April 2013 Saints

Some heroes to imitate and intercessors to call on during April.  Chock full of links (all the blue 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.

• 4/2 St. Francis of Paola, aka Francis the Firehandler –  (1416-1507) Hermit, Prophet, Miracle Worker, Mind Reader.  Founded the Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi, renamed the Franciscan Order of Minim Friars. Patron of sailors and travelers, patron against fire and sterility.
• 4/3 St. Irene of Thessalonica – (d.304) Martyr.  After her sisters were martyred and she refused to deny the faith, she was sent to a brothel, chained and naked.  When no one bothered her, her execution was ordered.  Patron of peace.
• 4/4 St. Isidore of Seville – (c.560-636) Archbishop, Doctor of the Church, “Schoolmaster of the Middle Ages”, wrote an encyclopedia, dictionary, history books, and much more.  Because of this incredible amount of writing and amazing knowledge, Isidore is proposed as the patron of the internet.
• 4/5 St. Vincent Ferrer – (1350-1419) Dominican priest, patron of builders, excellent preacher, famous missionary, miracle worker.
• 4/6 Bl. Notker Balbulus – (c.840-912)  Benedictine Monk, Priest, Teacher, Poet, & Author. Patron against stammering.
• 4/7 Divine Mercy Sunday – The first Sunday after Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. What is the Divine Mercy message and devotion?   Who was St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, the person Jesus revealed this devotion to?
• 4/7 St. John Baptist de la Salle – (1651-1719) Priest, Patron of teachers, founder of the Christian Brothers.  Known for his work with the poor as well as in education. Patron of school principals and educators.
• 4/8 St. Walter of Pontnoise – (1030-1099)  Benedictine Abbot.  Kept trying to leave his position for a life of solitude, but was forced back each time, eventually by order of the pope.  Spoke out against simony and corruption of the clergy, resulting in his being beaten and imprisoned.  Patron of prisoners, vintners, and against job-related stress.
• 4/11 St. Gemma Galgani – (1878-1903) Experienced mystical phenomena and special graces throughout her life (including the stigmata – the wounds of the Crucifxion).  Died of tuberculosis at the age of 25. Patron of pharmacists, students, and against temptations.
• 4/11 St. Stanislaus – (1030-1079) Bishop, Very important figure in Polish nationhood, patron of Cracow, and very significant in the spiritual heritage of Pope John Paul II.
• 4/11 Pope St. Martin I – (d.655) He convened the Lateran Council to settle the theological debate that Jesus had both a human will and a divine will.  Jesus has two natures, He is fully human and fully God.
• 4/12 St. Zeno of Verona – (c.300-371)  Bishop, Confessor, possibly Martyr.   Theologian and opponent of Arianism.  The stories of his being stolen at birth and replaced with a demonic changeling are likely legend.  Patron of anglers, fishermen, and newborns.
• 4/14 St. Lydwina – (1380-1433)  An ice-skating accident at age 16 led to gangrene, paralysis, and decades of suffering.  Mystic, had the gift of inedia (lived for years with no food but the Eucharist).  Her biography was written by Thomas a Kempis (author of “The Imitation of Christ”).  Patron of skaters and prolonged suffering.
• 4/15 St. Hunna – (d.679) “The Holy Washerwoman”.  Noblewoman who donated he property to build monasteries and churches and devoted her life to assisting the poor.  Patron of laundry workers.
• 4/16 St. Bernadette – (1844-1879) Our Lady of Lourdes, the “Immaculate Conception” appeared to a French peasant girl, St. Bernadette, exactly 150 years ago on February 11^th.  She appeared a total of 18 times to Bernadette and a miraculous spring still flows at this place, one of the most famous of pilgrimage destinations today. Thousands of miracles are claimed, at least 67 are thoroughly documented!
• 4/16 St. Benedict Joseph Labre – (1748-1783) Tried to join several orders, but rejected by them all.  Lived his life in poverty and adoration.  Patron of hoboes, homeless, pilgrims, bachelors and the mentally ill.
• 4/16 St. Drogo – (1105-1186) Pilgrim, Hermit.  Became a penitential pilgrim when he learned his mother died during his birth.  Got a disfiguring affliction during a pilgrimage that made his appearance frightening to others, so he became a hermit.  Reported to bilocate.  Patron of unattractive people, coffee house keepers, and against insanity.
• 4/18 St. Apollonius the Apologist – (d.185) Second Century Martyr whose defense of Christianity is “one of the most priceless documents of the early Church.”
• 4/19 St. Expeditus – (d.303) Possibly only legendary patron of prompt solutions and against procrastination, of emergencies, programmers and hackers.
• 4/21 St. Anselm – (1033-1109) Benedictine monk, Philosopher, Theologian, Archbishop, Doctor of the Church.
• 4/22 St. Theodore of Sykeon – (d.c.613)  Bishop, Miracle-Worker.  Had the gift of healing.  His father abandoned him and his mother was likely a prostitute.  Patron of difficult marriages and for or against rain.
• 4/22 Earth Day.  It comes as no surprise to us that St. Francis of Assisi is the Patron Saint of Ecology.  Check out this page: Earth Day for Catholics
• 4/23 Bl. Giles of Assisi – (d.1262) Friend of St. Francis of Assisi (one of the very first Franciscans ever!)
• 4/23 St. George – (d.c.304) Yep, the dragon-slayer, Patron of England, Martyr. Patron of soldiers, knights, horses, riders, and against herpes, leprosy and skin disease.
• 4/23 St. Adalbert – (939-997)  “Apostle of Prussia”, Benedictine Monk, Bishop, Missionary, Martyr.  Born as Wojtech, he took the name of St. Adalbert of Magdeburg (“Apostle of the Slavs”), since that was the man who converted, healed, and educated him.  Very successful evangelist.
• 4/24 St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen – (1577-1622)  Martyr.  Born as Mark Rey, this lawyer (known as “the poor man’s lawyer”) and philosophy teacher took the name Fidelis when he joined the Capuchin Franciscans with his brother.  Preached against Calvinists and Zwinglians in Switzerland where he was martyred.
• 4/25 St. Mark – (d.68) Evangelist, Missionary, Martyr. Missionary partner with St. Paul and friend of St. Peter, cousin of Barnabas the Apostle.  Author of one of the four Gospels, can you guess which one? (hint: the earliest one)  Patron of prisoners, lawyers, and notaries.
• 4/26 Our Lady of Good Counsel – title given to Our Lady from a miraculous painting in Italy.  “Although much of the church was destroyed during World War II, the image has remained intact — and continues to be suspended miraculously.”
• 4/27 St. Zita – (c.1212-1272) Dometsic servant to a wealthy family.  Often gave away her own food and that of her master.  Eventually placed in charge of the whole house and entrusted with its keys.  Her body was found to be incorrupt 300 years after her death.  Patron of lost keys, maids, and domestic workers.
• 4/28 St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort – (1673-1716) Only one of my absolute favorites.  A short biography never does this great Saint justice.  Go buy one of his books!  Ever wonder where the motto “Totus Tuus” came from?
• 4/28 St. Peter Mary Chanel  Marist priest. Patron of Oceania
• 4/29 St. Catherine of Sienna – (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church, Mystic, Third Order Dominican… Same as St. Louis, a short bio can’t give you the appreciation this spiritual giant deserves. Patron of nurses, firefighter the sick, and against sexual temptation, fire, illness and miscarriage.
• 4/29 St. Peter of Verona (aka St. Peter Martyr) – (1206-1252)  1^st generation Domincan priest, General Inquisitor, Miracle-Worker, Martyr.  Preached against Catharism, a form of Manichaeism.  Always attracted a crowd and effected many conversions.
• 4/29 St. Ava – (d.c.845)  Benedictine Nun, niece of King Pepin the Short.  Born blind and miraculously healed by St. Rainfredis
• 4/30 Pope St. Pius V – (1504-1572) Implement the Council of Trent, worked hard to reform the Church.  Check out what happened through his efforts and the Rosary at the Battle of Lepanto!  (in an interesting article about Our Lady, and in a poem by GK Chesterton, one of my favorite authors)
• 4/30 St. Adjutor – (d.1131)  Norman knight in the First Crusade, was captured by Muslims and apparently escaped by swimming back to France.  Patron of swimmers, sailors, and against drowning.