BIG C CATHOLICS

Memorial - August 11th As a young girl, Saint Clare, in defiance of her parent’s wishes, escaped from her home one night, intent on meeting up with a group of friars. They conducted her by torch-light to a small chapel where Saint Francis of Assisi gave her a rough brown habit in place of her fine dress. She surrendered her jeweled belt for a knotted rope, which she fastened around her waist. In a final act of devotion, she permitted St. Francis to cut her long hair, in order that she might take the veil. A beautiful young Italian noblewoman, Clare was so moved by the preaching of Saint Francis of Assisi that she defied every convention of her privileged life to live the Gospel of Christ. One of St. Francis’ first and most ardent followers, she would become the foundress of the group of nuns known as the Second Order of St. Francis, more popularly, the Poor Clares. She did so despite great opposition. Her parents tried everything in their power to dissuade Clare from her vocat

Optional Memorial - January 27th  Saint Angela Merici was a 16th century Italian religious educator and foundress. She established the Company of Saint Ursula in 1535 at Brescia, in which women dedicated their lives to the service of the Church through the education of girls. From this organization came the monastic Order of Ursulines. Angela's sisters founded schools of prayer and learning throughout Europe, and later, the world. Angela was born in Northern Italy in the diocese of Verona in the year 1474. She lived on Lake Garda together with her parents and sister in relative comfort. Early in life, she dedicated herself to Christ. At age 15, she and her older sister were left orphans. A short time later, her sister would die without receiving Last Rites. This disturbed Angela greatly, and she prayed fervently for her sister’s soul. By God's grace, Angela would have a vision confirming that her sister was in heaven. The future saint became increasingly devout. She

Memorial - December 13th  Saint Lucy of Syracuse, also known as St. Lucia, was a third century/early fourth century Christian martyr who died during the persecution ordered by Diocletian. Lucy chose to be a Christian at a time when Christianity was illegal. She sold all her worldly riches and gave her life to the poor After resisting the advances of a Roman soldier, she was denounced as a Christian to Paschasius, the governor of Sicily, and brutally executed. Lucy is one of eight women, who together with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass. __________________________________________ The Courageous Virtue and Holy Martyrdom of St. Lucy Today's feast can easily be harmonized with Advent themes. The very name Lucy pulsates with light, a living symbol amid the season's darkness (the days are now the shortest of the year). As a wise virgin Lucy advances with a burning lamp to meet the Bridegroom. She typifies the Church and t

Memorial - November 22nd  When Saint Augustine famously said, "One who sings prays twice," he may have been thinking of the early Church martyr most often associated with music. Saint Cecilia has often been depicted in art with either an organ or a viola since at least the time of the Renaissance. She is the patron saint of music and musicians, and especially those engaged in the composition and performance of sacred hymns. Much of her story is actually legend, and authentic material related to her life is scarce. We know that she was a Christian woman of high rank who was martyred in either the 2nd or 3rd century. The daughter of patrician Roman Christians, she was given in marriage to a rich young nobleman, Valerian of Trastevere, despite desiring to remain a virgin. By the designs of Providence, her innocence was preserved. There was a feast in her honor celebrated in the Church as early as 545, and at least one church was dedicated in her name in the late 4th cen

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

Memorial - November 13th  Sometimes the things we believe we are supposed to do in life are merely a variation on what God actually has in mind for us. Such was the case with a young Italian girl named Frances Xavier Cabrini. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a missionary in China. But Pope Leo XIII would one day suggest that her missionary efforts were destined to be carried out in a very different part of the world; it wasn’t China, but it was precisely where God desired her to be. Frances Xavier Cabrini was born on a farm in Lombardi, Italy in 1850, one of 13 children.  She was trained as a teacher in a nearby convent school and, when she reached the age of 18, she sought to join the Order that had educated her. Her health, however, was so frail that they denied her request and Frances instead returned to the family farm, where she cared for her parents until their death. Shortly afterward, at the request of a priest, Frances began working at the House of Providence Orph

Commemoration - October 21st According to a legend that appeared in the 10th century, Ursula was the daughter of a Christian King in Britain and was granted a three-year postponement from a marriage she refused to a pagan prince. With ten ladies in waiting, each attended by a thousand maidens, she set on a voyage across the North Sea, sailed the Rhine to Basle, and then went to Rome. On their return, they were massacred by pagan Huns at Cologne in 451 when Ursula refused to marry their chieftain. According to another account, America was settled by British colonizers and soldiers after Emperor Magnus Clemens Maximus conquered Britain and Gaul in 383. The ruler of the settlers, Cynan Meiriadog, called upon King Dionotus of Cornwall for wives for the settlers. Dionotus sent his daughter Ursula, who was to marry Cynan, with eleven thousand noble maidens and sixty thousand common women. Their fleet was shipwrecked and the women were enslaved or murdered. The legends are pious fi

Historically October 20th is the feast of Saint Irene, the legendary 7th century Portuguese nun martyred in defense of her chastity in 653. Her shrine called the "Santarem," (Portuguese for "Saint Irene") has played a key role for the great quality and beauty of the Catholic Faith that the Portuguese people have lived. Irene, a most beautiful and chaste girl, was murdered before she reached the age of 20. Her noble and God-fearing parents, wishing to prepare her both spiritually and intellectually to assume her rightful position in society, sent her to a convent school and then arranged for a monk to tutor her privately at home. An assiduous pupil and devout believer, the only times Irene left the safety of her house was to attend mass or to pray in the sanctuary dedicated to Saint Peter on his feast-day. On one of these occasions, a young nobleman named Britald happened to see her and fell desperately in love with her. Every time she went out he waited to ca

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

According to the 1962 Missal of Saint John XXIII, October 13th, is the feast day of Saint Edward the Confessor (1003-1066). As king he was renowned for his gentleness, humility, detachment and angelic holiness. He preserved perfect chastity in his wedded life. So little was his heart set on worldly riches that he readily dispensed his goods at the palace gate to those who were sick or poor. Edward, the last king of the Anglo-Saxons, a grandson of the martyr-king of the same name, passed his youth in exile with his uncle, a Norman leader. In an environment of sin, he preserved innocence of life. Called to the throne in 1042, he put into practice the Christian ideals for a ruler, with the help of God's grace. His reign saw near continuous peace. All spoke highly of the "good King Edward." His first efforts were directed toward a renewal of religion in the hearts of his people. Priests were invited into his kingdom, churches were built or restored. His subjects prospe

October 6th, the Church observes the optional memorial of Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, (1811-1849) the 19th century Canadian religious, who founded the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. She was born, Eulalie Mélanie Durocher in the village of Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, the tenth of eleven children to Olivier and Geneviève Durocher, devout farmers. Four of her siblings were called to religious life. Her brothers Flavien, Théophile, and Eusèbe became priests. Her sister Séraphine entered the Congregation of Notre Dame. Eulalie aspired to follow her sister and join the Congregation of Notre Dame. She was home-schooled by her paternal grandfather and attending various boarding schools. In 1827, she enrolled in the school of the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montreal, with the intention of entering the novitiate, but was turned away due to poor health. In 1830, Eulalie's mother Geneviève died. The next year, her brother, Father Théophile, who was curate of Sain

October 5th, the Church observes the optional memorial of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, (1905-1938) the 20th century Polish nun who Jesus chose to deliver to the world His message of Divine Mercy. She was born, Helena Kowalska, the third of ten children to indigent, Catholic peasants Stanisław and Marianna Kowalska in Głogówiec, Poland. Her father was a carpenter; her mother a simple housekeeper. When she was 15 years old, she quit school in order to work as a housemaid to help support her family. By the time she was 18, she was sure that God was calling her to a religious life, but her parents objected. So she tried to put it out of her mind. But one night, while the lively polka music was playing at a village dance, Helena saw Jesus, sad and suffering. The very next day she packed a small bag and went to the capital city of Warsaw to join the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. There she commenced religious life, taking the name Sister Mary Faustina. This humble sister with only t

Memorial - October 1st Imagine for a moment that you are in a dimly lit chapel. Candles light the altar as you are engulfed by soft voices praying the Rosary. You promise to focus completely on the prayers. You lift up your heart and… fall asleep. It is just another day in the life of Saint Therese of Lisieux, better known as the “Little Flower.” More than any other saint, Theresa understood and explained the mystery of divine filiation of living as a child of God. She loved the Blessed Virgin Mary but did not enjoy the Rosary. She was a mystic but did enjoy retreats. St. Therese, however, never became upset or discouraged about falling asleep because she was confident that God, like a good parent, loved his children even when they were sleeping. Commenting on the mystery of her vocation St. Therese wrote, “Jesus does not call those who are worthy, but those he wants to call.” For her, this vocation began as a call to Carmel, a cloistered convent, and ultimately led to her b

According to tradition September 7th is the feast of St. Regina (Reine) who after undergoing many cruel torments, was beheaded for the faith at Aliza, formerly a large town called Alexia, famous for the siege which Caesar laid to it, now a small village in the diocese of Autun in Burgundy. Her martyrdom occurred under the persecution of Decius, in 251, or possibly Emperor Maximian Herculius in 286.  ________________________________ The life of Saint Regina is shrouded in obscurity; all that we know about her is found in the acts of her martyrdom which are considered rather unreliable in their details. She was born in the 3rd century in Alise, the ancient Alesia where two hundred years earlier Vercingetorix had fought so valiantly against Caesar. Her mother died at her birth, and her father, a prominent pagan citizen, entrusted the child to a Christian nurse who baptized her. When he learned of this fact, the father flew into a rage and repudiated his own daughter. Regina then

Optional Memorial - August 23rd Saint Rose of Lima, (1586-1617), a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic, was the "first blossom of sanctity that South America gave to the world." Hers was a life heroic in virtue and penance. She expiated the evils perpetrated by the conquerors of the land in their lust for gold. Her life was a silent sermon of penance. Pope Clement X stated in the bull of canonization: "Since the discovery of Peru no missionary has arisen who effected a similar popular zeal for the practice of penance." Already as a five-year-old child, Rose vowed her innocence to God. While still a young girl, she practiced mortifications and fasts that vastly exceeded ordinary discretion; during all of Lent she ate no bread, but subsisted on five citron seeds a day. In addition, she suffered repeated attacks from the devil, painful bodily ailments, and from her family, scoldings and calumnies. All this she accepted serenely, remarking to a friend that

Memorial - August 11th As a young girl, Saint Clare, in defiance of her parent’s wishes, escaped from her home one night, intent on meeting up with a group of friars. They conducted her by torch-light to a small chapel where Saint Francis of Assisi gave her a rough brown habit in place of her fine dress. She surrendered her jeweled belt for a knotted rope, which she fastened around her waist. In a final act of devotion, she permitted St. Francis to cut her long hair, in order that she might take the veil. A beautiful young Italian noblewoman, Clare was so moved by the preaching of Saint Francis of Assisi that she defied every convention of her privileged life to live the Gospel of Christ. One of St. Francis’ first and most ardent followers, she would become the foundress of the group of nuns known as the Second Order of St. Francis, more popularly, the Poor Clares. She did so despite great opposition. Her parents tried everything in their power to dissuade Clare from her vocat

July 14th is the Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to ever be declared a saint by the Catholic Church. She is venerated for her purity, deep devotion and unflinching personal courage, The diocese of Albany has two shrines dedicated to St. Kateri. also known by the title, “Lily of the Mohawk.” Kateri was born near present day Auriesville, New York in 1656. She was the daughter of a Mohawk chief and a Christian mother and, as such, was entitled to all the privileges that were part of being a princess among her people. When she was four years of age, smallpox raged through her village, killing her parents and leaving Kateri scarred and partially blind. Despite this, her lineage still made her a desirable marriage partner; however, she enraged both her uncle, who had adopted her, and her tribe when she told them of her decision to remain a virgin. Kateri was baptized on Easter Sunday, 1676 and was immediately taken to a Jesuit Indian mission near Montr

Saint Maria Goretti died on July 6, 1902. The following is excerpted from the homily by Pope Pius XII at her canonization Mass on June 24, 1950. It is found in the Divine Office of Readings for the Feast of St. Maria Goretti on July 6th. "It is well known how this young girl had to face a bitter struggle with no way to defend herself. Without warning a vicious stranger (actually Alessandro Serenelli who lived with his father in the same house as the Goretti's.) burst upon her, bent on raping her and destroying her childlike purity. In that moment of crisis she could have spoken to her Redeemer in the words of that classic, The Imitation of Christ: "Though tested and plagued by a host of misfortunes, I have no fear so long as your grace is with me. It is my strength, stronger than any adversary; it helps me and gives me guidance." With splendid courage she surrendered herself to God and his grace and so gave her life to protect her virginity. The life of this s

July 6th, is the optional memorial of Saint Maria Goretti. It is a rare thing for an immediate family member to be present at a saint’s canonization. It is even more uncommon for a murderer to be there as well—especially if that man was the one responsible for the death of the person being canonized. And yet, that is precisely what happened in 1950, when Pope Pius XII pronounced Maria Goretti a saint. Maria was born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, Ancona, Italy, the eldest of five children. Her parents were poor sharecroppers and, in 1899 when Maria was only nine, her father Luigi moved the family to the tiny town of Ferriere, Italy, in hopes of finding work to feed his family. Little did he know that the business agreement he made there with a man known as Signor Serenelli would lead to such profound consequences for his oldest daughter. Serenelli had a son named Alessandro, who was older than Maria by six years. Although those who knew her often remarked on Maria’s “grace a

July 5th Years after Maria's death, when her assailant Alessandro was still in prison, she appeared to him in a dream, and forgave him once more. From that day forward, Alessandro experienced a conversion, repented of his sins, and went on to live a holy life, eventually becoming a Franciscan lay brother. St. Maria led him to God. Today we pray for the healing of those who have been sexually assaulted as well as for the contrition and conversion of their offenders. St. Maria Goretti Novena Prayers - Day 9 St. Maria Goretti, patron of the victims of rape and sexual exploitation, pray for all those who have been so offended. Intercede and pray for their healing, that they may experience comfort and peace. We pray that our society may be able to better protect those who are victimized and abused. We pray also that the perpetrators receive justice, but most of all, for their contrition and conversion. Please pray also for (mention your intentions here). Amen. O