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.
The feast day of St. Simon and St. Jude is celebrated on the same day…October 28. They were both Apostles and Martyrs. St. Simon is the patron saint of tanners. St. Jude is the patron saint of impossible causes.
St. Simon was the second Bishop of Jerusalem. He preached in Egypt and Persia with St. Jude where both suffered martyrdom.
There are two stories of his death. The first has him dying by crucifixion in Samaria. The second has him sawed in half in Persia.
St. Simon and St. Jude
St. Jude was the son of Cleohas, who died a martyr and Mary who stood at the foot of the cross. He was the brother of St. James the Lesser. and a cousin to Jesus. He was a fisherman. He is not to be confused with Judas Iscariot, who was a traitor.
After the resurrection. Jude preached in Syria and Persia with St. Simon. He was a healer and an exorcist. He was beaten to death with a club then beheaded in Persia. His relics are at St. Peter’s Basilica, in Rome.
As apostles, both St. Simon and St. Jude became close to Jesus. They truly believed he was the Lord. After the Resurrection they spent their life spreading the good news of salvation. Their martyrdom shows us the depth of their love for Jesus.
Come my light, and illumine my darkness.
Come my Life and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of Divine Love, and burn up the thorns of my sins, kindling my heart with the flame of your love.
Come my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there.
For you alone are my King and my Lord.
Prayer of St. Dimitri of Rostov; Feast Day October 28
The feast day of St. Frumentius is celebrated on October 27. St. Frumentius was born in Lebanon. He helped bring Christianity to Ethiopia and is considered the patron saint of Ethiopia.
Around the year 330, Frumentius and his brother Aedesius took a voyage to the coast of Arabia. They were both students. On the trip home their ship docked at an Ethiopian port. A great riot occurred in which the natives massacred the crew and passengers. The only two to survive were the two brothers who were studying under a tree.
When they were found, they were taken to the king. He was so impressed with their knowledge that he made Aedesius his cupbearer, and Frumentius his secretary. Before the king died, he granted the two brothers liberty in gratitude for their service. The Queen, however, requested that they stay and help her. They agreed to do so.
Frumentius encouraged merchants to settle in the country by granting them privileges and freedom of worship. When the young prince became king the two brothers resigned their posts even though the young king wished them to remain. Aedesius returned to Tyre and was ordained a priest. Frumentius discussed his desire to help in the conversion of Ethiopians with St. Theodosius in Alexandria. He was consecrated bishop of Aksum to allow him to do this work in around the year 350.
He led many souls to the faith. He was known for miracles and his preaching. When he died around the year 383 he was reverently called Abuna which means Our Father and Aba Salama which means Father of Peace. To this day Abuna is the title of the primate of the Church of Ethiopia.
For whoever seeks God while wanting to hold onto his own likes and dislikes, may seek him night and day but will never find him.
The feast day of St. Anthony Mary Claret is celebrated on October 24. He is the patron saint of educators, the Catholic Press and weavers.
St. Anthony Mary Claret was the Archbishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands. With a group of five other priests he was the Founder of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also known as the Claretians.
St. Anthony Mary Claret was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1807. At the age of twelve he became a weaver. He entered the seminary at Vic in 1829 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 13, 1835 on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, whom he was named after. He entered the Jesuit novitiate but had to leave due to his ill health.
St. Anthony Mary Claret was assigned to missionary work throughout Catalonia. In 1848 he was sent to the Canary Islands where he gave retreats for fifteen months. When he returned to Spain, he established the Congregation the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (The Claretians) on the feast of “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel“ (July 16, 1848).
He also founded the religious library at Barcelona called “Libreria Religiosa”. It is now known as “Libreria Claret). He was appointed Archbishop of Santiago, Cuba in 1849. Over 9,000 marriages were validated within two years of his arrival. He began a hospital and several schools. The first women’s religious institute in Cuba was begun by St. Anthony. It was known as the Religious of Mary Institute.
In 1857 he was recalled to Spain and he became the Confessor to Queen Isabella II. He became a resident of an Italian Hospice. Preaching everywhere he went, he also distributed books. Eventually, his life in danger, he went to France where he preached in Paris.
In 1869, he participated in the First Vatican Council. He had to withdraw due to poor health. He died on Oct. 24, 1870, at the age of 62 in a Cistercian monastery in France.
“The man who burns with the fire of divine love is a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and wherever he goes, he enkindles that flame. He desires and works with all his strength to inflame all men with the fire of God’s love. Nothing deters him, he rejoices in poverty, he labors strenuously, he welcomes hardships, he laughs off false accusations, he rejoices in anguish. He thinks only of how he might follow Jesus Christ and imitate him by his prayers, his labors, his sufferings, and be caring always and only for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.”
The feast day of St. John Capistrano is celebrated on October 23. He is the patron saint of chaplains, military chaplains and judges.
St. John was born in 1386. He was the son of a German knight. He was well educated studying civil and church law. By the age of 26 he became governor of Perugia. When a battle broke out against the Malatestes he tried to broker peace. He became a prisoner of war. During his time in prison, he encountered St. Francis of Assisi in a dream and experienced a conversion. When released from prison he joined the Franciscansof Perugia. Four years later he was ordained a priest.
St. John Capistrano was known for his preaching. Great crowds gathered to hear him. He was instrumental in reviving the faith. He was a student of St. Bernadino of Sienawho introduced him to the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus.
During the crusades he preached in Hungary. He visited the kings of Europe uniting them and their armies against invading forces. In 1456, he led a Christian army to Belgrade. When it appeared that they would be overpowered by the Muslims, he ran to the front line holding a crucifix crying
“Victory, Jesus, Victory!“
The Christian army won a great victory and Belgrade was freed from the siege. Several months later, St. John died at Villach in Austria after a painful infection. He was canonized in 1724.
The following quote is taken from the treatise written by St. John Capistrano called “Mirror of the Clergy”.
Those who are called to the table of the Lord must glow with the brightness that comes from the good example of a praiseworthy and blameless life. They must completely remove from their lives the filth and uncleanness of vice. Their upright lives must make them like the salt of the earth for themselves and for the rest of mankind. The brightness of their wisdom must make them like the light of the world that brings light to others. They must learn from their eminent teacher, Jesus Christ, what he declared not only to his apostles and disciples, but also to all the priests and clerics who were to succeed them, when he said: “You are the salt of the earth. But what if salt goes flat? How can you restore its flavor? Then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
The feast day of St. John Paul II is celebrated on October 22. He is the patron saint of youth.
Karol Jozef Wajtyla (pronounced Voy-tee-ya) was born to Karol and Emilia Wojtyla in Wodowice, Poland on May18, 1920. His mother died when he was nine years old. His sister Olga died before he was born. His brother Edmond, a doctor, died when he was twelve. He was very close to his father, who raised him. When he was 21, his father died, leaving him alone, with no family.
Young Karol studied drama in Krakow’s Jagiellonian University. The university closed due to the Nazi occupation in 1939. In 1942, he had a call to the priesthood. He studied in an underground seminary in Krakow. At the same time he also was a member of the underground “Rhapsodic Theater”.
Karol was ordained on November 1, 1946. He was sent to Rome where he finished his doctorate in theology with a thesis on the works of St. John of the Cross, a Carmelite saint
He wished to become a Carmelite priest himself. However, he was turned down twice. The first time, he was denied entry due to the war. The second time he applied, his bishop told him, he was not meant to be a contemplative (private prayer) priest, his charismatic (public prayer) talent was needed working with the public. During his early priesthood he worked as a chaplain to university students as well as vicar to several parishes.
On Jan 13, 1964 he became a Cardinal. He was a participant in the Vatican Council II (1962-1965).
On October 16, 1978, he was elected Pope. As Pope he chose the name of John Paul II. As Pope of the Catholic Church he will be remembered for many things. He established the World Youth Day Celebration. This event brought millions of young people together in a different country to celebrate their faith. In 1993, Youth Day was held in Denver, USA. In 2000 he led the celebration in Rome for the Great Jubilee year. Although unofficial, this is why he is considered the patron of youth.
As Pope he canonized many saints, including his fellow citizen Sister Faustina from Poland. John Paul II gave her Divine Mercy Devotion an official feast day, the Sunday following Easter. This devotion focuses on the mercy and forgiveness Jesus offers us.
Another Devotion John Paul II encouraged was the Rosary. The Rosary focuses on the life of Jesus. In 2002 he added a fourth set of mysteries to be meditated on which is called the Luminous Mysteries. This includes the Baptism of Jesus, The Wedding at Cana, The Institution of the Word, The Transfiguration, and The Eucharist.
In 1981 he survived an attempted assassination. He credited his devotion to Our Lady of Fatima for his survival. He publicly forgave his attacker.
John Paul II is remembered for his successful efforts to end communism, and for bringing together people of all faiths.
John Paul II died Parkinson’s disease on April 2, 2005.
John Paul II was Pope for 27 years. Many Catholics give him the title John Paul the Great, and Patron of Youth. His message of hope often included the message of Jesus when he stilled the water: “Be Not Afraid”(Mat: 14).
He received the title of Blessed in 2000. His first miracle was the cure of Sister Marie Perre Simon who was a French nun suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is the illness John Paul II died from on April 2, 2005. The second miracle of Pope John Paul II was the curing of a brain aneurysm of Floribeth Mora Diaz of Costa Rica.
On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, 2014, Pope Francis canonized Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI con-celebrated the Mass.
Place your talents and enthusiasm at the service of life.
Quote of St. John Paul II
St. John Paul II in Art
St. John Paul II
World Youth Day
Public Domain Image
