October Saints

October 1. St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

She was born in France in the 19th century and at a very young age she felt God’s call to the Carmelites. Due to her young age, she needed a special permit from the pope to enter the convent. She died very young, after only nine years of religious life. She wanted to go on a mission to Indonesia but her health did not permit it. Through her writings and her great love for the mission, Thérèse was named patroness of the missions, although she had never left her convent. She suffered greatly during her life in the convent, from illnesses as well as from the lack of understanding and difficulties in coexisting with other religious.  She is a doctor of the Church mostly for her autobiography, Story of a soul, which is a treatise on spirituality. Through this work, Thérèse teaches simplicity, trust, and patience before the difficulties in life.

Your turn
When was the first time you felt God’s call to serve him? Did you respond immediately or did you feel you were too young?

October 3. San John Macias.

He was born in Extremadura, Spain in the 16th century. He was orphaned at an early age and was placed under the guardianship of his uncle who was a pastor.  When he was eight years old, he decided he wanted to travel. He met a merchant, began working for him, and visited America for the first time with the merchant on a trip to Colombia. From there, he visited Peru where the first thing he did was visit a Dominican monastery and where he wanted to join and serve God. His extreme kindness moved him to frequently give away what little he had to the poor. He carried out social work and supported the Order of Preachers, first as a brother and later in the convent where he was finally admitted. The poor, sick and beggars throughout Lima would seek him to find comfort. Members of the upper class, including the viceroy, would also seek him. However, John had a greater inclination toward retreats and to being alone rather than communicating with others, but he worked as the convent’s gate keeper for over 20 years, a contradiction to his natural inclination. He carried out his work with so much pleasure and joy no one would ever know it went against his nature. An interesting miracle occurred after his death. When a Dominican nun remembered his name when she was lacking cereal to give the poor, the amount of rice she had to serve them, began multiplying disproportionately.

Your turn
Would you be capable of setting aside your own pleasure or inclinations if God asked you to do something else? Who do you care for and what worries you?

October 4. St. Frances of Assisi.

St. Francis was born in Italy during the 12th century and established the Franciscan Order. His father was a wealthy merchant and Francis received a good education. He spent his youth living carefree, partying with friends and with grand ambitions of success. During a trip, while he was going off to battle, Francis heard the voice of God and began living a life of intense prayer with total apathy toward material things. He sold his belongings and his father’s horse and offered it to the priest at the St. Damian Chapel. They believed he had gone mad and his father came to lock him up but he was freed by his mother. From that moment on he dedicated his life to rebuilding churches and living in poverty along with his companions. They cared for the poor, worked, and lived in poverty. In 1209 Pope Innocent III approved the Franciscan Order, which has extended greatly, with many people entrusting Francis and thinking of him as the patron saint of the environment and peace.

Your turn
What are you willing to give up in order to live the gospel and the call of God in your life? Are you afraid people will think you are crazy?

October 10. St. Francis of Borgia.

He was born in Spain in the 16th century. Although as a child he was very pious and wanted to dedicate his life to the service of God, his family sent him to the service of the Emperor Charles V. He got married with a noble Portuguese and they had eight children. When the Empress Isabel of Portugal died, Francis returned to his first wish of serving God saying he did not wish to serve someone who would die. When his father passed away he became in contact with the Jesuits, joining them when his wife died. He became the superior general of the Company of Jesus, known as the Jesuits.

Your turn
What do you think needs or requires your services? Are you willing to offer it?

October 15. St Teresa of Avila.

She was born in Avila, Spain. From a very young age, Teresa was fascinated by the life of the saints and even wanted to escape from home to visit the lands of missions and persecution where she could suffer martyrdom. At the age of 19 she entered the Incarnation Monastery in Avila. She soon realized that it was necessary to reform the Order, which had become very laidback in its customs. She felt a special calling from God and began to write about her experiences of prayer. She endured much persecution and suffering but still managed to establish a number of convents and together with St. John of the Cross, she reformed the Order. She wrote numerous works, which have become treatise of prayer and is recognized as a Doctor of the universal Church.

Your turn
How is your life of prayer? Do you turn to prayer daily and try to make your relationship more profound with God who is a friend that loves you?

October 19. St. Isaac Jogues, St. John Brebeuf and companion martyrs.

The evangelization of Canada began around the 18th century. The missionaries arrived, first the Franciscans and then the Jesuits, to the lands inhabited by the Iroquois, Algonquin and Huron tribes. Among the Jesuits who began the evangelization of the Hurons were Isaac Jogues and John Brebeuf. They suffered tremendous persecution and rejection but remained on the side of the Hurons when they were invaded or attacked by other tribes. When they attempted to evangelize the Iroquois, they suffered persecution, torture and finally death at the hands of the Iroquois. The final words of John  were “This life is worth little. In turn you cannot take from me the happiness of heaven.”

Your turn
Are you willing to evangelize your culture and face whatever consequences that may emerge? What are the values you believe no one could ever take from you?

October 24. St. Anthony Mary Claret.

He was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1807 and was the son of a weaver. He studied the profession in Catalonia with the goal of following in his father’s footsteps, but realizing his true calling to religious life he entered the seminary. He was ordained in 1835 and soon after began an intense activity of preaching and organizing popular missions. He was later sent the Canary Island where he held retreats. In 1849 he founded the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (known as the Claretians). He wrote many works dedicate to expanding religious education among the popular classes. He was appointed bishop of Santiago, Cuba and worked in the country to reform the social customs. His efforts led to the oppositions of others and even an attempt on his life. Upon returning to Spain he became the confessor of Queen Isabella II. He participated in Vatican Council I, and in addition to the Claretians he helped establish several communities of religious women.

Your turn
How would you use your talents in the service of others? Do you have the courage to defend justice and the values of the gospel even if you think it will attract the opposition of others?

October 28. St. Jude.

He was one of the 12 apostles and it is believed that he was one of the cousins of Jesus mentioned in the gospel. He is set apart from the other Judas, Iscariot, who betrayed Christ. Tradition says that Jude preached the gospel in Judea, Samaria, Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya. He was martyred in Beirut in the year 65. He is venerated as the patron saint of difficult causes because the letter from Jude encourages Christians to persevere in the midst of adverse circumstances.

Your turn
What difficult situations are you enduring? How do you persevere in faith? Where do you find your strength and comfort?