Lessons

St. Godfrey is a good example to us that our surroundings and those with whom we associate powerfully influence how we live our lives. St. Godfrey, having been raised in an abbey and thus surrounded by holy men, grew up to be a monk and an abbot who remained true to his faith and the disciplines of his vocation, and expected the same of others.

Prayer

St. Godfrey, help us to see the importance of having relationships with those who have centered their lives on God and are not only good examples to us, but supportive of us in our daily walk with Him. Amen.

Other Saints We Remember Today

Four Crowned Martyrs - Severus, Severian, Carpophorus, and Victorinus (306), Patrons of stonemasons, sculptors, and marble workers.

Throughout her life, this virgin remained devoted to prayer and was most obedient and charitable to all. After her father’s death, she cared for her mother as well as serving the poor and the Church. It delighted her to make sacred vestments, trim the lamps, and prepare wax and other things for the altar. She spent long hours in church, adoring God, praying to her divine Redeemer, and meditating on His life and passion.

She fasted twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Fridays, on bread and water only. She visited with her spiritual director frequently, walking barefoot over five miles to the monastery to see him.

So wonderful was her gift of tears, that she was seen often on her knees with tears streaming down her face out of love and joy. God performed many miracles in her favor, but out of humility she would avoid all recognition or praise from humans.

St. Maura died at age twenty-three. Her relics and name are honored in several churches in France and she is also mentioned in the Gallican Martyrology.

Other Saints We Remember Today

Saints Carina, Melasippus, and Antony (360), Martyrs

St. Willibrord (739), Bishop, Patron of Holland

St. Engelbert (1225), Archbishop, Martyr

Apparently the king believed that Leonard’s prayers had brought the queen and their child through a very difficult delivery safely. Leonard used the land awarded him by the king to build a monastery known as Noblac Monastery. This monastery grew into the town later known as Saint-Leonard.

Leonard remained there evangelizing the surrounding area until his death in 559.

He is the patron saint of captives.

After her husband, Gordian, died around 573, St. Sylvia decided to retire to a solitary and quasi-monastic life in a small abode near the Church of St. Sava on the Aventine. Gregory then converted his father’s home into a monastery. St. Sylvia often enjoyed sending her son Gregory fresh vegetables on a silver platter. One day when a poor beggar approached St. Gregory and he had nothing to give him, he presented him with the silver platter of vegetables.

St. Sylvia died sometime between 592 and 594 A.D. After her death, Pope Gregory, who was the holy Pontiff, had a picture of both of his parents put in the Church of St. Andrew. Much later, in the sixteenth century, Pope Clement VII had St. Sylvia inscribed in the Roman Martyrology. Her feast is November 3.

Other Saints We Remember Today

Saints Zachary and Elizabeth (1st Century), parents of John the Baptist

St. Bertilia (692), Virgin

In 1559 his uncle was elected Pope Pius IV and the following year, named Charles his secretary of state and created him a cardinal and administrator of the see of Milan. He served as Pius’s legate on numerous diplomatic missions and in 1562, was instrumental in having Pius reconvene the Council of Trent, which had been suspended in 1552.

Charles played a leading role in guiding and in fashioning the decrees of the third and last group of sessions. He refused the headship of the Borromeo family on the death of Count Frederick Borromeo, was ordained a priest in 1563, and was consecrated bishop of Milan the same year.

Before being allowed to take possession of his see, he oversaw the catechism, missal, and breviary called for by the Council of Trent. When he finally did arrive at Trent (which had been without a resident bishop for eighty years) in 1556, he instituted radical reforms despite great opposition, with such effectiveness that it became a model see. He put into effect measures to improve the morals and manners of the clergy and laity, raised the effectiveness of the diocesan operation, established seminaries for the education of the clergy, founded a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine for the religious instruction of children, and encouraged the Jesuits in his see.

He increased assistance to the poor and the needy, was most generous in his help to the English college at Douai, and during his bishopric held eleven diocesan synods and six provincial councils. He founded a society of secular priests, Oblates of St. Ambrose (now Oblates of St. Charles) in 1578, and was active in preaching, resisting the inroads of Protestantism, and bringing back lapsed Catholics to the Church. He encountered opposition from many sources in his efforts to reform people and institutions.

Other Saints We Remember Today

Saints Vitalis and Agricola (3rd Century), Martyrs

From early childhood Martin showed great piety, a deep love for all God’s creatures and a passionate devotion to Our Lady. At the age of eleven he took a job as a servant in the Dominican priory and performed the work with such devotion that he was called "the Saint of the broom." He was promoted to the job of almoner and soon was begging more than $2,000 a week from the rich. All that was begged was given to the poor and sick of Lima in the form of food, clothing, or medicine.

Martin was placed in charge of the Dominican’s infirmary where he became known for his tender care of the sick and for his spectacular cures. In recognition of his fame and his deep devotion, his superiors dropped the stipulation that "no black person may be received to the holy habit or profession of our order" and Martin was vested in the full habit and took the solemn vows as a Dominican brother.

As a Dominican brother he became more devout and more desirous to be of service. He established an orphanage and a children’s hospital for the poor children of the slums. He set up a shelter for stray cats and dogs and nursed them back to health.

Martin lived a life of self-imposed austerity. He never ate meat. He fasted continuously and spent much time in prayer and meditation. He was venerated from the day of his death.

Many miraculous cures — including the raising of the dead — were attributed to Brother Martin. Today, throughout South America, Central America, and the islands of the Caribbean, people tell of the miraculous powers of St. Martin de Porres.

A close friend of St. Rose of Lima, this saintly man died on November 3, 1639.

Other Saints We Remember Today

St. Malachy O’More (1148), Primate of Armagh, Ireland

Blessed Ida of Toggenburg (1226), Matron

In the Feast of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls, we solidify that belief. This is the union of the faithful on earth (the Church Militant), the saints in Heaven (the Church Triumphant) and the souls in Purgatory (the Church Suffering). This is the body of believers, with Christ as the head. We are united in a spiritual bond.

Through prayer we communicate, and since we never die, but live forever through the death and resurrection of Christ, we can still communicate with each other. As believers on earth, we can pray to our brethren who are in Heaven or Purgatory. Those in Purgatory benefit from our prayers, and we from theirs. They cannot pray for themselves, so we need to remember to pray for them. And we can ask those in Purgatory and those in Heaven to pray for us while we are on our earthly pilgrimage with our destination being Heaven.

The Feast of All Saints and All Souls has been lost to the secular celebration of Halloween, just as our Lord’s birth has been lost in the celebration of the coming of Santa Claus. Traditions that are not lived are soon forgotten.

Keep the feast days and give the saints the remembrance and honor they deserve. And remember that they surround us, cheering us on and always interceding for us.

Prayer

Thank you, dear brothers and sisters in Heaven, for your intercession for us. Please ask our Lord to grant us the graces we need to keep our eyes focused on the goal of Heaven and the courage to finish the race in faithfulness to Him. Amen.

The early Christians usually placed the body of the martyr who had died for his faith in a tomb that was easily accessible. Then on the anniversary of that martyr’s death, the faithful would come and pray and celebrate the Eucharist. Eventually, these celebrations were held in local churches to commemorate not just one martyr, but all who had given their lives for their faith. By the fifth century, this feast of "All Saints" was held on the Friday of Easter week.

However, in the ninth century, Pope Gregory the IV changed the date to November 1. Those Christians who endured torture for the faith, but did not die, were treated with great respect. Therefore, their local church often acclaimed those who led heroic and faithful lives as saints after their deaths.

The theology of this feast emphasizes the bond between those Christians already with God and those still on earth. Consequently, the Feast of All Saints points to our ultimate goal — eternity with God.

In 1484 Pope Sixtus IV established November 1 as a holy day of obligation. The vigil for this feast day was known as "All Hallow’s Eve," today called by its shorter version. Hallowed means holy (as in "hallowed be Thy name"). The abbreviated name for evening became "e’en" and this is where we get the name "Halloween."

Rather than concentrating on witches, ghosts, and goblins, let us think on those who have gone before us, having persevered in holiness and faithfulness, setting before us the way unto salvation of our souls. This is a time to celebrate their lives and give our children real heroes that they can look up to and pattern their lives after.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, anoint us with the oil of joyfulness in the midst of our sufferings and the gift of perseverance during persecution, that we may run the race of those saints who have gone before us, keeping our eyes on the crown of glory and eternity with You. Amen.

He then set out with a group of monks to preach among the Magyars of Hungary, but the following year (972) was named bishop of Regensburg by Emperor Otto II. As bishop, he distinguished himself brilliantly for his reforming zeal and his skills as a statesman. He brought the clergy of the diocese into his reforms, restored monasteries, promoted education, preached enthusiastically, and was renowned for his charity and aid to the poor, receiving the title Eleemosynarius Major (Grand Almoner).

He also served as tutor to Duke Henry of Bavaria’s son, who later became Emperor. Wolfgang died at Puppingen near Linz, Austria. He was canonized in 1052 by Pope St. Leo IX.

Lessons

Wolfgang joined his friend, Henry, in school in Wurzburg, and also went with him as a teacher in the cathedral school of Trier when Henry became the Archbishop there in the year 956.

Our associates help form our consciences. Wolfgang apparently kept good company as he and his friend, Henry, both were holy men who served our Lord.

Prayer

Lord, help us to follow in your footsteps just as your Apostles did, that we may be a good example to others. Grant us the graces we need to be good disciples and always lead our friends on the path to holiness.

Saint Wolfgang, pray for us. Amen.

Other Saints We Remember Today

St. Quentin (287), Martyr

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez was born in Segovia, Spain, on July 25, 1532 and died October 31, 1617. He was the son of a wealthy wool merchant who took over the family business after his father’s death.  He married Maria Suarez when he was 26. The couple had a daughter and two sons, but Alphonsus was a widower by the age 31 with only a three-year-old son still living. By the time he was 40, he suffered further loss with the death of his own mother and his son. These losses helped him recognize the Lord was calling him to a different vocation — religious life among the Jesuits, who had instructed him for a short time in his youth before his father died.

Because he lacked an education, the Jesuits initially turned Alphonsus away, twice. However, the Provincial finally accepted him, but as a lay brother rather than as a candidate for the priesthood because of his age and ill health.

Alphonsus began his term of probation at either Valencia or Gandia — and after six months was sent to the recently-founded college at Majorca, where he remained as a doorkeeper for forty-six years. He made his final vows at Majorca in 1585 at the age of 54.

St. Alphonsus is well-known for his saintly obedience to his superiors. In his obedience, he wrote many manuscripts, some of which have been published as “Obras Espirituales del B. Alonso Rodriguez” (Barcelona, 1885, 3 vols., octavo, complete edition, 8 vols. in quarto). His writings exhibit extraordinary correctness and soundness in doctrine, particularly in light of his limited education.

The position of doorkeeper afforded St. Alphonsus the opportunity to influence many, including St. Peter Claver, who was a student at Majorca. St. Alphonsus advised him to ask for the missions of South America. The two saints were canonized together in 1888 Pope Leo XIII. St. Alphonsus Rodriguez is the patron of Majorca where his remains are enshrined.

Other Saints We Remember Today

St. Marcellus the Centurion (309), Martyr