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“Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.” (Lk 24:50-53) (Ecclesiastical Provinces of […]

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— Born in Madrid, St. Isidore (1070–1130) was a farm laborer for most of his life, employed by a wealthy landowner in Spain. He is remembered for his piety, his love for the poor, and also how he cared for animals. Although St. Isidore was not a scholar or a religious, he is revered among […]

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— On May 13, 1917, Our Lady first appeared to three shepherd children in the village of Fatima. The Blessed Virgin would appear six times to Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta with a message to pray for the conversion of sinners and peace in the world. The final apparition took place on October 13, 1917, with […]

* * *** The Church honors two of the original Apostles, Sts. Philip and James, whose relics are kept in the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles in Rome.

— St. Philip brought Nathaniel to the Lord: “Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.’ But Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come from Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’” (Jn […]

* * *** St. Joseph, carpenter and foster father of Jesus, is an exemplary model for us. All human labor can be sanctified, which in turn can sanctify oneself and others, making each of the faithful a participant in Christ’s work of redemption.

— The Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker was instituted in 1955 by Pope Pius XII and is celebrated on May 1, which corresponds to the day labor is honored in many countries.

* * *** St. Catherine (1347-1380) was a Third Order Dominican, mystic, activist, and author.

— St. Catherine wrote letters to rulers and clergy in defense of the Church and her influence proved to be significant. She was instrumental in the return of Pope Gregory XI from Avignon to Rome, ending the “Avignon Papacy.” Her short life is an example of courage; in word and deed, St. Catherine displayed her […]

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— St. Louis (1673-1716) is remembered for encouraging devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and for his care and ministry to the poor. The influential saint composed several books, including his notable classics, “The Secret of the Rosary” and “True Devotion to Mary”. St. Louis founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary and the […]

* * *** We remember St. Mark, the great evangelist and martyr.

“And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, […]

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— The story of St. George (d. 303) is quite similar to that of his fellow Christians martyred under Diocletian’s notorious rule, but for one famous tale… St. George courageously slayed a dragon to protect the village people and a princess from being sacrificed. ‘The dragon’ would not appear though until many centuries after his […]

* * *** We honor St. Anselm (1033-1109) as one of the Church’s greatest theologians. Born in Aosta, he would spend about 30 years of his life in the Benedictine monastery of Le Bec in Normandy. In 1093, he was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury and named Primate of England, yet, in his defense of the Church, St. Anselm would suffer persecution and exile.

— Known as the Father of Scholastic Theology, St. Anselm’s doctrinal works are among the most noteworthy examples of theology. His popular writings include “Cur Deus Homo” (Why God Became Man) and “De Veritate” (On Truth).

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