Saint Alphonsus Liguori, born in 1732 near Naples, Italy, was known for his studious nature and diligent work ethic. He earned a law degree and went on to establish a notable legal career. However, a legal mistake prompted a significant shift in his life. It validated his inner thoughts that he was meant for a different calling – priesthood.

Despite his father’s pleas to reconsider, Alphonsus was resolute in his decision. He embarked on his journey into priesthood, a journey filled with ceaseless activity. Alphonsus preached, penned books, and even founded a religious group, the Redemptorists.

Known for his wise spiritual guidance, he brought solace to people through the sacrament of Reconciliation. His talents went beyond preaching and counseling; he wrote hymns, played the organ, and even painted. The breadth of his accomplishments is made even more remarkable by his output of sixty books, despite being frequently unwell with headaches and other illnesses.

In terms of his temperament, Alphonsus was naturally quick-tempered but strived for self-control. His humility was such that when offered the position of bishop by Pope Pius VI, he initially declined. When told he was the pope’s choice, the pope’s messengers addressed him as “Most illustrious Lord.” Alphonsus politely requested they refrain from using that title, saying it would “kill him.”

Eventually, he accepted the bishop’s role, understanding that it was the pope’s wish. He sent numerous preachers throughout his diocese to remind people of God’s love and the importance of their faith. Alphonsus always advised his priests to preach sermons that even the simplest congregation member could comprehend, stating, “I never preached a sermon that the simplest old woman in the church could not understand.”

As he aged, Saint Alphonsus was burdened by illness. Arthritis made him crippled, and he became nearly deaf and blind. Despite these hardships, his devotion to the Blessed Mother, as evidenced in his renowned book, the Glories of Mary, remained unwavering. His trials were met with peace, joy, and a holy death.

St. Alphonsus passed away in 1787, aged ninety-one. He was canonized by Pope Gregory XVI in 1839, and in 1871, Pope Pius IX declared him a Doctor of the Church.

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Saint Ignatius of Loyola, whose birth name was Íñigo Oñaz López de Loyola, was born into nobility and spent his early years in a prominent courtier’s household. In 1517, he made a shift from court life to the military. While recovering from a severe injury in 1521, he experienced a religious conversion after reading a biography of Jesus.

Following this transformation, Ignatius traveled to Montserrat for confession and absolution, then moved on to Manresa. In 1523, he attempted a journey to the Holy Land but was barred from entering Palestine. This setback led him to decide on pursuing an education.

Between 1524 and 1528, he studied at Barcelona, Alcalá, and Salamanca. His time in Alcalá and Salamanca included brief imprisonments due to suspicions raised by the Inquisition. His studies concluded in Paris. Rather than excelling in academics, Ignatius proved to be a spiritual guide. Despite further inquiries by the Inquisition, he was absolved of any wrongdoings.

Together with six others, including St. Francis Xavier and Diego Lainez, Ignatius pledged vows of poverty and chastity. This group would become the core of the Jesuits. Initially, they aimed to live in Christ’s footsteps in the Holy Land, seeking to convert Muslims. But the outbreak of the Turkish wars redirected them to Rome. Once in Rome, they were ordained in 1537 and commenced work under the pope’s direction in 1538.

In 1539, Ignatius outlined a new order’s formula, securing papal approval for it in 1540. This formula would later underpin the Jesuits’ governance Constitutions, published posthumously. In 1541, Ignatius was chosen as the order’s general, leading it from Rome until his passing. Despite the Jesuits playing a crucial role in the Counter Reformation, it was not their primary objective. Ignatius seemed more invested in foreign missions and youth education. During his life, numerous schools were established in Europe, and missions started in Japan, India, and Brazil.

Ignatius was driven by a lifelong wish to emulate Christ. His book, the “Spiritual Exercises”, written over many years, contains a range of reflections, conscience examinations, and prayers. These are organized into four stages towards achieving mystical union with God. The spirituality associated with Ignatius highlights the importance of human initiative. His book is a highly valued resource in Christian mysticism and continues to be a go-to guide for devout Catholics. His “soldier of Christ” idea, often perceived as overly militaristic, is more accurately an echo of St. Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:10-17. Ignatius’s final resting place is the Gesù in Rome. He was canonized in 1622.

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A man who vigorously pursues a goal may produce results far beyond his expectations and his intentions. Thus it was with Peter of the Golden Words, as he was called, who as a young man became bishop of Ravenna, the capital of the empire in the West.

At the time there were abuses and vestiges of paganism evident in his diocese, and these he was determined to battle and overcome. His principal weapon was the short sermon, and many of them have come down to us. They do not contain great originality of thought. They are, however, full of moral applications, sound in doctrine and historically significant in that they reveal Christian life in fifth-century Ravenna. So authentic were the contents of his sermons that, some 13 centuries later, he was declared a doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII. He who had earnestly sought to teach and motivate his own flock was recognized as a teacher of the universal Church.

In addition to his zeal in the exercise of his office, Peter Chrysologus was distinguished by a fierce loyalty to the Church, not only in its teaching, but in its authority as well. He looked upon learning not as a mere opportunity but as an obligation for all, both as a development of God-given faculties and as a solid support for the worship of God.

Some time before his death, St. Peter returned to Imola, his birthplace, where he died around A.D. 450.

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Saint Martha, sister to Mary and Lazarus, resided in Bethany, a small town close to Jerusalem. The trio is known as holy disciples for hosting Jesus Christ frequently during his public ministry. Martha, the apparent eldest, took the primary responsibility of managing their household. Their family was well-known in the region, as revealed by the story of Lazarus’s resurrection.

On Jesus’s first known visit, Martha demonstrated great diligence and hospitality. Neglecting her status and wealth, she personally attended to Jesus and his holy company. Meanwhile, Mary chose to remain at Jesus’s feet, deeply engrossed in his divine teachings. She found such profound joy and spiritual upliftment in his words that she disregarded worldly concerns. Her heart lit up with love for his divine wisdom, echoing the sentiment expressed in the Canticles: “My beloved to me, and I to him.”

St. Austin likens their house to the family of God on Earth, with every servant engaged in various tasks. Some were engaged in a contemplative life, while others led an active life through serving the poor or pursuing their professions, seeing them as their divine calling. St. Austin suggests that the true measure of a saint, regardless of their lifestyle, is the purity, intensity, and perfection of their love for God and fellow beings.

However, the question of whether a contemplative or an active life is more perfect has been debated. St. Thomas, drawing upon the lives of Christ and his apostles, suggested that a life that combines both – contemplation and action – is most excellent. This ‘mixed life’ involves the exterior functions of guiding, aiding, and comforting others, underpinned by a profound spirit of prayer and contemplation.

Those wishing to live this ‘mixed life’ should prepare themselves with a period of intense religious solitude. Like Christ, who frequently sought solitude in the mountains, individuals leading a mixed life should maintain a connection with solitude and spiritual recollection. To lose this connection, as St. Bonaventure expressed, is akin to carrying “a dead soul in a living body.” This interior spirit must also animate those in worldly occupations and those devoted to serving Christ’s most vulnerable and afflicted followers, just as Martha served Christ himself.

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Saint Alphonsa, originally named Annakkutty (meaning ‘little Anna’), was born in Kudamaloor, a village located in the princely state of Travancore, India, during the British Raj period. This region is now known as the Kottayam district in Kerala. Her parents, Joseph and Mary Muttathupadathu, baptized her on August 27, 1910, at Saint Mary’s Church, Kudamaloor, in honor of Saint Anna.

After her mother’s untimely death, Annakkutty was raised by her maternal aunt. She began her formal education in Arpookara in 1916 and received her First Communion on November 27, 1917. Later in 1918, she transferred to a school in Muttuchira. In 1923, Annakkutty suffered a severe accident, falling into a pit of burning chaff, which resulted in permanent damage to her feet.

Despite her physical impediment, Annakkutty was determined to join the Franciscan Clarist Congregation. On Pentecost 1927, she arrived at the Poor Clares convent at Bharananganam. She took the name Alphonsa on August 2, 1928, when she received the postulant’s veil. In May 1929, Alphonsa attended the Malayalam High School at Vazhappally. The following year, her foster mother passed away.

Alphonsa received her religious habit at Bharananganam on May 19, 1930, and soon after, she resumed her education at Changanacherry. She also worked as a temporary teacher at Vakakkad school. On August 11, 1931, she joined the novitiate, and five years later, on August 12, 1936, she took her permanent vows. Despite her frail health, which often kept her away from teaching, Alphonsa served as an elementary school teacher.

In December 1936, Alphonsa reportedly recovered from her illness through the intercession of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara. However, her health was again compromised after a severe pneumonia attack in 1939, and a traumatic incident involving a thief in 1940. Although she regained her memory by September 1941, she continued to struggle with her health and developed a stomach ailment in 1945 that led to severe vomiting.

On July 28, 1946, at the age of 35, Saint Alphonsa passed away and was buried in Bharananganam, Travancore (now Kerala) in the Diocese of Palai. Today, her tomb has become a pilgrimage site, as several faithful have reported miracles attributed to her. The miracle that led to her canonization by the Vatican was the healing of an infant’s club foot in 1999.

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Saint Pantaleon, born 275AD, hailed from Nicomedia, a city near the Black Sea in Asia.

His exceptional skills as a doctor earned him the coveted role of personal physician to the Emperor. Though a Christian, Pantaleon was negatively influenced by the pagan court, leading him to abandon his faith completely.

However, a chance encounter with a devout priest named Hermolaos led Pantaleon to realize the grave mistake he had made. The priest’s words resonated deeply with Pantaleon, leading him to repent and rejoin the Church. Overwhelmed with remorse, he yearned for a chance to redeem himself, even if it meant suffering or dying for his faith.

In the meantime, Pantaleon emulated the charity of Jesus by treating poor, sick people without charging any fees for his services.

When Emperor Diocletian began persecuting Christians, Pantaleon responded by giving away all his possessions to the needy. Not long after, he was accused of being a Christian himself. He was forced to choose between renouncing his faith and facing execution. Despite the brutal tortures, Pantaleon refused to deny his faith.

Devotion to Saint Pantaleon has remained strong over the centuries. In the East, he is revered as the “Great Martyr and Wonder-worker.”

His feast day is celebrated on July 27th, the same date he was martyred in 305AD.

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The lives and names of Saints Joachim and Anne, who are known as the parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus Christ, are derived from non-canonical, or apocryphal, literature.

This includes the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary, the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, and the Protoevangelium of James. It’s important to note that the earliest version of the Protoevangelium, which seems to be the primary source for the other two, dates back to around 150 AD. However, we should approach its assertions with a degree of skepticism given that they are based solely on this text.

In the Eastern tradition, the Protoevangelium was highly respected, and parts of it were read during the feasts of Mary by the Greeks, Syrians, Copts, and Arabians. However, the Western Church Fathers initially rejected it until the 13th century when its contents were incorporated into Jacobus de Voragine’s “Golden Legend”. After this point, the story of St. Anne became widely known across the West and she evolved into one of the Latin Church’s most venerated saints.

The Protoevangelium provides the following narrative: Joachim and Anne, a wealthy and devout couple, lived in Nazareth but were childless. On a feast day, when Joachim went to the temple to offer a sacrifice, he was turned away by a man named Ruben, who claimed that childless men were unworthy of admission. This left Joachim feeling deep sorrow, and he retreated to the mountains to lament in solitude.

Meanwhile, Anne learned why her husband had been absent for so long. In her distress, she pleaded with the Lord to lift the curse of barrenness from her, vowing to dedicate her future child to God’s service. Their prayers were heard, and an angel appeared to both of them. The angel told Anne, “The Lord has seen your tears; you will conceive and give birth, and your child will be a blessing for the entire world.” The same promise was given to Joachim, who then returned to his wife.

When Anne gave birth to a girl, they named her Miriam, which is another name for Mary.

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James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John the Evangelist, was one of the original twelve apostles called by Jesus Christ.

His call to discipleship took place as he worked on a fishing boat in the Sea of Galilee alongside his father and brother, reminiscent of Jesus’ earlier calling of another pair of fishing brothers, Peter and Andrew. The account, recorded in Mark 1:19-20, describes how James and John promptly left their father and their livelihood to follow Jesus.

Being part of the inner circle, James was among the select three disciples privileged to witness significant biblical events. These included Jesus’ Transfiguration, the resurrection of Jairus’s daughter, and Jesus’ anguished prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Two Gospel incidents shed light on James’ temperament and that of his brother John. One, as described in Matthew 20:22, revolves around a request for seats of honor in the heavenly kingdom. Whether this request came from James and John or their mother, as some accounts suggest, Jesus’ response was the same. He prophetically told them they would share in his baptism of suffering but clarified that granting positions of honor was the prerogative of the Father.

This event provoked indignation among the other disciples and served as an opportunity for Jesus to underscore the virtue of humble service. He taught them that true leadership and authority come from serving others, a principle exemplified in his sacrificial life.

James and John, also known as the “sons of thunder,” lived up to their nickname on an occasion when the Samaritans refused to welcome Jesus. Reacting impulsively, they asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans, an idea swiftly rebuked by Jesus.

James holds the unfortunate distinction of being the first apostle to be martyred, as recorded in Acts 12:1-3. King Herod, seeking to please the Jews, had James killed by the sword and subsequently arrested Peter.

This account refers to James, often known as James the Greater, distinct from James the Lesser (celebrated on May 3), and James, the author of the Letter of James and the leader of the Jerusalem community.

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Saint Charbel Makhlouf was born on May 8, 1828, in Biqa-Kafra, a small village nestled in northern Lebanon’s high mountains. His parents, poor by means, had five children, with Joseph, later known as Charbel, being the youngest. Brought up in a devout family, he developed a deep-seated piety and love for God from an early age. His childhood was marked by solitude, prayer, and detachment from worldly concerns.

At the age of twenty-three, he left home, drawn towards a religious vocation as a monk and hermit. He joined the Lebanese Maronite Order, established in Lebanon in 1695 and officially recognized by Pope Clement XII in 1732.

Charbel first resided in the Monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouk, located north of Jebeil, before being transferred to the Monastery of Saint Maroun at Annaya, which was part of the Lebanese Maronite Order. Here, he continued his Novitiate until 1853, taking vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, and adopting the name “Charbel.” Despite facing trials and doubts from some about his vocation, including his own family, he remained resolute and unshaken in his path.

After professing his solemn monastic vows, Charbel was sent to the Monastery of Kfifan, where he studied theological subjects and was ordained a priest in 1859. Subsequently, he was posted back to the Monastery of Saint Maroun in Annaya. His humility, fidelity to duty, and virtuous life, akin to an angel’s, made him a revered figure.

He spent sixteen years as a priest at Saint Maroun’s. His superiors, recognizing his deep desire and calling for a hermit’s life, permitted him to move into the hermitage of St. Peter and St. Paul in 1875. Located approximately a mile from the monastery, he lived there, practicing mortification and self-denial, which served as an inspiration to all.

For Saint Charbel, living as a hermit was not just a vocation, but a divine calling. The goal of his religious life was the sanctification of his soul through faith, hope, and charity. He strived to achieve this by means of prayer, manual labor, fasting, and self-detachment, all to a heroic degree. For twenty-three years, he lived as a hermit, until his passing on December 24, 1898.

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Saint Bridget, often referred to as Birgitta, was born in 1303, traditionally on June 14th, in Upland, Sweden’s primary province. Her father, Birger, was the governor of the region, while her mother, Lady Ingeborg of Finsta, was the daughter of the governor of East Gothland. Bridget’s spiritual life was greatly shaped by two visions she had as a child. When she was just seven, she had a vision where the Virgin Mary crowned her, and at ten, she had a dream of Christ, injured and bleeding, after listening to a sermon about the Passion.

When Bridget was 11, her mother died, and she went to live with her aunt. In 1316, despite her reservations, she married Ulf Gudmarsson in obedience to her family’s wishes. The couple had eight children – four boys and four girls. Tragically, two of their sons died young. Of the remaining children, Karl was worldly yet deeply devoted to the Virgin Mary. Birger, despite being married, later became his mother’s companion and escorted her body back to Sweden for burial. Three of Bridget’s daughters married and stayed in Swedish society, except for Ingebord, who became a Cistercian nun.

Twenty-eight years into their marriage, Ulf passed away, and Bridget was free to pursue the life of penance she had always desired. She moved near the Cistercian monastery at Alvastra, where she outlined the Rule and Office for a religious order she felt called to establish, though she would never live to see it come to fruition. Two years later, in 1344, Bridget moved to Rome, where she spent the rest of her life until her death in 1373. She was canonized as a saint just 18 years later in 1391.

Saint Bridget was known for her prophetic gifts and miraculous healings. Following her husband’s death, she led an ascetic life, marked by minimal eating, brief sleep, constant prayer, and rigorous adherence to a spiritual rule. She was dedicated to various forms of charity, even resorting to begging. She received numerous divine inspirations, either documented by her chaplain and translated into Latin as her ‘Revelations,’ or written as letters to popes, cardinals, and secular rulers of her time, urging them to reform their wicked ways. Throughout Sweden and Rome, Saint Bridget was either vehemently despised or revered as a saint. She was described as a ‘strong and full of courage’ woman who was ‘homely, kind, and had a laughing face.’

Today, the Bridgettine order of nuns, founded by Saint Bridget, exists without monks and is home to twelve convents. Syon Abbey in Devonshire, England, is the only religious house that has maintained an unbroken organic continuity since the Reformation. All Bridgettines pray for the restoration of their mother house at Vadstena in Sweden, which began after Saint Bridget’s death under the stewardship of her daughter, Saint Catherine of Sweden, and the patronage of a bishop who had been a tutor to Bridget’s sons. In line with their founder’s vision, the Bridgettines hold a special devotion to the Virgin Mary and the Passion of Christ.

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