St Theresa of the Child Jesus

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day: St. Theresa of the Child Jesus St. Theresa of the Child Jesus St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Feast Day: October 1 Born: 1873 :: Died: 1897 St. Theresa, who was often called the Little Flower, was born in Normandy in France. She had four older sisters and her parents were Louis and Zelie Martin. Theresa was a very lively, lovable little girl and her father called her his "little queen." Yet she could also be too sensitive and irritable. In the story she wrote of her life, she tells how the Infant Jesus helped her overcome this weakness. Theresa wanted very much to enter the Carmelite convent where two of her sisters were already nuns. But since she was only fifteen, they did not let her. Theresa felt sure that Jesus wanted her to spend her life loving him alone. She kept praying and asking the superior to let her join the convent. She even dared to ask Pope Leo XIII himself to grant her heart's desire and finally she was allowed to enter. Although she was only fifteen, Theresa did not expect to be treated like a child. "Obedience, prayer and sacrifice" were her duty. She had a thirst to suffer for love of God. Theresa had the spiritual courage of a real heroine. "May Jesus make me a martyr of the heart or of the body-or better, both!" she wrote. And she meant it. In winter she suffered from the bitter cold and dampness of her plain bedroom. There were other kinds of sufferings, too. Whenever she was made fun of or insulted, she would offer her pain to her beloved Jesus. She would hide her hurts under a smile. She told Jesus to do with her whatever was his will. Sister Theresa tried hard to be humble. She called her great belief in God her "little way" to holiness. She always had a burning desire to become a saint. The young nun wanted to find a "short cut," an to take her quickly to heaven. So she looked in the Bible, and found the words, "Whoever is a little one, come to me." When she lay dying, she could say: "I have never given the good God anything but love, and it is with love that he will repay. After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven doing good on earth." The Little Flower died on September 30, 1897. "O Jesus, my love, my vocation, at last I have found it. My vocation is LOVE!"

St Jerome

Feast Day: September 30 Born: 347 :: Died: 420 Jerome was a Roman Catholic who was born at Stido, Dalmatia. His father taught him his religion well, but sent him to a famous pagan school where Jerome grew to love pagan writings and lost some of his love for God. Then he became great friends with a group of holy Christians, and his heart was turned completely to God. Later, this brilliant young man decided to live alone in a wild desert. He was afraid that his love for pagan writings would lead him away from the love of God. He welcomed the hard penance and the burning hot desert. But even there, he suffered terrible temptations. Jerome did not give in, however. Instead he increased his acts of penance and wept for his sins. He also went to study Hebrew with a monk as his teacher. He did this to get rid of the bad thoughts that kept attacking his mind. He became such a great scholar of Hebrew that he could later translate the Bible into Latin. Many more people were then able to read, learn and enjoy it. St. Jerome spent long years of his life in a little cave at Bethlehem, where Jesus had been born. There he prayed, studied the Bible, and taught many people how to serve God. He wrote many letters and even books to protect the faith from non-believers. St. Jerome had a bad temper, and because of his sharp tongue he made many enemies. Yet he was a very holy man who spent his life trying to serve Jesus in the best way he could. And so, despite his temper, he became a great saint. He died in 419 or 420.

Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael

Feast Day: September 29 Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are called "saints" because they are holy. But they are different from the rest of the saints because they were not human but spirits. They are angels and the word "angel" means Messenger of God. Angels who deliver messages of lesser importance are just called Angels; and those who proclaim important messages are called Archangels. They are our protectors and we know something about each of the three Archangels from the Bible. Michael's name means "who is like God?" St. Michael is mentioned in three books of the Bible: Daniel, Revelation and the Letter of Jude. In the book of Revelation or the Apocalypse, chapter 12:7-9, we read of a great war that went on in heaven. Michael and his angels battled with Satan (or the fallen angel Lucifer). Michael who was the leader of God's army became the champion of loyalty to God. We can ask St. Michael to make us strong in our love for Jesus and in our practice of the Catholic religion. Gabriel's name means "the power of God." He is mentioned in the book of Daniel and more importantly in Luke's Gospel. This archangel announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of our Savior. Gabriel announced to Zechariah that he and St. Elizabeth would have a son and call him John. Gabriel is the announcer, the communicator of the Good News. We can ask him to help us be good communicators as he was. Raphael's name means "God has healed." We read the touching story of Raphael's role in the Bible's book of Tobit. He was also the Angel mentioned in John 5:1-4 as the power behind the healing at the sheep pool. He brought protection and healing to the blind Tobit. At the very end of the journey, when all was completed, Raphael revealed his true identity. He called himself one of the seven who stands before God's throne. We can ask St. Raphael to protect us in our travels, even for short journeys, like going to school. We can also ask him to help when illness strikes us or someone we love.

Sts Lawrence Ruiz and companions

Feast Day: September 28 Born: (around) 1575 :: Died: 1637 Today we celebrate the feast of St. Lawrence Ruiz, from the Philippines and his fifteen companions. Born in Manila, in the Philippines, St. Lorenzo was the father of a family. He left his wife and children to join a few Dominican priests, brothers and lay volunteers who were going on a mission to Japan to preach the Gospel. The group had nine Dominican priests, two brothers, two single lay women, and three other lay persons. All the people on the group were in some way connected with the Dominican order and were missionaries who had originally come from five nations - France, Italy, Japan, the Philippines and Spain. When the persecution started they all chose to die rather than give up their faith in Jesus. These martyrs suffered greatly before they died, but despite their trials they would not give up their Catholic religion and remained faithful until the end. St. Lawrence Ruiz told his judges that if he had a thousand lives to give for Christ, he would. These sixteen martyrs were killed for their faith in 1637, in Nagasaki, Japan. What a wonderful reminder they are that the Church reaches out to the whole world. This group of heroes was proclaimed saints by Pope John Paul II in1987

St Vincent de Paul

Feast Day: September 27 Born: 1581 :: Died: 1660 Vincent, was born in a town in Southwest France and was the son of poor French peasants. Today the town is called Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Landes, France. When he grew up and became famous, he loved to tell people how he had taken care of his father's pigs. Because he was intelligent, his father sent him to school to study under the Franciscan friars at Acqs. And after finishing his studies from the University of Toulouse, Vincent became a priest at the age of 20. At first, he was given an important position as the teacher of rich children, and he lived rather comfortably. But while he was traveling by sea from one city to another, he fell into the hands of Turkish pirates who sold him as a slave in Tunis. Two years later after he was finally set free by one of his owners, who he converted to Christianity, he returned to France where he served as a parish priest. Then one day, he was called to the side of a dying peasant. In front of many people, this man declared that all his past confessions had been bad ones. Suddenly Father Vincent realized how badly the poor people of France needed spiritual help. When he began to preach to them, crowds went to confession. He finally decided to start a congregation of priests to work especially among the poor. The charities of St. Vincent de Paul were so many that it seems impossible for one person to have begun so much. He took care of criminals who worked on the sailing ships He started the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity He opened hospitals and homes for orphans and old people He collected large sums of money for poor areas He sent missionaries to many countries and bought back prisoners from the Mohammedans Even though he was such a charitable man, however, he humbly admitted that he was not so by nature. "I would have been hard, rough and ill-tempered," he said "were it not for God's grace." "It is not sufficient for me to love God if I do not love my neighbor. I belong to God and to the poor." Vincent de Paul died in Paris on September 27, 1660

Sts Cosmas & Damien

Feast Day: September 26 Born: (around) 250 :: Died: 303 These two martyrs were twin brothers from Syria in Arabia. They were very famous students of science and both became excellent doctors. Cosmas and Damien saw in every patient a brother or sister in Christ. For this reason, they showed great charity to all and treated their patients to the best of their ability. No matter how much care a patient required, neither Cosmas nor Damien ever accepted any money for their services. For this reason, they were called by a name in Greek which means "the penniless ones." Every chance they had, the two saints told their patients about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And because the people all loved these twin doctors, they listened to them willingly. Cosmas and Damien often brought health back to both the bodies and the souls of those who came to them for help. When Emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians began in their city, because they were so famous, the saints were arrested at once. They had never tried to hide their great love for their Christian faith. They were tortured, but nothing could make them give up their belief in Christ. They had lived for him and had brought so many people to his love. So at last, they were put to death in the year 303. These holy martyrs are named in the First Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass. As we remember these two holy doctors, the Church prays today for all health care professionals, that they would follow the example of Cosmas and Damien in their care for the physical and spiritual well being of others.

St Sergius

Born: (around) 1315 :: Died: 1392 St. Sergius was born near Rostov in Russia and was given the name of Bartholomew when he was baptized. He was not as bright as his two brothers, but he did learn to read and write. This made him really happy because he wanted so much to read the Bible. Bartholomew's parents were very rich but when he was still a boy, the family had to flee from enemies and lost all their wealth. They had to go to work as peasants. After his parents died, Bartholomew and his brother Stephen went off to live as hermits. They built a little church from trees they had cut down. The church was dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity. When his brother went to Moscow to enter a monastery, Bartholomew lived alone. He wore the habit of a monk and took the name Sergius. He was a tall, husky young man. He was strong enough to stand the biting cold and fierce winds of his forest home. He was happy praying to God and loving him with all his heart. He called fire and light his companions, and even made friends with bears. Soon, other young men came to share St. Sergius's holy life and he started the Holy Trinity monastery for them. He was ordained a priest and ruled his monastery very wisely. Once when some of the monks together with his own brother Stephen-who had come back - disagreed with Sergius about his strict rules, he went away to live as a hermit again so as to keep peace. Four years later, he was asked to return. The monks were so happy to see him that they kissed his hands, his feet and even his robe. Powerful rulers often went to ask St. Sergius for advice. He became so famous that he was asked to become bishop of the greatest Russian diocese in Moscow. But he was too humble to accept. The prince of Moscow was not sure if he should try to fight the terrible pagan Tartars. St. Sergius said, "Do not fear, sir. Go forward with faith against the foe. God will be with you." And the Russians were victorious. It was not great learning that made people trust and love St. Sergius. It was his confidence in God and his desire to help everybody. St. Sergius died in 1392.

St pacificus

Feast Day: September 24 Born: 1653 :: Died: 1721 Charles Anthony was born in Italy and when he was just five years old his loving parents died. He was then sent to live with his uncle. This uncle was a mean man who was always angry. He treated Charles worse than a servant. Yet the boy took this hard treatment quietly and patiently. When he was seventeen, Charles entered a monastery so he could study to be a priest. He chose the name Pacificus, which means "peaceful." St. Pacificus had a sad childhood and could have let himself become an angry person. Instead, he prayed to Jesus for a forgiving, patient heart. His hard times were turned into moments of growing in his love for God and people. Because he had suffered, he could sympathize with the hurts of others and help them to find God in their lives. After he became a priest, he was made a teacher, but his great desire was to become a preacher. How happy he was when his superior sent him on a preaching mission to many little towns and villages. St. Pacificus was very popular with people in the country because his talks were simple and gentle. Besides that, he had the marvelous gift of reading consciences. At confession one day he reminded a man that he had been unkind to his mother. He had also kept impure thoughts in his mind. What Father Pacificus said was true. The man was very sorry for his sins. Everywhere the priest went to preach and hear confessions, he did much good. But six years after he started preaching, Pacificus had to give it up because he became blind, deaf and crippled. He spent his time praying and doing penance in his monastery and helping others in any way he could. God was always very close to him. He gave him the gift of prophecy. St. Pacificus foretold the great victory of the Christian armies over the Turks at Belgrade. He also said to a bishop, "Your Excellency-heaven! Heaven! And I will follow you soon!" About two weeks later, the bishop died. Not long after, just as he had said, St. Pacificus died, too in the year 1721. Many miracles took place at his grave. Each of us has been blessed by God in different ways. How am I called to share my gifts with others?

St Thecla

Feast Day: September 23 Born: (a few decades after Christ) :: Died: (when she was 80 years old) Thecla was born in the first century at Iconium in Greece (which is now in Turkey). She was beautiful, well-educated and came from a very rich family. At the age of 18, her father got her engaged to a rich and generous pagan prince named Thamyris. When St. Paul the apostle came to preach the Gospel of Jesus in Iconium, Thecla's prayer to know the one, true God was answered. She immediately gave up all her dreams of marriage, forgot her beauty, converted to Christianity and became a true follower of Jesus. She was the first woman evangelist in the Church. When her parents and Thamyris found out what she had done, they tried to make her change her mind, with no success. Then they reported her to the governor who decided to have her burned at the stake. When the fire was lit, Thecla bravely went making the Sign of the Cross. Suddenly, a strong wind blew and heavy rain poured down putting out the fire. She was then thrown to the lions and making the Sign of the Cross she offered her spirit to the Lord. At once, the lions lay down at her side, and licked her feet, like pet kittens. The next day each of her arms were tied to a bull and the soldiers began burning the bulls with red-hot irons trying to make them angry so they would eat her. But the bulls remained calm and did not move. Finally she was thrown into a valley with poisonous snakes but a fire began and destroyed the snakes. The shocked judge asked Thecla "Who are you, that you are always saved?" She answered "I am a daughter of Christ, Son of the living God. He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life; He is the one who protects me. To Him be glory and power for ever and ever." The judge immediately set her free. Then many people began to believe in Jesus including her mother and people in her town. The queen gave her money to care for the poor and the sick and St. Paul encouraged her to continue her mission. She finally died at the age of 80.

St Thomas of Villanova

Feast Day: September 22 Born: 1488 :: Died: 1555 Thomas was born at Fuentellana, Castile in Spain. From his kind parents, he learned to be very charitable with the poor. He did well in school and became a teacher of philosophy when he finished his studies. Then he joined the Augustinian order as a priest. After he became a priest, he was given many important responsibilities. Later, he was made archbishop of the city of Valencia. His priests tried to convince him to change his old, mended habit (long robe that priests wear) for new and nicer robes. However, St. Thomas told them his old clothes had nothing to do with his duty. He would take good care of the spiritual needs of his people. Every day he fed hundreds of poor people. When he received a large sum of money to buy furniture for his house, he gave it to a hospital, saying, "What does a poor monk like me want with furniture?" No wonder he was called the "father of the poor"! St. Thomas was very gentle with sinners at a time when most people were not. He encouraged rich people to be generous and follow his example too. Once when he tried to encourage one man to change his sinful ways, the man angrily insulted him and stormed out of the room. "It was my fault," said the humble archbishop. "I told him a little too roughly." Never would he permit anyone to criticize someone who wasn't there. "He may have had a good reason for doing what he did," the saint would say. "I, for one, believe he did." Before he died, St. Thomas of Villanova gave to the poor everything he had. He made sure that even his bed was sent to the jail for prisoners to use. St. Thomas died in 1555.

St Matthew

Feast Day: September 21 Born / Died : (around the time of Jesus) Matthew was a tax collector in the city of Capernaum, where Jesus lived. He was a Jew who worked for the Romans. For this reason, his countrymen disliked him. They called him a "public sinner," as they felt he was betraying his own people. But Jesus did not feel that way about Matthew. One day, Jesus saw Matthew sitting in his office and he said, "Follow me." At once, Matthew left his money and his position to follow Jesus. Jesus seemed so holy and king-like that Matthew gave a big supper for Jesus. He invited other friends to meet Jesus and listen to him teach. Some people found fault with Jesus for sharing a meal with those whom they considered sinners. However, Jesus had a ready answer. "They who are well do not need a doctor; the sick do. I have not come to call the just, but sinners to repentance." When Jesus went back to heaven, St. Matthew stayed in Palestine. He remained there for some time to preach about the Lord. We are familiar with the Gospel of Matthew, which is the story of Jesus and what he taught. St. Matthew presents Jesus to his own people. The Lord is the Messiah whom the prophets had said would come to save us. After preaching the Gospel to many people, St. Matthew finally gave his life as a glorious martyr for the faith.

Sts Andrew Kim & Paul Chong and 113 Martyrs

Feast Day: September 20 Born: (around) 1800 :: Died: 1846 St. Andrew Kim Taegon was born in Korea and came from a very noble family. Christianity reached Korea in the seventeenth century and was brought there by lay people. The believers became strong in their faith by reading and listening to the Word of God and began to grow in number. Andrew's parents who were earlier non-Christians converted and became Christians. Andrew was baptized when he was 15 years old and soon after, his father died as a martyr for the faith. Missionary priests came from France and the Korean people began to receive the sacraments of the Church. Andrew traveled about 1,300 miles to Macao, which had the nearest seminary so he could study to become a priest. The Government did not want Christianity to spread and began to trouble and torture the Christians. A total of 113 Koreans & missionaries were killed between 1839 and 1867. St. Andrew was the first Korean to become a priest and first priest to die for the faith in Korea just a year after his ordination. That made him the leader of the Martyrs of Korea. St. Paul Chong Hasang another Korean Catholic was a layperson and Catechist who also courageously died for the love for Christ. These two martyrs gloriously represent the 113 Catholics who died for their faith in Korea. They were proclaimed saints by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Korea in 1984. Today the Church is growing fast in Korea. The gift of faith is being received because of the sacrifice of the martyrs who showed them the way.

San Gennaro

Feast Day: September 19 Born: (around) 240 :: Died: 305 Januarius was born in Naples in Italy. He was the bishop of Benevento when Emperor Diocletian began to harass and trouble the Christians. The people of Naples have a special love for and devotion to Bishop Januarius. He is popularly called "San Gennaro." One day San Gennaro was told that some Christian deacons had been put in prison for their faith. The bishop who was a gentle and compassionate man, truly cared about his people and went to the prison to visit them. The jailer reported him to the governor who sent soldiers to find San Gennaro. The bishop was arrested along with a deacon and a lector and was put along with the other prisoners. San Gennaro and the six other Christians were beheaded and martyred for their faith. Their deaths took place near Naples in 305 and the people of Naples consider San Gennaro as their patron saint. The people of Naples remember San Gennaro for another special reason: his martyr's blood was preserved many hundred years ago in a vile. The blood has become dark and dry. But at certain times of the year, the blood turns to liquid. It becomes red, sometimes bright red and at times, it even bubbles. The special case containing the vile of blood is honored publicly about 3 times a year: on the first Saturday of May, on September 19 (the feast of San Gennaro), within the octave (or eight days after the feast), and at times on December 16. The liquified blood has been seen and honored since the thirteenth century. E-mail this page to a friend

St Joseph Cupertino

Feast Day: September 18 Born: 1603 :: Died: 1663 Joseph was born in a small Italian village to poor parents. He was very unhappy as a boy and a teenager. His mother thought he was a big nuisance so she shouted at him often and was very strict with him. Joseph soon became very slow and absent-minded. He would wander around as if he were going nowhere. But he had a bad temper, too, and so not many people liked him. He tried to learn the trade of shoe-making, but failed. He asked if he could become a Franciscan priest, but they did not want him. He then managed to join the Capuchin order, but eight months later he was asked to leave. He could not seem to do anything right. He dropped piles of dishes and kept forgetting to do what he was told. His mother was not at all pleased to have the eighteen-year-old Joseph back home again. She finally convinced the Franciscan monastery to take him on as a helper. He was given the Franciscan habit to wear and was assigned to care for the horses. About this time, Joseph began to change. He grew more humble and gentle. He became more careful and successful at his work. He also began to do more penance. The Franciscans finally decided to let him become a member of the order and he started studying to become a priest. Although he was very good, he still had a hard time with studies. But Joseph trusted in God's help and he did become a priest. God began to work miracles through Father Joseph. Over seventy times people saw him rise from the ground while saying Mass or praying. He would balance near the ceiling like a star at the top of a Christmas tree. Often he went into ecstasy (where you do not see or hear the people around you) and would be completely wrapped up in talking with God. He became very holy. Everything he saw made him think of God. Father Joseph became so famous for his miracles that he was kept hidden. This made him happy for the chance to be alone with his beloved Jesus who always stayed close to him until he died in 1663. The life of this saint can help us to understand that to be holy or close to God we do not need people to praise us for our talents and abilities which are a free gift from God

St Robert Bellarmine

Feast Day: September 17 Born: 1542 :: Died: 1621 Robert was born in Italy. As a boy, he was not interested in playing games, like most children his age were. He liked to spend his time repeating to his younger brothers and sisters the sermons he had heard. He also liked to explain the lessons of the catechism to the little farm children of the neighborhood. Once he had made his first Holy Communion, he used to receive Jesus every Sunday. His father wanted to make Robert famous, so he got his son to study many subjects including music and art. Whenever a song had words that were not nice, Robert would replace them with good ones of his own. It was Robert's great desire to become a Jesuit priest, but his father had other plans for him. For a whole year, Robert pleaded with his father. At last, when he was eighteen, his father allowed him to join the Jesuits. As a young Jesuit, he did very well in his studies and was sent to preach even before he became a priest. When one good woman first saw such a young man, not even a priest yet, going up into the pulpit to preach, she knelt down to pray. She asked the Lord to help him not become frightened and stop in the middle. When he finished his sermon, she stayed kneeling. This time, however, she was thanking God for the wonderful sermon he gave. St. Robert Bellarmine became a famous writer, preacher and teacher. He wrote thirty-one important books. He spent three hours every day in prayer and had a deep knowledge of sacred matters. Yet even when he became a cardinal, he believed that catechism was so important, that he himself taught it to his household and to the people. He said: "If you are wise, then know that you have been created for the glory of God and your own eternal salvation. This is your goal; this is the center of your life; this is the treasure of your heart." Cardinal Bellarmine died on September 17, 1621.

Sts Cornelius and Cyprian

Feast Day: September 16 Born: (around) 200 :: Died: 253/258 In the middle of the third century, which is around the year 250 the Church was still being badly treated and Christians were being killed. Emperor Decius put Pope St. Fabian to death and the Church was without a pope for nearly a year. A holy priest of Rome, Cornelius, was elected in 251. He was willing to become Pope because he loved Christ. He would serve the Church as pope even if it meant he might die. That is why Pope Cornelius was so greatly admired throughout the world. The bishops of Africa spoke bravely about their love and loyalty to the pope. Bishop Cyprian of Carthage sent him letters of encouragement and support. Cyprian who was a non-Catholic, converted and became a Catholic at the age of twenty-five. He later became a priest and in 249 he became a bishop. Bishop Cyprian encouraged Pope Cornelius by reminding him that even though their lives were in danger, in Rome not a single Christian had given up the faith. St. Cyprian's writings explain the love that Christians should have for the whole Church. This love should be for the pope as well as for their parish. Cyprian wrote a book on the unity of the Church which is important to us even today. Pope St. Cornelius was sent away to the port of Rome where he died in September, 253. Because he suffered so much as pope, he is considered a martyr. St. Cyprian died five years later when they chopped off his head on September 14, 258. Together they share a feast day to remind us of the unity that the Church should always enjoy. This unity is a mark of the presence of Jesus who is the Center. So today, let us specially pray for unity among people of different cultures, races, nations, and religions.

Our Lady of Sorrows

Feast Day: September 15 Our Lady had many great joys as the mother of Jesus, but she had so much to suffer, as well. Being a loving mother she suffered greatly as she helplessly watched when Jesus was treated so cruelly by his enemies. What terrible suffering to see her Son die on the cross. Mary is the queen of martyrs because her spiritual pain was much greater than the bodily pain suffered by the martyrs. Her heart was like an altar when on Calvary she offered up her beloved Son Jesus to save us. The seven times of great suffering during Mary's life were:- The first was when she took Baby Jesus to the temple. There the prophet Simeon told her that a sword of suffering would pierce her heart when Jesus would be put to death. Her second sorrow was when she and St. Joseph had to flee to Egypt with Jesus because Herod's soldiers were trying to kill him. The third suffering came when Mary searched three days in Jerusalem for Jesus and finally found him in the temple. Our Lady's fourth sorrow was when Jesus was whipped and crowned with thorns. Her fifth great pain was caused by his being lifted on the cross, where he died after three hours of agony. Mary's sixth sorrow was the moment when Our Lord's sacred body was placed in her arms. And her seventh suffering came when he was buried in the tomb. Mary did not feel sorry for herself or complain because she had to suffer so much during her life. Instead, she offered her sorrows to God for our sakes. She is our Mother. Because she loves us dearly, she was happy to suffer that we might some day share her joy with Jesus in heaven.

The Cross

Feast Day: September 14 Today we celebrate our love for Jesus and show him how grateful we are through our respect for the cross. The cross was once the greatest symbol of shame. Criminals preferred to be killed by the sword instead of dying a shameful death on the cross. Jesus chose the worst kind of death for us to give us our salvation. He took on the suffering and shame of the cross. For Christians the cross has now become the most sacred symbol. When the cross has the image of the suffering Christ on it, that cross is called a crucifix. The crucifix on our bedroom wall and the crucifix or cross worn around our neck is an important reminder that Jesus paid a price for us. For hundreds of years pieces of the true cross have been treasured by devout Christians. It is believed that Emperor Heraclius recovered pieces of wood from the cross of Jesus in 629. He and his soldiers honored these pieces and invited all the people in the area to join them. Even before that time, Christians honored and loved the symbol of the cross. The word "cross" can also mean the sufferings that come our way. When we accept them lovingly and with patience as Jesus did his cross, we become "cross-bearers" like Jesus. Reflection: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world!

St John Chrysostom

Feast Day: September 13 Born: 344 / Died: 407 St. John Chrysostom was born in Antioch in Greece. His father died when he was a baby and his mother decided not to marry again. She gave all her attention to bringing up her son and daughter. She made many sacrifices so that John could have the best teachers. He was very intelligent and could have become a great man in the world. When he gave speeches everyone loved to listen to him. In fact, his name, Chrysostom, means, "Golden-mouthed." Yet John wanted to give himself to God. He became a priest and lived for about 12 years preaching in Syria. Later he was made bishop and then Archbishop of the great city of Constantinople. St. John was a wonderful bishop. Although he was always sick, he did a great amount of good. He preached once or twice every day, fed the poor and took care of orphans. He corrected sinful customs and stopped bad plays from being performed. He loved everyone, but was not afraid to tell even the empress when she did wrong. Because he fought sin, St. John had many enemies - even the empress herself. She had him sent away from Constantinople. On the trip he suffered greatly from fever, without food and sleep. Yet, he was happy to suffer for Jesus. Just before he died, he cried out, "Glory be to God!" When St. John died in Turkey on September 14, 407 a terrible hailstorm fell on Constantinople. Four days later, the evil empress died too. Her son honored St. John's body and showed how sorry he was for what his mother had done

St Eanswida

Feast Day: September 12 Born: (around) 580 / Died: 640 Eanswida was the granddaughter of St. Ethelbert, the first Christian king of England. Eanswida's father Prince Edbald later became the king of Kent. Edbald was not a religious man at first, but he learned a great deal about Christianity from his little daughter. She was a very good Christian as well as attractive. Her father found a handsome man to marry her, a pagan prince from Northumbria. But Eanswida was not at all pleased. She kindly refused to marry him so that her father would not be offended. He respected her wish and surprised everyone when he allowed his daughter to become a nun. Princess Eanswida was a very happy nun and she soon started a Benedictine convent. She lived simply and prayerfully like the rest of the sisters. She spent the rest of her life in penance and prayer for herself and for all the people of her homeland. Eanswida died on the last day of August in 640. The Danes finally destroyed her convent, but Benedictine monks started the monastery again in 1095. In pictures & art St. Eanswida is shown as a nun wearing a crown, holding a church or a fish.

Blessed Louis of Thoringia

Feast Day: September 11 Born: (around) 1180 / Died: 1227 Louis was a German prince who married St. Elizabeth of Hungary when he was twenty-one and she was just fourteen. Their parents had arranged the marriage, as this was the custom. But they both loved God, and he gave them great love for each other so that they were very happy together. Their joy increased when God gave them their three children. The youngest was Blessed Gertrude. Louis helped his wife in her many works of charity for the poor. He also joined her in prayer each day. The people often saw their handsome prince and his lovely wife helping the poor. Once Elizabeth brought a leper into their castle and looked after him in their bed. For a moment, when Louis saw that, he was angry. Then, suddenly, instead of the leper, he saw our crucified Lord lying there. This was proof of how much Jesus loved Elizabeth's charity. Then Louis built a big hospital for lepers. One long, bitter cold winter, Louis was called away from his land to deal with some trouble. When he returned, Elizabeth was overjoyed. But the next year when Louis left on a Crusade to free the Holy Land from the Muslims he caught malaria on his way there, and soon was dying. Because he had always been close to Jesus, the brave ruler was not frightened to die. He received the Last Sacraments and died peacefully in 1227

St Nicholas Tolentino

Feast Day: September 10 Born: 1245 / Died: 1305 Nicholas was born in Ancona, Italy after his parents had waited a long time for a child. Nicholas was the answer to prayer and a pilgrimage they made to the shrine of St. Nicholas of Bari. His parents were so grateful to the saint that they named their baby after him. When Nicholas grew up, he wanted to become a priest. He prayed a lot and wanted to live close to God. Friends of his family wanted him to be a priest in a rich parish where Nicholas would be promoted. Nicholas didn't say anything, but quietly prayed to God for direction. One day he slipped into a church where Father Reginald, a fervent Augustinian priest was giving a sermon. He said: "Don't love the world or the things of this world because this world is passing away." These words went deep into Nicholas' heart and he realized how God had used that preacher to touch his own life. He knew now the importance of preaching God's Word. He decided to join the Augustinian Friars when he was just eighteen years old and Father Reginald became his novice master. Then he began his studies for the priesthood and became a priest around 1270. Father Nicholas spread God's word with love in many parishes. Then while praying in church one day, he seemed to hear a voice saying: "To Tolentino, to Tolentino. Stay there." Soon afterward, he was sent to the town of Tolentino. He spent the remaining thirty years of his life there. There was great political trouble in those times and many people did not come to church to hear the Word and to worship the Lord. The friars of St. Augustine decided that street-preaching was necessary. St. Nicholas willingly preached in gathering places where people listened and many repented of their sins and lack of caring and began to lead better lives. Father Nicholas spent hours in the slum areas of Tolentino. He visited the lonely, brought the sacraments to the sick and dying. He took care of the needs of children and visited prisoners. Miracles were reported while St. Nicholas was still alive. He touched a diseased child and said, "May the good God make you well," and the child was cured. St. Nicholas of Tolentino was sick for about a year before he died on September 10, 1305.

St Peter Claver

Feast Day: September 9 Born: 1580 :: Died: 1654 Peter Claver was born at Verdu, Catalonia in Spain and was the son of a farmer. At a very young age he decided he wanted to join the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and be a priest. At the age of 20, while he was still studying at the University of Barcelona to become a Jesuit, he felt a great desire to go to South America as a missionary. He was sent to the seaport of Cartagena where great shiploads of African slaves were brought to be sold. At the sight of those poor people all crowded together, sick and suffering, Peter felt great pity. He made up his mind to help them and bring them to Jesus. As soon as a shipload arrived, he would go among the hundreds of sick slaves and gave them food and medicine. He baptized the dying and the little babies. He nursed the ill. It was hard work in terrible heat. One man who went once with St. Peter to help these people found he could not face the heart-breaking sight again. Yet Peter did it for forty years. He baptized about three hundred thousand people. He was there when the ships came in to care for and love those who were treated so cruelly by society. Although the slave owners tried to stop Father Claver, he taught the faith to the slaves anyway. It was slow, work that could often be disappointing. Many people found fault with him, saying it was all a waste of time. They thought the slaves would never keep the faith. But St. Peter was patient and he trusted that God would bless his people. The priest never stopped asking the slave owners to take care of the souls of their slaves and to be better Christians themselves. During the last four years of his life, Father Claver was so sick that he had to stay in his room; he could not even celebrate Mass. Most people forgot about him, but he never complained. Then suddenly when he died on September 8, 1654, it was like the whole city woke up. They realized that they had lost a saint. From then on he was never forgotten again and was called the Slave of the Blacks or the Slave of Slaves.

Birthday of our Blessed Mother

Feast Day: September 8 Born: (around) September 8, 20 B.C. We do not usually celebrate the birthdays of the saints. Instead we celebrate the day they died, because that is the day they were born into the joys of heaven. But the birthday of Mary, our Blessed Mother, is special. We celebrate her birthday because she came into this world full of grace and because she was to be the Mother of Jesus. The birth of Our Lady was like a dawn. When the sky starts to turn a rosy pink early in the morning, we know the sun will soon come up. In the same way, when Mary was born, she brought great happiness to the world. Her birth meant that soon Jesus, the Sun of justice, would appear. Mary was the wonderful human being who was chosen to bring the Lord Jesus to all people. Even today, if we have Mary, we have Jesus. Whoever is very faithful to her is very close to the heart of Jesus.

Sts John Duckett & Ralph Corby

Feast Day: September 7 Born: (around) 1585 :: Died: 1644 John Duckett was an Englishman, who may have been the grandson of the martyr James Duckett. Father John studied at the English college of Douay in France and became a priest in 1639. He studied for three more years in Paris, spending several hours each day in prayer. He spent two months with the Cistercian monks, offering that time to God in prayer and retreat before he was sent back to his persecuted England. The young priest worked hard for a year teaching people about the Catholic faith in England, but one day when he was on his way to baptize two children, he was caught with the holy oils and book of rites. When his captors threatened harm to his family and friends if he did not tell them who he was, he admitted that he was a priest. He was immediately taken to prison in London. There he met a Jesuit priest, Ralph Corby. Father Corby had worked in England for twelve years before they caught him celebrating Mass one day. The Jesuit order tried hard to save Father Corby. When they finally gave him pardon, he insisted that Father John Duckett who was younger, be set free instead of him. But Father John refused to leave without his friend. Then on September 7, 1644, at ten o'clock, the two priests were taken to Tyburn, to be executed (killed). Their heads were shaved and they wore their cassocks (long robe worn by priests). Each made a short speech, then embraced each other. They would meet again in heaven before God

Blessed Bertrand

Feast Day: September 6 Born: 1195 :: Died: 1230 Bertrand was born in the diocese of Nimes in southern France. At that time France was troubled by religious wars and there was great confusion about the Church's teaching. But Bertrand's parents managed to live a peaceful life and they taught the true faith to their son. He lived a good and holy life, praying constantly even as a young person. He became a priest at a very early age and joined the missionaries to bring back to the Church the Albigenses who had no respect for authority or life, burned churches and convents and believed in false teachings. St. Dominic and Blessed Bertrand met as missionaries and became very close friends, traveling, praying and fasting together, offering sufferings for the good of others. Bertrand saw the holiness of St. Dominic, and the miracles he performed and told people about them. This was God's invitation for him to begin a very important ministry. When he was just 20 years old, he and five other men joined Dominic to form a new religious congregation, the Order of Preachers. They are also called "Dominicans". Blessed Bertrand was sent to Paris to start the order there. Then St. Dominic called asked Bertrand to go to Bologna and start the order there. Bertrand obeyed happily. Meanwhile, the Order of Preachers was growing. They preached the Gospel message in the towns and countryside. They wanted people to know and love Jesus. Bertrand was made the superior of the province in southern France. He lived a simple life and spent his days preaching and helping people grow closer to God. He died while giving a sermon to some at the convent of Notre Dame in 1230. Many miracles still take place when people pray to Blessed Bertrand.

St Lawrence Justinian

Feast Day: September 5 Born: 1381 :: Died: 1455 Lawrence was born in Venice, in Italy. His mother sometimes thought her son's dreams were too big. He always told her that he wanted to become a saint. When he was nineteen years old, he wished to serve God in a special way and asked his uncle, a holy priest of the community of St. George for advice. "Do you have the courage to turn down the joys of the world and to live a life of penance?" asked his uncle. Lawrence was quiet for a long time. Then he looked up at a crucifix and said, "You, O Lord, are my hope. In this cross there is comfort and strength." His mother wanted him to marry, but Lawrence joined the community of St. George as a priest. His first job was to go out among the people of his city and ask for donations to support the St. George community. Lawrence was not ashamed to beg. He realized that the offerings of money or goods would help God's work. He even went to his own home and asked for charity. His mother would try to fill up his sack with food, so that he could return to the monastery early without having to go all over town. But Lawrence would only take two loaves of bread from his mother and then go off to the next house. In this way, he learned how to make little sacrifices and grew very dear to God. One day a friend of his came to try and make Lawrence leave the monastery. Instead, the saint spoke of how short life is and how wise it is to live for heaven. His friend was very impressed and decided to become a religious himself. Later, Lawrence was made a bishop, even though he was not happy about it. His people soon learned what a kind and holy man their bishop was and crowds came to him for help every day. When he was dying, he refused to lie on a soft bed. "That shall not be!" he exclaimed humbly. "My Lord was stretched out on a hard and painful tree." St. Lawrence Justinian died in 1455.

St Rose of Viterbo

Feast Day: September 4 Born: 1235 :: Died: 1252 Rose was born in Viterbo, in Italy. During that time Emperor Frederick had conquered land that belonged to the Church. Rose's special mission as a teenager was to make the people of her own city and nearby cities remain faithful to the Holy Father the Pope. And this she did very well. In fact, when she was eight years old, Rose was quite sick and our Blessed Mother appeared to her and told her that she should wear the habit (uniform) of St. Francis. Our Lady also told Rose to set a good example by her words and actions. Slowly Rose became strong and healthy again. She began to think more and more about how much Jesus suffered for us and how much we had hurt him because of our sins. She prayed and made sacrifices to show Jesus how much she loved him. Later on, this brave girl began to preach in the streets of the city. She told people not to agree the emperor who had taken land from the Church. So many people listened to her advice that Rose's father became frightened. He told her he would beat her if she did not stop preaching. She was only thirteen years old, but she answered gently, "If Jesus was willing to be beaten for me, I can be beaten for him. I must do what Jesus has told me to do, and I will not disobey him." For two more years Rose preached with such success that the enemies of the pope wanted to kill her. In the end, the emperor sent Rose and her parents out of the city. But Rose said that the emperor was going to die soon and that is exactly what happened. When they returned to Viterbo, Rose was not allowed to become a nun, so she returned to her own home. There she died in 1252, when she was only seventeen. Even today, her body is preserved and venerated in Viterbo.

St Gregory the Great

Feast Day: September 3 Born: 540 :: Died: 604 St. Gregory was born in Rome, in Italy. His father was a politician and his mother is a saint, St. Celia. Gregory studied philosophy and when he was still quite young, became the governor of Rome. When his father died, Gregory made his large house into a monastery. For many years he lived as a good and holy monk (priest). Then Pope Pelagius made him one of the seven ministers of the Church in Rome. When the pope died, Gregory was chosen to take his place. He was so holy and wise; everyone knew he would be a good pope. But Gregory was so humble that he did not want that honor at all and disguised himself and hid in a cave. The people soon found him and made him pope anyway. For fourteen years he ruled the Church. Even though he was always sick, Gregory was one of the greatest popes the Church has ever had. He wrote many books and was a wonderful preacher. He cared for people all over the world. In fact, he considered himself the servant of all. He was the first pope to use the title "servant of the servants of God." All the popes since have used this title. St. Gregory took special, loving care of poor people and strangers. Every day he used to feed them a good dinner. He was also very sensitive and understanding when people were treated badly. Once, when he was still a monk, he saw some blond English boys up for sale in the slave market of Rome. The saint felt a great desire to go to England to bring the love of Jesus to those pagans (who did not believe in God). When he became pope, one of the first things he did was to send some of his best monks to teach the English people and help bring them to Jesus. This holy pope suffered a lot in the last few years of his life, yet he continued working for his beloved Church until the very end.

September Martyrs

Feast Day: September 2 Born: (early 1700) :: Died: (in 1792) Blessed John was the archbishop of Arles, in France. We celebrate his feast and the feast of 191 of his companions today because they died as heroes during the French Revolution. The new law of 1790 said that the government had the power to take over the Catholic Church in France and that the Pope was not the head of the Church any longer. The people were being forced to sign their agreement of the law and make a promise. If they did not, they were punished and put in prison. Two years later, the punishment became more serious and people were put to death if they did not sign the agreement. Many brave bishops, priests, religious and lay people would not sign the oath supporting the French constitution. They knew they would be betraying God and his Church. It was a sad time for the people of France. On September 2, 1792, a crowd of many hundred people began making trouble and broke into a monastery which was now a prison for priests and religious. They asked the priests to sign the oath but the priest refused and they were killed on the spot. Among the martyrs was Blessed Alexander Lenfant, a Jesuit priest who a few minutes before he died, had been hearing the confession of another priest. Both were killed moments later. The rioters then went to the Carmelite church which was also being used as a prison. Blessed John, archbishop of Arles, was praying in the chapel when they called for him. He came out and said "I am the man you are looking for." They immediately killed him and all the other bishops and priests who refused to take the oath. On September 3, the same crowd went to the Lazarist seminary. It was also a temporary prison, with ninety priests and religious. Only four were able to escape. By the time the terrible Revolution had ended, 1,500 Catholics had been killed. Many were bishops, priests and religious

St Giles

Feast Day: September 1 Born:/ Died: (Dates not known) Giles was born in Athens, Greece, in early times. Since his family was very rich, when his parents died, they left him a large fortune. He used this money to help the poor. Because of this and especially because he worked many miracles, Giles found that people admired him greatly and that he had become very famous. He did not want their praise, so to be able to serve God in secret; he left Greece and sailed to France. There he went to live alone in a dark forest. He made his home in a rough cave behind a thick thorn bush. Giles was happy living there alone praying to God, as he did not want to become proud because people praised him all the time. God was pleased with Giles and even sent him a deer to nourish him with her milk. Many years later, a king and his men were hunting the forest. They chased the deer that quickly went into Giles' cave, which was hidden behind the large thorn bush. One of the men shot an arrow into the thorn bush, hoping to hit the deer. When they forced their way in, they found Giles sitting wounded by the arrow. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" demanded the King. St. Giles told them the story of his life and when they heard it, they asked his forgiveness. The king sent his doctors to take care of the saint's wound. Although Giles begged to be left alone, the king felt such respect for him that he often came to see him. When the King visited, he brought Giles many gifts but Giles would never take any of the gifts. But finally, Giles agreed to let the king build a large monastery there. Giles became its first abbot (or head priest). This monastery became so famous that a town soon grew up around it and many people from this town joined the monastery. When the saint died, his grave at the monastery became a great shrine and people came to visit this holy place on pilgrimage. In Spain shepherds believed that St. Giles was the protector of Rams and Deer and on his feast day, they tied lighted candles to their horns and brought them down the mountains to the chapels and churches to be blessed.