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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180621
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180622
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T173141Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T173141Z
UID:6824-1529539200-1529625599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
DESCRIPTION:Saint Aloysius Gonzaga\nSaint of the Day for June 21\n(March 9\, 1568 – June 21\, 1591)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun21.mp3\nSaint Aloysius Gonzaga’s Story\nThe Lord can make saints anywhere\, even amid the brutality and license of Renaissance life. Florence was the “mother of piety” for Aloysius Gonzaga despite his exposure to a “society of fraud\, dagger\, poison\, and lust.” As a son of a princely family\, he grew up in royal courts and army camps. His father wanted Aloysius to be a military hero. \nAt age 7 Aloysius experienced a profound spiritual quickening. His prayers included the Office of Mary\, the psalms\, and other devotions. At age 9 he came from his hometown of Castiglione to Florence to be educated; by age 11 he was teaching catechism to poor children\, fasting three days a week\, and practicing great austerities. When he was 13 years old\, he traveled with his parents and the Empress of Austria to Spain\, and acted as a page in the court of Philip II. The more Aloysius saw of court life\, the more disillusioned he became\, seeking relief in learning about the lives of saints. \nA book about the experience of Jesuit missionaries in India suggested to him the idea of entering the Society of Jesus\, and in Spain his decision became final. Now began a four-year contest with his father. Eminent churchmen and laypeople were pressed into service to persuade Aloysius to remain in his “normal” vocation. Finally he prevailed\, was allowed to renounce his right to succession\, and was received into the Jesuit novitiate. \nLike other seminarians\, Aloysius was faced with a new kind of penance—that of accepting different ideas about the exact nature of penance. He was obliged to eat more\, and to take recreation with the other students. He was forbidden to pray except at stated times. He spent four years in the study of philosophy and had Saint Robert Bellarmine as his spiritual adviser. \nIn 1591\, a plague struck Rome. The Jesuits opened a hospital of their own. The superior general himself and many other Jesuits rendered personal service. Because he nursed patients\, washing them and making their beds\, Aloysius caught the disease. A fever persisted after his recovery and he was so weak he could scarcely rise from bed. Yet\, he maintained his great discipline of prayer\, knowing that he would die within the octave of Corpus Christi\, three months later\, at the age of 23. \n\nReflection\nAs a saint who fasted\, scourged himself\, sought solitude and prayer\, and did not look on the faces of women\, Aloysius seems an unlikely patron of youth in a society where asceticism is confined to training camps of football teams and boxers\, and sexual permissiveness has little left to permit. Can an overweight and air-conditioned society deprive itself of anything? It will when it discovers a reason\, as Aloysius did. The motivation for letting God purify us is the experience of God loving us in prayer. \n\nSaint Aloysius Gonzaga is the Patron Saint of:\nCatholic Youth\nTeenagers
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-aloysius-gonzaga/2018-06-21/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180620
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180621
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T172950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T172950Z
UID:6821-1529452800-1529539199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Paulinus of Nola
DESCRIPTION:Saint Paulinus of Nola\nSaint of the Day for June 20\n(354 – June 22\, 431)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun20.mp3\nSaint Paulinus of Nola’s Story\nAnyone who is praised in the letters of six or seven saints undoubtedly must be of extraordinary character. Such a person was Paulinus of Nola\, correspondent and friend of Saints Augustine\, Jerome\, Melania\, Martin\, Gregory the Great\, and Ambrose. \nBorn near Bordeaux\, he was the son of the Roman prefect of Gaul\, who had extensive property in both Gaul and Italy. Paulinus became a distinguished lawyer\, holding several public offices in the Roman Empire. With his Spanish wife\, Therasia\, he retired at an early age to a life of cultured leisure. \nThe two were baptized by the saintly bishop of Bordeaux and moved to Therasia’s estate in Spain. After many childless years\, they had a son who died a week after birth. This occasioned their beginning a life of great austerity and charity\, giving away most of their Spanish property. Possibly as a result of this great example\, Paulinus was rather unexpectedly ordained a priest at Christmas by the bishop of Barcelona. \nHe and his wife then moved to Nola\, near Naples. He had a great love for Saint Felix of Nola\, and spent much effort in promoting devotion to this saint. Paulinus gave away most of his remaining property–to the consternation of his relatives–and continued his work for the poor. Supporting a host of debtors\, the homeless and other needy people\, he lived a monastic life in another part of his home. By popular demand he was made bishop of Nola and guided that diocese for 21 years. \nPaulinus’ last years were saddened by the invasion of the Huns. Among his few writings is the earliest extant Christian wedding song. \n\nReflection\nMany of us are tempted to “retire” early in life\, after an initial burst of energy. Devotion to Christ and his work is waiting to be done all around us. Paulinus’ life had scarcely begun when he thought it was over\, as he took his ease on that estate in Spain. “Man proposes\, but God disposes.” \n\nThe Liturgical Feast Day of Saint Paulinus of Nola is June 22.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-paulinus-of-nola/2018-06-20/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180619
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180620
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T172744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T172744Z
UID:6818-1529366400-1529452799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Romuald
DESCRIPTION:Saint Romuald\nSaint of the Day for June 19\n(c. 950 – June 19\, 1027)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun19.mp3\nSaint Romuald’s Story\nIn the midst of a wasted youth\, Romuald watched his father kill a relative in a duel over property. In horror he fled to a monastery near Ravenna. After three years\, some of the monks found him to be uncomfortably holy and eased him out. \nRomuald spent the next 30 years going about Italy\, founding monasteries and hermitages. He longed to give his life to Christ in martyrdom\, and got the pope’s permission to preach the gospel in Hungary. But he was struck with illness as soon as he arrived\, and the illness recurred as often as he tried to proceed. \nDuring another period of his life\, Romuald suffered great spiritual dryness. One day as he was praying Psalm 31 (“I will give you understanding and I will instruct you”)\, he was given an extraordinary light and spirit which never left him. \nAt the next monastery where he stayed\, Romuald was accused of a scandalous crime by a young nobleman he had rebuked for a dissolute life. Amazingly\, his fellow monks believed the accusation. He was given a severe penance\, forbidden from offering Mass\, and excommunicated–an unjust sentence that he endured in silence for six months. \nThe most famous of the monasteries Romuald founded was that of the Camaldoli in Tuscany. Here began the Order of the Camaldolese Benedictines\, uniting the monastic and eremetical lives. In later life Romuald’s own father became a monk\, wavered\, and was kept faithful by the encouragement of his son. \n\nReflection\nChrist is a gentle leader\, but he calls us to total holiness. Now and then\, men and women are raised up to challenge us by the absoluteness of their dedication\, the vigor of their spirit\, the depth of their conversion. The fact that we cannot duplicate their lives does not change the call to us to be totally open to God in our own particular circumstances.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-romuald/2018-06-19/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180618
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180619
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T172600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T172600Z
UID:6815-1529280000-1529366399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Venerable Matt Talbot
DESCRIPTION:Venerable Matt Talbot\nSaint of the Day for June 18\n(May 2\, 1856 – June 7\, 1925)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun18.mp3\nVenerable Matt Talbot’s story\nMatt can be considered the patron of men and women struggling with alcoholism. He was born in Dublin\, where his father worked on the docks and had a difficult time supporting his family. After a few years of schooling\, Matt obtained work as a messenger for some liquor merchants; there he began to drink excessively. For 15 years—until he was almost 30—Matt was an active alcoholic. \nOne day he decided to take “the pledge” for three months\, make a general confession and begin to attend daily Mass. There is evidence that Matt’s first seven years after taking the pledge were especially difficult. Avoiding his former drinking places was hard. He began to pray as intensely as he used to drink. He also tried to pay back people from whom he had borrowed or stolen money while he was drinking. \nMost of his life Matt worked as a builder’s laborer. He joined the Secular Franciscan Order and began a life of strict penance; he abstained from meat nine months a year. Matt spent hours every night avidly reading Scripture and the lives of the saints. He prayed the rosary conscientiously. Though his job did not make him rich\, Matt contributed generously to the missions. \nAfter 1923\, his health failed\, and Matt was forced to quit work. He died on his way to church on Trinity Sunday. Fifty years later\, Pope Paul VI gave him the title venerable. \n\nReflection\nIn looking at the life of Matt Talbot\, we may easily focus on the later years when he had stopped drinking for some time and was leading a penitential life. Only alcoholic men and women who have stopped drinking can fully appreciate how difficult the earliest years of sobriety were for Matt. \nHe had to take one day at a time. So do the rest of us. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Venerable Matt Talbot is June 19.\n\nVenerable Matt Talbot is the Patron Saint of:\nAlcoholics\nSobriety
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/venerable-matt-talbot/2018-06-18/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180617
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180618
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T172423Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T172423Z
UID:6812-1529193600-1529279999@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Joseph Cafasso
DESCRIPTION:Saint Joseph Cafasso\nSaint of the Day for June 17\n(January 15\, 1811 – June 23\, 1860)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun17.mp3\nSaint Joseph Cafasso’s story\nEven as a young man\, Joseph loved to attend Mass and was known for his humility and fervor in prayer. After his ordination\, he was assigned to a seminary in Turin. There he worked especially against the spirit of Jansenism–an excessive preoccupation with sin and damnation. He used the works of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Alphonsus Liguori to moderate the rigorism popular at the seminary. \nJoseph recommended membership in the Secular Franciscan Order to priests. He urged devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and encouraged daily Communion. In addition to his teaching duties\, Joseph was an excellent preacher\, confessor\, and retreat master. Noted for his work with condemned prisoners\, he helped many of them die at peace with God. \nJoseph urged one of his former pupils–Saint John Bosco–to establish the Salesians congregation to work with the youth of Turin. Joseph Cafasso died in 1860\, and was canonized in 1947. \n\nReflection\nDevotion to the Eucharist gave energy to all Joseph’s other activities. Long prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been characteristic of many Catholics who have lived out the Gospel well: Saint Francis\, Bishop Fulton Sheen\, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin\, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta among them. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Joseph Cafasso is June 23.\n\nSaint Joseph Cafasso is the Patron Saint of:\nPrisoners\nPrussia
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-joseph-cafasso/2018-06-17/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180616
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180617
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T172243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T172243Z
UID:6809-1529107200-1529193599@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint John Francis Regis
DESCRIPTION:Saint John Francis Regis\nSaint of the Day for June 16\n(January 31\, 1597 –  December 30\, 1640)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun16.mp3\nSaint John Francis Regis’ Story\nBorn into a family of some wealth\, John Francis was so impressed by his Jesuit educators that he himself wished to enter the Society of Jesus. He did so at age 18. Despite his rigorous academic schedule\, he spent many hours in chapel\, often to the dismay of fellow seminarians who were concerned about his health. Following his ordination to the priesthood\, John Francis undertook missionary work in various French towns. While the formal sermons of the day tended toward the poetic\, his discourses were plain. But they revealed the fervor within him and attracted people of all classes. Father Regis especially made himself available to the poor. Many mornings were spent in the confessional or at the altar celebrating Mass; afternoons were reserved for visits to prisons and hospitals. \nThe bishop of Viviers\, observing the success of Father Regis in communicating with people\, sought to draw on his many gifts\, especially needed during the prolonged civil and religious strife then rampant throughout France. With many prelates absent and priests negligent\, the people had been deprived of the sacraments for 20 years or more. Various forms of Protestantism were thriving in some cases while a general indifference toward religion was evident in other instances. For three years\, Father Regis traveled throughout the diocese\, conducting missions in advance of a visit by the bishop. He succeeded in converting many people and in bringing many others back to religious observances. \nThough Father Regis longed to work as a missionary among the Native Americans in Canada\, he was to live out his days working for the Lord in the wildest and most desolate part of his native France. There he encountered rigorous winters\, snowdrifts and other deprivations. Meanwhile he continued preaching missions and earned a reputation as a saint. Upon entering the town of Saint-Andé\, one man came upon a large crowd in front of a church and was told that people were waiting for “the saint” who was coming to preach a mission. \nThe last four years of his life were spent preaching and organizing social services\, especially for prisoners\, the sick and the poor. In the autumn of 1640\, Father Regis sensed that his days were coming to a conclusion. He settled some of his affairs and prepared for the end by continuing to do what he did so well: speaking to the people about the God who loved them. On December 31\, he spent most of the day with his eyes on the crucifix. That evening\, he died. His final words were: “Into thy hands I commend my spirit.” \nJohn Francis Regis was canonized in 1737. \n\nReflection\nJohn longed to travel to the New World and become a missionary to the Native Americans\, but he was called instead to work among his own compatriots. Unlike many famous preachers\, he isn’t remembered for golden-tongued oratory. What people who listened to him heard was his own fervent faith\, and it had a powerful effect on them. We can recall homilists who impressed us for the same reason. More importantly for us\, we can also remember ordinary people\, neighbors and friends\, whose faith and goodness touched us and brought us to deeper faith. That is the calling most of us must follow.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-john-francis-regis/2018-06-16/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180615
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180616
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T172104Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T172104Z
UID:6806-1529020800-1529107199@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Marguerite d’Youville
DESCRIPTION:  \nSaint Marguerite d’Youville\nSaint of the Day for June 15\n(October 15\, 1701 – December 23\, 1771)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun15.mp3\nSaint Marguerite d’Youville’s Story\nWe learn compassion from allowing our lives to be influenced by compassionate people\, by seeing life from their perspectives\, and reconsidering our own values. \nBorn in Varennes\, Canada\, Marie Marguerite Dufrost de Lajemmerais had to interrupt her schooling at the age of 12 to help her widowed mother. Eight years later she married François d’Youville; they had six children\, four of whom died young. Despite the fact that her husband gambled\, sold liquor illegally to Native Americans\, and treated her indifferently\, she cared for him compassionately until his death in 1730. \nEven though she was caring for two small children and running a store to help pay off her husband’s debts\, Marguerite still helped the poor. Once her children were grown\, she and several companions rescued a Quebec hospital that was in danger of failing. She called her community the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal; the people called them the “Grey Nuns” because of the color of their habits. In time\, a proverb arose among the poor people of Montreal\, “Go to the Grey Nuns; they never refuse to serve.” In time\, five other religious communities traced their roots to the Grey Nuns. \nThe General Hospital in Montreal became known as the Hôtel Dieu (House of God) and set a standard for medical care and Christian compassion. When the hospital was destroyed by fire in 1766\, Mère Marguerite knelt in the ashes\, led the Te Deum–a hymn to God’s providence in all circumstances–and began the rebuilding process. She fought the attempts of government officials to restrain her charity\, and established the first foundling home in North America. \nPope Saint John XXIII\, who beatified Mère Marguerite in 1959\, called her the “Mother of Universal Charity.” She was canonized in 1990. \n\nReflection\nSaints deal with plenty of discouragement\, plenty of reasons to say\, “Life isn’t fair” and wonder where God is in the rubble of their lives. We honor saints like Marguerite because they show us that with God’s grace and our cooperation\, suffering can lead to compassion rather than bitterness. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Marguerite d’Youville is October 16.\n\nOther Saints of the Day for June 15 are Servant of God Orlando Catanii and Saint Vitus.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-marguerite-dyouville/2018-06-15/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180614
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180615
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T171923Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T171923Z
UID:6803-1528934400-1529020799@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Albert Chmielowski
DESCRIPTION:Saint Albert Chmielowski\nSaint of the Day for June 14\n(August 20\, 1845 – December 25\, 1916)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun14.mp3\nSaint Albert Chmielowski’s Story\nBorn in Igolomia near Kraków as the eldest of four children in a wealthy family\, he was christened Adam. During the 1864 revolt against Czar Alexander III\, Adam’s wounds forced the amputation of his left leg. \nHis great talent for painting led to studies in Warsaw\, Munich\, and Paris. Adam returned to Kraków and became a Secular Franciscan. In 1888\, when he founded the Brothers of the Third Order of Saint Francis\, Servants to the Poor\, he took the name Albert. They worked primarily with the homeless\, depending completely on alms while serving the needy regardless of age\, religion\, or politics. A community of Albertine sisters was established later. \nPope John Paul II beatified Albert in 1983\, and canonized him six years later. \n\nReflection\nReflecting on his own priestly vocation\, Pope John Paul II wrote in 1996 that Brother Albert had played a role in its formation “because I found in him a real spiritual support and example in leaving behind the world of art\, literature\, and the theater\, and in making the radical choice of a vocation to the priesthood” (Gift and Mystery: On the Fiftieth Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination). As a young priest\, Karol Wojtyla repaid his debt of gratitude by writing The Brother of Our God\, a play about Brother Albert’s life. \n\nThe Liturgical Feast of Saint Albert Chmielowski is June 17.
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-albert-chmielowski/2018-06-14/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180613
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180614
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
CREATED:20170831T171745Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170831T171745Z
UID:6800-1528848000-1528934399@www.thefranciscanfriars.org
SUMMARY:Saint Anthony of Padua
DESCRIPTION:Saint Anthony of Padua\nSaint of the Day for June 13\n(1195 – June 13\,1231)\nhttps://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun13.mp3\nSaint Anthony of Padua’s Story\nThe gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the rule of Anthony’s life. Over and over again\, God called him to something new in his plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and self-sacrificing to serve his Lord Jesus more completely. \nHis journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians in Lisbon\, giving up a future of wealth and power to be a servant of God. Later when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed\, he was again filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself: those who die for the Good News. \nSo Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving that goal. He went to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying\, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks. \nThe call of God came again at an ordination where no one was prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer\, of reading sacred Scripture and of serving him in poverty\, chastity\, and obedience had prepared Anthony to allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthony’s sermon was astounding to those who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirit’s power to give people words. \nRecognized as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar\, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the Albigensians in France\, using his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure those who had been misled by their denial of Christ’s divinity and of the sacraments.. \nAfter he led the friars in northern Italy for three years\, he made his headquarters in the city of Padua. He resumed his preaching and began writing sermon notes to help other preachers. In the spring of 1231 Anthony withdrew to a friary at Camposampiero where he had a sort of treehouse built as a hermitage. There he prayed and prepared for death. \nOn June 13\, he became very ill and asked to be taken back to Padua\, where he died after receiving the last sacraments. Anthony was canonized less than a year later and named a Doctor of the Church in 1946. \n\nReflection\nAnthony should be the patron of those who find their lives completely uprooted and set in a new and unexpected direction. Like all saints\, he is a perfect example of turning one’s life completely over to Christ. God did with Anthony as God pleased—and what God pleased was a life of spiritual power and brilliance that still attracts admiration today. He whom popular devotion has nominated as finder of lost objects found himself by losing himself totally to the providence of God. \n\nSaint Anthony of Padua is the Patron Saint of:\nLost items\nPoor\nTravelers
URL:https://www.thefranciscanfriars.org/event/saint-anthony-of-padua/2018-06-13/
CATEGORIES:Saint of the Day
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180612
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180613
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180610
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180611
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180609
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180610
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180608
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180609
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180607
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180608
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180605
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180606
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180604
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180605
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180603
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180604
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180602
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180603
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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:20260404T082436
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180531
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180601
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180530
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180531
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180529
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180530
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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:20260404T082436
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:20260404T082436
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:20260404T082436
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:20260404T082436
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:20260404T082436
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180523
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180524
DTSTAMP:20260404T082436
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
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