St. Joan of Arc was born in Domremy, France in 1412 on the Feast of the Epiphany on Jan. 6. Her parents, Jacques and Isabelle were peasants. She was the youngest of four children, having three older brothers. She helped her mother with spinning and helped shepherd the animals. She was very devout as a child enjoying her religious faith and spending her free time in church.
St. Joan grew up during the “Hundred Years War”, which never seemed to end. The French were losing the war while she was young. England was invading the country of France causing much suffering. Joan prayed with great devotion and fervor for the suffering people.
At the age of thirteen, Joan began to have visions and hear voices which counseled her. She claimed to hear the Voice of God, Michael the Archangel,St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Margaret of Antioch. In 1428, the voices told her to go tho the King of France and help him reconquer his kingdom. She was told to accompany Prince Charles to his coronation. St. Joan went to the town of Vaucouleurs seeking help from the military commander. After three trips he decided to listen to her.
She was given an escort of six which included two knights. They left on Feb. 23, 1429. The journey was 400 miles, taking eleven days in the winter to travel. She was given permission to meet with Prince Charles VII. However, he concealed himself in the crowd to test Joan. Joan, however, recognized him. St. Joan spoke to him, saying:
“I am Joan the Maid and to you is sent word by me from the King of Heaven that you will be anointed and crowned in Reims and you will be Lieutenant to the King of Heaven who is King of France.”
After being questioned by clerics who asked for a sign Joan was eventually given a sword, armor and a banner with the names of Jesus and Maria to lead the French Army to Tours in 1429. She was only 17 years old.
St. Joan led French troops against the English and recaptured the cities of Orleans and Troyes. Prince Charles was then anointed King with St. Joan at his side holding the banner in 1429.
St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake
St. Joan was later captured and then sold to the English. Joan spent six months in prison before she was put on trial for heresy and witchcraft. After being found guilty she was burned at the stake in 1431. Her ashes were scattered in the Seine River. A second trial was held 25 years later which overturned the first verdict because it was politically motivated. Joan was declared a martyr.
St. Joan was beatified by Pope Pius X and canonize by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 who said that she is a “most brilliantly shining light of God.”
I know this now,
Every man gives his life for what he believes.
Every woman gives her life for what she believes.
Sometimes people believe in little or nothing.
One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it and then it’s gone.
But to surrender what you are and to live without belief
is more terrible than dying…even more terrible than dying young.
The Feast day of St. Apollonia is celebrated on February 12. She is the patron saint of dentists and invoked by those suffering from toothaches.
St. Apollonia died a martyr in the year 149. She suffered under the persecutions of Emperor Philip. She was tortured in the attempt to make her renounce her faith. When she refused, her persecutor hit her in the face, knocking out all of her teeth.
When the torture continued, she was threatened with death by fire. She willingly jumped into the flames to her death.
“The prize with which God rewards our self-abandonment is Himself.”
The Feast Day of St. John Bosco is celebrated on Jan. 31.  St. John Bosco is the patron saint of boys and young people.
St. John Bosco was born in Piedmont, Italy in 1815. His father died when he was two years old. God spoke to John in his dreams. The first of his many dreams occurred when he was only nine years old. John found himself fighting a large crowd of rowdy boys. They were cursing and acting badly. They refused to listen to him. Suddenly a man appeared saying;
“Not with blows will you help these boys, but with goodness and kindness.”
Who are you?” John asked.
Then a woman appeared to him saying,
“Watch what I do, John.”
As John watched, the boys changed to a pack of growling wild animals. Then the woman put out her hand. The wild animals changed again…into a flock of lambs.
“But what does it mean? I’m just a farm boy. What am I to do?”
John cried out, and he burst into tears. The Lady answered him,
“This is the field of your work. Be humble, steadfast and strong!”
John knew he must become a priest. He attended a boarding school and then began studying for the priesthood. John was ordained on June 5, 1841. He said his first Mass at the church of St. Francis of Assisi. He said that he had prayed for the gift of effective speech and believed his prayer was answered.
The ministry of Don Bosco began with a group of teenage boys. (Don is the title given to priests in Italy.) He began by teaching them catechism after Sunday Mass. It began as a youth group which would spend each Sunday together beginning with Mass, catechism and a day in the country. They would end the day with another talk before returning to their homes. The group grew quickly. Most of the boys were quite poor. In 1846 Don Bosco bought an old shed in Turin. It became a chapel they named The Oratory of St. Francis de Sales, a saint admired by Don Bosco.
An orphanage and a trade school were also soon established by Don Bosco. More and more priests were beginning to help John in his ministry. Together they founded the Society of St. Francis de Sales in 1859 also known as the Salesians of Don Bosco.
Don Bosco died on Jan. 31, 1888 at the age of 73. Thousands attended his funeral and there was a demand for his canonization. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI.
What tenderness there is in Jesus love for man! In His infinite goodness, He established, with each of us, bonds of sublime love! His love has no limits.
The Feast Day of St. Hyacintha is celebrated on January 30.
St. Hyacintha was born near Viterbo, Italy in 1588. Her father was a count and her mother was from a Roman family. Her birth name was Clarice.
Clarice entered the convent of the Tertiearies at Virterbo as a Third Order Franciscan Sister. However, she did not in the beginning embrace the love of poverty which St. Francis called for. She supplied herself with material goods to live life in comfort. When she became seriously ill a confessor brought her Holy Communion to her room. When he noticed her material possessions he advised her to live more humbly. Hyacintha rid herself of her fine clothes and special foods. She began to live a simple life which included penances. She developed a special devotion to the sufferings of Christ and inspired others by her acts of penance. She had a special devotion for Mary, the Mother of Mercy.
St. Hyacintha died at the age of 55 in 1640. Many miracles were reported at her grave site. She was canonize by Pope Pius VII in 1807.
The Feast Day of Bl. Archangela Girlani is celebrated on Jan. 29.
Bl. Archangela Girlani was born to a noble family at Trino, Italy in 1460. She was educated by the Benedictines. From early childhood she wished to become a BenedictineNun. However, on the way to the convent her horse refused to cooperate and take her there. She took this as a sign and decided to follow in the footsteps of her two sisters Maria and Frances (Scholastica) who had joined the Carmelite Order. At the age of 17, she enter the Carmelite Order, taking the name Archangela. In time she became the prioress, a position she held until her death.
Bl. Archangela was known for her mystical visions. While meditating on the mysteries of the faith, she experienced ecstasies and miracles. She had a special devotion to the Holy Trinity.
After three years as prioress, she became seriously ill.  Bl. Archangela died peacefuly after saying the following words;
The Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas is celebrated on Jan. 28. He is the patron saint of students and universities and a Doctor of the Church.   He was ordained as a Dominican Priest.
St. Thomas was born in Roccasecca, Sicily in 1225. His parents were from Italian nobility. St. Thomas was well educated. He was raised in a Benedictine monastery at Monte Casino. He finished his studies at Naples.
Against his families wishes he joined the Dominicans, also known as the Order of Preachers and was ordained a priest. His brothers followed careers in the military. In an attempt to end his desires to become a Dominican, his brothers hired a prostitute to seduce him. According to legend, two angels appeared to Thomas to strengthen him and increase his determination to remain celibate. He thus became known as the “Angelic Doctor”.
While he was still a student, St. Thomas was given the nickname “the dumb ox” due to his large size and silent nature. However, he was actually quite gifted and intelligent. He is considered one of the most influential theologians in the history of the Church.
After he was ordained a priest, Pope Urban IV called him to Rome where he was appointed to teach. St. Thomas turned down an offer from Pope Clement IV to be the Archbishop of Naples.
St. Thomas published many books. He also wrote many hymnswhich are still sung today. One of St. Thomas most famous works, Summas Theologica was never completed. He fell ill and died before he could finish it in 1274.
St. Thomas was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V. Â He is the patron saint of students and universities.
O Lord my God, make me submissive without protest, poor without discouragement, chaste without regret, patient without complaint, humble without posturing, cheerful without frivolity, mature without gloom, and quick witted without flippancy.
The Feast Day of St. Angela Merici is celebrated on Jan. 27. St. Angela is the patron saint of the sick and disabled.
St. Angela Merici was born in 1474. She lived primarily in Brescia, Italy. Her parents read to Angela when she was young, teaching her about the saints and martyrs. She lost both of her parents when she was about ten years old. She also lost her sister to death. They were quite close and her grief was great. It was made worse because her sister had not received the Last Sacraments. In spite of being reassured by the parish priest concerning her sister’s salvation, Angela prayed to Jesus for consolation. She experience a vision of a company of Angels surrounding her sister, escorting her to Heaven. She no longer had any doubt about her sisters entry into heaven.
On a trip to the Holy Land St. Angela became blind. She refused to end the pilgrimage, continuing to visit the shrines and praying with enthusiasm. On the return trip her vision was restored while praying before a crucifix.
St. Angela became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and served the marginalized, the poor, the orphans and the sick. She had a special desire to educate the poor.
At the age of 57, Angela organized twelve girls to help her teach catechism. The group grew to 28 and they formed The Company of Saint Ursula. It was named after St. Ursula who was an early martyr and patron of education and the youth. They later became known as the Ursulines. It was the first group of women religious to work outside the cloister and the first teaching order of women. The order impressed many people with its work including Pope Clement. He requested that she take charge of a religious order of nursing sisters, however she turned him down. She knew her calling was to teach the poor and uneducated.
After her death on Jan. 27, 1540, the Company of Saint Ursula spread rapidly.
