There is a Longing

Today, October 21, is the feast day of Blessed Giuseppe “Pino” Puglis, an Sicilian priest & martyr of the 20th Century. He was born September 15, 1937 in Palermo, Sicily. His father was a cobbler and his mother a dressmaker. His childhood neighborhood was crime-ridden, full of street activities he refused to be a part of in his youth. He had a desire to fight back against crime & at the age of 16, he attended a seminary with the intention of becoming a priest. He was ordained in 1960. His archbishop, Cardinal Ruffini, refused to believe in the Italian mafia, citing that communism was the true threat. Giuseppe disagreed & actively spoke out against the Mafia within his parishes. He refused financial assistance from those Mafia groups & wouldn’t allow their recommendations of organizations to repair the church. Even when he returned to his hometown as priest of St. Gaetano’s Parish, he continued to speak out against organized crime & refused to allow the Mafia to man...

On October 13, the Church celebrates the life of the mystic Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa. Born in Balasar, Portugal on March 30, 1904, she & her sister, Deolinda, were brought up in the Catholic Faith. At the age of seven, she was sent to live with a carpenter’s family so that she could be educated in a primary school. Back in Balasar, at the age of 14, three men broke into her home & attempted to attack her. She jumped out of a window to protect her virtue, but injured herself in the process, becoming fully paralyzed & bedridden by the age of 21. With the aid of the Mother of God, she accepted her suffering as the Will of God & offered it for the conversion of sinners, as well as for peace around the world. “I have no purpose other than that of giving glory to God and saving souls.” From 1938-1942, she received a mystical gift; she overcame her paralysis to relive the Passion of Christ every Friday for three hours. On October 31, 1942, she asked Pope Pius XII fo...

Tomorrow is the first of October & with it comes a wonderful bouquet of saints to celebrate within the month! In the first week alone we have the following: October 1st: St. Therese of Lisieux - The Little Flower, a Carmelite nun beloved by many October 2nd: Feast of the Guardian Angels - A day to celebrate & be thankful for your guardian angel who watches over you October 4th: St. Francis of Assisi - founder of the Franciscan Order & patron of the poor October 5th: Saint Faustina - chosen by God to share the message of His Divine Mercy There is no way I could do justice in summarizing their lives. If you are unfamiliar with them, I encourage you to explore the wealth of information online & in the many books & videos about them. In addition to all the saints this month, the whole month is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. This would be a great time to begin praying the rosary daily of you don't already!  May God bless you abundantly!

On September 28, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Fr. Domingo Ibanez de Erquicia. He was born in Spain in 1589. He joined the Dominican Order in 1605 & six years later, went to the Philippines as a missionary & Professor of Theology at the Colegio de Santo Tomas. He later spent ten years in Japan during the most violent persecutions. Heroically, his dedication to his priestly vocation was displayed in the care of Christians being persecuted. He comforted them & administered the sacraments. In July of 1633, he was captured by the authorities who had been pursuing him. He refused to renounce his faith, choosing martyrdom instead. He died on August 14, 1633. Pope John Paul II canonized him on October 18, 1987. St. Fr. Domingo Ibanez de Erquicia, Pray for Us!

St. Rosalia, whose feast day is September 4th, was born of noble birth in Palermo, Sicily in 1130. Her parents were Sinibald, Lord of Roses, & Quisquina.  She was a pious youth & turned to God over earthly things. When she left home, she was led to a cave by angels & it was there she lived the rest of her life, hidden away from the world. After her death in 1166, the following was found written on the wall of her cave,  "I, Rosalia, daughter of Sinibald, Lord of Roses, and Quisquina, have taken the resolution to live in this cave for the love of my Lord, Jesus Christ." In 1624, during a plague in Palermo, it is reported that she appeared to a plague victim & that this woman was healed of her illness. Rosalia is also said to have appeared to a hunter & that she led him to her cave. There he found her bones & brought them back to the city. After three rounds of procession through Palermo the plague ceased. This led to her patronage of plague victims, inc...

St. Anthony, St. Anthony! Please come around! Something is lost and cannot be found! Perhaps you've heard this or similar version of this prayer. You may have even uttered it a time or two yourself. St. Anthony of Padua is the go-to saint when we've lost something. But why him? St. Anthony of Padua was born in 1195 into a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal & given the name Fernando Martins. Per his request at the age of 15, he was sent to the Abbey of Santa Cruz in Coimbra to study theology & Latin. Upon his priestly ordination, he took responsibility for guests at the Abbey. He later left the Abbey to become a Franciscan friars, taking the name Anthony. He spread the Gospel message to Morocco, but became I'll there & was sent back to Portugal. His journey, however, veered off course & he ended up in Sicily, then Tuscany. He was assigned in San Paulo to a hermitage where his recovery was spent in prayer & study. News of his eloquent speaking reached Sr. ...

On June 7, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Willibald of Eichstatt. He was born October 21, 700 in Wessex, England. His siblings, Winebald & Walburga became saints, as well as his father, St. Richard the King. He was also related on his mother's side of the family to St. Boniface. As an infant, he almosts died. His parents prayed and promised to dedicate him to God if he survived. At the age of five, he began his studies at the Abbey of Waltham, Hampshire, England.  In 722, he set out on a pilgrimage to Rome with his father & brother, Winebald. Along the way, his father died & he suffered from malaria. He reached Jerusalem in 725 & is known as the first Englishman in the Holy Land. Thought to be a Christian spy, he was captured by the Saracens. After his release, he continued his journey visiting many holy places. Upon his return to Italy, he served as a dean & porter in Monte Casino. His missionary work continued in Germany, where he was sent by Pope ...

     St. Dymphna was born to a devout Catholic mother and a pagan chieftain father in Ireland during the seventh century. She made a vow of chastity when she was fourteen and consecrated her life to God. Her mother’s death followed not long after, causing great grief to her father, Damon. Upon the advice of his councilors, he sought to remarry, on the condition that the woman look as beautiful as his beloved deceased. With little success, Damon’s councilors began to direct his attention to his daughter. Influenced by his grief and their wicked ideas, he consented. Upon discovering her father’s plan, Dymphna fled to Belgium with her confessor and close friend, St. Gerebernus. However, her father found out their location and followed them. On one occasion, an innkeeper refused to take his money, stating that foreign currency was difficult to exchange. Damon realized that his daughter was near, guessing that the innkeeper had encountered her money. Guessing correctly, he fo...

In the midst of the political and anti-Catholic turmoil in Mexico during the early twentieth century, thousands of faithful Catholics, both religious and lay, gave their lives in opposition to the government’s oppression. Among these, we celebrate St. Christopher Magallanes and his twenty-four companion martyrs on May 21.  Cristobal Magallanes Jara came from a devout family of farmers from Jalisco, Mexico. At the age of nineteen he entered seminary and began his priestly ministry eleven years later as a teacher. He was later appointed parish priest, serving in his hometown for over twenty years.  In 1915, when the seminary in Guadalajara was forced closed by the government, Fr. Magallanes secretly opened one in his own home, quickly attracting seventeen seminarians.  Despite his disapproval of the armed rebellion, Fr. Magallanes was falsely accused of having assisted the Cristeros. He was arrested on May 21, 1927. Arrested on that same day was Fr. Agustin Caloca Cortes, w...

Vincenzo Peis was born in 1701 to a poor family of farmers. He was the second son of seven children. He worked in his family's fields until the age of 17, when he was struck with a serious illness. Vincenzo vowed that if he were healed, he would become a Fransican and consecrate his life to God. When he was cured however, he waited to fulfill his vow at his father’s command. A few years later, Vincenzo made a similar vow when in another dangerous circumstance. He had lost control of his horse, but when he made his vow, the creature stopped. Certain that he could no longer put off his word, Vincenzo sought admission into the convent in Cagliari, making his profession in 1722 & taking the name Ignatius de Laconi. Despite his fragile health, Brother Ignatius observed both the spiritual exercises of the rule of the order with perfection. He was apt to quiet and an unrelenting kindness, especially towards the poor and sick. Ignatius never held any office of importance within his ord...

Catherine Cosie was born November 25, 1493 to Greek Orthodox parents in Komani, Montenegro. During her early years, she was a shepherdess, common in that area. She was also a visionary. Visions of the Child Jesus & Jesus on the cross appeared to her while she was shepherding.  Catherine later took a job with a Catholic family in Kotor (Cattaro). Inspired by her visions & all she learned, she converted to Catholicism & after a few years became an anchoress (a female who withdraws from society for prayer & contemplation). In her case, her cell was next to the Church of St. Paolo where she could still participate in the Mass without leaving her cell. She became a Third Order Dominican & took the name Osanna, still living as an anchoress. People from all over & from all walks of life sought her advice & intercessions for peace.  More visions appeared to her, various mysteries of Christ's life. She was also plagued with demonic manifestations which she w...

Esther Blondin was born on April 18, 1809 into a farming family in Quebec. Her Christian family instilled a great love of Divine Providence & the Eucharist, as well as faith in suffering patiently. Unfortunately, many of the French Canadians in this 19th century were illiterate due to a Church ruling…girls could not be taught by men & boys could not be taught by women. Rather than open two separate schools, many parishes chose to have neither. Because of this, by the age of 22, Esther was still illiterate. She worked at the Convent of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame as a domestic. She later registered as a boarder so that she could learn to read & write, then became a novice. Ill health prevented her from going further within the congregation. As a teacher in a Vaudreuil parochial school, she gradually learned the reason behind the illiteracy & in 1848 felt a call to found a religious congregation to educate boys & girls in the same schools. Her bishop...

Blessed Angelo of Chivasso was born in Italy into a wealthy & pious family in 1411. He, himself, was pious even as a child. Frequently, his mother would find him on his knees in the middle of the night, praying & venerating his crucifix.  As an adult, he kept his prayerful devotion to the Passion of Christ & the Blessed Virgin Mary, a devotion which he believed protected him in his endeavors. He was a magistrate & became of Doctor of Theology & of Canon & Civil Law. When his mother passed away, he became an Observant Franciscan priest (now known as the Order of the Friars Minor). As a priest, he dedicated himself to helping those in the remote villages of the Piedmont region of Italy. He authored numerous books, including Summa Angelica, a dictionary of moral theology. At the age of 80, he preached to the Waldensians, heretics who denied papal authority over the Church & purgatory. His preaching led many of them to convert.  He requested leave of hi...

St. Isidore of Seville was born around the year 560 in Cartagena, Spain. He was born into a family of saints & leaders (two of his brothers were bishops & one sister was an abbess - all three became saints). His parents died when he was young, so he was educated by older brother, Leander, who, despite being a leader, was not a patient teacher. Isidore’s education was led by force, including physical punishment. He felt rejected & that he was a failure, so he ran away. While sitting alone, he observed water drops, that while slow & small, had worn holes in a rock over time. Inspired, he realized that perseverance even at a slow pace could benefit him in his education. He returned to his exasperated brother, who placed him in a cell (perhaps a monastery?) to finish studies & keep him from running away again (which he did not). Isidore discovered that he had a love of learning & went on to become a great teacher. Isidore started seminaries all over Spain. These sem...

From a young age, Blessed Jeanne Marie de Maille cherished a tender love for the Blessed Mother. She practiced acts of charity, prayer, and mortification as a means to attain perfection. Her father, a wealthy baron of Maille, died when Jeanne was just fifteen, leaving her under the guardianship of her grandfather. Already advanced in years, her grandfather saw fit to have her married, choosing as her husband the Baron Robert de Silly. Both remained chaste throughout their marriage and ordered their household in Christian fashion.  Later, when war broke out in England, the Baron was captured. Jeanne sold all of their possessions hoping to raise enough for his ransom. However, the Baron died shortly after obtaining freedom. Left with nothing, Jeanne withdrew from the world, embracing complete poverty. Devoting herself to prayer and care for the sick, Jeanne offered her life especially for priests and the universal Church. She moved into a small room near the Fransciscan church of Tou...

                Born on August 11, 1888, Blessed Miguel Gomez Loza spent his early years tending to livestock and agricultural duties with his brother. He actively participated in Church activities and fostered a tender love for God and the Blessed Virgin. In 1912, he entered seminary, but finding he did not have a priestly vocation, Miguel decided to study law. In 1916 he began at the Catholic School of Law and later completed his studies at the Guadalajara School of Jurisprudence. In 1922 he married Maria Guadalupe Sanchez Barragan, and the couple conceived three children.  Throughout his life, Miguel partook in Catholic action, which included participating in the founding of multiple organizations, such as the Catholic Association of Mexican Youth and the National Catholic Party. He also joined the National League for the Defense of Religious Freedom. However, when religious conflict grew worse as Plutarco Elias Calles came into power...

Jan Adalbert Balicki was born on January 25, 1869, in what is now known as the district of Rzeszow, Poland. During his childhood he attended the schools of Rzeszow and was given a sound education. In 1888, he entered seminary and was ordained four years later on July 20, 1892. Soon after his first assignment as an assistant pastor in Polna, Jan was sent to the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome to continue his formation. Being a man of prayer, Jan spent his four years there by deeply applying himself to his studies and approaching everything with a spiritual perspective, which would serve to furnish his priestly office and prepare him to live out his vocation. Jan especially appreciated the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, and would often take what he had learned to prayer. After completing his studies, Jan was sent to the diocesan Seminary of Przemysl, where he was assigned as professor of dogmatic theology. As professor, Jan taught through meditations on the mysteries of God and hel...

St. Colette was born on January 13, 1381. After her parents death, she was left to the care of a Benedictine abbot. Although the abbot wished her to marry, Colette felt drawn to religious life, although was unsuccessful in her first attempts with the Beguines and the Benedictines. In 1402, she became a Third Order Franciscan and a hermit, living this ascetic way of life for four years. Breaking the silence of her solitude, she received visions of St. Francis of Assisi. The Saint ordered Colette to restore the Rule of St. Clare, which had relaxed from its original severity. When Colette hesitated, she was struck mute and blind for a time. Taking this as a sign, Colette took action. Lacking the authority to explain her mission, Colette ventured to Nice, where she sought the approval of the schismatic Benedict XIII, who was recognized as the pope by the French. Once he had professed her a Poor Clare, Colette was able to begin her reform with his word behind her, which allowed her to accom...

Blessed Vicente Vilar David was the youngest of eight children born June 28, 1889 in Valencia, Spain to devote Catholic parents. As owner of a ceramics factory, he conducted his business with charity, compassion, & justice...an example that his strong faith could extend beyond family & church. He treated his employees as friends & offered assistance when they needed any. His wife of 33 years, Isabella Rhodes Reig shared his faith & ideals. Together they performed works of charity & took part in parish activities.  Bl. Vicente was bold, outspoken in his views against the Spanish Civil War of 1936. Despite many threats & warnings, he continued to offer protection to many priests & religious being persecuted. Upon his arrest, he was given an opportunity to deny his religious beliefs to save his life. However, he stood firm in his faith, even to the point of forgiving his persecutors before they shot him. He died February 14, 1937.  A testament to his l...

Blessed Pius IX was born May 13, 1792 in Senigallia, Italy to Count Girolamo Mastai-Ferretti & Countess Caterina Solazzi. His given name at birth was Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti.  Bl. Pius IX was ordained a priest in 1819 & vowed only to be of service to the Church, not wanting any special honors due to his noble upbringing. And serve the church, he did! In 1825, he became Archbishop of Spoleto & in 1840, received the Cardinal's hat. On June 16, 1846, he was elected Pope & took the name Pius IX. Throughout his pontificate, Pope Pius IX did the following (among many other things): * 1854 - defined the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the dogma of the Church which decrees that Mary was conceived without Original Sin * granted permission to the Redemptorist priests to move the Byzantine icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help to their church in San Alfonso, encouraging them to make Her known worldwide * 1864 - convened the First Vatican Council, from which came the decre...