Category Archives: patron saints

Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Mark, Feast Day April 25

April 24, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra 2 Comments

The feast day of St. Mark the Evangelist will be celebrated on April 25.

St. Mark was born into a Jewish family. St. Mark was one of the first disciples of Jesus. He was not one of the original twelve apostles. St. Mark is the patron saint of notaries and lawyers.

St. Mark accompanied St. Paul and Barnabas (his cousin) on their missionary journey to Cyprus. St. Mark is the author of the second gospel. This gospel is the oldest gospel and was written in Greek for Gentile converts. It is believed St. Peter requested him to write this gospel.

Much of what we know about St. Mark we have learned from tradition. It is believed that Mark is the man who carried water to the house where the Last Supper took place. It is also possible he was the man who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51-52) St. Mark is believed to have been present at the Wedding at Cana when Jesus turned the water into wine. (John 2:1-10)

When St. Peter escaped from prison he went to the home of Mark’s mother. Mark went to Alexandria to preach. He then founded the church in Alexandria.

St. Mark died a martyr, being dragged through the streets with a rope around his neck in the year 68.

The symbol of St. Mark is a winged lion. The lion represents the way the gospel should be preached. St. Mark is the patron saint of lawyers.

On the feast day of St. Mark let us pray:

O God, who exalted blessed Mark the Evangelist, by the grace of preaching the Gospel, grant that we may profit by his teaching and be defended by his prayers. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

The Bible is a letter from the Almighty God to His creatures.

Quote of St. Gregory the Great

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

St. Mark the Evangelist in Art

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Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Lydwina, Feast Day April 14

April 13, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Lydwina is celebrated on April 14. St. Lydwina is the patron saint of ice skaters and the chronically ill.

St. Lydwina was born in Schiedam, Holland into a family of nine children in 1380. While still young she developed a devotion to Our Lady of Schiedam. While ice skating one day she injured herself, breaking several ribs. Gangrene set into the wounds she had received and spread throughout her body. She was bedridden for the rest of her life suffering from various illnesses.

St. Lydwina offered all of her suffering to Jesus on the cross. She experience mystical gifts including vision of heaven, hell and purgatory. She received apparitions of Christ and bore the stigmata. Many miracles occurred at her bedside.

In one vision she saw a rosebush with the words

“When this shall be in bloom your suffering will be at an end.”

In the spring of 1433 she exclaimed,

“I see the rose bush in full bloom!”

Easter morning, 1433, she had a vision of Christ giving her the Last Rites.

St. Lydwina died on April 14, 1433. Her grave became a site for pilgrims to visit and a chapel was built there. She was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1890.

I commend myself to the prayers of yourself and your friends, so that Christ, the source of all pity, may design to wash me clean in the water of His mercy.

Quote of St. Bernard; Feast day August 20

April is the Month of the Eucharist

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Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Michael de Sanctis, Feast Day April 10

April 9, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Michael de Sanctis is celebrated on April 10. He is the patron saint of cancer patients.

St. Michael was born in Catalina, Spain in 1591. At the age of six he declared to his parents that he would become a monk. In fact, he imitated St. Francis of Assisi with such zeal that his parents had to restrain him. His parents died, leaving him an orphan. He worked as an apprentice to a merchant.

In 1603 at the age of twelve, Michael joined the Trinitarian Friars of Barcelona. Soon after he was given permission to join the reformed group of Trinitarians which observed a stricter rule. He was ordained a priest and served as Superior of the house in Valladolid. He had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and was known for experiencing ecstasies during the consecration of the host during Mass.

St. Michael died at the age of 35 in 1625. Many miracles were attributed to him at the time of his death. He was known for his holiness and enthusiasm for a life of prayer. He is often shown in art as kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament.

St. Pope Pius IX canonized St. Michael de Sanctis on June 8, 1862.

Joy, with peace, is the sister of charity. Serve the Lord with laughter.

St. Padre Pio; Feast day Sept. 23

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

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Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Baptist de la Salle, Feast Day April 7

April 6, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. John Baptist de la Salle is celebrated on April 7. He is the patron saint of teachers.

St. John Baptist de la Salle was born on April 30, 1651 at Rheims, France. He was the oldest of ten children in a noble family. He studied in Paris and was ordained a priest in 1678 at the age of 27. Father John’s first assignment was as a spiritual director for the Sisters of the Holy Infant and their orphanage. They urged him to begin an orphanage for boys. Soon, a second orphanage was begun in the same diocese.

St. John knew he was called to educate the poor. During this time, education was only possible for the rich. Because he was in need of more teachers, Father John established two teachers colleges; Rheims and St. Denis. He emphasized classroom teaching over individual instruction and taught in the native language rather than Latin. He also began a reform school for boys at Dijon.

St. John Baptist de la Salle sold everything he owned and gave his large inheritance to the poor in the province of Champagne which was suffering from famine. He depended on Divine Providence for all his needs. St. John founded the Institute of the Brother of the Christian Schools. It was a group of lay men wishing to educate the poor. The Brothers founded a school in the U.S. in 1846.

On Good Friday in 1719, St. John died at the age of 68. He had been suffering from asthma and rheumatism.

You can work miracles by touching the hearts of those entrusted to your care.

Quote of St. John Baptist de la Salle

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

St. John Baptist de la Salle in Art

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Doctor of the Church, Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Isidore of Seville, Feast Day April 4

April 3, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra 1 Comment

The feast day of St. Isidore of Seville is celebrated on April 4.

St. Isidore was born in Cartagena, Spain in 560. He had two brothers and a sister. He was raised by his older brother, Leander, who was quite strict. Isidore had a great love of learning. He succeeded Leander as Bishop of Seville. As bishop he focused on reforming the clergy and fostering monastic life. He presided over the Second Council of Seville and the Fourth Council of Toledo.

St. Isidore was a prolific writer. His twenty volume set titled Etymologies was perhaps the first known encyclopedia. His writings also included a dictionary and books on the history of the world. For this reason, Pope John Paul II chose him to be patron of the internet.

After serving as bishop for 37 years, St. Isidore died in 636 nearing the age of 80. He was named a Doctor of the Church.

Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in confession. In confession there is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly. Do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God. Hope and have confidence in confession.

Quote of St. Isidore of Seville

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

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Doctor of the Church, Dominican Saints, Faith, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Catherine of Siena, Feast Day April 29

April 1, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Catherine of Siena Public Domain Image — St. Catherine of Siena

The feast day of St. Catherine of Siena is celebrated by the Catholic Church on April 29. St. Catherine is the patron saint against fire, illness and miscarriage.

St. Catherine was the 25th child to Giacomo and Lapa Benincase. She was born in 1347. Her father was a wealthy wool dyer in Northern Italy. She began having mystical experiences at the age of six, seeing guardian angels clearly. She also had visions of Heaven, hell and purgatory. She consecrated herself to Christ at the age of seven.

At the age of 16, Catherine became a Dominican tertiary (lay Dominican), continuing to have visions of Christ, Mary and the saints. In many of her ecstasies, Catherine fell into fire; however, she was untouched by the flames. This is why she is the patron saint against fire.

St. Catherine received a divine call to enter the public life . She began writing letters to princes and republics of Italy. She was consulted by papal legates. She persuaded Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon and reform the clergy and the Papal States. She referred to the pope as “sweet Christ on earth”. St. Catherine also cared for the sick (working among lepers) , served the poor and worked tirelessly to convert sinners. St. Catherine’s reputation for holiness grew.

On the 4th Sunday of Lent, 1375, she received the Stigmata, (the wounds of Christ). They were only visible after her death.

St. Catherine’s writings are considered historical in the Church. They include: “The Dialogue, Letters of Catherine Siena and Little Talks with God.

At the age of 33, on April 29, 1380, Catherine died of a mysterious and painful illness which came on without notice. It was not diagnosed. Her body was discovered to be in-corrupt in the year 1430. In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared St. Catherine of Siena to be a Doctor of the Church.