Free Republic

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Blessed César de Bus | soul-candy.infoBlessed Caesar de Bus Saint of the Day for April 15 (February 3, 1544 – April 15, 1607)  Blessed Caesar de Bus’ Story Like so many of us, Caesar de Bus struggled with the decision about what to do with his life. After completing his Jesuit education he had difficulty settling between a military and a literary career. He wrote some plays but ultimately settled for life in the army and at court.For a time, life was going rather smoothly for the engaging, well-to-do young Frenchman. He was confident...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue of Saint Telmo (Pedro González Telmo) in Frómista, province of Palencia, Spain | photo by Lucien leGreyBlessed Peter Gonzalez Saint of the Day for April 14 (1190 – April 15, 1246)  Blessed Peter Gonzalez’s Story Saint Paul had a conversion experience on the road to Damascus. Many years later, the same proved true for Peter Gonzalez, who triumphantly rode his horse into the Spanish city of Astorga in the 13th century to take up an important post at the cathedral. The animal stumbled and fell, leaving Peter in the mud and onlookers amused.Humbled,...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statua di S. Martino Papa nel tempio di Santa Maria della Consolazione, Roma | photo by Daniel Aldrighetti Saint Martin I Saint of the Day for April 13 (d. September 16, 655)  Saint Martin I’s Story When Martin I became pope in 649, Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine empire and the patriarch of Constantinople was the most influential Church leader in the eastern Christian world. The struggles that existed within the Church at that time were magnified by the close cooperation of emperor and patriarch.A teaching, strongly supported in the East, held...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Prayer wall at the Santuario de Saint Teresa de los Andes | photo by MalissetteSaint Teresa of Los Andes Saint of the Day for April 12 (July 13, 1900 – April 12, 1920)  Saint Teresa of Los Andes’ Story One needn’t live a long life to leave a deep imprint. Teresa of Los Andes is proof of that.As a young girl growing up in the early 1900’s in Santiago, Chile, Juana Fernandez read an autobiography of a French-born saint—Thérèse, popularly known as the Little Flower. The experience deepened her desire to serve God and...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Gothic stained glass window from Dominican Monastery in Kraków | photo by Ludwig Schneider.Saint Stanislaus Saint of the Day for April 11 (July 26, 1030 – April 11, 1079)  Saint Stanislaus’ Story Anyone who reads the history of Eastern Europe cannot help but chance on the name of Stanislaus, the saintly but tragic bishop of Kraków, patron of Poland. He is remembered with Saints Thomas More and Thomas Becket for vigorous opposition to the evils of an unjust government.Born in Szczepanow near Kraków on July 26, 1030, he was ordained a priest after being...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Monument of Saint Magdalene of Canossa in Verona | photo by Chrumps Saint Magdalen of Canossa Saint of the Day for April 10 (March 1, 1774 – April 10, 1835)  Saint Magdalen of Canossa’s Story Wealth and privilege did nothing to prevent today’s saint from following her calling to serve Christ in the poor. Nor did the protests of her relatives, concerned that such work was beneath her.Born in northern Italy in 1774, Magdalen knew her mind—and spoke it. At age 15 she announced she wished to become a nun. After trying out her...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Portrait of Saint Casilda | Francisco de Zurbarán Saint Casilda Saint of the Day for April 9 (d. c. 1050)  Saint Casilda’s Story Some saints’ names are far more familiar to us than others, but even the lives of obscure holy persons teach us something.And so it is with Saint Casilda. Her father was a Muslim leader in Toledo, Spain, in the 10th century. Casilda was a devout Muslim but was kind to Christian prisoners. She became ill as a young woman but did not trust that any of the local Arab doctors could...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue of Saint Julie Billiart | Saint Julie Billiart Catholic Church, Hamilton, OH | photo by Nheyob Saint Julie Billiart Saint of the Day for April 8 (July 12, 1751 – April 8, 1816)  Saint Julie Billiart’s Story Born in Cuvilly, France, into a family of well-to-do farmers, young Marie Rose Julie Billiart showed an early interest in religion and in helping the sick and poor. Though the first years of her life were relatively peaceful and uncomplicated, Julie had to take up manual work as a young teen when her family lost its...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue of St. John Baptist de la Salle | Saint Peter Basilica, Rome | photo by JordiferrerSaint John Baptist de la Salle Saint of the Day for April 7 (April 30, 1651 – April 7, 1719)  Saint John Baptist de la Salle’s Story Complete dedication to what he saw as God’s will for him dominated the life of John Baptist de la Salle. In 1950, Pope Pius XII named him patron of schoolteachers for his efforts in upgrading school instruction. As a young 17th-century Frenchman, John had everything going for him: scholarly bent, good...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Detail | Stained glass of Saint Crescentia Hoess | photo by GFreihalterSaint Crescentia Hoess Saint of the Day for April 6 (October 20, 1682 – April 5, 1744)  Saint Crescentia Hoess’ Story Crescentia was born in 1682, the daughter of a poor weaver, in a little town near Augsburg. She spent play time praying in the parish church, assisted those even poorer than herself and had so mastered the truths of her religion that she was permitted to make her first Holy Communion at the then unusually early age of 7. In the town...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Detail | Apocalyptic Virgin and Saint Vincent Ferrer with two Donors | Pere Garcia de BenavarriSaint Vincent Ferrer Saint of the Day for April 5 (January 23, 1350 – April 5,1419)  Saint Vincent Ferrer’s Story The polarization in the Church today is a mild breeze compared with the tornado that ripped the Church apart during the lifetime of this saint. If any saint is a patron of reconciliation, Vincent Ferrer is.Despite parental opposition, he entered the Dominican Order in his native Spain at 19. After brilliant studies, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal...

Saint Isidore of Seville Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Isidore of Seville | photo by Sacristia mayor de la catedral de SevillaSaint Isidore of Seville Saint of the Day for April 4 (c. 560 – April 4, 636)  Saint Isidore of Seville’s Story The 76 years of Isidore’s life were a time of conflict and growth for the Church in Spain. The Visigoths had invaded the land a century and a half earlier, and shortly before Isidore’s birth they set up their own capital. They were Arians—Christians who said Christ was not God. Thus, Spain was split in two:...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue of Saint Benedict the Moor | Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Benedict, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil | photo by Mateus Hidalgo Saint Benedict the African Saint of the Day for April 3 (1526 – 1589)  Saint Benedict the African’s Story Benedict held important posts in the Franciscan Order and gracefully adjusted to other work when his terms of office were up.His parents were slaves brought from Africa to Messina, Sicily. Freed at 18, Benedict did farm work for a wage and soon saved enough to buy a pair of...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Francis of Paula holding a walking stick and looking | Engraving | Wellcome ImagesSaint Francis of Paola Saint of the Day for April 2 (March 27, 1416 – April 2, 1507)  Saint Francis of Paola’s Story Francis of Paola was a man who deeply loved contemplative solitude and wished only to be the “least in the household of God.” Yet, when the Church called him to active service in the world, he became a miracle-worker and influenced the course of nations.After accompanying his parents on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, he began...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Hugh of Grenoble in the Carthusian Refectory | Francisco de ZurbaránSaint Hugh of Grenoble Saint of the Day for April 1 (1053 – April 1, 1132)    Saint Hugh of Grenoble’s Story Today’s saint could be a patron for those of us who feel so overwhelmed by all the problems in the world that we don’t know where to begin.Hugh, who served as a bishop in France for 52 years, had his work cut out for him from the start. Corruption seemed to loom in every direction: the buying and selling of Church...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Icon | Saint Stephen of Mar Saba Saint Stephen of Mar Saba Saint of the Day for March 31 (725 – 794)  Saint Stephen of Mar Saba’s Story A “do not disturb” sign helped today’s saint find holiness and peace.Stephen of Mar Saba was the nephew of Saint John Damascene, who introduced the young boy to monastic life beginning at age 10. When he reached 24, Stephen served the community in a variety of ways, including guest master. After some time he asked permission to live a hermit’s life. The answer from the abbot...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: San Pedro Regalado | Santa Maria del Pi, Barcelona | © José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro Saint Peter Regalado Saint of the Day for March 30 (1390 – March 30, 1456)  Saint Peter Regalado’s Story Peter lived at a very busy time in history. The Great Western Schism (1378-1417) was settled at the Council of Constance (1414-1418). France and England were fighting the Hundred Years’ War, and in 1453, the Byzantine Empire was completely wiped out by the loss of Constantinople to the Turks. At Peter’s death, the age of printing had just begun in...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue of Father Ludovico da Casoria in the portico of the sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei | photo by Dario Crespi Saint Ludovico of Casoria Saint of the Day for March 29 (March 11, 1814 – March 30, 1885)  Saint Ludovico of Casoria’s Story Born in Casoria, near Naples, Arcangelo Palmentieri was a cabinet-maker before entering the Friars Minor in 1832, taking the name Ludovico. After his ordination five years later, he taught chemistry, physics, and mathematics to younger members of his province for several years.In 1847, he had...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Catherine of Bologna | Guglielmo Giraldi Saint Catharine of Bologna Saint of the Day for March 28 (September 8, 1413 -March 9, 1463 )  Saint Catharine of Bologna’s Story Some Franciscan saints led fairly public lives; Catharine represents the saints who served the Lord in obscurity.Born in Bologna, Catharine was related to the nobility in Ferrara, and was educated at court there. She received a liberal education at the court and developed some interest and talent in painting. In later years as a Poor Clare, Catharine sometimes did manuscript illumination and also painted...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: The Raising of Lazarus | Albert van Ouwater Lazarus Saint of the Day for March 27 (? – ?)  Lazarus’ Story Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, the brother of Martha and Mary, was the one of whom the Jews said, “See how much he loved him.” In their sight, Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead.Legends abound about the life of Lazarus after the death and resurrection of Jesus. He is supposed to have left a written account of what he saw in the next world before he was called back to life....