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 St. Francis of Paola is celebrated on April 2.
St. Francis was born in Paola, Italy in 1416. His parents named him after St. Francis of Assisi. He was educated at San Marco at the Franciscan friary. At the age of fifteen, Francis decided to become a hermit. He lived in a cave on the seashore eating food which grew wild. He soon had followers and they founded an order called the Hermits of St. Francis. The Order was approved by Pope Sixtus IV in 1474. In 1492 the name of the Order was changed to Minim Friars. Minim means ‘least’. The orders primary focus was on humility. It also emphasized penance and chastity.
St. Francis of Paola was credited with many miracles becoming known as a wonder worker. He was also known for his gift of prophecy. He was so well known that King Louis XI of France requested his help while nearing death. Pope Sixtus II ordered him to go to France. Unable to cure the king, St. Francis told him not to fear death but to fear the loss of eternal life. He became the spiritual advisor to the king. He encouraged the king to surrender his heart and soul to God before it was too late. The king died in Francis’ arms in 1482. The son of the king, Charles, became a friend to Francis. He endowed several monasteries for the Minims in France. Francis spent his final years at the monastery in Plessis, France where he died.
St. Francis spent the final three months of his life in complete solitude. He died at the age of 91 on Good Friday, April 2.
The recollection of injury is…a rusty arrow and poison for the soul.
