The feast day of Bl. Caterina Citadini is celebrated on May 5.
Bl. Caterina was born in Italy in 1801. Her mother died when she was six years old. She and her sister were taken to an orphanage when their father abandoned them. She became very devoted to the Bl. Virgin Mary and her guardian angel. She received her teaching degree and left the orphanage.
Caterina and her sister Giuditta lived the town of Somasca where they began a school and an orphanage. In 1840 Caterina’s sister died suddenly. After Caterina died in 1857 her educational institute was finally granted recognition as a religious congregation known as the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca.
The passion of the Lord is here in truth, shaking the earth, rending the rocks and opening tombs.
The feast day of St. Florian is celebrated on May 4.
St. Florian was born in the third century in what is present day Austria. He became a commander in the Roman army. One of his duties was leading the firefighting brigade. Florian was a Christian during a time of persecution. He refused to participate in the persecutions the army was ordered to do. He also refused to offer sacrifices to the Roman gods.
When Florian’s beliefs became known it was suggested that he be burned to death as many Christians were during that time. Florian stated that he would climb to Heaven on the flames of the funeral pyre which was made for him. The soldiers then decided to use a different method to execute him. They flogged him and then flayed him. A large stone was tied around his neck and he was set on fire before being thrown into the Ennis River to drown.
St. Florian is the patron saint of firefighters. Many miracles of healing are attributed to St. Florian. He is considered a protector from danger of both fire and water.
The feast day of St. James the Lesser and St. Philip is celebrated by the Church on the same day, May 3. They are both Apostles and martyrs.
St. Philip was also one of the original apostles. He was born in Bethsaida, Galilee and was a follower of John the Baptist. He was present at the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. He was also present at the Last Supper. During the Last Supper, it was Philip who asked Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus responded by teaching them about the unity of the Father and the Son. After the resurrection Philip preached in Greece and Syria. St. Philip died a martyr. He was crucified upside down at Hierapolis under the rule of Emperor Domitian.
St. Philip is the patron saint of cooks and bakers.
St. James the Lesser was one of the original twelve apostles. The title Lesser probably meant he was younger than James the Greater. James was a cousin of Jesus and brother to St. Jude Thaddeus. St James the Lesser was the first Bishop of Jerusalem. He was known for his devotion to the poor. He was beaten to death with a club while praying for his attackers.
St.James the Lesser is the patron saint of fullers and pharmacists.
Martyrdom of the Apostle St. James the Less by Master of the Winkler Epitaph
Teach us to be generous, good Lord. Teach us to serve You as You deserve; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for any reward save that of knowing we do Your will.
Quote of St. Ignatius of Loyola; Feast day July 31
The feast day of St. Athansius is celebrated on May 2.
St. Athanasius was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 295. He received a classical education. He was ordained a priest and then became bishop of Alexandria. He was a true defender of the Church’s teaching against Arianism, which held the belief that Christ was not divine. The heresy had just begun but became very controversial. During the Council of Tyre, Emperor Constantine exiled him to northern Gaul. Constantine’s son succeeded after his death and restored St. Athanasius as bishop. A year later he was exiled again by a coalition of Arian bishops. When St. Athanasius appealed to Rome, Pope Julius I called a synod to review the situation.
St. Athanasius was exiled five times for defending the divinity of Christ. Although he spent 17 years in exile, his final years were peaceful. He wrote the book, “The Life of St. Anthony”, which described the great monk’s struggles with demons. St. Athanasius died on May 2, 373. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.
If the world is against the truth, then I am against the world.”
The feast day of St. Marie de l’Incarnation is celebrated on April 30.
St. Marie de l’Incarnation was born in Tours, France. She was the daughter of a baker. Against her will she married Claude Martin, a silk manufacturer at the age of 17. She had one son. Two years later she became a widow and worked as an embroiderer.
St. Marie experienced a vision in which she saw all of her faults and human frailties. Then she was immersed in the Blood of Christ. This transformed her and led her to become an Ursuline Nun at Tours, France. Her son became a Benedictine priest. She experienced another vision which led her to become a missionary to Canada. She came to New France (Quebec) on July 4, 1634. She worked as a missionary with the Jesuits in Canada. She taught the children of both the natives and the settlers.
St. Marie de l’Incarnation died on April 30, 1762 from hepatitis.
St. Marie de l’Incarnation was both a mystic and writer. She experienced many visions. St. Marie de l’Incarnation was canonized on April 3, 2014 by Pope Francis.
The feast day of St. Louis Marie de Montfort is celebrated on April 28.
St. Louis de Montfort was born on Jan 31, 1673 at Montfort, France. As a child he had a profound devotion to praying before the Blessed Sacrament. At the age of 12 he entered a Jesuit College in Rennes. While at college he visited church before and after class. He joined a society of men who ministered to the poor and the sick. He would read to those in the hospital during their meals. He studied theology in Paris. At the age of 27 he was ordained in 1700 and assigned as a hospital chaplain at Poitiers. He reorganized the staff which resulted in great resentment and his resignation.
Pope Clement XI appointed him to be a missionary and he went to Brittany to preach. He was an emotional preacher and was successful in spreading the devotion to the Blessed Virgin through the Rosary. He wrote “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” and “The Secret of the Rosary” which were very popular books. He was also known for his devotion to the angels; especially guardian angels.
For 17 years he preached the gospel in towns and villages. His preaching was known to move men to cry and beg for forgiveness. St. Louis preached against Jansenism. He founded the Daughters of Wisdom who worked in the hospitals and teaching girls and the Company of Mary which was for missionaries. St. Louis organized several priests into the Company of Mary in 1715. The Company of Mary was led for 39 years by Father Mulot who at first refused to join the Company due to being paralyzed on one side. He was however cured of his disability when he began to preach.’
St. Louis de Montfort fell ill and died on April 28, 1716.
Imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin, particularly her profound humility, her lively faith, her blind obedience, her continual prayer.
