Back from tonight's St. Jude's healing mass. St. Jude made his presence known tonight. During the procession for a blessing I saw one person fall to the ground slain in the spirit as they were blessed. I brought everyone's intentions to the mass, so don't be surprised if they are answered.
SAINT OF THE DAY Wednesday, 29th October 2025. St. Abraham Kidunaia 296 A.D.- 366 A.D. In the heart of Mesopotamia, nestled not far from Edessa, a remarkable figure emerged in the 4th century – Saint Abraham Kidunaia. Born to wealthy nobles with grand expectations for his future, Abraham's life took an unexpected turn that would define his legacy for centuries to come. Faced with an arranged marriage against his will, Abraham chose a path of solitude, slipping away on the final day of festivities to seek refuge in a cave in the desert. Little did he know, this solitary retreat would become the crucible for his spiritual journey. For seventeen days, a frantic search ensued until Abraham was discovered, immersed in prayer within the confines of his secluded abode. Despite numerous attempts to sway his resolve, Abraham remained steadfast in his commitment to a life of prayer and contemplation. Inheriting his parents' fortune upon their passing, Abraham exhibited remarkable humility and charity. Entrusting a friend to manage his wealth, he distributed half of his inheritance to the poor, embracing a life of simplicity and asceticism. Despite his desire for solitude, Abraham's reputation as a wise counselor and spiritual guide attracted many seekers to his doorstep. His influence extended even to the Bishop of Edessa, who sought his aid in converting the idolatrous city of Beth-Kidunaia. With unwavering determination, Abraham ventured into the heart of Beth-Kidunaia, erecting a Catholic church amidst staunch opposition. Despite facing persecution and violence, Abraham persisted in his mission, enduring hardship and hostility for three long years. Yet, it was his unwavering faith and selfless love that ultimately triumphed. Through his steadfast example and persuasive words, Abraham succeeded in converting the people of Kidunaia, baptizing a thousand souls and nurturing them in the Catholic faith. In a poignant twist of fate, Abraham's solitary existence was interrupted by a familial tragedy. Learning of his niece's descent into sin and degradation, Abraham embarked on a journey of redemption, confronting her with compassion and forgiveness. Disguised as a soldier, Abraham reclaimed his niece from the depths of despair, guiding her back to the solitude of the desert where she found solace and redemption in her uncle's embrace. As Saint Abraham Kidunaia neared the end of his earthly pilgrimage, his cave became a sanctuary for throngs of faithful seeking his blessing. With his passing, his legacy endured, immortalized by the fragments of his clothing revered by those who witnessed his saintly life. The tale of Saint Abraham Kidunaia serves as a timeless testament to the power of faith, perseverance, and compassion in the face of adversity. His life of solitude, sacrifice, and redemption continues to inspire generations, reminding us of the enduring triumph of the human spirit over darkness and despair.
How lovely to read about these saints I have never heard of, especially when they come from strange and exotics places like this. Hopefully we will get to meet them all in heaven as we will have all Eternity to do so. I sometimes wonder how many saints are taking an interest in each one of us as we walk through life. St Paul says we are surrounded by a great cloud of them on every side.
St. NarcissusFeast day: Oct 29 St. Narcissus was born towards the end of the first century, and he was nearly 80 years old when he was named as the 30th bishop of Jerusalem. In 195, he and Theophilus, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, presided together over a council of the bishops of Palestine held at Caesarea around Easter. There it was decreed that the feast be kept always on a Sunday, and not continually with the Jewish Passover. The bishop and historian Eusebius says the following miracle can be attributed to him: One year on Easter-eve the deacons did not have any oil for the lamps in the church, which was necessary at the solemn divine office on that day. Narcissus ordered those who had care of the lamps to bring him some water from the neighboring wells. This being done, he pronounced a devout prayer over the water. Then he bade them pour it into the lamps; which they did. The water was immediately converted into oil, to the great surprise of all the faithful. Some of this miraculous oil was kept there as a memorial at the time when Eusebius wrote his history. The veneration of all good men for this holy bishop, however, could not shelter him from the malice of the wicked. Three incorrigible sinners, fearing his severity in the observance of ecclesiastical discipline, accused him of a terrible act. The sinners swore that they were right, adding the following to their testimony: One wished that he might perish by fire, another, that he might be struck with a leprosy, and the third, that he might lose his sight, if what they alleged was not the truth. Their accusations were false, however, and soon Divine Retribution called upon them. The first was burnt in his house along with his whole family by an accidental fire in the night, the second was struck with a universal leprosy and the third, terrified by these examples, confessed the conspiracy and slander, and by the abundance of tears which he continually shed for his sins, lost his sight before his death. Narcissus either could not stand the shock of the bold calumny, or perhaps he made it an excuse for leaving Jerusalem in order to spend some time in solitude, which had long been his wish. He spent several years undiscovered in his retreat, where he enjoyed all the happiness and advantage which a close conversation with God can bestow. The neighboring bishops appointed a new pastor for his church until Narcissus returned. Upon his return, the faithful rejoiced and convinced him to once again undertake the administration of the diocese, which he did. As he reached extreme old age, he made St. Alexander his coadjutor. St. Narcissus continued to serve his flock, and even other churches, by his assiduous prayers and his earnest exhortations to unity and concord, as St. Alexander testifies in his letter to the Arsinoites in Egypt, where he says that Narcisus was at that time about one hundred and sixteen years old. The Roman Martyrology honors his memory on October 29th.
Chiara Badano Chiara Badano (October 29, 1971 – October 7, 1990) was an Italian woman who has been beatified by the Roman Catholic Church. At age nine she joined the Focolare Movement and received the nickname "Luce" ("light") by the founder Chiara Lubich. When she was 16, she was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, a painful bone cancer. Chiara died from the cancer on October 7, 1990, after a two-year battle with the disease.[1] She was beatified on September 25, 2010, at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love in Rome. Her feast day is celebrated on October 29.[2] Early life Chiara Badano was born on October 29, 1971, to Ruggero and Maria Teresa Badano in the small village of Sassello, Italy. The couple waited and prayed eleven years to have Chiara. While Ruggero worked as a truck driver, Maria Teresa stayed at home to raise their daughter. Chiara grew up with a strong and healthy relationship with her parents, but she did not always obey them and would occasionally have fights with them.[3] Focolare Movement Chiara attended her first meeting of the Focolare Movement in September 1980; she was only 9 years old. This group, especially its founder Chiara Lubich, had a profound impact on Chiara's life. The group focused on the image of the forsaken Christ as a way to make it through difficult times.[3] Chiara later wrote that, "I discovered that Jesus forsaken is the key to unity with God, and I want to choose him as my only spouse. I want to be ready to welcome him when he comes. To prefer him above all else."[4] While Chiara was a conscientious student, she struggled in school and even failed her first year of high school.[4] She was often teased in school for her strong beliefs and was given the nickname "Sister." She enjoyed the normal teenage pastimes such as listening to pop music, dancing, and singing. She was also an avid tennis player and enjoyed hiking and swimming.[3] During the summer of 1988, when she was 16 years old, Chiara had a life-changing experience in Rome with the Focolare Movement. She wrote to her parents, "This is a very important moment for me: it is an encounter with Jesus Forsaken. It hasn't been easy to embrace this suffering, but this morning Chiara Lubich explained to the children that they have to be the spouse of Jesus Forsaken."[1] After this trip she started to correspond regularly with Lubich. She then asked for her new name as this was going to be the start of a new life for her. Lubich gave her the name Chiara Luce. This was a kind of a play on words, since in Italian "Chiara" is a common girl's name, taken for example from the name of Clare of Assisi, but it is also an everyday word meaning "clear." "Luce" is occasionally found as a girl's name in Italy, though it is mostly secular rather than religious; and it is also an everyday word meaning "light." So "Chiara Luce" means "clear light."[4] Lubich wrote to Chiara, "Your luminous face shows your love for Jesus," which is why she gave her the name Luce.[3] Illness In the summer of 1988, Chiara felt a sting of pain in her shoulder while playing tennis. At first she thought nothing of it, but when the pain continued to be present she underwent a series of tests. The doctors then discovered she had a rare and painful form of bone cancer, osteogenic sarcoma. In response, Chiara simply declared, "It's for you, Jesus; if you want it, I want it, too."[3] Throughout the treatment process, Chiara refused to take any morphine so she could stay aware. She felt it was important to know her illness and pain so she could offer up her sufferings. She said, "It reduces my lucidity and there's only one thing I can do now: to offer my suffering to Jesus because I want to share as much as possible in his sufferings on the cross."[1] During her stays in the hospital, she would take the time to go on walks with another patient who was struggling with depression. These walks were beneficial to the other patient but caused Chiara great pain. Her parents often encouraged her to stay and rest but she would simply reply, "I'll be able to sleep later on."[3] One of her doctors, Antonio Delogu, said, "Through her smile, and through her eyes full of light, she showed us that death doesn't exist; only life exists."[1] A friend from the Focolare Movement said, "At first we thought we'd visit her to keep her spirits up, but very soon we understood that, in fact, we were the ones who needed her. Her life was like a magnet drawing us to her."[1] Chiara kept her spirits up, even when the harsh chemotherapy caused her hair to fall out. When a lock of her hair would fall, Chiara would simply offer it to God, saying, "For you, Jesus."[1] She also donated all her savings to a friend who was performing mission work in Africa. She wrote to him, "I don't need this money any more. I have everything."[4] To help prepare her parents for life after she died, Chiara made them dinner reservations for Valentine's Day after they refused to leave her bedside and ordered them to not return until after midnight. At Christmas she wrote, "Holy Christmas 1990. Thank you for everything. Happy New Year," on a Christmas card and hid it among some blank ones for her mother to find later.[3] Chiara's faith and spirit never dwindled even after the cancer left her unable to walk and a CAT scan showed that any hope of remission was gone. In response, she simply said, "If I had to choose between walking again and going to Heaven, I wouldn't hesitate. I would choose Heaven."[4] On July 19, 1989, Chiara almost died of a hemorrhage. Her faith did not falter as she said, "Don't shed any tears for me. I'm going to Jesus. At my funeral, I don't want people crying, but singing with all their hearts."[1] Cardinal Saldarini, Archbishop of Turin, Italy, heard about Chiara's illness and visited her at the hospital. He asked her, "The light in your eyes is splendid. Where does it come from?" Chiara simply replied, "I try to love Jesus as much as I can."[1] continued below
When Chiara realized she was not going to get better, she started to plan for her "wedding" (her funeral) with her mother. She chose the music, songs, flowers, and the readings for Mass.[1] She wanted to be buried in her "wedding dress," a white dress with a pink waist, because her death would allow her to become the bride of Christ.[3] She told her mother, "When you're getting me ready, Mum, you have to keep saying to yourself, 'Chiara Luce is now seeing Jesus.'"[1] Before she died, she told her mother, "Oh, Mama, young people…young people…they are the future. You see, I can't run anymore, but how I would like to pass on to them the torch, like in the Olympics! Young people have only one life and it's worthwhile to spend it well."[4] Death During her final hours, Chiara made her final confession and received the Eucharist. She had her family and friends pray with her, "Come, Holy Spirit." She died at 4 am on October 7, 1990, with her parents at her bedside. Her final words were, "Bye, Mum, be happy, because I am."[3] Two thousand people attended her funeral; the mayor of Sassello shut down the town so people would be able to attend.[3] Her remains are buried in the family chapel at Sassello Cemetery. Beatification Chiara's cause for sainthood was promoted by Livio Maritano, the former Bishop of Acqui Terme, Italy, beginning on June 11, 1999, and concluded on October 1, 2000.[5] On October 1, 2002, documents were transferred to the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, the subject who has the duty to decree the heroicity of the virtues of a Servant of God.[5] From March 25, 2004, to September 29, 2004, the diocesan super miro process took place.[5] From it resulted: [Healing of young Andrea Bartole from] Severe septic shock state meningococcal sepsis, ARDS syndrome complicated by right basal bronchopneumonia, DIC syndrome, acute renal failure, petechial and hemorrhagic skin manifestations with tendency to confluent generalized hematomas and generalized hypoxemic suffering, diffuse central nervous system suffering.[5] — Francesco Frigida Andrea Bartole[6] was a young man from Trieste who succumbed to terminal fulminant meningitis in 2001[7][8] in the capital city of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.[5] His parents prayed for the intercession of Chiara to heal him from the meningitis that was destroying his organs. When his condition was subsequently suddenly healed, his doctors could not medically explain what had happened. So, reasons given for canonization include dedication to caring for children and the elderly and behavior described as “heroic” in the face of illness,[9] as well as the canonical declaration of Andrea Bartole's return to health. On July 3, 2008 Benedict XVI authorized Card. José Saraiva Martins, the then Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, to decree the venerability of the Servant of God Chiara Badano.[10][5] On January 15, 2009, a commission of doctors appointed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints unanimously defined the healing as "inexplicable" by natural forces alone and also "rapid, total and lasting".[5][11] Later, the religiously oriented commission called it "miraculous" and attributed it to the intercession of Chiara Luce. The circumstance facilitated its cause of beatification. On December 12, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged the miracle and signed the decree of beatification.[5] Chiara Badano was declared a "Blessed" by the Catholic Church on September 25, 2010, at a solemn Mass celebrated at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love in Rome, in the presence of thousands of people.[5] Archbishop Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints, said that Chiara was a great example of how the short life of a young person could be lived out in great holiness and "today there are virtuous people, who in family, at school, in society, do not fritter away their lives."[2] Her feast day is celebrated on October 29
SAINT OF THE DAY THURSDAY, 30 OCTOBER, 2025 SAINT ALPHONSUS RODRIGUEZ CONFESSOR AND JESUIT COADJUTOR (25 July 1532 - 31 October 1617) Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez was born in Spain in 1532, of a well-to-do commercial household of Segovia, the third of eleven children. When Alphonsus was eleven years old, he and his older brother were sent to a Jesuit college which had just been founded. He had already manifested great joy in serving the Jesuits when they had given a mission in Segovia and lodged in his father's country home; now he rejoiced in the one year of study he was able to undertake, before the death of his father interrupted these pursuits. His brother, after certain affairs were settled, returned to school, but Alphonsus was obliged to remain at home, destined one day to replace his father. He accepted this lot and in 1557 married a virtuous wife; they were blessed with a daughter and two sons. But God intended to sanctify this soul of predilection by great and heroic sufferings. Only five years later he was already a widower, with only one little boy of three years remaining for him to raise. He believed this calamity must have come upon him for his sins, and he developed a great horror of sin; he asked God to let him bear even the torments of hell here below, rather than fall into a single mortal sin. He offered himself entirely to God, for whatever He might desire of him. Then he began a life of severe penance. A year later his mother died. He looked at his beautiful and innocent child, the only bond which still attached him to the earth; and he prayed to God that if ever that child should offend Him, to take him at once. His prayer was granted before long. Alphonsus left Segovia and went to Valencia, where a Jesuit priest he had loved and admired earlier in Segovia was then stationed. This priest helped him to attain a loving confidence in God. He was thirty-eight years old when he requested his admission to the Order, but insufficient instruction and his unstable health, affected by his austerities, were regarded as obstacles. For two years he was employed as a preceptor of the young by two families of that city; finally, when he renewed his request for admission, he was accepted. His religious life was spent primarily as a porter in a Jesuit college on the island of Majorca; his interior life was a succession of moral tortures, borne with perfect humility and love of God. The demons would not leave alone this holy man who made it his joy to take upon himself all the most humble and fatiguing offices. He cast himself, as it were, into the abyss of the love of Jesus Crucified. Twice he was thrown down a cement staircase by the adjured enemies of man's salvation; but his love for his crucified Saviour was proof against all such attempts on his virtue. He was afflicted with various illnesses, which plunged him into a sort of preliminary purgatory but did not change his life of effacement and service. In 1591 he was already 60 years old when he received an order to sleep thereafter in a bed; until then he had contented himself with a few hours of sleep on a table or in a chair. He served a chapel where the elderly or infirm fathers celebrated late Masses. He was told to write the story of his life, which work he began with hesitation in 1604. He was not spared the trial of being misunderstood and underestimated by a new Superior, but he found only joy and consolation in the public reproaches he received. He wrote in his book of maxims: “In the difficulties which are placed before me, why should I not act like a donkey? When one speaks ill of him — the donkey says nothing. When he is mistreated — he says nothing. When he is forgotten — he says nothing. When no food is given him — he says nothing. When he is made to advance — he says nothing. When he is despised — he says nothing. When he is overburdened — he says nothing... The true servant of God must do likewise, and say with David: Before You I have become like a beast of burden.” The story of his association in his old age with Saint Peter Claver, the novice whose future mission he saw by a vision and foretold to him, is written into the annals of the Church in letters of gold; the two Saints were canonized together by Pope Leo XIII after more than two centuries. Saint Alphonsus died in 1617; already he was known and loved as a Saint by the population. In 1825 he was beatified, and in 1888 Pope Leo XIII closed the inquiries after two new miracles had been verified, and proceeded to the ceremonies of canonization in Rome. The memory of Saint Alphonsus remains in benediction in the Order and in the hearts of those who know the value of the Cross of Christ and its perpetuity in His Mystical Body. PATRON: Majorca and Jesuit brothers. PRAYER: O God, in the faithful service of our brother Alphonsus You have shown us the way to joy and peace. Make us ready and watchful companions of Jesus, who became the servant of all, and now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
SAINT OF THE DAY FRIDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2025 Wolfgang of Regensburg. Wolfgang (d. 994) + Bishop and reformer. Born in Swabia, Germany, he studied at Reichnau under the Benedictines and at Wurzburg before serving as a teacher in the cathedral school of Trier. He soon entered the Benedictines at Einsiedeln (964) and was appointed head of the monastery school, receiving ordination in 971. He then set out with a group of monks to preach among the Magyars of Hungary, but the following year (972) was named bishop of Regensburg by Emperor Otto II (r. 973-983). As bishop, he distinguished himself brilliantly for his reforming zeal and his skills as a statesman. He brought the clergy of the diocese into his reforms, restored monasteries, promoted education, preached enthusiastically, and was renowned for his charity and aid to the poor, receiving the title Eleemosynarius Major (Grand Almoner). He also served as tutor to Emperor Henry II (r. 1014-1024) while he was still king. Wolfgang died at Puppingen near Linz, Austria. He was canonized in 1052 by Pope St. Leo IX (r. 1049-1054). Feast day: October 31. For places named after the saint, see Sankt Wolfgang (disambiguation). Wolfgang of Regensburg (Latin: Wolfgangus; c. 934 – 31 October 994 AD) was bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria from Christmas 972 until his death. He is a saint in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. He is regarded as one of the three great German saints of the 10th century, the other two being Ulrich of Augsburg and Conrad of Constance. Towards the end of his life Wolfgang withdrew as a hermit to a solitary spot, in the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria. Soon after Wolfgang's death many churches chose him as their patron saint, and various towns were named after him. Early life Wolfgang was descended from the family of the Swabian Counts of Pfullingen. When seven years old, he had an ecclesiastic as a tutor at home; later he attended the celebrated monastic school at Reichenau Abbey. Here he formed a strong friendship with Henry of Babenberg, brother of Bishop Poppo of Würzburg, whom he followed to Würzburg in order to attend the lectures of the noted Italian grammarian Stephen of Novara at the cathedral school. After Henry was made Archbishop of Trier in 956, he summoned Wolfgang, who became a teacher in the cathedral school of Trier, and also labored for the reform of the archdiocese, despite the hostility with which his efforts were met. Wolfgang's residence at Trier greatly influenced his monastic and ascetic tendencies, as here he came into contact with the great reform monastery of the 10th century, St. Maximin's Abbey, Trier, where he made the acquaintance of Ramuold, the teacher of Saint Adalbert of Prague. After the death of Archbishop Henry of Trier in 964, Wolfgang entered the Benedictine order in the Abbey of Maria Einsiedeln, Switzerland, and was ordained priest by Saint Ulrich in 968. Mission to the Magyars After their defeat in the Battle of the Lechfeld (955), Hungarians settled in ancient Pannonia, where they remained a constant menace to the empire. At the request of Ulrich, who clearly saw the danger, and at the desire of the Emperor Otto the Great, Wolfgang, according to the abbey annals, was "sent to the Hungarians" as the most suitable man to evangelize them. He was followed by other missionaries sent by Piligrim, Bishop of Passau, under whose jurisdiction the new missionary region came. Bishop of Regensburg After the death of Bishop Michael of Regensburg (23 September 972) Bishop Piligrim obtained from the emperor the appointment of Wolfgang as the new bishop (Christmas 972). Wolfgang's services in this new position were of the highest importance. As Bishop of Regensburg, Wolfgang became the tutor of Emperor Saint Henry II, who learned from him the principles which governed his life. Poppe, son of Margrave Luitpold, Archbishop of Trier (1018), and Tagino, Archbishop of Magdeburg (1004–1012), also had him as their teacher. Wolfgang deserves credit for his disciplinary labours in his diocese. His main work in this respect was connected with the ancient and celebrated St. Emmeram's Abbey, which he reformed by granting it once more abbots of its own, thus withdrawing it from the control of the bishops of Regensburg, who for many years had been abbots in commendam, a condition of affairs that had been far from beneficial to the abbey and monastic life. He was one of the first German bishops to do this, and his example in this was much copied across Germany in the years following. In the Benedictine monk Ramuold, whom Wolfgang called from Saint Maximin at Trier, Saint Emmeram received a capable abbot (975). Wolfgang was an advocate of the monastic reforms of Gorze Abbey which aimed at a reestablishing adherence to the Rule of St. Benedict. He also reformed the convents of Obermünster and Niedermünster at Regensburg, chiefly by giving them as an example the convent of St. Paul, Mittelmünster, at Regensburg, which he had founded in 983. He also cooperated in the reform of the ancient and celebrated Benedictine Abbey of Niederaltaich, which had been founded by the Agilolfinger dynasty, and which from that time took on new life. He showed genuine episcopal generosity in the liberal manner with which he met the views of the Emperor Otto II regarding the intended reduction in size of his diocese for the benefit of the new Diocese of Prague (975), to which Adalbert of Prague was appointed first bishop. As prince of the empire he performed his duties towards the emperor and the empire with the utmost scrupulousness and, like Ulrich, was one of the mainstays of the Ottonian policies. He took part in the various imperial Diets, and, in the autumn of 978, accompanied the Emperor Otto II on his campaign to Paris, and took part in the Diet of Verona in June 983. He was succeeded by Gebhard I. Hermitage and death Apparently on account of a political dispute between Duke Henry II of Bavaria and Emperor Otto II, Wolfgang spent a year at Mondsee in 976. From there he withdrew as a hermit to a solitary spot, now the Wolfgangsee ("Wolfgang's Lake") in the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria. He was discovered by a hunter and brought back to Regensburg. While travelling on the Danube to Pöchlarn in Lower Austria, he fell ill at the village of Pupping, which is between Eferding and the market town of Aschach near Linz, and at his request was carried into the chapel of Saint Othmar at Pupping, where he died. His body was taken up the Danube by his friends Count Aribo of Andechs and Archbishop Hartwich of Salzburg to Regensburg, and was solemnly buried in the crypt of Saint Emmeram. Many miracles were reported at his grave; in 1052 he was canonized. Veneration Saint Wolfgang as depicted in the Kefermarkt altarpiece Soon after Wolfgang's death many churches chose him as their patron saint, and various towns were named after him. Wolfgang is sometimes counted among the Fourteen Holy Helpers. He is the patron saint of woodcutters. In Christian art he has been especially honoured by the medieval Tyrolean painter Michael Pacher (1430–1498), who created an imperishable memorial to him, the high altar of St. Wolfgang. In the panel pictures which are now exhibited in the Old Pinakothek at Munich are depicted in an artistic manner the chief events in the saint's life. The Kefermarkt altarpiece in Kefermarkt in Upper Austria is another monumental Late Gothic piece of art dedicated to the saint. The oldest portrait of Wolfgang is a miniature, painted about the year 1100 in the Evangeliary of Saint Emmeram, now in the library of the castle cathedral at Kraków. A modern picture by Schwind is in the Schack Gallery at Munich. This painting represents the legend of Wolfgang forcing the devil to help him to build a church. In other paintings he is generally depicted in episcopal dress, an axe in the right hand and the crozier in the left, or as a hermit in the wilderness being discovered by a hunter. The axe refers to an incident in the life of the saint. After having selected a solitary spot in the wilderness, he prayed and then threw his axe into the thicket; the spot on which the axe fell he regarded as the place where God intended he should build his cell. This axe is still shown in the little market town of St. Wolfgang which sprang up on the spot of the old cell. Literature At the request of the Abbey of St. Emmeram, the life of Wolfgang was written by Otloh, a Benedictine monk of St. Emmeram about 1050. This life is especially important for the early medieval history both of the church and of civilization in Bavaria and Austria, and it forms the basis of all later accounts of the saint.
SAINT OF THE DAY FRIDAY, 31 OCTOBER, 2025 SAINT QUENTIN (QUINTIN) MARTYR (c. 287) Saint Quentin was a Roman, descended from a senatorial family. Full of zeal for the kingdom of Jesus Christ, he left his country and went into Gaul, accompanied by eleven other apostles sent from Rome. They separated to extend their campaign of evangelization to the various regions of France. Saint Quentin remained at Amiens and endeavored by his prayers and labors to make that region part of Our Lord's inheritance. By the force of his words and works he preluded the glory of his martyrdom. He gave sight to the blind, vigor to paralytics, hearing to the deaf, and agility to the infirm, in the name of Our Lord, simply by the sign of the Cross. At all hours of the day he invoked his God in fervent supplications. But this apostolate could not escape the notice of Rictiovarus, the Roman prosecutor who at that time represented Maximian Herculeus in Gaul. Saint Quentin was seized at Amiens, thrown into prison, and loaded with chains. Rictiovarus asked him: How does it happen that you, of such high nobility and the son of so distinguished a father, have given yourself up to so superstitious a religion, a folly, and that you adore an unfortunate man crucified by other men? Saint Quentin replied: It is sovereign nobility to adore the Creator of heaven and earth, and to obey willingly His divine commandments. What you call folly is supreme wisdom. What is there that is wiser than to recognize the unique true God, and to reject with disdain the counterfeits, which are mute, false and deceiving? When the holy preacher was found to be invulnerable to either promises or threats, the prosecutor condemned him to the most barbarous torture. He was stretched on the rack and flogged. He prayed for strength, for the honor and glory of the name of God, forever blessed. He was returned to the prison when the executioners who were striking him fell over backwards, and told Rictiovarus they were unable to stand up, and could scarcely speak. An Angel released the prisoner during the night, telling him to go and preach in the city, and that the persecutor would soon fall before the justice of God. His sermon, a commented paraphrase of the Apostles' Creed, has been conserved. To his profession of faith in the Holy Trinity, he added that Our Lord Jesus Christ, whom he adored, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, health to the sick and even life to the dead. At His voice, the lame leaped up and ran, paralytics walked, and water was changed into wine... He has promised to be forever with those who hope in Him, and He never abandons those who place their hope in Him; by His omnipotence He delivers them, whenever it pleases Him, from all their tribulations. His guardians discovered that he had disappeared, though all doors were barred, and found him in the city preaching. They were converted by the prodigy. But Rictiovarus was furious and said to them: You, too, have become magicians?When the holy preacher was found to be invulnerable to either promises or threats, the prosecutor condemned him to the most barbarous torture. He was stretched on the rack and flogged. He prayed for strength, for the honor and glory of the name of God, forever blessed. He was returned to the prison when the executioners who were striking him fell over backwards, and told Rictiovarus they were unable to stand up, and could scarcely speak. An Angel released the prisoner during the night, telling him to go and preach in the city, and that the persecutor would soon fall before the justice of God. His sermon, a commented paraphrase of the Apostles' Creed, has been conserved. To his profession of faith in the Holy Trinity, he added that Our Lord Jesus Christ, whom he adored, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, health to the sick and even life to the dead. At His voice, the lame leaped up and ran, paralytics walked, and water was changed into wine... He has promised to be forever with those who hope in Him, and He never abandons those who place their hope in Him; by His omnipotence He delivers them, whenever it pleases Him, from all their tribulations. His guardians discovered that he had disappeared, though all doors were barred, and found him in the city preaching. They were converted by the prodigy. But Rictiovarus was furious and said to them: You, too, have become magicians? Brought back before the tribunal as a sorcerer, Saint Quentin said: If by persevering in my faith, I am put to death by you, I will not cease to live in Jesus Christ; this is my hope, I maintain it with confidence. He was again placed on the rack and beaten, and tortured with other demoniacal means; his flesh pierced with two iron wires from the shoulders to the thighs, and iron nails were thrust into his fingers, his skull and body. Finally, this glorious martyr was decapitated, after praying and saying: O Lord Jesus, God of God, Light of Light..., for love of whom I have given up my body to all the torments... ah! I implore Thee, in Thy holy mercy, receive my spirit and soul, which I offer Thee with all the ardor of my desires. Do not abandon me, O most kind King, most clement King, who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever! His death occurred on October 31, 287. His body was twice buried secretly, and twice it was rediscovered miraculously — in the years 338 and 641, first by Saint Eusebie of Rome, on a marshy island, where it had remained intact; later near the city of Augusta, by Saint Eloi. Saint Quentin remains in great honor in France above all, where more than fifty-two churches and as many localities were, at the beginning of the 20th century, dedicated to his memory; he is honored also in Belgium and in Italy. Charlemagne and the kings of France have gone to venerate the relics of Saint Quentin.REFLECTION: Let us never forget that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, prepared by God for those who love Him. (Romans 8:18; I Cor. 2:9) PATRON: Bombardiers, chaplains, locksmiths, porters, tailors, and surgeons. Invoked against coughs, sneezes, and dropsy. PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, may we all be bold in our witness to you as St. Quentin, fearing not those who can kill the body, but striving to always be true to you, that we, too, may save our souls and spend eternity with you. Amen.
By accident I watched an old EWTN show on Saint Martin De Porres. It was quite wonderful, you can watch it one the EWTN App.
FEAST OF THE DAY SATURDAY, 1 NOVEMBER, 2025 THE SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS Throughout the year the Church celebrates daily the feasts of different saints. Today she joins them all in one great festival. In addition to those whose names she has declared, she recalls in a magnificent vision all the others "of all nations and tribes standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, proclaiming Him who redeemed them in His Blood." The feast of All Saints should inspire us with tremendous hope. Among the saints in heaven are some whom we have known. All lived on earth lives like our own. They were baptized, marked with the sign of faith, they were faithful to Christ's teaching and they have gone before us to the heavenly home whence they call on us to follow them. The Gospel of the Beatitudes, read today, while it shows their happiness, shows, too, the road that they followed; there is no other that will lead us whither they have gone. "The Commemoration of All Saints" was first celebrated in the East. The feast is found in the West on different dates in the eighth century. The Roman Martyrology mentions that this date is a claim of fame for Gregory IV (827-844) and that he extended this observance to the whole of Christendom; it seems certain, however, that Gregory III (731-741) preceded him in this. At Rome, on the other hand, on May 13, there was the annual commemoration of the consecration of the basilica of St. Maria ad Martyres (or St. Mary and All Martyrs). This was the former Pantheon, the temple of Agrippa, dedicated to all the gods of paganism, to which Boniface IV had translated many relics from the catacombs. Gregory VII transferred the anniversary of this dedication to November 1 PRAYER: Almighty ever-living God, by whose gift we venerate in one celebration the merits of all the Saints, bestow on us, we pray, through the prayers of so many intercessors, an abundance of the reconciliation with you for which we earnestly long. 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. Dear God, thank you for the example of the Saints. I desire to join in their company, worshiping you forever in Heaven. Please help me to follow their footsteps, and yours, Jesus Christ. Please help me to conform myself to Your image, seeking Your will in all things, as the Saints did. Please help me to devote myself, and all that I do, for Your glory, and to the service of my neighbors. Amen. THE LITANY OF THE SAINTS Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us. Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us. Saint Michael, pray for us. Saint Gabriel, pray for us. Saint Raphael, pray for us. All ye holy angels and archangels, pray for us. All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, pray for us. Saint John the Baptist, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. All ye holy patriarchs and prophets, pray for us. Saint Peter, pray for us. Saint Paul, pray for us. Saint Andrew, pray for us. Saint James, pray for us. Saint John, pray for us. Saint Thomas, pray for us. Saint James, pray for us. Saint Philip, pray for us. Saint Bartholomew, pray for us. Saint Matthew, pray for us. Saint Simon, pray for us. Saint Thaddeus, pray for us. Saint Matthias, pray for us. Saint Barnabas, pray for us. Saint Luke, pray for us. Saint Mark, pray for us. All ye holy apostles and evangelists, pray for us. All ye holy disciples of the Lord, pray for us. All ye holy innocents, pray for us. Saint Stephen, pray for us. Saint Lawrence, pray for us. Saint Vincent, pray for us. Saints Fabian and Sebastian, pray for us. Saints John and Paul, pray for us. Saints Cosmos and Damian, pray for us. Saints Gervase and Protase, pray for us. All ye holy martyrs, pray for us. Saint Sylvester, pray for us. Saint Gregory, pray for us. Saint Ambrose, pray for us. Saint Augustine, pray for us. Saint Jerome, pray for us. Saint Martin, pray for us. Saint Nicholas, pray for us. All ye holy bishops and confessors, pray for us. All ye holy doctors, pray for us. Saint Anthony, pray for us. Saint Benedict, pray for us. Saint Bernard, pray for us. Saint Dominic, pray for us. Saint Francis, pray for us. All ye holy priests and levites, pray for us. All ye holy monks and hermits, pray for us. Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us. Saint Agatha, pray for us. Saint Lucy, pray for us. Saint Agnes, pray for us. Saint Cecilia, pray for us. Saint Catherine, pray for us. Saint Anastasia, pray for us. Saint Clare, pray for us. All ye holy virgins and widows, pray for us. All ye holy men and women, saints of God, intercede for us. Be merciful, spare us, O Lord. Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord. From all evil, deliver us O Lord. From all sin, deliver us O Lord. From Thy wrath, deliver us O Lord. From sudden and unprovided death, deliver us O Lord. From the snares of the devil, deliver us O Lord. From anger, and hatred, and all ill-will, deliver us O Lord. From the spirit of fornication, deliver us O Lord. From the scourge of earthquake, deliver us O Lord. From plague, famine, and war, deliver us O Lord. From lightning and tempest, deliver us O Lord. From everlasting death, deliver us O Lord. Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy coming, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy birth, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy baptism and holy fasting, deliver us O Lord. Through the Institution of the Most Blessed Sacrament, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy cross and passion, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy death and burial, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy holy Resurrection, deliver us O Lord. Through Thine admirable Ascension, deliver us O Lord. Through the coming of the Holy Ghost the Paraclete, deliver us O Lord. In the day of judgment, deliver us O Lord. We sinners, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst pardon us, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to govern and preserve Thy holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolic Prelate and all orders of the Church in holy religion, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to humble the enemies of holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bring back to the unity of the Church all those who have strayed away, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from eternal damnation, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously to hear us, we beseech Thee, hear us. Son of God, we beseech Thee, hear us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. LET US PRAY: Almighty, everlasting God, who hast dominion over both the living and the dead and art merciful to all who, as Thou foreknowest, will be Thine by faith and works; we humbly beseech Thee that they for whom we intend to pour forth our prayers, whether this present world still doth detain them in the flesh or the world to come hath already received them stripped of their mortal bodies, may, by the grace of Thy fatherly love and through the intercession of all the saints, obtain the remission of all their sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth God, world without end. Amen.
At Mass last night I felt the joy of heaven at this Feast and all the saints seemed to be jumping p and down with joy. From time to time I do a life review of all the people whom I have met in my life whom I regarded as Saints and there have been many, many. Just thinking of their memory is such a huge source of joy. But you know many people would not know or see a saint for what they are if they sat on their heads. It takes Faith to see this. Faith and Charity.
ALL SOULS DAY SUNDAY, 2 NOVEMBER, 2025 THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS) The Church, after rejoicing yesterday with those of her children who have entered the glory of heaven, today prays for all those who, in the purifying suffering of purgatory await the day when they will be joined to the company of saints. At no place in the liturgy is stated in more striking fashion the mysterious union between the Church triumphant, the Church militant and the Church suffering; at no time is there accomplished in clearer fashion the twofold duty of charity and justice deriving for every Christian from the fact of his incorporation in the mystical Body of Christ. By virtue of the consoling doctrine of the communion of saints the merits and prayers of each one are able to help all; and the Church is able to join her prayer with that of the saints in heaven and supply what is wanting to the souls in purgatory by means of the Mass, indulgences and the alms and sacrifices of her children. The celebration of Mass, the sacrifice of Calvary continued on our altars, has ever been for the Church the principal means of fulfilling towards the dead the great commandment of charity. Masses for the dead are found in the fifth century. But it was St. Odilo, fourth abbot of Cluny, who was responsible for the institution of the general commemoration of all the faithful departed; he instituted it and fixed its celebration on November 2, the day after All Saints. The practice spread to the rest of Christendom. Daily in a special Memento in the Canon of the Mass, at which the priest remembers all those who have fallen asleep in the Lord, the priest implores God to grant them a place of happiness, light and peace. Thus there is no Mass in which the Church does not pray for the faithful departed; but today her thoughts are directed towards them in a particular fashion, with the maternal preoccupation of leaving no soul in purgatory without spiritual aid and of grouping them all together in her intercession. By a privilege that Benedict XV's decree has extended to the whole world every priest can today celebrate three Masses; for the liberation of the souls in purgatory the Church multiplies the offering of the sacrifice of Christ, from which she draws forever on behalf of all her children, infinite fruits of redemption. LITANY FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY O Jesus, Thou suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of: My dear parents and grandparents, my Jesus mercy! My brothers and sisters and other near relatives, my Jesus mercy! My godparents and sponsors of confirmation, my Jesus mercy! My spiritual and temporal benefactors, my Jesus mercy! My friends and neighbors, my Jesus mercy! All for whom love or duty bids me pray, my Jesus mercy! Those who have offended me, my Jesus mercy! Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me, my Jesus mercy! Those who are especially beloved by Thee, my Jesus mercy! Those whose release is near at hand, my Jesus mercy! Those who desire most to be united to Thee, my Jesus mercy! Those who endure the greatest sufferings, my Jesus mercy! Those whose release is most remote, my Jesus mercy! Those who are least remembered, my Jesus mercy! Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church, my Jesus mercy! The rich, who now are the most destitute, my Jesus mercy! The mighty, who now are powerless, my Jesus mercy! The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly, my Jesus mercy! The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness, my Jesus mercy! The poor, who did not seek the treasures of heaven, my Jesus mercy! The tepid, who devoted little time to prayer, my Jesus mercy! The indolent, who neglected to perform good works, my Jesus mercy! Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments, my Jesus mercy! The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace, my Jesus mercy! Parents who failed to watch over their children, my Jesus mercy! Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them, my Jesus mercy! Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures, my Jesus mercy! The worldly-minded, who failed to use their wealth and talents in the service of God, my Jesus mercy! Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own, my Jesus mercy! Those who did not provide for the life hereafter, my Jesus mercy! Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them, my Jesus mercy! The popes, kings and rulers, my Jesus mercy! The bishops and their counselors, my Jesus mercy! My teachers and spiritual advisors, my Jesus mercy! The deceased priests of this diocese, my Jesus mercy! The priests and religious of the Catholic Church, my Jesus mercy! The defenders of the holy faith, my Jesus mercy! Those who died on the battlefield, my Jesus mercy! Those who fought for their country, my Jesus mercy! Those who were buried in the sea, my Jesus mercy! Those who died of apoplexy, my Jesus mercy! Those who died of heart attacks, my Jesus mercy! Those who suffered and died of cancer, my Jesus mercy! Those who died suddenly in accidents, my Jesus mercy! Those who died without the last rites of the Church, my Jesus mercy! Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours, my Jesus mercy! My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgment seat, my Jesus mercy! Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of Thy redemption. Amen.
