St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve Apostles, is traditionally identified as Nathanael, meaning “God has given.” Mentioned in John’s Gospel, he initially doubted Jesus but later proclaimed him the Son of God. His encounter with Jesus emphasizes firsthand experience in faith. Though little is known about his apostolic work, tradition suggests he preached as far as India. He is famously depicted in Michelangelo’s Last Judgment holding his flayed skin, referencing his martyrdom. His relics are venerated in Rome. St. Bartholomew reminds us that true discipleship does not require grand acts but unwavering devotion to Christ. St. Bartholomew the Apostle Time Period: 1st Century Feast Day: August 24 Title/Attributes: Apostle, Martyr Location of Relic: Main Reliquary - Center Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Bartholomew was one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. We have no special information about Bartholomew, indeed, his name always and only appears in the list of the Twelve mentioned and is therefore never central to any narrative. However, he has traditionally been identified as Nathanael: a name that means “God has given.” Nathanael came from Cana and he may therefore have witnessed the great “sign” that Jesus worked in that place. It is likely that the identification of the two figures (Bartholomew and Nathanael) stems from the fact that Nathanael is placed in the scene of his calling, recounted in John’s Gospel, next to Philip, in other words, the place that Bartholomew occupies in the lists of the Apostles mentioned in the other Gospels. Philip told this Nathanael that he had found “him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” As we know, Nathanael’s retort was rather strongly prejudiced: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” In its own way, this form of protestation is important for us. Indeed, it makes us see that according to Judaic expectations the Messiah could not come from such an obscure village as, precisely, Nazareth. But as the same time Nathanael’s protest highlights God’s freedom, which baffles our expectations by causing him to be found in the very place where we least expect him. Moreover, we actually know that Jesus was not exclusively “from Nazareth” but was born in Bethlehem and came ultimately from Heaven, from the Father who is in Heaven. Nathanael’s reaction suggests another thought to us: in our relationship with Jesus we must not be satisfied with words alone. In his answer, Philip offers Nathanael a meaningful invitation: “Come and see!” Our knowledge of Jesus needs above all a first hand experience: someone else’s testimony is of course important, for normally the whole of our Christian life begins with the proclamation handed down to us by one or more witnesses. However, we ourselves must then be personally involved in a close and deep relationship with Jesus; in a similar way, when the Samaritans had heard the testimony of their fellow citizen whom Jesus had met at Jacob’s well, they wanted to talk to him directly, and after this conversation they told the woman: “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” Returning to the scene of Nathanael’s vocation, the Evangelist tells us that when Jesus sees Nathanael approaching, he exclaims: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!” This is praise reminiscent of the text of a Psalm: “Blessed is the man… in whose spirit there is not deceit,” but provokes the curiosity of Nathanael who answers in amazement: “How do you know me?” Jesus’ reply cannot immediately be understood. He says: “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” We do not know what had happened under this fig tree. It is obvious that it had to do with a decisive moment in Nathanael’s life. His heart is moved by Jesus’ words, he feels understood and he understands: “This man knows everything about me, he knows and is familiar with the road of life; I can truly trust this man.” And so he answers with a clear and beautiful confession of faith: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” In this confession is conveyed a first important step in the journey of attachment to Jesus. Nathanael’s words shed light on a twofold, complementary aspect of Jesus’ identity: he is recognized both in his special relationship with God the Father, of whom he is the Only-begotten Son, and in his relationship with the People of Israel, of whom he is declared King, precisely the description of the awaited messiah. We must never lose sight of either of these two elements because if we only proclaim Jesus’ heavenly dimension, we risk making him an ethereal and evanescent being and if, on the contrary, we recognize only his concrete place in history, we end by neglecting the divine dimension that properly qualifies him. We have no precise information about Bartholomew-Nathanael’s subsequent apostolic activity. According to information handed down by Eusebius, the fourth-century historian, a certain Pantaenus is supposed to have discovered traces of Bartholomew’s presence even in India. In later tradition, as from the Middle Ages, the account of his death by flaying became very popular. Only think of the famous scene of the Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel in which Michelangelo painted St. Bartholomew, who is holding his own skin in his left hand, on which the artist left his self-portrait. St. Bartholomew’s relics are venerated in Rome in the Church dedicated to him on the Tiber Island, where they are said to have been brought by the German Emperor Otto III in 983. To conclude, we can say that despite the scarcity of information about him, St. Bartholomew stands before us to tell us that attachment to Jesus can also be lived and witnessed without performing sensational deeds. Jesus himself, to whom each one of us is called to dedicated his or her own life and death, is and remains extraordinary. - The Apostles, by Benedict XVI Next Item Previous Item

The Seven Holy Founders established the Servite Order (Servants of Mary) in 1233 in Florence. Troubled by the city’s immorality and materialism, these laymen of the Confraternity of Our Lady withdrew from society after a vision of the Virgin Mary instructed them to lead a life of prayer and penance. Retreating to Mount Senario, they adopted a black habit and embraced the Rule of St. Augustine, professing vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Pope Benedict XI approved the order in 1304, and the founders were canonized in 1887. Their names are Bonfilio, Alexis, Manettus, Bartholomew, Uguccio, Sostenes, and Buonagiunta. The Seven Founders of the Servite Order Time Period: 1233 Feast Day: February 17 Title/Attributes: Confessors, Servites Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Bones The Seven Holy Founders were the founders of the Servants of Mary, commonly known as the Servite Order. The seven were members of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Florence, who were appalled at the excessive humanism, immorality, and materialism of the city. After receiving a vision of the Blessed Virgin, who told them to withdraw from the world, they departed the community and retreated to Mount Senario, where they established the origins of the Servite Order. The Virgin instructed them to adopt a black habit and to follow the Augustinian rule, with vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. Pope St. Benedict XI gave formal papal approval in 1304, and the Seven Holy Founders were canonized in 1887. The Seven founders were: Bonfilio Monaldo Alexis Falconieri Manettus dell'Antello (Benedict) Bartholomew Amidei (Rocovero) Uguccio Uguccione (Gherardino) Sostenes Sostegno Buonagiunta Monetti (John) 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. Catherine Labouré, born in France in 1806, was deeply devout from a young age. After her mother’s death, she felt a special connection to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom she regarded as her spiritual mother. She entered the Daughters of Charity in 1830 and experienced visions of the Virgin Mary. In one vision, Mary gave her a mission to create the Miraculous Medal, promising great graces to those who wear it. The medals spread quickly. Catherine spent 40 years caring for the sick and elderly. She died in 1876, and her body was found incorrupt. Her feast day is November 28. St. Catherine Labouré Time Period: 1806-1876 Feast Day: November 28 Title/Attributes: Daughter of Charity of SVDP, Marian Saint Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Catherine Labouré was born in France on May 2, 1806 as the ninth of 11 children to Pierre and Madeleine Labouré. In 1815, Catherine's mother passed away, leaving her 9-year-old daughter with the responsibility of caring for the household. After her mother's funeral, Catherine returned home and picked up a statue of the Blessed Virgin. Holding it close, she said, "Now you will be my mother." Growing up, Catherine was known for being a quiet and practical child, though she was extremely devout. A couple of years after her mother's death, Catherine experienced a dream of an old priest motioning her to a room of sick people. "It is a good deed to look after the sick. God has designs on you. Do not forget it." Years later, during a visit to the Daughters of Charity hospital, Catherine saw a picture of the old priest on the wall. She discovered it was of their founder, St. Vincent de Paul. Catherine immediately knew she would become a member of St. Vincent's order. In January 1830, Catherine Labouré entered the novitiate of the Daughters of Charity. Months later, on July 19, 1830, Catherine woke from her sleep after hearing a child's voice calling her to the chapel as the Blessed Virgin Mary was waiting for her. As Catherine approached the chapel, the door swung open revealing a brilliant light. The Blessed Virgin told Catherine she would be given a mission with all the graces necessary to complete it. Our Lady said, "God wishes to charge you with a mission. You will be contradicted, but do not fear; you will have the grace to do what is necessary. Tell your spiritual director all that passes within you. Times are evil in France and in the world." In November 1830, the Blessed Mother visited Catherine a second time during evening meditations. She showed herself inside an oval frame, standing upon a globe with rays of light coming from her hands toward the globe. Around the frame were the words, "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." Mary asked Catherine to take these images to her father confessor, Father Jean Marie Aladel, telling him they should be placed on medallions. "All who wear them will receive great graces." At first, the priest did not believe Catherine, but after two years, he brought her story to the Archbishop. The Archbishop ordered 2,000 medals struck. The medals were dispersed so rapidly and effectively it was said to be miraculous. Catherine Labouré spent the next 40 years of her life caring for the elderly, sick and disabled. On December 31, 1876, Catherine passed away at 70-years-old. Her body was encased in glass beneath the side altar in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris. Her body was discovered to be incorrupt after being exhumed in 1933. She was beatified by Pope Pius XI on May 28, 1933 and canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 27, 1947. St. Catherine Labouré is often shown with the Daughters of Charity habit and the Miraculous Medal. St. Catherine Labouré is the patron saint of the elderly, infirmed people and the Miraculous Medal. Her feast day is celebrated on November 28. Next Item Previous Item

St. Sebastian was a Roman martyr during the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian. Likely from Milan, he served as an officer in the imperial guard while secretly practicing the Christian faith. When discovered, he was sentenced to death and shot with arrows by archers from Mauretania. Miraculously surviving, he was healed by St. Irene. Fully recovered, Sebastian boldly confronted the emperor, who, shocked by his survival, ordered him to be beaten to death. He was buried on the Via Appia, and the basilica of San Sebastiano is named in his honor. He is a patron of athletes and soldiers. St. Sebastian Time Period: c. 255 - 288 Feast Day: January 20 Title/Attributes: Soldier, Martyr Location of Relic: Main Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Sebastian is a Roman Martyr during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. Sebastian was most likely from Milan, Italy and was buried on the Via Appia, probably giving his name to the basilica of San Sabastino. Sebastian served as an officer in the imperial guard under Emperor Diocletian until it was discovered that Sebastian followed the Christian Faith. Sentenced to death, he was shot by archers from Mauretania. The arrows failed to kill him, and he was healed by Irene, widow of the martyr St. Castulus. Once fully recovered, Sebastian went before teh emperor who, after overcoming his shock at the miracle, commanded that Sebastian be clubbed to death. Next Item Previous Item

St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was an Italian Passionist monk known for his intense devotion to the Virgin Mary and the Passion of Christ. Born Francesco Possenti in Assisi, he lived a lively youth before feeling called to the Passionist Order at 18. His deep piety, humility, and dedication to prayer and penance were evident in his short life. Everyone who met Gabriel was impressed with his joyful submission to the humdrum routine of daily life. No great achievement marked his short life, except that he did all that was expected of him with extraordinary patience and kindness. He died of tuberculosis at 24 before his ordination. St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows Time Period: 1838-1862 Feast Day: February 27 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Passionist Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Body Francesco Possenti was born on March 1, 1838 in Assisi to a wealthy family. The eleventh of 13 children, at home they called him Checchino and from an early age he learned to pray, as taught by his parents who passed on to him a strong faith. His father Sante, an official of the Papal State, after various assignments, was appointed assessor in Spoleto and the whole family moved there. Shortly after, his mother died; Checchino was only 4 years old and his sister Maria Luisa and the governess took care of him. He studied with the Jesuits, where his Marian devotion, already transmitted to him by the religious education he had received, grew and, in the college environment, he meditated on the life of Christ and on the contrast between evangelical values ??and the world. As a teenager he was noted as an exuberant and witty young man, elegant and lively. He performed well at school and enjoyed frequenting the high society of Spoleto. He was also attracted and fascinated by religious life, but he loved entertainment, frequented dance halls and theaters, and read novels avidly. However, the various family bereavements affected him deeply. In 1855 his sister Maria Luisa dies of cholera. Francesco is greatly affected by her loss, reflects on the inconsistency of human joys and thinks back to religious life. But his father tries to dissuade him. It is August 22, 1856 - the last day of the octave of the Assumption - when the procession with the image of the Madonna venerated in the cathedral takes place through the streets of Spoleto. Francis is among the crowd and when the icon is in front of him, he clearly perceives the Virgin addressing him with these words: “ Francis, don't you still understand that this life is not for you? Follow your vocation”. Fifteen days later he leaves Spoleto. He is 18 years old. He stops in Loreto to pray and talk with Mary and in Morrovalle he asks to join the Passionists. As a novice he chose to call himself Gabriele dell'Addolorata and thus described his new life in the religious community to his family: "The contentment and joy I feel inside this house is almost indescribable compared to the entertainment I had outside. I would not exchange a quarter of an hour spent here in prayer before the Madonna for a year or however much time you want filled with the shows and pastimes of Spoleto. Truly, my life is full of joy." On September 22, 1857, he professed his vows and in June 1858 he moved to Pieve Torina to perfect his philosophy studies and begin theology for the priesthood. Here he multiplied his ascetic practices, continued to cultivate devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, and dedicated himself to the poor. On July 10 of the following year, he was sent to the convent of the Immaculate Conception in Isola del Gran Sasso to prepare for ordination. In May 1861 Gabriele received minor orders in Penne. But his health was poor: he had lost weight, was attacked by fevers and had difficulty breathing with coughs and chest pains, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis. He died on February 27, 1862, at the age of 24, clutching to his heart the image of the Crucifix with Our Lady of Sorrows. Next Item Previous Item

St. Ignatius of Loyola, born Íñigo López de Loyola in 1491, was a Spanish nobleman and soldier whose life changed after a battle injury led him to deep spiritual reflection. Inspired by the lives of Christ and the saints, he underwent a powerful conversion and dedicated himself to God's service. Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1534, an order devoted to education, missionary work, and obedience to the pope. He is best known for his Spiritual Exercises, a guide to deepening one’s relationship with God. Ignatius died in 1556 and is the patron of spiritual retreats and discernment. St. Ignatius Loyola Time Period: 1491-1556 Feast Day: July 31 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Founder Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: From the bone and cassock Íñigo (Ignatius) López de Loyola was born in the family castle of Loyola in Azpeitia, in the Basque province, Spain, to a noble family in 1491. In keeping with family tradition, Ignatius became a soldier. He was a great warrior and was looking to make a career out of it, until he was wounded in the leg by a cannonball during a siege of Pampeluna. Ignatius was devasted and had a long road of recovery ahead of him. During his recovery, Ignatius was distraught and didn’t know what he was going to do with his life, if he couldn’t be a solider. Ignatius picked up a few books while recovering and read the Life of Christ and the lives of the saints. He underwent a remarkable conversion and new found zeal and purpose for life. By 1522, he was absolutely determined to become a saint, leaving the family castle and embarking on a pilgrimage to the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat. There he confessed his sins, and dressed in sackcloth, and placed his sword on the altar of the Blessed Virgin, to whom he dedicated himself as a knight. Living for a time in a cave, he developed rapidly in the spiritual life and began work on his masterpiece, the famed Spiritual Exercises. He left Manresa in 1523 and went to Rome and then Jerusalem, where he lived entirely on alms and worked to covert local Muslims. At the urging of the Franciscans, who were quite concerned for Ignatius’ life, he retuned to Barcelona. Deciding that he needed to be better educated in order to aid others properly. Ignatius spent the next eleven years in the study, at Alcala, Salamanca, and Paris. On March 14, 1534, he received a master of arts degree. During this time, Ignatius gathered around him a group of followers who sought to join him in his spiritual quest. On August 15, 1534, in the chapel of the Benedictine monastery of Paris, they each took vows of poverty and chastity, with the special hope of missionary pilgrimages to the Holy Land, with particular obedience to the Holy See. This moment witnessed the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. They went to Italy and were ordained in 1537, but it was soon clear that a pilgrimage was impossible. They thus presented themselves to the Holy Father and offered their services. Pope Paul III immediately saw their potential and gave oral approval for the order in 1539. Formal approbation came in 1540 through the formula instituted in the bull Regimini Militantis Ecclesiae. Ignatius was elected the first general of the order, receiving the first solemn procession on April 22, 1541. The rest of his live was devoted to advancing the cause of the society. He drew up the constitution of the order from 1547-1550, founded the Roman College and started the German College in Rome to prepare preists for the effort of recovering German regions that had been lost to Protestantism. Ignatius was responsible for creating one of the most unique and significant religious orders in the history of the Church. The Jesuits proved a bold, innovative community, which stressed its devotion to the Holy See, brilliantly educated and spiritually developed priests, and showed concern for the missionary endeavors of the faith. Ignatius was also responsible for the Spiritual Exercises, a profound set of meditations and rules intended to foster spiritual development. Ignatius died in Rome on July 31, 1556 and is declared the patron of all spiritual exercises. Next Item Previous Item

Saint Teresa of Ávila was born Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada on March 28, 1515 in Ávila, Spain. At 16, she was sent by her father to be educated in a convent of Augustinian nuns, and she eventually joined the Carmelite Order. After a severe bout of Malaria and a series of striking visions, Teresa founded the Order of Discalced Carmelites, opening more than 30 convents in her lifetime. She is remembered as one of the great mystics of the Catholic faith, and is one of the four women to be named a Doctor of the Church. St. Teresa of Ávila Time Period: 1515-1582 Feast Day: October 15 Title/Attributes: Virgin, Doctor of the Church, Carmelite Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Bones The religious reformer known as Saint Teresa of Ávila was born Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada on March 28, 1515 in Ávila, Spain. She was the third child in a family descended from Jewish merchants who converted to Christianity. Growing up, Teresa was captivated by the thought of spending eternity with God, and she soon became intrigued by the lives of saints and martyrs. So infatuated was Teresa, that before she would even turn ten years old, she would try to run away from home to devote her life to Christ as a martyr in a Muslim country, although her uncle found her down the road and sent her back home to Beatrice, her mother. Beatrice would pass away when Teresa was 14, causing a profound grief that would initially prompt a stronger devotion to the Virgin Mary, but by the age of 16, Teresa was more focused on clothes, flirting and rebelling. This newfound interest in worldly matters, along with the strict religious standards imposed by her father, caused Teresa to have a harsh sense of self-judgement, considering herself a “miserable sinner.” It wasn’t long before her father noticed the loss of her childhood zeal for God, and decided Teresa would benefit from a change of scenery. She was sent to be educated in a convent of Augustinian nuns. While Teresa found their way of life dull at first, she grew to like religious life, and when the time came for her to choose between marriage or religious life, she became a nun of the Carmelite Order (a decision which she wrote was “the safest for someone as prone to sin as she was”). This decision though was in direct opposition of the will of her father, who was displeased by the easy-going nature of the Carmelite Convent. Indeed, the convent was not the pious, contemplative institution Teresa expected. Many women who had no place else to go would end up in the convent, whether they felt they had a vocation or not, and numerous women were accepted for purely financial reasons. Parties seemed to take priority over piety, and the convent became overcrowded with a steady stream of visitors, which caused Teresa to struggle to grow in her relationship with God or find time for quiet reflection. Shortly after becoming a nun, Teresa experienced a severe case of malaria that would leave her in great pain for years. She was bedridden for a long period of time, endured a four-day coma, and many were convinced she would not survive. However during this period of pain, she began her very first experiences of divine visions. Teresa described the sensation as an inner sense of peace that seemed to transcend the intense physical pain of the body. One of the more striking visions Teresa experienced came in the form of an angel who would appear holding a long, golden spear. The angel was smiling and gentle, so Teresa wasn’t frightened by him, but she was surprised when he thrust the spear into her heart. She simultaneously felt severe pain and sweet ecstasy from the spear, a symbol of God’s love. Writing in her autobiography, Teresa described the experience – “the sweetness of the pain was so surpassing that I couldn’t possibly wish to be rid of it. My soul couldn’t be content with anything but God.” Many clergy dissuaded her from pursuing the visions though, as they felt they were the delusions of the devil. Nonetheless, Teresa grew significantly in mental prayer during her recovery, but once back to health, her prayer life plateaued. Having lost the confidence to pray as she ought, she settled instead to lapse into a more routine prayer life. She would remain an obedient Carmelite, but struggle to establish a close personal connection to God for nearly twenty years. Around the age of 40, Teresa experienced a spiritual awakening, finding herself dramatically called back to the practice of contemplative mental prayer. Furthermore, she felt called to restore the Carmelite spirituality back to its original purpose: to live for God. She plunged back into her faith, emboldened to reform the Church. Teresa desired to found a new convent that refocused on the basics of contemplative prayer and poverty. Around the same time, she became close friends with a Spanish priest named Juan de Yepes y Álvarez, who would come to be known as St. John of the Cross. With his close collaboration, Teresa founded the Order of Discalced Carmelites. Discalced means barefoot, a term Teresa chose to symbolize the simplicity to which she wished to return the order. The move was met with intense opposition and scrutiny from public officials and religious leaders, who denounced her from the pulpit, started legal proceedings against her, and told her she should raise money for the convent she was already in. The bulk of the hostility came from the fact that the convent existed without endowment, but Teresa stood firm on the focus of poverty, and eventually the opposition waned. In 1562, with Pope Pius IV’s authorization, she opened the first convent of the Carmelite Reform, St. Joseph’s. Teresa would go on to found 30 more convents during her life, as St. John of the Cross was initiating the Carmelite Reform for men, opening the first monastery of the Primitive Rule in Duruelo Spain in 1568. Teresa’s health never fully recovered following her bout with malaria, and the rigors of opening more convents and traveling around Spain left her frail. However she never let her poor health dissuade her from her life’s mission, and she persevered through continued criticism, clashes with the Spanish Inquisition, and even an attempt to excommunicate her order. While traveling through Salamanca in 1582, her health failed her for the final time, and she accepted her illness as God’s chosen means for calling her into His presence forever. A fellow Carmelite described the hours before her passing: “She remained in this position in prayer full of deep peace and great repose. Occasionally she gave some outward sign of surprise or amazement. Her facial expression was so wondrously changed that it looked like a celestial body to us. Thus immersed in prayer, happy and smiling, she went out of this world into eternal life.” She died in October of 1582, at the age of 67. Teresa of Ávila was canonized on March 12, 1622, and in 1970, she received the prestigious title of Doctor of the Church by Pope St. Paul VI. She is only one of four women to have ever been proclaimed as such. Saint Teresa is remembered as one of the great mystics of the Catholic faith, and her writings are heralded as literary canon regarding Christian mysticism and Christian meditation. Her writings Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle have helped generations of faithful Christians grow in contemplative prayer to this day. Teresa lived in a tumultuous time, but was determined to stand on her own two feet, and boldly pursue the call of God. Enthusiastic, courageous, and outgoing, she brought about immense reform despite the opposition of poor health, political turmoil, and her own feelings of mediocrity. Yet she struggled forward, faithful until the end, to found monasteries, share the beauty of mental prayer, and fall into the embrace of the Lord. A Doctor of the Church 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

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

Volunteer Opportunities Are you looking to give your time and volunteer at St. Anthony's? Below are opportunities for you to get involved! St. Anthony of Padua requires all adults (18 years +) volunteering with our parish to be in compliance with Safe Environment. If you have not taken the Safe Environment Training, click the link below to complete it. If you have questions, please contact us. Safe Environment Training Contact Us Breaking Bread Hospitality On Sundays after Mass, parishioners are invited over to Fr. Jesse's home to share a light meal with him. We are in need of volunteers to help "host" the Breaking Bread sessions. Contact us Fellowship Sunday Hospitality Fellowship Sunday is a great opportunity for our parish to come together after Mass and enjoy some donuts, coffee, and community! Come meet some new friends, and learn about the various ministries and events going on in our Parish. If you would like to volunteer for Fellowship Sunday, contact us. Contact Us Welcoming Team Hospitality We are seeking volunteers who can arrive 30 minutes before Sunday mass to warmly greet parishioners in the piazza and the church entrances, offering assistance when needed. Contact Us BACK TO TOP