Cristy Li

St. Athanasius -Image Courtesy: Pellham Plastics

(Franciscan Media) Born into a Christian family in Egypt Alexandria and provided a classical education, Athanasius became Secy to Alexander the Bishop of Egypt Alexandria, an outspoken critic of a new movement growing in the East–the heresy of Arianism.

Athanasius entered the Priesthood and eventually named a Bishop himself and becoming known as the ‘Champion of Orthodoxy’ according to EWTN his strength of ascetical writings among which was of the ‘Life of Saint Anthony’ (Feast Day 17 January) earned him the title of Doctor of the Church.

When Athanasius accepted his new position as Bishop of Alexandria, which he served for 46 years according to SQPN he continued to fight against the heresy of Arianism, which spilled over from theology to politics, resulting in Bishop Athanasius being exiled 5 different times for his defense of the doctrine of Jesus Christ’s divinity.

Following the death of Constantine in 337 his son restored Athanasius as Bishop, this lasted but for only a year however as he was deposed again by a group of  Arian Bishops. — Athanasius took his case to Rome which Pope Julius I called a synod to review the case and other related matters.

While the theological controversies which marked this period were complex writes EWTN they were an important milestone in the history of the Church which Bishop Athanasius rendered an outstanding service. As Cardinal Newman said, he stands as “a principal instrument after the Apostles by which the sacred truths of Christianity have been conveyed and secured to the world.”

In 2007 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said that “Athanasius was undoubtedly one of the most important and revered early Church Fathers but this Great Saint was above all the impassioned theologian of the Incarnation of the Logos, the Word of God who as a Prologue of the fourth Gospel says–“became flesh and dwelt among us.” —John 1:14

“We have many causes which to be grateful to St. Athanasius, his life like that of St. Anthony (Feast Day 17 January) and of countless other Saints shows us that ‘those who draw near to God do not withdraw from men but rather become truly very close to them.’ (Deus Canitas Est, n.42)

Full address here of Saint Athanasius by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

St. Catharine of Bologna
Image: Catholic Bible 101

(EWTN) Born to a noble family in Italy Bologna, Catharine moved to Ferrara, where she entered the court of Niccolo III d’Este, as a Maid of Honor, there she was educated which later would serve her during her religious life when she used the ‘cultural and artistic knowledge’ she gleaned over the years to her advantage.

In 1427 Catharine at the age of 14 left the court to dedicate herself to a religious life in a community of young Women–two years later, the leader of this community founded an Augustinian Convent but Catharine and 15 other Sisters preferred Franciscan spirituality and established a ‘Poor Clare’ monastery in Florence according to Franciscan Media and as Abbess, Catharine worked to preserve the peace of the new community, her reputation for holiness drew many young Women to the ‘Poor Clare’ life.

Catharine passed away in 1463 and was Canonized in 1712 by Pope Clement XI

On the 29 December, 2010 Pope Benedict XVI spoke of Saint Catharine of Bologna and said that she was a ‘humble Woman–dedicated to prayer but was always ready to serve; generous in sacrifice but full of joy in welcoming Christ with the Cross”

In Catharine’s autobiography The Seven Spiritual Weapons (available from Amazon) Pope Benedict said, “Catharine offers in this regard teaching of deep wisdom and profound discernment, she speaks in the third-person in reporting the extraordinary graces which the Lord gives to her and in the first-person in confessing her sins…she identifies seven weapons in the fight against evil against the devil:

• (1) Always to be careful and diligently strive to do good;

• (2) To believe that alone we will never be able to do something truly good;

• (3) To trust in God and for love of Him, never to fear in the battle against evil, either in the world or within ourselves;

• (4) To meditate often on the events and words of the Life of Jesus and especially on His passion and His death;

• (5) To remember that we must die;

• (6) To focus our minds firmly on memory of the goods of Heaven;

• (7) to be familiar with Sacred Scripture, always cherishing it in our hearts so that it may give direction to all our thoughts and all our actions. — A splendid program of spiritual life, today too, for each one of us.”
  

St. David of Wales –Image: NNDB

(CNA) Saint David is remembered as a missionary Bishop and the founder of many Monasteries during the 6th century United Kingdom, Wales.

Saint David’s conception is believed to have occurred as a result of rape–a detail that seems unlikely to have been invented by later biographers, his mother, Saint Non (or Nonna) may have been the daughter of Lord Cynyr of Caer Goch, according to Fr. Harry Allagree Blogger of ‘The Good Heart’ who gave birth to him atop of a cliff during a storm.

Becoming a renowned teacher and Priest, David was elected Bishop of Menevia, an important port city, linking Wales and Ireland in his time.

Twelve monasteries have their founding by Bishop David, who developed a reputation of strict asceticism. St David’s Cathedrial stands on the site of a monastery that he founded in Wales, Pembrokeshire.

It is believed that Bishop David, lived to be very old and died somewhere around 589, other traditions place his death at 601, his last words to his followers were reportedly:

“Be joyful and keep your faith and your creed. Do little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path our fathers have trod before us.”

Saint David of Wales, was Canonized by Pope Callistus II in 1120

In 2010 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during his visit to Wales, spoke of today’s Saint of the Day and said:

“Saint David was one of the great Saints of the sixth century, that golden age of Saints and missionaries in these isles and he was thus a founder of the Christian culture which lies at the root of modern Europe. David’s preaching was simple yet profound: his dying words to his Monks were, ‘Be joyful, keep the faith and do little things.” It is the little things that reveal our love for the one who loved us first (1st John 4:19) and that bind people into a community of faith, love and service. May Saint David’s message, in all its simplicity and richness, continue to resound in Wales, drawing the hearts of its people to renewed love for Christ and His Church.”

• Full Salute here of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
  to Saint David of Wales

St. Jacinta (1910-1920) St. Francisco Marto (1908-1919)
Image Courtesy: Ensina me a Rezar

(Franciscan Media) Between the 13 May and 13 October, 1917 three little shepherd children from Portugal Fatima, received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria, a city about 110 miles from Lisbon.

At that time, Europe was involved in an extremely bloody war and Portugal was in political turmoil, having overthrown its monarchy in 1910 — the government had disbanded religious organizations soon thereafter.

Jacinta Marto, Lucia de Jesus dos Santos & Francisco Marto

The three children (Jacinta, Francisco and their cousin Lucia de Jesus dos Santos) were raised in homes where the catechism  was their daily bread, stories from the Bible their recreation and the word of the village Priest was law.

In the Spring of 1916 while the children were watching over their lambs an Angel appeared to them in an olive grove, asking the children to pray with him.

The Blessed Mother of Jesus appeared again in the mid Summer of that same year at a well in Lucia’s garden, urging them to offer sacrifice to God in reparation for sinners. In a final appearance at the end of the Summer of that same year, the children were given a secret including a vision of hell, which so changed them they became like adults than children.

Jacinta talkative sometimes to a fault became quiet, Lucia had sworn her and her brother to secrecy but Jacinta bubbling over, had let slip all they had seen to her family, who had told the village. While the news was received by skepticism by many, mockery by some and anger by Lucia’s mother, Jacinta was so contrite that she promised never to reveal another secret.

Jacinta reluctance to reveal anything more of their experience was increased by the vision of hell, given the children in the third apparition seemed to have affected her the most. To rescue sinner from hell she was in the forefront of the three in voluntary mortification, whether it was giving up their lunches (sometimes to their lambs) refusing to drink in the heat of the day or wearing a knotted rope around their waists–involuntary penances included for her. Jacinta’s brother and cousin, the constant mockery of unbelievers, badgering by skeptical clergy and  cajoling by believers to reveal the Lady’s secret.

In August 1918 when W.W. I was ending, Francisco and Jacinta both contracted influenza, in April the following year he passed away. When Jacinta became ill, she was taken to a hospital where she stayed for two months before returning home, only subsequently to contract tuberculosis and sent to Lisbon where she later died.

Lucia at the age of 14 was admitted as a border to the school of the ‘Sisters of St. Dorthy in Vilar and in 1925 entered the institute, making her first vows in 1928 and her perpetual vows in 1934 receiving the name, Sister Mary of the Sorrowful Mother.

In 1946 seeking a more contemplative life, Lucia entered the ‘Carmelite Convent of St. Teresa in Coimbra, where she made her profession as a declared Carmelite in 1949 and took the name Sister Maria Lucia of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart.

On the 50th anniversary in 1967 of the apparitions she received as a child, Sister Lucia traveled back to Fatima, the event was presided over by Pope Paul VI in 1982 she returned again, when Pope Saint John Paul II came to the shrine to give thanks for the saving of his life during an assassination attempt a year earlier, subsequently she returned twice more in 1991 and on 13 May, 2000 when Pope Saint John Paul II beatified Jacinta and Francisco Shepherd’s of Fatima

Sister Lucia and Pope Saint John Paul II –Courtesy of: Unam Sanctam

Sister Lucia mission in life came to an end in 2005, her funeral Mass was held at the Cathedral of Coimbra and was laid to rest at the convent where she spent many years until a place  for permanent entombment for her body at the Basilica in Fatima, where Francisco and Jacinta were laid to rest.

In 2008 Sister Lucia was Beatified by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI waiving the traditional 5 year waiting period, this rule was also waived for Sister Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Pope Saint John Paul II

Related: 7 Powerful Messages from Our Lady of Fatima: The Grace of God Will Be Your Comfort

Two Important Things We Learn from the Terrifying Visions of Hell at Fatima -Church POP

St. Cyril (827-869) & St. Methodius (815-884)
Image Courtesy: St’s Cyril and Methodius Parish

(Franciscan Media) These brothers the Apostle’s of Slovakia were born in Thessalonica —  After a brilliant course of studies, Cyril (called Constantine until he became a Monk shortly before his death) refused the Governorship of a district such as his brother had accepted among the Slovakia speaking population. Cyril withdrew to a Monastery where his brother Methodius became a Monk after some years in the government post.

A decisive change in their lives occurred when the ‘Duke of Moravia’ (of present day the Czech Republic) asked the Eastern Emperor Michael for political independence from German rule and Ecclesiastical autonomy — Cyril and Methodius, undertook the missionary task.

Cyril’s first undertaking was to invent an alphabet (still used in some Eastern Liturgies) his assistants probably formed the ‘Cyrillic’ alphabet from Greek capital letters–together they translated the Gospels, the Psalter the Liturgical books together with the Letters of Saint Paul (Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus and Philemon) into Slovakian language.

Cyril’s and Methodius free use of the common language spoken among the people they worked, led to opposition from the German Clergy, the Bishop refused to consecrate Slavic Priests and Bishops, Cyril was forced to appeal to Rome.

On Cyril’s and Methodius visit to Rome, they had the joy of seeing their new liturgy approved by Pope Adrian II. Cyril long  working through his disabilities, died in Rome on the 14 February, 869 just 50 days subsequent to taking the monastic habit.

Methodius continued his missionary work for 16 more years as Papal Legate for the Slovakian people, Consecrated a Bishop.

Legend has it that in a feverish period of activity, Methodius translated the entire Holy Scriptures into the Slovakian language in 8 months. With his health worn out, Methodius passed away on the 06 April, 885 — In 1980 Pope Saint John Paul II declared them Co-Patrons of Europe.

On the 17 June, 2009 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI addressing Saint’s Cyril and Methodius said, they were classic examples of what today is meant by the term “inculturation” every people must integrate the message revealed into its own culture and express its saving truth in its own language.

(Franciscan Media) Today Christians celebrate the ‘Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple’ occurring 40 days subsequent to the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ  — This day is also known as ‘Candlemas’ which Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI celebrated in 2013 marking the ‘World Day for Consecrated Life’ thousands attended the Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.

We process in with lit blessed candles, writes EWTN and the light of our blessed candles, symbolizes Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world–It symbolizes the Infant Savior, entering into the temple with Mary and Joseph–God our Father who is the source of all light, revealed to Simeon the light of revelation to the nations. It symbolizes also, that we are to always bring that light of Christ we received at our own baptism to those who live in darkness.

Coinciding with this Feast, it is also a special day of all consecrated Women and Men throughout the world. Of course, all baptized persons are truly consecrated to God, the moment we were baptized, we were consecrated to God, becoming separated from the world, yet being in the world especially to fulfill the mission God gave to us but this day is particularly highlighting those who consecrate themselves more radically through their profession of the evangelical counsels–like out dearest Sisters here and others who profess the vows of purity, chastity and obedience as their permanent state of life.

There are indeed many forms of consecrated life that exist today within the Church, as the Catechism (starting with paragraphs 914 — stating at 917) its ‘One great tree with many branches.’ Our dearest Sisters (mentioned earlier) are living one of the many forms of consecrated life, that is the form of ‘religious life’ — specifically, religious life who has the privilege of ‘Solemn Vows and Papal Enclosure’ this is just one form within the main branch of religious life within the bigger branch of consecrated life.

At the end of the 4th Century, a Woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, her journal discovered in 1887 provides an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the ‘Epiphany’ the observance of the Birth of Jesus Christ and the gala procession in honor of His ‘Presentation in the Temple’ 40 days later–This Feast emphasizes Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple.

At the beginning of the 8th Century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession and at the end of the same century, the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day, became part of the celebration.

Related: Feast of Presentation of the Lord (Most Holy Scripture Readings) Visit:  -USCCB

Saint Timothy &  Saint Titus
Image Courtesy: Hilltop Farm

(CNA) Today the Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Saint’s Timothy and Titus, close companions of the Apostle Paul and Bishops of the Catholic Church in its earliest days. Both men received letters from Saint Paul which are included in the New Testament.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI spoke of these early Bishops during his general audience on the 16 December, 2006 noting, “their readiness to take on various offices” in far from “easy” circumstances. Both Saint’s “teach us to serve the Gospel with generosity realizing that this also entails a service to the Church herself.”

The Son of a Jewish mother and a non-Jewish father, Timothy from Lystra (today known as Turkey) his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois are known to have joined the Church and Timothy himself is described as a student of Sacred Scripture from his youth.

Following Paul’s visit to Timothy’s home around the year 51 the young man joined the apostle and accompanied him in his travels. After religious strife forced Paul to leave the City of Berea, Timothy remained to help the local Church. Paul later sent him to Thessalonica to help the Church during a period of persecution.

Paul and Timothy met up again in Corinth  —1 Thessalonians 3:6 and Timothy eventually journey to Macedonia on Paul’s behalf. Problems in the Corinthian Church brought Timothy back for a time after which he joined Paul and accompanied the apostle in subsequent travels.

Like Paul, Timothy endured a period of imprisonment in the course of his missionary work Hebrews 10:30-36  “For we know Him who said ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God but recall the former days when you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on the prisoners and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised.”

Hebrews 13:16-21 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as men who will have to give account. Let them do this joyfully and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you sooner.

Benediction: Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in you, that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Around the year, Timothy became the first Bishop of the Church of Ephesus. During that same year he received the first of two surviving letters from Saint Paul, the second written the next year, urges Timothy to visit St. Paul in Rome where he was imprisoned before his martyrdom.

Ancient sources state that Saint Timothy followed his mentor in dying as a martyr for the faith. In the year of 93 during his leadership of the Church of Ephesus, he took a stand against the worship of idols and was consequently killed by a mob.

In contrast, to Timothy’s Jewish heritage and student of the Sacred Scriptures from his youth, Saint Titus was born into a pagan family, studying Greek, philosophy and poetry during his early years but he pursued a life of virtue and purportedly had a prophetic dream that caused him to begin reading the Hebrew Scriptures.

According to tradition, Titus journeyed to Jerusalem and witnessed the preaching of Jesus, during the Lord’s ministry on earth. Only later however, after the conversion of Saint Paul and the beginning of his ministry, did Titus receive baptism from the apostle who called the pagan to convert his ‘true child in our common faith.’ —Titus 1:4

Saint Paul was not only Titus’ spiritual father but depended on his convert as an assistant and interpreter. Titus accompanied Paul to the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem during the year 51 and was later sent to the Corinthian Church on two occasions. After the end of Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, the apostle ordained Titus as the Bishop of Crete.

Paul sent his only surviving letter to Titus around the year 64 giving instructions in pastoral ministry to his disciple as he prepared to meet up with him in the Greek City of Nicopolis. Titus evangelized the region of Dalmatia (modern day Croatia) before returning to Crete.

Saint Titus is credited with leading the Church of Crete well into his 90s, overturning paganism and promoting the faith through his prayers and ministry. Unlike Saint Timothy, Saint Titus was not martyred but died peacefully in old age.

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Timothy & St. Titus, Visit: -USCCB

Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Image Courtesy: Catholic Online

(Franciscan Media) Francis was raised in a very religious home with great devotion to St. Francis of Assisi according to Catholic News Agency when he came of age, his father believed that Francis was destined to be an Atty so that the young man could one day take his place as a Senator in France, Savoy province and for this reason, Francis was sent to Padua to study law, excelling in his studies in philosophy and other subjects, arousing his most fervent enthusiasm in theology and the Scriptures of the Bible.

In his youth, Francis was obedient, truthful and habitually generous to those less fortunate than himself, he loved books and knowledge. At the age of 8 he was sent to a nearby college of Annecy and there in the Church of St. Dominic he made his first Communion and received Confirmation–Francis’  heart became more-and-more fixed on devoting his life to God and he took a vow of perpetual chastity according to EWTN placing himself under the special protection of the ‘Blessed Virgin Mary’ he was, never the less not free from trials. The love of God always meant more to him than anything else.

After Francis receiving his Doctorate in Law he returned home, his father’s plans for his life were not his plans.

Francis subsequently informed his parents that he wished to enter the Priesthood which his father strongly opposed, only after much persuasiveness on the part of a gentle Francis did his father finally consent.

The Catholic Bishop of Geneva Claude de Granier was living at Annecy, his own diocese now being in Calvinist hands, found Francis a position in the Swiss Church. Francis already so prepared by his purity of life and theological studies that there was no reason for the usual delay, that 6 months after Francis’ father gave his consent at the age of 26 he was Ordained a Priest and took on the difficult task of bringing Swiss Calvinists back to the Church said Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2011

The Bishop so impressed by Francis’ character is reported to have made this prophetic utterance about him:

“This young man will be a great personage some day, he will become a pillar of the Church and and my successor in this See.”

Francis ministered lovingly to the poor and in the confessional devoted himself to the needs of the humblest with special care–his style of teaching was so simple that it charmed his hearers, scholar though he was, he refrained from filling his sermons with Greek and Latin quotations and theological subtitles which was the prevailing fashion.

Very tender in his ministry and with those who had fallen away from Christianity later returning, Francis greeted them warmly saying:

“Come my dear children come, let me put my arms around you. Ah, let me hide you in the bottom of my heart, God and I will help you, all I ask of you is not to despair. I will take on myself the rest of the burden.”

Francis’ affectionate care of them extended even to their physical needs and his purse was open to them as well as his heart. When told that his generosity would only encourage some to take advantage of him he replied:

“Has not our Blessed Lord shed His blood for them and I shall refuse them with my tears? These wolves will be changed into lambs, a day will come when, cleansed of their sins, they will be more precious in the sight of God than we are. If Saul had been cast off, we should never have had St. Paul.”

Following the death of the Bishop de Granier in the Autumn of 1602 Francis succeeded him just as the late Bishop earlier expected. Taking up residence at Annecy, living in a style appropriate to the office but with a household conducted on line of strict frugality, Francis’ personal life was one of evangelical poverty.

Francis conducted his episcopal duties with devotion, along with his administrative work, continued to minister and serve in the confessional–Francis, instituted the teaching of Catechism throughout his diocese and at the Annecy gave the instruction himself with such fervor that years after his death the ‘Bishop of Catechisms’ were still remembered–Children loved Francis and followed him about eager for his blessing.

Through an immense correspondence, Francis brought encouragement and guidance to innumerable persons. Francis helped Jeanne Francoise Fremyot who would become Saint Jane Frances de Chantal establish the ‘Order of the Visitation’ to meet the needs of widows and lonely women in poor health ‘strong souls with weak bodies’ who were deterred from joining other orders because of the physical condition.

Francis passed away in December 1622 following a paralytic seizure at the age of 56 in his ‘Treatise on the Love of God’ he had written: “The measure of love is to love without measure,” a precept which he had consistently taught and lived.

Beatified by Pope Alexander VII in 1661 he was subsequently canonized by him 4 years later and proclaimed the ‘Doctor of the Church’ during the pontificate of Pope Pius  IX in 1877

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings, Visit: -USCCB