BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS, TOR - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS, TOR
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20160313T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20161106T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20170312T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20171105T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20180311T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20181104T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20190310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20191103T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20171229
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20171230
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T171248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T195251Z
UID:6096-1514505600-1514591999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Thomas Becket
DESCRIPTION:Saint Thomas Becket\nSaint of the Day for December 29\n(December 21\, 1118 – December 29\, 1170)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Thomas Becket’s Story\nA strong man who wavered for a moment\, but then learned one cannot come to terms with evil and so became a strong churchman\, a martyr and a saint—that was Thomas Becket\, archbishop of Canterbury\, murdered in his cathedral on December 29\, 1170. \nHis career had been a stormy one. While archdeacon of Canterbury\, he was made chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. When Henry felt it advantageous to make his chancellor the archbishop of Canterbury\, Thomas gave him fair warning: he might not accept all of Henry’s intrusions into Church affairs. Nevertheless\, in 1162 he was made archbishop\, resigned his chancellorship\, and reformed his whole way of life! \nTroubles began. Henry insisted upon usurping Church rights. At one time\, supposing some conciliatory action possible\, Thomas came close to compromise. He momentarily approved the Constitutions of Clarendon\, which would have denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. But Thomas rejected the Constitutions\, fled to France for safety and remained in exile for seven years. When he returned to England\, he suspected it would mean certain death. Because Thomas refused to remit censures he had placed upon bishops favored by the king\, Henry cried out in a rage\, “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest!” Four knights\, taking his words as his wish\, slew Thomas in the Canterbury cathedral. \nThomas Becket remains a hero-saint down to our own times. \n\nReflection\nNo one becomes a saint without struggle\, especially with himself. Thomas knew he must stand firm in defense of truth and right\, even at the cost of his life. We also must take a stand in the face of pressures—against dishonesty\, deceit\, destruction of life—at the cost of popularity\, convenience\, promotion and even greater goods. \n\nSaint Thomas Becket is the Patron Saint of:\nRoman Catholic Secular Clergy
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-thomas-becket/2017-12-29/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20171230
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20171231
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T171443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T170851Z
UID:6097-1514592000-1514678399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Egwin
DESCRIPTION:Saint Egwin\nSaint of the Day for December 30\n(d. c. 720)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Egwin’s Story\nYou say you’re not familiar with today’s saint? Chances are you aren’t—unless you’re especially informed about Benedictine bishops who established monasteries in medieval England. \nBorn of royal blood in the 7th century\, Egwin entered a monastery and was enthusiastically received by royalty\, clergy and the people as the bishop of Worcester\, England. As a bishop he was known as a protector of orphans and the widowed and a fair judge. Who could argue with that? \nHis popularity didn’t hold up among members of the clergy\, however. They saw him as overly strict\, while he felt he was simply trying to correct abuses and impose appropriate disciplines. Bitter resentments arose\, and Egwin made his way to Rome to present his case to Pope Constantine. The case against Egwin was examined and annulled. \nUpon his return to England\, he founded Evesham Abbey\, which became one of the great Benedictine houses of medieval England. It was dedicated to Mary\, who had reportedly made it known to Egwin just where a church should be built in her honor. \nHe died at the abbey on December 30\, in the year 717. Following his burial many miracles were attributed to him: The blind could see\, the deaf could hear\, the sick were healed. \n\nReflection\nCorrecting abuses and faults is never an easy job\, not even for a bishop. Egwin attempted to correct and build up the clergy in his diocese and it earned him the wrath of his priests. When we are called to correct someone or some group\, plan on opposition\, but also know that it might be the right thing to do.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-egwin/2017-12-30/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20171231
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180101
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T172045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T172045Z
UID:6100-1514678400-1514764799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Sylvester I
DESCRIPTION:Saint Sylvester I\nSaint of the Day for December 31\n(d. 335)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Sylvester I’s Story\nWhen you think of this pope\, you think of the Edict of Milan\, the emergence of the Church from the catacombs\, the building of the great basilicas\, Saint John Lateran\, Saint Peter’s and others\, the Council of Nicaea and other critical events. But for the most part\, these events were planned or brought about by Emperor Constantine. \nA great store of legends has grown up around the man who was pope at this most important time\, but very little can be established historically. We know for sure that his papacy lasted from 314 until his death in 335. Reading between the lines of history\, we are assured that only a very strong and wise man could have preserved the essential independence of the Church in the face of the overpowering figure of the Emperor Constantine. The bishops in general remained loyal to the Holy See and at times expressed apologies to Sylvester for undertaking important ecclesiastical projects at the urging of Constantine. \n\nReflection\nIt takes deep humility and courage in the face of criticism for a leader to stand aside and let events take their course\, when asserting one’s authority would only lead to useless tension and strife. Sylvester teaches a valuable lesson for Church leaders\, politicians\, parents and others in authority.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-sylvester-i/2017-12-31/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180101
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180102
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T172925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T173215Z
UID:6103-1514764800-1514851199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Mary\, Mother of God
DESCRIPTION:Mary\, Mother of God\nSaint of the Day for January 1\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nThe Story of Mary\, Mother of God\nMary’s divine motherhood broadens the Christmas spotlight. Mary has an important role to play in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. She consents to God’s invitation conveyed by the angel (Luke 1:26-38). Elizabeth proclaims: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me\, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43\, emphasis added). Mary’s role as mother of God places her in a unique position in God’s redemptive plan. \nWithout naming Mary\, Paul asserts that “God sent his Son\, born of a woman\, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Paul’s further statement that “God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts\, crying out ‘Abba\, Father!’“ helps us realize that Mary is mother to all the brothers and sisters of Jesus. \nSome theologians also insist that Mary’s motherhood of Jesus is an important element in God’s creative plan. God’s “first” thought in creating was Jesus. Jesus\, the incarnate Word\, is the one who could give God perfect love and worship on behalf of all creation. As Jesus was “first” in God’s mind\, Mary was “second” insofar as she was chosen from all eternity to be his mother. \nThe precise title “Mother of God” goes back at least to the third or fourth century. In the Greek form Theotokos (God-bearer)\, it became the touchstone of the Church’s teaching about the Incarnation. The Council of Ephesus in 431 insisted that the holy Fathers were right in calling the holy virgin Theotokos. At the end of this particular session\, crowds of people marched through the street shouting: “Praised be the Theotokos!” The tradition reaches to our own day. In its chapter on Mary’s role in the Church\, Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church calls Mary “Mother of God” 12 times. \n\nReflections\nOther themes come together at today’s celebration. It is the Octave of Christmas: Our remembrance of Mary’s divine motherhood injects a further note of Christmas joy. It is a day of prayer for world peace: Mary is the mother of the Prince of Peace. It is the first day of a new year: Mary continues to bring new life to her children—who are also God’s children. \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for January 1 is Blessed Waldo.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/mary-mother-of-god/2018-01-01/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180102
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180103
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T173328Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T173328Z
UID:6104-1514851200-1514937599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Basil the Great
DESCRIPTION:Saint Basil the Great\nSaint of the Day for January 2\n(329 – January 1\, 379)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Basil the Great’s Story\nBasil was on his way to becoming a famous teacher when he decided to begin a religious life of gospel poverty. After studying various modes of religious life\, he founded what was probably the first monastery in Asia Minor. He is to monks of the East what Saint Benedict is to the West\, and Basil’s principles influence Eastern monasticism today. \nHe was ordained a priest\, assisted the archbishop of Caesarea (now southeastern Turkey)\, and ultimately became archbishop himself\, in spite of opposition from some of the bishops under him\, probably because they foresaw coming reforms. \nOne of the most damaging heresies in the history of the Church\, Arianism\, which denied the divinity of Christ\, was at its height. Emperor Valens persecuted orthodox believers\, and put great pressure on Basil to remain silent and admit the heretics to communion. Basil remained firm\, and Valens backed down. But trouble remained. When the great Saint Athanasius died\, the mantle of defender of the faith against Arianism fell upon Basil. He strove mightily to unite and rally his fellow Catholics who were crushed by tyranny and torn by internal dissension. He was misunderstood\, misrepresented\, accused of heresy and ambition. Even appeals to the pope brought no response. “For my sins I seem to be unsuccessful in everything.” \nHe was tireless in pastoral care. He preached twice a day to huge crowds\, built a hospital that was called a wonder of the world (as a youth he had organized famine relief and worked in a soup kitchen himself) and fought the prostitution business. \nBasil was best known as an orator. Though not recognized greatly in his lifetime\, his writings rightly place him among the great teachers of the Church. Seventy-two years after his death\, the Council of Chalcedon described him as “the great Basil\, minister of grace who has expounded the truth to the whole earth.” \n\nReflection\nAs the French say\, “The more things change\, the more they remain the same.” Basil faced the same problems as modern Christians. Sainthood meant trying to preserve the spirit of Christ in such perplexing and painful problems as reform\, organization\, fighting for the poor\, maintaining balance and peace in misunderstanding. \n\nSaint Basil the Great is the Patron Saint of:\nRussia
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-basil-the-great/2018-01-02/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180103
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180104
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T174504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T174504Z
UID:6109-1514937600-1515023999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Most Holy Name of Jesus
DESCRIPTION:Most Holy Name of Jesus\nSaint of the Day for January 3\n\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nThe Story of the Most Holy Name of Jesus\nAlthough Saint Paul might claim credit for promoting devotion to the Holy Name because Paul wrote in Philippians that God the Father gave Christ Jesus “that name that is above every name” (see 2:9)\, this devotion became popular because of 12th-century Cistercian monks and nuns but especially through the preaching of Saint Bernardine of Siena\, a 15th-century Franciscan. \nBernardine used devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus as a way of overcoming bitter and often bloody class struggles and family rivalries or vendettas in Italian city-states. The devotion grew\, partly because of Franciscan and Dominican preachers. It spread even more widely after the Jesuits began promoting it in the 16th century. \nIn 1530\, Pope Clement V approved an Office of the Holy Name for the Franciscans. In 1721\, Pope Innocent XIII extended this feast to the entire Church. \n\nReflection\nJesus died and rose for the sake of all people. No one can trademark or copyright Jesus’ name. Jesus is the Son of God and son of Mary. Everything that exists was created in and through the Son of God (see Colossians 1:15-20). The name of Jesus is debased if any Christian uses it as justification for berating non-Christians. Jesus reminds us that because we are all related to him we are\, therefore\, all related to one another.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/most-holy-name-of-jesus/2018-01-03/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180104
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180105
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T193444Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T193444Z
UID:6112-1515024000-1515110399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
DESCRIPTION:Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton\nSaint of the Day for January 4\n(August 28\, 1774 – January 4\, 1821)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Story\nMother Seton is one of the keystones of the American Catholic Church. She founded the first American religious community for women\, the Sisters of Charity. She opened the first American parish school and established the first American Catholic orphanage. All this she did in the span of 46 years while raising her five children. \nElizabeth Ann Bayley Seton is a true daughter of the American Revolution\, born August 28\, 1774\, just two years before the Declaration of Independence. By birth and marriage\, she was linked to the first families of New York and enjoyed the fruits of high society. Reared a staunch Episcopalian\, she learned the value of prayer\, Scripture and a nightly examination of conscience. Her father\, Dr. Richard Bayley\, did not have much use for churches but was a great humanitarian\, teaching his daughter to love and serve others. \nThe early deaths of her mother in 1777 and her baby sister in 1778 gave Elizabeth a feel for eternity and the temporariness of the pilgrim life on earth. Far from being brooding and sullen\, she faced each new “holocaust\,” as she put it\, with hopeful cheerfulness. \nAt 19\, Elizabeth was the belle of New York and married a handsome\, wealthy businessman\, William Magee Seton. They had five children before his business failed and he died of tuberculosis. At 30\, Elizabeth was widowed\, penniless\, with five small children to support. \nWhile in Italy with her dying husband\, Elizabeth witnessed Catholicity in action through family friends. Three basic points led her to become a Catholic: belief in the Real Presence\, devotion to the Blessed Mother and conviction that the Catholic Church led back to the apostles and to Christ. Many of her family and friends rejected her when she became a Catholic in March 1805. \nTo support her children\, she opened a school in Baltimore. From the beginning\, her group followed the lines of a religious community\, which was officially founded in 1809. \nThe thousand or more letters of Mother Seton reveal the development of her spiritual life from ordinary goodness to heroic sanctity. She suffered great trials of sickness\, misunderstanding\, the death of loved ones (her husband and two young daughters) and the heartache of a wayward son. She died January 4\, 1821\, and became the first American-born citizen to be beatified (1963) and then canonized (1975). She is buried in Emmitsburg\, Maryland. \n\nReflection\nElizabeth Seton had no extraordinary gifts. She was not a mystic or stigmatic. She did not prophesy or speak in tongues. She had two great devotions: abandonment to the will of God and an ardent love for the Blessed Sacrament. She wrote to a friend\, Julia Scott\, that she would prefer to exchange the world for a “cave or a desert.” “But God has given me a great deal to do\, and I have always and hope always to prefer his will to every wish of my own.” Her brand of sanctity is open to everyone if we love God and do his will. \n\nSaint Elizabeth Ann Seton is the Patron Saint of:\nCatholic School\nLoss of Parents
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-elizabeth-ann-seton/2018-01-04/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180105
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180106
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T193744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T171315Z
UID:6115-1515110400-1515196799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint John Neumann
DESCRIPTION:Saint John Neumann\nSaint of the Day for January 5\n(March 28\, 1811 – January 5\, 1860)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint John Neumann’s Story\nPerhaps because the United States got a later start in the history of the world\, it has relatively few canonized saints\, but their number is increasing. \nJohn Neumann was born in what is now the Czech Republic. After studying in Prague\, he came to New York at 25 and was ordained a priest. He did missionary work in New York until he was 29\, when he joined the Redemptorists and became its first member to profess vows in the United States. He continued missionary work in Maryland\, Virginia and Ohio\, where he became popular with the Germans. \nAt 41\, as bishop of Philadelphia\, he organized the parochial school system into a diocesan one\, increasing the number of pupils almost twentyfold within a short time. \nGifted with outstanding organizing ability\, he drew into the city many teaching communities of sisters and the Christian Brothers. During his brief assignment as vice provincial for the Redemptorists\, he placed them in the forefront of the parochial movement. \nWell-known for his holiness and learning\, spiritual writing and preaching\, on October 13\, 1963\, John Neumann became the first American bishop to be beatified. Canonized in 1977\, he is buried in St. Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia. \n\nReflection\nNeumann took seriously our Lord’s words\, “Go and teach all nations.” From Christ he received his instructions and the power to carry them out. For Christ does not give a mission without supplying the means to accomplish it. The Father’s gift in Christ to John Neumann was his exceptional organizing ability\, which he used to spread the Good News. Today the Church is in dire need of men and women to continue in our times the teaching of the Good News. The obstacles and inconveniences are real and costly. Yet when Christians approach Christ\, he supplies the necessary talents to answer today’s needs. The Spirit of Christ continues his work through the instrumentality of generous Christians.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-john-neumann/2018-01-05/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180106
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180107
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T193903Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T193935Z
UID:6116-1515196800-1515283199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint André Bessette
DESCRIPTION:Saint André Bessette\nSaint of the Day for January 6\n( August 9\, 1845 – January 6\, 1937)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint André Bessette’s Story\nBrother André expressed a saint’s faith by a lifelong devotion to Saint Joseph. \nSickness and weakness dogged André from birth. He was the eighth of 12 children born to a French Canadian couple near Montreal. Adopted at 12\, when both parents had died\, he became a farmhand. Various trades followed: shoemaker\, baker\, blacksmith—all failures. He was a factory worker in the United States during the boom times of the Civil War. \nAt 25\, André applied for entrance into the Congregation of Holy Cross. After a year’s novitiate\, he was not admitted because of his weak health. But with an extension and the urging of Bishop Bourget\, he was finally received. He was given the humble job of doorkeeper at Notre Dame College in Montreal\, with additional duties as sacristan\, laundry worker and messenger. “When I joined this community\, the superiors showed me the door\, and I remained 40 years\,” he said. \nIn his little room near the door\, he spent much of the night on his knees. On his windowsill\, facing Mount Royal\, was a small statue of Saint Joseph\, to whom he had been devoted since childhood. When asked about it he said\, “Some day\, Saint Joseph is going to be honored in a very special way on Mount Royal!” \nWhen he heard someone was ill\, he visited to bring cheer and to pray with the sick person. He would rub the sick person lightly with oil taken from a lamp burning in the college chapel. Word of healing powers began to spread. \nWhen an epidemic broke out at a nearby college\, André volunteered to nurse. Not one person died. The trickle of sick people to his door became a flood. His superiors were uneasy; diocesan authorities were suspicious; doctors called him a quack. “I do not cure\,” he said again and again. “Saint Joseph cures.” In the end he needed four secretaries to handle the 80\,000 letters he received each year. \nFor many years the Holy Cross authorities had tried to buy land on Mount Royal. Brother André and others climbed the steep hill and planted medals of Saint Joseph. Suddenly\, the owners yielded. André collected $200 to build a small chapel and began receiving visitors there—smiling through long hours of listening\, applying Saint Joseph’s oil. Some were cured\, some not. The pile of crutches\, canes and braces grew. \nThe chapel also grew. By 1931\, there were gleaming walls\, but money ran out. “Put a statue of Saint Joseph in the middle. If he wants a roof over his head\, he’ll get it.” The magnificent Oratory on Mount Royal took 50 years to build. The sickly boy who could not hold a job died at 92. \nHe is buried at the Oratory. He was beatified in 1982 and canonized in 2010. At his canonization in October 2010\, Pope Benedict XVI said that Saint Andre “lived the beatitude of the pure of heart.” \n\nReflection\nRubbing ailing limbs with oil or a medal? Planting a medal to buy land? Isn’t this superstition? Aren’t we long past that? Superstitious people rely only on the “magic” of a word or action. Brother André’s oil and medals were authentic sacramentals of a simple\, total faith in the Father who lets his saints help him bless his children.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-andre-bessette/2018-01-06/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180107
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180108
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T194417Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T171135Z
UID:6119-1515283200-1515369599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Raymond of Peñafort
DESCRIPTION:Saint Raymond of Peñafort\nSaint of the Day for January 7\n(1175 – January 6\, 1275)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Raymond of Peñafort’s Story\nSince Raymond lived into his hundredth year\, he had a chance to do many things. As a member of the Spanish nobility\, he had the resources and the education to get a good start in life. \nBy the time he was 20\, he was teaching philosophy. In his early 30s he earned a doctorate in both canon and civil law. At 41 he became a Dominican. Pope Gregory IX called him to Rome to work for him and to be his confessor. One of the things the pope asked him to do was to gather together all the decrees of popes and councils that had been made in 80 years since a similar collection by Gratian. Raymond compiled five books called the Decretals. They were looked upon as one of the best organized collections of Church law until the 1917 codification of canon law. \nEarlier\, Raymond had written for confessors a book of cases. It was called Summa de Casibus Poenitentiae. More than simply a list of sins and penances\, it discussed pertinent doctrines and laws of the Church that pertained to the problem or case brought to the confessor. \nAt the age of 60\, Raymond was appointed archbishop of Tarragona\, the capital of Aragon. He didn’t like the honor at all and ended up getting sick and resigning in two years. \nHe didn’t get to enjoy his peace long\, however\, because when he was 63 he was elected by his fellow Dominicans to be the head of the whole Order\, the successor of Saint Dominic. Raymond worked hard\, visited on foot all the Dominicans\, reorganized their constitutions and managed to put through a provision that a master general be allowed to resign. When the new constitutions were accepted\, Raymond\, then 65\, resigned. \nHe still had 35 years to oppose heresy and work for the conversion of the Moors in Spain. He convinced Saint Thomas Aquinas to write his work Against the Gentiles. \nIn his 100th year\, the Lord let Raymond retire. \n\nReflection\nRaymond was a lawyer\, a canonist. Legalism can suck the life out of genuine religion if it becomes too great a preoccupation with the letter of the law to the neglect of the spirit and purpose of the law. The law can become an end in itself\, so that the value the law was intended to promote is overlooked. But we must guard against going to the opposite extreme and seeing law as useless or something to be lightly regarded. Laws ideally state those things that are for the best interests of everyone and make sure the rights of all are safeguarded. From Raymond\, we can learn a respect for law as a means of serving the common good. \n\nSaint Raymond of Peñafort is the Patron Saint of:\nLawyers
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-raymond-of-penafort/2018-01-07/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180108
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180109
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T194558Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T171956Z
UID:6122-1515369600-1515455999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Angela of Foligno
DESCRIPTION:Saint Angela of Foligno\nSaint of the Day for January 8\n(1248 – January 4\, 1309)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Angela of Foligno’s story\nSome saints show marks of holiness very early. Not Angela! Born of a leading family in Foligno\, Italy\, she became immersed in the quest for wealth and social position. As a wife and mother\, she continued this life of distraction. \nAround the age of 40\, she recognized the emptiness of her life and sought God’s help in the Sacrament of Penance. Her Franciscan confessor helped Angela to seek God’s pardon for her previous life and to dedicate herself to prayer and the works of charity. \nShortly after her conversion\, her husband and children died. Selling most of her possessions\, she entered the Secular Franciscan Order. She was alternately absorbed by meditating on the crucified Christ and by serving the poor of Foligno as a nurse and beggar for their needs. Other women joined her in a religious community. \nAt her confessor’s advice\, Angela wrote her Book of Visions and Instructions. In it she recalls some of the temptations she suffered after her conversion; she also expresses her thanks to God for the Incarnation of Jesus. This book and her life earned for Angela the title “Teacher of Theologians.” She was beatified in 1693\, and canonized in 2013. \n\nReflection\nPeople who live in the United States today can understand Saint Angela’s temptation to increase her sense of self-worth by accumulating money\, fame or power. Striving to possess more and more\, she became more and more self-centered. When she realized she was priceless because she was created and loved by God\, she became very penitential and very charitable to the poor. What had seemed foolish early in her life now became very important. The path of self-emptying she followed is the path all holy men and women must follow. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Angela of Foligno is January 7.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-angela-of-foligno/2018-01-08/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180109
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180110
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T195136Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T195231Z
UID:6125-1515456000-1515542399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Adrian of Canterbury
DESCRIPTION:Saint Adrian of Canterbury\nSaint of the Day for January 9\n(d. January 9\, 710)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Adrian of Canterbury’s Story\nThough Saint Adrian turned down a papal request to become Archbishop of Canterbury\, England\, Pope Saint Vitalian accepted the rejection on the condition that Adrian serve as the Holy Father’s assistant and adviser. Adrian accepted\, but ended up spending most of his life and doing most of his work in Canterbury. \nBorn in Africa\, Adrian was serving as an abbot in Italy when the new Archbishop of Canterbury appointed him abbot of the monastery of Saints Peter and Paul in Canterbury. Thanks to his leadership skills\, the facility became one of the most important centers of learning. The school attracted many outstanding scholars from far and wide and produced numerous future bishops and archbishops. Students reportedly learned Greek and Latin and spoke Latin as well as their own native languages. \nAdrian taught at the school for 40 years. He died there\, probably in the year 710\, and was buried in the monastery. Several hundred years later\, when reconstruction was being done\, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state. As word spread\, people flocked to his tomb\, which became famous for miracles. Rumor had it that young schoolboys in trouble with their masters made regular visits there. \n\nReflection\nSaint Adrian spent most of his time in Canterbury not as bishop\, but as abbot and teacher. Often the Lord has plans for us that are obvious only on hindsight. How often have we said no to something or someone only to end up in much the same place anyway. The Lord knows what’s good for us. Can we trust Him? \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for January 9 is Blessed Pica Bernardone.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-adrian-of-canterbury/2018-01-09/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180110
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180111
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T195459Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T195459Z
UID:6130-1515542400-1515628799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Gregory of Nyssa
DESCRIPTION:Saint Gregory of Nyssa\nSaint of the Day for January 10\n(c. 335 – 395)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Gregory of Nyssa’s Story\nThe son of two saints\, Basil and Emmilia\, young Gregory was raised by his older brother\, Saint Basil the Great\, and his sister\, Macrina\, in modern-day Turkey. Gregory’s success in his studies suggested great things were ahead for him. After becoming a professor of rhetoric\, he was persuaded to devote his learning and efforts to the Church. By then married\, Gregory went on to study for the priesthood and become ordained (this at a time when celibacy was not a matter of law for priests). \nHe was elected Bishop of Nyssa in 372\, a period of great tension over the Arian heresy\, which denied the divinity of Christ. Briefly arrested after being falsely accused of embezzling Church funds\, Gregory was restored to his see in 378\, an act met with great joy by his people. \nIt was after the death of his beloved brother\, Basil\, that Gregory really came into his own. He wrote with great effectiveness against Arianism and other questionable doctrines\, gaining a reputation as a defender of orthodoxy. He was sent on missions to counter other heresies and held a position of prominence at the Council of Constantinople. His fine reputation stayed with him for the remainder of his life\, but over the centuries it gradually declined as the authorship of his writings became less and less certain. But\, thanks to the work of scholars in the 20th century\, his stature is once again appreciated. Indeed\, Saint Gregory of Nyssa is seen not simply as a pillar of orthodoxy but as one of the great contributors to the mystical tradition in Christian spirituality and to monasticism itself. \n\nReflection\nOrthodoxy is a word that can raise red flags in our minds. To some people it may connote rigid attitudes that make no room for honest differences of opinion. But it might just as well suggest something else: faith that has settled deep in one’s bones. Gregory’s faith was like that. So deeply embedded was his faith in Jesus that he knew the divinity that Arianism denied. When we resist something offered as truth without knowing exactly why\, it may be because our faith has settled in our bones. \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for January 10 is Servant of God Vico Necchi.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-gregory-of-nyssa/2018-01-10/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180111
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180112
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T195705Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T195705Z
UID:6133-1515628800-1515715199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Blessed William Carter
DESCRIPTION:Blessed William Carter\nSaint of the Day for January 11\n(c. 1548 – January 11\, 1584)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nBlessed William Carter’s Story\nBorn in London\, William Carter entered the printing business at an early age. For many years he served as apprentice to well-known Catholic printers\, one of whom served a prison sentence for persisting in the Catholic faith. William himself served time in prison following his arrest for “printing lewd [i.e.\, Catholic] pamphlets” as well as possessing books upholding Catholicism. \nBut even more\, he offended public officials by publishing works that aimed to keep Catholics firm in their faith. Officials who searched his house found various vestments and suspect books\, and even managed to extract information from William’s distraught wife. Over the next 18 months\, William remained in prison\, suffering torture and learning of his wife’s death. \nHe was eventually charged with printing and publishing the Treatise of Schisme\, which allegedly incited violence by Catholics and which was said to have been written by a traitor and addressed to traitors. While William calmly placed his trust in God\, the jury met for only 15 minutes before reaching a verdict of guilty. William\, who made his final confession to a priest who was being tried alongside him\, was hanged\, drawn\, and quartered the following day: January 11\, 1584. \nHe was beatified in 1987. \n\nReflection\nIt didn’t pay to be Catholic in Elizabeth I’s realm. In an age when religious diversity did not yet seem possible\, it was high treason\, and practicing the faith was dangerous. William gave his life for his efforts to encourage his brothers and sisters to keep up the struggle. These days\, our brothers and sisters also need encouragement—not because their lives are at risk\, but because many other factors besiege their faith. They look to us.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/blessed-william-carter/2018-01-11/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180112
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180113
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T195813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T195845Z
UID:6136-1515715200-1515801599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys
DESCRIPTION:Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys\nSaint of the Day for January 12\n(April 17\, 1620 – January 12\, 1700)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Marguerite Bourgeoys’ Story\n“God closes a door and then opens a window\,” people sometimes say when dealing with their own disappointment or someone else’s. That was certainly true in Marguerite’s case. Children from European as well as Native American backgrounds in seventeenth-century Canada benefited from her great zeal and unshakable trust in God’s providence. \nBorn the sixth of 12 children in Troyes\, France\, Marguerite at the age of 20 believed that she was called to religious life. Her applications to the Carmelites and Poor Clares were unsuccessful. A priest friend suggested that perhaps God had other plans for her. \nIn 1654\, the governor of the French settlement in Canada visited his sister\, an Augustinian canoness in Troyes. Marguerite belonged to a sodality connected to that convent. The governor invited her to come to Canada and start a school in Ville-Marie (eventually the city of Montreal). When she arrived\, the colony numbered 200 people with a hospital and a Jesuit mission chapel. \nSoon after starting a school\, she realized her need for coworkers. Returning to Troyes\, she recruited a friend\, Catherine Crolo\, and two other young women. In 1667\, they added classes at their school for Indian children. A second trip to France three years later resulted in six more young women and a letter from King Louis XIV\, authorizing the school. The Congregation of Notre Dame was established in 1676 but its members did not make formal religious profession until 1698 when their Rule and constitutions were approved. \nMarguerite established a school for Indian girls in Montreal. At the age of 69\, she walked from Montreal to Quebec in response to the bishop’s request to establish a community of her sisters in that city. By the time she died\, she was referred to as the “Mother of the Colony.” Marguerite was canonized in 1982. \n\nReflection\nIt’s easy to become discouraged when plans that we think that God must endorse are frustrated. Marguerite was called not to be a cloistered nun but to be a foundress and an educator. God had not ignored her after all.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-marguerite-bourgeoys/2018-01-12/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180113
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180114
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170824T200038Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T200038Z
UID:6139-1515801600-1515887999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Hilary of Poitiers
DESCRIPTION:Saint Hilary of Poitiers\nSaint of the Day for January 13\n(c. 315 – c. 368)\nClick to hear audio clip ► \nSaint Hilary of Poitiers’ Story\nThis staunch defender of the divinity of Christ was a gentle and courteous man\, devoted to writing some of the greatest theology on the Trinity\, and was like his Master in being labeled a “disturber of the peace.” In a very troubled period in the Church\, his holiness was lived out in both scholarship and controversy. He was bishop of Poitiers in France. \nRaised a pagan\, he was converted to Christianity when he met his God of nature in the Scriptures. His wife was still living when he was chosen\, against his will\, to be the bishop of Poitiers in France. He was soon taken up with battling what became the scourge of the fourth century\, Arianism\, which denied the divinity of Christ. \nThe heresy spread rapidly. Saint Jerome said “The world groaned and marveled to find that it was Arian.” When Emperor Constantius ordered all the bishops of the West to sign a condemnation of Athanasius\, the great defender of the faith in the East\, Hilary refused and was banished from France to far off Phrygia. Eventually he was called the “Athanasius of the West.” \nWhile writing in exile\, he was invited by some semi-Arians (hoping for reconciliation) to a council the emperor called to counteract the Council of Nicea. But Hilary predictably defended the Church\, and when he sought public debate with the heretical bishop who had exiled him\, the Arians\, dreading the meeting and its outcome\, pleaded with the emperor to send this troublemaker back home. Hilary was welcomed by his people. \n\nReflection\nChrist said his coming would bring not peace but a sword (see Matthew 10:34). The Gospels offer no support for us if we fantasize about a sunlit holiness that knows no problems. Christ did notescape at the last moment\, though he did live happily ever after—after a life of controversy\, problems\, pain and frustration. Hilary\, like all saints\, simply had more of the same.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-hilary-of-poitiers/2018-01-13/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180114
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180115
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T155044Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T155044Z
UID:6170-1515888000-1515974399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Gregory Nazianzen
DESCRIPTION:Saint Gregory Nazianzen\nSaint of the Day for January 14\n(c. 325 – c. 390)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Gregory Nazianzen’s Story\nAfter his baptism at 30\, Gregory gladly accepted his friend Basil’s invitation to join him in a newly founded monastery. The solitude was broken when Gregory’s father\, a bishop\, needed help in his diocese and estate. It seems that Gregory was ordained a priest practically by force\, and only reluctantly accepted the responsibility. He skillfully avoided a schism that threatened when his own father made compromises with Arianism. At 41\, Gregory was chosen suffragan bishop of Caesarea and at once came into conflict with Valens\, the emperor\, who supported the Arians. \nAn unfortunate by-product of the battle was the cooling of the friendship of two saints. Basil\, his archbishop\, sent him to a miserable and unhealthy town on the border of unjustly created divisions in his diocese. Basil reproached Gregory for not going to his see. \nWhen protection for Arianism ended with the death of Valens\, Gregory was called to rebuild the faith in the great see of Constantinople\, which had been under Arian teachers for three decades. Retiring and sensitive\, he dreaded being drawn into the whirlpool of corruption and violence. He first stayed at a friend’s home\, which became the only orthodox church in the city. In such surroundings\, he began giving the great sermons on the Trinity for which he is famous. In time\, Gregory did rebuild the faith in the city\, but at the cost of great suffering\, slander\, insults\, and even personal violence. An interloper even tried to take over his bishopric. \nHis last days were spent in solitude and austerity. He wrote religious poetry\, some of it autobiographical\, of great depth and beauty. He was acclaimed simply as “the Theologian.” \n\nReflection\nIt may be small comfort\, but post-Vatican II turmoil in the Church is a mild storm compared to the devastation caused by the Arian heresy\, a trauma the Church has never forgotten. Christ did not promise the kind of peace we would love to have—no problems\, no opposition\, no pain. In one way or another\, holiness is always the way of the cross.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-gregory-nazianzen/2018-01-14/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180115
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180116
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T155301Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T155301Z
UID:6173-1515974400-1516060799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Paul the Hermit
DESCRIPTION:Saint Paul the Hermit\nSaint of the Day for January 15\n(c. 233 – c. 345)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint  Paul the Hermit’s Story\nIt is unclear what we really know of Paul’s life\, how much is fable\, how much fact. \nPaul was reportedly born in Egypt\, where he was orphaned by age 15. He was also a learned and devout young man. During the persecution of Decius in Egypt in the year 250\, Paul was forced to hide in the home of a friend. Fearing a brother-in-law would betray him\, he fled in a cave in the desert. His plan was to return once the persecution ended\, but the sweetness of solitude and heavenly contemplation convinced him to stay. \nHe went on to live in that cave for the next 90 years. A nearby spring gave him drink\, a palm tree furnished him clothing and nourishment. After 21 years of solitude\, a bird began bringing him half of a loaf of bread each day. Without knowing what was happening in the world\, Paul prayed that the world would become a better place. \nSaint Anthony of Egypt attests to his holy life and death. Tempted by the thought that no one had served God in the wilderness longer than he\, Anthony was led by God to find Paul and acknowledge him as a man more perfect than himself. The raven that day brought a whole loaf of bread instead of the usual half. As Paul predicted\, Anthony would return to bury his new friend. \nThought to have been about 112 when he died\, Paul is known as the “First Hermit.” His feast day is celebrated in the East; he is also commemorated in the Coptic and Armenian rites of the Mass. \n\nReflection\nThe will and direction of God are seen in the circumstances of our lives. Led by the grace of God\, we are free to respond with choices that bring us closer to and make us more dependent upon the God who created us. Those choices might at times seem to lead us away from our neighbor. But ultimately they lead us back both in prayer and in fellowship to one another.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-paul-the-hermit/2018-01-15/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180116
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180117
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T155413Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T155413Z
UID:6176-1516060800-1516147199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Berard and Companions
DESCRIPTION:Saint Berard and Companions\nSaint of the Day for January 16\n(d. January 16\, 1220)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Berard and Companions’ Story\nPreaching the gospel is often dangerous work. Leaving one’s homeland and adjusting to new cultures\, governments and languages is difficult enough; but martyrdom caps all the other sacrifices. \nIn 1219\, with the blessing of Saint Francis\, Berard left Italy with Peter\, Adjute\, Accurs\, Odo and Vitalis to preach in Morocco. En route in Spain\, Vitalis became sick and commanded the other friars to continue their mission without him. \nThey tried preaching in Seville\, then in Muslim hands\, but made no converts. They went on to Morocco where they preached in the marketplace. The friars were immediately apprehended and ordered to leave the country; they refused. When they began preaching again\, an exasperated sultan ordered them executed. After enduring severe beatings and declining various bribes to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ\, the friars were beheaded by the sultan himself on January 16\, 1220. \nThese were the first Franciscan martyrs. When Francis heard of their deaths\, he exclaimed\, “Now I can truly say that I have five Friars Minor!” Their relics were brought to Portugal where they prompted a young Augustinian canon to join the Franciscans and set off for Morocco the next year. That young man was Anthony of Padua. These five martyrs were canonized in 1481. \n\nReflection\nThe deaths of Berard and his companions sparked a missionary vocation in Anthony of Padua and others. There have been many\, many Franciscans who have responded to Francis’ challenge. Proclaiming the gospel can be fatal\, but that has not stopped the Franciscan men and women who even today risk their lives in many countries throughout the world.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-berard-and-companions/2018-01-16/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180117
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180118
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T155527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T155527Z
UID:6179-1516147200-1516233599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Anthony of Egypt
DESCRIPTION:Saint Anthony of Egypt (Saint Anthony the Abbot)\nSaint of the Day for January 17\n(251 – 356)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Anthony of Egypt’s Story\nThe life of Anthony will remind many people of St. Francis of Assisi. At 20\, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message\, “Go\, sell what you have\, and give to [the] poor” (Mark 10:21b)\, that he actually did just that with his large inheritance. He is different from Francis in that most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude. He saw the world completely covered with snares\, and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism\, great personal mortification and prayer. But no saint is antisocial\, and Anthony drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance. \nAt 54\, he responded to many requests and founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells. Again like Francis\, he had great fear of “stately buildings and well-laden tables.” \nAt 60\, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311\, fearlessly exposing himself to danger while giving moral and material support to those in prison. At 88\, he was fighting the Arian heresy\, that massive trauma from which it took the Church centuries to recover. “The mule kicking over the altar” denied the divinity of Christ. \nAnthony is associated in art with a T-shaped cross\, a pig and a book. The pig and the cross are symbols of his valiant warfare with the devil—the cross his constant means of power over evil spirits\, the pig a symbol of the devil himself. The book recalls his preference for “the book of nature” over the printed word. Anthony died in solitude at age 105. \nReflection\nIn an age that smiles at the notion of devils and angels\, a person known for having power over evil spirits must at least make us pause. And in a day when people speak of life as a “rat race\,” one who devotes a whole life to solitude and prayer points to an essential of the Christian life in all ages. Anthony’s hermit life reminds us of the absoluteness of our break with sin and the totality of our commitment to Christ. Even in God’s good world\, there is another world whose false values constantly tempt us. \n\nSaint Anthony of Egypt is the Patron Saint of:\nButchers\nGravediggers\nSkin Diseases
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-anthony-of-egypt/2018-01-17/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180118
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180119
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T155658Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T155658Z
UID:6182-1516233600-1516319999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Charles of Sezze
DESCRIPTION:Saint Charles of Sezze\nSaint of the Day for January 18\n(October 19\, 1613 – January 6\, 1670)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Charles of Sezze’s Story\nCharles thought that God was calling him to be a missionary in India\, but he never got there. God had something better for this 17th-century successor to Brother Juniper. \nBorn in Sezze\, southeast of Rome\, Charles was inspired by the lives of Salvator Horta and Paschal Baylon to become a Franciscan; he did that in 1635. Charles tells us in his autobiography\, “Our Lord put in my heart a determination to become a lay brother with a great desire to be poor and to beg alms for his love.” \nCharles served as cook\, porter\, sacristan\, gardener and beggar at various friaries in Italy. In some ways\, he was “an accident waiting to happen.” He once started a huge fire in the kitchen when the oil in which he was frying onions burst into flames. \nOne story shows how thoroughly Charles adopted the spirit of Saint Francis. The superior ordered Charles—then porter—to give food only to traveling friars who came to the door. Charles obeyed this direction; simultaneously the alms to the friars decreased. Charles convinced the superior the two facts were related. When the friars resumed giving goods to all who asked at the door\, alms to the friars increased also. \nAt the direction of his confessor\, Charles wrote his autobiography\, The Grandeurs of the Mercies of God. He also wrote several other spiritual books. He made good use of his various spiritual directors throughout the years; they helped him discern which of Charles’ ideas or ambitions were from God. Charles himself was sought out for spiritual advice. The dying Pope Clement IX called Charles to his bedside for a blessing. \nCharles had a firm sense of God’s providence. Father Severino Gori has said\, “By word and example he recalled in all the need of pursuing only that which is eternal” (Leonard Perotti\, St. Charles of Sezze: An Autobiography\, page 215). \nHe died at San Francesco a Ripa in Rome and was buried there. Pope John XXIII canonized him in 1959. \n\nReflection\nThe drama in the lives of the saints is mostly interior. Charles’ life was spectacular only in his cooperation with God’s grace. He was captivated by God’s majesty and great mercy to all of us.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-charles-of-sezze/2018-01-18/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180119
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180120
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T155813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T155813Z
UID:6185-1516320000-1516406399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Fabian
DESCRIPTION:Saint Fabian\nSaint of the Day for January 19\n(c. 200 – January 20\, 250)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Fabian’s Story\nFabian was a Roman layman who came into the city from his farm one day as clergy and people were preparing to elect a new pope. Eusebius\, a Church historian\, says a dove flew in and settled on the head of Fabian. This sign united the votes of clergy and laity\, and he was chosen unanimously. \nHe led the Church for 14 years and died a martyr’s death during the persecution of Decius in 250 A.D. Saint Cyprian wrote to his successor that Fabian was an “incomparable” man whose glory in death matched the holiness and purity of his life. \nIn the catacombs of Saint Callistus\, the stone that covered Fabian’s grave may still be seen\, broken into four pieces\, bearing the Greek words\, “Fabian\, bishop\, martyr.” \n\nReflection\nWe can go confidently into the future and accept the change that growth demands only if we have firm roots in the past\, in a living tradition. A few pieces of stone in Rome are a reminder to us that we are bearers of more than 20 centuries of a living tradition of faith and courage in living the life of Christ and showing it to the world. We have brothers and sisters who have “gone before us with the sign of faith\,” as the First Eucharistic Prayer puts it\, to light the way for us. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Fabian is January 20.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-fabian/2018-01-19/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180120
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180121
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T155907Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T155907Z
UID:6186-1516406400-1516492799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Sebastian
DESCRIPTION:Saint Sebastian\nSaint of the Day for January 20\n(c. 256 –  January 20\, 287)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Sebastian’s Story\nAlmost nothing is historically certain about Sebastian except that he was a Roman martyr\, was venerated in Milan even in the time of Saint Ambrose and was buried on the Appian Way\, probably near the present Basilica of St. Sebastian. Devotion to him spread rapidly\, and he is mentioned in several martyrologies as early as 350. \nThe legend of Saint Sebastian is important in art\, and there is a vast iconography. Scholars now agree that a pious fable has Sebastian entering the Roman army because only there could he assist the martyrs without arousing suspicion. Finally he was found out\, brought before Emperor Diocletian and delivered to Mauritanian archers to be shot to death. His body was pierced with arrows\, and he was left for dead. But he was found still alive by those who came to bury him. He recovered\, but refused to flee. \nOne day he took up a position near where the emperor was to pass. He accosted the emperor\, denouncing him for his cruelty to Christians. This time the sentence of death was carried out. Sebastian was beaten to death with clubs. He was buried on the Appian Way\, close to the catacombs that bear his name. \n\nReflection\nThe fact that many of the early saints made such a tremendous impression on the Church—awakening widespread devotion and great praise from the greatest writers of the Church—is proof of the heroism of their lives. As has been said\, legends may not be literally true. Yet they may express the very substance of the faith and courage evident in the lives of these heroes and heroines of Christ. \n\nSaint Sebastian is the Patron Saint of:\nAthletes
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-sebastian/2018-01-20/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180121
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180122
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T160323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T160323Z
UID:6191-1516492800-1516579199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Agnes
DESCRIPTION:Saint Agnes\nSaint of the Day for January 21\n(d. c. 258)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Agnes’ Story\nAlmost nothing is known of this saint except that she was very young—12 or 13—when she was martyred in the last half of the third century. Various modes of death have been suggested—beheading\, burning\, strangling. \nLegend has it that Agnes was a beautiful girl whom many young men wanted to marry. Among those she refused\, one reported her to the authorities for being a Christian. She was arrested and confined to a house of prostitution. The legend continues that a man who looked upon her lustfully lost his sight and had it restored by her prayer. Agnes was condemned\, executed\, and buried near Rome in a catacomb that eventually was named after her. The daughter of Constantine built a basilica in her honor. \n\nReflection\nLike that of Maria Goretti in the 20th century\, the martyrdom of a virginal young girl made a deep impression on a society enslaved to a materialistic outlook. Also like Agatha\, who died in similar circumstances\, Agnes is a symbol that holiness does not depend on length of years\, experience\, or human effort. It is a gift God offers to all. \n\nSaint Agnes is the Patron Saint of:\nGirls\nGirl Scouts \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for January 21 is Servant of God Juan Padilla.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-agnes/2018-01-21/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180122
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180123
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T160448Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T160448Z
UID:6194-1516579200-1516665599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Vincent of Zaragossa
DESCRIPTION:Saint Vincent of Zaragossa\nSaint of the Day for January 22\n(d. c. 304)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\n\nSaint Vincent of Zaragossa’s Story\nMost of what we know about this saint comes from the poet Prudentius. His Acts have been rather freely colored by the imagination of their compiler. But Saint Augustine\, in one of his sermons on Saint Vincent\, speaks of having the Acts of his martyrdom before him. We are at least sure of his name\, his being a deacon\, the place of his death and burial. \nAccording to the story we have\, the unusual devotion he inspired must have had a basis in a very heroic life. Vincent was ordained deacon by his friend Saint Valerius of Zaragossa in Spain. The Roman emperors had published their edicts against the clergy in 303\, and the following year against the laity. Vincent and his bishop were imprisoned in Valencia. Hunger and torture failed to break them. Like the youths in the fiery furnace\, they seemed to thrive on suffering. \nValerius was sent into exile\, and Dacian\, the Roman governor\, now turned the full force of his fury on Vincent. Tortures that sound very modern were tried. But their main effect was the progressive disintegration of Dacian himself. He had the torturers beaten because they failed. \nFinally he suggested a compromise: Would Vincent at least give up the sacred books to be burned according to the emperor’s edict? He would not. Torture on the gridiron continued\, the prisoner remaining courageous\, the torturer losing control of himself. Vincent was thrown into a filthy prison cell—and converted the jailer. Dacian wept with rage\, but strangely enough\, ordered the prisoner to be given some rest. \nFriends among the faithful came to visit him\, but he was to have no earthly rest. When they finally settled him on a comfortable bed\, he went to his eternal rest. \n\nReflection\nThe martyrs are heroic examples of what God’s power can do. It is humanly impossible\, we realize\, for someone to go through tortures such as Vincent had and remain faithful. But it is equally true that by human power alone no one can remain faithful even without torture or suffering. God does not come to our rescue at isolated\, “special” moments. God is supporting the super-cruisers as well as children’s toy boats.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-vincent-of-zaragossa/2018-01-22/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180123
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180124
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T160604Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T160604Z
UID:6197-1516665600-1516751999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Marianne Cope
DESCRIPTION:Saint Marianne Cope\nSaint of the Day for January 23\n(January 23\, 1838 – August 9\, 1918)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Marianne Cope’s Story\nThough leprosy scared off most people in 19th-century Hawaii\, that disease sparked great generosity in the woman who came to be known as Mother Marianne of Molokai. Her courage helped tremendously to improve the lives of its victims in Hawaii\, a territory annexed to the United States during her lifetime (1898). \nMother Marianne’s generosity and courage were celebrated at her May 14\, 2005\, beatification in Rome. She was a woman who spoke “the language of truth and love” to the world\, said Cardinal José Saraiva Martins\, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. Cardinal Martins\, who presided at the beatification Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica\, called her life “a wonderful work of divine grace.” Speaking of her special love for persons suffering from leprosy\, he said\, “She saw in them the suffering face of Jesus. Like the Good Samaritan\, she became their mother.” \nOn January 23\, 1838\, a daughter was born to Peter and Barbara Cope of Hessen-Darmstadt\, Germany. The girl was named after her mother. Two years later the Cope family emigrated to the United States and settled in Utica\, New York. Young Barbara worked in a factory until August 1862\, when she went to the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse\, New York. After profession in November of the next year\, she began teaching at Assumption parish school. \nMarianne held the post of superior in several places and was twice the novice mistress of her congregation. A natural leader\, three different times she was superior of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse\, where she learned much that would be useful during her years in Hawaii. \nElected provincial in 1877\, Mother Marianne was unanimously re-elected in 1881. Two years later the Hawaiian government was searching for someone to run the Kakaako Receiving Station for people suspected of having leprosy. More than 50 religious communities in the United States and Canada were asked. When the request was put to the Syracuse sisters\, 35 of them volunteered immediately. On October 22\, 1883\, Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii where they took charge of the Kakaako Receiving Station outside Honolulu; on the island of Maui they also opened a hospital and a school for girls. \nIn 1888\, Mother Marianne and two sisters went to Molokai to open a home for “unprotected women and girls” there. The Hawaiian government was quite hesitant to send women for this difficult assignment; they need not have worried about Mother Marianne! On Molokai she took charge of the home that Saint Damien de Veuster had established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness\, pride\, and fun to the colony. Bright scarves and pretty dresses for the women were part of her approach. \nAwarded the Royal Order of Kapiolani by the Hawaiian government and celebrated in a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson\, Mother Marianne continued her work faithfully. Her sisters have attracted vocations among the Hawaiian people and still work on Molokai. \nMother Marianne died on August 9\, 1918 and was beatified in 2005 and canonized seven years later. \n\nReflection\nThe government authorities were reluctant to allow Mother Marianne to be a mother on Molokai. Thirty years of dedication proved their fears unfounded. God grants gifts regardless of human short-sightedness and allows those gifts to flower for the sake of the kingdom.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-marianne-cope/2018-01-23/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180124
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180125
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T160723Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T160723Z
UID:6200-1516752000-1516838399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Francis de Sales
DESCRIPTION:Saint Francis de Sales\nSaint of the Day for January 24\n(August 21\, 1567 – December 28\, 1622)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Francis de Sales’ Story\nFrancis was destined by his father to be a lawyer so that the young man could eventually take his elder’s place as a senator from the province of Savoy in France. For this reason Francis was sent to Padua to study law. After receiving his doctorate\, he returned home and\, in due time\, told his parents he wished to enter the priesthood. His father strongly opposed Francis in this\, and only after much patient persuasiveness on the part of the gentle Francis did his father finally consent. Francis was ordained and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva\, then a center for the Calvinists. Francis set out to convert them\, especially in the district of Chablais. By preaching and distributing the little pamphlets he wrote to explain true Catholic doctrine\, he had remarkable success. \nAt 35\, he became bishop of Geneva. While administering his diocese he continued to preach\, hear confessions\, and catechize the children. His gentle character was a great asset in winning souls. He practiced his own axiom\, “A spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrelful of vinegar.” \nBesides his two well-known books\, the Introduction to the Devout Life and A Treatise on the Love of God\, he wrote many pamphlets and carried on a vast correspondence. For his writings\, he has been named patron of the Catholic Press. His writings\, filled with his characteristic gentle spirit\, are addressed to lay people. He wants to make them understand that they too are called to be saints. As he wrote in The Introduction to the Devout Life: “It is an error\, or rather a heresy\, to say devotion is incompatible with the life of a soldier\, a tradesman\, a prince\, or a married woman…. It has happened that many have lost perfection in the desert who had preserved it in the world. ” \nIn spite of his busy and comparatively short life\, he had time to collaborate with another saint\, Jane Frances de Chantal\, in the work of establishing the Sisters of the Visitation. These women were to practice the virtues exemplified in Mary’s visit to Elizabeth: humility\, piety\, and mutual charity. They at first engaged to a limited degree in works of mercy for the poor and the sick. Today\, while some communities conduct schools\, others live a strictly contemplative life. \n\nReflection\nFrancis de Sales took seriously the words of Christ\, “Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart.” As he said himself\, it took him 20 years to conquer his quick temper\, but no one ever suspected he had such a problem\, so overflowing with good nature and kindness was his usual manner of acting. His perennial meekness and sunny disposition won for him the title of “Gentleman Saint.” \n\nSaint Francis de Sales is the Patron Saint of:\nAuthors\nDeafness\nJournalists\nWriters
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-francis-de-sales/2018-01-24/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180125
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180126
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T161103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T161103Z
UID:6203-1516838400-1516924799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Conversion of Saint Paul
DESCRIPTION:Saint of the Day for January 25\nConversion of Saint Paul\n1600 \nClick to hear audio clip ►\nThe Story of the Conversion of Saint Paul\nPaul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant\, he saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted\, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus\, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for\, as he began to harass the Church: “…entering house after house and dragging out men and women\, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself was “entered\,” possessed\, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of Christ in the ministry of reconciliation\, an instrument to help others experience the one Savior. \nOne sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus\, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus\, he saw\, was the mysterious fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing. \nFrom then on\, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor and struggle\, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me” (Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone\, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and [with] much conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5a). \nPaul’s life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross: Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation\, already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead like him. Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them\, making them completely new. \nSo Paul’s great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God\, not by anything you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total\, free\, personal and loving commitment to Christ\, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than the Law could ever contemplate. \n\nReflection\nPaul is undoubtedly hard to understand. His style often reflects the rabbinical style of argument of his day\, and often his thought skips on mountaintops while we plod below. But perhaps our problems are accentuated by the fact that so many beautiful jewels have become part of the everyday coin in our Christian language.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/conversion-of-saint-paul/2018-01-25/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180126
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180127
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T161248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T161248Z
UID:6206-1516924800-1517011199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saints Timothy and Titus
DESCRIPTION:Saints Timothy and Titus\nSaint of the Day for January 26\n(d. c. 95)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaints Timothy and Titus’ Story\nWhat we know from the New Testament of Timothy’s life makes it sound like that of a modern harried bishop. He had the honor of being a fellow apostle with Paul\, both sharing the privilege of preaching the gospel and suffering for it. \nTimothy had a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Being the product of a “mixed” marriage\, he was considered illegitimate by the Jews. It was his grandmother\, Lois\, who first became Christian. Timothy was a convert of Paul around the year 47 and later joined him in his apostolic work. He was with Paul at the founding of the Church in Corinth. During the 15 years he worked with Paul\, he became one of his most faithful and trusted friends. He was sent on difficult missions by Paul—often in the face of great disturbance in local churches which Paul had founded. \nTimothy was with Paul in Rome during the latter’s house arrest. At some period Timothy himself was in prison (Hebrews 13:23). Paul installed him as his representative at the Church of Ephesus. \nTimothy was comparatively young for the work he was doing. Several references seem to indicate that he was timid. And one of Paul’s most frequently quoted lines was addressed to him: “Stop drinking only water\, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23). \nTitus has the distinction of being a close friend and disciple of Paul as well as a fellow missionary. He was Greek\, apparently from Antioch. Even though Titus was a Gentile\, Paul would not let him be forced to undergo circumcision at Jerusalem. Titus is seen as a peacemaker\, administrator\, great friend. Paul’s second letter to Corinth affords an insight into the depth of his friendship with Titus\, and the great fellowship they had in preaching the gospel. \nWhen Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth\, Titus was the bearer of Paul’s severe letter and was successful in smoothing things out. Paul writes he was strengthened not only by the arrival of Titus but also “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged in regard to you\, as he told us of your yearning\, your lament\, your zeal for me\, so that I rejoiced even more…. And his heart goes out to you all the more\, as he remembers the obedience of all of you\, when you received him with fear and trembling” (2 Corinthians 7:7a\, 15). \nThe Letter to Titus addresses him as the administrator of the Christian community on the island of Crete\, charged with organizing it\, correcting abuses\, and appointing presbyter-bishops. \n\nReflection\nIn Titus we get another glimpse of life in the early Church: great zeal in the apostolate\, great communion in Christ\, great friendship. Yet always there is the problem of human nature and the unglamorous details of daily life: the need for charity and patience in “quarrels with others\, fears within myself\,” as Paul says. Through it all\, the love of Christ sustained them. At the end of the Letter to Titus\, Paul says that when the temporary substitute comes\, “hurry to me.” \n\nSaints Timothy and Titus are the Patron Saints of:\nStomach Disorders
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saints-timothy-and-titus/2018-01-26/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180127
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180128
DTSTAMP:20260404T110336
CREATED:20170825T161442Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T161442Z
UID:6207-1517011200-1517097599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Angela Merici
DESCRIPTION:Saint Angela Merici\nSaint of the Day for January 27\n(March 21\, 1474 – January 27\, 1540)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nSaint Angela Merici’s story\nAngela has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of women in the Church and what is now called a “secular institute” of religious women. \nAs a young woman\, she became a member of the Third Order of Saint Francis\, and lived a life of great austerity\, wishing\, like Saint Francis\, to own nothing\, not even a bed. Early in life she was appalled at the ignorance among poorer children\, whose parents could not or would not teach them the elements of religion. Angela’s charming manner and good looks complemented her natural qualities of leadership. Others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood. \nShe was invited to live with a family in Brescia (where\, she had been told in a vision\, she would one day found a religious community). Her work continued and became well known. She became the center of a group of people with similar ideals. \nShe eagerly took the opportunity for a trip to the Holy Land. When they had gotten as far as Crete\, she was struck with blindness. Her friends wanted to return home\, but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage\, and visited the sacred shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the way back\, while praying before a crucifix\, her sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost. \nAt 57\, she organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work. Four years later the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of Saint Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. The members continued to live at home\, had no special habit and took no formal vows\, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of virginity\, poverty\, and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a “secular institute” until some years after Angela’s death. \n\nReflection\nAs with so many saints\, history is mostly concerned with their activities. But we must always presume deep Christian faith and love in one whose courage lasts a lifetime\, and who can take bold new steps when human need demands.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-angela-merici/2018-01-27/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR