All Soul's Day, November 2nd

Yesterday,  November 1^st, we observed the All Saint’ day, the feast of those holy men and women who are in the Church’s roll of saints and who are not.  Today, on November 2^nd we turn our attention to those souls who are in the Church Suffering or the purgatory.  Today, we pray for the purification of the souls in Purgatory, remembering those who have gone before us, and entreating the Lord to take them into Heaven. Welcome to the saint of the day.

The Church's teaching about Purgatory, the place of purification, is explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter heaven.

 

The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent.”

There is no dogma of the Church which speaks about the duration of the punishment and purification and the exact nature of the cleansing.  Many saints, including St. Augustine refer to Purgatory through the imagery of fire. In our times Pope Benedict XVI has come out with an explanation of Purgatory as a state of existence, different from the states in the temporal plane, an experience out side space and time. According to him it is time of preparation for entry into heaven, a place which is pure beyond anything that we have experienced here on earth. To enter into that realm of pure presence of Almighty God some cleansing is required in the case of many souls.

Saints are souls who have been given heaven, the rewards of Heaven, at the very moment of their death.  These saints can intercede for us. However, there are many who lived Christian life and died in friendship with God, yet not cleansed from their sins completely which makes them unfit for beatific vision of God. Their past transgressions have not been completely blotted out.  The Church calls the place where they are preparing to enter heaven, purgatory.  The faithful who are on earth can help those dear departed through prayers, alms, deeds and especially by the sacrifice of the Mass.

Apart from the spiritual benefits of observing the All Souls Day, it gives an opportunity for us to remember the dear departed. It helps us to think of the way they led Christian life. Remembering, them, saying Mass for them and giving alms are also opportunity to pay homage to them.

All Saints Day , November 1st

Pope Benedict, on All Saints Day in 2008, proclaimed the following words:

“With great joy, we celebrate today the feast of All Saints. Visiting a nursery garden, one remains taken aback,  at the variety of plants and flowers, and spontaneously begins to think of the Creator's fantasy that made the earth a marvelous garden. These same sentiments come to us when we consider the spectacle of holiness: the world appears to us as a "garden," where the Spirit of God has sustained with remarkable wonder, a multitude of saints, male and female, from every age and social condition, of every tongue, people and culture.

 

Each is different from the others, with the uniqueness of their own personality and their own spiritual charisma. All, however, were marked by the "seal" of Jesus, the imprint of his love, witnessed upon the Cross. All now are at joy, in a feast without end. Like Jesus, they reached this goal across toil and trial, each one encountering their share of sacrifice to participate in the glory of the resurrection.”

Today, November the First, the Church celebrates the feast of all saints. Welcome to the saint of the day.

 The Book of Revelation  Chapter 7 verse  nine and fourteen gives the magnificent vision of the multitudes of saints gathered around the Lamb:

 “After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands

One of the elders  said to me, ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “

Indeed there are many saints in the Church’s roll of saints  and each has been given a special day. There are also millions of saints who lived heroic Christian lives. They are unknown and their story never told. This feast celebrates the feasts of all saints. In this great galaxy of saints the supreme position is indeed given  to Mary  Our Mother who is highest perfection of saint hood.

Today we celebrate our communion with the all the saints who have gone before us leading a life of holiness. The saints of God are living entities just like each one of us. They constantly enjoy the blissful vision of God and intercede for us in the presence of God.

All saints Day  is a day of hope for all of us, the hope that one day we will also find our place in the book of  life provided that we lead a life based on the teachings of Christ. The feast  is also a warning that Christian life is not merely a member ship in the Church, it is an invitation to participate in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, in a special way.  The supreme example of saint hood is that our Lady. Her saint hood was her complete surrender of her will to the will of God, so gloriously expressed in the first fiat, let thy will be done, that she uttered at the time of annunciation.

Each of us is called to say a fiat, let thy will be done, in our lives too. Indeed, each person’s acquiring of  saint hood will be unique, based on the calling and the special charisma  with which we are blessed.

Saint Wolfgang of Ratisbon, October 31:

Saint Wolfgang of Ratisbon is credited as the man who started the evangelization process of the Magyar region, now called Hungary. Though a Benedictine Monk ,the Emperor Otto II,  found him to be the right man to evangelize the Magyar race.
Today, October 31, the Church celebrates the feast day of Saint Wolfgang, or Ratisbon missionary, priest, and bishop. In his life, Saint Wolfgang worked to reform the Church,  and those he came across, encouraging them to greater faith, humility, and love for the Lord.
Wolfgang was born in Swabia, Germany, as the son of a nobleman. He had his early education from a local priest and later he went to to the abbey of Reichenau, on Lake Constanz, to continue his education. It is there he met Henry, the younger brother of the bishop of Wurzburg. In Wurzburg, the bishop had established a school, and Henry told the young Wolfgang to travel with him to get the finest education of the time.

 

Wolfgang was a brilliant student.  After studies Wolfgang remained at the school as a teacher. Later, Henry became the Archbishop of Trier, and again persuaded Wolfgang to accompany him to that city to teach in the cathedral school. It is there Wolfgang met Saint Rambold, a monk known for his reform and zeal for the Lord, and worked together in strengthening the faith of the congregation and community there.
When Henry died in 964, Wolfgang left Trier to become a Benedictine monk at Einseideln. Recognized as a great teacher, Wolfgang was immediately put in charge of the abbey school, which became in short time known as the best school in the locality.

Wolfgang took his religious vows and was ordained by Saint Ulric in 971. His first priestly duty was to Hungary, which was not very successful. However, he is the one who started the movement which finally made the Hungarians Christians.  Subsequently he was appointed as bishop of Regensburg by Emperor Otto II and Saint Rambold.  Though Wolfgang longed for a quiet monastic life, he obediently accepted the position. As a bishop Wolfgang continued to dress in his monk’s robes and declined riches and privilege typical of bishops at that time.

 As a bishop Wolfgang undertook immediate reform of the clergy, monasteries, and convents in the city. He was convinced that faithful, without models to look up to in their clergy and religious, would slip into a lax life. Through the reforming the monasteries and convents, he reformed the entire region! With love and zeal, he guided his people, preaching widely and zealously. Saint Wolfgang was a perfect model of the love of Christ, giving all he had to those in greater need. Though he was successful in his pastoral life, he felt drawn to the monastic life he loved, attempting on multiple occasions to become a hermit. However, the overwhelming need of the people drew him back to the city. He became known as the Great Almoner, due his charity, and his care for, lay people in his diocese.

The entire diocese of Regensburg came to value the idealism and courage and holiness of their bishop. He died in 994 while on a trip down the Danube; his body was brought back and enshrined in Regensburg. A cult was formed around him and the place quickly became a center of pilgrimage, and many miracles have been recorded at his tomb. In 1054, Pope Saint Leo IX canonized Saint Wolfgang as an exemplary bishop who by his personal life became a role model for the faithful, and by his pastoral care brought about changes in the life of the faithful entrusted to his care.

 

 

 

 

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, October 30th

In the Church of Montesion built between 1571 and 1683, lies the holy remains of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, the Jesuit Porter saint who spent his entire religious life, about 45 years serving as the porter of the nearby Jesuit college. Today, 30^th October, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez.  Welcome to the saint of the day.

Alphonsus was born in Segovia, Spain as the son of a rich merchant. He loved Mother Mary as his own mother right from his childhood.  This was the anchor of his spiritual live. With the desire to become a Jesuit he started his studies with them, hoping to be accepted by them when he was old enough. However, the unexpected death of his father forced him to go home and to take up his father’s business.
Subsequently he marries and three children were born to him. His life was soon beset with a string of tragic events, the death of his mother, wife and two of the three children. The trauma of these loses also resulted in the down fall of his business. He struggled to pay his employees and was forced to wind up the business.

 

With his toddler son he stayed with his sister for some time.  It was a time to take stock of his life.  Later he wrote:  “In failure I saw the majesty of God. I saw the sublime grandeur of God from the dust of my misery. I imagined myself as a second David, and the Miserere was the expression of my state of soul.”
After some years his remaining son too died. The more he suffered the more he decided to surrender to the will of God. All these calamities impaired his health and he had very little education. A candidate like him was least fit to join any religious order. However, in his ardent desire to become a religious, his Jesuit mentors saw the finger of God and accepted him to become a lay brother. Jesuits tried to improve his academic level at Barcelona which was not successful.  Eventually he had to sit with school children even though he was in his forty’s.

He joined the Jesuit novitiate and was sent to the Montesion College on the Island of Majorca.  For the next forty-five years, he served as the doorkeeper and hall porter-- a duty which involved delivering packages, seeing to the lodging of travelers, greeting guests to the college, and dispensing alms to the poor. When not greeting guests and humbly serving at the most menial post, he could be found at prayer or in silent meditation.

Though as a porter, he was ignored by many, some however noticed his holiness and came for spiritual guidance. One among such was St. Peter Claver a Jesuit seminarian to whom he discerned the will of God, which was to serve the black slaves. This made Peter Claver “a saint in slave trade” and the servant of slaves.

His spiritual superiors affirm that a single conversation with him did more good than reading a huge treatise on spirituality. Though he was poor in erudition he came to known as the Doctor of Majorca.  The porter’s job was repetitious and monotonous work, demanding much humility, but Rodriguez imagined everyone who knocked at the door to be the Lord and greeted everyone with the same smile he would have given God. When the doorbell rang, he could be heard exclaiming, “Lord, I’m coming!” as he hurried to greet the arriving visitor.

Saint Alphonsus was conscious of his educational limitations, but looked to the grace of God as explanation of his ability to serve. He said, “Insofar as the consciousness of my own debility became keen in me, I felt the grandeur of the Lord.” Saint Alphonsus died following an extended illness. The three nights before his death, following his last Eucharist, were spent in visionary ecstasy. His funeral was attended by Church and government leaders

( Please ask your dear ones and friends to Start the Day with the Saint, published on the eve of the feast, everyday)

 

 

September 25th, St. Vinvent Strambi

The image of SAINT VINCENT STRAMBI somewhat unknown to many, is household word in

Central Italy. The life of this heroic champion of the Faith is full of lessons for us all, but one stands out in bold relief—his unswerving loyalty to the Holy See in time of persecution. In defense of its rights, he suffered six years of exile, and finally gave up his life that a Pope might not die. Today, the 25th September, the Church celebrates the feast of SAINT VINCENT STRAMBI. Welcome to the saint of the Day.

Vincent Strambi was born in Civitavecchia, the port city of Rome on January 1, 1745. He was a cheerful and athletic child who manifested a strong interest in religion. When he was fifteen, he  entered the diocesan seminary at nearby Montefiascone. Two years later, he decided to continue his studies in Rome. The following year, he attended the Dominican house of studies in Viterbo, to study theology.

Prior to his ordination he was named rector and professor within his seminary, Montefiascone. While on his ordination retreat, he met St. Paul of the Cross and immediately decided to become a Passionist. Paul of the Cross named him professor of theology, the Chruch Fathers and preaching.

Traveling throughout most of Italy, he tried  to promote the Christian life among the people by preaching on the Passion. He wrote life of saints, including a Life of St. Paul of the Cross, and devotional books, the most significant of which was that on the Precious Blood. Being an outstanding 'spiritual director,' and two of his spiritual children, are Saint Gaspar del Bufalo and  Blessed Anna Maria, Taigi.

Appointed Bishop of Macerata and Tolentino, he showed himself to be a true shepherd of his flock and promoted the reform of the clergy and the people with apostolic zeal. In the political upheavals of the time, he was a fearless advocate of the freedom of the Church and chose exile in preference to an unlawful oath of loyalty to Napoleon. When he returned to his Diocese after exile, he once again manifested his deep pastoral concern and extraordinary charity for the poor.

 He was called by Pope Leo XII to become his personal advisor.  When the pope fell ill, Vincent asked God that his life should be taken rather than that of the pope. The pope recovered and Vincent died a few days later on his 79th birthday, January 1, 1824. His body was then buried in the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Rome. Pope Pius XII canonized him in 1950.

September 24th, Our Lady of Ransom

Our Lady of Ransom

Mary with, outstretched hands with a huge mantle, under which the faithful remain protected and Mary holding the chain of the prisoners symbolically conveying the powerful message, that there is  safe haven for all who trust in her and she can free you from bondage both physical and spiritual. Today the 24^th of September the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Ransom. Welcome to the feast of the day.

 When Christian Europe was getting enslaved  and weakened by the rising Muslim domination in Spain, the strong hold of Catholicism, in  their desperation prayed to Blessed  Virgin Mary. The Blessed Virgin appeared in 1218 in separate visions to St. Peter Nolasco, St. Raymund of Penafort, and James, the king of Aragon, asking them to found a religious order dedicated to freeing Christian captives from the cruel Saracens or Moors, who at that time held a great part of Spain.

On August 10, 1218, King James established the royal, military and religious Order of our Lady of Ransom, now known as the Mercedarian Order, with the members granted the privilege of wearing his own arms on their breast. Most of the members were knights, they guarded the coasts and delivered prisoners. This pious work spread everywhere and produced heroes of charity who collected alms for the ransom of Christians, and often gave themselves up in exchange for Christian prisoners.

These things were done by the followers of Christ from the earliest days, but especially during the Middle ages. At that time the enemies of Christ's Church had conquered a great part of Christian territory and had carried off into slavery many thousands of Christians.

The Order of Our Lady of Ransom, ransomed 490,736 slaves between the years 1218 and 1632. An even greater achievement was the conversion of thousands in captivity, and saving  them against the sufferings of a cruel martyrdom for the faith.

What is the relevance of Our Lady of Ransom today? There is always the need to be ransomed people from various forms of slavery. Slavery today is a reality. Jails and places where people undergo torture for their religion and conviction, people who are addicted to drugs, drinks and gambling; there is a wide area where we can seek the help of Our Lady of Ransom and do work by our personal contribution.

September 23rd, St. Padre Pio

St. Padre Pio

In 1910, the Lord singled out a worthy son of St. Francis of Assisi, for a unique grace, to receive the stigmata, the representation of the five wounds of Christ.  On September 20, 1918, these wounds became visible on his person at San Giovanni Rotondo in Southern Italy. He is Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. Today, 23^rd September, the Church celebrates the feast of  Saint Padre Pio. Welcome to the saint of the day.

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina popularly known as Padre Pio was born on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, a farming town in South Italy.  His parents were illiterate peasant farmers.  His baptismal name was Francesco.  He decided to dedicate his entire life to God when he was five years old.  Francesco was afflicted with a number of illnesses from his childhood days. 

When he was a young boy, Francesco had experienced heavenly visions and ecstasies.  He was drawn to the life of a friar,  after listening to a Capuchin friar who came to his town seeking donations.  At the age of 15 he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin friars at Morcone.  He took the name of Fra Pio in honour of Pope St. Pius I.  He was ordained a priest in 1910 by Archbishop Paolo Schinosi at the Cathedral of Benevento. 

Though Padre Pio was selected for military service, due to his ill health he was declared unfit and discharged.  On September 18, 1918, Padre Pio had the first occurrence of stigmata, bodily marks corresponding to crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ.  He was blessed with spiritual gifts,  including gifts of healing, prophecy, gift of tongues, miracles, levitation, bilocation, fragrance from his stigmata wounds and so on.  He became very popular within a short period of time.  Though the Church restricted his activities and public interactions initially, by 1934 she allowed him to perform, his public duties. 

After a prolonged period of illness, Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968 at the age of 81 whispering ‘Maria’.  Padre Pio was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002.  He is the patron of civil defence warriors and adolescents. 

Sayings of Padre Pio:

“Pray, hope and don’t worry”.

"Through the study of books one seeks God; by meditation one finds him".