The feast day of St. Rose Phillippine Duchesne is celebrated on Nov. 18. St. Rose is the patron saint of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri
St. Rose was born in Grenoble, France in 1769. She was drawn to the contemplative life. During the French revolution she spent her time nursing prisoners. She soon joined the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
During Eucharistic Adoration she experienced a vision where she was serving God in the New World. Twelve years later , at the age of 49, she moved to the United States. She was sent to the Louisiana Territory.
In Louisiana, she opened the first free school west of the Missouri River. By 1828 she had founded six houses. She worked among the Potawatomie Indians who named her Quah-kak-ka-num-ad, “Woman-Who-Prays-Always”.
St. Rose died at the age of 83 at St. Charles, Missouri on November 18, 1852.
St. Rose was Beatified by Pope Pius XII in 1940.
St. Rose was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.
Humility is the virtue that requires the greatest amount of effort.”
The feast day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary is celebrated on November 17. Elizabeth was a Princess born in 1207 to King Andrew II of Hungary. St. Elizabeth of Hungary is the patron saint of widows, charities, bakers and young brides.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary was born in 1207 in Hungary. She was the daughter of Alexander II who was the King of Hungary. She was betrothed at the age of four to be married to Louis of Thuringa (a German principality). At the age of 14 she married Louis who was 21.
Elizabeth was very pious from a young age. Louis, also was quite religious. Their marriage was a happy and fruitful union. They had three children. Louis was a brave soldier. While he was away Elizabeth devoted herself to charity. She helped to build a hospital which had 12 beds.
He encouraged her works of charity. After six years of marriage Louis was killed during the crusades while she was pregnant with their third child at the age of 20. Elizabeth’s relatives resented how generous she was with the family’s money. They mistrusted her and eventually threw her out of the palace.
Upon hearing the news of her husband’s death, Elizabeth cried out,
“The world with all its joys is now dead to me.”
After finding care for her children, Elizabeth left the castle and became a Third Order Franciscan, joining them on Good Friday. She devoted herself entirely to helping the sick and poor. A Franciscan hospital was built in which she was able to care for the sick and suffering.
St. Elizabeth died at the age of 24 in 1231. Soon after her death miracles of healing were reported at her grave site
A legend exists that her husband met her unexpectedly as she went secretly on an errand to help the poor. The bread she was carrying was turned into roses. Pictures of St. Elizabeth often show her carrying bread or roses.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary died at the age of 24 in 1231 at Marburg, Germany of natural causes. She was canonized on May 27, 1235 by Pope Gregory IX.
The feast day of St. Gertrude is celebrated on November 16. She is the patron saint of West Indies, Nuns and travelers.
St. Gertrude was born at Eisleben in Saxony, Germany on Jan. 6, 1256. At the age of five, Gertrude was placed in the care of Benedictine nuns. She later joined the monastery, living a cloistered life.
At the age of 24, St. Gertrude was experiencing an interior crisis and depression. She experienced a vision of Jesus on Jan. 27, 1281. He told her:
“I have come to comfort you and bring you salvation.”
St. Gertrude was filled with a new zeal for her vocation to love Jesus. She considered herself a “bride of Christ”. She dedicated herself to studying scripture and spiritual writing. St. Gertrude was inspired to write five books. Three of them still exist.
Eventually she was elected Abbess. She also took charge of the monastery at Hefta. She and her nuns moved there. Gertrude was well educated. She was a mystic and had a great devotion to the saints, the souls in purgatory, the Passion of Our Lord and to His Sacred Heart. She also was devoted to the Bl. Virgin Mary.
“O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary. O my adorable and loving Savior, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Yours is aflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Your love. Let my heart be united with Yours. Let my will be conformed to Yours in all things. May Your Will be the rule of all my desires and actions. Amen. “
Prayer of Saint Gertrude the Great
In 1298, St. Gertrude became very ill. The suffering she experienced was transfigured into love. St. Gertrude died in the year 1302.
The devotion St. Gertrude had for the Poor Souls in Purgatory is well known. The following prayer was written by her out of compassion for those still on their journey to heaven.
Eternal Father, I offer You the most Precious Blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, in union with all the masses said around the world today, for all the Poor Souls in Purgatory,for sinners everywhere, in the Universal Church, in my home and in my family. Amen.
The feast day of St. Albert the Great is celebrated on November 15. He is the patron saint of scientists and philosophers.
St. Albert the Great was born in Germany. After experiencing an encounter with the Virgin Mary he was inspired to join the Dominican Order also known as the Order of Preachers.
St. Albert was well educated and respected for his knowledge of science and theology, He received his doctorate from the University of Paris in 1245. He studied and commented on the works of Aristotle. Eventually, he became a professor of theology the the University of Paris. He became bishop of Regenburg in 1260. Because he refused to ride a horse and traveled entirely by foot he became known as “boots the bishop”). St. Thomas Aquinas was one of his students, later becoming a good friend.
St. Albert was a prolific writer. His writings are compiled in 38 volumes. He wrote about many subjects including philosophy, geography, astronomy, law and love.
St. Albert became well known as a mediator of disputes. He became ill and died on November 15, 1280.
St. Albert was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1931 and declared a Doctor of the Church.
Three years after his death his body was discovered to be incorrupt. However, when his grave was opened centuries later, only a skeleton was found. His relics are found in St. Andreas Church in Cologne.
The feast day of St. Laurence O”Toole is celebrated on November 14. He is the patron saint of the archdiocese of Dublin, Ireland.
St. Laurence was born in County Kildare, Ireland. At the age of ten, Laurence became a hostage of Dermod Mac Murchad, King of Leinster. The king gave him permission, when he was twelve, to enter the monastic school of Glendalough, where he studied for thirteen years. When he was only 25 years old, he became the abbot of the Abby of St. Kevin in 1150. He governed the monastery with virtue and prudence.
In 1162, St. Laurence was unanimously chosen as the Archbishop of Dublin. As Archbishop he focused on the reformation of the clergy. He spent much time in prayer, fasted often and prayed for those who had died. He was known for feeding the hungry and aiding the homeless.
St. Laurence participated in the Lateran Council which was held in 1179 by Pope Alexander III. He died in 1180 at the age of 52. Miracles were recorded after his death at his tomb. He was canonized by Pope Honorius III in 1226.
The feast day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is celebrated on November 13. She is the patron saint of immigrants, orphans and against malaria.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was born in Lombardi, Italy in 1850. She wanted to become a nun but was hindered by poor health. She became a teacher, teaching at a girl’s school for six years.
Frances took religious vows in 1877, adding Xavier to her name to honor St. Francis Xavier.
At the urging of Pope Leo XIII, she immigrated to the Unites States with six nuns to work with Italian immigrants. She crossed the Atlantic ocean in spite of her great fear of water.
She founded many schools, hospitals, and orphanages in the United States, England, France, Spain and South America. In New York City, St. Frances Cabrini founded Columbus Hospital and Italian Hospital. In the 1980’s they merged into Cabrini Hospital.
In 1909 St. Frances Xavier Cabrini became a naturalized United States citizen. She died from malaria at the age of 67, on December 22, 1917, at Columbus Hospital in Chicago, IL.
In 1931, her body was exhumed, found partially incorrupt, and is now enshrined under glass in the altar at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine in Manhattan.
The following prayer was written by St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.
Fortify me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit and give Your peace to my soul that I may be free from all needless anxiety, solicitude and worry. Help me to desire always that which is pleasing and acceptable to You so that Your will may be my will.Amen
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Stretch every fiber of my being, dear Lord, that I may more easily fly towards you. May your Spirit, which once breathed over the chaos of the earth, give life to all the powers of my soul.
