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Saint
of the Day - AmericanCatholic.org
- Catholic saints are holy people
and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the
Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her
unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint. Learn about
the Saint we honor today and subscribe to recieve free Saint of
the Day Newsletter from St. Anthony Press. Click the button on
the left. |
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April:
Overview of the Month, Intentions, Feasts, Focus of the Liturgy
The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph. The first twenty-six
days of March fall during the liturgical season known as Lent and are represented
by the liturgical color purple — a symbol of penance, mortification and the sorrow
of a contrite heart. The last five days fall in the Easter season in which white,
the color of light, a symbol of joy, purity and innocence, is the liturgical color.
Just click on the link to the left and check it out! |
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April
3 - St. Benedict the African - AmericanCatholic.org
Benedict held important posts in the Franciscan Order and gracefully adjusted
to other work when his terms of office were up. His parents were slaves brought
from Africa to Messina, Sicily. Freed at 18, Benedict did farm work for a wage
and soon saved enough to buy a pair of oxen. He was very proud of those animals.
In time he joined a group of hermits around Palermo and was eventually recognized
as their leader. Because these hermits followed the Rule of St. Francis, Pope
Pius IV ordered them to join the First Order.
To learn more about St. Benedict the African, click on the link
above or on the image to the left. |
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April
8 - St. Julie Billiart - AmericanCatholic.org
Born in Cuvilly, France, into a family of well-to-do farmers, young Marie Rose
Julia Billiart showed an early interest in religion and in helping the sick and
poor. Though the first years of her life were relatively peaceful and uncomplicated,
Julie had to take up manual work as a young teen when her family lost its money.
However, she spent her spare time teaching catechism to young people and to the
farm laborers. A mysterious illness overtook her when she was about 30. Witnessing
an attempt to wound or even kill her father, Julie was paralyzed and became a
complete invalid. For the next two decades she continued to teach catechism lessons
from her bed, offered spiritual advice and attracted visitors who had heard of
her holiness.
To learn more about St. Julie Billiart click on the link
above or on the image to the left. |
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April
10 - St. Magdalen of Canossa - AmericanCatholic.org
Wealth and privilege did nothing to prevent today’s saint from
following her calling to serve Christ in the poor. Nor did the
protests of her relatives, concerned that such work was beneath
her. Born in northern Italy in 1774, Magdalen knew her mind—and
spoke it. At age 15 she announced she wished to become a nun.
After trying out her vocation with the cloistered Carmelites,
she realized her desire was to serve the needy without restriction.
For years she worked among the poor and sick in hospitals and
in their homes and among delinquent and abandoned girls.
To learn more about St. Magdalen of Canossa, click on the link
above or the image to the left. |
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April 11 - St.
Stanislaus - AmericanCatholic.org
Anyone who reads the history of Eastern Europe cannot help but chance on the name
of Stanislaus, the saintly but tragic bishop of Kraków, patron of Poland. He is
remembered with Saints Thomas More and Thomas Becket for vigorous opposition to
the evils of an unjust government.
To learn more about St. Stanislaus,
click on the link above or on the image to the left. |
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April
13 - St. Martin I - AmericanCatholic.org
When Martin I became pope in 649, Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine
empire and the patriarch of Constantinople was the most influential Church leader
in the eastern Christian world. The struggles that existed within the Church at
that time were magnified by the close cooperation of emperor and patriarch. A
teaching, strongly supported in the East, held that Christ had no human will.
Twice emperors had officially favored this position, Heraclius by publishing a
formula of faith and Constans II by silencing the issue of one or two wills in
Christ.
To learn more about St. Martin I, click on the link above or
on the image to the left. |
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April
21 - St. Anselm - AmericanCatholic.org
Indifferent toward religion as a young man, Anselm became one of the Church's
greatest theologians and leaders. He received the title "Father of Scholasticism"
for his attempt to analyze and illumine the truths of faith through the aid of
reason. At 15, Anselm wanted to enter a monastery, but was refused acceptance
because of his father's opposition. Twelve years later, after careless disinterest
in religion and years of worldly living, he finally fulfilled his desire to be
a monk. He entered the monastery of Bec in Normandy, three years later was elected
prior and 15 years later was unanimously chosen abbot.
To learn more about
St. Anselm, click on the link above or on the image to the left. |
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April
25 - St. Pedro de San José Betancur - AmericanCatholic.org
Central America can claim its first saint with the July 30 canonization of Pedro
de Betancur by Pope John Paul II in Guatemala City. Known as the "St. Francis
of the Americas," Pedro de Betancur is the first saint to have worked and died
in Guatemala. Calling the new saint an “outstanding example” of Christian mercy,
the Holy Father noted that St. Pedro practiced mercy “heroically with the lowliest
and the most deprived.” Speaking to the estimated 500,000 Guatemalans in attendance,
the Holy Father spoke of the social ills that plague the country today and of
the need for change.
To learn more about St. Pedro de San ose Betancur click on the
link above or on the image to the left. |
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April
25 - St. Mark - AmericanCatholic.org
Most of what we know about Mark comes directly from the New Testament. He is usually
identified with the Mark of Acts 12:12. (When Peter escaped from prison, he went
to the home of Mark's mother.) Paul and Barnabas took him along on the first missionary
journey, but for some reason Mark returned alone to Jerusalem. It is evident,
from Paul's refusal to let Mark accompany him on the second journey despite Barnabas's
insistence, that Mark had displeased Paul. Later, Paul asks Mark to visit him
in prison so we may assume the trouble did not last long
For more information
on St. Mark, please click on the link above or the photo to the left. |
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April
29 - St. Catherine of Siena - AmericanCatholic.org
The value Catherine makes central in her short life and which sounds
clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to Christ.
What is most impressive about her is that she learns to view her surrender to
her Lord as a goal to be reached through time.
To learn more about St. Catherine, click on the link above or
on the picture to the left.
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Check
out American Catholic's Saints' Calendar for the Month of
April - AmericanCatholic.org
This
calendar includes saints on the General Roman Calendar as
well as other holy people for each day of the year. Some feast
dates on the AmericanCatholic.org calendar fall on days other
than the official feast day.
Click
on the link above or the image to the left for more information.
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Learn
More About Mary Our Mother - AmericanCatholic.org
Read
what the Bible says about the Blessed Virgin Mary, what the Catholic
Church believes about Mary, and how to honor her. Click the button
on the left or the link above to learn more about Mary Our Mother. |
