Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Mother Theresa of Calcutta

Agnes was born on August 10, 1910 in Albania.  Although her parents had five children, only three survived.  Agnes was the youngest.     Even though her family was not wealthy, they still helped other who were less fortunate.  Her parents were devout and faithful Catholics who prayed daily and went to mass as often as possible.  Her father died when she was eight years old.  Her mother opened an embroidery and cloth business to support her family. 

When Agnes was 18 years old, she joined the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto in Ireland.  Agnes felt called to be a missionary.  She took the religious name of Theresa after the patron of missionaries, Saint Theresa of Lisiseux.  She was sent to India to teach after she completed her novitiate training.  She made vows in 1937 and taught for 20 years at Saint Mary's High school in Calcutta.  

In 1946, Sister Theresa was traveling from Calcutta to Darjeeling for a retreat.  During the train ride she felt a call within a call to serve God by serving the poorest of the poor.  This invitation was the culmination of years of giving herself completely and totally to God.  She had been drawing closer to God throughout her years of teaching and serving her community.  And now God was inviting her to a special work.  She was given permission by Rome to begin Missionaries of Charity dedicated to serving the poor.

Mother Theresa died in 1997 at the age of 87.  She was beatified by Saint Pope John Paul II in 2003.   

Saints Louis and Zelie Martin

Saints Louis and Zelie Martin are proof that you don't have to do extraordinary things to become a saint.  You don't have to be well known and famous.  You don't have to be known for visions, levitation, or for performing miracles.  You can become a saint by living an ordinary life doing ordinary things like raising and providing for your family. Louis and Zelie Martin became holy by doing God's will in their lives, by being parents.

Louis Martin was born on August 22, 1823.   Although his father was in the military, Louis chose to be a watch maker.  Louis wanted to enter the Grand Saint Bernard Monastery.  Unfortunately he did not know Latin which was a requirement for entrance.  Louis returned home study Latin and to finish his training as a watch maker.  After an illness, Louis decided that God did not want him to become a monk.  He set up a watch making and jewelry shop in Alencon.

Zelie Martin was born December 1831.  Her father was in the military also.   After her father's retirement from the military, his pension was small so the family had to watch their expenses. Zelie was often sick as a child and suffered from migraines.  Zelie wanted to be a religious and asked permission to enter the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.   The superior decided that Zelie did not have a vocation.   Zelie learned how to make Alencon lace and decided to open her own lace making business with her sister.  She was only 20 years old when she began this ambitious enterprise.

Louis and Zelie met in April 1858 and quickly grew to love each other.  They were married on July12, three months after they met.  They had nine children, four children died at a very young age.  Five daughters survived, Marie, Pauline, Leonie, Celine and Therese.  Marie, Pauline, Celine and Therese enter the Carmelite monastery while Leonie entered the Visitation monastery.

Louis eventually gave up his watchmaking career to help Zelie with her lace making business which was doing very well.  She had to take care of her growing family and manage the household in addition to taking care of her growing business.  Their goal in life was to raise their children to be faithful Catholics. Their spirituality was based on three principles.  They put God first in all they did, they had confidence in God's providence and they trusted in God's will.

They also believed that they were to help others who were not as fortunate as themselves. Examples of their generosity and care for others abound.  They would find work for the unemployed, feed the hungry, and donate money to the poor.  They were also concerned about the spiritual  welfare of others.  They prayed for others and shared their abundant faith in God whenever they could. They were true neighbors to all they met.

Zelie died at the age of 46 from breast cancer.  Her youngest child, Therese, was four years old.  Louis moved the family to Lisieux to be closer to his bother-in-law, Isidore Guerin.  When Louis was 64 years old, he suffered the first of many health problems.  His condition deteriorated and he began not only to experience physical problems but hallucinations  and delusions as well.   His daughters Celine  and Leonine took care of him at home for as long as they could.  Eventually he had to be admitted to a hospital because of the delusions. When his condition stabilized, he returned home. He died on July 27,1894.

Louis and Zelie Martin were cannoized by Pope Francis on October 18, 2015.


For more information about the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker visit the our website at:
www.ssjw.org

Spiritual Graces From the Classroom

                

     As the students knelt before the Christmas Crib during Adoration time they heard Sister say:

     Tomorrow, at the Baptism of Our Lord the Liturgical Season of Christmas comes to a close.  We kneel in awe one last time at the crib wondering and remembering.  In the beginning there was God. And God was perfectly happy in Himself because He was not really alone.  He was living in the Trinity.  And wanting to share His love, He created and saw that it was “good.”  But when He created man whom He wanted to tend His creation, He saw that it was “very good,” because He made us in His image and likeness with an immortal soul like Himself.  Keeping true to His covenant promise to always take care of us, He emptied Himself in the fullness of time, and became one like us in everything except sin; “He took on flesh.”

     Sister paused and then continued,

     Listen, do you hear that? Sounds of a flute. Shepherd, what song do you play? What is it that we hear?  Silent Night? What Child is this? Away in the manger?

     Boys and girls look there! A multitude of angels are gathering around, raising their voices in song, “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth Peace to men of good will!”

     And look there is grandfather whispering to his grandchild.  Can you hear what he is saying? Let’s bend low.
     “My child, this is our Redeemer who was promised many years ago, kept alive down through the ages and is now ‘fulfilled in our hearing.’”

     “Oh grandfather, it is true.  A great King has humbled Himself, remaining what He was, yet becoming what He was not.  How can this be, grandfather?”
     “It is a great mystery of our Faith my child.”

     Boys and girls, just like we have to bundle up on this cold morning, it was a cold night when baby Jesus was born.  See, Mary His mother has wrapped her Son in swaddling clothes and Joseph has tucked hay around Him for warmth.  The animals’ breath comforts the Child chilled in the night.

     “Grandfather, look, who are they?”
     “My child, they are the Kings of the East bringing the most precious materials their countries offer as a gift to the Child, a Child who is meant for all people.”

     Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm, all is bright.

     Mary cradles her Son, rocking back and forth, back and forth.  Joseph, the Protector of the Holy Family, silently contemplates the mystery that is his to care for.

     Jesus, thank you.  Thank you for letting us take time from our school work to come to Church and kneel in silence ‘remembering’ one last time.  Thank you for coming to live in time to show us the way to the Father in Heaven. As much as we want to though, Jesus, we can not stay here.  We must turn our eyes to the crucifix for this is WHY You came.  “His life was incomplete until He crowned it by His death.”

     Jesus, make my hands, Your hands, my feet, Your feet, my heart, Your Heart.  Let me see with Your eyes, listen with Your ears, speak with Your lips, love with Your heart, understand with Your mind, serve with Your will so that I will become all that You have called me to be.

To be continued next month.

From the Vocation Director’s Desk

     A young woman wrote: “Sister, is it a struggle at first to enter into the religious life? ST

Dear S.T.

     Yes, there is a struggle.  First, it comes from having to detach oneself from worldly things.  In Matthew 19:16-22 we read about the Rich Young Man who was very sincere in his want to “gain eternal life.”  He told Christ that he had kept all the commandments and was searching for what he lacked. When Christ said, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor…, then come, follow Me,” scripture tells us the Rich Young Man went away sad for his possessions were many.

     Christ could not fill what was already full.

     As you spiritually grow in your relationship with Christ the tug for things of this world will no longer matter and in fact short-lived.  It is then that you will realize that a different struggle had been silently creeping in all along, that is to say, the struggle to submit your will to the will of another, namely, the Superior who speaks in the place of Christ Himself.  This is not so easily mastered but with prayer as the center of one’s religious life nothing will be impossible.  Prayer implies a deep intimacy with the Lord and the closer you are to Him, the more you are stripped of all that is a barrier between your love and His, even that of submitting one’s will.


     If you have a question regarding your vocation or religious life in general you may write or email Sister at:

Sister Patricia Jean, SJW
Vocation Director
1 St. Joseph Lane
Walton, Kentucky 41904
sjwvocations@gmail.com
www.ssjw.org 

Mariana Francisca was born in Spain the province in 1563.  When she was nine years old, Our Lady appeared to her. The Blessed Virgin Mary told Mariana that she would be a sister in the New World.  When she was 13 years old, she traveled with her aunt and four other sisters, to found a branch of the Order of the Immaculate Conception in Ecuador.

Mother Mariana, as she was called, began having visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary while she was in Ecuador.  Our Lady told her of the many trials and abuses that were to happen in the middle of the 20^th century.  The Blessed Virgin Mary told her that in the 20^th century the “passions will erupt and there will be a total corruption of customs, for Satan will reign…”  The era of ‘free love’ of the 1960’s was predicted in the 17^th century.  Many other things that have happened in the church were predicted by Our Lady three centuries before our modern era.

Mother Mariana was asked if she would sacrifice and pray for the people of the 20^th century.  She was given a vision of the heresy, blasphemy and impurity that would descend upon society as a punishment.  Mother Mariana agreed and she was given a ‘preview’ of the modern world. 

The Blessed Virgin Mary told her of the many things that would befall the world and the Church.  She told Mother Mariana that each of the Sacraments of the church would be abused.  The devil would try to corrupt the clergy and would succeed in his efforts with some of the priests.  She told of laws that would be enacted that would try to do away with marriage and make it easier to live in sin.  The innocence of children would be attacked. Men and women would no longer value modesty.

Although the visions seem to be sad and distressing, the Blessed Virgin promised that when all seemed lost, there would be the beginning a complete restoration.  “My hour will arrive when I, in an amazing manner, will overthrow proud Satan, crushing him under my feet, chaining him in the infernal abyss, leaving the Church and the land free of this cruel tyranny.”  These visions were approved by the Church in the 17th century but Our Lady told Mother Mariana that there would be three centuries of silence about these visions. 

She linked the spread of this devotion during the time when the crisis would be great.   She promised at that time she would make a miraculous intervention for the restoration of the Catholic Church. She also promised her help for those who would invoke her help using the title of Our Lady of good success.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Known as “Good Pope John”, Blessed Pope John XXIII was the fourth of fourteen children. He was born in the small village of Sotto il Monte, Italy. His family worked as sharecroppers. They were rich in the faith but poor in material possesions.   

He entered the seminary in 1892.  While in the seminary he began making notes of his spiritual progress.  He continued writing these notes and advancing in the spiritual life almost until his death. These were collected and published after his death entitled The Journal of a Soul.

In August of 1904 he was ordained a priest . One year later he was appointed as the secretary to the Bishop of Bergamo, Giacomo Tedeschi.  He was involved in many diocesan projects such as a Diocesan Synod, management of the diocesan bulletin, pilgrimages and social work. He was also assigned to teach in the seminary.  He was a sought after and effective preacher.  He learned the value of hard work from his family.  He kept a busy schedule throughout his life working tirelessly for the Church and the people he was sent to serve.

During World War I,  he was drafted as a sergeant in the medical corps and became a chaplain. When the war ended, he opened a "Student House" for the spiritual needs of young people.  He was also assigned as the spiritual director for the seminary.

In 1921, he was called to Rome to be the Italian president of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. In 1925, he was ordained Bishop and appointed the Apostolic Visitator for Bulgaria.  When he lived in Bulgaria a strong earthquake hit the area.  He helped those effected by  the earthquake in any way possible . During his stay in Bulgaria, he visited and encouraged the Catholics  and established relationships with the other Christian communities.

In 1935, he was named Apostolic Delegate to Turkey and Greece. He not only worked among the Catholics but respectfully approached and dialogued with the Orthodox Church and Islam. When the Second World War began he tried to get news from the prisoners of war to their families and assisted many Jews to escape by issuing "transit visas" from his office. In December 1944 Pius XII appointed him Nuncio in France.

During the last months of the war he aided the prisoners of war.  His approach to all his assignments and projects was characterized by a striving for Gospel simplicity. He daily spent many hours in prayer and meditation. In 1953 he was created a Cardinal and became the Patriarch of Venice, Italy.

At the death of Pius XII he was elected Pope on  October 28,1958. His pontificate lasted less than five years. He carried out the Christian duties of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy: visiting the imprisoned and the sick, welcoming those of every nation and faith, bestowing on all his exquisite fatherly care.

He convoked the Roman Synod, established the Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law and summoned the Second Vatican Council. Pope John XXIII died on June 3, 1963. He was declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II in 2000. The Vatican has announced that he will be declared a saint along with the pope who declared him Blessed, Pope John Paul II, on April 27, 2014.

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