Tag Archives: Africa

Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Cyprian, Feast Day September 16

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St. Cyprian Public Domain Image
St. Cyprian

 

The feast day of St. Cyprian is celebrated on September 16.  Cyprian was born in North Africa in the 3rd century.  He is an important Christian writer.

At the age of 35, Cyprian converted to Christianity.   Soon after his baptism he was ordained, later becoming the Bishop of Carthage.  After his baptism he gave away his possessions.

When the persecutions of Christians began in Carthage,  Cyprian went into hiding rather than give sacrifices to pagan gods or face execution.  Fourteen months later he returned.  He called a council to determine the fate of those who had lapsed and denied their faith.  The council agreed with Cyprian who disagreed with both extreme answers.  He was against allowing anyone to return with little or no penance.  He was also against not allowing the lapsed Christians back at all.

Persecutions began again in 256.  St. Cyprian proclaimed his faith in Christ and refuesed to sacrifice to pagan gods.  He was banished to Curubis.  On September 13, 258, St. Cyprian was imprisoned and sentenced to die by the sword.

The execution of St. Cyprian happened in public very quickly.  He removed his clothing, knelt down, prayed and then blind folded himself.  He was then beheaded with a sword.

To him who still remains in this world, no repentance is too late.  The approach to God’s mercy is open.

Quote of St. Cyprian

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Jesuit Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Peter Claver, Feast Day September 9

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St. Peter Claver Public Domain Image
St. Peter Claver

The feast day of St. Peter Claver is celebrated on September 9.  He is the patron saint of African missions.

St. Peter Claver was born at Verdu, Catalonia, Spain in 1580. He entered the Jesuit college of Barcelona, becoming a Jesuit novitiate, taking his final vows on Aug 8, 1604.
St. Peter Claver left his homeland to become a missionary in the colonies of the new world. He ministered to the slaves arriving daily in Cartagena (now Columbia). Over a thousand slaves arrived in Cartagena every month. He brought them food, ministered to their medical needs and prayed with them. He followed them to the plantation they were taken to.  St. Peter Claver declared himself to be the “slave of the Negroes forever.”

After instructing them in the faith, he baptized them. By 1651 he had baptized over 300,000 slaves into the faith.

After suffering from illness for four years, St. Peter Claver died on Sept. 8, 1654.
St. Peter Claver has been declared the patron saint of African Missions.

 

“Seek God in all things and you shall find God by your side.”

Quote of St. Peter Claver

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Augustine, Feast Day August 28

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St. Augustine of Hippo by Sandro Botticelli Public Domain Image
St. Augustine of Hippo
by Sandro Botticelli
Public Domain Image

The feast day of St. Augustine is celebrated on August 28th. St. Augustine is the patron saint of brewers.

After the death of his father at the age of seventeen, St. Augustine left the church and led a loose life. He soon had both a mistress and a son. His mother St. Monica prayed for him for seventeen years before he returned to the faith.
Augustine began his search for faith by joining a group called the Manichees. Manichaeism teaches there are two gods at war with each other; good and evil. It also teaches that all matter is evil. He was hesitant to fully practice his faith due to physical desires. He is known for his statement

“O God, give me chastity, but not yet.”

Eventually, Augustine heard the preaching of St. Ambrose, which greatly influenced him. He began to study the bible. One day, after experiencing great remorse for his sins, Augustine heard a child singing, “Take up and read!” He opened his bible to the letters of St. Paul where he read “put away all impurity and live in imitation of Jesus.” From then on Augustine practiced his faith with zeal. He was baptized by St. Ambrose, ordained a priest and eventually became a bishop. He was also a famous writer. His book “Confessions” is considered a classic. After his death in 430 he was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.

The following poem was written by St. Augustine.

Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you!       Lo, you were within, but I outside, seeking there for you,
and upon the shapely things you have made I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.
You were with me, but I was not with you. They held me back far from you,
those things which would have no being, were they not in you.

You called, shouted, broke through my deafness;
you flared, blazed, banished my blindness;
you lavished your fragrance, I gasped; and now I pant for you;
I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst;
you touched me, and I burned for your peace.

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Faith, patron saints

Prayers Quips and Quotes: St. Monica, Feast Day August 27

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St. Monica by Tristán de Escamilla, Public Domain Image
St. Monica by
Tristán de Escamilla,

The feast day of St. Monica is celebrated on August 27.  She is the patron saint of mothers, alcoholism and difficult marriages.

St. Monica was born of a Christian family in Tagaste in Africa in 331. She was given in marriage by her parents to a non-Christian named Patricius. He was known to have a a bad temper and alcoholism. They had three children who survived infancy. One of them was Augustine.

Monica was known for her pious nature. She prayed without ceasing for her family. A year before his death Patricius converted to Catholicism and was baptized. Augustine was 17 at the time of his father’s death. He left the faith and led an immoral life. By eighteen he had a mistress and a son. He joined a group called the Manichees. Manicheeism teaches that the material world is part of the realm of evil. There are two gods one good and one evil.

Monica never ceased praying for the return of her son to the Catholic faith. After more than 15 years of prayer, Augustine heard St. Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, preach. He decided to study the faith, and eventually returned, being baptized in 387. Eventually Augustine became a priest and then a bishop.  St. Augustine  is now considered a Doctor of the Church.

Monica is the patron of mother’s because of her persistence in prayer.

 

“Nothing is far from God.”

Quote of St. Monica

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

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Faith, Martyr

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Sts. Perpetua & Felicity, Feast Day March 7

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Sts. Perpetua and Felicity
The feast day of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity is celebrated on March 7. 

Both St. Perpetua and St. Felicity were martyred during a time of great persecution. They were put to death in the year 202 in the games which made public spectacles of those who refused to renounce their faith.

St. Perpetua was a well educated noblewoman living in Carthage, North Africa.  Her mother was a Christian but her father was a pagan.  Her father tried unsuccessfully to convince her to renounce her faith.  Perpetua was 22 when she was arrested and imprisoned. She kept a diary of her sufferings and the nature of the torture she endured. She continued to care for her child in spite of the torture she was forced to endure.

St. Felicity was a pregnant slave girl who was imprisoned at the same time as Perpetua. She also was tortured and condemned to die. Several days before the games began she gave birth to a baby girl. The baby girl was secretly taken away to be raised by Christians.

Both St. Perpetua and St. Felicity are honored on their Feast day of March 7.

I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle.  

I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.

Quote of St. Teresa of Calcutta; Feast day Sept. 5

March is the Month of St. Joseph

 

St. Perpetua and St. Felicity in Art

 

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