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Showing posts with the label Doctor of the Church

Saint Teresa of Ávila, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

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Memorial - October 15th Saint Teresa of Ávila, (1515-1582) also called St. Teresa of Jesus, is a 16th century Spanish mystic, foundress, and Doctor of the Church. Baptized Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, she was born into a wealthy family at Ávila, Spain, the third of nine children. In her youth she was described as beautiful, precocious and marked by a spiritual acuity beyond her years. Of her initial formation and temperament, she observed: "The possession of virtuous parents who lived in the fear of God, together with those favors which I received from his Divine Majesty, might have made me good, if I had not been so very wicked." Teresa was 14 when her mother died. Overcome with grief, she asked the Virgin Mary to be her spiritual mother and help. Despite her pious upbringing and Godly inclination; Teresa’s interest was briefly given to superficial pursuits. Enamored with tales of chivalry, the future saint deigned to write the same, and, for a short time, c

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

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You ask me a method of attaining perfection. I know of love — and only love. Love can do all things. — St Thérèse of Lisieux October 1st, is the feast day of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, more popularly known as St Thérèse of Lisieux, "the Little Flower." Although just an obscure cloistered Carmelite nun, she has achieved universal appeal since her death in 1897. This beloved saint is the patron of foreign missions, missionaries, against tuberculosis, AIDS sufferers, illness and loss of parents. Her perfect trust in God, deep faith and patient suffering is an example for us to follow. Saint Pius X called St. Thérèse the "greatest saint of modern times." Marie Thérèse Martin was born at Alençon, France on January 2, 1873, the youngest of five daughters. Her father, Louis Martin, was a watchmaker, and her mother, Zélie Martin, who died of breast cancer when Thérèse was four, was a lace maker. (On October 18, 2015, Pope Francis canonized

St. Jerome, Father and Doctor of the Church

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Saint Jerome and the Angel , Simon Vouet, c. 1622/1625. Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. — St. Jerome September 30th, is the feast day of Saint Jerome, one of the four original doctors of the Latin Church, who is best known for translating the Bible from Greek (the Septuagint) into Latin (the Vulgate). He is widely regarded as the most learned of the Latin Fathers. A remarkable scholar and a sometimes prickly man, St. Jerome nevertheless believed deeply in the mercy of Christ. ____________________________________ One of the greatest Biblical scholars of Christendom, Saint Jerome was born of Christian parents at Stridon in Dalmatia around the year 345. Educated at the local school, he then studied rhetoric in Rome for eight years, before returning to Aquilea to set up a community of ascetics. When that community broke up after three years Jerome went to the east. He met an old hermit named Malchus, who inspired the saint to live in a bare cell, dressed in sack

St. Francis de Sales, Bishop, Founder and Doctor

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Memorial - January 24th  St. Francis de Sales, a gentle saint, encouraged and celebrated the sanctity of both the ordained and the laity. Born in 1567 in Savoy, France, it was assumed that he would follow his father into law. Therefore, it came as a great surprise to the elder de Sales when his son announced that he had decided to pursue an ecclesiastical life instead. Francis would go on to win numerous souls to Christ. Ordained to the priesthood in 1593, from 1594 to 1598 Francis labored at the difficult and dangerous task of preaching to the Protestants of Chablais, effecting the return of some 70,000 souls to the Catholic faith. In 1602 he became bishop of Genf. His zeal for souls is attested in 21,000 extant letters and 4,000 sermons showing how he applied St. Paul's words: "I have become all things to all men." Most widely known is the saint's Introduction to the Devout Life , which, together with his Treatise on the Love of God , are considered semin

St. Hilary of Poitiers, "Hammer of the Arians"

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Optional Memorial - January 13th  It seems odd to us today that anyone claiming to be a Christian would deny the divinity of Christ. In the 4th century, however, Arianism, a particularly pernicious heresy which proclaimed precisely that, threatened the very existence of the Church. While emperors and even some bishops sanctioned this teaching, many saints defended Jesus’ divinity; among that number was Saint Hilary of France. Hilary was born into a pagan family around the year 315, but converted to the Christian religion after discovering God through his study of the Scriptures. So great was his reputation for holiness and his defense of Christ’s divinity that he was appointed Bishop of Poitiers, France, in 353, to great acclaim. At about the same time, Constantius II, an adherent to Arianism, became emperor in Rome. This new ruler, at the behest of pro-Arian prelate, promptly exiled Hilary to far-off Phrygia in the hopes that sheer distance would silence him. It did not. In

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

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On January 2nd the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors. Both men were from Cappadocia (central turkey) and followed the monastic way of life for some years. Together with Saint Gregory of Nyssa, they are known as the Cappadocian Fathers and venerated widely for their contributions in both the Eastern and Latin Churches. _________________________________________________ The old saying goes that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” If ever there were a saint who proved that proverb to be true, it was St. Basil the Great.  His grandmother, Macrina, was a saint who suffered persecution under the Romans, and of his nine brothers and sister, two of them, Gregory of Nyssa and Macrina (the younger), also became saints. Another brother, Peter, became a bishop.  No doubt this combined influence also caused him, as a youth, to take an abiding interest in the poor by organizing famine relief and working in a soup ki

St. Ephraim the Syrian’s Hymn on the Nativity

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Saint Ephraim the Syrian, the 4th century theologian and Doctor of the Church wrote nineteen metrical poems on the Incarnation of Our Lord. These hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the flesh contain profound insights into the love of God. Here, St. Ephraim extols how God became man for our good and our salvation: Blessed be the Child Who today delights Bethlehem. Blessed be the Newborn Who today made humanity young again. Blessed be the Fruit Who bowed Himself down for our hunger. Blessed be the Gracious One Who enriched all our poverty and filled our need. Blessed be He Whose mercy inclined Him to heal our sickness. Blessed be the Holy Child of Bethlehem! On this day when the Rich One was made poor for our sake, let the rich man also make the poor man a sharer at his table. On this day a gift came out to us without our asking for it; let us then give alms to those who cry out and beg from us. This is the day when the high gate opened to u

St. John of the Cross, Patron of Mystics

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Memorial - December 14th "How gently and lovingly You wake in my heart,  Where in secret You dwell alone;  And in Your sweet breathing,  Filled with good and glory,  How tenderly  You swell my heart with love." At first glance, you might think that the lines of poetry quoted above were the work of one of the great English Romantic poets, like Wordsworth or Keats; if so, it may come as a surprise that this beautiful verse was actually written by an ascetic Carmelite. "The Living Flame of Love," from which this stanza was taken, was composed by one of the great mystics and doctors of the Church, St. John of the Cross, and expresses "the soul in the intimate communication of loving union with God." St. John of the Cross was born into poverty in Spain in 1541. After the death of his father, John’s widowed mother struggled to keep her family together despite homelessness and destitution. At the age of 14, John went to work in a hospital,

The Church’s "Great" Popes Lived Out Heroic Virtue

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Three Popes in the history of the Church have been honored with the designation "the Great". Pope St. Leo I (440–61), Pope St. Gregory I (590–604), and Pope St. Nicholas I (858–67). This is not, however, the result of official Church decree. The pontiffs so named have been duly singled out through the popular acclaim of the faithful on the occasion of their deaths and over time by tradition. Since his passing in April 2005, Pope St. John Paul II has been variously accorded the title. Pope St. Leo the Great Pope St. Leo, one of the best-known popes from the 1st millennium, was a native of Tuscany, and initially served as a deacon under Pope St. Celestine I. Leo was a force to be reckoned with in diplomatic proceedings, which is why Pope Sixtus III sent him to resolve various disputes as a deacon. Leo's skills as an administrator enabled him to deal judiciously with the disintegration of the Roman Empire and guide the Church successfully through various conseque

St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

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On December 7th, the Church observes the memorial of Saint Ambrose, the 4th century bishop and Doctor. One of the most important prelates and influential theologians in the early Church, he is acclaimed in the West as a Father of the Church. Ambrose was born at Treves in Gaul, a territory which encompassed modern France, Britain, Spain, and part of Africa. He completed his studies in Rome and later became governor of Liguria and Aemelia with residence at Milan. In the year 370, in his capacity as governor, Ambrose tried to resolve a heated dispute over who would ascend to the episcopacy of Milan. His words struck such a chord in people that someone shouted out that Ambrose should become bishop. Ambrose had no intention of being a priest or a bishop. He was still a catechumen who was preparing for baptism. But the people prevailed and by popular assent, Ambrose was baptized and then consecrated bishop of Milan the following week. His judicious administration proved to be very eff

Saint Albert the Great, the "Doctor Universalis"

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On November 15th, the Church celebrates the optional memorial of Saint Albert the Great. The son of a German nobleman, he was studying at Padua when the Master General of the Dominicans, Jordan of Saxony, succeeded in attracting him to that Order. He was to become one of the Dominicans' greatest glories. After taking his degrees at the University of Paris, he taught philosophy and theology at Paris and then in Cologne. Saint Thomas Aquinas was among his pupils. St. Albert, the "light of Germany," called the Great because of his encyclopedic knowledge, was born in 1193 at Lauingen, Donau. He joined the newly-founded Order of Preachers in 1223. Soon he was sent to Germany where he taught in various cities. In 1248 he received the honor of Master in Sacred Theology at Paris. Throngs attended his lectures, drawn by his piety and towering intellect. In 1254, Albert was chosen provincial of his Order in Germany. For a time, he lived at the court of Pope Alexander II, who

Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

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November 10th is the memorial of Pope Saint Leo I. One of only three popes in the history of the Church to be given the title "Great," St. Leo ruled as pontiff when the Roman Empire in the west was falling into ruins. Acknowledged as the best administrative leader of the early Church, his belief that the Bishop of Rome was responsible for the well-being of all Christians, no matter where they lived, enabled him to be an agent of stability at a time when such a vision was needed. Pope St. Leo’s birthdate is unknown, but by the year 431, he appears in history as a particularly apt and influential deacon in the Church. At the death of Pope Sixtus III in 440, Leo was unanimously elected to succeed him. In his role as the successor of Peter, Pope St. Leo became widely known for his deep spirituality and pastoral care of his people; many of his writings continue to be read today, and one of his sermons is still included in the Office of Readings for Christmas. During his pon

St. Teresa of Ávila, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

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Memorial - October 15th Saint Teresa of Ávila, (1515-1582) also called St. Teresa of Jesus, is a 16th century Spanish mystic, foundress, and Doctor of the Church. Baptized Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, she was born into a wealthy family at Ávila, Spain, the third of nine children. In her youth she was described as beautiful, precocious and marked by a spiritual acuity beyond her years. Of her initial formation and temperament, she observed: "The possession of virtuous parents who lived in the fear of God, together with those favors which I received from his Divine Majesty, might have made me good, if I had not been so very wicked." Teresa was 14 when her mother died. Overcome with grief, she asked the Virgin Mary to be her spiritual mother and help. Despite her pious upbringing and Godly inclination; Teresa’s interest was briefly given to superficial pursuits. Enamored with tales of chivalry, the future saint deigned to write the same, and, for a short time, c

339 Years After Her Death, Saint Teresa of Ávila Converted Edith Stein [Saint Teresa Benedicta]

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Saint Teresa of Ávila, the 16th century Carmelite nun, mystic, reformer and doctor, was graced with spiritual insights into prayer, the soul and the ineffable love of God. With the blessing of Pope Pius IV, she departed her cloister at Avila, and together with Saint John of the Cross, set up a reformed Carmelite Order in Spain and Portugal. Throughout her life, she endured great suffering with joy and equanimity. Among her literary works, her autobiography ( The Life of Teresa of Jesus ) is a testament to the power of faith and living in imitation of Jesus Christ. Born in 1891, Edith Stein grew up in a devout Jewish family, but would espouse atheism as an aspiring academic and activist. A young woman with immense intellectual gifts, she dedicated herself to the search for truth. After extensive studies at major German universities, Edith became an influential philosopher in her own right, and a renowned speaker on feminism. In 1913, she enrolled in Gottingen University, to study u

St. Jerome, Church Father, Biblical Scholar and Doctor

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Memorial - September 30th Anyone who ran afoul of Saint Jerome would not be likely to soon forget it. This formidable Doctor of the Church was as well known for his sarcastic tongue and blunt correspondences as he was for his redoubtable scholarship. The former was aimed at those who taught heresy or who did not uphold the moral standards of the Church. The latter led to his translation of the Bible into Latin, the common language at the time. That translation, the Vulgate, is the Church's official text. Saint Jerome was born Eusebius Hieronymous Sophronius in the year c. 342, in Dalmatia, a region of Croatia. His father, who was a Christian, saw to it that his son was well educated in terms of both faith and academics. Jerome’s instruction began at home, but when he got older, his father sent him to Rome to study with some of the best pagan and Christian scholars of the day. However, as most young men will, Jerome spent at least part of his early youth indulging in life’s

St. Robert Bellarmine, Patron of Religious Education

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Optional Memorial - September 17th (In 2017, this feast is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.) It is fitting that the month that heralds the beginning of a new school year is also the time in which the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Robert Bellarmine. A Jesuit priest during the Catholic Reformation, he won renown for his scholarship and theological insights. Bellarmine was a "Spiritual Father" to many, including Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. He was a consequential figure in the Church's renewal. He was born in Italy in 1542. His mother, Cinthia Cervini, was sister to Cardinal Marcello Cervini, who later became Pope Marcellus II. Educated by the then "new" order in the Church—the Society of Jesus—the young Bellarmine entered the Jesuits in 1560 at the age of 18. He was ordained 10 years later and became the first Jesuit professor at the Catholic University at Louvain, Belgium, where he taught theology. He remained until 1576, when he was appointed to t

St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

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Memorial - September 13th John Chrysostom was the son of a Latin father and a Greek mother; his mother, Anthusa, was widowed at the age of twenty, soon after his birth. Putting aside all thought of remarriage, Anthusa gave all of her attention to her son: she gave him the best classical education of the day, and enrolled him as a catechumen when he was eighteen. He was mentored by Meletius, patriarch of Antioch, who sent him to the monastic school of Diodore, then baptized and ordained him lector. At this time, St. John Chrysostom decided to take his future into his own hands and became a monk-hermit, living in a cave, studying the Scriptures, and putting himself under the discipline of an old hermit named Hesychius. However, his health broke under this austere regimen and he returned to Antioch, was ordained a priest, and began his remarkable career as a powerful preacher. During the next twelve years, he electrified Antioch with his fiery sermons, filled with a knowledge a

Saint Augustine of Hippo, Bishop and Doctor

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Memorial – August 28th Augustine Aurelius was born on November 13, 354, in Tagaste, North Africa. His father was a pagan, his mother, Saint Monica, was a devote Christian. Still unbaptized and burning for knowledge, he came under the influence of the Manicheans, which caused his mother intense sorrow. He left Africa for Rome, deceiving his mother, who was ever anxious to be near him. She prayed and wept. A bishop consoled her by observing that a son of so many tears would never be lost. Yet the evil spirit drove him constantly deeper into moral degeneracy, capitalizing on his leaning toward pride and stubbornness. Grace was playing a waiting game; there still was time, and the greater the depths into which the evil spirit plunged its fledgling, the stronger would be the reaction. Augustine recognized this vacuum. He observed how the human heart is created with a great abyss. The earthly satisfactions that can be thrown into it are no more than a handful of stones that hardly c

St. Alphonsus Liguori, Patron of Theologians

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Memorial - August 1st Alphonsus Liguori earned a doctorate in both civil and canon law by the age of sixteen. This future Doctor of the Church was not, however, destined to remain in the secular legal profession. After the humiliating loss of a court case in his mid-twenties, he gave up law and dedicated his life to serving God and His Church. Alphonsus was born in Naples, Italy, in 1696 to a noble and pious family. Against the wishes of his father, who had encouraged his legal career, Alphonsus was ordained a priest in 1726 and soon became known as a particularly articulate preacher. His gentleness, especially in the confessional, was controversial in the eyes of some. At this time, the Catholic Church was struggling with the heresy of Jansenism. This teaching, which was actually a form of Calvinism, was strongly condemned by the Pope in 1713, but vestiges of its austerity and scrupulosity were still being felt in the actions of various religious orders and also confessors.

St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

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July 30th, the Catholic Church observes the optional memorial of Saint Peter Chrysologus. In the fifth century, Ravenna, not Rome, was the capital of the Roman Empire in the West, and Ravenna itself became a metropolitan see. St. Peter Chrysologus was one of the most distinguished archbishops of that see. Peter was born in Imola about the year 400 and studied under Cornelius, bishop of that city, who ordained him deacon. In 433, the archbishop of Ravenna died, and when a successor had been chosen by the clergy and people of Ravenna, they asked Bishop Cornelius to obtain confirmation of their choice from Pope Sixtus III. On his trip to Rome, Cornelius took his deacon, Peter, as his companion; upon seeing Peter, the pope chose him for the see of Ravenna instead of the one selected by the clergy and people of Ravenna. Peter was consecrated and was accepted somewhat grudgingly at first by both the clergy and the people. Peter, however, soon became the favorite of Emperor Valentinian