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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180612
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180613
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T171530Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T171530Z
UID:6797-1528761600-1528847999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Blessed Jolenta (Yolanda) of Poland
DESCRIPTION:Blessed Jolenta (Yolanda) of Poland\nSaint of the Day for June 12\n(c. 1235 – June 11\,1298)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun12.mp3\nBlessed Jolenta of Poland’s Story\nJolenta was the daughter of Bela IV\, King of Hungary. Her sister\, St. Kunigunde\, was married to the Duke of Poland. Jolenta was sent to Poland where her sister was to supervise her education. Eventually married to Boleslaus\, the Duke of Greater Poland\, Jolenta was able to use her material means to assist the poor\, the sick\, widows\, and orphans. Her husband joined her in building hospitals\, convents\, and churches so that he was surnamed “the Pious.” \nUpon the death of her husband and the marriage of two of her daughters\, Jolenta and her third daughter entered the convent of the Poor Clares. War forced Jolenta to move to another convent where despite her reluctance\, she was made abbess. \nSo well did Jolenta serve her Franciscan sisters by word and example\, that her fame and good works continued to spread beyond the walls of the cloister. Her favorite devotion was the Passion of Christ. Indeed\, Jesus appeared to her\, telling her of her coming death. Many miracles\, down to our own day\, are said to have occurred at her grave. \n\nReflection\nJolenta’s story begins like a fairy tale. But fairy tales seldom include the death of the prince and never end with the princess living out her days in a convent. Nonetheless\, Jolenta’s story has a happy ending. Her life of charity toward the poor and devotion to her Franciscan sisters indeed brought her to a “happily ever after.” Our lives may be short on fairy tale elements\, but our generosity and our willingness to serve well the people we live with lead us toward an ending happier than we can imagine.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/blessed-jolenta-yolanda-of-poland/2018-06-12/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180611
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180612
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T171404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T171404Z
UID:6794-1528675200-1528761599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Barnabas
DESCRIPTION:Saint Barnabas\nSaint of the Day for June 11\n(c. 75)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun11.mp3\nSaint Barnabas’ Story\nBarnabas\, a Jew of Cyprus\, comes as close as anyone outside the Twelve to being a full-fledged apostle. He was closely associated with Saint Paul–he introduced Paul to Peter and the other apostles–and served as a kind of mediator between the former persecutor and the still suspicious Jewish Christians. \nWhen a Christian community developed at Antioch\, Barnabas was sent as the official representative of the church of Jerusalem to incorporate them into the fold. He and Paul instructed in Antioch for a year\, after which they took relief contributions to Jerusalem. \nLater Paul and Barnabas\, now clearly seen as charismatic leaders\, were sent by Antioch officials to preach to the gentiles. Enormous success crowned their efforts. After a miracle at Lystra\, the people wanted to offer sacrifice to them as gods—Barnabas being Zeus\, and Paul\, Hermes—but the two said\, “We are of the same nature as you\, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God” (see Acts 14:8-18). \nBut all was not peaceful. They were expelled from one town\, they had to go to Jerusalem to clear up the ever-recurring controversy about circumcision\, and even the best of friends can have differences. When Paul wanted to revisit the places they had evangelized\, Barnabas wanted to take along his cousin John Mark\, author of the Gospel\, but Paul insisted that since Mark had deserted them once\, he was not fit to take along now. The disagreement that followed was so sharp that Barnabas and Paul separated: Barnabas taking Mark to Cyprus\, Paul taking Silas to Syria. Later they were reconciled—Paul\, Barnabas and Mark. \nWhen Paul stood up to Peter for not eating with gentiles for fear of his Jewish friends\, we learn that “even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy” (see Galatians 2:1-13). \n\nReflection\nBarnabas is spoken of simply as one who dedicated his life to the Lord. He was a man “filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. Thereby\, large numbers were added to the Lord.” Even when he and Paul were expelled from Antioch in Pisidia–modern-day Turkey–they were “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” \n\nSaint Barnabas is the Patron Saint of:\nCyprus
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-barnabas/2018-06-11/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180610
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180611
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T171229Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T171229Z
UID:6791-1528588800-1528675199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Blessed Joachima
DESCRIPTION:Blessed Joachima\nSaint of the Day for June 10\n(1783-1854)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun10.mp3\nBlessed Joachima’s Story\nBorn into an aristocratic family in Barcelona\, Spain\, Joachima was 12 when she expressed a desire to become a Carmelite nun. But her life took an altogether different turn at 16 with her marriage to a young lawyer\, Theodore de Mas. Both deeply devout\, they became secular Franciscans. During their 17 years of married life they raised eight children. \nThe normalcy of their family life was interrupted when Napoleon invaded Spain. Joachima had to flee with the children; Theodore remained behind and died. Though Joachima re-experienced a desire to enter a religious community\, she attended to her duties as a mother. At the same time\, the young widow led a life of austerity and chose to wear the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis as her ordinary dress. She spent much time in prayer and visiting the sick. \nFour years later\, with some of her children now married and younger ones under their care\, Joachima confessed her desire to a priest to join a religious order. With his encouragement\, she established the Carmelite Sisters of Charity. In the midst of the fratricidal wars occurring at the time\, Joachima was briefly imprisoned and later exiled to France for several years. \nSickness ultimately compelled her to resign as superior of her order. Over the next four years she slowly succumbed to paralysis\, which caused her to die by inches. At her death at the age of 71 in 1854\, Joachima was known and admired for her high degree of prayer\, deep trust in God\, and selfless charity. \n\nReflection\nJoachima understands loss. She lost the home where her children grew up\, her husband\, and finally her health. As the power to move and care for her own needs slowly ebbed away\, this woman who had all her life cared for others became wholly dependent; she required help with life’s simplest tasks. When our own lives go spinning out of control\, when illness and bereavement and financial hardship strike\, all we can do is cling to the belief that sustained Joachima: God watches over us always.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/blessed-joachima/2018-06-10/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180609
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180610
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T171053Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T171053Z
UID:6788-1528502400-1528588799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Ephrem
DESCRIPTION:Saint Ephrem\nSaint of the Day for June 9\n(c. 306 – June 9\, 373)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun09.mp3\nSaint Ephrem’s Story\nPoet\, teacher\, orator\, and defender of the faith\, Ephrem is the only Syrian recognized as a doctor of the Church. He took upon himself the special task of opposing the many false doctrines rampant at his time\, always remaining a true and forceful defender of the Catholic Church. \nBorn in Nisibis\, Mesopotamia\, he was baptized as a young man and became famous as a teacher in his native city. When the Christian emperor had to cede Nisibis to the Persians\, Ephrem fled as a refugee to Edessa\, along with many other Christians. He is credited with attracting great glory to the biblical school there. He was ordained a deacon but declined becoming a priest. Ephrem was said to have avoided presbyteral consecration by feigning madness! \nHe had a prolific pen\, and his writings best illumine his holiness. Although he was not a man of great scholarship\, his works reflect deep insight and knowledge of the Scriptures. In writing about the mysteries of humanity’s redemption\, Ephrem reveals a realistic and humanly sympathetic spirit and a great devotion to the humanity of Jesus. It is said that his poetic account of the Last Judgment inspired Dante. \nIt is surprising to read that he wrote hymns against the heretics of his day. He would take the popular songs of the heretical groups and using their melodies\, compose beautiful hymns embodying orthodox doctrine. Ephrem became one of the first to introduce song into the Church’s public worship as a means of instruction for the faithful. His many hymns have earned him the title “Harp of the Holy Spirit.” \nEphrem preferred a simple\, austere life\, living in a small cave overlooking the city of Edessa. It was here that he died around 373. \n\nReflection\nMany Catholics still find singing in church a problem\, probably because of the rather individualistic piety that they inherited. Yet singing has been a tradition of both the Old and the New Testaments. It is an excellent way of expressing and creating a community spirit of unity as well as of joy. An ancient historian testifies that Ephrem’s hymns “lent luster to the Christian assemblies.” We need some modern Ephrems—and cooperating singers—to do the same for our Christian assemblies today. \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for June 9 is Saint Columba.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-ephrem/2018-06-09/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180608
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180609
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T170927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T170927Z
UID:6785-1528416000-1528502399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint William of York
DESCRIPTION:Saint William of York\nSaint of the Day for June 8\n(c. 1090 –  June 8\, 1154)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun08.mp3\nSaint William of York’s Story\nA disputed election as archbishop of York and a mysterious death. Those are the headlines from the tragic life of today’s saint. \nBorn into a powerful family in 12th-century England\, William seemed destined for great things. His uncle was next in line for the English throne—though a nasty dynastic struggle complicated things. William himself faced an internal Church feud. \nDespite these roadblocks\, he was nominated as archbishop of York in 1140. Local clergymen were less enthusiastic\, however\, and the archbishop of Canterbury refused to consecrate William. Three years later a neighboring bishop performed the consecration\, but it lacked the approval of Pope Innocent II\, whose successors likewise withheld approval. William was deposed\, and a new election was ordered. \nIt was not until 1154—14 years after he was first nominated—that William became archbishop of York. When he entered the city that spring after years of exile\, he received an enthusiastic welcome. Within two months he was dead\, probably from poisoning. His administrative assistant was a suspect\, though no formal ruling was ever made. \nDespite all that happened to him\, William did not show resentment toward his opponents. Following his death\, many miracles were attributed to him. He was canonized 73 years later. \n\nReflection\n“Good things come to those who wait” might be the catch phrase for today’s saint. We don’t always get what we want when we want it. Sometimes we have to wait patiently\, trusting that if it is for our good\, God will bless us.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-william-of-york/2018-06-08/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180607
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180608
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T170657Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T170657Z
UID:6782-1528329600-1528415999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Blessed Franz Jägerstätter
DESCRIPTION:Blessed Franz Jägerstätter\nSaint of the Day for June 7\n( May 20\, 1907 – August 9\, 1943)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun07.mp3\nBlessed Franz Jägerstätter’s Story\nCalled to serve his country as a Nazi solider\, Franz eventually refused\, and this husband and father of three daughters–Rosalie\, Marie and Aloisia–was executed because of it. \nBorn in St. Radegund in Upper Austria\, Franz lost his father during World War I and was adopted after Heinrich Jaegerstaetter married Rosalia Huber. As a young man\, he loved to ride his motorcycle and was the natural leader of a gang whose members were arrested in 1934 for brawling. For three years he worked in the mines in another city and then returned to St. Radegund\, where he became a farmer\, married Franziska and lived his faith with quiet but intense conviction. \nIn 1938\, he publicly opposed the German Anschluss\, annexation\, of Austria. The next year\, he was drafted into the Austrian army\, trained for seven months and then received a deferment. In 1940\, Franz was called up again but allowed to return home at the request of the town’s mayor. He was in active service between October 1940 and April 1941\, but was again deferred. His pastor\, other priests\, and the bishop of Linz urged him not to refuse to serve if drafted. \nIn February 1943\, Franz was called up again and reported to army officials in Enns\, Austria. When he refused to take the oath of loyalty to Hitler\, he was imprisoned in Linz. Later he volunteered to serve in the medical corps but was not assigned there. \nDuring Holy Week Franz wrote to his wife: “Easter is coming and\, if it should be God’s will that we can never again in this world celebrate Easter together in our intimate family circle\, we can still look ahead in the happy confidence that\, when the eternal Easter morning dawns\, no one in our family circle shall be missing–so we can then be permitted to rejoice together forever.” He was transferred in May to a prison in Berlin. \nChallenged by his attorney that other Catholics were serving in the army\, Franz responded\, “I can only act on my own conscience. I do not judge anyone. I can only judge myself.” He continued\, “I have considered my family. I have prayed and put myself and my family in God’s hands. I know that\, if I do what I think God wants me to do\, he will take care of my family.” \nOn August 8\, 1943\, Franz wrote to Fransizka: “Dear wife and mother\, I thank you once more from my heart for everything that you have done for me in my lifetime\, for all the sacrifices that you have borne for me. I beg you to forgive me if I have hurt or offended you\, just as I have forgiven everything…My heartfelt greetings for my dear children. I will surely beg the dear God\, if I am permitted to enter heaven soon\, that he will set aside a little place in heaven for all of you.” \nFranz was beheaded and cremated the following day. In 1946\, his ashes were reburied in St. Radegund near a memorial inscribed with his name and the names of almost 60 village men who died during their military service. He was beatified in Linz on Occtober 26\, 2007. His “spiritual testament” is now in Rome’s St. Bartholomew Church as part of a shrine to 20th-century martyrs for their faith. \n\nReflection\nFranz Jägerstätter followed his conscience and paid the highest price possible. In December 2008\, his widow and three daughters were introduced to Pope Benedict XVI in connection with the presentation of a new biography on Franz. \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for June 7 is Servant of God Joseph Perez.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/blessed-franz-jagerstatter/2018-06-07/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180606
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180607
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T170444Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T170444Z
UID:6779-1528243200-1528329599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Norbert
DESCRIPTION:Saint Norbert\nSaint of the Day for June 6\n(c. 1080 – June 6\, 1134)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun06.mp3\nSaint Norbert’s Story\nIn the 12th century in the French region of Premontre\, Saint Norbert founded a religious Order known as the Praemonstratensians or the Norbertines. His founding of the Order was a monumental task: combating rampant heresies–particularly regarding the Blessed Sacrament\, revitalizing many of the faithful who had grown indifferent and dissolute\, plus effecting peace and reconciliation among enemies. \nNorbert entertained no pretensions about his own ability to accomplish this multiple task. Even with the aid of a goodly number of men who joined his Order\, he realized that nothing could be effectively done without God’s power. Finding this help especially in devotion to the Blessed Sacrament\, he and his Norbertines praised God for success in converting heretics\, reconciling numerous enemies\, and rebuilding faith in indifferent believers. Many of them lived in central houses during the week and served in parishes on weekends. \nReluctantly\, Norbert became archbishop of Magdeburg in central Germany\, a territory half pagan and half Christian. In this position he zealously and courageously continued his work for the Church until his death on June 6\, 1134. \n\nReflection\nA different world cannot be built by indifferent people. The same is true in regard to the Church. The indifference of vast numbers of nominal faithful to ecclesiastical authority and essential doctrines of the faith weakens the Church’s witness. Unswerving loyalty to the Church and fervent devotion to the Eucharist\, as practiced by Norbert\, will continue immeasurably toward maintaining the people of God in accord with the heart of Christ. \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for June 6 is Saint Claude.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-norbert/2018-06-06/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180605
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180606
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T170307Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T170307Z
UID:6776-1528156800-1528243199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Boniface
DESCRIPTION:Saint Boniface\nSaint of the Day for June 5\n(c. 675 – June 5\, 754)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun05.mp3\nSaint Boniface’s Story\nBoniface\, known as the apostle of the Germans\, was an English Benedictine monk who gave up being elected abbot to devote his life to the conversion of the Germanic tribes. Two characteristics stand out: his Christian orthodoxy and his fidelity to the pope of Rome. \nHow absolutely necessary this orthodoxy and fidelity were is borne out by the conditions Boniface found on his first missionary journey in 719 at the request of Pope Gregory II. Paganism was a way of life. What Christianity he did find had either lapsed into paganism or was mixed with error. The clergy were mainly responsible for these latter conditions since they were in many instances uneducated\, lax and questionably obedient to their bishops. In particular instances their very ordinations were questionable. \nThese are the conditions that Boniface was to report in 722 on his first return visit to Rome. The Holy Father instructed him to reform the German Church. The pope sent letters of recommendation to religious and civil leaders. Boniface later admitted that his work would have been unsuccessful\, from a human viewpoint\, without a letter of safe-conduct from Charles Martel\, the powerful Frankish ruler\, grandfather of Charlemagne. Boniface was finally made a regional bishop and authorized to organize the whole German Church. He was eminently successful. \nIn the Frankish kingdom\, he met great problems because of lay interference in bishops’ elections\, the worldliness of the clergy and lack of papal control. \nDuring a final mission to the Frisians\, Boniface and 53 companions were massacred while he was preparing converts for confirmation. \nIn order to restore the Germanic Church to its fidelity to Rome and to convert the pagans\, Boniface had been guided by two principles. The first was to restore the obedience of the clergy to their bishops in union with the pope of Rome. The second was the establishment of many houses of prayer which took the form of Benedictine monasteries. A great number of Anglo-Saxon monks and nuns followed him to the continent\, where he introduced the Benedictine nuns to the active apostolate of education. \n\nReflection\nBoniface bears out the Christian rule: To follow Christ is to follow the way of the cross. For Boniface\, it was not only physical suffering or death\, but the painful\, thankless\, bewildering task of Church reform. Missionary glory is often thought of in terms of bringing new persons to Christ. It seems—but is not—less glorious to heal the household of the faith. \n\nSaint Boniface is the Patron Saint of:\nGermany
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-boniface/2018-06-05/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180604
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180605
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T170019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T170019Z
UID:6773-1528070400-1528156799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Blessed Angeline of Marsciano
DESCRIPTION:Blessed Angeline of Marsciano\nSaint of the Day for June 4\n(1377 – July 14\, 1435)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun04.mp3\nBlessed Angeline of Marsciano’s Story\nBlessed Angeline founded the first community of Franciscan women other than Poor Clares to receive papal approval. \nAngeline was born to the Duke of Marsciano near Orvieto. She was 12 when her mother died. Three years later\, the young woman made a vow of perpetual chastity. That same year\, however\, she yielded to her father’s decision that she marry the Duke of Civitella. Her husband agreed to respect her previous vow. \nWhen he died two years later\, Angeline joined the Secular Franciscans and with several other women dedicated herself to caring for the sick\, the poor\, widows and orphans. When many other young women were attracted to Angeline’s community\, some people accused her of condemning the married vocation. Legend has it that when she came before the King of Naples to answer these charges\, she had burning coals hidden in the folds of her cloak. When she proclaimed her innocence and showed the king that these coals had not harmed her\, he dropped the case. \nAngeline and her companions later went to Foligno\, where her community of Third Order sisters received papal approval in 1397. She soon established 15 similar communities of women in other Italian cities. \nAngeline died on July 14\, 1435\, and was beatified in 1825. \n\nReflection\nPriests\, sisters and brothers cannot be signs of God’s love for the human family if they belittle the vocation of marriage. Angeline respected marriage\, but felt called to another way of living out the gospel. Her choice was life-giving in its own way. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Blessed Angeline of Marsciano is July 13.\n\nAnother Saint of the Day for June 4 is Saint Francis Caracciolo.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/blessed-angeline-of-marsciano/2018-06-04/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180603
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180604
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T165849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T165849Z
UID:6770-1527984000-1528070399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions
DESCRIPTION:Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions\nSaint of the Day for June 3\n(d. between November 15\, 1885 – January 27\, 1887)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun03.mp3\nSaint Charles Lwanga and Companions’ Story\nOne of 22 Ugandan martyrs\, Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. He protected his fellow pages\, aged 13 to 30\, from the homosexual demands of the Bagandan ruler\, Mwanga\, and encouraged and instructed them in the Catholic faith during their imprisonment for refusing the ruler’s demands. \nCharles first learned of Christ’s teachings from two retainers in the court of Chief Mawulugungu. While a catechumen\, he entered the royal household as assistant to Joseph Mukaso\, head of the court pages. \nOn the night of Mukaso’s martyrdom for encouraging the African youths to resist Mwanga\, Charles requested and received baptism. Imprisoned with his friends\, Charles’s courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful. \nFor his own unwillingness to submit to the immoral acts and his efforts to safeguard the faith of his friends\, Charles was burned to death at Namugongo on June 3\, 1886\, by Mwanga’s order. \nWhen Pope Paul VI canonized these 22 martyrs on October 18\, 1964\, he also made reference to the Anglican pages martyred for the same reason. \n\nReflection\nLike Charles Lwanga\, we are all teachers and witnesses to Christian living by the examples of our own lives. We are all called upon to spread the word of God\, whether by word or deed. By remaining courageous and unshakable in our faith during times of great moral and physical temptation\, we live as Christ lived.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-charles-lwanga-and-companions/2018-06-03/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180602
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180603
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T165351Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T165351Z
UID:6767-1527897600-1527983999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saints Marcellinus and Peter
DESCRIPTION:Saints Marcellinus and Peter\nSaint of the Day for June 2\n(d. 304)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun02.mp3\nSaints Marcellinus and Peter’s Story\nMarcellinus and Peter were prominent enough in the memory of the Church to be included among the saints of the Roman Canon. Mention of their names is optional in our present Eucharistic Prayer I. \nMarcellinus was a priest and Peter was an exorcist\, that is\, someone authorized by the Church to deal with cases of demonic possession. They were beheaded during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. Pope Damasus wrote an epitaph apparently based on the report of their executioner\, and Constantine erected a basilica over the crypt in which they were buried in Rome. Numerous legends sprang from an early account of their death. \n\nReflection\nWhy are these men included in our Eucharistic prayer\, and given their own feast day\, in spite of the fact that almost nothing is known about them? Probably because the Church respects its collective memory. They once sent an impulse of encouragement through the whole Church. They made the ultimate step of faith. \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for June 2 is Saint Elmo.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saints-marcellinus-and-peter/2018-06-02/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180601
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180602
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T165108Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T165108Z
UID:6763-1527811200-1527897599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Justin Martyr
DESCRIPTION:Saint Justin Martyr\nSaint of the Day for June 1\n(c. 100 – 165)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun01.mp3\nSaint Justin Martyr’s Story\nJustin never ended his quest for religious truth even when he converted to Christianity after years of studying various pagan philosophies. \nAs a young man\, he was principally attracted to the school of Plato. However\, he found that the Christian religion answered the great questions about life and existence better than the philosophers. \nUpon his conversion he continued to wear the philosopher’s mantle\, and became the first Christian philosopher. He combined the Christian religion with the best elements in Greek philosophy. In his view\, philosophy was a pedagogue of Christ\, an educator that was to lead one to Christ. \nJustin is known as an apologist\, one who defends in writing the Christian religion against the attacks and misunderstandings of the pagans. Two of his so-called apologies have come down to us; they are addressed to the Roman emperor and to the Senate. \nFor his staunch adherence to the Christian religion\, Justin was beheaded in Rome in 165. \n\nReflection\nAs patron of philosophers\, Justin may inspire us to use our natural powers–especially our power to know and understand–in the service of Christ\, and to build up the Christian life within us. Since we are prone to error\, especially in reference to the deep questions concerning life and existence\, we should also be willing to correct and check our natural thinking in light of religious truth. Thus we will be able to say with the learned saints of the Church: I believe in order to understand\, and I understand in order to believe.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-justin-martyr/2018-06-01/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180531
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180601
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T163613Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T163613Z
UID:6760-1527724800-1527811199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
DESCRIPTION:Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary\nSaint of the Day for May 31\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay31.mp3\nThe Story of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary\nThis is a fairly late feast\, going back only to the 13th or 14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to pray for unity. The present date of celebration was set in 1969\, in order to follow the Annunciation of the Lord and precede the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. \nLike most feasts of Mary\, it is closely connected with Jesus and his saving work. The more visible actors in the visitation drama (see Luke 1:39-45) are Mary and Elizabeth. However\, Jesus and John the Baptist steal the scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with joy—the joy of messianic salvation. Elizabeth\, in turn\, is filled with the Holy Spirit and addresses words of praise to Mary—words that echo down through the ages. \nIt is helpful to recall that we do not have a journalist’s account of this meeting. Rather Luke\, speaking for the Church\, gives a prayerful poet’s rendition of the scene. Elizabeth’s praise of Mary as “the mother of my Lord” can be viewed as the earliest Church’s devotion to Mary. As with all authentic devotion to Mary\, Elizabeth’s (the Church’s) words first praise God for what God has done to Mary. Only secondly does she praise Mary for trusting God’s words. \nThen comes the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Here\, Mary herself–like the Church–traces all her greatness to God. \n\nReflection\nOne of the invocations in Mary’s litany is “Ark of the Covenant.” Like the Ark of the Covenant of old\, Mary brings God’s presence into the lives of other people. As David danced before the Ark\, John the Baptist leaps for joy. As the Ark helped to unite the 12 tribes of Israel by being placed in David’s capital\, so Mary has the power to unite all Christians in her son. At times\, devotion to Mary may have occasioned some divisiveness\, but we can hope that authentic devotion will lead all to Christ and therefore\, to one another.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/visitation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/2018-05-31/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180530
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180531
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T162558Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T162624Z
UID:6757-1527638400-1527724799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Joan of Arc
DESCRIPTION:Saint Joan of Arc\nSaint of the Day for May 30\n(? January 6\, 1412 – May 30\, 1431)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay30.mp3\nSaint Joan of Arc’s Story\nBurned at the stake as a heretic after a politically-motivated trial\, Joan was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. \nBorn of a fairly well-to-do peasant couple in Domremy-Greux southeast of Paris\, Joan was only 12 when she experienced a vision and heard voices that she later identified as Saints Michael the Archangel\, Catherine of Alexandria\, and Margaret of Antioch. \nDuring the Hundred Years War\, Joan led French troops against the English and recaptured the cities of Orléans and Troyes. This enabled Charles VII to be crowned as king in Reims in 1429. Captured near Compiegne the following year\, Joan was sold to the English and placed on trial for heresy and witchcraft. Professors at the University of Paris supported Bishop Pierre Cauchon of Beauvis\, the judge at her trial; Cardinal Henry Beaufort of Winchester\, England\, participated in the questioning of Joan in prison. In the end\, she was condemned for wearing men’s clothes. The English resented France’s military success–to which Joan contributed. \nOn this day in 1431\, Joan was burned at the stake in Rouen\, and her ashes were scattered in the Seine River. A second Church trial 25 years later nullified the earlier verdict\, which was reached under political pressure. \nRemembered by most people for her military exploits\, Joan had a great love for the sacraments\, which strengthened her compassion toward the poor. Popular devotion to her increased greatly in 19th-century France and later among French soldiers during World War I. Theologian George Tavard writes that her life “offers a perfect example of the conjunction of contemplation and action” because her spiritual insight is that there should be a “unity of heaven and earth.” \nJoan of Arc has been the subject of many books\, plays\, operas and movies. \n\nReflection\n“Joan of Arc is like a shooting star across the landscape of French and English history\, amid the stories of the Church’s saints and into our consciousness. Women identify with her; men admire her courage. She challenges us in fundamental ways. Despite the fact that more than 500 years have passed since she lived\, her issues of mysticism\, calling\, identity\, trust and betrayal\, conflict and focus are our issues still.” (Joan of Arc: God’s Warrior\, by Barbara Beckwith) \n\nSaint Joan of Arc is the Patron Saint of:\nFrance\nMilitary Members \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for May 30 is Saint Ferdinand III.\n 
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-joan-of-arc/2018-05-30/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180529
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180530
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T161635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T161635Z
UID:6754-1527552000-1527638399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Madeleine Sophie Bara
DESCRIPTION:Saint of the Day for May 29\n(December 12\, 1779 – May 25\, 1865)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay29.mp3\nSaint Madeleine Sophie Barat’s Story\nThe legacy of Madeleine Sophie Barat can be found in the more than 100 schools operated by her Society of the Sacred Heart\, institutions known for the quality of the education made available to the young. \nSophie herself received an extensive education\, thanks to her brother Louis\, 11 years older and her godfather at baptism. Himself a seminarian\, Louis decided that his younger sister would likewise learn Latin\, Greek\, history\, physics and mathematics—always without interruption and with a minimum of companionship. By age 15\, she had received a thorough exposure to the Bible\, the teachings of the Fathers of the Church and theology. Despite the oppressive regime Louis imposed\, young Sophie thrived and developed a genuine love of learning. \nMeanwhile\, this was the time of the French Revolution and of the suppression of Christian schools. The education of the young\, particularly young girls\, was in a troubled state. Sophie\, who had discerned a call to the religious life\, was persuaded to become a teacher. She founded the Society of the Sacred Heart\, which focused on schools for the poor as well as boarding schools for young women of means. Today\, co-ed Sacred Heart schools also can be found\, along with schools exclusively for boys. \nIn 1826\, her Society of the Sacred Heart received formal papal approval. By then she had served as superior at a number of convents. In 1865\, she was stricken with paralysis; she died that year on the feast of the Ascension. \nMadeleine Sophie Barat was canonized in 1925. \n\nReflection\nMadeleine Sophie Barat lived in turbulent times. She was only 10 when the Reign of Terror began. In the wake of the French Revolution\, rich and poor both suffered before some semblance of normality returned to France. Born to some degree of privilege\, Sophie received a good education. It grieved her that the same opportunity was being denied to other young girls\, and she devoted herself to educating them\, whether poor or well-to-do. We who live in an affluent country can follow her example by helping to ensure to others the blessings we have enjoyed.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-madeleine-sophie-bara/2018-05-29/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180528
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180529
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T161454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T161454Z
UID:6751-1527465600-1527551999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Venerable Pierre Toussaint
DESCRIPTION:Venerable Pierre Toussaint\nSaint of the Day for May 28\nJune 27\, 1766 – June 30\, 1853)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay28.mp3\nVenerable Pierre Toussaint’s Story\nBorn in modern-day Haiti and brought to New York City as a slave\, Pierre died a free man\, a renowned hairdresser\, and one of New York City’s most well-known Catholics. \nPlantation owner Pierre Bérard made Toussaint a house slave and allowed his grandmother to teach her grandson how to read and write. In his early 20s\, Pierre\, his younger sister\, his aunt\, and two other house slaves accompanied their master’s son to New York City because of political unrest at home. Apprenticed to a local hairdresser\, Pierre learned the trade quickly and eventually worked very successfully in the homes of rich women in New York City. \nWhen his master died\, Pierre was determined to support himself\, his master’s widow\, and the other house slaves. He was freed shortly before the widow’s death in 1807. \nFour years later\, he married Marie Rose Juliette\, whose freedom he had purchased. They later adopted Euphémie\, his orphaned niece. Both preceded Pierre in death. He attended daily Mass at St. Peter’s Church on Barclay Street\, the same parish that Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton had attended. \nPierre donated to various charities\, generously assisting blacks and whites in need. He and his wife opened their home to orphans and educated them. The couple also nursed abandoned people who were suffering from yellow fever. Urged to retire and enjoy the wealth he had accumulated\, Pierre responded\, “I have enough for myself\, but if I stop working I have not enough for others.” \nPierre originally was buried outside St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral\, where he was once refused entrance because of his race. His sanctity and the popular devotion to him caused his body to be moved to the present location of St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue. \nPierre Toussaint was declared Venerable in 1996. \n\nReflection\nPierre was internally free long before he was legally free. Refusing to become bitter\, he daily chose to cooperate with God’s grace\, eventually becoming a compelling sign of God’s wildly generous love.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/venerable-pierre-toussaint/2018-05-28/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180527
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180528
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T161304Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T161304Z
UID:6748-1527379200-1527465599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Augustine of Canterbury
DESCRIPTION:Saint Augustine of Canterbury\nSaint of the Day for May 27\n(? – May 26\, 605)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay27.mp3\nSaint Augustine of Canterbury’s Story\nIn the year 596\, some 40 monks set out from Rome to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons in England. Leading the group was Augustine\, the prior of their monastery. Hardly had he and his men reached Gaul when they heard stories of the ferocity of the Anglo-Saxons and of the treacherous waters of the English Channel. Augustine returned to Rome and to Gregory the Great—the pope who had sent them—only to be assured by him that their fears were groundless. \nAugustine set out again. This time the group crossed the English Channel and landed in the territory of Kent\, ruled by King Ethelbert\, a pagan married to a Christian\, Bertha. Ethelbert received them kindly\, set up a residence for them in Canterbury and within the year\, on Pentecost Sunday 597\, was himself baptized. After being consecrated a bishop in France\, Augustine returned to Canterbury\, where he founded his see. He constructed a church and monastery near where the present cathedral\, begun in 1070\, now stands. As the faith spread\, additional sees were established at London and Rochester. \nWork was sometimes slow and Augustine did not always meet with success. Attempts to reconcile the Anglo-Saxon Christians with the original Briton Christians–who had been driven into western England by Anglo-Saxon invaders–ended in dismal failure. Augustine failed to convince the Britons to give up certain Celtic customs at variance with Rome and to forget their bitterness\, helping him evangelize their Anglo-Saxon conquerors. \nLaboring patiently\, Augustine wisely heeded the missionary principles—quite enlightened for the times—suggested by Pope Gregory: purify rather than destroy pagan temples and customs; let pagan rites and festivals be transformed into Christian feasts; retain local customs as far as possible. The limited success Augustine achieved in England before his death in 605\, a short eight years after his arrival\, would eventually bear fruit long after in the conversion of England. Augustine of Canterbury can truly be called the “Apostle of England.” \n\nReflection\nAugustine of Canterbury comes across today as a very human saint\, one who could suffer like many of us from a failure of nerve. For example\, his first venture to England ended in a big U-turn back to Rome. He made mistakes and met failure in his peacemaking attempts with the Briton Christians. He often wrote to Rome for decisions on matters he could have decided on his own had he been more self-assured. He even received mild warnings against pride from Pope Gregory\, who cautioned him to “fear lest\, amidst the wonders that are done\, the weak mind be puffed up by self-esteem.” Augustine’s perseverance amidst obstacles and only partial success teaches today’s apostles and pioneers to struggle on despite frustrations and be satisfied with gradual advances. \n\nSaint Augustine of Canterbury is the Patron Saint of:\nEngland \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for May 27 is Blessed Gerard of Lunel.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-augustine-of-canterbury/2018-05-27/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180526
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180527
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T161129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T161129Z
UID:6745-1527292800-1527379199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Philip Neri
DESCRIPTION:Saint Philip Neri\nSaint of the Day for May 26\n(July 21\, 1515 – May 26\, 1595)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay26.mp3\nSaint Philip Neri’s Story\nPhilip Neri was a sign of contradiction\, combining popularity with piety against the background of a corrupt Rome and a disinterested clergy: the whole post-Renaissance malaise. \nAt an early age\, Philip abandoned the chance to become a businessman\, moved to Rome from Florence\, and devoted his life and individuality to God. After three years of philosophy and theology studies\, he gave up any thought of ordination. The next 13 years were spent in a vocation unusual at the time—that of a layperson actively engaged in prayer and the apostolate. \nAs the Council of Trent (1545-63) was reforming the Church on a doctrinal level\, Philip’s appealing personality was winning him friends from all levels of society\, from beggars to cardinals. He rapidly gathered around himself a group of laypersons won over by his audacious spirituality. Initially\, they met as an informal prayer and discussion group\, and also served poor people in Rome. \nAt the urging of his confessor\, Philip was ordained a priest and soon became an outstanding confessor himself\, gifted with the knack of piercing the pretenses and illusions of others\, though always in a charitable manner and often with a joke. He arranged talks\, discussions\, and prayers for his penitents in a room above the church. He sometimes led “excursions” to other churches\, often with music and a picnic on the way. \nSome of Philip’s followers became priests and lived together in community. This was the beginning of the Oratory\, the religious institute he founded. A feature of their life was a daily afternoon service of four informal talks\, with vernacular hymns and prayers. Giovanni Palestrina was one of Philip’s followers\, and composed music for the services. The Oratory was finally approved after suffering through a period of accusations of being an assembly of heretics\, where laypersons preached and sang vernacular hymns! \nPhilip’s advice was sought by many of the prominent figures of his day. He is one of the influential figures of the Counter-Reformation\, mainly for converting to personal holiness many of the influential people within the Church itself. His characteristic virtues were humility and gaiety. \nAfter spending a day hearing confessions and receiving visitors\, Philip Neri suffered a hemorrage and died on the feast of Corpus Christi in 1595. He was beatified in 1615 and canonized in 1622. Three centuries later\, Cardinal John Henry Newman founded the first English-speaking house of the Oratory in London. \n\nReflection\nMany people wrongly feel that such an attractive and jocular personality as Philip’s cannot be combined with an intense spirituality. Philip’s life melts our rigid\, narrow views of piety. His approach to sanctity was truly catholic\, all-embracing\, and accompanied by a good laugh. Philip always wanted his followers to become not less but more human through their striving for holiness.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-philip-neri/2018-05-26/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180525
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180526
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T160906Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T160906Z
UID:6742-1527206400-1527292799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Bede the Venerable
DESCRIPTION:Saint Bede the Venerable\nSaint of the Day for May 25\n(c. 672 – May 25\, 735)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay25.mp3\nSaint Bede the Venerable’s Story\nBede is one of the few saints honored as such even during his lifetime. His writings were filled with such faith and learning that even while he was still alive\, a Church council ordered them to be read publicly in the churches. \nAt an early age\, Bede was entrusted to the care of the abbot of the Monastery of St. Paul\, Jarrow. The happy combination of genius and the instruction of scholarly\, saintly monks\, produced a saint and an extraordinary scholar\, perhaps the most outstanding one of his day. He was deeply versed in all the sciences of his times: natural philosophy\, the philosophical principles of Aristotle\, astronomy\, arithmetic\, grammar\, ecclesiastical history\, the lives of the saints and especially\, holy Scripture. \nFrom the time of his ordination to the priesthood at 30–he had been ordained a deacon at 19–till his death\, Bede was ever occupied with learning\, writing\, and teaching. Besides the many books that he copied\, he composed 45 of his own\, including 30 commentaries on books of the Bible. \nHis Ecclesiastical History of the English People is commonly regarded as of decisive importance in the art and science of writing history. A unique era was coming to an end at the time of Bede’s death: It had fulfilled its purpose of preparing Western Christianity to assimilate the non-Roman barbarian North. Bede recognized the opening to a new day in the life of the Church even as it was happening. \nAlthough eagerly sought by kings and other notables\, even Pope Sergius\, Bede managed to remain in his own monastery until his death. Only once did he leave for a few months in order to teach in the school of the archbishop of York. Bede died in 735 praying his favorite prayer: “Glory be to the Father\, and to the Son\, and to the Holy Spirit. As in the beginning\, so now\, and forever.” \n  \n\nReflection\nThough his History is the greatest legacy Bede has left us\, his work in all the sciences\, especially in Scripture\, should not be overlooked. During his last Lent\, Bede worked on a translation of the Gospel of Saint John into English\, completing it the day he died. But of this work “to break the word to the poor and unlearned” nothing remains today. \n\nSaint Bede the Venerable is the Patron Saint of:\nScholars
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-bede-the-venerable/2018-05-25/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180524
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180525
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T155949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T155949Z
UID:6739-1527120000-1527206399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi
DESCRIPTION:Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi\nSaint of the Day for May 24\n(April 2\, 1566 – May 25\, 1607)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay24.mp3\nSaint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi’s Story\nMystical ecstasy is the elevation of the spirit to God in such a way that the person is aware of this union with God while both internal and external senses are detached from the sensible world. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi was so generously given this special gift of God that she is called the “ecstatic saint.” \nCatherine de’ Pazzi was born into a noble family in Florence in 1566. The normal course would have been for her to have married into wealth and enjoyed comfort\, but Catherine chose to follow her own path. At 9\, she learned to meditate from the family confessor. She made her first Communion at the then-early age of 10\, and made a vow of virginity one month later. At 16\, Catherine entered the Carmelite convent in Florence because she could receive Communion daily there. \nCatherine had taken the name Mary Magdalene and had been a novice for a year when she became critically ill. Death seemed near\, so her superiors let her make her profession of vows in a private ceremony from a cot in the chapel. Immediately after\, Mary Magdalene fell into an ecstasy that lasted about two hours. This was repeated after Communion on the following 40 mornings. These ecstasies were rich experiences of union with God and contained marvelous insights into divine truths. \nAs a safeguard against deception and to preserve the revelations\, her confessor asked Mary Magdalene to dictate her experiences to sister secretaries. Over the next six years\, five large volumes were filled. The first three books record ecstasies from May of 1584 through Pentecost week the following year. This week was a preparation for a severe five-year trial. The fourth book records that trial and the fifth is a collection of letters concerning reform and renewal. Another book\, Admonitions\, is a collection of her sayings arising from her experiences in the formation of women religious. \nThe extraordinary was ordinary for this saint. She read the thoughts of others and predicted future events. During her lifetime\, Mary Magdalene appeared to several persons in distant places and cured a number of sick people. \nIt would be easy to dwell on the ecstasies and pretend that Mary Magdalene only had spiritual highs. This is far from true. It seems that God permitted her this special closeness to prepare her for the five years of desolation that followed when she experienced spiritual dryness. She was plunged into a state of darkness in which she saw nothing but what was horrible in herself and all around her. She had violent temptations and endured great physical suffering. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi died in 1607 at age 41\, and was canonized in 1669. \n\nReflection\nIntimate union\, God’s gift to mystics\, is a reminder to all of us of the eternal happiness of union he wishes to give us. The cause of mystical ecstasy in this life is the Holy Spirit\, working through spiritual gifts. The ecstasy occurs because of the weakness of the body and its powers to withstand the divine illumination\, but as the body is purified and strengthened\, ecstasy no longer occurs. See Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle\, and John of the Cross’ Dark Night of the Soul\, for more about various aspects of ecstasies. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of  Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi is May 25.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-mary-magdalene-de-pazzi/2018-05-24/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180523
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180524
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T155630Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T155630Z
UID:6736-1527033600-1527119999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Gregory VII
DESCRIPTION:Saint Gregory VII\nSaint of the Day for May 23\n(c. 1025 – May 25\, 1085)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay23.mp3\nSaint Gregory VII’s Story\nThe 10th century and the first half of the 11th were dark days for the Church\, partly because the papacy was the pawn of various Roman families. In 1049\, things began to change when Pope Leo IX\, a reformer\, was elected. He brought a young monk named Hildebrand to Rome as his counselor and special representative on important missions. Hildebrand was to become Gregory VII. \nThree evils plagued the Church then: simony–the buying and selling of sacred offices and things; the unlawful marriage of the clergy; and lay investiture–kings and nobles controlling the appointment of Church officials. To all of these Hildebrand directed his reformer’s attention\, first as counselor to the popes and later as pope himself. \nGregory’s papal letters stress the role of the bishop of Rome as the vicar of Christ and the visible center of unity in the Church. He is well known for his long dispute with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV over who should control the selection of bishops and abbots. \nGregory fiercely resisted any attack on the liberty of the Church. For this he suffered and finally died in exile. He said\, “I have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore\, I die in exile.” Thirty years later the Church finally won its struggle against lay investiture. \n\nReflection\nThe Gregorian Reform\, a milestone in the history of Christ’s Church\, was named after this man who tried to extricate the papacy and the whole Church from undue control by civil rulers. Against an unhealthy Church nationalism in some areas\, Gregory reasserted the unity of the whole Church based on Christ\, and expressed in the bishop of Rome\, the successor of Saint Peter. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Gregory VII is May 25.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-gregory-vii/2018-05-23/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180522
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180523
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T155439Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T155439Z
UID:6733-1526947200-1527033599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Rita of Cascia
DESCRIPTION:Saint Rita of Cascia\nSaint of the Day for May 22\n(1381 – May 22\, 1457)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay22.mp3\nSaint Rita of Cascia’s Story\nLike Elizabeth Ann Seton\, Rita of Cascia was a wife\, mother\, widow\, and member of a religious community. Her holiness was reflected in each phase of her life. \nBorn at Roccaporena in central Italy\, Rita wanted to become a nun but was pressured at a young age into marrying a harsh and cruel man. During her 18-year marriage\, she bore and raised two sons. After her husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died\, Rita tried to join the Augustinian nuns in Cascia. Unsuccessful at first because she was a widow\, Rita eventually succeeded. \nOver the years\, her austerity\, prayerfulness\, and charity became legendary. When she developed wounds on her forehead\, people quickly associated them with the wounds from Christ’s crown of thorns. She meditated frequently on Christ’s passion. Her care for the sick nuns was especially loving. She also counseled lay people who came to her monastery. \nBeatified in 1626\, Rita was not canonized until 1900. She has acquired the reputation\, together with Saint Jude\, as a saint of impossible cases. Many people visit her tomb each year. \n\nReflection\nAlthough we can easily imagine an ideal world in which to live out our baptismal vocation\, such a world does not exist. An “If only ….” approach to holiness never quite gets underway\, never produces the fruit that God has a right to expect. \nRita became holy because she made choices that reflected her baptism and her growth as a disciple of Jesus. Her overarching\, lifelong choice was to cooperate generously with God’s grace\, but many small choices were needed to make that happen. Few of those choices were made in ideal circumstances—not even when Rita became an Augustinian nun. \n\nSaint Rita of Cascia is the Patron Saint of:\nDifficult Marriages\nImpossible Causes\nInfertility\nParenthood
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-rita-of-cascia/2018-05-22/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180521
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180522
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T155215Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T155215Z
UID:6730-1526860800-1526947199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions
DESCRIPTION:Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions\nSaint of the Day for May 21\n(d. between 1915 and 1937)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay21.mp3\nSaint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions’ Story\nLike Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro\, S.J.\, Cristóbal and his 24 companion martyrs lived under a very anti-Catholic government in Mexico\, one determined to weaken the Catholic faith of its people. Churches\, schools\, and seminaries were closed; foreign clergy were expelled. Cristóbal established a clandestine seminary at Totatiche\, Jalisco. He and the other priests were forced to minister secretly to Catholics during the presidency of Plutarco Calles (1924-28). \nAll of these martyrs\, except three\, were diocesan priests. David\, Manuel and Salvador were laymen who died with their parish priest\, Luis Batis. They all belonged to the Cristero movement\, pledging their allegiance to Christ and to the Church that he established\, to spread the Good News in society—even if Mexico’s leaders had made it a crime to receive baptism or celebrate the Mass. \nThese martyrs did not die as a single group but over 22 years time in eight Mexican states\, with Jalisco and Zacatecas having the largest number. They were beatified in 1992 and canonized eight years later. \n\nReflection\nEvery martyr realizes how to avoid execution\, but refuses to pay the high price of doing so. A clear conscience was more valuable than a long life. We may be tempted to compromise our faith while telling ourselves that we are simply being realistic\, dealing with situations as we find them. Is survival really the ultimate value? Do our concrete\, daily choices reflect our deepest values\, the ones that allow us to “tick” the way we do? Anyone can imagine situations in which being a follower of Jesus is easier than the present situation. Saints remind us that our daily choices\, especially in adverse circumstances\, form the pattern of our lives. \n\nOther Saints of the Day for May 21 are Saint Eugene de Mazenod and Saint Crispin of Viterbo.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-cristobal-magallanes-and-companions/2018-05-21/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180520
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180521
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T155005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T155023Z
UID:6727-1526774400-1526860799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Bernardine of Siena
DESCRIPTION:Saint Bernardine of Siena\nSaint of the Day for May 20\n(September 8\, 1380 – May 20\, 1444)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay20.mp3\nSaint Bernardine of Siena’s Story\nMost of the saints suffer great personal opposition\, even persecution. Bernardine\, by contrast\, seems more like a human dynamo who simply took on the needs of the world. \nHe was the greatest preacher of his time\, journeying across Italy\, calming strife-torn cities\, attacking the paganism he found rampant\, attracting crowds of 30\,000\, following St. Francis of Assisi’s admonition to preach about “vice and virtue\, punishment and glory.” \nCompared with Saint Paul by the pope\, Bernardine had a keen intuition of the needs of the time\, along with solid holiness and boundless energy and joy. He accomplished all this despite having a very weak and hoarse voice\, miraculously improved later because of his devotion to Mary. \nWhen he was 20\, the plague was at its height in his hometown of Siena. Sometimes as many as 20 people died in one day at the hospital. Bernardine offered to run the hospital and\, with the help of other young men\, nursed patients there for four months. He escaped the plague\, but was so exhausted that a fever confined him for several months. He spent another year caring for a beloved aunt whose parents had died when he was a child\, and at her death began to fast and pray to know God’s will for him. \nAt 22\, he entered the Franciscan Order and was ordained two years later. For almost a dozen years he lived in solitude and prayer\, but his gifts ultimately caused him to be sent to preach. He always traveled on foot\, sometimes speaking for hours in one place\, then doing the same in another town. \nEspecially known for his devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus\, Bernardine devised a symbol—IHS\, the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek–in Gothic letters on a blazing sun. This was to displace the superstitious symbols of the day\, as well as the insignia of factions: for example\, Guelphs and Ghibellines. The devotion spread\, and the symbol began to appear in churches\, homes and public buildings. Opposition arose from those who thought it a dangerous innovation. Three attempts were made to have the pope take action against him\, but Bernardine’s holiness\, orthodoxy\, and intelligence were evidence of his faithfulness. \nGeneral of the Friars of the Strict Observance\, a branch of the Franciscan Order\, Bernardine strongly emphasized scholarship and further study of theology and canon law. When he started there were 300 friars in the community; when he died there were 4\,000. He returned to preaching the last two years of his life\, dying while traveling. \n\nReflection\nAnother dynamic saint once said\, “…I will not be a burden\, for I want not what is yours\, but you…. I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your sakes” (2 Corinthians 12:14). There is danger that we see only the whirlwind of activity in the Bernardines of faith—taking care of the sick\, preaching\, studying\, administering\, always driving—and forget the source of their energy. We should not say that Bernardine could have been a great contemplative if he had had the chance. He had the chance\, every day\, and he took it. \n\nSaint Bernardine of Siena is the Patron Saint of:\nAdvertising\nGambling\nItaly\nPublic relations
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-bernardine-of-siena/2018-05-20/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180519
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180520
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T154829Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T154829Z
UID:6724-1526688000-1526774399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Theophilus of Corte
DESCRIPTION:Saint Theophilus of Corte\nSaint of the Day for May 19\n(October 30\, 1676 – June 17\, 1740)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay19.mp3\nSaint Theophilus of Corte’s Story\nIf we expect saints to do marvelous things continually and to leave us many memorable quotes\, we are bound to be disappointed with Saint Theophilus. The mystery of God’s grace in a person’s life\, however\, has a beauty all its own. \nTheophilus was born in Corsica of rich and noble parents. As a young man\, he entered the Franciscans and soon showed his love for solitude and prayer. After admirably completing his studies\, he was ordained and assigned to a retreat house near Subiaco. Inspired by the austere life of the Franciscans there\, he founded other such houses in Corsica and Tuscany. Over the years\, he became famous for his preaching as well as his missionary efforts. \nThough he was always somewhat sickly\, Theophilus generously served the needs of God’s people in the confessional\, in the sickroom\, and at the graveside. Worn out by his labors\, he died on June 17\, 1740. He was canonized in 1930. \n\nReflection\nThere is a certain dynamism in all the saints that prompts them to find ever more selfless ways of responding to God’s grace. As time went on\, Theophilus gave more and more single-hearted service to God and to God’s sons and daughters. Honoring the saints will make no sense unless we are thus drawn to live as generously as they did. Their holiness can never substitute for our own. \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for May 19 is Saint Dunstan.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-theophilus-of-corte/2018-05-19/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180518
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180519
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T153008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T153008Z
UID:6721-1526601600-1526687999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint John I
DESCRIPTION:St. John I\nSaint of the Day for May 18\n(c. 470 – May 18\, 526)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay18.mp3\nSaint John I’s Story\nPope John I inherited the Arian heresy\, which denied the divinity of Christ. Italy had been ruled for 30 years by an emperor who espoused the heresy\, though he treated the empire’s Catholics with toleration. His policy changed at about the time the young John was elected pope. \nWhen the eastern emperor began imposing severe measures on the Arians of his area\, the western emperor forced John to head a delegation to the East to soften the measures against the heretics. Little is known of the manner or outcome of the negotiations—designed to secure continued toleration of Catholics in the West. \nOn his way home\, John was imprisoned at Ravenna because the emperor had begun to suspect that John’s friendship with his eastern rival might lead to a conspiracy against his throne. Shortly after his imprisonment\, John died\, apparently from the treatment he received in prison. \nJohn’s body was transported to Rome and he was buried in the Basilica of St. Peter. \n  \n\nReflection\nWe cannot choose the issues for which we have to suffer and perhaps die. John I suffered because of a power-conscious emperor. Jesus suffered because of the suspicions of those who were threatened by his freedom\, openness\, and powerlessness. “If you find that the world hates you\, know it has hated me before you” (John 15:18). \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for May 18 is Saint Felix of Cantalice.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-john-i/2018-05-18/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180517
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180518
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T151550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T151550Z
UID:6718-1526515200-1526601599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Paschal Baylon
DESCRIPTION:Saint Paschal Baylon\nSaint of the Day for May 17\n(May 24\, 1540 – May 15\, 1592)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay17.mp3\nSaint Paschal Baylon’s story\nIn Paschal’s lifetime the Spanish empire in the New World was at the height of its power\, though France and England were soon to reduce its influence. The 16th century has been called the Golden Age of the Church in Spain\, for it gave birth to Ignatius of Loyola\, Francis Xavier\, Teresa of Avila\, John of the Cross\, Peter of Alcantara\, Francis Solano and Salvator of Horta. \nPaschal’s Spanish parents were poor and pious. Between the ages of seven and 24 he worked as a shepherd and began a life of mortification. He was able to pray on the job and was especially attentive to the church bell\, which rang at the Elevation during Mass. Paschal had a very honest streak in him. He once offered to pay owners of crops for any damage his animals caused! \nIn 1564\, Paschal joined the Friars Minor and gave himself wholeheartedly to a life of penance. Though he was urged to study for the priesthood\, he chose to be a brother. At various times he served as porter\, cook\, gardener\, and official beggar. \nPaschal was careful to observe the vow of poverty. He would never waste any food or anything given for the use of the friars. When he was porter and took care of the poor coming to the door\, he developed a reputation for great generosity. The friars sometimes tried to moderate his liberality! \nPaschal spent his spare moments praying before the Blessed Sacrament. In time\, many people sought his wise counsel. People flocked to his tomb immediately after his burial; miracles were reported promptly. Paschal was canonized in 1690 and was named patron of eucharistic congresses and societies in 1897. \n\nReflection\nPrayer before the Blessed Sacrament occupied much of Saint Francis’ energy. Most of his letters were to promote devotion to the Eucharist. Paschal shared that concern. An hour in prayer before our Lord in the Eucharist could teach all of us a great deal. Some holy and busy Catholics today find that their work is enriched by those minutes regularly spent in prayer and meditation. \n\nSaint Paschal Baylon is the Patron Saint of:\nEucharistic Congresses and Societies\nShepherds
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-paschal-baylon/2018-05-17/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180516
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180517
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T151304Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T151304Z
UID:6715-1526428800-1526515199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Margaret of Cortona
DESCRIPTION:Saint Margaret of Cortona\nSaint of the Day for May 16\n(1247 – February 22\, 1297)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay16.mp3\nSaint Margaret of Cortona’s Story\nMargaret was born of farming parents in Laviano\, Tuscany. Her mother died when Margaret was seven; life with her stepmother was so difficult that Margaret moved out. For nine years she lived with Arsenio\, though they were not married\, and she bore him a son. In those years\, she had doubts about her situation. Somewhat like Saint Augustine\, she prayed for purity—but not just yet. \nOne day she was waiting for Arsenio and was instead met by his dog. The animal led Margaret into the forest where she found Arsenio murdered. This crime shocked Margaret into a life of penance. She and her son returned to Laviano\, where she was not well received by her stepmother. They then went to Cortona\, where her son eventually became a friar. \nIn 1277\, three years after her conversion\, Margaret became a Franciscan tertiary. Under the direction of her confessor\, who sometimes had to order her to moderate her self-denial\, she pursued a life of prayer and penance at Cortona. There she established a hospital and founded a congregation of tertiary sisters. The poor and humble Margaret was\, like Francis\, devoted to the Eucharist and to the passion of Jesus. These devotions fueled her great charity and drew sinners to her for advice and inspiration. She was canonized in 1728. \n\nReflection\nSeeking forgiveness is sometimes difficult work. It is made easier by meeting people who\, without trivializing our sins\, assure us that God rejoices over our repentance. Being forgiven lifts a weight and prompts us to acts of charity. \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for May 16 is Saint Brendan.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-margaret-of-cortona/2018-05-16/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180515
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180516
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T150857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T150857Z
UID:6709-1526342400-1526428799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Isidore the Farmer
DESCRIPTION:Saint Isidore the Farmer\nSaint of the Day for May 15\n(1070 – May 15\, 1130)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay15.mp3\nSaint Isidore the Farmer’s Story\nIsidore has become the patron of farmers and rural communities. In particular\, he is the patron of Madrid\, Spain\, and of the United States National Rural Life Conference. \nWhen he was barely old enough to wield a hoe\, Isidore entered the service of John de Vergas\, a wealthy landowner from Madrid\, and worked faithfully on his estate outside the city for the rest of his life. He married a young woman as simple and upright as himself who also became a saint—Maria de la Cabeza. They had one son\, who died as a child. \nIsidore had deep religious instincts. He rose early in the morning to go to church and spent many a holiday devoutly visiting the churches of Madrid and surrounding areas. All day long\, as he walked behind the plow\, he communed with God. His devotion\, one might say\, became a problem\, for his fellow workers sometimes complained that he often showed up late because of lingering in church too long. \nHe was known for his love of the poor\, and there are accounts of Isidore’s supplying them miraculously with food. He had a great concern for the proper treatment of animals. \nHe died May 15\, 1130\, and was declared a saint in 1622\, with Saints Ignatius of Loyola\, Francis Xavier\, Teresa of Avila\, and Philip Neri. Together\, the group is known in Spain as “the five saints.” \n\nReflection\nMany implications can be found in a simple laborer achieving sainthood: Physical labor has dignity; sainthood does not stem from status; contemplation does not depend on learning; the simple life is conducive to holiness and happiness. Legends about angel helpers and mysterious oxen indicate that his work was not neglected and his duties did not go unfulfilled. Perhaps the truth which emerges is this: If you have your spiritual self in order\, your earthly commitments will fall into order also. “[S]eek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness\,” said the carpenter from Nazareth\, “and all these things will be given you besides” (Matthew 6:33). \n\nSaint Isidore the Farmer is the Patron Saint of:\nFarmers\nLaborers \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for May 15 is Saint Dymphna.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-isidore-the-farmer/2018-05-15/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180514
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180515
DTSTAMP:20260403T134534
CREATED:20170831T150703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T150703Z
UID:6706-1526256000-1526342399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Matthias
DESCRIPTION:Saint Matthias\nSaint of the Day for May 14\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay14.mp3\nSaint Matthias’ Story\nAccording to Acts 1:15-26\, during the days after the Ascension Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers–about 120 of Jesus’s followers. Now that Judas had betrayed his ministry\, it was necessary\, Peter said\, to fulfill the scriptural recommendation that another should take his office. “Therefore\, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us\, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us\, become with us a witness to his resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22). \nThey nominated two men: Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. They prayed and drew lots. The choice fell upon Matthias\, who was added to the Eleven. \nMatthias is not mentioned by name anywhere else in the New Testament. \n\nReflection\nWhat was the holiness of Matthias? Obviously\, he was suited for apostleship by the experience of being with Jesus from his baptism to his ascension. He must also have been suited personally\, or he would not have been nominated for so great a responsibility. Must we not remind ourselves that the fundamental holiness of Matthias was his receiving gladly the relationship with the Father offered him by Jesus and completed by the Holy Spirit? If the apostles are the foundations of our faith by their witness\, they must also be reminders\, if only implicitly\, that holiness is entirely a matter of God’s giving\, and it is offered to all\, in the everyday circumstances of life. We receive\, and even for this God supplies the power of freedom.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-matthias/2018-05-14/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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