DVRodriguez

St. Jean-Marie Vianney (1786 - 1859) is the patron saint of parish priests and one of the world's greatest confessors. [Note: Prior to the changes brought about in the 1962 Roman Missal, St. Jean-Marie Vianney's feast day was August 9th. August 8th was dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Sadly, they and many other wondrous saints were taken out of the 1962 calendar, such as St. Philomena, St. Margaret of Antioch, the Apparition of St. Michael and Mount Gragano, and St. Christopher.] A CHALLENGING YOUTH Jean-Marie was born in Dardilly (near Lyons) France on 8 May 1786 during difficult times. The [...]

Our Lady of Snows and the dedication of the Basilica Mary Major in Rome (358 AD) THE MIRACLE AND BUILDING OF THE BASILICA Under the Pontificate of Liberius (352-366), there lived in Rome a wealthy nobleman named John. He and his wife, who was of an equally noble family, prayed at length for a son and heir to whom they could leave their fortune. But this never came to pass. God in His Providence had another plan. John accepted his disappointment with Christian resignation, and begged the Blessed Virgin Mary to at least designate an heir of her own choice, to [...]

St. Dominic Guzmán (1170 - 1221) founded the mendicant Order of Preachers (Dominicans), received the Rosary through a miraculous visit from the Blessed Virgin, defeated the Albigensians, and helped reform and reinvigorate the Church. GOD'S PROVIDENCE Dominic was born at Calaruega, in Spain of the noble family of the Guzmans. His mother, Blessed Joan of Aza, already had two grown up sons when she begged Our Lord to send her another son. While Bl. Joan was pregnant with Dominic, she received a vision that she was carrying in her womb a little dog holding a torch in his mouth, with which, [...]

St. Alphonsus Liguori (27 Sep 1696 - 1 Aug 1797) was a Bishop, the founder of the Redemptorists, a Church Doctor, the Moral Theologian par excellence of the Church, and a great devote of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He is a patron saint of confessors. BIRTH AND VOCATION St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori was born of a noble family at Naples, and from his early youth gave clear proofs of sanctity. While he was still a child, his parents once presented him to St. Francis Giralomo of the Society of Jesus. The Saint blessed him, and prophesied that he would reach his [...]

St. Pantaleon, a physician and martyr, and one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Note: We are in the only period of the year when over the course of eight days we celebrate the Feasts of three of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: St. Margaret, Virgin and Martyr, on July 20th, St. Christopher, Martyr, on July 25th, and today, July 27th, St. Pantaleon, Physician and Martyr. BAPTISM AND CONVERSION Pantaleon lived in the third century, and was of a noble family of Nicomedia. He was the son of a pagan but was raised as a Christian by his mother. He became a famous [...]

St. Christopher, Martyr and Holy Helper (+254) GIVING A GREAT WITNESS St. Christopher was born to a heathen king of Canaan, through the prayers of his wife to the Blessed Virgin. His birth name was Reprobus (in some accounts it is Offerus, Offro or Adokimus). His name, meaning 'reprobate,' aptly described him as he was a barbarous heathen dedicated at birth to Apollo. In stature and strength he was considered a 'giant' (perhaps much like Goliath of old). Hagiographies also record he had a 'fearsome face.' Now on account of his tremendous strength, he was filled with hubris. He did not [...]

St. Christina of Bolsena, Virgin and Martyr (third century) REJECTING THE LIFE OF A PAGAN PRIESTESS Saint Christina, along with St. Lucy, St. Cecilia and St. Agnes, is ranked among the great virgin martyrs honored in Rome. She was born to a noble family and her father, Urban, was a leading citizen and magistrate in Vulsunium of Tuscany. He was deeply enmeshed in Etruscan paganism and owned a number of idols which he had decorated with silver, gold, and precious stones. It seems this city was a center of their pagan worship, for in the edicts of Constantine the Great, it [...]

ST. MARY MAGDALENE, PENITENT (1st century) "Three Saints", said our Lord to St. Bridget of Sweden, "have been more pleasing to me than all others: Mary, my mother, John the Baptist, and Mary Magdalen." The Fathers tell us that Madgalen is a type of the Gentile Church, called from the depth of sin to perfect holiness; and, indeed, better than any other, she personifies both the wandering and the love of the human race, espoused by the Incarnate Word of God. HER CONVERSION It is quite likely that St. Luke came to know Mary Magdalene and her family when he journeyed [...]

St. Margaret of Antioch defeated the devil by the power of the Cross. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is invoked to aid pregnant women. BIRTH AND BAPTISM St. Margaret was born to a pagan priest in Antioch, the largest city in the Mideast and third largest in the Roman Empire. Her mother died shortly after her birth. Her father sent her to a nurse a few leagues from the city, who happened to be a Christian. Margaret was baptized and accepted and learned the Christian Faith from her most tender age. When she returned to her father's [...]

The story of Saint Alexius appears at first to be an unusual, perhaps difficult story, but as I meditated on it and thought about it more, I’ve come to love and cherish this saint very much. In the late 4th century, Saint Alexius was born to a wealthy nobleman in Rome. On the night of his marriage, he secretly left his home and traveled to Edessa in the Syrian Orient (over 1000 miles away). There, he led the life of a very pious ascetic on the steps of Our Lady’s Church. Naturally, his wife and parents spent much effort trying to [...]