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Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Bernadine of Siena | Vincenzo Foppa Saint Bernardine of Siena Saint of the Day for May 20 (September 8, 1380 – May 20, 1444)  Saint Bernardine of Siena’s Story Most of the saints suffer great personal opposition, even persecution. Bernardine, by contrast, seems more like a human dynamo who simply took on the needs of the world.He was the greatest preacher of his time, journeying across Italy, calming strife-torn cities, attacking the paganism he found rampant, attracting crowds of 30,000, following St. Francis of Assisi’s admonition to preach about “vice and virtue, punishment...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue de Saint Théophile de Corte | photo by Pierre Bona Saint Theophilus of Corte Saint of the Day for May 19 (October 30, 1676 – June 17, 1740)  Saint Theophilus of Corte’s Story If we expect saints to do marvelous things continually and to leave us many memorable quotes, we are bound to be disappointed with Saint Theophilus. The mystery of God’s grace in a person’s life, however, has a beauty all its own.Theophilus was born in Corsica of rich and noble parents. As a young man, he entered the Franciscans and soon...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: U.S. Archives, Book Reader Images | UnknownSt. John I Saint of the Day for May 18 (c. 470 – May 18, 526)  Saint John I’s Story Pope John I inherited the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. Italy had been ruled for 30 years by an emperor who espoused the heresy, though he treated the empire’s Catholics with toleration. His policy changed at about the time the young John was elected pope.When the eastern emperor began imposing severe measures on the Arians of his area, the western emperor forced John to head...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Paschal Baylon | Giovanni Battista TiepoloSaint Paschal Baylon Saint of the Day for May 17 (May 24, 1540 – May 15, 1592)  Saint Paschal Baylon’s story In Paschal’s lifetime the Spanish empire in the New World was at the height of its power, though France and England were soon to reduce its influence. The 16th century has been called the Golden Age of the Church in Spain, for it gave birth to Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Peter of Alcantara, Francis Solano and Salvator of Horta.Paschal’s...

June 6, 2017 Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Tb 2:9-14On the night of Pentecost, after I had buried the dead,I, Tobit, went into my courtyard to sleep next to the courtyard wall. My face was uncovered because of the heat. I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me, till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts. I went to see some doctors for a curebut the more they anointed my eyes with various salves, the worse the cataracts became, until I could see no more. For four...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Margret of Cortona | Giovanni Battista Piazzetta Saint Margaret of Cortona Saint of the Day for May 16 (1247 – February 22, 1297)  Saint Margaret of Cortona’s Story Margaret was born of farming parents in Laviano, Tuscany. Her mother died when Margaret was seven; life with her stepmother was so difficult that Margaret moved out. For nine years she lived with Arsenio, though they were not married, and she bore him a son. In those years, she had doubts about her situation. Somewhat like Saint Augustine, she prayed for purity—but not just yet.One...

June 5, 2017 Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr Reading 1 Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my lifeon the paths of truth and righteousness.I performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my peoplewho had been deported with me to Nineveh, in Assyria. On our festival of Pentecost, the feast of Weeks, a fine dinner was prepared for me, and I reclined to eat.The table was set for me,and when many different dishes were placed before me,I said to my son Tobiah: "My son,go out and try to find a poor manfrom among...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue at Saint Isidore Catholic Church, Bloomingdale, Illinois | photo by Nheyob Saint Isidore the Farmer Saint of the Day for May 15 (1070 – May 15, 1130)  Saint Isidore the Farmer’s Story Isidore has become the patron of farmers and rural communities. In particular, he is the patron of Madrid, Spain, and of the United States National Rural Life Conference.When he was barely old enough to wield a hoe, Isidore entered the service of John de Vergas, a wealthy landowner from Madrid, and worked faithfully on his estate outside the city for the...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: “Saint Matthias” | Serra Brothers workshop Saint Matthias Saint of the Day for May 14 (? – ?)  Saint Matthias’ Story According to Acts 1:15-26, during the days after the Ascension Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers–about 120 of Jesus’s followers. Now that Judas had betrayed his ministry, it was necessary, Peter said, to fulfill the scriptural recommendation that another should take his office. “Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism...

June 3, 2017 Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs Reading 1 Acts 28:16-20, 30-31When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,with the soldier who was guarding him. Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews.When they had gathered he said to them, "My brothers,although I had done nothing against our peopleor our ancestral customs,I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me,because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty.But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to...

June 2, 2017 Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 25:13b-21King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesareaon a visit to Festus.Since they spent several days there,Festus referred Paul's case to the king, saying,"There is a man here left in custody by Felix.When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jewsbrought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.I answered them that it was not Roman practiceto hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusersand had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.So when they came together here, I...

June 1, 2017 Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr Reading 1 Acts 22:30; 23:6-11Wishing to determine the truthabout why Paul was being accused by the Jews,the commander freed himand ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them. Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees,so he called out before the Sanhedrin,"My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees;I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead."When he said this,a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees,and the group became divided.For...

May 27, 2017 Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 18:23-28After staying in Antioch some time,Paul left and traveled in orderly sequencethrough the Galatian country and Phrygia,bringing strength to all the disciples. A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria,an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus.He was an authority on the Scriptures.He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and,with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about Jesus,although he knew only the baptism of John.He began to speak boldly in the synagogue;but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him,they took him asideand explained to him the...

May 26, 2017 Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest Reading 1 Acts 18:9-18One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision,"Do not be afraid.Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.No one will attack and harm you,for I have many people in this city."He settled there for a year and a halfand taught the word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,the Jews rose up together against Pauland brought him to the tribunal, saying,"This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the...

May 21, 2017 Sixth Sunday of Easter Reading 1 Acts 8:5-8, 14-17Philip went down to the city of Samariaand proclaimed the Christ to them.With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philipwhen they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,came out of many possessed people,and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalemheard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,they sent them Peter and John,who went down and prayed for them,that they might...

May 20, 2017 Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 16:1-10Paul reached also Derbe and Lystrawhere there was a disciple named Timothy,the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,but his father was a Greek.The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,and Paul wanted him to come along with him.On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,for they all knew that his father was a Greek.As they traveled from city to city,they handed on to the people for observance the decisionsreached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.Day after...

May 18, 2017 Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 15:7-21After much debate had taken place,Peter got up and said to the Apostles and the presbyters,"My brothers, you are well aware that from early daysGod made his choice among you that through my mouththe Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe.And God, who knows the heart,bore witness by granting them the Holy Spiritjust as he did us.He made no distinction between us and them,for by faith he purified their hearts.Why, then, are you now putting God to the testby placing on the shoulders...

May 15, 2017 Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 14:5-18There was an attempt in Iconiumby both the Gentiles and the Jews,together with their leaders,to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas.They realized it,and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbeand to the surrounding countryside,where they continued to proclaim the Good News. At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth,who had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him,saw that he had the faith to be healed,and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet."He...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Our Lady of Fatima Saint of the Day for May 13  The Story of Our Lady of Fatima Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children–Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia dos Santos–received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon. Mary asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for sinners, and for the conversion of Russia.Mary gave the children three secrets. Following the deaths of Francisco and Jacinta in 1919 and...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: “Flavia Domitilla van Terracina, Nereus en Achilleus” | Peter Paul RubensSaints Nereus and Achilleus Saint of the Day for May 12 (? – ?)  Saints Nereus and Achilleus’ Story Devotion to these two saints goes back to the fourth century, though almost nothing is known of their lives. They were praetorian soldiers of the Roman army, became Christians, and were removed to the island of Terracina, where they were martyred. Their bodies were buried in a family vault, later known as the cemetery of Domitilla. Excavations by De Rossi in 1896 resulted in the...