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Catholic Heroes… St. Mechtilde

November 21, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… St. Mechtilde

By CAROLE BRESLIN The path to sainthood varies considerably. Some saints go through miraculous conversions after a life of tepidity and even sinful pleasure such as St. Camillus, St. Augustine of Hippo, and St. Francis of Assisi. Others possess remarkable sanctity from the day of their birth — or even earlier such as the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist. At Helfta in central Germany, about 200 kilometers southwest of Berlin, members of one of the most powerful and most noble families of Thuringia were also known for their extraordinary holiness. St. Gertrude was counted among its members and they were cousins to the emperor of Germany. Around 1240 a daughter was born to the family and named…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… St. Guido Maria Conforti

November 14, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… St. Guido Maria Conforti

By CAROLE BRESLIN Many men and women who have established religious orders had to overcome various obstacles to obtain canonical approval. In addition to finding those persons with the same heart to serve God’s people, they must acquire housing, and find funding. These may be worldly concerns, but they are still important. Founders must also consider the statutes for their congregation, give attention to the evangelical counsels, and work with Church officials to get approval according to the Directives of Formation in Religious Institutes published by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life. No wonder, then, that so many founders have been canonized for their holy lives. One of these is St. Guido Maria Conforti. To complete the process of…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… St. Joseph Pignatelli

November 7, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… St. Joseph Pignatelli

By CAROLE BRESLIN Since the founding of the Society of Jesus in 1540 by St. Ignatius of Loyola up to the mid-eighteenth century, the order of priests and brothers had met with phenomenal success. But despite the high respect the Jesuits received from Popes, bishops, and kings, they eventually found themselves exiled and suppressed. The same bishop who started the Jansenist movement had been rejected by the Jesuits when he applied to become a novice. Enraged by this rejection, he vowed to destroy the Jesuits and — along with other forces working against the order — nearly did so. His undermining of the order slowly worked its way through all levels of society and the Jesuit priests were suppressed in…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… Servant of God Jacques Fesch

October 31, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… Servant of God Jacques Fesch

By CAROLE BRESLIN “Great sinners make great saints. God has big plans for you.” These are words of wisdom from the Church as handed down by Servant of God Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, which explain the lives of great saints. In Sacred Scripture we meet St. Matthew, a reviled tax collector, who became one of the apostles; Mary Magdalene, a woman of pleasure, who stood at the foot of the cross and became the apostle to the apostles after the Resurrection; and St. Dismas, a repentant thief, who was promised Paradise as he died next to Christ on the cross. Likewise, St. Augustine of Hippo not only espoused the heresy of Manichaeism, but also fathered a child out of…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… St. Laura Of St. Catherine Of Siena

October 17, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… St. Laura Of St. Catherine Of Siena

By CAROLE BRESLIN There was a woman who possessed classic beauty. Although her looks were not outstanding, she emanated an interior serenity and peace that enhanced her features. Her eyes were alight with wisdom, her forehead free from the lines of anxiety and stress. Her mouth was smooth and always carried a hint of a smile as is common with those who are filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Like her namesake, she loved our Lord and she greatly admired that Italian woman who became a bride of Christ, St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380). Juan de la Cruz, a doctor and merchant, married Dolores Montoya Upegui. They had three children: Carmelia, Juan de la Cruz, and another daughter,…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… St. Francis Borgia

October 10, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… St. Francis Borgia

By CAROLE BRESLIN The mere sight of the name Borgia brings to mind the family that was influential in both the Church and society — notorious for their political maneuvering and murder. But God can bring good out of evil and even from this family: Francis Borgia had great influence in the development of the Society of Jesus and served as its third superior general. Francis Borgia was born on October 28, 1510 in Valencia, Spain. His father, Juan Borgia, was the Duke of Gandia, and the grandson of Pope Alexander VI. Juana, his mother, was the daughter of the archbishop of Zaragoza. When Juan died, Juana took her children back to her duchy to raise them in peace and…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… The Martyrs Of Turon

September 26, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… The Martyrs Of Turon

  By CAROLE BRESLIN The complex roots of the Spanish Civil War (February 1936 to April 1939) sprouted many years before hostilities broke out. Little by little the Catholic Church had lost its influence and then it became a prime target for both the revolutionaries and the government. Of Church personnel, those executed during the Spanish Civil War included 12 bishops; 283 religious sisters and nuns; 4,184 priests; 2,365 religious priests; and an unknown number of laypeople, according to a July 20, 2011 Our Sunday Visitor article by Russell Shaw. Among the martyrs are the Nine Martyrs of Turon, whose feast is celebrated on October 9. Eight of them were Brothers of the Christian Schools and one was a Passionist…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… St. Thomas of Hereford

September 19, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… St. Thomas of Hereford

By CAROLE BRESLIN During the High Middle Ages the power of kings began to disintegrate, as shown by the Magna Charta, which was established in 1215. Although neither party of the agreement held up to its commitments, the beginning of more democratic rule had arrived. Three years later a noble family gave birth to a man who played a significant role in the conflict between the barons and the king of England. This man, St. Thomas de Cantilupe, was born in 1218 in Hambleden in Buckinghamshire in England, just northwest of London. His father, William de Cantilupe, the second Baron Cantilupe, was a minister of King John while his mother, Millicent de Gournay, was also from an illustrious and influential…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… St. Simon De Rojas

September 12, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… St. Simon De Rojas

By CAROLE BRESLIN The subject of this article lived in a time of great saints, great Spanish saints, so it is not surprising that he is little known. St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) who wrote the Spiritual Exercises, St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) who reformed the Carmelites and wrote The Interior Castle, and St. John of the Cross who wrote The Ascent of Mount Carmel and The Dark Night of the Soul (1542-1591) all lived during the lifetime of St. Simon de Rojas. While they focused on the spiritual formation of souls, St. Simon focused on organizing the laity to play a more active role in performing the corporal works of mercy. In the year 1552 there was a Catholic…Continue Reading

Catholic Heroes… Child Martyrs Of Tlaxcala

September 5, 2019 saints Comments Off on Catholic Heroes… Child Martyrs Of Tlaxcala

By CAROLE BRESLIN Viva Cristo Rey! This was the call of the Cristeros (1926-1929). Many Mexican saints were martyred during that massive and demonic persecution of the Catholic Church. One young man, José Sanchez del Rio, was only 14 years old when he died for his loyalty to the faith. He had refused to deny Christ, even under torture. Three young boys, Cristobal, Antonio, and Juan, were also martyred for their love of the Catholic faith. However, they died nearly 400 years before José Sanchez del Rio. These boys, full of fervor and zeal for Jesus, continually asked others to cease their pagan practices. As a result, they were put to death. Where was their city of Tlaxcala and why…Continue Reading