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

Join our welcoming Catholic community at St. Anthony of Padua in The Woodlands, TX. Mass times, confessions, events, and parish programs for all ages. Welcome To St. Anthony of Padua The Woodlands, TX Mass Times Welcome Daily Mass Monday: 9 AM • Our Lady of the Angels Chapel (OLA) Tuesday: 9 AM & 6:45 PM • OLA Chapel Wednesday: 6 AM and 8:30 AM • Main Church Thursday: 9 AM and 6:45 PM • OLA Chapel Friday: 9 AM • OLA Chapel Saturday*: 10 AM • OLA Chapel *The First Saturday of every month, Daily Mass will be moved to the Main Church. We, the people of St. Anthony of Padua, are a joyful Roman Catholic Community. We believe Our Lord calls us beyond membership to become His true disciples and live as One Body in Christ. Therefore, we choose to use our unique gifts to build a welcoming, interconnected gathering of the faithful that will be a beacon, a light to the world. Parish Mission Statement – Adopted on September 8, 1998 (Birthday of Our Lady) Weekend Mass (Main Church) Saturday: 5 PM Vigil Mass Sunday: 7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM Español, 6 PM Nursery Registration Parish Survey - Disciple Maker Index - Click Here Confession * Confessions are located in the Our Lady of the Angels Chapel Tuesday: 5 PM - 6:30 PM • English and Español Wednesday: 6 PM - 8 PM • English Only Thursday: 5 PM - 6:30 PM • English and Español Saturday*: 8 AM - 10 AM • English and Español *The First Saturday of every month, Confessions will be moved to the Main Church. Every Saturday we have nursery available. Pre-registration is required. Nursery Registration MAIN CHURCH PARISH OFFICE 7801 Bay Branch Dr The Woodlands, TX 77382 OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS CHAPEL 8715 Kuykendahl Rd The Woodlands, TX 77382 ST ANTHONY'S BREAD FOOD PANTRY 7985 Bay Branch Dr The Woodlands, TX 77382 JOIN OUR PARISH Register Today! PARISH EVENTS Upcoming Events EMAIL LIST Subscribe to Emails LIVE STREAM Watch Our Live Stream Calendar of Events Calendar of Events Calendar of Events

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

First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation for adults will occur through our Becoming Catholic/Adult Confirmation Process. During the process, participants will prepare for and receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. First Communion - Adult First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation for adults will occur through our Becoming Catholic/Adult Confirmation Process. During the process, participants will prepare for and receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. 18+ years old First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation for adults will occur through our Becoming Catholic/Adult Confirmation Process. During the process, participants will prepare for and receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Baptized Catholics will be Confirmed by the local bishop at a special Adult Confirmation Mass. We will work with you to prepare you to participate in that celebration. Please complete the Adult Confirmation Request Form to get started. Adult Confirmation Request Form Program Contact Katie Krall Adult Faith & Sacraments Manager kkrall@ap.church 832-482-4147 Next Item Previous Item

St. Damien de Veuster, a Belgian priest of the Sacred Hearts Fathers, heroically served the lepers of Molokai, Hawaii. Arriving in Honolulu in 1864 and ordained shortly after, he worked on the Big Island for eight years before volunteering in 1873 to minister to those exiled to Molokai with leprosy. Known for his fearless compassion, Damien embraced the lepers—physically and spiritually—becoming one of them in every way. He built churches, homes, and a sense of dignity. Contracting leprosy in 1876, he continued his mission until his death in 1889. His life remains a powerful witness to mercy and solidarity with the suffering. St. Damien of Molokai Time Period: 1840-1889 Feast Day: May 10 Title/Attributes: Confessor, SS.CC Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Wood from the Altar of St. Damien St. Damien de Veuster was called the hero of Molokai, a Belgian member of the Sacred Hearts Fathers who gave his life for the lepers of Hawaii. He was born in Tremeloo, Belgium and followed his brother, Auguste, called Pamphile, into the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, the Picpus Fathers. He took his final vows on October 7, 1860, and then volunteered as Pamphile’s replacement to the Hawaiian missions, even though he had not been ordained. Damien arrived in Honolulu on March 19, 1964, and was ordained two days later in the cathedral. Assigned to the island of Hawaii, called the Big Island, he spent eight years in a mission that covered two thousand square miles of cliffs, ravines, valleys and volcanoes. In January 1866, the Hawaiian royal government, recognizing that leprosy was spreading through the islands, exiled victims of the disease to a settlement on the island of Molokai. Damien volunteered to care for the victims. On May 10, 1873, he landed at Kalaupapa, Molokai, in the company of Bishop Louis Maigret, SS.CC. The Bishop introduced Damien to the 816 community members as “one who will be a father to you and who loves you so much that he does not hesitate to become one of you, to live and die with you”. Under horrifying conditions, he gave the rest of his life to the lepers. What surprised the lepers most was that Damien touched them. Other missionaries and doctors shrank from the lepers. In fact, one local doctor only changed bandages with his cane. But Damien not only touched the lepers, he also embraced them, he dined with them, he put his thumb on their forehead to anoint them, and he placed the Eucharist on their tongues. All of these actions spoke volumes to the dejected lepers. They showed that Damien didn’t want to serve them from afar; he wanted to become one of them. In 1876, the first symptoms of leprosy appeared in Damien’s left foot. He did not shrink from this cross, and he was thrilled to see the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by St. Marianne Cope, arrive to start an advanced medical clinic. Damien served his fellow lepers until his death in 1889. At the request of the Belgian government, his remains were returned to his homeland decades later. Next Item Previous Item

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 Baptism - Infant "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 0-6 years old We are excited to be a part of your child’s relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church through the Sacrament of Baptism! It is always a joyful experience for us to welcome a new Christian into the Church and into our parish community. Through baptism, your child will be adopted into God’s family, receive the grace of salvation won for us by Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, and have life in the Holy Spirit. As the doorway into God’s Church, Baptism enables your child to grow in holiness. Preparation for Registration If you can answer YES to all the questions below, you may be ready to request the Sacrament of Baptism for your child. After you attend the Baptism Preparation Class, you will receive a Baptism Packet which contains the necessary forms and information. Is the child 6 years old or younger? Have the parents of the child attended a Baptismal Preparation class? Are the parents of the child registered parishioners of St. Anthony of Padua? Registration Process 1 . Sacrament of Baptism Request Form . Complete the Baptism Request Form for more information on how to get started. Upon submitting this form, our Baptism coordinator will get in touch with you for further instructions. To see available baptism ceremony dates, check our schedule here . 2 . Complete Baptism Preparation class . Both parents must take the online and in-person components. If parents attended a Baptism Preparation class within the past three years at a parish other than St Anthony of Padua, you will need to submit the verification letter or certification from that parish. 3. Godparent Information Forms must be completed and signed by each godparent. You will find the requirements and obligations for godparents on the forms linked below. Email completed forms to our baptism coordinator. English Godparent/Christian Witness Commitment Form Español Forma de Padrino/Madrina/Testigo Cristiano 4. Official Birth Certificate. We will need a copy of your child’s official Birth Certificate as soon as possible. To receive the baptismal certificate on the day of the ceremony, the birth certificate must be received no later than two weeks before the ceremony. 5. Parish Registration. You will need to provide your parishioner registration number you received when you submitted the "join our parish" form. If you do not know your number, it is found on your Church Center profile at ap.churchcenter.com/me/profile-and-household or you may send an inquiry to support@ap.church If you are not a member of our parish, we will need a Letter of Assurance from the pastor of your current church. If you need a Letter of Assurance from St Anthony of Padua because your child is celebrating baptism at another Catholic parish, email Claudia Avena with your request. Questions Let us know if you need any assistance with the registration process. If you prefer, we are happy to set up an appointment to meet in person to guide you through the steps or answer any questions you may have about infant baptism. Program Contact Claudia Avena Baptism Coordinator (Bilingüe) cavena@ap.church 832-482-4033 Next Item Previous Item

St. Alphonsus Liguori was a bishop, founder of the Redemptorist Congregation, and a Doctor of the Church. A prodigy, he earned his doctorate at sixteen and practiced law before dedicating himself to God in 1723. Ordained in 1726, he preached missions and later founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 1732. Despite challenges, he expanded his work and became a bishop in 1762, tirelessly serving the poor and clergy. Afflicted by severe rheumatism, he resigned in 1775. He endured betrayal but remained devoted to faith, writing influential theological works. He died in 1787, leaving a lasting legacy. St. Alphonsus Liguori Time Period: 1696-1787 Feast Day: August 1 Title/Attributes: Bishop, Doctor of the Church Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Alphonsus Liguori was a bishop, founder of the Redemptorist Congregation and he is a Doctor of the Church. Educated at the University of Napes, Alphonsus received his doctorate at the age of sixteen. By age nineteen he was practicing law, but he saw the transitory nature of the secular world, and after a brief time, retreated from the law courts and his fame. Visiting the local Hospital for Incurables on August 28, 1723, he had a vision and was told to consecrate his life solely to God. In response, Alphonsus dedicated himself to the religious life, even while suffering persecution from his family. He finally agreed to become a priest but to live at home (a custom at the time) as a member of a group of secular missionaries. He was ordained on December 21, 1726, and he spent six years giving missions throughout Naples. In April 1729, Alphonsus went to live at the Chinese College, founded in Naples by Father Matthew Ripa, the Apostle of China. There he met Bishop Thomas Falcoia, founder of the Congregation of Pious Workers. This lifelong friendship aided Alphonsus, as did his association with a mystic, Sister Mary Celeste. With their help, Alphonsus founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer on November 9, 1732. The Foundation faced immediate problems, and after just one year, Alphonsus found himself with only one lay brother, his other companions having left to form their own religious group. He started again, recruited new members, and in 1743 became the prior of two new congregations, one for men and one for women. Pope Benedict XIV gave his approval for the men's congregation in 1749 and for the women's in 1750. Alphonsus was preaching missions in the rural areas and writing. He refused to become the bishop of Palermo but in 1762 had to accept the papal command to accept the see of St. Agatha of the Goths near Naples. Here he discovered more than thirty thousand uninstructed men and women and four hundred indifferent priests. For thirteen years Alphonsus fed the poor, instructed families, reorganized the seminary and religious houses, taught theology, and wrote. His austerities were rigorous, and he suffered daily the pain from rheumatism that was beginning to deform his body. He spent several years having to drink from tubes because his head was so bent forward. An attack of rheumatic fever from May 1768 to June 1769, left him paralyzed. He was not allowed to resign his see until 1775. In 1780, Alphonsus was tricked into signing a submission for royal approval for his congregation. This submission altered the original rule, and as a result Alphonsus was denied any authority among the Redemptorists. Deposed and excluded from his own congregation, Alphonsus suffered great anguish. But he overcame and went to experience visions, perform miracles, and give prophecies. He died peacefully on August 1, 1787, at Nocera di Pagani, near Naples, as the Angelus was ringing. His writings on moral, theological and ascetic matters had great impact and have survived through the years, especially his Moral Theology and his Glories of Mary. He was buried at the monastery of the Pagani near Naples. In liturgical art he is depicted bent double with rheumatism or as a young priest. St. Alphonsus Liguori 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

Saint Maximilian Kolbe was born Raymund Kolbe on January 8th, 1894 in Zdunska-Wola, Poland. Despite being a troublesome youth, he developed a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary before being ordained a priest in 1918. He created a Catholic newspaper, magazine, radio station, and city, founding Niepokalanów, the City of the Immaculate in 1927. Following the Nazi occupation of Poland in 1939, he was arrested and sent to Auschwitz. He was killed after willingly taking the place of a man condemned to death, and his devotion to Mary and heroic sacrifice still inspires millions of Catholics today. His feast day is August 14th. St. Maximilian Kolbe Time Period: 1894-1941 Feast Day: August 14 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Franciscan, Martyr Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Hair A fervent devotee to Mary. A master of new media. A pure, sacrificial soul. The brave Franciscan friar and eventual martyr St. Maximilian Kolbe was a man with a soldier’s heart, dedicating his life to fight in a spiritual war for souls. He accomplished a great deal in his 47 years alive – organizing the Militia Immaculata (Army of the Immaculate One), creating a monthly periodical titled “Rycerz Niepokalanej” (Knight of the Immaculate), founding monasteries across the world, and essentially building an entire city in Poland. He is a well-known saint for his heroic sacrifice in Auschwitz, volunteering to die in the place of a stranger in the German death camp, but there is much to learn from his life, starting at a very young age. Raymund Kolbe was born on January 8th, 1894 in Zdunska-Wola, Poland. One of five boys born to his parents, Julius Kolbe and Maria Dabrowska, he witnessed the effects of Poland’s political disunity at a young age, while growing in devotion to Jesus through Mary from the influence of his virtuous mother – who taught him to pray the Rosary, Angelus and other Marian prayers. These daily recitations couldn’t subdue Raymund’s mischievous nature though, with the young child drawing the ire of his mother one day in 1906. “I don’t know what’s going to become of you,” she said, shaking the disobedient youth to his core. He tearfully presented himself to Lord at his usual place of prayer, where he had a vision of the Virgin Mary. He described the incident: “That night I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked me if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both.” Following this vision, his days as a troublesome youth were over, with Raymund and his older brother Francis joining the Conventual Franciscans the very next year. They were enrolled at a seminary in Lwow, with Raymund entering the novitiate on September 4th, 1910, where he was given the new name Maximilian. He briefly left the Order, with his Polish patriotism and love of Mary leading him to attempt to join the military forces in defense of Poland. God would soon make it clear that his mission was meant to be fought on the spiritual battlefield, and not a military one, and Friar Maximilian soon returned to the Order. He was sent to Rome in 1912 to further his theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University, earning a doctorate in philosophy in 1915 and another in theology a few years later. His dedication to Mary persisted throughout his time in Rome, where as a student, he witnessed vehement demonstrations against the Pope and the Catholic Church as a whole. With numerous Freemason pamphlets being distributed and other forms of media going out to shamefully attack the Holy Father, Kolbe knew something had to be done. On October 16th, 1917, Kolbe, along with six other friars, joined together to form the “Militia Immaculatae” (Army of the Immaculate One) to work for the conversion of all enemies of the Catholic Church. They consecrated themselves totally to the Immaculata and begin planning how to bring conversion to the Freemasons and beyond. Kolbe was officially ordained as a priest in 1918, and he returned home to Poland the following year to continue his work of promoting Mary throughout the newly independent country. He was appointed to serve as a professor at the Franciscan seminaries near Kraków, but a severe bout of tuberculosis, which also ailed Kolbe while in Rome, derailed those plans. He was forced to take a lengthy leave of absence from teaching, but while his physical body ailed greatly from this sickness, Kolbe’s zeal for souls never diminished. Not long after returning to Poland, Kolbe desired to start a Catholic newspaper, but lacked the funds. However, he had faith in Mary’s providence, and after praying for her intercession, he was able to collect enough donations to purchase an old printing press. After another spell of tuberculosis, Kolbe moved to a small friary in Grodno, where he operated a religious publishing press until 1926. Most notably, he founded a monthly periodical titled “Rycerz Niepokalanej” (Knight of the Immaculate) as a devotional publication to the Virgin Mary. Kolbe had seen how the enemies of the Church had utilized the media to spread hate – he knew he had the opportunity to utilize the same mediums of communication to instead spread Christ’s love, and this endeavor would change Kolbe’s life forever. The magazine began circulating widely around the country, with a daily newspaper, Maly Dziennik, also growing in popularity. At its peak, the Knight of the Immaculate was reported to have a press run of 750,000 copies printed a month. Soon, the growing number of subscribers forced Kolbe’s printing apostolate to start looking for a larger area to continue their missionary media efforts. At the same time, a Polish Prince Jan Drucko-Lubecki was selling a large plot of land outside of Warsaw, right by a railway. When Kolbe went to negotiate with the Prince in June of 1927, he brought with him a statue of the Virgin Mary. The negotiations reached a standstill, due to Kolbe not having the amount of money the Prince was asking for the land. The Prince was willing to reduce the price if the Order would offer perpetual Mass for him and his descendants, but when the Order refused, Kolbe departed, but left the statue on the property. When the Prince eventually told Kolbe to come collect the large statue, Kolbe merely responded with a request to let the statue remain there for awhile. After some time had passed, with the Prince constantly gazing upon the statue throughout the day, he came to realize that he was depriving the Virgin Mary of her rightful honor, and reached out to Fr. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, who he realized was a true ambassador of the Blessed Mother, to agree to his terms and sell the land. Twenty-two friars would be the founding residents of Niepokalanów, the City of the Immaculate. It was consecrated on December 8th, 1927, with a junior seminary starting in 1929, leading hundreds of men to flock to the area in pursuit of a radically Marian life. At one point, the monastery housed almost eight hundred people, not all priests or friars, but simply men dedicated to heroic lives of poverty, prayer, and sanctity. The city quickly became a major religious printing center, with Kolbe repeatedly pointing out that success was not measured in constructing more buildings or adding more printing presses; instead, it was found in the daily deepening of one’s love for the Immaculate. This love was further put into action by Kolbe when from 1930 to 1936, he traveled to Nagasaki, Japan alongside four other friars, in hopes of starting a mission there. His missionary heart had no bounds, and despite many barriers of language, opposition from local authorities and lack of finances, they were able to publish the Japanese version of their magazine, titled “Seibo no Kishi” as well as establish a new City of the Immaculate, named “Mugenzai no Sono”, or “Garden of the Immaculate.” Most notable about this monastery was that Kolbe prayerfully built it on a side of a mountain that he was advised against, due to Shinto beliefs viewing it as the side “not in tune with nature.” When the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki in 1945, the monastery was untouched from the blast by the other side of the mountain, which bore the brunt of the explosion. Had he built the monastery on the preferred side, it would not still be standing to this day. Kolbe would become the superior at Mugenzai no Sono one year after their arrival to Japan, with the Japanese version of The Knight surging to 50,000 subscribers by 1933. However, health issues continued to assail Kolbe, and after a brief trip to Malabar, India in an attempt to open another monastery, he returned to Poland in 1936. By this time, Niepokalanów had an airport, medical facilities, and even its own fire brigade. In 1938, Kolbe also held an amateur radio license and started a radio station, Radio Niepokalanów, to continue to use modern media to spread the word of God. He hoped to one day build a motion picture studio, but those plans were halted in 1939, when during WWII, the Nazis occupied Poland. Kolbe was one of the few friars who remained at the monastery, which had been converted to a temporary hospital, when the Nazis raided Niepokalanów. Kolbe was arrested on September 19th, 1939, but released on December 8th. He refused to sign the Deutsche Volksliste, a Nazi institution translated to “German People’s List” which would have given him rights similar to those of German citizens, in exchange for recognizing his ethnic German ancestry. Instead, he returned to the ransacked monastery, undeterred, to continue his missionary work. The monastery would become a safe haven for refugees and displaced families, with Kolbe helping hide 3,000 Polish refugees, two-thirds being Jewish, from the Nazis. They also continued their publication work, including many materials that were critical of the Nazi party. On February 17th, 1941, the monastery was officially shut down, and Kolbe was arrested by the Gestapo alongside four others. They were imprisoned in the Pawiak prison, located in Warsaw, before being transferred to Auschwitz on May 28th, as prisoner 16670. Upon his arrest, Saint Maximilian said, “Courage, my sons. Don’t you see that we are leaving on a mission? They pay our fare in the bargain. What a piece of good luck! The thing to do now is to pray well in order to win as many souls as possible.” Kolbe continued to act as a priest while in Auschwitz, despite being subject to violent harassment for doing so. He received numerous beatings and lashings but continued to minister to all those around him in the dark, heartless prison. At one point he was beaten so badly, the prisoners had to smuggle him into the camp hospital, where he heard confessions as he recovered. It is said that Kolbe would conduct Mass within the prison, using smuggled bread and wine, and would step aside from the food line to allow others to eat, despite the rations being pitiful to begin with. He was unflinching in the midst of incredible harshness, and maintained the gentleness of Christ at all times, pleading with his fellow prisoners to mercifully forgive their persecutors. At the end of July 1941, a prisoner escaped from the camp. Nazi camp protocol required that ten men be killed in retribution for every one that escapes, prompting the Nazi commander to pick the ten souls to be slaughtered. Francis Gajowniczek, a married man with young children was chosen as one of the ten, and when selected he cried “”My wife! My children!” When Fr. Maximilian Mary Kolbe heard his anguished cries, he stepped forward. “What does this Polish pig want?” the Nazi commander asked, to which Kolbe replied that he was a Catholic priest wishing to take Gajowniczek’s place. Astonished, the commander granted the request, and Kolbe was led off to the starvation chamber. According to an eyewitness from the prison, an assistant janitor within Auschwitz, what happened next was beyond comprehension. Inside the prison cell, Kolbe led the prisoners in prayer each day. Whenever the guards would check on the condemned men, he was calmly standing or kneeling in the middle of the cell. Two terrible weeks of starvation and water deprivation followed, with Kolbe hearing the whispered prayers of his fellow prisoners as they passed away, leaving only him alive in the cell. The guards, wanting the bunker emptied for more future cruelty, decided Kolbe’s time was up. Kolbe was given a lethal injection of carbolic acid. Some eyewitnesses at the injection say that he calmly raised his left arm up, offering his arm to the executioner. He died on August 14th, 1941, and his remains were cremated on August 15th, the feast day of the Assumption of Mary. On January 30th, 1969, Kolbe was declared venerable by Pope Paul VI. He was also beatified by Pope Paul VI on October 17, 1971, who recognized him as a Confessor of the Faith, but not a martyr. On October 10, 1982, Pope John Paul II surprisingly arrived at Kolbe’s canonization wearing red vestments, to officially recognize him as a martyr. JPII wanted to make a point that the Nazi systematic hatred of entire categories of humanity was inherently a hatred of entire religious faiths. Francis Gajowniczek, the prisoner Kolbe replaced in the death chamber, was present for both his beatification and canonization ceremonies. He is the patron saint of journalists, media communications, the pro-life movement, recovering drug addicts, political prisoners, and families. At his canonization, JPII called Kolbe “the “patron for our difficult century.” In the midst of another difficult century, let us look to Kolbe’s devotion to Mary, his ability to embrace modern technology to spread God’s love, and his heroic sacrifice in the face of evil to inspire us forward in our heavenly journey. Next Item Previous Item

Safe Environment Safe Environment Training All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel, and volunteers over the age of 18, who work in any capacity with or around children, the elderly, adults with special needs, vulnerable adults, or adults “in a vulnerable position” are required to complete the Archdiocesan Safe Environment Training. A criminal background check must be submitted and reviewed before they may begin employment or volunteer at schools or with ministries, groups, movements, and organizations. In addition, the mandatory renewal training must be completed every 5 years and a new background check submitted. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Safe Environment compliance training and renewal training is a condition of employment and for volunteer ministry in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. St. Anthony of Padua requires all adults volunteering with our parish be in compliance with the Safe Environment qualifications. How Do I Access The Training Modules Log into galvestonhouston.cmgconnect.org , and follow the instructions. Note: Your legal name (on your driver’s license/passport) is the name that one needs to use when registering. Not doing so may prohibit your information from being processed. Questions Contact Safe@ap.church How Do I Report Abuse? For Minors (Under 18) Reporting in English Reportaje en Español For Adults (18 and Up) For adults who have been assaulted, please contact the local authorities at the Montgomery Country Sheriff's Office at 281-297-6500. If in immediate danger please call 911. Para adultos que han sido agredidos, contáctese con las autoridades locales en la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Montgomery al 281-297-6500. Llame al 911 si está en peligro inmediato. Abused at Another Institution If you are a a victim of abuse at another institution (other than St. Anthony of Padua in The Woodlands, TX), it is important that you contact local civil authorities where the abuse took place to follow the protocol for that municipality. Si usted es víctima de abuso en otra institución (que no sea St. Anthony of Padua en The Woodlands, TX), es importante que se ponga en contacto con las autoridades civiles locales donde ocurrió el abuso para seguir el protocolo de esa municipalidad. Previous Item Next Item

St. Peter Julian Eymard was a French priest and founder of the Congregation of the Priests of the Blessed Sacrament. Born in 1811, he was ordained in 1834 and joined the Marist Fathers, gaining renown as a preacher. In 1856, he left the Marists to establish a new community focused on deepening devotion to the Eucharist. With support from St. John Vianney, he founded both a men’s and a women’s congregation centered on Eucharistic adoration and spiritual renewal. His work greatly influenced Catholic Eucharistic devotion and continues through the ongoing mission of his religious communities. St. Peter Julian Eymard Time Period: 1811-1868 Feast Day: August 2 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Founder Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Piece of alb (clothing) St. Peter Julian Eymard was a French priest and founder of the Congregation of the Priests of the Blessed Sacrament. Born in 1811, he was ordained in 1834 and joined the Marist Fathers, gaining renown as a preacher. In 1856, he left the Marists to establish a new community focused on deepening devotion to the Eucharist. With support from St. John Vianney, he founded both a men’s and a women’s congregation centered on Eucharistic adoration and spiritual renewal. His work greatly influenced Catholic Eucharistic devotion and continues through the ongoing mission of his religious communities. Next Item Previous Item