saints Archives - Amazing Catechists

Saint Padre Pio

Several years ago I received my first prayer book on Padre Pio. People in my parish love this guy. I knew very little about him except that he was given the stigmata. I struggled with this idea and as I prayed the prayers in the book, I kept thinking that if he lived during my time, I would ask to see his feet, hands, and side. I know I sound like Thomas, but this isn’t Jesus we are talking about. This is a Franciscan friar.

Why are we in competition?

One Sunday afternoon, I decided that I would watch the Padre Pio movie on the Formed channel. But before getting settled with popcorn and PJs, I decided to call my sister. We had a great conversation, as always. Then she told me about an old friend that was seeking God. My brother-in-law was raised in a Pentecostal church. My sister, like me, was raised Catholic. But also like me, she drifted. About five years ago she decided to go back to church but instead of the Catholic Church, she decided to go to the Assembly of God church where her husband grew up. She boasts about the fact that there are so many former Catholics that go to her church. Even the pastor, who is my brother-in-law’s cousin, was a cradle Catholic, but then around age 12, his entire family switched to the Assembly of God church. I listened as she complained about the rules of the Catholic Church and how she didn’t really understand what was going on in Mass. She is now convinced that if it is not in the bible, it is not truth, but doesn’t mention anything about which interpretation should be followed. On and on she talked about how welcoming her church was to everyone and how she felt like she had an extended family. Because of her strong feelings for her church, she invited her seeking friend to a church service. Her friend is now so blown away by the love and openness of her newfound church community.

As I listened to my sister, I found myself getting very offended. Yes, I too drifted and learned so much from my Protestant brothers and sisters, but there came a time when I realized something was missing. It was the Eucharist. When I shared this with my sister, she said that because her pastor was a former Catholic that he insists on Communion once a month. But when I told her it wasn’t the same Communion, she was silent. Is it possible that she has forgotten her Catholic school teaching?

Don’t be Afraid to Dig for Answers

When I returned to my Catholic faith, I didn’t understand much about the Mass, so I rolled up my sleeves and started researching about the Mass, about the sacraments, about the Blessed Mother, and all things Catholic. I walked away early in adulthood, not to go to another church, but to be free. I hated the rules of Mass every Sunday and holy days. I hated the obligation. But the Catholic Church doesn’t teach obligation. We do that to ourselves. The Church teaches relationships, with each other and most importantly with the Trinity. I am now in a Catholic church that has the same loving family environment that my sister talks about. But it is approached differently. In my sister’s church, there are greeters at each door that acknowledge you as you enter the church. At our church, we also have greeters. Most importantly, the Catholic Church has a tabernacle where the presence of God resides in a very intimate way. We go to church to worship God and our Mass is a sacrifice to God through Jesus. From the moment we enter church, we are focused on our Lord. We bless ourselves with holy water to remind us of our Baptism. We genuflect or bow before entering the pew as recognition for who is present in the tabernacle. We then kneel and pray to the One who is present. Our connection with others in our church family happens outside the church before Mass or immediately after Mass. A women’s retreat was posted in our bulletin shortly after I began attending my parish. I signed up for the retreat and a bible study and several other programs. It was during these events that connections with fellow Catholics were being made.

The Stigmata brings Controversy

What does all this have to do with Saint Padre Pio? The movie on the Formed channel, shared Saint Pio’s story beginning with his childhood. He was called by God as a child and experienced things that led him to the priesthood. The stigmata was one of many things about Padre Pio that intrigued so many. He had a huge following that concerned his superiors. The movie also showed how people exploited him by selling prayer cards and statutes of him which he adamantly frowned upon.

Toward the end of his life, a monsignor was given the assignment to visit Padre Pio to get him to tell the truth about the stigmata. It seems that Padre Pio was told by God not to show the stigmata to anyone and that the stigmata would be with him for 50 years. Padre Pio’s stigmata was seen by a small inner circle including his physician; however, it was the belief of this monsignor that Padre Pio was a hoax and he was determined to get the Padre to confess.

Here we have two priests in the Catholic Church arguing about what God is doing. This monsignor has a little more rank than a regular friar so it seems quite intimidating at times. The monsignor states throughout the movie that God is not in Padre Pio’s charade and yet Padre Pio insists that there is no one else but God in control of his life. As it turns out, the monsignor comes full circle as Padre Pio reveals to him an incident in his life known only to him.

We really are on the same team!

Why do we argue with each other about Christianity? I’m happy that my sister found a place to worship God. She is closer to God now then she ever has been. But I resent the inclination that her church is better than the Catholic Church because so many former Catholics now worship there. I remember the movie in the early 1970’s titled, The Poseidon Adventure. It wasn’t a true story, but I recall a moment in the movie after the ship encountered a tsunami and was capsized when a small group of characters were heading in one direction while the remaining survivors were convinced that they needed to go the opposite way. Of course, the small group at the end of the movie was the only survivors. I wonder if this will happen to us as we choose our church of preference. We are all Christians and, therefore, God is in this. Why try and prove ourselves? The monsignor was so determined to prove Padre Pio’s masquerade while Padre Pio was speaking truth about his experience with God. I believe our role is to encourage each other. And I further believe that it is each of our responsibility to do our homework, to research, to seek God in all ways. Choosing where we are to be should not be decided solely on feelings. Truth sometimes does not feel good.

I’m grateful to know a little more about Saint Padre Pio. My skepticism is somewhat calmed. I find this to be no different than the Marian apparitions of St. Bernadette and the children at Fatima. I believe that God will do whatever is necessary to get our attention. I pray that I will cooperate with Him in all things.

One of the Six Patron Saints of Europe

By Denise Mercado

A Swastika on Church Grounds?

On the wall of the Assembly Room in our parish hall, there was a poster made by a student telling the story of St. Edith Stein. The Nazi swastika on the poster caught my eye. I wanted to understand why this symbol, obviously drawn by a student, was allowed on church grounds. After some research, I learned of the amazing story of this great saint.

St. Edith was a German Jew born in 1891. She was academically gifted, but most importantly, she was curious and unafraid to search for answers. She rebelled against her Jewish roots and became an atheist early in her teenage years. She studied nursing to support the injured in World War I. She then continued her studies in philosophy and received a doctorate in 1916. In the beginning, her gender was a deterrent in her field of education. Later, due to the Nazi regime, her Jewish roots prevented her from sharing her knowledge in the classroom.

One Saint Influences Another

During St. Edith’s study of philosophy, she had the opportunity to read the works of St. Teresa of Avila. This provided a turning point for her. We all look for truth, and St. Edith found truth in the writings of St. Teresa, so much so that she converted to Catholicism and was baptized in 1922 at the age of 31. Shortly after her conversion, most of her family immigrated to America except her mother and sister. By this time, her father was deceased. Her mother, however, was devastated to learn of her daughter’s conversion and considered this to be a betrayal of her family. In addition to conversion, St. Edith was determined to enter the Carmelite Order. This was misunderstood as a way to avoid German persecution. However, St. Edith did not once consider the convent as a hiding place. Her goal was to move closer to God, not knowing where He would take her.

A New Name is Given

As a novice in the Carmelite Order in 1934, she received her religious name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Shortly after her mother’s death, her sister also converted and joined her at the convent. While in the convent, St. Edith was given permission to continue her research and writings. Previously she had translated a document from St. Thomas Aquinas into German. The document written while in the convent was a metaphysical book that combined the philosophies of St. Thomas Aquinas and other prominent philosophers.

As the Nazi regime progressed in its hatred of Jews, the Carmelite Order decided to move St. Edith and her sister to a convent in the Netherlands. During her time in the Netherlands, St. Edith wrote The Studies of John of the Cross: the Science of the Cross. In her testament written in 1939, St. Edith wrote, “I beg the Lord to take my life and my death…as atonement for the unbelief of the Jewish people…for the salvation of Germany and the peace of the world, at last for my loved ones, living and dead, and for all God gave to me: that none of them shall go astray.” Despite her devotion to our Lord and her Christian faith, conversion did not deter the hatred of the Nazi regime. In 1942, the Nazi order was to arrest all Jewish converts. St. Edith did not refuse arrest, although an opportunity for escape presented itself shortly thereafter. St. Edith, her sister, and over 900 other Jews were deported in August 1942 to Auschwitz, where they died in mass gas chambers.

St. Edith was canonized in 1998 by St. Pope John Paul II and is considered one of the six patron saints of Europe along with St. Benedict of Nursia, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, St. Bridget of Sweden, and St. Catherine of Siena.

Never too old to live for God

I am very intrigued by St. Edith’s courage to search outside the realm of her roots. I believe that truth is important and in order to find it we must be unafraid to explore all that God has for us. St. Edith did not let obstacles get in her way. The first obstacle was her gender. Then it was her Jewish roots and, finally, her age. She was a convert at age 31 and entered the convent shortly after. Most novices were in their late teens, but St. Edith was closer to age 40 when she made this commitment.

The feast day for St. Edith Stein is celebrated on August 9.

Teen Book Review: Saint Cloud of Gaul: The Prince Who Traded Kingdoms

By Leslea Wahl

Review:

The Prince Who Traded Kingdoms is another masterpiece in Susan Peek’s growing God’s Forgotten Friends collection. The author’s ability to bring to life the intriguing lives of little-known saints is an enormous blessing to our Catholic faith. This fascinating story about St. Cloud is her most heart-pounding story to date—truly a book that is impossible to put down.

Cloud was born a French prince, destined to rule his kingdom. However, when his cruel uncles change the course of events, he is forced to flee for his life. As he grows, he must decide where God is calling him to be. Is he meant for a solitary life of prayer or to become a just ruler who can lead his people in a new direction? Humor, adventure, unparalleled faith, and miraculous events keep the reader turning the pages as Cloud discovers his destiny.

I didn’t know anything about this fascinating follower of Christ, but now I find him one of my saintly friends. Thank you, Susan Peek, for introducing these little-known saints to our generation. There is so much we can learn from the faithful servants of the past.

Summary:

A horrific act of treachery. A hairbreadth escape. A decade of desperate hiding. And an encounter with Christ that changes it all!

When young Prince Cloud, grandson of the mighty King Clovis and heir to the Kingdom of Orleans, is suspiciously summoned to his uncle’s castle, little does he know his world is about to implode. Hurled into a life of danger, where his royal identity must remain hidden at all costs, Cloud eventually stumbles upon the only Kingdom worth fighting for.

Nearly everyone has heard of St. Cloud, Minnesota, but few know the story of the inspiring saint whose name it bears. The time has come for Saint Cloud of Gaul to blaze forth from hiding!

Newman: Patron of Adult Faith Formation

By Father Juan Velez

[Originally posted at CatholicLane.com]

Adult Catholics have many questions such as: What is the Church’s doctrine on communion for married Catholics who after a civil divorce have entered into a second union? Is Jesus truly present in the Holy Eucharist? What is wrong with IVF?

These and many other questions that confuse Catholics indicate the need for deeper adult faith formation in our country and throughout the world. The degree of misinformation about religion and society has only increased with its easier access via cyberspace networks. So often writers misquote Cardinal Newman’s “to grow is to change” without conveying his understanding of growth in continuity. Catholics are swayed by beliefs and practices that are contrary to the faith, which many try to pass as authentic Catholic teaching.

John Henry Newman (1801-1890), English convert from the Anglican to the Catholic Church, whose feast day falls on October 9th, could be considered the patron of adult faith formation, as I propose below.

Newman lived in a nineteenth century England which was marked by modern technological development and an industrial revolution – with a consequent rise in materialism and atheism. He understood well the materialistic and relativistic culture, which is why he is able to speak to our times. He also defended the harmony between faith and reason that is so much lacking in our society. Our time prides itself in scientific advances and looks to science almost as a god. Like St. Josemaría Escrivá and St. John Paul II, Newman taught lay people to strive for holiness in their work and daily pursuits, whether in universities, factories, or fields, finding the harmony between faith and reason.

Blessed Newman, beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on September 19, 2010, offers us a deep understanding of the Church’s tradition, teaching office, and true development of doctrine, countering the prevalent and simplistic approach to growth in doctrine.

With regard to change, or what he called development in doctrine, he wrote: “(It) is indeed sometimes said that the stream is clearest near the spring. Whatever use may fairly be made of this image, it does not apply to the history of a philosophy or belief, which on the contrary is more equable, and purer, and stronger, when its bed has become deep, and broad, and full.” He explained that, for this to happen, authentic development must be in continuity with the past.

Newman is the person to whom we can turn for developing a better program for adult faith formation (RCIA) and continuing education, especially in parishes, but also at Newman centers in our universities. When adults really study and learn about the faith they discover its beauty and inner logic; they are motivated to go deeper, and they become capable of transmitting it to their children and co-workers.

Knowledge of the faith is attractive and engaging. It leads to a growth in friendship with Christ. As a result we are able to evangelize and to teach it to family and friends. Newman had many friends and cultivated friendships with people, and he realized that through genuine friendship one can have a healthy influence on others.

The study of the Catechism and the Gospels in parish adult formation can be supplemented with some selections of Newman’s writings on the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Scriptures, the Sacraments, as well as on the moral life, taken from some of his books, such as Development of Christian Doctrine and Grammar of Assent.

His novel Callista, about a young third century Christian convert, serves as a moving example and guide for apologetics today. In it we can see how the heroine is attracted to Christianity by a deep desire for happiness. Soon she begins to read the New Testament, discovers the person of Jesus Christ, and starts to listen to her moral conscience speaking to her of right and wrong. The Church’s doctrine makes things clear for her, and in the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, she finds union with her new Love.

Adult faith formation and continuing education should include the study of the lives of saints, and their writings. It should also include Church history, for example, The History of the Church by Peter Armenio (from the Didache series). For more detailed studies there are the works of Philip Hughes or Christopher Dawson.

But accepting the Church’s moral teaching requires more than doctrine, or better a doctrine that becomes part of one’s life. Christian formation is a path that entails growth in virtue and the habit of daily prayer. The writings of saints like St. Theresa of Àvila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and St. Francis de Sales are fundamental guides along this path. Here, too, Newman serves himself as a guide. In addition to his sermons, in particular the Parochial and Plain Sermons from his Anglican period, he offers beautiful meditations and prayers composed as a Roman Catholic (Meditations and Devotions).

Just as there are patrons for all types of endeavors, we need a patron for adult formation, and Blessed Newman is just that person. However, first he would need to be canonized – which we hope will take place in the near future. In the mean time, the United States bishops could obtain permission from the Holy See to celebrate throughout the country the memorial Mass each year on his saint’s day, October 9.

[Editor’s note: see Blessed John Henry Newman, Ora Pro Nobis.]

Fr. Juan R. Vélez, author of Passion for Truth, the Life of John Henry Newman (St. Benedict’s Press, 2011). He writes at www.cardinaljohnhenrynewman.com

Marriage Memes: Sacraments and Saints

By Karee Santos

Following up on the free Marriage Memes from last week, here’s another scintillating series to download and share! This week’s memes focus on how married couples can seek help from the sacraments and the saints. They’re drawn from Chapter 2 of my Catholic marriage advice book The Four Keys to Everlasting Love.

Meme #1: Catechism

Meme #2: Scripture

Meme #3: Quote from Four Keys

Meme #4: Pope Quote

Meme #5: Action Plan

Printable Worksheets on the Sacrament of Matrimony #freebie #4KEYS

By Karee Santos

This is number two in a series of downloadable worksheets to use at home, in small groups, or during break-out sessions with our Catholic marriage advice book, The Four Keys to Everlasting Love. This week, we’re focusing on the sacraments and the saints. You can follow along with us in the 4 Keys Online Book Club on Facebook. TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT, CLICK HERE.

Chapter 2 Worksheet

Turning Good Marriages into Pathways to Glory:
It’s a Sacrament; It’s a Vocation; It’s a Road Map to Heaven!

Marriage can be good. With effort, it can be very good. But it takes God to make the union glorious. The graces of the Sacrament of Matrimony are a powerful aid to couples in their everyday struggles and in times of great crisis.

Nowadays, fewer Catholics are choosing to get married in the Church than at any other time in recent history. Many people don’t realize what a wonderful treasure Catholic marriage is! As Manny and Karee explain in Chapter Two of The Four Keys, “couples united in the Sacrament of Matrimony have been blessed with the grace to take natural love to a supernatural level. … [T]hey are called and empowered to love to the highest degree, the degree that Christ loved us – to forgive seventy times seven times, to do the humblest chore out of love, and to die to self in order to live and love for others.”

In Chapter Two, Manny and Karee describe marriage’s role as one of the seven sacraments, the difference between a valid and invalid marriage, and the importance of the vocation of marriage. They also reveal how the saints, our cheering section in the next life, are willing and eager to help husbands and wives get each other to heaven. From this chapter, you will learn how to:

Seek help from the sacraments
Seek help from the saints
Discern God’s voice
Be faithful in little things and let God turn them into glory

Conversation Starters

You can use the following conversation starters to get a discussion going among yourselves or in a small group. If it helps, think it over on your own time, take it to prayer, and jot down your answers before talking about them.

1. Why did you choose each other? How did you know you had found the “one”?

2. Why did you decide in favor of (or against) getting married in the Catholic Church?

3. How have you seen the graces of the sacrament at work in your lives and in your relationship?

4. Who do you think has an exceptionally good marriage and why? Do you have a favorite married saint who would be a good role model?

A Culture that Craves Feasts

By Maureen Smith

As I was perusing Facebook the other day I noticed that even in the middle of Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day, this week also celebrates National Friend’s Day. Our culture has created many such days to celebrate everything from relationships (e.g. National Siblings Day) to simple comforts (National Ice Cream Day).

I could not help but think that what our culture truly craves is much more than ice cream, and even more than Facebook friendships. Our culture thirsts for reasons to celebrate life. It invents new holidays and adopts religious feast days like Mardi Gras and Saint Patrick’s Day, though often without the liturgical significance from which it was established.

Our world grasps for holidays and weekends to look forward to, essentially, reasons to keep going. Most commuters I see on Monday mornings have that “I can’t wait until the weekend” look. But those longed for moments come and go and they often never provide the refreshment needed. Nor do they prevent Monday from coming again.

Without an eternal perspective life seems like a random conglomeration of pointless days…unless there can be something to celebrate! In the attempt to remedy hopelessness, the world embraces feast days but often forgets the One who is at the center of all, the One who gives meaning and purpose to each of our lives, to every moment of every day. He gives us hope for the greatest of holidays, an eternal “weekend” if you will.

We can all get sidetracked by the secular mentality and forget what we are living for, but the Church comes to our aid! On every day of the year there is at least one person to celebrate – a saint who is already participating in the Eternal Life to which we all hope to be invited. There are solemnities, feast days, and memorials throughout the year to point us to the purpose of this life, much more so than Mardi Gras parades and Saint Patrick Day parties. Celebrating these days with the Lord in mind leads us on towards that Life we all hope to inherit.

As we celebrate Mardi Gras and prepare for Lent, here are a few questions that might be helpful as we seek to appreciate the Lord’s presence here and now and also look forward to what is to come:

How can we live in a way that anticipates the underlying meaning of these celebrations that have been secularized?
In this Lenten Season, can we start with celebrating Sunday as the Lord’s Day, truly commemorating His Resurrection?
How can we witness to our families and our world the joy we receive when we are fed by the liturgy and Sacraments that are so much a part of our feasts and celebrations?

I hope that this reflection helps you to find even more joy in your celebrations, so that you will be constantly reminded of the Heavenly feast to which we can participate in the Sacraments and to which we hope to celebrate fully in the life to come.

Letting Go of Our Nets: A Journey with Peter

By Maureen Smith

The Call

Yesterday morning I took the walk of shame down the side aisle of the Chapel, 5 minutes late and we were already at the Gospel. Frustrated and feeling confirmation that I was definitely a failure at absolutely everything if I couldn’t even make it to Mass on time, I then listened to the Gospel and underneath my gritted teeth felt a sense of relief and the first sign of a smile since yesterday. Having experienced a personal failure a week ago (joining the ranks of the unemployed), I felt comforted by the life and example of Peter.

In the Call of Peter in Mark’s Gospel, which we read yesterday, Jesus clarifies Peter’s vocation and asks him to leave behind what he thought defined him for a life of intimacy and trust in the Lord rather than in the success of the work of his hands.

Similarly, in Luke’s account of the Call of Peter, Jesus uses a moment of failure (on the part of Peter to provide fish after working all night) to reveal His identity as the Son of God while also challenging Peter to discover his own identity, not as a fisherman but as Jesus calls him in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, a “fisher of men.” John’s Gospel recounts a somewhat different, but not inconsistent, first encounter. Here Jesus also reveals to Peter (then Simon) his identity by renaming him Cephas (Peter).

Let It Go!

As we see in our scriptural pilgrimage, it takes Peter a while to really let go of what he thinks constitutes his identity, as well as his ideas of the Messiah and how His glory should be manifested. We see this when he fails to walk on water, when he rebukes Jesus for predicting his crucifixion, and when he denies Jesus three times.

He may have left behind his fisherman’s nets but there are still many figurative nets holding him back from receiving the truth of his identity as well as what it means to be an Apostle, probably because he is unable to believe the totality of Jesus’s identity which He holds unfolds (albeit sometimes cryptically) to Peter and the others.

Nets

So often we, too, link our accomplishments and the outcomes of our efforts to our identity so that, if and when they fail to measure up to our standards or those of others, we judge ourselves to be inadequate and are quickly overtaken by tidal waves of unworthiness. We assess ourselves by how productive work was, the number on the scale, the number of miles we ran, positive feedback, approval of others, or any other combination of worldly measures of success. It is not wrong that we have aspirations, but it is not true that these standards have any bearing on our identity and worthiness of God’s love and mercy. What are the “nets” we cling to for a sense of acceptance and worthiness that, although they may be part of our calling, are not essential to our identity? Do we need to put them down as Jesus instructs Peter in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew? Or do we need to trust in Jesus’s intercession and instruction as we see in Luke?

Do we struggle to put down these nets because we have a hard time believing in Jesus as truly God, as truly more powerful than our little mistakes or failures to “make something of ourselves?” Yes we can know the truth intellectually, but do we really believe in Jesus, in His power and authority over sin and death, and in the truth that our identity comes from Him rather than our accomplishments or lackthereof?

When Our Nothingness Encounters God’s Mercy

When we experience failure before the Lord we can become afraid and the shame we feel can be a barrier to further intimacy with him. But these encounters with our weaknesses are often the point of entry for the Lord, just as they were teaching moments and opportunities for Peter.

I think often of how ashamed Peter must have felt in Luke’s account of the Call of Peter. He would have felt a similar sense of failure throughout his journey with Jesus, however, Jesus uses these opportunities to fill the emptiness in Peter’s heart with His light and truth, which Peter will more fully embrace at Pentecost.

Saint Therese’s thoughts on this passage, recorded in Divine Intimacy by Father Gabriel of Saint Mary Magdalene, give us a refreshing outlook on what Jesus can do with our failures. She writes, “Had the Apostle caught some small fish, perhaps our divine Master would not have, worked a miracle; but he had caught nothing, and so through the power and goodness of God his nets were soon filled with great fishes. Such is Our Lord’s way. He gives as God, with divine generosity, but He insists on humility of heart.”

In her italics, Therese shows us the keys (no pun intended) to how Peter learned to follow the Lord. We will often find ourselves in the “nothing” stage. This is where the Lord’s grace is most efficacious. However, she warns that He “insists on humility of heart.” This means that we must, like Peter, let go of our fear of failure and put our whole trust in the Jesus and let him be Who He says He is, God!

Now imagine how Jesus looked at Peter in his moments of failure, for example, after a full night of reeling in net after net of nothing. Or when Jesus, after His Resurrection asks Peter if he loves Him. His gaze must have been quite the opposite of Peter’s inward gaze of self-judgment, which actually distorts his perception of how Jesus sees him.

As was the case with Peter, Jesus looks upon our failures with mercy, not with shame, impatience, disgust, etc. He may not immediately reveal His glory in our failures, that usually takes time. We may not reel in a miraculous abundance of tangible goods. Most of our failures will probably require at least a bit of waiting and trusting that eventually Jesus will use this emptiness or failure for His glory and His plan for our welfare…not woe.

Spoiler Alert! (We Will Live Happily Ever After)

Peter, whose blunders are so frequent in the Gospels, shows us that we too can achieve greatness. His ministry most likely did not feel or look successful. It looked much like that of Christ whose life and ministry was looked upon as a failure up until the Resurrection. So also our lives may appear to be lacking in value, but if we remain under the gaze of Jesus and strive to live in the truth of our identity as Children of God, we will achieve the greatest success, sainthood.

Someday, in Heaven, we will hopefully be able chat with Peter, praise God, and laugh about our failures which were transformed into our greatest moments of sanctity. We might feel like we are currently getting a poor return for our efforts, but trust in the example of Peter, it’s worth the struggle!

Today is the Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria

By John Clem

November 25th is the Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria, the patroness of students, teachers, librarians, lawyers and philosophers.

Saint Catherine — Pray for Us!

More about St. Catherine of Alexandria:

American Catholic Saint of the Day (just released a new logo)

Review: To the Heights, by Brian Kennelly

By Guest Post

REVIEW by JT Therrian

I’ve often wondered what my life would’ve been like by now had I followed the call of God’s voice as a young boy. Erroneously believing that a life of pain and hardship lay in that direction, I hardened my heart and adopted a more “realistic” attitude toward my future.

To the Heights, Mr. Brian Kennelly’s novelization of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frasseti’s life (1901-1925), showed me what such a life devoted to caring and loving, begun at a very early age, might have looked like. Pier Giorgio simply and humbly believed that no one is ever too young to love and to care for others, especially for the marginalized, the poor, and the disenfranchised.

I found the life of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frasseti incredibly inspiring. I admit that before reading To the Heights I had not heard of this popular third order Franciscan. Mr. Kennelly does a great job fleshing out Pier Giorgio Frasseti’s love for his family along with his passion for the Catholic Church; his pious devotions to praying the Rosary; attending daily Mass; and spending time in adoration of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

It is important to show young Catholics the rewards of a strongly-lived faith. This book does just that. To the question: given the current state of the world, how can I believe in a God? Mr. Kennelly replies, through Pier Giorgio Frasseti’s humble actions and words: take account of all the graces in your life. How can you not believe in God?

As a Vincentian, I was heartened to read of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frasseti’s work in the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The spirit of caring and charity rings true on every page. In a moving passage, Pier Giorgio explains to someone seemingly indifferent to serving the poor, “There is a special light behind the poor and unfortunate, one we do not have, one that has nothing to do with riches and health. I urge you to see that light tonight, not with your eyes, but with your heart.”

There are many echoes of past saints and sanctifying grace in the young man’s life: his fondness for hiking reminded me of Pope St. John Paul II’s passion for the outdoors; Pier Giorgio’s love of the poor and the sick, and the selfless acts of kindness with which he filled his days, brought to mind St. Vincent de Paul and St. Thérèse of Lisieux (especially in his love of flowers); and his limitless charity towards the poor is exemplary of St. Francis’ concerns.

But Mr. Kennelly also shows us that the tenderhearted and pious young man was no stranger to physical confrontations. Pier Giorgio lived through WWI and the chaotic political aftermath in Italy which gave rise to Mussolini’s infamous fascist (and anti-Catholic) Black Shirts. Pier Giorgio did not back down from unjust confrontations, although he would only fight when all peaceful avenues had been exhausted. In reaction to the Black Shirts, he remarked, “It’s a sad day when Catholics cower to evil and treat the teachings of their Church as if they are merely suggestions, abandoning them without the slightest sign of a troubled conscience.” How prophetic and timely this warning, as our Church continues to face relentless assaults from the secular world.

I truly enjoyed To the Heights and I will be recommending it to everyone for years to come. Mr. Kennelly not only understood what was in Bl. Pier Giorgio Frasseti’s mind, he showed us the care, love and charity alive in the blessed’s heart. We are grateful to such a talented author for revealing these graces. I also enjoyed the book’s short chapters, and I liked that Mr. Kennelly includes some actual prayers in the text, introducing some of the Church’s treasures, such as the Tedeum, to readers.

If you know someone, especially a young person concerned about the plight of the poor or injustice in the world, you must inspire them to action with a copy of To the Heights.

JT Therrien is a Catholic Canadian fiction writer working in a variety of genres: literary; commercial; children’s and young adult; inspirational (mostly based on the Theology of the Body and traditional Catholic doctrine); art-themed; paranormal; romance and love stories. He plies his craft in short story, novella and novel-length works. Readers who enjoy Brian Kennelly’s To the Heights might also like JT’s art-themed, Theology of the Body, young adult, dystopian novella Sprainter, available at all online e-book retailers. Readers can also follow JT online: https://twitter.com/jttherrien – Twitter, https://jttherrien.blogspot.ca – blog, https://sites.google.com/site/jttherrienauthor – website, https://www.amazon.com/author/jttherrien – Amazon author’s page, and at many other social networking sites.