Cristy Li

St. John Neumann
Image: The Natl Shrine of St John Neumann

John Neumann was born on the 28 March, 1811 in what is now the Czech Republic. Studying in Prague, he was a talented student and it was no surprise that he was accepted into seminary despite great competition. When it was time for John to be ordained, his Bishop died and all ordinations were canceled.

Unwilling to give up his vocation, John immigrated  to New York according to Franciscan Media where the diocese was in dire need of priests. John was soon ordained and sent to Williamsville, NY where he tended to the spiritual needs of over  a hundred German speaking families. Not happy just helping local Catholics, Fr, Neumann started saying Masses in frontier towns, traveling the countryside and throughout Maryland, Virginia and Ohio with candles and a chalice on his back.

Fr. Neumann soon gained attention from his superiors because of his tireless dedication and ability to speak in 8 languages. News of this Priest reached Pope Pius IX and he was appointed Bishop of Philadelphia, serving some 170,000 Catholics. In his new position Bishop Neumann, was able to continue his work helping those in need but now, on a much larger scale.

Bishop Neumann was the first person to organize a Catholic school system and built 100 new schools in just 8 years, also constructing Saint’s Peter and Paul Cathedral, numerous hospitals, churches, orphanages and a seminary.

In 1860 Bishop Neumann died of a stroke while walking down the street and laid to rest in St. Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia. 

Well known for his holiness, learning, spiritual writing and ministry, he became the first American Bishop to be beatified and subsequently was Canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1977

More here from Catholic Online and here from Franciscan Media

St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley-Seton (1774-1821)

(Franciscan Media) Mother Superior Seton, is one of the keystones of the American Catholic Church, she founded the first American religious community for Women the Sister’s of Charity, she opened the first parish school and established the first American Catholic orphanage–all this she did in the span of 46 yrs while raising five children.

Elizabeth Ann Bayley-Seton is a true daughter of the American Revolution, born on the 28 August, 1774 two years before the ‘Declaration of Independence’ by birth and marriage, she was linked to the first families of New York and enjoyed the fruits of high society.

Reared a staunch Episcopalian by her mother and stepmother, she learned the value of payer, Scripture and a nightly examination of her conscience. Elizabeth’s father, Dr. Richard Bayley, did not have much use of Churches but was a good humanitarian, teaching his daughter to love and serve others.

The early deaths of Elizabeth’s mother in 1777 and her baby sister in 1778 have her a feel for eternity and the temporariness of the pilgrim life on earth. Far frpm being brooding and sullen, she faced each new ‘holocaust’ as she put it, with hopeful cheerfulness.

At the age of 19, Elizabeth was the belle of New York and married a handsome, wealthy businessman, William Magee Seton, they had five children before his business failed and he died of tuberculosis, by the age of 30, Elizabeth was widowed, penniless with five small children to support.

While in Italy with her dying husband, Elizabeth witnessed Catholicity in action through family and friends. Three basic points led to her becoming Catholic: Belief in the real presence, devotion to the Blessed Mother and the conviction that the Catholic Church led back to to the Apostles and Jesus Christ. Many of her family and friends rejected her when she later became Catholic in March, 1805

To support her children, she opened a school in Baltimore and from the beginning, her group followed the lines of a religious community which was officially founded in 1809

More here from EWTN

Related: Prayer by Elizabeth Ann Seton –Leonie’s Longing

(uCatholic) In a world of fiercely guarded corporate names and logos, it should be easy to understand this feast–the letters ‘IHS’ are an abbreviation of Jesous, the Greek name for Jesus.

The feast of the Holy Name (traditionally celebrated as the Feast of Circumcision) is a major Feast of the Church, it reflects the significance of  the Holy Name Jesus–the name Jesus, is from the Hebrew Joshua or ‘Yeshua is Salvation’ or “Yahweh will save.”

St. Paul might claim credit for promoting devotion to the Holy Name because Paul wrote in Philippians 2:9 “Therefore God has exalted  Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.”

This devotion became popular because of the 12th century Cistercian Monks and Nuns but especially through the preaching of St. Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444) a Franciscan.

Bernardine used devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus as a way of overcoming bitter and often bloody class struggles and family rivalries or vendettas–the devotion grew partly because of Franciscan and Dominican ministers, it spread even more wildly after the Jesuits began promoting it in the 16th century.

In 1530 Pope Clement V approved an Office of the Holy Name for the Franciscans–in 1721, Pope Innocent XIII extended this Feast to the entire Church.

This Feast invites us to a continual remembrance of the veneration of the Holy Name in order that God may plant in us and in every heart, the love of Him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ.

More here from Franciscan Media

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

Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus –Catholic Culture

Becoming Beacons of Light Like the Wise Men -Deacon Omar Gutierrez, Natl Catholic Register

Saint Basil the Great (329-379) Image Courtesy: Pinterest

(CNA) Saint Basil, one of the most distinguished Doctors of the Church and Bishop of Ceasarea was one of ten children of St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia according to Independent Catholic News, several of his brothers and sisters are also honored among the Saints.

Saint Basil ranks afters Althanasius as a defender of the Asian Church against the heresies of the 4th century, especially Aryanism which denied the divine nature of Jesus Christ.

With his friend ‘Gregory of Nazianzus’ and his brother Gregory of Nyssa, he is part of the trio known as ‘The Three Cappadocians’  of which he was the most important in practical genius and theological writings, rightly placing him as one of the greatest teachers of the Church.

Basil resisted pressure from the Emperor Valens, who wanted to keep him in silence and admit the heretics to communion. No wonder when the Great St. Althanasius died, the responsibility of being the defender of the faith against Aryanism fell upon Basil.

Seventy two years after Basil’s death the Council of Chalcedon described him as ‘the great Basil, minister of grace who has expounded the truth to the whole earth.”

More here from Franciscan Media

Pope St. Sylvester I Served as the Church Gained Freedom,
Presided Over Growth –Image: Fr. Terrence Prendergast@Twitter

(Franciscan Media) When you think of this Pope, one thinks of the Edict of Milan, the emergence of the Church from the catacombs, the building of the great Basillicas, St. John Lateran  St. Peter’s Basilica and others, the Council of Nicaea together with other critical events but for the most part, these events were planned or brought about by Emperor Constantine.

A great store of legends has grown up around this man who was Pope at this most important time but very little can be established historically.

We know for sure that his Papacy lasted from 314 until his death in 335 and reading between the lines of history, we are assured that only very strong and wise could have preserved the essential independence of the Church in the face of the overpowering figure of Emperor Constantine–The Bishop’s in general remained loyal to the Holy See and at times expressed apologies to Sylvester for undertaking important ecclesiastical projects at the urging of Constantine.

More here from Catholic Online

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of Pope St. Sylvester I, Visit: -USCCB

Saint Egwin –Image: Catholic Prayer@Twitter

(Franciscan Media) You say that you’re not familiar with Saint Egwin?  Chances are you’re not alone, unless you are especially informed about Benedictine Bishops who established monasteries in medieval England.

Born of royal blood in the 7th Century, Egwin entered a monastery and was enthusiastically received by royalty, clergy and the people as the Bishop of Worcester, England and as a Bishop, he was known as a protector of orphans, the widowed and a fair judge–who could argue with that?

Egwin’s popularity did not hold up among members of the clergy however, they saw him as overly strict, while he believed that he was simply trying to correct abuses and impose appropriate disciplines. Bitter resentments arose and Egwin made his way to Rome to present his case to Pope Constantine–the case against Egwin was examined and annulled. 

Upon his return to England, he founded Evesham Abbey  which became one of the great Benedictine house of medieval England. It was dedicated to Mary who reportedly had made it known to Egwin just where a Church should be built in her honor–

Egwin died at the Abbey on the 30 December, 717 Following his burial, many miracles were attributed to him: The blind could see, the deaf could hear and the sick were healed.

More here on St. Egwin and Evesham Abbey –Benedictines Stanbrook

Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for the 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas, Visit: -USCCB

St. John the Apostle –Image Courtesy: CNA@Twitter

(Franciscan Media) It is God who calls, humans answer–The vocation of John and his brother James is stated very simply in the Gospels, along with that of Peter and his brother Andrew, Jesus called them and they followed.

The absoluteness of their response is indicated by the account–James and John “were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, He called them and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed Him.” —Matthew 4:21-22

For the three former Fishermen, Peter, James and John, that faith was to be rewarded by a special friendship with Jesus. They alone were present at the Transfiguration, the raising of the daughter of Jairus and the agony in Gethsemane but John’s friendship was even more special–tradition assigns to him the 4th Gospel, although most modern scripture scholars think its unlikely the Apostle and the Evangelist are the same person.

John’s own Gospel refers to him as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” —John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2 The one who reclined to Jesus at the ‘Last Supper’ and the one to whom He gave the exquisite honor, as he stood beneath the Cross, of caring for his Mother. ‘When Jesus saw his Mother and the disciple who he loved standing near, He said, “Behold your Mother” and from that hour the disciple took Her to his own home.’ —John 19:26-27

As a result of the depth of the Gospel, John is usually thought of as the ‘Eagle of Theology’ soaring in high regions that other writers did not enter but the ever frank Gospels reveal some very human traits: Jesus gave James and John the nickname “Sons of Thunder.” (Mark 3:17)

Related: Feast of Saint John the Apostle & Evangelist –USCCB