Mary Mother of GOD 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary
Mary's Divine Motherhood
Et álibi aliórum plurimórum sanctórum Mártyrum et Confessórum, atque sanctárum Vírginum.
And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
Пресвятая Богородице спаси нас!  (Santíssima Mãe de Deus, salva-nos!)
RDeo grátias. R.  Thanks be to God.
February is dedicated to the Holy Family since the 17th century and by Copts from early times.
2024
23,658  Lives Saved Since 2007
http://www.haitian-childrens-fund.org/

For the Son of man ... will repay every man for what he has done.

The saints are a “cloud of witnesses over our head”,
showing us that a life of Christian perfection is not impossible.

It is only by sacrifice and suffering, offered as penance, that you will be able,
by the grace of God, to convert sinners.  -- St. John Vianney


February 10 - Saint Scholastica Virgin (Memorial)
King Louis XIII consecrates France to Mary (1638)

The Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) Last Sermon
1st v St. Andrew Palestine Martyr w/ St. Aponius St. James the Greater, or Elder
202 Hieromartyr Charalampus Bishop of Magnesia Many miracles through his prayer raised a dead youth healed a man tormented by devils 35 years so that many people began to believe in Christ the Savior:  also Martyrs Porphyrius and Baptus and Three Women Martyrs
543 St. Scholastica twin foundress St. Benedict sister saw her soul ascending to heaven with a dove
1056 Princess_Anna_of_Novgorod  gave children Christian upbringing strong faith love of work integrity & learning.
1960 Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, Cardinal demonstrating the importance of faith, charity and virtue

Our Bartholomew Family Prayer List
Joyful Mystery on Monday Saturday   Glorius Mystery on Sunday Wednesday
   Sorrowful Mystery on Friday Tuesday   Luminous Mystery on Thursday Veterens of War

Acts of the Apostles
Nine First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart From the writings of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
How do I start the Five First Saturdays?
Mary Mother of GOD 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary.

February 10 – Consecration of France to Mary by King Louis XIII (1638) 
A major event in the Marian history of France
King Louis XIII of France and his wife Anne of Austria were very worried about their childlessness after 20 years of marriage. Following an inspiration of the Virgin Mary received on November 3, 1637, by Brother Fiacre, a religious Augustinian at Notre Dame des Victoires (Our Lady of Victories) convent in Paris, the people of France prayed 3 consecutive novenas to this intention to Our Lady of Paris, Our Lady of Victories, and Our Lady of Graces in Cotignac, (Provence, France). The last novena ended on December 5, 1637, and a royal heir,
Louis XIV "Dieudonné" (i.e Godgiven), was born on September 5, 1638, nine months later to the day.

To thank the Virgin Mary, Louis XIII signed on February 10, 1638, the famous solemn vow by which he dedicated his whole person and his entire kingdom to the Virgin Mary. This major event in the Marian history of France was accompanied by the introduction of special processions on Assumption Day, August 15th, a date which became a national holiday.

Later, on February 21, 1660, on the road to Saint Jean de Luz (France) where he was to marry the Infanta of Spain, Maria Theresa of Austria, Louis XIV stopped in Cotignac to show his gratitude to Our Lady.
 
The Mary of Nazareth Team

When the Our Lady asked that France be consecrated to her…
 In 1636, Our Lady asked Mother Anne-Marie of Jesus Crucified, a stigmatized nun whom Cardinal de Richelieu held in high esteem, that France be consecrated to her.
The next year, King Louis XIII consecrated his person and his kingdom to Mary—"in the secret of his heart"—and, along with Queen Anne of Austria, intensified his prayers and pilgrimages in order to finally obtain an heir to the throne of France after 22 years of waiting.


The Mother of God’s answer came in the form of an apparition to a monk called Brother Fiacre from Notre Dame des Victoires, a convent recently founded by the King in thanksgiving for his first military victories.
The Blessed Virgin asked for three novenas to be prayed to
Our Lady of Cotignac in Provence, Notre Dame of Paris, and Notre Dame des Victoires.

(…) The monk finished the third novena on December 5th. Nine months later, Louis XIV was born, receiving the name "Louis God-given" at his baptism.
As soon as the Queen was certain of her pregnancy, on February 10, 1638, King Louis XIII published the official edict of France's consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary, without waiting to see if the child would be a boy or a girl.

1st v St. Andrew Palestine Martyr w/ St. Aponius St. James the Greater, or Elder
       Bishop Silvanus of Terracina confessor
120 Zoticus, Irenaeus, Hyacinth, Amantius & Companions
202 Hieromartyr Charalampus Bishop of Magnesia Many miracles through his prayer raised a dead youth healed a man tormented by devils 35 years so that many people began to believe in Christ the Savior:  also Martyrs Porphyrius and Baptus and Three Women Martyrs
304 Soteris of Rome the Aureli family martyred for Jesus  

543 St. Scholastica twin  foundress sister of St. Benedict beheld her soul in a vision ascending into heaven with a dove
6th v Desideratus of Clermont bishop B (AC) (also known as Désiré)
580 St. Baldegundis Abbess of Saint-Croix in Poitiers, France
624  Prothadius of Besançon  succeeded Saint Nicetius in the see of Besançon, where Clothaire II consulted him  
700 Trumwin of Whitby bishop lived out last days in "austerity to the benefit of many others beside himself" (Bede)
704 St. Austreberta Benedictine abbess famed for her visions and miracles
704 St. Trumwin Early Scottish bishop
962 Salvius of Albelda, OSB Abbot prudent court adviser
1056 Princess_Anna_of_Novgorod  gave children Christian upbringing strong faith love of work integrity & learning.
1107 Saint Prochorus of the Caves native of Smolensk entered the Kiev Caves miracles of bread and salt for the poor
1157 St. William of Maleval Hermit licentious military life conversion of heart  gift of working miracles and  prophecy
1164 Blessed Hugh of Fosse "a man of impetuous disposition" --Saint Bernard
1240 St. Paul and Ninety Companions missionaries Dominican martyrs
1423 St. Paganus Italian Benedictine monastery on Sicily
1439  The Synaxis of Novgorod Hierarchs
1501 Blessed Eusebius of Murano Camaldolese monk
1540 Saint Longinus of Koryazhemsk

1645 Bl. Alexander of Lugo Dominican martyr of Spain martyred by Muslims
1960 Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, Cardinal demonstrating the importance of faith, charity and virtue
Our Lady of the Dove (Bologna, Italy)  Mystery of Mary's Virginity
February 10 - First Day of Lent - Our Lady of the Dove (Bologna, Italy)

Lourdes Jubilee Year - 150th Anniversary of the Apparitions
Lourdes has drawn pilgrims since Mary appeared in 1858 to shepherdess Bernadette Soubirous. The Jubilee celebration started on the feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8, 2007) and will end this year on Mary's feast once again in December. Of course, February 11th will be a very special feast day.

Pope Benedict XVI has authorized a plenary indulgence to mark the 150th anniversary of the Virgin Mary's apparitions in Lourdes. Those visiting the site during the Jubilee year will be able to receive a special indulgence, which can reduce time in purgatory. Purgatory is a kind of "spiritual waiting room" - for people who do not go directly to paradise or hell after death - to purify souls of residual sin before they enter heaven.

The Pope is expected to visit the shrine during the Jubilee year. The pontiff also said believers who prayed at places of worship dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes from 2-11 February 2008 - or who were unable to make the journey - would also be able to receive indulgences. See http://www.lourdes2008.com/index_en.html
February 10 - Our Lady of the Dove (Bologna, Italy)  Mystery of Mary's Virginity
The Creator showed us a new creation when He appeared to us who came from Him. For He sprang from a seedless womb, and kept it incorrupt as it was, that seeing the miracle we might sing to her, crying out:
Rejoice, flower of incorruptibility; Rejoice, crown of continence! Rejoice, Thou from whom shineth the Archetype of the Resurrection; Rejoice, Thou Who revealest the life of the angels! Rejoice, tree of shining fruit, whereby the faithful are nourished; Rejoice, tree of goodly shade by which many are sheltered! Rejoice, Thou that has carried in Thy womb the Redeemer of captives; Rejoice, Thou that gavest birth to the Guide of those astray! Rejoice, supplication before the Righteous Judge; Rejoice, forgiveness of many sins! Rejoice, robe of boldness for the naked;  Rejoice, love that doth vanquish all desire! Rejoice, O Bride
Unwedded!

Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God attributed to Romanos the Melodist (+ 560)

Saint Charalampus of Magnesia
"All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations shall worship before him"
(Psalm 21:28)

1st v St. Andrew  Martyr in Palestine, with St. Aponius St. James the Greater, or Elder
Martyr in Palestine, with St. Aponius. The two were caught up in a persecution started instigated by King Herod Antipas against the Nazarene community of Jerusalem.
St. James the Greater, or Elder, was also beheaded in this persecution.
St. Aponius 1st century Martyr with St. Andrew during the persecution started by King Herod Antipas. St. James the Great died in this persecution.

120 Zoticus, Irenaeus, Hyacinth, Amantius & Companions MM (RM)  
 Romæ sanctórum Mártyrum Zótici, Irenǽi, Hyacínthi et Amántii.
       At Rome, the holy martyrs Zoticus, Irenæus, Hyacinth, and Amantius.
This was a group of 10 soldiers martyred in Rome and buried in the Via Lavicana (Benedictines).

Bishop Silvanus of Terracina confessor B (RM)
 In Campánia sancti Silváni, Epíscopi et Confessóris.       In Campania, St. Silvanus, bishop and confessor.
Date unknown. Bishop Silvanus of Terracina is described in the Roman Martyrology as a 'confessor,' which would mean that he had suffered for the faith by imprisonment, torture or, perhaps, even death (Benedictines).
202 Saint_Porphyrius soldier  Seeing the Elder's endurance and his complete lack of malice  openly confessed Christ
 Ibídem, via Lavicána, sanctórum decem mílitum Mártyrum.
      In the same place, on the Via Lavicana, ten holy soldiers, martyrs.

202 Hieromartyr Charalampus, Bishop of Magnesia Many miracles worked through his prayer raised a dead youth healed a man tormented by devils 35 years so that many people began to believe in Christ the Savior the Martyrs Porphyrius and Baptus and Three Women Martyrs
St Charalampus, Bishop of Magnesia (Asia Minor), successfully spread faith in Christ the Savior, guiding people on the way to salvation. News of his preaching reached Lucian, the governor of the district, and the military commander Lucius. The saint was arrested and brought to trial, where he confessed his faith in Christ and refused to offer sacrifice to idols.
Despite the bishop's advanced age (he was 113 years old), he was subjected to monstrous tortures.

They lacerated his body with iron hooks, and scraped all the skin from his body. During this the saint turned to his tormentors,
 "I thank you, brethren, that you have restored my spirit, which longs to pass over to a new and everlasting life!"

Seeing the Elder's endurance and his complete lack of malice, two soldiers (Porphyrius and Baptus) openly confessed Christ, for which they were immediately beheaded with a sword. Three women who were watching the sufferings of St Charalampus also began to glorify Christ, and were quickly martyred.
The enraged Lucius seized the instruments of torture and began to torture the holy martyr, but suddenly his forearms were cut off as if by a sword.
The governor then spat in the face of the saint, and immediately his head was turned around so that he faced backwards.
Then Lucius entreated the saint to show mercy on him, and both torturers were healed through the prayers of St Charalampus.
During this a multitude of witnesses came to believe in Christ. Among them also was Lucius, who fell at the feet of the holy bishop, asking to be baptized.

Lucian reported these events to the emperor Septimus Severus (193-211), who was then at Pisidian Antioch (western Asia Minor). The emperor ordered St Charlampos to be brought to him in Antioch. Soldiers twisted the saint's beard into a rope, wound it around his neck, and used it to drag him along. They also drove an iron nail into his body. The emperor then ordered them to torture the bishop more intensely, and they began to burn him with fire, a little at a time.
Saint_Baptus
But God protected the saint, and he remained unharmed.
Many miracles were worked through his prayer: he raised a dead youth, and healed a man tormented by devils for thirty-five years, so that many people began to believe in Christ the Savior. Even Galina, the daughter of the emperor, began to believe in Christ, and twice smashed the idols in a pagan temple.
On the orders of the emperor they beat the saint about the mouth with stones. They also wanted to set his beard on fire, but the flames burned the torturer.

Full of wickedness, Septimus Severus and an official named Crispus hurled blasphemy at the Lord, mockingly summoning Him to come down to the earth, and boasting of their own power and might.
The Lord sent an earthquake, and great fear fell upon all, the impious ones were both suspended in mid-air held by invisible bonds, and only by the prayer of the saint were they put down.

The dazed emperor was shaken in his former impiety, but again quickly fell into error and gave orders to torture the saint.
And finally, he sentenced St Charalampus to beheading with a sword. During his final prayer, the heavens opened and the saint saw the Savior and a multitude of angels. The holy martyr asked Him to grant that the place where his relics would repose would never suffer famine or disease. He also begged that there would be peace, prosperity, and an abundance of fruit, grain, and wine in that place, and that the souls of these people would be saved. The Lord promised to fulfill his request and ascended to heaven, and the soul of the hieromartyr Charalampus followed after Him. By the mercy of God, the saint died before he could be executed. Galina buried the martyr's body with great honor.
In Greek hagiography and iconography St Charalampus is regarded as a priest, while Russian sources seem to regard him as a bishop.

Saint Baptus was a soldier who suffered martyrdom with Sts Charalampus, Bishop of Magnesia, Porphyrius, and three women in the year 202.

Seeing the endurance of St Charalampus and his complete lack of malice, two soldiers (Porphyrius and Baptus) openly confessed Christ, for which they were immediately beheaded with a sword.

304 Soteris of Rome the Aureli family martyred for Jesus VM (RM)
 Item Romæ, via Appia, sanctæ Sotéris, Vírginis et Mártyris; quæ (ut scribit sanctus Ambrósius), nóbili génere nata, paréntum Consulátus et Præfectúras ob Christum contémpsit.  Hæc, jussa idolis immoláre, et non acquiéscens, gráviter et diutíssime álapis cæsa est; et, cum cétera quoque pœnárum génera vicísset, demum, percússa gládio, læta migrávit ad Sponsum.
       Also at Rome, on the Appian Way, St. Soter, virgin and martyr, descended of a noble family, but as St. Ambrose mentions, for the love of Christ she set at naught the consular and other dignitaries of her people.  Upon her refusal to sacrifice to the gods, she was for a long time cruelly scourged.  She overcame these and various other torments, then was struck with the sword; and joyfully went to her heavenly spouse.

304  ST SOTERIS, VIRGIN AND MARTYR
         ST AMEROSE proudly claims this saint as being the greatest honour of his family. Soteris was descended from a long line of consuls and prefects, but she derives her chief glory from the contempt which, for Christ’s sake, she evinced for birth, riches, great beauty and all that the world prizes as valuable. She consecrated her maidenhood to God, and to avoid the dangers to which her beauty exposed her she took no account of it, and resolutely forswore all ornaments that might set it off.
         Her virtue prepared her to make a noble confession of the faith when she was brought before the magistrates after the edicts of Diocletian and Maximian against Christians. When the judge ordered that she should be struck on the face, she rejoiced to be thus treated as her Saviour had been, and though the judge ordered her to be tortured in many other ways he was unable to draw from her one groan or tear. At length, overcome by her patience and constancy, he commanded that her head should be struck off. It must be confessed that we do not clearly know whether all this happened at one time. It may be that St Soteris was arrested and tortured as a young girl in the persecution of Decius, and only suffered death fifty years later under Diocletian.
           Practically speaking we are dependent upon two passages of St Ambrose for our know-
         ledge of this martyr. He speaks of her In his De virginibus, iii, 7, and in his Exhortatio
         virginis, c. 12. At the same time we know from the
Hieronymianum” that she was
         originally buried at Rome on the Via Appia. One of the catacombs, the location of which
         it is difficult to determine, afterwards bore her name. Her body was later on translated by
         Pope Sergius II to the church of San Martino di Monti. See the Acta Sanctorum, February,
         vol. ii, and the
mische Quartalschrift, 1905, pp. 50—63 and 105—133.
Saint Ambrose boasts that the virgin Soteris was the fairest flower of his illustrious Roman family, the Aureli family, which included a long line of consuls and prefects. She seems to have been a sister of his great-great- grandmother. She renounced her high birth, riches, and beauty to more perfectly consecrate her virginity to God. In order to avoid the dangers to which her beauty exposed her, she neglected her looks entirely, and dressed instead in Christian simplicity and modesty.

Her virtue prepared her well for the coming persecution of Diocletian and Maximianus. It is said that after capture, Soteris wore out her tormentors. The judge commanded that her face be disfigured. This didn't bother her much because she gave no thought to her looks. Instead, she rejoiced to be treated as Jesus had been. They tortured her in other ways, and she exasperated them because she never gave any indication of discomfort or fear. Having worn their patience to the quick, the judge ordered that she be beheaded (Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Husenbeth).

308  The Holy Virgin Martyrs Ennatha, Valentina and Paula
suffered in the year 308 under the emperor Maximian II Galerius (305-311). St Ennatha came from the city of Gaza (in the south of Palestine), St Valentina was a native of Palestinian Caesarea, and St Paula was from the region of Caesarea. 
St Ennatha was the first to be brought to trial before the governor Firmilian, bravely declaring herself a Christian. They beat her, and then they suspended her from a pillar and scourged her.

< St Valentina, accused of not worshipping the gods, was led to a pagan temple to offer sacrifice, but she bravely hurled a stone at the sacrifice and turned her back on it. They beat her mercilessly and sentenced her to be beheaded along with St Ennatha.

Last of all, St Paula was brought, and they subjected her to many torments. With the help of God, however, she endured them with great patience and courage. Before her death Paula gave thanks to the Lord for strengthening her. Bowing to the Christians present, she bent her neck beneath the sword.

543 St. Scholastica foundress twin sister of St. Benedict beheld her soul in a vision as it ascended into heaven.
 Apud montem Cassínum sanctæ Scholásticæ Vírginis, soróris sancti Benedícti Abbátis; qui ejus ánimam, instar colúmbæ, migrántem e córpore in cælum ascéndere vidit.
       On Monte Cassino, St. Scholastica, virgin, whose soul was seen by her brother, St. Benedict, abbot, leaving her body in the form of a dove, and ascending into heaven.

543 ST SCHOLASTICA, VIRGIN
THIS saint, who was St Benedict’s sister, traditionally his twin, consecrated herself to God from her earliest years, as we learn from St Gregory. It is not known where she lived, whether at home or in a community; but after her brother had moved to Monte Cassino, she settled at Plombariola in that same neighbourhood, probably founding and ruling a nunnery about five miles to the south of St Benedict’s monastery.
St Gregory tells us that St Benedict governed nuns as well as monks, and it seems clear that St Scholastica must have been their abbess, under his direction. She used to visit her brother once a year and, since she was not allowed to enter his monastery, he used to go with some of his monks to meet her at a house a little way off. They spent these visits in praising God and in conferring together on spiritual matters.
     St Gregory gives a remarkable description of the last of these visits. After they had passed the day as usual they sat down in the evening to have supper. When it was finished, Scholastica, possibly foreseeing that it would be their last interview in this world, begged her brother to delay his return till the next day that they might spend the time discoursing of the joys of Heaven. Benedict, who was unwilling to transgress his rule, told her that he could not pass a night away from his monastery. When Scholastica found that she could not move him, she laid her head upon her hands which were clasped together on the table and besought God to interpose on her behalf. Her prayer was scarcely ended when there arose  such a violent storm of rain with thunder and lightning that St Benedict and his companions were unable to set foot outside the door. He exclaimed, God forgive you, sister; what have you done ? “ Whereupon she answered, I asked a favour of you and you refused it. I asked it of God, and He has granted it.”
Benedict was therefore forced to comply with her request, and they spent the night talking about holy things and about the felicity of the blessed to which they both ardently aspired and which she was soon to enjoy. The next morning they parted, and three days later St Scholastica died. St Benedict was at the time alone in his cell absorbed in prayer when, lifting up his eyes, he saw his sister’s soul ascending to Heaven as a dove. Filled with joy at her happiness, he thanked God and announced her death to his brethren. He then sent some of the monks to fetch her body which he placed in a tomb which he had prepared for himself. “

So it happened to these two, whose minds had ever been united in the Lord, that even in the grave their bodies were not separated.” But her relics are said to have been translated to France, along with those of St Benedict, in the seventh century and to have been deposited at Le Mans.
           We know practically nothing of St Scholastica except from the two chapters of St
         Gregory’s Dialogues, bk ii, chs. 33 and 34 summarized above.


Scholastica, OSB V (RM) Born in Nursia (Nurcia), Italy, c. 480 (?); died near Monte Cassino, Italy, c. 543. Almost everything we know about Saint Scholastica comes from the Dialogues of Saint Gregory the Great.
Saint Scholastica, twin sister of Saint Benedict of Nursia who founded of the Benedictine order, was consecrated to God at a very early age but probably continued to live in her parents' home. It is said that she was as devoted to Jesus as she was to her brother. So, when Benedict established his monastery at Monte Cassino, Scholastica founded a convent in nearby Plombariola, about five miles south of Monte Cassino. The convent is said to have been under the direction of her brother, thus she is regarded as the first Benedictine nun.
The siblings were quite close. The respective rules of their houses proscribed either entering the other's monastery.

According to Saint Gregory, they met once a year at a house near Monte Cassino monastery to confer on spiritual matters, and were eventually buried together, probably in the same grave. Saint Gregory says, "so death did not separate the bodies of these two, whose minds had ever been united in the Lord."
Saint Gregory tells the charming story of the last meeting of the two saints on earth.

Scholastica and Benedict had spent the day in the "mutual comfort of heavenly talk" and with nightfall approaching, Benedict prepared to leave. Scholastica, having a presentiment that it would be their last opportunity to see each other alive, asked him to spend the evening in conversation. Benedict sternly refused because he did not wish to break his own rule by spending a night away from Monte Cassino. Thereupon, Scholastica cried openly, laid her head upon the table, and prayed that God would intercede for her. As she did so, a sudden storm arose. The violent rain and hail came in such a torrential downpour that Benedict and his companions were unable to depart.
"May Almighty God forgive you, sister" said Benedict, "for what you have done."
"I asked a favor of you," Scholastica replied simply, "and you refused it. I asked it of God, and He has granted it!"

Just after his return to Monte Cassino, Benedict saw a vision of Scholastica's soul departing her body, ascending to heaven in the form of a dove. She died three days after their last meeting. He placed her body in the tomb he had prepared for himself, and arranged for his own to be placed there after his death. Her relics were alleged by the monk Adrevald to have been translated (July 11) to a rich silver shrine in Saint Peter's Church in Le Mans, France, which may have been when Benedict's were moved to Fleury. In 1562, this shrine was preserved from the Huguenots' plundering.
Some say that we should only petition God for momentously important matters. God's love, however, is so great that we wishes to give us every good thing. He is ever ready to hear our prayers: our prayers of praise and thanksgiving, and our prayers of petition, repentance, and intercession. Nothing is too great or too trivial to share with our Father. The dependent soul learns that everything we are and have is from His bountiful goodness; when we finally learn that lesson we turn to Him with all our hopes and dreams and needs. Saint Scholastica is obviously one of those who learned the lesson of her own helplessness (Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth, Walsh, White).
Saint Scholastica is usually depicted in art as a habited nun, holding a crozier and crucifix, with her brother. Sometimes she may be shown (1) with Saint Justina of Padua, with whom she is confused though Justina was never a nun; (2) receiving her veil from Saint Benedict; (3) her soul departing her body like a dove; (4) with a dove at her feet or bosom; or kneeling before Saint Benedict's cell (Roeder, White).
She is the patroness of Monte Cassino and all Cassinese communities (Roeder). She is invoked against storms (White).
Saint Scholastica St. Gregory the Great  Early Church Father & Doctor of the Church
This excerpt from the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great (Lib. 2, 33; PL 66, 194-196) is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the Feast of St. Scholastica on February 10. 

Saint Scholastica, a sister of the great abbot St. Benedict, was born at Nursia Italy about the year 480.  She vowed herself to seek God in religious life and followed her brother to Monte Cassino where she died around 547.
Saint ScholasticaScholastica, the sister of Saint Benedict, had been consecrated to God from her earliest years. She was accustomed to visiting her brother once a year. He would come down to meet her at a place on the monastery property, not far outside the gate.
One day she came as usual and her saintly brother went with some of his disciples; they spent the whole day praising God and talking of sacred things. As night fell they had supper together.
Their spiritual conversation went on and the hour grew late. The holy nun said to her brother: “Please do not leave me tonight; let us go on until morning talking about the delights of the spiritual life”. “Sister”, he replied, “what are you saying? I simply cannot stay outside my cell”.
When she heard her brother refuse her request, the holy woman joined her hands on the table, laid her head on them and began to pray. As she raised her head from the table, there were such brilliant flashes of lightning, such great peals of thunder and such a heavy downpour of rain that neither Benedict nor his brethren could stir across the threshold of the place where they had been seated. Sadly he began to complain: “May God forgive you, sister. What have you done?” “Well”, she answered, “I asked you and you would not listen; so I asked my God and he did listen. So now go off, if you can, leave me and return to your monastery”.
Reluctant as he was to stay of his own will, he remained against his will. So it came about that they stayed awake the whole night, engrossed in their conversation about the spiritual life.
Saint Scholastica
It is not surprising that she was more effective than he, since as John says, God is love, it was absolutely right that she could do more, as she loved more.

Three days later, Benedict was in his cell. Looking up to the sky, he saw his sister’s soul leave her body in the form of a dove, and fly up to the secret places of heaven. Rejoicing in her great glory, he thanked almighty God with hymns and words of praise. He then sent his brethren to bring her body to the monastery and lay it in the tomb he had prepared for himself.
Their minds had always been united in God; their bodies were to share a common grave.
6th v Desideratus of Clermont bishop B (AC) (also known as Désiré)
Successor of Saint Avitus as bishop of Clermont in Auvergne (Benedictines).

580 St. Baldegundis Abbess of Saint-Croix in Poitiers, France.
624 Prothadius of Besançon  succeeded Saint Nicetius in the see of Besançon, where Clothaire II consulted him
B (AC) (also known as Protagius) Prothadius succeeded Saint Nicetius in the see of Besançon, where Clothaire II consulted him on all important matters (Benedictines).
700 Trumwin of Whitby bishop he lived out his last days in "austerity to the benefit of many others beside himself" (Bede) OSB B (AC)
(also known as Trumma)  feast day formerly December 2.  Saint Bede tells us that, in 681, Saint Trumwin was appointed bishop over the southern Picts by Saint Theodore and King Egfrid.

Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury had divided the Northumbrian diocese governed by Saint Wilfrid into three, establishing the sees of Deira, Bernica, and Lindsey. Three years later, two more diocese were created for Hexham and on the Firth of Forth to govern the Pictish lands recently conquered. This last became the seat for Trumwin, who organized his see at the monastery of Abercorn and later founded a monastery at Lothian on the Firth of Forth.
Trumwin also accompanied Theodore to Farne to persuade Saint Cuthbert to be consecrated bishop of Hexham. In 685, King Egfrid was killed by the Picts in the disastrous battle of Nechtansmere and Saint Trumwin and all his monks had to flee south when the English were ousted. He went to Whitby Abbey, where he was welcomed by Abbess Saint Elfleda. There he lived out his last days in "austerity to the benefit of many others beside himself" (Bede). Trumwin's relics were translated during the 12th century with those of King Oswy and Saint Elfleda (Benedictines, Coulson, Farmer).
704 St. Trumwin Early Scottish bishop

An Englishman by birth, he was named bishop of the Picts in southern Caledonia (Scotland), in 681. He based his mission in the monastery of Abercorn on the Firth of Forth. When his political patron King Egfrith of Northumbria was slain by the Picts at the Battle of Nechtansmere, Trumwin was forced to flee with all of his monks to the safety of the south. Taking up residence at Whitby, England, he spent his remaining days there as a monk.

704 St. Austreberta Benedictine abbess famed for her visions and miracles
 In pago Rotomagénsi sanctæ Austrebértæ Vírginis, miráculis célebris.
       In the diocese of Rouen, St. Austreberta, virgin, renowned for miracles.
also called Eustreberta. She was born in 630, the daughter of the Count Palatine Badefrid and St. Framechildis, near Therouanne, Artois, France. Faced with an unwanted marriage, Austreberta went to St. Omer, who gave her the veil, the symbol of the consecrated virgin. She also convinced her family that she had a true vocation. Austreberta entered the convent of Abbeville, Port-sur-Somme. In time she was elected abbess and helped reform the convent of Pavilly. She was famed for her visions and miracles.

Austreberta of Pavilly, OSB Abbess (RM) (also known as Eustreberta)  Born near Thérouanne, Artois, France, 630; died in Normandy, 704. Austreberta (means 'wheat of God'), was the daughter of Saint Framechildis and the Count Palatine Badefrid. She received the veil from Saint Omer in the convent of Abbeville (Port-sur-Somme), where she later became abbess. She left the convent at Port to direct and reform a new and laxly established garret of 25 nuns in Parvilly, (Benedictines, Coulson, Encyclopedia).

962 Salvius of Albelda, OSB Abbot prudent court adviser (PC)
This Benedictine monk of Albelda, northern Spain, was a prudent adviser at the courts of Navarre and Castile during the time of the reconquest (Benedictines).

1056 The Holy Princess Anna of Novgorod
wife of Great Prince Yaroslav the Wise, gave her children a true Christian upbringing, marked by a strong faith in God, love of work, integrity and learning.

Her son Mstislav later became Great Prince of Kiev, and her daughter the queen of a western European realm.
St Anna left the world and went into a monastery, where she ended her days in strict obedience and prayer in the year 1056.

1107 Saint Prochorus of the Caves native of Smolensk entered the Kiev Caves miracles of bread and salt for the poor
 monastery under the igumen John (1089-1103). He was a great ascetic of strict temperance. In place of bread he ate pigweed (or orach), and so he was called "pigweed-eater." Every summer, he gathered pigweed and made enough bread from it to last him for a whole year. He also ate prosphora from church now and then, and his only drink was water. Seeing the patience of St Prochorus, God transformed the usual bitterness of the pigweed into sweetness.

During the saint's lifetime, a famine threatened Russia. Prochorus began to gather the pigweed even more zealously and to prepare his "bread". Certain people followed his example, but they were not able to eat this weed because of its bitterness. Prochorus distributed his pigweed bread to the needy, and it tasted like it was made from fine wheat. Only the bread given with the blessing of St Prochorus was edible, and even pure and light in appearance. If anyone tried to prepare this bread himself, or take it without the saint's blessing, it was not fit for consumption. This became known to the igumen and the brethren, and the fame of Prochorus spread far and wide.

After a certain while there was no salt at Kiev, and the people suffered because of this. Then the saint gathered ashes from all the cells, and began to distribute it to the needy. Through his prayers, the ashes became pure salt. The merchants, who hoped to take advantage of this shortage of salt for their own profit, became angry with St Prochorus for distributing free salt to the people.

Prince Svyatopolk confiscated the salt from Prochorus. When they transported it to the prince's court, everyone saw that it was just ordinary ashes. After three days, Svyatopolk gave orders to discard it. St Prochorus blessed the people to take the discarded ashes, and they were again changed into salt.  This miracle reformed the fierce prince. He began to pray zealously, made peace with the igumen of the monastery of the Caves, and highly esteemed St Prochorus. When the last hour of the saint approached, the prince left his army and hastened to him, even though he was at war.

He received his blessing and with his own hands, carried the body of the saint to the cave and buried him. Returning to his army, Svyatopolk easily gained victory over the Polvetsians, turning them to flight and capturing their supply carts. Such was the great power of the prayer of St Prochorus.
The righteous one died in the year 1107, and was buried in the Near Caves. He is also commemorated on September 28 and on the second Sunday of Great Lent.
1157 St. William of Maleval Hermit carefree years of licentious military life experienced conversion of heart  gift of working miracles and of prophecy
 In Stábulo Rhodis, in territorio Senénsi, sancti Guiliélmi Eremítæ.  At Malavalle, near Siena, St. William, hermit.
A native of France, he led a dissolute early and maritial life but underwent a conversion through a pilgrimage to Rome, where he was forced to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (at the command of Pope Eugenius Ill, r. 1145-1153). Upon his return, he lived as a hermit and then became head of a monastery near Pisa. As he failed to bring about serious reforms among the monks there or on Monte Pruno (Bruno), he departed and once more took up the life of a hermit near Siena. Attracting a group of followers, the hermits received papal sanction. They later developed into the Hermits of St. William (the Gulielmites) until absorbed into the Augustinian Canons. In his later years, William was noted for his gifts of prophecy and miracles.

William of Maleval, OSB Hermit (RM) (also known as William of Malval or Malvalla) Born in France; died at Maleval, Italy, February 10, 1157; canonized by Innocent III in 1202. After carefree years of licentious military life, William experienced a conversion of heart of which we are told nothing. The first real piece of information we have is that the penitent Frenchman made a pilgrimage to the tombs of the apostles at Rome. Here he begged Pope Eugenius III for pardon and to set him on a course of penance for his sins. Eugenius enjoined him to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1145. William followed his counsel and spent eight years on the journey, returning to Italy a changed man.

In 1153, William became a hermit in on the isle of Lupocavio (near Pisa) in Tuscany for a time. So many joined his until he was prevailed upon to undertake the governance. He wasn't well suited to lead other men. First he failed to maintain discipline at the abbey. Unable to bear the tepidity and irregularity of his monks, he withdrew to Monte Bruno. But same thing happened when he organized the disciples who had gathered around him into his own abbey on Monte Bruno.

Finally, in September 1155, he realized this was not God's plan for him and he embraced the eremitical life amid the solitude of Maleval (then called the Stable of Rhodes) near Siena. At Maleval he lived in an underground cave until the lord of Buriano discovered him some months later and built him a cell. For the first four months, William had only the beasts for company and only forage for food.

The example of his life soon attracted another of like mind. On the Feast of the Epiphany 1156, he was joined by a companion named Albert, who lived with him the rest of his life--only 13 months-- and recorded William's vita. Like most of the early hermits, William used extreme penances to atone for his earlier sinful life. He slept on the bare ground, ate sparingly of only the coarsest fare, and drank only limited amounts of water. Prayer, contemplation, and manual labor employed all his waking moments. William had the gift of working miracles and of prophecy.

Shortly before William's death, which he predicted, he and Albert were joined by a physician named Rinaldo. The two disciples buried William in his little garden, and together studied to live according to William's maxims and example. Later their number increased and they built a chapel over their founder's grave with a hermitage; however his relics were dispersed in the wars between Siena and Grosseto.

This was the origin of the Gulielmites, or Hermits of Saint William, which spread throughout Italy, France, Flanders, and Germany. Gregory IX, mitigating their austerities, gave the Rule of Saint Benedict to the group organized as the Order of Bare- Footed Friars, but they were eventually absorbed by the Augustinian hermits except for 12 houses in the Low Countries.

William is honored in the new Paris Missal and Breviary, where his feast is kept at the Abbey of Blancs-Manteaux, founded in 1257 as a mendicant order, called the Servants of the Virgin Mary, but bestowed on the Gulielmites after the second council of Lyons in 1297 (Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth).

In art, William of Maleval is similar to William of Aquitaine but with no ducal coronet. He carries a pilgrim's staff and sometimes wears a monastic habit over armor. At times he may be shown (1) bearing a cross staff, one arm of which ends in a crescent, or (2) bearing a shield with four fleur-de-lys (Roeder). He is the patron of armorers and venerated in Siena, Italy (Roeder), and Paris (Husenbeth).
1164 Blessed Hugh of Fosse "a man of impetuous disposition" -- Saint Bernard, O. Praem. (AC)
Born at Fosse near Namur, Belgium; cultus confirmed in 1927. Hugh was ordained and in 1119 joined Saint Norbert, the founder of the Premonstratensians (Canons Regular of Prémontré), as his companion and principal assistant. At first Hugh accompanied Norbert on his preaching missions in Hainault and Brabant. After the founding of Prémontré, he assumed most of the responsibility for directing the house. Hugh succeeded Norbert as abbot general of the order when Norbert was consecrated archbishop of Magdeburg. During Hugh's thirty-five-year administration, the order grew to over 100 houses. A letter from Saint Bernard to Hugh suggests that he was a man of impetuous disposition (Attwater2, Benedictines).

1240 St. Paul and Ninety Companions missionaries Dominican martyrs
Originally from Hungary, Paul studied law at the renowned University of Bologna and was subsequently convinced by St. Dominic himself to join the Order of Friars Preachers.
Paul returned to Hungary and worked to establish the order throughout the kingdom. He then went with the so called Ninety Companions to Wallachia, where he hoped to convert the pagan Cumans. The wild tribesman refused to hear his words and slaughtered Paul and his fellow missionaries.

1423 St. Paganus Italian Benedictine monastery on Sicily.  
He served in a monastery on Sicily before becoming a hermit. 

1439  The Synaxis of Novgorod Hierarchs is also celebrated on October 4 and on the third Sunday after Pentecost.
On October 4, 1439 St John (September 7) appeared to the presiding hierarch St Euthymius (March 11) and ordered him to serve a special panikhida in memory of those buried at the Sophia cathedral (the Russian princes and Archbishops of Novgorod, and all Orthodox Christians) on the Feast of the Hieromartyr Hierotheus, first Bishop of Athens.

Then the incorrupt relics of St John (September 7) were uncovered. Afterwards, the Synaxis was established to mark the glorification of the Novgorod hierarchs. E. E. Golubinsky says that because these hierarchs remained unknown at the time of their glorification, he determined this date for their common celebration was established in the period between the time of the Moscow Council of 1549 and the time of the formation of the Holy Synod (E. E. Golubinsky, History of the Canonization of Saints in the Russian Church. Moscow, 1903, p. 157).

Included in the Synaxis of Novgorod hierarchs are: St Joachim of Korsun, first bishop of Novgorod (988-1030); St Luke the Jew, bishop (October 15, 1060); St Germanus, bishop (1078-1096); St Arcadius, bishop (September 18); St Gregory, archbishop (May 24, 1193); St Martyrius, archbishop (August 24, 1199); St Anthony, archbishop (October 8, 1231); St Basil the Lame, archbishop (July 3, 1352); St Simeon, archbishop (June 15, 1421); St Gennadius, archbishop (December 4); St Pimen, archbishop (1553-1571); Aphthonius, metropolitan (April 6, 1653).

The relics of these saints were buried or transferred to Novgorod's Sophia Cathedral (except for St Germanus, St Gennadius and St Pimen) therefore, in some sources their names are not included in the Synaxis.
The October 4 celebration was established in connection with the memory of the holy Prince Vladimir Yaroslavich of Novgorod (+ 1052), and the February 10 Synaxis of the Novgorod hierarchs is celebrated in connection with the holy Princess Anna of Novgorod (+ 1056).
Besides those mentioned, hierarchs who have separate commemorations are: St Nikita the Hermit, bishop (January 31); St Niphon, bishop (April 8); St John, archbishop (September 7); St Theoctistus, archbishop (December 23); St Moses, archbishop (January 25); St Euthymius, archbishop (March 11); St Jonah, archbishop (November 5); St Serapion, archbishop (March 16).

1501 Blessed Eusebius of Murano Camaldolese monk, OSB Cam., Hermit (PC)
Saint Eusebius, a member of the Spanish nobility, was sent as ambassador to the republic of Venice. Here, he left everything to become a Camaldolese monk at San Michele on the isle of Murano (Benedictines).

1540 Saint Longinus of Koryazhemsk
 first pursued asceticism at the monastery of St Paul of Obnora, and then lived at the Sts Boris and Gleb Solvychegod monastery. From there he settled with his friend Simon near Vychegda, toward the mouth of the Koryazhema river.  Here, deep in the countryside, ten versts from Solvychegod, the ascetics built cells and a chapel. When brethren gathered around them, they built a church named for St Nicholas, and built a monastery in which the saint was igumen. Near the church there was a well, dug out by St Longinus himself.

After his death in 1540 the saint's body was buried, in accord with his last wishes, near the entrance to the church. Sixteen years later, it was placed inside the church.

The memory of St Longinus is celebrated with a special service, and there is a brief Life, compiled at a later time.

1645 Bl. Alexander of Lugo Dominican martyr of Spain martyred by Muslims
Blessed Alexander of Lugo, OP M (AC) (also known as Alexander Baldrati) Born in Lugo, Italy, 1595; died on Chios Island in 1645. 
If anyone ever was framed and destroyed by a tissue of lies, it was Alexander Baldrati a Lugo, who was martyred by the Islamics.

Alexander was baptized in the Dominican church at Lugo, Italy. Showing early signs of piety, he was carefully educated and was received into the order in Lugo in 1612. He studied first in Faenza, then in Naples, in the convent of Our Lady of the Arch. After his ordination, he was sent to Bologna, where he carried on a heavy program of preaching and teaching. He devoted half his time to God and half to his neighbor; by arithmetic, that left none for himself.
Eventually his health failed. It was during his convalescence in Venice that circumstances sent him on the great adventure of his life.

Just why a sick man should embark on a trip to the Orient is not quite clear; perhaps his superiors thought a sea voyage would help him. At any rate, he arrived on the island of Chios and--like many convalescent religious--promptly began devoting a full day to preaching.
He happened to incur the bitter hatred of an apostate Christian, who began planning his downfall.

When the archbishop of Edessa arrived, en route to his see, and stopped over with the Dominicans, the apostate convinced his friends that the Christians were moving in on Chios (sort of like the pope is moving into the White House) and a furor of anti-Christian feeling arose among the fanatical Islamics. However, the target of wrath was not the archbishop of Edessa, nor the other transient archbishop staying with the Dominicans, but Alexander. The apostate, who had elected himself spokesman, went to the governor and denounced Alexander. This Dominican, he said, had secretly become a follower of Islam, and he could prove it.
Like many another brazenly false charge, this one was difficult to disprove. Alexander was haled into the Mohammedan court, and the governor praised him highly for his wisdom in converting to the beliefs of Islam.
He was promised great rewards as his portion, especially if he could get some of his fellow Dominicans interested in the faith of the prophet.

Alexander protested indignantly that he had never been in the slightest danger of professing Islam, that he was a Christian and proud of it. The governor therefore informed him that he must be treated as an apostate from Islam. Alexander realized that he was bound for the sacrifice no matter what happened, but he wanted the record kept straight. "I have never believed in your prophet," he said. "I have never believed in the Koran, nor in any of its teachings!"
"This man has abandoned the faith of Mohammed," said the governor. "He has blasphemed. He is guilty of death." Without further discussion, the unhappy Dominican was taken off to prison, still protesting his orthodoxy. The governor sent soldiers to bring the Dominican prior and two archbishops. "Why did you harbor this traitor?" he demanded of them. "Our law commands us to kill anyone who abandons the faith of Mohammed, and you had no right to shelter him from his just punishment. We could seize all of you and put you to death for this treason."
The prior and the two visiting archbishops held up stoutly under the governor's polished trickery. They protested that Alexander was an excellent Christian and never had been anything else. As soon as they were released, they sent word to Alexander to be of good courage, that everyone would pray that he could bear up through the ordeal ahead. They called the Christians of the island to keep vigil in the churches, to pray for those who were to die.
Alexander, brought once more before the court, was given three days to reflect on whether or not he would proclaim himself a faithful son of the Prophet. "I do not need three days," he said. "I can give you a definite answer right now. I am a Christian, and have never been a Mohammedan. Your prophet is a prophet of lies, your law proceeds from the father of lies." His bold words met a chorus of fanatical screams from the populace already incited to murder by the apostate. "Avenge your prophet!" cried the governor, and the crowds pressed in until it was necessary to put Alexander in a dungeon to keep him alive until the governor's plans were complete.

Alexander was condemned to be burned at the stake. When he was led out to die, the maddened crowds pressed in as if they would tear him to pieces. No one listened to his protesting that he was and always had been a Christian. When he was tied to the stake, the governor said to him: "Lift one finger to show that you believe in the God of Mohammed, the one true God, and your life will be spare." Bleeding and stiff from torture, the Dominican raised three fingers and cried out: "I believe in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

The fire would not touch the martyr as he stood suffering at the stake. Wind blew the flames away, or put them out; faggots fell and rolled away from him. With a maddened roar, the crowd fought through its guard and hacked him to pieces. Then someone tossed gunpowder on the fire and, in the sight of 40,000 witnesses, Alexander Baldrati a Lugo gave up his valiant spirit (Benedictines, Dorcy).
1960 Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, Cardinal demonstrating the importance of faith, charity and virtue M (AC)
(also known as Louis or Alojzije of Zagreb) Born at Brezaric near Krasic, Croatia, on May 8, 1898; died at Krasic, on February 10, 1960; beatified on October 3, 1998, by Pope John Paul II at the Marian shrine of Marija Bistrica.

Aloysius Stepinac, the eighth of 12 children of a peasant family, was always the special object of his mother's prayers to he might be ordained.

In 1916, he was conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian army and fought on the Italian front until he was taken prisoner. Upon his return to civilian life in 1919, Stepinac entered the University of Zagreb to study agriculture, but soon recognized his call to the priesthood. In 1924, he was sent to Rome for his seminary studies leading to his ordination on October 26, 1930.

He returned to Zagreb in July 1931 with doctorates in theology and philosophy.

Soon afterwards, Stepinac was chosen to become secretary to Archbishop Antun Bauer. On June 24, 1934, he was nominated as coadjutor to the Archbishop of Zagreb. After this nomination, Stepinac stated: "I love my Croatian people and for their benefit I am ready to give everything, as well as I am ready to give everything for the Catholic Church." After Bauer's death on December 7, 1937, Stepinac became the Archbishop of Zagreb. He took as his motto, "In You, O Lord, I take refuge!" (Psalm 31:1), which was the inspiration for his service to the Church.

During the Second World War, Stepinac never turned his back on the refugees, or the persecuted.

His door was always open not only for Croatians, but also Jews, Serbs, and Slovenes that needed his help. Stepinac always stood for political freedom and fundamental rights, and he always advocated the rights of the Croatian people. Stepinac wanted Croatia to be a country of God.

At the end of the war, Stepinac was found guilty of collaborating with the Nazis at a mock trial.

He was convicted and sentenced sixteen years' hard labour on October 11, 1946. At his trial when his life was on the line, Stepinac asked his communist prosecutors: ". . . every nation has the right to independence, then why should it be denied to the Croatians?" He spent five years in the prison of Lepoglava, 1,864 days in hard labor, and, in 1951, Tito's government released him and confined him to the village of Krasic.

Even though he was forbidden by the government to resume his duties, Stepinac was created cardinal by Pope Pius XII on January 12, 1953.

He died under house arrest from the many illnesses he contracted while in prison and was buried three days later behind the main altar in the cathedral in Zagreb. One story reported that poison was found in his bones.  In 1985, his trial prosecutor Jakov Blazevic publically admitted that Stepinac was framed; he was prosecuted because of the regime's hatred of religion and Stepinac's loyalty to the Holy See.
Without a doubt, Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac is one of the greatest Croatian patriots of the 20th century. He spent his entire life serving God and the Croatian people, demonstrating the importance of faith, charity and virtue (Savor).



THE PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY PSALM 261

Hear my prayer, O Lady: upon a firm rock establish my mind.

Be thou to me a tower of strength: protect me from the face of the cruel destroyer.

Be thou to him terrible as an army in battle array: and may he fall living into the depths of hell.

For thou art shining and terrible: a cloud full of dew, and the rising dawn.

Thou art beautiful and bright as the full moon: thy sacred aspect is as when the sun shines in its strength.


Let every spirit praise Our Lady

For thy spirit is kind: thy grace fills the whole world.

Thunder, ye heavens, from above, and give praise to her: glorify her, ye earth, with all the dwellers therein.


Rejoice, ye Heavens, and be glad, O Earth: because Mary will console her servants and will have mercy on her poor.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost as it was in the beginning and will always be.


God loves variety. He doesn't mass-produce his saints. Every saint is unique, for each is the result of a new idea. 
As the liturgy says: Non est inventus similis illis--there are no two exactly alike. It is we with our lack of imagination, who paint the same haloes on all the saints. Dear Lord, grant us a spirit that is not bound by our own ideas and preferences. 
Grant that we may be able to appreciate in others what we lack in ourselves.
O Lord, grant that we may understand that every saint must be a unique praise of Your glory. Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives.  Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts.   God calls each one of us to be a saint in order to get into heavenonly saints are allowed into heaven.
The more "extravagant" graces are bestowed NOT for the benefit of the recipients so much as FOR the benefit of others.
There are over 10,000 named saints beati  from history
 and Roman Martyology Orthodox sources

Patron_Saints.html  Widowed_Saints htmIndulgences The Catholic Church in China
LINKS: Marian Shrines  
India Marian Shrine Lourdes of the East   Lourdes 1858  China Marian shrines 1995
Kenya national Marian shrine  Loreto, Italy  Marian Apparitions (over 2000Quang Tri Vietnam La Vang 1798
 
Links to Related MarianWebsites  Angels and Archangels  Saints Visions of Heaven and Hell

Widowed Saints  html
Doctors_of_the_Church   Acts_Of_The_Apostles  Roman Catholic Popes  Purgatory  UniateChalcedon

Mary the Mother of Jesus Miracles_BLay Saints  Miraculous_IconMiraculous_Medal_Novena Patron Saints
Miracles by Century 100   200   300   400   500   600   700    800   900   1000    1100   1200   1300   1400  1500  1600  1700  1800  1900 2000
Miracles 100   200   300   400   500   600   700    800   900   1000  
 
1100   1200   1300   1400  1500  1600  1700  1800   1900 Lay Saints

The great psalm of the Passion, Chapter 22, whose first verse “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Jesus pronounced on the cross, ended with the vision: “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations shall worship before him
For kingship belongs to the LORD, the ruler over the nations. All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; All who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage. And I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you. The generation to come will be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance you have brought.
Pope Benedict XVI to The Catholic Church In China {whole article here} 2000 years of the Catholic Church in China
The saints “a cloud of witnesses over our head”, showing us life of Christian perfection is possible.

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Saint Frances Xavier Seelos  Practical Guide to Holiness
1. Go to Mass with deepest devotion. 2. Spend a half hour to reflect upon your main failing & make resolutions to avoid it.
3. Do daily spiritual reading for at least 15 minutes, if a half hour is not possible.  4. Say the rosary every day.
5. Also daily, if at all possible, visit the Blessed Sacrament; toward evening, meditate on the Passion of Christ for a half hour, 6.  Conclude the day with evening prayer & an examination of conscience over all the faults & sins of the day.
7.  Every month make a review of the month in confession.
8. Choose a special patron every month & imitate that patron in some special virtue.
9. Precede every great feast with a novena that is nine days of devotion. 10. Try to begin & end every activity with a Hail Mary

My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love Thee.  I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not
O most Holy trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly.  I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended, and by the infite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  I beg the conversion of poor sinners,  Fatima Prayer, Angel of Peace
The voice of the Father is heard, the Son enters the water, and the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove.
THE spirit and example of the world imperceptibly instil the error into the minds of many that there is a kind of middle way of going to Heaven; and so, because the world does not live up to the gospel, they bring the gospel down to the level of the world. It is not by this example that we are to measure the Christian rule, but words and life of Christ. All His followers are commanded to labour to become perfect even as our heavenly Father is perfect, and to bear His image in our hearts that we may be His children. We are obliged by the gospel to die to ourselves by fighting self-love in our hearts, by the mastery of our passions, by taking on the spirit of our Lord.
   These are the conditions under which Christ makes His promises and numbers us among His children, as is manifest from His words which the apostles have left us in their inspired writings. Here is no distinction made or foreseen between the apostles or clergy or religious and secular persons. The former, indeed, take upon themselves certain stricter obligations, as a means of accomplishing these ends more perfectly; but the law of holiness and of disengagement of the heart from the world is general and binds all the followers of Christ.
God loves variety. He doesn't mass-produce his saints. Every saint is unique each the result of a new idea.
As the liturgy says: Non est inventus similis illis--there are no two exactly alike.
It is we with our lack of imagination, who paint the same haloes on all the saints.

Dear Lord, grant us a spirit not bound by our own ideas and preferences.
 
Grant that we may be able to appreciate in others what we lack in ourselves.

O Lord, grant that we may understand that every saint must be a unique praise of Your glory.
 
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives.
Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts.
The 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary ) Revealed to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan)
1.    Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. 2.    I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 3.    The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies. 4.    It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things.  Oh, that soul would sanctify them by this means.  5.    The soul that recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish. 6.    Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying themselves to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune.  God will not chastise them in His justice, they shall not perish by an unprovided death; if they be just, they shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. 7.    Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church. 8.    Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise. 9.    I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. 10.    The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.  11.    You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. 12.    I shall aid all those who propagate the Holy Rosary in their necessities. 13.    I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death. 14.    All who recite the Rosary are my children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ. 15.    Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
His Holiness Aram I, current (2013) Catholicos of Cilicia of Armenians, whose See is located in Lebanese town of Antelias. The Catholicosate was founded in Sis, capital of Cilicia, in the year 1441 following the move of the Catholicosate of All Armenians back to its original See of Etchmiadzin in Armenia. The Catholicosate of Cilicia enjoyed local jurisdiction, though spiritually subject to the authority of Etchmiadzin. In 1921 the See was transferred to Aleppo in Syria, and in 1930 to Antelias.
Its jurisdiction currently extends to Syria, Cyprus, Iran and Greece.
Aramaic dialect of Edessa, now known as Syriac
The exact date of the introduction of Christianity into Edessa {Armenian Ourhaï in Arabic Er Roha, commonly Orfa or Urfa, its present name} is not known. It is certain, however, that the Christian community was at first made up from the Jewish population of the city. According to an ancient legend, King Abgar V, Ushana, was converted by Addai, who was one of the seventy-two disciples. In fact, however, the first King of Edessa to embrace the Christian Faith was Abgar IX (c. 206) becoming official kingdom religion.
Christian council held at Edessa early as 197 (Eusebius, Hist. Ecc7V,xxiii).
In 201 the city was devastated by a great flood, and the Christian church was destroyed (“Chronicon Edessenum”, ad. an. 201).
In 232 the relics of the Apostle St. Thomas were brought from India, on which occasion his Syriac Acts were written.

Under Roman domination martyrs suffered at Edessa: Sts. Scharbîl and Barsamya, under Decius; Sts. Gûrja, Schâmôna, Habib, and others under Diocletian.
 
In the meanwhile Christian priests from Edessa evangelized Eastern Mesopotamia and Persia, established the first Churches in the kingdom of the Sassanides.  Atillâtiâ, Bishop of Edessa, assisted at the Council of Nicæa (325). The “Peregrinatio Silviæ” (or Etheriæ) (ed. Gamurrini, Rome, 1887, 62 sqq.) gives an account of the many sanctuaries at Edessa about 388.
Although Hebrew had been the language of the ancient Israelite kingdom, after their return from Exile the Jews turned more and more to Aramaic, using it for parts of the books of Ezra and Daniel in the Bible. By the time of Jesus, Aramaic was the main language of Palestine, and quite a number of texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls are also written in Aramaic.
Aramaic continued to be an important language for Jews, alongside Hebrew, and parts of the Talmud are written in it.
After Arab conquests of the seventh century, Arabic quickly replaced Aramaic as the main language of those who converted to Islam, although in out of the way places, Aramaic continued as a vernacular language of Muslims.
Aramaic, however, enjoyed its greatest success in Christianity. Although the New Testament wins written in Greek, Christianity had come into existence in an Aramaic-speaking milieu, and it was the Aramaic dialect of Edessa, now known as Syriac, that became the literary language of a large number of Christians living in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire and in the Persian Empire, further east. Over the course of the centuries the influence of the Syriac Churches spread eastwards to China (in Xian, in western China, a Chinese-Syriac inscription dated 781 is still to be seen); to southern India where the state of Kerala can boast more Christians of Syriac liturgical tradition than anywhere else in the world.

680 Shiite saint Imam Hussein, grandson of Islam's Prophet Muhammad Known as Ashoura and observed by Shiites across the world, the 10th day of the lunar Muslim month of Muharram: the anniversary of the 7th century death in battle of one of Shiite Islam's most beloved saints.  Imam Hussein died in the 680 A.D. battle fought on the plains outside Karbala, a city in modern Iraq that's home to the saint's shrine.  The battle over a dispute about the leadership of the Muslim faith following Muhammad's death in 632 A.D. It is the defining event in Islam's split into Sunni and Shiite branches.  The occasion is the source of an enduring moral lesson. "He sacrificed his blood to teach us not to give in to corruption, coercion, or use of force and to seek honor and justice."  According to Shiite beliefs, Hussein and companions were denied water by enemies who controlled the nearby Euphrates.  Streets get partially covered with blood from slaughter of hundreds of cows and sheep. Volunteers cook the meat and feed it to the poor.  Hussein's martyrdom recounted through a rich body of prose, poetry and song remains an inspirational example of sacrifice to many Shiites, 10 percent of the world's estimated 1.3 billion Muslims.
Meeting of the Saints  walis (saints of Allah)
Great men covet to embrace martyrdom for a cause and principle.
So was the case with Hazrat Ali. He could have made a compromise with the evil forces of his time and, as a result, could have led a very comfortable, easy and luxurious life.  But he was not a person who would succumb to such temptations. His upbringing, his education and his training in the lap of the holy Prophet made him refuse such an offer.
Rabia Al-Basri (717–801 C.E.) She was first to set forth the doctrine of mystical love and who is widely considered to be the most important of the early Sufi poets. An elderly Shia pointed out that during his pre-Partition childhood it was quite common to find pictures and portraits of Shia icons in Imambaras across the country.
Shah Abdul Latif: The Exalted Sufi Master born 1690 in a Syed family; died 1754. In ancient times, Sindh housed the exemplary Indus Valley Civilisation with Moenjo Daro as its capital, and now, it is the land of a culture which evolved from the teachings of eminent Sufi saints. Pakistan is home to the mortal remains of many Sufi saints, the exalted among them being Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, a practitioner of the real Islam, philosopher, poet, musicologist and preacher. He presented his teaching through poetry and music - both instruments sublime - and commands a very large following, not only among Muslims but also among Hindus and Christians. Sindh culture: The Shah is synonymous with Sindh. He is the very fountainhead of Sindh's culture. His message remains as fresh as that of any present day poet, and the people of Sindh find solace from his writings. He did indeed think for Sindh. One of his prayers, in exquisite Sindhi, translates thus: “Oh God, may ever You on Sindh bestow abundance rare! Beloved! All the world let share Thy grace, and fruitful be.”
Shia Ali al-Hadi, died 868 and son Hassan al-Askari 874. These saints are the 10th and 11th of Shia's 12 most revered Imams. Baba Farid Sufi 1398 miracle, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki renowned Muslim Sufi saint scholar miracles 569 A.H. [1173 C.E.] hermit gave to poor, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti greatest mystic of his time born 533 Hijri (1138-39 A.D.), Hazrat Ghuas-e Azam, Hazrat Bu Ali Sharif, and Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Sufi Saint Hazrath Khwaja Syed Mohammed Badshah Quadri Chisty Yamani Quadeer (RA)
1236-1325 welcomed people of all faiths & all walks of life.
801 Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya Sufi One of the most famous Islamic mystics
(b. 717). This 8th century saint was an early Sufi who had a profound influence on later Sufis, who in turn deeply influenced the European mystical love and troubadour traditions.  Rabi'a was a woman of Basra, a seaport in southern Iraq.  She was born around 717 and died in 801 (185-186).  Her biographer, the great medieval poet Attar, tells us that she was "on fire with love and longing" and that men accepted her "as a second spotless Mary" (186).  She was, he continues, “an unquestioned authority to her contemporaries" (218).
Rabi'a began her ascetic life in a small desert cell near Basra, where she lost herself in prayer and went straight to God for teaching.  As far as is known, she never studied under any master or spiritual director.  She was one of the first of the Sufis to teach that Love alone was the guide on the mystic path (222).  A later Sufi taught that there were two classes of "true believers": one class sought a master as an intermediary between them and God -- unless they could see the footsteps of the Prophet on the path before them, they would not accept the path as valid.  The second class “...did not look before them for the footprint of any of God's creatures, for they had removed all thought of what He had created from their hearts, and concerned themselves solely with God. (218)
Rabi'a was of this second kind.  She felt no reverence even for the House of God in Mecca:  "It is the Lord of the house Whom I need; what have I to do with the house?" (219) One lovely spring morning a friend asked her to come outside to see the works of God.  She replied, "Come you inside that you may behold their Maker.  Contemplation of the Maker has turned me aside from what He has made" (219).  During an illness, a friend asked this woman if she desired anything.
"...[H]ow can you ask me such a question as 'What do I desire?'  I swear by the glory of God that for twelve years I have desired fresh dates, and you know that in Basra dates are plentiful, and I have not yet tasted them.  I am a servant (of God), and what has a servant to do with desire?" (162)
When a male friend once suggested she should pray for relief from a debilitating illness, she said,
"O Sufyan, do you not know Who it is that wills this suffering for me?  Is it not God Who wills it?  When you know this, why do you bid me ask for what is contrary to His will?  It is not  well to oppose one's Beloved." (221)
She was an ascetic.  It was her custom to pray all night, sleep briefly just before dawn, and then rise again just as dawn "tinged the sky with gold" (187).  She lived in celibacy and poverty, having renounced the world.  A friend visited her in old age and found that all she owned were a reed mat, screen, a pottery jug, and a bed of felt which doubled as her prayer-rug (186), for where she prayed all night, she also slept briefly in the pre-dawn chill.  Once her friends offered to get her a servant; she replied,
"I should be ashamed to ask for the things of this world from Him to Whom the world belongs, and how should I ask for them from those to whom it does not belong?"  (186-7)
A wealthy merchant once wanted to give her a purse of gold.  She refused it, saying that God, who sustains even those who dishonor Him, would surely sustain her, "whose soul is overflowing with love" for Him.  And she added an ethical concern as well:
"...How should I take the wealth of someone of whom I do not know whether he acquired it lawfully or not?" (187)
She taught that repentance was a gift from God because no one could repent unless God had already accepted him and given him this gift of repentance.  She taught that sinners must fear the punishment they deserved for their sins, but she also offered such sinners far more hope of Paradise than most other ascetics did.  For herself, she held to a higher ideal, worshipping God neither from fear of Hell nor from hope of Paradise, for she saw such self-interest as unworthy of God's servants; emotions like fear and hope were like veils -- i.e., hindrances to the vision of God Himself.  The story is told that once a number of Sufis saw her hurrying on her way with water in one hand and a burning torch in the other.  When they asked her to explain, she said:
"I am going to light a fire in Paradise and to pour water on to Hell, so that both veils may vanish altogether from before the pilgrims and their purpose may be sure..." (187-188)
She was once asked where she came from.  "From that other world," she said.  "And where are you going?" she was asked.  "To that other world," she replied (219).  She taught that the spirit originated with God in "that other world" and had to return to Him in the end.  Yet if the soul were sufficiently purified, even on earth, it could look upon God unveiled in all His glory and unite with him in love.  In this quest, logic and reason were powerless.  Instead, she speaks of the "eye" of her heart which alone could apprehend Him and His mysteries (220).
Above all, she was a lover, a bhakti, like one of Krishna’s Goptis in the Hindu tradition.  Her hours of prayer were not so much devoted to intercession as to communion with her Beloved.  Through this communion, she could discover His will for her.  Many of her prayers have come down to us:
       "I have made Thee the Companion of my heart,
        But my body is available for those who seek its company,
        And my body is friendly towards its guests,
        But the Beloved of my heart is the Guest of my soul."  [224]

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Mother Angelica saving souls is this beautiful womans journey  Shrine_of_The_Most_Blessed_Sacrament
Colombia was among the countries Mother Angelica visited. 
In Bogotá, a Salesian priest - Father Juan Pablo Rodriguez - brought Mother and the nuns to the Sanctuary of the Divine Infant Jesus to attend Mass.  After Mass, Father Juan Pablo took them into a small Shrine which housed the miraculous statue of the Child Jesus. Mother Angelica stood praying at the side of the statue when suddenly the miraculous image came alive and turned towards her.  Then the Child Jesus spoke with the voice of a young boy:  “Build Me a Temple and I will help those who help you.” 

Thus began a great adventure that would eventually result in the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, a Temple dedicated to the Divine Child Jesus, a place of refuge for all. Use this link to read a remarkable story about
The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Father Reardon, Editor of The Catholic Bulletin for 14 years Lover of the poor; A very Holy Man of God.
Monsignor Reardon Protonotarius Apostolicus
 
Pastor 42 years BASILICA OF SAINT MARY Minneapolis MN
America's First Basilica Largest Nave in the World
August 7, 1907-ground broke for the foundation
by Archbishop Ireland-laying cornerstone May 31, 1908
James M. Reardon Publication History of Basilica of Saint Mary 1600-1932
James M. Reardon Publication  History of the Basilica of Saint Mary 1955 {update}

Brief History of our Beloved Holy Priest Here and his published books of Catholic History in North America
Reardon, J.M. Archbishop Ireland; Prelate, Patriot, Publicist, 1838-1918.
A Memoir (St. Paul; 1919); George Anthony Belcourt Pioneer Catholic Missionary of the Northwest 1803-1874 (1955);
The Catholic Church IN THE DIOCESE OF ST. PAUL from earliest origin to centennial achievement
1362-1950 (1952);

The Church of Saint Mary of Saint Paul 1875-1922;
  (1932)
The Vikings in the American Heartland;
The Catholic Total Abstinence Society in Minnesota;
James Michael Reardon Born in Nova Scotia, 1872;  Priest, ordained by Bishop Ireland;
Member -- St. Paul Seminary faculty.
Affiliations and Indulgence Litany of Loretto in Stained glass windows here.  Nave Sacristy and Residence Here
Sanctuary
spaces between them filled with grilles of hand-forged wrought iron the
life of our Blessed Lady After the crucifixon
Apostle statues Replicas of those in St John Lateran--Christendom's earliest Basilica.
Ordered by Rome's first Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great, Popes' cathedral and official residence first millennium of Christian history.

The only replicas ever made:  in order from west to east {1932}.
Every Christian must be a living book wherein one can read the teaching of the gospel
 
It Makes No Sense
Not To Believe In GOD
THE BLESSED MOTHER AND ISLAM By Father John Corapi
  June 19, Trinity Sunday, 1991: Ordained Catholic Priest under Pope John Paul II;
then 2,000,000 miles delivering the Gospel to millions, and continues to do so.
By Father John Corapi
THE BLESSED MOTHER AND ISLAM By Father John Corapi
  June 19, Trinity Sunday, 1991: Ordained Catholic Priest under Pope John Paul II;
then 2,000,000 miles delivering the Gospel to millions, and continues to do so.
By Father John Corapi
Among the most important titles we have in the Catholic Church for the Blessed Virgin Mary are Our Lady of Victory and Our Lady of the Rosary. These titles can be traced back to one of the most decisive times in the history of the world and Christendom. The Battle of Lepanto took place on October 7 (date of feast of Our Lady of Rosary), 1571. This proved to be the most crucial battle for the Christian forces against the radical Muslim navy of Turkey. Pope Pius V led a procession around St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City praying the Rosary. He showed true pastoral leadership in recognizing the danger posed to Christendom by the radical Muslim forces, and in using the means necessary to defeat it. Spiritual battles require spiritual weapons, and this more than anything was a battle that had its origins in the spiritual order—a true battle between good and evil.

Today we have a similar spiritual battle in progress—a battle between the forces of good and evil, light and darkness, truth and lies, life and death. If we do not soon stop the genocide of abortion in the United States, we shall run the course of all those that prove by their actions that they are enemies of God—total collapse, economic, social, and national. The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate demise of a nation. God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception. This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church. If you do not accept this you are a heretic in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade in the United States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for death—unwanted, unborn children.

No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion.

As we watch the spectacle of the world seeming to self-destruct before our eyes, we can’t help but be saddened and even frightened by so much evil run rampant. Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Somalia, North Korea—It is all a disaster of epic proportions displayed in living color on our television screens.  These are not ordinary times and this is not business as usual. We are at a crossroads in human history and the time for Catholics and all Christians to act is now. All evil can ultimately be traced to its origin, which is moral evil. All of the political action, peace talks, international peacekeeping forces, etc. will avail nothing if the underlying sickness is not addressed. This is sin. One person at a time hearts and minds must be moved from evil to good, from lies to truth, from violence to peace.
Islam, an Arabic word that has often been defined as “to make peace,” seems like a living contradiction today. Islam is a religion of peace.  As we celebrate the birthday of Our Lady, I am proposing that each one of us pray the Rosary for peace. Prayer is what must precede all other activity if that activity is to have any chance of success. Pray for peace, pray the Rosary every day without fail.  There is a great love for Mary among Muslim people. It is not a coincidence that a little village named Fatima is where God chose to have His Mother appear in the twentieth century. Our Lady’s name appears no less than thirty times in the Koran. No other woman’s name is mentioned, not even that of Mohammed’s daughter, Fatima. In the Koran Our Lady is described as “Virgin, ever Virgin.”

Archbishop Fulton Sheen prophetically spoke of the resurgence of Islam in our day. He said it would be through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Islam would be converted. We must pray for this to happen quickly if we are to avert a horrible time of suffering for this poor, sinful world. Turn to our Mother in this time of great peril. Pray the Rosary every day. Then, and only then will there be peace, when the hearts and minds of men are changed from the inside.
Talk is weak. Prayer is strong. Pray!  God bless you, Father John Corapi

Father Corapi's Biography

Father John Corapi is what has commonly been called a late vocation. In other words, he came to the priesthood other than a young man. He was 44 years old when he was ordained. From small town boy to the Vietnam era US Army, from successful businessman in Las Vegas and Hollywood to drug addicted and homeless, to religious life and ordination to the priesthood by Pope John Paul II, to a life as a preacher of the Gospel who has reached millions with the simple message that God's Name is Mercy!

Father Corapi's academic credentials are quite extensive. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Pace University in the seventies. Then as an older man returned to the university classrooms in preparation for his life as a priest and preacher. He received all of his academic credentials for the Church with honors: a Masters degree in Sacred Scripture from Holy Apostles Seminary and Bachelor, Licentiate, and Doctorate degrees in dogmatic theology from the University of Navarre in Spain.

Father John Corapi goes to the heart of the contemporary world's many woes and wars, whether the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia, or the Congo, or the natural disasters that seem to be increasing every year, the moral and spiritual war is at the basis of everything. “Our battle is not against human forces,” St. Paul asserts, “but against principalities and powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness...” (Ephesians 6:12). 
The “War to end all wars” is the moral and spiritual combat that rages in the hearts and minds of human beings. The outcome of that  unseen fight largely determines how the battle in the realm of the seen unfolds.  The title talk, “With the Moon Under Her Feet,” is taken from the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation, and deals with the current threat to the world from radical Islam, and the Blessed Virgin Mary's role in the ultimate victory that will result in the conversion of Islam. Few Catholics are aware of the connection between Islam, Fatima, and Guadalupe. Presented in Father Corapi's straight-forward style, you will be both inspired and educated by him.

About Father John Corapi.
Father Corapi is a Catholic priest .
The pillars of father's preaching are basically:
Love for and a relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary 
Leading a vibrant and loving relationship with Jesus Christ
Great love and reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist from Holy Mass to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
An uncompromising love for and obedience to the Holy Father and the teaching of the Magisterium of the Church


God Bless you on your journey Father John Corapi


Records on life of Father Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, presented at Vatican
Jul 23, 2019 - 03:01 am .- The cause for canonization of Servant of God Edward Flanagan, the priest who founded Nebraska's Boys Town community for orphans and other boys, advanced Monday with the presentation of a summary of records on his life.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen to be beatified
Jul 6, 2019 - 04:00 am .- Pope Francis approved the miracle attributed to Archbishop Fulton Sheen Friday, making possible the American television catechist's beatification.

Brooklyn diocese advances sainthood cause of local priest
Jun 25, 2019 - 03:01 am .- The Bishop of Brooklyn accepted last week the findings of a nine-year diocesan investigation into the life of Monsignor Bernard John Quinn, known for fighting bigotry and serving the African American population, as part of his cause for canonization.

Fr. Augustus Tolton, former African American slave, advances toward sainthood
Jun 12, 2019 - 05:03 am .- Fr. Augustus Tolton advanced along the path to sainthood Wednesday, making the runaway slave-turned-priest one step closer to being the first black American saint.

Pope Francis will beatify these martyred Greek-Catholic bishops in Romania
May 30, 2019 - 03:01 pm .- On Sunday in Blaj, Pope Francis will beatify seven Greek-Catholic bishops of Romania who were killed by the communist regime between 1950 and 1970.
 
Woman who served Brazil’s poorest to be canonized
May 14, 2019 - 06:53 am .- Pope Francis Tuesday gave his approval for eight sainthood causes to proceed, including that of Bl. Dulce Lopes Pontes, a 20th-century religious sister who served Brazil’s poor.

Seven 20th-century Romanian bishops declared martyrs
Mar 19, 2019 - 12:01 pm .- Pope Francis declared Tuesday the martyrdom of seven Greek-Catholic bishops killed by the communist regime in Romania in the mid-20th century.

Pope advances sainthood causes of 17 women
Jan 15, 2019 - 11:12 am .- Pope Francis approved Tuesday the next step in the canonization causes of 17 women from four countries, including the martyrdom of 14 religious sisters killed in Spain at the start of the Spanish Civil War.
 
Nineteen Algerian martyrs beatified
Dec 10, 2018 - 03:08 pm .- Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, were beatified Saturday during a Mass in Oran.

The Algerian martyrs shed their blood for Christ, pope says
Dec 7, 2018 - 10:02 am .- Ahead of the beatification Saturday of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, Pope Francis said martyrs have a special place in the Church.
Algerian martyrs are models for the Church, archbishop says
Nov 16, 2018 - 03:01 am .- Archbishop Paul Desfarges of Algiers has said that Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, are “models for our lives as disciples today and tomorrow.”
 
Francesco Spinelli to be canonized after healing of a newborn in DR Congo
Oct 9, 2018 - 05:01 pm .- Among those being canonized on Sunday are Fr. Franceso Spinelli, a diocesan priest through whose intercession a newborn was saved from death in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Algerian martyrs to be beatified in December
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:01 pm .- The Algerian bishops' conference has announced that the beatification of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in the country between 1994 and 1996, will be held Dec. 8.

Now a cardinal, Giovanni Angelo Becciu heads to congregation for saints' causes
Jun 28, 2018 - 11:41 am .- Newly-minted Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu will resign from his post as substitute of the Secretariat of State tomorrow, in anticipation of his appointment as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints later this summer.

Pope Francis creates new path to beatification under ‘offering of life’
Jul 11, 2017 - 06:22 am .- On Tuesday Pope Francis declared a new category of Christian life suitable for consideration of beatification called “offering of life” – in which a person has died prematurely through an offering of their life for love of God and neighbor.
 
Twentieth century Polish nurse among causes advancing toward sainthood
Jul 7, 2017 - 06:14 am .- Pope Francis on Friday approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Hanna Chrzanowska, a Polish nurse and nursing instructor who died from cancer in 1973, paving the way for her beatification.
 
Sainthood causes advance, including layman who resisted fascism
Jun 17, 2017 - 09:22 am .- Pope Francis on Friday recognized the heroic virtue of six persons on the path to canonization, as well as the martyrdom of an Italian man who died from injuries of a beating he received while imprisoned in a concentration camp for resisting fascism.
 
Solanus Casey, Cardinal Van Thuan among those advanced toward sainthood
May 4, 2017 - 10:47 am .- Pope Francis on Thursday approved decrees of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints advancing the causes for canonization of 12 individuals, including the American-born Capuchin Solanus Casey and the Vietnamese cardinal Francis Xavier Nguen Van Thuan.
 
Pope clears way for canonization of Fatima visionaries
Mar 23, 2017 - 06:44 am .- On Thursday Pope Francis approved the second and final miracle needed to canonize Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the shepherd children who witnessed the Fatima Marian apparitions.
Surgeon and father among sainthood causes moving forward
Feb 27, 2017 - 11:03 am .- Pope Francis recognized on Monday the heroic virtue of eight persons on the path to canonization, including an Italian surgeon and father of eight who suffered from several painful diseases throughout his life.

Records on life of Father Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, presented at Vatican
Jul 23, 2019 - 03:01 am .- The cause for canonization of Servant of God Edward Flanagan, the priest who founded Nebraska's Boys Town community for orphans and other boys, advanced Monday with the presentation of a summary of records on his life.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen to be beatified
Jul 6, 2019 - 04:00 am .- Pope Francis approved the miracle attributed to Archbishop Fulton Sheen Friday, making possible the American television catechist's beatification.

Brooklyn diocese advances sainthood cause of local priest
Jun 25, 2019 - 03:01 am .- The Bishop of Brooklyn accepted last week the findings of a nine-year diocesan investigation into the life of Monsignor Bernard John Quinn, known for fighting bigotry and serving the African American population, as part of his cause for canonization.

Fr. Augustus Tolton, former African American slave, advances toward sainthood
Jun 12, 2019 - 05:03 am .- Fr. Augustus Tolton advanced along the path to sainthood Wednesday, making the runaway slave-turned-priest one step closer to being the first black American saint.

Pope Francis will beatify these martyred Greek-Catholic bishops in Romania
May 30, 2019 - 03:01 pm .- On Sunday in Blaj, Pope Francis will beatify seven Greek-Catholic bishops of Romania who were killed by the communist regime between 1950 and 1970.
 
Woman who served Brazil’s poorest to be canonized
May 14, 2019 - 06:53 am .- Pope Francis Tuesday gave his approval for eight sainthood causes to proceed, including that of Bl. Dulce Lopes Pontes, a 20th-century religious sister who served Brazil’s poor.

Seven 20th-century Romanian bishops declared martyrs
Mar 19, 2019 - 12:01 pm .- Pope Francis declared Tuesday the martyrdom of seven Greek-Catholic bishops killed by the communist regime in Romania in the mid-20th century.

Pope advances sainthood causes of 17 women
Jan 15, 2019 - 11:12 am .- Pope Francis approved Tuesday the next step in the canonization causes of 17 women from four countries, including the martyrdom of 14 religious sisters killed in Spain at the start of the Spanish Civil War.
 
Nineteen Algerian martyrs beatified
Dec 10, 2018 - 03:08 pm .- Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, were beatified Saturday during a Mass in Oran.

The Algerian martyrs shed their blood for Christ, pope says
Dec 7, 2018 - 10:02 am .- Ahead of the beatification Saturday of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, Pope Francis said martyrs have a special place in the Church.
Algerian martyrs are models for the Church, archbishop says
Nov 16, 2018 - 03:01 am .- Archbishop Paul Desfarges of Algiers has said that Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, are “models for our lives as disciples today and tomorrow.”
 
Francesco Spinelli to be canonized after healing of a newborn in DR Congo
Oct 9, 2018 - 05:01 pm .- Among those being canonized on Sunday are Fr. Franceso Spinelli, a diocesan priest through whose intercession a newborn was saved from death in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Algerian martyrs to be beatified in December
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:01 pm .- The Algerian bishops' conference has announced that the beatification of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in the country between 1994 and 1996, will be held Dec. 8.

Now a cardinal, Giovanni Angelo Becciu heads to congregation for saints' causes
Jun 28, 2018 - 11:41 am .- Newly-minted Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu will resign from his post as substitute of the Secretariat of State tomorrow, in anticipation of his appointment as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints later this summer.

Pope Francis creates new path to beatification under ‘offering of life’
Jul 11, 2017 - 06:22 am .- On Tuesday Pope Francis declared a new category of Christian life suitable for consideration of beatification called “offering of life” – in which a person has died prematurely through an offering of their life for love of God and neighbor.
 
Twentieth century Polish nurse among causes advancing toward sainthood
Jul 7, 2017 - 06:14 am .- Pope Francis on Friday approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Hanna Chrzanowska, a Polish nurse and nursing instructor who died from cancer in 1973, paving the way for her beatification.
 
Sainthood causes advance, including layman who resisted fascism
Jun 17, 2017 - 09:22 am .- Pope Francis on Friday recognized the heroic virtue of six persons on the path to canonization, as well as the martyrdom of an Italian man who died from injuries of a beating he received while imprisoned in a concentration camp for resisting fascism.
 
Solanus Casey, Cardinal Van Thuan among those advanced toward sainthood
May 4, 2017 - 10:47 am .- Pope Francis on Thursday approved decrees of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints advancing the causes for canonization of 12 individuals, including the American-born Capuchin Solanus Casey and the Vietnamese cardinal Francis Xavier Nguen Van Thuan.
 
Pope clears way for canonization of Fatima visionaries
Mar 23, 2017 - 06:44 am .- On Thursday Pope Francis approved the second and final miracle needed to canonize Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the shepherd children who witnessed the Fatima Marian apparitions.
Surgeon and father among sainthood causes moving forward
Feb 27, 2017 - 11:03 am .- Pope Francis recognized on Monday the heroic virtue of eight persons on the path to canonization, including an Italian surgeon and father of eight who suffered from several painful diseases throughout his life.

8 Martyrs Move Closer to Sainthood 8 July, 2016
Posted by ZENIT Staff on 8 July, 2016

The angel appears to Saint Monica
This morning, Pope Francis received Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato. During the audience, he authorized the promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes:

***
MIRACLES:
Miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Luis Antonio Rosa Ormières, priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Guardian Angel; born July 4, 1809 and died on Jan. 16, 1890
MARTYRDOM:
Servants of God Antonio Arribas Hortigüela and 6 Companions, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart; killed in hatred of the Faith, Sept. 29, 1936
Servant of God Josef Mayr-Nusser, a layman; killed in hatred of the Faith, Feb. 24, 1945
HEROIC VIRTUE:

Servant of God Alfonse Gallegos of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, Titular Bishop of Sasabe, auxiliary of Sacramento; born Feb. 20, 1931 and died Oct. 6, 1991
Servant of God Rafael Sánchez García, diocesan priest; born June 14, 1911 and died on Aug. 8, 1973
Servant of God Andrés García Acosta, professed layman of the Order of Friars Minor; born Jan. 10, 1800 and died Jan. 14, 1853
Servant of God Joseph Marchetti, professed priest of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles; born Oct. 3, 1869 and died Dec. 14, 1896
Servant of God Giacomo Viale, professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor, pastor of Bordighera; born Feb. 28, 1830 and died April 16, 1912
Servant of God Maria Pia of the Cross (née Maddalena Notari), foundress of the Congregation of Crucified Sisters Adorers of the Eucharist; born Dec. 2, 1847 and died on July 1, 1919
Sunday, November 23 2014 Six to Be Canonized on Feast of Christ the King.

On the List Are Lay Founder of a Hospital and Eastern Catholic Religious
VATICAN CITY, June 12, 2014 (Zenit.org) - Today, the Vatican announced that during the celebration of the feast of Christ the King on Sunday, November 23, an ordinary public consistory will be held for the canonization of the following six blesseds, who include a lay founder of a hospital for the poor, founders of religious orders, and two members of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See:
-Giovanni Antonio Farina (1803-1888), an Italian bishop who founded the Institute of the Sisters Teachers of Saint Dorothy, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts
-Kuriakose Elias Chavara (1805-1871), a Syro-Malabar priest in India who founded the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
-Ludovico of Casoria (1814-1885), an Italian Franciscan priest who founded the Gray Sisters of St. Elizabeth
-Nicola Saggio (Nicola da Longobardi, 1650-1709), an Italian oblate of the Order of Minims
-Euphrasia Eluvathingal (1877-1952), an Indian Carmelite of the Syro-Malabar Church
-Amato Ronconi (1238-1304), an Italian, Third Order Franciscan who founded a hospital for poor pilgrims

CAUSES OF SAINTS July 2015.
Pope Recognizes Heroic Virtues of Ukrainian Archbishop
Recognition Brings Metropolitan Archbishop Andrey Sheptytsky Closer to Beatification
By Junno Arocho Esteves Rome, July 17, 2015 (ZENIT.org)
Pope Francis recognized the heroic virtues of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archbishop Andrey Sheptytsky. According to a communique released by the Holy See Press Office, the Holy Father met this morning with Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

The Pope also recognized the heroic virtues of several religious/lay men and women from Italy, Spain, France & Mexico.
Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky is considered to be one of the most influential 20th century figures in the history of the Ukrainian Church.
Enthroned as Metropolitan of Lviv in 1901, Archbishop Sheptytsky was arrested shortly after the outbreak of World War I in 1914 by the Russians. After his imprisonment in several prisons in Russia and the Ukraine, the Archbishop was released in 1918.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic prelate was also an ardent supporter of the Jewish community in Ukraine, going so far as to learn Hebrew to better communicate with them. He also was a vocal protestor against atrocities committed by the Nazis, evidenced in his pastoral letter, "Thou Shalt Not Kill." He was also known to harbor thousands of Jews in his residence and in Greek Catholic monasteries.
Following his death in 1944, his cause for canonization was opened in 1958.
* * *
The Holy Father authorized the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees regarding the heroic virtues of:
- Servant of God Andrey Sheptytsky, O.S.B.M., major archbishop of Leopolis of the Ukrainians, metropolitan of Halyc (1865-1944);
- Servant of God Giuseppe Carraro, Bishop of Verona, Italy (1899-1980);
- Servant of God Agustin Ramirez Barba, Mexican diocesan priest and founder of the Servants of the Lord of Mercy (1881-1967);
- Servant of God Simpliciano della Nativita (ne Aniello Francesco Saverio Maresca), Italian professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor, founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Hearts (1827-1898);
- Servant of God Maria del Refugio Aguilar y Torres del Cancino, Mexican founder of the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (1866-1937);
- Servant of God Marie-Charlotte Dupouy Bordes (Marie-Teresa), French professed religious of the Society of the Religious of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (1873-1953);
- Servant of God Elisa Miceli, Italian founder of the Rural Catechist Sisters of the Sacred Heart (1904-1976);
- Servant of God Isabel Mendez Herrero (Isabel of Mary Immaculate), Spanish professed nun of the Servants of St. Joseph (1924-1953)
October 01, 2015 Vatican City, Pope Authorizes following Decrees
(ZENIT.org) By Staff Reporter
Polish Layperson Recognized as Servant of God
Pope Authorizes Decrees
Pope Francis on Wednesday authorised the Congregation for Saints' Causes to promulgate the following decrees:

MARTYRDOM
- Servant of God Valentin Palencia Marquina, Spanish diocesan priest, killed in hatred of the faith in Suances, Spain in 1937;

HEROIC VIRTUES
- Servant of God Giovanni Folci, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the Opera Divin Prigioniero (1890-1963);
- Servant of God Franciszek Blachnicki, Polish diocesan priest (1921-1987);
- Servant of God Jose Rivera Ramirez, Spanish diocesan priest (1925-1991);
- Servant of God Juan Manuel Martín del Campo, Mexican diocesan priest (1917-1996);
- Servant of God Antonio Filomeno Maria Losito, Italian professed priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (1838-1917);
- Servant of God Maria Benedetta Giuseppa Frey (nee Ersilia Penelope), Italian professed nun of the Cistercian Order (1836-1913);
- Servant of God Hanna Chrzanowska, Polish layperson, Oblate of the Ursulines of St. Benedict (1902-1973).
March 06 2016 MIRACLES authorised the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
Pope Francis received in a private audience Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during which he authorised the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
MIRACLES

– Blessed Manuel González García, bishop of Palencia, Spain, founder of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth (1877-1940);
– Blessed Elisabeth of the Trinity (née Elisabeth Catez), French professed religious of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (1880-1906);
– Venerable Servant of God Marie-Eugène of the Child Jesus (né Henri Grialou), French professed priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, founder of the Secular Institute “Notre-Dame de Vie” (1894-1967);
– Venerable Servant of God María Antonia of St. Joseph (née María Antonio de Paz y Figueroa), Argentine founder of the Beaterio of the Spiritual Exercise of Buenos Aires (1730-1799);
HEROIC VIRTUE

– Servant of God Stefano Ferrando, Italian professed priest of the Salesians, bishop of Shillong, India, founder of the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (1895-1978);
– Servant of God Enrico Battista Stanislao Verjus, Italian professed priest of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, coadjutor of the apostolic vicariate of New Guinea (1860-1892);
– Servant of God Giovanni Battista Quilici, Italian diocesan priest, founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Crucified (1791-1844);
– Servant of God Bernardo Mattio, Italian diocesan priest (1845-1914);
– Servant of God Quirico Pignalberi, Italian professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (1891-1982);
– Servant of God Teodora Campostrini, Italian founder of the Minim Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Sorrows (1788-1860);
– Servant of God Bianca Piccolomini Clementini, Italian founder of the Company of St. Angela Merici di Siena (1875-1959);
– Servant of God María Nieves of the Holy Family (née María Nieves Sánchez y Fernández), Spanish professed religious of the Daughters of Mary of the Pious Schools (1900-1978).

April 26 2016 MIRACLES authorised the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
Here is the full list of decrees approved by the Pope:

MIRACLES
– Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist (1839-1910);
– Venerable Servant of God John Sullivan, professed priest of the Society of Jesus (1861-1933);
MARTYRDOM
– Servants of God Nikolle Vinçenc Prennushi, O.F.M., archbishop of Durres, Albania, and 37 companions killed between 1945 and 1974;
– Servants of God José Antón Gómez and three companions of the Benedictines of Madrid, Spain, killed 1936;
HEROIC VIRTUES
– Servant of God Thomas Choe Yang-Eop, diocesan priest (1821-1861);
– Servant of God Sosio Del Prete (né Vincenzo), professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor, founder of the Congregation of the Little Servants of Christ the King (1885-1952);
– Servant of God Wenanty Katarzyniec (né Jósef), professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (1889-1921);
– Servant of God Maria Consiglia of the Holy Spirity (née Emilia Paqualina Addatis), founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Addolorata, Servants of Mary (1845-1900);
– Servant of God Maria of the Incarnation (née Caterina Carrasco Tenorio), founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan Tertiary Sisters of the Flock of Mary (1840-1917);
– Servant of God , founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Family of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1851-1923);
– Servant of God Ilia Corsaro, founder of the Congregation of the Little Missionaries of the Eucharist (1897-1977);
– Servant of God Maria Montserrat Grases García, layperson of the Personal Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei (1941-1959).
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