Saint of the day and Feast days.

[odhiambo]

May 21

Today is the Feast day of
Saint Christopher Magallanes
and Companions
Among  many other saints

[odhiambo]

Saint Christopher Magallanes.
Also known as
Saint Cristobal Magallanes Jara
And Companions-1915-1937

Martyrs of the Catholic Action Movement in Mexico.( The Cristero Movement or Cristiada)

Christopher was born in 1869 in a farm in Mexico. He worked as a shepherd in his youth. When he was nineteen, he entered the Seminary to study for the priesthood and was ordained priest. He was eventually the Parish priest at Totatiche, Mexico. He was noted for his devotion to Our Lady. At the time of the martyrdom of Saint Christopher and his companions, the Mexican Government of the day was a communist one and was completely anti-Catholic. It had suppressed the Church by instituting and enforcing laws against the Church in an attempt to eradicate the Catholic faith in Mexico. Foreign clergy were banned and so was the celebration of Mass in some areas of Mexico.

When the the government closed all seminaries, Father Christopher started his own seminary; it was quickly suppressed. He formed another, and yet another. When it was no longer possible to do this, he and the seminarians conducted classes in private homes.
He was falsely accused of promoting the Catholic Action Movement in Mexico.
Arrested on 21 May 1927 while en route to celebrate Mass at a farm. He gave away his few remaining possessions to his executioners, gave them absolution, and without a trial, he was martyred with Saint Agustin Caloca.
He was shot on 25 May 1927 at Colotitlan, Jalisco, Mexico
Magallanes’ last words, heard when he shouted from his cell were: "I am innocent and I die innocent. I forgive with all my heart those responsible for my death, and I ask God that the shedding of my blood serve the peace of our divided Mexico".
Among the Martyrs were twenty two devout priests and three laymen: Manuel, David and Salvador.
The Martyrs died in different regions of Mexico and at different times, but they were all victims of the oppression of the Church by Mexican Authorities.
Fifteen were martyred in Jalisco; four in Zacatecas, and one each in Chihuahua, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero and Morelos. Most died at the hands of firing squad. All were tortured terribly before their martyrdom.
The three lay men, David, Manuel and Salvador, died with their parish priest, Blessed Luis Batis.
Pope John Paul II beatified Christopher and his companions on 22 November 1992, and canonized them on 21 May 2000.

Saint Christopher Magallanes
and Companions,
Pray for us!

[Shin]

   'When a fire is lit to clear a field, it burns off all the dry and useless weeds and thorns. When the sun rises and darkness is dispelled, robbers, night-prowlers and burglars hide away. So when Paul’s voice was raised to preach the Gospel to the nations, like a great clap of thunder in the sky, his preaching was a blazing fire carrying all before it. It was the sun rising in full glory. Infidelity was consumed by it, false beliefs fled away, and the truth appeared like a great candle lighting the whole world with its brilliant flame.

    By word of mouth, by letters, by miracles, and by the example of his own life, Saint Paul bore the name of Jesus wherever he went. He praised the name of Jesus “at all times,” but never more than when “bearing witness to his faith.”

    Moreover, the Apostle did indeed carry this name “before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel” as a light to enlighten all nations. And this was his cry wherever he journeyed: “The night is passing away, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves honorably as in the day.” Paul himself showed forth the burning and shining-light set upon a candlestick, everywhere proclaiming “Jesus, and him crucified.”

    And so the Church, the bride of Christ strengthened by his testimony, rejoices with the psalmist, singing: “O God from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.” The psalmist exhorts her to do this, as he says: “Sing to the Lord, and bless his name, proclaim his salvation day after day.” And this salvation is Jesus, her savior.'

    - from a sermon by Saint Bernadine of Siena

[odhiambo]

May 22

Today is the Feast day of
Saint Rita of Cascia
Among many other saints.

[odhiambo]

Saint Rita of Cascia.

Also called Margarita or
Margherita
An Augustinian Nun.

Rita was born in the village of Roccaporena, near Spoleto, Italy in 1381. Her parents were advanced in age when she was born, her birth said to be an answer to their prayers. From a young age, Rita wanted nothing but to become a nun. Her parents, however had promised her in marriage, according to the custom of the day, to Paolo Mancini (? Paul Ferdinand). In obedience to her parents, she did indeed marry the man at the age of twelve years. He was a tempestuos and quarrelsome man.
She was married for eighteen years and the couple was blessed with twin boys. Those years, however were not happy ones for Rita. Her husband derided her piety and made her suffer with his drunken rages.
One day as Paolo was returning home from work he was ambushed and stabbed to death on a mountain path. Her grief was aggravated by the fear that her sons, now teenagers, would want to avenge the death of their father in accordance with the unwritten law of the "vendetta," that was prevalent at the time. Her fear was in fact well founded. The sons were determined to follow through with the vendetta and avange the murder of their father. Her pleas to the contrary fell on deaf ears.
Rita turned to God. She entreated Him to take them to Himself rather than permit them to commit such a sin. Within the year, both sons were dead.

Now aged 30 years old, and still very desirous of becoming a nun, she applied to the Augustinians in their convent at Cascia. To her dismay, she was rejected. This was because according to the rules of the order, all sisters should be virgins. She did not give up. She turned to her three patron saints John the Baptist, Augustine, and Nicholas of Tolentino to assist her. It took a miracle for her to be admitted to the convent. This is how my book of saints tells it:

“…She was twice refused on account of the fact that the order’s rules permitted the entry only of virgins. God, however indicated his express wishes by a miracle, when her prayerful vigil preceding the feast of the Assumption was interrupted by the arrival of her three patron saints: Sts. Augustine, John the Baptist and Nicholas of Tolentino, who conducted her to Coscia and placed her at the foot of the Blessed Sacrament in the convent chapel, and there the nuns found her at the hour of Matins. The untouched locks at the convent doors, convinced them of the truthfullness of her simple explanation and she was accepted.”

Saint Companion for Each Day.
By A.J.M. Mausolfe
and
J. K. Mausolfe

Thus, Rita gained admission to the Augustinian convent in 1413, received the habit of the order and in due course, she pledged to follow the ancient Rule of Saint Augustine. As a religious she earned fame for her austerity, devotion to prayer and charity.
One day, in 1442, Rita, now in her sixties, and having been deeply moved by the Lenten preaching of Saint James of the Marches, felt a great desire to share in Christ’s agony as depicted in a picture on the wall of the convent. Jesus allowed her to feel some of that glorious pain. Here is an excerpt from Rotelle, John, Book of Augustinian Saints, Augustinian Press 2000

“One day, when she was about sixty years of age, she was meditating before an image of Christ crucified as she was long accustomed to doing. Suddenly a small wound appeared on her forehead, as though from a thorn from the crown that encircled Christ's head had loosed itself and penetrated her own flesh. For the next fifteen years she bore this external sign of stigmatization and union with the Lord. In spite of the pain she constantly experienced, she offered herself courageously for the physical and spiritual well-being of others. ..”


During the last four years of her life Rita was confined to bed. She ate very little, being practically sustained on the Eucharist alone. She was, nevertheless, an inspiration to the other nuns and to all those who came to visit her, by her patience and joyful disposition despite her great suffering.

God took Rita back to Himself on 22 May 1457. She died peacefully at Cascia.

. As she breathed her last, Rita's final words to the sisters who gathered around her were,

 "Remain in the holy love of Jesus. Remain in obedience to the holy Roman Catholic Church. Remain in peace and fraternal charity."
Her body lies incorrupt in the shrine at Cascia where it is venerated today. In
Spain she was given the title of La Santa de los impossibiles, i.e Saint of the Impossible on account of the many miracles reported to have been occurred at her intercession
Rita was solemnly canonized on 24 May, 1900.

Saint Rita of Cascia,
Pray for us!

[odhiambo]

Saint Rita of Cascia

About one month ago, my niece who lives in Italy, sent me a delightful little book entitled ‘Saint Rita. Saint of the Impossible’ by Catholic Book Publishers Corp. New Jersey.
According to this booklet, Saint Rita was married at eighteen years of age and that Paul may not have been “all bad”.
The book notes and I quote:
“Thus, at the age of eighteen, Rita married Paul. The early years were very hard for her. Her husband was a very loud and violent man who at times even hurt her. He is said to have been full of anger, vulgar, and debauched. However the latest research has unearthed data that tends to rehabilitate the man. He did not have all these vices we are now told…..Under the influence of his bride, Paul became a good Christian. Rita’s acceptance of the cross given her eventually brought conjugal happiness.”

[Shin]

The patroness of impossible causes.. I know a family member who has prayed for her help more than once.

[odhiambo]

The patroness of impossible causes.. I know a family member who has prayed for her help more than once.

She had three patron saints. I have been thinking of adding her to mine as well 

[odhiambo]

May 23

Today is the Feast day of
Saint Julia of Corsica
Among many other saints.

[odhiambo]

Saint Julia of Corsica.
Martyr.

Julia belonged to an aristocratic family in Carthage, North Africa.
She was a Christian. When the Vandals invaded this part of Africa and brought with it the heretical beliefs of Arianism, Julia refused to embrace this heresy; consequently, she was sold off into slavery in 439. She was bought by a Syrian pagan merchant named Eusebius who took her on one of his voyages to Gaul. When they reached the island of Corsica, they stopped and Easebius went on shore to join the pagans of the place in their idolatrous festival. Julia, however would not join in. Her master, who was kind to her defended her stand. While Eusebius was in a drunken sleep, however, the governor took it upon himself to compel her to sacrifice to the pagan gods offering to set her free, should she comply.
Julia told him that she was as free as she wanted to be so long as she was allowed to serve Jesus Christ.
This reply so enraged the governor that he had her tortured and crucified.

Saint Julia
Pray for us!

[Patricia]

I like this stubbornness of the Saints when it comes to Jesus Christ. To want to serve no one but Him. St. Julia reminds me of St. Philomena who adamantly refused the advances of an Emperor, and preferred to be tortured and die rather than sit on a throne. Praise be to God!!

[martin]

I like this stubbornness of the Saints when it comes to Jesus Christ. To want to serve no one but Him. St. Julia reminds me of St. Philomena who adamantly refused the advances of an Emperor, and preferred to be tortured and die rather than sit on a throne. Praise be to God!!

Like St John Bosco taught, that obedience to God comes before human respect.

[odhiambo]

May 24

Today we celebrate the Feast of
Our Lady Help of Christians.

[odhiambo]

Our Lady Help of Christians.

The Church has always experienced the powerful help of the Mother of God in times of trials and persecutions.  "The Work of God",  a Catholic Information Resource site,  lists the following examples as some of these instances of Marian Intercession on behalf of her children, the Christians:

1: “In 1214 She gave the Rosary to Saint Dominic as a weapon to combat the Albigesian heresy which was devastating Southern France…”
2: “In the year 1531 Our Lady appeared in Mexico to an indian named Juan Diego, He was a humble peasant aged 51. As a result of the apparitions, over 10 million indians were converted to Catholicism, the sacrificial killings of babies stopped, and Our Lady left an image which is a reflection of herself imprinted miraculously on the tilma of Juan Diego”
3: “In 1571 the whole of Christendom was saved by Mary Help of Christians when faithful Catholic throughout Europe prayed the Rosary. The great battle of Lepanto occurred on October 7th 1571. For this reason this date has been chosen as the feast of the Holy Rosary. In 1573 Pope Pius V instituted the feast in thanksgiving for the decisive victory of Christianity over Islamism”
4: “Near the end of the 17th century, Emperor Leopold I of Austria took refuge in the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Pasau, when 200000 Ottoman Turks besieged the capital city of Vienna. Pope Innocent XI united Christendom against the ominous attack of Mohammedanism. A great victory occurred thanks to Mary Help of Christians. On September 8th, Feast of Our Lady's Birthday, plans were drawn for the battle. On September 12, Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, Vienna was finally freed through the intercession of Mary Help of Christians. All Europe had joined with the Emperor crying out "Mary, Help!" and praying the Holy rosary”
5: “In 1809, Napoleon's men entered the Vatican, arrested Pius VII and brought him in chains to Grenoble, and eventually Fontainbleau. His imprisonment lasted five years. The Pope smuggled out orders from prison for the whole of Christendom to pray to Our Lady Help of Christians, and thus the whole of Europe once again became a spiritual battle ground, not of arms against ruthless arms, but of Rosaries against ruthless military might. Soon Napoleon was off the throne and the Pope freed from prison”


And so it goes to this day. It was at the Foot of the Cross that Jesus commissioned Our Lady to take care of all the baptized: “Woman, behold thy son” John 19:26
The devotion to Mary under the title “Help of Christians, was popularizded by Don Bosco. He himself had a very deep devotion to her under this title. He erected a Basilica in her honor under that title in Turin in 1864 and later in 1872, he founded the Salasian Sisters under her partonage, i.e. the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
We are encouraged to celebrate this day by thanking Our Lady for her continuing help for Christians, to pray the Holy Rosary, and to attend Mass if we possibly can.

Mary Help of Christians
Pray for us!

[Shin]

Our Lady "Help of Christians"

The title says it all.

[odhiambo]

May  25.

Today is the Feast day of
Saint  Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi
Among many other saints.