Day by Day with the Saints

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Day 365 -- Saint Rosalia

I cannot believe that today is the last day to write my saint blog. It has been very good to write everyday for a whole year and share the saints with you. May we always try to emulate them and pray to them when we need help and discernment.

Today, on my last entry, I will write about Saint Rosalia, in honor of my grandmother, Rosale or Rose as she is known. I saw my Grama today, who is 91 and in a nursing home.

Saint Rosalia was born around the year 1130 in Palermo to Sicilian nobility. She was raised in the royal Sicilian court. From when she was a child, she knew she was called to dedicate her life to God. When she was grown, she moved to a cave near her parents' home and lived there for the rest of her life. Tradition says that she was led to the cave by two angels. On the cave wall she wrote “I, Rosalia, daughter of Sinibald, Lord of Roses, and Quisquina, have taken the resolution to live in this cave for the love of my Lord, Jesus Christ.” She remained apart from the world and dedicated her life to prayer and works of penance for the sake of Jesus. She died alone in the cave around the year 1160 of natural causes. She was buried in the cave by workers collapsing it.

In 1625, during the plague, it is said that she appeared in a vision to a hunter near her cave. Her relics were discovered and brought to Palermo and paraded through the street. Three days later, the plague ended, and intercession to Rosalia was credited with saving the city. She is the city's patroness. There are traditional celebrations lasting for days, involving fireworks and parades.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Day 364 -- Pope Saint Gregory the Great

Pope Saint Gregory the Great was born in Rome around the year 540. His mother is also a saint: Saint Silvia of Rome, and he is nephew of Saint Emiliana, and Saint Tarsilla. He is the great-grandson of Pope Saint Felix III. He was educated by the finest teachers in Rome. He was a Benedictine monk and then turned his home into a Benedictine monastery and used his money to build six more. When he said English children being sold in the Roman Forum, he became a missionary to England.

On September 3, 590, he was elected the 64 pope and the first monk to be chosen. He sent Saint Augustine of Canterbury and other monks to evangelize England, and other places including France, Spain, and Africa. He is one of the great four doctors of the Latin Church. He wrote works on the Mass and Divine Office. He died on March 12, 604 in Rome.

He is the patron of masons, against gout, England, singers, students and teachers.

"When Job is said to have feared God, it is rightly related that he also shunned evil. Fear comes first and charity follows later; and when that has happened, the offense which is left behind in the mind is trodden underfoot by the desires of the heart."

Prayer
O God, You look upon Your people with compassion, and rule them with love. Through the intercession of Pope Saint Gregory, give wisdom to the leaders of Your Church that the growth of Your people in holiness and love of You may be the everlasting joy of our pastors. Amen.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Day 363 -- Martyrs of September

The Martyrs of September is a group of 191 martyrs who died in the French Revolution. They were imprisoned in the Abbey of St-Germain-des-Prés, Hôtel des Carmes in the rue de Rennes, Prison de la Force, and Seminaire de Saint-Firmin in Paris. They refused to take the oath to support the civil constitution of the clergy. This placed all priests under the control of the state and had been condemned by the Vatican. They were massacred by a mob on September 2 and September 3, 1792. They were beatified on October 17, 1926 by Pope Pius XI and await canonization.

The compete list is here:

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Day 362 -- Blessed Juliana of Collalto

Blessed Juliana of Collalto was born into nobility in the year 1186 in Treviso, Italy. At the age of 10 she became a Benedictine nun in Salarola. She was friends with Blessed Beatrix of Este. She founded the convent of Saint Biagio and the Cataldo convent in Venice. She also became an abbess. She died on September 1, 1262 in Venice. She was beatified and canonized on May 20, 1753 by Pope Benedict XIV.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Day 361 -- Saint Cyprian of Carthage

Saint Cyprian of Carthage was born around the year 190 in Carthage, North Africa. He was an adult convert to the faith in 246. He was ordained a year later and two years later he became bishop of Carthage. Beginning the following year, he lived in hiding and ministered to his flock because of the persecution of Decius. He was a writer of great importance, only second to Tertullian. He supported Pope Saint Cornelius. In 257, during the persecutions of Valerian he was exiled to Curubis, he was then brought back to Carthage, and then was martyred in 258 on September 14.

"God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one; one is the faith, and one is the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body…. If we are the heirs of Christ, let us abide in the peace of Christ; if we are the sons of God, let us be lovers of peace."