The feast day of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is celebrated on January 4. She is the patron saint of in-law troubles and loss of children.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is the first native born Americanto be canonized a saint.
Elizabeth was born on Aug. 28, 1774 in New York City. She was raised in the Episcopal Church. At the early age of 3 her mother died. At the age of 19 she married William Seton, a wealthy businessman.
Within four years, she suffered the death of her father in-law which left William in charge, not only of his father’s business but the seven half-brothers and sisters as well. The business failed, forcing bankruptcy.
William became ill with tuberculosis. In an attempt to find a cure they moved to Italy. He died while living in Italy. Elizabeth grew very close to God. She accepted and embraced the will of God. Elizabeth eventually was led into the Catholic church. She had a strong devotion to the Virgin Mary.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton established the first free Catholic school in America. On March 25, 1809 she took a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience. She became the founder of the Sisters of Charity, which followed the rules written by St. Vincent de Paul for the Daughters of Charity in France. She became Mother Seton.
Her final years were spent leading and developing the new congregation. The sisters opened free schools and orphanages along the East Coast.
Elizabeth. died in 1821 of tuberculosis at age 46.
Pope John XXIII canonized her as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton on Sept. 14, 1975. He stated,
“In a house that was very small, but with ample space for charity, she sowed a seed in America.”
The feast day of St. Catherine Laboure is celebrated on November 28. She is the visionary who began the devotion to the miraculous medal.
Catherine Laboure was born on May 2, 1806 in Paris, France. Her father was a successful farmer. She was the ninth of eleven children. Her mother died when she was only nine years old. After the funeral service, Catherine went to her room and gave a kiss to a statue of Mary, saying;
“Now, dear Lady, you are my mother.”
Catherine was called “Zoe” by those who knew her, because her birthday was on the feast day of St. Zoe.
After having a dream about St. Vincent de Paul, at a young age, she joined the Daughters of Charity founded by him. She is known as a Marian visionary because of the apparitions which she reported of Mary appearing to her.
On July 18, the first apparition occurred. Catherine saw a lady seated in the sanctuary. She approached her and was instructed how she was to act during times of trial, pointing to the altar for consolation. Mary told her,
“”Sorrows will come upon France; the throne will be overthrown.”
A week later the French revolution began in Paris.
On Nov. 27, the lady showed St. Catherine the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, now known as the “Miraculous Medal” She gave Catherine the mission of having the medal made and to spread devotion to it.
Catherine reported the visions to her spiritual director, Father Aladal. Forty five years later, she spoke fully to her supervisors about the apparitions.
The miraculous medal which Mary showed to Catherine was oval showing Mary standing on a globe crushing the head of the serpent. (the devil). Around the image of Mary were the words:
“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
Mary’s hands were showering a cascade of brilliant rays upon the world.
On the reverse side of the medal was a cross, the symbol of Christ’s redeeming Sacrifice on Mount Calvary for the salvation of the world. The cross was intertwined with the letter “M”.
The “M” stands for both Mary and for Mother and was to be surrounded by twelve stars. The two hearts are the Sacred Heart of Jesus encircled by a crown of thorns and the Immaculate of Mary, pierce by a sword. The Flames symbolize the burning love of Jesus and Mother Mary.
Mary told Catherine,
“All who wear them will receive great graces.”
After two years of investigation Father Aladal went to the archbishop with the request. The request was approved.
St. Catherine served humbly, not wishing to be known as a visionary. It was only after 46 years of service that she informed her Sister Superior that she was the Sister Mary had appeared to. At Catherine’s death, on December 31, 1876, at the age of 70, few people knew of her visions. She preferred a silent life, spending her time caring for the aged and sick.
Stories of many miracles and cures caused the devotion to spread rapidly.
In 1922 the body of St. Catherine was exhumed. It was found to be incorrupt. Her body is encased in glass in the chapel in Paris near where Our Lady appeared to her.
St. Catherine’s feast day is celebrated on Nov. 27, the day of the apparition.
St. Catherine Laboure
Lord, I am here. Tell me what you would have me do.
If He gives me some task I am content and I thank Him.
If he gives me nothing, I still thank Him
Since I do not deserve to receive anything more than that,
and then I tell God everything that is in my heart.
I tell him about my pains and my joys, and then I listen.
If you listen, God will also speak to you.
For with the good Lord, you have to both speak and listen.
God always speaks to you when you approach him plainly and simply.
The feast day of St. Vincent de Paul is celebrated on September 27. He is the patron saint of charities, hospitals and volunteers.
St. Vincent was born at Pouy, Gascony in Southern France in 1581 into a large peasant family. At the age of 15, he entered a Franciscan seminary. He tutored children until he was ordained a priest in 1600.
In `1605, St. Vincent was traveling on a ship from Marseilles to Narborne when he was captured by Moorish pirates! He was sold as a slave in Africa. After two years as a slave, he escaped and returned to France.
At Avignon St. Vincent continued to study. He became the chaplain to the Count of Goigny and was placed in charge of the charities for the poor. This inspired him to preach missions to provide relief for the poor. St. Vincent founded a missionary group known as the Vincentians. The priests in the Order served people primarily in small towns and villages. They had a devotion to helping the poor.
Next, St. Vincent along with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, founded theSisters of Charity. He organized the rich women in Paris to collect money for hiss missionary projects, including several hospitals. He also collected money for victims of war and ransomed over 1200 slaves from N. Africa.
The motto of St. Vincent was “God see you”. He became known as the Apostle of Charity and the Father of the Poor.
St. Vincent died at the age of 80. His heart remains incorrupt and can be found in the Convent of the Sisters of Charity in Paris. He is credited with two miracles. The first was the curing of a nun with ulcers. The second was a laywoman cured of paralysis.
St. Vincent de Paul was canonized by Pope Clement XII on June 16, 1737.
St. Vincent’s bones and heart are perfectly incorrupt and have been placed inside a wax figure of his body. His relics can be seen in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris.
Do not feel that all is lost because of the revolt you feel inside. It has rained hard. The thunder has crashed. Is the weather any less beautiful because of that? Be assured you are not, for all that, any less dear to our Lord.
The feast day of St. Augustine of Canterbury is celebrated on May 27.
St. Augustine was the prior of the Benedictine Monastery of St. Andrew in Rome. Pope Gregory decided he needed to send missionaries to England. Augustine and 30 monks were who he chose to send. The mission was to unite the Christians after the Saxon conquest of England.
The King of England listened with curiosity to what the missionaries had to say. On Pentecost Sunday in 597, King Ethelbert was baptized. He believed in religious freedom and did not make his new religion mandatory however many followed his example and were baptized. St. Augustine was not successful in uniting the Anglo-Saxon Christians with the original Briton Christians (Celtics). He followed Pope Gregory’s advice to purify rather than destroy pagan temples and customs. As much as possible pagan rites and festivals were changed into Christian feasts.
St. Augustine died eight years after arriving in England. He died on May 26.
God’s works are not regulated by our plans and wishes.
Quote of St. Vincent de Paul; Feast day September 27
The feast day of St. Louise de Marillac is celebrated on March 15.
Louise was born in 1591 in Meux, France into a noble family. Her mother died while she was quite young. Her father eventually placed her with the royal Dominican monastery in Poissy. At the age of 15, her father also died. She requested entry in the Capuchins but was denied due to her frail health.
Several years later, Louise married Antony Le Gras. They had one son, Michel. When her husband became ill, Louise became severely depressed. In 1619, while in Paris, she met St. Francis de Sales, who became her spiritual advisor. Her depression came to an end after a spiritual experience during a Mass on Pentecost. She described her experience in the following way:
“On the Feast of Pentecost during Holy Mass or while I was praying in the church, my mind was completely freed of all doubt. I was advised that I should remain with my husband and the time would come when I would be in the position to make vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and that I would be in a small community where others would do the same.”
Louise’s husband died three years after this experience. She decided never to marry again and to serve God alone. She sold her home and moved into a small home which was near St. Vincent de Paulwho became her advisor. While still raising her son and managing her home she helped St. Vincent to begin the Daughters of Charity. St. Vincent said “Your convent will be the house of the sick; your cell, a hired room; your chapel, the parish church; your cloister, the streets of the city or the wards of the hospital; your enclosure, obedience.
Louise was very hard working and courageous. Eventually there were over 40 housed which she started in France. She also established hospitals and orphanages.
Louise died on March 15, 1660. She was beatified by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 and canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934.
Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor, honor them my children, as you would honor Christ himself.
