Our Friends in Heaven - Volume 1 E-Book

Allison Gliot

• Herausgeber: anna ruggieri
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

The saints are friends of God, and they want to become your friends, too! Some saints played soccer or rode horses. Others stood up for those who were being bullied and bravely worked for justice. Every saint has a unique story to share. Introduce intermediate readers to the amazing life stories of the saints. In print for decades, this fourth edition of a classic, bestselling, two-volume set of books contains engaging stories on a variety of saints for each day of the year.

Leseprobe

Our Friends in Heaven

Our Friends in Heaven

Saints for Every Day Volume 1January to June

Written by the Daughters of St. Paul Edited by Sister Allison Gliot Illustrated by Tim Foley

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020943471

CIP data is available.

ISBN 10: 0–8198–5521–9

ISBN 13: 978-0-8198-5521-3

ISBN 13 (ePub): 978-0-8198-5549-7

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover and interior design by Mary Joseph Peterson, FSP

Cover art and illustrations by Tim Foley

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

“P” and PAULINE are registered trademarks of the Daughters of St. Paul.

Copyright © 2021, Daughters of St. Paul

Published by Pauline Books & Media, 50 Saint Pauls Avenue, Boston, MA 02130–3491

OFIH1 VSAUSAPEOILL11-1210169 5521-9

www.pauline.org

Pauline Books & Media is the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul, an international congregation of women religious serving the Church with the communications media.

We would like to dedicate this book to our dear

Sister Susan Helen Wallace, FSP

(1940–2013),

author of the first edition of Saints for Young Readers for Every Day. Her joyful spirit and love for the saints inspired us to pour our own hearts into this work in the hopes that it will touch many lives.

From eternity, may she intercede for all the readers of this new edition.

Contents

How to Use This Book

JANUARY

1. Mary, Mother of God

2. Saint Basil and Saint Gregory Nazianzen

3. Saint Genevieve

4. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

5. Saint John Neumann

6. Saint André Bessette

7. Saint Raymond of Peñafort

8. Saint Apollinaris Claudius

9. Blessed Alix Le Clerc

10. Saint Gregory of Nyssa

11. Blessed William Carter

12. Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys

13. Saint Hilary of Poitiers

14. Blessed Peter Donders

15. Saint Arnold Janssen

16. Blessed Giuseppe Tovini

17. Saint Anthony of Egypt

18. Saint Jaime Hilario Barbal

19. Saint Canute

20. Saint Sebastian

21. Saint Agnes

22. Blessed Laura Vicuña

23. Saint Marianne Cope

24. Saint Francis de Sales

25. Conversion of Saint Paul

26. Saint Timothy and Saint Titus

27. Saint Angela Merici

28. Saint Thomas Aquinas

29. Blessed Villana de’ Botti

30. Saint David Galván Bermúdez

31. Saint John Bosco

FEBRUARY

1. Saint Brigid of Kildare

2. Blessed Benedict Daswa

3. Saint Blaise

4. Saint Gilbert of Sempringham

5. Saint Agatha

6. Saint Paul Miki and Companions

7. Saint Giles Mary-of-Saint-Joseph

8. Saint Josephine Bakhita

9. Saint Apollonia and the Martyrs of Alexandria

10. Saint Scholastica

11. Our Lady of Lourdes

12. Saint José Sánchez del Río

13. Blessed Jordan of Saxony

14. Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius

15. Saint Claude de la Colombière

16. Blessed Giuseppe Allamano

17. Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order

18. Blessed Fra Angelico

19. Saint Lucy Yi Zhenmei

20. Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta Marto

21. Saint Peter Damian

22. Saint Margaret of Cortona

23. Saint Polycarp

24. Blessed Josefa Naval Girbés

25. Blessed Rani Maria Vattalil

26. Saint Porphyry

27. Saint Anne Line

28. Blessed Daniel Brottier

29. Saint Oswald of Worcester

MARCH

1. Saint Albinus of Angers

2. Saint Angela of the Cross

3. Saint Katharine Drexel

4. Saint Casimir

5. Saint John Joseph of the Cross

6. Saint Colette

7. Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity

8. Saint John of God

9. Saint Frances of Rome

10. Saint John Ogilvie

11. Saint Mark Chŏng Ui-Bae and Saint Alexius U Se-Yŏng

12. Blessed Aniela Salawa

13. Saint Dulce Pontes

14. Saint Matilda

15. Saint Louise de Marillac

16. Blessed Torello of Poppi

17. Saint Patrick

18. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

19. Saint Joseph

20. Saint Józef Bilczewski

21. Saint Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayès

22. Saint Deogratias

23. Saint Toribio of Mogrovejo

24. Saint Oscar Romero

25. Saint Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas

26. Saint Margaret Clitherow

27. Saint John of Egypt

28. Blessed Jeanne-Marie of Maillé

29. Saint Jonas and Saint Barachisius

30. Saint John Climacus

31. Blessed Joan of Toulouse

APRIL

1. Saint Hugh of Grenoble

2. Saint Francis of Paola

3. Saint Richard of Chichester

4. Saint Isidore of Seville

5. Saint Vincent Ferrer

6. Blessed Notker

7. Saint John Baptist de la Salle

8. Saint Julie Billiart

9. Blessed Antonio Pavoni

10. Saint Magdalene of Canossa

11. Saint Gemma Galgani

12. Saint Joseph Moscati

13. Blessed Margaret of Castello

14. Saint Peter Gonzales

15. Blessed Lucien Botovasoa

16. Saint Bernadette Soubirous

17. Blessed Savina Petrilli

18. Saint Marie of the Incarnation

19. Blessed James Duckett

20. Saint Agnes of Montepulciano

21. Saint Anselm

22. Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu

23. Saint George

24. Saint Pedro de San José Betancur

25. Saint Mark the Evangelist

26. Saint Peter Chanel

27. Saint Zita

28. Saint Gianna Beretta Molla

29. Saint Catherine of Siena

30. Saint Pius V

MAY

1. Blessed Hanna Chrzanowska

2. Saint Athanasius

3. Saint Philip and Saint James

4. Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis

5. Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice

6. Saint Dominic Savio

7. Saint Rosa Venerini

8. Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich

9. Blessed Mary Theresa Gerhardinger

10. Saint Damien of Molokai

11. Saint Ignatius of Laconi

12. Blessed Imelda Lambertini

13. Our Lady of Fátima

14. Saint Théodore Guérin

15. Saint Isidore the Farmer

16. Saint Simon Stock

17. Saint Paschal Baylón

18. Saint Felix of Cantalice

19. Blessed Raphaël Louis Rafiringa

20. Saint Bernardine of Siena

21. Blessed Franz Jägerstätter

22. Saint Rita of Cascia

23. Saint John Baptist de Rossi

24. Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi

25. Saint Bede the Venerable

26. Saint Philip Neri

27. Saint Augustine of Canterbury

28. Blessed Margaret Pole

29. Blessed Joseph Gérard

30. Saint Joan of Arc

31. Saint Michael Hồ Đình Hy

JUNE

1. Saint Justin Martyr

2. Saint Marcellinus and Saint Peter

3. Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions

4. Saint Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad

5. Saint Boniface

6. Saint Norbert

7. Blessed Ana of Saint Bartholomew

8. Saint Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan

9. Saint Ephrem

10. Saint José de Anchieta

11. Saint Barnabas

12. Saint Juan de Sahagún

13. Saint Anthony of Padua

14. Saint Methodius I of Constantinople

15. Blessed Clement Vismara

16. Blessed Maria Theresa Scherer

17. Saint Émilie de Vialar

18. Saint Gregory Barbarigo

19. Saint Romuald

20. Blessed Michelina of Pesaro

21. Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

22. Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More

23. Saint Joseph Cafasso

24. Saint John the Baptist

25. Saint William of Vercelli

26. Saint Josemaría Escrivá

27. Saint Cyril of Alexandria

28. Saint Irenaeus

29. Saint Peter

30. Saint Paul

Acknowledgments

How to Use this Book

This book is the first volume of a two-part set. Volume I covers January through June. Volume II covers July through December. In these pages, you will find stories about lots of saints. Some lived long lives; others died when they were young. Some were close to God from their childhood and teenage years. Others learned the hard way that only God can make us happy.

There are saints from every part of the world. They lived in many different centuries, from the time of Jesus to our own times. You will come to know saintly kings and laborers, queens and housemaids, popes and priests, nuns and religious brothers. They were mothers and fathers, teenagers and children. They were doctors and farmers, soldiers and lawyers.

Saints are not just one type of person. They were as different from each other as we are. They were as human as we are. They lived on this earth, experienced temptations, and faced problems. They became saints because they used their willpower to make right choices and they prayed. Even when they made mistakes, they never gave up trusting in Jesus’ love for them.

You might ask, “What is the difference between a SAINT and a BLESSED?” Saints are holy persons now in heaven who grew close to God while on earth. The Church declares them saints so that we can love, imitate, and pray to them. Saints can pray to God for us and help us. Persons declared BLESSED are holy people who are now in heaven. Usually the Church requires miracles obtained through their intervention. When the miracles have been carefully studied and accepted as real, the blessed are proclaimed saints. You will also meet MARTYRS in this book. Martyrs allowed themselves to be put to death rather than deny God or give up their Catholic faith.

Some saints are the PATRONS of particular needs, places, or groups of people. This means that those saints pray in a special way for those things. When you have a specific problem that you need help with, you can ask the patron saint of that problem to pray for you. You can also choose your own special patron saints to turn to in times of need (for example, a saint who shares your name, birthday, or is from the same country as you). These patron saints can become your friends in heaven, helping you throughout your life.

What is the best way to read this book? Do not try to read all the stories in a few days. Read them one day at a time (for example, before you go to bed each night). At the top of each biography, it says when that saint was alive, which day his or her feast is celebrated on, and what he or she is the patron of. At the end, there is a short prayer to help you get to know the saint better and ask them for help in your everyday life.

If you read one story a day, you will have made many new friends in heaven by the end of the year. They will be happy to help you grow closer to God. And maybe someday you will become a saint, too!

NOTE: This book is not intended to be used as a liturgical calendar of Church celebrations. Sometimes, the reading for the saint is on his or her feast day, but not always.

January 1

Mary, Mother of God

(First Century)

Feast Day: January 1

Patron of all humanity

God chose Mary to be the mother of his Son. She was a teenager and her parents were Joachim and Anne. Mary was an ordinary girl who loved God and her Jewish religion. She became special because of God’s work in her and the way she cooperated with God’s plan. God sent the Archangel Gabriel to Mary’s town of Nazareth. The angel asked her if she would accept a wonderful plan—wonderful for her and for all of us. He asked her if she would become the mother of the Son of God. Mary loved and trusted God, so she said yes. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary became Jesus’ mother. Mary and her husband, Joseph, raised Jesus with great love and taught him all they knew about their faith. Jesus spent many happy, quiet years with Mary and Joseph in Nazareth.

When Jesus was about thirty years old, he was at a wedding in Cana with his friends and his mother, Mary. Joseph had probably died sometime before that. When the wedding party ran out of wine, Mary asked Jesus to do something. She wanted him to save the married couple from being embarrassed in front of their guests. He worked the miracle of turning plain water into delicious wine. Mary loved Jesus and believed in him. By making this request, she was telling Jesus it was now time to begin his public ministry. After the wedding he began to preach and to heal in different areas of Israel.

Three years later, Mary was there when Jesus was nailed to the cross. In fact, when Jesus died and was taken off of the cross, Mary received his body into her arms. After the resurrection, Mary waited with Jesus’ apostles for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The apostles loved her. They knew they needed more courage to be real followers of Jesus. Mary prayed for them and encouraged them. She taught them how to be disciples of her Son.

Mary, today’s feast honors you as the Mother of God. Help us remember that you are our mother too and that you love us. Remind us to come to you when we need help. We know you will lead us to your Son, Jesus. Amen.

January 2

Saint Basil

(c. 330–January 1 or 2, 379)

Saint Gregory Nazianzen

(c. 329–January 25, 390)

Feast Day: January 2

Basil: Patron of education

Gregory: Patron of poets

Basil and Gregory were born around the year 330 in Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey. Basil’s grandmother, father, mother, two brothers, and a sister are all saints. Gregory’s parents are Saint Nonna and Saint Gregory the Elder. Basil and Gregory met and became great friends at school in Athens, Greece.

Basil became a well-known teacher. But one day his sister, Saint Macrina, suggested that he become a monk. He listened to her advice, moved to the wilderness, and there started his first monastery. The rule he gave his monks was very wise. Monasteries in the East have followed it ever since.

Basil had a very kind and generous heart. He always found time to help the poor. He even invited people who were poor themselves to help those worse off. “Give your last loaf to the beggar at your door,” he urged, “and trust in God’s goodness.” He gave away his inheritance and opened a soup kitchen where he could often be seen wearing an apron and feeding the hungry.

Both Basil and Gregory became priests and then bishops. They preached bravely against the Arian heresy which denied that Jesus is God. This heresy, or false teaching, was confusing people.

While he was bishop of Constantinople, Gregory converted many people with his wonderful preaching. However, this nearly cost him his life. A young man planned to murder him but repented at the last moment and begged Gregory’s forgiveness. Gregory forgave him and won him over with his gentle goodness.

Forty-four of Gregory’s speeches, 243 letters, and many poems were published. His writings are still important today. Many writers have based their works on his.

Basil died in 379 at the age of forty-nine. Gregory died in 390 at the age of sixty and is buried in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Saints Basil and Gregory, pray for me that I may use my education, time, and talents to help the people around me become closer to God. Amen.

January 3

Saint Genevieve

(c. 422–c. 500)

Feast Day: January 3

Patron of Paris

Genevieve was born around 422 in Nanterre, a small village four miles from Paris, France. While still very young, she desired to devote her life to Jesus. After her parents died, Genevieve went to live with her grandmother. She spent time praying every day. She became very close to Jesus and wanted to bring his goodness to people. Genevieve was a kind, generous person. She liked to do good things for others.

When Genevieve was still a young woman, her city was in danger. A fearsome invader called Attila the Hun was coming with his army to attack Paris. The people of Paris were terrified. They wanted to run away and let the army have the city. But then Genevieve stepped forward. She encouraged the citizens to trust in God. She said that if they did penance to show that they were sorry for their sins, God would protect them, and they would be spared. The people did what she said. Before the fierce army reached Paris, they suddenly changed their route and went somewhere else. They did not attack the city at all.

Genevieve practiced charity and obedience to God’s will every day of her life, not just in times of need. She never gave up trying to do as much good as possible. Many people saw that she was a holy woman and came to her for advice. Even the king listened to her opinions. Genevieve had a church built over the tomb of Saint Denis, the patron saint of France. She wanted the people of France to pray often and always remain faithful to God. Courage and faithfulness to Jesus are the special gifts of witness she leaves for us.

Saint Genevieve, pray for our leaders that they may turn to God in everything that they do, especially when making decisions that affect us all. Amen.

January 4

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

(August 28, 1774–January 4, 1851)

Feast Day: January 4

Patron of Catholic schools

Elizabeth was born in New York City in 1774. Her father, Richard Bayley, was a well-known doctor. Her mother, Catherine, died when Elizabeth was very young. Elizabeth was Episcopalian. As a teenager, she did many things to help poor people.

In 1794, Elizabeth married William Seton. He was a rich merchant who owned a fleet of ships. Elizabeth, William, and their five children had a happy life together. However, within a short time, William lost his fortune and his good health. Elizabeth had heard that the weather in Italy might help him get better. So she and her oldest daughter, Anna, journeyed with William to Italy by ship. Sadly, William died shortly after arriving. Elizabeth and Anna remained in Italy as guests of the generous and kind Filicchi family. They tried to make Elizabeth and Anna’s sorrow easier by sharing their own deep love for the Catholic faith. When Elizabeth returned home to New York she wanted to become a Catholic. Her family and friends did not understand. They were very upset, but she went ahead with courage. Elizabeth joined the Church in 1805.

A few years later, Elizabeth was asked to come and open a girls’ school in Baltimore. It was there that Elizabeth decided to live as a religious sister. Many women came to join her, including her sister and sister-in-law. Her own daughters, Anna and Catherine, also joined the group. They became the American Sisters of Charity and Elizabeth was given the title “Mother Seton.” Elizabeth became well known. She started many Catholic schools and a few orphanages. She made plans for a hospital, which was opened after her death. Elizabeth loved to write, and she also translated some textbooks from French to English. But she was most famous for the way she visited the poor and the sick.

Elizabeth was declared a saint by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975. She is the first person born in the U.S. to be made a saint.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, you embraced God in hardship. Pray for me, that I may also trust in the Lord, even when things seem difficult. Help me believe that he has a plan for my talents. Amen.

January 5

Saint John Neumann

(March 28, 1811–January 5, 1860)

Feast Day: January 5

Patron of Catholic education

John Neumann was quiet and short—five feet, two inches tall. His eyes were very kind and he smiled a lot. He was born in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. He had four sisters and a brother. After college, John entered the seminary. His ordination date was never set because Bohemia had enough priests at the time. Providentially, he had been reading about missionary activities in the United States. John decided to go to America to ask for ordination. He walked most of the way to France and then boarded the ship Europa.

John arrived in Manhattan in 1836. Bishop John DuBois was very happy to see him. There were only thirty-six priests for the two hundred thousand Catholics living in the state of New York and part of New Jersey. Just sixteen days after his arrival, John was ordained a priest and sent to Buffalo, New York. There he would help Father Pax care for his parish, which was nine hundred square miles in size. Father Pax gave him the choice of the city of Buffalo or the country area. Now John’s heroic character began to show. He chose the more difficult option—the country area. The farms were far apart. John would walk long distances to reach his people. They were German, French, Irish, and Scottish. He knew or learned all his people’s languages so that he could communicate God’s love with them.

After some time in New York, John joined the Redemptorist order and continued his missionary work. He became bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. He tended to the needs of immigrant Catholics, building fifty churches while he was bishop. He also cared very much about the education of Catholic children. John opened almost one hundred schools, and the number of parochial school students grew from five hundred to nine thousand.

John died suddenly when he was forty-eight. He was walking home from an appointment when he fell to the ground from a stroke. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Paul VI on June 19, 1977.

Saint John Neumann, you moved around the world to follow your dream of being a priest. Pray for me, that I find the strength to always do God’s will in whatever ways he asks of me. Amen.

January 6

Saint André Bessette

(August 9, 1845–January 6, 1937)

Feast Day: January 6; January 7 (Canada)

Patron of those who are disabled, the poor, and the sick

Alfred Bessette was born near Montreal, Canada. He was the eighth of twelve children. When Alfred was nine, his father died in an accident at work. Three years later, Alfred’s mother also died, leaving the children orphans. They were split up and placed in different homes. Alfred went to live with his aunt and uncle.

Because his family had been so poor and he was often sick, Alfred had very little education. So for the next thirteen years he learned different trades like farming, shoemaking, and baking. He even worked in a factory in Connecticut. But his health always failed him.

When Alfred was twenty-five, his pastor suggested that he join the Order of the Holy Cross. He liked the idea and chose the name Brother André. He spent the next forty years as a general maintenance man and messenger. During the last years of his life he was the doorkeeper for the order’s college. Here, Brother André’s healing power became known. When people came to ask him for a cure, he would tell them to first thank God for their suffering because it was so valuable. Then he would pray with them. Most of them were cured. Brother André always insisted it had been the person’s faith and the power of Saint Joseph that brought about the cure.

Brother André had a great love for the Eucharist and for Saint Joseph. When he was young, he dreamt he saw a big church. Gradually, he realized that God wanted a church in honor of Saint Joseph. That church was to be built in Montreal, Canada. Through prayer and the sacrifices of Brother André and many other people, the dream came true. The magnificent church honoring Saint Joseph was built. Pilgrims travel there all year from distant places. They want to honor Saint Joseph. They want to show their trust in his loving care, as Brother André did.

Brother André died peacefully when he was ninety-one. Nearly a million people came to his funeral. They came in spite of sleet and snow to say goodbye to their dear friend.

Saint André, you were uneducated yet you knew God well. Pray for me, that I too may turn to Saint Joseph and trust God’s will for me. Amen.

January 7

Saint Raymond of Peñafort

(c. 1175–January 6, 1275)

Feast Day: January 7

Patron of lawyers and canon lawyers

Raymond was born in a little town near Barcelona, Spain. He was educated at the cathedral school in Barcelona and became a priest. Raymond graduated from law school in Bologna, Italy, and became a famous teacher. He joined the Dominican Order in 1218. A few years later, Pope Gregory IX asked this dedicated priest to come to Rome. When Raymond arrived, the Pope gave him several assignments. One duty was to collect the official letters of the popes since 1150. Raymond gathered and published five volumes. He also took part in writing Church law.

In 1238, Raymond was elected master general of the Dominicans. With his knowledge of law, he went over the order’s rule and made sure everything was legally correct. After he had finished, he resigned his position in 1240. Now he could truly dedicate the rest of his life to parish work. That was what he really wanted.

The Pope thought of making Raymond an archbishop, but Raymond asked the Pope to reconsider. He asked to return to Spain and the Pope approved. Raymond was overjoyed to be in parish work. His compassion helped many people return to God through the sacrament of Reconciliation.

During his years in Rome, Raymond had often heard stories of the difficulties that missionaries were having. They were trying hard to reach out to the non-Christians of Northern Africa and Spain. To help the missionaries, Raymond started a school that taught the language and culture of the people to be evangelized. He also asked the famous Dominican, Saint Thomas Aquinas, to write a booklet. This booklet would explain the truths of faith in a way that nonbelievers could understand.

Raymond lived nearly one hundred years. He was proclaimed a saint in 1601 by Pope Clement VIII. The Pope declared him the patron of Church lawyers because of his great influence on Church law.

Saint Raymond, you had a special love for working in a parish. Help parish workers and priests to become holy. May many people find God through taking part in their parish life. Amen.

January 8

Saint Apollinaris Claudius

(Unknown–c.175)

Feast Day: January 8

Saint Apollinaris Claudius lived in the second century in what is now eastern Turkey. He was a great bishop in the early Church and wrote many articles to teach people about the Catholic faith.

Apollinaris lived only 150 years after Jesus’ resurrection. At that time, many people had not yet heard about Jesus. Others had heard stories about him, but they misunderstood who Jesus was and what he wanted to teach us. These people started spreading heresies, or false teachings, about Jesus. This created a lot of confusion in the Church. It also led Apollinaris to take his responsibilities as a bishop very seriously, especially his responsibility to teach the faith to others. Apollinaris worked tirelessly so people would know the truth. He wrote many articles about the teachings of the Church, and he used logic and reason to explain what was wrong with the heresies people were spreading.

Apollinaris also defended the Church from Roman persecution. Apollinaris lived in an area ruled by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. The emperor and his officials were suspicious of Christianity. They had many Christians tortured and killed. Apollinaris did not have the power to stop this violence. But around the year 170, God gave him a glimmer of hope. In the face of hopeless odds, some Roman soldiers knelt down to pray. Then, God brought about a great storm. The Romans’ enemy, the Germanic army, was frightened by the suddenness and strength of the storm. So they surrendered. When Apollinaris heard about it, he wrote to Marcus Aurelius. He asked him to protect the Christians in the Roman Empire as a means of thanking God for this miracle. Apollinaris continued to speak for and shepherd his people until his martyrdom around the year 175.

Saint Apollinaris, Jesus chose you to teach, guide, and protect his Church. Help me to know Jesus better and love him more and more every day. Amen.

January 9

Blessed Alix Le Clerc

(February 2, 1576–January 9, 1622)

Feast Day: January 9

Alix was born in the Duchy of Lorraine (modern-day France) on February 2, 1576. She was an outgoing and energetic child who loved music, dancing, and partying with her friends. When she was eighteen years old, her father moved the family to a small manufacturing village in Lorraine. A few years later, Alix fell seriously ill. She could not leave her bed and began reading the only books she could find around the house: books about God. These books made her question the purpose and direction of her life.

Around this same time, God gave Alix a special grace. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Alix several times. Each time, Mary wore a religious habit that Alix did not recognize. Mary also spoke to Alix: she invited her to “come.” The visions puzzled Alix. On one hand, she already felt a growing desire to give her life completely to God as a religious sister. But on the other hand, there was a problem. In the sixteenth century, all religious orders lived in cloisters, which meant they did not leave the place where they lived. Alix did not feel called to spend her life in a monastery. She wanted to serve the poor, especially poor girls with no access to education.

Alix went to her pastor, Father Peter Fourier, for guidance. Father Peter helped her pray about where God was calling her. The Lord worked through both future saints to begin a new religious community: the Congregation of Notre Dame. The Notre Dame sisters spent their lives teaching and serving the poor. They opened their first school in the village of Poussay for all the girls of the area. Gradually, Alix and her sisters opened additional communities and schools throughout northeastern France. All girls were welcome in their classrooms, whether rich or poor, Catholic or non-Catholic.

Alix died in 1622 at age forty-six. At the time of her death, the Notre Dame sisters were still a small community. Since her death, the congregation has grown to serve over forty countries as teachers and witnesses of God’s love.

Blessed Alix, you told your sisters to make God their only love. You saw and loved God in the poor. Help me see and love God in the people around me, as you did. Amen.

January 10

Saint Gregory of Nyssa

(c. 330–c. 395)

Feast Day: January 10

Patron of Christian unity

Gregory was born in modern-day Turkey. His parents, two of his brothers, and one of his sisters all became saints too.

When Gregory went to school, he was interested in learning not only about God. He focused on how to be a good public speaker as well. He quickly realized that he wanted to teach people about something more important than just writing powerful speeches. His brother Saint Basil and his friend Saint Gregory Nazianzen suggested that he should become a priest. After praying about it, Gregory was ordained. Shortly after that, he was made the bishop of the city of Nyssa.

Gregory was surprised to learn that many people in his area were teaching false things about Jesus. The people in Nyssa were teaching that Jesus was not really God, but that God created him just like he created the people on Earth. Gregory knew that this was wrong and taught them about the Trinity instead. He explained that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one God. The people had trouble understanding this. They wanted to stop Gregory from teaching about God. So, they accused him of stealing from a church and put him in prison.

Gregory escaped from prison, but he still wanted the people to stop teaching that Jesus was not really God. When there was a new emperor of Rome who agreed with Gregory’s teaching on the Trinity, he was allowed to return as the bishop of Nyssa. Now that Gregory had the emperor’s approval, the people were willing to listen to him. He even helped other bishops to teach about the Trinity in a way that would be easier for the people to understand.

Saint Gregory died around the year 395. He wrote many letters and speeches about Jesus that people still read today.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa, help me to understand Jesus like you did. Pray for me so that I may have the courage to stand up for the truth. Help me to use all that I know about God to help others come to know him. Amen.

January 11

Blessed William Carter

(1548–January 11, 1584)

Feast Day: January 11