The Pope's new encyclical,Spe Salvis discusses several saintly examples of hope lived out. One of these is St. Bakhita, the first Sudanese saint. Back in 2000 when St. Bakhita was canonized, Fides News Service spoke to Bishop Macram Max Gassis of El Obeid, Sudan, about Bahita. Bishop Gassis describes Bakhita as a sign of "hope to be freed from many forms of slavery" and "hope for those who leave their homeland."
Recently in Saints Category
Dale Price has a post devoted to St. Boniface, who feast day is today.
If you read this, please pray for us, as we're going to see a house that we're very optimistic about today. We're hoping St. Boniface is going to hook us up, as he unfailingly has in the past.
Oh, and while you're here, won't you say a prayer for Matthew Boniface:
Many of our friends and family know that we're looking to by a house this spring.
This is a little bit late, but we're praying a novena to St. Joseph and we'd be delighted if any of you would like to join us in asking for his help.
We're praying the following novena prayer, but if you could just add us to your intentions, that would be more than enough!
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
St. Joseph, you are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. I have a special confidence in you. You are powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants.
I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me, to your intercession. By the love you have for Jesus and Mary, do not abandon me during life, and assist me at the hour of my death.
Glorious St. Joseph, spouse of the immaculate Virgin, Foster-father of Jesus Christ, obtain for me a pure, humble, and charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the Divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Loving St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore: that we may find the right house for our family.
Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I am confident that your prayers in my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.
And no, we will not be burying a statue of him upside down anywhere!
Fr. Z. demonstrates the Golden-Mouthed's continuing relevance.
Today is the Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Patron of pretty much everybody: from beer brewers to people with sore eyes to the Diocese of Kalamazoo to yours truly.
Here is the Catholic Encyclopedia entry for Augustine.
Here is an English translation of the Confessions online.
And here is the text (courtesy of Zenit) of the Holy Father's address before praying the Angelus yesterday, which he dedicated to St. Augustine and his mother, St. Monica:
Today, Aug. 27, we remember St. Monica, and tomorrow we will remember her son, St. Augustine: Their testimonies can be of great consolation and help for many families also of our time.
Monica, born in Tagaste, in present-day Algeria (in Souk-Arhas), of a Christian family, lived in an exemplary way her mission of wife and mother, helping her husband Patricius to discover, little by little, the beauty of faith in Christ and the strength of evangelical love, capable of overcoming evil with good.
The Catholic Post fills in the details on the Champaign miracle being submitted for Fulton Sheen's beatification.
Mrs. Kearney, then in her early 70s, would survive as surgical staples held despite her infected arterial wall having the consistency of "wet toilet paper," according to the surgeon.
Mrs. Kearney died this Tuesday in Champaign, The Catholic Post learned Wednesday as it was going to press. Her husband, who first shared Therese’s story with persons promoting Archbishop Sheen’s cause in 2001 and actively cooperated with the fact-gathering, had died earlier this year in February.
"Vatican announces ceremony in step to raise Indiana nun to saint"
Now that's a mouthful.
So what really happened?
The Vatican announced a consistory (an allegedly consultorial, mostly-ceremonial gathering of Cardinals with the pope), where Benedict - who has already given the Church's acknowledgement of the authenticity of a miracle attributed to the intercession from heaven of Blessed Theodora Guerin - will likely approve a decree which will officially announce and set a date for her canonization.
Who is Mother Theodora Geurin?
Here's her biography from the webpage of the order in Indiana that she founded.
The Pittsbirgh Post-Gazette has a cute little piece on St. Joseph. The most hidden of saints deserves some recognition. One thing that isn't mentioned is that his silent faithfulness has earned him the title of "Protector of the Universal Church."
Asia news (via Amy Welborn) has a piece on Meryem Ana Evi (the house of Mary) in Ephesus, which alleges to be the final home of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The translation might be a bit off (the article claims the home was discovered in 1891 and then states in the next paragraph that pilgrims have been visiting "since ancient times." They may be talking about the town of Ephesus, but it's not clear. it's still a great story though.
Excerpt:
Fr Tarcy, an Indian Capuchin who has been there for a dozen years or so, said: “Often I see people, men and women, young and old, deeply moved and even in tears. When asked, ‘why do you cry, are you sad?’, the reply is always the same: ‘No, I am not sad, I am deeply moved, I feel something special, a peace, a joy, a warm welcome, a happiness which… I want to stay here forever.”
Later:
A brief bio from Godspy. Amazing story. Much could be said by somebody who didn't have to go to work about Charles' relationship with the Muslim people around whom he lived.
I must admit to knowing little about the newest blessed, but Fides Service has impressive quotes from some of his followers around the world.
Zenit continues its profiles of the blesseds to be canonized on Sunday.
Joseph Bilczewski, Tireless Archbishop of Leopoli
Zenit profiles two of the five people who will be canonized on Sunday,
Alberto Hurtado, Servant of Chile's Poor
Felix of Nicosia, a Humble Capuchin Friar
I expect they'll have info on the other three over the next few days as well.
The BBC news is reporting that a deacon from Boston is attributing the healing of his spinal problems to the intercession of Cardinal Newman. The claim is being investigated.
A priest I know tells the story of a discussion he had about Cardinal Newman's cause with an Italian involved with the process. The priest asked this other fellow (I don't remember if it was a priest or bishop or what) what was holding up the cause, and the answer was that there weres no miracles to support it. So the priest asked, "What about all the miracles of faith?" referring to all of the people who attribute their conversion to Cardinal Newman. The Italians reply: "Bah! Conversions happen all the time! That's no big deal. But re-growing and amputated arm - now that's a miracle!"
I suspect Ms. Lewis will be happy to hear the news.