August 2012 Saints

Some heroes to imitate and intercessors to call on during August.  Chock full of links (all the underlined words) to learn more if you care to.  Add your favorites to your calendar and do something special to remember them and pray with them on their feast days.  It’s not an exhaustive list, but a great place to start.

• 8/1 St. Alphonsus Liguori – (1696-1787) spiritual writer, philosopher, theologian, Bishop, Doctor of the Church, founder of the Redemptorists. Patron of the scrupulous, vocations, and against arthritis. Read some of his works here (especially the Glories of Mary)
• 8/2 St. Peter Julian Eymard – (1811-1868) French priest, “Apostle of the Eucharist”, member of the Marist Fathers, founder of The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, devoted to Mary and the Eucharist. Contemporary and friend of St. John Vianney (see below), St. Marcellin Champagnat (founder of the Marist Brothers), and St. Peter Chanel (first martyr of Oceania).
• 8/4 St. John Vianney – (1786-1859) Priest, confessor, wonderworker. Patron of priests. Scroll down on this link to read some of his writings.
• 8/4 St. Sithney – (d.c.529) Monk.  According to legend, he was offered the post of patron of girls, but said they would never stop pestering him and he would rather be patron of mad dogs.  Patron of (you guessed it) mad dogs.
• 8/5 St. Afra – (d.c.304)  Prostitute, Convert, Martyr, daughter of St. Hilaria.  Her brothel hid their bishop during the Diocletian persecutions and he converted them.  Patroness of fallen women.
• 8/6 The Transfiguration of Our Lord – Mt 17:1-9, Mk 9:2-8, Lk 9:28-36. Peter & John (two of the eyewitnesses) even mention it in their writing, 2 Peter 1:16-18, Jn 1:14.
• 8/7 St. Cajetan – (1480-1547) Founder of the Theatines. Patron of the unemployed.
• 8/8 St. Dominic – (1170-1221) Founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). Patron of astronomy, scientists, and the falsely accused. “A man who governs his passions is master of his world. We must either command them or be enslaved by them. It is better to be a hammer than an anvil.”
• 8/9 St. Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) – (1891-1942) Jewish convert, nun, Discalced Carmelite, philosopher, martyr. Died in the gas chambers at Auschwitz.  Read more at the Vatican website.
• 8/10 St. Lawrence – (d.258) Deacon, martyr.  When ordered by the Prefect of Rome to bring him the Church’s treasure, he gathered the poor of the city and showed them to him.  While roasted slowly over a fire, he joked with his executioners, saying, “Turn me over.  I’m done on this side.” Patron of comedians, against fire, & tons of other stuff (see the list here).
• 8/11 St. Clare – (1194-1253) Beautiful Italian noblewoman who ran away from home and gave herself to God. Close friend of St. Francis of Assisi, foundress of the Poor Clares, Patron of television, telephones, and eyes.
• 8/12 St. Porcarius – (d.c.732) Benedictine Monk, Martyr.  He was warned in a vision of a coming pirate attack and sent most of his monastery away to safety by boat.  He and the few remaining monks were martyred.
• 8/13 St. Hippolytus – (d. circa 236) First antipope (schismatic Bishop of Rome), later reconciled to the Church and revered for his theology and martyrdom. Student of St. Irenaeus. Dragged to death by wild horses. Patron of horses and prison guards.
• 8/14 St. Maximilian Kolbe – (1894-1941) Polish Franciscan priest, martyr. Patron of drug addicts, families, prisoners, journalists, and the pro-life movement. Traded places with a father of a family chosen to die for Nazi retribution for escaped prisoners.  Died by lethal injection in Auschwitz.
• 8/15 The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Holy Day of Obligation – The Assumption of Mary: A Belief Since Apostolic Times.  And, here, another excellent article at Catholic Answers to understand the dogma of the Assumption.
• 8/17 St. Roch (aka Rocco) – (1295-1397) Pilgrim, Healer. French noble who cared for the poor and sick.  Contracted the plague himself and was kept alive by a dog.  Patron of cattle, dogs, surgeons, bachelors, and against epidemics and the plague.
• 8/18 St. Helena – (c.248-c.328) mother of the Emperor Constantine.  Led a group to the Holy Land & found the True Cross at age 80. Patron of archeologists, difficult marriages and divorcees… oh, and empresses.
• 8/18 St. Jane Frances de Chantel – (1572-1641) wife, mother, widow, nun. Founded the Order of the Visitation of Our Lady (Visitation nuns) with St. Frances de Sales.  Patron of parents separated from children, the forgotten, and against in-law problems. “Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to him. That is all the doing you have to worry about.”
• 8/19 St. John Eudes – (1601-1680) priest. Founded the Congregation of Jesus & Mary (Eudists) and the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity. Promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• 8/20 St. Bernard of Clairvaux – (1090-1153) Cistercian Abbot, Doctor of the Church (the “Mellifluos” Doctor), Father of the Church, spiritual master, miracle worker. Read On Loving God here.
• 8/21 Pope St. Pius X – (1835-1914) 259^th Pope. advocated early and frequent Communion, reformed the liturgy, fought “Modernism”. “Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven.”
• 8/23 St. Rose of Lima – (1586-1617) Virgin, Third Order Dominican, Patron of Latin America and the Philippines.  Rubbed her face with pepper until it blistered so her beauty wouldn’t be a temptation to others.  Spent her life in penance and service to others. First canonized Saint born in the Americas.
• 8/24 St. Bartholomew – Apostle, Martyr. Mentioned sixth in the three Gospel lists (Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:14), and seventh in the list of Acts (1:13).  May be the same as Nathaniel mentioned in Jn 1:45-51.
• 8/25 St. Louis IX – (1214-1270) King of France, vigorously promoted the faith, father of 11. Patron of construction workers, hair stylists, distillers, parents of large families and much more (see link above).
• 8/25 St Genesius – (d.c.303) Actor, Martyr.  Had a miraculaous conversion while performing a play mocking Christianity.  Refused to renounce his new-found faith, so Diocletian has him tortured and beheaded.  Patron of actors, comedians, torture victims, and against epilepsy.
• 8/27 St. Monica – (333-387) Mother of St. Augustine. “She prayed constantly for the conversion of her [bad-tempered, adulterous pagan] husband (who converted on his death bed), and of her son (who converted after a wild life). Spiritual student of Saint Ambrose of Milan. Reformed alcoholic.” (from Saints.SQPN.com website)
• 8/28 St. Augustine – (354-430) convert, monk, priest, bishop, Doctor of the Church (“Doctor of Grace”). “Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you.”  His “Confessions” is a must read.  Free here or here.
• 8/29 St. Sabina – 2^nd century martyr
• 8/30 St. Jeanne Jugen (1792-1897) Foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor, who serve the elderly and beg for the aged poor.  Read Pope Benedict XVI’s Canonization Homily for her (October, 2009).