Saints

St. Camillus (1550-1614) founded the Camillians, a religious order dedicated to the care of the sick whose habit prominently displays a red cross. Yet his early life was dissolute, filled with gambling, violence and laziness. Twice he tried to save his soul, but failed. Yet he did not give up! Following St. John Cassian's explanation of St. Paul (1 Thes 4), he eventually conquered his predominant fault: acedia. We can all conquer this besetting vice of sloth by adhering to St. Paul's teaching. [1] Make the effort to be quiet, eliminating the 'noise' of the world. [2] Remain in the sphere of activity given [...]

Many of us know the basic story of eleven-year old St. Maria Goretti, who was stabbed fourteen times by Alessandro Serenelli in 1902. But do we know the trials and tabulations her attacker underwent on his path towards redemption? What of the heroic forgiveness made by her mother, Assumpta? The wisdom of St. Benedict further deepens our consideration of these events: we must ascend 'Jacob's Letter' by degrees of humility to reach Heaven. The first degree of humility is always to have the Fear of God before one's eyes. And we must hasten to cut off all the desires of the flesh. Finally, this [...]

St. Catherine (1347-80) was granted numerous divine revelations and experiened a mystical marriage with Our Lord. She spent her life in healing others and bringing souls to Christ. She even helped bring the pope back to Rome from Avignon and end the so-called Babylonian Captivity (1309-1377.

St. John Bosco was a gentle shepherd. Even in his early years he wanted to lead people to Christ. He employed creative and captivating means to accomplish this. His life was filled with pain, struggle, persecution and suffering, yet he never lost his joy. His work among the youth has endeared him to the hearts of all future generations. We would all do well by following the examples he set in dealing charitably with others.

Sometimes people accuse the saints of suffering from mental illness. Yet canonizations are generally good indications that one practiced heroic virtue, had great generosity, was spiritually mature, had a healthy and well-developed personality, and lived in profound union with God. Consider the example of St. Benedict Joseph Labre (1748-1783). At age 16 he resolved to live a religious life, attempting to join the strictest religious orders. Yet this was not God's will for him. Instead he had a unique call to live a most painful, penitential, lonely, and pitied life as a pilgrim outcast. The world served as his cloister, and he [...]