Category Archives: Incorruptables

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Josephat, Feast Day Nov. 12




St. Josaphat
St. Josaphat

The feast day of St. Josephat is celebrated on November 12.  He is a martyr of the church.

St. Josephat was born in Vladimir, Poland, in 1584. His birth name was Ioann Kuntsevych.  He was ordained a priest and became head of a monastery at Byline.  In 1604, in his early 20s, Kuntsevych entered the Monastery of the Trinity of the Order of Saint Basil the Great in Vilnius, at which time he was given the religious name of Josaphat.  He restored sanctuaries, built a convent and converted many souls. He became Archbishop of Polotsk in 1617 at the age of 38. He restored five cathedrals and aided the poor.

St. Josephat  sought to bring an end to the divisions which were dividing the church. However, six years after becoming bishop he was assassinated. His body was profaned. He was 44 years old. When his body was recovered nine days later it emitted a fragrance of roses and lilies. This caused many people to abandon the schism.

Five years after his death, St. Josephat’s body was found intact although his clothes had disintegrated.  He was canonized in 1867 by Pope Leo XIII.

 

“Learn to live at God’s hands.”

Quote of St. Edith Stein;  Feast day August 9

 

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Martin de Porres, Feast Day Nov. 3




 

St. Martin de Porres
St. Martin de Porres

 

St. Martin was born in Lima, Peru in 1579.  He was the son of the governor of Panama.  His mother Anna Martin was a freed black slave.  St. Martin is the patron saint of social justice and barbers.

When he was 15, he became a Dominican Friar. He worked as a barber, farm laborer and in the infirmary. In the infirmary he cared for the sick.  His medical knowledge regarding herbs was discovered and put to good use.

He begged from the rich to support the sick. His desire was to become a foreign missionary and earn martyrdom. Because this was not possible he offered his body to God. He received many spiritual gifts in return for his penances. Martin loved both humans and animals. He established an orphanage and children’s hospital. He also established a shelter for cats and dogs. He was a friend to St. Rose of Lima. St. Martin de Porres is the first black saint from the Americas.

St. Martin de Porres had many spiritual gifts.  He had healing power and a prophetic gift.  He could see into the future and read hearts.  St. Martin died Nov. 3, 1639.  His body is incorrupt.

Miracles were reported at his tomb.

St. Martin was canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962.

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Compassion is preferable to cleanliness,

With a bit of soap I can clean my bed,

but think of the flood of tears I would

require to clean from my soul

the stain that harshness against

this unfortunate would leave.

Quote of St. Martin de Porres

 

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Teresa Margaret Redi, Feast Day March 11




St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart.jpg6
The feast day of St. Teresa Margaret Redi is celebrated on March 11.  

 

Anna Maria Redi was born on July 15, 1747 into a large pious family in Florence, Italy. From an early age she was drawn to God. She was sent to a Benedictine boarding school at the age of nine. The nuns noticed her love of the Blessed Sacrament. She learned to meditate at a young age. Rather than seeking attention she preferred to go unnoticed and spend time alone. After meeting someone who was about to make a profession as a Carmelite, she had a spiritual experience and decided she too wanted to become a Carmelite.

 

At the age of 17 she entered the Carmelite convent, taking the name Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart. She advanced quickly in her spirituality. She was able to focus both on the contemplative prayer life and serving her community. She worked among the sick and as an assistant sacristan. She was very penitential; sleeping on the floor and living a very disciplined life. Several miracles are believed to have happened while she was working with the sick.

One Sunday, while in the choir, she had a mystical experience in which God revealed the deeper meaning of the Love of God. It transformed her knowledge of God. She tried to always offer a smile and serene attitude no matter what the situation. She believed that God would be found if God alone was sought. To love her neighbor, she decided to sympathize with their troubles, excuse their faults, always speak well of them and never willingly fail in charity, in thought, word or deed.

St. Teresa Margaret did experience the Night of the Spirit. She no longer received consolations from God and greatly feared offending God. She was greatly tempted by despair. It is believed she had a premonition regarding her death. Although she was very healthy, she probably died from a strangulated hernia. It was misdiagnosed as colic.

St. Teresa Margaret died on March 7, 1770 at the age of 22. She died holding her crucifix in her hands invoking the names of Jesus and Mary, otherwise suffering in silence.

The burial of St. Teresa Margaret was delayed because her body did not begin to decay. In fact, a sweet perfume was noticed  coming from the crypt (underground burial place). She was buried 18 days after her death and her body still had not decayed. Miracles were immediately reported after her death. Her incorrupt body was transferred on the Feast of the Sacred Heart to the nuns choir in the Carmel of Florence.

 

Always receive with equal contentment from God’s hand either consolations or sufferings, peace or distress, health or illness. Ask nothing, refuse nothing, but always be ready to do and to suffer anything that comes from His Providence.

 

Quote of St. Teresa Margaret Redi

 

March is the Month of St. Joseph

St. Teresa Margaret Redi in Art



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