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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200229
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200301
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170825T165804Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170825T165804Z
UID:6308-1582934400-1583020799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Oswald
DESCRIPTION:Saint Oswald\nSaint of the Day for February 29\n(605 – August 5\, 642)\nClick to hear audio clip ►\nThe last acts in the life of today’s saint make for an amazing story. In truth\, they merely underscore the holiness he exhibited throughout his life. \nBorn into a military family in 10th-century England\, Oswald was a nephew of the archbishop of Canterbury\, who raised him and played a crucial role in his early education. Oswald continued his studies abroad in France\, where he became a Benedictine monk. \nFollowing his appointment as bishop of Worcester\, and later as archbishop of York\, he founded monasteries and introduced many reforms. He supported—and improved—scholarship at the abbeys he established\, inviting leading thinkers in such fields as mathematics and astronomy to share their learning. \nHe was widely known for his sanctity\, especially his love for the poor. The final winter of his life was spent at the cathedral in Worcester that he so loved. At the start of Lent\, he resumed his usual practice of washing the feet of 12 poor men each day. On Leap Year Day\, February 29\, he died after kissing the feet of the 12th man and giving a blessing. \nThe news of Oswald’s death brought an outpouring of grief throughout the city. \n\nReflection\nNepotism does not always lead to bad results proving that God can use even something quite negative to bring about some good. Oswald seemed to enjoy favors as a result of his uncle\, the Archbishop of Canterbury\, but he followed his own humble path and gained sanctity serving the poor.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-oswald/2020-02-29/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180731
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180801
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T145125Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T145125Z
UID:6962-1532995200-1533081599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Ignatius of Loyola
DESCRIPTION:Saint Ignatius of Loyola\nSaint of the Day for July 31\n(October 23\, 1491 – July 31\, 1556)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul31.mp3\nSaint Ignatius of Loyola’s Story\nThe founder of the Jesuits was on his way to military fame and fortune when a cannon ball shattered his leg. Because there were no books of romance on hand during his convalescence\, Ignatius whiled away the time reading a life of Christ and lives of the saints. His conscience was deeply touched\, and a long\, painful turning to Christ began. Having seen the Mother of God in a vision\, he made a pilgrimage to her shrine at Montserrat near Barcelona. He remained for almost a year at nearby Manresa\, sometimes with the Dominicans\, sometimes in a pauper’s hospice\, often in a cave in the hills praying. After a period of great peace of mind\, he went through a harrowing trial of scruples. There was no comfort in anything—prayer\, fasting\, sacraments\, penance. At length\, his peace of mind returned. \nIt was during this year of conversion that Ignatius began to write down material that later became his greatest work\, the Spiritual Exercises. \nHe finally achieved his purpose of going to the Holy Land\, but could not remain\, as he planned\, because of the hostility of the Turks. Ignatius spent the next 11 years in various European universities\, studying with great difficulty\, beginning almost as a child. Like many others\, his orthodoxy was questioned; Ignatius was twice jailed for brief periods. \nIn 1534\, at the age of 43\, he and six others–one of whom was Saint Francis Xavier–vowed to live in poverty and chastity and to go to the Holy Land. If this became impossible\, they vowed to offer themselves to the apostolic service of the pope. The latter became the only choice. Four years later Ignatius made the association permanent. The new Society of Jesus was approved by Pope Paul III\, and Ignatius was elected to serve as the first general. \nWhen companions were sent on various missions by the pope\, Ignatius remained in Rome\, consolidating the new venture\, but still finding time to found homes for orphans\, catechumens\, and penitents. He founded the Roman College\, intended to be the model of all other colleges of the Society. \nIgnatius was a true mystic. He centered his spiritual life on the essential foundations of Christianity—the Trinity\, Christ\, the Eucharist. His spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto\, Ad majorem Dei gloriam—“for the greater glory of God.” In his concept\, obedience was to be the prominent virtue\, to assure the effectiveness and mobility of his men. All activity was to be guided by a true love of the Church and unconditional obedience to the Holy Father\, for which reason all professed members took a fourth vow to go wherever the pope should send them for the salvation of souls. \n\nReflection\nLuther nailed his theses to the church door at Wittenberg in 1517. Seventeen years later\, Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society that was to play so prominent a part in the Catholic Reformation. He was an implacable foe of Protestantism. Yet the seeds of ecumenism may be found in his words: “Great care must be taken to show forth orthodox truth in such a way that if any heretics happen to be present they may have an example of charity and Christian moderation. No hard words should be used nor any sort of contempt for their errors be shown.” One of the greatest ecumenists was the 20th-century German Jesuit\, Cardinal Augustin Bea. \n\nSaint Ignatius of Loyola is the Patron Saint of:\nRetreats
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-ignatius-of-loyola/2018-07-31/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180730
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180731
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T144943Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T144943Z
UID:6959-1532908800-1532995199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Peter Chrysologus
DESCRIPTION:Saint Peter Chrysologus\nSaint of the Day for July 30\n(c. 406 – c. 450)v\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul30.mp3\nSaint Peter Chrysologus’ Story\nA man who vigorously pursues a goal may produce results far beyond his expectations and his intentions. Thus it was with Peter “of the Golden Words\,” as he was called\, who as a young man became bishop of Ravenna\, the capital of the empire in the West. \nAt the time there were abuses and vestiges of paganism evident in his diocese\, and these Peter was determined to battle and overcome. His principal weapon was the short sermon\, and many of them have come down to us. They do not contain great originality of thought. They are\, however\, full of moral applications\, sound in doctrine\, and historically significant in that they reveal Christian life in fifth-century Ravenna. So authentic were the contents of his sermons that some 13 centuries later\, he was declared a doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII. He who had earnestly sought to teach and motivate his own flock was recognized as a teacher of the universal Church. \nIn addition to his zeal in the exercise of his office\, Peter Chrysologus was distinguished by a fierce loyalty to the Church\, not only in its teaching\, but in its authority as well. He looked upon learning not as a mere opportunity but as an obligation for all\, both as a development of God-given faculties and as a solid support for the worship of God. \nSome time before his death around A.D. 450\, Saint Peter Chrysologus returned to his birthplace of Imola\, in northern Italy. \n\nReflection\nQuite likely\, it was Saint Peter Chrysologus’ attitude toward learning that gave substance to his exhortations. Next to virtue\, learning\, in his view\, was the greatest improvement to the human mind and the support of true religion. Ignorance is not a virtue\, nor is anti-intellectualism. Knowledge is neither more nor less a source of pride than physical\, administrative\, or financial prowess. To be fully human is to expand our knowledge—whether sacred or secular—according to our talent and opportunity.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-peter-chrysologus/2018-07-30/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180729
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180730
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T144824Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T144824Z
UID:6956-1532822400-1532908799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Martha
DESCRIPTION:v \nSaint Martha\nSaint of the Day for July 29\n(b. 1st century\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul29.mp3\nSaint Martha’s Story\nMartha\, Mary\, and their brother Lazarus were evidently close friends of Jesus. He came to their home simply as a welcomed guest\, rather than as one celebrating the conversion of a sinner like Zacchaeus or one unceremoniously received by a suspicious Pharisee. The sisters feel free to call on Jesus at their brother’s death\, even though a return to Judea at that time seems almost certain death. \nNo doubt Martha was an active sort of person. On one occasion\, she prepares the meal for Jesus and possibly his fellow guests and forthrightly states the obvious: All hands should pitch in to help with the dinner. \nYet\, as biblical scholar Father John McKenzie points out\, she need not be rated as an “unrecollected activist.” The evangelist is emphasizing what our Lord said on several occasions about the primacy of the spiritual: “…[D]o not worry about your life\, what you will eat [or drink]\, or about your body\, what you will wear…. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:25b\, 33a); “One does not live by bread alone” (Luke 4:4b); “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” (Matthew 5:6a). \nMartha’s great glory is her simple and strong statement of faith in Jesus after her brother’s death. “Jesus told her\, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me\, even if he dies\, will live\, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him\, ‘Yes\, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah\, the Son of God\, the one who is coming into the world’” (John 11:25-27). \n\nReflection\nScripture commentators point out that in writing his account of the raising of Lazarus\, Saint John intends that we should see Martha’s words to Mary before Lazarus was raised as a summons that every Christian must obey. In her saying “The teacher is here and is asking for you\,” Jesus is calling every one of us to resurrection—now in baptismal faith\, forever in sharing his victory over death. And all of us\, as well as these three friends\, are in our own unique way called to special friendship with him. \n\nSaint Martha is the Patron Saint of:\nCooks\nHousewives\nServants\nWaiters and Waitresses
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-martha/2018-07-29/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180728
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180729
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T144657Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T144657Z
UID:6953-1532736000-1532822399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Leopold Mandic
DESCRIPTION:Saint Leopold Mandic\nSaint of the Day for July 28\n(May 12\, 1866 – July 30\, 1942)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul28.mp3\nSaint Leopold Mandic’s story\nWestern Christians who are working for greater dialogue with Orthodox Christians may be reaping the fruits of Father Leopold’s prayers. \nA native of Croatia\, Leopold joined the Capuchin Franciscans and was ordained several years later in spite of several health problems. He could not speak loudly enough to preach publicly. For many years he also suffered from severe arthritis\, poor eyesight\, and a stomach ailment. \nFor several years Leopold taught patrology\, the study of the Church Fathers\, to the clerics of his province\, but he is best known for his work in the confessional\, where he sometimes spent 13-15 hours a day. Several bishops sought out his spiritual advice. \nLeopold’s dream was to go to the Orthodox Christians and work for the reunion of Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy. His health never permitted it. Leopold often renewed his vow to go to the Eastern Christians; the cause of unity was constantly in his prayers. \nAt a time when Pope Pius XII said that the greatest sin of our time is “to have lost all sense of sin\,” Leopold had a profound sense of sin and an even firmer sense of God’s grace awaiting human cooperation. \nLeopold\, who lived most of his life in Padua\, died on July 30\, 1942\, and was canonized in 1982. \n\nReflection\nSaint Francis advised his followers to “pursue what they must desire above all things\, to have the Spirit of the Lord and His holy manner of working” (Rule of 1223\, Chapter 10)—words that Leopold lived out. When the Capuchin minister general wrote his friars on the occasion of Leopold’s beatification\, he said that this friar’s life showed “the priority of that which is essential.” \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Leopold Mandic is May 12.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-leopold-mandic/2018-07-28/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180727
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180728
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T144537Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T144537Z
UID:6950-1532649600-1532735999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Blessed Antonio Lucci
DESCRIPTION:Blessed Antonio Lucci\nSaint of the Day for July 27\n(August 2\, 1682 – July 25\, 1752)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul27.mp3\nBlessed Antonio Lucci’s Story\nAntonio studied with and was a friend of Saint Francesco Antonio Fasani\, who after Antonio Lucci’s death\, testified at the diocesan hearings regarding the holiness of Lucci. \nBorn in Agnone in southern Italy\, a city famous for manufacturing bells and copper crafts\, he was given the name Angelo at baptism. He attended the local school run by the Conventual Franciscans and joined them at the age of 16. Antonio completed his studies for the priesthood in Assisi\, where he was ordained in 1705. Further studies led to a doctorate in theology and appointments as a teacher in Agnone\, Ravello\, and Naples. He also served as guardian in Naples. \nElected minister provincial in 1718\, the following year he was appointed professor at St. Bonaventure College in Rome\, a position he held until Pope Benedict XIII chose Antonio as bishop of Bovino in 1729. The pope explained\, “I have chosen as bishop of Bovino an eminent theologian and a great saint.” \nHis 23 years as bishop were marked by visits to local parishes and a renewal of gospel living among the people of his diocese. He dedicated his episcopal income to works of education and charity. At the urging of the Conventual minister general\, Bishop Lucci wrote a major book about the saints and blesseds in the first 200 years of the Conventual Franciscans. \nAntonio Lucci was beatified in 1989\, three years after his friend Francesco Antonio Fasani was canonized. \n\nReflection\nAs Pope Paul VI wrote in 1975\, people today “are more impressed by witnesses than by teachers\, and if they listen to these it is because they also bear witness” (Evangelization in the Modern World\, #41). \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Blessed Antonio Lucci is July 25.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/blessed-antonio-lucci/2018-07-27/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180726
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180727
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T144418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T144418Z
UID:6947-1532563200-1532649599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saints Joachim and Anne
DESCRIPTION:Saints Joachim and Anne\nSaint of the Day for July 26\n(b. 1st century)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul26.mp3\nSaints Joachim and Anne’s Story\nIn the Scriptures\, Matthew and Luke furnish a legal family history of Jesus\, tracing ancestry to show that Jesus is the culmination of great promises. Not only is his mother’s family neglected\, we also know nothing factual about them except that they existed. Even the names Joachim and Anne come from a legendary source written more than a century after Jesus died. \nThe heroism and holiness of these people however\, is inferred from the whole family atmosphere around Mary in the Scriptures. Whether we rely on the legends about Mary’s childhood or make guesses from the information in the Bible\, we see in her a fulfillment of many generations of prayerful persons\, herself steeped in the religious traditions of her people. \nThe strong character of Mary in making decisions\, her continuous practice of prayer\, her devotion to the laws of her faith\, her steadiness at moments of crisis\, and her devotion to her relatives—all indicate a close-knit\, loving family that looked forward to the next generation even while retaining the best of the past. \nJoachim and Anne—whether these are their real names or not—represent that entire quiet series of generations who faithfully perform their duties\, practice their faith\, and establish an atmosphere for the coming of the Messiah\, but remain obscure. \n\nReflection\nThis is the “feast of grandparents.” It reminds grandparents of their responsibility to establish a tone for generations to come: They must make the traditions live and offer them as a promise to little children. But the feast has a message for the younger generation as well. It reminds the young that older people’s greater perspective\, depth of experience\, and appreciation of life’s profound rhythms are all part of a wisdom not to be taken lightly or ignored. \n\nSaints Joachim and Anne are the Patron Saints of:\nGrandparents \nSaint Anne is the Patron Saint of:\nMothers\nWomen in Labor
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saints-joachim-and-anne/2018-07-26/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180725
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180726
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T144234Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T144255Z
UID:6944-1532476800-1532563199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint James the Apostle
DESCRIPTION:Saint James the Apostle\nSaint of the Day for July 25\n(d. 44)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul25.mp3\nSaint James the Apostle’s Story\nThis James is the brother of John the Evangelist. The two were called by Jesus as they worked with their father in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had already called another pair of brothers from a similar occupation: Peter and Andrew. “He walked along a little farther and saw James\, the son of Zebedee\, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him” (Mark 1:19-20). \nJames was one of the favored three who had the privilege of witnessing the Transfiguration\, the raising to life of the daughter of Jairus\, and the agony in Gethsemani. \nTwo incidents in the Gospels describe the temperament of this man and his brother. Saint Matthew tells that their mother came–Mark says it was the brothers themselves–to ask that they have the seats of honor in the kingdom. “Jesus said in reply\, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They said to him\, ‘We can’” (Matthew 20:22). Jesus then told them they would indeed drink the cup and share his baptism of pain and death\, but that sitting at his right hand or left was not his to give—it “is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father” (Matthew 20:23b). It remained to be seen how long it would take to realize the implications of their confident “We can!” \nThe other disciples became indignant at the ambition of James and John. Then Jesus taught them all the lesson of humble service: The purpose of authority is to serve. They are not to impose their will on others\, or lord it over them. This is the position of Jesus himself. He was the servant of all; the service imposed on him was the supreme sacrifice of his own life. \nOn another occasion\, James and John gave evidence that the nickname Jesus gave them—“sons of thunder”—was an apt one. The Samaritans would not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to hated Jerusalem. “When the disciples James and John saw this they asked\, ‘Lord\, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?’ Jesus turned and rebuked them…” (Luke 9:54-55). \nJames was apparently the first of the apostles to be martyred. “About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the church to harm them. He had James\, the brother of John\, killed by the sword\, and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also” (Acts 12:1-3a). \nThis James\, sometimes called James the Greater\, is not to be confused with James the Lesser or with the author of the Letter of James and the leader of the Jerusalem community. \n\nReflection\nThe way the Gospels treat the apostles is a good reminder of what holiness is all about. There is very little about their virtues as static possessions\, entitling them to heavenly reward. Rather\, the great emphasis is on the Kingdom\, on God’s giving them the power to proclaim the Good News. As far as their personal lives are concerned\, there is much about Jesus’ purifying them of narrowness\, pettiness\, fickleness. \n\nSaint James the Apostle is the Patron Saint of:\nChile\nLaborers\nNicaragua\nRheumatism\nSpain
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-james-the-apostle/2018-07-25/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180724
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180725
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T144116Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T144116Z
UID:6941-1532390400-1532476799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Sharbel Makhluf
DESCRIPTION:Saint Sharbel Makhluf\nSaint of the Day for July 24\n(May 8\, 1828 – December 24\, 1898 )\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul24.mp3\nSaint Sharbel Makhluf’s Story\nAlthough this saint never traveled far from the Lebanese village of Beka-Kafra where he was born\, his influence has spread widely. \nJoseph Zaroun Makluf was raised by an uncle because his father\, a mule driver\, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23\, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya\, Lebanon\, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853\, and was ordained six years later. \nFollowing the example of the fifth-century Saint Maron\, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875\, until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages\, Sharbel did so gladly. \nHe died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. Pope Paul VI beatified Sharbel in 1965\, and canonized him 12 years later. \n\nReflection\nJohn Paul II often said that the Church has two lungs–East and West–and it must learn to breathe using both of them. Remembering saints like Sharbel helps the Church to appreciate both the diversity and unity present in the Catholic Church. Like all the saints\, Sharbel points us to God and invites us to cooperate generously with God’s grace\, no matter what our situation in life may be. As our prayer life becomes deeper and more honest\, we become more ready to make that generous response.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-sharbel-makhluf/2018-07-24/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180723
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180724
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T143942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T143942Z
UID:6938-1532304000-1532390399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Bridget of Sweden
DESCRIPTION:Saint Bridget of Sweden\nSaint of the Day for July 23\n(c. 1303 – July 23\, 1373)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul23.mp3\nSaint Bridget of Sweden’s Story\nFrom age 7 on\, Bridget had visions of Christ crucified. Her visions formed the basis for her activity—always with the emphasis on charity rather than spiritual favors. \nShe lived her married life in the court of the Swedish king Magnus II. Mother of eight children–the second eldest was Saint Catherine of Sweden–Bridget lived the strict life of a penitent after her husband’s death. \nBridget constantly strove to exert her good influence over Magnus; while never fully reforming\, he did give her land and buildings to found a monastery for men and women. This group eventually expanded into an Order known as the Bridgetines. \nIn 1350\, a year of jubilee\, Bridget braved a plague-stricken Europe to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Although she never returned to Sweden\, her years in Rome were far from happy\, being hounded by debts and by opposition to her work against Church abuses. \nA final pilgrimage to the Holy Land\, marred by shipwreck and the death of her son\, Charles\, eventually led to her death in 1373. In 1999\, Bridget\, Saints Catherine of Siena and Teresa Benedicta of the Cross\, were named co-patronesses of Europe. \n\nReflection\nBridget’s visions\, rather than isolating her from the affairs of the world\, involved her in many contemporary issues\, whether they be royal policy or the years that the legitimate Bishop of Rome lived in Avignon\, France. She saw no contradiction between mystical experience and secular activity\, and her life is a testimony to the possibility of a holy life in the marketplace. \n\nSaint Bridget of Sweden is the Patron Saint of:\nEurope \n\nAnother Saint of the Day for July 23 is Saint Kunigunda.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-bridget-of-sweden/2018-07-23/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180722
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180723
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T143812Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T143812Z
UID:6935-1532217600-1532303999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Mary Magdalene
DESCRIPTION:Saint Mary Magdalene\nSaint of the Day for July 22\n(d. c. 63)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul22.mp3\nSaint Mary Magdalene’s Story\nExcept for the mother of Jesus\, few women are more honored in the Bible than Mary Magdalene. Yet she could well be the patron of the slandered\, since there has been a persistent legend in the Church that she is the unnamed sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus in Luke 7:36-50. \nMost Scripture scholars today point out that there is no scriptural basis for confusing the two women. Mary Magdalene\, that is\, “of Magdala\,” was the one from whom Christ cast out “seven demons” (Luke 8:2)—an indication at the worst\, of extreme demonic possession or possibly\, severe illness. \nWriting in the New Catholic Commentary\, Father Wilfrid J. Harrington\, O.P.\, says that “seven demons” “does not mean that Mary had lived an immoral life—a conclusion reached only by means of a mistaken identification with the anonymous woman of Luke 7:36.” In the Jerome Biblical Commentary\, Father Edward Mally\, S.J.\, agrees that she “is not…the same as the sinner of Luke 7:37\, despite the later Western romantic tradition about her.” \nMary Magdalene was one of the many “who were assisting them [Jesus and the Twelve] out of their means.” She was one of those who stood by the cross of Jesus with his mother. And\, of all the “official” witnesses who might have been chosen for the first awareness of the Resurrection\, she was the one to whom that privilege was given. She is known as the “Apostle to the Apostles.” \n\nReflection\nMary Magdalene has been a victim of mistaken identity for almost 20 centuries. Yet she would no doubt insist that it makes no difference. We are all sinners in need of the saving power of God\, whether our sins have been lurid or not. More importantly\, we are all “unofficial” witnesses of the Resurrection. \n\nSaint Mary Magdalene is the Patron Saint of:\nPenitents\nPerfumers
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-mary-magdalene/2018-07-22/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180721
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180722
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T143629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T143629Z
UID:6932-1532131200-1532217599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Lawrence of Brindisi
DESCRIPTION:Saint Lawrence of Brindisi\nSaint of the Day for July 21\n(July 22\, 1559 – July 22\, 1619)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul21.mp3\nSaint Lawrence of Brindisi’s Story\nAt first glance\, perhaps the most remarkable quality of Lawrence of Brindisi is his outstanding gift of languages. In addition to a thorough knowledge of his native Italian\, he had complete reading and speaking ability in Latin\, Hebrew\, Greek\, German\, Bohemian\, Spanish\, and French. \nLawrence was born on July 22\, 1559\, and died exactly 60 years later on his birthday in 1619. His parents William and Elizabeth Russo gave him the name of Julius Caesar\, Caesare in Italian. After the early death of his parents\, he was educated by his uncle at the College of St. Mark in Venice. \nWhen he was just 16\, he entered the Capuchin Franciscan Order in Venice and received the name of Lawrence. He completed his studies of philosophy and theology at the University of Padua and was ordained a priest at 23. \nWith his facility for languages Lawrence was able to study the Bible in its original texts. At the request of Pope Clement VIII\, he spent much time preaching to the Jews in Italy. So excellent was his knowledge of Hebrew\, the rabbis felt sure he was a Jew who had become a Christian. \nLawrence’s sensitivity to the needs of people—a character trait perhaps unexpected in such a talented scholar—began to surface. He was elected major superior of the Capuchin Franciscan province of Tuscany at the age of 31. He had the combination of brilliance\, human compassion\, and administrative skill needed to carry out his duties. In rapid succession he was promoted by his fellow Capuchins and was elected minister general of the Capuchins in 1602. In this position he was responsible for great growth and geographical expansion of the Order. \nLawrence was appointed papal emissary and peacemaker\, a job which took him to a number of foreign countries. An effort to achieve peace in his native kingdom of Naples took him on a journey to Lisbon to visit the king of Spain. Serious illness in Lisbon took his life in 1619. \nIn 1956\, the Capuchins completed a 15-volume edition of Lawrence’s writings. Eleven of these 15 contain his sermons\, each of which relies chiefly on scriptural quotations to illustrate his teaching. \n\nReflection\nHis constant devotion to Scripture\, coupled with great sensitivity to the needs of people\, present a lifestyle which appeals to Christians today. Lawrence had a balance in his life that blended self-discipline with a keen appreciation for the needs of those whom he was called to serve.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-lawrence-of-brindisi/2018-07-21/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180720
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180721
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T143504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T143504Z
UID:6929-1532044800-1532131199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Apollinaris
DESCRIPTION:Saint Apollinaris\nSaint of the Day for July 20\n(d. c. 79)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul20.mp3\nSaint Apollinaris’ Story\nAccording to tradition\, Saint Peter sent Apollinaris to Ravenna\, Italy\, as its first bishop. His preaching of the Good News was so successful that the pagans there beat him and drove him from the city. He returned\, however\, and was exiled a second time. After preaching in the area surrounding Ravenna\, he entered the city again. After being cruelly tortured\, he was put on a ship heading to Greece. Pagans there caused him to be expelled to Italy\, where he went to Ravenna for a fourth time. He died from wounds received during a savage beating at Classis\, a suburb of Ravenna. A beautiful basilica honoring him was built there in the sixth century. \n\nReflection\nFollowing Jesus involves risks—sometimes the supreme risk of life itself. Martyrs are people who would rather accept the risk of death than deny the cornerstone of their whole life: faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone will die eventually—the persecutors and those persecuted. The question is what kind of a conscience people will bring before the Lord for judgment. Remembering the witness of past and present martyrs can help us make the often small sacrifices that following Jesus today may require.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-apollinaris/2018-07-20/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180719
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180720
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T143332Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T143332Z
UID:6926-1531958400-1532044799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Mary MacKillop
DESCRIPTION:Saint Mary MacKillop\nSaint of the Day for July 19\n(January 15\, 1842 – August 8\, 1909)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul19.mp3\nSaint Mary MacKillop’s Story\nIf Saint Mary MacKillop were alive today\, she would be a household name. It’s not that she sought the limelight. On the contrary\, she simply wanted to serve the poor wherever she found them in her native Australia. But along the way\, she managed to arouse the ire of some rather powerful churchmen. One even excommunicated her for a time. \nBorn in Melbourne in 1842\, to parents who had emigrated from Scotland\, Mary grew up in a family that faced constant financial struggles. As a young woman she was drawn to religious life but could not find an existing order of Sisters that met her needs. In 1860\, she met Father Julian Woods\, who became her spiritual director. Together they founded a new community of women—the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart\, also known as the Josephite Sisters. Its members were to staff schools especially for poor children\, as well as orphanages\, and do other works of charity. \nAs the congregation grew\, so did Mary MacKillop’s problems. Her priest-friend proved unreliable in many ways and his responsibilities for direction of the Sisters were removed. Meanwhile\, Mary had the support of some local bishops as she and her Sisters went about their work. But the bishop in South Australia\, aging and relying on others for advice\, briefly excommunicated Mary—charging her with disobedience—and dispensed 50 of her Sisters from their vows. In truth\, the bishop’s quarrel was about power and who had authority over whom. He ultimately rescinded his order of excommunication. \nMary insisted that her congregation should be governed by an elected mother general answerable to Rome\, not to the local bishop. There also were disputes about whether or not the congregation could own property. In the end\, Rome proved to be Mary’s best source of support. After a long wait official approval of the congregation—and how it was to be governed—came from Pope Leo XIII. \nDespite her struggles with Church authorities\, Mary MacKillop and her Sisters were able to offer social services that few\, if any\, government agencies in Australia could. They served Protestants and Catholics alike. They worked among the aborigines. They taught in schools and orphanages and served unmarried mothers. \nMoney\, actually the lack of it\, was a constant worry. But the Sisters who begged from door to door\, were bolstered by faith and by the conviction that their struggles were opportunities to grow closer to God. \nBy the time Mary was approaching the end of her life\, the congregation was thriving. She died in 1909 at the age of 67. Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1995. In 2010\, when Pope Benedict XVI canonized her\, she became Australia’s first saint. \n\nReflection\nThe story of many foundresses of religious communities and the tales of the early days of those communities can make for fascinating reading. Those women were dedicated and tough and fought for those they served. Let’s thank the Lord for raising up such wonderful examples of faith. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Mary MacKillop is August 8.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-mary-mackillop/2018-07-19/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180718
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180719
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T141150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T141150Z
UID:6923-1531872000-1531958399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Camillus de Lellis
DESCRIPTION:Saint Camillus de Lellis\nSaint of the Day for July 18\n(1550 – July 14\, 1614)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul18.mp3\nSaint Camillus de Lellis’ Story\nHumanly speaking\, Camillus was not a likely candidate for sainthood. His mother died when he was a child\, his father neglected him\, and he grew up with an excessive love for gambling. At 17\, he was afflicted with a disease of his leg that remained with him for life. In Rome he entered the San Giacomo Hospital for Incurables as both patient and servant\, but was dismissed for quarrelsomeness after nine months. He served in the Venetian army for three years. \nThen in the winter of 1574\, when he was 24\, Camillus gambled away everything he had–savings\, weapons\, literally down to his shirt. He accepted work at the Capuchin friary at Manfredonia\, and was one day so moved by a sermon of the superior that he began a conversion that changed his life. He entered the Capuchin novitiate\, but was dismissed because of the apparently incurable sore on his leg. After another stint of service at San Giacomo\, he came back to the Capuchins\, only to be dismissed again\, for the same reason. \nAgain\, back at San Giacomo\, his dedication was rewarded by his being made superintendent. Camillus devoted the rest of his life to the care of the sick. Along with Saint John of God he has been named patron of hospitals\, nurses\, and the sick. With the advice of his friend Saint Philip Neri\, he studied for the priesthood and was ordained at the age of 34. Contrary to the advice of his friend\, Camillus left San Giacomo and founded a congregation of his own. As superior\, he devoted much of his own time to the care of the sick. \nCharity was his first concern\, but the physical aspects of the hospital also received his diligent attention. Camillus insisted on cleanliness and the technical competence of those who served the sick. The members of his community bound themselves to serve prisoners and persons infected by the plague as well as those dying in private homes. Some of his men were with troops fighting in Hungary and Croatia in 1595\, forming the first recorded military field ambulance. In Naples\, he and his men went onto the galleys that had plague and were not allowed to land. He discovered that there were people being buried alive\, and ordered his brothers to continue the prayers for the dying 15 minutes after apparent death. \nCamillus himself suffered the disease of his leg through his life. In his last illness\, he left his own bed to see if other patients in the hospital needed help. \n\nReflection\nSaints are created by God. Parents must indeed nurture the faith in their children; husbands and wives must cooperate to deepen their baptismal grace; friends must support each other. But all human effort is only the dispensing of divine power. We must all try as if everything depended on us. But only the power of God can fulfill the plan of God–to make us like himself. \n\nSaint Camillus de Lellis is the Patron Saint of:\nHospitals\nNurses\nSick
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-camillus-de-lellis/2018-07-18/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180717
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180718
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T140855Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T140855Z
UID:6920-1531785600-1531871999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Francis Solano
DESCRIPTION:Saint of the Day for July 17\n(March 10\, 1549 – July 14\, 1610)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul17.mp3\nSaint Francis Solano’s Story\nFrancis came from a leading family in Andalusia\, Spain. Perhaps it was his popularity as a student that enabled Francis in his teens to stop two duelists. He entered the Friars Minor in 1570\, and after ordination enthusiastically sacrificed himself for others. His care for the sick during an epidemic drew so much admiration that he became embarrassed and asked to be sent to the African missions. Instead he was sent to South America in 1589. \nWhile working in what is now Argentina\, Bolivia\, and Paraguay\, Francis quickly learned the local languages and was well received by the indigenous peoples. His visits to the sick often included playing a song on his violin. \nAround 1601\, he was called to Lima\, Peru\, where he tried to recall the Spanish colonists to their baptismal integrity. Francis also worked to defend the indigenous peoples from oppression. He died in Lima in 1610 and was canonized in 1726. \n\nReflection\nFrancis Solano knew from experience that the lives of Christians sometimes greatly hinder the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Francis lived an exemplary life himself\, and urged his fellow Spaniards to make their lives worthy of their baptisms. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast Day of Saint Francis Solano is July 14.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-francis-solano/2018-07-17/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180716
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180717
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T140424Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T140424Z
UID:6917-1531699200-1531785599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Our Lady of Mount Carmel
DESCRIPTION:Our Lady of Mount Carmel\nSaint of the Day for July 16\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul16.mp3\nThe Story of Our Lady of Mount Carmel\nHermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726\, it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. \nSaint Teresa of Avila called Carmel “the Order of the Virgin.” Saint John of the Cross credited Mary with saving him from drowning as a child\, leading him to Carmel\, and helping him escape from prison. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus believed that Mary cured her from illness. On her First Communion day\, Thérèse dedicated her life to Mary. During the last days of her life she frequently spoke of Mary. \nThere is a tradition–which may not be historical—that Mary appeared to Saint Simon Stock\, a leader of the Carmelites\, and gave him a scapular\, telling him to promote devotion to it. The scapular is a modified version of Mary’s own garment. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance—a call that Mary models in a splendid way. \n\nReflection\nThe Carmelites were known from early on as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as “mother\,” but also as “sister.” The word sister is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows\, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace. \n\nMary\, under the Title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel\, is the Patron Saint of:\nChile
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/our-lady-of-mount-carmel/2018-07-16/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180715
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180716
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T140239Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T140239Z
UID:6914-1531612800-1531699199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Bonaventure
DESCRIPTION:Saint Bonaventure\nSaint of the Day for July 15\n(1221 – July 15\, 1274)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul15.mp3\nSaint Bonaventure’s Story\nPerhaps not a household name for most people\, Saint Bonaventure\, nevertheless\, played an important role in both the medieval Church and the history of the Franciscan Order. A senior faculty member at the University of Paris\, Saint Bonaventure certainly captured the hearts of his students through his academic skills and insights. But more importantly\, he captured their hearts through his Franciscan love for Jesus and the Church. Like his model\, Saint Francis\, Jesus was the center of everything—his teaching\, his administration\, his writing\, and his life. So much so\, that he was given the title “Seraphic Doctor.” \nBorn in Bagnorea in 1221\, Saint Bonaventure was baptized John\, but received the name Bonaventure when he became a Franciscan at the age of 22. Little is known about his childhood\, but we do know that his parents were Giovanni di Fidanza and Maria Ritell. It seems that his father was a physician and a man of means. While Saint Francis died about five years after the saint’s birth\, he is credited with healing Bonaventure as a boy of a serious illness. \nSaint Bonaventure’s teaching career came to a halt when the Friars elected him to serve as their General Minister. His 17 years of service were not easy as the Order was embroiled in conflicts over the interpretation of poverty. Some friars even ended up in heresy saying that Saint Francis and his community were inaugurating the era of the Holy Spirit which was to replace Jesus\, the Church\, and Scripture. But because he was a man of prayer and a good administrator\, Saint Bonaventure managed to structure the Order through effective legislation. But more importantly\, he offered the Friars an organized spirituality based on the vision and insights of Saint Francis. Always a Franciscan at heart and a mystical writer\, Bonaventure managed to unite the pastoral\, practical aspects of life with the doctrines of the Church. Thus\, there is a noticeable warmth to his teachings and writings that make him very appealing. \nShortly before he ended his service as General Minister\, Pope Gregory X created him a Cardinal and appointed him bishop of Albano. But a little over a year later\, while participating in the Second Council of Lyon\, Saint Bonaventure suddenly died on July 15\, 1274. There is a theory that he was poisoned. \nSaint Bonaventure left behind a structured and renewed Franciscan Order and a body of work all of which glorifies his major love—Jesus. \n\nReflection\nBonaventure so united holiness and theological knowledge that he rose to the heights of mysticism while remaining a very active preacher and teacher\, one beloved by all who met him. To know him was to love him; to read him is still for us today to meet a true Franciscan and a gentleman.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-bonaventure/2018-07-15/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180714
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180715
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T140053Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T140053Z
UID:6911-1531526400-1531612799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
DESCRIPTION:Saint Kateri Tekakwitha\nSaint of the Day for July 14\n(1656 – April 17\, 1680)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul14.mp3\nSaint Kateri Tekakwitha’s Story\nThe blood of martyrs is the seed of saints. Nine years after the Jesuits Isaac Jogues and Jean de Lelande were tomahawked by Iroquois warriors\, a baby girl was born near the place of their martyrdom\, Auriesville\, New York. \nHer mother was a Christian Algonquin\, taken captive by the Iroquois and given as wife to the chief of the Mohawk clan\, the boldest and fiercest of the Five Nations. When she was four\, Tekakwitha lost her parents and little brother in a smallpox epidemic that left her disfigured and half blind. She was adopted by an uncle\, who succeeded her father as chief. He hated the coming of the Blackrobes–Jesuit missionaries–but could do nothing to them because a peace treaty with the French required their presence in villages with Christian captives. She was moved by the words of three Blackrobes who lodged with her uncle\, but fear of him kept her from seeking instruction. Tekakwitha refused to marry a Mohawk brave\, and at 19 finally got the courage to take the step of converting. She was baptized with the name Kateri–Catherine–on Easter Sunday. \nNow she would be treated as a slave. Because she would not work on Sunday\, Kateri received no food that day. Her life in grace grew rapidly. She told a missionary that she often meditated on the great dignity of being baptized. She was powerfully moved by God’s love for human beings and saw the dignity of each of her people. \nShe was always in danger\, for her conversion and holy life created great opposition. On the advice of a priest\, Kateri stole away one night and began a 200-mile walking journey to a Christian Indian village at Sault St. Louis\, near Montreal. \nFor three years she grew in holiness under the direction of a priest and an older Iroquois woman\, giving herself totally to God in long hours of prayer\, in charity\, and in strenuous penance. At 23\, Kateri took a vow of virginity\, an unprecedented act for an Indian woman whose future depended on being married. She found a place in the woods where she could pray an hour a day—and was accused of meeting a man there! \nHer dedication to virginity was instinctive: Kateri did not know about religious life for women until she visited Montreal. Inspired by this\, she and two friends wanted to start a community\, but the local priest dissuaded her. She humbly accepted an “ordinary” life. She practiced extremely severe fasting as penance for the conversion of her nation. Kateri Tekakwitha died the afternoon before Holy Thursday. Witnesses said that her emaciated face changed color and became like that of a healthy child. The lines of suffering\, even the pockmarks\, disappeared and the touch of a smile came upon her lips. She was beatified in 1980 and canonized in 2012. \n\nReflection\nWe like to think that our proposed holiness is thwarted by our situation. If only we could have more solitude\, less opposition\, better health. Kateri Tekakwitha repeats the example of the saints: Holiness thrives on the cross\, anywhere. Yet she did have what Christians—all people—need: the support of a community. She had a good mother\, helpful priests\, Christian friends. These were present in what we call primitive conditions\, and blossomed in the age-old Christian triad of prayer\, fasting and almsgiving: union with God in Jesus and the Spirit\, self-discipline and often suffering\, and charity for her brothers and sisters.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-kateri-tekakwitha/2018-07-14/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180713
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180714
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T135923Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T135923Z
UID:6908-1531440000-1531526399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Henry
DESCRIPTION:Saint Henry\nSaint of the Day for July 13\n(May 6\, 972 – July 13\, 1024)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul13.mp3\nSaint Henry’s Story\nAs German king and Holy Roman Emperor\, Henry was a practical man of affairs. He was energetic in consolidating his rule. He crushed rebellions and feuds. On all sides he had to deal with drawn-out disputes so as to protect his frontiers. This involved him in a number of battles\, especially in the south in Italy; he also helped Pope Benedict VIII quell disturbances in Rome. Always his ultimate purpose was to establish a stable peace in Europe. \nAccording to eleventh-century custom\, Henry took advantage of his position and appointed as bishops men loyal to him. In his case\, however\, he avoided the pitfalls of this practice and actually fostered the reform of ecclesiastical and monastic life. He was canonized in 1146. \n\nReflection\nAll in all\, this saint was a man of his times. From our standpoint\, he may have been too quick to do battle and too ready to use power to accomplish reforms. But granted such limitations\, he shows that holiness is possible in a busy secular life. It is in doing our job that we become saints.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-henry/2018-07-13/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180712
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180713
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T135753Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T135753Z
UID:6905-1531353600-1531439999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saints John Jones and John Wall
DESCRIPTION:Saints John Jones and John Wall\nSaint of the Day for July 12\n(c.1530 – 1598; 1620 – 1679)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul12.mp3\nSaints John Jones and John Wall’s story\nThese two friars were martyred in England in the 16th and 17th centuries for refusing to deny their faith. \nJohn Jones was Welsh. He was ordained a diocesan priest and was twice imprisoned for administering the sacraments before leaving England in 1590. He joined the Franciscans at the age of 60 and returned to England three years later while Queen Elizabeth I was at the height of her power. John ministered to Catholics in the English countryside until his imprisonment in 1596. He was condemned to be hanged\, drawn\, and quartered. John was executed on July 12\, 1598. \nJohn Wall was born in England but was educated at the English College of Douai\, Belgium. Ordained in Rome in 1648\, he entered the Franciscans in Douai several years later. In 1656 he returned to work secretly in England. \nIn 1678\, Titus Oates worked many English people into a frenzy over an alleged papal plot to murder the king and restore Catholicism in that country. In that year Catholics were legally excluded from Parliament\, a law which was not repealed until 1829. John Wall was arrested and imprisoned in 1678\, and was executed the following year. \nJohn Jones and John Wall were canonized in 1970. \n\nReflection\nEvery martyr knows how to save his/her life and yet refuses to do so. A public repudiation of the faith would save any of them. But some things are more precious than life itself. These martyrs prove that their 20th-century countryman\, C. S. Lewis\, was correct in saying that courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point\, that is\, at the point of highest reality.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saints-john-jones-and-john-wall/2018-07-12/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180711
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180712
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T135542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T135542Z
UID:6902-1531267200-1531353599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Benedict
DESCRIPTION:Saint Benedict\nSaint of the Day for July 11\n(c. 480 – c. 547)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul11.mp3\nSaint Benedict’s Story\nIt is unfortunate that no contemporary biography was written of a man who has exercised the greatest influence on monasticism in the West. Benedict is well recognized in the later Dialogues of Saint Gregory\, but these are sketches to illustrate miraculous elements of his career. \nBenedict was born into a distinguished family in central Italy\, studied at Rome\, and early in life was drawn to monasticism. At first he became a hermit\, leaving a depressing world—pagan armies on the march\, the Church torn by schism\, people suffering from war\, morality at a low ebb. \nHe soon realized that he could not live a hidden life in a small town any better than in a large city\, so he withdrew to a cave high in the mountains for three years. Some monks chose Benedict as their leader for a while\, but found his strictness not to their taste. Still the shift from hermit to community life had begun for him. He had an idea of gathering various families of monks into one “Grand Monastery” to give them the benefit of unity\, fraternity\, and permanent worship in one house. Finally he began to build what was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world—Monte Cassino\, commanding three narrow valleys running toward the mountains north of Naples. \nThe Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of liturgical prayer\, study\, manual labor\, and living together in community under a common abbot. Benedictine asceticism is known for its moderation\, and Benedictine charity has always shown concern for the people in the surrounding countryside. In the course of the Middle Ages\, all monasticism in the West was gradually brought under the Rule of St. Benedict. \nToday the Benedictine family is represented by two branches: the Benedictine Federation encompassing the men and women of the Order of St. Benedict\, and the Cistercians\, men and women of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. \n\nReflection\nThe Church has been blessed through Benedictine devotion to the liturgy\, not only in its actual celebration with rich and proper ceremony in the great abbeys\, but also through the scholarly studies of many of its members. Liturgy is sometimes confused with guitars or choirs\, Latin or Bach. We should be grateful to those who both preserve and adapt the genuine tradition of worship in the Church. \n\nSaint Benedict is the Patron Saint of:\nEurope\nKidney Disease\nMonks\nPoisoning\nSchoolchildren
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-benedict/2018-07-11/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180710
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180711
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T135353Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T135353Z
UID:6899-1531180800-1531267199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Veronica Giuliani
DESCRIPTION:Saint Veronica Giuliani\nSaint of the Day for July 10\n(December 27\, 1660 – July 9\, 1727)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul10.mp3\nSaint Veronica Giuliani’s Story\nVeronica’s desire to be like Christ crucified was answered with the stigmata. \nVeronica was born in Mercatelli\, Italy. It is said that when her mother Benedetta was dying she called her five daughters to her bedside and entrusted each of them to one of the five wounds of Jesus. Veronica was entrusted to the wound below Christ’s heart. \nAt the age of 17\, Veronica joined the Poor Clares directed by the Capuchins. Her father had wanted her to marry\, but she convinced him to allow her to become a nun. In her first years in the monastery\, she worked in the kitchen\, infirmary\, sacristy\, and also served as portress. At the age of 34\, she was made novice mistress\, a position she held for 22 years. When she was 37\, Veronica received the stigmata. Life was not the same after that. \nChurch authorities in Rome wanted to test Veronica’s authenticity and so conducted an investigation. She lost the office of novice mistress temporarily and was not allowed to attend Mass except on Sundays or holy days. Through all of this Veronica did not become bitter\, and the investigation eventually restored her as novice mistress. \nThough she protested against it\, at the age of 56 she was elected abbess\, an office she held for 11 years until her death. Veronica was very devoted to the Eucharist and to the Sacred Heart. She offered her sufferings for the missions\, died in 1727\, and was canonized in 1839. \n\nReflection\nWhy did God grant the stigmata to Francis of Assisi and to Veronica Giuliani? God alone knows the deepest reasons\, but as Celano points out\, the external sign of the cross is a confirmation of these saints’ commitment to the cross in their lives. The stigmata that appeared in Veronica’s flesh had taken root in her heart many years before. It was a fitting conclusion for her love of God and her charity toward her sisters. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Veronica Giuliani is July 9.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-veronica-giuliani/2018-07-10/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180709
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180710
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T135122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T135122Z
UID:6896-1531094400-1531180799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions
DESCRIPTION:Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions\nSaint of the Day for July 9\n(d. 1648 – 1930)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul09.mp3\nSaint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions’ Story\nChristianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China’s relations with the outside world\, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. \nThe 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven of them were born in China\, and were children\, parents\, catechists\, or laborers\, ranging in age from nine years to 72. This group includes four Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or women religious\, especially from the Order of Preachers\, the Paris Foreign Mission Society\, the Friars Minor\, Society of Jesus\, Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians)\, and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. \nAugustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism\, Augustine was ordained as a diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815. \nBeatified in groups at various times\, these 120 martyrs were canonized together in Rome on October 1\, 2000. \n\nReflection\nThe People’s Republic of China and the Roman Catholic Church each have well over a billion members\, but there are only about 12 million Catholics in China. The reasons for that are better explained by historical conflicts than by a wholesale rejection of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Chinese-born martyrs honored by today’s feast were regarded by their persecutors as dangerous because they were considered allies of enemy\, Catholic countries. The martyrs born outside China often tried to distance themselves from European political struggles relating to China\, but their persecutors saw them as Westerners and therefore\, by definition\, anti-Chinese. \nThe Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to benefit all peoples; today’s martyrs knew that. May 21st-century Christians live in such a way that Chinese women and men will be attracted to hear that Good News and embrace it.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-augustine-zhao-rong-and-companions/2018-07-09/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180708
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180709
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170901T133215Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170901T133215Z
UID:6893-1531008000-1531094399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions
DESCRIPTION:Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions\nSaint of the Day for July 8\n(d. July 9\, 1900)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul08.mp3\nSaint Gregory Grassi and Companions’ Story\nChristian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire of wars against their own countries. When the governments of Britain\, Germany\, Russia\, and France forced substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese in 1898\, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong among many Chinese people. \nGregory Grassi was born in Italy in 1833\, ordained in 1856\, and sent to China five years later. Gregory was later ordained Bishop of North Shanxi. With 14 other European missionaries and 14 Chinese religious\, he was martyred during the short but bloody Boxer Uprising of 1900. \nTwenty-six of these martyrs were arrested on the orders of Yu Hsien\, the governor of Shanxi province. They were hacked to death on July 9\, 1900. Five of them were Friars Minor; seven were Franciscan Missionaries of Mary–the first martyrs of their congregation. Seven were Chinese seminarians and Secular Franciscans; four martyrs were Chinese laymen and Secular Franciscans. The other three Chinese laymen killed in Shanxi simply worked for the Franciscans and were rounded up with all the others. Three Italian Franciscans were martyred that same week in the province of Hunan. All these martyrs were beatified in 1946\, and were among the 120 martyrs canonized in 2000. \n\nReflection\nMartyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout China during the Boxer Uprising\, five bishops\, 50 priests\, two brothers\, 15 sisters and 40\,000 Chinese Christians were killed. The 146\,575 Catholics served by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303\,760 by 1924\, and were served by 282 Franciscans and 174 local priests. Great sacrifices often bring great results.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-gregory-grassi-and-companions/2018-07-08/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180707
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180708
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170831T181556Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T181556Z
UID:6872-1530921600-1531007999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions
DESCRIPTION:Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions\nSaint of the Day for July 7\n(1804 – 1860)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul07.mp3\nBlessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions’ Story\nNot much is known of the early life of Emmanuel Ruiz\, but details of his heroic death in defense of the faith have come down to us. \nBorn of humble parents in Santander\, Spain\, he became a Franciscan priest and served as a missionary in Damascus. This was at a time when anti-Christian riots shook Syria and thousands lost their lives in just a short time. \nAmong these were Emmanuel\, superior of the Franciscan convent\, seven other friars\, and three laymen. When a menacing crowd came looking for the men\, they refused to renounce their faith and become Muslims. The men were subjected to horrible tortures before their martyrdom. \nEmmanuel\, his brother Franciscans and the three Maronite laymen were beatified in 1926 by Pope Pius XI. \n\nReflection\nThe Church in Syria has known persecution throughout its history. Yet it has produced saints whose blood was shed for the faith. Let us pray for the Church in Syria.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/blessed-emmanuel-ruiz-and-companions/2018-07-07/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180706
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180707
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170831T181408Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T181408Z
UID:6869-1530835200-1530921599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Maria Goretti
DESCRIPTION:Saint Maria Goretti\nSaint of the Day for July 6\n(October 16\, 1890 – July 6\, 1902)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul06.mp3\nSaint Maria Goretti’s Story\nOne of the largest crowds ever assembled for a canonization—250\,000—symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria Goretti. \nShe was the daughter of a poor Italian tenant farmer\, had no chance to go to school\, never learned to read or write. When Maria made her First Communion not long before her death at age 12\, she was one of the larger and somewhat backward members of the class. \nOn a hot afternoon in July\, Maria was sitting at the top of the stairs of her house\, mending a shirt. She was not quite 12 years old\, but physically mature. A cart stopped outside\, and a neighbor\, 18-year-old Alessandro\, ran up the stairs. He seized her and pulled her into a bedroom. She struggled and tried to call for help. “No\, God does not wish it\,” she cried out. “It is a sin. You would go to hell for it.” Alessandro began striking at her blindly with a long dagger. \nMaria was taken to a hospital. Her last hours were marked by the usual simple compassion of the good—concern about where her mother would sleep\, forgiveness of her murderer (she had been in fear of him\, but did not say anything lest she cause trouble to his family)\, and her devout welcoming of Viaticum\, her last Holy Communion. She died about 24 hours after the attack. \nAlessandro was sentenced to 30 years in prison. For a long time he was unrepentant and surly. One night he had a dream or vision of Maria gathering flowers and offering them to him. His life changed. When he was released after 27 years\, his first act was to go to beg the forgiveness of Maria’s mother. \nDevotion to the young martyr grew\, miracles were worked\, and in less than half a century she was canonized. At her beatification in 1947\, her 82-year-old mother\, two sisters and a brother\, appeared with Pope Pius XII on the balcony of St. Peter’s. Three years later at Maria’s canonization\, a 66-year-old Alessandro Serenelli knelt among the quarter-million people and cried tears of joy. \n\nReflection\nMaria may have had trouble with catechism\, but she had no trouble with faith. God’s will was holiness\, decency\, respect for one’s body\, absolute obedience\, total trust. In a complex world\, her faith was simple: It is a privilege to be loved by God\, and to love him—at any cost. \n\nSaint Maria Goretti is the Patron Saint of:\n\nCatholic Youth\nGirls\nTeenagers
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-maria-goretti/2018-07-06/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180705
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180706
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170831T181129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T181129Z
UID:6866-1530748800-1530835199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Anthony Zaccaria
DESCRIPTION:Saint Anthony Zaccaria\nSaint of the Day for July 5\n(1502  – July 5\, 1539)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul05.mp3\nSaint Anthony Zaccaria’s Story\nAt the same time that Martin Luther was attacking abuses in the Church\, a reformation within the Church was already being attempted. Among the early movers of the Counter-Reformation was Anthony Zaccaria. His mother became a widow at 18\, and devoted herself to the spiritual education of her son. He received a medical doctorate at 22\, and while working among the poor of his native Cremona in Italy\, was attracted to the religious apostolate. He renounced his rights to any future inheritance\, worked as a catechist\, and was ordained a priest at the age of 26. Called to Milan in a few years\, he laid the foundations of three religious congregations\, one for men\, one for women\, and an association of married couples. Their aim was the reform of the decadent society of their day\, beginning with the clergy\, religious\, and lay people. \nGreatly inspired by Saint Paul–his congregation is named the Barnabites\, after the companion of that saint–Anthony preached with great vigor in church and street\, conducted popular missions\, and was not ashamed of doing public penance. \nHe encouraged such innovations as the collaboration of the laity in the apostolate\, frequent Communion\, the Forty Hours devotion\, and the ringing of church bells at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays. His holiness moved many to reform their lives\, but as with all saints\, it also moved many to oppose him. Twice his community had to undergo official religious investigation\, and twice it was exonerated. \nWhile on a mission of peace\, he became seriously ill and was brought home for a visit to his mother. He died at Cremona at the age of 36. \n\nReflection\nThe austerity of Anthony’s spirituality and the Pauline ardor of his preaching would probably “turn off” many people today. When even some psychiatrists complain at the lack of a sense of sin\, it may be time to tell ourselves that not all evil is explained by emotional disorder\, subconscious and unconscious drives\, parental influence\, and so on. The old-time “hell and damnation” mission sermons have given way to positive\, encouraging\, biblical homilies. We do indeed need assurance of forgiveness\, relief from existential anxiety\, and future shock. But we still need prophets to stand up and tell us\, “If we say ‘We are without sin\,’ we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John1:8).
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-anthony-zaccaria/2018-07-05/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180704
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180705
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170831T180855Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T180855Z
UID:6863-1530662400-1530748799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
DESCRIPTION:Saint Elizabeth of Portugal\nSaint of the Day for July 4\n(1271 – July 4\, 1336)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul04.mp3\nSaint Elizabeth of Portugal’s Story\nElizabeth is usually depicted in royal garb with a dove or an olive branch. At her birth in 1271\, her father Pedro III\, future king of Aragon\, was reconciled with his father James\, the reigning monarch. This proved to be a portent of things to come. Under the healthful influences surrounding her early years\, she quickly learned self-discipline and acquired a taste for spirituality. \nThus fortunately prepared\, Elizabeth was able to meet the challenge when at the age of 12\, she was given in marriage to Denis\, king of Portugal. She was able to establish for herself a pattern of life conducive to growth in God’s love\, not merely through her exercises of piety\, including daily Mass\, but also through her exercise of charity\, by which she was able to befriend and help pilgrims\, strangers\, the sick\, the poor—in a word\, all those whose need came to her notice. At the same time she remained devoted to her husband\, whose infidelity to her was a scandal to the kingdom. \nDenis\, too\, was the object of many of her peace endeavors. Elizabeth long sought peace for him with God\, and was finally rewarded when he gave up his life of sin. She repeatedly sought and effected peace between the king and their rebellious son Alfonso\, who thought that he was passed over to favor the king’s illegitimate children. She acted as peacemaker in the struggle between Ferdinand\, king of Aragon\, and his cousin James\, who claimed the crown. And finally from Coimbra\, where she had retired as a Franciscan tertiary to the monastery of the Poor Clares after the death of her husband\, Elizabeth set out and was able to bring about a lasting peace between her son Alfonso\, now king of Portugal\, and his son-in-law\, the king of Castile. \n\nReflection\nThe work of promoting peace is anything but a calm and quiet endeavor. It takes a clear mind\, a steady spirit and a brave soul to intervene between people whose emotions are so aroused that they are ready to destroy one another. This is all the more true of a woman in the early 14th century. But Elizabeth had a deep and sincere love and sympathy for humankind\, an almost total lack of concern for herself\, and an abiding confidence in God. These were the tools of her success.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-elizabeth-of-portugal/2018-07-04/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180703
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180704
DTSTAMP:20260404T035434
CREATED:20170831T180512Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T180512Z
UID:6860-1530576000-1530662399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Thomas the Apostle
DESCRIPTION:Saint Thomas the Apostle\nSaint of the Day for July 3\n(1st Century – December 21\, 72)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJul03.mp3\nSaint Thomas the Apostle’s Story\nPoor Thomas! He made one remark and has been branded as “Doubting Thomas” ever since. But if he doubted\, he also believed. He made what is certainly the most explicit statement of faith in the New Testament: “My Lord and My God!” and\, in so expressing his faith\, gave Christians a prayer that will be said till the end of time. He also occasioned a compliment from Jesus to all later Christians: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (John 20:29). \nThomas should be equally well-known for his courage. Perhaps what he said was impetuous—since he ran\, like the rest\, at the showdown—but he can scarcely have been insincere when he expressed his willingness to die with Jesus. The occasion was when Jesus proposed to go to Bethany after Lazarus had died. Since Bethany was near Jerusalem\, this meant walking into the very midst of his enemies and to almost certain death. Realizing this\, Thomas said to the other apostles\, “Let us also go to die with him” (John 11:16b). \n\nReflection\nThomas shares the lot of Peter the impetuous\, James and John\, the “sons of thunder\,” Philip and his foolish request to see the Father—indeed all the apostles in their weakness and lack of understanding. We must not exaggerate these facts\, however\, for Christ did not pick worthless men. But their human weakness again points up the fact that holiness is a gift of God\, not a human creation; it is given to ordinary men and women with weaknesses; it is God who gradually transforms the weaknesses into the image of Christ\, the courageous\, trusting\, and loving one. \n\nSaint Thomas the Apostle is the Patron Saint of:\nArchitects\nArgentina\nConstruction Workers\nCooks
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-thomas-the-apostle/2018-07-03/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
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