The feast day of Bl. Michele Rua is celebrated on April 6.
Bl. Michele Rua was born in Turn, Italy. He was the youngest of nine children. He attended Don Bosco Oratory as a boy where he met St. John Bosco. St. John was so impressed by Michele that he sent him to college. Later he became John Bosco’s assistant in youth ministry.
Bl. Michele was ordained a priest and was one of the first members of the Salesians of Don Bosco which focused on youth ministry for boys. John was the first successor to St. John Bosco as Superior General. Under his direction the community grew from 700 to 4,000 members, 64-341 houses in 33 countries.
Bl. Michele Rua was known for his gifts of reading hearts, healing and prophecy.
The soul hungers for God, and nothing but God can satiate it. Therefore He came to dwell on earth and assumed a Body in order that this Body might become the food for our souls.
The feast day of St. Vincent Ferrer is celebrated on April 5.
St. Vincent Ferrer was born on Jan. 23, 1350 at Valencia, Spain. Before he was born his father had a prophetic dream in which a Dominican preacher told him his son would be famous. His mother was told by a blind woman that her son would restore her sight. (He did restore her sight.)
As a child St. Vincent had a devotion to the Passion of Christ and honored his spiritual mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. He chose to enter the Dominican Order. After making his profession he was appointed to lead lectures of philosophy and published a treatise at the age of 24.
During one period of his life, Vincent was tried by serious temptations of the flesh. Through prayer and penance he survived the ordeal.
St. Vincent encouraged praying the rosary by saying…
“Whoever observes this practice is beyond the reach of adversity!”
During the last twenty years of his life he preached in Spain, France, Switzerland, the Low countries and Lombardy. He stressed the need for repentance. He was known for his preaching and successfully converted many thousands of people. However he was always known for his humility. He was also known for his gift of healing; cripples walked, the mute spoke and the blind were able to see.
St. Vincent fell ill with fever and died in 1419.
Once humility is acquired, charity will come to life; a burning flame devouring the corruption of vice and filling the heart so full that there is no place for vanity.
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 bepatron 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.
Sts. Irene, Agape and Chionia were sisters living in Salonika. Their feast day is celebrated on April 3. They lived during the reign of Emperor Diocilian in a pagan family. In 303 he issued a decree making it an offense punishable by death to possess sacred Christian writings. The sisters owned several volumes of Holy Scriptures which they kept hidden.
The three sisters were arrested for refusing to eat food that had been offered to the Gods. The governor (Dulcetius) questioned each of them. Agape answered his questions by saying…
“I believe in the living God and will not by an evil action lose all the merit of my past life”
St. Chionia and St Agape were sentenced to be burned alive. Irene, because of her age was to be imprisoned. After her sisters were executed, the house was searched and the forbidden books were found. Irene was sent to a brothel where she was forced to strip naked. Miraculously she was protected from harm. After once again refusing to conform she was sentenced to death. She died either by being forced to throw herself into flames or by being shot in the throat with an arrow. The books were publicly burned after her death.
The martyrdom of the three sisters is recorded in an existing document.
It is in loving the cross that one discovers his heart.
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, helland 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.
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.
Enough of all this soft soap! All it does is cause the members of Christ’s Spouse to stink!
Quote of St. Catherine of Siena
St. Catherine of Siena in Art
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The feast day of Bl. Anacleto Gonzalez Florez is celebrated on April 1.
Bl. Anacleto Gonzalez Florez was born on July 13, 1888 in Tepatitlan, Jalisco, Mexico. He studied law during a time of persecution.
Anacleto was greatly involved in social and religious activities and a member of the Catholic Association of Young Mexicans. He taught religious education, wrote articles and books and was dedicated to works of charity. In 1922 he married Maria Concepcion Guerrero and they had two children.
Anacleto joined the League for the Defense of Religious Freedom after four journalists were murdered. He began a weekly newspaper named “Word”. He was periodically imprisoned; however, he preached the gospel to inmates while in prison.
In 1927 guerrilla warfare spread. Anacleto wrote bulletins from his hiding places. He was captured on April 1, 1927 in the home of the Vargas Gonzalez family. He and two of the Vargas brothers were arrested. Anacleto was tortured be being hung by his thumbs until his fingers were dislocated and having the bottoms of his feet slashed. He refused to give his captors any information.
Bl. Anacleto was sentenced to death and was shot with the Vargas Gonzalez brothers and Luis Padilla Gomez on April 1, 1927.
The last words of Bl. Anacleto were….“I die, but God does not die. Viva! Cristo Rey!”
Well, Lord, if this is how You treat Your friends, no wonder You have so few!
