The feast day of St. Gerard Sagredo is celebrated on September 24. He is a martyr and patron saint of Hungary.
St. Gerard was born in Venice in 980. He went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land but his ship landed at Istria. He became the educator of the prince and played a role in the conversion of Hungary to Christianity.
St. Gerard became the first Bishop of Csanad in 1030. After the death of the King, St. Stephen, he refused to serve the new King. Persecution against Christians became common.
St. Gerard was martyred on September 24, 1046. Legend states he was placed in a wooden barrel hauled to the hilltop and rolled down what is now named Gillert Hill. At the bottom he was beaten to death.
St. Gerard Sagredo was canonized in 1083.
“It is in loving the cross that one discovers his heart.”
The feast day of St. Padre Pio is celebrated on September 23. He is the first priest to receive the stigmata (wounds of Christ).
The name of Padre Pio at birth was Francesco Forgione. He was born on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelc
ina, Italy. He showed signs of a religious calling at a very early age, dedicating his life to God at the age of 5. Francesco was able to communicate with Jesus, Mary and his Guardian Angel. He assumed this was common.
At the age of 15, he joined the Capuchin Order of the friars Minorin Morcone, Italy. He was known for being a very contemplative priest. When he celebrated Mass they lasted several hours due to the long, silent moments of contemplative prayer. When he was asked if he could shorten the Mass he replied:
“God knows that I want to say Mass just like any other priest, but I cannot do it.”
He gained a reputation of being a good counselor and people traveled many hours to speak with him. Padre Pio was known as a man of prayer. He encouraged praying the rosary and praying for the deceased souls in Purgatory.
On September 20, 1918, just a month after his ordination, he received the stigmata while praying before a crucifix at the age of 31. For 50 years he suffered with the wounds of Christ. He was given the gifts of healing, prophecy, miracles and the gift of tongues. He was also given the gift of “odor of sanctity”. Quite often the scent of roses or lilies was present while people were with him.
Although given many spiritual gifts he always remained humble and in service to God. He became sought out as a confessor, spending an average of 19 hours a day in the confessional. People came from all corners of the earth to confess their sins to him. He heard the confession of Pope John Paul II when he was a young priest.
Padre Pio founded a hospital called The Home for the Relief of Suffering.
“Bring God to all those who are sick. This will help them more than any other remedy.”
At the age of 81 Padre Pio died while praying the rosary.
“After my death I will do more. My real mission will begin after my death”
Over 100, 000 people attended the funeral of St. Padre Pio to celebrate his life.
Padre Pio was canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002.
“Your tears were collected by the angels and were placed in a gold chalice and you will find them when you present yourself before God.”
St. Thomas Villanova Dividing His Clothes by Murillo
The feast day of St. Thomas of Villanova is celebrated on September 22. He served as the Bishop of Valencia for 11 years.
St. Thomas of Villanova was born in Fuenlana, Spain in 1488. He was very generous to the poor and needy from a very early age. He was known to give his clothes to those less fortunate. At the age of 16 he entered the University of Alcala. When his father died he gave away his inheritance to feed unmarried women. He finished his studies in theology at Alcala and then became a Professor of Philosophy and Theology. He joined the Hermits of St. Augustine becoming well known for his holiness and generosity. He was ordained a priest of the order in 1518.
St. Thomas was chosen to be Archbishop of Granada but turned down the position. Out of obedience to his superiors he accepted the position of Bishop of Valencia. He served as bishop for eleven years. While serving the people of Valencia he founded two colleges and built a hospital. His love of the poor inspired him supply food for those who were hungry. He was given the gift of healing, miracles and conversion of sinners.
St. Thomas of Villanova died of Angina Pectoris at the age of 67 in 1658. Miracles were attributed to him before and after his death.
Pope Alexander VII canonized St. Thomas of Villanova in 1658.
Sept. 21 is the feast day of St. Matthew the Apostle. The Catholic Church will be celebrating his life and martyrdom during the holy Mass. St. Matthew is the patron saint of accountants and bankers.
St. Matthew is also known as “Levi”. Matthew was a tax collector by trade. Tax collectors were despised by most of the people. He was called by Jesus to be one of the twelve Apostles.
The Apostles lived and traveled with Jesus during the three years leading up to his crucifixion. After the crucifixion they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecostand began to spread the “Good News” of salvation.
It is believed that St. Matthew is the author of the first gospel. This gospel was written in Aramaic, which was the language of the Hebrew people. The Gospel of Matthew is referred to as the “teaching gospel”. It contains most of the parables of Jesus and the Beatitudes, which were given to us by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Matthew is believed to have preached in Ethiopia. Reports of his martyrdom vary greatly. It is not known if he was burned, stoned, beheaded or killed with an ax. However, the Church considers him to be a martyr who died for the faith. Traditional prayer:
Glorious St. Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the new Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant. Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in His Church and to follow his teachings in our lives on earth so that we may live forever with him in heaven.
Acquire the spirit of peace and thousands around you will be saved.
Quote of St. Seraphim of Sarov; Feast Day February 5
The martyrdom of 103 Koreans is celebrated on September 20.
For over 100 years the Christians in Korea practiced their faith in secret. The government of Korea was based on Confucianism and believed that Christians were a threat to the government.
The first known martyrs are Paul Youn and James Kouen. They were martyred after refusing to offer sacrifice on the death of a relative.
Over the next 100 years over 10, 000 Korean Christians were tortured and executed.
On May 6, 1984, in Seoul, Pope John Paul IIcanonized 103 of the martyrs. Their feast day is celebrated on September 20.
Martyrdom is the heroic act of love.
Quote of St. Just Bretenie’res……Korean Martyr; Feast Day March 7
On Saturday, Sept. 19, a globe of light opened to reveal a beautiful woman seated on a stone. The woman appeared to two shepherd children in Salette, France. The apparition was approved and is celebrated on September 19.
The children’s names were Melanie Calvat, age 15, and Maiximin Graud, age 11. The woman was gently crying and asking for the people and the priests to repent of their sins. She called for penance.
Our Lady was tall, wearing a pearl studded dress and white shawl with a tiara on her head. A crucifix was hanging from her neck. She seemed to be made of light. As she talked to the children she warned of coming war and famine.
Our Lady asked the children to pray day and night for the salvation of the world.
Our Lady of La Salette warned of chastisements that would fall upon humanity if they didn’t change their ways. Before ascending into heaven she urged the children to pray more and gave each of them a secret that was revealed to Pope Pius IX in 1851 concerning threats to the church and to the world.
While Our Lady’s message focused on conversion and penance she also gave the children a message of hope regarding the power of prayer saying:
“if they are converted, the stones and rocks will change into mounds of wheat, and the potatoes will be self-sown in the land”,
After the apparition many people made amends for the wrongs they had done. Miracles began occurring at the site, as people were cured over various ailments from water from the spring there within weeks of Our Lady’s appearance. The Church officially approved of this apparition (deeming it worthy of belief) after much investigation and debate in 1851. Construction of a church at La Salette began in 1852 and was completed in 1865. It was designated as the Basilica of Our Lady of La Salette in 1879.
Pope John Paul II made the following comment on the Apparition of La Salette:
“In this place, Mary, the loving Mother appeared manifesting her pain for the moral evil caused by humanity. Her tears help us to understand the seriousness of sin and the rejection of God, and at the same time it is a manifestation of the passionate fidelity that her Son has for each person, even though His redemptive love is marked by the wounds of treason and abandonment by men.”
Of all the virtues of the Virgin Mary, the most admirable is her great humility; it is a virtue of which we ourselves have a great need.
Quote of Bl. Alphonsus de Orozco; Feast Day September 19
