a year of prayer: 365 Rosaries

On May 7, we celebrate a recently canonized saint, Saint Rosa Venerini (1656-1728), who Pope Benedict XVI referred to as an “example of a faithful disciple of Christ, ready to give up all in order to do the will of God.” Saint Rosa is a model of obedience and service, dedicating her life to the education, care, and Christian formation of young women in service of Our Lord.


Rosa was born in Viterbo, Italy, the daughter of a talented and prestigious doctor. At age seven, she declared her intentions to consecrate her life to God. Her desire was nourished by her family faith life, and she matured into an educated and sensible young woman with a heart of service and deeply felt spirituality. At age 20, with her father’s encouragement, Rosa entered the Dominican Monastery of Saint Catherine but remained only a few months. Upon the sudden death of her father, Rosa returned home to care for her mother. Tragedy did not stray from the family, with first her brother dying, followed by her mother succumbing to grief and eventual death.

While Rosa nursed her mother, she established a small community of local women whom she invited over each day to recite the Holy Rosary to Our Blessed Mother. In the conversations that took place before and after prayer, Rosa realized that the vast majority of women at that time had little education or knowledge, especially in regards to the formative teachings of the Church. Rosa began instructing these women, under the spiritual direction of a Jesuit priest, Father Ignatius Martinelli.

Upon her mother’s death, Rosa felt called to remain “in the world,” teaching and forming young Christian women, rather than returning to a contemplative monastic life. Her spiritual director encouraged her vocation, understanding it to be the will of the Lord, and with permission from the Bishop of Viterbo, Saint Rosa opened her first school for girls. With her typical grace and sensibility, there was little fanfare—only a small humble sign which read “Public School for Girls in Italy.” Saint Rosa structured her school according to an innovative plan that had matured in prayer and her search for the will of God. Her primary objective was to provide the “girls of the common people” a complete Christian formation and prepare them for life in society.


In addition to her difficult labors in creating schools and converting communities, Rosa ministered to the sick and discouraged, oftentimes healing through prayer. She spent countless hours in mental prayer and communion with the Lord, which she referred to as “essential nourishment for the soul.” Saint Rosa stated, “I feel so nailed to the Will of God that nothing else matters, neither death nor life. I want what He wants; I want to serve Him as much as pleases Him and no more.” She united with love the sufferings, hard work and joys of her own life to the sufferings of Jesus Christ, concerned that His Precious Blood would not be shed in vain.

Saint Rosa died a saintly death in the community of St. Mark’s in Rome on the evening of May 7, 1728. She had opened more than forty schools over her lifetime. Her remains were entombed in the nearby Church of the Gesù, so loved by her. In 1952, on the occasion of her Beatification, they were transferred to the chapel of the Generalate in Rome. In 2006, she was formally canonized by Pope Benedict XVI. During his homily, he stated:

“Saint Rose Venerini is another example of a faithful disciple of Christ, ready to give up all in order to do the will of God. She loved to say: "I find myself so bound to the divine will that neither death nor life is important: I want to live as he wishes and I want to serve him as he likes, and nothing more."


From here, from this surrender to God, sprang the long-admired work that she courageously developed in favor of the spiritual elevation and authentic emancipation of the young women of her time.


Saint Rose did not content herself with providing the girls an adequate education, but she was concerned with assuring their complete formation, with sound references to the Church's doctrinal teaching.


Her own apostolic style continues to characterize the life of the Congregation of the Religious Teachers Venerini which she founded. And how timely and important for today's society is this service, which puts them in the field of education and especially of the formation of women.”



Today, the Maestre Pie Venerini continue to serve and transmit the apostolic concern and charism of their founder, Saint Rosa. The community can be found in Italy, as well as the United States, Switzerland, India, Brazil, Cameroon, Romania, Albania, Chile, Venezuela and Nigeria. In each location, preference is always given to the poor, with both their educational and spiritual needs attended to.

The life of Saint Rosa demonstrates to each of us the call that the Lord gives and our need to be willing to listen and obey. Rosa’s life changed dramatically, and she accomplished great works for the glory of the Lord, because she was willing to listen to Him, to persevere through hardship and opposition, and remain steadfast to her mission and His will. Saint Rosa’s life touched countless souls, and her community continues to do so today. What could each of us accomplish if we courageously submitted to the plan of the Almighty? What radical change in the world are we preventing by failing to do so?

Today, March 8, we celebrate the feast day of Saint John of God (1495-1550). John of God would today be called impulsive—he would likely be medicated for it! But during his lifetime, he followed the innermost longing of his heart, oftentimes to the glory of the Lord, and sometimes to the detriment of the man. He was willful, quick to action, and committed to those in need. By the end of his life, Saint John of God had established an order of religious servants to the sick and poor, and through his model, had opened the doors of Christian charity and love to those in need. But his early life was marked by wandering and impetuousness, all of which eventually led him to Granada, Spain.


Saint John was born in Portugal, the child of devout Catholic parents. At age eight, after hearing a priest touring through the area deliver a homily, John left his parents in the middle of the night, following the priest, and becoming his servant. They lived an austere live, begging, and surviving on the kindness of strangers, until the lifestyle left John sick and weak. The priest, continuing his travels, left John in the care of a wealthy family with a large estate, and John eventually became the herder for their animals. He worked at this post for nearly 20 years, until the age of 27, his time in the mountains with only the sheep creating a broad space for him to pray and contemplate the glories of the Lord. He grew in faith, the Holy Spirit moving within in.

At approximately age 27, John joined the Spanish army in their war against France, leaving the fields to become a soldier. He quickly succumbed to the soldier’s life, engaging in gambling, drinking, pillaging, and other sinful ways. It was not until he was knocked from his horse—much like Saint Paul—and left by his battalion behind enemy lines that he felt a call to true conversion. John changed his ways, turning away from the sinful behaviors he had enjoyed, and devoting himself to God.

Returning to his shepherding job, he again listened to his heart and was moved to sail to Africa to assist Christian martyrs and those being held in captivity there. Joining himself to an exiled family, he sailed from Gibraltar. Upon arriving in Africa, he was appalled by the treatment of local peoples by the Christians, who worked them mercilessly, relying on the whip and beatings to increase performance. John spoke out against such injustices, and was encouraged, for his own safety to return to Spain.

He did so, and set out on a journey to find his birth parents. Unfortunately, upon arrival in his hometown, he found they had both died in his long absence. John, filled with regret, began walking back to Spain, determined to return to his foster family and their sheep. While on this journey, holy tradition tells us that he found a small child on the roadside, dressed in rags and crippled. The boy asked John to carry him part of his way, which John did without a moment’s hesitation. The child, however, grew heavy, and John, after years of begging and poverty, was not very strong. When the pair reached a place to get a drink of water, John proposed to the child that they should stop and rest. The child came down from his shoulders and was transformed into the likeness of the child Jesus. "John of God," He said, "Granada shall be your cross," and immediately disappeared.

Saint John set out for Granada, where he would live the remainder of his years. In Granada he worked back-breaking manual jobs, carrying stone, selling firewood, unloading ships at the docks, and construction, the money from which he gave to the poor. Reading holy books at night, in the safety of the local church, became his refuge. Again, following the yearnings of his heart, John bought a small bookstore with which to share his love of reading with the world. Following a sermon of repentance of Saint John of Avila—the man who would become John of God’s spiritual advisor and mentor-- he ransacked his own store, destroying the secular books he was selling, leaving only those that would bring readers to God.

Those who knew him assumed he was mad, and had him institutionalized at the Royal Hospital asylum. There he spent forty days, tied to his bed (as was the custom at the time), and receiving daily whippings as treatment. On the fortieth day, Saint John of Avila visited, informing him that he had suffered enough, completed enough penance (like the time of Jesus in the desert), and had him released to a more favorable part of the hospital.

It was here, in the Royal Hospital, that John of God declared his intention to start his own hospital, after seeing the way in which patients were treated. Returning to the streets, he again sold firewood and worked menial jobs, giving all that he had to the homeless poor and sick. Eventually, he acquired a small home for the lodging of these forgotten members of society, and a few years later was able to move into a larger space, an abandoned convent. During this time, he established the Order of the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God, dedicated to medical service of the poor and indigent.

During this time, seeking clarification of his vocation, John traveled to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where he received a vision of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, Our Lady, and Saint John while praying before a crucifix. The Blessed Virgin presented him with a crown of thorns, and pressed it hard upon his head. "John," the Holy Mother said, "it is by thorns and sufferings that you must win the crown my Son has waiting for you in heaven." Although Saint John could feel the thorns piercing his brain, he replied, "From your hand, Lady, thorns and sufferings are welcome. They are my flowers and my roses."

Returning to Granada, Saint John of God worked tirelessly for the poor and sick. He is reported to have worked miracles, including rescuing many from the Royal Hospital when it caught fire. Remembering that patients were tied to their beds, and witnessing others standing and watching them burn from a safe distance, John ran into the burning building, carrying and leading the patients to safety. He then climbed to the roof, removing the burning portions by hand with an axe, so as to prevent having to destroy the entire building to prevent the fire from spreading. Despite falling through the burning room, he emerged unscathed, having saved both the hospital and the lives of countless patients.

Years of hard work, poverty, and hunger took their toll on John, and he fell ill with pneumonia at age 55. Sensing that his time on earth was close to over, he requested the Last Sacraments, and was visited by the bishop himself. When the bishop asked if he had anything left on his mind, Saint John of God responded with a characteristically practical answer, his mind still focused on charity.

"There are three things that make me uneasy," he said. "The first is that I have received so many graces from God, and have not recognized them, and have repaid them with so little of my own. The second is that after I am dead, I fear lest the poor women I have rescued, and the poor sinners I have reclaimed, may be treated badly. The third is that those who have trusted me with money, and whom I have not fully repaid, may suffer loss on my account."

The life of Saint John of God is inspirational in so many ways. His service to those in need reminds us of our Christian call to serve—those who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, unclothed. More than that, his willingness to listen to the Holy Spirit, to let it fill his heart, and to follow those yearnings with abandon serve as a model for us. All too often we live in our heads, rather than our hearts. How many times have we been moved to help others in our hearts, but then listened to the thoughts of our head—it will be too hard, it won’t make any difference, what will people think?, or it’s not practical. How might we better serve our communities, like Saint John of God, if we opened ourselves to the call of the Holy Spirit—a loving and charitable force already residing within us!

O blessed Saint, we honor you,

On this great festal day.
Hail Nicholas the faithful say,
Apostle of the Way.


As you helped those who round you came;
May we your presence feel,
As our commitment is the same
Answering Love's appeal.


The father poor, the three young girls,
Young men to life restored.
Sailors can rest, the sea is blessed,
Your miracles record.


In prison dark, your faith was strong;
Help those who suffer wrong,
We heed your words, the gospel call,
To hail Christ, Lord of all.


As Bari's pilgrims make their way
To sing of your great name,
The wonder myrrh of Myra still
Proclaims your loving fame.


Lead us dear saint, in joy and peace,
Your prayers we now implore,
As we praise God, the Father, Son
And Spirit blest adored.


Today, December 6, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (died 346), the inspiration for many of our current secular Christmas traditions. This great saint is the most frequently depicted saint in art (only Our Blessed Mother surpasses him), and the veneration and honor he is given throughout the world are testimonials to his holiness and of the glory which he enjoys with God.

Little is known about the life of Saint Nicholas. That which is most reliable comes from a monk, Saint Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople, who wrote a biography of Saint Nicholas approximately 500 years after his death. In his “life,” Saint Methodius tells us that that "Up to the present the life of this distinguished Shepard has been unknown to the majority of the faithful." He then describes the extraordinary events of the life of Saint Nicholas. The truth of many of these legends is unknown, but each speaks to a man of great faith.

From this and other works, we know with certainty that when the See of Myra lost it’s bishop, Nicholas was chosen to fill the vacancy. There, he was recognized for his extraordinary piety, apostolic zeal, and became famous for working astonishing miracles.

Nicholas was born at Patara in Lycia (Asia Minor), and demonstrated great piety and faith from an early age. For example, we are told that he fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays, taking only nourishment in the evenings. Per his biography, "He was exceedingly well brought up by his parents and trod piously in their footsteps. The child, watched over by the church enlightened his mind and encouraged his thirst for sincere and true religion".

Sadly, Nicholas’ parents died when he was still young, and taking his considerable inheritance, devoted himself to works of charity. One of his most “famous” charitable acts is thought to have inspired the giving of Christmas gifts: A citizen of Patara, where he lived, had lost all of his money. This honorable man had three daughters to support, and could not find suitable husbands because of their poverty. Upon hearing of this situation, Nicholas took a bag of gold, and in the night, threw the bag in the open window of the man’s house. (Some say that the gold—also sometimes referred to as gold balls, rather than bags, landed in the socks and shoes of the family, drying before the fire. This led to the tradition of hanging stockings to be filled.) The man, using the money as dowry, promptly found a suitable suitor for his eldest daughter, who was married. Nicholas repeated the act twice more, once for each remaining daughter. However, the man kept watch, and upon recognizing Nicholas, was overcome with gratitude and thanks. From this, we see Saint Nicholas as a holy man, charitable, and giving of himself to others.



Nicholas soon departed Patara, traveling to the city of Myra where his uncle was the Archbishop. There, he was ordained, and appointed the Superior of a monastery. Upon the death of his uncle, Nicholas was appointed the new bishop by the people, who were certain that he had been chosen by the Lord. Around that time, the Diocletian persecutions of Christians were beginning, and "As he was the chief priest of the Christians of this town and preached the truths of faith with a holy liberty, the divine Nicholas was seized by the magistrates, tortured, then chained and thrown into prison with many other Christians. But when the great and religious Constantine, chosen by God assumed the imperial diadem of the Romans, the prisoners were released from their bonds and with them the illustrious Nicholas, who when he was set at liberty returned to Myra."

Saint Nicholas protected his flock against the heresies common in that time. He was likely present at the Council of Nicaea, where some legend tells of him striking Arius (the originator of the Arian heresy) and being imprisoned, only to be freed by visions of Jesus and Mary. Saint Nicholas also fought valiantly against paganism, destroying pagan temples throughout the region with “evil spirits fleeing, howling before him.”

But Saint Nicholas did not limit himself to the spiritual affairs of his people. He served as protector and guardian, advocating for prisoners, and famously freeing three innocent men wrongly condemned to death by the governor, Eustathius. Upon freeing the men, Nicholas incessantly reproached the governor—in front of a large crowd—until he admitted his wrong-doing and became sincerely penitent. Saint Nicholas later miraculously freed three men from a distance, appearing to Emperor Constantine and demanding their release in a dream. The next morning, when the imprisoned men called upon the name of Saint Nicholas for intercession, the emperor freed them, sending them back to the great saint with a letter asking for no more threats, but for peace in the world. For this, Saint Nicholas is regarded as the patron of prisoners and captives.

Additional miracles reported at the intercession of Saint Nicholas include the raising to life three young boys who were killed and hidden in pickling barrels to avoid detection (For this, he is the patron and protector of children), and the calming of stormy seas by his word upon voyages to the Holy Land. It is this latter miracle—during which he appeared to frightened sailors off the coast of Lycea, that led his patronage of sailors. Sailors in the Aegean and Ionian seas, following a common Eastern custom, had their "star of Saint Nicholas" and wished one another a good voyage in the phrase "May Saint Nicholas hold the tiller.”





Under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, Nicholas was imprisoned for his faith, but refused to recant, and was eventually freed upon the death of the Emperor.  He is recorded as makinga "glorious confession" of the faith to his jailors, converting many.

Saint Nicholas died at Myra, and is buried there in the basilica named for him. At Myra "the venerable body of the bishop, embalmed as it was in the good ointments of virtue exuded a sweet smelling myrrh, which kept it from corruption and proved a health giving remedy against sickness to the glory of him who had glorified Jesus Christ, our true God." During the Saracen occupation, the relics of Saint Nicholas were translated to Bari, Italy. The translation of the relics did not interrupt this phenomenon, and the "manna of St. Nicholas" is said to flow to this day. This “manna”-- a unique relic which forms in his grave, is a liquid substance said to have healing powers. It was one of the great attractions which draws pilgrims to his tomb from all parts of Europe.

An anonymous Greek wrote in the tenth century that, "the West as well as the East acclaims and glorifies him. Wherever there are people, in the country and the town, in the villages, in the isles, in the furthest parts of the earth, his name is revered and churches are built in his honor. Images of him are set up, panegyrics preached and festivals celebrated. All Christians, young and old, men and women, boys and girls, reverence his memory and call upon his protection. And his favors, which know no limit of time and continue from age to age, are poured out over all the earth; the Scythians know them, as do the Indians and the barbarians, the Africans as well as the Italians."

As a bishop, Saint Nicholas, was first and foremost a shepherd of the people, caring for their needs. His active pursuit of justice for his people was demonstrated when he secured grain in time of famine, saved the lives of three men wrongly condemned, and secured lower taxes for Myra. He taught the Gospel simply, so ordinary people understood, and he lived out his faith and devotion to God in helping the poor and all in need. Regardless of the accuracy of the legends and miracles reported in his name, the life and deeds of Saint Nicholas, and the attitude with which he praised the Lord, make him an inspiration to us today. As we move through Advent, toward Christmas, let us emulate Saint Nicholas in our care and concern for the welfare of others.



O God, Who didst adorn blessed Nicholas,
the bishop, with miracles unnumbered,
grant, we beseech Thee, that by his merits
and prayer we may be delivered from the
fire of hell. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.





Year 2: Day 340 of 365
Prayer Intentions: True Christian care and concern for others, especially those in need, marginalized, maligned, or suffering.
Requested Intentions: Financial security for a mother (M); Health, finances, successful marriage (A); Successful resolution of court case for son (K); Continued sobriety (N); Healing of a chronic health condition (B); Successful employment (A): Peace in a family, recovery of a niece from substance use (L); Blessings on a marriage, healing of a husband (P); For the health and recovery of sisters (B); For a daughter and granddaughter (D); Blessings on overseas employment (M); Healing of mother (L); Successful employment for husband (G); Successful employment, personal fulfillment (C); Health and recovery of ill sister (A); Resolution of legal issues; Grace and protection (E); Successful and meaningful employment (S); Restoration of a marriage (A); Peace and tolerance in a family, support for those with Parkinson’s Disease (M); For the restoration of a daughter’s marriage, end to debt (S); Employment and continued strength (K); Successful examinations for a son (J); Employment and blessings of a child (S); Employment and financial security (F); Successful work placement, continued health (A); Grace and healing for a family (P); Healing of a father (M).