BIG C CATHOLICS

Memorial - January 4th  If you ever had an opportunity to attend Catholic school in the United States, you have Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton to thank for it. After her husband’s death, she founded the first American religious community for women the Sisters of Charity, the first American parish school, and the first American Catholic orphanage, all while raising her five children. A daughter of the American Revolution, she was born in August of 1774, two years before the Declaration of Independence. Her mother, a staunch Episcopalian, taught her the value of prayer and Scripture. At the age of 19, Elizabeth married the love of her life, a handsome wealthy businessman named William Seton. Following the birth of their fifth child, he lost his business, filed for bankruptcy and became deathly ill with tuberculosis. In a final attempt to save her husband's health, the Setons sailed for Italy where William had business friends who could help care for him. During her husband's f

Optional Memorial - December 29th  There was a time in England when being a friend of the king could easily lead to martyrdom. Such was the case of Saint Thomas Becket, whose 12th-century conflict with Henry II would result in his murder at the hand of the king’s men in the Cathedral at Canterbury. In so doing Becket went from being "a patron of play-actors and a follower of hounds" to become an heroic "shepherd of souls." Born in 1118, Thomas was appointed Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1154, and became Lord Chancellor of England the following year. When the Archbishop of Canterbury died in 1162, King Henry II saw an opportunity to solidify the crown’s control of the Church, and made his good friend Thomas the next archbishop. But Thomas, who had accepted the position reluctantly, turned out to be more loyal to his Church than to his king. After thwarting the king once too often, Henry reportedly said, "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?&qu

Optional Memorial - December 23rd  Outward appearances of failure do not always indicate an interior lack of success. In fact, precisely the opposite can be true, as it was in the case of Saint John of Kanty (otherwise known as John Kanty or John Cantius.) This patron saint of both Poland and Lithuania could also have been designated the patron of frustration and disappointment, had he been so disposed to those things and less resolute. John of Kanty was born in Oswiecim, Poland, in 1390, and at first, he appeared destined for a life of renown and accomplishment. Though raised and initially educated in a rural setting, the future saint took quickly to life in the bustling city of Krakow, becoming a brilliant scholar at the university there. A student of philosophy and theology, he earned his doctoral degree, was ordained a priest, and named professor of theology at the very institution he had graduated from. John was popular with his students, so much so that some of his col

Optional Memorial - December 21st  Saint Peter Canisius was the 16th century Dutch Jesuit priest and Doctor of the Church whose brilliant theology renewed Catholicism. He was a major figure in both the Council of Trent and the Counter Reformation. His extensive catechetical treatises and powerful preaching in defense of orthodoxy won him great renown, and the Church innumerable souls. He wrote three definitive Catechisms in the span of four years explicating the Faith. These were tremendously influential, especially to those in Austria, Bavaria, and Bohemia where Catholicism was most under siege. Although claimed by both the Dutch and German Churches, Canisius is designated as the second Apostle of Germany (after Saint Boniface of Mainz). He was born at Nijmegen, Holland, in 1521 into a devout family. His father was an instructor to princes in the court of the duke of Lorraine. Peter was part of a movement for religious reform as a very young man and in 1543, after attending a

On December 11th, the Church observes the feast of Pope St. Damasus I, who lived in the mid-300s just after the early persecutions of Christians had ended. When Damasus assumed the papacy, there were numerous Gospels and stories of Jesus’ life that were then circulating. Many of these were not inspired. Pope Damasus convened an ecumenical council to determine once and for all which Gospels and letters should comprise the New Testament. He also commissioned St. Jerome to translate the Bible into Latin, the language of the Roman Empire. __________________________________________ Pope St. Damasus I: A Consequential Papacy On [Pope] Liberius' death, riots broke out over the election of a successor. The majority favored Damasus, who was born in Rome of Spanish descent. He had served as a deacon under Liberius and upheld the Nicene Creed. In less than a month, Damasus was installed in the Lateran palace. A minority refused to accept the decision and set up the antipope Ursinu

Optional Memorial - December 9th  Juan Diego, whose life is inextricably linked with Our Lady of Guadalupe, was the first indigenous American saint canonized by the Catholic Church. In his remarks in Mexico City on July 31, 2002, St. John Paul II said that Juan Diego "accepted Christianity without giving up his Indian identity" and is a "model of perfectly inculturated evangelization." To underscore the saint’s importance in that regard, present at the canonization were the members of 64 indigenous Mexican tribes. He was born in 1474, in a place called Cuauhtitlan, located about fourteen miles north of present-day Mexico City. Living at first under the rule of the Aztecs, he witnessed the conquest of Mexico by Hernan Cortes in 1521. When Franciscan missionaries arrived from Spain three years later, Juan Diego — whose native name was Cuauhtlatoatzin, “the eagle who speaks”— and his wife were among the first natives to receive Baptism. Juan Diego was an extre

December 6th is the optional memorial of Saint Nicholas, (270-343) also called Nikolaos of Myra, (present day Demre, Turkey) known for his tireless generosity and defense of orthodoxy. Although we have few facts about this 4th century bishop, the many stories about him preserved by tradition and popular piety together with the widespread devotion the faithful have expressed toward him across many times and cultures, give us a glimpse into the holiness of the man. He was born into a wealthy family during the latter part of the 3rd century in what is now the southern coast of Turkey; his parents, devout Christians, died in an epidemic when Nicholas was still a very young man. As a result, he suddenly found himself in possession of a fairly substantial fortune. However, rather than keep his money, he obeyed Jesus’ command to “sell all you have and give it to the poor” and distributed his wealth to the poorest and neediest around him. Nicholas was ordained a priest and was subsequen

November 25th is the optional memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the brilliant 4th century apologist and virgin, whose arguments and courageous witness for the Faith won many souls for Christ. Popular piety memorializes her heroic virtue and holy death. She is the patron of apologists and philosophers. ______________________________________ The account of her martyrdom is legendary and defies every attempt to cull out the historical kernel. Old Oriental sources make no mention of her. In the West her cult does not appear before the 11th century, when the crusaders made it popular. She became the patroness of philosophical faculties; she is one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers" [invoked against disease]. The Breviary offers this: Catherine, virgin of Alexandria, devoted herself to the pursuit of knowledge; at the age of 18, she surpassed all her contemporaries in science. Upon seeing how the Christians were being tortured, she went before Emperor Maximin, upbraid

Father Miguel Pro was a courageous witness to the Faith during his government’s brutal oppression of Catholicism. His magnanimity in death earned him the crown of martyrdom and renown among Mexican Catholics and those across the world. On November 23rd, the Church celebrates his remarkable devotion and example. ______________________________________ José Ramón Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez, also known as Blessed Miguel Pro, the eldest son of Miguel Pro and Josefa Juarez, was born in Guadalupe, Mexico, on January 12, 1891, into a wealthy family. His father was a mining executive in the state of Zacatecas. As a young boy, he was distinguished for his great sense of humor and personal piety. He wrote comics, played the guitar and was especially attuned to the poor. These qualities would help him immensely throughout his priestly ministry. Miguel was particularly close to his older sister, who joined a cloistered convent. This prompted him to discern his own calling to religious life.

Optional Memorial - November 23rd   Though he died nearly fourteen-hundred years ago, Saint Columban is a saint for our time, which bears an uncanny resemblance to his own. In the midst of great social and spiritual upheaval, he stands as an example of someone not afraid to be outspoken in the face of moral corruption and depravity—even when that involved bishops and kings. Many miracles were credited to him during his life. St. Columban was one of the great Irish missionaries who made his way to the continent of Europe near the close of the 6th century. He traveled there after spending some 30 years in a monastery in northern Ireland, where he had fled to overcome severe temptations of the flesh. Once in Gaul, he became known for his moral discipline, homilies, and deep commitment to charity and religious life. Countless souls went to hear him preach and to pray in the monasteries there. The devastation of the barbarian invasions had completely disrupted Gaul’s civil and re

November 23rd, is the optional memorial of Pope Saint Clement I, also known as Clement of Rome, the 1st century pontiff and martyr who was converted by Saint Peter [possibly along with Saint Paul] and ordained by the same. A seminal figure in early Christianity, he served as the forth Bishop of Rome and is considered the first Apostolic Father of the Church. Saint Clement of Alexandria called him an apostle; and Rufinus, (the monastic theologian and translator) almost an apostle. Clement accompanied Saint Paul to Philippi and was a companion of the latter, with Sts. Luke and Timothy, in many of his missionary journeys. St. Paul ranks him among those whose names are inscribed in the book of life. Clement's letter to the Corinthians is a precious treasure from the apostolic period. In his letter (1 Clement) dated around 95 AD to the Christian community in the Greek city of Corinth, he responds to a dispute in which presbyters of the Corinthian church were deposed. He asserts the

Feast Day - November 18th  St. Rose Philippine Duchesne was born August 29, 1769, in Grenoble, France. She was the daughter of Pierre Francois Duchesne, a successful lawyer and a leader of the French Revolution and Rose Perier, an intelligent, practical, Christian woman. When Rose was twelve, she was sent to boarding school at Ste. Marie d’en Haut. Here she was educated by the Visitation nuns and drawn to their life of contemplation. She entered their congregation at the age of eighteen, but shortly thereafter, the Revolution in France forced the Nuns to disperse. Rose nursed prisoners, found shelter for orphans, and helped give food to the poor. In December 1804, she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart upon meeting Madeline Sophie Barat, the foundress of this Society. Often, during the next eleven years, Rose discussed with Mother Barat her long held dream of becoming a missionary to the American Indians in the New World. The Dream was ignited when Bishop Du Bourg visited t

Optional Memorial - November 16th  There are people who make a lasting impact on the world even though their earthly lives are very short. Saint Elizabeth of Hungary or Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia was just such a person. Both a king’s daughter and a king’s wife, her love and care for the poor led her to be beloved by the common people during her life, and resulted in her canonization a mere four years after her death. Elizabeth, daughter of the king of Hungary, was born in 1207. In 1221, at the age of 14, she married Louis IV of Thuringia (Germany), He ascended the Thuringian throne at the age of 16. Over the next six years Elizabeth would bear him three children. The couple were deeply in love and very devoted to each other. Louis fully supported his young wife in her spiritual life and in her prodigious efforts aiding the destitute. This included selling state treasures to assist the needy. Tragically, in 1227, Louis died on the Sixth Crusade after promising Emperor Frede

November 16th, the Church celebrates the optional memorial of Saint Margaret of Scotland, also known as Margaret of Wessex. According to Divine Providence, a shipwreck near Scotland turned out to be good fortune for both that country and its monarch, because it brought the virtuous young woman to their shores. She proved to be a model mother and exemplary queen who worked hard to improve the morality of her subjects. St. Margaret is the secondary patroness of Scotland. Margaret was born sometime around the year 1050, in Hungary, where her father was living in exile, and likewise spent her childhood there as an unusually devout and pious girl. While her birth date is uncertain, her lineage is unmistakable. The daughter of Princess Agatha of Hungary and Prince Edward Atheling, she was brought up in the court of her great uncle, Edward the Confessor, who was King of England. Her father died suddenly in 1057, the year they returned to England. When William the Conqueror invaded that

November 16th is the optional memorial of Saint Gertrude the Great. A 12th century Benedictine nun of the monastery of Helfta, in Saxony, she is regarded as one of the great mystics of the Middle Ages. Our Savior favored her with visions. Her book Revelations is her marvelous account of them. St. Gertrude introduced the devotion to the Sacred Heart which, four centuries later, Saint Margaret Mary spread throughout the Church. She died at the beginning of the 13th century. One of the most lovable German saints from medieval times, Gertrude, through her writings, will remain for all ages a guide to the interior life. She was born in 1256 at Eisleben and at the age of five taken to the convent at Rossdorf, where Gertrude of Hackeborn was abbess. Similarity in name has caused confusion between the two Gertrudes. St. Gertrude the Great never functioned as superior. In spite of much ill-health, Gertrude used her exceptional natural talents well, such as her fluency in Latin. In 1281,

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

November 8th, is the optional memorial of Blessed John Duns Scotus, (c. 1266 – 1308) a 13th century, Franciscan priest and theologian, who, alongside Saint Bonaventure, is the most influential theologian in the history of the Franciscan Order. He was probably born in the winter of c. 1266 in the South of Scotland. Around the year 1279, he was accepted to a Franciscan friary. After eight years of preliminary studies in philosophy at Oxford, he began to study theology there in 1288. He was ordained to the priesthood in Northampton on March 17, 1291. In the academic year 1298, he prepared his first theological lectures which would alter his life. The following semester, he presented the course on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, the most prominent text of systematic theology at the time. During these years he wrote Lectura I-II, his lecture notes on the two first books of the Sentences . Duns Scotus' scholarship impressed his fellow academics and the Franciscan leadership, as an e

November 3rd is the optional memorial of Saint Martin de Porres, (1579 – 1639) the 17th century, Dominican lay brother, who lived a life of heroic self-denial, prayer and penance, in imitation of Christ. Juan Martin de Porres Velázquez was born in Lima, Peru, the son of Spanish nobleman, Don Juan de Porres, and Ana Velázquez, a freed slave from Panama, of mixed descent. His father abandoned the family two years later, after the birth of Martin’s sister, Juana, leaving them impoverished. His mother did laundry to support the family. When his mother could no longer support him, Martin briefly attended a residential primary school, before apprenticing with a skilled barber/surgeon from whom he learned the medical arts. He would spend hours a night in prayer, a practice he continued for the remainder of his life. In, 1590, at age 11, Martin joined the Holy Rosary Dominican priory in Lima as a servant. Peruvian law forbid those of African and Indian heritage from becoming full members o

Ordinary Time - October 24th Saint Anthony Claret’s efforts would engender as much discussion in the 21st century as they did in the 19th. A champion of the Hispanic poor, he was vilified by those in power who did not appreciate his "Christian meddling" in their secular and often exploitive lifestyles. Yet, he also garnered the respect of some in authority, for precisely the same reasons that others sought to destroy him. St. Anthony Mary Claret was born in Spain near Barcelona in 1807. His father was a small manufacturer of wool and, for a while, Anthony also pursued that occupation. His mind, however, was on another type of vocation entirely, and he dedicated his spare time to studying Latin and printing. Although he longed to join either the Carthusian or Jesuit orders, ill health prevented him from doing so. His gift was preaching, and for over a decade after his ordination to the secular priesthood in 1835, he gave retreats and missions, emphasizing the importan

(In 2017, this feast is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.) Karol Jozef Wojtyla was born in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. After his ordination to the priesthood and theological studies in Rome, he returned to his homeland and resumed various pastoral and academic tasks. He became first auxiliary bishop and, in 1964, Archbishop of Krakow and took part in the Second Vatican Council. On October 16, 1978 he was elected pope and took the name John Paul II. His exceptional apostolic zeal, particularly for families, young people and the sick, led him to undertake numerous pastoral visits throughout the world as Pontiff. Among the many fruits which he has left as a heritage to the Church are above all his rich Magisterium and the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church as well as the Code of Canon Law for the Latin Church and for the Eastern Churches. In Rome on April 2, 2005, the eve of the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy), he died peacefully in the Lord who opened the