The feast day of St. John Eudes is celebrated on August 19. St. John Eudes was born in Ri, France on Nov. 14, 1601. At the age of 14 he took a vow of chastity. He was ordained a priest in 1625 after studying at a Jesuit college at Caen, France.
As a priest, St John Eudes ministered to the victims of the plague. He cared for the sick while at the same time becoming well known as a preacher in France and Normandy. In 1641 he founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge. Their purpose was to give aid to prostitutes. He also founded the Society of Jesus and Mary for the education of priests.
St. John Eudes encouraged devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Heart of Mary writing the first book about the devotion.
St. John Eudes died at Caen on August 219, 1680. He was canonized in 1925.
Faith is a beam radiating from the face of God.
Quote of St. John Eudes
August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Jane Frances de Chantal,
Feast Day August 12
The feast day of St. Jane Frances de Chantal is celebrated on August 12. Jane was born on Jan. 18 1572 in Dijon, France. She was born into a family of nobility. Her father was the president of the parliament of Burgundy. At the age of 29 she married Baron Christophe de Chantal. Their marriage lasted seven years during which they had three daughters and a son. Jane became a widow when Christophe died tragically in a hunting accident when Jane was 28 years old. Although her husband forgave the man who shot him, Jane struggled for a long time to forgive him. With time and God’s grace she was finally able to do so. Because she was able to forgive him, she became the godmother of his child.
To support her children, Jane moved home with her father in law. For seven years she managed his estate bearing patiently his abusive behavior. Jane turned to God for guidance. In a vision she saw the person who was meant to be her spiritual director. When she met St. Francis de Sales while he was preaching she recognized him as the person in her vision. He soon became her spiritual director. They corresponded by letter. Many of the letters have survived.
With the guidance of St. Francis de Sales, Jane opened the Congregation of the Visitation in 1610. They focused on uniting their will to the will of God; trusting in Him and seeking to please Him. After the death of St. Francis de Sales, St. Vincent de Paul became her spiritual director. By the time of her death 86 convents were opened. The Order welcomed women who had been rejected from entering other orders due to health and age. When St. Jane died at the age of 69 she was known for her sanctity. She was credited with miracles before and after her death. St. Jane was canonized in 1767.
The feast day of St. John Vianney is celebrated on August 4. St. John was born into a family of farmers on May 8 1786 in Dardilly, France.
St. John lived through the French Revolution. Because their work had to be done in secret, he admired the courage of priests. He received his first communion and confirmation in secret at the age of 13.
When John was 20, he left home to study in Ecully, struggling to learn Latin. He was drafted in 1809 into Napolean’s army. He soon fell ill and was hospitalized. While praying in a church he met a man who led him into the mountains where deserters met. He lived with them for fourteen months. While living there he opened a school for the local children.
It wasn’t until 1810 that deserters were granted amnesty. He returned to his studies and was ordained a deacon in June 1815. On August 12, 1815 he was ordained a priest. St. John Vianney became the parish priest of the Ars parish. Father Vianney spent many hours hearing confessions. He was also known for his sermons calling everyone to repent from their sins. His fame as a confessor spread and soon pilgrims began arriving. As many as 20,000 pilgrims a year came to confess their sins to hm. He spent as many as 16 hours a day hearing confessions.
Father Vianney wanted to become a monk and spend his time praying alone. He attempted to leave Ars four times before deciding he was meant to stay and hear confessions. He became known as the Holy Cure de Ars. He was always kind, patient, gentle and cheerful.
On August 4, 1859, St. John Vianney died peacefully fter serving as a parish priest for 41 years.
His body was exhumed in 1859 due to the impending beatification, and was found to be incorrupt. His heart, later removed, is kept in a building known as the Shrine of the Cure’s Heart.
Pope Pius IX canonized St. John Vianney on May 31, 1925.
The most Holy Virgin places herself between her Son and us. The greater sinners we are, the more tenderness and compassion does she feel for us. The child that has cost its mother the most tears is the dearest to her heart.
Quote of St. John Vianney
August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The feast day of St. Peter Julian Eymard is celebrated on August 2. Peter was born in 1811 in La Mure, France. He worked with his father as a cutler until he was 18.
While he was still a teenager, St. Peter told his father of his desire to become a priest. His father was adamantly against it, wanting him to stay in the family business. Peter began to study Latin while continuing to work for his father. Two years later, Peter’s father refused his request to attend college, wanting him to continue to work with him. Peter managed to attend college by accepting a scholarship. He also worked for a priest at a hospital for the insane.
While at college, his mother died. A priest from the Oblates of Mary received permission at this time from Peter’s father for him to enter the Oblate novitiate. His father died two years later. Five months after entering the novitiate, Peter became very ill. he struggled with illness throughout his life. After his father’s death he entered the seminary at Grenoble. After his ordination he joined the community of Marists. His devotion to the Eucharist and perpetual adoration grew. He helped to spread the devotion of perpetual adoration. St. Peter became known as the Apostle of the Eucharist. He wrote many different books about the Eucharist including How to get more out of Holy Communion.
St. Peter Julian Eymard died in 1868 and was canonized in 1962.
The Lord comes into us Sacramentally in order to live there spiritually.
Quote of St. Peter Julian Eymard
August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The feast day of Bl. Rose Chretien is celebrated on July 17. It is also the Feast of the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiegne. She was born near Eureaux, France in 1741.
Bl. Rose married at a young age and soon became a widow. She decided to join the Discalced Carmelite Order and became a choir nun. At her profession in 1777 she took the religious name of Sister Julia Louise of Jesus.
Bl. Rose is considered one of the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiegne. The sixteen Carmelites were imprisoned along with English Benedictine nuns. The Carmelites were condemned as traitors and sentenced to death by guillotine. As they were martyred, one by one, they renewed their vows and chanted the hymn Veni Creato Spiritus which was the hymn sung at their ceremony professing their vows.
Several days after their deaths, the persecution called the Reign of Terror led by Robespierre came to an end. The English Benedictine Nuns credited the Carmelites with ending the bloodbath and saving their community.
The Carmelite Sisters were buried in a common grave at Picpus Cemetery with a single cross where 1306 other victims of the guillotine were buried.
Those who do something for the glory of God are not troubled by failure, because they have already achieved their pupose of pleasing God, by acting with a pure intention.
Quote of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Feast day August 1
The feast day of St. Eurosia is celebrated on June 25. St. Eurosia is considered the patron saint against bad weather.
St. Eurosia was a French martyr. She was born in Bayonne, France into a noble family. Betrothed against her will to a Moore, she escaped through the mountains and hid in a cave. Eurosia was pursued and captured. Her captures dragged her out of the cave by her hair. She was then martyred. Her limbs were amputated and then she was beheaded. At the moment of her death a violent storm came which terrorized her captures.
St. Eurosia’s remains were discovered by a shepherd. Her head remained at the original shrine, but her body was taken to Jaca for burial. Miracles were reported at the original shrine which became a site of pilgrimage.
St. Eurosia was canonized by Pope Leo XIII.
Where the sign of the cross is erected,
the wickedness of the devil is immediately repelled.
