Category Archives: patron saints

Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Francis de Sales, Feast Day January 24

Quote Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Francis de Sales

 

The feast day of St. Francis de Sales is celebrated on Jan. 24. St. Francis was born in Savoy, France in 1567. His father wanted him to be a lawyer which led to his studies in Padua. After he received his doctorate, he told his parents he wanted to become a priest. Although his father initially opposed the idea, he eventually consented. He was ordained in the Diocese of Geneva.

Geneva was surrounded by Calvinist Protestants whom he tried persistently to convert. After three years without a single convert, Francis began writing pamphlets explaining the faith. He would slip his writings under doorways hoping they would be read.

St. Francis is also the author of several books and many sermons.
His writing was addressed to the lay people of the time.The most well known of his books are:

  • Introduction to the Devout Life
  • A Treatise on the Love of God.

Eventually, Francis met St. Jane Frances de Chantel and became her spiritual director. He helped her to establish the Sisters of the Visitation.

Francis designed a sign language to enable him to teach a deaf man. For this reason, he is also the patron of the deaf.

In 1602, he became the Bishop of the Diocese of Geneva. He had a great devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, helping to spread the devotion. Francis was well known for his excellent preaching and remembered for both his wit and his writing.

St. Francis died after having a stroke in Dec. 1622. He was buried on Jan. 24 which is his feast day.

We shall steer safely through every storm

so long as our heart is right,

our intention fervent, our courage steadfast,

and our trust fixed on God.

If at times we are somewhat stunned

by the tempest, never fear.

Let us take breath, and go afresh.

Quote of St. Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales

January is the Month of the Holy Name

 

Faith, Franciscan Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Marianne Cope, Feast Day January 23

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Marainne Cope        Patron Saint of Outcasts

The feast day of St. Marianne Cope is celebrated on Jan. 23. St. Marianne Cope was the first Franciscan woman from North America to become a saint.  St. Marianne Cope is the patron saint of outcasts.

The birth name of St. Marianne Cope was Barbara Koob (now officially Cope) She was born on Jan 23, 1838 in SE Hessen, West Germany. She was one of ten children. Her father was a farmer. The family moved to the United States one year after her birth.

Her vocation to the religious life was delayed by the necessity to support her family when her father became ill. At the age of 25, Barbara entered the Sisters of St. Francis in Syracuse, New York. She received her religious habit and the name of Sister Marianne. She served as a teacher and principal in several elementary schools in New York. She also helped establish two of the first hospitals in central NY. In 1870, she became a nurse administrator at St. Joseph’s in Syracuse, NY.

In 1882, a priest requested help managing hospitals and schools in Hawaii; primarily working with leprosy patients. She responded to his letter with the following words.

“I am hungry for the work and I wish with all my heart to be one of the chosen ones, whose privilege it will be to sacrifice themselves for the salvation of the souls of the poor Islanders…I am not afraid of any disease, hence, It would be my greatest delight to minister to the abandoned lepers.”

Along with six other sisters of St. Francis, she arrived in Honolulu in Nov. 1833. Mother Marianne was the supervisor as they managed Kakóako Branch Hospital on Oahu which treated 200 leprosy patients. They began by thoroughly cleaning the hospital. They also opened a home for the healthy daughters of the patients who were ill. Mother Marianne met Fr. Damien (now St. Damien…the Apostle to Lepers) in January 1884 while he was still healthy.

In 1887 the new government in charge of Hawaii closed the Hospital. In 1888, she went to Kalaupapa several months before the death of St. Damien. She reassured him she would provide care for the patients at the Boy’s Home at Kalawao on the Island of Molokai. Three Sisters ran the Bishop Home for boys and girls.

Mother Marianne died in Hawaii of natural cause on August 9, 1918 and is buried on the grounds of Bishop Home. The Saint Marianne Cope Shrine and Museum was built to honor her memory.

Mother Marianne was beatified on May 14, 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI. St. Marianne Cope was canonized on Oct 21, 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.

“I am not thinking of reward.  I am working for God and do so cheerfully.“

Quote of St. Marianne Cope

 

January is the Month of the Holy Name

Save

 

Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Sebastian, Feast Day January 20

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Sebastian:  Patron Saint of Athletes and Plague Sufferers

The feast day of St. Sebastian is celebrated on January 20.  He is the patron saint of athletes and plague sufferers.  He died a martyr in 268.

The legend of St. Sebastian begins with Sebastian joining the Roman army to support and assist Christians and martyrs. The emperor did not know he was a Christian. He was named Captain. While serving as a soldier he converted many to the faith. When it was discovered that he was a Christian, Emperor Dioletian ordered him shot to death. His body was pierced with arrows and he was left for dead. Those who came to bury him found him still alive. He recovered but refused to flee. One day he met the emperor and denounced him for his cruelty to Christians. This time Sebastian was beaten to death with clubs. He is buried in the Appian Way near the catacombs.

St. Ambrose venerated St. Sebastian as a Saint in the early church. St. Sebastian is considered the patron saint of athletes because of his physical endurance and energetic way of evangelizing. He is also the patron of plague sufferers because of the healings said to have occurred by his prayers.

“The devil strains every nerve to

secure the souls which belong to Christ.

We should not grudge our toil

wrestling them from Satan and

giving them back to God.”

Quote of St. Sebastian

St. Sebastian

January is the Month of the Holy Name

Save

Save

Dominican Saints, Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Raymond of Penyafort, Feast Day January 7

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Raymond of Penyafort

The feast day of St. Raymond is celebrated on January 7.  He is the patron saint of canon lawyers.

St. Raymond was born in Spain in 1174.  He was related to the King of Aragon. After becoming a well-known teacher, he decided to join the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans.

Thousands of Muslims are believed to have been converted to Christianity by his influence. St. Raymond had a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin. He founded the Order of Our Lady of Ransom. The order devoted itself to helping Christians who had been captured by the Moors during the crusades.

St. Raymond compiled Church decisions and decrees for the Pope. His collection filled five books. He is the patron saint of canon lawyers.
For two years Raymond was the leader of the Dominicans. After he resigned the position, he devoted himself to what he loved most; praising God and preaching about him to the people.

St. Raymond died in the year 1275 at the age of 100.

 

“We can do no great things;

only small things with great love.”

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

January is the Month of the Holy Name

 

Save

Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John N. Neumann, Feast Day January 5

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. John N. Neumann

The feast day of St. John N. Neumann is celebrated on January 5.  He was a Redemptorist priest and bishop.  He is the  patron of sick children and of immigrants and  Catholic education.

St. John Neumann was born in Bohemia in 1811. Due to the shortage of priests in the colonies, he traveled to New York to be ordained a priest and worked in an isolated parish.  Father John eventually joined the Redemptorists who were dedicated to helping the poor and abandoned. In 1852, he was appointed Bishop of Philadelphia. He increased the number of Catholic schools from two to a hundred.

The desire to hear confessions led St. John Neumann to learn at least six languages. He knew Spanish, English, French, Italian, Dutch and Gaelic.

While doing errands on January 5, 1860, Neumann collapsed and died on a Philadelphia street. He was 48 years old.  After his death the National Shrine of St. John Neumann was constructed at the Parish of St. Peter the Apostle in Philadelphia.  Our Lady of the Angels College, founded by the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters which he had founded was renamed.  It became known as  the  Neumann College. It was later given University status.

St. John Neumann was beatified on Oct. 13, 1963 by Pope Paul VI.  He was canonized on June 19, 1977 by Pope Paul VI.

“A man must always be ready for death,
for death comes when and where God wills it.”

Quote of St. John N. Neumann

January is the Month of the Holy Name

 

Save

 

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

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Basil the Great, Feast Day January 2

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Basil the Great

The feast day of St. Basil the Great is celebrated on January 2.  He is the patron saint of hospital administrators and a Doctor of the Church.  He was the Bishop of Caesarea

St. Basil was born in 330 at Caesarea of Cappadocia. He was born into a family of ten children. He studied at Constantinople and Athens where he met St. Gregory Nazianzen.

Before deciding to become a monk, he practiced law and opened a school. He directed the monastery in Pontus for five years. He eventually was ordained a priest. St. Basil became bishop in 370. He fought against Arianism ( the belief that Jesus was not divine in nature) at the Council of Constantinople. He also fought for reform of the clergy. He was known for his holiness and was tireless in caring for his people. He was known for preaching twice a day to huge crowds. The hospital that he built was a hospital that was called a wonder of the world.

Basil was best known for his preaching. Because of his writings he is considered a one of the great teachers of the Church.

Sickly since youth, the work of teaching, his life of abstinence, and the responsibilities and sorrows of pastoral service took their toll on him. Saint Basil died on January 1, 379 at age 49.

St. Basil is considered a Doctor of the Church. He is the patron saint of hospital administrators.

“Troubles are usually the brooms and shovels that

smooths the road to a good man’s fortune; 

and many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head,

and knows not that it brings abundance.”

Quote of St Basil the Great

January is the Month of the Holy Name

Save

 

// ]]>

Save

Save