The Feast Day of St. Bonaventure is celebrated on July 15.
St. Bonaventure was born in 1218 in Bagnorgio, Latium. His name at birth was John of Fidanza. He was the son of a doctor. When he was young, he suffered from a serious intestinal illness. His distraught mother took him to St. Francis of Assisi to ask for healing prayers. When healed, St. Francis exclaimed “O-Buono ventura!” (Ogoodfortune!) From then on he was known as Bonaventure.
St. Bonaventure studied philosophy and theology in Paris. He entered the Franciscan order in 1243 at age 22. He later became a bishop. Pope Sixtus V inscribed him Doctor of the church in 1557.
St. Bonaventure was regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of the Middle Ages. St. Bonaventure wrote many books, including The Journey of the Mind to God. He is known as the Seraphic (Angelic) Doctor.
In 1257, St. Bonaventure was chosen as minister general of the Franciscan Order. He led the order into a deeper love of the Franciscan spirituality. At the request of his brothers he wrote a book describing St. Francis titled The life of St. Francis.
St. Bonaventure died while assisting the Second Council of Lyons on July 15, 1274.
The Feast Day of St. Henry II is celebrated on July 13.
St. Henry was born to Duke Henry of Vavaria and Princess Gisela of Burgundy. As a youth he considered becoming a priest. He was educated at the Cathedral School in Hildesheim by St. Wolfgang of Regensburg who was a bishop.
In 995 Henry became the Duke of Bavaria. He became the king of Germany in 1002. In 1004 he was crowned King of Pavia, Italy. He married St. Cunegunga, however they had no children. In 1014 he was crowned the Emperor of the Roman Empire by Pope Benedict VIII. He worked to establish peace in Europe. He was also able to reform the church. He fostered missions and began the construction of the Cathedral at Basel, Switzerland, which took 400 years to complete.
Later in life he came down with an aliment which crippled his leg. He was cured by the touch of St. Benedictat Monte Cesino. After the death of his wife he considered becoming a monk however he was turned down. He was told he could no more good in the world as a public servant.
St. Henry II died on July 13, 1024 from natural causes at Pfalz Gvona, Saxony (modern Germany). He was canonized by Pope Bl. Eugene III.
From now on, regard this life as a desert
through which you pass until you come to the Promised Land,
the Jerusalem, which is above the land of the living.
The Feast Day of Bl. Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions is celebrated on July 10.
Emmanuel was born in Santander, Spain. He became a Franciscan priest serving as a missionary in Damascus during a time of great persecution.
During the massacre which occurred in 1860 thousands of victims were tortured and died. The villages of Lebanon were pillaged and burned. The massacre began with a quarrel between a Maronite and Druse. When a crowd came looking for them, Emmanuel and his companions refused to renounce their faith and become Muslims. Emmanuel, his supervisor and seven others were tortured and martyred.
Bl. Emmanuel was beatified in 1926 by Pope Pius XI.
The Feast Day of St. Veronica Giuliani is celebrated on July 9.
St. Veronica was born in Mercatello, Italy in 1660. She was the youngest of seven children. Her mother died when she was seven. Even as a child she had a great compassion for the poor. She was known to give away food and her clothing. At the age of 17, she refused to marry. After pleading with her father, she joined the Poor Clares in 1677. She worked in the kitchen, infirmary and sacristy.
St. Veronica had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Eucharist. She offered her sufferings to the missions. She was known as a mystic. After a vision in which she saw her own heart as a ‘heart of steel’ she became much more compassionate and loving.
At the age of 34 St. Veronica became the novice mistress. She held the position for twenty two years. In 1697, at the age of 37, Veronica received the stigmata. She bore the marks of the crown of thorns and five wounds on her body. She underwent a humiliating investigation during which she was temporarily removed from her position. The investigation concluded the stigmata was real and she regained her position of novice mistress. She became the abbess at the age of 56. Eleven years later she died on July 9, 1727.
The body of St. Veronica was found to be incorrupt. She was canonized by Pope Gregory XVI on May 26, 1839.
The Feast Day of Bl. Eugene III is celebrated on July 8. He served as the Bishop of Rome from 1145-1153. He was the first Cistercian Pope. Little is know about his early life. Bl. Eugene was ordained a priest by Pope Innocent II. St. Bernard of Clairvaux led him into the Cistercian Order in 1138. He became the abbot of the monastery of S. Anastasio aale Tre Fontance outside of Rome.
The election of Bl. Eugene III as the Bishop of Rome took place in 1145. Because of the turmoil of the times which was during the Crusades Bl. Eugene was unable to live in Rome. He lived in Viterbo, Siena, and France. He actively reformed the church. Three synods were held while he was Pope; Paris (1149), Tier (1147-1148) and Rheims (1148) The synods focused on reforming the clerical life.
Bl. Eugene III died on July 8, 1153 in Tivoli, Italy. He was recognized as a pious and meek man. Pope Pius X beatified him in 1872.
Time is a treasure of inestimable value,
because in every moment of time we may gain
an increase of grace and eternal glory.
Quote of St. Alphonsus Liguori; Feast day August 1
The Feast Day of St. Peter To Rot is celebrated on July 7. St. Peter To Rot is the patron saint of catechists, family, and marriage. Peter was born in 1912 in Rakunai which today is Papua, New Guinea. The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus taught Peter while he was young. At the age of 18 Peter became a student at St. Paul’s College to become a catechist. His prayer life and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament grew. After three years he was asked to return to Rakunai to teach. He was the youngest catechist at the age of 21. He also visited the sick.
St. Peter To Rot married and had six children. In 1941 the war came to Rakunai and the Japanese invaded their country. The missionaries were sent to prison camp. When the priest, Father Laufer was taken he left Peter in charge asking him to look after the people and not to let them forget about God. Peter willingly accepted the challenge. He visited the sick and prayed with those who were dying. He taught both the children and the adults. He told the people,
“This is a very bad time for us, and we are all afraid. But God our Father is with us and looking after us. We must pray and ask him to stay with us always.”
When the bombing increased, they decided it would be safer to meet in small groups, they met in caves to pray. When the Japanese began to lose the war, they forbid the people from praying. They threatened them with imprisonment.
Peter continued to lead the people in prayer. The Japanese encouraged men to take a second wife. Peter objected to this and insisted that the people follow the Churches teaching on marriage. He protected several women from being forced to become a second wife. When the Japanese learned of all that Peter To Rot was doing, they arrested him. They searched the caves and his home. They took his books, Bible and crucifixes. His two brothers were also arrested. He was sentenced to two months in prison. He was not, however, released. He was murdered while he was in prison. It is believed he was poisoned with cyanide.
St. Peter To Rot was buried in the new cemetery next to the church he had served. He is considered a martyr for his faith.
St. Peter To Rot was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995.
St. Peter To Rot was canonized by Pope Leo XIV on October 19, 2025.
“The Japanese cannot stop us loving God and obeying laws! We must be strong and we must refuse to give in to them.”
Quote of Bl. Peter To Rot
According to Vatican News, there is only one portrait of St. Peter Tu Rot.
Fr. Tomas Ravaioli commented, “Some people don’t know the face of Peter To Rot, there is only one photograph, and it is not widely known. For the canonization, we wanted a new portrait of him. I commissioned the Spanish artist Raúl Berzosa; I love his art because it invites me to pray. He has this gift that his artworks are a way to unite yourself with God.”
In this portrait, he has the Holy Bible in his right hand, his wedding rings in his left, and on his neck, the catechist’s cross. The three symbols mark the new official portrait of Peter To Rot.
The wedding rings symbolize his commitment to protecting Catholic marriage, defending the sacramental union between man and woman.
The Bible he holds emphasizes To Rot’s devotion to the Word of God, nourished daily by Sacred Scripture and the Eucharist; he drew strength from these sources to face persecution.
The catechist’s cross, on his neck and is placed in the center of his chest, is the symbol of his unwavering faith. This image will be hung on the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica on the day of the canonization.
The Feast Day of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria is celebrated on July 5.
St. Anthony of Zaccaria is known for beginning the devotion of Eucharistic adoration and founding the religious order of the Society of Clerics. He is the patron saint of physicians and medical doctors.
St. Anthony was born in Cremona, Italy in 1502 into a noble family. His father died when he was still an infant. His mother was 18 and chose to devote herself to charity and caring for her son. Anthony studied philosophy in Pavia and then medicine at the University of Padua. He returned to Cremona with a degree at the age of 23.
St. Anthony not only practiced medicine, he taught catechism and then began teaching adults. Eventually he decided to study for the priesthood. He was ordained at the age of 26. At his first Mass, he experienced the presence of angels around the altar and supernatural light during the consecration of the Eucharist. Many witnessed and testified about this event after his death.
St. Anthony was an eloquent preacher. It was the time of the counter-reformation which was begun after Martin Luther began the Reformation. He founded a priestly society the Clerics Regular of St. Paul to combat the corruption which surrounded him. They were inspired by the Apostle Paul and sought humility, poverty and preaching. Their society became known as the Barnabites named after the companion of St Paul…St. Barnabas. They were active at a well known church named St. Barnabas.
St. Anthony encouraged the “40 hours” devotion which involved continuous prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
St. Anthony died at his mother’s house in 1539 after he became seriously ill. He was only 36 years old. Thirty years after his death St. Anthony’s body was found to be incorrupt. He was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1897.
Jesus is happy to come with us… as truth is to be spoken, as life is to be lived, as light is to be lit, as love is to be loved, as joy is to be given, as peace is to be spread.
Are forgiveness and trust the same thing? Jesus tells us the following:
“Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be theirs”. (Matthew 5:7)
Love and pray for your enemies.(Matthew 5:44)
Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)
Where does trust come into the picture?
In Psalm 118:8 we learn the following:
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. “
The word trust means….to rely on. Are we supposed to rely on our enemies? I think not. However, we are to forgive them and treat them with love.
To forgive means…to cancel a debt. This is not the same as trust. We are also told to pray for our enemies. This means we don’t curse them or wish evil on them. We ask God to guide them (and us).
It is easier to forgive a person who has asked for forgiveness; however it is also important to forgive someone who has not asked us for forgiveness. This means we put the matter in God’s hands and we trust God.
This is how we can make a judgment against certain behaviors, without condemning the sinner. Only God knows a person’s heart. Perhaps the person has repented. By praying for someone who has wronged us, we release resentment and increase the love in our lives.
God is love. We need to rely on God (trust Him) to guide us through the emotional journey of forgiving our enemies. We trust God that in the end justice will be His.
Loving our enemies means to treat those who have wronged us with love and mercy. However, it is God alone we rely on. It is through prayer that we are led by God. Turning the other cheek simply means we don’t fight back. We don’t seek revenge. We actually pray for the welfare of the person who has wronged us.
Love and forgiveness go together. However, trust is connected to wisdom and understanding. Through prayer God leads us in wisdom, helping us to understand and discern who we should or should not trust.
Wisdom is turning to God for guidance. When we lack wisdom we should seek it (James 1:5)
It is only through praying that we can be led to the will of God. If we pray without ceasing, we will have the prudence to do God’s will.
The Feast Day of St. Elizabeth of Portugal is celebrated on July 4. She was a Spanish princess who was named after her great aunt St. Elizabeth of Hungary. At the age of twelve, she married King Denis of Portugal who was 26 years old. She was a very beautiful queen, but she was also very devout. She attended Mass daily. St. Elizabeth is the patron saint of brides and widows.
St. Elizabeth’s marriage was a difficult one. The king did not share her pious beliefs. He was also very jealous. His jealousy of one of the pages resulted in an attempt to have the page murdered. The attempt failed, however another page was mistakenly killed instead. This event changed the King’s attitude. He apologized to everyone for what had happened. He began to treat his wife with more respect. She cared for him until his death.
For eleven years after the death of the king, Queen Elizabeth did works of charity. She joined the monastery of Poor Clare Nuns, becoming a member of The Third order of St. Francis. As a Poor Clare Nun she served the poor and the sick rather than having the servants usually bestowed upon a queen.
Most of us have times in our lives when we can relate well to doubting Thomas. He is known for stating his disbelief. After Jesus appeared to the other Apostles, Thomas said he needed to see for himself the wounds of Christ before he would believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. After Jesus showed him his wounds Jesus stated,
“Blessed are those who have not seen, but believe.
Thomas is not afraid to question. When Jesus tells the Apostles that they will follow him, Thomas questions Him;
“How can we follow you, when we know not where you are going?”
Jesus answered him by telling him,
“I am the way the truth and the life, whoever follows me will live forever.
Today (July 3) is the feast of St. Thomas. In the Catholic Church we celebrate in Mass worldwide the life and faith of St. Thomas. We reflect on how he led his life and followed Jesus. When we have questions, we should not be afraid to ask Jesus to answer them. When we are not sure about our faith, it is a good thing to ask Jesus to lead us to Him.
Many people do not have faith today and do not know how to find God. Perhaps they are looking for God as a scientist would… under a microscope. Spirituality is not found under a microscope. Being unafraid to ask God questions can lead us closer to Him.
Remember when we were little children? The questions were many. What? Why? Where? How? When?
Asking God directly to enlighten us to the truth may actually have results. One of my favorite prayers is a simple one.
“Lead me, Lord!”
May we all be led closer to God as we pray through our doubts.
The Feast Day of St. Bernadino Realino is celebrated on July 2. St. Bernadino is the patron saint of advertising and communication.
St. Bernadino was born to a noble family of Capri, Italy in 1530. He studied medicine and law at the University of Bologna. He received his doctorate in 1563. After attending a retreat giving by the Jesuits, Bernadino realized he had a religious calling. He joined the Society of Jesus and was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1567. After ministering to the poor and the youth of Naples for several years he was sent to Lecce where he served for 42 years.
St. Bernadino was a powerful preacher and confessor. He was known for his acts of kindness and serving the poor. He died in 1616. His fame occurred after his death when his body was found to be partially incorrupt when his tomb was opened in 1711.
St. Bernadino Realino was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1947.
It has hands to help others.
It has feet to hasten to the poor and the needy.
It has eyes to see misery and want.
It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of women and men.
The Feast Day of St. Junipero Serra is celebrated on July 1.
St. Junipero Serra was born Miguel Jose Serra on the Island of Mallorca, Spain in 1713. At a young age Miguel joined the Order of St. Francis of Assisi taking the name Junipero which was the name of St. Francis’ original companion friar. Until he was 35, he was a student and them a professor. He was well known for his preaching ability.
Suddenly he gave up his life as a professor. He volunteered to serve in the Franciscan missions in the new world. He traveled by ship to Vera Cruz, Mexico and then walked with a companion the 250 miles to Mexico City. The Franciscans of Mexico were asked to take over the missions in Baja, California. It became Father Serra’s responsibility. St. Serra established nine of the missions in California. He baptized over 6,000 people and confirmed over 5,000. He died at the age of 70 and is buried at Mission San Carlos Borromeo.
St. Junipero Serra was beatified in 1988. Pope Francis canonized St. Junipero Serra on Sept. 23, 2015 while visiting the United States. He is the first saint to be canonized on U. S. soil.
We found on our journey, as well as in the place where we stopped,
that they treated us with as much confidence and goodwill
