A Holy Priest

Today is the memorial of Blessed Edouard Poppe, priest (1890-1924). The approach of The Year of the Priest makes the example of his short life particularly compelling. Born into a Belgian working family -- his father was a baker -- on December 18, 1890, the young Edouard heard Jesus calling him to the priesthood at an early age. In my own experience, this is not unusual. I have known priests who admit that they were first aware of their vocation between the ages of 3 and 7!

Children and the Eucharist

Ordained a priest on May 1, 1916, Edouard was assigned to a working class parish in Gand. Creative and enterprising, he devoted himself to the education of children in the faith. More than anything else, he worked to bring children to the Most Holy Eucharist, and the Most Holy Eucharist to children.

A More Hidden Life

At the close of World War I, Edouard's chronic poor health caused him to be named chaplain to the Sisters of Charity at Moerzeke, and to the residents of their home for the aged poor, sick, and orphans. Another priest shared his home at Moerzeke; they lived in a holy friendship, sharing the same ...

St. John Berchmans is known as the patron saint of altar boys.

John was the eldest son of a shoemaker. He was born on March 13, 1599 in Driest, Brabant, Belgium, one of five children. John was a devout child who loved serving as an altar boy. When he was young, John’s mother was in poor health so he spent much of his time helping her. From the age of 13, he wanted to be a priest. After his mother’s death, John’s father and 2 brothers entered religious life and his father was later ordained a priest.

When he was only 16, John entered the Jesuit novitiate in imitation of St Aloysius Gonzaga, whose life inspired him. He was as student at the Jesuit College at Malines. He then went on to study philosophy in Rome.

In a dream, John saw himself helping and teaching migrants from various countries. He went on to study the major languages of Europe to prepare for this task. His desire was to work in China as a missionary.

After attending a debate at a nearby seminary, John became unexpectedly ill with a high fever and died. He was holding ...

In this Year for Priests, we are reflecting on not only the lives of some priests but also the lives of those who in a special way support or help priests. Blessed Marie de Jesus is one such person who lived her life as a sacrifice for priests.

In the December 7, 2007 letter from the Congregation for the Clergy entitled “Adoration, Reparation and Spiritual Motherhood for Priests,” Mother Marie is one of the models of holiness who was held up as an example of spiritual motherhood. Consecrated women, like those of Mother Marie’s order, have dedicated themselves to pray and sacrifice for priests.

Mother Marie wrote: “To offer yourself for souls is beautiful and great… but to offer yourself for the souls of priests is so beautiful, so great, that you would have to have a thousand lives and offer your heart a thousand times… I would gladly give my life if only Christ could find in priests what he is expecting from them. I would gladly give it even if just one of them could perfectly realize God’s divine plan for him!”

Little Marie was born to upper middle class parents on May ...

When little John Wolflin was born in Pomuk, Bohemia around 1340, no one knew what God had in store for his life. As a young child, John became very, very ill and he was in danger of death. When, through the prayers of his devout parents, he was cured, they consecrated him to God’s service as an act of thanksgiving.

When he became a priest, he was sent to Prague to serve at the parish of St. Gall. The area where he lived and served is now the modern day Czech Republic. He continued serving at the parish while working on his doctorate in jurisprudence at the University of Prague. He became well known as a great preacher who converted thousands of people. He inspired many to change their lives.

When he became the vicar-general of Prague, he left parish life at St. Gall, but he continued to preach at the cathedral. He declined to take the position of bishop even though he was offered the opportunity. He did become the priest to the court of King Wenceslaus IV (not the one from the Christmas carol --- that is King Wenceslaus I). At court, he ...

The saint of this month is a spiritual giant who emphasized priestly zeal and virtue as well as the devout and precise practice of the ceremonies of the liturgy. St. Cajetan understood that the piety, fervor and devotion of the clergy would form the foundation of a great renewal in the Church. In the Angelus Message on August 2, 2009, at the beginning of the Year for Priests, Pope Benedict XVI mentioned St. Cajetan in his address: “Dear brothers and sisters, the Year for Priests that we are celebrating is a precious opportunity to deepen our knowledge of the value of the mission of priests in the Church and in the world. In this regard, useful ideas for reflection can be found in remembering the saints whom the Church holds up to us daily. In these first days of the month of August, for example, we commemorate some who are real models of spirituality and priestly devotion… On August 7, we will celebrate St. Cajetan of Thiene, who used to repeat that 'not with sentimental love, but with the love of the facts souls are purified'.”

In October 1480, Cajetan was born to a Venetian ...

St. Charles Borromeo Feast Day: November 4 St. Charles Borromeo was a son of wealthy parents: Count Gilbert II Borromeo and Margherita de Medici whose brother was Pope Pius IV. Charles was born at the family castle, which was located on Lake Maggiore in Italy. He was the third of six children. He was known to have suffered with a speech impediment. When he was only 12 years old, he received the clerical tonsure at the Benedictine Abbey of Sts. Gratian and Felinus at Arona where he went for his education. He went on to become both a civil and canon lawyer by the time he was 21.

In 1560, a year after Pope Pius IV, Charles’ uncle, was elected as pope, Charles was appointed as his Secretary of State and was made a cardinal at the age of 22. From that point, Charles became the administrator of Milan. He was not yet a priest but held a clerical role. Charles was instrumental in reconvening the Council of Trent, which had been suspended since 1552. Charles lead the way in forming the decrees of the last session of the Council through his letters and ...

One of the most well-known and heroic mothers in the history of the Church is St. Monica who lived in the 4th Century. Monica was raised in a Christian family in Tagaste, a small town in North Africa, in what is now Algeria. A marriage was arranged for her with a pagan official named Patricius, who was much older than Monica. Her marriage was difficult not only because Patricius despised Monica’s pious practices and had a hot temper but he was also unfaithful in their marriage. Patricius’ mother lived with the couple and she was also difficult for Monica to deal with because she was much like her son. Through Monica’s patience and prayers, both Patricius and his mother eventually converted to the Catholic Faith in 370.

Together, Monica and Patricius had three children: Augustine, Navigatus, and Perpetua. Although Patricius would not allow Monica to have their children baptized, she did her best to raise them in the Faith. Navigatus and Perpetua were fine children and grew into faithful adults, but Augustine was another problem.

Augustine had a rebellious heart and a strong mind and he was notoriously lazy. Monica recognized the intellectual and ...

There are some saints whom most of us assume that we know very well because their names are so familiar but whom we rarely focus on as individuals. The saints of the New Testament in particular are often overlooked for special attention because they are so commonly known through their stories. Not only that but because they are so ancient, their lives seem so disconnected from our modern lives. And especially when it comes to the apostles who are often lumped together into one group of men, we don’t stop to think of them as individuals unless we have one of them as a personal or parish patron.

For the Year of the Priest, we are going to reflect on one of the first priests of the New Covenant; a man who is a prototype of the priesthood from its earliest days: St. John the Beloved. He is known to many as the author of the fourth and last written Gospel as well as three letters in the New Testament. He also wrote The Book of Revelation (The Apocalypse) while he was in exile on the island of Patmos off the coast of Turkey. ...

St. Barnabas, though not one of the twelve Apostles, was almost equal in their importance to the early Christian Church. He was considered in his time as an equal of St. Paul. Born of Jewish parents into the tribe of Levi, he was originally named Joseph, and he was a relative of St. Mark the Evangelist. He most likely converted to Christianity in the wave of conversions after Pentecost. Upon his conversion, he immediately became a devoted and zealous member, selling all of his property and making the spread of the Gospel the main focus of his life. His zeal soon made him a man of great importance in the early Church, and his fellow Christians called him "Barnabas," which can be translated as "son of exhortation."

He met St. Paul shortly after the latter's conversion. Barnabas defended Paul to the other disciples in Jerusalem, who doubted Paul's sincerity. For several years, Barnabas continued to preach the Gospel to the Jewish people, but then he began to hear of others preaching to the Gentiles. He realized how important this opportunity was, and remembering Paul's zeal he called for his fellow convert's assistance. Together, they most likely did more than any ...

Bl. Damien was born in Belgium in 1840 with the name of Joseph de Veuster. Joseph’s father was a farmer and merchant and since Joseph’s older brother had entered religious life it was expected that Joseph would take over the family business. His father sent him to college to learn business, but Joseph attended a retreat that led to a religious vocation. He entered the Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in 1858. He was sent to Hawaii in 1864.

In Hawaii he worked with great zeal for the salvation of souls, and the comfort of the poor and sick. When he found that all the lepers in the Islands were sent to the island of Molokai to live without spiritual or medical aid he obtained permission to go to their assistance. On May 10th, 1873 he arrived on the island and became priest and doctor to the lepers.

Damien lived and worked among the lepers tirelessly even after he contracted the disease himself in 1885. On March 28, 1889 he became incapacitated with his illness and died on April 15.

It is interesting that currently his feast is celebrated on ...

Most of us are familiar with the story of St. Patrick. He was a 5th century priest and bishop, who started life as a wealthy boy on the coast of either Britain or Scotland. He was captured by Gaelic pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. He found this country steeped in pagan Druidism. His duties as a shepherd allowed him much time for prayer. He found that he could pray both day and night while he was a shepherd for his master. After six years in slavery an angel told him to make his escape.

His slavery had worked many changes in him. He was filled with holy zeal and attended seminary in Tours, France. He became a priest and assisted St. Germaine for 18 years. Patrick was made a bishop and commissioned by Pope Celestine to return to Ireland to convert the Irish people. He was fluent in the Gaelic language and was able to preach to the people in their own tongue. Many, but not all received him joyfully.

On Holy Saturday in the year 433 he lit a Paschal fire in defiance of the druidic law, which required all ...

St. Francis Xavier was a wonderful missionary Saint who traveled all over Asia. In 1549 he traveled to Japan and his teaching was so effective that, by the 1590’s, there were over 200,000 Catholics in Japan. Unfortunately, the military leader of Japan wanted power and felt that the Christians were a threat to his plans. In 1587 he seized power and banished all Christians from Japan. Some missionary priests stayed, and kept themselves hidden by dressing like Japanese people. In December of 1596, 26 men were arrested at Miako. They were sentenced to death, tortured, and forced to march 300 miles to Nagasaki. The youngest was just 10 years old! Paul Miki was one of these brave martyrs. He was a Jesuit brother, a native of Japan, and was considered a brilliant preacher.

“The sentence of judgment says these men came to Japan from the Philippines, but I did not come from any other country. I am a true Japanese. The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ. I certainly did teach the doctrine of Christ. I thank God it is for this reason I die. I ...

Marguerite Bourgeoys was born in 1620 in Troyes, France. She was the sixth of twelve children in a wealthy merchant family. When she was twenty, Marguerite felt a strong call from Our Lady to the religious life. She responded to this call with an eagerness to do God’s will that would mark her actions throughout her life. Marguerite immediately joined a charitable association dedicated to teaching the children of poor families. Soon after, she learned of a mission in the colony of Montreal, Canada, called the Ville Marie. Again the Blessed Virgin directed her, this time toward missionary work. Marguerite divided her inheritance between her siblings, and set out for Montreal in 1653.

Upon arriving, Marguerite worked tirelessly for the colony’s best interest. She did so much for Montreal’s success that she became known as a co-foundress and the “mother of the colony.” She especially focused on teaching young women who would eventually run households, knowing that the best way to strengthen the community was through strong families. Four years after arriving, she started a school, and began recruiting other women from France to help her teach. Soon these women began to form ...

b: 1521 d: 1597

In 1565, the Vatican was looking for a secret agent. It was shortly after the Council of Trent and the pope wanted to get the decrees of the Council to all the European bishops. What would be a simple errand in our day, was a dangerous assignment in the sixteenth century. The first envoy who tried to carry the decrees through territory of hostile Protestants and vicious thieves was robbed of the precious documents. Rome needed someone courageous but also someone above suspicion. They chose Peter Canisius. At 43 he was a well-known Jesuit who had founded colleges that even Protestants respected. They gave him a cover as official "visitor" of Jesuit foundations. But Peter couldn't hide the decrees like our modern fictional spies with their microfilmed messages in collar buttons or cans of shaving cream. Peter traveled from Rome and crisscrossed Germany successfully loaded down with the Tridentine tomes -- 250 pages each -- not to mention the three sacks of books he took along for his own university!

Why did the Vatican choose Peter Canisius for this delicate task?

...

St. Andrew is one of the 117 martyrs of the faith in Vietnam. Andrew was born in 1795 in Northern Vietnam in the town of Bac-Ninh. When he was older the family moved to Hanoi. In Hanoi he was assisted and educated in the Catholic faith by a catechist.

Eventually Andrew became a priest and and converted many by his simple life and holiness. He was arrested for teaching the faith on more than one occasion and finally was tortured and beheaded in 1839.

In addition to St Andrew Dung-Lac there were 116 other martyrs to the faith in Vietnam between 1820 and 1862. 96 of these martyrs were Vietnamese by birth, and the rest were missionaries from Spain and France. Vietnam became a territory of France in 1858, and by 1862 persecutions of Christians had ended. The martyrs were beatified in four different groups between 1900 and 1951. They were all canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

We can see that the witness of willing missionaries had a powerful impact on the people of Vietnam. Jesuits from Portugal first evangelized in Vietnam in 1615. There they ministered not only to the Vietnamese people, but also ...

Patron of Doctors and Surgeons

St. Luke was a Greek convert to the new Christian faith. He was a friend of St. Paul and was with him on parts of his 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys. Ancient tradition holds that he was a physician and a painter. His descriptions in his Gospel and Acts of the Apostles are certainly full of beautiful imagery. He is often shown in works of art with a bull or a calf.

St. Luke’s knowledge of the islands and countries of the Mediterranean implies that he traveled a great deal. He tells a riveting story of being shipwrecked off Malta in the Acts of the Apostles. It is possible to trace St. Paul’s journeys through St. Luke’s writings.

He was a faithful friend who stayed with St. Paul throughout his imprisonment in Rome. Paul says of him, “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you and so do Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers” (Philemon 24) and again ...

St. Peter Claver was born in Spain in 1580. He attended the University of Barcelona and when he was 20 entered the Jesuit Novitiate. In 1605 the door keeper at the college in Majorca learned mystically that Peter was to be a missionary. He constantly urged Peter to go to the Spanish Territories in America.

When Peter arrived in Cartagena, Columbia he found that the horrible practice of slavery was everywhere. Pope Paul V repeatedly censured this practice, but as a missionary Peter couldn’t stop it. His efforts were concentrated on helping the poor slaves, both physically and spiritually.

The slaves would arrive at the slave market terrified, naked and sick. When they arrived St. Peter would move among them, bringing them food and medicines. He always tried to bring them as much comfort as he could, and said, “We must speak to them with our hands by giving, before we try to speak to them with our lips.” After the immediate physical needs of the slaves had been seen to, he would speak to them about the love of Christ and the importance of Baptism. He worked in the slave markets for 40 years and baptized over ...

Miguel Jose Serra was born on the island of Majorca on November 24, 1713, and took the name of Junipero when in 1730, he entered the Franciscan Order. Ordained in 1737, he taught philosophy and theology at the University of Padua until 1749.

At the age of thirty-seven, he landed in Mexico City on January 1, 1750, and spent the rest of his life working for the conversion of the peoples of the New World.

In 1768, Father Serra took over the missions of the Jesuits (who had been wrongly expelled by the government)in the Mexican province of Lower California and Upper California (modern day California). An indefatigable worker, Serra was in large part responsible for the foundation and spread of the Church on the West Coast of the United States when it was still mission territory.

He founded twenty-one missions and converted thousands of Indians. The converts were taught sound methods of agriculture, cattle raising, and arts and crafts.

Junipero was a dedicated religious and missionary. He was imbued with a penitential spirit and practiced austerity in sleep, eating, and other activities. On August 28, 1784, worn out by his apostolic labors, Father Serra was called to his eternal ...

Apostle of Franconia and martyr, born about 640 of noble parents probably in Ireland (according to others in Scotland though Scottica tellus, as it is called by the elder "Passio", may also in medieval times have meant Ireland. The later "Passio" says: "Scotia quæ et Hibernia dicitur"); died 8 July, probably in 689.

He was distinguished from his youth for his piety and love of study, and, according to the later "Passio", embraced the monastic life. Trithemius and later writers say that he was a monk in the celebrated monastery of Hy: that he was later the abbot of this monastery is also held by Trithemius; however, that, a supposition, cannot be proved. The statement in the older "Passio" that Kilian was raised to the purple before leaving his native land may be accepted as trustworthy, although the later "Passio" refers this event to his sojourn in Rome. In accordance with the custom then prevailing in the Irish Church, he was assigned to no particular diocese, but was district bishop or travelling bishop.

One day he made up his mind to be a missionary, left his native country with eleven companions, travelled through Gaul, thence across the Rhine, and finally ...

On April 18, 1841, a band of native warriors entered the hut of Father Peter Chanel on the island of Futuna in the New Hebrides islands near New Zealand. They clubbed the missionary to death and cut up his body with hatchets. Two years later, the whole island was Catholic.

St. Peter Chanel's death bears witness to the ancient axiom that "the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians." He is the first martyr from Oceania, that part of the world spread over the south Pacific, and he came there as the fulfillment of a dream he had had as a boy.

Peter was born in 1803 in the diocese of Belley, France. At the age of seven, he was a shepherd boy, but the local parish priest, recognizing something unusual in the boy, convinced his parents to let him study, in a little school the priest had started. From there Peter went on to the seminary, where it was said of him: "He had a heart of gold with the simple faith of a child, and he led the life of an angel."

He was ordained a priest and assigned to a parish at Crozet. In three ...

John Ogilvie's noble Scottish family was partly Catholic and partly Presbyterian. His father raised him as a Calvinist, sending him to the continent to be educated. There John became interested in the popular debates going on between Catholic and Calvinist scholars. Confused by the arguments of Catholic scholars whom he sought out, he turned to Scripture. Two texts particularly struck him: "God wills all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth," and "Come to me all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you."

Slowly, John came to see that the Catholic Church could embrace all kinds of people. Among these, he noted, were many martyrs. He decided to become Catholic and was received into the Church at Louvain, Belgium, in 1596 at the age of 17.

John continued his studies, first with the Benedictines, then as a student at the Jesuit College at Olmutz. He joined the Jesuits and for the next 10 years underwent their rigorous intellectual and spiritual training. Ordained a priest in France in 1610, he met two Jesuits who had just returned from Scotland after suffering arrest and imprisonment. They saw little hope ...

Francis Regis Clet, the tenth of 15 children, was born into a farm family in Grenoble in the southwest corner of Francis in 1748 and was named for the recently canonized fellow-Grenoblian, Jesuit Jean Francois Regis. After completing studies at the Royal College (founded by the Jesuits), he followed his elder brother and sister into vowed religious life. In Lyons in 1769, he entered the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians). After ordination, Francis served as professor of moral theology at the Vincentian seminary in Annecy where he was affectionately called "the walking library" because of his encyclopedic knowledge and academic discipline. In 1786, he became Rector of Annecy and two years later, Director of Novices in Paris.

Francis Regis petitioned to go to China as a missionary several times, but his superiors did not accede to his request until 1791. At the age of 43, he replaced another priest who had to withdraw from the assignment at the last minute. A confrere, in writing about Clet's assignment to China, noted: "He has everything you could ask for: holiness, learning, health and charm."

After a six month sea journey from France and some transition time in Macao, which included assuming ...

Timothy (d. 97?): What we know from the New Testament of Timothy’s life makes it sound like that of a modern harried bishop. He had the honor of being a fellow apostle with Paul, both sharing the privilege of preaching the gospel and suffering for it.

Timothy had a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Being the product of a “mixed” marriage, he was considered illegitimate by the Jews. It was his grandmother, Lois, who first became Christian. Timothy was a convert of Paul around the year 47 and later joined him in his apostolic work. He was with Paul at the founding of the Church in Corinth. During the 15 years he worked with Paul, he became one of his most faithful and trusted friends. He was sent on difficult missions by Paul—often in the face of great disturbance in local Churches which Paul had founded.

Timothy was with Paul in Rome during the latter’s house arrest. At some period Timothy himself was in prison (Hebrews 13:23). Paul installed him as his representative at the Church of Ephesus.

Timothy was comparatively young for the work he was doing. (“Let no one have contempt for your ...

Francis Xavier was born on April 7th, 1506, in the Spanish kingdom of Navarre; and his native language, like that of Ignatius Loyola, whose devoted disciple he was to become, was Basque. He inherited the proud and passionate temperament of his race and could show himself both fiery and autocratic even to the end of his life. As a boy he was ambitious and fond of sport, but he had a largeness of heart and generosity of nature which made him capable, once he had been converted, of heroic love and endurance.

His first encounter with Ignatius took place at the University of Paris, where Francis went at the age of nineteen. Ignatius was much the elder man, and it took him some time to win Francis from his worldly ambitions. But eventually Francis capitulated and gave himself with his whole soul to the new life which the Exercises of Ignatius opened up to him. He became one of the first members of the Society of Jesus and made his vows with Ignatius and five others on August 15th, 1534, and was finally ordained priest on June 24th, 1537.

The first object of Ignatius and his companions had ...

St Frances-Xavier (Maria Francesca) Cabrini was born on July 15th, 1850, in the old Lombard town of Santangelo. She was the youngest of an exemplary Catholic family, although her father's cousin, Agostino Depretis, was an enthusiast for Mazzini, a prominent anti-clerical, and subsequently prime minister of the new Italian government.

Although a delicate, shy child, she was very intelligent, hard-working, obedient, yet with an iron will and precociously devout, given to prayer, and from very early years an enthusiast for the foreign missions, above all those in China. This inclination needs stressing in view of her later career, for until ordered by Leo XIII to labor elsewhere her life's resolve and ideal was to enter some religious institute with convents in the far east.

She was educated by the Daughters of the Sacred Heart and, being destined for the teaching profession, obtained the certificates required by the government; but her earlier life seemed a series of frustrations.

Soon after qualifying, she lost both parents within a year. At the request of the priest of a neighboring town, she taught successfully in the local school, besides doing fine apostolic work, but, feeling that as regards her vocation she was wasting time, ...

Daniel Comboni: the son of poor gardeners who became the first Catholic Bishop of Central Africa, and one of the great missionaries in the Church's history.

It is a fact. When God decides to take a hand and select a generous and open-hearted individual, things happen: great, new things.

An “only child” - with holy parents

Daniel Comboni is born at Limone sul Garda (Brescia - Italy) on 15th, March 1831, into a family of cultivators employed by one of the rich local proprietors. Luigi and Domenica, the parents, are very attached to Daniel: he is the fourth of eight children, but the only survivor: all the others die young, six of them in their infancy. So they form a very close unit, rich in faith and human values, but poor in material things. It is this poverty that forces Daniel to go away to school in Verona, in the Institute founded by Father Nicola Mazza. During the years spent in Verona, Daniel discovers his calling to the priesthood, completes his studies of Philosophy and Theology and, above all, is entranced by the mission of Central Africa, drawn by the descriptions of the missionaries who return from there to ...

At his coronation as king of France, Louis bound himself by oath to behave as God’s anointed, as the father of his people and feudal lord of the King of Peace. Other kings had done the same, of course. Louis was different in that he actually interpreted his kingly duties in the light of faith. After the violence of two previous reigns, he brought peace and justice.

He was crowned king at 12, at his father’s death. His mother, Blanche of Castile, ruled during his minority. When he was 19, (and his bride 12) he was married to Marguerite of Provence. It was a loving marriage, though was not without challenge. They had 10 children.

Louis “took the cross” for a Crusade when he was 30. His army took Damietta on the Nile but not long after, weakened by dysentery and without support, they were surrounded and captured. Louis obtained the release of the army by giving up the city of Damietta in addition to paying a ransom. He stayed in Syria four years.

He deserves credit for extending justice in civil administration. He drew up regulations for his officials which became the first of a series of reform laws. ...