Why pray the Rosary every day for a year?


Each time the Blessed Virgin has appeared-- whether it be to Saint Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes; to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco at Fatima; or to Mariette Beco at Banneux-- she has asserted the importance, saving grace, and power of praying the Holy Rosary on a daily basis. Based upon her words, the Rosary is penance and conversion for sinners, a pathway to peace, an end to war, and a powerful act of faith in Jesus Christ. Pope Paul VI presented the Rosary as a powerful means to reach Christ "not merely with Mary but indeed, insofar as this is possible to us, in the same way as Mary, who is certainly the one who thought about Him more than anyone else has ever done."

To show us how this is done, perhaps no one has been more eloquent than the great Cardinal Newman, who wrote: "The great power of the Rosary consists in the fact that it translates the Creed into Prayer. Of course, the Creed is already in a certain sense a prayer and a great act of homage towards God, but the Rosary brings us to meditate again on the great truth of His life and death, and brings this truth close to our hearts. Even Christians, although they know God, usually fear rather than love Him. The strength of the Rosary lies in the particular manner in which it considers these mysteries, since all our thinking about Christ is intertwined with the thought of His Mother, in the relations between Mother and Son; the Holy Family is presented to us, the home in which God lived His infinite love."

As Mary said at Fatima, "Jesus wants to use you to make Me known and loved. He wishes to establish the devotion to My Immaculate Heart throughout the world. I promise salvation to whoever embraces it; these souls will be dear to God, like flowers put by Me to adorn his throne."



February 13, 2013: Blessed Archangela Girlani

Posted by Jacob

Today, February 13, we celebrate the feast of Blessed Archangela Girlani (1460-1495), virgin, foundress, and miracle worker. The life of Blessed Archangela is one of deep faith and commitment to the Lord. Willing to reconsider her own plans for those that the Lord placed before her, Archangela served and followed wherever the Holy Spirit led her.


Born Eleanor Girlani in the small Italian town of Trino (Piedmont), Eleanor demonstrated great piety and holiness as a child. Despite her family’s noble heritage, her only ambition in life was to become a Benedictine sister, and together with some friends and relatives, she prepared to travel to the monastery of Rocca delle Donne, who had agreed to accept and raise her as a member of the Order. However, this was not to occur. Upon mounting her horse to travel, the animal refused to carry her to the monastery. As this particular horse was one of gentle and obedient spirit, the animal’s refusal to move was interpreted as a sign from the Lord, and Eleanor returned home. Despairing, she prayed for guidance and contented herself in her own daily practices of contemplation, penance, and service to others.

Eleanor soon encountered a Carmelite monk, who introduced her to the sisters of the Carmelite Order. Understanding this as divine intervention, Eleanor sought admission, and was accepted into the Order on her seventeenth birthday. She lived and served in the convent of Maria Maddalena in Parma, along with her sisters Mary and Scholastica.

Eleanor received the veil as a Carmelite sister at age eighteen, taking the name Archangela as her own. She was made Prioress of the abbey, given her nobility (as was the custom of the time), and became a model of Christian virtue to her sisters. Especially devoted to the Holy Trinity, Archangela spent hours in the chapel praying and contemplating the divinity of the Lord.

Sister Archangela soon was requested to found an additional abbey in Mantua, which was named Santa Maria del Paradiso (The Convent of Mary in Paradise). There, under her direction, sisters of the Order lived as if already absorbed into heaven. The monastery developed a reputation for great holiness, and received many new sisters. As prioress, Archangela experienced great ecstasies, some lasting well over 24 hours, and on more than on occasion was discovered by her sisters to be levitating above the ground while contemplating the Holy Trinity. She further performed many miracles.

Only three years after founding the monastery at Mantua, Blessed Archangela fell gravely ill. Strengthened with the Sacraments and with her eyes fixed on an image of the Crucified Christ, she repeated her frequently uttered words; “Jesus, my Love" and peacefully died at the young age of thirty-four. Based upon her request, was buried in the simplicity of a common grave at the monastery. Three years later, when the tomb was re-opened to commit another sister to the earth, her remains were found incorrupt and exuding the fragrance of holiness. Great miracles were reported, and her relics were enclosed in a crystal tomb, and placed above the alter at the monastery.

Nearly 300 years after her death, the monastery in Mantua was closed, and Archangela’s relics were translated to Trino, where she had been born. Her relics, still venerated today, were placed in the church of Saint Lorenzo. There, her body rests, wearing the habit of the barefoot Carmelite, in a casket of crystal.

Incorrupt Body of Beata Archangela Girlani


Church of San Lorenzo in Trino

Blessed Archangela’s life reminds us that we should remain vigilant in our daily lives, seeking out the plan of God, and following it to the best of our abilities. Blessed Archangela placed her life and destiny squarely in the hands of the Lord, and He led her to a place of deep connection, mysticism, ecstasy, and miracle-working. We pray for her same dedication and willingness to listen to the call of the Lord, that we might follow in her footsteps.


Father in heaven,
you gave the virgin Blessed Archangela Girlani
particular dedication to the mystery of the eternal Trinity.
Through her prayers
may we taste the delights of your glory
already here on earth,
and look upon you for ever in heaven.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.



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January 26, 2013: Blessed Bishop Michal Kozal, Martyr

Posted by Jacob


Today, January 26, we celebrate the feast day of Blessed Michal Kozal (1883-1943), bishop, minister to those imprisoned, and one of the many Polish martyrs who perished during the Second World War.  Beatified by Blessed Pope John Paul II, Blessed Michal stood for love and faith in the face of tyranny and persecution.  He earned the martyrs crown via his tireless preaching of the Gospel, even while imprisoned in a concentration camp.

Born in the small Polish village of Nowy Folwark, Michal was the member of a very large family. Due to their size, the family was quite poor, although managed to get by.  They were sustained on faith, through the example and leadership of John and Marianna, Michal’s devout parents.  While not all the children were sent for education, Michal demonstrated an academic aptitude, serious nature, and fondness of everything sacred, and as such, was sent first to elementary school and then to high school.

After graduating in 1914, Michal entered the seminary Leonium Poznan, and was ordained in 1918, despite his studies having been disrupted by World War I. He served well in various assignments, moving from town to town in rural Poland, and demonstrating both zeal for the Lord and dedication to the Church.  Simultaneously, Michal continued his theological studies, and was recognized in 1922 via appointment as the Prefect of the Catholic School of Humanities in Bydgoszcz.  He was later named the director and spiritual father of the Major Seminary of Gniezno.  So successful in his tasks, he was appointed the rector of the seminary in 1929, despite the fact that he was the only teacher there who had not yet finished his academic degree.

Blessed Michal labored for a decade at the seminary, leading his charges by prudent and disciplined example.  In 1939, Pope Pius XII appointed him auxiliary Bishop of Wloclawek, and he was installed in the Cathedral of the city on August 13.  Only two weeks later, Poland was invaded by Nazi troops, and Bishop Kozal found his position required him to allay the fears of his parishioners, bringing comfort in a time of horror and devastation.  The Polish authorities urged the Bishop to leave the city and reside in a safer location, but he felt strongly that his place was with his people, and he remained in Wloclawek to administer the parish and preach the Gospel.

Only 22 months following his appointment, the German troops took Wloclawek, and systematically began dismantling the Church, as they had in other cities.  Catholic publications were suppressed, buildings belonging to the churches and religious institutions were seized, and the clergy were arrested and detained.  Despite the terror and persecution, Bishop Kozal protested the seizures and arrests zealously, but in vain.  He was ordered to present himself to the Gestapo, who ordered him to deliver his sermons only in German.  He refused, given that the vast majority of his parishioners did not speak German.

On November 7, 1939, Bishop Kozal was arrested, along with the other priests still remaining in the city, and imprisoned in the city jail.  He was placed in solitary confinement, once it became clear that the others were looking to him for leadership, spiritual counsel, and direction.  Shortly thereafter, the Gestapo began torturing him, as an example for the others.

Three months later, in January 1940, Bishop Kozal was transferred with the remaining priests and seminarians to a more comfortable location.  There, kept under house arrest, he began to re-organize the diocese and seminary, to promote the faith and provide hope to those without hope.  Each day, from the small window of his room, he could see the crowds of deportees, and realized that he, too, would suffer that fate.  In that moment, he offered his life to God, for the salvation of the Church, and for the sufferers of Poland.

Despite the efforts of the Holy See to save them, on April 25, 1941, Bishop Kozal, seven priests, and a deacon were transferred to the concentration camp of Inowroclaw.  The other priests and seminarians had been deported earlier to several other camps, the idea being that they should not all remain together.  Arriving at Inowroclaw, Bishop Kozal’s tortures began anew, with injuries resulting to both his legs and his left ear. Only three weeks later, the group was transferred to Dachau.  Bishop Kozal was given prisoner number 24544, and continued to suffer daily torture.  However, he also continued to preach the Gospel and lift the spirits of the imprisoned, regardless of faith, with all his remaining strength.  Bishop Kozal contracted typhus, and was taken to a medical ward.  It is there that he was given a lethal injection of poison.

Blessed Bishop Kozal’s body was incinerated at the crematorium at Dachau on January 30, 1941.  A stone memorial at the cathedral of Wloclawek commemorates his martyrdom, as well as that of 220 other priests of the Wloclawek diocese, who died in Dachau.

Inspired by the life and courageous living of the Gospel demonstrated by Blessed Michal Kozal, today we pray for courage to face the difficulties—both large and small—on our lives.  



Dear God, give me courage, 
for perhaps I lack it more than anything else.

I need courage before men against their threats 
and against their seductions.

I need courage to bear unkindness, 
mockery, contradiction.

I need courage to fight against the devil,
against terrors and troubles, temptations, 
attractions, darkness and false lights, 
against tears, depression, and above all fear.

I need Your help, dear God.

Strengthen me with Your love and Your grace.

Console me with Your blessed Presence 
and grant me the courage to persevere 
until I am with You forever in heaven.  Amen.

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January 20, 2013: Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi

Posted by Jacob


Today, we celebrate the feast day of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi (1903-1964), the first Nigerian to be beatified for his holiness and service to the people of his country.  Father Tansi spent his life, despite sickness and adversity, caring for those he loved in a country where Catholics are frequently persecuted.  His courage and dedication to the Word of God remains an inspiration for all of us.

During his beatification Mass in Nigeria, Pope John Paul II proclaimed of him: “The life and witness of Fr Tansi is an inspiration to everyone in the Nigeria that he loved so much. He was first of all a man of God: his long hours before the Blessed Sacrament filled his heart with generous and courageous love. Those who knew him testify to his great love of God. Everyone who met him was touched by his personal goodness. He was then a man of the people: he always put others before himself, and was especially attentive to the pastoral needs of families. He took great care to prepare couples well for Holy Matrimony and preached the importance of chastity. He tried in every way to promote the dignity of women. In a special way, the education of young people was precious to him. Even when he was sent by Bishop Heerey to the Cistercian Abbey of Mount St Bernard in England to pursue his monastic vocation, with the hope of bringing the contemplative life back to Africa, he did not forget his own people. He did not fail to offer prayers and sacrifices for their continuing sanctification. 

Father Tansi knew that there is something of the Prodigal Son in every human being. He knew that all men and women are tempted to separate themselves from God in order to lead their own independent and selfish existence. He knew that they are then disappointed by the emptiness of the illusion which had fascinated them, and that they eventually find in the depths of their heart the road leading back to the Father's house (cf. Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, n. 5). He encouraged people to confess their sins and receive God's forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation. He implored them to forgive one another as God forgives us, and to hand on the gift of reconciliation, making it a reality at every level of Nigerian life. Fr Tansi tried to imitate the father in the parable:  he was always available for those searching for reconciliation. He spread the joy of restored communion with God. He inspired people to welcome the peace of Christ, and encouraged them to nourish the life of grace with the word of God and with Holy Communion.... 

Blessed Cyprian Michael Tansi is a prime example of the fruits of holiness which have grown and matured in the Church in Nigeria since the Gospel was first preached in this land. He received the gift of faith through the efforts of the missionaries, and taking the Christian way of life as his own he made it truly African and Nigerian. So too the Nigerians of today young and old alike are called to reap the spiritual fruits which have been planted among them and are now ready for the harvest. In this regard, I wish to thank and to encourage the Church in Nigeria for her missionary work in Nigeria, in Africa and beyond. Fr Tansi's witness to the Gospel and to Christian charity is a spiritual gift which this local Church now offers to the universal Church.”
Onitsha, Nigeria
Iwene Tansi was born in Aguleri, Near Onitsha, Negeria in 1903. One of five children, his parents sent him to be raised by a Christian uncle, who instilled in him a love of God.  Baptized when only 9 years old, he took the Christian name Michael and surprised his parents by destroying his personal idol—a traditional symbol given to each male child at birth in Nigeria.  His baptism impacted him deeply, and he devoted himself to study of the Gospel and charitable works.  Blinded in his left eye while playing as a child, Michael never complained.

At the age of 22, after working as a catechist and school teacher at the Holy Trinity School in Onitsha, he became headmaster of Saint Joseph’s School.  Not long afterwards, he entered the seminary of Saint Paul’s, called to a deeper level of service.  Ordained in the Onitsha diocese at the age of 34, he dedicated himself to constant service of the people of Easter Nigeria for the next 13 years.  Given the geographical spread of the diocese, Father Tansi spent most of his days walking from village to village, spending time at each parish, hearing confessions all day (and oftentimes through the night).  He preached the importance of preparation for marriage, and the joy of Christian love, actively working against the cultural tradition of “trial marriages.”  Many were converted throughout the Igbo villages he visited, a testament to his constancy and zeal.

Father Tansi felt called, however, to devote himself more fully to the formation of Catholicism in Nigeria.  He wished to serve the Lord more directly in contemplation and prayer, and in doing so, bring the monastic life to Nigeria.  He traveled to Mount Saint Bernard Monastery, a Trappist Abbey, near Nottingham, England, and undertook training in the establishment of contemplative monastic communities.  Taking the name Cyprian, he devoted himself to his eventual goal of building a monastery in Onitsha. However, the change of weather, cuisine, and community provided a drastic shock to his system, and Father Cyprian found himself quite ill.

When Mount Saint Bernard founded a monastery in Africa (in Cameroon, rather than neighboring Nigeria), Father Cyprian was appointed as Novice Master.  However, the years of toil that he had undertaken had exerted their toll on him, and he was too ill to participate.  He died only a few months later.  However, his reputation had never left Nigeria, and many reported miracles and favors via his intercession. The call for his beatification began shortly following his death.  On March 22, 1998, at Onitsha, during a trip to Nigeria made for that very purpose, Pope John Paul II beatified Father Cyprian Michael Tansi, proclaiming him to be a model of priestly zeal and prayer.

An extract from a retreat Father Cyprian Michael Tansi gave in 1962:

We do very little good when we embark on our own. We do much good when we allow God to direct us and direct our enterprises. The apostles, you remember, went out fishing, laboured the whole night and got nothing. They were on their own, the Lord came and told them to cast the net and they would find. They did so and were not able to draw up the net, so great was the number of fish caught.

When they worked by themselves, they took nothing. When they worked in the company of our Lord, they were full. So with us. We must learn to avoid worrying ourselves about things, learn to do away with anxieties of all sorts.

When you have something to do, an assignment to perform, remembering that we are not doing our work, but God's work, we must first go to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, place our plans before Him and ask for his advice and assistance. We must examine before him how he would like us to produce, whether he would like us to do one thing or the other. If any doubt, consult your spiritual director for advice. You should never undertake to do anything unless you are sure that God wants it done in the way you are planning. Above all things you should never do your own will: you should do only what the superiors want to be done. You should never force the superiors to yield to your will by any stratagem.

And while doing whatever you have to do, you should do it at a pace and speed that will allow you time continually to turn to God for guidance. Your conversation with God should be continual. Remember that you cannot achieve this spiritual disposition in a day. You need time, practice and patience. All that I request you now is to examine and to see whether what you are told is the truth. If it is, then make a resolution to continue to make effort in this direction without minding whether you succeed or fail.


Please join me in lifting these intentions to Our Lord, through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother.

Prayer requests, 2013: Week 3:

Health and healing for the ill, success of a charitable organization (D, United Kingdom); Protection, healing, and recovery for a premature baby (M, USA-MA); Healing, successful employment, end to financial difficulties (M, USA-OH); Resolution of financial difficulties (M, USA-CA); Healing of a sick husband, blessings upon a daughter and family (S, India); Financial blessings and security (A, USA-NM); Healing of a woman undergoing medical treatment (D, India); Healing and health, financial stability, occupational success, hope (R, USA-CT); Healing for a brother and friend (E, Zimbabwe).

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January 13, 2013: Blessed Yvette of Huy

Posted by Jacob

Today, January 13, we celebrate the feast of Blessed Yvette of Huy (also known as Jutta of Huy, 1158-1228). Blessed Yvette has never been formally canonized, but by many—especially those in the region of Belgium in which she lived—consider her a saint. Yvette was graced with charisms and abilities which she used to infuse her simple life, caring for those in need and demonstrating the surpassing love of the Lord to all she encountered.


Yvette was born into a wealthy family that lived in Huy, near Liege (modern day Belgium). From an early age she was drawn to the religious life, which was encouraged by the Bishop of Liege. However, her parents had other plans for her, and she was married at age 13 in an arranged marriage. Ever obedient, Yvette followed her parents’ wishes, and then upon marriage, her husband’s. With him, she produced three children in five years (one of which died as an infant), and was left a widow at the age of 18.

Yvette’s hand was sought by many suitors following the death of her husband, due to both her heavenly beautiful and gentle spirit. However, she would have none of them, embracing her call to the Lord’s service. For the next eleven years of her life, while she raised her children, Yvette dedicated herself to caring for those in need, especially lepers who were despised and ostracized by society, and confined to a decrepit hospital outside the town. To them—and to all who came to her for aid—she gave all she had, including her love, which radiated through her from the Lord.

After eleven years of service, during which her zeal for the Lord continued to grow, Yvette left her children in the care of their grandfather, and lived as an anchoress (having herself enclosed into a cell) near the leper’s hospital. There, in her cell, she was graced with visions, prophesies, and many mystical experiences. She began to receive countless pilgrims, seeking spiritual direction, prayers, and counsel. Through these visits, many miracles were wrought through her, increasing the number who sought her out. Based upon her prayers—prayers which she composed and became famous for-- many converted or returned to the faith, including her father and one of her children.

Blessed Yvette lived as an anchoress for thirty-six years. During that time, she never left her cell, receiving the Eucharist through the small window that allowed her to speak with her visitors. She is recognized as a prominent figure in the development of the mysticism movement which spread throughout the Low Countries at that time.

The life of Blessed Yvette is noteworthy in the fact that she was given a second chance to serve the Lord. After demonstrating her obedience to her parents and marrying, despite her wishes to fully serve God, Yvette found herself in the position to demonstrate the love of God to all she encountered. Never hesitating, she turned from what would have been a live of privilege, and embraced this service with those most in need. As her love deepened, so did her desire to serve, and so did her charismatic gifts. We are given second, third, fourth chances—countless chances—every day to serve the Lord by serving others. How many chances do we need before we fully act upon them?


I came to You late, O Beauty so ancient and new. I came to love You late. You were within me and I was outside where I rushed about wildly searching for You like some monster loose in Your beautiful world. You were with me but I was not with You. You called me, You shouted to me, You wrapped me in Your Splendour, You broke past my deafness, You bathed me in Your Light, You sent my blindness reeling. You gave out such a delightful fragrance and I drew it in and came breathing hard after You. I tasted, and it made me hunger and thirst; You touched me, and I burned to know Your Peace. Saint Augustine of Hippo




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January 10, 2013: Ludovico “Vico” Necchi, Servant of God

Posted by Jacob


Today, January 10, we celebrate the feast day of the Venerable Ludovico “Vico” Necchi, Servant of God (1876-1930).  Dr. Necchi is remembered for his writings on the faith, his tireless service to others, and his deep commitment to promoting Christian love and conversion.  The decree which proclaimed him Blessed read: "he had an admirable serenity of the mind and the habit of command to himself, that he obtained with constant vigilance and struggle against his character brought to anger, also the spirit of poverty, which was filled, and for which he was completely detached from the possession of wealth. Throughout the course of life he was guided by the Franciscan spirit, cheerful and happy in the midst of adversity and harassment; patient and simple, inflamed by the desire to promote the salvation of others, and compassion toward the poor and needy that he assisted with his hand, money and advice. "

Vico was born in Milan in 1876.  Having lost his father at a young age, his mother remarried, and Vico grew up in a household that practiced atheism.  However, he was guided in the faith by two maternal aunts, despite the prevailing anti-Christian sentiment of the times.  His schools actively preached against the faith, but Vico’s resolve only strengthened.  Despite the beliefs of his classmates and professors, Vico tirelessly witnessed to others, demonstrating the simple joy and love of Christianity.  By his attractive, joyful character he exercised a wholesome influence upon those with whom he came into personal contact. Everyone knew he was a militant and a convinced Catholic - but no one avoided him for that reason. Even his opponents could not help admiring him, for his conduct was in full harmony with the faith.

Blessed Vico strove to increase the visibility of Christianity, helping initiate a Christian Center in Milan. The objects of the Center were expressed in these terms: "To exercise an influence on social problems, upon the solution of which depends the well-being of the community and in particular of the laboring classes; to exercise an influence on all questions of nation-wide importance, and to co-ordinate the studies and work of members toward the supreme interests of religion."

He spent his weekends in the countryside surrounding Milan, preaching to the agricultural workers.  During these mission trips, he fasted, subsisting only on the Eucharist, which gave him strength.

Vico earned a doctorate degree from the University of Pavia, and was assigned to the Military Hospital of Saint Abrose in Milan (serving his required military service).  It was there that he encountered a group of Franciscans, and eventually joined the Tertiary Order.  As a Franciscan, Vico attended Mass daily, oftentimes missing sleep and other requirements of his job.  "The heart of this Tertiary," wrote Msgr. Olgiati, Necchi's Spiritual Director, "burned with a flame similar to that which devoured the heart of St. Francis."

At the conclusion of his military service, Vico attended the University of Berlin where he earned his degree in neuropathology.  He returned to Italy, started a family, and worked for the remainder of his life to solve social problems through the propagation of the faith.  Vico further served in the military during the first World War, as a doctor, ministering to the sick and dying of all armies, bringing Christian love and comfort to those in need.

Vico was a prayerful, humble, charming and cheerful man who stood at the forefront of the new Italian Catholic Action. Despite opposition and trials, he used his medical profession as a holy apostolate for the conversion of his patients while his charity was being lavished on retarded children.  He also used his higher education to co-found the University of the Sacred Heart.

Doctor Necchi's patience and charity were especially manifest in his work for mental sufferers. For the task of dealing with patients afflicted with morbid anxieties and scruples Doctor Necchi was especially fit. During his youth he had passed through a period when he himself was tortured by scruples. He wrote: "In order to acquire that degree of self-denial necessary to cure these diseases, a spirit of self-sacrifice is required which no motive of mere financial gain or of scientific interest is powerful enough to create.....One must have undergone these torments oneself. And I have suffered them."

Blessed Vico was diagnosed privately with cancer in 1929, but did not let on that he was suffering or in pain.  Rather, he continued to treat his patients and teach his students, inspiring all with his love and joy.  On January 9, 1930, he died. According to his will, his headstone was to be inscribed with the simple words: “Vico Necchi, Franciscan Tertiary.”  An extraordinary man, he is buried in the chapel of the University of the Sacred Heart in Milan in the expectation that one day he will be raised to the altars.

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January 1, 2013: Blessed Waldo

Posted by Jacob


Today, January 1, we celebrate the feast day of Blessed Waldo (died 1320, also known as Blessed Vivaldo or Blessed Ubaldo). Blessed Waldo is a perfect holy  man to begin our yearly devotions, given his simplicity, humility, and unflinching answer to the Lord’s call of service.  May we all be so receptive to the Lord this year!

Waldo resided in San Gimignano, in northern Italy.  He was known as a humble and holy man, and offered his service to those who found themselves in the Leper hospital near San Gimignano.  When a holy Franciscan brother, Bartolo, found himself in the Leper hospital, Blessed Waldo committed himself to the holy man as a servant and disciple, offering his service and comfort for the next twenty years.  During that time, it is likely that he, himself, contracted Leprosy.  Brother Bartolo instructed Waldo, during their twenty-year friendship, in the ways of the faith, and Waldo eventually joined the Tertiary Order of Saint Francis. 

Interior, Chapel of San Vivaldo
In 1300, when Bartolo joined the Lord in Heaven, Waldo felt called to withdraw from the world altogether, so that he might deepen his conversation with the Lord and not be distracted by the temptations of the world.  Traveling on foot to a large forest, Blessed Waldo was led to a large chestnut tree in which he discovered a hollow large enough to serve as a solitary cell.  While there was barely sufficient space to kneel, Waldo took the cell as his own and there spent the remainder of his life in silence and solitude, offering severe penances and contemplating the faith.

Holy legend and church records tell us that that one day in May 1320, the bells of the church from the village adjacent to the forest began to ring of their own accord.  As local residents ran to the church seeking to unravel the mystery of the bells, a hunter emerged from the forest. He reported to the assembled crowd that his hounds had circled a hollow chestnut tree nearby and that they began barking excitedly. When the hunter approached the tree to investigate the matter, he found a recluse in the cavity of the tree, dead on his knees. Just as the hunter finished recounting the story, the bells ceased ringing.

Convent at San Vivaldo
Those who resided in the nearby town, Monteone, determined, without a doubt, that the hermit in the hollowed chestnut tree was a holy man.  They formed a procession, retrieving his holy body from the tree, and laid it to rest beneath the alter in the town church, where numerous miracles were reported.  The chestnut tree was similarly turned into a small chapel in honor of Mary, the Mother of God, and Our Blessed Mother.  In time, a Franciscan convent was built on the site  Today, the Convent at San Vivaldo is one of the most important religious places of Italy, and has been recognized as a national monument.

As we begin the new year, we pause to consider how Blessed Waldo’s behaviors must have seemed very strange to those who encountered him.  However, despite the human judgment that likely occurred, this holy man maintained his life, his thoughts, actions, and eyes fixed on the Lord.  We might look to Blessed Waldo for inspiration when others judge us for our faith, or more importantly, when we keep our faith and beliefs to ourselves out of fear of the judgment of others.  May the Lord shower us with the courage and grace we need to live our faiths with certainty and fortitude.

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Blessed Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan, Servant of God

Posted by Jacob


“I do strongly believe that God will not ask us to suffer anything beyond our capacity.”

“You must have the awareness that you are in the presence of God.”

“Don't talk too much. What is the advantage of it? You talk as if you were honest and just. Only God knows the inside and outside.”

“Death will catch hold of us like a thief. Nobody knows at what age and when it happens.. When we die, we have to leave everything here on earth.”

“Love one another; help one another.”

"Suffer all the difficulties patiently and without murmuring."


Today, June 6, we celebrate the feast day of Blessed Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan (also known as Mother Maria Theresa Chiramel, 1876-1926), Servant of God, foundress of the Congregation of the Holy Family, mystic, and visionary.  Mother Mariam Theresa is the fifth person from India to be beatified.  James Pazhayattil, Bishop of Irinjalakuda, said of her: “One of the five servants of God who are beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 9 could be a "lookalike" of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Besides the name of baptism, Teresa, have in common not only the foundation of a religious congregation: one of the Missionaries of Charity, the other of the Holy Family, but most of all they both have distinguished service to the disadvantaged: the poor , the sick, the outcast, the dying. Both Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan of Kerala and Mother Teresa of Calcutta sacrificed themselves for others, with a preferential love for the poorest of the poor and so practicing the evangelical virtue of charity in heroic degree.”

Born Thresia, the third of five children, in the village of Puthenchira (Trichur District), Kerala, India, the future Servant of God was called at an early age to devote her life to the Lord.  Although her family was once rich and noble, they had fallen on harder times, been forced to sell their property, and lived in poverty. Thresia’s father began drinking heavily, and the family suffered the injustices of poverty and prejudice.  Thresia, as a child, turned to the Blessed Mother, praying the Rosary several times each day, and fasting in the likeness of suffering Christ.  Despite her mother’s encouragement to eat, given that she had grown quite thin, Thresia persisted in her suffering for the salvation of the world, fasting four times per week, and consecrated herself and her virginity to the Lord

When Thresia was just twelve, her mother died, and she was forced to withdraw from elementary school.  While she longed to leave her life, now the caretaker of the family, and retire to a quiet life of prayer and contemplation, this was not to be possible.  Rather, she spent hours praying in the community Church, cleaning and decorating the altar.  She devoted herself to helping the poor, sick, and lonely of the parish.  She risked herself and her health to minister to the abandoned, specifically those with leprosy and small pox, who had no one else to care for them.  Despite the family’s poverty, she took in orphaned children, taking extra work to pay for their care.

Thresia and three young companions could be found working among those in need, taking to the streets against custom that women should be accompanied by men when leaving the home.  They formed a life of prayer and service, and placed their trust in the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  Around this time, Thresia began experiencing visions of the Holy Family, which guided her work.  She prayed for the conversion of sinners, fasted, and urged all toward repentance.  Following a vision of the Blessed Virgin, Thresia requested that all began referring to her as Mariam Thresia, at the request of the Holy Mother.

Mariam was also gifted with mystical and miraculous experiences.  She received several mystical gifts like prophecy, healing, aura of light, and sweet odor. She experienced frequent ecstasies and levitations. On Fridays, townspeople would gather to see Mariam Thresia lifted high and hanging in the form of a crucifix on the wall of her room.  She also bore the stigmata, which she kept secret from all, not wishing further attention. Mariam was further visited upon and tormented by demons throughout her life.  She humbly submitted to exorcisms, but also fully embraced the suffering of her temptations, offering suffering for those who sinned. 

In 1913, Mariam Thresia was permitted to build a prayer house, that she and her companions moved into.  They led a life of prayer and austere penance like hermits but continued to visit the sick and help the poor and the needy irrespective of religion or caste. The new religious order was consecrated the Congregation of the Holy Family (C.H.F.) and Mariam Thresia was appointed its first Superior.

The new congregation grew under the guidance and nurturance of Mother Mariam Thresia.  She built, in less than twelve years, three new convents, two schools, two hostels, a study house, and an orphanage.  Today, the Congregation of the Holy Family has 1584 professed Sisters, serving in Kerala, in the mission areas of North India, in Germany, Italy, and Ghana, with a total of 176 houses in 7 provinces and 119 novices.

Mother Mariam Thresia died in 1926, at the age of 50, from a wound suffered after being struck by a falling object.  Numerous miracles of healing followed her death, and she was beatified in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

From the Beatification Homily of Pope John Paul II:

"Unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest" (Jn 12: 24). From childhood, Mariam Thresia Mankidiyan knew instinctively that God's love for her demanded a deep personal purification. Committing herself to a life of prayer and penance, Sr Mariam Thresia's willingness to embrace the Cross of Christ enabled her to remain steadfast in the face of frequent misunderstandings and severe spiritual trials. The patient discernment of her vocation eventually led to the foundation of the Congregation of the Holy Family, which continues to draw inspiration from her contemplative spirit and love of the poor.


Convinced that "God will give eternal life to those who convert sinners and bring them to the right path" (Letter 4 to her Spiritual Father), Sister Mariam devoted herself to this task by her visits and advice, as well as by her prayers and penitential practice. Through Bl. Mariam Thresia's intercession, may all consecrated men and women be strengthened in their vocation to pray for sinners and draw others to Christ by their words and example.




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Blessed Antonia Mesina, Patron Saint of Rape Victims

Posted by Jacob


Today, May 17, we celebrate the feast of Blessed Antonia Mesina (1919-1935), a model of virtue, martyr of purity, and patron saint of rape victims.  Despite being only sixteen years old when she died, Antonia’s faith and conviction continue to inspire us today.  She was ever faithful to the Lord, and her virtue continues to infuse strength and grace into the Church, and each one of us, today.

Antonia Mesina was born on the island of Sardinia, of the west coast of Italy.  She was born the second-born of ten children born to an extremely poor family during the years between the first and second world wars.  Times were difficult, but she was offered an opportunity for education, which was eagerly accepted.  After only four years of elementary school, however, Antonia was forced to leave, remaining home and taking care of the household duties and her siblings following her mother becoming bedridden. 

Antonia’s mother, Grazia, had developed a painful heart condition, and despite Antonia’s wishes to remain in school and enjoy the fun of childhood, her mother reported that Antonia "never once went against me.” She was given the household duties, which she accepted both humbly and joyfully.  Obedient and hard working, Antonia willingly and diligently performed her duties and took on responsibilities as if she were already an adult.  She took care of the households cooking, cleaning, laundering of clothes, caring for her siblings, gathering wood, carrying water—all without complaint.  Antonia’s mother, Grazia, referred to her daughter as "the flower of my life."

At the age of 10, Antonia joined a local youth group called “Catholic Action,” Italy’s national apostolic movement for lay people.  Even as a child, she was a model member, reporting that the experience was “beautiful” for her, and that it “helps one to be good.”  Antonia energetically fulfilled her commitments, recruiting other young people to join the group… even on the day of her death.  Honoring Christ, and walking in friendship with Him, became her first priority.

On the day of her martyrdom, at age 16, Antonia was in the forest gathering wood with a friend.  She was attacked by a teenage boy, who pushed her to the ground in attempts to rape her.  While her friend ran for help, Antonia valiantly struggled to maintain her purity, which she had pledged to Christ.  She managed to escape twice, but was caught and beaten repeatedly on the head with a rock.  Despite her mortal wounds, she continued to fight her attacker until help arrived.  Sadly, it was too late to save her mortal body, but autopsy confirmed that Antonia’s efforts had maintained her purity.

Pope John Paul II beatified Antonia Mesina on Sunday, October 4, 1987, proclaiming her a martyr of virtue and purity.   Today we pray for all those who have been victims of violence or crime, that we may be renewed by the Lord, through the gracious intercession of Our Blessed Mother, Mary.


Look down on us, O Mary!
We are united before you in prayer, as you wished us to be:
daughters of Charity, the queen of virtues.
Look down on us with the benevolence of a mother.
We ask your help and protection, peace and pardon,
apostolic zeal and fidelity to the Church,
for ourselves and all who work in society
with an upright heart and good will.

Many are the afflictions of the world,
the miseries of the poor,
the violence performed by those who do not know how to love,
and are carried away by brutal passions.
And we do not know how to see the warnings from heaven
in the calamities that are increasing
and the sacrifice of defenseless and innocent victims.
But you, Mary, are the Mother of Mercy and Forgiveness.
Ask grace for us! Ask God for us and for all,
an increase of faith, the comfort of Christian hope
and the communion of evangelical charity.

May the Father grant the Church unity and testimony of life;
to society, a fraternal spirit,
understanding of every need, sorrow and aspiration;
to Religious families newness of life in your light, O Mary,
in the Spirit of the love of your Son Jesus, our Savior.
Amen.

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