Cristy Li

(Catholic Online) Fina a beautiful child born into poverty, as impoverished as she was, Fina always kept back half of her food to give to those worse off than her. Growing up, Fina would sew to help bring money into the family at night she would spend much of it in prayer.

Stricken by paralysis at an early age, Fina would lose her beauty and became bedridden, her bed consisted of a plank which she laid in one position, desiring to be like Jesus, she would never complain, always maintaining serenity with her eyes fixed on a Crucifix praying, “It is not my wounds but Thine, O Christ, that hurt me.”

Following the death of her parents, Fina was left completely destitute and alone except for one devoted friend Beldia who made sure that Fina was not neglected.

Someone shared with Fina the story of Pope Saint Gregory the Great (540-604) and his destitute as a child forced to live for a time only on grass and nettles, Fina conceived a special veneration for him and would seek his intercession with God, that she may learn patience in her affliction.

Eight days before Fina’s death as she laid alone and untended, Pope Saint Gregory the Great appeared to her and said, “Dear child, on my festival God will give you rest.”

Following Fina’s death, when her body was removed from the plank where she laid, the rotten wood was found to be covered with white violets. Many in the city where Fina lived attended her funeral, many miracles have been reported  by her intercession with God, including the healing of her friend Beldia‘s injured arm.

Related: Why Do Catholic’s Seek the Intercession of Saint’s?

How Can You Become a Saint?

Mosaic of the Martyrdom of St. John Ogilvie
Image Courtesy: Jesuits of Britain

(CNA) John Ogilvie was born in 1579 and was the son of a respected Calvinist family who came home to the Catholic Church subsequent to receiving his education from the Benedictines and Jesuits. In 1599 he entered the ‘Society of Jesus’ subsequent to extensive study and training, John became a Jesuit Priest in Paris in 1610

Fr. John Ogilvie greatly wanted to return back home to Scotland to encourage its return to the Catholic Church. John met two Jesuits who had just previously returned from Scotland, according to Franciscan Media after suffering arrest and imprisonment for their faith–they saw little hope for any successful work there in view of the tightening penal laws but a fire had been lit with Fr. Ogilvie and for the next two years he pleaded to be a missionary there.

Sent by his Superiors, Fr. Ogilvie secretly entered Scotland as a horse trader. Being unable to do any significant work amongst the few Catholics there, he made his way back to Paris to consult his Superiors–Rebuked for having left his assignment in Scotland, Fr. Ogilvie was sent back and had some success in his missionary work and in secretly serving Scottish Catholics but soon was betrayed, arrested and brought before the court.

Fr. Ogilvie’s trial dragged on and he was deprived of food and sleep for 8 days and nights he was dragged around, prodded with sharp sticks and his hair pulled out in an effort to betray the names of other Catholics in Scotland, yet he refused to reveal the names of others and acknowledge the jurisdiction of the King despite his distress–he was put on trial a second and third time but held firm in his convictions.

At Fr. Ogilvie’s third and final trial. he assured his persecutors:

“In all that concerns the King, I will be slavishly obedient. If any attack his temporal power, I will shed my last drop of blood for him but in the things of spiritual jurisdiction which a King unjustly seizes, I cannot and must not obey.”

Condemned to death as a traitor, Fr. Ogilvie was faithful to the end, even when on the scaffold, he was offered his freedom and a fine living if only he would deny his faith.

Fr. John Ogilvie’s last words before he was martyred for Jesus Christ were: “If there be any hidden Catholics let them pray for me but the prayers of heretics, I will not have.”

After Fr. Ogilvie was pushed from the stairs hanging, he threw his concealed rosary beads into the crowd according to the Jesuits of Britain and it’s claimed, that one of his enemies caught them and became a devout lifelong Catholic–subsequently his followers were rounded up and imprisoned, while they incurred heavy fines, none were executed.

Fr. John Ogilvie was Beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929 and subsequently Canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1976

Saint Dominic Savio (1842-1857)
Image: The Pinoy Catholic

(Franciscan Media) Dominic was born in Northern Italy in the Province of Turin, to humble but very devout Christian parents. While still a very young boy, Dominic decided that he wanted to emulate Jesus Christ and would avoid anything that would distance himself from the Lord.

At the age of 7, Dominic made his first Holy Communion and at the age of 12, he joined Saint John Bosco as a student at the ‘Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for Boys.’ Dominic impressed John Bosco with his desire to become a Priest and to help him in his work with neglected boys. A peacemaker and an organizer, young Dominic founded a group he called the ‘Company of the Immaculate Conception’ which besides being devotional, aided John Bosco with the boys that he worked with.

Dominic was known to spend hours in prayer as a youth, his soul interest was God and  how to lead others to use all their strength to serve Him–Dominic’s happiness he called “my distractions’ according to Franciscan Media and even in play, Dominic said that at times, “It seems heaven is opening just above me. I am afraid I may say or do something that will make the other boys laugh.” Dominic would say, “I can’t do big things but I want all I do, even the smallest thing, to be for the greater glory of God.”

Always in frail health Dominic developed lung problems and was sent home to recuperate. As was the custom of his day, Dominic was bled in the though that may help him but it only worsened his already frail condition.

Dominic passed away at the age of 15 after receiving the Last Sacraments–the first biography of Dominic was written by his teacher Saint John Bosco and those pages led to many vocations including that of future Pope Benedict XV, who watched over the Holy Childhood Society with loving concern.

Some thought Dominic was too young to be considered a Saint, Pope Pius XII declared that the opposite was true–Dominic was Beatified on the 05 March, 1950 and was Canonized four years later.

More here from EWTN

Saint Frances of Rome (1384-1440)
Image: Catholic Culture

(Franciscan Media) Born in Rome to a noble family, Frances desired a life of prayer and service, longing to enter a convent when she was young but in obedience to her parents she instead married at the age of twelve to a young nobleman Lorenzo de Ponziani and became a devoted young wife, homemaker and good mother to two sons and a daughter.

As Frances became acquainted with her new relatives, she soon discovered that her sister-in-law Vannozza also wished to live a life of service and prayer–with their husbands blessings, the two set out to become lay persons with the Benedictine Oblate Congregation of ‘Tor di Speechi’ and organized a group of Women to minister to the needs of Rome’s poor.

Frances spent much of her time in prayer and doing great works of charity, she cared for victims of epidemics and wars–In 1409 Lorenzo was forced into exile because of a civil war, he returned 5 yrs later a broken man–Frances cared for him, along with her other activities, the family flourished under Frances care until a great plague swept across Italy, striking Rome with devastating cruelty leaving two of Frances’ children dead–following which she opened a section of her home as a hospital.

In an effort to alleviate some of the suffering in the country, Frances sold off all of her possessions to buy for the sick and dying, all they may require. When all of their resources became exhausted, Frances and Vannozza went door-to-door seeking charity of others.

Following the death of Lorenzo in 1436 after 40 years of marriage, Frances founded and governed the Congregation of Mt Olivet and spent the remaining four years of her life living with the community until her death at the age of fifty six.

Frances was Canonized in by Pope Paul V in May, 1608

More here on the Life of St. Frances by Lady Georgiana Fullerton

Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua & Felicity
(Artwork: Felix Louis Leuiller)
Image Courtesy: Meldelen@Flickr

(Franciscan Media) Perpetua on the eve of her martyrdom said:

“When my father in his affection for me was trying to turn me from my purpose by arguments and thus weaken my faith, I said to him: Do you see this vessel–waterpot or whatever it may be, can it be called by any other name than what it is? No he replied. So also I can not call myself by any other name than what I am–Christian.”

Perpetua was a young, beautiful and well educated noblewoman of Roman Province of Africa Carthage, mother of an infant son and chronicler of the the Christians by Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (145-211)

Despite threats of persecution and death Perpetua and Felicity (a slave and expectant mother) together with three companions–Revocatus, Secundulus and Saturninus, refused to renounce their Christian faith and were sent to the ‘public games’ in the amphitheater and killed.

Perpetua’s mother a Christian and her father a pagan, who had constantly pleaded with her to renounce her Christian faith, she was imprisoned at the age of twenty two.

In Perpetua diary, she described her period of captivity:

“What a day of horror, terrible heat, owing to the crowds –rough treatment by the soldiers. To crown all, I was tormented with anxiety for my baby…Such anxieties I suffer for many days but I obtained leave for my baby to remain in the prison with me and being relieved of my trouble and anxiety for him, I at once recovered my health and my prison became a palace to me and I would rather been there than anywhere else.”

Imprisoned Felicity gave birth to a baby girl just a few days before the so called ‘games’ in commenced.

Perpetua’s record of her trial and imprisonment ends the day before the games:

“Of what was done in the games themselves, let him write who will.”

The diary was finished by an eyewitness.

Related: Full Biographies here of Saints Perpetua and Felicity –EWTN

Mariana de Paredes y Flores
Image: Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St. Francis

(Franciscan Media) Mariana (Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes) born in Ecuador Quito, the daughter of Don Girolamo Flores Zenel de Paredes and Dona Mariana Cranobles de Xaramilo, was the youngest of 8 children–Orphaned very young according to SQPN.com she was raised by her older sister and her husband.

From her earliest of years in Ecuador, Mary Ann ‘had in her soul all of the sweetness of that climate, all the brightness of that sky, all the grace of its palm trees and its flowers,’ her devotion was amazing, her soul precociously mature.

At the age of 10, Mary Ann took the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Initially wanting to be a Dominican Nun, she later joined the Secular Franciscans and at the age of 12 and received her habit of the ‘Third Order of the Franciscans’ and vowed herself to lead a life of prayer, devotion and penance at home, only leaving to go to Church and perform work of charity.

Despite Sister Mary Ann’s limited education, she managed to found the the first organized Catholic Action, the first free clinic in Quito, together with a Kindergarten for Indian Children–there she fed, clothed and bathed them, tending to them with medicines and while under her supervision, the children learned how to read, write, sing, play the flute and prayer.

Earthquakes, pestilence, a measles outbreak and diphtheria ravaged Quito in 1645, Sister Mary Ann cared for the ill and dying until she became sick and died at the age of 26–Following her death, a beautiful Lilly sprouted from her grave and she became known as the ‘Lily of Quito’ the Republic of Ecuador declared Sister Mary Ann a national heroine.

Sister Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes was Beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1853 and Canonized in 1950 by Pope Pius XII

St. John Joseph of the Cross (1654-1734)
Image Courtesy: Catholic Online

(Franciscan Media) John Joseph born into a noble family in Southern Italy on the Island of Ischia and from his earliest of years according to EWTN he was given to prayer and virtue.

At the age of 16, John Joseph entered the Order of the Franciscans in Naples and was one of the first to follow the reform movement of St. Peter Alcantara which had been instituted in Spain–Throughout his life he was given to the greatest austerity, fasting frequently, never drinking wine and only sleeping 3 hours a night.

With a reputation of holiness, this prompted John Joseph’s Superiors before he was even Ordained to be in charge of establishing a new community of Friars in 1674 at in Afilia and assisting in the construction–much against his will, John Joseph was Ordained into the Priesthood.

Obedience moved Fr. John Joseph to accept appointments as Guardian and later Provincial, his years of self-denial and charity enabled him to offer these attributes to the Friars with great benevolence–As Guardian, Fr. John Joseph always insisted upon performing the lowliest duties and was not above working in the kitchen, carrying wood or water to the Friars.

Fr. John Joseph passed away on this date in 1734 at the age of 80 he was Beatified in 1789 by Pope Pius IV and Canonized in 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI

Saint Katharine Drexel (1858-1955)
Image: Franciscan Spiritual Center

(EWTN) Born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Katharine was the second daughter of Francis Anthony Drexel, a wealthy banker, philanthropist and devout Catholic.

Katharine’s biological mother passed away 1 mo after she was born–her father remarried, his second wife Emma Bouvier, was a devoted mother not only to her own daughter Louisa but also to Katharine and her sister–the Drexel family instilled in their children by word and example that their wealth was simply loaned to them by God and was to be shared with others.

During Katharine’s school age years, she and her sisters were educated at home, traveling widely throughout the United States and Europe. According to Saint Katharine Drexel Mission in Virginia, the children were encouraged to conduct Sunday School for the children of the families employees at their Summer homes.

Early in her life, Katharine became aware of the plight of the Native & African-Americans and resolved one day to help those less fortunate than her.

In 1885 after Katharine inherited $20 Million from her father and step mother, she and her sisters traveled to the Western U.S. visiting Indian reservations. Having seen first hand the poverty and suffering there, Katharine began to build schools, paid the teachers salaries, together with supplying food and clothing to those in need–later Katharine was able to find Priests to serve the spiritual needs of the people. In 1887, Katharine established her first boarding school, St. Catherine’s Indian School in Santa Fe, NM.

That same year, Katharine visited Rome to request Pope Leo XIII, provide missionaries to staff the schools she was funding. The Holy Father responded by suggesting that Katharine become a missionary herself and on the 12 November, 1891 in an arrangement with Bishop James O’Connor, Katharine became a Novitiate and the name Sister Mary Katharine with the Sisters of Mercy in Pittsburgh, with the understanding that in 2 years she would found her own Order–the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament she vowed that she would.

Thirteen companions joined Sister Mary Katharine as the first Sisters of the new Order–the Motherhouse of the new Order was established at St. Elizabeth’s Convent in Cornwells Height, PA

Mother Katharine as she was now called, founded and staffed schools throughout the country. In 1894 she purchased 1,600 acres in Rock Castle Virginia on which she constructed a boarding school for African-American girls, the school opened in 1899 as St. Francis de Sales School.

Nearby was St. Emma’s for African-American boys built in 1895 by her sister Louisa–Both schools concentrated on vocational arts in the belief that this was the best way at the time to provide training for young African-American children to become economically independent.

Soon thereafter a school for Pueblo children was established in New Mexico, Mother Katharine made it a priority to visit all the schools that she financially helped. During her lifetime, Mother Katharine established 40 mission centers and 23 rural schools in 13 states.

In 1935 Mother Katharine suffered a heart attack and subsequently was primarily confined to a wheelchair, for the next 20 yrs she lived her life in prayerful retirement at St. Elizabeth’s Convent where she died on this date in 1955 at the age of 96–At the time of her death, 501 members of her Order were teaching in 63 schools and missions in 21 states.

On the 20 November, 1988 she was Beatified and on the 01 October, 2000 was  Canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II

More here from Franciscan Media

Related: Katharine Drexel and Elizabeth Ann Seton, Sister Saint’s who Changed Education in the U.S. Forever