Anyone who has worked in loneliness, with great adaptation required and with little apparent success, will find a kindred spirit in Peter Chanel.

As a young priest he revived a parish in a "bad" district by the simple method of showing great devotion to the sick. Wanting to be a missionary, ...

Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts 14:21-27 | Revelation 21:1-5 | Psalm 145:8-13 | John 13:31-35

"As My love has been for you, so must your love be for each other." —John 13:34

Judas had just left the upper room to betray Jesus (Jn 13:31). Jesus knew He would be dead in a matter of hours. He said to His apostles: "My children, I am not to be with you much longer" (Jn 13:33). Then Jesus gave us the new commandment, to ... More

Louis's life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother of the Church. Totus tuus (completely yours) was Louis's personal motto; Karol Wojtyla (Blessed John Paul II, October 22) chose it as his episcopal motto.

Born in the Breton village of Montfort, ...

Acts 13:44-52 | Psalm 98:1-4 | John 14:7-14

"The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit." —Acts 13:52, our transl.

Jesus promised that we who believe in Him can do even greater things than He did (Jn 14:12). We have such power because whatever we ask in Jesus' name will be given us (Jn 14:14). We can pray in Jesus' name, that is, we can know and want His ... More

Central America claimed its first saint with the canonization of Pedro de San José Betancur by Pope John Paul II in Guatemala City on July 30, 2002. 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 ...

Acts 13:26-33 | Psalm 2:6-11 | John 14:1-6

"In My Father's house there are many dwelling places; otherwise, how could I have told you that I was going to prepare a place for you?" —John 14:2-3

The Lord created human beings as creatures of place. We want a place in life, a place to live, job placement, even a place at table. We don't want to feel out-of-place. We also want a place in church. Some people even come early to church to get ... More

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 ...

St. Mark
1 Peter 5:5-14 | Psalm 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17 | Mark 16:15-20

"The church that is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greeting, as does Mark my son." —1 Peter 5:13

Mark (John Mark) quit the first missionary journey in the history of the Christian people (Acts 13:13). In retrospect, this journey turned out to be one of the greatest events in history, and Mark made the horrendous mistake of quitting. ... More

If a poor man needed some clothing, Fidelis would often give the man the clothes right off his back. Complete generosity to others characterized this saint's life.

Born in 1577, Mark Rey (Fidelis was his religious name) became a lawyer who constantly upheld the causes of the poor and oppressed people. ...

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen
Acts 12:24—13:5 | Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8 | John 12:44-50

"Whoever rejects Me and does not accept My words already has His judge, namely, the word I have spoken." —John 12:48

We are saved by grace through faith in Christ (Eph 2:8). "Faith comes through hearing, and hearing comes by the word of God" (Rm 10:17, our transl.). Therefore, St. Jerome rightly said: "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ" ... More

If Mary Magdalene was the victim of misunderstanding, George is the object of a vast amount of imagination. There is every reason to believe that he was a real martyr who suffered at Lydda in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine. The Church adheres to his memory, but not to ...

St. George, St. Adalbert
Acts 11:19-26 | Psalm 87:1-7 | John 10:22-30

"It was in Antioch that the disciples were called Christians for the first time." —Acts 11:26

The first time "Christian" was used to describe Jesus' followers, it meant all of the following:

• those who believed in "the good news of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 11:20-21),
• those "converted to the Lord" (Acts 11:21),
• those ... More

Opposition to the Good News of Jesus did not discourage Adalbert, who is now remembered with great honor in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Germany.

Born to a noble family in Bohemia, he received part of his education from St. Adalbert of Magdeburg. At the age of 27 he was ...

Acts 11:1-18 | Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4 | John 10:1-10

"My solemn word is this: I am the Sheepgate." —John 10:7

Jesus is the Founder, Head, and Gate of the Church. If a person does not enter the Church through Jesus but climbs in some other way, that person will tend to be "a thief and a marauder" (Jn 10:1). For example, if a person entered into ... More

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 ...

Fourth Sunday of Easter
Acts 13:14, 43-52 | Revelation 7:9, 14-17 | Psalm 100:1-3, 5 | John 10:27-30

"The two shook the dust from their feet in protest and went on to Iconium. The disciples could not but be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit." —Acts 13:51-52

After Jesus originally spoke the words of today's Gospel reading, the hearers' reaction was violent hostility. They "again reached for rocks to stone Him" (Jn 10:31). We don't react in this same way because we're not Jews and so Jesus' claims ... More

Conrad spent most of his life as porter in Altoetting, Bavaria, letting people into the friary and indirectly encouraging them to let God into their lives.

His parents, Bartholomew and Gertrude Birndorfer, lived near Parzham, Bavaria. In those days this region was recovering from the Napoleonic wars. A lover of solitary prayer ...

Acts 9:31-42 | Psalm 116:12-17 | John 6:60-69

"How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for me? The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the Lord." —Psalm 116:12-13

Many of Jesus' disciples refused to put up with or to take seriously His teaching on the Eucharist (Jn 6:60). With their faith in Jesus shaken, they murmured in protest, left Jesus' company, and went back to their old lives (Jn 6:61, 66). The ... More

Luchesio and his wife Buonadonna wanted to follow St. Francis as a married couple. Thus they set in motion the Secular Franciscan Order.

Luchesio and Buonadonna lived in Poggibonzi where he was a greedy merchant. Meeting Francis—probably in 1213—changed his life. He began to perform many works of charity.

At first Buonadonna was ...

Acts 9:1-20 | Psalm 117:1-2 | John 6:52-59

"I have been sent by the Lord Jesus Who appeared to you on the way here, to help you recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." —Acts 9:17

Jesus wants all to be saved (1 Tm 2:4). He wants this so much that He:

• hung on the cross, shed His blood, and died,
• gives us the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:8),
• founded the Church (Mt 16:18),
• will knock a person to the ... More