Josephine Bakhita
Slave, Convert, Woman Religious

Raised by a loving family; kidnapped at a young age; sold into slavery; converting and becoming a Catholic Nun; sounds like something from a fictional movie.  And yet it is the true story of Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita. 

Bakhita was born in 1869 in Darfur, in western Sudan.  She had a loving family with three brothers and three sisters.  Her uncle was the village chief.  As a young child, sometime between the ages of seven to nine, she was kidnapped by Arab slave traders.  She endured tremendous suffering at the hands of her abductors.  She was sold again and again as a slave.  Torn away from her family, enduring hardships and beatings at the hands of her owners, ironically she was given the name of bakhita, Arabic for ‘lucky’.

 In 1883, she was sold to the Italian Vice Consul, Callisto Legnani.  He was a very kind man. For the first time in her life, she was show kindness by her owners.  When the Vice Consul had to return to Italy two years later, Bakhita begged to be allowed to go with him.  In 1885 they arrived at the Italian port of Genoa and were met by Mrs. Augusto Michieli.  Callisto Legnani gave Bakhita as a present to Mrs. Michieli.  Bakhita lived with the Michieli family for three years becoming a nanny to their daughter.  

The Michieli family decided to move to Sudan.  While they were selling their property and making the arrangements, Bakhita was sent to live temporarily with the Canossian Sister in Venice.  When the family came to take Bakhita to Sudan with them, she refused to return with them.  On November 29, 1889, an Italian court ruled Italian law did not recognize slavery; therefore Bakhita had never legally been a slave.  She had never been on her own before and for the first time was in control of her life.  She chose to remain with the Canossian community.

In 1890, Bakhita was baptized and confirmed by Archbishop Sarto, the future Pope Pius X.  She took the name Josephine. Three years later she entered the Canossian Sisters.   She worked as a cook, sacristan and doorkeeper.  She became known for her gentleness and her smile.   In the last years of her life she was confined to a wheelchair but still maintained her cheerfulness.  She forgave those who sold her into slavery and also those who abused her while she was a slave.   She died on February 8, 1947.  She was declared a saint on October 1, 2000. Pope Benedict XVI relates her life story in the beginning of his encyclical letter, Spe Salvi.

 

 

Martyrs of Atlas
Priest and Brothers
Cistercian "Trappist" monks

The movie “Of Gods and Men”, released in 2010, is a French movie that tells the story of Trappist monks who lived in Algeria.   In 1996, seven Trappist monks were held hostage for two months until they were brutally murdered.  

Algeria had been a French colony for many years. In the 1960’s when the French withdrew from the country, Algeria was thrown into turmoil as different groups attempted to gain power.  During the 1980’s another problem arose.  Algeria was confronted with an extreme form of Islamic fundamentalism which condoned violence against any person or group that opposed it. In Algeria the primary targets were European Christians.  Through all the years of turmoil and instability, the Trappists, as well as other religious groups, had stayed in the country, ministering to the small Christian community as well as helping Muslims.

The Trappists had arrived in Algeria in the 1930’s to witness to God’s love.  They made Christ present to their Muslim neighbors by providing medical care for the people and developing an irrigation system.  Their days were spent in prayer, manual labor, hospitably and sharing whatever they had with the poor.

The relationship between Christians and Muslims were positive until 1991 when the Algerian government canceled elections.  A radical Islamic group formed in the mountain of the country. This group called itself the Armed Islamic Group (GIA). The GIA wanted all foreigners to leave the country and began engaging in terrorist activities. 

On Christmas Eve the GIA came to the monastery and demanded medical and financial help. The abbot, Father Christian refused to help financially but added that anyone who came to the monastery would receive medical help as usual.  The Trappists were threatened by the GIA.  The local police and the apostolic nuncio offered to move the monks to a safer location.  Time and again the monks prayed about moving out of their monastery.  Each time the monks voted to remain even as the conditions in the country grew worse.  They were aware of the risk they were taking by staying unprotected in their monastery.  They wished to stay to witness to their faith and to help the country.

On March 27, 1996, the GIA demanded the Brother Luc, a doctor, come and care for some wounded men.  Brother Luc was 85 and not well.  When Father Christian refused, the guerrillas went through the monastery and captured seven of the monks. Only two monks escaped from being captured.  The GIA sent a message demanding the release of GIA members in prison. They threatened to kill the monks if the demands were not bet. The prisoners were not released, so the GIA made good on its threat.

On May 21 all seven monks were executed.  Their remains were not found until May 30^th at the side of a road.  The remains of the monks were flown by helicopter to the monastery where Muslim neighbors had dug the graces in the monastery cemetery.  The monks gave a witness of love for their neighbors that lives on.

For more information see:

"Heroic Catholics of the Twentieth Century" By Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett, SJW

New Hope Publications, New Hope, Ky.

or

Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker

ssjw.org

Father Nelson Henry Baker
Priest, Pastor, Founder

Nelson Henry Baker was born in Buffalo, New York in 1842. His Father was Lutheran and his Mother was  Catholic.  He was the second  of four boys. He was baptized a Roman Catholic in 1851 at nine years age. Young Henry worked in a grocery store run by his father. It was there that he learned how to manage a business.

Nelson enlisted as a Union soldier during the Civil War. After he returned home, he started a successful feed and grain business with his friend, Joseph Meyer. He demonstrated a strong interest in religious matters and joined the St. Vincent DePaul Society. After five years, he decided that God was calling him to the priesthood.

He entered the seminary in 1869 at  the age of 28.  While he was studying at the seminary, he was privileged to be able to go on a pilgrimage to Rome in 1874. The pilgrimage stopped in Paris and toured the church of Our Lady of Victories.  This shrine was to inspire Nelson in the years to come and was the beginning of his devotion to Our Lady of Victory.

Nelson Baker was ordained on March 19, 1876 and became known as “Father Baker”. He was given several assignments in the following years.  He was eventually assigned to Lackawanna, NY. This assignment included taking care of  an orphanage, boys protectory and small parish. Under Father Baker’s guidance the existing services grew and expanded.  He also began an industrial school, a home for unwed mothers and infants, and a hospital. He began the “Association of Our Lady of Victory to raise money for his many missions. In thanksgiving to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Father Baker built Our Lady of Victory National Shrine. This Shrine was named as a minor basilica in 1926. He received many civic and church honors.   

Father Baker’s health began to deteriorate during the first part of 1936.  He was alert until July 29 when he slipped into a coma. At 9:20 on July 29^th, he breathed his last while he was being anointed by Father Joseph A. Burke, who was to become the bishop of Buffalo, New York.

During Father Baker’s sixty years as a priest, he performed the corporal and spiritual works of mercy through the many missions he either began or expanded. He gave a home to the homeless, fed the hungry, cared for the sick, loved those who had no one to love them, gave hope to the hopeless, and brought the grace of God into the lives of all he knew.

Father Baker was named Servant of God In 1987.   On January 14, 2011, he was declared Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI.

Blessed Timothy Trojanowski
Religious Brother

Blessed Timothy was born July 29,1908 in Poland.  He only attended school for three years before having to find work to help support his family. In 1930 he began his life as a Franciscan in the monastery at Niepokalanow, Poland. Brother Timothy worked in the storehouse and in the infirmary, caring for the friars who were sick. He was still at the monastery when World War II began.

Brother Timothy along with four other members of the community were arrested in October 1941.  While in prison, the friars were able to encourage one another and their fellow prisoners.  The little group spent much time in prayer, saying the rosary and singing hymns. In a place where food was scarce, the Brother Timothy and other the members of the Franciscan community shared their food with the other prisoners. In January, 1942,  Brother Timothy was sent to Auschwitz.  He was assigned to hard labor and in just a few months he was worn out with the hard work, hunger, cold and ill-treatment.  He died from Pneumonia on July 28, 1942.

For more information see:
"Heroic Catholics of the Twentieth Century"
by Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett, SJW
New Hope Publications
New Hope, Ky.

 Or

Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker
www.ssjw.org

Saint Damein de Veuster
Priest, religious, Missionary

Two thousand miles off the coast of California lay the Hawaiian Islands.  In 1778 Captain James Cook was the first European to reach the island.  Unfortunately the native people had no resistance to the diseases Europeans were so familiar with: smallpox, influenza, cholera and tuberculosis.  Leprosy (now called Hansen’s disease), was the most terrifying of the diseases.  It quickly became an epidemic.

By the 1870’s, the king of Hawaii and his government were desperate to stop the spread of the disease.  They ordered anyone with leprosy, regardless of age or gender to be taken to the island of Molokai.  Spouses were separated and children torn from their parents.

Joseph de Veuster was born in Belgium in 1840.  Joseph and his brother Pamphile joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts.  When he received the habit of his community, he became known as Brother Damien.  The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts decided to send more missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands. Pamphile was chosen to go.  Shortly before he was ready to leave, Pamphile became ill.  Damien volunteered to take his brother’s place even though he was not year ordained a priest.

The journey took four months. Once in Hawaii, Brother Damien was ordained a priest.  For the next eight years he cared for the people of three districts. He often had to travel on horseback or by canoe to reach his flock.

During this time, the appalling conditions on Molokai were coming to light. The small group of Catholic lepers asked the bishop to send someone to care for the spiritual needs.  Once again, Father Damien stepped forward and volunteered to go to Molokai.

Beginning in 1873 until his death, Father Damien worked on Molokai. When he arrived on the island there was a small chapel but no place for the priest to live. So he took up his residence under a Pandanus tree.

 In a short time, Molokai went from being a place of despair to a place of joy. With the help of the lepers, he enlarged the chapel and built a rectory.  They built coffins, cared for the sick, planted flower gardens, opened a hospital and an orphanage, built roads and organized musical bands.

Leprosy can cause terrible disfigurement and a horrible smell.  Father Damien realized that if he were really going to help the lepers he had to overcome his fear of contagion.  He cleansed the wounds, he ate from the same dishes they ate from, he gave them Holy Communion – in other words, he touched them. 

In December of 1884, Father Damien realized that he had contracted Leprosy.  Now he really did share everything with the lepers, even their disease.   In 1886 Joseph Dutton arrived on Molokai to help. Mother Marianne Cope and her sisters arrived in 1888 to care for the female residents.  Until his strength failed him, Father Damien continued to work.  He died during Holy Week, on April 15, 1889.  He was beatified in 1994 and canonized in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI.

 

For more information see

"Heroic Catholics of the Twentieth Century"

by Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett, SJWNew Hope Publications, New Hope, Ky

or

 Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker

www.ssjw.org

 

 

Anna Schaffer
Mystic, laywoman

Anna Schäffer was born on February 18, 1882  in Mindelstetten, Bavaria.   Her father died at the age of 40.  Without the income he earned by working as a carpenter, the family became desperately poor. At the age of 14, Anna had to drop out of school and began working as a maid to help the family’s financial situation.  Anna hoped that one day she would be able to enter the convent.  However, even with her income, the family barely could make ends meet. 

Things took a turn for the worse when she was involved in a terrible accident while at work. In 1901, Anna was working in a laundry when she slipped and fell while attempting reattaching a stovepipe that had come loose.  When she fell, her legs went into the washing machine full of boiling hot water. She was taken to the  hospital.  In the early 20th century, there was very little effective treatment for burns. For centuries people with severe burns were bandaged and left to heal on their own. Often they died or were hideously disfigured. Surgeries were sometimes attempted but were not always successful. Up until the late 1930’s, it was thought that a person would probably die if they were severely burned.  

Anna endured more than thirty surgical operations in an attempt to heal her legs. The wounds had to be carefully dressed, which caused much pain. Dr. Waldin, her physician, gave her constant care but the skin grafts did not succeed. Anna became completely immobile and had to give up her dream of entering religious life.  Her mother cared for her until the end of her life.

Despite the terrible pain cause by the burns and the surgeries, Anna never lost her optimism or her faith in God. She had a great love of Christ and a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  She especially had a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In Anna's writings she talked about  three ‘keys’ that helped her draw closer to God.  These ‘keys’ were her suffering, her writing and knitting clothes for her friends. Because of her optimism and her faith she was loved by people in her hometown.  Many would visit and listen to her talk about God. Her brother did not share in her faith.  Eventually after witnessing her cheerful attitude in the midst of suffering, her never failing patience and kindness toward others, he supported her.

Beginning in 1910, mystical phenomena occurred around her. This included the stigmata, which she did her best to conceal from the public . Few people knew that she bore the marks of the passion of Jesus on her body. These phenomena did not change her attitude or make her proud. She remained selfless and patience.  She promised prayers and letters for anyone who asked.

She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1925.  As her condition deteriorated, she lost the ability to speak and write. She died on October 5 after she had received Holy Communion.  

Her grave quickly became a pilgrimage site. Since 1929, more than 15,000 miracles attributed to her intercession have been reported. She was beatified in 1999 by Pope John Paul II and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.

 

 

 

 

St Ermino Pampuri
Doctor, Religious Brother

Ermino Pampuri, was born on August 2, 1897 in Trivolzio, Pavia, Italy.  He was one of one of eleven children.  Ermino experienced the pain of losing a loved one very early in his life. When he was three years old, his mother died.  Ermino was sent to live with his aunt in Torrino. When he was 10 years old his father passed away.

 As a young boy Ermino dreamed of becoming a missionary but his health was delicate and he was dissuaded from entering the priesthood.  He completed the normal course of education. After graduation from high school, he enrolled in Medical school at the Pavia University.

While at the university he actively lived his Catholic faith. He was a member of the University’s Severinoe Boesio  Club for Catholic Action,  the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Third Order of St. Francis.  World War I interrupted his studies.  Ermino served as a sergeant and later was trained as an officer in the Medical Corps. In 1921, he graduated top of his class in Medicine and Surgery from Pavia University.

He practiced medicine with an uncle who was also a doctor for three years.  For a short time he worked as an assistant in a medical practice at Vernate. In 1922, he passed his internship with high honors at the Milan Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  He moved to Morimondo to being his own practice.

At Morimondo, he did more than attend to the physical needs of the people.  He assisted the parish priest to set up a band for the youth in the parish.  He also started a Catholic Action Youth Club and was the club’s first president. He served as the secretary of the Parish Missionary Aid Society.

In June of 1927, Dr. Pampuri joined the Brothers hospitallers of St. John of God fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a religious.  Dr. Pampuri wanted to grow in holiness as a religious  and at the same time carry on his medical profession He made  his profession of vows on October, 24, 1928. Now known as Brother Richard, he was appointed director of the dental clinic attached to the St. John of God Brothers' Hospital at Brescia. This dental clinic was used by the working people and the poor in Brescia.   Brother Richard served all who came to the clinic with charity.

When he was serving in the military during World War I, he contracted pleurisy.  A few years after being assigned to working at the dental clinic he suffered from another case of pleurisy which developed into a case of bronco-pneumonia.  Bother Richard died on May 1^st, 1930 at the age of 33. 

During his life he demonstrated great charity and sanctity.  After his death, his reputation spread through Italy, Europe and the world.  He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1981 and canonized in 1989.

 

Blessed Innocent Guz

Blessed Innocent Guz
Priest, Religious, Martyr

Innocent Guz was born on March 18, 1890, in what is now Ukraine.  He joined the Franciscan order in 1908 and was ordained a priest in 1914.  He worked  in several parishes.  In 1933, he was assigned to the monastery founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe.  He served as a confessor and helped to teach the seminarians.  He stayed at there for 3 years working and praying.  He was in the city of Grodno when German invaded Poland, beginning the Second World War.

In 1940, Father Innocent was arrested by the Russians but somehow managed to escape.  He was then caught by the Germans who departed him to the concentration camp called Sachsenhausen. At the end of May 1940, the priests and Jews detained there were kept together for a week and tortured by the guards. At the end of the week. the group was moved to an area for work, but Father Innocent had several fractures and was not able to keep up with the group.  He was taken from the group and beaten.  After being beaten and kicked, Father was taken to a bathroom.  A guard push him into a basin full of water and put a rubber hose in his mouth, killing him.  His final words were "I go to the Immaculata".

Father Innocent Gus was beatified along with six other friars in a group of 108 Polish martyrs of World War II by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

For more information see
"Heroic Catholics of the Twentieth Century"
by Sister Elizabeth Ann, SJW
New Hope Publications
 New Hope Ky.
http://www.newhope-ky.org

Or
Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker
ssjw.org

Seven Marrtyrs of Thailand

Seven Martyrs of Thailand
1 Layman, 4 lay women 2 religious

Thailand, formerly known aw Siam has had Catholic missionaries for over 350 years.  Although most of the population is Buddhist, the country had traditionally been tolerant of other religious. All this changed in the 1930' and 1940'sas the fierce nationalist that swept over Germany and Japan also affected the Thai government.  The Thai government believed that national unity was best achieved by expelling foreign missionaries and persecuting Thai people who followed the 'foreign' religions. 

The seven martyrs all came from Songkhon, near the Mekong River.  Trouble in the village began in 1940 when government officials expelled the parish priest.  Next they began to intimidate and threaten the Catholic villagers, demanding that they renounce their faith.  Although they were frightened, the villagers refused.  Philip Siphong, a catechist and two Sisters of the Congregation of the Lovers of the Holy Cress, Sister Agnes and Sister Lucia encouraged the villagers. 

Philip received a letter requesting his presence in a near by town to meet with officials. Many of the villagers warned him not to go. They feared if was a trap. Their fears were correct.  On December 16, 1940, Philip set out with a police escort for the meeting.  Once he was inside a forest, the police executed him. 

The government hoped that Philips death would end the resistance. They were mistaken. The children continued to attend school, the sisters and their helpers continued encouraging one anther to be strong and steadfast during this persecution.

The government continued to harass the villagers.  On Christmas Date 1940 the situation came to a head. The chief of police came to the convent and threatened the sisters with death if they would not stop teaching about the Catholic faith. Sister Agnes boldly stood up to his threats. In the evening, the sisters sent a letter to the police stating their willingness to die for their faith. They also, in true Christian fashion, forgave their persecutors.

On December 26, the police arrived at the convent and arrested the six people who were staying there: Sister Agnes, Sister Lucia, the cook Agatha, Cecilia Butis, Bibiana and Maria.  Sister Agnes, 31 years old was the oldest of the group.  Maria Phorn,14 years old, was the youngest. The police marched them to the village cemetery.

The small group encouraged one another by singing hymns and praying.  The police fired into the group and then left, convinced that they had killed the Catholics.  The villagers, who had been watching the scene in hiding rushed to see if anyone was still alive. Sister Agnes and Maria Phorn were still breathing.  Sister Agnes told the villagers to send for the police as she was not yet dead.  Hearing that some of the Catholics were still alive, the police returned to the cemetery and killed the wounded victims.

The villagers buried the bodies and continued to endure another four years of persecution.  Eventually, the persecution ended and the Catholic Church in Thailand began to grow.  The seven martyrs were beatified on October 22, 1989 by Pope John Paul II.

For more information see:
Heroic Catholic of the Twentieth Century
By Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett SJW
New Hope Publications
New Hope, Ky.

Or

Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker
Walton Ky

Saint Alberic Crescitelli
Priest, Missionary, Martyr

Alberic Crescitelli was born in the village of Altavilla in Southern Italy on June 30, 1863. He was the fourth of eleven children.  He spent much of his time working on the family farm.  At the age of 12, he entered the seminary.  After his studies, he was ordained in 1887 at the PIME seminary in Rome. 

Founded in 1850, the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions(PIME) still sends missionaries to many lands where the gospel is not well known.  Much to his delight, Alberic was sent to the mission in China.  The year after his ordination, he made the difficult four-month journey and arrived there in August of 1888.

He immediately began to learn the language and adopt the clothing of the native people.  Unfortunately, he found it too difficult to grow the traditional pigtail.  He hair was too curly but he was also beginning to go bald.  So he solved the problem by wearing a cap with a false pigtail attached.

Father Alberic was working  in an ancient land with ancient traditions.  The traditions were being threatened and exploited by European powers. Political  attempts by Chinese leaders to deal with the problems between China and Europe and to modernize the country were brought to a halt in 1898 when a group of conservative politicians gained control and convinced the Empress of China that there could be no compromise with foreign powers.  The "Boxers" were a secret society that began a campaign to rid china of all foreigners, including missionaries and those who supported them.

Father Alberic first assignment was to an area where there were 1,000 Christians spread out over 7 villages. He traveled a great deal and slept wherever he could find hospitality.  His farming skills proved to be useful. He was able to advise Chinese farmers on ways to improve the crops. He also brought small plats of land to give to the poor so they could grow their own food.

In 1900, he was transferred to another province which was experiencing a famine. He also had to deal with the growing threat from the Boxers.  On July 5, the Boxers received imperial support. This gave them the chance to launch what became known as the Boxer Rebellion.

Father Alberic  had planned to stay with his people during this persecution, but by July 20th  he realized that his presence only made conditions worse for the Christian community.  A customs official insisted that the priest spend the night at his house, assuring him that it would be safe.

The official had set a trap and soon the house was surrounded by a screaming mob.  Knowing that it was impossible to escape, Father Alberic went outside to face the mob.  He was beaten until unconscious and then carried to the center of the village.  Throughout the night he was tortured by his captors.  In the morning he was beheaded and his body was cast into a river. He was 37 years old.

Even today in China, Christians still gathers at the river of his martyrdom and pray to this courageous missionary.  St. Alberic was canonized on October 1, 2000.

For more information contact
PIME Missionaries
17330 Quincy St
Detroit, MI 48221

or
"Heroic Catholics of the Twentieth Century"
By Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett,SJW
New Hope publications
New Hope, Ky

or
Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker
ssjw.org

Mother Maria Zavala
Religious, Founder

Maria Guadalupe Garcia Zavala was born on April 27, in Jalisco Mexico. Her father owned a religious goods store located near the Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan. Marie had a great love for Our Lady of Zapopan and visited the Basilica often.  Maria was taught to treat everyone with love and respect.

As a young woman, Maria planned to marry Gustavo Arreola. However, she broke off her engagement because she felt a call to religious life. Maria believed that God was asking her to give assistance to the poor and sick.  She confided this to her spiritual director, Father Iñiguez.  He, in turn, told her that he felt God was calling him to begin a religious congregation to provide assistance to the sick in hospitals.

Mother Maria and Father Iniguez founded the “Handmaids of St. Margaret Mary and the Poor” in 1901. Compassion and care for the physical and spiritual well-being of the sick were the primary concerns of this new religious congregation.  The congregation grew quickly and Mother Maria served as the Superior General of the order. She taught her sisters that it was only through loving and living poverty that one could be truly "poor with the poor".  At times the sisters were so poor, they would go begging to seek the things the hospital and patients needed. The sisters also worked in parishes and taught catechism.

During the Mexican Revolution, the Catholic Church underwent persecution. Mother Maria put her own life at risk by hiding the priests and the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara in her hospital. She gave food and care to any who needed her help. She gave assistance to some people who lived near the hospital who were participating in the persecution of the church. Because of Mother Maria’s kindness to them, they began to defend the sick in the hospital run by the Sisters and to protect them.

Mother Maria dead on June 24, 1963 at the age of 85.  She was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II on July 1, 2000 and was beatified by him on April 24, 2005.  She was Canonized on May 12, 2013 by Pope Francis.

 

 

Mother Henriette Delille

Religious, Foundress

To appreciate Henriette Delille accomplishments, it is important to remember what life was like in the 1800’s.  In a growing young country, there were many financial, economic and social opportunities for ambitious white men.  White women had fewer opportunities.  They were unable to vote and had few education options.  Most married and raised a family.  Now, try to image what life was like for slaves. Forbidden by law to learn to read or write, they could be sold or beaten at the whim of the master.  Some were able to buy their freedom or were freed by their masters. Some freed slaves owned property and even had slaves themselves. Nonetheless, they were still limited by their skin color.

In New Orleans there was another class of people called “free people of color”.  These were free people of mixed race.  They were not slaves but were never fully accepted by white society.  Women of color were not legally able to marry outside their racial group yet marrying within their class meant their own children would have few opportunities. Many free women of color saw an chance to help their children have a better life by not marrying at all but by becoming the mistresses of wealthy white men.  If being white was the ‘key’ to success, then their light-skinned children would have far more opportunities for advancement. The children coulc and often were acknowledge by their fathers, given their father’s name, baptized, educated and in some cases heirs to their fathers estates.  The daughters would do as their mothers and form liaisons with wealthy white men.

Henriette was born in 1812, the youngest of three children.  Her mother and grandmother had formed liaisons with wealthy white men.  Henriette grew up surrounded by a large extended family. She was raised to take her place as a mistress as had the generations before her. God had other plans for young Henriette.

In 1824, Henriette met Sister St. Marthe Fontier, a French nun who had opened a school for free people of color.  Sister St. Marthe taught the children during the day and their elders at night.  Her instructions included the teachings of the Catholic church as well as reading and writing.  Henriette and several other young girls were inspired by Sister to teach religion to the slaves.  Henriette refused to carry on the tradition of being a mistress and had found her life’s work.  She prayed, visited the sick and taught religion.

In 1835, Henriette sold some property she had inherited and with two other women set out to establish a community of black Sisters .   They named the new community the Sisters of the Presentation. This attempt ended in failure because of a law that made it illegal for white and blacks to establish close contact with one another.  One of the founding members, Marie Jeanne Aliquot was a white woman from France.

Henriette had the support of the Bishop of New Orleans and Father Etienne Rousslon. Many other people in the city thought the idea of black nuns was ridiculous.  In 1842, Henriette and Juliette Gaudin began again and established the Sisters of the Holy Family.  

The sisters worked among the poor and needy. They often went to bed hungry, having given their food away. Mother Henriette was responsible for the physical and spiritual well-being of her community.  During these years of constant work and worry, her health was bad but with God’s grace and strength she was able to continue her work. 

It wasn’t until November 21, 1852 that the sisters were able to take private vows to ’dedicate the rest of their lives to the service of God, the Church and the poor’. Mother Henriette died in 1862 at the age of 50.  At her death there were 12 sisters in the community.  By 1865, eight women had left the community.  It seemed as if the community  would fail.  It wasn’t until 1869, seven years after their Foundress death, that the small group  received a rule, were able to wear a habit and made public vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Eventually God blessed the community with new members and it grew. The Sisters of the Holy Family operate schools, care for the elderly and the very young.  Mother Henrietta’s cause for canonization was introduced in 1989.  

For more information see:

The Sisters of the Holy Family  www.sistersoftheholyfamily.com

Or

“Heroic Catholic of the Twentieth Century”

By Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett, SJW

New Hope Publishing, New Hope, KY.

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Andre Bessette
Saint and wonder-worker

When Alfred Bessette was born, he was so frail that his parish priest immediately baptized him. The priest thought that it was possible that little Alfred would not live long enough to be baptized in the church.  Only God knew that this frail baby would grow up to be a hard worker, a humble religious and a saint. 

Alfred was born in a small town southeast off Montreal, Canada.  He was the ninth of 13 children. His father was a carpenter and lumberman while his mother educated the children. In 1849, Alfred's father decided to move to Farnham, Quebec. The family was very poor and he hoped that he would find a job as a lumberman and improve the standard of living for his family.   When Alfred was nine years old his father was killed in a tragic accident .  While working as a lumberjack, he was crushed by a falling tree.  Three years later, Alfred’s mother died of tuberculosis.  By the age of twelve, Alfred had lost both his parents.  The children were sent to various relatives.  Alfred, who had little formal education, went to work at various jobs.

Alfred was never a strong man and he was initially rejected by the Congregation of the Holy Cross when he applied to enter the community.  His parish priest wrote a note to the superior of the Congregation stating “I’m sending you a saint.” Archbishop Ignace Bourget of Montreal intervened and in 1872, Alfred was accepted and received the name of Brother André. He made his final vows on February 2, 1874.

Brother André was given the task of porter at Notre Dame College in Quebec.  He was also given additional duties as sacristan, laundry worker and messenger. The people who came to the college soon  discovered that Brother Andre was a good listener and they began coming to him with their various problems.  He had great devotion and confidence in Saint Joseph and would recommend praying to St. Joseph to those who came to him with their afflictions and sorrows. He would rub sick people with oil taken from a lamp that burned in front of the Statue of St. Joseph in the college chapel.  People experienced healing after Brother Andre prayed for them. Brother Andre refused to take credit for the cures, giving all the honor to St. Joseph.  In 1904, he began to collect money to erect a chapel in honor of St. Joseph on a hill across the street from the college.

The Oratory of St. Joseph began as a small chapel on the side of the hill. It quickly became a pilgrimage site and the crowds grew in number. In 1917, a larger church was built that was able to seat 1,000 pilgrims. In 1924, the Congregation of the Holy Cross and Bother Andre began to build a large basilica which was finally completed in 1967. In the crypt church of the Oratory there are displayed thousands of crutches from the many people who were healed.

When Brother Andre died in 1937, at the age of 91, it was reported that a million people filed past his coffin. His body lies in the Basilica that he helped to build.  Brother André was beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 23, 1982 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

 

 

Saint Gaetano Catanoso Parish Priest, Founder

Working as a parish priest is a fulfilling calling but also challenging.  The priest must balance prayer, work and rest.  He is called to be a spiritual father to the people of his parish and those he comes into contact.  He may baptize an infant, console the sorrowful, hear confessions, pray for the dead, celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, see that a broken door is fixed, attend a meeting and oversee the financial matters of the parish all in one day.   The priest is called to act in ‘persona Christi’ – in the person of Christ.  The men God calls to the priesthood carry a heavy burden but are given many, many graces as well.

Gaetano Catanoso was born to a well to do family in a small town in Italy in 1879.  He was one of eight children.  His parents were not only wealthy land owners but faith-filled Catholics.  He was ordained a priest in 1902 and was assigned to a parish in a remote village.  Father Gaetano understood that he was called to bring the sacraments to the people.  But he also traveled great distances to bring hope to others.  In his parishes he revived devotion to Mary and the Eucharist, improved religious education and encouraged the people to observe the liturgical feasts.

He wanted to imitate the life of Christ by serving the poor whenever and wherever he could.  He would walk or ride on a donkey many miles to reach isolated mountain villages.  He founded an order of nuns called the Veronican Sisters of the Holy Face to help him.  The nuns were mostly young women from poor families.  They were inspired his humility, devotion and mission to give all to Christ.

With his help, the sisters built schools and nursing homes   Father Catanoso also founded the Poor Clerics to encourage priestly vocations.  He had a great devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus and encouraged others in this devotion by establishing the “Confraternity of the Holy Face” in 1920.  He worked as a spiritual director for religious institutions, a prison, hospital and seminary.

Although Father was a man of action, he understood the importance of prayer.  He often spent hours and sometimes entire days in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.   He was always striving to deepen his union with Christ and to do God's will. 

 He died on April 4, 196. Pope John Paul II beatified him on May 4, 1997.  Pope Benedict XVI canonized him on October 23, 2005.

 

 

Saint Marianne Cope

Woman religious, Comforter of the afflicted

 

Hanson’s disease, also known as “Leprosy” has afflicted humans for thousands of years. It is even mentioned in the in the bible.  For many years it was not known what caused the disease or how it was spread and so it was feared.   Those who suffered from the disease were shunned. In the middle ages, those with leprosy had to wear special clothing, ring a bell to warn others of their presence and to live in remote, isolated places away from the rest of society.  But there were people who saw beyond the stigma of a label and strove to help the sufferers.  One such compassionate person was Saint Marianne Cope. 

Mother Marianne, name Barbara was born in Germany in 1838. She was the oldest of nine children and her father was a farmer.  One year after she was born, her father moved his family to the United States to start a new life.  The family became naturalized citizens of their new country in the 1850s. 

Barbara heard God’s call to religious life at a young age. However, her father got sick and became an invalid.  Barbara quit school after the eighth grade and got a job in a factory to support her brothers and sisters.   Her father passed away in the summer of 1862. By that time her younger siblings were able to care for themselves.  One month after the death of her father, Barbara entered the Sisters of St. Francis in Syracuse, N.Y.

After taking vows, Sister Marianne was assigned to teach and eventually served as the principal in several schools.  She also help administrative positions within her congregation.  She helped to establish two of the first hospitals in central New York. 

In 1883, Mother Marianne, now the f Superior General of the congregation, received a letter from Hawaii asking for sisters to help in caring for those with leprosy. More than 50 religious institutes had already declined his request for Sisters to do this. She responded to the letter enthusiastically. . "I am not afraid of any disease…" was her generous response.

Six sisters arrived in Honolulu on November 8, 1883, Mother Marianne among them.   There were many trials during those early years.  They established Malulani Hospital on the island of Maui.  Mother Marianne was given charge of the hospital in Oahu. In 1887 government officials decided to close the hospital in Oahu and enforce the policy of sending patients with Hanson’s disease to the settlement for exiles on the Kalaupapa peninsula on the island of Molokai.  But who help Father Damien to care for the sick on Molokai?  Father Damien had spent many years living and working on Molokia and eventually he contracted the disease. 

Mother Marianna arrived at the settlement on Molokia several months before Father Damien died. She assured him that she would provide care for the patients there.  She and two sisters of her community cared for the patients at the Boys Home at Kalawao in addition to caring for the female patients on the island.

Cope died on August 9, 1918, due to natural causes and was buried at the Bishop Home.  In 2005, Blessed Marianne's remains were moved to the mother house of the congregation in Syracuse, N.Y.  She was declared a saint by Pope Benedict the XVI in 2011.

For more information visit Sisters of St. Francis, Syracuse, New York.

Or

Visit the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker

 

 

 

 

Father Emil Kapaun received the Medal of Honor.  Thanks to all who serve both God and country - especially the chaplains.

Saint Katharine Drexel
Foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament

If you had millions of dollars to spend, what would you do with it? What would be your dream? One wealthy young American woman decided the best use of her money was to serve those most neglected in our society - the Native and African Americans.

Katharine Drexel made the change from philanthropist to saint when she dedicated herself and her fortune to God by taking vows as a religious Sister in 1891. Katharine was born on November 26, 1858 into a wealthy Philadelphia family.  She enjoyed a life of travel, an excellent education and an interesting, exciting social life.  Her father and stepmother were devout Catholics who put their beliefs into action by helping the poor.  Thus Katharine learned to care for others.

After the death of her parents, Katharine and her two sisters inherited a fortune.  Her sisters married but Katharine was undecided about her future. She and her sisters supported various worthy causes.  Katharine took a special interest in the mission work done among the Native Americans as well as African Americans.

Her spiritual advisor suggested that she found a religious order to undertake this work.  Katherine decision to give her life to God as a religious Sister was the talk of Philadelphia.  With several companions she founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. The order was dedicated to the spreading of the Gospel among the Native Americans and African American populations as well as providing for their material well-being.

Raised in the lifestyle of the wealthy, she lived the life of a poor religious.  She was known to use pencils until they were stubs and sewed her shoelaces together when they broke rather than buy a new pair.

Mother Katherine spoke out against racism and resisted any attempts to stopthe establishment of schools even in the midst of hostility and threats of violence. She believed that it was in and through the Eucharist that the hostility and racism that separated people would be overcome.

She died on March 3, 1955 at the age of ninety-six.  She was canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

For more information read:
"Heroic Catholics of the Twentieth Century" By Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett, SJW
New Hope Publications
New Hope, KY

or
Sister of St. Joseph the Worker
Walton, Ky

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
Foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana

Some children are blessed to realize at a very early age that they are called by God to do a special work. Anne-Therese knew from the moment of her First Holy Community that she was called to love God and to work for God's people. 

Anne-Therese was born in France on Oct 2, 1798. She was educated by her mother at home. Her father was an officer in the French navy.  When she was 15 years old, her father was killed and her mother was unable to cope with the tragedy.  Anne-Therese put off her dream of entering the convent to help her mother with the housework and the garden as well as taking care of her younger sister.

She finally entered the Sisters of Providence of Ruille-sur-Loir when she was 25 years old.  After making vows,  she taught in various schools and visited the sick.  In the summer of 1839, the Bishop of Vincennes, Indiana, sent one of his priests to France to find a religious community to teach religion and tend the sick.  At that time the Diocese of Vincennes included all of Indiana and the eastern third of Illinois.  There were many Catholic immigrants from France, Ireland and Germany in the diocese but very few priests.  The Bishop wanted a community of religious women to help take care and teach the poor of his diocese.  The Mother Superior of the Sisters of Providence suggested  that Sister Theodore move to the United States to help Bishop Brute. 

Sister Theodore Guerin and five other sisters left France on July 12, 1840.  Their arrival in New York on Sept. 4 was not the end of their journey.  They still had to make the long and difficult trek to the wilderness of St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana.  The sisters arrived in October after many adventures. They had traveled by stagecoach, steamboat, canal boat and train.  It had taken three months to arrive at their new home. 

Mother Theodore, as she became known, and the sisters began a school for girls called St. Mary's Academy for Young Ladies. This Academy was the only Catholic boarding school for girls in Indiana for over a decade and later became St. Mary of the Woods College.  As the community grew in number, Mother Theodore started schools in many cities in Indiana as well as two orphanages.

Mother Theodore died on May 14, 1856.  She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.  A cross was erected at her final resting place with an inscription that reads, "I sleep, but my heart watches over this house which I have built."

Martyrs of Shanxi
Women Religious, Servants of the Poor, Martyrs

In 1898 Bishop Francisco Fogella, a missionary bishop in China, went to see the superior of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.  He wanted women religious to travel to the distant land of China to help care for the sick and the abandoned. 

Seven sisters were sent on the long and difficult trip.  The sisters ages ranged from 24-36.The sisters arrived in Taiyuan in Shanxi Province to care for 200 orphan girls, the sick and the poor. Every day 12-15 orphaned or abandoned children were brought to the orphanage. Many of the children were so sock that they died shortly after arriving.  The sisters immediately improved the hygiene at the orphanage and gradually the orphans overall health improved. 

In the midst of their hard work, a new governor was appointed and a persecution of Christians began. Bishop Fogolla, realizing the imminent danger, gave the Sisters permission to leave the mission and go to a safer location; but no one wanted to go.

On June 29,1900 , the children and Chinese laywomen were removed by force from the mission.  On July 5, thirty-three persons including the two bishops and the seven religious were taken to a house that was used as a prison.  The group spent the next days together praying. They were able to celebrate Mass every day.

On July 9th, one of the bishops gave everyone absolution.  Soldiers entered the house and beat the prisoners.  They tied the prisoners hands and pushed them outside.  As they made their way through the streets, the Sisters began singing the 'Te "Deum", a hymn of praise to God.  The governor asked them to deny their faith.  After refusing, they were slashed by the guards with swords.  They died on July 9, 1900 and were canonized on October 1, 2000.

For more information contact www.fmmusa.org

or read

"Heroic Catholic of the Twentieth Century by Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett, SJW
A New Hope publication
New Hope, KY
or
Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker
Walton Ky

 

Father Emil Kapaun
Priest, Military Chaplain, Prisoner of War, Servant of God

Emil Kapaun was born on April 20, 1916 in Pisen Kansas.  He became an altar server and desired to become a missionary priest.  His parents were unable to afford to pay for his seminary training.  The parish priest heard of the family's dilemma and offered to help finance Emil's education.  At the priests suggestion, Emil studied to become a diocesan priest.  After attending Kendrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, he was assigned to his home parish as an assistant.

Father Kapaun would have probably have remained a simple country priest if not for the outbreak of World War II.  Realizing the need for military chaplains to minister to the men and women of the armed forces, Father Kapaun volunteered to be an army chaplain.

After completing chaplain's training school, Chaplain Kapaun was assigned to Burma and India.  In one month, he traveled 2,500 miles by jeep and airplane to visit troops.  Mass was celebrated wherever a location could be found, the army mess or a native village.  In 1946 he was discharged from the army, but he knew that the need for chaplains was still great.  He returned to military duty and was stationed in Japan.

When war broke out in Korea, Chaplain Kapaun did what he could to help the soldiers.  Father Kapaun's unit was in the midst of the fighting.  Father did what he could to help the soldiers, praying with them and reassuring them.  Whenever and wherever he could, he would offer the Mass, sometimes using the hood of a jeep for an altar with artillery shells exploding close by.

On September 15, 1950, Father's regiment was surrounded by the Chinese forces who had join the fight to help their allies, the North Koreans.  The Americans had no choice but to surrender.  Witnesses said that there were several opportunities for the chaplain to escape and he was encouraged to do so.  But he refused to leave the wounded soldiers.  They were taken on a brutal two week march to a POW camp. 

The chaplain did what needed to be done - he encouarged, prayed, told jokes, sat with the men when they were sick - whatever was needed to survive.  Once, he traded his watch for a blanket from a Communist guard and used the blanket to make socks for some of the weaker prisoners.  He would do even the most unpleasant tasks willingly.  Father Kaupaun would even clean the clothes of the men sick with dysentery. Father would share his own meager rations with the weaker men.

The guards did not like the positive influence he had on the men.  While they tried to intimidate and threaten him, they seemed to be afraid of him. They sense that if they killed or tortured the chaplain, the prisoners might revolt.

Father suffered many illnesses.  He developed a blood clot in his lower leg. His fellow POW"s designed and built a device to help keep his leg elevated. They found some old bricks which they heated and put next to his leg.  Aspirin tables that the prisons had kept hidden were given to him and they donated food to make sure Father had enough to eat.  His health steadily grew worse.  He was struck with diarrhea and then pneumonia. 

When the guards saw how ill he was, they realized now was the time to get rid of the troublesome priests.  He was taken to what the guards called the 'hospital'.  There was little or no medicine  and no beds. The prisoners in the hospital slept on the mud floors and were not cared for.  The man who had cared for so many others spent the last two days of his life alone in a dark, dirty room with no food and no medical care. He died May 23, 1951.

The memory of his deeds remained alive to the men left in the camp.  Captain Gerald Fink carved a crucifix as a memorial using tools he had made and scrap wood.  This now hangs in the Kapaun-Mt. Carmel Catholic High School in Wichita Kansas.

Father Kapaun is the most highly-decorated chaplain in United States military history.  he received the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit medal and the Prisoner of War medal. The greatest honor came in 1993, when he was declared a Servant of God.

For more information read
"Heroic Catholics of the Twentieth Century
By Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett SJW
New Hope Publications
New Hope, KY
or
Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker
Walton KY

Francis J. Parater - A 20th century Servant of God
Eagle Scout, Seminarian
USA
1897-1920

Born in Richmond Virginia, Francis J. Parater was a altar server and a boy scout, reaching the rank of an eagle scout.  Frank's commitment to the ideals of the Scouts as well as his practical judgement led the Scout leaders to have Frank serve as a camp director during the summer while still in his late teens.

Thinking he would become a Benedictine monk, Frank headed for Belmont abbey in North Carolina to begin college. Taking his spiritual life seriously, Frank had written a "Rule of Life". Theses were guidelines to help him in his daily struggle to follow Christ more closely.

Eventually he opted to serve the people of Virginia as a diocesan priest. In the fall of 1919, he went to Rome to study at the North American College.  Frank was well liked by his peers.  He had a good sense of humor and a positive, warm attitude.

Frank had only been in Rome a few months when he became ill.  In late January 1920 he was diagnosed with rheumatic fever.  Frank suffered a great deal from the fever. Sometimes the pain made him so delirious that more than one man was needed to hold him down; at other times, he would preach sermons to a 'congregation'. When he finally recovered from his delirium, the spiritual director of the college, Father Byrne, explained to Frank how sick he was.  The young seminarian was given the Last Rites and Holy Communion. He waned to get out of bed and kneel on the floor to receive Christ but he was not able to do so because he was so weak.  So he had to content himself with kneeling on the bed.

As Frank's condition worsened, the teachers and seminarians took turns staying with him day and night. Early Saturday morning, February 7, the nuns called Father Byrne and he stayed with Frank until he died.  Father Byrne later wrote to Frank's mother, 'Frank's death was a beautiful one...Towards the end his lips moved constantly in prayer; his death was like falling asleep."

His illness lasted only 11 days. He had been in Rome a short time and was just 22 years old when he died.  Frank's life and death might have been remembered only by his friends and family if not for an extraordinary discovery made soon after his death.  Going through his friends' personal belongings, a fellow seminarian found a sealed envelope with directions that it only be opened in case of death.  Inside was an Act of Oblation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus written by Frank.  When the rector of the seminary read the Act, he immediately had the seminarians gather in the chapel and read it to them.

The letter had been written in December 1919 when Frank was still healthy. He had offered his life for the conversion of non-Catholics.  He had wanted to die for God and his neighbor.  Had he had a premonitions of he death? He also wrote a letter to his beloved Scouts telling them that his greatest desire had been to die for Love of God and his fellow-man. 

He has been declared a Servant of God, the first step towards canonization.  If canonized he would be the first member of the Boy Scouts to be declared a saint.
To learn more about Frank and others Modern Saints check out:
"Heroic Catholics of the Twenteith Century" By Sister Elizabeth Ann Barkett, SJW
A New Hope Publication.
New Hope KY
or
Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker
Walton KY