Category: Quotes

A Week of Saints (July 8-14, 2018)

Sunday, July 8th

St. Priscilla, early Christian  (1sr Century)

Priscilla and her husband Aquila were forced to leave Rome when Emperor Claudius forbade Jewsto live there. They went to Corinth, where St. Paul lived with them.  They suffered martyrdom in Asia Minor or Rome, it’s uncertain. 

Patron: good marriages

Monday July 9th

St Zeno Martyr (c 300)

The leader of an enormous group of martyrs who were all put to death at the command of Emperor Diocletian. The Christians, supposedly numbering more than ten thousand, were forced to labor upon public works constructed on behalf of the emperor, who then commanded all of them to be executed.

Patron: fishermen, newborn babies

Tuesday July 10th

St Peter Tu, Martyr (died 1840)

Peter Tu was a Vietnamese who became a catechist and was arrested by authorities. He was beheaded. Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1988.

Wednesday July 11th

St Benedict of Nursia, Priest (480-543)

St Benedict set up the monastic rule.  Part of this rule was to listen and pray God’s Word.  The Divine Office, was to be chanted from the breviary at specific times of the day. If a monk could not make it to chapel, he was to immediately fall to his knees in the place where he was and pray.  He founded the Benedictine monasteries. His sister is St. Scholastica.

“Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart”

Patron: students

Thursday July 12th

St Veronica, Early Christian

Veronica stepped out of the crowd and boldly wiped the face of Jesus on His journey to the Cross.  His image remained on her veil.

Patron: photographers, laundry workers

Ss Louis (1823-1894) and Zelie Martin(1831-1877)

Louis and Zelie Martin are the parents of St Therese of Lisieux. their five surviving daughters became nuns.  They raised their family in faith and prayer.

Patron: marriage, illness, parenting, widowers

“When we had our children, our ideas changed somewhat. We lived only for them. They were all our happiness, and we never found any except in them. In short, nothing was too difficult, and the world was no longer a burden for us. For me, our children were a great compensation, so I wanted to have a lot of them in order to raise them for Heaven.”

Zelie Martin

St John Gaulbert (985-1073)

 John’s brother Hugo was killed.  He had planned to avenge his brother’s death, but when John drew his sword, the man pleaded for his life by the passion of Christ.  It was Good Friday.  John was moved by his words, embraced him, and went to church.  Even though it was very hard, Giovanni walked away from him and found a Church.  At the cross John asked Jesus to forgive him for hating the man who killed his brother.  

Patron:  foresters, parks, park rangers

Friday July 13

St Henry II, Emperor (922-1024)

Henry was emperor of Germany, and a good one. He strived to have stable peace in Europe.  He was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Benedict VIII. He was also miraculously cured by St. Benedict. It’s thought  that Henry wanted to be a Benedictine and lived as an Oblate. 

Patron: Benedictines, dukes and kings, childless people and the handicapped.

Saturday, July 14

Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680)

Kateri was the first Native American to be canonized a Saint.  When four years old her mother died of smallpox.  Kateri also had the disease, which left her face transfigured. At ten years old missionaries came to her camp, and taught her about Jesus.  Christianity was not widely accepted in her tribe, so she moved to the Christian  village.  Many miracles occurred after her death. 

“I am not my own; I have given myself to Jesus.  He must be my only love”

Patron:  environment and ecology

A Week of Saints (July 1-7, 2018)

Sunday, July 1st:

St. Junipero Serra, Priest (1713-1784)

He was born in Petra Spain, and joined the Franciscan Order.  He came to “New Spain” (California and Mexico). He founded over 20 missions and baptized over 6000 people.

Patron: vocations

”Always forward, never back”

Monday, July 2nd:  

Bl Eugenia Joubert, Religious (1876-1904)

She was a French nun in the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of the Heart of Jesus.  She dedicated her life to teaching catechism especially preparation for First Holy Communion

St. Oliver Plunkett, Bishop, Martyr (1629-1681)

He was born in Meade, Ireland, studied in Rome, then returned to Ireland.  He was martyred in London.  He propagated the faith in secret, while Catholics were being persecuted in Ireland.

“I would rather die ten thousand deaths than wrongfully take away one farthing of any man’s goods, one day of his liberty, or one minute of his life.

Patron: peace and reconciliation in Ireland

Tuesday’ July 3rd:  

St. Thomas, Apostle (died c. 72)

The Apostle of Christ, who needed proof of the Ressurection, by putting his finger in Jesus’ wound.  It is thought that St Thomas took the Gospel to India.

“My Lord and my God”

Patron: architects, India

Wednesday, July 4th:  

St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Lay Franciscan  (1271-1336)

She was born a princess of Aragon Spain, was married to King Denis of Portugal and became queen.  Her marriage was difficult and charitable efforts unsupported.  She lived piously, attended daily Mass and served the poor.

“If you love peace, all will be well”

Patron:  difficult marriages, victoms of adultery, charitable workers

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Third Order of St Dominic (1901-1925)

St. John Paul II, Pope called him the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes”  His charity was boundless as he helped the poor and ill, since his childhood. 

“Modern society is drowning in the sorrows of human passions, and it is distancing itself from every ideal of love and peace.  Catholics, we and you, must bring the breath of goodness that can only spring from faith” 

Patron: youth, catholic action, mountaineers, students

Thursday, July 5th:

Saint Anthony Zaccaria, Priest (1502-1539)

He was born into a noble family, became a physician, but soon discovered his call to the priesthood.  He devoted himself to acts of mercy, and later co-founded the Agelicals.  This was a community aiding women and girls, who were exploited and victimized.  He also founded the Order of Clerks Regular of St Paul, that served those in need in Milan.

“Spiritual life demands that you never turn back, or stop going forward.”

Patron: physicians

Friday, July 6th:

St. Maria Goretti, Martyr (1890-1902)

She was a 12 yr old girl, who was fatally stabbed rather than submit, during an attempted rape.  She forgave her murderer, who repented and was present at her canonization.

Patron:  youth, purity, rape victims

Saturday, July 7th:

Bl. Peter To Rot, Martyr (1912-1945)

He was son of a respected chief and local leader in New Guinea.  When Rabaul was occupied by the Japanese during WWII, Peter took on the work of the captured missionaries.  He later was tortured and murdered in a prison camp himself.

“The Japanese can not stop us loving God, and obeying His laws.”

Patron:  married couples, catechists