St Vincent de Paul was born in 1581 in France. He had 3 brothers and 2 sisters. Vincent was very good at studies, so his father sent him to a seminary. In 1597, he attended the University of Toulouse, which had a very bad environment. There were many fights in the school, but Vincent stayed calm. He was ordained on September 23, 1600, at age 19. This was against the laws of the Council of Trent which said that you had to be at least 24 years old to be ordained a priest. When he became a parish priest, his case was taken to the Court of Rome. Instead of filing a lawsuit, he resigned from his position as a priest. In 1605, he sailed from Marseilles to sell the property he owned from an inheritance, but his ship was attacked by pirates. They sold him as a slave to a fisherman, but Vincent could not keep up with his work because he had sea-sickness. So the fisherman sold him away to another master, who was an alchemist, physicist, and inventor. Vincent was amazed by his work and learned from him. His master was very famous and it gave attention to some men in Istanbul who wanted him to come there. As Vincent and his master were traveling to Istanbul, the master died, and Vincent was sold to another master. The third master was a former priest from France. He converted to Islam to gain his freedom from slavery and was living in the mountainside with his three wives. His second wife who was a Muslim went to Vincent and questioned him about the master’s faith. Vincent couldn’t lie, so he said that his master was a Christian, after he said that, his wife scolded him and left him. The master was deeply sad, and along with Vincent, took a boat to France. After returning to France, he went to Rome to continue his studies until 1609, when King Henry VI of France gave him a mission. In 1617, he joined with the Daughters of Charity to help the poor families in France, which soon became the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. Vincent conducted many retreats during his lifetime and died on September 27, 1660.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER O St Vincent de Paul, help us to be brave during tough times like these like how you were brave when you were sold as a slave by the pirates. Help us also to stay calm so that we can pray better. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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St. Pope Paul VI was born as Giovanni Battista Montini into a family of three sons in northern Italy in 1897. His father, Giorgio, was a lawyer, editor, and eventually a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. In 1920, following his ordination, Giovanni attended graduate studies in literature, philosophy, and canon law in Rome before joining the Vatican Secretariat of State in 1924. After 30 years of working there, he was named the archbishop of Milan where we worked to bring disaffected workers back to the Catholic Church. He regularly visited factories and oversaw the building of a local Church that was disrupted by World War II. Then in 1954, Montana was selected as one of the first 23 cardinals named by Pope John XXIII. As a cardinal, he helped prepare Vatican II and participated enthusiastically in its sessions. IN 1963, Montana was elected Pope. Pope Paul VI continued the Vatican II council until 1965 where he and Patriarch Athenagoras revoked the ex-communication set by their predecessors in 1054. As Pope, Paul VI stunned the world by making international trips to the Holy Land, New York, India, Columbia, Uganda, and seven other Asian countries during his papacy. Saint Pope Paul’s greatest accomplishment was the completion and implementation of Vatican II. Its decisions about liturgy were the first ones noticed by most Catholics, but its other documents—especially the ones about ecumenism, interfaith relations, divine revelation, religious liberty, the Church’s self-understanding, and the Church’s work with the entire human family—have become the Catholic Church’s road map since 1965.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Make us worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow-men throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give peace and joy. Amen. St. Cleopas was one of the two disciples who met the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus. As told in the gospel of Luke Jesus stopped to have supper with these two disciples. At the end of the meal, Jesus blessed bread and gave them His Sacred Body to eat. Saint Cleopas was later murdered by the Jews in the very house in which he had been host to Our Lord. He is also rumored to be the brother of Saint Joseph. His feast day is celebrated on September 25, and he’s the patron saint of travelers.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Lord, help us follow the example of Saint Cleopas and welcome Jesus in our hearts and homes. Help us remain strong in our faith even during difficult times and always look to the Lord for guidance. Amen. Blessed Anton Martin Slomsek was a bishop, author, and poet. He penned textbooks for schools including those that he himself opened and he was a vocal supporter of ecumenism and led efforts to achieve a greater dialogue with other faiths with an emphasis on the Eastern Orthodox Church. Slomsek underwent his theological and philosophical studies in order to enter the priesthood. He was considered to be an excellent preacher as well as a tireless and modest cleric. The bishop oversaw the construction of new schools and he himself issued textbooks for students and edited others while also publishing his own sermons and episcopal statements. Bl Anton died on 24 September 1862 after having suffered a series of stomach ailments for some time.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Blessed Anton Martin Slomsek, you helped teach about the Good News to children and adults alike. Pray for us that we may, too, preach about the Lord the way you did. Amen. St Padre Pio was born as Francesco Forgione to Grazio Mario Forgione and Maria Giuseppa Di Nunzio on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina a town in the province of Benevento, in Southern Italy. His parents were peasant farmers. Francesco had one older brother and 3 younger sisters. When Francesco was young, he was affected by many illnesses and saw many heavenly visions. In 1897, after completing 3 years of public school, Francesco became very interested in joining the seminary after listening to a Capuchin seeking donations. When Francesco told his parents, they decided to take him to Morcone, a town 13 miles from Pietrelcina to see if he could enter. Once they reached, The friars said that they were interested in him, but he needed more education. Francesco’s father went to the U.S trying to find private tutoring for him. On September 27, 1899, he received the sacrament of Confirmation and later finished his tutoring. On January 6, 1903, at age 15, he entered the Capuchin friar’s novitiate. When he was ordained, he took the name Pio after Pope Pius I. He was a very prayerful man and was devoted to rosary meditations. In 1911, Pio woke up to feel pain in his palms and feet. When he looked at it it looked like the wounds of the crucifixion of Jesus or the Stigmata. Many doctors tried examining it, but couldn’t find an answer. It was also reported that he was levitating during Holy Mass. Padre Pio died in 1986 at age 81 and was canonized on June 16 2002 by Pope John Paul II. Many Miracles have been seen in his name.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER O St. Pio, help us to pray well like you did while you were sick. Help us not to give up on faith in God even during these tough times. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen. Saint Maurice was an officer of the Theban Legion of Emperor Maximian Herculius' army, which was composed of Christians from Upper Egypt. When Maurice was ordered by the Emperor to sacrifice to the gods to ensure victory, he and his comrades refused. When they did so, Emperor Maximian had over 6 thousand men put to death. Saint Maurice and his friends no doubt died as martyrs. He is the patron saint of alpine troops.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Saint Maurice, most blessed and honorable patron saint, you who fought so valiantly on the battlefield of faith, steadfastly opposed the tyranny of earthly rulers, boldly confessed faith in the one true God, and preferred to die by the sword rather than to betray Jesus Christ. Obtain also for us the grace to endure patiently all the trials and hardships of this life, and to carry our cross in the spirit of prayer and self-denial. Saint Matthew was a tax collector before he followed Jesus and became one of the 12 disciples. From Matthew, we know of the many doings of Christ and the message Christ spread of salvation for all people who come to God through Him. The Gospel mentions the story about the dinner Matthew organized with Jesus. We are all familiar with how the tax collectors asked Jesus why He was dining with sinners. This is when Jesus said, “Those who well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
His book is the first of the four Gospels in the New Testament. It is thought he departed for other lands to escape persecution sometime after 42 AD. According to various legends, he fled to Parthia and Persia, or Ethiopia. Nothing is recorded of Matthew's passing. It’s not known how he died, if his death was natural, or if he was martyred. Saint Mathew is the patron saint of bankers. INTERCESSORY PRAYER O Glorious St. Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant. Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in His Church and to follow His teaching in our lives on Earth so that we may live forever with Him in heaven, amen. Saint Eustace, or Eustathius, was a martyr with Theophistes, Agapitus, and Theophrastus. Eustace was a Roman military officer called Placida. He converted to Christianity after having a vision in Italy of a stag with a crucifix between its antlers. Tradition states that he was separated from his family and recalled to the army, becoming famous for a battle. When he and his family reunited, he refused to take part in the pagan ceremony and so they were roasted to death. Saint Eustace is the patron saint of hunters and firefighters, and also of anyone facing adversity.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER O God, Who lead Your holy martyr Eustace safely through many trials and dangers to the glorious crown of martyrdom, enlighten and strengthen us through his intercession, that we persevere in Your Love amid the trials of this life, and by resignation to Your Holy Will come forth from the darkness of this earth into the light of Your eternal glory. Amen. Little is known about the life of Januarius. He is believed to have been martyred in the Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of 305. Legend has it that Januarius and his companions were thrown to the bears in the amphitheater of Pozzuoli, but the animals failed to attack them. They were then beheaded, and Januarius’ blood ultimately brought to Naples. Saint Januarius is the patron saint of Blood banks and Naples.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Oh, we pray you to pray for us, sure that we will be answered; and saved from all the evils that oppress us from all directions. Save us from unbelief, and you will see that the faith, by which you have generously sacrificed your life, always, always produces fertile fruits of saints made among us. Amen. Joseph of Cupertino is most famous for levitating at prayer. As a child, Joseph showed a fondness for prayer. After a short career, he joined the Conventual Franciscans. Following a brief assignment caring for a mule, Joseph began his studies for priesthood. Though studies were difficult for him, he gained a great deal of knowledge from prayer. He was ordained in 1628. Joseph’s tendency to levitate during prayer drew an audience; some people came to see this much as they might have gone to a circus sideshow. Joseph’s gift led him to be humble and patient, even though at times he was greatly tempted and felt forsaken by God. He fasted and wore iron chains for much of his life. Saint Joseph passed and was canonized in 1767. He was the patron saint of astronauts and pilots.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER O Great St. Joseph of Cupertino who while on earth did obtain from God the grace to be asked at your examination only the questions you knew, obtain for me a like favour in the examinations for which I am now preparing. In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked. Through Christ our Lord, amen. |