[QUOTE="Prayslie, post: 483314, member: 6480" SAINT GERARD MAJELLA RELIGIOUS (6 APRIL 1726 - 16 OCTOBER 1755) St. Gerard was born in southern Italy on April 6, 1726. His father died while Gerard was still young, forcing him to be apprenticed to a tailor. His frail health, quiet disposition, and gentle ways led him to being bullied by fellow workers and by his employers. He was refused admission to the Capuchin Order on account of his youth, so he lived for a time as a hermit. His great love for Jesus crucified caused him to lead a very ascetical lifestyle. Getting to know the Redemptorists, he applied to them but was initially rejected because of his poor health. On his insistance, however, he was reluctantly accepted and sent to the novitiate with a note saying: "I am sending you a useless lay brother." Gerard was professed in July 1752, and quickly disproved the prediction of his uselessness by his excellent service as porter, tailor, and sacristan. His prayerfulness and dedication began to be too great to overlook and so he gained a reputation for sanctity. This brought a large number of persons to him for guidance in the spiritual life. He readily responded, revealing a remarkable gift for sensing the deep interior reality of a person. Because of this genius, of his ability to bring relief to the sick, and of his care for women in childbirth, many miracles were attributed to him and he gained the nickname "The Wonderworker." His popularity eventually led to accusations of sexual misconduct, which he bore patiently until they were proven false. He died on October 16, 1755, worn out by his austerities and by tuberculosis. Very many Catholics throughout the world honor him as the special patron of new mothers and of families, and his reputation as "The Wonderworker" continues to our day. — The Redemptorists THE PATRON OF EXPECTANT MOTHERS St. Gerard is often called upon as the Parton because of a miraculous healing that took place in his lifetime. A few months before his death, Gerard went to visit the house of a family. As he was leaving, he dropped his handkerchief. One of the daughters picked it up and tried to return it to him. He replied, "Keep it. You may need it some day." Years later, when this same girl became pregnant, she experienced great complications and feared that she would miscarry the child. Remembering this event with St. Gerard, she asked for the handkerchief. As soon as it was brought to her, the pain disappeared and she eventually gave birth to a healthy child. PATRON: Childbirth; children; expectant mothers; falsely accused people; good confessions; lay brothers; motherhood; mothers; pregnant women; pro-life movement; unborn children. PRAYER TO ST. GERARD: Almighty and Eternal God, we thank you for the gift of St. Gerard and the example of his life. Because St. Gerard always had complete faith and trust in you, you blessed him with miracles of help and healing. Through him, you showed your loving concern for all those who suffered or were in need; you never failed to hear his prayer on their behalf. Today, through St. Gerard's powerful intercession, you continue to show your love for all those who place their trust in you. (Mention your petition) And so, Father, full of faith and confidence, and in thanksgiving for all the wonderful things you have done for us, we place ourselves before you today. Through the intercession of St. Gerard, hear our prayers and petitions , and if it is your holy will, grant them. Amen.[/QUOTE] My wife, Geralyn's, patron saint!
Thanks for sharing this. This kind of saintly life story seems to be repeated over and over. Brother Andre and Solanus Casey are two who come to mind. My understanding is that back before Vatican II there were two kinds of brothers. The priestly class and the worker class and of course the priestly class were more privileged than the worker class. The worker class would consist of brothers who would clean, cook, take care of the animals and so on. They were looked upon as a lower caste. Which of course God will always favor.
SAINT OF THE DAY THURSDAY, 23 OCTOBER, 2025 SAINT JOHN OF CAPISTRANO CONFESSOR (24 June 1386 - 23 October 1456) St. John was born in 1386 at Capistrano in the Italian Province of the Abruzzi. His father was a German knight and died when he was still young. St. John became a lawyer and attained the position of governor of Perugia. When war broke out between Perugia and Malatesta in 1416, St. John tried to broker a peace. Unfortunately, his opponents ignored the truce and St. John became a prisoner of war. On the death of his wife he entered the order of Friars Minor, was ordained and began to lead a very penitential life. John became a disciple of Saint Bernadine of Siena and a noted preacher while still a deacon, beginning his work in 1420. The world at the time was in need of strong men to work for salvation of souls. Thirty percent of the population was killed by the Black Plague, the Church was split in schism and there were several men claiming to be pope. As an Itinerant priest throughout Italy, Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Russia, St. John preached to tens of thousands and established communities of Franciscan renewal. He reportedly healed the sick by making the Sign of the Cross over them. He also wrote extensively, mainly against the heresies of the day. He was successful in reconciling heretics. After the fall of Constantinople, he preached a crusade against the Turks. At age 70 he was commissioned by Pope Callistus II to lead it, and marched off at the head of 70,000 Christian soldiers. He won the great battle of Belgrade in the summer of 1456. He died in the field a few months later, but his army delivered Europe from the Moors. PATRON: Chaplains; jurists; judges; military chaplains. PRAYER: O God, who raised up Saint John of Capistrano to comfort your faithful people in tribulation, place us, we pray, under your safe protection and keep your Church in everlasting peace. Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
SAINT OF THE DAY FRIDAY, 24 OCTOBER, 2025 SAINT ANTHONY MARY CLARET BISHOP, CONFESSOR, PREACHER AND FOUNDER (23 December 1807 - 24 October 1870) CHILDHOOD St. Anthony Mary Claret was born in Catalonia, the northeastern corner of Spain, in a town called Sallent on December 23, 1807. He was the fifth son of Juan Claret and Josefa Clará's eleven children. His father owned a small textile factory, but was not rich. Anthony grew up in a Christian environment, and at a very early age had a strong sense of the eternal life that Christ wanted all men and women to enjoy. He wanted to spare sinners eternal unhappiness, and felt moved to work for their salvation. When he was about eleven years old, a bishop visited his school and asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Without hesitation he responded: "A Priest." WEAVER As soon as Anthony was old enough, he began working as an apprentice weaver. When he turned 17, his father sent him to Barcelona to study the latest techniques in textile manufacturing and to work in the large textile mills. He did so well in the textile design school that he began receiving offers from large textile companies. Even though he had the talent to succeed, he turned down the offers and returned home after experiencing the emptiness of worldly achievements. VOCATION The words of the Gospel kept resounding in his heart: " What good is it for man to win the world if he loses his soul?" He began to study Latin to prepare to enter the Seminary. He wanted to be a Carthusian Monk. His father was ready to accept the will of God, but preferred to see him become a diocesan priest. Anthony decided to enter the local diocesan seminary in the city of Vic. He was 21 years old. After a year of studies, he decided to pursue his monastic vocation and left for a nearby monastery. On the way there, he was caught in a big storm. He realized that his health was not the best, and withdrew from his decision to go to the monastery. He was ordained a priest at 27 years of age and was assigned to his hometown parish. The town soon became too small for his missionary zeal, and the political situation, hostile to the Church, limited his apostolic activity. He decided to go to Rome to offer himself to serve in foreign missions. Things did not work out as expected, and he decided to join the Jesuits to pursue his missionary dream. While in the Jesuit Novitiate, he developed a strange illness, which led his superiors to think that God might have other plans for him. Once again, he had to return home to keep searching for God's will in his life. "APOSTOLIC MISSIONARY" IN CATALONIA AND CANARY ISLANDS Back in a parish of Catalonia, Claret began preaching popular missions all over. He traveled on foot, attracting large crowds with his sermons. Some days he preached up to seven sermons in a day and spent 10 hours listening to confessions. He dedicated to Mary all his apostolic efforts. He felt forged as an apostle and sent to preach by Mary. The secret of his missionary success was LOVE. In his words: "Love is the most necessary of all virtues. Love in the person who preaches the word of God is like fire in a musket. If a person were to throw a bullet with his hands, he would hardly make a dent in anything; but if the person takes the same bullet and ignites some gunpowder behind it, it can kill. It is much the same with the word of God. If it is spoken by someone who is filled with the fire of charity- the fire of love of God and neighbor - it will work wonders." His popularity spread; people sought him for spiritual and physical healing. By the end of 1842, the Pope gave him the title of "apostolic missionary." Aware of the power of the press, in 1847, he organized with other priests a Religious Press. Claret began writing books and pamphlets, making the message of God accessible to all social groups. The increasing political restlessness in Spain continued to endanger his life and curtail his apostolic activities. So, he accepted an offer to preach in the Canary Islands, where he spent 14 months. In spite of his great success there too, he decided to return to Spain to carry out one of his dreams: the organization of an order of missionaries to share in his work.Among his great initiatives were: trade or vocational schools for disadvantaged children and credit unions for the use of the poor. He wrote books about rural spirituality and agricultural methods, which he himself tested first. He visited jails and hospitals, defended the oppressed and denounced racism. The expected reaction came soon. He began to experience persecution, and finally when preaching in the city of Holguín, a man stabbed him on the cheek in an attempt to kill him. For Claret this was a great cause of joy. He writes in his Autobiography: "I can´t describe the pleasure, delight, and joy I felt in my soul on realizing that I had reached the long desired goal of shedding my blood for the love of Jesus and Mary and of sealing the truths of the gospel with the very blood of my veins." During his 6 years in Cuba he visited the extensive Archdiocese three times...town by town. In the first years, records show, he confirmed 100,000 people and performed 9,000 sacramental marriages. CONFESSOR TO THE QUEEN OF SPAIN Claret was called back to Spain in 1857 to serve as confessor to the Queen of Spain, Isabella II. He had a natural dislike for aristocratic life. He loved poverty and the simplest lifestyle. He accepted in obedience, but requested to be allowed to continue some missionary work. Whenever he had to travel with the Queen, he used the opportunity to preach in different towns throughout Spain. In a time where the Queens and Kings chose the bishops for vacant dioceses, Claret played an important role in the selection of holy and dedicated bishops for Spain and its colonies. The eleven years he spent as confessor to the Queen of Spain were particularly painful, because the enemies of the Church directed toward him all kinds of slanders and personal ridicule. In 1868 a new revolution dethroned the Queen and sent her with her family into exile. Claret's life was also in danger, so he accompanied her to France. This gave him the opportunity to preach the Gospel in Paris. He stayed with them for a while, then went to Rome where he was received by Pope Pius IX in a private audience. FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL On December 8, 1869, seven hundred bishops from all over the world gathered in Rome for the First Vatican Council. Claret was one of the Council Fathers. His presence became noticeable when the subject of papal infallibility was discussed, which Claret defended vehemently. This teaching became a dogma of faith for all Catholics at this Council. The Italian revolution interrupted the process of the Council, which was never concluded. Claret's health deteriorated, so he returned to France accompanied by the Superior General of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, his congregation. LAST DAYS IN EXILE In France, Claret joined his missionaries who were also in exile. Soon he found out, that there was a warrant for his arrest. He decided to go into hiding in a Cistercian Monastery in the French southern town of Fontfroide. There he died on October 24, 1870 at the age of 62. As his last request, he dictated to his missionaries the words that are to appear on his tombstone: "I have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore I die in exile." His remains are venerated in Vic. Claret was beatified in 1934 and in 1950 canonized by Pope Pius XII. On July 16, 1849, he gathered a group of priests who shared his dream. This is the beginning of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, today also known as Claretian Fathers and Brothers. Days later, he received a new assignment: he was named Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba. He was forced to leave the newly founded community to respond to the call of God in the New World. After two months of travel, he reached the Island of Cuba and began his episcopal ministry by dedicating it to Mary. He visited the church where the image of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba was venerated. Soon he realized the urgent need for human and Christian formation, specially among the poor. He called Antonia Paris to begin there the religious community they had agreed to found back in Spain. He was concerned for all aspects of human development and applied his great creativity to improve the conditions of the people under his pastoral care. Among his great initiatives were: trade or vocational schools for disadvantaged children and credit unions for the use of the poor. He wrote books about rural spirituality and agricultural methods, which he himself tested first. He visited jails and hospitals, defended the oppressed and denounced racism. The expected reaction came soon. He began to experience persecution, and finally when preaching in the city of Holguín, a man stabbed him on the cheek in an attempt to kill him. For Claret this was a great cause of joy. He writes in his Autobiography: "I can´t describe the pleasure, delight, and joy I felt in my soul on realizing that I had reached the long desired goal of shedding my blood for the love of Jesus and Mary and of sealing the truths of the gospel with the very blood of my veins.". During his 6 years in Cuba he visited the extensive Archdiocese three times...town by town. In the first years, records show, he confirmed 100,000 people and performed 9,000 sacramental marriages.
PATRON: Catholic press; Claretians; Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; weavers; savings banks; foundations. PRAYER: O God, who for the evangelization of peoples strengthened the Bishop Saint Anthony Mary Claret with admirable charity and long-suffering, grant, through his intercession, that, seeking the things that are yours, we may earnestly devote ourselves to winning our brothers and sisters for Christ. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The best thing about Saint Anthony Mary Claret is that he spoke out so strongly about slavery and the way the Spanish were treating and murdering and torturing the poor old natives. It is very,very rare to see a Catholic Prelate speak out in this way against the Establishment of his day. But he was totally fearless. It is a miracle that they did not murder him too and very quickly at that. https://www.catholicireland.net/sai...y-claret-1807-70-archbishop-of-santiago-cuba/
SAINTS OF THE DAY SATURDAY, 25 OCTOBER, 2025 FORTY MARTYRS OF ENGLAND AND WALES (1535 - 1679) These forty men and women of England and Wales, martyred between 1535 and 1679, were canonised in Rome by Pope Paul VI on 25th October 1970. Each has their feast day but they are remembered as a group on 25th October. When King Henry VIII, after his break with Rome, proclaimed himself supreme head of the Church in England and Wales, Catholics felt that he had usurped a supremacy in spiritual matters that belonged only to the Pope. While they wished to remain loyal subjects of the Crown as the legitimately constituted authority, they refused for reasons of conscience to recognise the “spiritual supremacy” of the King. When the Act of Supremacy was passed in 1534, it quickly led many having to face a serious dilemma and even death rather than act against their conscience and deny their Catholic faith. FOUR DISTINCT WAVES OF PERSECUTION AGAINST CATHOLICS The First Wave - followed the passing of the First Act of Supremacy (November 1534) when Henry VIII broke with Rome and suppressed the monasteries. John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, and Henry's former chancellor, Sir Thomas More, were executed in 1535 along with a number of religious. The Second Wave - came after 1570 when Pope Pius V, believing that Queen Elizabeth I as the daughter of Anne Boleyn was illegitimate and had no right to the throne of England, issued a papal bull Regnans in excelsis excommunicating her and absolving all her subjects from allegiance to her and her laws. The numbers of Jesuits coming in from the continent were seen as a real threat to the Queen and the realm. In 1581 an Act was passed that made it treason to withdraw English subjects from allegiance to the Queen or her Church and in 1585 the entrance of Jesuits into the country was prohibited by law. A number of Jesuits, secular priests and lay men and women were executed at this time. The Third Wave - of persecution followed the failed Gunpowder Plot in 1605. This was a somewhat unwise attempt by some to kill James I in a single attack by blowing up the House of Parliament during the ceremony of the State opening. The Fourth Wave - came in 1678 following the so-called “Popish Plot” created by the infamous Titus Oates. Oates had been twice expelled from Jesuit colleges on the continent and was refused admission as a novice. He spread the rumour that the Jesuits in collusion with the Pope were plotting to overthrow King Charles II and make England a Catholic country again. The very rumour of a plot was enough to stir a new persecution of Catholics. THE FORTY MARTYRS INCLUDE: St. John Houghton, St. Robert Lawrence and St. Augustine Webster, the first martyrs (1535), all priors of different Charter houses (houses of the Carthusian Order, including the one in London) who, by virtue of the Carthusian vow of silence, refused to speak in their own defense. St. Cuthbert Mayne, a Devonian, who was the first martyr not to be a member of a religious order. He was ordained priest at the then newly established English College at Douai in Northern France and was put to death at Launceston in 1577. St. Edmund Campion, the famous Jesuit missionary and theologian who published secretly from Stonor Park, the ancient Catholic country house near Henley-on-Thames, who died in 1581 on the same day as St. Ralph Sherwin, the first martyr to have been trained at the English College in Rome. St. Richard Gwyn, the first of the Welsh martyrs, a schoolteacher from Llanidloes in Mid-Wales who died at Wrexham in 1584. St. Margaret Clitherow, the wife of a butcher with a shop in the famous Shambles in York, who allowed her house to be used as a Mass centre, who was sentenced to be crushed to death under a large stone at the Ouse Bridge Tollbooth in the city. St. Swithun Wells, a teacher from Brambridge in the county of Hampshire who owned a London house at Grays Inn Fields which was also a secret Mass centre (1591). St. Philip Howard, eldest son of the fourth Duke of Norfolk (himself executed for treason in 1572) who led a dissolute existence and left behind an unhappy wife in Arundel Castle until he was converted by the preaching of St. Edmund Campion, and died in the Tower in 1595. St. Nicholas Owen, Jesuit lay brother and master carpenter, who constructed many priests' hiding-holes in houses throughout the country, some of them so cunningly concealed they were not discovered until centuries later (1606). Under James I and Charles I the purge died down, but did not entirely cease. St. John Southworth, missionary in London, was put to death under Cromwell and is venerated in Westminster Cathedral, and the final martyrs died in the aftermath of the Titus Oates plot in 1679. [St. John Fisher & St. Thomas More are not included in this list for they had been canonised in 1935]. PRAYER: To you, Holy Martyrs of England and Wales, we commend our prayers and our needs in these difficult times. As you laid down your lives for Christ and His Church, we ask that we may emulate your sacrifice in our daily lives, living as true and humble disciples of Christ. May His Gospel so penetrate our minds and hearts that we may become what He urges us to be: salt of the earth and light of the world, making Him present through holy lives to the men and women of our time. Sustain us with your loving presence, be our companions on our earthly journey. Defend us in moments of trial, console us in sorrows and remind us of that joy which Christ implants into the souls of His devoted servants. Intercede that we may truly be servants of mercy and reconciliation. Watch over us and guide us in our Christian lives so one day we may merit to be with you in the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father. Amen. All you Holy Martyrs of England and Wales, pray for us. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ!
The martyrs who gave their lives for their Faith actually believed it was worth dying for. They gave up everything. But if they had believed as many in the Church seem to believe today that all religions are more nor less on the same road to heaven then why would they have given their lives? What would have been the point? They believe that being Catholic was something worth dying for. I wonder how many in the Vatican really believe that today? How many of them if the point came to it would be prepared to die for the Faith? Would any of them?
SAINT OF THE DAY SUNDAY, 26 OCTOBER, 2025 SAINT EVARISTUS POPE AND MARTYR (44 - 107) Today, October 26, we celebrate the feast day of Pope Saint Evaristus (died 107), fourth successor of Saint Peter. While little is known about this fifth pope, we do know that Saint Evaristus governed the Church for nine years, during which time he laid the groundwork for future Church policy. Saint Evaristus was profoundly committed to the expansion of vocations in the Church. The institution of cardinal priests is ascribed to him, as he is the pope who first divided Rome into several titles or parishes, assigning a priest to each. He also appointed seven deacons to attend the bishop and conferred holy orders three times in the month of December which was quite unusual, given that these ceremonies were generally reserved for seasons of fasting and prayer. Saint Evaristus lived in the second century. He was originally from a Jewish family in Bethlehem. He is often depicted in art accompanied by a crib, reflecting his close ties to Christ, due to the place of his birth. Saint Evaristus' parents immigrated to Greece while he was very young, and the future pope was brought up in the Jewish faith. Pious, knowledgeable, and virtuous, Evaristus received the best education of the time. As he grew, he was more and more drawn to Christianity, and eventually he became a priest, traveling to Rome, and engaging in ministry there despite the growing threat and persecution of Christians. He was much admired for his devotion to the Lord, service to others, and commitment to the teachings of Christ. So loved was he that when Pope Anancletus (who had elevated him to bishop) was martyred, Saint Evaristus was selected to replace him. For his part, Evaristus proclaimed his belief that he was unworthy to take the throne of Peter, but the Lord saw to his ascension. Pope Saint Evaristus led the Church for approximately eight years, during which time he organized the Roman See, instructed and encouraged the clergy, and prepared the faithful for the persecution that was imminent. He wrote several letters, each reinforcing the teachings of the Church. In his first epistle, addressed to the bishops of Africa, Evaristus decreed that seven deacons were to monitor a bishop's preaching, to ensure that he did not lapse from the true teachings. Evaristus did not wish to see undue accusations aimed at his bishops, yet reserved solely to the See of Rome the power to terminate any bishop as a result of this indiscretion. His second epistle drew a comparison between the lasting bond of husband and wife and that of a bishop and his diocese. During Pope Saint Evaristus' leadership, the clergy were strengthened and the Catholic believers grew at an astounding rate—chiefly due to his love and zeal for the truth of Christ. However, at that time of Church formation, Evaristus was eventually arrested during the reign of Emperor Domitian, and sentenced to death for being a Christian. As he was taken to prison, his jailers were amazed to see the joy on his face, as he thought himself privileged to have been found worthy to suffer and die for Jesus. He was martyred by decapitation, and his remains were buried in the Vatican near the tomb of Saint Peter. While little is known about the life of the fifth pope, we can feel certain of his commitment to, and love of, the Lord. Pope Saint Evaristus inherited a difficult task—to assume the leadership of a Church beset by persecution and suffering. Rather than turning outward, this great leader looked within the Church, strengthening the roles of bishops and clergy, preparing the faithful to survive and thrive during their suffering, as Jesus did. His simple faith, love, and courage helped prepare the Church to weather the immense persecution! PRAYER: Dear Lord, you gave your servant, Pope Evaristus, the gifts of wisdom and humility to guide your Church on earth. By his loyalty in shepherding the flock, may he continue to guide those on earth who seek his intercession. Amen.
On June 20, 1500, by means of a Royal Provision, Queen Isabella I of Castile “prohibited slavery.” This act is entirely the responsibility of Isabel I of Castile—woman, leader, and queen. With this unknown, ignored, and neglected act, the Castilian sovereign became the first European ruler to concern herself with the rights of Native Americans in the territories being discovered and incorporated into the Crown of Castile. Until that moment, slavery was considered normal in the known world, in many forms, but above all it was common practice to enslave the vanquished in war to exchange them for prisoners, among many other purposes. It is important to highlight a highly significant fact, a tradition that until then we owed to those who came before us, those who to this day enjoy great fame, prestige, and honor: the Romans. In ancient Rome, slavery was a social status; it was so common that even some free citizens adopted it as their only way to pay off debts or in the event of bankruptcy. Imagine this in today’s terms and conditions. This merits reflection directed at all those who pass judgment outside of its historical context. To advance our real understanding of what happened, we must stop accepting judgments about yesterday’s actions based on today’s rules. What happened to make the Castilian sovereign so incensed that she decreed a law unprecedented at the time? Columbus had returned from a first, successful voyage, had established himself on Hispaniola, and the Catholic Monarchs received him in Barcelona with great fanfare. Six months later, Isabella I of Castile organized a second expedition and ordered that “said Indians be treated with affection and that no harm be done to them,” warning Columbus that he must punish any mistreatment of the Indians severely. Columbus not only disobeyed the order, but also captured more than a thousand natives, which infuriated Isabella. The relationship between Columbus and the Queen was severely damaged, and Columbus fell into disgrace. After that, Queen Isabella did not lose sight of her objective and was determined to prevent such an injustice from happening again. On June 20, 1500, Queen Isabella issued a Royal Provision in the city of Seville prohibiting slavery, This law is of fundamental importance in laying the foundations of what we know today as “Human Rights,” because it not only prohibited slavery but also recognized the natives as subjects of the Crown and therefore equal in rights and duties to subjects from the Iberian Peninsula. We must celebrate June 20, 1500, an important date in Spanish history, and remember the Spanish legacy with a fair, well-documented account that relies on knowledge to challenge the prevailing narrative—both within and beyond our borders—which is rife with exaggerations, if not outright falsehoods proven over time.
Este es el territorio que España dejó a México. https://fundacionlegadodelascortes....lty_of_new_spain_1800_without_philippines.png Cuando México se independizó, tuvo que cederlo a Estados Unidos como pago por la ayuda que había recibido para financiar su independencia. España fue una gran potencia, pero siempre fue atacada por países protestantes o que abandonaron la religión católica. España no tenía colonias, y en su imperio prevalecía el estado de derecho, que establecía la igualdad de todos los ciudadanos ante la ley. Allá donde iba, construía universidades, hospitales, escuelas e infraestructura civil. Durante muchos siglos, ella fue la garante de la Iglesia Católica, y su único defecto fue ser demasiado buena, y la Virgen lo sabe, porque Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe es la prueba viviente. Con tan solo 700 hombres, conquistó Sudamérica, y lo hizo simplemente porque se enfrentó a demonios que sacrificaban cientos de vidas cada día desde sus pirámides. Ese mismo demonio es el que ahora promueve el aborto. Miles de indígenas se unieron al pequeño ejército español, que garantizaba la igualdad, la justicia y la libertad.
SAINT OF THE DAY MONDAY, 27 OCTOBER, 2025 SAINT FRUMENTIUS OF ETHIOPIA BISHOP AND CONFESSOR (4th Century AD - c. 383) Edesius and Frumentius, brothers from Tyre, Phoenician, introduced Christianity into Abyssinia; the latter a saint and first Bishop of Axum is styled the Apostle of Abyssinia, d. about 383. According to the 4th-century historian Rufinus (x.9), who cites Frumentius' brother Edesius as his authority, as children (ca. 316) Frumentius and Edesius accompanied their uncle Meropius from their birthplace of Tyre (in present-day Lebanon) on a voyage to Ethiopia. When their ship stopped at one of the harbors of the Red Sea, local people massacred the whole crew, sparing the two boys, who were taken as slaves to the King of Axum. The two boys soon gained the favour of the king, who raised them to positions of trust. Shortly before his death, the king freed them. The widowed queen, however, prevailed upon them to remain at the court and assist her in the education of the young heir, Ezana, and in the administration of the kingdom during the prince's minority. They remained and (especially Frumentius) used their influence to spread Christianity. First they encouraged the Christian merchants present in the country to practise their faith openly, and they helped them find places "where they could come together for prayer according to the Roman Rite"; later they converted some of the natives. When the prince came of age, Edesius returned to Tyre, where he stayed and was ordained a priest. Frumentius, eager for the conversion of Ethiopia, accompanied his brother as far as Alexandria, where he requested Athanasius, Patriarch of Alexandria, to send a bishop and some priests as missionaries to Ethiopia. By Athanasius' own account, he believed Frumentius to be the most suitable person for the job and consecrated him as bishop, traditionally in the year 328, or according to others, between 340-346. Frumentius returned to Ethiopia, where he erected his episcopal see at Axum, then converted and baptized King Ezana, who built many churches and spread Christianity throughout Ethiopia. The people called Frumentius Kesate Birhan (Revealer of Light) and Abba Salama (Father of Peace). He became the first Abune—a title given to the head of the Ethiopian Church. In about 356, the Emperor Constantius II wrote to King Ezana and his brother Saizanas, requesting them to replace Frumentius as bishop with Theophilus, who supported the Arian position, as did the emperor. Frumentius had been appointed by Athanasius, a leading opponent of Arianism. The king refused the request. The Latins celebrate the feast of Frumentius on 27 October, the Greeks on 30 November, and the Copts on 18 December. Abyssinian tradition credits him with the first Ethiopian translation of the New Testament. PATRON: Aksumite Empire. PRAYER: Pray for us, dear Frumentius, that we may also “bloom where we are planted.” You were just a young boy in a strange and pagan land, but you made the best of the situation and brought truth and life to that desolate land and lost people. We pray for your intercession that we may bring the light of Christ with us wherever we go in the hope of inspiring others to follow Him. In His name we pray. Amen.
It's a big celebration where I am. Tonight there is a St. Jude healing mass, I will bring everyone's intentions. Many miracles attributed to St. Jude happen out here, so he is very very popular.
SAINTS OF THE DAY TUESDAY, 28 OCTOBER, 2025 SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE APOSTLES AND MARTYRS SAINT JUDE THADDEUS, APOSTLE St. Jude, known as Thaddeus, was a brother of St. James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. He was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus and his attribute is a club. Images of St. Jude often include a flame around his head, which represent his presence at Pentecost, when he accepted the Holy Spirit alongside the other apostles. Another attribute is St. Jude holding an image of Christ, in the Image of Edessa. Sometimes he can also be seen holding a carpenter's ruler or is depicted with a scroll or book, the Epistle of Jude. St. Jude was a son of Clopas and his mother Mary was the Virgin Mary's cousin. Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem. St. Jude was the one who asked Jesus at the Last Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection. He is an author of an epistle (letter) to the Churches of the East, particularly the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics. Though St. Gregory the Illuminator has been credited as the "Apostle to the Armenians," the Apostles Jude and Bartholomew are believed to have brought Christianity to Armenia, where Jude was rumored to have later been martyred. He is believed to have been martyred either in Armenia or Beirut. Following his death, St. Jude's body was brought to Rome and left in a crypt in St. Peter's Basilica. Today his bones can be found in the left transept of St. Peter's Basilica under the main altar of St. Joseph in a tomb he shares with the remains of the apostle Simon the Zealot. Pilgrims came to St. Jude's grave to pray and many reported a powerful intercession, leading to the title, "The Saint for the Hopeless and the Despaired." Two Saints, St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Bernard, had visions from God asking them to accept St. Jude as "The Patron Saint of the Impossible." Roman Catholics invoke St. Jude when in desperate situations because his New Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances -just as their forefathers had done before them; therefore, he is the patron saint of desperate cases. When the apostles are listed in Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18, Jude's name does not appear but "Thaddeus" does. This occurrence led early Christians to believe Jude was known as both "Jude" and "Thaddeus," the latter of which could have been a sort of nickname. "Thaddeus" may have become a popular nickname for Jude following Judas Iscariot's betrayal. PATRON: Desperate situations; forgotten causes; hospital workers; hospitals; impossible causes; lost causes; PRAYER TO ST. JUDE: O most holy apostle, Saint Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honoureth and invoketh thee universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, and of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, who am so miserable. Make use, I implore thee, of that particular privilege accorded to thee, to bring visible and speedy help where help was almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need, that I may receive the consolation and succor of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (here make your request) and that I may praise God with thee and all the elect throughout eternity. I promise thee, O blessed Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favour, to always honour thee as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to thee. Amen. ST. SIMON THE ZEALOT, APOSTLE St. Simon is surnamed the Canaanean or Canaanite, and the Zealot, to distinguish him from St. Peter, and from St. Simeon, the brother of St. James the Less, and his successor in the see of Jerusalem. Hammond and Grotius think that St. Simon was called the Zealot, before his coming to Christ, because he was one of that particular sect or party among the Jews called Zealots, from a singular zeal they possessed for the honour of God and the purity of religion. A party called Zealots were famous in the war of the Jews against the Romans. They were main instruments in instigating the people to shake off the yoke of subjection; they assassinated many of the nobility and others in the streets, filled the temple itself with bloodshed and other horrible profanations, and were the chief cause of the ruin of their country. But no proof is offered by which it is made to appear that any such party existed in our Saviour's time, though some then maintained that it was not lawful for a Jew to pay taxes to the Romans At least if any then took the name Zealots, they certainly neither followed the impious conduct nor adopted the false and inhuman maxims of those mentioned by Josephus in his history of the Jewish war against the Romans. St. Simon, after his conversion, was zealous for the honour of his Master, and exact in all the duties of the Christian religion; and showed a pious indignation toward those who professed this holy faith with their mouths, but dishonoured it by the irregularity of their lives. No further mention appears of him in the gospels than that he was adopted by Christ into the college of the apostles. With the rest he received the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, which he afterwards exercised with great zeal and fidelity. If this apostle preached in Egypt, Cyrene, and Mauritania, he returned into the East; for the Martyrologies of St. Jerome, Bede, Ado, and Usuard place his martyrdom in Persia, at a city called Suanir, possibly in the country of the Suani, a people in Colchis, or a little higher in Sarmatia, then allied with the Parthians in Persia; which may agree with a passage in the Acts of St. Andrew, that in the Cimmerian Bosphorus there was a tomb in a "rot, with an inscription importing that Simon the Zealot was interred there. His death is said in these Martyrologies to have been procured by the idolatrous priests. Those who mention the manner of his death say he was crucified. St. Peter's Church on the Vatican at Rome and the Cathedral of Toulouse are said to possess the chief portions of the relics of St. Simon and St. Jude. PATRON: Curriers; sawmen; sawyers; tanners. PRAYER TO ST. SIMON: O Glorious St. Simon, you were a cousin of Jesus and a devoted follower as well. You were called "the Zealot," indicating that you were willing to give your life for your religion and your freedom as a human person. Obtain for us the grace to be willing to give our lives for Christ and to labor for the freedom and peace that only God can give. Help us to spend ourselves for God on earth and be received by him in eternal bliss in heaven. Amen.
