Saints of this Day March 26 Séptimo Kaléndas Aprílis
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!)
The saints are a “cloud of witnesses over our head”, showing us life of Christian perfection is possible
.
When the Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion, the Archangel Gabriel, whose very name signifies "Man of God" (Luke. 22:43 And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him {[43-44] These verses, though very ancient, were probably not part of the original text of Luke. They are absent from the oldest papyrus manuscripts of Luke and from manuscripts of wide geographical distribution. vatican.va/archive}).
The Myrrh-Bearing Women heard from the Archangel the joyous news of Christ's Resurrection (Mt.28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8).
Mindful of the manifold appearances of the holy Archangel Gabriel and of his zealous fulfilling of God's will, and confessing his intercession for Christians before the Lord, the Orthodox Church calls upon its children to pray to the great Archangel with faith and love.
The Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel is also celebrated on July 13. All the angels are commemorated on November 8.
Mary Mother of GOD 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary
Mary's Divine Motherhood
Called in the Gospel "the Mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the Mother of my Lord" (Lk 1:43; Jn 2:1; 19:25; cf. Mt 13:55; et al.). In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity.
Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos).
Catechism of the Catholic Church 495, quoting the Council of Ephesus (431): DS 251.
Saturday, March 26, 2011   Lenten Weekday
First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:
 Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
Psalm 103:1-4, 9-12
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Alas, my dear brethren, the man who lives according to the direction of his passions and abandons the service of God is both unhappy and capable of so little! Put an army of one hundred thousand men around a dead man and let them employ all their power to bring him back to life. No, no, my dear children, he will not come to life again. But let someone who is despised by the world, but who enjoys the friendship of God, command this dead man to take up life again; immediately you will see him arise and walk. We have other proofs of this too. If it were necessary to be wealthy or to be very learned to serve God, a great many people would be unable to do it. But, no, my dear children, extensive learning or great wealth are not at all necessary for the service of God. On the contrary, they are often a very big obstacle to it. Yes, my dear brethren, let us be rich or poor, in whatever state we may be, learned or otherwise, we can please God and save our souls.

-- St. John Vianney
March 26 - Sinaxis of the Archangel Gabriel, Byzantine 
On Mary's Virginity and Giving Birth
 People are sometimes troubled by the silence of St Mark's Gospel and the New Testament Epistles about Jesus' virginal conception. Some might wonder if we were merely dealing with legends or theological constructs not claiming to be history.  To this we must respond:  Faith in the virginal conception of Jesus met with the lively opposition, mockery or incomprehension of non-believers, Jews and pagans alike; so it could hardly have been motivated by pagan mythology or by some adaptation to the ideas of the age. The meaning of this event is accessible only to faith, which understands in it the "connection of these mysteries with one another" in the totality of Christ's mysteries, from His Incarnation to His Passover.  St Ignatius of Antioch already bears witness to this connection: "Mary's virginity and giving birth, and even the Lord's death escaped the notice of the prince of this world: these three mysteries worthy of proclamation were accomplished in God's silence." 
Catechism of the Catholic Church # 498  February 6 - Our Lady of Louvain (Belgium, 1444) 
 The Archangel Gabriel On the Leavetaking of the Feast of the Annunciation, the Church commemorates who announced the great mystery of the Incarnation of Christ to the Virgin Mary. There is no period of Afterfeast due to Great Lent

Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel: The Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to announce to the Virgin Mary about the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her, to the great rejoicing of all mankind. Therefore, on the day after the Feast of the Annunciation, the day on which the All-Pure Virgin is glorified, we give thanks to the Lord and we venerate His messenger Gabriel, who contributed to the mystery of our salvation.

Gabriel, the holy Archistrategos (Leader of the Heavenly Hosts), is a faithful servant of the Almighty God. He announced the future Incarnation of the Son of God to those of the Old Testament; he inspired the Prophet Moses to write the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament), he announced the coming tribulations of the Chosen People to the Prophet Daniel (Dan. 8:16, 9:21-24); he appeared to St Anna (July 25) with the news that she would give birth to the Virgin Mary.

The holy Archangel Gabriel remained with the Holy Virgin Mary when She was a child in the Temple of Jerusalem, and watched over Her throughout Her earthly life. He appeared to the Priest Zachariah, foretelling the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord, St John the Baptist.

The Lord sent him to St Joseph the Betrothed in a dream, to reveal to him the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God from the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and warned him of the wicked intentions of Herod, ordering him to flee into Egypt with the divine Infant and His Mother.

1801 Blessed Didacus of Cadiz Capuchin priest difficulty with his studies able to touch minds hearts of young  old rich poor students professors
levitated while tirelessly preaching on love of God:  Children could see Dove on his shoulder
As we often do, Didacus’s contemporaries expected little from someone with a slow mind. Didacus proved to them that intelligence is not the only measure.
The person who has a loving heart, a listening ear and a wealth of compassion is, in the long run, much wiser. 
505 Saint Macartin of Clogher miracle-worker early disciple companion of Saint Patrick B (AC)
The Cloch-Oir (Golden Stone), from which this ancient diocese takes its name, was a sacred ceremonial stone to the druids,
It was given to Macartin by an old pagan noble, who had harassed Macartin in every possible way until the saint's patient love won the local ruler to the faith.
The stone is still preserved and the noble's son, Tighernach of Clones, succeed Macartin as bishop
Departure of Lazarus beloved of the Lord{Coptic}
Commemoration of the Sts. George the ascetic, Belasius the martyr, and Anba Joseph the bishop.{Coptic}
      St. Peter with Cassian Marcian Thecla Joyinus Roman martyrs
260-268 St. Theodore bishop of Pentapolis, Libya Martyr with Irenacus deacon Serapion Ammonius 2 lectors
  286 St. Castulus martyr Chamberlain of Emperor Diocletian he sheltered Christians
  304 St. Quadratus Martyred bishop in Anatolia w/42 others including Emmanuel and Theodosius
  304 St. Montanus priest & Maxima martyred husband and wife at Singidunum, Pannonia
  356 Eutychius of Alexandria subdeacon & Comps against Arianism martyred  MM (RM)
  370 St. Bathus and Companions Martyrs of the Gothic people
  370 Saint Bercus the priest
  400 Felix of Trier generosity to the poor virtuous (Trèves)
5th v. Sincheall of Killeigh Abbot early Roman convert of Saint Patrick abbot-founder (AC)
  505 Saint Macartin of Clogher miracle-worker early disciple companion of Saint Patrick B (AC)
  639 St. Mochelloc Patron saint of Kilmallock, Limerick
7th v. St. Garbhan monastic efforts to preserve knowledge & culture in Ireland
  651 St. Braulio Saragossa Bishop teach encourage people extirpate Arian heresy; hagiographer of Spanish saints
     Felicitas of Padua nun relics now at Saint Justina in Padua
  809 Saint Ludger Benedictine bishop missionary founded Munster Germany counselor of Charlemagne
          His gentleness did more to attract Saxons to Christ than armies of Charlemagne
  878-888 Blessed Bertillo of Dijon abbot martyred by Normans, OSB (AC)
  944 Saint Basil the New many miracles healer gift of discernment
1058 St. Alfwold Bishop and ascetic companion of St. Swithin devotee of St. Cuthbert
1198 Blessed Melior of Vallumbrosa many years as a priest and monk Hermit (AC)
1435 Blessed Peter Marginet Cistercian monk  rest of his life doing penance OSB Cist. (AC)
1586 St. Margaret of Clitherow convert harbored fugitive priests
1565 Martyrdom of St. Sedhom Bishay in Domiat endured the torture for the Name of the Lord Christ and his
        martyrdom made the rising of the Cross during the Christian funeral processions openly, it was forbidden before
1615 A.M.  { 1899} Departure of St. Basilius, Bishop of Jerusalem {Coptic}
1801 Blessed Didacus of Cadiz Capuchin priest difficulty with his studies able to touch minds hearts of young  old rich poor students professors levitated while tireless preaching on love of God Children could see Dove on his shoulder
1908 Blessed Maddalena Caterina Morano Daughters of Mary Help of Christians coordinated catechetical instruction
Quote: Pope Paul VI’s 1969 Instruction on the Contemplative Life includes this passage:
 "To withdraw into the desert is for Christians tantamount to associating themselves more intimately with Christ’s passion, and it enables them, in a very special way,
to share in the paschal mystery and in the passage of Our Lord from this world to the heavenly homeland" (#1).

Mary Mother of GOD Mary's Divine Motherhood
15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary
Saints of this Day March 26 Séptimo Kaléndas Aprílis
The voice of the Father is heard, the Son enters the water, and the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove.
Nine First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart From the writings of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
How do I start the Five First Saturdays?
  Decrees of Vatican's Saint Congregation
Testify to 10 Miracles; 10 Cases of Heroic Virtue; 1 Martyrdom
“The saints must be honored as friends of Christ and children and heirs of God, as John the theologian and evangelist says: ‘But as many as received him, he gave them the power to be made the sons of God....’ Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all the apostles, martyrs, ascetics and just men who announced the coming of the Lord. And let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering, and perseverance unto death, so that we may also share their crowns of glory” Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
Church to Proclaim 6 Saints in October Including Australian Mary MacKillop
CONSISTORY ON SEVERAL CAUSES OF CANONISATION  VATICAN CITY, 12 FEB 2010 (VIS)
RITES OF BEATIFICATION APPROVED BY THE HOLY FATHER VATICAN CITY, 8 SEP 2009 (VIS)
BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH    2010
World Economy
General:   That the world economy may be managed according to the principles of justice and equity, taking account of the real needs of peoples, especially the poorest.
The Churches in Africa
Missionary:  That the Churches in Africa may be signs and instruments of reconciliation and justice in every part of that continent.

Called in the Gospel "the Mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the Mother of my Lord" (Lk 1:43; Jn 2:1; 19:25; cf. Mt 13:55; et al.). In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh,
was none other than the Father's eternal Son,  the second person of the Holy Trinity.
Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos).
Catechism of the Catholic Church 495, quoting the Council of Ephesus (431): DS 251.

Join the Mary of Nazareth Project and help us build the International Marian Center of Nazareth.

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. Patron_Saints.html

THE PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY  PSALM 118B
Set before me for a law, O Lady, the holy of holies of thy will: and I shall always seek after it.
Lead me into the path of thy tender mercies, O most beautiful of women: for this same have I desired.
Incline my soul to the love of those above, O Lady: and not to unchasteness.
Behold I have coveted thy chastity from my youth up: in thy mercy strengthen me.
And I will keep the way of thy testimonies forever:
and I will search out the commandments of thy Son, which I have loved.
Glory be to the Father who created Heaven and earth; His only Son who lived and died for all of us;
and the Holy Spirit the Lord giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and Son, with the Father and Son He is Worshiped and Glorified, and He has spoken through the prophets:  Amen.

The Virgin Mary Only Knew that She Would Suffer March 26 - OUR LADY OF THE PALACE (Italy, 1776)
The Virgin Mary was a woman, a mother: she had a child, Jesus, who was certainly delightful.
But this Jesus, with whom she entered divinity and whose mission she knew about, was but a little child who grew like the other children, growing in wisdom and in stature ...
Was it possible for the Son of God, the Incarnate Word, to grow in this way? Was it by this hidden path, the usual route-because he looked like an ordinary child on the outside-that he would become the great King, announced by the Prophets, and that he would achieve his mission? His divinity was covered in a shadow, all was hidden.

The Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, who retained the words and kept a deep memory of all the events, do not understand that Jesus is hidden from them. Indeed, they came forward in the dark of night. What will the future bring? Who will Jesus be? What will happen to them? The Virgin Mary only knew that she would suffer ... How will she participate in her Son's mission? What will become of her? What will become of Saint Joseph? They knew nothing. The Word was hidden ... It was the night and they walked in the dark; that's how they came forward.

Father Marie Eugene of the Child Jesus  La Vierge Marie toute mère (The Virgin is All Mother)

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THE EUCHARIST, A MYSTERY TO BE BELIEVED POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI
Morning Prayer and Hymn    Meditation of the Day    Prayer for Priests    Our Bartholomew Family Prayer List  Here
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.

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;
and 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
breviary.net/martyrology/mart03/mart0326 stlukeorthodox.com/html/saints/march/ usccb.org  ewtn.com  Irondequoit .org Saints Alive
domcentral.org/life/martyrMarth syriac   oca.org  glaubenszeugen.de/tage/March   Serbian   http://www.copticchurch.net  Melkite
Monthly Saints with pics here http://www.stfrancisenid.com/memorials.htm
 One Saint per day stthomasirondequoit.com/SaintsAlive/index.htm    stjohndc.org  God's Humourous Saints
Nine First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart ... From the writings of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
On Friday during Holy Communion, He said these words to me, His unworthy slave, if I mistake not:
"I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on nine first Fridays of consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they will not die under my displeasure or without receiving their sacraments, my divine Heart making itself their assured refuge at the last moment."
Margaret Mary was inspired by Christ to establish the Holy Hour and to pray lying prostrate with her face to the ground from eleven till midnight on the eve of the first Friday of each month, to share in the mortal sadness.
He endured when abandoned by His Apostles in His Agony, and to receive holy Communion on the first Friday of every month. In the first great revelation, He made known to her His ardent desire to be loved by men and His design of manifesting His Heart with all Its treasures of love and mercy, of sanctification and salvation.
He appointed the Friday after the octave of the feast of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart; He called her "the Beloved Disciple of the Sacred Heart", and the heiress of all Its treasures. The love of the Sacred Heart was the fire which consumed her, and devotion to the Sacred Heart is the refrain of all her writings. In her last illness she refused all alleviation, repeating frequently: "What have I in heaven and what do I desire on earth, but Thee alone, O my God", and died pronouncing the Holy Name of Jesus.
With regard to this promise it may be remarked: (1) that our Lord required Communion to be received on a particular day chosen by Him; (2) that the nine Fridays must be consecutive; (3) that they must be made in honor of His Sacred Heart, which means that those who make the nine Fridays must practice the devotion and must have a great love for our Lord; (4) that our Lord does not say that those who make the nine Fridays will be dispensed from any of their obligations or from exercising the vigilance necessary to lead a good life and overcome temptation; rather He implicitly promises abundant graces to those who make the nine Fridays to help them to carry out these obligations and persevere to the end; (5) that perseverance in receiving Holy Communion for nine consecutive First Firdays helps the faithful to acquire the habit of frequent Communion, which our Lord eagerly desires; and (6) that the practice of the nine Fridays is very pleasing to our Lord since He promises such great reward, and that all Catholics should endeavor to make the nine Fridays.
How do I start the Five First Saturdays? by Fr. Tom O'Mahony
On July 13,1917, Our Lady appeared for the third time to the three children of Fatima an showed them the vision of hell and made the now - famous thirteen prophecies. In this vision Our Lady said that 'GOD WISHES TO ESTABLISH IN THE WORLD DEVOTION to Her Immaculate Heart and that She would come TO ASK FOR THE COMMUNION OF REPARATION ON THE FIRST SATURDAYS...
Eight years later, on December 10, 1925, Our Lady did indeed come back. She appeared (with the Child Jesus) to Lucia in the convent of the Dorothean Sisters in Pontevedra.
The Child Jesus spoke first:
'HAVE COMPASSION ON THE HEART OF YOUR MOST HOLY MOTHER WHICH IS COVERED WITH THORNS WITH WHICH UNGRATEFUL MEN PIERCE IT AT EVERY MOMENT, WHILE THERE IS NO ONE TO REMOVE THEM WITH AN ACT OF REPARATION.'

THE GREAT PROMISE
Our Lady then said: MY DAUGHTER LOOK AT MY HEART SURROUNDED WITH THORNS WITH WHICH UNGRATEFUL MEN PIERCE IT AT EVERY MOMENT BY THEIR BLASPHEMIES AND INGRATITUDE. YOU, AT LEAST, TRY TO CONSOLE ME, AND SAY THAT I PROMISE TO ASSIST AT THE HOUR OF DEATH WITH ALL THE GRACES NECESSARY FOR SALVATION, ALL THOSE WHO, ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS GO TO CONFESSION AND RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION, RECITE FIVE DECADES OF THE ROSARY AND KEEP ME COMPANY FOR A QUARTER OF AN HOUR WHILE MEDITATING ON MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY, WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING REPARATION TO ME.'

The Five Reasons
Lucia once asked this question of Our Lord and received as an answer: 'MY DAUGHTER, THE MOTIVE IS SIMPLE, THERE ARE FIVE KINDS OF OFFENCES AND BLASPHEMIES UTTERED AGAINST THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: (1) BLASPHEMIES AGAINST THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: (2) BLASPHEMIES AGAINST HER VIRGINITY: (3) BLASPHEMIES AGAINST HER DIVINE MATERNITY: (4) BLASPHEMIES OF THOSE WHO OPENLY SEEK TO FOSTER IN THE HEARTS OF CHILDREN INDIFFERENCE OR EVEN HATRED FOR THIS IMMACULATE MOTHER: (5) THE OFFENCES OF THOSE WHO DIRECTLY OUTRAGE HER IN HOLY IMAGES.'

From the above, it is easy to see that each of the Five Saturdays can correspond to a specific offence. By offering the graces received during each First Saturday as reparation for the offence being prayed for, the participant can hope to help remove the thorns from Our Lady's Heart.

What Do I Have To Do?
The devotion of First Saturdays, as requested by Our Lady of Fatima, carries with it the assurance of salvation. However, to derive profit from such a great promise of Our Lady, the devotion must be properly understood and duly performed.

The requirements as stipulated by Our Lady are as follows:
(1) CONFESSION, (2) COMMUNION, (3) FIVE DECADES OF THE ROSARY, (4) MEDITATION ON ONE OR MORE OF THE ROSARY MYSTERIES FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES, (5) TO DO ALL THESE THINGS IN THE SPIRIT OF REPARATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, and (6) TO OBSERVE ALL THESE PRACTICES ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS.

(1) CONFESSION: A reparative confession means that the confession should not only be good (valid and licit), but also be offered in the spirit of reparation, in this case, to Mary's Immaculate Heart. This confession may be made on the First Saturday itself or some days before or after the First Saturday within the preceding octave would suffice.
(2) COMMUNION: The communion of reparation must be sacramental duly received with the intention of making reparation. This offering, like the confession, is an interior act and so no external action to express the intention is needed.
(3) THE ROSARY: The Rosary mentioned here was indicated by the Portuguese word 'terco' which is commonly employed to denote a Rosary of five decades, since it forms a third of the full Rosary of 15 decades. This too must recited in a spirit of reparation.
(4) MEDITATION FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES: Here the meditation on one mystery or more is to be made without simultaneous recitation of the Rosary decade. As indicated, the meditation may be either on one mystery alone for 15 minutes, or on all 15 mysteries, spending about one minute on each mystery, or again, on two or more mysteries during the period. This can also be made before each decade spending three minutes or more in considering the mystery of the particular decade. This meditation has likewise to be made in the spirit of reparation to the Immaculate Heart.
(5) THE SPIRIT OF REPARATION: All these acts, as said above, have to be done with the intention of offering reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the offences committed against Her. Everyone who offends Her commits, so to speak, a two-fold offence, for these sins also offend her Divine Son, Christ, and so endanger our salvation. They give bad example to others and weaken the strength of society to withstand immoral onslaughts. Such devotions therefore make us consider not only the enormity of the offence against God, but also the effect of sins on human society as well as the need for undoing these social effects even when the offender repents and is converted. Further, this reparation emphasises our responsibility towards sinners who, themselves, will not pray and make reparation for their sins.
(6) FIVE CONSECUTIVE FIRST SATURDAYS: The idea of the Five First Saturdays is obviously to make us persevere in the devotional acts for these Saturdays and overcome initial difficulties. Once this is done, Our Lady knows that the person would become devoted to Her immaculate Heart and persist in practising such devotion on all First Saturdays, working thereby for personal self-reform and for the salvation of others.

Unless Russia is converted, the movement against God and for sin will continue to spread, promoting wars and persecutions, and making the attainment for peace and justice impossible for this world. One means of obtaining Russia's conversion is to practise the Fatima Message. The stakes are so great that to encourage Catholics to practise the devotion of the First Saturdays, Our Lady has assured us that She will obtain salvation for all those who observe the first Saturdays for five consecutive months in accordance with Her conditions.

At the supreme moment the departing person will be either in the state of grace or not. In either case Our Lady will be by his side. If in the state of grace, She will console and help him to resist whatever temptations the devil might put before him in his last attempt to take the person with him to hell. If not in the state of grace, Our Lady will help the person to repent in a manner agreeable to God and so benefit by the fruits of redemption and be saved.
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 heaven:  only 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.
Mary the Mother of Jesus Miracles_BC  Lay Saints  Miraculous_Icons  Miraculous_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
The POPES HTML
God calls each one of us to be a saint in order to get into heaven.
"The answers to many of life's questions can be found by reading the Lives of the Saints. They teach us how to overcome obstacles and difficulties, how to stand firm in our faith, and how to struggle against evil and emerge victorious."  1913 Saint Barsanuphius of Optina
The more "extravagant" graces are bestowed NOT for the benefit of the recipients so much as FOR benefit of others.
Non est inventus similis illis

Quote: Pope Paul VI’s 1969 Instruction on the Contemplative Life includes this passage:  
 "To withdraw into the desert is for Christians tantamount to associating themselves more intimately with Christ’s passion, and it enables them, in a very special way, to share in the paschal mystery and in the passage of Our Lord from this world to the heavenly homeland" (#1).

"Christianity is not a moral code or a philosophy, but an encounter with a person" -- Benedict XVI

"To withdraw into the desert is for Christians tantamount to associating themselves more intimately with Christ’s passion, and it enables them, in a very special way, to share in the paschal mystery and in the passage of Our Lord from this world to the heavenly homeland" (#1).
His Holiness Aram I, current (2008) 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.
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.
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. Eccl., V,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.

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.
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 1236-1325 welcomed people of all faiths & all walks of life Sufi Saint Hazrath Khwaja Syed Mohammed Badshah Quadri Chisty Yamani Quadeer (RA)
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
Father Reardon, Editor of The Catholic Bulletin for 20 years
Lover of the poor; "A very Holy Man of God"
Monsignor Reardon P.A.  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 5/31/1908
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 B. 1872, Nova Scotia; Priest, ordained by Bishop Ireland; Member  St. Paul Seminary faculty
Litany of Loretto in Stained glass windows Here.  Nave Sacristy and Residence Here
Sanctuary spaces filled between with grilles of hand-forged wrought iron  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.  It became the Popes' own cathedral and official residence for the first millennium of Christian history. The only replicas ever made:  in order from west to east {1932}. Saints Simon (saw), Bartholomew (knife), James the Lesser (book), John (eagle),  Andrew (transverse cross), Peter (keys), Paul (sword), James the Greater (staff),
Thomas (carpenter's square), Philip (serpent), Matthew (book), and Jude (sword).
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 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.
Father John Corapi, SOLT
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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.

THE BLESSED MOTHER AND ISLAM
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. Although it is supposed to be a religion of peace, Islam has been hijacked by Satan and now operates in the dark space of international terrorism.  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

A New Series by Fr. Corapi! The Moon Under Her Feet CD-Audio Set: $39.00 DVD-Video Set: $45.00  call 1-888-800-7084 or go to Site http://www.fathercorapi.com
In this four part series 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 this four part series on topics more timely than ever.
The four titles are:  1. The Real War We Fight 2. The Battle for Hearts & Minds 3. Leadership: Essential for Victory 4. With the Moon Under Her Feet
2010     LOCATION     THEME/TITLE
May 1, 2010     Chaifetz Arena
St. Louis, MO     Be Not Afraid, There Is Truth     Metrotix
1-314-534-1111  1-800-293-5949
June 12, 2010     Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
Appelton, WI     To Be Announced     SOLD OUT!
July 17, 2010     Cintas Center
Cincinnati, OH     The Social Teachings of the Church     The Catholic Shop
1-513-561-4333
Ticketmaster
1-513-745-3411
August 7, 2010     AT&T Center
San Antonio, TX     Life, Love, and the Purpose of Our Existence     Event Info
Ticketmaster
AT&T Center
1-800-745-3000
October 30, 2010     The Prudential Center
Newark, NJ     Spiritual Warfare     To Be Announced
Church to Proclaim 6 Saints in October Including Australian Mary MacKillop
VATICAN CITY, FEB. 19, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI announced today at an ordinary public consistory for the canonisation of blesseds that the Church will proclaim six saints later this year.  The announcement of the Oct. 17 canonizations was a particularly awaited moment in the Holy See, as demonstrated by the presence of 37 cardinals, archbishops and bishops.
 
Archbishop Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes presented a biographical profile of the six blesseds, and then the Holy Father asked the cardinals, archbishops and bishops present, for their opinion on the canonizations proposed.
 
After giving their assent, Benedict XVI presided over the prayer for the Church, invoking the presence of the Trinity in the life of the people of God. The invocation ended with the singing of the Our Father.
 
Those to be canonized include: 
-- Blessed Stanislaw Soltys, called Kazimierczyk, professed priest of the Canons Regular of the Lateran, born Sept. 27, 1433 in Kazimierz (Poland) and died in the same place May 3, 1489;

 -- Blessed André Bessette (born Alfred), religious of the Congregation of the Holy Cross; born in Saint-Grégoire d'Iberville, Canada, Aug. 9, 1845, and died in Montreal, Canada, Jan. 6, 1937;

Montreal's "Miracle Man" to Be Canonized   Brother André Called a Witness of Faith and Love
OTTAWA, Canada, FEB. 22, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The bishops of Canada are calling the announcement of the canonization of Blessed André Bessette -- known as the "miracle man of Montreal" -- as a moment to rejoice.

Bishop Pierre Morissette of Saint-Jérôme, president of the Canadian episcopal conference, wrote this Friday in a statement released after Benedict XVI announced that Brother André Bessette (1845-1937), a religious of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, would be canonized Oct. 17.  "Brother André lived his life with great humility. Guided by a deep faith and devotion to Saint Joseph, he dedicated his life to praying, serving the poor, welcoming strangers, healing the sick and comforting the suffering," the bishop said. "To this day, his memory remains an important witness to all Canadians of faith and love.  May the canonization of Brother André be a moment of rejoicing throughout our country," he addded. "May his legacy remind us of what each of us can achieve through faith and love."

A press statement from Father Edwin Obermiller, assistant provincial of the congregation's Indiana Province, noted that Brother André will be the first member of the Congregation of Holy Cross to be canonized.  The order of priests and brothers, founded in France by Blessed Basil Moreau in 1832, is best known in the United States for its role in founding the University of Notre Dame.

Good news
Father Hugh Cleary, superior general of the Congregation of Holy Cross, commented, "What a grace for our religious family, to count among its ranks such a model of the Christian life offered to the world, a true inspiration for a welcoming, compassionate presence. Such good news!"
Alfred Bessette was born in 1845 in Saint-Grégoire d'Iberville, near Montreal, and joined the Congregation of the Holy Cross in 1874. He worked as a door keeper and barber at a school in Montreal, where he earned a reputation as a healer and miracle-worker.  "Bessette’s biographers recount tales of crippled rheumatics healed and fever-stricken schoolboys made suddenly well, often aided by 'St. Joseph's oil,' a mixture that Bessette rubbed on wounds and sick limbs after burning it under a statue of the saint," Father Obermiller recounted.  "Rooted in his devotion to St. Joseph and motivated by his compassion, Brother André dedicated his life to comforting those in greatest need," the priest added.

Pope John Paul II praised the brother as "a man of prayer and a friend of the poor, a truly astonishing man."
Brother André died in 1937, at the age of 91. He is buried at St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, which he founded in 1904.  He was declared venerable in 1978, and beatified in 1982.
Brother André will be canonized alongside Australian Mother Mary MacKillop, the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Stanislaw Soltys, a 15th-century Polish priest; Italian nuns Giulia Salzano and Battista Varano, and Spanish nun Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola.

 -- Blessed Candida Maria of Jesus, baptized Juana Josefa Cipitria y Barriola, founder of the Congregation of Daughters of Jesus, born in the hamlet of Berrospe, Andoain, Guipuzcoa, Spain, on May 31, 1845 and died on August 9, 1912.

 -- Blessed Mary of the Cross MacKillop (baptized Mary Helen), founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart; born on January 15, 1842 in Fitzroy, Australia, and died on August 8, 1909 in Sydney, Australia;
Canonization Date Set for Australia's 1st Saint  Cardinal Pell Calls Mary MacKillop a "Role Model"
SYDNEY, Australia, FEB. 19, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The Church in Australia is celebrating as Benedict XVI announced that Blessed Mary MacKillop will soon be proclaimed as the country's first saint.  The news was confirmed this morning at an ordinary public consistory for the canonisation of blesseds, which annonced that Mother MacKillop and five others will be proclaimed saints on Oct. 17 in Rome.   
Cardinal George Pell, the archbishop of Sydney, commented in a press statement that he was delighted with the news.
"Mary MacKillop stands at the heart of the Catholic tradition," he said. "She had great ability to forgive and showed immense loyalty not only to her fellow sisters but to the Church leadership which did not always treat her well.  Yet Mary was a very normal person and a great role model for all Australians. Mary MacKillop is a very worthy saint for Australia, an important first for all of us," the cardinal added.
 
Australia's prime minister, Kevin Rudd, commented that the sainthood of Mother MacKillop is "deeply significant" and "an inspiration" for all Australians.  He called her "an extraordinary figure in Australian history" who, through her work in education and attending to the needs of the poor, "changed the course of many young Australians lives.  This is a deeply significant announcement for the five million Australians of Catholic faith, and for all Australians whether of Catholic faith or not," the prime minister said.

Founder
Mary MacKillop, born in Victoria in 1842, founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, which established schools and charitable organizations across Australia and was devoted to the care of orphans, neglected children, the homeless, sick and elderly. She died in 1909.  Pope John Paul II beatified Sister MacKillop in 1995, saying she embodied the best of Australia and its people.  He noted her "genuine openness to others, hospitality to strangers, generosity to the needy, justice to those unfairly treated, perseverance in the face of adversity, kindness and support to the suffering."

In 2008, Sister MacKillop was a key patron of the World Youth Day hosted by Sydney, Australia. Ahead of the international youth event, the government honored the nun by featuring her on a collector's coin. The Archdiocese of Sydney revealed that Harvest Pilgrimages has been appointed the Official Canonisation Tour Operator by the Sisters of St Joseph, the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference responsible for managing the movement of pilgrims to Rome.  Harvest's Managing Director, Philip Ryall, is preparing for the likelihood of several thousand pilgrims who will travel to Rome for the event.  "This will be without doubt one of the great moments in our nation's history. What a privilege to assist the faithful to be there and experience this with their own eyes," he said in a statement released by the archdiocese.
As the Canonisation Travel Office, Harvest will also be responsible for the coordination of canonisation tickets for Australian pilgrims into a specially partitioned area in St. Peter's Square.

 -- Blessed Giulia Salzano, founder of the Congregation of the Catechetical Sisters of the Sacred Heart; born Oct. 13, 1846, in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy, and died May 17, 1929, in Casoria, Italy;

 -- Blessed Camilla Battista da Varano, sister of the Poor Clares and founder of the monastery of St. Clare in Camerino; born April 0, 1458, in Camerino, Italy, and died in the same city May 31, 1524.
Princess on Earth, Saint in Heaven Canonization Comes After 100-Year Delay
By Carmen Elena Villa ROME, FEB. 23, 2010 (Zenit.org).

The nuns of the Poor Clare convent nestled in the eastern Italian town of Camerino are expecting the canonization of a princess of the region to have universal repercussions.

Last Friday, Benedict XVI approved the Oct. 17 canonization of Blessed Camilla Battista da Varano, who founded the convent in Camerino. After the announcement, the bells of the convent rang out at noon and the sisters held a vigil of prayer in thanksgiving.

“We are certain that the canonization will have universal breadth,” Mother Chiara Laura Seroboli, abbess of the convent of St. Clare of Camerino, wrote in a letter sent to ZENIT. “[...] In fact, the last canonization that the region of Las Marcas recalls was that of St. Maria Goretti, 60 years ago, an event that, despite the fact that there was not the quantity of media that exist now, had a grandiose resonance.”
 
Both the abbess as well as the provincial minister of the brothers, Father Valentino Natalini, have established an organizing committee to promote events and initiatives to spread awareness about the saint in parishes and schools, and among young people, families and associations.

Camilla da Varano (1458-1524) was born to Giulio Cesare, the prince of Camerino. She spent her youth enjoying social life, studying Latin, law, painting and horseback, and basking in the surroundings of a sumptuous palace.  In her autobiography, Camilla recounts that when she was 9 years old she heard a homily on Good Friday in which Brother Domenico da Leonessa asked those present to shed at least one tear every Friday out of love for Jesus. She took it as a vow to follow all her life.  Early in her youth she intuited a vocation to the religious life, but it was hard for her to accept. Once she decided to abandon herself into God's hands and saw clearly that he was calling her, her father opposed the decision, wishing her to marry. She succeeded in overcoming the obstacles to her vocation and at 23, entered the convent of St. Clare in Urbino.
 
“Lord, make me always praise, bless, and glorify you with my life and edify my brothers,” the future saint wrote.  Two years later Camilla made her religious profession, taking the name Sister Battista, together with eight sisters of Urbino. She then entered the new convent of Camerino.  Her father and her brothers were killed in a persecution her family suffered in 1502. Camilla was obliged to take refuge in Atri, a small town of the Abruzzi region, in southern Italy.
 
In 1505, Pope Julius II sent her to found a convent in Fermo, and in 1521 and 1522 she traveled to San Severino delle Marche to form the local religious who in that period had adopted the rule of St. Clare.  “Serve him out of pure love because he is the Lord who alone merits to be served, loved and praised by every creature” she wrote.

Camilla had a number of mystical experiences, reflected in her numerous writings, in which she reveals her ardent love for the crucified Christ.  She died May 31, 1524, during a plague.  “You have resurrected me in You, true life who give life to all the living,” wrote Camilla.

Her body is kept and exposed for devotion in a crypt dedicated to her in the church of the convent of Camerino.
 
The miracle which took place for her canonization occurred in 1877: the cure of a girl called Celia Ottaviane in Camerino, who suffered from rickets. Blessed Camilla's cause for canonization was then delayed for about 100 years due to problems with the original postulator. It was taken up again in 1998 and last December, Benedict XVI signed the decree approving the miracle for her canonization.
 
Camilla's works have been compiled and are being republished because of her canonization: "Memories of Jesus," "The Mental Pains of the Passion of Jesus," "Autobiography," "Instructions to the Disciple," "Treatise on the Painting of the Heart," and "Considerations on the Passion of Our Lord."
Father José Tous 1811-1871:  Capuchins Priest Who Died Celebrating Mass to Be Beatified He will be beatified in Spain on April 25.
Founded Order of Sisters Dedicated to Education
By Carmen Elena Villa ROME, FEB. 25, 2010 (Zenit.org).

- It is said that the life of Father José Tous was a continuous Mass. Perhaps that is why he was called to heaven precisely as he celebrated Mass, right after the consecration.  This reflection is made by the postulator of Father Tous' cause for canonization, Capuchin Father Alfonso Ramirez Peralbo.  Father Tous died in 1871 in the chapel of the Capuchin college in Barcelona.

José Tous was born in Igualada, Barcelona, in 1811, and joined the Capuchins at age 16. His preparation for the priesthood was intense, silent and abnegated. He was ordained in 1834.  A year later, his priesthood met with one of its harshest trials: In the midst of the political and social conflict of 19th century Spain, Father Tous was forced to flee his country.
For several months he traveled on the Mediterranean coast, going to the north of Italy. In 1837 he arrived in France and established himself in the Benedictine convent of Toulouse. There he dedicated himself to contemplation and Eucharistic Adoration, as well as to the spiritual assistance of the young religious.
 
He returned to Catalonia in 1843, beginning to work in the local Church as a secular priest, given that he was unable to practice conventual life or dress in the Capuchin habit. Because of this, he lived with his parents and worked in several parishes close by.  Father Tous thus discovered he had a particular love for education; his postulator likened it to the attitude of "Jesus before the crowd, who felt compassion because the sheep were without a shepherd."

Shepherds
Father Tous found this same inspiration in three girls he knew, and thus was born the Congregation of the Capuchin Sisters of the Mother of the Divine Shepherd.  The first community was established at Ripoll in March of 1850, and on May 27 of the same year the first school was opened.  Father Tous exhorted the sisters to "strew in children's hearts holy thoughts and devoted affections that God communicated to them in prayer.  He lived his donation to God and his consecration to the sisters with his spirit placed in the Good Shepherd, and he said that it was necessary to treat the children with maternal affection," Father Ramirez told ZENIT.
 
Now the Capuchin Sisters of the Mother of the Divine Shepherd have communities in various regions of Spain and in Latin America. 
Father Ramirez suggested the life of the future blessed is a good model during this Year for Priests, "because of his burning faith that he lived daily without wishing to be striking."
 
To eternity 
At the moment of his death, Father Tous had no terminal illness. But, his postulator explained, it is believed that because of the tensions he had to face, he suffered from extreme physical exhaustion, to the point of dying during the Mass. Precisely after the consecration, he genuflected and fell to the ground.  The parish priest of San Francesco di Paola went to pick up his lifeless body and to finish the Mass. 
"The life of saints arouses wonder because we see how the grace of God is able to accomplish these admirable works before our very eyes," Father Ramirez reflected. "The way is open for all those who wish to follow him with sincerity of heart as Father Tous did."
Stanislaw Soltys, -- called Casimiritano Sept. 27, 1433 - May 3, 1489 Cause Promoted by Cardinal Wojtyla Reaches End
15th Century Polish Religious to Be Canonized in October
ROME, FEB. 24, 2010 (Zenit.org)

A 15th century member of the Lateran Canons Regular has been revered as a saint for hundreds of years, but it was the future Pope John Paul II who would encourage his canonization cause.  Stanislaw -- called Casimiritano because he was born in Casimiria -- will be canonized Oct. 17. Benedict XVI approved his canonization last Friday.

Born in 1433 to a devout family, Stanislaw would enter the Lateran Canons Regular of Corpus Christi at age 26.  He was marked by his devotion to the Passion, to Our Lady, and to his patron, St. Stanislaw. The Eucharist was the center point of his spirituality. People were drawn to his explanations of Scripture, and went to him for confession and spiritual direction.  Stanislaw served as novice master for his order, defending future priests from the heresies prominent at the time.

Though he left a number of spiritual writings, the last manuscript with his homilies was destroyed in World War II.
Stanislaw died in Casimiria in 1489, at the age of 56.
The fame of his sanctity grew after his death, particularly as reports spread of graces obtained at his tomb.

In the 18th century, the idea of approving devotion to Blessed Stanislaw gained ground, however the cause was only opened in 1971, under the urging of the then archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla.
DEC. 19, 2009 Decrees of Vatican's Saint Congregation Testify to 10 Miracles; 10 Cases of Heroic Virtue; 1 Martyrdom
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 19, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here are the 21 decrees of the Congregation for Saints' Causes approved today by Benedict XVI.  Five of the decrees are for miracles attributed to those who are beatified, and are now qualified for canonization. Five decrees are for miracles attributed to those who are venerable, and are now qualified for beatification.
One decree testifies to martyrdom, and another is a decree of the heroic virtue of a blessed. The nine remaining decrees testify to the heroic virtue of servants of God.
[Decrees of miracles for blesseds]
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Stanislaw Soltys, called Kazimierczyk, professed priest of the Canons Regular of the Lateran, born Sept. 27, 1433 in Kazimierz (Poland) and died in the same place May 3, 1489;
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed André Bessette (born Alfred), religious of the Congregation of the Holy Cross; born in Saint-Grégoire d'Iberville, Canada, Aug. 9, 1845, and died in Montreal, Canada, Jan. 6, 1937.
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Mary MacKillop (born Mary Helen), founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart; born Jan. 15, 1842 in Fitzroy, Australia, and died Aug. 8, 1909, in Sydney, Australia;
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Giulia Salzano, founder of the Congregation of the Catechetical Sisters of the Sacred Heart; born Oct. 13, 1846, in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy, and died May 17, 1929, in Casoria, Italy;
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Camilla Battista da Varano, sister of the Poor Clares and founder of the monastery of St. Clare in Camerino; born April 0, 1458, in Camerino, Italy, and died in the same city May 31, 1524;
[Decrees of miracles for venerables]
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable José Tous y Soler, priest and professed of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and founder of the Congregation of the Capuchin Sisters of the Mother of the Divine Pastor; born March 21, 1811, in Igualada, Spain, and died Feb. 21, 1871, in Barcelona, Spain.
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Leopoldo de Alpandeire Sánchez Márquez (born Francisco), a professed brother of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin; born July 24, 1866, in Alpandeire, Spain, and died Feb. 9, 1956, in Granada, Spain.
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Manuel Lozano Garrido, a layman; born Aug. 9, 1920, in Linares, Spain, and died in the same city Nov. 3, 1971;
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Teresa Manganiello, a laywoman, of the Third Order of St. Francis; born in Montefusco, Italy, Jan. 1, 1849, and died Nov. 4, 1876;
-- a miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Chiara Badano, lay; born in Sassello, Italy, Oct. 29, 1971, and died Oct. 7, 1990;
[Decree recognizing marytrdom]
-- the martyrdom of the Servant of God Jerzy Popieluszko, diocesan priest; born Sept. 14, 1947, in Okopy Suchowola, Poland, and killed for hatred of the faith Oct. 20, 1984, near Wloclawek, Polond;
[Decree recognizing heroic virtue of a blessed]
-- the heroic virtue of Blessed Giacomo Illirico da Bitetto, a professed brother of the Order of the Friars Minor, born in 1400 in Zara, Dalmacia, and died around the year 1496 in Bitetto, Italy;
[Decrees recognizing heroic virtue for servants of God]
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli), supreme pontiff; born in Rome on March 2, 1876, and died in Castel Gandolfo on Oct. 9, 1958;
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla), supreme pontiff; born May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, and died in April 2, 2005, in Rome;
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God Louis Brisson, priest and founder of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales; born June 23, 1817, in Plancy, France, and died n the same city Feb. 2, 1908;
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God Giuseppe Quadrio, professed priest of the Salesians of St. John Bosco; born Nov. 28, 1921, in Vervio, Italy, and died in Turin, Italy, Oct. 23, 1963;
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God Mary Ward, founder of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, born in Mulwith, England, Jan. 23, 1585, and died in Hewarth, England, Jan. 30, 1645;
Father Giuseppe Quadrio (1921-63), a Salesian.
Sister Mary Ward (1545-1615), an Englishwoman who founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loreto Sisters).
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God Antonia Maria Verna, founder of the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception of Ivrea; born in Pasquaro di Rivarolo, Italy, June 12, 1773, and died in the same city Dec. 25, 1838;
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God Maria Chiara Serafina de Jesús Farolfi (born Francisca), founder of the Missionary Franciscan Clarists of the Blessed Sacrament; born Oct. 7, 1853, in Tossignano, Italy, and died June 18, 1917, in Badia di Bertinoro, Italia;
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God Enrica Alfieri (born Maria Angela), professed religious of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Charity of St. Juana Antide Thouret; born Feb. 23, 1891, in Borgovercelli, Italy, and died in Milan, Italy, on Nov. 23, 1951;
-- the heroic virtues of Servant of God Giunio Tinarelli, layman, member of the Silent Workers of the Cross, born in Terni, Italy, May 27, 1912, and died in the same city Jan. 14, 1956.
DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS
VATICAN CITY, 17 JAN 2009 (VIS) - Today, during a private audience with Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorised the congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
All Servants of God
MIRACLES:
- 1909 Ciriaco Maria Sancha y Hervas, Spanish cardinal archbishop of Toledo, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of
          Charity of Cardinal Sancha (1833-1909).
- 1956 Carlo Gnocchi, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the "Pro Juventute" Foundation (1902-1956).
- 1735 Bernardo Francisco de Hoyos, Spanish professed priest of the Company of Jesus (1711-1735).
- 1919 Raphael Rafiringa (ne Louis), Madagascan professed religious of the Institute of Brothers of Christian Schools
          (1856-1919).
- 1946 Eustachio Kugler, (ne Joseph), German professed religious of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God (1867-1946).
 
HEROIC VIRTUES
- 1659 Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, Spanish bishop of Osma (1600-1659).
- 1888 Robert Spiske, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Hedwig (1821-1888).
- 1932 Carolina Beltrami, Italian foundress of the Institute of "Immaculatine" Sisters of Alessandria (1869-1932).
- 1998 Mary of the Immaculate e Conception Salvat y Romerio (nee Maria Isabella), Spanish superior general of the Institute of
          Sisters of the Company of the Cross (1926-1998).
- 1842 Liberata Ferrarons y Vives, Spanish laywoman of the Third Order of Carmelites (1803-1842).
  In the course of a private audience with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. on 22 December 2008, the Pope authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree regarding the heroic virtues of
1871 Jose Tous y Soler, Servant of God Spanish professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins and founder of the
        Capuchin sisters of the Mother of the Divine Shepherd (1811-1871).
CSS/DECREES/AMATO VIS 090119 (320)
RITES OF BEATIFICATION APPROVED BY THE HOLY FATHER VATICAN CITY, 8 SEP 2009 (VIS)
The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that the following rites of beatification,
approved by the Holy Father, will take place over the coming months:
- Servant of God Eustachio Kugler (ne Joseph), German professed religious of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God: at 2 p.m. on Sunday 4 October in the cathedral of Regensburg, Germany.
- Servant of God Ciriaco Maria Sancha y Hervas, Spanish cardinal and archbishop, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Cardinal Sancha, at 10 a.m. on Sunday 18 October in the cathedral of Toledo, Spain.
- Servant of God Carlo Gnocchi, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the "Pro Juventute" Foundation: at 10 a.m. on Sunday 25 October in the Piazza del Duomo in Milan, Italy.
- Servant of God Zoltan Lajos Meszlenyi, Hungarian bishop and martyr: at 10.30 a.m. on Saturday 31 October in the cathedral of Esztergom, Hungary.
- Servant of God Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas (nee Soultaneh Maria), co-foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem: at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday 22 November, Solemnity of Christ the King, in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Israel. OCL/BEATIFICATIONS/... VIS 090908 (220)

Holy Land Christians Welcome Beatification Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas to Be Named Blessed in Nazareth  JERUSALEM, SEPT. 10, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Holy Land Christians are rejoicing over the forthcoming beatification, the first to take place in their country, of Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas, which is planned for Nov. 22 in Nazareth.
 
Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land, affirmed this Wednesday, the day after the Holy See publicized the place and date of the beatification. The Vatican communiqué reported that "Mother Ghattas," born Soultaneh Maria, co- founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem, will be beatified on the solemnity of Christ the King in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. Father Pizzaballa told the Italian agency Sir that this celebration will be "an important event, which will bring the Palestinian Christian community together again after Benedict XVI's visit."  He explained, "This beatification gives local Christians a symbol and spiritual example at a difficult time, in which their number is diminishing, with so many challenges such as secularization, formation and the political problems that continue unresolved."
 
Mother Ghattas' spiritual daughters, the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary, were very enthusiastic when the news was made public. Sister Ildefonsa, secretary general of the congregation, explained to Sir that not only her congregation but the whole Christian community, especially in Galilee have been preparing for a long time. She stated, "We have sent a letter from the congregation to all the convents spread across the Middle East, so that they will pray and fast faced to the beatification."
 
The beatification "will be, for our Christian communities, an invitation to courage, to stay despite the difficulties," the nun added. "On our part we intend to give them education and instruction." 
Daughter of Palestine 
Ghattas was born on October 4, 1843 in Jerusalem. She entered religious life at age 14, with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, taking the name Alfonsina. She had visions of the Virgin Mary, who requested that she found a congregation dedicated to the Holy Rosary. In 1880, together with Father Joseph Tannous, she initiated the new religious community, which soon spread all over the Holy Land. The Custos of the Holy Land stated that Mother Ghattas was "a daughter of Palestine who lived in the Holy Land and who understood the importance of instruction and formation to give Christian witness in this tormented region of the world."
HOLY FATHER TO CANONISE FIVE BLESSEDS ON 11 OCTOBER
VATICAN CITY, 1 OCT 2009 (VIS) - At 10 a.m. on Sunday 11 October the Holy Father will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Square, during which he will canonise five blesseds, according to a communique released today by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.
  The five future saints are: Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski (1822-1895), Polish former archbishop of Warsaw and founder of the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary; Francesc Coll y Guitart (1812-1875), Spanish professed priest of the Order of Friars Preachers and founder of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Jozef Damian de Veuster (1840-1889), Belgian professed priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and of the Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar (PICPUS); Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron (1911-1938), Spanish oblate friar of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, and Mary of the Cross Jugan (nee Jeanne) (1792-1879), French virgin and foundress of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor.
OCL/CANONISATIONS/... VIS 091001 (190)
CONSISTORY ON SEVERAL CAUSES OF CANONISATION  VATICAN CITY, 12 FEB 2010 (VIS)
 In the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace at 11 a.m. on Friday 19 February, an ordinary public consistory will be held for the canonisation of the following Blesseds:
 - Stanislao Soltys, called Kazimierczyk, Polish professed religious of the Order of Canons Regular Lateranense (1433-1489).
- Andre Bessette (ne Alfred), Canadian professed religious of the Congregation of the Holy Cross (1845-1937).
- Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola (nee Juana Josefa), Spanish founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus (1845-1912).
- Mary of the Cross MacKillop (nee Mary Helen), Australian foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart (1842-1909).
- Giulia Salzano, Italian foundress of the Congregation of Sisters Catechists of the Sacred Heart (1846-1929).
- Battista da Varano (nee Camilla), professed nun of the Order of Poor Clares and foundress of the monastery of St. Clare in the Italian town of Camerino (1458-1524). OCL/CONSISTORY CANONISATION/. VIS 100212 (170)
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Departure of Lazarus beloved of the Lord
On this day the righteous Lazarus, the beloved of the Lord Christ, departed. He was the brother of Martha and Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair. When Lazarus fell sick the sisters sent to the Lord Christ saying: "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was" to magnify the miracle.

Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples told Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. "But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well." However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."

When the Lord came to Bethany which is nearby Jerusalem He stood before the tomb and said: "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and prayed then he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." (John 11:1-45)

That was to manifest the reality of his death, so no one would think that this was deception with previous arrangement, for that the miracle was magnified and many believed.  The prayers of this righteous be with us. Amen.
Commemoration of the Sts. George the ascetic, Belasius the martyr, and Anba Joseph the bishop.
On this day also the church celebrates the commemoration of the Sts. George the ascetic, Belasius the martyr, and Anba Joseph the bishop.
May their prayers be with us. Amen.
1899 {1615 A.M.} Departure of St. Basilius, Bishop of Jerusalem.
On this day also of the year 1615 A.M. (March 26th., 1899 A.D.) the great father Anba Basilius, Metropolitan of Jerusalem, departed. This father was born in the village of El-Dabah, Farshout county, the province of Quena, for righteous parents. They nursed him with the milk of righteousness since his young age, as they taught him reading and writing, so he grew on loving perfection and moral excellence.

When he was twenty-five years old he went to the monastery of St. Antonios and put on the monastic garb in the year 1559 A.M. He persevered in worshipping and ascetism and because he was adorned with righteousness and piety they ordained him priest in the year 1565 A.M. and archpriest (Hegumen) in the year 1568 A.M., then they appointed him an Abott for the monastery. He managed the monastery well with gentleness, wisdom and meekness that made the blessed Anba Kyrellos IV to ordain him Metropolitan for Jerusalem and the parishes that were attached to him: El-Kaliobia, El-Sharkia, El-Dakahlia, El-Gharbia, Suez, Domiat, and Port-Said.

He had shown prudence in managing the affairs of these parishes that made him the center of admiration and pride to the Copts. All his efforts were dedicated for the building of churches all over his parish, buying and renovating properties in Jaffa and Jerusalem. He was loved by all the people of Syria and Palestine, regardless of their religion or political persuasion, especially the rulers of Jerusalem, for his wise policy and straight morals.

During his days a dispute aroused from the Ethiopians where they claimed their ownership for the monastery of El-Sultan in Jerusalem. Because of this father and his vigilance they could not establish an ownership for the monastery. He attended the enthronement of Pope Demetrius II, the hundred eleventh, and Pope Kyrellos V, the hundred twelfth. He spent his days in continuous effort for what was good for his people and departed in peace.
May his prayers be with us. Amen. 
1565 Martyrdom of St. Sedhom Bishay in Domiat endured the torture for the Name of the Lord Christ and his martyrdom made the rising of the Cross during the Christian funeral processions openly, for it was forbidden before

On this day also the church commemorates the martyrdom of Sedhom Bishay in Domiat on the 17th. of Baramhat year 1565 A.D. (March 25th., 1844 A.D.). He endured the torture for the Name of the Lord Christ and his martyrdom made the rising of the Cross during the Christian funeral processions openly, for it was forbidden before.

This martyr was a clerical employee in the government of the port of Domiat during the days of Mohammed Ali Basha the Governor of Egypt. A revolt of mobs in the port arose, they seized Sidhom Bishay and accused him falsely that he cursed Islam and witnessed against him before the religious judge a low uncivilized person and a donkey driver. The judge decided either he would forsake his faith or be killed, he whipped him and then sent him to the Governor of the city. After the Governor had examined his case he issued the same judgement against him as the judge did. Sidhom was steadfast in his Christian faith, not caring to be killed. They whipped, dragged him on his face down the stairs in the Governor palace, then they put him on a buffalo facing the tail and went around with him in the streets of the city insulting and degrading him. The Christians in the city became afraid and locked themselves in their houses.

The mob continued to insult him and tortured him in different ways until he was about to deliver his soul; so they brought him to the door of his house and left him there. His family went out and brought him inside and five days later he departed to heaven.

His departure was a great martyrdom, and the Christians counted him among the holy martyrs. They gathered regardless of their denomination and joined in his funeral in a celebration that there was nothing like it before. The Christians carried their arms and the priest put on their vestments headed by the Archpriest Yousef Michael who was the head of the Coptic congregation in Domiat and accompanied by the priests of the other denominations. They marched in his funeral in the streets of the city and in front of him the deacons carrying the banners of the Cross, and they arrived to the church where they prayed the funeral rites. The people went on objecting this reprehensible and painful incident and talking about the patience and endurance of the different kinds of torture in silence and the steadfastness of Sidhom the martyr.

The prominent people of the Christian community in Domiat deliberated as how to avoid these incidents in the future. They decided to ask the consuls of the foreign countries to mediate with the ruler of the country and the Pope the Patriarch of the Copts and sent to them detailed reports.
Mr Michail Sorour the official representative of seven countries in Domiat was in charge of this mediation.
The ruler of Egypt was concerned about this incident and sent two official representatives to examine the case. So they reopened the inquiry and they realized the injustice and the ill-treatment that befell the great martyr and convicted the judge and the governor for their wrong doing, stripped them from their honor then exiled them. They asked, as a good will and to comfort the people, to allow the raising of the Cross publicly before the Christian funerals, and the ruler allowed that in Domiat. This was allowed later on all over the country during the Papacy of Pope Kyrellos IV.
The blessings of this great martyr be with us and glory be to God forever. Ame
St. Peter Roman martyr with Cassian Marcian Thecla Joyinus
Item Romæ corónæ sanctórum Mártyrum Petri, Marciáni, Jovíni, Theclæ, Cassiáni et aliórum.
 Also at Rome, the crowning of the holy martyrs Peter, Marcian, Jovinus, Thecla, Cassian, and others.
These Romans were put to death at some unknown date by Roman authorities.

Peter, Marcian, Jovinus, Thecla, Cassian & Comp. MM (RM) Date unknown. Roman martyrs, of whom nothing certain is known.
Some registers have Theodula rather than Thecla (Benedictines).
260-268 St. Theodore bishop of Pentapolis, Libya Martyr with Irenacus deacon Serapion and Ammonius two lectors
Pentápoli, in Libya, natális sanctórum Mártyrum Theodóri Epíscopi, Irenǽi Diáconi, Serapiónis et Ammónii Lectórum.
At Pentopolis in Libya, the birthday of the holy martyrs Theodore, bishop, the deacon Irenæus, and the lectors Serapion and Ammonius.
Hieromartyr Irenaeus suffered during the persecution against Christians under the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian (284-305). He was a presbyter, and he and his wife raised their children in Christian piety. St Irenaeus was greatly respected for his education and strict manner of life. He was later made Bishop of Sirmium in Pannonia (modern Hungary). Because of his fervent preaching of the Gospel he was arrested and brought before an official named Probus. Refusing to deny Christ and offer sacrifice to the pagan gods, the saint was handed over for torture. Witnessing his torments were the saint's parents, relatives and friends, who attempted to persuade him to submit, but the martyr remained steadfast.

After cruel tortures, the holy confessor spent a long time in prison. Probus tried to persuade the martyr, urging him to spare his life for the sake of his sons. St Irenaeus replied, "My sons believe in God, Who will care for them. As for me, nothing will force me to renounce my Christ."
The governor ordered the saint to be thrown into a river. They led the martyr on the bridge crossing the River Sava, where he knelt and prayed to the Lord for his flock. Then they beheaded the Hieromartyr Irenaeus, and threw his body into the river.

St. Theodore bishop of Pentapolis, Libya Suffered during the persecutions of Emperor Gallienus, (260-268) also known as Theuderius. Irenaeus was his deacon, and Serapion and Ammonius, two lectors. They all had their tongues cut out but survived the ordeal, dying in peace during the lapse in persecutions.

Theodore, Irenaeus, Serapion & Armonius MM (RM) Died 310 (?). Bishop Theodore of Pentapolis, Libya, Irenaeus, his deacon, and Serapion and Ammonius, his two lectors, suffered under Gallienus by having their tongues cut out.
They are venerated as martyrs, however, they survived and died in peace (Benedictines).
286 St. Castulus martyr Chamberlain of Emperor Diocletian he sheltered Christians
Romæ, via Lavicána, sancti Cástuli Mártyris, qui, cum esset zetárius Palátii et hospes Sanctórum, a persecutóribus tértio appénsus, tértio audítus, et, in confessióne Dómini persevérans, missus est in fóveam, ac, dimíssa super eum massa arenária, martyrio coronátus est.
 At Rome, on the Via Lavicana, St. Castulus, martyr, chamberlain in the palace of the emperor.  For harbouring Christians, he was three times suspended by the hands, three times cited before the tribunals.  As he persevered in the confession of the Lord, he was thrown into a pit, covered with a mass of sand, and thus obtained the crown of martyrdom.

286 ST CASTULUS, MARTYR
DURING the reign of Diocletian, Pope St Caius was greatly concerned for the safety of the Christians in Rome. Certain legendary acts tell us that Castulus, a zealous Christian, who was the emperor’s chamberlain, offered to arrange for religious services to be held actually in the palace itself, because no search was likely to be made there and moreover, that he sheltered Christians in his own house, which adjoined the palace, and showed them the place of rendezvous. Not satisfied with thus serving the Church, he and his friend Tiburtius went about Rome converting men and women to Christianity and bringing them to the pope to be baptized. Eventually he was betrayed by an apostate Christian called Torquatus, and brought before Fabian, prefect of the city. He was cruelly tortured and then cast into a pit and smothered with sand. A cemetery and a church on the Via Labicana were named after St Castulus.
While the Acts of St Castulus, printed in the Acta Sanctorum (March, vol. iii), are historically valueless and are partly plagiarized from those of St Sebastian, there is no reason to doubt the historical existence of the martyr or that his remains were interred in the catacomb which bears his name. The friable nature of the sandstone in this cemetery, which easily crumbles, may have some relation to what is said of the manner of the martyr’s death. See Leclercq in DAC., vol. ii, cc. 2372—2375.

in his own home and arranged for religious services inside the imperial palace. Because of his activity in bringing converts to Pope St. Caius to be baptized he was captured, tortured and put to death.

Castulus of Rome M (RM) Died c. 286-288. Saint Castulus was an officer of Diocletian's palace in Roman. He housed some of his fellow Christians, was denounced, questioned, tortured, and thrown into a pit that then was filled with sand to bury him alive.
A cemetery was named after his burial place on the Via Labicana (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia).
304 St. Quadratus Martyred bishop in Anatolia w/42 others including Emmanuel and Theodosius
Item sanctórum Mártyrum Quadráti, Theodósii, Emmanuélis et aliórum quadragínta.
 Likewise, the holy martyrs Quadratus, Theodosius, Emmanuel, and forty others.
Quadratus was a bishop in Anatolia who was arrested and put to death with forty two fellow martyrs, including Emmanuel and Theodosius, during the persecution of the Church under Emperor Diocletian.

Quadratus (Codratus), Theodosius, Emmanuel & Comp. MM (RM). A group of 43 martyrs under leadership of Saint Quadratus, bishop of Anatolia, put to death under Diocletian (Benedictines).
304 St. Montanus priest & Maxima martyred husband and wife at Singidunum, Pannonia
Sírmii sanctórum Mártyrum Montáni Presbyteri, et Máximæ, qui, ob Christi fidem, in flumen demérsi sunt.
 At Sirmio, the holy martyrs Montanus, priest, and Maxima, who were drowned in a river for the faith of Christ.
Montanus was a priest and was arrested for being a Christian. Maxima shared his sufferings.
They were drowned in the Save River, in Sirmium, Dalmatia, or at Singidunum, Pannonia.
Montanus & Maxima MM (RM). Montanus, a priest, and Maxima, said to have been his wife, were drowned as Christians in the Save River at Sirmium, Dalmatia, or Singidunum, Pannonia (Benedictines).
356 Eutychius of Alexandria subdeacon against Arianism martyred & Comps. MM (RM)
Alexandríæ sanctórum Mártyrum Eutychii et aliórum; qui, Constántii témpore, sub Ariáno Epíscopo Geórgio, pro fide cathólica gládio cæsi sunt. At Alexandria, the holy martyrs Eutychius and others, who died by the sword for the Catholic faith, in the time of Constantine, under the Arian bishop George.
Eutychius was a subdeacon of the church of Alexandria who, for his stand against Arianism, was condemned to slavery in the mines, but perished from exhaustion on the road there. His companions were other leading Catholics of Alexandria, four of whom were seized and scourged (but not executed) for showing sympathy for him (Benedictines, Encyclopedia).
370 Saints Monk Abibus Anna, Alla, Agnus, Anna Bathus, Bathusius Bercus the priest, Dulcida Reasus Igathrax  Iscoeus (Iskous) Malchus Silas, Presbyters and Vercus with two sons and two daughters, the Arpilus, and the Laymen: Igathrax,  Phillus (Philgas), Silas, Signicus, Sonerilas, Suimbalus, Thermus,  Uiriko (Viriko) and the Women Martyrs: Animais (Animaida)  Larissa (Beride),  Monco (Manca), Mamika,
Larissa =
 Virko and the anonymous martyr with them; also the Gothic Queen Gaatha and the Princess Duclida suffered around the year 375 under Jungerich, Martyrs of the Gothic people
Bathus, Wereka, and their companions Were burned to death in a church by order of their local king.
Saint Bathusius was one of twenty-six martyrs who were killed by the Goths around the year 375 under Jungerich, a persecutor of Christians. Ancient synaxaria of the Gothic Church recount the martyrdom of twenty-six Christians in the time of the emperors Valentinian, Valens, and Gratian. The historian Sozomen says that King Athanaric was enraged to see his subjects embracing Christianity because of the preaching of the Arian bishop Ulfilas.
So, he ordered many of them to be tortured and executed, often without a trial.
King Athanaric's ministers placed a statue in a chariot and paraded it before the tents which Christians used for church services. Those who worshiped the idol and offered sacrifice were spared, the rest were burned alive in the tent. Jungerich gave orders to burn down a church during divine services. In the fiery inferno 308 people perished, of whom only twenty-one are known by name. There was also an anonymous man who came to the tent and confessed Christ. He was martyred with the others. Different manuscripts give variants of their names.

In the reign of Valentinian and Theodosius (383-392), the Gothic king's widow Gaatha (who was an Orthodox Christian) and her daughter Duclida gathered up the relics of the holy martyrs and brought them to Syria with the help of some priests and a layman named Thyellas. Gaatha later returned to her native land, where she was stoned and died as a martyr, along with her son Agathon. The relics of the holy martyrs were left to Duclida, who went to Cyzicus in Asia Minor and gave some of the relics for the founding of a church.
St Duclida died in peace. 
The holy martyrs were commemorated on October 23 on the Gothic calendars.
400 Felix of Trier generosity to the poor virtuous (Trèves) B (RM)

400 ST FELIX, Bishop OF TRIER miracles were reported as having taken place at his tomb
ST FELIX was consecrated bishop of Trier in 386 and took part in a synod held in his episcopal city at which St Martin was also present. He was a most holy man and extremely liberal to the poor. He built a monastery and a church which he dedicated to our Lady and the Theban Martyrs and in which he placed the alleged relics of the advance-guard of the Theban Legion—Thyrses the General and nine others. Because he had been elected by those who were said to have compassed the death of Priscillian, St Ambrose and Pope St Siricius refused to hold ecclesiastical communion with St Felix, and it was probably for this reason that he resigned his see in 398 and retired to the monastery he had built, which was subsequently called after St Paulinus. He died an edifying death and many miracles were reported as having taken place at his tomb. Sulpicius Severus speaks of him with much respect.

See the Acta Sanctorum, March, vol. iii, and Duchesne, Fastes Épiscopaux, vol. iii, p. 36.

In 386, Saint Martin of Tours consecrated his friend Felix as bishop of the church of Trier (Trèves), which he governed for twelve years. Owing to the fact that this took place under the usurping emperor Maximus, the legality of his election was questioned by the Holy See and Saint Ambrose. Consequently, he retired to avoid trouble. Contemporary writers, particularly Saint Sulpicius Severus, speak very highly of Felix's virtues, especially his generosity to the poor (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia).
Sincheall of Killeigh Abbot early Roman convert of Saint Patrick abbot-founder (AC) 5th century
(also known as Sinell of Killeagh)
Sincheall, an early Roman convert of Saint Patrick, was abbot-founder of the monastery and school at Killeigh, Offaly, Ireland, where he had 150 monks under his direction. The community flourished until the 16th century. During the Reformation, Lord Leonard Gray removed the organ and stained glass windows from the church and installed them in the Protestant church at Maynooth.

Prior to that time (1443), there is an account of Saint Sincheall great feast day celebration. Margaret O'Carroll of Ely, wife of Prince Calvagh O'Connor of Offaly, invited all the Scottish and Irish bards and sages to attend. There were "2700 persons besides the gamesters and poor men." The princess placed two enormous gold chalices on the Sincheall's altar, adopted two orphans, and gave food, money, and gifts to all who entered. Those who could not attend the feast were invited for the feast of the Assumption (Benedictines, D'Arcy, McManus, Montague, Sullivan, Tommasini).
505 Macartin of Clogher miracle-worker early disciple companion of Saint Patrick B (AC)
(also known as Macartan, MacCartan, Maccarthen) feast day formerly March 24.
505 ST MACARTAN, BISHOP
VERY little is known of St Aedh Mac Cairthinn, although his feast is kept throughout Ireland, in the diocese of Clogher, of which see he is said to have been the first bishop, as a double of the first class. On August 15, which was at one time reckoned as his special day, we find this cryptic utterance in the Félire of Oengus “Fer da chrich, a fair champion.” “Fer da chrich”, used here as a name, means “man of two districts”, and the gloss goes on to explain that this “man of two districts” was the abbot of Dairinis, or Bishop Mac Cairthinn, adding: Aedh is truly the man’s name, grandson of Aithmet, with many deeds, his name at Clochar of the churches was afterwards Bishop Mac Cairthinn ‘man of two districts’ was his name at first I will tell you his history, a true brother with victory, with fame, to Mael-ruain, to his teacher. He was the maternal uncle of Mael-ruain, Oengus’s tutor, and from him Mael-ruain brought Fer da chrich’s’ bell, which is in Tallaght.” Little more is told in the fragmentary Latin life still preserved, except the extravagant miracles with which the saint defeated the attempts of the local chieftain to drive him from Clogher. St Macartan is believed to have been consecrated bishop by St Patrick himself.
A mutilated Latin life is printed by Colgan, and in the Acta Sanctorum (under August 15), from the Codex Salmanticensis. See also LIS., vol. viii, pp. 208 seq.

Saint Macartin (in Irish is Aedh mac Carthin) was an early disciple and companion of Saint Patrick during the latter's missions into pagan territory. He is said to have been consecrated bishop of Clogher in Tyrone by Patrick in 454. It is said the Saint Brigid, Macartin's niece, was present at the founding of the see.
Macartin is also one of the earliest Irish saints to be known as a miracle-worker. His holiness is revealed not so much by any vita, which are non-existent, but by the high veneration in which he is held. Saint Bede records that the earth was taken from his grave as holy relics. His Office is the only one to survive from an Irish source.

A reliquary, called the Great Shrine of Saint Mac Cairthinn, which was designed to contain relics of the True Cross as well as his bones, has been altered over the centuries but still survives as the "Domnach Airgid" in the National Museum. It's inner yew box was given to Macartin by Patrick together with the latter's episcopal staff and Bible.

The Cloch-Oir (Golden Stone), from which this ancient diocese takes its name, was a sacred ceremonial stone to the druids, It was given to Macartin by an old pagan noble, who had harassed Macartin in every possible way until the saint's patient love won the local ruler to the faith. The stone is still preserved and the noble's son, Tighernach of Clones, succeed Macartin as bishop (Benedictines, D'Arcy, Farmer, Healy, Kenney, Montague, Muirhead, Needham).
St. Garbhan monastic efforts to preserve knowledge culture in Ireland 7th century
Irish abbot honored by the town of Dungarvan, Ireland. He was part of the monastic efforts to preserve knowledge and culture in Ireland.
Garbhan, Abbot (AC) 7th century. The Irish Saint Garbhan appears to have left his name to Dungarvan. Nothing certain is known about him (Benedictines).
639 St. Mochelloc Patron saint of Kilmallock, Limerick
Ireland. He is also called Celloch, Cellog, Motalogus, and Mottelog.

Mochelloc of Kilmallock (AC) (also known as Cellog, Mottelog, Motalogus) Died c. 639. Mochelloc is the patron saint of Kilmallock in Limerick, Ireland. Reliable details of his life are unavailable (Benedictines).
651 St. Braulio Bishop of Saragossa teach encourage his people extirpate Arian heresy hagiographer of the Spanish saints
Cæsaraugústæ, in Hispánia, sancti Bráulii, Epíscopi et Confessóris. At Saragossa in Spain, St. Braulio, bishop and confessor.

651 ST BRAULIO, BISHOP OF SARAGOSSA
AT the college founded in Seville by St Isidore, one of the more promising of the alumni was a boy of noble birth called Braulio, who grew up to be so eminent a scholar that Isidore regarded him as a friend and disciple rather than a pupil, and used to send him his own writings to correct and revise. Braulio prepared for the priesthood and was ordained, and when in 631 the see of Saragossa became vacant at the death of his brother Bishop John, the neighbouring prelates assembled to elect a successor and their choice fell upon Braulio. They are said to have been assisted in their selection by the appearance of a globe of fire which rested above Braulio’s head, whilst a voice pronounced the words, “Behold my servant whom I have chosen and upon whom my spirit rests”. As a pastor, St Braulio laboured zealously to teach and encourage his people, and at the same time to extirpate the Arian heresy which continued to flourish even after the conversion of King Reccared. He kept in close touch with St Isidore, whom he assisted in his task of restoring church order and regularizing ecclesiastical discipline. A small portion of the correspondence between the two saints has survived to this day. So great was St Braulio’s eloquence and his power of persuasion, that some of his hearers asserted that they had seen the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, resting On his shoulder and imparting in his ear the doctrine he preached to the people. He took part in the fourth Council of Toledo, which was presided over by his friend and master St Isidore, and also in the fifth and sixth. The last-named assembly charged him to write an answer to Pope Honorius I, who had accused the Spanish bishops of negligence in the fulfilment of their duties. His defence was dignified and convincing.
The good bishop’s duties did not prevent his constant ministrations in his cathedral church and in that of our Lady “del Pilar”, where he spent many hours of the day and night in prayer. Luxury of all kinds he abhorred: his garments were rough and plain, his food simple and his life austere. An eloquent preacher and a keen controversialist, he could carry conviction by his telling arguments and absolute sincerity. His liberality to the poor was only matched by his tender care of all his flock. The close of his life was saddened by failing eyesight—a heavy trial to anyone, but especially to a scholar. As his end drew near, he realized that he was dying, and the last day of his life was spent in the recitation of psalms. According to! a legend, which, however, appears to be comparatively modern, heavenly music resounded in the chamber of death, and a voice was heard to say, “Rise, my friend, and come away!” The saint, as though waking from sleep, replied with his last breath, “I come, Lord : I am ready!”
Of St Braulio’s writings, we have a Life of St Emilian with a poem in his honour, forty-four letters, which were discovered at Leon in the eighteenth century and shed great light on Visigothic Spain, and an eulogy of St Isidore, as well as a catalogue of his works. He is said to have completed some writings which St Isidore lelt unfinished, and he is almost certainly the author of the Acts of the Martyrs of Saragossa. St Braulio is the patron of Aragon and one of the most famous of the Spanish saints.
See the Acta Sanctorum, March, vol. ii; Florez, España Sagrada, vol. xxx, pp. 305 seq. Cams,  Kirchengeschichte Spaniens, vol. ii, pt a, pp. 145—149; DTC., vol. ii, cc. 1123 seq.; DHG., vol. x, cc. 441 seq. ; and C. H. Lynch, St Braulio (1938). But the indispensable work is now the critical edition of the saint’s letters by J. Madoz, published in Madrid in 1941.
At the college founded in Seville by St Isidore, one of the more promising of the alumni was a boy of noble birth called Braulio, who grew up to be so eminent a scholar that Isidore regarded him as a friend and disciple rather than a pupil, and used to send him his own writings to correct and revise. Braulio prepared for the priesthood and was ordained, and when in 631 the see of Saragossa became vacant at the death of his brother Bishop John, the neighbouring prelates assembled to elect a successor and their choice fell upon Braulio.
As a pastor, St Braulio laboured zealously to teach and encourage his people, and at the same time to extirpate the Arian heresy which continued to flourish even after the conversion of King Reccared. He kept in close touch with St Isidore, whom he assisted in his task of restoring church order and regularizing ecclesiastical discipline: a small portion of the correspondence between the two saints has survived.

He took part in the fourth Council of Toledo, which was presided over by his friend and master St Isidore, and also in the fifth and sixth. The last-named assembly charged him to write an answer to Pope Honorius I, who had accused the Spanish bishops of negligence in the fulfilment of their duties. His defence was dignified and convincing. The good bishop's duties did not prevent his constant ministrations in his cathedral church and in that of our Lady ‘del Pilar , where he spent many hours of the day and night in prayer.

Luxury of all kinds he abhorred: his garments were rough and plain, his food simple and his life austere.

An eloquent preacher and a keen controversialist, he could carry conviction by his telling arguments and absolute sincerity. His liberality to the poor was only matched by his tender care of all his flock. The close of his life was saddened by failing eyesight—a heavy trial to anyone, but especially to a scholar.
As end drew near, he realized he was dying, spent the last day of his life in the recitation of psalms.

Braulio of Saragossa B (RM) Born c. 590; died in Saragossa, Spain, c. 646-651. Saint Braulio, son of a Hispano-Roman bishop, Gregory of Osma, became a monk of Saint Engratia's monastery in Saragossa, in 610. He was sent to Seville to study under Saint Isidore, who became his close friend. In 624, he was ordained by Isidore, but the following year he returned to Saragossa. Braulio was ordained to the priesthood by his own brother, John, whom he succeeded to the see of Saragossa in 631.
Braulio was a learned bishop and important reformer of his time, who followed only Saint Isidore as the most influential and respected bishop in Spain. Like so many monks who became bishop, Braulio continued to live an austere life of prayer, almsgiving, and frequent preaching. He participated in the councils of Toledo in 633, 636, and 638, and helped to convert the Visigoths from Arianism to orthodoxy. He also answered Pope Honorius I's charge that the Spanish bishops had been unnecessarily lenient towards the Jews who had converted to Christianity but subsequently lapsed.

Also like Isidore, he was devoted to learning; a number of his letters are still extant, which show familiarity with classical authors of Roman antiquity, as well as his desire to extend his knowledge of Christian writers. He excelled chiefly as a hagiographer of the Spanish saints. It was Saint Braulio who convinced Isidore to undertake his encyclopedic work called Etymologies, and after Isidore's death he polished the book to its final form.

In 650, he became half blind and the same year. His cultus was almost immediately approved locally. Pictures of him survive in Saragossa and Seville (Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth, Lynch).
Felicitas of Padua nun relics now at Saint Justina in Padua 9th century V (AC)
Felicitas was a nun, probably Benedictine, who professed the Benedictine Rule in a convent on the Colli Euganei or else in that of SS. Cosmas and Damian at Padua. Her relics are now at Saint Justina in Padua (Benedictines).
809 Saint  Ludger Benedictine bishop missionary founder of Munster Germany counselor of Charlemagne His gentleness did more to attract Saxons to Christ than armies of Charlemagne
Eódem die sancti Ludgéri, Epíscopi Monasteriénsis, qui Saxónibus Evangélium prædicávit.
The same day, St. Ludger, bishop of Munster, who preached the Gospel to the Saxons.

809 ST LUDGER, BISHOP OF MÜNSTER   
IT was in the abbey school of Utrecht, presided over by St Boniface’s friend Gregory, that St Ludger (Liudger), a Frisian, received his earlier education. In the life which the pupil afterwards wrote of his master he tells us that in that school “some were of noble Frankish families; some were English; some of the new seed of God planted among the Frisians and Saxons; others of the Bructeri and the Suevi; others of sundry nations whom God had sent thither. Of all these, I, Ludger, am the least—yea, the weakest and most insignificant.”
At his own request the boy had been sent to Utrecht at an unusually early age by his parents; amongst the memories of his childhood, he cherished the recollection of having once seen the great St Boniface, “when the hair of his head was white and his body decrepit with age”. Ludger was preparing for the diaconate when there arrived in Utrecht a priest from York, Alubert, who had been moved to preach the gospel in Friesland. St Gregory welcomed him eagerly, and urged him to have himself consecrated regionary bishop. Alubert rather unwillingly consented, but only on condition that he should be given one or two native clergy. Sigbold and Ludger were appointed to him, and the three returned to York, where Alubert was consecrated bishop, Sigbold ordained priest and Ludger deacon. There they met the famous Alcuin, whom the archbishop of York had set over the cathedral school. Ludger was attracted to him as steel to a magnet, and when he had to accompany his friends back to Utrecht he earnestly entreated permission to return to England to continue his studies under the most learned man and the greatest teacher of the age. St Gregory wished to retain him, but he was allowed to go back to England. He sat at Alcuin’s feet for three and a half more years, and would, no doubt, have stayed longer, but for an untoward incident. In a quarrel, the son of an English earl had been killed by a Frisian merchant, and to avert the vengeance of the English it was thought expedient that all Frisians in England should return to their own land. Ludger accordingly returned to Utrecht, where he received a warm greeting from Gregory, who died not long afterwards, entrusting his monastery to his nephew Alberic.
Abbot Alberic sent Ludger to rebuild the wrecked church over the reputed grave of St Lebuin at Deventer. While he was occupied with this work, the true place of burial was revealed to him in a dream, and he was able to include the tomb in the new building. As soon as the church had been consecrated, Ludger was sent with several companions to preach on the frontiers of Friesland, where he made a number of converts and destroyed several pagan shrines. In these much treasure was found—the greater part of which was appropriated by Charlemagne, but one-third was returned for ecclesiastical use. Ludger was still only a deacon, and it was felt that he ought to be raised to the priesthood. Accordingly, when Alberic went to Cologne to be consecrated bishop, he took with him Ludger, and there ordained him priest and gave him spiritual charge of the Ostergau. At Dokkum, the place of St Boniface’s martyrdom, he seems to have built a church, for the porch of which Alcuin sent him from England some lines of his own composition. For seven years St Ludger worked with great success, founding churches, converting pagans and bad Christians and in general laying the foundations of a flourishing Christian community. Suddenly all his efforts were brought to a standstill, and his work to outward appearance ruined, through an invasion of Friesland by the Saxons, under Widukind; they overran the country, destroyed the churches, drove out the priests and compelled the people to return to heathen rites. Ludger conducted his disciples to a place of safety and then started on a pilgrimage to Rome, accompanied by his brother Hildegrim and his nephew Gerfrid. They went on to Monte Cassino, and here Ludger spent three years, not taking the Benedictine vows, but studying and observing the Rule, for, as we read, “he was anxious to build a monastery on his own estate, and this was afterwards done at Werden”.
Meanwhile Alcuin, whom Charlemagne had attached to his court, brought his friend Ludger to the monarch’s notice, and it seems not improbable that the emperor had met the saint on the occasion of his visit to Monte Cassino. In any case St Ludger returned to his country in 785, prepared to resume his missionary labours now that the field was again open to him. Charlemagne formed such a high opinion of him that he gave him spiritual charge over five provinces of Friesland. Aided by his knowledge of the people and of their speech, the holy man’s labours were abundantly blessed, although he had but few helpers. He crossed the water to Heligoland, where he preached to the inhabitants and convened many, baptizing them in the fountain in which St Willibrord had once baptized three converts. On the return journey, he cured a blind minstrel named Bernlef, who embraced Christianity and afterwards accompanied the saint on his missionary journeys. These successes induced Charlemagne to offer Ludger the recently subjugated province of north-west Saxony or Westphalia, and the ardent missionary willingly accepted the additional charge. Although by no means a strong man, he laboured untiringly in this fresh field, travelling over the country, teaching and preaching indoors and in the open air, and baptizing his converts himself. Ludger’s gentleness, persuasiveness and attractive personality did more to reconcile and settle the Saxons than all the emperor’s repressive measures.
His headquarters he made at Mimigerneford, where he built a monastery, from which the town derived its later name of Munster, and in it he instituted the rule of St Chrodegang of Metz for clergy living in community. As the number of the faithful increased it became necessary to have a bishop, and Ludger was accordingly consecrated at Cologne about 804 by Archbishop Hildebald. With the help of his brother Hildegrim, the saint not only succeeded in evangelizing Westphalia, but crossed the Weser into what was formerly known as Eastphalia. His unquenchable zeal prompted him to go still further north, to preach to the Northmen of Denmark and Scandinavia, but Charlemagne refused his consent, realizing no doubt that the saint was growing old and that there were limits even to his powers. Years before, at Utrecht, St Ludger had beheld in a vision his lately deceased master Abbot Gregory, who from a height appeared to be dropping scrolls and fragments which he bade him collect. Automatically he obeyed and gathered them into three piles. The dream had been interpreted by one of the monks to mean that Ludger would become the spiritual guide of three peoples but the saint had then ruefully exclaimed, “Would that God would rather grant me fruit in the place over which I now have charge!” Legend has attributed to Ludger many monastic foundations, but with some of these, notably that at Helmstädt, which was afterwards called by his name, he had certainly nothing to do. Werden, however, undoubtedly owed its existence to his exertions. It was ruled by his relations until 877, and became one of the most important abbeys in Germany.
In spite of all his external activity, the holy man allowed nothing to interfere with his devotions, public or private. He was so particular about attention at offices, even whilst he was travelling, that when one of his clergy stooped to mend the fire during Matins, to prevent the smoke from blowing into the bishop’s face, he was rebuked at the close of the service. St Ludger was once accused to Charlemagne of wasting his income in indiscriminate almsgiving and neglecting the embellishment of the churches in his care. The prince, who loved to see churches magnificent, considered this a serious charge, and ordered him to appear before him to reply to it. On the morning after his arrival, a chamberlain came to summon him, but found him at prayer. The saint sent back word that he would follow when he had finished his devotions. A second messenger was despatched and yet a third before he was ready, and Charlemagne indignantly asked him why he had not immediately obeyed his summons. “Because I believed that the service of God was to be preferred to yours or to that of any man,” replied the accused calmly. “Such indeed was your wilt when you invested me with the office of a bishop, and therefore I deemed it unseemly to interrupt the service of God, even at the command of your majesty.”
St Ludger suffered great pain towards the end of his life, but he continued his labours until the last day—which was Passion Sunday, 809. That morning he preached at Coesfeld and then hurried to Biller-beck, where he preached again and said Mass. In the evening he peacefully died, surrounded by his disciples and in the presence of his sister, the Abbess Gerburgis. Münster and Werden disputed for the possession of his body, but he had expressed a wish to be buried at Werden. The greater part of his relics remain there to this day.
Our sources of information regarding the life of St Ludger are abundant and, on the whole, reliable. The biography by his admirer Altfrid, who was bishop of Münster from 839 to 849, was compiled from the statements of those who had lived with the saint. The other lives are not so trustworthy. All these documents will be found critically edited by W. Diekamp in his Geschichtsquellen des Bisthums Münster, vol. iv most of them had pre­viously been printed by the Bollandists and Mabillon. There are modern biographies in German by Hüsing, by Pingsmann and by Krimphove, and for English readers there is an excellent account by Stubbs in DCB., vol. iii, pp. 729—731. See also Hauck, Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands, vol. ii, pp. 349, 354 and 406.

He was born in Zuilen, Holland, and was trained by Saint  Gregory at Utrecht. Going to England, Ludger studied under Blessed Alcuin at York. He was ordained in 777 in Cologne, Germany, and spent seven years as a missionary. In 785 he met Charlemagne and was given charge of the spiritual direction of five provinces. He refused the see of Trier but became the founding bishop of Munster in 804. Ludger died on March 26 after celebrating Mass at Butterbreck, Westphalia. Ludger of Utrecht, OSB B (RM) (also known as Liudger) Born near Zuilen, Frisia, the Netherlands, c. 744; died at Billerbeck, Westphalia, Germany, 809. Everything in Ludger's life seems to have worked in favor of his becoming a great man and a saint: a good family, dedicated to the Church; a fine education; a native intelligence and a disposition that won him the affection of all with whom he came in contact. At the age of 14, he met Saint Gregory of Utrecht, who gave him the monastic habit. When he was 24, he was made a deacon; at 34, he was ordained a priest.
Ludger was first taught by Saint Gregory (whose vita he wrote), then he went to England, in 767, as a pupil of Blessed Alcuin of York. He would have stayed there longer than four years had one of his fellow countrymen not killed an English merchant and thus stirred up bad blood against the Netherlands.
In 775, Ludger was sent to revive the work begun by Saint Lebuin at Deventer. It was not until 777 that he was compelled by Gregory's successor Blessed Alberic to be ordained priest. Then was stationed at Dokkum, where Saint Boniface had died and from where Ludger took the Gospel to the Frieslanders. For seven years he built churches (including the one at Dokkum for which Alcuin wrote some verses for the dedication), destroyed idols, and converted many pagans. Then, in 784, the Saxon leader Widekund invaded, destroying Christian foundations and driving out all the missionaries.
Ludger took the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Rome and also spent two years at the great Benedictine foundation at Monte Cassino, where he planned the monastery he later established at Werden. There he may have met Charlemagne, perhaps through Saint Alcuin who had passed over to France. Returning to Westphalia in 786, the emperor charged him with the spiritual care of five provinces. Ludger based himself on a place called Mimigerneford, which was later known as Münster because of the abbey founded there, which followed the Rule of Saint Chrodegang of Metz. His gentleness did more to attract the Saxons to Christ than did all the armies of Charlemagne. He turned down the bishopric of Trier; and later, around 804, when he became the first bishop of Münster, Ludger himself did missionary work in Heligoland and Westphalia. Although he was denounced to Charlemagne for excessive almsgiving to the detriment of the ornamentation of churches, and kept the emperor waiting for an explanation until he had finished his devotions, he did not lose favor with the king.
Although in some pain from his final illness, the saint continued to preach until the very end of his life. In fact, Ludger died while on a preaching tour and was buried at the Benedictine monastery of Werden, on the Ruhr, which he had founded. Most of his relics remain in there. His feast is recorded in liturgical books from the 9th century (Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley, Encyclopedia, Farmer).

In art, Saint Ludger is portrayed as a bishop with a swan or goose near him (not to be confused with Saint Hugh). Sometimes he may be shown (1) with two swans at his feet; (2) saying his breviary; or (3) holding a model church (Roeder).
878-888 Blessed Bertillo of Dijon abbot martyred by Normans, OSB (AC)
(also known as Bertilo) Bertillo was abbot of Saint Benignus at Dijon, France. The Normans sacked his abbey and massacred him and several of his community at the foot of the altar (Benedictines).
944 Saint Basil the New many miracles healer gift of discernment

952 ST BASIL THE YOUNGER
THE story of the hermit St Basil the Younger, originally written by his disciple Gregory, has come down to us through Greek channels in which fable has obviously become intermingled with history. According to this tradition, he had a cell not far from Constantinople, but was arrested on suspicion of being a spy, under the rule of Leo VI and Alexander, and was conducted to Constantinople. Under cross-examination, as he refused to reply to the charges brought against him, he was beaten with sticks and suspended by the feet. He was afterwards exposed to the lions, but since they did him no injury, he was then cast into the sea, but was brought safely back to land by dolphins—a very favourite form of rescue in Greek folk-lore, both pagan and Christian. Early the following morning he made his way into the city, where he cured of fever a bedridden man who received him into his house. His miracles and sanctity soon made him famous, but he was several times severely mishandled on account of his stern denunciation of wickedness in high places. When Constantine Porphyrogenitus was attempting to obtain a share in the empire, the holy man foretold his failure and uttered many other remarkable prophecies and Basil never scrupled to admonish the princesses Anastasia and Irene when he deemed that reproof was necessary. He died at the age of 100, and was buried in the church of a nunnery in Constantinople.
See the Acta Sanctorum, March, vol. iii, where the Greek text is printed.
Left the world in his youth, and struggled in a desolate place. Once, courtiers of the Byzantine Emperor were passing by and saw him dressed in rags, and were alarmed by his strange appearance. Suspicious of the holy ascetic, they captured him and brought him to the city, where the patrician Samon questioned him. When asked who he was, the saint merely said that he was a stranger in the land. They subjected the monk to terrible tortures, but he endured it in silence, not wishing to reveal the details of his ascetic life to them. Samon lost his patience and asked St Basil, "Impious one, how long will you hide, who are you, and from where do you come?" The saint replied, "It is more appropriate to call impious those who, like yourself, lead a life of impurity."
After his public humiliation, Samon ordered his men to hang the saint upside down with his hands and feet tied. These torments were so cruel that those witnessing them murmured against Samon. When they released the holy ascetic after three days of torture, they found him alive and unharmed.
Samon attributed this miracle to sorcery and had St Basil thrown to a lion. However, the lion did not touch the saint, and lay peacefully at his feet.
Samon ordered St Basil to be drowned in the sea, but two dolphins brought him to shore. The saint went into the city, where he met a sick man named John, who was suffering from fever. St Basil healed the sick man in the name of the Savior, and accepted John's invitation to stay in his home.

Numerous believers came to the saint for advice and guidance, and also to receive healing from sickness through his prayers. St Basil, endowed with the gift of discernment, guided sinners on the path of repentance, and he could predict future events. Among those who visited St Basil was a certain Gregory, who became his disciple and later wrote a detailed Life of his teacher. Gregory once found an expensive sash at an inn, which had been dropped by the inn-keeper's daughter. He hid it on his person, intending to sell it and give the money to the poor. On the way home, he lost the sash and some other things. St Basil admonished him in a dream, showed him a broken pot and said, "If anyone steals such a worthless thing, they will be chastized four times over. You hid a valuable sash, and you will be condemned as a thief. You should return what you found."

After the death of St Theodora, who had attended St Basil, Gregory very much wanted to learn about her life beyond the grave, and he often asked the holy ascetic to reveal this to him. Through the saint's prayers, Gregory saw St Theodora in a dream. She told him how her soul underwent tribulations after death, and how the power of the prayers of St Basil had helped her (The Feast Day of St Theodora of Constantinople is December 30). St Basil died in about the year 944 at the age of 110.
The Church calls him Basil the New to distinguish him from other ascetics of the same name.
952 St. Basil the Younger Hermit gifts of prophecy miracles died at 100
He was living near Constantinople when imprisoned and tortured as a spy. His miracles and prophecies won him his freedom, and he returned to his hermitage with a disciple, Gregory. There he denounced the immorality of the aristocracy, including Princess Anastasia, an activity that brought him persecution.

Basil the Younger, Hermit (AC) Died 952. The entries on Saint Basil are rather cryptic. It appears that adversity took the anchorite Basil to Constantinople where imperial officers seized him as a spy and began to mistreat him. Miracles proved his sanctity, so they sought his favors. He continued to live and exercise his gift of prophecy, until finally he died at age 100 and they argued over his relics. His life was written by his disciple Gregory, who shared his solitude (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia).
1058 St. Alfwold Bishop and ascetic companion of St. Swithin devotee of St. Cuthbert
Little is known of Alfwold except for the biographical material gathered by William of Malmesbury. Alfwold was a monk in Winchester, England, before being consecrated bishop of Sherborne in 1045. His austere way of life set a Christian example for the local royalty. St. Swithin was Alfwold's patron in Winchester. Alfwold made a pilgrimage to St. Cuthbert in Durharn.
1198 Blessed Melior of Vallumbrosa many years as a priest and monk Hermit (AC)
(also known as Migliore, Millory) After many years as a priest and monk of Vallumbrosa, Blessed Melior asked to become a recluse in the hermitage called Massa delle Celle, above Vallumbrosa. His relics are enshrined at Vallumbrosa in the "altar of the Ten Beati" (Benedictines).
1435 Blessed Peter Marginet Cistercian monk  rest of his life doing penance OSB Cist. (AC)
Blessed Peter was a Cistercian monk of Poblet near Tarragona, Spain, and the cellarer of the abbey. From a life of high fervor he lapsed into one of crime, apostatized and became the leader of bandits. After some years he repented, went back to the abbey and spent the rest of his life doing penance (Benedictines).
1586 St. Margaret of Clitherow convert harbored fugitive priests
St. Margaret Clitherow was born in Middleton, England, in 1555, of protestant parents. Possessed of good looks and full of wit and merriment, she was a charming personality. In 1571, she married John Clitherow, a well-to-do grazier and butcher (to whom she bore two children), and a few years later entered the Catholic Church. Her zeal led her to harbor fugitive priests, for which she was arrested and imprisoned by hostile authorities. Recourse was had to every means in an attempt to make her deny her Faith, but the holy woman stood firm. Finally, she was condemned to be pressed to death on March 25, 1586. She was stretched out on the ground with a sharp rock on her back and crushed under a door over laden with unbearable weights. Her bones were broken and she died within fifteen minutes. The humanity and holiness of this servant of God can be readily glimpsed in her words to a friend when she learned of her condemnation: "The sheriffs have said that I am going to die this coming Friday; and I feel the weakness of my flesh which is troubled at this news, but my spirit rejoices greatly. For the love of God, pray for me and ask all good people to do likewise."
1801 Blessed Didacus of Cadiz Capuchin priest difficulty with his studies able to touch minds hearts of young  old rich poor students professors levitated while tireless preaching on love of God Children could see Dove on his shoulder
Born in Cadiz, Spain, and christened Joseph Francis, the youth spent much of his free time around the Capuchin friars and their church. But his desire to enter the Franciscan Order was delayed because of the difficulty he had with his studies. Finally he was admitted to the novitiate of the Capuchins in Seville as Brother Didacus. He later was ordained a priest and sent out to preach.  His gift of preaching was soon evident. He journeyed tirelessly through the territory of Andalusia of Spain, speaking in small towns and crowded cities. His words were able to touch the minds and hearts of young and old, rich and poor, students and professors. His work in the confessional completed the conversions his words began.

This unlearned man was called "the apostle of the Holy Trinity" because of his devotion to the Trinity and the ease with which he preached about this sublime mystery. One day a child gave away his secret, crying out: "Mother, mother, see the dove resting on the shoulder of Father Didacus! I could preach like that too if a dove told me all that I should say."

Didacus was that close to God, spending nights in prayer and preparing for his sermons by severe penances. His reply to those who criticized him: "My sins and the sins of the people compel me to do it. Those who have been charged with the conversions of sinners must remember that the Lord has imposed on them the sins of all their clients."

It is said that sometimes when he preached on the love of God he would be elevated above the pulpit. Crowds in village and town squares were entranced by his words and would attempt to tear off pieces of his habit as he passed by.
He died in 1801 at age 58, a holy and revered man. He was beatified in 1894.

Comment:  Didacus was such a poor student that the Franciscans wouldn’t have him. When Capuchins finally took him into their order and eventually ordained him, he proved to be a powerful preacher—to everyone’s surprise. As we often do, Didacus’s contemporaries expected little from someone with a slow mind. Didacus proved to them that intelligence is not the only measure. The person who has a loving heart, a listening ear and a wealth of compassion is, in the long run, much wiser.   
1908 Blessed Maddalena Caterina Morano Daughters of Mary Help of Christians coordinated catechetical instruction (AC)
Born at Turin, Italy, 1847; died at Catania, Sicily, on March 26, 1908; beatified November 5, 1994.
At the age of eight, Maddalena had to begin working to provide for her family after the death of her father and older sister. Nevertheless, she continued her studies to earn a teaching diploma. But her studies did not end with secular subjects. Instead her exploration of Christian doctrine fanned the fire of her faith and instilled a desire for the religious life. Because family obligations barred immediate fulfillment of this desire, she taught at a school in rural Montaldo while serving as a catechist at the local parish for 12 years. In 1878, when she had accumulated enough savings to provide for her mother, Maddalena joined the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, which had been founded six years earlier by Saint John Bosco. In 1881, Don Bosco permitted her to be sent to Trecastagni (near Catania), Sicily, to head an institute for women, to which she gave a new orientation inspired by the principles of the Salesian method.

Sicily became her second home, where she carried out a varied and fruitful apostolate. She opened new houses, set up after-school activities and sewing classes, trained teachers, etc. Her real love, though, was for catechism class, since she was convinced that the formation of Christian conscience was the basis of personal maturity and all social improvement. She coordinated catechetical instruction in 18 of Catania's churches and trained lay and religious catechists to bring the Christian message to needy boys and girls.

She spent 25 years in Sicily and served her community as local and provincial superior. She was an attentive mother and caring guide for many local vocations, faithfully living the charism of Mother Maria Mazzarello, co-foundress of the institute (EWTN).