St. Jane Frances de Chantal was a devoted wife and mother and the foundress of a vital women’s religious order. Jane (Jeanne Francoise) was born in 1572 at Dijon, France to Benigne and Marguerite Fremyot. Benigne was the president of the parliament of the Province of Burgundy. Marguerite died when...
“Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.” St. John Chrysostom (4th-5th centuries, Doctor of the Church) “Remember, there is One Who listens to you, so do not hesitate to pray to Him. But He abides...
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodriguez was a layman active in service to the Church. Carlos was born in 1918 in the city of Caguas, Puerto Rico. His parents were Manuel and Herminia (Santiago) Rodriguez, and Manuel operated a small store attached to the family home. Carlos had four siblings, and the...
“The Church is one which with increasing fecundity extends far and wide into the multitude, just as the rays of the sun are many but the light is one, and the branches of the tree are many but the strength is one founded in its tenacious root, and, when many...
St. Ephrem of Syria was a deacon, hymn-writer, and teacher of the early Church. Ephrem was born C. 306 at Nisibis, Mesopotamia, (modern-day Nusaybin, Turkey on the Syrian border). Nothing is known of his family, except that he wrote that his family was Christian. As a youth, he was mentored...
“When shall I be freed from the miserable slavery of vice? When Lord, shall I think of you alone? When shall I fully rejoice in you? When shall I be without hindrance, in true liberty, free from every grievance of mind and body? When will there be solid peace, undisturbed...
OBLATE BOY St. Bede was a monk, priest, historian, scholar, and a prolific and important translator and writer. Born c. 673, nothing is known of Bede’s parents. His birthplace was near the town of Wearmouth in present day northern England. He was brought by relatives at age seven to the...
“The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.” St. James the Apostle (James the Less) (1st century) “Urge those who have familiar speech with God to use much prayer, with much perseverance, for the stilling of the tempest that is now wrecking the whole world.” St. John Chrysostom...
“The Sacrament which you receive is effected by the words of Christ. Now if the words of Elijah had the power to call down fire from heaven, will not the words of Christ have the power to change the character [species] of the elements? You have read, in the account...
St. Gemma Galgani was an Italian laywoman and an extraordinary mystic. Gemma was born in 1878 to a pharmacist and his wife in the village of Camigliano, Italy, near the city of Lucca. She was one of eight children. Gemma’s mother died when she was a child, but not before...