Saint of the week:

A Saint is often an ordinary person who has lived an extraordinary life of virtue and faith. As Catholics we should use these exemplars to inspire us in our daily lives.

St. Hesychius of Jerusalem

Unfortunately, not much is known of this early Christian Saint from the Russian Orthodox tradition. Many of his writings and much about his life has been lost to history. He was an exegete and involved in his church as a presbyter. His work was extremely important since he defended the doctrines of the Church from early heresies including the theories of Nestorianism and Arianism. Nestorianism postulated that there were two completely separate natures combined in Jesus, one divine and the other human. Arianism postulated that Jesus was not divine at all. Hesychius' work gives us great insight into the history of the early Church. He wrote homilies concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary, and many Bible commentaries which focused on the mysteries contained in the Old Testament and how they are related to the New Testament. This included writings on the Psalms. Some of his other works describe the life and martyrdom of early Saints. He had a great love of the Holy Eucharist and promoted the need to keep pure of mind and body.

This week pray a Rosary in his honor, his feast day is March 28th.

A Saint is often an ordinary person who has lived an extraordinary life of virtue and faith. As Catholics we should use these exemplars to inspire us in our daily lives.

St. Serapion the Scholastic

Little is known of the early life of St. Serapion. He lived in the fourth century. He was a Monk who spent much time in the Egyptian desert as a disciple of St. Anthony. He focused on prayer and performing penance. His intellectual powers were great and he was selected to direct the catechetical school which was located in Alexandria, Egypt. He would resign this post to return to his more humble life. He was later consecrated the Bishop of Thmuis, an important city in lower Egypt located on a canal of the NileRiver delta. He was an important defender of Church Doctrine and attacked the heresy of Arianism, which taught that Jesus was not consubstantial with the Father. He was banished by the Emperor Constantius, an avid believer in Arianism. He also opposed the Macedonianism Heresy which denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit and thus the Holy Trinity. He was a brilliant scholar and theologian, wrote a sacramentary called the Euchologion, several important letters and a lengthy discourse on the titles of the Psalms. Some of his writings may be found in the Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Apothegmata)

This week pray a Rosary in his honor, his feast day is March 21st

Saint of the week:

The Blessed Mother holds a special place in the hearts of Catholics. She is venerated as Mother of God and Mother of the Church. This week we honor her apparitions and the miracles at Lourdes.

Our Lady of Lourdes - February 11th

A beautiful Lady appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous near Lourdes, France, in1858. She appeared 18 times from February 11 to July 16. During the first few apparitions she smiled and bowed to Bernadette, who prayed the Rosary and sprinkled holy water. St. Bernadette was 14 years old and did not know who this was. The Lady told her "I do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the next". Bernadette was instructed to drink the water from the spring but there was no spring. She had to scratch the ground and then it appeared. The waters of the spring have been attributed miraculous healing powers. The first miraculous cure occurred during the 12th apparition on March 1st. She finally identified herself to Bernadette as, "The Immaculate Conception". St. Bernadette did not know what that meant, but it confirmed the dogma established four years earlier by the Pope. The Shrine and miraculous healing waters honor, "The Immaculate Conception of Mary". Lourdes is a popular Marian Shrine and attracts millions of visitors each year.

This week pray a Rosary in honor of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Saint of the week:

A Saint is often an ordinary person who has lived an extraordinary life of virtue and faith. As Catholics we should use these exemplars to inspire us in our daily lives.

St. Colette (1381-1447)

It seems the world becomes more interesting and challenging from time to time. During these times we must depend on our faith. St. Colette lived in such a time, the time of the Great Western Schism. She was born in Corbie, which is north of Paris near the city of Amiens. Her father was a carpenter for the Benedictine Abbey of Corbie; her mother was Marguerite Moyon. She was orphaned as a young teen and entered the Bequines, a semi monastic community. She would live as a Benedictine and a Poor Clare and even lived for a time as a hermit. During this time 3 men claimed to be Pope. One of them, Benedict XIII (Pedro de Luna) empowered St. Colette to reform the Poor Clares. She began her work in Geneva and before she completed her task, she had founded 17 convents and had started a reform among branches of the Franciscan Friars (the Coletani). She emphasized a return to the Primitive Rule of St. Clare. The practice was austere and included poverty, perpetual fast, abstinence and walking barefoot. She exhibited prophecy, the gift of miracles and mystical experiences. She was Canonized by Pope Pius VII. The Colettine's still exist and practice the Rule today.

This week pray a Rosary in her honor, her feast day is February 6th.

Saint of the week:

A Saint is often an ordinary person who has lived an extraordinary life of virtue and faith. As Catholics we should use these exemplars to inspire us in our daily lives.

St. Gregory of Nyssa ( 330-395)

His family must have been a great inspiration for this Saint was born the son of two Saints, Saints Basil and Emmilia. He was also raised by his brother, St. Basil the Great. He was a smart boy and excelled at his studies. He became a professor of rhetoric but would pursue theology. He became a priest and was elected Bishop of Nyssa. He was a defender of the faith against the Arianism and other heresies that were spreading through the early church. His work gained him a seat on the Council of Constantinople. He was a universalist and was one of the first theologians to argue for and defend the infinity of God. He taught that spiritual growth had three stages. It began with darkness or ignorance, which was overcome by illumination which lead to a final contemplation of God, who in essence (ousia) cannot be comprehended. St. Gregory of Nyssa, his brother St Basil the Great (Bishop of Caesarea) and Gregory of Nazianzus (Patriarch of Constantinople) are known as the Cappadocian Fathers. Their theological goal was to establish a Christian philosophy superior to ancient Greek philosophy.

This week pray a Rosary in his honor, his feast day is January 10th.