In the Opening Prayer on March 7 we pray, “Father, your love gave the saints Perpetua and Felicity courage to suffer a cruel martyrdom. By their prayers, help us to grow in love of you” (Sacramentary).
John of God knew that many poor people could not take care of themselves. Often if poor people got sick, no one helped them get better. John thought that animals were taken care of better than these poor and sick people. He decided to do something about it. Today he is the patron saint of the sick, nurses, and hospitals.
Catherine was born in 1413 in Bologna, Italy. Her father was an important government official who worked for the Marquis of Ferrara, a member of the royal family. When she was 11, Catherine was invited to live in the palace to be a companion to the marquis’ daughter, Margaret. It was a wonderful opportunity for Catherine. She and Margaret were educated together by a private tutor. Catherine especially enjoyed the art lessons she and Margaret were given. Catherine discovered that God had blessed her with a talent for drawing.
Sophronius was a monk who lived from 560 to 639. He did not stay in one monastery, as many monks of his time did. Instead he lived his life of prayer, fasting, and sacrifice first in the desert of Egypt, then near the Jordan River, in Rome, and finally in Jerusalem.
Matilda was from a royal family in Denmark and was raised by her grandmother, who was an abbess in a convent. Matilda became Queen of Germany when she married King Henry I. As queen, she put her faith into action.
Louise was born into a wealthy French family in 1591, but all the money in the world could not stop sadness from touching her life. Her mother died when was young and her father died when she was a teenager. She was raised by her aunt, a nun, and Louise felt called to religious life, but she was discouraged from it. Instead, her priest arranged for Louise to marry a young man named Antoine LeGras, who could provide her with a comfortable life.
An apostle leaves home and country, family and friends, to preach the good news of God’s love. God uses the apostle to reach out to pagans who believe in many gods. They do not know the beauty and goodness of the one true God. The apostle Patrick brought the great good news of the Christian God to the Irish.
The Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John tell us everything we know about Joseph, the husband of Jesus’ mother, Mary. But the importance of Joseph’s part in God’s plan is first found in the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. Through the prophet Isaiah, God promises to send a Messiah to save all people. The Savior will come from the “house of David,” which means that he will be an ancestor of King David. Both Matthew and Luke Gospels tell us that Joseph was from the family of David.
Imagine how your life would change if you had to move to an unknown land more than 6,000 miles away! That’s what happened to Turibius of Mogrovejo, born in 1538.
Rafqa was born in Lebanon in 1832. She was an only child. Her mother died when Rafqa was seven years old, and her father sent his daughter to work as a servant in a private home when she was 11 years old.