The Feast Day of St Zita is celebrated on April 27. St. Zita is the patron of maidservants and housewives.
Zita was born in Tuscany, Italy in 1212. At the age of 12, she became a servant for the Fatinelli household. She was mistreated by her employees and criticized for her hard work by her fellow servants. She continued to be meek and humble and had an inward peace that everyone could see. She was good and loving to everyone regardless of how they treated her. Eventually she gained everyone’s trust and was put in charge of the house.
Zita believed that her work was assigned to her by God. She always rose early to pray before work. She attended daily mass and spent the rest of the day working tirelessly.
When Zita died at the age of 60 on April 27, 1271 it is said that a star appeared above the attic where she slept. She had served the family for 48 years. Miracles reported at the time of her death numbered 150.
In 1580, the body of Zita was exhumed and found to be incorruptible. Her body was put on display in a silver casket, as is tradition, in the church where she had prayed while alive. Although her body is “incorruptible,” it is browned and wizened, probably the result of a form of natural mummification. Only her hands and face are uncovered for viewing.
St. Zita was canonized in 1696.
There is no place for selfishness…and no place for fear! Do not be afraid,then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice.
The Feast Day of St. Mark the Evangelist will be celebrated on April 25.
St. Mark was born into a Jewish family. St. Mark was one of the first disciples of Jesus. He was not one of the original twelve apostles. St. Mark is the patron saint of notaries and lawyers.
St. Mark accompanied St. Paul and Barnabas (his cousin) on their missionary journey to Cyprus. St. Mark is the author of the second gospel. This gospel is the oldest gospel and was written in Greek for Gentile converts. It is believed St. Peter requested him to write this gospel.
Much of what we know about St. Mark we have learned from tradition. It is believed that Mark is the man who carried water to the house where the Last Supper took place. It is also possible he was the man who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51-52)St. Mark is believed to have been present at the Wedding at Cana when Jesus turned the water into wine. (John 2:1-10)
When St. Peter escaped from prison he went to the home of Mark’s mother. Mark went to Alexandria to preach. He then founded the church in Alexandria.
St. Mark died a martyr, being dragged through the streets with a rope around his neck in the year 68.
The symbol of St. Mark is a winged lion. The lion represents the way the gospel should be preached. St. Mark is the patron saint of lawyers.
On the feast day of St. Mark let us pray:
O God, who exalted blessed Mark the Evangelist, by the grace of preaching the Gospel, grant that we may profit by his teaching and be defended by his prayers. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
The Bible is a letter from the Almighty God to His creatures.
The Feast Day of St. Mary Pelletier is celebrated on April 24.
Rose Virginie Pelletier was born on July 3l, 1796 on the island of Noirmoutier, Vendée, off the west coast of France. She was the eighth child of Dr. Julian and Anne Pelletier.
It was wartime in France during her childhood. Her family became isolated because her father had treated an enemy soldier. As a child she was very independent but quite compassionate. Her father died when she was only ten years old. Rose was not able to attend school until the Ursuline Sisters opened a school in 1808 in Noirmoutier. While she enjoyed school she also clashed with authority. She was sent to a boarding school in 1810 where she experienced not only the loss of her freedom but loneliness. The boarding school was very strict. When her mother died in 1815 she was not told until after the funeral had taken place. She experienced profound grief.
Near the school was the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge which had been founded by St. John Eudes. It provided care for women and girls who were homeless. Rose was attracted to their mission and wanted to join the convent. Both her guardian and the boarding school disapproved. Rose, however, persisted and eventually she was allowed to join on the condition she would not make her vows until she was 21. When she made her vows she took the name Sister Mary of St. Euphrasia. She carried out her mission with great enthusiasm.
The mission grew rapidly and Mary saw the need to change the governmental structure in order to deploy sisters to other countries. After much struggle her plans were approved by the Pope. She then founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd of Angers. They became known as the Good Shepherd Sisters.
The following quote is attributed to St. Mary Pelletier:
It is well known that I had neither riches nor talent, nor external charm, but I always loved, and I loved with all the strength of my soul.
St. Mary Pelletier eventually established 110 new convents in six continents before her death on April 24, 1868. She was known for her fortitude, cheerfulness and her trust in God.
St. Mary Pelletier was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1910.
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?
The feast day of Bl. Marie of the Incarnation is celebrated on April 18.
Bl. Marie of the Incarnation was born in 1566 in France. Her name at birth was Barbe Aurillot. She was the daughter of a French government official and educated at the Poor Clare Abbey at Longchamp. She married Pierre Acarie at the age of 16. They had six children; three became Carmelites and one became a priest.
Her husband supported the Catholic League which opposed Henry IV. Barbe suffered greatly after their estate was seized when Henry became King. Barbe went to court reclaiming part of the family fortune. Barbe had a devotion to the writings of St. Teresa of Avila. She was instrumental in bringing the Discalced Carmelites into France.
Widowed at 47, Barbe became a Carmelite lay sister in 1613 taking the name Mary of the Incarnation. Her spiritual advisor was St. Francis de Salesand she was a friend to St. Vincent de Paul. She was known to have visions, ecstasies and the gift of reading hearts.
At the age of 27 Bl. Marie received the stigmata. Bl. Marie died on April 18, 1618 of natural causes. Many miracles were reported after her death.
Put away all worry and anxiety and receive the holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ fervently…in memory of Him.
The Feast Day of St. Stephen Harding is celebrated on April 17.
St. Stephen was born in the eleventh century in Dorset, England. He studied in Paris and Rome. He decided to join the Monastery of Molesme which was Benedictine. Stephen and two other established the Monastery in Citeaux which became the home of twenty monks.
St. Stephen Harding is considered the father of the Cistercian Order. The Cistercian Order sought an effective balance between prayer and serious work. St. Stephen wrote the Charter of Charity which became the guide for the Cistercian monasticism. When St. Bernard joined the order, Stephen installed him as the abbot of the monastery in Clairvaux. With the help of St. Bernard the order flourished.
By the time of St. Stephen’s death thirteen monasteries had been established.
St. Stephen died in 1134. He was canonized in 1623.
O Jesus, make the fount of Your mercy gush forth more abundantly, for mankind is seriously ill and thus has more need than ever of Your compassion.
Quote of St. Faustina Kowalska; Feast day October 5
The Feast Day of St. Paternus is celebrated on April 15.
St. Paternus was born around 482 at Poetiers. His father died in Ireland as a holy recluse. Paternus decided to join the monks at the abbey of Ansion. Several years after joining the Abbey a monk named Scubilion joined him to live in a remote area where many Druids lived. There they were able to convert many of the people in the area. Paternus was able to convince the people there to tear down a pagan temple, which had been held in great veneration by the ancient Gauls.
St. Paternus founded a monastery called Lian-petern-vaur. He was chosen as bishop of the area and served for thirteen years before dying in 550.
If I have achieved anything in my life….it is because I have not been embarrassed to talk about God.
