Cristy Li

Patron Saint of Veterinarian’s & Throat Illnesses
Image: Catholic Online

(EWTN) It isn’t known precisely when and where Saint Blaise lived but according to tradition, he was Bishop of Armenia Sebaste, in the early part of of the 4th century and suffered a martyrs death, under the Roman Emperor Licinius, who had commanded the Governor of the province to prevent the spread of Christianity in his territory–Subsequent to this order, Blaise fled to the mountains and lived in a cave frequented by wild beasts.

Blaise used his skills to help nurse animals that he found wounded or ill and when the Emperor’s hunters determined to collect wild animals for sport, they discovered Blaise in the cave and carried him off to prison.

Legend has it as the hunters were on their way to prison with Blaise, a Woman came with her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat and was choking, at Blaise’s command, the child was able to cough-up the fish bone.

Gov Agricolaus of Cappadocia, attempted to persuade Blase to sacrifice to idols, when Blaise refused, he was beaten–the second time he refused, Blaise was suspended from a tree and his skin torn open with iron rakes and later beheaded.

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings on the Memorial of St. Blaise, Visit: -USCCB

Saint Ansgar (801-865)
Image Courtesy: St. Martin of Tours

(Franciscan Media) The ‘Apostle of the North’ (Scandinavia) had enough frustrations to become a Saint and he did.

Ansgar became a Benedictine at France Corbie, where he had been educated–Three years later when the King of Denmark became a convert, he went there for 3 years of missionary work without noticeable success.

Sweden asked for Christian missionaries, Ansgar went there, suffering capture by pirates together with other hardships. Fewer than two years later, Ansgar was recalled to become ‘Abbot of New Corbie and Bishop of Hamburg’ — the Pope made him a Legate (personal representative) for the Scandinavia missions–fund for the northern apostle stopped with Emperor Louis’ death.

After 13 yrs work in Hamburg, Ansgar saw it burned to the ground by invading Northmen — Sweden and Denmark returned to paganism.

Ansgar directed new apostolic activities in the north, traveling to Denmark and being instrumental in the conversion of another King–By the strange device of casting lots, the King of Sweden, allowed the Christian missionaries to return.

Biographers of Ansgar remark, that he was an extraordinary theologian, a humble and ascetic priest, devoted to the poor and sick, imitating the Lord by washing their feet and waiting on them at the table. Ansgar passed away peacefully in Germany Breman in 865

Saint John Bosco (1815-1888)
Images: Fr. Broom’ Blog

(EWTN) “In his life the supernatural became the natural and the extraordinary the ordinary,” said Pope Pius XI of the Beloved John Bosco, renowned for his educational pioneering and his affectionate care for the fatherless.

Born in 1815, Giovanni Melchoir Bosco, this future Saint was the youngest son of a peasant farmer in the hamlet of Italy, Becchi — At the age of 2 his father passed away and he was brought up by a devoted and industrious mother, Margaret who was challenged maintaining the home and three children, all of them boys.

A dream of young Giovanni had at the age of 9 revealed to him his vocation in life, he seemed to be surrounded by a mob of fighting children using bad words that he tried in vain to pacify at first by arguments and then by hitting them–Suddenly there appeared a mysterious Woman who said:

“Softly, softly…If you wish to win them. Take your shepherd’s staff and lead them to the pasture.” Even as she spoke, the children were transformed first into wild beasts and then into gentle lambs. From that time on, Giovanni thought, it was his clear duty to lead and help other boys.

Giovanni (John) was ordained in 1841 his service began in his own village to young people started when he met a poor orphan and instructed him in preparation for receiving Holy Communion, he subsequently gathered young apprentices and taught them the Catechism and brought them Church.

A story is told, that one Sunday morning, John found local children mesmerized by a traveling juggler and gymnast by his performance, John challenged him to a competition and beat him at his own tricks–then he marched off to Church with his admiring audience.

After serving as an Assistant Chaplain in a hospice for girls, this post left John free on Sunday’s to devote himself to a group of boys according to Franciscan Media subsequently founding the ‘Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for Boys’ which several wealthy and powerful patrons contributed money, enabling him to provide two workshops for the boys–shoe making and tailoring.

By 1856 the institution had grown to 150 boys and had added a printing press for publication of Christian and catechetical pamphlets. John’s interest in vocational education and publishing, justifies him as the Patron of young apprentices and publishers.

John’s ministerial fame spread, he had trained his own helpers because of difficulties in retaining young Priest’s.

With Pope Pius IX encouragement, John gathered 17 men and founded the Salesians in 1859 their activity focused on education and mission work–Later he would organize a group of Salesian Sisters to assist young Women.

More here from Catholic Online

Related: ‘Mama Bosco’ — Why St. John Bosco’s Amazing Mother is on the Path to Sainthood -ChurchPOP

Servant of God Brother Juniper –Image Courtesy: uCatholic

(Franciscan Media) “Would to God, my Brothers, I had a whole forest of such Juniper’s,” said Saint Francis of this Holy Friar.

One doesn’t know much about Juniper before he joined the Friars in 1210 — Francis, sent him to establish ‘places’ for the Friars in Italy, Gualdo Tadino and Viterbo.

When St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253) was dying, Juniper consoled her, he was devoted to the passion of Jesus and known for his simplicity.

Several stories about Juniper, in ‘The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi’ illustrate his exasperating generosity. Once, Juniper was taking care of a sick man who had a craving to eat pig’s feet. This helpful Friar went to a nearby field, captured a pig and cut off one foot, prepared it and served this meal to the sick man he was caring for. The owner of the pig was furious and immediately went to Juniper’s superior. When Juniper realized his mistake, he apologized profusely–he also ended up talking this angry man into donating the rest of the pig to the Friars.

Another time, Juniper had been ordered to quit giving part of his clothing to half-naked people he met along the road. Desiring to obey his Superior, Juniper once told a man in need, that he could not give the man his tunic but he would not prevent the man from taking it either. In time, the Friars learned not to leave anything lying around, for Juniper would probably give it away.

Servant of God Brother Juniper, passed away in 1258 of natural causes and was buried at Ara Coeli Church in Italy Rome.

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Image: Catholic Online

(Franciscan Media) Thomas Aquinas by universal consent is the preeminent spokesman of the Catholic tradition of reason and divine revelation–he is one of the great teachers of the medieval Church, honored with the titles Doctor of the Church and Angelic Doctor.

At the age of 5, he was sent to the ‘Benedictine Monastery of Monte Cassino’ in his parents hopes that he would choose that way of life and eventually become an Abbot. In 1239 he was sent to Naples to complete his studies, it was here he was first attracted to Aristotle’s philosophy.

By 1243, Thomas abandoned his parents plans for him and he joined the Dominicans, much to his mother’s dismay–on her order, Thomas was taken away by his brother and kept at home for over a year.

Once freed, Thomas went to Paris and then to Cologne, where he finished his studies with ‘Albert the Great’ — Thomas then holding two professorships in Paris, lived at the Court of Pope Urban IV, he directed the Dominican schools at Rome and Viterbo while combating adversaries.

Thomas’ greatest contribution to the Church was his writings, the unity, harmony, continuity of faith and reason, together with the revealed and natural human knowledge pervades his writings. One may expect that Thomas as a man of the Gospel, to be an ardent defender of the truth but he was broad and his logic was deep enough, to see the whole natural order as coming from God the Creator and see reason as a Divine Gift, to be highly cherished.

Saint Thomas Aquinas “Summa Theologixa” last and unfortunately incomplete work, is a brilliant synthesis of Christian doctrine about the humanity of God and is available online in English in 5 volumes.

Related: Saint Thomas Aquinas — Confessor, Doctor of the Church –EWTN

Saint Angela Merici (1470-1540)
Image: Catholic Online

(Franciscan Media) Angela has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of Women in the Church and what is now called the Secular Institutes of Religious Women.

As a young Woman, Angela became a member of the ‘Third Order of St. Francis’ (now known as the Secular Franciscan Order) and lived a life of great austerity, wishing like St. Francis, to own nothing, not even a bed.

Early in Angela’s life she was appalled at the ignorance among poorer children, whose parents could not or would not teach them the scriptures and Christianity. Angela’s charming manner complemented her natural qualities of leadership–others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood.

Invited to live with a family in Italy, Brescia (where Angela had been told in a vision, she would one day found a religious community) she continued her work, became well known and the center of a group of people with similar ideals.

Angela eagerly took the opportunity for a trip to the Holy Land, when she got as far as Crete, she was stuck with blindness, her friends wanted her to return home but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage, visiting the scared shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her vision.

On her way back home while praying before a Crucifix, Angela’s sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost.

Angela at the age of 57 organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work, 4 yrs later the group had more than doubled in size to 28 and she formed them into the ‘Company of St. Ursula’ (Patroness of medieval universities and venerated  as a leader of Women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers.

The members continued to live at home, had no special habit and took no vows, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of chastely, poverty and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of Women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a ‘Secular Institute’ until some years following Angela’s death.

More here from EWTN

Related:  Company of St. Ursula — Group of the United States

Conversion of St. Paul –Image Courtesy: Communio Stblogs

(Franciscan Media) Paul’s entire life can be explained in one experience–his meeting with Jesus, on the road to Damascus. In an instant, Paul saw the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly.

This great apostle was born Jewish of the tribe of Benjamin, at his circumcision on the 8th day following his birth, he received the name of Saul, at an early age, his parents sent him to Jerusalem according to EWTN where he was educated and instructed in the strictest observance of the Torah–Surpassing all of his equals in zeal for the Torah and its traditions, he believed the cause of God became thereby a blasphemer, a persecutor and the most outrageous enemy of Jesus Christ and was one of those who conspired to murder Saint Stephen.

Perhaps Saul who was also called Paul Acts 13:9 had never seen Jesus who was just a few years older but he had acquired a hatred of all that Jesus stood for as he began harassing the Church:

“And on that day a great persecution arose against the Church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him but Saul laid waste (of) the Church and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” —Acts 8:1-3

On Saul’s journey to Damascus, suddenly a great light from heaven ‘flashed about him’ and his companions, brighter than the sun and being struck with amazement they all fell to the ground, then Saul heard a voice speaking to him:

“Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?’ Saul replied, “Who are you, Lord?” (The voice from heaven replied) “I am Jesus who you are persecuting but rise and enter the city and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground and when his eyes were opened he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus and for three days he was without sight and neither ate nor drank.” —Acts 9:3-9

One sentence determined Saul’s theology: “I am Jesus, who you are persecuting.” —Acts 9:5 Jesus was mysteriously with people–the loving group of people that Saul had been persecuting like criminals. Jesus Christ, he saw was the mysterious fulfillment  of all that he had been blindly pursuing.

From then on (Saul) “I Paul, became a minister” — Colossians 1:23 and his only work was: “to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his Saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this I toil, striving with all energy which He mightily inspires within me.” —Colossians 1:25-29

“For our Gospel come to you not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake and you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the Word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit. —1 Thessalonians 1:5-6

Paul life and ministry began tirelessly proclaiming and living out the message of the Cross: Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Jesus Christ. They are dead to all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new creation, already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead like Him, through this Risen Christ, the Father, pours out the Holy Spirit on them, making them completely new.

So Paul’s great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not anything you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more ‘works’ than the Torah (Law) could every ever contemplate.

Related: The Conversion of Saint Paul –EWTN

Prayer of Thanksgiving for Feast of Conversion of St. Paul

For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB