July 30 St. Leopold Mandic, patron against cancer

 

St. Leopold Mandic of Castelnova, OFM Capuchin

1887-1942

July 30

Western Christians who are working for greater dialogue with Orthodox Christians may be reaping the fruits of Father Leopold’s prayers.

            A native of Croatia, Leopold joined the Capuchins and was ordained several years later in spite of several health problems. He could not speak loudly enough to preach publicly. For many years he suffered from severe arthritis, poor eyesight and a stomach ailment.

            Leopold taught patrology, the study of the Church Fathers, to the clerics of his province for several years, but he is best known for his work in the confessional, where he sometimes spent 13 to 15 hours a day. Several bishops sought out his spiritual advice.

            Leopold’s dream was to go to the Orthodox Christians and work for the reunion of Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy. His health never permitted it. Leopold often renewed his vow to go to the Eastern Christians; the cause of unity was constantly in his prayers.

            At a time when Pope Pius XII said that the greatest sin of our time is “to have lost all sense of sin,” Leopold had a profound sense of sin and an even firmer sense of God’s grace awaiting human cooperation.

            Leopold, who lived most of his life in Padua, died on July 30, 1942, and was beatified on May 2, 1976. [He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1983. Because he suffered from esophageal cancer from which he died, he is a patron against cancer.]

QUOTE: Leopold used to repeat to himself, “Remember that you have been sent for the salvation of people, not because of your own merits, since it is the Lord Jesus and not you who died for the salvation of souls…I must cooperate with the divine goodness of our Lord who has deigned to choose me so that by my ministry, the divine promise would be fulfilled: ‘There will be only one flock and one shepherd’ (John 10:16).”

COMMENT: St. Francis often advised his followers to “seek the spirit of the Lord and God’s holy operation” (Rule of 1223, Chp. 10)--words which Leopold lived out. When the Capuchin minister general wrote his friars on the occasion of Leopold’s beatification, he said that this friar’s life showed “the priority of that which is essential.”

from McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

July 23 St. Bridget of Sweden

 

Saint Bridget of Sweden

c. 1303 – July 23, 1373

From age 7 on, Bridget had visions of Christ crucified. Her visions formed the basis for her activity—always with the emphasis on charity rather than spiritual favors.

A member of the Third Order, she lived her married life in the court of the Swedish king Magnus II Eriksson. In 1341, she and her husband Ulf went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Mother of eight children—the second eldest was Saint Catherine of Sweden—Bridget lived the strict life of a penitent after her husband’s death.

Bridget of Sweden constantly strove to exert her good influence over the Swedish King; while never fully reforming, he did give her land and buildings to found a monastery for men and women. This group eventually expanded into an Order of the Most Holy Saviour also known as the Bridgettines. In 1350, a year of jubilee, Bridget braved a plague-stricken Europe to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Although she never returned to Sweden, her years in Rome were far from happy, being hounded by debts and by opposition to her work against Church abuses.

A final pilgrimage to the Holy Land, marred by shipwreck and the death of her son, Charles, eventually led to her death in 1373. Bridget was canonized in the year 1391 by Pope Boniface IX, which was confirmed by the Council of Constance in 1415. Because of new discussions about her works, the Council of Basel confirmed the orthodoxy of her revelations in 1436. In 1999, Bridget of Sweden, Saint Catherine of Siena, and Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, were named co-patronesses of Europe, alongside the male patrons Saints Benedict of Nursia, Cyril, and Methodius.

 

Reflection

Bridget’s visions, rather than isolating her from the affairs of the world, involved her in many contemporary issues, whether they be royal policy or the years that the legitimate Bishop of Rome lived in Avignon, France. She saw no contradiction between mystical experience and secular activity, and her life is a testimony to the possibility of a holy life in the marketplace.

July 21 St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor of the Church

 

St. Lawrence Brindisi

1559-1619

July 21

Saint Francis wanted his followers to preach what they had learned in prayer.  Lawrence was an excellent example of this.

            Lawrence was born of devout middle-class parents in Brindisi in southern Italy. He entered the Capuchins at the age of 16 and proved an able scholar with a gift for languages.  His ability to preach in five languages was put to good use after his ordination in 1582. When Lawrence preached, he used Scripture extensively. His sermons fill eight large volumes.

            His career falls into three main categories: teaching theology to the friars, serving as an occasional papal diplomat, and holding various leadership positions within the Capuchins. In the last role he sought to balance the rigors of the Capuchin observance with the needs of the apostolate.

            During his lifetime, Lawrence was the provincial of three different Italian provinces.  He was a general definitor (counsellor) twice and vicar general once. In 1598 he and 13 other friars went to Germany to establish the Capuchins there; three provinces in time grew from their mission.

            In 1601, Lawrence accompanied the imperial troops which repelled the Turkish advance in Hungary. On returning to Italy, Lawrence learned of a cruel viceroy in Naples, which was ruled by Spain. When Lawrence journeyed to Lisbon to explain the situation to Philip III of Spain, the viceroy was dismissed. Lawrence died in Lisbon on that journey.

            After Lawrence’s death a preacher said of him: “Heroically virtuous, he was humble without littleness, magnanimous without ostentation, courageous without pride. His faith would have moved mountains, his hope defied every trial, and his charity knew no bounds. He united the life of action with the life of contemplation, so that he gave himself up to incessant labors for the defense of the Church and the salvation of his neighbor, and yet never lost sight of the holy presence of the Divine majesty.”

            Lawrence was canonized in 1881 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1958.

QUOTE: “The Word of God is a light to the mind and fire to the will. It enables humanity to know God and to love God. And for the interior person who lives by the Spirit of God through grace, it is bread and water, but a bread sweeter than honey and the honeycomb, a water better than wine and milk” (St. Lawrence, Sermo Quadragesimalis, 2)

COMMENT: Lawrence was an effective preacher because his life affirmed his sermons. Truly great preaching requires a basis of prayer and penance.

 

from McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

July 15 St. Bonaventure, Doctor of the Church

St. Bonaventure

1218-1274

July 15

Bonaventure was born at Bagnorea in Tuscany and was baptized "John." As a child he was cured by St. Francis. Bonaventure studied at the University of Paris and became a Franciscan there. At the same time Thomas Aquinas was teaching at Paris, Bonaventure was also a distinguished teacher there.

His academic career was cut short by his election as minister general of the friars in 1257. Bonaventure immediately dedicated his energies to restoring harmony among the friars, who were plagued by various factions.

The Church in the 1260’s closely linked ordination and the permission to preach. This presented a problem for the friars whose style, since Francis’ time, had been that of itinerant preachers—few of whom were ordained. Bonaventure, wanting to ensure the friars’ preaching vocation, moved them in a clerical direction. And accepting ordination meant establishing large houses of study near universities like Paris and Oxford.

Though some people have criticized Bonaventure for this redirection of the friars, others have argued convincingly that he was simply following the mind of the Church—which, they say, is what Francis would have wanted. Bonaventure ably defended the friars against those who said that the friars’ form of life, with its provisions for begging, was condemned by the gospel.

Among Bonaventure’s most famous writings are his life of St. Francis (Legenda Major) and the equally brilliant Journey of the Soul to God.  Bonaventure attributed his knowledge to meditation on the cross [of Jesus Christ, something he wrote of in The Tree of Life].

Bonaventure worked hard not to be named a bishop but was finally made Bishop of Albano and then cardinal. At the Second Council of Lyons (1274), he worked for the reunion with the Greek Church. He died before the Council ended. Bonaventure was canonized in 1482.

QUOTE: “For this passover (to God) to be perfect, we must suspend all the operations of the mind and we must transform the peak of our affections, directing them to God alone. This is a sacred mystical experience. It cannot be comprehended by anyone unless they surrender themselves to it; nor can they surrender themselves to it unless they long for it; nor can they long for it unless the Holy Spirit, whom Christ sent into the world, should come and inflame their inmost soul.  Hence the Apostle says that this mystical wisdom is revealed by the Holy Spirit” (Bonaventure in Journey of the Soul to God, Chp. 7).

COMMENT: Bonaventure’s goal was “wisdom”—knowledge in the light of faith. His various publics—students, friars, Church officials—knew him as a man who fulfilled the Franciscan educational motto: In holiness and learning. Like St. Francis of Assisi, Bonaventure knew that poverty and humility are the natural allies of the gospel.

from McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

July 14 St. Francis Solano

St. Francis Solano

1549-1610

July 14

Francis came from a leading family in Andalusia, Spain. Perhaps it was his popularity as a student that enabled Francis in his teens to stop two dualists. He entered the Friars Minor in 1570, and after ordination enthusiastically sacrificed himself for others. His care for the sick during an epidemic drew so much admiration that he became embarrassed and asked to be sent to the African missions. Instead, he was sent to South America in 1589.

            While working in what is now modern-day Argentina Bolivia and Paraguay, Francis quickly learned the native languages and was well received by the Indians. His visits to the sick often included playing a song on his violin.

            Around 1601 he was called to Lima, Peru, where he tried to recall the Spanish colonists to their baptismal integrity. Francis also worked to defend the Indians from oppression. He died in Lima and was canonized in 1726.

QUOTE: “When Francis Solano was about to die, one of the friars asked him, ‘Father, when God takes you to heaven remember me when you enter the everlasting kingdom.’ With joy Francis answered, ‘It is true, I am going to heaven but this is so because of the merits of the passion and death of Christ; I am the greatest of sinners. When I reach our homeland, I will be your good friend.” (contemporary biography of St. Francis Solano).

COMMENT: Francis of Solano knew the lives of Christians sometimes greatly hinder the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Francis lived an exemplary life himself and urged his fellow Spaniards to make their lives worthy of their Baptism.

by McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

July 10 Damascus Martyrs and St. Veronica Giuliani

July 10 After honoring Franciscan Martyrs on July 9th, it continues on July 10th. But we also have a Poor Clare who bore the stigmata! Since these three days of July are filled with saints, the Franciscans try to honor them on separate days, although the Roman Martyrology lists St. Veronica on the date of her death July 9th. 

Franciscan Martyrs of Damascus, Syria

d.1860

The Martyrs of Damascus were eleven Catholic saints martyred while praying inside a Franciscan-run parish in Damascus. They consist of the Massabki Brothers: Abdel Moati Massabki, Francis Massabki, and Raphael Massabki who were Maronite Catholics. Manuel Ruiz Lopez and Companions are Franciscans: seven from Spain including Carmelo Bolta Bañuls, Nicanor Ascanio Soria, Nicolás María Alberca Torres, Pedro Nolasco Soler Méndez,  Francisco Pinazo Peñalver, and Juan Jacob Fernández, with Engelbert Kolland from Austria.

Their martyrdom took place in the night between the ninth and tenth of July 1860, and they were beatified in 1926. All eleven were canonized on October 20, 2024.

St. Veronica Giuliani, 2^nd Order

1660-1727

July 10

Veronica’s desire to be like Christ crucified was answered with the stigmata.

            Veronica was born in Mercatelli. It is said that when her mother Bernedetta was dying, she called her five daughters to her bedside and entrusted each of them to one of the five wounds of Jesus. Veronica was entrusted to the wound below [or through] Christ’s [most sacred] heart.

            At the age of 17, Veronica joined the Poor Clares directed by the Capuchins. Her father had wanted her to marry, but she convinced him to allow her to become a nun. In her first years in the monastery, she worked in the kitchen, infirmary, sacristy, and served as portress. At the age of 34, she was made novice mistress, a position she held for 22 years. When she was 37, Veronica received the stigmata. Life was not the same after that.

            Rome wanted to test Veronica’s authenticity and so conducted an investigation. She lost the office of novice mistress temporarily and was not allowed to attend Mass except on Sundays or holydays. Through all of this Veronica did not become bitter, and the investigation eventually restored her as novice mistress.

            Though she protested against it, at the age of 56 she was elected abbess, a task she held for 11 years until her death. Veronica was very devoted to the Eucharist and to the Sacred Heart. She offered her sufferings for the missions. Veronica was canonized in 1839.

QUOTE: Thomas of Celano says of Francis: “All the pleasures of the world were a cross to him, because he carried the cross of Christ rooted in his heart. And therefore the stigmata shone forth exteriorly in his flesh, because interiorly that deeply set root was sprouting forth in his mind.” (2 Celano, #211)

COMMENT: Why did God grant the stigmata to Francis and to Veronica? God alone knows the deepest reasons, but as Celano points out, the external sign of the cross is a confirmation of the fact of the saints’ commitment to the cross in their lives. The stigmata which appeared in Veronica’s flesh had taken root in her heart many years before. It was a fitting conclusion for her love of God and her charity towards her sisters.

 from McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

Franciscan martyrdom, including protomartyrs

July 9^th marks not only the martyrdom of 26 Franciscans in China during the Boxer Rebellion but also 19 martyrs of Gorkum in Holland. I thought I would take the opportunity to also highlight some of the other Franciscan martyrs, who are celebrated in January.

January 16 OFM protomartyrs: St. Berard and Companions

d.1220

Preaching the gospel is often dangerous work. Leaving one’s homeland and adjusting to new cultures, governments and languages is difficult enough; but martyrdom sometimes caps all the other sacrifices.

            In 1219 with the blessing of St. Francis, Berard left Italy with Peter, Adjute, Accurs, Odo and Vitalis to preach in Morocco. En route in Spain, Vitalis became sick and commanded the other friars to continue in their mission without him.

            They tried preaching in Seville, then in Moslem hands, but made no converts. They went on to Morocco where they preached in the marketplace. The friars were immediately apprehended and ordered to leave the country; they refused. When they began preaching again, an exasperated sultan ordered them executed. After enduring severe beatings and declining various bribes to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ, the martyrs were beheaded by the sultan himself on January 16, 1220.

            These were the first Franciscan martyrs. When Francis heard of their deaths, he exclaimed, “Now I can truly say that I have five Friars Minor!” Their relics were brought to Portugal where they prompted a young Augustinian canon to join the Franciscans and set off for Morocco the next year. That young man was Anthony of Padua (June 13). These five martyrs were canonized in 1481.

QUOTE: Before St. Francis, the Rule of religious orders made no mention of preaching to the Moslems. In the Rule of 1223, Francis wrote: “If any of the friars is inspired by God to go among the Saracens or other unbelievers, he must ask permission from his provincial minister. The ministers, for their part, are to give permission only to those whom they see fit to be sent.” (Chp. 12)

COMMENT: The death of Berard and his companions sparked a missionary vocation in Anthony of Padua and others. There have been many, many Franciscans who have responded to Francis’ challenge. Proclaiming the gospel can be fatal, but that has not stopped the Franciscan men and women who even today risk their lives in many countries throughout the world.

 

 January 21 protomartyr of the USA: Juan de Padilla

1492-1542

Juan didn’t know where preaching the gospel of Jesus would lead him, but he trusted God to give him the strength to match a missionary vocation. Juan’s vocation led to his martyrdom in Kansas, part of the New World “discovered” the year he was born.

            Juan came from southern Spain where he also became a Franciscan. In 1526 he left for Mexico where he worked as a missionary in the states of Hidalgo and Jalisco. In 1540 he accompanied Coronado’s expedition to New Mexico. The next year Juan went with the expedition to Kansas; there he met the Quivira Indians. Juan remained to work among them after the explorers returned to Mexico.

            Juan was killed by several Quivira Indians as he made his way to the Kaws, traditional enemies of the Quiviras. He was the first of at least 77 Franciscans martyred in the United States.

QUOTE: An ad for missionaries in a 19^th-century Paris newspaper also applied to Juan’s work: “We offer you no salary, no recompense, no leadership, no pension, but much hard work, a poor dwelling, small consolation, many disappointments, frequent sickness, a violent or lonely death and an unknown grave.”

COMMENT: We are sometimes uncomfortable when people mention martyrs for the faith. How could people do that? Are they mentally stable? Juan de Padilla was motivated more by a desire to spread the gospel than by fear for his own life. He reminds us that we do not have very much choice about how we will die; however, we have a lot of choice about how we shall live.

 

July 9 St. Nicholas Pick and Companions

d.1572

It is not always possible to choose when and where we will witness to our faith

            In 1568 the Netherlands revolted against Spain. In the northern part of the Netherlands the revolt was also directed against Catholicism. This rebellion ultimately led to the recognition in 1648 of an independent Republic of United Provinces (Holland).

            Nicholas and his companions (11 Franciscans and eight diocesan priests) are also known as “the martyrs of Gorcum,” where they were arrested by Calvinist soldiers. They were taken to Briel and urged to renounce the Roman Catholic teaching on Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and on the primacy of the pope. They refused and were hung from crossbeams. The execution was clumsily handled; it took two hours for some of them to strangle. They were canonized in 1867.

QUOTE: “‘The hour is now at hand,’ Father Nicholas said, ‘to receive from the hand of the Lord the long desired reward of the struggle, the crown of eternal happiness.’ He encouraged them not to fear death nor to lose through cowardice the crown prepared for them and soon to be placed on their brows. Finally he prayed that they would joyfully follow the path on which they saw him leading the way. With these and similar words, he joyfully mounted the ladder without ceasing to exhort his companions until strangulation deprived him of the use of his voice.” (a contemporary account of the martyrdom)

COMMENT: Notice which teachings were presented to these martyrs.  Turning the Eucharist into some vague remembrance of Christ and denying the leadership of the successor of Peter might have seemed easy. Nicholas and his companions knew these teachings were part of God’s plan for God’s people, and so they would not deny their faith. Both the Eucharist and the successor of Peter will eventually be instrumental in restoring unity among Christians.

 

The three entries above were all written by Patrick McCloskey in Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

July 9 Chinese Martyrs including 26 Franciscans killed in the Boxer Rebellion

 July 9

Chinese martyrs--St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions (optional memorial)

ALSO OF NOTE: Venerable Augustus Tolton, FIRST Black American Priest, d. 1897

and in Marian devotion: BVM, Mother of Divine Hope and Queen of Peace

 

The 120 martyrs in this July 9^th group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven (87) of them were born in China, and were children, parents, catechists, or laborers, ranging in age from 9 to 72 years old. This group includes four Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or women religious, especially from the Order of Preachers, the Paris Foreign Mission Society, the Friars Minor, Society of Jesus, Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. 86 of them died during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.

Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his conversion and baptism, Augustine was ordained a diocesan priest. Martyred in 1815.

 

Boxer Rebellion

The 1890s saw a rise in anti-foreign sentiment in China; this gave rise to societies such as the "Society for Justice and Harmony" (commonly known as the "Boxers"). The Yellow River had flooded in 1898 and drought followed over the course of 1898–1900. A mixture of natural disasters, political tensions and legal wrangles led to many impoverished and disillusioned Chinese taking up martial arts and determining to make changes in their country. Anti-foreign sentiment led some Boxers to attack Christian missionaries in an attempt to drive out their foreign influence and bring a return to Chinese values.

During 1900, the movement spread and carried out actions against foreign peoples and their properties. This led to what became known as the Boxer Rebellion from May 1900 to September 1901. The month of May 1900 saw popular demonstrations against foreigners, and the following month, the Boxers received government backing to attack foreign strongholds within the country, until an alliance of foreign forces took control of Beijing in mid-August. The rebellion saw the murders of approximately 250 missionaries and their children and over 20,000 Chinese Christians.

26 Franciscan Martyrs of the Boxer Rebellion

On July 9th, the Franciscan family celebrates the memory of Saints Gregory Grassi, OFM, Marie-Hermine, FMM, and Companions, martyred in China in July 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion. They include fifteen European missionary religious and at least eleven native Chinese Secular Franciscans.

a) Martyrs of Shanxi, killed on 9 July 1900 (known as the Taiyuan massacre), who were Franciscan Friars Minor:

Gregorio Grassi, bishop [32]

Francis Fogolla, bishop [32]

Elias Facchini [fr], priest

Théodoric Balat [fr], priest

Andrew Bauer [fr], religious brother;

b) Martyrs of Southern Hunan, who were also Franciscan Friars Minor:

Anthony Fantosati [fr], bishop (martyred on 7 July 1900)

Joseph Mary Gambaro [fr] priest (martyred on 7 July 1900)

Cesidio Giacomantonio [fr], priest (martyred on 4 July 1900)

 

To the martyred Franciscans of the First Order were added seven Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, of whom three were French, two Italian, one Belgian, and one Dutch:

Mary Hermina of Jesus (in saeculo: Irma Grivot)

Marie de la Paix Giuliani (in saeculo: Mary Ann Giuliani)

Maria Chiara Nanetti (in saeculo: Clelia Nanetti)

Marie of Saint Natalie (in saeculo: Joan Mary Kerguin)

Marie of Saint Just (in saeculo: Ann Moreau)

Marie-Adolphine (in saeculo: Ann Dierk)

Mary Amandina (in saeculo: Paula Jeuris)

 

Of the martyrs belonging to the Franciscan family, there were also eleven Secular Franciscans, all Chinese:

John Zhang Huan, seminarian,

Patrick Dong Bodi, seminarian,

John Wang Rui, seminarian,

Philip Zhang Zhihe, seminarian,

John Zhang Jingguang, seminarian,

Thomas Shen Jihe, layman and a manservant,

Simon Qin Chunfu, lay catechist and aide to Bishop Fogolla

Peter Wu Anbang, layman,

Francis Zhang Rong, layman and a farmer,

Matthew Feng De, layman and neophyte,

Peter Zhang Banniu, layman and laborer.

To these are joined a number of Chinese lay faithful:

James Yan Guodong, farmer,

James Zhao Quanxin, manservant,

Peter Wang Erman, cook,

James Zhao Zhunsen, prison visitor

Christian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire of rebellions against countries from which they have come. When the governments of Britain, Germany, Russia and France had all gained substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese in 1898, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong in some Chinese circles.

            Gregory Grassi [head of this grouping] was born in Italy in 1833, ordained in 1856 and sent to China five years later. Gregory was later ordained Bishop of North Shansi. All [the Franciscan] martyrs were beatified in 1946. [And canonized in 2000 as part of a larger group of Chinese martyrs.]

QUOTE: “Martyrdom is part of the Church’s nature since it manifests Christian death in its pure form, as the death of unrestrained faith, which is otherwise hidden in the ambivalence of all human events. Through martyrdom the Church’s holiness, instead of remaining purely subjective, achieves by God’s grace the visible expression it needs. As early as the second century, one who accepted death for the sake of Christian faith or Christian morals was looked on and revered as a ‘martus’ (witness). The term is scriptural in that Jesus Christ is the ‘faithful witness’ absolutely (Rev. 1:5, 3:14).” (Karl Rahner, Theological Dictionary, volume 2, pp. 108-09).

COMMENT: Martyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout China during the Boxer Rebellion, five bishops, 50 priests, two brothers, 15 sisters and 40,000 Christians were killed. The 146,575 Catholics served by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303,760 by 1924, and were served by 282 Franciscans and 174 native priests. Great sacrifices often bring great results.

These last four paragraphs are by McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

Brother Juniper

Brother Juniper (Serra took the name "Junipero" in honor of this early Franciscan!)

d.1258

January 28

“Would to God, my brothers, I had a whole forest of such Junipers,” said Francis of this holy friar.

            We don’t know much about Juniper before he joined the friars in 1210. Francis sent him to establish “places” for the friars in Gualdo Tadino and Viterbo. When St. Clare was dying, Juniper consoled her. He was very devoted to the passion of Jesus and was known for his simplicity.

            Several stories about Juniper in the Little Flowers of St. Francis illustrate his exasperating generosity. Once Juniper was taking care of a sick man who had a craving to eat pig’s feet. This helpful friar want to a nearby field, captured a pig and cut off one foot, and then served this meal to the sick man. The owner of the pig was furious and immediately went to Juniper’s superior. When Juniper saw his mistake, he apologized profusely. He also ended up talking this angry man into donating the rest of the pig to the friars!

            Another time Juniper had been commanded to quit giving part of his clothing to the half-naked people he met on the road. Desiring to obey his superior, Juniper once told a man in need that he couldn’t give the man his tunic, but he wouldn’t prevent the man from taking it either. In time, the friars learned not to leave anything lying around, for Juniper would probably give it away.

            He died in 1258 and is buried at Ara Coeli church in Rome.

QUOTE: It is said that St. Francis once described the perfect friar by citing “the patience of Brother Juniper, who attained the state of perfect patience because he kept the truth of his low estate constantly in mind, whose supreme desire was to follow Christ on the way of the cross.” (Mirror of Perfection, #85)

COMMENT: What can we make of Juniper? He certainly seems to be the first of many Franciscan “characters.” No doubt some of the stories about him have improved considerably in the retelling. But while the stories about Juniper may seem a little quaint, his virtues were not. He was humble because he knew the truth about God, himself and others. He was patient because he was willing to suffer (“patience” come from patior meaning “to suffer”) in his following of Jesus.

 by McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

"Brother Juniper and the Beggar" by Bartolomé_Esteban_Murillo

external link for the humorous cartoon series by Fred McCarthy: http://brotherjuniper.com/

June 26 Padre Fermin Lasuen, OFM

June 26th is the anniversary of the 1803 death of Padre Fermín Francisco de Lasuén,OFM.  Much of the criticism that has been dumped on Padre Serra of the unfortunate mistreatment of the natives actually occurred under Lasuen's management.  He was the second Presidente of the California Missions. He is best remembered locally in Southern California as the namesake of the former Fermin Lasuén High School, a boys' Catholic school that operated in San Pedro from 1962 until 1971. 

(From 1979 to 2024 the former high school building served as the Little Sisters of the Poor Jeanne Jugan Residence. SAINT Jeanne Jugan is their foundress and the first Little Sister of the Poor. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 3, 1982, and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. The hospitality mission of the Little Sisters of the Poor is to offer the neediest elderly of every race and religion a home where they will be welcomed as Christ, cared for as family, and accompanied with dignity until God calls them to themself.) 

More enduringly, explorer George Vancouver named Point Lasuén in the San Pedro Bay area after him, now known as Point Fermin. My dad volunteered at the Point Fermin Lighthouse, Angel's Gate, and the Los Angeles Maritime Museum in San Pedro for many years. You can read more about Lasuen in this page from a 1960 brochure entitled "California Missions Pictorial."

June 24 Nativity of John the Baptist & Padre Francisco Dumetz, OFM

 

The fifteenth mission in the California chain was founded on the feast day of John the Baptist, 

June 24, 1797, just thirteen days after the founding of the San Jose Mission.

June 19 Venerable Matt Talbot

Venerable Matt Talbot

1856-1925

June 19                                                       

Matt can be considered the patron saint of those struggling with alcoholism.

            Matt was born in Dublin, where his father worked on the docks and had a difficult time supporting his family. After a few years of schooling, Matt obtained work as a messenger for some liquor merchants; there he began to drink excessively. For 15 years—until he was 30—Matt was a very active alcoholic.

            One day he decided to take “the pledge” for three months, make a general confession and begin to attend daily Mass. There is evidence that Matt’s first seven years after taking the pledge were especially difficult. Avoiding his former drinking places was very hard. He began to pray as intensely as he used to drink. He also tried very hard to pay back people from whom he had borrowed or stolen money while he was drinking.

            Most of his life Matt worked as a builder’s laborer. He joined the Secular Franciscan Order and began a life of strict penance; he abstained from meat nine months a year. Matt spent hours every night avidly reading Scripture and the lives of the saints. He prayed the rosary conscientiously. Though his job did not make him rich, Matt contributed generously to the missions.

            After 1923 his health failed and Matt was forced to quit work. He died on his way to church on Trinity Sunday. Fifty years later Pope Paul VI gave him the title “Venerable.”

 QUOTE: On an otherwise blank page in one of Matt’s books, the following is written: “God console thee and make thee a saint. To arrive at the perfection of humility, four things are necessary: to despise the world, to despise no one, to despise self, to despise being despised by others.”

COMMENT: In looking at the life of Matt Talbot, we may easily focus on the later years when he had stopped drinking for some time and was leading a very penitential life. Only alcoholic men and women who have stopped drinking can fully appreciate how difficult the earliest years of sobriety were for Matt.

            He had to take one day at a time. So do the rest of us.

 

by McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

April 3 or 4 St. Benedict the Black

St. Benedict the Black

1526-1589

April 3 or 4

Benedict held important posts in the Order and gracefully adjusted to other work when his terms of office were up.

            His parents were slaves brought from Africa to Messina, Sicily. Freed at 18, Benedict did farm work for a wage and soon saved enough to buy a pair of oxen. He was very proud of those animals. In time he joined a group of hermits around Palermo and was eventually recognized as their leader. Because these hermits followed the Rule of St. Francis, Pope Pius IV ordered them to join the First Order.

            Benedict was eventually novice master and then guardian of the friars in Palermo—positions rarely held in those days by a brother. In fact, Benedict was forced to accept his election as guardian. And when his term ended he happily returned to his work in the friary kitchen.

            Benedict corrected the friars with humility and charity. Once he corrected a novice and assigned him a penance only to learn that the novice was not the guilty party. Benedict immediately knelt down before the novice and asked his pardon.

            In later life Benedict was not possessive of the few things he used. He never referred to them as “mine” but always called them “ours.” His gifts for prayer and the guidance of souls earned him throughout Sicily a reputation for holiness. Following the example of St. Francis, Benedict kept seven 40-day fasts throughout the year; he also slept only a few hours each night.

            After Benedict’s death, King Philip III of Spain paid for a special tomb for this holy friar. Canonized in 1807, he is honored as the patron of Blacks in North America.

QUOTE: “I did ‘not come to be served but to serve’ (Mt 20:28), our Lord tells us. Those who are put in charge of others should be no prouder of their office than if they had been appointed to wash the feet of their confreres. They should be no more upset at the loss of their authority than they would be if they were deprived of the task of washing feet” (Admonition IV).

COMMENT: Among Franciscans a position of leadership is limited in time. When the time expires, former leaders sometimes have trouble adjusting to their new positions. The Church needs men and women ready to put their best energies into leadership—but men and women who are gracefully willing to go on to other work when their time of leadership is over.

McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

NOTE: The surname "the Moor" as he is sometimes called, is a misnomer originating from the Italian “il moro” (the black). 

St. Clare and the Eucharist-Corpus Christi

Saint Clare and the Eucharist

You will find depictions of St. Clare holding a monstrance aloft. As we celebrate this weekend the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (known as Corpus Christi in Latin), I thought it most appropriate to relate the story:

In 1240 Saracen (Arab or Muslim) mercenaries attacked the Italian countryside and approached the town of Assisi containing the church and convent of San Damiano, where the Franciscan women lived. This army was actually sent by Roman Emperor Frederick II, who was at war with Pope Innocent IV and the Papal States! Although gravely ill, St. Clare instructed the sisters to bring her the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. She prostrated herself before it and according to biographer Thomas Celano, OFM, she prays, “Behold, my Lord, is it possible you want to deliver into the hands of pagans your defenseless handmaids, whom I have taught out of love for you? I pray you, Lord, protect these your handmaids whom I cannot now save by myself.”  Suddenly she and the sisters hear a clearly audible voice: “I will always protect you!” Then Clare went to the doorway of the convent and held the Eucharist high in the direction of the advancing attackers. According to contemporary historical accounts, the invading soldiers were instantly struck with awe and stopped in their tracks. The presence of the eucharistic Christ had a profound effect on them, striking terror in their hearts and causing them to flee without harming the nuns or the town.

The women of the Second Order Franciscans or Poor Clares are very devoted to eucharistic adoration.  The occasion of this miraculous intervention was etched so vividly in their memories that the Poor Clares have celebrated it ever since as “Covenant Day” (June 22), recalling the promise God proclaimed that day, that they would always be protected. It’s easy to dismiss this story as a legend, but Clare’s biographers, like Celano who knew her personally, recorded it as fact. Pope Alexander IV later confirmed her sanctity and cited this miracle as one of many signs of her deep holiness. Eucharistic devotion was very important to Saint Francis and from him, St. Clare and her sisters learned to hold a deep devotion to Christ in the Eucharist.

So, what is the lesson in Franciscan spirituality we can take from this story? As one Franciscan website teaches, it is about putting eucharistic faith into action! Here are three ways to follow Clare’s example today:

1. Believe it like she did.

If you struggle with belief in the Real Presence, ask for the grace to believe. Start reading church teaching on the Eucharist. Ask questions. Pray in adoration, even if it feels dry.

2. Protect your home with prayer.

Clare’s convent was her spiritual home. She covered it with prayer. You can do the same in your home—daily prayer, blessings, family Rosary and Scripture reading create a spiritual shield.

3. Spend time with Christ in the Eucharist.

Find eucharistic adoration near you. Set a regular time to go. Even if it’s 15 minutes a week, be consistent. Bring your fears, your family and your needs to God. Eucharist is not a mere symbol—Christ is your King and Protector and Defense Against Evil.

May 30 Saint Ferdinand/San Fernando Rey -CA Mission

 Saint Ferdinand III, King of Castile and Galicia-Leon (Spain)

An outline of his life and accomplishments:

1199 Born at the monastery of Valparaíso near Salamanca

Parents: King Alfonso IX of Leon and Berengaria, daughter of King Alfonso III of Castile/granddaughter of Henry II of England/sister of Blanche the mother of Louis:

St. Louis, King of France, was his first cousin

1217 Became King of Castile at age eighteen

1219 Married Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, known as Beatrice, daughter of King Philip of Swabia, Germany; Had eight children: seven princes and one princess. (Two additional girls died in infancy.)

1221 Began construction of the Cathedral of Burgos.

1225 For twenty-seven years he crusaded against the Saracen Moors in Spain. He refused to burden his people with an exorbitant war tax, saying: “God will not fail me, and I fear more the curse of one poor old woman than the whole army of the Moors.”  His sword was named Lobera

1230 Became King of Galicia-Leon, upon the death of his father

1233 Captured the town of Ubeda.

1236 Took back Cordoba from the Moors

1237 Married Joan of Ponthieu after the death of Beatrice. Became Count of Aumale and later, Count of Ponthieu.

Daughter Eleanor married King Edward I of England

1243 Founded the University of Salamanca

1249 Drove the Moors from Seville

Re-conquered all of Andalusia, except for Granada.

Austere in his piety, he was devoted to penance and religious exercises (like wearing a hairshirt) and joined the Third Order Franciscans.

1252 Died on May 30^th, at age fifty-three and was buried in the Seville cathedral in the habit of a friar minor (OFM).

His eldest son Alfonso X succeeded him on the throne.

1671 Canonized a saint

 A man of great faith and devotion, especially to Our Lady, Ferdinand founded and funded hospitals, bishoprics, monasteries, and churches. He reformed Spanish law and compiled it into a form used for centuries after. An excellent administrator and just ruler, often pardoning those who worked against the crown. Strove always to use his power to better his people and his nation.

St. Joan of Arc was also Third Order Franciscan!

May 18 two Franciscan friars

St. Paschal Baylon (1540-1592)

May 17

In Pascal’s lifetime the Spanish empire in the New World was at the height of its power, though France and England were soon to reduce its influence.  The 16^th century has been called the Golden Age of the Church in Spain, for it gave birth to Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Peter Alcantara (October 22), Francis Solano (July 14), and Salvator of Horta (March 18).

            Paschal’s Spanish parents were poor but pious. Between the ages of seven and 24, he worked as a shepherd and began a life of mortification. He was able to pray on the job and was especially attentive to the church bell which rang at the Elevation during Mass. Paschal had a very honest streak in him. He once offered to pay owners of crops for any damage his animals caused!

            In 1564 Paschal joined the Friars Minor and gave himself wholeheartedly to a life of penance. Though he was urged to study for the priesthood, he choose to be a brother. At various times he served as porter, cook, gardener, and official beggar.

            Paschal was very careful to observe the vow of poverty. He would never waste any food or anything given for the use of the friars. When he was porter and took care of the poor coming to the door, he developed a reputation for great generosity. The friars sometimes tried to moderate his liberality!

            Paschal spent his spare moments praying before the Blessed Sacrament. In time many people sought his wise counsel. Many people flocked to his tomb immediately after his burial; miracles were reported promptly.

            In 1690 Paschal was canonized, in 1897 named patron of Eucharistic congresses and societies.

QUOTE: “Meditate well on this: Seek God above all things. It is right for you to seek God before and above everything else, because the majesty of God wishes you to receive what you ask for. This will also make you more ready to serve God and will enable you to love God more perfectly.” (St. Paschal)

COMMENT: Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament occupied much of St. Francis’ energy. Most of his letters were to promote devotion to the Eucharist. Paschal shared that concern.

            An hour in prayer before our Lord in the Eucharist could teach all of us a great deal. Some very holy and busy Catholics today are able to find that time, and their work is enriched by those minutes spent in prayer and meditation.

St. Felix of Cantalice (1515-1587)

May 18

Felix was the first Capuchin ever canonized. In fact, when he was born, the Capuchins didn’t yet exist as a distinct group within the Franciscans.

            Born of humble but God-fearing parents in the Rieti Valley, Felix worked as a farmhand and a shepherd until he was 28. He developed the habit of praying while he worked. In 1543 he joined the Capuchins. When the guardian explained the hardships of the way of life, Felix answered: “Father, the austerity of your Order does not frighten me. I hope, with God’s help, to overcome all the difficulties which will arise from my own weakness.”

            Three years later Felix was assigned to the friary in Rome as its official beggar. Because he was a model of simplicity and charity, he edified many people during the 42 years he performed that service for his confreres.

            As he made his rounds, he worked to convert hardened sinners and to feed the poor as did his good friend, St. Philip Neri, who founded the Oratory, a community of priests serving the poor of Rome. When Felix wasn’t talking on his rounds, he was praying the rosary. The people named him “Brother Deo Gratias” (thanks be to God) because he was always using that blessing.

            When Felix was an old man, his superior had to order him to wear sandals to protect his health.       Around the same time a certain cardinal offered to suggest to Felix’s superiors that he be freed of begging so that he could devote more time to prayer. Felix talked the cardinal out of that idea. Felix was canonized in 1712.

QUOTE: “Let us refer all good to the Lord God, most high and supreme, and let us recognize everything good as belonging to God, and thank God for everything from whom all blessings come. May the most high and sovereign Lord have and be given all praise and blessing, all thanks and glory. To him who alone is good belongs whatever is good. When we see or hear any evil, when we hear a blasphemy uttered, let us bless, honor, and praise the Lord who is blessed forever. Amen.” (St. Francis, Rule of 1221, Chp. 7)

COMMENT: Grateful people make good beggars. Francis told his friars that if they gave the world a good example, the world would support them.  Felix’s life proves the truth of that advice. In referring all blessings back to their source in God, Feliz encouraged people to works of charity for the friars and for others.

Both of these saints' biographies are from:

McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.

What is a Franciscan Friar?

The Franciscans are referred to as “friars,” from the Latin frater, meaning “brother.” Franciscans are essentially an order of brothers striving to live the Gospel with the same simplicity and fervor as their founder, St. Francis of Assisi. After growing up in a wealthy family and then experiencing a powerful conversion at the age of 25, Francis donned the clothes of a penitent and began to live a very poor lifestyle, dedicating himself to prayer and service of the poor. Before long, inspired by his fervent lifestyle, men began to join Francis and to imitate his way of life. This gave rise to the birth of the Franciscan Order in 1223.

What is a Capuchin Franciscan?

In the 16th century, a group of Franciscans were inspired to live the Franciscan lifestyle in a more radical manner, returning to the original emphasis on prayer and poverty. These men broke away from the Franciscans and began a reform movement which stressed the priority of contemplative prayer and a more rigorous austerity. Wearing habits with large hoods, they soon garnered the name cappucio, the Italian word for “hood.” The Capuchins received approval of their way of life and were recognized as an official, independent branch of the Franciscans in 1525 in the papal bull Religionis Zellus.

The Capuchins Today

Today there are seven regional jurisdictions of Capuchins in the United States. Usually found in the poorer sections of towns and cities, the Capuchins have a special charism for working among the common people and taking those assignments which others refuse. Capuchins can be found working in soup kitchens and homeless shelters, serving as hospital chaplains or prison ministers, confessors, and spiritual directors. Capuchins can also be found in some of the city’s poorest parishes.

The Capuchins build their life and ministry on two essential foundations: prayer and fraternity. The priority of prayer and the contemplative life is at the heart of the Capuchin charism. Personal and community prayer nourishes the brothers’ relationship with God and one another and enables them to give fully of themselves to everyone they meet. The Capuchin tradition has placed great emphasis on Eucharistic devotion and veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Along with prayer, fraternity is of great importance to the Capuchin charism. A Capuchin is first and foremost a brother among brothers. This fraternal life is founded upon the Gospel in which, after washing the disciples’ feet, the Lord exhorts his followers to do the same for others. This witness to fraternity is crucial in an increasingly isolated and alienated world.

retrieved from https://www.capuchins.org/who-are-we