Saint Vincent de Paul had a clear plan for his life – ordained a priest at the age of 19, he was satisfied with a prestigious office in the Church and nothing more. What he didn’t expect was to be captured by pirates, sold into slavery, escape years later, found a religious order and become known as “The Apostle of Charity.” While his life didn’t play out the way he anticipated, Vincent de Paul served God faithfully, and allowed the Holy Spirit to work in his heart, change his aspirations, and direct his efforts to those that were most in need. His feast day is September 27th. St. Vincent de Paul Time Period: 1581-1660 Feast Day: September 27 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Founder Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Center Section Type of Relic: Body Saint Vincent de Paul had a clear-cut plan for how his life would play out – becoming a priest at the age of just 19, he was perfectly content with attaining a prestigious office in the Church, earning copious amounts of money in order to retire early, and then return to his family in their home village in the south of France. What he probably didn’t expect though, was to be captured at sea by pirates, sold into slavery, escape a few years later, found a religious order and charity organizations, and become known as “The Apostle of Charity” from his dedication to caring for the poor. While his life didn’t play out the way he anticipated, Vincent de Paul served God faithfully, and allowed the Holy Spirit to work in his heart, change his aspirations, and direct his efforts to those that were most in need. Born on April 24, 1581, Vincent was the third child born to peasant farmers living in the French village of Pouy. His first formal education was by a group of Franciscan priests, and he displayed a profound talent for literacy early in his life, and at the age of 15, his father paid for him to enter a seminary by selling the family’s oxen. He attended a seminary in Dax, France and was ordained a priest on September 23, 1600. This was cause for some controversy though, due to the Council of Trent regulations that required men be at least 24 years old prior to ordination. Vincent was appointed a parish priest, but when his age came into question of violating the regulations, he decided to resign from the position, rather than fight the issue. He would go on to continue his studies at the University of Toulouse, where he received a Bachelor of Theology degree. Early biographies of Vincent de Paul tell of him receiving a piece of property in an inheritance from a wealthy patron he had met in Toulouse. In 1605, he was sailing to sell the property, when his ship was captured by Turkish pirates. Vincent was taken to Tunis and sold into slavery. Vincent spent two years in slavery, during which he was sold multiple times, eventually ending up with a former priest who had converted to Islam in order to gain his own freedom from slavery, and had Vincent attending to him and his three wives. One of his wives though would visit Vincent while he was in the fields and ask questions about his faith. Vincent was so genuine and passionate about his Catholic faith, the wife in turn began admonishing her husband for renouncing his Christianity. Vincent’s master was so filled with remorse, that he decided to not only set Vincent free, but to escape back to France with him. They crossed the Mediterranean in June of 1607, and Vincent de Paul was a free man. After returning to France, Vincent traveled to Rome for a year to briefly continue his studies, before moving to Paris, where he remained permanently. Not long after arriving in Paris, he made two acquaintances that would drastically alter his initial plans for wealth and early retirement. Pierre de Bérulle was a well-known French priest who would go on to become a cardinal and become Vincent’s spiritual director. Father André Duval was a French priest and a professor of the Sorbonne, one of the first established universities in the world. Both would have heavy influences on Vincent, with Cardinal Pierre appointing Vincent as the pastor of Saint-Medard in the town of Clichy, and Fr. Duval introducing Vincent to the “Rule of Perfection” by Benet Canfield, a book focused on mysticism and the spiritual life that he would quote regularly later in life. Vincent continued to grow in his faith while serving in Clichy, and his commitment to prayer and the priesthood helped deter him from continuing to pursue wealth and leisure. The most significant conversion of heart happened in 1617, when Vincent was recalled back to Paris less than a year after leaving, having been appointed chaplain to the Gondi family by Cardinal Pierre. The Gondi family were a prominent Florentine banking family who had an estate in Picardy. It was there, in January of 1617, that Vincent heard the confession of a dying servant, which would open his eyes to the drastic spiritual and financial needs of the poor in France. Later that year, Vincent left the Gondi family and was made the pastor of a parish in Châtillon-les-Dombes, a town in the southeast of France. Stories tell of Vincent preparing for a Sunday Mass when a parishioner arrived with news of the illness and financial struggles of a family in the parish. Vincent preached on their need that afternoon, and his parishioners responded with an overwhelming wave of support, bringing the family much-needed food, supplies, and generosity. He would go on to organize a group of affluent women in the area who helped collect funds for missionary projects, relief for victims of war, the foundation of hospitals, and even the ransom of 1,200 slaves to safety from North Africa. This group would become the first Confraternity of Charity, the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. Madame Gondi, having seen firsthand Vincent’s faith in action (the dying servant Vincent attended to had told her his soul “would have been damned without Vincent’s ministry”), noticed Vincent’s local missions to the people, and began setting aside money to preach about missions on a greater scale. She, along with Fr. Duval, encouraged him to find a community that was willing and able to help Vincent spread the word about missions and serving the poor, but none were willing to take on this specific apostolate. So, with the mentorship of Fr. Duval, in April of 1625 he founded the Congregation of the Mission, a group of priests also known as “Vincentians” who were committed to lives of chastity, poverty, obedience, and devotion to the poor. This religious order sparked another passionate purpose for Vincent – the training and formation of priests. At the time, there were not many priests in France, and those that were present were not particularly faithful to their way of life. Vincent began conducting numerous retreats to help instruct and prepare men for the priesthood, which would serve as a precursor for the model of modern-day seminaries. Vincent was a pioneer in clerical training and at one point, the Vincentians were directing more than 50 different seminaries around the world. As the Congregation of the Mission continued to grow, so did the Confraternities of Charity. More and more laywomen were visiting, feeding, and caring for the sick and poor. With Louise de Marillac, who Vincent served as her spiritual advisor, they formed the Daughters of Charity in 1633, the first non-cloistered religious institute of women devoted to charitable works. They cared for prisoners, taught catechism to rural children, and took to the city streets to serve God through the poor. Vincent continued to oversee these various organizations for many years, while also serving as the spiritual director at the Convent of St. Mary of the Angels for 28 years. He served on the Queen’s Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs, combatted the rise of the Jansenism heresy, and served faithfully all the way up until his death on September 27, 1660. He was 79 years old. Two miracles were attributed to the work of Vincent de Paul, a nun cured of ulcers, and a laywoman who was healed of paralysis. Subsequently, Pope Benedict XIII beatified Vincent on August 13, 1729. Less than a decade later, Pope Clement XIII officially canonized him on June 16, 1737. He is the patron saint of charities, hospitals, volunteers, prisoners, and horses. Vincent’s legacy lives on throughout the world from his passionate charity. There are more than 4,000 Vincentians still serving in 86 countries, and more than 18,000 Daughters of Charity spread out across 94 countries. In 1833, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded by Blessed Antoine Frédéric Ozanam, a French historian, scholar and lawyer, to serve the poor. Saint Vincent de Paul’s compassion, humility and generosity changed the world. He didn’t necessarily have grandiose plans to cover the globe with his image, teachings or writings; instead, he served those in need who were right in front of him. Once he did that, God did the rest, and the “Father of the Poor” changed the world through the training of priests in the French church, the service of the faithful Vincentians and Daughters of Charity, and the actions of every person who reads about the life of this great saint and commits themselves to doing their part to serve the poor too. Next Item Previous Item

James the Lesser, also known as James son of Alphaeus, was one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. He was likely related to Jesus and came from Nazareth. He played a prominent role in the early Church of Jerusalem and was considered a pillar of the Church, along with Peter. St. Paul mentioned him before Peter during his visit to Jerusalem. He is attributed with the Letter of James in the New Testament, where he is referred to as a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel traditions do not provide much information about him during Jesus’ earthly life, but the Acts of the Apostles highlight his important role in the early Church. His feast day is May 3rd. St. James the Lesser Apostle Time Period: 1st Century Feast Day: May 3 Title/Attributes: Apostle, Martyr Location of Relic: Main Reliquary - Center Section Type of Relic: Bones St. James the Less, the author of the first Catholic Epistle, was the son of Alphaeus of Cleophas. His mother Mary was either a sister or a close relative of the Blessed Virgin, and for that reason, according to Jewish custom, he was sometimes called the brother of the Lord. The Apostle held a distinguished position in the early Christian community of Jerusalem. St. Paul tells us he was a witness of the Resurrection of Christ; he is also a "pillar" of the Church, whom St. Paul consulted about the Gospel. According to tradition, he was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and was at the Council of Jerusalem about the year 50. The historians Eusebius and Hegesippus relayed that St. James was martyred for the Faith by the Jews in the Spring of the year 62, although they greatly esteemed his person and had given him the surname of "James the Just." Tradition has always recognized him as the author of the Epistle that bears his name. Internal evidence based on the language, style, and teaching of the Epistle reveals its author as a Jew familiar with the Old Testament, and a Christian thoroughly grounded in the teachings of the Gospel. External evidence from the early Fathers and Councils of the Church confirmed its authenticity and canonicity. The date of its writing cannot be determined exactly. According to some scholars it was written about the year 49 A.D. Others, however, claim it was written after St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans (composed during the winter of 57-58 A.D.). It was probably written between the years 60 and 62 A.D. St. James addresses himself to the "twelve tribes that are in the Dispersion," that is, to Christians outside Palestine; but nothing in the Epistle indicates that he is thinking only of Jewish Christians. St. James realizes full well the temptations and difficulties they encounter in the midst of paganism, and as a spiritual father, he endeavors to guide and direct them in the faith. Therefore, the burden of his discourse is an exhortation to practical Christian living. https://www.catholic.org/saints/ Next Item Previous Item

St. Gianna Beretta Molla, born in 1922 in Magenta, Italy, was a devoted physician, wife, and mother known for her deep faith and sacrificial love. A pediatrician who served the poor and vulnerable, she married Pietro Molla in 1955 and had three children. During her fourth pregnancy, doctors discovered a tumor on her uterus. Refusing treatments that would end her pregnancy, she chose to preserve her baby's life at the cost of her own. She gave birth on April 21, 1962, and died a week later. Canonized in 2004, St. Gianna is remembered as a model of heroic love and motherhood. St. Gianna Beretta Molla Time Period: 1922-1962 Feast Day: April 28 Title/Attributes: Wife, Mother, Physician Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Clothing “This time it will be a difficult delivery, and they may have to save one or the other – I want them to save my baby.” St. Gianna Berretta Molla spoke these words to her family during her fourth pregnancy. After discovering a fibroma on her uterus, Gianna decided to forgo the necessary treatment which would have secured her own health in order to give her unborn child a chance to live. Born the tenth of thirteen children in Magenta, Italy in 1922, Gianna grew up as an active member of St. Vincent de Paul Society. She also loved mountain climbing and skiing. After earning two degrees in medicine and surgery, she opened a medical clinic near her hometown in 1950. She specialized in pediatrics at the University of Milan and loved serving mothers, babies, the elderly, and the poor. She met her husband Pietro during this time, and they married in 1955. Gianna and Pietro had a beautiful marriage and family. Both Gianna and Pietro were deeply rooted in their love of Christ and that love overflowed into their marriage, their family, their jobs, and their community. Gianna and Pietro often exchanged letters while they were separated because of work trips. Their holy marriage was a model of Christ’s love for the Church. In the second month of her fourth pregnancy, the doctors found a tumor on Gianna’s uterus. They gave her the legal option to abort her baby in order to perform a hysterectomy to save her life, but she refused. On April 21, 1962, Gianna gave birth to her daughter, Gianna Emanuela, via cesarean section. Although the doctors were unable to remove her tumor, she had complications after birth and suffered severe pain. Despite all efforts to save Gianna and her baby, on the morning on April 28, 1962, just seven days after giving birth, Gianna died of at age thirty-nine. In the last moments of tremendous agony, she kept repeating, “Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you.” A brief thirty-two years later, Pope John Paul II beatified Gianna in 1994 and officially canonized her a Saint in 2004. Both Gianna’s husband, Pietro and daughter, Gianna Emanuela, attended her canonization ceremony, marking the first time a husband witnessed his wife’s canonization. “We cannot love without suffering and we cannot suffer without love.” Pingel, Jana Zuniga. Humans of Heaven . January Jane Shop, 2023. Hardback , 167 pp. Next Item Previous Item

St. Giuseppe Moscati, born in 1880 in Benevento, Italy, was a brilliant physician and devout Catholic who viewed medicine as a mission of mercy. Inspired by caring for his injured brother, he pursued medicine, earning his degree with honors in 1903. Known for his humility, he treated the poor for free and saw the sacraments as essential to healing. He heroically saved patients during the 1906 Vesuvius eruption and pioneered treatments for cholera and diabetes. Revered for his miraculous diagnostic abilities, Moscati treated thousands, including soldiers in WWI. He died in 1927 at the age of 46. St. Guiseppe Moscati Time Period: 1880-1927 Feast Day: November 16 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Layman, Physician Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Clothing St. Giuseppe Moscati was an internationally acclaimed scientist who became the first modern doctor to be canonized a Saint. He was proficient in twenty different specialties, yet he turned down promotions and cared for the poor free of charge. He saw his medical practice as a ministry for the suffering, calling the sacraments the “first medicine,” and leading many of his patients back to the Church. He treated thousands of people in his lifetime and became known as a “miracle worker” in the medical world. Giuseppe was born on September 25, 1880, in Benevento, Italy. Although his father was a lawyer, Moscati decided at a young age to study medicine. This decision was heavily influenced by the tragic injury of his older brother Alberto, who fell from a horse and suffered incurable head trauma. Moscati was twelve years old at the time and cared for his brother for years at home, realizing the inseparable nature of spiritual and physical healing. Moscati enrolled in medical school in 1897 at the University of Naples. He earned a doctoral degree with honors in 1903 and began practicing medicine at the Hospital for Incurables. He quickly became an administrator there and conducted medical research in his spare time. There are many accounts that testify to Moscati’s humble and tireless work as a doctor. In April of 1906, he led an evacuation of a nursing home after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Moscati physically carried the disabled patients out of the building moments before it collapsed in ashes. He later insisted that those who helped in the evacuation would be rewarded, yet didn’t mention his own name. Moscati was extremely influential in researching the origins of the cholera epidemic and discovering effective ways to eradicate it. He also treated over 3,000 soldiers during WWI and became one of the first Neapolitan doctors to experiment with insulin as treatment for diabetes. Many people thought his extraordinary skill in diagnosing his patients’ ailments was miraculous. Giuseppe Moscati died on April 12, 1927 of natural causes at the age of forty-six. "Blessed are we doctors, often unable to remove illness, blessed are we if we remember that we have in the presence of sick people, not only bodies to cure, but also divine and eternal souls to love them as ourselves" Pingel, Jana Zuniga. Humans of Heaven . January Jane Shop, 2023. Hardback , 167 pp. Next Item Previous Item

Saint Padre Pio was a luminous and captivating Italian priest who generated immense interest and even controversy during his life, but at the core of his mission, served the Lord faithfully through piety and charity. Born in Italy in 1887, he enjoyed “playing church” at a young age, eventually being ordained a priest in 1910. He soon experienced intense visions of Jesus, leading to the stigmata – the wounds of Christ appearing on his hands, feet, and side. Despite the complications attached to these beautiful wounds, Padre Pio embraced his sufferings and lived a life centered on the love of Jesus. His feast day is September 23rd. St. Padre Pio Time Period: 1887-1968 Feast Day: September 23 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Franciscan, Stigmata Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Blood-soaked bandage Saint Padre Pio was a luminous and captivating Italian priest who generated immense interest and even controversy during his life, but at the core of his mission, served the Lord faithfully through his piety and charity. Born in Pietrelcina, Italy on May 25, 1887, Francesco Forgione was focused on the Lord starting in his earliest days. Baptized the day after he was born, he decided at just the age of five to consecrate himself to Jesus. He enjoyed singing hymns, reading and praying, and even “playing church” where he acted out serving as presider of a Mass. His parents were peasant framers who were very religious and supported his Catholic development, attending daily Mass and praying the Rosary nightly along with his older brother and three younger sisters. It is written that even as a young boy, he possessed the ability to see and communicate with his guardian angel, Jesus and the Virgin Mary. He didn’t think much of it though at the time, as he assumed other people could see them too. To help support his relatively poor family, Francesco tended to a small flock of sheep for many years. While this helped his relatively poor family get by, it also delayed his education to the point that later when the first desires to become a priest began stirring in his heart, only having three years of public schooling quickly became an issue. Francesco was also very sickly as a child. He suffered from gastroenteritis at the age of six and survived a bout of typhoid fever when he was ten. His health would continue to ail him for most of his life, but he never let it get in the way of his pursuit of holiness. In 1897, a young Capuchin friar traveling across the countryside inspired Francesco to pursue religious life. “I want to be a friar… with a beard” he reportedly told his parents, who traveled with the future saint to Morcone, Italy, home to an order of Capuchin Franciscan Friars. While they were interested in admitting him, they told his family that more education would be needed before he could join. In order to pay for the private tutoring needed for his son, Francesco’s father Grazio traveled to the United States to search for work. Thanks to his father’s dedication and hard work, enough money was sent home to tutor Francesco sufficiently so that he passed the necessary academic requirements to join the Friars. On January 6, 1903, he entered the novitiate in Morcone, and on January 22, donned the Franciscan habit for the first time. At the age of 15, he was now known as Fra Pio, in honor of Pope Pius I, whose relic he saw regularly at a chapel in his hometown. Pio’s seven-year study for the priesthood would begin with further health issues, when at the age of 17, he fell severely ill with loss of appetite, insomnia, exhaustion, and migraines. He could only stomach milk and cheese and experienced fainting spells regularly. During this time though, inexplicable phenomena began to occur with Pio, with fellow monks reportedly seeing him levitate during prayer. Pio’s health continued to decline at the friary though, and his superiors decided to send him to a mountain convent, in hopes that the change of air would improve his health. This too proved to be little help, and eventually his doctors advised him to return home, all the while he continued his studies for the priesthood. On January 27, 1907, he made his solemn profession, and on August 10, 1910, the twenty-three-year-old Fra Pio was ordained a priest by Archbishop Paolo Schinosi at the Cathedral of Benevoto. Four days later, he celebrated his very first Mass at the church of Our Lady of the Angels. From the very beginnings of his priesthood, Padre Pio became well-known for his immense piety. He would include long pauses of contemplative silence during various parts of the Mass, which could sometimes make the service last several hours. The parish priest in Pietrelcina called Pio “an incomprehensible mystery” and when asked to shorten his Mass, Pio responded, “God knows that I want to say Mass just like any other priest, but I cannot do it.” Many people began traveling to meet him, confess to him, or simply try to hear some of his wisdom. He compared weekly confession to the act of “dusting a room” and encouraged Christians to recognize God in all things, and to continually strive to do the will of God. His life took a sudden turn in 1914 with the beginning of World War I. A number of Capuchin Friars became drafted in the Italian Army, and Pio himself was drafted on November 15, 1915. He was assigned to the 10th Medical Corps in Naples, but due to his poor health, he was continually discharged from active service until finally a bout of tuberculosis led to him being declared unfit for military service on March 16, 1918. He returned to the friary at San Giovanni Rotondo, where he would remain for the rest of his life. It was in the period of many people rebuilding their lives after the war that Padre Pio really began to emerge as a symbol of hope among the faithful. He became a spiritual director and began to experience extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit that captivated those who heard of the friar. On September 20, 1918, Padre Pio had an intense vision of Jesus after serving at Mass earlier that day. When the vision ended, he felt a sharp pain and noticed the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, appearing on his hands, feet and side. They would soon become permanent and remain on his body for the next 50 years. Countless experts and doctors looked at the wounds, with numerous attempts to explain the miraculous nature of their appearance. Some questioned the authenticity of the wounds, which were perfectly round and said to smell of roses. Pio felt a sense of humiliation from the wounds and the controversy that they created. It didn’t help that many were also attesting to his ability to bilocate, levitate, heal wounds, prophecy, and abstain from sleep and nourishment for extraordinary amounts of time. “Will he at least free me from the embarrassment caused by these outward signs?” Pio wrote. “I will raise my voice and will not stop imploring him until in his mercy he takes away, not the wound or the pain, which is impossible since I wish to be inebriated with pain, but these outward signs which cause me such embarrassment and unbearable humiliation.” Life became complicated for Padre Pio, as his popularity soared and became a source of concern for the Church and the Vatican. The authenticity of the stigmata was called into question in 1924 and again in 1931, and the Vatican restricted Pio’s ability to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain or argue against these decisions, and they were reversed soon after. A church investigation into his stigmata concluded that his condition was not faked. By 1934, he was back to performing his full public duties as a priest. He focused a large portion of his ministry as a “martyr of the confessional”, hearing hours upon hours of confessions from those flocking to his convent to attain absolution. His superiors at the convent were forced to develop an organizational system for making reservations to keep the large crowds under control. Around 1940, Pio was inspired to erect a hospital for the sick and suffering. In 1946, ground was broken on a plot of land near Mount Gargano that would eventually become a 350-bed hospital known as the “House for the Alleviation of the Suffering.” In 1947, a young Fr. Karol Wojtyla was studying in Rome, when he made the pilgrimage to meet Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, and have his confession heard by him. Decades later, when Fr. Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II (another saint whose relic will be alongside Padre Pio’s in the Our Lady of the Angels reliquary at St. Anthony of Padua), many speculated whether Pio had divulged any prophecy to the future Pope about what was to come. Pope John Paul II later clarified that while he did not tell him that he would one day be Pope, he did reveal that Pio had admitted a rare, significant detail about his stigmata – when asked by Wojtyla which one of his wounds caused him the most suffering, Pio replied “It is my shoulder wound, which no one knows about and has never been cured or treated.” With many historians providing a diligent analysis of Padre Pio’s life, it is revealed that Saint Pope John Paul II was the only person Padre Pio ever told about his most painful wound. While it is remarkable that Pio refrained from telling the young Polish priest about his future papacy, it is perhaps even more remarkable that he would choose John Paul II, and not any of the future Popes he would meet in his life, about this wound. Padre Pio continued to carry out his ministries dutifully, garnering large crowds seeking to witness his piety, charity, and quality of his preaching. On June 5th, 1954, Pio was forced to celebrate Mass outside on the plaza in front of the church, because the size of the crowd was too large to accommodate all of the worshippers. His health declined rapidly in his later years, battling everything from cancer to arthritis. He offered all of his bodily sufferings up to God as a sacrifice and for the conversion of souls, saying “I am fully convinced that my illness is due to a special permission of God.” On August 10, 1960, Padre Pio celebrated 50 years of priesthood. By 1965, he gained permission from the Holy See to continue to celebrate Masses but remain seated due to this health. He collapsed after celebrating Mass on September 22, 1968, but still went to the confessional in an attempt to administer the sacrament of reconciliation. He was unable to hear confessions due to his condition, but still managed to bless a large group of people who had crowded in front of his church, as well as bless a group of parishioners who had assembled in the church to pray later that evening. Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968 after receiving the sacrament of confession, renewing his priestly vows, receiving the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, and holding a rosary. His last words were “Gesú, Maria” (“Jesus, Mary”) repeated over and over until he breathed his last. He was 81. His funeral on September 26 was attended by more than 100,00 people, and he was buried later that day. On March 20, 1983, the diocesan procedure was initiated for the canonization of Padre Pio. He was beatified on May 2, 1999 and canonized on June 16, 2002, both by his close friend, Pope John Paul II. His canonization Mass was one of the largest liturgies in the history of the Vatican. Recalling his encounters with Padre Pio, Pope John Paul II said, “Prayer and charity–this is the most concrete synthesis of Padre Pio’s teaching.” The San Giovanni Rotondo is second only to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico in its number of annual visitors – nearly eight million pilgrims visit the site of Saint Padre Pio’s incorrupt body annually. He is the patron saint of civil defense volunteers, adolescents, and the village of Pietrelcina. Saint Padre Pio lived out the words of St. Paul to the Colossians in chapter 1, verse 24: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.” He embraced his sufferings, his abilities and his love for Jesus Christ in order to captivate the world; not necessarily through spectacular feats and miracles, but instead at the foundation of the wonder, was an awe for his inspiring piety, prayer and charity. Next Item Previous Item

St. Dominic Guzmán, the founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), was a man of prayer and a dedicated servant of God. Born in Caleruega, Spain, around 1170, he came from a noble family and received a comprehensive education. St. Dominic demonstrated a deep love for the poor and a strong commitment to the study of Sacred Scripture. He sold his valuable books to support famine victims, exemplifying his selflessness and devotion to serving others. St. Dominic’s spirituality was characterized by his profound communion with God and his unwavering dedication to the salvation of souls. His witness emphasized the inseparable connection between love for God and love for neighbor. His feast day is August 8th. St. Dominic Time Period: 1170-1221 Feast Day: August 8 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Founder of Dominicans Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Center Section Type of Relic: Bones Dominic is the Founder of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans. The son of Felix de Guzman, a noble, and Blessed Joan of Aza, he was born in Calaruega, Spain in 1170. In 1184, Dominic began studies at the University of Palencia, becoming a canon regular at the cathedral of Osma in 1199. In 1203, Dominic accompanied Blessed Diego de Azevedo to southern France to preach against the Albigensian heretics and to reform the local monasteries. Dominic opened a convent in Prouille for women converts from Albigensianism. The priests he placed in charge of the convent were the core of his new order. In 1208, Peter of Castelnau, the papal legate, was murdered by the Albigensians. Pope Innocent III subsequently started a crusade to put an end to the heresy. Simon IV de Monfort headed this seven-year campaign. Dominic accompanied the army to preach to the Albigensians, without success. In 1214, Simon IV de Montfort gave him a castle at Caseneuil. There Dominic and six companions founded the Order of Preachers. A the Twelfth General Council (Fourth Council of the Lateran, 1215) the order was denied approval, but the next year Pope Honorius III granted Dominic his approval and blessings. Dominic spent the last years of his life organizing the order. He traveled throughout Italy, Spain and France. The Dominicans relied upon the usual religious customs and traditions but provided intellectual pursuits that attracted great scholars. The Dominicans also observed the ascetical spirit of the era, as well as genuine zeal in reaching the common people. With the Franciscans, founded by St. Francis of Assisi, the Dominicans formed the “Mendicants,” a daring venture that broadened the Church’s appeal. Dominic convened the first general council of the Order of Preachers in Bologna, Italy, in 1220. He died there on August 8, the following year. He was canonized in 1234. His feast day is August 8. Next Item Previous Item

St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a Doctor of the Church and Cistercian abbot, was born in Fontaines des Dijon, France. Deeply influenced by his mother’s death, he joined the monastery of Citeaux in 1113, bringing his brothers and friends. Despite frail health, he embraced rigorous asceticism and founded Clairvaux Abbey in 1115. A key religious figure, he advised popes, opposed heresies, supported the Second Crusade, and influenced European politics. His theological works, including De Consideratione and Treatise on the Love of God, remain influential. He died in 1153 and was renowned for his devotion to Mary and eloquence in theology. St. Bernard of Clairvaux Time Period: 1090-1153 Feast Day: August 20 Title/Attributes: Abbot, Doctor of the Church Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Bernard of Clairvaux is a Doctor of the Church and Abbot. He was born in the castle of Fontaines des Dijon, in France, the son of Tescelin Sorrel and Aleth de Montbard; he was the third son in a family of seven children. Aleth’s death influenced him deeply so that about age seventeen he left the school of Chatillon-sur-Seine and in 1113 entered the monastery of Citeaux, which had been founded in 1098 and was under the brilliant leadership of the abbot St. Stephen Harding. He persuaded his four brothers and twenty-seven other relatives and friends also to enter the Cistercian monastery. Bernard threw himself into the rigorous austerity of the community, declaring that he was “conscious of the need of my weak nature for strong medicine.” His devotion to mortification, however, caused severe problems of health, especially as he had a weak constitution. Illness, aggravated by stern ascetic practices, would plague him for the rest of his life. At Citeaux, Bernard came under the instruction of the remarkable Abbot Stephen Harding, who in 1115 chose him with twelve monks to found a monastery at Langres. He chose Clairvaux, which was granted a charter by Pope Callistus II in 1119 and became the motherhouse of sixty-eight Cistercian abbeys. As his reputation for scholarship and holiness spread, Bernard was consulted by popes and monarchs. In 1128 he was secretary to the Synod of Troyes; in 1130, he assisted Pope Innocent II in overcoming the threat of antipope Anicletus; and he preached tirelessly against heresies and to gather support for the Second Crusade. In defending Church orthodoxy, he spoke out against the onetime monk Henry of Lausanne and, most notably, against Peter Abelard, whose condemnation he secured in 1140 at the Council of Sens. In that same year, Bernard convinced the people of Lombardy to accept Lothair III as emperor. In 1148 he condemned the writings of the theologian Gilbert de la Porree. In 1142, Bernard witnessed the coronation of one off his postulants, Bernardo Pignatelli, as Pope Eugene III, authoring for his former student the treatise De Consideratione, and some of the difficulties he could anticipate. This pope sent Bernard to Languedoc, in southern France, to convert the local members of the Albigensian heresy. In 1146, he preached against Rhineland-area pogroms and also supported the Second Crusade and King Louis VII of France. The crusade ended in disaster and was a deep disappointment to Bernard. In 1153, he settled another political dispute but was taken ill shortly after. He died at Clairvaux on August 20. Considered by many to be the second founder of the Cistercians, he dominated religious and political affairs in Western Europe. His mystical writings include de Diligendo Dei, which laid the foundation for medieval mysticism. His commentary on the Song of Songs, his Treatise on the Love of God, and his De Consideratione are considered treasures of the faith. More than three hundred sermons were recorded, as well as five hundred letters, all demonstrating his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus. For his brilliance and contributions to theology he was called “the Mellifluous Doctor.” St. Bernard of Clairvaus is declared a Doctor of the Church which are certain men and women who are revered by the Church for the special value of their writings and preaching and the sanctity of their lives. They each made important and lasting contributions to the faith and are to be recognized for their great merits. To be declared a Doctor of the Church, you have to meet three basic requirements: First, you must have lived a life of exemplary holiness, or insignis vitae sanctitas (outstanding sanctity). In short, you have to be a saint. Second, to be a Doctor of the Church you must have deepened the whole Church's understanding of the Catholic Faith with emins doctrina (eminent teaching). Which is to say, sanctity isn't enough. There are thousands of saints, but only 37 Doctors of the Church. To be a Doctor one must do more than just live the Faith. Rather, one must significantly and profoundly contribute to our understanding of Divine Revelation, helping us to know more deeply some truth about God and His actions in the World. And third, a pope must officially declare you a Doctor. That being said, as the Church understands it, when a pope declares someone a Doctor of the Church, he's not so much making someone a Doctor as he is recognizing what the Holy Spirit has already done - that He has conferred the charism of Doctor upon them. Next Item Previous Item

Beneficiary Designation Naming our parish as a beneficiary of a retirement account, life insurance policy, or other financial asset is a simple way to make a lasting impact without changing your will or trust. Beneficiary Designations: A Simple Way to Leave a Legacy One of the easiest ways to make a meaningful gift to St. Anthony of Padua is by naming our parish as a beneficiary on your accounts. This option does not require rewriting your will or trust. Instead, you simply complete a beneficiary designation form. These forms are free and easy to update at any time. Assets for Beneficiary Designations • Retirement Plans: IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and other qualified plans. • Life Insurance Policies: New or existing policies where the church is named as a primary or contingent beneficiary. • Financial Accounts: Bank accounts (checking, savings, CDs) designated as "Payable on Death" (POD). • Brokerage Accounts: Investment accounts, stocks, or mutual funds designated as "Transfer on Death" (TOD). • Commercial Annuities and Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) . Benefits to You: • You retain full ownership and control of your assets during your lifetime. • You can change your designation at any time if your circumstances or intentions change. • Your estate may receive potential tax benefits, since these gifts typically pass outside of probate. • Every dollar from an IRA goes directly to St. Anthony which avoids income taxes for other beneficiaries of your estate. • It is often as easy as completing a one-page form from your provider. How It Works: 1. Request a beneficiary designation form from your provider. 2. List St. Anthony of Padua as a primary or contingent beneficiary for all or part of the account or policy. If listed, include below: Address: 7801 Bay Branch Drive; The Woodlands, TX 77381 Employer Identification Number (EIN)/ Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN): 76-0545136 3. Return the form to your provider. 4. Your gift will be transferred directly to the parish after your lifetime, ensuring your legacy of faith continues. For questions, please contact: Joe Corona Email: jcorona@ap.church We encourage you to consult with your estate attorney, financial or tax advisor. Next Item Previous Item

Room Use & Safety Room Use & Safety Room Use All locations have access to coffee. It is your responsibility to empty coffee grounds, clean coffee pots and return coffee items to their proper locations after every meeting. All food items must be removed from campus. Counter tops and tables should be clean. Kitchens must be thoroughly cleaned with all items washed and properly stored. All lights and AV equipment must be turned off. AED, LifeVac and First Aid Kit Locations AEDs, LifeVacs and first aid kits are located throughout the campus, please refer to AED, Life Vac and First Aid location maps presented below. Calling 911 Providing precise information when calling 911 improves response time. We have multiple addresses associated with our campus and they are listed below. 7801 Bay Branch – Main Church 7901 Bay Branch – School 7985 Bay Branch - Saint Teresa Center 7979 Bay Branch – Rectory 8715 Kuykendahl – Our Lady of the Angels Simply stating that you are calling from St. Anthony at 7801 Bay Branch Drive in The Woodlands is not specific enough. Giving the main address will get them here but responders then spend time trying to find your location. Whenever you call, whether you have given the main address or one of the alternate addresses you need to provide a description of your location! This will save valuable time. Your description can be: I am in the main church I am calling from the school I am calling from the parish life building I am on the back sports field I am in the Adoration Chapel up the ramp behind the church I am at the Our Lady of the Angels Chapel off of Kuykendahl I am at the St. Teresa Center If you have called 911 you should immediately inform the parish and school offices and let them know where you are. First responders will go to the receptionist if they are unsure of where to report. Previous Item Next Item

Called "the Beggar of Rome," a pilgrim recluse. He was born in Amettes, France, on March 25, 1748, the eldest of eighteen children. Studying under his uncle, a parish priest, at Erin, France, Benedict tried to join the Trappists, Carthusians, and Cistercians but was refused by these orders. In 1770, he made a pilgrimage to the major shrines of Europe, settling in Rome in 1774. There he lived near the Colosseum and earned fame for his sanctity. Benedict was devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and attended the Forty Hours devotion in the city. He died in Rome on April 16, and was beatified in 1860. His feast day is April 16. St. Benedict Joseph Labre Time Period: 1748-1783 Feast Day: April 16 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Franciscan Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Bones Labre was born in 1748 in the village of Amettes, near Arras, in the former Province of Artois in the north of France. He was the eldest of fifteen children of a prosperous shopkeeper, Jean-Baptiste Labre, and his wife, Anne Grandsire. Labre had an uncle, a parish priest, living some distance from his family home; this uncle gladly received him, and undertook his early education for the priesthood. At the age of sixteen, he approached his uncle about becoming a Trappist monk, but his parents told him he would have to wait until he grew older. When Benedict was about eighteen, an epidemic struck the city, and uncle and nephew busied themselves in the service of the sick. While the uncle took care of the souls and bodies of the people, Benedict went to and fro caring for the cattle. Among the last victims of the epidemic was Labre's uncle. Labre set off for La Trappe Abbey to apply to the Order, but did not come up to their requirements. He was under age, he was too delicate; he had no special recommendations. He later attempted to join the Carthusians and Cistercians, but each order rejected him as unsuitable for communal life. He was, for about six weeks, a postulant with the Carthusians at Neuville. In November 1769 he obtained admission to the Cistercian Abbey of Sept-Fonts. After a short stay at Sept-Fonts his health gave way, and it was decided that his vocation lay elsewhere. Labre, according to Catholic tradition, experienced a desire, which he considered was given to him by God and inspired by the example of Alexius of Rome and that of the Franciscan tertiary pilgrim, Saint Roch, to "abandon his country, his parents, and whatever is flattering in the world to lead a new sort of life, a life most painful, most penitential, not in a wilderness nor in a cloister, but in the midst of the world, devoutly visiting as a pilgrim the famous places of Christian devotion." Labre joined the Third Order of Saint Francis and settled on a life of poverty and pilgrimage. He first traveled to Rome on foot, subsisting on what he could get by begging. He then traveled to most of the major shrines of Europe, often several times each. He visited the various shrines in Loreto, Assisi, Naples, and Bari in Italy, Einsiedeln in Switzerland, Paray-le-Monial in France, and Santiago de Compostela in Spain. During these trips he would always travel on foot, sleeping in the open or in a corner of a room, with his clothes muddy and ragged. On one occasion he stopped at the farmhouse of Matthieu and Marie Vianney, who would later become the parents of Curé d'Ars. He lived on what little he was given, and often shared the little he did receive with others. He is reported to have talked rarely, prayed often, and accepted quietly the abuse he received. In so doing, Labre was following in the role of the mendicant, the "Fool-for-Christ," found more often in the Eastern Church. He spent many hours in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He would often swoon when contemplating the crown of thorns, in particular, and, during these states, it is said he would levitate or bilocate. He was also said to have cured some of the other homeless he met and to have multiplied bread for them. In the last years of his life (his thirties), he lived in Rome, for a time living in the ruins of the Colosseum, and would leave only to make a yearly pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Loreto. He was a familiar figure in the city and known as the "saint of the Forty Hours" (or Quarant' Ore) for his dedication to Eucharistic adoration. The day before he died, Labre collapsed on the steps of the church of Santa Maria ai Monti, blocks from the Colosseum, and despite his protestations was charitably taken to a house behind the church at Via dei Serpenti 2. He died there of malnutrition and exhaustion on 16 April 1783, during Holy Week, and was buried in the Church of Santa Maria ai Monti. (https://www.catholic.org/saints/) Next Item Previous Item