The feast day of St. Cletus is celebrated on April 26.
St. Cletus was a Roman by birth. He was ordained by St. Peter the Apostle. He served as the third bishop of Rome, succeeding St. Linus who followed St. Peter. According to tradition, Pope Cletus divided Rome into 25 parishes. Records show that he ordained 25 priests.
The name Cletus means “one who has been called”. Pope Cletus served as pope for twelve years before he was martyred in the year 92 during the persecutions of Domitian. His relics are buried near St. Linus in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The humility of our divine Savior and His most blessed Mother was always accompanied by a perfect obedience.
The feast day of St. Giles of Assisi is celebrated on April 23.
St. Giles was born in Assisi, Italy in 1190. He became one of the earliest followers of St. Francis of Assisi. He accompanied St. Francis on many missions. He visited the Tomb of the Apostle James in Spain and the holy city of Jerusalem. He also visited the sanctuary of the Holy Archangel Michael in Italy. During his travels, St. Giles earned his room and board by chopping firewood, sweeping rooms, washing dishes and other manual labor. He considered labor an opportunity for joy and purification. St. Giles encouraged penance and love of God.
St. Giles was known for his spiritual advice. His Franciscan spirituality is reflected in the many sayings that are collected in a book titled “The Golden Sayings”. St. Giles is referred to as one of the Little Flowers of St. Francis.
St. Francis also referred to him as his “Knight of the Round Table.” The life of St. Giles showed his spirituality. As St. Giles once said:
“The word of God does not belong to him who hears or speak it, but to him who puts it into practice.”
At the great chapter of 4,000 brothers, St. Francis sent Giles to Africa in 1219 with companions to preach the gospel. It never succeeded. As soon as they arrived in Africa, the Christians there led them to a different ship which returned them to Italy. After his return he lived in the convent in Perugia until his death by natural causes in 1262.
Whoever gives up prayer because of difficulties is like a man who runs away from battle.
The feast day of Bl. Maria Gabriella is celebrated on April 22.
Bl. Maria Gabriella was born in 1914 in Sardinia, Italy. She was the fifth child of eight children. Her father was a shepherd. As a child she was strong willed and rebellious. At the age of 18 her temper calmed down. After the death of her younger sister she joined the “Azione Cattolic” which was a Catholic youth movement.
At the age of 21 she entered the Trappestine monastery of Grottaferrata. She offered her prayers to heal divisions and prayed for Christian unity. She is credited with the beginning of the ecumenical movement in Italy.
Bl. Maria came down with tuberculosis and 15 months later died in 1930 at the age of 25. She was beatified on Jan. 15, 1982 by Pope John Paul IIon the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.
To come to possess all, desire the possession of nothing. To arrive at being all, desire to be nothing. To come to the knowledge of all, desire the knowledge of nothing.
The feast day of St. Anselm is celebrated on April 21.
St. Anselm was born in 1033 near Aosta . At the age of 15 Anselm wanted to enter a monastery but his father opposed the idea. For a time, he lost interest in religion, but at the age of 27 he finally entered the Monastery of Bec in Normandy. Fifteen years later he became the abbot of the Benedictine monastery.
In 1093 he became the Archbishop of Canterbury. England’s King William Rufus refused to cooperate with his efforts to reform the Church. When the king became very ill St. Anselm became his confessor. However, after he recovered his health matters worsened and St. Anselm went into exile until the death of the King in 1100. The successor, King Henry I, recalled Anselm. St. Anselm fearlessly disagreed with King Henry over the King’s insistence on investing England’s bishops. St. Anselm went into exile for three more years.
St. Anselm opposed the slave trade and worked for the poorest people. He persuaded the national council of Westminster to prohibit the sale of human beings. He was admired for his patience and his teaching ability. St. Anselm published theological works. The most well known is Cur Deus Humo (Why God became Man).
St. Anselm died in the year 1109. St. Anselm was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1720 by Pope Clement XI.
For I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this also I believe…that unless I believed, I should not understand.
The feast day of St. Agnes is celebrated on April 20.
St. Agnes was born into a noble family in Gracciano, Italy in 1268. On the day of her birth burning torches appeared around her crib indicating that she was to live a special calling. At the age of 4 she began seeking solitude to pray to Jesus whom she loved. She decided at the age of nine that she wished to become a Dominican and join the monastery at Montepulciano. Her parents were opposed so she asked God to change their minds. Soon after she joined the convent, living under the rule of St. Augustine.
St. Agnes lived an austere life. She slept on the ground with a stone for a pillow and fasted on bread and water. She worked without complaint. Agnes reached a high degree of contemplative prayer and was favored with many visions. She was observed levitating while in prayer two feet above the ground. Violet, lilies or roses often were found growing up through the stones where St. Agnes had just prayed. Many miracles were recorded while Agnes lived in the monastery including the multiplication of loaves.
The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Agnes several times. In the first vision Mary said that she would one day found a large monastery based on faith in God and the Trinity. An angel instructed her to build the convent in 1300. On the night of the Feast of the Assumption the Blessed Virgin Mary placed the Infant Jesus in St. Agnes’ arms. She encouraged Agnes to continue suffering for the love of Christ. Agnes had been sick most of her life. When the vision ended Agnes was holding the gold cross that the Infant Jesus had been wearing on a chain. Mary also appeared to Agnes on the Feast of the Purification while Agnes was at Mass. She again let Agnes hold the Infant Jesus.
Shortly before her death, Agnes bathed in a spring thought to have healing powers. Although it did not cure her a new spring appeared which healed many. It was named “the Water of St. Agnes.” While there Agnes prayed over a child who had just drowned, bringing the child back to life.
St. Agnes died at the monastery in 1317 at the age of 43. Many miracles occurred at her tomb. Her body is incorrupt. St. Agnes was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726.
The life of Christ has furnished me with a pattern for living; but His death has delivered me from death.
The feast day of St. Elphege is celebrated on April 19.
St. Elphege was born in 954 to a noble Saxon family. He became a Benedictine monk at Deerhurst Monastery in Gloucestershire, England. After several years he left to become a hermit at Bath where he became abbot. His rule was strict, requiring diligent prayer and service. In 984 he became the Bishop of Winchester. He worked tirelessly to help the poor trying to eliminate poverty in his diocese. In 1006, he was appointed archbishop of Canterbury.
Persecutions by the Danes were taking place at this time. When Canterbury was sacked and burned St. Elphege was taken captive. Because he refused to cooperate in there ransom demands they became angry and drunk. They pelted him with oxen bones and stones and then killed him with an axe in the year1012. As he died he prayed for his attackers.
Just look how these days, when “Alleluia” is ringing in our ears, our spirit soars!…If these days fill us with such tremendous joy, what will that day be like when we are told “Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom.” when all the saints are gathered together?
