Daily Saints

St. Vincent de Paul

c. 1581–1660; Patron Saint of charitable societies and workers, horses, hospitals and hospital workers, lepers, lost articles, prisoners, spiritual help, and volunteers; Canonized by Pope Clement XII on June 16, 1737

Vincent de Paul was the third of six children born to peasant farmers in the village of Pouy in the Kingdom of France, about 100 miles north of the border with the Kingdom of Spain. As a child, he worked the fields and tended the livestock, but he also showed great intelligence. Although he was quite devout as a child, he was ashamed of his poverty and longed to advance in society. He later shamefully admitted that he was even embarrassed by his father when he was young: “I was ashamed to walk with him and to acknowledge him as my father because he was badly dressed and a little lame.” Vincent’s father, however, was not ashamed of Vincent and saw much promise in him. When Vincent was a young teenager, his father sold an ox so that he could send his son to be formally educated.

Vincent was sent to the seminary in Dax, a town about 100 miles to the west, where he lived with the Franciscan Friars. A few years later, he was sent to the University of Toulouse to study theology and was ordained a priest at the age of nineteen or twenty. (Note: Some historians believe he was born in 1676 rather than 1681, so it’s possible he was ordained at age twenty-four or twenty-five.) Since he might have had to receive a special dispensation for such a young ordination, he remained in Toulouse to complete further studies in theology and canon law. During his time at the university, he paid for his studies by working as a tutor.

In 1604, Father Vincent received an inheritance from a wealthy woman and traveled to Marseilles to sell the property. Marseilles was about 200 miles to the east of Toulouse by foot but could be reached much more quickly by boat. After selling the property, he was invited by a man to accompany him by boat to the port of Narbonne. Traveling by boat was known to be dangerous since many North African Muslim pirates patrolled those waters, looking for men to enslave. Father Vincent decided to sail to Narbonne because the wind was in their favor and the trip should be quick. However, pirates did intercept them, attacked the boat, killed some onboard, and injured everyone else. Father Vincent received an arrow in his shoulder. Once captured, they were taken to the North African port of Tunis, in modern-day Tunisia, where they were humiliated, treated like animals, and sold. Father Vincent reports that over the next two years he was bought and sold multiple times. Finally, he was sold to a master who was a Franciscan priest turned Muslim, having renounced the Catholic faith to win his freedom. Father Vincent won him over, helped him convert back to the faith, and together, they escaped.

Father Vincent’s imprisonment profoundly affected him. One of his motivations for priestly ordination was to escape poverty as a peasant farmer and lead a more comfortable life. Being a slave transformed him. His faith deepened, and his concern for the poor and suffering grew. Perhaps more than the seminary, his captivity molded him into the saint he became.

After returning to France from two years in captivity in 1607, Father Vincent met Monsignor de Berulle (later Cardinal Berulle), and traveled to Rome with him where he continued his studies. Monsignor de Berulle was an influential writer often credited as the founder of what came to be known as the French School of Spirituality, a movement that focused on fostering a deep personal relationship with Christ, apostolic works, deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, abandonment to the will of God, and reliance on the work of the Holy Spirit. This movement would influence many future saints, including Father Vincent.

In 1609, he was sent back to France to help coordinate almsgiving for Queen Marguerite of Valois. Father Vincent served her briefly, but it was a fruitful period during which he realized the good that the wealthy could do for the poor. In France, he also became a pastor and entered the service of the wealthy and generous Gondi family. In 1617, he became their personal chaplain and tutor to their children. While serving them, he gave missions to the rural populations on their properties. The Gondi family also supervised the prisoners who served as rowers in the galleys of France. This connection allowed Father Vincent to start a ministry for these prisoners, who often had dire spiritual needs. He also formed the Confraternities of Charity, an association of laywomen from various social classes who provided physical and spiritual care to the poor and sick.

In 1625, to address the growing needs he observed, Father Vincent founded the Congregation of the Missions, later known as the Vincentians (or Lazarists). The congregation had begun the prior year when five other priests started assisting Father Vincent with his missions on the Gondi property. The group aimed to minister to the rural poor who, due to poorly trained and neglectful clergy, were spiritually deprived and lacked even a basic understanding of the Catholic faith. The new congregation embarked on a mission of catechesis, sacramental celebrations, and spiritual direction for these peasants. They also worked to meet the physical needs of the sick and poor.

Father Vincent and his fellow priests soon realized that a better long-term solution was to improve clergy formation. Therefore, in line with the recent decrees of the Council of Trent, the Congregation of the Missions began managing seminaries and offering ongoing formation to the clergy. By the time of his death, the congregation was running eleven seminaries. Roughly a century later, the Vincentians controlled about one-third of the seminaries in France.

Also in 1625, Father Vincent became the spiritual director of the widow, and later saint, Louise de Marillac. In 1629, Father Vincent invited Louise to work with the Confraternities of Charity. This collaboration proved fruitful. Over time, Father Vincent and Louise realized that many wealthier women in the confraternity struggled to personally care for the poor. They discerned a need for a congregation to take over this work, allowing the ladies of the confraternity to help in other capacities, such as fundraising. In 1633, they co-founded the Daughters of Charity who dedicated themselves to serving the poor in various capacities, including soup kitchens, hospitals, schools, orphanages, job training, and prison outreach.

For the next twenty-seven years, Father Vincent continued to expand the ministries God had inspired. At the time of his death, the Daughters of Charity, Confraternities of Charity, and Congregation of the Mission were all thriving.

Saint Vincent de Paul was a man of exceptional empathy who acted on that empathy, rather than just feeling it. He was an outstanding organizer who inspired many from every social class to follow him. He inspired seminarians, priests, men, women, the rich, poor, powerful, sick, and everyone else within his circle of influence. Just over 150 years later, Saint Vincent’s ministry continued to inspire, leading to Frédéric Ozanam’s founding of what is today known as the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, an international lay organization providing direct relief and compassion to the poor at local levels. This society inspires many, as do the Vincentians and Daughters of Charity.

As we honor this great saint, ponder the ways that you can put your empathetic heart into action. We are all called to care for the sick, poor, and suffering in various ways. We are all responsible to help share the Gospel with those God puts in our lives. Allow Saint Vincent de Paul to inspire you, as he has so many others, and do not hesitate to respond to that inspiration.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/september-27–st-vincent-of-paul/

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Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs

Daily Saints

c. Late Third Century–c. 287 or 303; Patron Saints of apothecaries, barbers, blind people, chemical industry, druggists, midwives, physicians, pharmacists, surgeons Invoked against blindness, kidney stones, hernias, and pestilence; Pre-Congregation canonizations

Today, the Church honors Saints Cosmas and Damian—twin brothers, physicians, and martyrs who have been widely venerated in the East and West since the time of their deaths. Little is known for certain about these saints. What we do know is that they were martyrs, most likely under Roman Emperor Diocletian. What has come down to us by way of legend, however, offers an inspiring witness of faith and courage from the early Church.

Cosmas and Damian might have been born in Cyrrhus, modern-day Syria, and later moved to the Gulf of Iskenderun in Cilicia, modern-day Turkey, in the mid- to late-third century. They were twins, sons of a Christian mother and possibly a Christian father, who raised them in the faith. They were educated in the science of healing and became physicians.

At that time, physicians were often paid based on their reputations. Those who were highly skilled and successful often catered to the wealthy, receiving regular salaries from them. Others charged for services on a case-by-case basis. Because Cosmas and Damian were Christians, legend holds that they decided to evangelize the largely pagan community in which they lived by doing something extraordinary. They offered their healing services for free! This charitable work earned them the title “Anargyroi,” meaning “without silver.” Their counter-cultural practice caught the attention of their fellow citizens and drew many to the faith. Legends hold that they were excellent physicians who healed many, perhaps more through their prayers than by their science. One legend states that they were the first to transplant a leg to an amputee, which is often depicted in art.

In 284, Diocletian became the Roman emperor and embarked on many reforms within the empire. In 303, he began to issue a series of edicts that led to an empire-wide persecution and death of many Christians. Prior to that, persecutions were more localized and random. Around the year 287 or 303 (records are conflicting), the Roman Prefect Lysias of Cilicia arrested the twins Cosmas and Damian. Christians of prominence were often the first to be targeted.

As was the custom, the brothers were given the opportunity to publicly renounce their faith and honor the Roman gods to save their lives. They refused and were sentenced to death. Various legends surrounding their deaths state that they were first tortured in an attempt to get them to comply with the prefect’s wishes. However, they were miraculously preserved from suffering, sustaining no injuries. Multiple attempts were then made to kill them by drowning, fire, arrows, and stoning, but each attempt failed. Finally, Cosmas and Damian, along with three of their brothers, were beheaded.

It is believed that Cosmas and Damian were buried in the city of Cyrrhus, their possible birthplace. From that time on, they have been widely venerated. Many miraculous healings have been attributed to their intercession. Within a century of their martyrdom, churches were built in their honor in Jerusalem, Egypt, and Mesopotamia.

In the sixth century, Roman Emperor Justinian I honored these saints by restoring the city of their burial. Shortly after, the emperor received a miraculous cure through their intercession. In gratitude, he brought their relics to Constantinople where he built a Church in their honor that became a popular pilgrimage site. In that church, a custom began where the faithful would remain all night at their tomb in prayer, seeking miraculous cures to their ailments. Many miracles have been reported over the centuries.

Also in the sixth century, Pope Symmachus inserted the names of Cosmas and Damian into the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I) and Pope Felix IV repurposed a fourth-century pagan temple in Rome, within the Forum of Peace, renaming it the Basilica Santi Cosma e Damiano. Though it has gone through many renovations, the fifth-century mosaics depicting their story are among the most revered pieces of sacred art in Rome.

Though we will never know the exact historical details of the lives and martyrdoms of Saints Cosmas and Damian until we reach the glories of Heaven, the virtues they enshrine should be a source of inspiration and encouragement. Their work of evangelization through free and selfless service in the name of Christ is worthy of imitation. Their heroic martyrdom presents us with the virtues of courage and fidelity to Christ. Their miraculous intercession for those who have been ill should invite us to rely upon their intercession for the sick today.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/september-27sts-cosmas-and-damian-martyrs/

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Saint Cleopas

Daily Saints

Profile

one of the two disciples of the Way to Emmaus
martyr

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Readings

Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?”

They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?”

And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”

They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.”

And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures.

As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.

Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

– Luke 24:13-35

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

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Saint Pacificus of San Severino

Daily Saints

Profile

Pacificus was the son of Antonio M Divini and Mariangela Bruni, both of whom died when Pacificus was about 3 years old, leaving him to be raised by an uncle. He joined the Franciscans in December 1670 and was ordained in 1678. He was a professor of philosophy, teaching novices and a parish mission preacher. His health failed and he spent his final 29 years lame, deaf and blind, leading a contemplative life. He received visions and ecstasies. He was a miracle worker.

Born

1 March 1653 at San Severino, Italy

Died

24 September 1721 at San Severino, Italy

Beatified

4 August 1786 by Pope Pius VI

Canonized

26 May 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-pacificus-of-san-severino/

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Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest

Daily Saints

1887–1968; Patron Saint of adolescents and civil defense volunteers; Invoked by those in need of stress relief, spiritual healing, and for January blues; Canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002

Saint Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione in Pietrelcina, Italy, a rural town of about 4,000 people. As a child, he was called Franci (Frankie). His parents were peasant farm laborers, and the children assisted with the work. Franci was the third of seven (or eight) children, two (or three) of whom died in infancy, which was quite common at that time. The town centered around the local church of Saint Anna with continuous feasts, Masses, processions, novenas, and parish festivals. The main festival each year was in honor of their patroness, Our Lady of Deliverance, which lasted three days every August. After the day’s work was completed, most evenings were spent with neighbors, eating macaroni, singing, telling stories, and playing in the fields.

The Forgione family was quite devout, and Franci exhibited extraordinary piety from a very early age. The family was especially devoted to the saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary, a love that would remain with Franci throughout his life. As a toddler, Franci often had nightmares. He would later say that he believed the devil was tormenting him at that young age. He also later recalled that, as early as he could remember, he was able to communicate with his guardian angel and had regular visions of the Blessed Mother and Jesus. From the age of five, Franci dedicated himself to God and the Blessed Virgin. He was a good student, even though only three years of public schooling was available in his village. He also suffered from various illnesses throughout his childhood.

At the age of ten, Franci encountered a bearded Capuchin friar who was traveling the countryside begging for food and provisions for his community. Franci was so impressed with him that he informed his parents, “I want to be a friar with a beard!” Though initially amused, his parents took his request seriously and visited the Capuchin friary about thirteen miles north. The friars agreed Franci could join them, but he needed a better preparatory education. Because his parents could not afford to send him to private school or hire a tutor, his father decided to travel to America to earn money for his education. Once in America, his father sent nine American dollars home each week, and Franci received his education. At the age of fifteen, he entered the Capuchins, receiving the name Pio, possibly after Pope Pio I, whose relics were in his hometown church of Saint Anna, or possibly in honor of Pio of Benevento, the provincial.

Just five days before he entered the Capuchins, however, Franci experienced worries about leaving the only life he knew and entering religious life. As he was praying, he had what is known as an “intellectual vision” in which his mind saw what he would later describe as “a majestic Man of rare beauty, resplendent as the sun.” This Man took him by the hand and led him to a “formidable warrior” and “mysterious creature” that he was told to do battle with. He hesitated but the Man encouraged him. He fought and won, and the creature fled. The Man then placed a crown of indescribable beauty on his head and informed him he would have to continually fight the creature but would always win with His help. Three days later, after receiving the Holy Eucharist, Franci realized that his life as a Capuchin would be a continuous battle against the creature from hell, but the Man at his side was Christ Who would never leave him. He had one more vision two days later, the night before his departure, of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin who consoled and strengthened him as he prepared for his new vocation. These visions would come true during his sixty-five years as a friar.

Life as a novice brought with it much structure and discipline. The friars gathered for prayer seven times a day, spent long hours studying, lived in a very simple and small cell, went barefoot, fasted often, and engaged in manual labor. In 1907, at the age of nineteen, Pio took his final vows, and in 1910, at the age of twenty-three, he was ordained a priest. Throughout his seven years of preparation for ordination, Friar Pio was continually in poor health. His fellow friars also reported that he regularly fell into ecstasy in prayer, levitating at times, weeping at others, so immersed that he lost track of time and place. Once ordained, his health was so poor that he was permitted to move to his family home in hopes of recovery. He remained there until 1916 when, at the age of twenty-nine, he was sent to Our Lady of Grace Capuchin Friary, in San Giovanni Rotondo, where he would live the rest of his life, other than a short period of time when he was drafted for military service and quickly discharged for poor health during World War I.

In San Giovanni Rotondo, Padre Pio quickly became known as a mystic. His Masses were exceptionally devout and lengthy due to his prolonged ecstasies. He heard confessions often and gave spiritual counsel to many. His most famous advice was to “pray, hope, and don’t worry.” On September 20, 1918, while praying after Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of a Man, dripping with blood from His hands, feet, and side. Suddenly, Padre Pio’s body was pierced with those wounds as he received the stigmata. He openly carried those wounds for exactly fifty years. They bled up to a cup of blood every day, had a heavenly aroma to them, and caused great pain, especially a wound he had on his shoulder where Christ carried the Cross. Countless doctors examined the wounds over the subsequent fifty years, none of whom was able to give a scientific explanation. Over the next thirteen years, people flocked to see this living saint and mystic. He began to manifest the charisms of healing, bilocation, levitation, prophecy, numerous miracles, and the gift of tongues, in which foreign visitors heard him speak in their own language. He had the ability to read hearts, would spend weeks at a time eating nothing but the Holy Eucharist, and would sleep very little or not at all. Miraculous and profound conversions resulted from his ministry.

To the normal Catholic, these miraculous events were beyond inspiring; to some of the Church authorities they were cause for concern. In 1922, a lengthy investigation began, and restrictions were placed on his priestly ministry. In 1931, the Holy See banned Padre Pio from public ministry and private communications with the people of God. Two years later, Pope Pius XI reversed the restrictions stating, “I have not been badly disposed toward Padre Pio, but I have been badly informed.” Though able to minister publicly, Padre Pio remained under scrutiny and suspicion by various Church authorities for the next thirty years until he was fully exonerated by Pope Paul VI after his papal election in 1963.

In addition to his miraculous ministry consisting of daily Mass, preaching, and countless hours in the confessional, Padre Pio constructed a hospital for those in extreme need. The Holy See granted him special permission to oversee and govern the hospital himself, which was beyond the normal rights and duties for friars.

On September 22, 1968, Padre Pio celebrated a televised solemn Mass attended by thousands to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his reception of the stigmata. The following day, his wounds disappeared and he passed to Heaven. An estimated 100,000 people attended his funeral.

In many ways, Saint Padre Pio was a once-in-a-millenium saint. Though other saints have borne the stigmata, no one bore it so openly for so long. He lived continually in divine union, was used by God in the most miraculous of ways, brought about countless conversions, and believed that his real work would take place after his death. Since 1968, that work has continued as his story has been told, his intercession felt, and miracles continue to occur. His body now lies at rest in the Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church in San Giovanni Rotondo, one of the most frequented pilgrimage sites in the world.

As we honor this amazing saint, allow yourself to be inspired by his miraculous life. Ponder even more deeply the life of prayer and union with God that he led. His sanctity went far beyond miracles. It was primarily the result of prayer, penance, virtuous living, and unwavering obedience to the will of God. Every one of us is capable of this same level of sanctity, even if God does not use us in a miraculous and charismatic way. Seek holiness through prayer and penance, and seek Saint Padre Pio’s intercession to help you.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/september-23—st-pio-of-pietrelcina-padre-pio-priest/

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Saint Maurice

Daily Saints

Profile

Maurice was a layman, soldier, and an officer in a legion of Christian soldiers from Upper Egypt during the reign of Emperor Maximian Herculeus. His legion, as many as 6600 men, was massacred en masse by their own side when they refused to participate in pagan sacrifices prior to battle. He was one of the martyrs of the Theban Legion.

Died

c.287 at Agaunum, an area of modern Switzerland

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Patronage

against cramps
against gout
–
alpine troops, proclaimed
– on 22 September 1941 by Pope Pius XII for Italian troops
– on 25 January 1952 by Pope Pius XII for French troops
– on 16 February 1961 by Pope John XXIII for Belgian troops
armies
armourers
infantrymen
soldiers
swordsmiths
–
boxers
cloth dyers
clothmakers
fighters
hatters
knife grinders
pugilists
weavers
wrestlers
–
Austria
Counts of Savoy
Dukes of Savoy
Pontifical Swiss Guards
United States Army Infantry
in France
– Angers, city of
– Angers, diocese of
Savoy
in Germany
– Magdeburg, diocese of
– Niederaltaich Abbey
– Stadtsulza
in Italy
– Borgofranco d’Ivrea
– Calasetta
– Cassano Magnago
– Castelnuovo di Ceva
– Pianello Val Tidone
– Piedmont
– Sardinia
– Sarre
Manresa, Spain
in Switzerland
– Agaunum
– Appenzell
– St Moritz

Representation

banner
soldier
soldier being executed with other soldiers
knight (sometimes a Moor) in full armour, bearing a standard and a palm
knight in armour with a red cross on his breast, which is the badge of the Sardinian Order of Saint Maurice

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

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Saint Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist

Daily Saints

First Century; Patron Saint of civil servants, accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, customs officers, financial officers, guards, moneychangers, money managers, stockbrokers, and tax collectors; Pre-Congregation canonization

At the time that Jesus began His public ministry, Galilee was part of the Roman Empire. Among the expectations of the Roman authorities was that all who lived under their rule pay taxes. To accomplish this, they often collaborated with local Jews, authorizing them to collect taxes on behalf of the Roman emperor and local governor. The rest of the community often despised the local tax collectors because they were seen as traitors to their people for entering into an oppressive collaboration with the Roman authorities. Even the tax collectors’ families were shunned. For example, their children were often seen as unsuitable as potential spouses. Additionally, many tax collectors were corrupt, imposing more taxes upon the people than they had a legal right to do. The Roman authorities usually overlooked this abuse because they often received a portion of the excess. The tax collectors pocketed the rest. It is within this context that today’s saint, Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, emerged.

Saint Matthew was most likely born as Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Though nothing is known about his childhood, Levi became a tax collector for the Roman authorities. The name “Levi” implies that he was from the Tribe of Levi, the tribe responsible for Jewish liturgical worship. Though scholars cannot arrive at a definitive conclusion about the details of his life, it is almost universally accepted that the Levi mentioned in Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 is the same person mentioned in Matthew 9:9 by the name Matthew. Levi might have been his original name, and Matthew may have been the name given to him by Jesus upon his conversion. The name Matthew means “Gift of Yahweh.”

Levi’s call to follow Jesus was short but profound. He was a man clearly weighed down by his decision to betray his Levitical heritage by working for the Roman authorities to collect taxes for them. He might have been corrupt, greedy, and ostracized by his Jewish community. Most likely, his tax collecting took place in Capernaum, where Jesus had been living in Peter’s home. His duties likely involved gathering taxes on goods that came to Capernaum by way of the Sea of Galilee, as well as collecting a toll from those who arrived in that city by boat. When Jesus began His public ministry, many people took notice. Though there is no biblical account of Matthew listening to Jesus preach prior to his being called, it is reasonable to assume that he did hear about our Lord, and possibly even listened to Him preach in Capernaum. Matthew’s Gospel relates the conversion of the tax collector this way, “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9). There was no hesitancy. In an instant, the tax collector’s life changed.

Immediately after Matthew abandoned his occupation, he invited Jesus to dine at his house and Jesus accepted. Dining with them were other tax collectors and sinners. As a result, the self-righteous Pharisees quickly condemned Jesus for associating Himself with these men. Jesus, however, rebukes the Pharisees, saying, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Matthew 9:12–13).

Jesus’ call and Matthew’s response sent shockwaves through the rigid Jewish authorities. They had grown accustomed to making judgment and issuing condemnation. They were politically-minded powermongers who lacked hearts of mercy. When Jesus arrived and acted with mercy for sinners, desiring their conversion, the Pharisees opposed Him, but the sinners responded. Though tax collectors like Matthew were wealthy and lived comfortably, Matthew found something in Jesus that his money could not produce.

Throughout the rest of the Gospels, Matthew’s name is listed with the Twelve. He was present at the Ascension and at Pentecost where he received his commission and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the other Apostles. Early Church Fathers state that he remained for some time in Judea, preaching the Gospel and helping the newly formed Church. It is during this period that he might have penned his Gospel. It is also commonly held by the Church Fathers that Matthew eventually went to “Ethiopia,” but not Ethiopia in northeast Africa. Instead, he might have traveled to the territory south of the Caspian Sea, modern-day Iran or Armenia.

One legend holds that while in the territory of ancient Ethiopia, Matthew made many converts. Among them were King Egyptus and his whole household, including his daughter Ephigenia. Matthew is said to have consecrated Princess Ephigenia as a virgin and set her over a newly formed company of virgins who gave their lives solely to Christ as His spouses. When King Egyptus died, Hyracus succeeded him as king and wanted to take Ephigenia as his wife. After making this request to Matthew, Matthew invited the new king to church to be instructed in marriage. Once the king arrived in pomp and circumstance, Matthew preached clearly that the virgin Ephigenia already had a spouse, her Lord Jesus Christ, and that she could, therefore, marry no other. Outraged, King Hyracus sent an assassin who stabbed Matthew in the back and killed him while he stood at the altar. The king then ordered that Ephigenia’s home be burned, but the legend continues that Saint Matthew appeared at the house and redirected the fire to the royal palace, which burned down. Shortly afterward, the king was afflicted with leprosy and killed himself, and his son became possessed by demons but later repented at Saint Matthew’s tomb. After this, King Hyracus’ brother became king and established Christianity as the official religion of his kingdom.

The most enduring gift Saint Matthew left behind is his Gospel. Though some modern scholars question whether he was the original author, early Church Fathers attribute the first Gospel to him unequivocally. Matthew’s Gospel was written by a Jew for his fellow Jews. It was most likely written in Hebrew and Aramaic and later translated into Greek. The original Hebrew and Aramaic texts no longer exist. His Gospel clearly shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, the long-awaited Messiah. He begins with a lengthy genealogy in which he traces Jesus’ roots back to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation. Matthew’s Gospel is well structured and organized, offering five major discourses in which he presents the Kingdom of Heaven, the Church’s foundation on Peter, the call to righteousness and obedience to God’s will, unique parables, and the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount especially portrays Jesus as the new Moses, offering the New Law on the new mountain. Though Moses received the Law from God on Mount Sinai, Jesus gives the New Law as God Himself on the Mount of the Beatitudes.

As we honor Saint Matthew, we also celebrate the Gospel itself. Matthew was but a human instrument; the content of his Gospel is the Living Word of God. Ponder the inestimable value of this Gospel that God has used to transform countless lives. By his simple obedience to the will of God, Saint Matthew’s efforts have been exponentially fruitful and will continue to be so until the end of the age.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/september-21–st-matthew-apostle/

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Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest; Saint Paul Chŏng Ha-sang; and Companions, Martyrs

Daily Saints

Died 1839–1867; Patron Saints of Korea; Canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 6, 1984

From 1392–1897, the Great Joseon Dynasty ruled all of what is today North and South Korea. Though shamanism and Buddhism were among the religious beliefs of Koreans during that period, Confucianism was the main philosophical, ethical, and political system. Within that system, a clear hierarchy was established within the family and social structures, with the king on top. This class system was at the heart of their culture. Ancestors were also highly honored and even ritually worshiped, and various human virtues were emphasized, studied, and fostered.

Catholicism was first introduced into Korea via China. The Jesuit Matteo Ricci was one of the first missionaries to step foot in China and introduce the Catholic faith in 1583. Father Ricci and his companions attempted to blend into the culture, learn the language, and teach math, science, astronomy, and mapmaking. They were the first to translate the catechism into the Chinese language. In 1603, a Korean diplomat named Yi Su-gwang was introduced to Matteo Ricci’s catechism in Beijing and returned to Korea, bringing that material with him. Over the subsequent century, the Catholic faith was studied, debated by Confucian scholars, and eventually outlawed by the king in the mid-eighteenth century after determining that Catholicism contradicted various Confucian teachings, such as societal hierarchies and ancestor worship.

In 1784, a twenty-eight-year-old nobleman named Yi Seung-Hun, who had learned about Catholicism in Korea, accompanied his father on a diplomatic mission to Beijing. While there, he sought out some Catholic priests and was baptized as Peter, becoming the first known Korean convert to Catholicism. When he returned to Korea, he brought with him crucifixes, rosaries, statues, and holy images, and shared his newfound faith over the next decade. Catholicism grew covertly, led by the laity. One of the reasons that Catholicism was so attractive to the Koreans was that it placed all people on the same level, eliminating the unjust hierarchy promoted by Confucianism. Catholicism enabled everyone to see each other as equals, individually loved and redeemed by Christ, making them all brothers and sisters.

As the faith slowly grew, the converts asked the Chinese Church for priests. In 1795, a Chinese missionary priest named Father James Zhou Wen-mo became the first recorded priest to step onto Korean soil and offer a clandestine Mass. Over the next six years, it is estimated that the Catholic population grew to about 10,000. In 1801, Father James was arrested and martyred. Though he is not named among today’s canonized saints, he and 123 other early Korean martyrs were proclaimed as Venerable by Pope Francis in 2014.

The 103 Korean Martyrs whom we honor today were canonized together by Pope John Paul II during his apostolic visit to Seoul, South Korea, on May 6, 1984, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the first Korean convert. Today’s saints suffered martyrdom in Korea during the years 1839–1867. Most of them were killed during three major persecutions in 1839, 1846, and 1866.

Among the martyrs of the 1839 persecution was forty-three-year-old Bishop Laurent-Marie-Joseph Imbert. In 1836, after joining the Paris Foreign Missions Society, Father Imbert was appointed the Vicar Apostolic of Korea, ordained a bishop, and entered Korea with ten companions in 1837. For about two years, he and his fellow missionaries hid during the day and ministered in secret at night to the covert Catholic population. In August 1839, Bishop Imbert was betrayed to the authorities who were growing increasingly concerned about the threat the Catholic faith posed to the traditional practices of class hierarchy and ancestor worship. Aware of the potential widespread persecution, Bishop Imbert turned himself in to the authorities and subsequently urged two fellow French priests, Fathers Pierre Philibert Maubant and Jacques Honoré Chastan, to do the same, in the hopes that the sacrifice of their lives would spare the lives of their people. After brutal tortures in an attempt to force them to renounce their faith failed, they were executed on September 21. Their bodies were put on public display for several days.

Catholicism, however, could not be stopped. The seed had been planted, began to grow, and was bearing good fruit. The two martyrs specifically mentioned in today’s memorial are Sts. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang. Paul was born in 1795 into a noble Korean family. He was a lay catechist and a married man. In addition to teaching the Catholic faith, Paul made several trips to Beijing to convince the Paris Foreign Missionary Society to send priests to Korea. He even wrote to the pope with the same request. Partly due to his efforts, Bishop Imbert and his ten missionary companions were sent to minister to the needs of the clandestine Korean Catholic community. In 1839, Catechist Paul Chŏng Ha-sang was martyred during the same persecution that took the life of Bishop Imbert.

Andrew Kim was also born into the noble ruling class of the Joseon Dynasty. His parents were among the many new converts to Catholicism. In 1836, at the age of fourteen or fifteen, Andrew was baptized. Three years later, his father was among the 1839 martyrs and is included in the list of today’s saints. After Andrew was baptized, he traveled 1,300 miles to the Portuguese colony of Macau where he entered seminary. He was later sent to the Philippines to complete his theological training, and in 1845, was ordained in Shanghai as the first Korean priest. Shortly afterward, he secretly returned to Korea via a treacherous sea journey so as to avoid the border guards and to begin his priestly ministry in Korea.

Father Andrew’s ministry in Korea was short-lived, but abundantly fruitful. In addition to offering the Sacraments in secret and teaching the faith, he helped to coordinate the arrival of other French missionary priests. His activity, however, did not go unnoticed. He was arrested in 1846 and subjected to brutal tortures in an attempt to get him to renounce his faith. Father Andrew not only remained strong in the profession of his faith while imprisoned, he also wrote several letters, including a most inspirational one to his parishioners. In that letter, he addressed the hardships that his parishioners would face, offered them hope, pointed them to salvation in Christ, and encouraged them to remain firm in their faith by finding strength in the teachings of the Catholic Church. He died by beheading on September 16, 1846, on the banks of the Han River at the age of twenty-five.

Persecution of Christians continued for the next twenty years, and in 1866, the worst persecution took place, claiming thousands of lives. In all, it has been estimated that between 10,000–20,000 Christians were martyred in Korea during the nineteenth century. The attempts to stop conversions to Catholicism in Korea were brutal. Imprisonment was not enough. Death was not sufficient. Cruel torture was the weapon used by the rulers to deter the spread of the faith. The 103 martyrs we honor today tell us that those efforts failed. Furthermore, the 123 martyrs proclaimed as venerable in 2014 give further credence to the fruitfulness of faith in the face of persecution.

As we honor today’s Korean martyrs, we are reminded that an authentic encounter with Christ so transforms a person that Christ becomes the center of his or her life. Real faith cannot be stopped. These martyrs chose faith over their earthly lives and eternity over temporal comforts. Their united witness should challenge each one of us to examine how deeply we believe in Christ. Is your faith strong enough to endure what they endured? If not, seek their intercession today and recommit yourself to making Jesus Christ the center of your life.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/september-20—sts-andrew-kim-taegon-paul-chong-hasang-and-companions/

Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest; Saint Paul Chŏng Ha-sang; and Companions, Martyrs Read More »

Saint Januarius, Bishop and Martyr

Daily Saints

Died c. 304; Patron Saint of Naples, Italy and blood banks; Invoked against volcanic eruptions; Pre-Congregation canonization

The third-century theologian Tertullian famously wrote, “The more we are mown down by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is seed.” Sometimes, his phrase is translated as, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church” (Apologeticus, L.13). There has been no time when this phrase rang truer than in the Roman Empire between the years 303 and 313. In 303 and 304, the Roman Emperor Diocletian issued a series of edicts initiating what has come to be known as the “Great Persecution.” Though the exact reason for this persecution remains unclear, many Christians were imprisoned, tortured, and killed. Others had their properties confiscated or were sent to work in mines under harsh conditions. Among the most famous martyrs of this persecution are Saints George, Catherine of Alexandria, Agnes, Sebastian, Vincent, Pancras, Cosmas, Damian, Anastasia, Lucy, and today’s saint, Saint Januarius.

Januarius is believed to have been born into a wealthy aristocratic family in the city of Benevento, located about 150 miles southeast of Rome, via the Appian Way. Little is known for certain about Januarius’ childhood and life, aside from what was recorded centuries later in various legends. One legend states that he became a priest at the age of fifteen in Benevento and the bishop of either Benevento or Naples at twenty.

When persecutions under Emperor Diocletian began in 303 and 304, chaos ensued across the empire, including Naples. According to legend, four of Bishop Januarius’ friends were arrested: two deacons named Sosius and Proculus, and two laymen named Eutyches and Acutius. To encourage them, Bishop Januarius went to visit them in prison. However, during his visit, he too was arrested and imprisoned by Timothy, the Governor of Campania. Shortly afterward, the bishop’s deacon, Festus, and a lay lector named Desiderius were also arrested when they came to visit Bishop Januarius.

During their interrogations, each Christian boldly professed his faith. They were threatened with death if they refused to offer sacrifices to the Roman gods, but they refused. Consequently, an order was issued for them to be burned. However, when Bishop Januarius was thrown into the flames, he remained unharmed. Next, it was decreed that they be fed to wild beasts in the arena. According to one legend, the beasts became docile and refused to devour them. Ultimately, they were ordered to be beheaded. When the executioner approached, he was struck blind, but Bishop Januarius cured him in front of everyone, leading to many conversions.

After consenting to their martyrdom, all seven men were beheaded. Saint Januarius’ body was taken to Naples and buried in the principal church. Since then, many miracles have been reported by those who prayed at his tomb. It is believed that Naples was saved from volcanic eruptions from nearby Mount Vesuvius due to these miracles.

Though his heroic martyrdom is the greatest witness he could offer, God has continued to use Saint Januarius in a mysterious and ongoing way. Legend holds that, after his death, a holy woman named Eusebia collected some of his blood and stored it in two glass vials. That blood, the blood of a martyr, was later enshrined in the church next to his body. Veneration of Saint Januarius began soon after his death. At some point, an ongoing miraculous phenomenon began to occur. Every year, three times each year, his dried blood liquefies in the presence of the faithful. On some occasions, the blood fails to liquefy, which some interpret as a sign that the faithful should pray for an impending threat to the city. The first written record of the liquefaction of Saint Januarius’ blood is believed to be from 1389, as noted in the chronicle of the cleric Giovanni Diacono of Naples. Records of this annual miracle have continued ever since.

Today, the blood is enclosed in a silver reliquary containing two hermetically sealed vials. The larger one is about four inches high and two and a quarter inches in diameter. Throughout the year, the blood appears as an opaque, dark, and solid mass when viewed in the light. When turned to the side, it does not move. The first instance of liquefaction is on the Saturday before the first Sunday of May, commemorating the translation of the saint’s relics to Naples. The second time is on September 19, the feast of Saint Januarius. The third event takes place on the anniversary of the 1631 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, December 16, when a silver bust believed to house the skull of Saint Januarius is placed on the altar, and the blood is brought out for veneration. The liquefaction usually occurs during the first two times but often fails on December 16.

Although scientists have attempted to explain this phenomenon, no one has successfully cast sufficient doubt on its miraculous nature. It remains a source of deep devotion for Catholics in Naples and continues to inspire many worldwide.

As we honor this ancient saint who continues to inspire us today, ponder the simple truth that miracles do happen. For God, miracles are easy. However, miracles should never be the foundation of our faith in God. True faith comes only from a personal encounter with the Living Lord. Ponder the depth of your own faith. Though this miracle should inspire you, look more deeply and ponder the true source of faith in your life. Seek out the voice of God as that source, spoken gently to you in your conscience. Listen to Him and allow Him to reveal Himself to you, so that God and God alone is the true source of all that you believe and all that you do.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/september-19–st-januarius-martyr/

Saint Januarius, Bishop and Martyr Read More »

Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Daily Saints

1098–1179; Patron Saint of philologists and Esperantists; Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 (equipollent canonization); Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012

Feudalism, characterized by relationships structured around landholding in exchange for service or labor, was the defining characteristic of the socio-economic system in Europe between the ninth and fifteenth centuries. Within the feudal system, the monarch, princes, dukes, counts, and their immediate family members—known as the upper nobility—were the primary landowners and rulers. Below them were the lower nobility who often managed less land and served the upper nobility as knights, barons, and lesser lords. Depending on their rank, these nobles ruled over territories known as kingdoms, principalities, and duchies. It was within this complex feudal system, with its intricate hierarchy and blend of secular and ecclesiastical authority, that today’s saint was born.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen was born to parents of lower nobility in the village of Bermersheim vor der Höhe, within the Duchy of Franconia, modern-day Germany. Her father was in the service of Count Stephan II of Sponheim, a powerful member of the upper nobility. Hildegard, the tenth child in her family, was offered to the Church as a tithe by her parents when she was eight years old, as was the custom at that time. She was given to the Benedictine monastery at Disibodenberg, about twenty-five miles from her hometown, and was cared for by Jutta von Sponheim, the daughter of Count Stephan II.

Jutta was only six years older than Hildegard. When Jutta was fourteen, she became a hermit next to the men’s Benedictine monastery of Disibodenberg and eventually the magistra, or abbess, of the women’s branch. Despite Hildegard’s sickliness as a child, Jutta taught her to read Latin well enough to pray the Psalms and Divine Office. Jutta also taught basic catechism and helped to form Hildegard’s life of faith, devotion, and asceticism. Hildegard also learned to play the psaltery, a primitive form of the harp. As Jutta was also of noble descent, she was in a unique position to understand Hildegard and help her on a personal level. Together, they inspired other noble girls to join them. In 1112, after about seven years with the Benedictines, Hildegard took the Benedictine veil under Bishop Otto of Bamberg at the age of fifteen.

In 1136, Abbess Jutta died and Hildegard, at the age of thirty-eight, was elected abbess. Over the next fourteen years, the community continued to grow under Abbess Hildegard’s leadership. By 1150, she had moved her community to Rupertsberg, near Bingen, and later established a second monastery at Eibingen in 1165.

Though Hildegard entered religious life, she received a good—although limited—education. Despite this, she developed vast knowledge in numerous areas, which points first to her high intelligence. However, her knowledge was also infused by what she referred to as “the shadow of the living light.” This “living light” came to her in the form of mystical visions and inspirations from a very early age. She mostly kept these mystical experiences to herself until she was in her forties. During those earlier years, she absorbed this mystical knowledge, pondered it, allowed it to grow and deepen, so that it formed who she later became. More than anyone else, her Teacher was the Holy Spirit, and her knowledge was a divine infusion of Truth that flooded her mind and gave her a supernatural understanding of Scripture, life, God, Heaven, hell, sin, Christ, and the entirety of revelation. Her supernatural knowledge even gave her insight into the natural sciences.

In 1142, at the age of forty-four, Abbess Hildegard intensely sensed God commanding her to begin writing her visions and sharing her divinely infused knowledge. The rest of her life would be spent transcribing all that she understood by this infusion of the living light. The clarity, specificity, and depth of her visions prove that they could only originate from the Holy Spirit. Her first work, completed in 1151, was a written description of twenty-six visions with her commentary on them known as Scivias—“Know the Ways.” These visions and commentaries touch on the creation of the world, the nature of God, Heaven and hell, angels and demons, humanity, the Incarnation, Scriptural interpretations, the fall, redemption, the Church, Sacraments, the end of time, and much more. She offered a summary of all of salvation history in specific and profound language.

After completing her first great visionary work, Hildegard spent the next twenty-eight years writing extensively. She completed two more major visionary works in which she dealt with virtue and vice, God’s relationship with man, and God’s activity in the world. She also wrote in detail on natural sciences, medicine, and women’s health, despite her lack of formal education in these areas. Furthermore, she wrote on the saints and the Rule of Saint Benedict. She penned numerous letters to popes, emperors, abbots, abbesses, and others. She was also an artist and musician, composing beautiful hymns and setting them to music, accompanied by illustrations in the manuscripts. Many of her compositions, with their soaring melodies and beautiful harmonies, are still sung today.

Though Abbess Hildegard lived within the walls of her monastery, she was frequently called upon for counsel by the universal Church. She was often invited to preach in public squares and cathedrals, unusual for women at that time. Her writings were examined and approved by Pope Eugene III and were examined and praised by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard’s contemporary.

Saint Hildegard was officially declared a saint and Doctor of the Church in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, even though she had informally been recognized as a saint since the time of her death. Given this recent honor, Saint Hildegard’s writings should be seen as especially relevant for the Church today. Her profound mystical and apocalyptical-like wisdom sheds light for us on many of the deepest mysteries of life.

As we honor this great saint and recent Doctor of the Church, ponder the fact that all true wisdom and knowledge come only from God. The most brilliant minds and greatest scientific advancements will forever pale in comparison to the revelations of God. Seek that wisdom, open yourself more fully to the truths of God, and pray that “living light” of God will teach you all you need to know to be of greater service to His perfect plan for your life.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/saint-hildegard-of-bingen/

Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church Read More »

St. Vincent de Paul

c. 1581–1660; Patron Saint of charitable societies and workers, horses, hospitals and hospital workers, lepers, lost articles, prisoners, spiritual help, and volunteers; Canonized by Pope Clement XII on June 16, 1737

Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs

c. Late Third Century–c. 287 or 303; Patron Saints of apothecaries, barbers, blind people, chemical industry, druggists, midwives, physicians, pharmacists, surgeons Invoked against blindness, kidney stones, hernias, and pestilence; Pre-Congregation canonizations

Saint Cleopas

Saint Pacificus of San Severino

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest

1887–1968; Patron Saint of adolescents and civil defense volunteers; Invoked by those in need of stress relief, spiritual healing, and for January blues; Canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002

Saint Maurice

Saint Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist

First Century; Patron Saint of civil servants, accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, customs officers, financial officers, guards, moneychangers, money managers, stockbrokers, and tax collectors; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest; Saint Paul Chŏng Ha-sang; and Companions, Martyrs

Died 1839–1867; Patron Saints of Korea; Canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 6, 1984

Saint Januarius, Bishop and Martyr

Died c. 304; Patron Saint of Naples, Italy and blood banks; Invoked against volcanic eruptions; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

1098–1179; Patron Saint of philologists and Esperantists; Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 (equipollent canonization); Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012

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