sarto was especially attentive to the needs of the poor, being raised poor himself, taught adult education classes, trained the parish choir in Gregorian Chant, carefully prepared his homilies, sought advice, and had a genuine concern for the good of his parishioners. In his spare time, he continued his studies on his own, studying the theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas as well as canon law.

In 1867, because of his excellent work in Tombolo, Father Sarto was appointed archpriest of Salzano. As archpriest, he had administrative and pastoral responsibilities over the entire territory with the assistance of priests under him. He continued the pastoral practices he had become accustomed to, as well as restoring the dilapidated church, expanding the Catholic hospital, and caring for the sick during an outbreak of cholera.

At the age of forty, Father Sarto was elevated to the prestigious responsibilities of Canon of the Cathedral at Treviso, Chancellor, and Vicar General. He also became the Spiritual Director of the diocesan seminary where he became deeply devoted to the formation of new priests. These important responsibilities, however, could not take him away from common people. He remained faithful to teaching catechism to children and adults and always reached out to the poor and needy.

In 1884, Pope Leo XIII named Canon Sarto as Bishop of Mantua, in north-central Italy. Though he at first resisted, the pope insisted. At that time, the Diocese of Mantua was in disarray. Just fourteen years prior, the Church had lost its temporal power over the Papal States, due to the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy. The Church and state were often at odds. The Church lost much of its influence, property, and internal control in those territories, including in Mantua. As a result, Bishop Sarto found a general indifference and secularism that was rampant. Bishop Sarto went to work. He invigorated the education of the laity, personally devoted himself to teaching in the seminary, reintroduced the scholastic theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas and Gregorian Chant, and breathed new life into his seminarians, presbyterate, and diocese. Because of his good work, in 1893, Pope Leo XIII, appointed Bishop Sarto as Patriarch of Venice and named him a cardinal.

In Venice, Cardinal Sarto continued to do what he had always done. He devoted himself to the seminary, where he mandated the teachings of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the use of Gregorian Chant, and introduced a faculty of canon law. He continued to catechize young and old, engaged in social works, avoided politics, and never lost his affection for the poor, ministering to them every chance he could. In 1903, after Cardinal Sarto spent nine years in Venice, Pope Leo XIII died and the cardinals gathered to choose his successor. The election of a pope at that time was governed by rules established in 1588 by Pope Sixtus V. Those rules permitted outside influence, such as vetoes, exercised by some civil authorities. In the conclave of 1903, the Emperor of Austria vetoed Cardinal Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro, the Secretary of State under Pope Leo XIII, who was the first to be elected. This veto was delivered through the Prince-Bishop of Krakow. A few ballots later, Cardinal Sarto received almost unanimous consent and was elected pope at the age of sixty-eight years, choosing the name Pius X. He later changed the rules for papal elections, eliminating outside influence such as the veto.

As pope, Pius X took as his motto, “To restore all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10). Remaining as he was when he was a parish priest, spiritual director, and bishop, he was humble, simple, loved teaching children, and showed concern for the poor. He introduced a universal catechism, reformed the curia, renewed seminary formation, revised the Code of Canon Law, revitalized the liturgy, encouraged Gregorian Chant, and emphasized the teachings of Saint Thomas Aquinas. At heart, he was a pastor, not a diplomat or politician. Without ambition, he never sought the elevations he received, but accepted all things in Christ with humility and surrender.

Most notably, his love for children and his long history of catechizing them led him to lower the age for First Holy Communion from twelve to seven, encouraging frequent reception of the Eucharist for them and all people. Deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he often spoke of her and honored her. Although he never received a doctorate degree, he was highly intelligent and firmly opposed modernism within the Catholic Church, viewing it as a synthesis of all heresies where doctrines were presented in a scattered and disjointed manner, thus creating doubts. In response, he preached that the Catholic faith was very reasonable, systematic, and clear—hence, his love for Saint Thomas Aquinas and Canon Law.

After Pius X’s death, he became the first pope to be canonized since Pope Saint Pius V, who died in 1572. His death came just weeks after the start of World War I. As he watched the growing tensions throughout the world, his pastoral heart was deeply distressed, and the sorrow he saw unfolding before him might have contributed to his death.

As we honor the first saintly pope of the last century, ponder his slow rise from an assistant priest to pastor of the world. This was done by God’s hand. All Pope Saint Pius X did was love, teach, care for the poor, pray, and be faithful to the teachings of Christ. God did the rest. For our part, our duty is to do every small thing well, loving God and others at every moment of our lives. If we do that well, repeatedly, God will be able to use us in unimaginable ways.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-21—saint-pius-x-pope/

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Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

Daily Saints

1090–1153; Patron Saint of beekeepers, bees, candlemakers, chandlers, Cistercians, and Knights Templar; Canonized by Pope Alexander III on January 18, 1174; Declared a Doctor of the Church (Doctor Mellifluus, “Honey-Sweet Doctor”) by Pope Pius VIII in 1830

Bernard was born into a high-nobility family in Fontaines, France. He was the third of seven children, with five brothers and one sister. As a member of a wealthy family with high social status, Bernard likely received a comprehensive education. His devout parents instilled in him a deep faith. At a young age, he was sent to be educated by the canons of the Church of Saint-Vorles at Châtillon-sur-Seine, located about eighty miles north of his hometown. There, he studied grammar, poetry, literature, rhetoric, dialectics, Scripture, and theology. He excelled in the study of Scripture, personalizing it through prayer. He also held a profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, continually seeking her intercession.

When Bernard was around nineteen years old, his mother passed away. This event profoundly affected him and his entire family. He had already begun contemplating religious life, and his mother’s loss might have sparked a deeper resolve to abandon worldly pursuits and live solely for God. Back in Fontaines with his family, Bernard began to reveal his intention to enter the newly formed Cistercian monastery in Cîteaux, known as the Abbey of Notre Dame. Initially, he encountered resistance, as he would be relinquishing everything his noble family could provide. However, he remained resolute and eventually gained their support. In fact, his virtue, clarity of purpose, and evident holiness inspired thirty other young noblemen to join him, including all of his brothers except the youngest, who would join him later, as would his father. His sister would become a Benedictine nun.

The Cistercian order, established in 1098, sought to return to the ideals of the Rule of Saint Benedict. During that time, many Benedictine monasteries had deviated from the Rule by becoming involved in societal and political affairs, adopting excessively elaborate liturgies, and accumulating significant land and wealth. While the Rule of Saint Benedict prescribed a balanced life of prayer and work for all monks, many monasteries had developed a two-tiered structure. Lay brothers primarily performed manual labor and fulfilled minimal prayer requirements, while choir monks, often priests, spent less time laboring and focused more on chapel and study. The Cistercians aimed to restore a single-type monk practice. In 1113, Bernard and his brothers said good-bye to their father, younger brother, and sister, and accompanied by the rest of their noble companions, they journeyed thirty miles north to the Abbey of Notre Dame in Cîteaux. Upon their arrival, they prostrated themselves before the front gate, humbly begging Abbot Stephen Harding for admission, which he joyfully granted.

Abbot Stephen, who is now recognized as a saint, spent twenty-five years as abbot. His commitment to a more faithful living of the Rule of Benedict, holiness, and administrative skills enabled the newly founded Cistercian order to experience rapid growth. Numerous young men joined during its initial years, resulting in the establishment of many new monasteries. One of these monasteries was founded in what was then called the Valley of Wormwood. It was a desolate, swampy, rugged, and inhospitable place, but soon it would be transformed and receive the name Clairvaux, meaning “Clear Valley.” Abbot Stephen appointed Bernard as its founding abbot—a role he would fill for the next thirty-eight years.

During his time in Clairvaux, Abbot Bernard earned high respect for his holiness and leadership in monastic reform. He was a prolific writer, leaving behind roughly 530 letters and 300 sermons. Among his most influential sermons is a series of eighty-six sermons on the Song of Songs. These sermons were preached to his monks over several years and exemplify the nature of his spirituality. They delve deeply into contemplation, centering on divine love, the soul’s longing for God, the experience of spiritual union, and the transformative power of God’s grace. Additionally, he wrote more than twenty longer works of a theological and contemplative nature. Notably, his treatise “On Loving God” passionately and rationally articulates the reasons we should love God to an immeasurable degree. In all of his works, Abbot Bernard sought to teach not only the mind but also to draw the heart to conversion and love. He regularly emphasized the personal nature of God as revealed in Jesus Christ, our call to mystical union with Him, the need for humility, the benefits of asceticism, and the central role that the Blessed Virgin Mary must play in our lives. He was a theologian, contemplative, and mystic whose central goals were to love God and to draw others into that same love.

In addition to his roles as abbot and writer, Bernard was frequently called upon by the wider Church, requiring much travel. He founded many monasteries as extensions of the Abbey of Clairvaux, regularly assisted popes and bishops with pressing needs within the Church, was an eloquent apologist in defense of the faith against heresies, was outspoken in his defense of persecuted Jews, assisted at Church councils, preached at the second Crusade, and played a significant role in resolving many other theological, political, and societal disputes. He was a true peacemaker and unifier. Many miracles were attributed to him. He healed the sick, cast out demons, multiplied food, calmed storms, and raised the dead. He had the charism of spiritual discernment and was able to read the inner thoughts and intentions of people. His influence was strong during his time on earth, and his voluminous writings continue to profoundly impact monastic life and all who seek to know and love God and our Blessed Mother more deeply, whom he especially saw as our Mediatrix and as the Star of the Sea who guides us through the darkness of life.

By the time Abbot Bernard died, his monastery in Clairvaux numbered about 700 monks, and he had founded at least sixty-eight monasteries. He has since been given the title the mellifluus Doctor of the Church, meaning that his words were like honey—convincing, forthcoming, elegant, sweet, and effective. When he spoke, everyone listened and responded.

As we honor this great saint, reformer, theologian, mystic, unifier, and Doctor of the Church, ponder the effect that one man can have when his love of God reaches an immeasurable degree. His profound union with Christ and his burning desire to draw people to God should inspire us to exponentially increase our love of God, surrendering all to Him for His glory.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-20—saint-bernard-of-clairvaux-abbot-and-doctor-of-the-church/

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Saint John Eudes, Priest

Daily Saints

1601–1680; Patron Saint of Eudists, Order of Our Lady of Charity; Diocese of Baie-Comeau; and Missionaries; Canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 31, 1925

In France, in 1562, tensions ran high between the Catholic majority and the Protestant Calvinist minority. Calvinism was spreading and opposition was fierce. This resulted in violent clashes from 1562–1598 in the Wars of Religion. Although the wars were primarily driven by powerful noble families, many citizens got involved, leading to multiple massacres. In 1589, Henry of Navarre, a Calvinist, ascended the throne to become King Henry IV of France. Despite his Calvinist roots, Henry converted back to Catholicism to secure his reign and to establish peace. He issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598, which granted religious tolerance to Protestants, effectively ending the internal wars. Three years later, Saint John Eudes was born.

John Eudes was born in Ri, a small farming village in the Normandy region of northwestern France. The region’s fertile soil produced abundant crops of wheat, barley, and fruit. John had two younger brothers and four sisters, and his parents were devout Catholics. Following John’s birth, they made a pilgrimage to the Church of Notre-Dame de la Recouvrance, about 120 miles from Ri, to dedicate their son to God. Their devotion paid off, as John developed a strong Catholic faith from a young age. A story recounts that when a playmate struck ten-year-old John on the cheek, John immediately fell on his knees, turning the other cheek in obedience to the Gospel command.

After being educated by a holy priest, John made his First Communion and received Confirmation around the age of twelve. It is said that he appeared like an angel in divine ecstasy on that day. Overjoyed, he soon after made a personal vow of chastity, dedicating his life to God, just as his parents had done for him upon his birth.

As a teenager, John was sent to the larger city of Caen, about thirty miles to the north, where he was educated by the Jesuits. The Jesuits, a new and respected order, were known for their excellent teaching. In Caen, John completed his philosophical studies and deepened his devotion, particularly toward the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary. His devotion was so profound that his peers referred to him as “the devout Eudes.” After completing his philosophical studies, John’s father wanted him to return home and settle down. However, John explained that he had dedicated his life to God and pleaded to be allowed to continue his studies. His father relented, and John returned to Caen for theological studies under the Jesuits. After completing his studies, John joined the French Oratory of Pierre de Bérulle in Paris and was ordained a priest one year later at the age of twenty-four.

The French Oratory, distinct from the Roman Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, was founded in 1611 by Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle. Given the religious wars that had ravaged France in the late sixteenth century, Cardinal Bérulle took a new approach to Calvinism, fighting not with weapons, but with sound reasoning and faith. He is recognized as one of the founders of the French School of Spirituality, a Catholic Counter-Reformation movement that fostered personal devotion. This movement, emphasizing the Incarnation and the deeply personal nature of God, shifted away from the heavy focus on doctrine common in scholasticism. Instead, it fostered an intimate devotion through love of God and personal conversion. This movement greatly appealed to Father John Eudes, and he became a strong follower and leader within it.

After his ordination in 1625, Father Eudes fell gravely ill and was bedridden for almost a year. Once he recovered, he was sent to Aubervilliers, just outside Paris, for further theological studies. In 1627, his father informed him of a plague that had broken out in a village near his hometown. Father Eudes quickly ministered to the physical and spiritual needs of the victims, particularly encouraging them to turn to their loving mother in Heaven and to rely upon her intercession. When another nearby town experienced the same plague a few years later, he did the same. This time, out of fear that he would become infected and in turn infect others in the Oratory, he lived for a time in a barrel in an open field while ministering to the sick, unconcerned for his own well-being.

In 1633, Father Eudes began earnest preaching. He preached parish missions that would sometimes last for weeks or even longer. His sermons emphasized the mercy of God, and he rallied a large number of priests to hear confessions. He himself was an effective confessor who embodied the Heart of Christ to sinners. One parish after another was gradually transformed. During his missions, he developed a deep compassion for sinners trapped in cycles of sin, particularly prostitutes. To address their needs, he founded the Order of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge in 1641, with the assistance of three Visitation sisters. The purpose of this order was to provide spiritual and material aid to repentant prostitutes who needed help to change their ways.

After ten years of preaching missions, Father Eudes began to notice that although people initially changed after a mission, they quickly fell back into their sins without ongoing spiritual support and guidance. To remedy this, Father Eudes turned his attention to the formation of the clergy. He realized he couldn’t single-handedly evangelize and offer ongoing spiritual support to everyone, and so, in 1643, he left the Oratory and founded the Society of Jesus and Mary, later known as the Eudists. The aim of this new congregation was to provide for the formation of seminarians and parish missions. Over the next thirty years, Father Eudes founded six major seminaries in France at Caen, Coutances, Lisieux, Rouen, Évreux, and Rennes. These seminaries not only formed seminarians but also welcomed priests for further education, formation, and retreats, and offered teachings to the laity.

Devotion was at the heart of Father Eudes’ ministry, and his most enduring legacies are his promotion of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Heart of Mary. In 1648, with the permission of the local bishop, he instituted a feast in honor of the Holy Heart of Mary, fostering a realization of the love that the Blessed Mother had for her Son and for all people. Father Eudes later composed a Mass and Office in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which he celebrated with the bishop’s permission for the first time in 1670. His goal was to reveal the infinite and personal love of Christ Jesus for His people. Providentially, in 1673, a French nun and mystic, later to be a saint, named Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque began to have visions of Jesus, in which He conveyed the importance of devotion to His Sacred Heart. Among His requests, Jesus told her that He wanted the Feast of His Sacred Heart to be celebrated on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi, in reparation for the ingratitude of people for His Sacrifice. Thus, what Father Eudes was inspired to do in 1670, Jesus confirmed through a mystic shortly afterward. In 1856, Pope Pius IX extended this Feast to the Universal Church.

Saint John Eudes emerged as one of many saints within the Church in France during a time of spiritual renewal, using the weapons of personal devotion, prayer, adoration, frequent Communion, and Confession. Hearts were transformed, not just minds. To ensure that this renewal would be ongoing, he dedicated himself and his newly founded order to the formation of priests, providing good shepherds who emulated the Heart of Jesus to God’s people. As we honor this great saint, ponder all he did but especially his devotion to the Hearts of Mary and Jesus. Their hearts reveal who they are, along with their compassion and unbounded love for us all. Run to their hearts today and always, receiving from them all that you need for your own transformation. Then dispense the infinite mercy of God to others.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-19—saint-john-eudes-priest/

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Saint Helena of Constantinople

Daily Saints

Profile

Helena converted to Christianity late in life. She married Constantius Chlorus, co-regent of the western Roman empire. She was the Mother of Constantine the Great. Her husband put her aside for a second marriage with better political connections. On his death, her son ascended to the throne, brought her home, and treated her as royalty. She used her high position and wealth in the service of her religious enthusiasm, and helped build churches throughout the empire.

In her late 70’s, she led a group to the Holy Land to search for the True Cross. She and her group unearthed three crosses in 326. At the suggestion of Saint Macarius of Jerusalem, she took them to a woman afflicated with an incurable disease, and had her touch each one. One of them immediately cured her, and it was pronounced the True Cross. She built a church on the spot where the cross was found, and sent pieces to Rome and Constantinople; the Feast of the Holy Cross on 14 September celebrates the event. Thus in art, she is usually depicted holding a wooden cross.

Born

c.248 at Drepanon, Bithynia, Asia Minor

Died

c.328 in Nicomedia of natural causes
interred in the Church of Santa Maria di Aracoeli, Rome, Italy

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Patronage

against epilepsy
against fire
against storms
against thunder
archeologists
converts
difficult marriages
divorced people
dyers
empresses
Helena, Montana, diocese of
nail smiths
needle makers
in Brazil
– Caputira
– Goiabeira
– Santa Helena de Minas
in Italy
– Benetutti
– Luincis, Ovaro
– Quart
in Malta
-Birkirkara

Representation

cross
cross in hand
queen holding a cross
woman receiving the location of the True Cross in a dream
queen leading the search for the True Cross
queen giving a letter to a messenger
woman with a book and small cross
nails
woman with cross and nails
with Constantine

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

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Saint Cajetan, Priest

Daily Saints

1480–1547; Patron Saint of the unemployed Invoked for gambling problems; Canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671

Cajetan of the Counts of Thiene was born in Vicenza, in the Republic of Venice, modern-day northeastern Italy, to wealthy and first-ranked noble parents. In the preceding century, his family line included governors, theologians, clerics, and cardinals. His father died when Cajetan was only two years old. His mother’s faith was particularly strong. She dedicated Cajetan to the Blessed Virgin Mary from a young age and raised him well. As a child, Cajetan was devout, temperate, obedient, and mindful of the poor. He practiced long periods of prayer that helped him to avoid the temptations that came from his family’s wealth and status. He was intelligent and a good student. His long periods of prayer never interfered with his studies, but only enhanced his mind and helped him grasp true knowledge on a profound level. Though Cajetan primarily learned his piety from his mother, he learned humanities and other courses of general studies at home from private tutors. Afterwards, he was sent to Padua to study law where he received a double doctorate degree in both canon and civil law by the age of twenty-four.

With his dual law degree and strong faith, Cajetan was ready for a life of service to the Church. Though his first desire was to enter into a hidden life of prayer, he caught the eye of the pope. In 1506, at the request of Pope Julius II, Cajetan entered diplomatic service in the papal court and was appointed to the high position of Apostolic Protonotary. Pope Julius II was an ambitious man who was politically minded. He received the nickname “Warrior Pope” because he was quick to lead the army of the Papal States into battle. In the pope’s service, Cajetan’s duties would have primarily been administrative legal work, but he would have also worked closely with the pope as an advisor. In 1508, Pope Julius II formed the League of Cambrai in which he allied the Papal States with France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire against the Republic of Venice. Cajetan is said to have played a crucial role in helping to relieve the tensions and reconcile Venice with the pope, ensuring peace for his homeland.

In 1513, Pope Julius II died and Cajetan resigned his duties in the papal household to pursue priestly ordination, which he received in 1516. Within two years, Father Cajetan returned to his hometown of Vicenza where he joined the Oratory of Saint Jerome, which was dedicated to the service of the poor. Most of the members of the Oratory were men of lower classes. As a result, many of Father Cajetan’s family and noble “friends” were deeply offended by his association with those deemed to be unworthy of association with the nobility. Father Cajetan had no concern with such petty social norms and put his heart and soul into his work. He even founded a new hospital that was dedicated to the care of the terminally ill. Such a hospital was not seen as a proper place for the nobility to serve, but Father Cajetan greatly delighted in this work of compassion in which he helped people die with dignity and faith. He later founded a similar hospital in Venice.

While in Vicenza, Father Cajetan also worked in a local parish. He became known as a sort of holy gambler because when he gave spiritual advice, he made a “bet” with the person that if his advice worked, the person had to light a votive candle. If it did not, Father Cajetan would light the candle. For this reason, he is invoked by those seeking freedom from gambling addictions.

At that time, there was much internal corruption within the Church. Father Cajetan no doubt witnessed this firsthand while working in the papal court for the Warrior Pope. He also saw the lax morals of the clergy, the political ambitions, and financial abuses within the Church, all of which helped to spark the Protestant Reformation. Unlike Martin Luther and other reformers who revolted against the Church, Father Cajetan sought to reform the Church from within. In 1523, he returned to Rome and joined the Oratory of Divine Love, an organization committed to prayer and the service of the sick and poor. It was there that he became associated with three other like-minded companions: Bishop Giovanni Pietro Carafa (the future Pope Paul IV), Bonifacio da Colle, and Paolo Ghisleri. On September 14, 1524, the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Father Cajetan and his three companions jointly founded the Order of the Clerics Regular, or Theatines, in the city of Rome, by making their first profession of vows.

The goal of their order was to unite the monastic aspects of religious life with the work often performed by diocesan priests. As religious, they sought evangelical perfection by jointly living in poverty, practicing a common life of prayer, and by adhering to a strict way of life. They then dedicated themselves to priestly service through the celebration of the Sacraments, education, preaching, the formation of clergy, and the care of the poor and sick.

In 1527, Rome was sacked by disgruntled soldiers; eight months of violence and looting ensued. During that time, some members of the Theatines were killed, and Father Cajetan endured torture. Eventually, the Theatines escaped the city and settled in Venice where they established a new house. Over the next two decades, until Father Cajetan’s death, the order continued to grow, expanding into Naples, Milan, Sicily, and other parts of Europe, including Germany. Father Cajetan was well known for his continual penances and life of prayer that fueled his devotion to the mission of his order. After Father Cajetan’s death in 1547, one of the co-founders of the Theatines, Bishop Giovanni Pietro Carafa, became Pope Paul IV in 1555. This elevated the status and mission of the order and helped it to continue to grow.

As we honor Saint Cajetan today, we are invited to ponder the mission he was given during a time of corruption within society and the Church. He renounced worldly honors, devoted himself to a life of prayer and virtue, sought to reform the Church and clergy from within, selflessly served the poor and sick, and inspired many others to follow his path. Consider your own need to reform your life and the lives of those around you. Seek to follow Saint Cajetan’s example by reforming your life and being an inspiration that others will imitate.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-7—saint-cajetan-priest/

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Saint Stephen of Hungary

Daily Saints

c. 975–1038; Patron Saint of bricklayers, kings, stonecutters, masons, and parents who have lost a child; Canonized by Pope Gregory VII in 1083

Prior to Hungary becoming a Christian nation, its people embraced many pagan religious beliefs. They believed in numerous gods and held that every element of nature, including trees, rivers, and animals, had spiritual power. The people worshiped their ancestors, believing them to have power over the living. Shamans were sought out as mediators between the human and spiritual world, conducting rituals and interpreting dreams and omens through which they claimed to heal the sick and grant favors. The territory’s ten tribes were governed by ten chieftains who elected a Grand Prince from among them. It was into this pagan tribal world that Saint Stephen of Hungary entered, becoming king and Christianizing his newly established nation.

At the end of the tenth century, a man named Géza became Grand Prince of the Hungarians. He married a Christian woman named Sarolt, the daughter of a Hungarian chieftain. Géza was baptized but continued to participate in traditional pagan practices. He remained a fierce ruler, often governing with extreme force and spilling much blood. However, Géza did form an alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor, who sent missionaries to his lands with Géza’s permission. Géza and Sarolt had a son named Vajk, whom they had baptized, possibly by Saint Adalbert. Upon being baptized, Vajk was given the name Stephen. According to one tradition, before Vajk was born, his mother had a vision of the biblical Saint Stephen, the first martyr, who told her that she would bear a son who would continue the missionary work she and her husband had begun and abolish paganism throughout their land.

When Stephen was only fifteen, he assisted his father in spreading Christianity. His Christian faith was strong. Around 995 or 996, Stephen married Gisela of Bavaria, a daughter of Henry II, Duke of Bavaria. This marriage helped to strengthen Hungary’s bond with the Holy Roman Empire. Gisela’s brother and Stephen’s uncle later became Holy Roman Emperor Henry II, the only Holy Roman Emperor and German king to be canonized a saint. Around 997, when Géza died, Stephen, at about the age of twenty-one, became Grand Prince. Stephen had to contend for his rulership against other family members and rival factions, but ultimately he succeeded. With a firm Christian faith and a strong bond with the Holy Roman Empire, Stephen had himself crowned King of Hungary around 1000 or 1001. He received his crown from Pope Sylvester II with the consent of Holy Roman Emperor Otto III. This marked the transition from a tribal society to a Christian kingdom and strengthened King Stephen’s power among his people.

With King Stephen internationally recognized as ruling his people by the grace of God as a Christian monarch, he made the conversion of his kingdom his top priority. With the consent of the pope, he established dioceses, built monasteries, and welcomed foreign priests to evangelize his people. He instituted laws that supported the establishment of the Catholic faith and eradicated pagan practices. He and his wife had at least one son, named Emeric, who survived into adulthood. Some biographers state that they had other children, all of whom died in infancy.

King Stephen had a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom he consecrated his kingdom. He always had his Lord in his mind and on his lips. He was generous with the poor, fought only defensive wars, and did all he could to ensure the salvation of the souls under his care. He was a just ruler who established fair administrative systems and worked toward the common good of all, not just the elite.

In 1014, when Stephen’s saintly brother-in-law was crowned as the Holy Roman Emperor, the two worked in tandem to spread the faith. Stephen’s son, Emeric, was raised as a strong Catholic and was well known for his purity and piety. Emeric was educated with the intention that he would succeed his father as King of Hungary. However, in 1031, around the age of twenty-four, Emeric died in a hunting accident. In 1083, after miracles were reported at his grave by those who prayed there, Saint Emeric was canonized by Pope Gregory VII.

The final seven years of King Stephen’s life were marked with illness, mourning over the loss of his son, and concern for the future of his newly established Christian nation. Disputes quickly broke out over his succession. King Stephen eventually designated Peter Orseolo as his successor. After Saint Stephen died, King Peter I began his reign, but he was weak in morals. He was eventually exiled, and Samuel Aba became king, who tried to restore paganism. Internal wars and conflicts followed. Paganism reemerged and the Church began to experience oppression. Finally, in 1077, Ladislaus became king and followed in the footsteps of Saint Stephen, solidifying the Catholic faith in the kingdom.

The British historian Lord Acton once said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” This was not the case with Saint Stephen. He had great power, but he used that power for the sake of the Gospel. He remained humble, prayerful, mindful of the poor, and continually sought the salvation of souls. Few kings have been canonized as saints. When they are, they should be emulated and honored for the virtue it took to use their power for Christ.

As we honor Saint Stephen, King of Hungary, reflect upon your own exercise of authority. Do you abuse your power at work, home, or elsewhere? Or do you strive to humbly use any authority you have for the glory of God and the salvation of souls? Seek to imitate Saint Stephen by doing the latter.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-16—saint-stephen-of-hungary/

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Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Daily Saints

First Century; Patron Saint of fishmongers, French air crews, harnessmakers, and numerous countries, cities, and dioceses

Within the history of the Church, one fascinating and inspiring phenomenon is the incorruptibility of some saints’ bodies. Over the course of history, the bodies of certain holy men and women have been exhumed from their tombs. On occasion, these bodies have been found to be incorrupt, meaning they have not decayed. Among the most notable saints are Bernadette Soubirous, Catherine Labouré, John Vianney, Padre Pio, Vincent de Paul, Clare of Assisi, and Teresa of Avila. However, the body of today’s saint, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, is unique. It is not just incorrupt but is also alive, resurrected, transformed, and sharing in eternal glory. Other than her Divine Son, the Mother of God is the only one to have been granted this privilege.

Traditionally, today’s Solemnity has been referred to variably as the Blessed Virgin Mary’s rest, birth into Heaven, entombment, and falling asleep. The earliest written references to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary date back to the third and fourth centuries. In the seventh century, Saint John Damascene wrote beautifully about the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in three sermons. He also narrates a story about the Roman Emperor Marcian (c. 392–457) who approached the bishops at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, requesting information about the location of the body of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The emperor wished to build a magnificent church in her honor. Saint John Damascene describes it this way:

Saint Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Council of Chalcedon (451), informed Emperor Marcian and Pulcheria, who wished to possess the body of the Mother of God, that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles. However, when her tomb was opened upon the request of St. Thomas, it was found empty, leading the Apostles to conclude that her body was taken up to Heaven.

Today, just outside of the ancient city of Jerusalem, next to the Garden of Gethsemane, pilgrims can find an ancient church, believed to have been the original burial site of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from which she rose and was assumed into Heaven. Like Christ her Son, her tomb is empty.

It wasn’t until 1950 that the ancient belief in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was elevated to the level of a dogma. As a dogma, the Church proclaimed that this belief must be held by all the Catholic faithful as true and divinely revealed. It did not begin to be true in 1950; rather, that which had always been true was given great solemnity and clarity within the teachings of the Church.

It’s important to understand that the one deposit of faith—the truths in the mind of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus—does not change. Truth doesn’t change; our comprehension of the Truth deepens over time.

In regard to our Blessed Mother, the Church teaches four dogmas. First, the Council of Ephesus, in 431, definitively taught that the Blessed Virgin Mary was properly called the “Mother of God.” She was not just the mother of Christ, or the mother of Jesus, or mother only of His flesh. She was the mother of a Person, and that Person was God; hence, she is to be called the Mother of God.

A second dogma of the Blessed Virgin Mary is that of her perpetual virginity. This belief, held and taught by the earliest Church Fathers, was definitively taught at the Council in Constantinople in 553 when Mary was referred to as “ever-virgin.” To add even more clarity, during the Lateran Council of 649, Pope Saint Martin I clarified that “ever-virgin” meant three things: Mary was a virgin before, during, and after Christ’s birth. First, this means she conceived her Son while being a virgin. Second, when she gave birth to her Son, she did not suffer from the effects of original sin as outlined in Genesis 3:16: “I will intensify your toil in childbearing; in pain, you shall bring forth children.” Third, after the birth of Jesus, she never had relations with a man and bore no other children.

A third dogma of the Blessed Virgin Mary was solemnly defined in 1854 when Pope Pius IX declared her to be the Immaculate Conception. He stated that “…the most Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege from Almighty God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, was kept free of every stain of original sin.” She then remained free from sin throughout her life.

Finally, the fourth dogma of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which we celebrate today, is the logical consequence of the previous dogmas, especially the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. If the Mother of God was free from sin, did not suffer the consequences of original sin—such as the pains of childbirth—then she would also, necessarily, not suffer the effects of sin, which are death and bodily decay. However, a few things need to be clarified in this regard.

First, the dogmatic teaching states that the Blessed Virgin Mary “…having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” Does that mean she died and was placed in a tomb? Or does that mean that she did not die and was taken body and soul while she was alive? The Church has not definitively answered this question. The rationale is that, since Jesus died and then rose, wouldn’t this be the sequence for our Blessed Mother followed? Regardless of the answer, what is proclaimed is that her body never experienced decay. If she died, then, just like her Son, her body slept as it anticipated sharing in the Resurrection, perhaps a few days later, or perhaps immediately. If the early account from Bishop Juvenal mentioned above is accurate, then her body rested in the tomb for a short period of time.

As we honor the Mother of God, the Ever-Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception, we celebrate her life, the completion of her time on earth, and her glorious entrance into Heaven, body and soul. We hope to follow where she has gone. From Heaven, she loves each one of us with her perfect maternal love. Her prayers and mediation of grace are certain. We should seek her intercession today. Doing so with great confidence, we should know that a mother so loving would never deny her children all good things granted in accord with God’s will.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-15—assumption-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/

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Saint Bartholomew the Apostle

First Century; Patron Saint of bookbinders, butchers, cobblers, leatherworkers, plasterers, shoemakers, tanners, trappers, and whiteners; Invoked against neurological diseases; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Rose of Lima, Virgin

1586–1617; Patron Saint of the Americas, Peru, embroiderers, florists, gardeners, needleworkers, and people ridiculed for their piety; Invoked against vanity and self-love; Canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671

Queenship of Blessed Virgin Mary

Saint Pius X, Pope

1835–1914; Patron Saint of First Communicants and pilgrims; Canonized by Pope Pius XII on May 29, 1954

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

1090–1153; Patron Saint of beekeepers, bees, candlemakers, chandlers, Cistercians, and Knights Templar; Canonized by Pope Alexander III on January 18, 1174; Declared a Doctor of the Church (Doctor Mellifluus, “Honey-Sweet Doctor”) by Pope Pius VIII in 1830

Saint John Eudes, Priest

1601–1680; Patron Saint of Eudists, Order of Our Lady of Charity; Diocese of Baie-Comeau; and Missionaries; Canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 31, 1925

Saint Helena of Constantinople

Saint Cajetan, Priest

1480–1547; Patron Saint of the unemployed Invoked for gambling problems; Canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671

Saint Stephen of Hungary

c. 975–1038; Patron Saint of bricklayers, kings, stonecutters, masons, and parents who have lost a child; Canonized by Pope Gregory VII in 1083

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Century; Patron Saint of fishmongers, French air crews, harnessmakers, and numerous countries, cities, and dioceses

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