Daily Saints

Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop

316 or 336–397; Patron Saint of beggars, cavalry, equestrians, geese, horses, innkeepers, Pontifical Swiss Guards, quartermasters, reformed alcoholics, soldiers, tailors, and winemakers; Invoked against alcoholism and poverty; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Martin of Tours has been one of the most revered and loved saints in European history for two primary reasons: he lived a life of heroic sanctity, and someone wrote it all down. Sulpicius Severus is believed to have been a wealthy man who converted to Christianity through the ministry of Bishop Martin. He then became a priest, interviewed Bishop Martin before he died, and wrote a book about Martin’s incredible life. The book was copied over and over again and became one of the standard texts for religious and laity alike for many centuries. Numerous churches and monasteries bear Martin’s name as a result of his popularity.

Martin was born in Sabaria in Pannonia, within the Roman Empire, modern-day Szombathely, Hungary. Some early records state he was born in 316, others in 336. When Martin was young, his family moved to Ticinum, modern-day Pavia, northern Italy. He was born in the Roman Empire during an important period of change. In 313, Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, legalizing Christianity. Constantine then became a Christian himself, and it became known that he favored Christians over those who remained pagans. As a result, many people began converting, some for political and economic reasons.

Martin’s father was a soldier who advanced to the rank of military tribune. As a child, Martin became interested in Christianity, but his parents clung to Roman paganism, dismissing the newly legalized Christianity. Martin, however, was not satisfied with his parents’ choice. So, at the age of ten, he went to the local Catholic Church and asked to become a Christian. He was enrolled as a catechumen and began the lengthy process of preparing for Baptism, which would not take place until ten years later. When he was twelve years old, he asked his parents to permit him to become a hermit, but they refused. At the age of fifteen, in compliance with a state law requiring sons of military officers to enlist in the Roman military, Martin became a soldier. Despite being surrounded by many who lived immoral lives, Martin remained true to his faith and lived quite virtuously. His language was always respectful, he treated others with exceptional kindness, he often gave most of his money and belongings to the poor, he humbled himself by serving those who were supposed to serve him, and he continued his preparation for Baptism.

One day, while riding his horse through a town in the middle of winter, Martin came upon a poor man who was poorly dressed and shivering. The man begged people for help, but they ignored him. Martin knew he had to assist, but he had already given his money and other clothing away to the needy. All he had left was the military cloak he wore on his own back, so he dismounted his horse, took out his sword, cut the cloak in two, and gave half to the poor man. His fellow soldiers later laughed at his small funny-looking cloak. That night, Martin had a dream in which Jesus appeared to him wearing the half-cloak and said to a multitude of angels who surrounded them, “Martin, still only a catechumen, has clothed me.” When he awoke, he knew what he needed to do. He sought baptism, which he received at the age of twenty.

Martin remained in the military for two more years at the request of a friend. One day, the commanding officer was passing out bonuses to the soldiers as they prepared for battle the next day. When Martin was called forward, he stated, “I have been your soldier until now. Let me serve God henceforth. Give your bonus to someone who’ll fight for you. I am Christ’s soldier, and it’s not right for me to engage in battle.” Martin was accused of being a coward because they were going into battle the following day. To that accusation he replied, “If you believe I’m acting out of fear, I’ll stand unarmed in front of the enemy lines tomorrow. Shielded only by my faith in Jesus and the sign of the cross, I’ll face them without armor.” Martin was then thrown into prison to wait for the battle, which never happened because the opposing side sought peace. Martin was soon after released from the military.

Having heard of the renowned bishop and future Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Martin traveled to Poitiers in present-day France and stayed with the bishop for some time, learning from him the orthodox faith. He was also ordained a deacon and made an exorcist by Bishop Hilary. After Bishop Hilary was forced into exile for combating Arianism in the imperial court, and after Deacon Martin had a dream about converting his pagan parents, he decided to return to his hometown. On the way, he was attacked by robbers, but upon being asked who he was, he told one of the robbers that he was a Christian. Deacon Martin then shared the Gospel with the man, who repented, let Martin go, and later converted. When Deacon Martin arrived home, he converted his mother to the Christian faith but could not move his father. Others in his hometown also converted.

After encountering the wrath of some Arian priests whom he opposed, and even the Arian Archbishop of Milan, Deacon Martin and a priest spent time living as hermits on the Island of Gallinara. There they lived on herbs and wild roots. One day Martin ate a poisonous root by mistake, but through fervent prayer, God healed him.

Upon hearing that Bishop Hilary’s exile from Poitiers had ended, Deacon Martin moved to a town near the holy bishop and established a monastery. From there, he began preaching throughout the region and performing many miracles. He restored an unbaptized catechumen to life. When the catechumen returned to life, he stated that it was due to Martin’s prayers. On another occasion, Martin brought a slave back to life who had hung himself.

In 371, Martin was chosen by the consent of the people as the Bishop of Tours. Though he initially opposed it and tried to hide, he was tricked and led to the cathedral where his ordination awaited. Once ordained the Bishop of Tours, Bishop Martin moved outside the city and established hermitages with other clerics where he led a life of prayer. For the next twenty-six years, he lived both an eremitical life and also engaged in an active ministry. He traveled throughout Gaul (France), preaching, converting many, performing miracles, and casting out demons. He opposed heresies, worked with other orthodox bishops—such as the future Saint Ambrose of Milan—destroyed pagan temples, and gained the respect of all. His opponents feared him, and his supporters praised God every time they witnessed his ministry in action.

Though Saint Martin of Tours lived a life of heroic virtue and deep prayer, his life and veneration reveal the importance of sharing the stories of the saints with others. After his death, his life has continued to inspire many. As we honor Saint Martin, ponder any ways that God might want to use you as He used Sulpicius Severus, Saint Martin’s biographer. Though you might not be called to write a book about a saint you know, consider ways in which you can share the Gospel by learning more about the saints and sharing their stories with others.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/saint-martin-tours/

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Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor

Daily Saints

c. 400–461; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV in 1754

When Cardinal Ratzinger was elected pope, taking the name Benedict XVI, the first words he spoke from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica referred to his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, whom he referred to as “the great pope.” Since then, many have referred to him as “John Paul the Great.” Prior to that, only three popes came to be universally called “the Great”—Saint Gregory the Great (590–604), Saint Nicholas the Great (858–867), and the pope we honor today, Saint Leo the Great (440–461), who was the first pope to receive that title.

Leo was born in Tuscany, within the Western Roman Empire, at a time when the empire was experiencing decline due to ongoing threats of barbarian invasions, internal administrative disputes, and a difficult economic situation. Leo considered himself a Roman, since he spent his early years in the city. While still young, he was ordained a deacon in Rome under Pope Celestine and served him and his successor, Pope Sixtus III, in this capacity from 430–439. Deacons in Rome served the Church in important ways—as organizers of charitable works, liturgical services, and diplomatic missions; as administrators; and often as papal advisors. Deacon Leo quickly became highly respected in Rome as a man of unmatched theological learning and pastoral wisdom, prudence, and courage.

In 439, a dispute broke out in the northern part of the Roman Empire between a Roman prefect named Albinus and a prominent Roman general named Aetius. Seeing the need for a resolution so as to avoid internal conflict and even war, the Western Roman emperor asked the pope to send Deacon Leo to broker peace. While on the diplomatic mission, Pope Sixtus III died and the Roman clergy quickly chose Deacon Leo as the new pontiff. Word was sent to him, and he returned to Rome, was ordained a bishop on September 29, 440, and took charge of the keys of Saint Peter.

As the newly elected pope, Pope Leo wasted no time. At the heart of his mission was unity in the true faith, under the Vicar of Christ. At that time, papal primacy was not as clear as it is today. Not all supported the idea that the pope was the universal pastor and teacher of the faith, holding universal authority.

One way Pope Leo taught about papal primacy was by exercising it. When he became aware of heresies, he exercised discipline. He discovered that some clerics in Aquileia were holding on to the heresy of Pelagianism and instructed the bishop that they could not be admitted to communion unless they fully and publicly renounced their error. In Rome, when he discovered a sect of Manichæism, he sought the members out, engaged them in public debate, burned their books with the support of the civil authorities, and did all he could to purge them from the Church. When he learned that the heresy of Priscillianism was growing in Spain, he wrote at length to the Spanish bishops, pointing out the heresy, and advising them on ways to root it out. In all of this, Pope Leo began to emerge as “the” pope, not just one spiritual father among many others. He saw himself as the Vicar of Christ and acted as the Vicar of Christ, helping to further solidify this teaching of papal primacy.

During the first few centuries of the Church, various problems and heresies emerged and were dealt with by local bishops, councils, and synods. In the fourth and fifth centuries, once Christianity was legalized and supported in the Roman Empire, four ecumenical (universal) councils took place that addressed the entire Church and clarified the universal teaching on various Christological beliefs, while also condemning heretical views. Nicea was the first of the ecumenical councils and took place in 325. The other councils were Constantinople (381), Ephesus (431), and Chalcedon (451). At each of these councils, the pope played a role, consenting with the decisions either in person or through papal legate. Such was the case with Pope Leo at the Council of Chalcedon.

The Council of Chalcedon was called by the Roman emperor in response to the Monophysite heresy, which taught that Christ had only a single nature that was either divine or a fusion of divine and human. Pope Leo exercised his authority over the Church by refusing to permit the council to move forward unless his papal legates presided over it. The emperor agreed. Of this council, Pope Benedict XVI said, “This Council, held in 451 and in which 350 Bishops took part, was the most important assembly ever to have been celebrated in the history of the Church.” He went on to explain that Chalcedon was the culmination and fulfillment of the previous three ecumenical councils, providing the Church with a definitive understanding of the nature of Christ, the Trinity, and the Mother of God.

Pope Leo sent a lengthy letter with his legates to the Council of Chalcedon, which was originally sent to the Archbishop of Constantinople, in which he articulated that Christ had two distinct natures coexisting in one person, not just one nature. His famous letter, referred to as the “Tome of Leo,” stated in part:

Without detriment, therefore, to the properties of either of the two natures and substances which are joined in the one person, majesty took on humility; strength, weakness; eternity, mortality; and, in order to pay off the debt which attached to our condition, inviolable nature was united with passible nature, so that, as suited the cure of our ills, one and the same Mediator between God and men, the Man Jesus Christ, could die with the one nature and not die with the other. Thus true God was born in the whole and perfect nature of true man; complete in what was His own, complete in what was ours.

Once the letter was read to all the gathered bishops, they jointly cried, “Peter has spoken through Leo!” A decree was then formulated, based on Pope Leo’s letter, that taught the orthodox position and declared the Monophysite position to be a heresy.

In 451, barbarians from the north arrived in northern Italy with the intention of conquering the Western Roman Empire. Before the invaders advanced to Rome, Pope Leo went out to meet them to broker peace. When he met up with their leader, Attila the Hun, legend has it that Saints Peter and Paul appeared behind the pope with swords and in a threatening position. The sight was so overwhelming to Attila that he and his army withdrew in fear for their lives.

Pope Leo’s final years in Rome were spent preaching and teaching. He left behind about 100 sermons and 150 letters, all of which present many clear teachings on Christ and the Church in a pastoral and convincing way. These letters and sermons have had a profound influence on later Catholic thought. Pope Leo also fostered personal devotions, fasting, and almsgiving. He enlivened the liturgy, helped the sick, built churches, and preached the Gospel to his people.

As we honor Saint Leo the Great, reflect upon the fact that this one man had an enormous impact on the life of the Church. Though he is widely unknown today, his impact is still felt by the faithful, given the direction in which he steered the Church during his papacy, and because of the influence his writings had on the ongoing formulation of Christian doctrine. Offer a prayer of gratitude to God for his life, and pray for the pope today and every pope to follow, that they will turn to Saint Leo the Great as an example for their own papal ministry.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/november-10–st-leo-the-great/

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Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Daily Saints

The most important temple is the temple of a person’s soul because God dwells within each one of us. In the most secret center of our being is that sacred sanctuary where we meet God. Saint Teresa of Ávila called it the Presence Chamber, the most central and interior dwelling place within us.

In addition to the temple of the soul, there are many sacred places throughout the world. There are shrines, churches, basilicas, grottos, cathedrals, and other holy places that are set aside for the sole purpose of worship of God. They are to be a Heaven on earth, a place where we join with the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones in their angelic praises of the Most Holy Trinity. Today’s feast commemorates one such place, the most important church on earth.

In the city of Rome, there are four major basilicas. The first three are Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, and the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. The fourth is the Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran, also called Saint John Lateran, or the Lateran Basilica for short. Of the four major basilicas, the oldest and most important is Saint John Lateran, the dedication of which is remembered today. Though the pope now lives next to Saint Peter’s Basilica, Saint John Lateran is the official cathedral of Rome. That means Saint John Lateran is not only the mother church of the Archdiocese of Rome but also the mother church of the entire world.

The church building has a long and storied history. In the year 64, the erratic and cruel Roman Emperor Nero blamed a devastating fire in Rome on the Christians. In retaliation, he ordered the execution of many Christians, including Saints Peter and Paul. In 65, there was a conspiracy to kill Nero with the help of the Counsel-designate Plautius Lateranus (Lateran). When Nero learned of the plot, he immediately beheaded Lateranus and confiscated his home, the Lateran Palace. Subsequent Roman emperors used the palace in various ways over the next 250 years, such as a military fort. In 312, when Constantine the Great became the sole ruler of the Western Roman Empire, he took possession of the Lateran Palace. The following year, after issuing the Edict of Milan with Emperor Licinius of the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantine donated the Lateran Palace to Pope Miltiades who first used it to conduct a synod of bishops and then began constructing the first Basilica in Rome. Upon its completion in the year 324, it was dedicated by Pope Sylvester and given the name the “House of God,” with a special designation to Christ the Savior. With that, the first cathedral in the most important diocese was established.

Constantine the Great did much to help the Catholic Church flourish after legalizing its practice. He saw to it that the Lateran Basilica was beautifully decorated with gold and silver. He also built many other churches in Rome, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Constantinople. Up until that time, the church had suffered greatly, always fearing persecution and death. Now, it had its first cathedral in the heart of Rome, beautifully decorated, with the Roman Emperor’s full support.

Though the basilica was first dedicated to Christ the Savior, in the tenth century Pope Sergius III added a new baptistry and rededicated the basilica to Saint John the Baptist. In the twelfth century, Pope Lucius II dedicated the basilica to Saint John the Evangelist. The basilica, therefore, honors Christ the Savior first and the two Saint Johns as the co-patrons.

Though the Lateran Basilica has remained the pope’s cathedral from the time of its dedication, the Lateran Palace, next to the Basilica, was the papal residence from 324–1305. In 1305, Pope Clement V was elected to the papacy and refused to move to Rome. In 1309, he moved the entire papal court to Avignon, France, where it remained until Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome from Avignon in 1377. Upon the pope’s return to Rome, the Lateran Palace was in disrepair due to two fires, so the pope eventually built a new palace next to Saint Peter’s on Vatican Hill, where every subsequent pope has resided until today.

As we honor the mother church of the whole world, ponder the importance of a church building. A church is sacred because it is exclusively dedicated to the worship of God. Saint John Lateran is an exclusive-purpose church. It is the pope’s cathedral from which the entire Church is governed and the central place of worship for the world. As we honor the dedication of that church in 324, pray for the Church today. Pray for your local parish, religious institutions, religious orders, dioceses, national conferences, and the Universal Church headed in Rome. Our churches and sacred places exist to be places where we come to encounter God. Pray for the pope in a particular way today, that Saint John Lateran will always be a place where he, and every pope after him, will encounter God in a profound way.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/november-9—feast-of-the-dedication-of-the-lateran-basilica-rome/

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Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity

Daily Saints

Profile

Elizabeth was the daughter of Captain Joseph Catez and Marie Catez. Her father died when the she was seven, leaving her mother to raise her and her sister Marguerite. She was noted as a lively, popular girl, extremely stubborn, given to fits of rage, with great reverence for God, and an early attraction to a life of prayer and reflection. She was a gifted pianist. She visited the sick and taught catechism to children.

Much against her mother‘s wishes, Elizabeth entered the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Dijon, France on 2 August 1901. Though noted for great spiritual growth, she was also plagued with periods of powerful darkness, and her spiritual director expressed doubts over Elizabeth’s vocation. She completed her novitiate, and took her final vows on 11 January 1903. She became a spiritual director for many, and left a legacy of letters and retreat guides. Her dying words: I am going to Light, to Love, to Life!

Born

Sunday 18 July 1880 in a military camp in the diocese of Bourges, France as Elizabeth Catez

Died

9 November 1906 at Dijon, Côte-d’Or, France of Addison’s disease, a hormone disorder whose side effects are painful and exhausting

Venerated

12 July 1982 by Pope John Paul II (decree of heroic virtues)

Beatified

25 November 1984 by Pope John Paul II
the beatification miracle involved the healing of a priest from “genitourinary tuberculosis with right renal tuberculosis, right nephrectomy, in a subject with progressing Pott’s disease” c.1964 through the intercession of Blessed Elizabeth

Canonized

16 October 2016 by Pope Francis
canonization celebrated at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Rome, Italy
the canonization miracle involved the July 2002 healing of a woman from “Sjøgren’s syndrome”, which includes xerostomia, which prevented the woman from eating solid foods, neurogenic bladder condition, and motor impairment; the healing was instant, and occurred when the woman was on pilgrimage to the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Dijon where Saint Elizabeth had lived for several years

Patronage

against bodily ills
against the death of parents
against illness
against sickness
sick people

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-elizabeth-of-the-trinity/

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Saint Peter Ou

Daily Saints

Profile

Peter was born to a non-Christian family. He was known from his youth for his sense of justice, his quick defense of the poor and oppressed; his outspoken nature actually frightened people in his traditionalist region. A husband and self-made businessman, he owned and ran a large hotel. He was one of the first converts made by missionaries to his area. Naturally enthusiastic, Peter tossed out his household idols, and preached Christianity to anyone who came by. Lay leader of the converts in his district, he took the name Peter at baptism. He worked as a catechist for missionaries in Sichuan and instructed 600 people in Christianity. He was arrested on 3 April 1814 during a violent backlash against the faith. Imprisoned and tortured to break him from his faith, he worked to inspire the faith in his fellow prisoners, and led prayer services in the cells. He was condemned to death for refusing to step on a crucifix. He was one of the Martyrs of China.

Born

1768 at Longping in Guizhou Province, China

Died

strangled to death on 7 November 1814 at Tsen-y-Fou, Su-Tchuen province, China

Beatified

27 May 1900 by Pope Leo XIII

Canonized

1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-peter-ou/

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Saint Willibrord of Echternach

Daily Saints

Profile

Willibrord was the son of Saint Hilgis. He was educated at Ripon, England and in Ireland under Saint Egbert. He was a missionary to Friesland and Luxembourg with Saint Swithbert. He was a Benedictine monk. and the founding bishop of Utrecht, Netherlands in 695, He was ordained by Pope Saint Sergius I. He worked with Saint Boniface, Saint Rumold, Saint Werenfridus, Saint Engelmund, and Saint Adalbert of Egmond. He founded monasteries.

Born

658 at Northumbria, England

Died

7 November 739 of natural causes in one of the monasteries he founded
relics at Echternach, Luxembourg and in the Cathedral of Saint Catherine in Utrecht, Netherlands

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Patronage

against convulsions
against epilepsy
convulsives
epileptics
–
Belgium
Luxembourg
Netherlands (proclaimed on 29 November 1950 by Pope Pius XII)
in Belgium
– Heusden
– Olmen
in England
– Ripon
Echternach, Luxembourg
in the Netherlands
– Friesland
– Haarlem-Amsterdam, diocese of
– Utrecht, archdiocese of
– Utrecht, city of
Waalre

Representation

cleric dipping his staff into a cask

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-willibrord-of-echternach/

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Saint Guido Maria Conforti

Daily Saints

Profile

As a child, Guido used to have conversations in his parish church with Christ crucified. He entered the seminary in Parma, Italy at age 17 and ordained on 22 September 1888. He was a professor and Vice-rector of the seminary. He became Vicar of Clergy in the diocese of Parma. He founded the Missionari Saveriani (Xaverian Missionaries) on 3 December 1895; they were assigned by Rome to evangelize China. He became the Archbishop of Ravenna, Italy on 9 June 1902. He resigned as archbishop due to poor health in October 1904. He became a coadjutor bishop of Parma, Italy and titular archbishop of Stauropolis on 14 November 1904. He became Archbishop of Parma, Italy on 12 December 1907. He visited his parishes regularly, worked for religious formation, supported religious education for the laity and lay involvement with youth. In 1928, he travelled to China to visit the Xaverians working there.

Born

30 March 1865 at Ravadese, Parma, Italy

Died

5 November 1931 in Parma, Italy of natural causes
buried in the center of the apse of the church of the motherhouse of the Xaverian Missionaries in Parma

Venerated

11 February 1982 by Pope John Paul II (decree of heroic virtues)

Beatified

17 March 1996 by Pope John Paul II in Rome, Italy
the beatification miracle involved the cure of 12 year old Sabina Kamariza’s pancreatic cancer in Burundi, Africa in 1965

Canonized

23 October 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI

Patronage

Xaverian Missionaries

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-guido-maria-conforti/

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Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

Daily Saints

1538–1584; Patron Saint of apple orchards, bishops, catechism writers, catechists, catechumens, seminarians, starchmakers, and spiritual directors; Invoked against abdominal pain, colic, stomach diseases, and ulcers; Canonized by Pope Paul V on November 1, 1610

Charles Borromeo was born in the Castle of Arona in the Duchy of Milan, into a well-established and influential noble family from northern Italy. Charles’ father was the Count of Arona, and his mother was from the prominent and powerful Medici family. Charles was the second son among six children. Typically, the first son inherited most of the family wealth and titles. It was common for the other sons of noble families to pursue careers within the Church, often becoming bishops or abbots of renowned monasteries.

When Charles was seven, the first session of the Council of Trent began in response to the Protestant Reformation and to address various Church abuses. This pivotal council would intermittently hold twenty-five sessions over the next nineteen years. When Charles was eight years old, his maternal uncle, John Angelo Medici, was ordained a bishop and made a cardinal three years later. When Charles was nine years old, his mother passed away, prompting his father to remarry. His father married again a few years later after his second wife died. At twelve, Charles received the tonsure, propelling him toward an ecclesiastical vocation. Simultaneously, another uncle gave him the title of titular Abbot of Sts. Gratinian and Felinus at Arona, an honorary title that also endowed him with a steady income. With these funds, he was sent to Milan to begin his humanities studies. At sixteen, he furthered his education at the University of Pavia, located about twenty miles south of Milan, where he studied Church and civil law.

In August of 1558, when Charles was nineteen, his father died, and Charles was tasked with the responsibility of organizing his father’s estate so that his older brother could take over as count after his father. This was a difficult task since his father was not that organized. Once completed, Charles’ brother became Count Frederick Borromeo. The following year, Charles returned to his studies, earning his doctorate in civil and canon law on December 6, 1559.

Fresh out of school, Charles’ life was about to change. The previous August, Pope Paul IV had died and the cardinals had gathered to elect his successor. Cardinal John Angelo Medici, Charles’ uncle, was among the electors and was unanimously elected as supreme pontiff on Christmas Day, 1559, taking the name Pope Pius IV. The Borromeo and Medici families were elated. What happened next was one of the clearest examples of nepotism ever seen within the Church. Within a month, Pope Pius called his twenty-one-year-old nephew, Charles, to Rome and made him a cardinal, even though he wasn’t even a priest yet. Though most often cardinals are chosen from among the bishops, the pope can make anyone a cardinal. The designation ‘cardinal’ is an important honorary title that brings with it certain rights and responsibilities, such as electing the next pope, assisting with the governance of the Church, and advising the pope on important matters. Soon after, the pope appointed Cardinal Borromeo to be the equivalent of the Secretary of State, the administrator of the Archdiocese of Milan, the administrator of the Papal States, a Papal Protector and Legate, and various other duties.

Over the next four years, Cardinal Borromeo worked hard exercising his new responsibilities and enjoyed a good income. One thing he took great interest in was the completion of the Council of Trent, which had been going on since he was seven. He encouraged his pope uncle to conclude the Council by calling the final sessions. In early 1562, the eighteenth session of the Council of Trent was held, and seven more would be held over the following two years, concluding with the promulgation of the decrees on January 26, 1564. Because Cardinal Borromeo was a cardinal but not an ordained bishop, he was not able to participate in the council as other bishops did, but he was very involved in the formulation of the decrees behind the scenes, given his important positions at the Vatican and his training in canon law.

On November 19, 1562, during the final period of the Council of Trent, tragedy struck the Borromeo family. Count Frederick, Cardinal Borromeo’s brother, suddenly died childless. He and Charles were the only living brothers bearing the Borromeo name. Without an heir, the family name would end, and the titles and inheritance would go to other noble families. For that reason, many within the family encouraged Cardinal Borromeo to abandon his Church career, return to the lay state, become the Count of Arona, inherit the family estate, marry, and have an heir. Even his uncle, Pope Pius IV supported that idea.

Up until that point, the young Cardinal Borromeo was living a prayerful and morally upright life but was also enjoying his power and wealth. This was a turning point for him. He decided to pursue his vocation, so he secretly arranged to be ordained a priest. Not even his uncle, the pope, knew. Once Charles was ordained, the pope was disappointed but understood and supported him. After his priestly ordination, Charles celebrated his first Mass on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Mother of God at the tomb of Saints Peter and Paul. Three months later, he was ordained a bishop in the Sistine Chapel, and five months after that, was appointed as Archbishop of Milan at the age of twenty-five.

After his appointment as archbishop, Charles continued his services in Rome for the next year and a half. Following the Council of Trent’s conclusion, he dedicated himself to enforcing its decisions. He played a significant role in the development and release of the Roman Catechism, as well as various liturgical documents and hymns. Moreover, he actively executed the Council’s decrees and reforms within Rome. During this time, many challenges plagued the Church: indulgences and church positions were often sold, monasteries strayed from their spiritual focus, clergy training was insufficient, clerical celibacy was frequently ignored, liturgical ceremonies lacked reverence, and the general faith and morals of the people were weak. In collaboration with devout Romans, such as Saint Philip Neri, Cardinal Borromeo spearheaded transformative reforms in Rome.

Upon reaching Milan, Cardinal Borromeo devoted nineteen years to enforcing the decrees of the Council of Trent, igniting a Catholic reawakening within his vast archdiocese that resonated throughout the Church. While he had once basked in his noble heritage and wealth as a young man, a transformation began after he was ordained a priest. He adopted a simpler lifestyle, engaged in fasting and prayer, donated the majority of his wealth to the needy, and immersed himself deeply in pastoral responsibilities. From the moment of his first Mass, his fervor grew steadily, eventually setting his ministry aflame. He made pastoral journeys across his archdiocese several times, making a significant impact, especially since Milan hadn’t had a residing archbishop for eight decades. Prior to Trent, it was common for archbishops of prominent dioceses to reside in Rome, living the “good life,” while others cared for their dioceses. Under his guidance, seminaries were established for improved priestly training, liturgical practices were standardized and enhanced, religious orders were redirected toward their original rules of life, the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine was instituted to educate both young and old, care was extended to the poor and sick, and a resurgence in devotions, personal piety, acts of penance, and reverence for the Sacraments emerged.

In many ways, Saint Charles Borromeo began his life as one of the problems with the Church. Ecclesiastical positions were often seen more as an honor for the nobility than as a humble service of Christ. Though he could have lived as a prince within the Church, he responded to God’s grace and abided by the reforms of the Council of Trent that he helped to implement, becoming an outstanding example of what a bishop should be. The people of Milan, who had largely abandoned the practice of the faith, responded to his fatherly presence and a renewal began in haste.

As we honor this saintly reforming bishop, ponder the need you have in your own life and family for reform. When we become steeped in our old ways and bad habits, it can be hard to change. Follow the example of Saint Charles and seek to reform the church of your own soul and the domestic church of your family, using God’s divine decrees as your guide and His grace as your means.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/-st-charles-borromeo/

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Saint Martin de Porres, Religious

Daily Saints

1579–1639; Patron Saint of African-Americans, biracial people, barbers, innkeepers, the poor, Peru, public health workers, public schools, television, and interracial and social justice; Canonized by Pope John XXIII on May 6, 1962

In 1532, Spanish explorers arrived in modern-day Peru and captured the Incan Emperor, Atahualpa, marking the beginning of Spanish control in the region. Just five years later, Pope Paul III issued a papal bull lamenting the reports that many Spanish generals were acting as tyrants and plunderers, cruelly oppressing the indigenous peoples. They were stealing their silver and gold, taking their lands, forcing them into slave labor, and treating them as subhuman. In 1542, Spain established the Viceroyalty of Peru, formalizing political control over the region. Though some arriving missionaries defended the rights of the natives, much of the cruelty continued. King Philip II of Spain was also aware of the chaos and tried to intervene but had little success. In 1581, King Philip decided to send his best bishop to Peru. He chose the future Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, who would help transform the new nation over the next twenty-five years. Saint Turibius was one of five saints who emerged from Peru in the late sixteenth to early seventeenth centuries. The others were Saints Rose of Lima, Juan Macías, Francis Solano, and the saint we honor today, Martin de Porres.

Martín de Porres y Velázquez was born in Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru, just two years before Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo arrived as the new archbishop and thirty-seven years after the Spanish-controlled Viceroyalty of Peru was established. Martin’s father was a Spaniard, and his mother was a freed slave of either African or native descent. According to the custom of the time, this made Martin an illegitimate child of mixed race, earning him the demeaning label of “mulatto.” He had one sister two years younger.

After Martin’s sister was born, their father, ashamed of his dark-skinned children, abandoned the family, leaving their mother, Ana, to raise the children on her own. Ana earned a meager living washing clothes, so the family was quite poor. Because the Spanish settlers brought with them missionaries, there had been a concerted effort over the previous decades to catechize and baptize both the natives and the African slaves. Though there is little documentation about Martin and his sister’s early faith formation, it is clear that Martin developed a profound love of God from an early age and a love for the poor and suffering. One story relates that when Ana sent Martin to the market to purchase food for the family, he often gave the food away to the poor on the way home. By the time Martin was twelve years old, his mother could no longer afford to feed him, so she sent him to a school where he was able to live and study for a couple of years. Afterwards, a barber-surgeon took him in and taught him his trade. Though “barbers” and “surgeons” might not seem to be of the same trade, these were among the most common medical practitioners at the time. Because barbers became skilled with blades for haircutting, they were also called upon for surgeries and learned other basic medical techniques. Martin soon fell in love with this trade, because it gave him an opportunity to not only support himself but also to be of service to others.

During his internship as a barber-surgeon, Martin’s prayer life deepened. He often spent hours every night in prayer, entering deeper and deeper into divine union. He always had an admiration for the Dominican friars in Lima, but it was against Spanish law for those of mixed race to become a professed religious. Since he had a deep desire to share in the Dominican life, he went to the Holy Rosary friary in Lima and petitioned the superior to admit him as a non-professed lay brother. Permission was granted.

For the next eight years, Martin lived and dressed as a Dominican but worked as a servant of the community. He cut the friars’ hair, cooked, cleaned, did laundry, and used his medical knowledge to care for the sick. Eventually, he did his duties so well that he was put in charge of the alms that the community distributed to the poor. Those eight years were a time of profound humility. Martin never complained but eagerly served the friars and local community in the most menial ways, with the most tender compassion and concern. Though some still looked down on him as “mixed-breed” and as an “illegitimate child,” those with a Christian soul couldn’t help but notice the extraordinary virtue Martin manifested. As a result, after eight years of humble service, the superior of the community of 300 friars decided to ignore the Spanish law and asked Martin to take formal vows as a Dominican at the age of twenty-four, which he did out of obedience. Over the next ten years, Brother Martin continued his humble service and grew deeper in prayer every year, spending countless hours before the Blessed Sacrament and developing a deep devotion to our Blessed Mother. He also submitted himself to severe penances, and his humility exponentially increased. One day, when the friary was struggling with finances and the superior was looking for things he could sell to raise money, Brother Martin exclaimed with sincerity, “I am only a poor mulatto, sell me!”

At the age of thirty-four, Brother Martin was placed in charge of the infirmary, a duty he would fulfill for the next twenty-five years until his death. As the infirmarian, Brother Martin used the skills he had learned as a barber-surgeon to help heal many people. People started to notice, however, that his medical remedies appeared to be backed by supernatural power. Miracles began to be reported. Though this was impressive to many, Brother Martin’s profound humility, compassion, and spiritual wisdom made an even greater impact. He cared not only for the Dominicans, but regularly sought out the poor and sick within the community, sometimes bringing the most diseased and emaciated into the friary and even providing his own bed. Though some brothers complained, Brother Martin’s depth of love was so convincing that the complaints quickly vanished.

Little by little, Brother Martin began to have a profound effect upon not only the friars but on all of Lima. His miracles increased. Sometimes he miraculously appeared in the room of a sick friar to care for him without even opening the door. Bi-locations were reported, and those arriving from Europe and Africa even claimed that he had appeared to them there, before they arrived in Peru. He founded a home for orphans. He continuously begged for alms throughout the city, distributing all he received to the other friars and the poor of the city. While in prayer, some saw him enveloped in light or levitating. He could read souls and was given miraculous wisdom and knowledge that led the most learned of men to seek his counsel. Miraculous cures were abundant, and his charity never ceased. He was even loving to stray animals, treating them with dignity as God’s creatures, some claiming he was even able to miraculously communicate with them. After his death, the miracles increased as people sought his intercession. Twenty-five years after his death, Martin’s body was exhumed and found to be incorrupt.

Saint Martin de Porres began his life in poverty and rejection. These sufferings, however, did not negatively affect his soul but only led to the increase of his virtue. His soul was so deeply united to God that God worked miracles through him. As we honor this saintly humble Dominican brother, ponder anything in your life that leaves you angry and discouraged. Saint Martin had many such temptations, but he turned them all into opportunities of grace. Allow Saint Martin to inspire you to do the same, so that God can use every cross in your life to bring forth an abundance of His love.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/november-3—st-martin-de-porres-religious/.

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All Souls’ Day

Daily Saints

Yesterday, the Church celebrated those men and women who have gone before us who now see God face to face in the Beatific Vision. Whether they are officially canonized or not, everyone in Heaven is a saint and will remain so for eternity, living lives of perfect communion with God and with everyone else in Heaven. There will be perfect order, knowledge, joy, love, and happiness forever. Too often in this life we lose focus on eternity. We easily become overly concerned about the here and now and fail to turn our eyes to Heaven, seeking to prepare ourselves fully for the day we die and come before God for our particular judgment.

Today, as we commemorate All Souls, we turn our eyes to those men and women who have gone before us in death but died before being fully purified of every venial sin and all of sin’s effects. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it this way: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.” (#1030–31).

All Souls’ Day should have a twofold focus for each of us. First and foremost, today’s commemoration is a call to prayer for those who have died and are being purified in final preparation for their entrance into the Beatific Vision. Though God has no need of our prayers, it is His divine will that we participate in the distribution of His grace. For that reason, He chooses to solicit our prayers and then answer them, making us active instruments of His purifying grace so needed by those in this world and in Purgatory. By praying for those in Purgatory, especially today, we are assured that God lavishes upon them all that they need for the complete purification of their souls. The Mass, and our participation in the Mass, is particularly powerful and is the ideal way to open the floodgates of mercy for our loved ones who have died and remain unperfected. Take this duty to pray for these “poor souls” seriously. A common secular heresy that permeates Western culture says that a good person goes to Heaven immediately after death or becomes an angel. This well-intentioned, but erroneous, belief leaves many souls unprayed for. Know that those souls are depending on your prayers, because God wants you to pray for them and lovingly share in their purification. Offer prayers fervently for those souls.

A second focus to have on All Souls’ Day is upon your own soul. Today’s commemoration reminds us of the importance of our ongoing deepening conversion. We are all called to be saints. Ideally, our central focus in life is to become a living saint and not wait to be fully purified in Purgatory. Becoming a saint today requires not only a lot from us, it requires everything. Absolutely everything! Becoming a saint here and now means that we diligently seek out every sinful attachment within our souls and annihilate them. It means we continuously seek God’s mercy, confess our sins, receive forgiveness, and then change our lives completely. This is no small task!

One of the best ways to understand Purgatory is by studying the teachings of the greatest masters of the spiritual life, especially Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of Ávila. These two Doctors of the Church wrote extensively about the process a soul goes through on its way to divine union, also called mystical marriage. Saint Teresa does this by describing a series of seven interior dwelling places through which a person must travel, each one requiring a deeper level of purification, culminating with the soul entering the innermost dwelling place, the presence chamber, where divine union takes place and the soul is fully purified of everything that is not God. Only souls who have entered this innermost dwelling place in this life, and die while in that state of divine union, will avoid the purification of Purgatory.

Saint John of the Cross wrote extensively of the same process of purification, using different terminology. He described two main purifications a soul goes through on the journey toward perfection. The first is the dark night of the senses, by which every bodily sense and appetite is purified. The second is the dark night of the spirit, by which the intellect, memory, and will are fully purified by the perfection of infused faith, hope, and charity. Prior to the first purification, the soul is in the purgative way. While in between the two purifications, the soul is in the illuminative way. After completing the second purification, the soul enters the unitive way, or mystical marriage, which is the same as Saint Teresa’s seventh dwelling place.

The reason for painting this very broad overview of their detailed writings on the journey of a soul toward perfection is to emphasize the fact that perfection is, indeed, a long and difficult process, but a necessary one that must take place either in this life or in the next. Every person must come to the realization that personal sanctity must become not only each one’s first mission in life but the exclusive mission. When personal sanctity is a person’s exclusive mission, every other part of that person’s life falls into place. Virtues grow, love for family and friends increases, duties are perfectly fulfilled, and God is fully glorified.

As we participate today in this Commemoration of All Souls, commit yourself first to praying for those who have died and are in need of final purification. Purgatory is God’s act of final mercy for those whom He loves with a burning and purifying love. Your prayers open the floodgates of God’s love on those who need it the most. As you pray for those who have died, pray also for your own soul and ponder how fervently you seek to become transformed into a living saint. Though the journey to divine union is not a quick and easy one, it is a journey well worth it. Make it your exclusive mission in life, and know that if you do, you will never regret it.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/november-2–all-souls/

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Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop

316 or 336–397; Patron Saint of beggars, cavalry, equestrians, geese, horses, innkeepers, Pontifical Swiss Guards, quartermasters, reformed alcoholics, soldiers, tailors, and winemakers; Invoked against alcoholism and poverty; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor

c. 400–461; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV in 1754

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity

Saint Peter Ou

Saint Willibrord of Echternach

Saint Guido Maria Conforti

Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop

1538–1584; Patron Saint of apple orchards, bishops, catechism writers, catechists, catechumens, seminarians, starchmakers, and spiritual directors; Invoked against abdominal pain, colic, stomach diseases, and ulcers; Canonized by Pope Paul V on November 1, 1610

Saint Martin de Porres, Religious

1579–1639; Patron Saint of African-Americans, biracial people, barbers, innkeepers, the poor, Peru, public health workers, public schools, television, and interracial and social justice; Canonized by Pope John XXIII on May 6, 1962

All Souls’ Day

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