FEAST DAYS IN JANUARYhttp://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/jan.php

January1

St. Giuseppe Maria TommasiSt. ClarusBl. Berka ZdislavaSt. Giuseppe Maria TomasiSt. William of DijonSt. TelemachusSt. OdiloSt. AlmachiusSt. BasilSt. ConcordiusSt. ConnatSt. CuanSt. Elvan & MydwynSt. EuphrosyneSt. Fulgentius of RuspeSt. FancheaSt. Joseph Mary TommasiSt. Justin of ChietiSt. MaelrhysSt. MagnusMary the Blessed VirginSt. Zdislava of LemberkBl. Valentin PaquaySt. Fulgentius of RuspeBl. Jean-Baptiste LegoBl. Rene LegoSt. Zygmunt Gorazdowski

January2

St. AdelardSt. Basil the GreatSt. Caspar del BufaloSt. Gregory NazianzusSt. Adalard of CorbieSt. ArgeusSt. AspasiusSt. BlidulfSt. Seraphim of SarovSt. ArtaxusSt. MartinianSt. MunchinBl. Guillaume RepinBl. Marie-Anne VaillotBl. Odilia Baumgarten

January3

St. GenevieveSt. BertiliaSt. BlitmundSt. Zosimus & AthanasiusSt. WenogSt. Theopemptus and TheonasSt. CyrinusSt. Daniel of PaduaSt. FinlughSt. Fintan

St. Florentius of VienneSt. Narses

January4

St. Elizabeth Ann SetonBl. Angela of FolignoSt. AquilinusBl. Thomas PlumtreeSt. DafrosaSt. EugendusSt. Ferreolus of UzesSt. HermesSt. LibentiusSt. RigobertSt. MavilusSt. PharaildisSt. Rigobert (Robert)St. AbrahamBl. Manuel Gonzalez Garcia

January5

St. John NeumannSt. Charles of SezzeSt. RogerSt. SyncleticaSt. Apollinaris SyncleticaSt. TalidaSt. CeraSt. ConvoyonSt. EmilianaSt. GaudentiusSt. GerlacSt. John Nepomucene NeumannSt. LomerMartyrs of EgyptSt. PaulaSt. Syncletica of AlexandriaSt. Genoveva Torres MoralesBl. Jacques LedoyenBl. Marcelina Darowska

January6

St. Andre BessetteSt. MelanieSt. Anastasius VIIISt. WiltrudisSt. SchotinSt. DimanSt. EdeyrnSt. EigradSt. ErminoldSt. HywynSt. John de RiberaSt. MacraSt. MelaniusSt. Peter of CanterburySt. ErminoldSt. Peter of Canterbury

January7

St. Raymond of PennafortSt. Aidric

St. Anastasius XVIIISt. BrannockSt. ValentineSt. Theodore of EgyptSt. TilloSt. Canute LavardSt. ClerusSt. CrispinSt. Cronan BegBl. Edward WatersonSt. EmilianSt. Felix & JanuariusSt. Julian of CagliariSt. KentigernaSt. Lucian of AntiochSt. ReinoldSt. Nicetas of Remesiana

January8

St. ThorfinnSt. PegaSt. ApollinarisSt. Albert of CashelSt. AthelmSt. Atticus of ConstantinopleSt. WulsinSt. Theophilus & HelladiusSt. SeverinusSt. Severinus of NoricumSt. CarteriusSt. ErgnadSt. Erhard of RegensburgSt. EugenianSt. FrodobertSt. GaribaldusSt. GudulaSt. FrodobertSt. Lucian of BeauvaisSt. Maximus of Pavia

January9

St. Adrian, AbbotSt. HonoriusSt. BrithwaldSt. VitalicusSt. WaningusSt. EpicharisSt. FoellanSt. Julian and BasilissaSt. Marciana of MauretaniaSt. MaurontusSt. PaschasiaSt. Abhor (Amba Hor)St. BasilissaBl. Tommaso Reggio

January10

St. William of BourgesSt. AgathoSt. Thomian

St. SaethrythSt. DermotSt. John Camillus the GoodSt. MarcianSt. NicanorSt. Peter UrseolusSt. PetroniusSt. Peter OrseoloBl. Anna of the Angels Monteagudo

January11

St. HyginiusSt. AlexanderSt. AlexanderSt. Anastasius XSt. BoadinSt. BrandanSt. Vitalis of GazaSt. TheodosiusSt. Theodosius of AntiochSt. Theodosius the CenobiarchSt. SalviusSt. Ethenea and FidelmiaSt. HonorataSt. Hyginus, PopeSt. Leucius of BrindisiSt. PalaemonSt. Paldo, Tato, and TasoSt. Paulinus of AquileiaSt. Peter, Severus and LeuciusSt. Paulinus of AquileiaBl. William CarterSt. Paulinus of AquileiaSt. Francisca Salesia Aviat

January12

St. TatianaSt. ArcadiusSt. CaesariaSt. MartinaSt. Aelred of RievaulxSt. Benedict BiscopSt. Marguerite BourgeoysSt. Anthony Mary PucciSt. Bartholomew AlvarezSt. Victorian of AsanBl. Vincent de CunhaSt. ZoticusSt. ZoticusSt. Tatiana of RomeSt. Tigrius & EutropiusSt. SalviusSt. SatyrusEphesus MartyrsBl. John Gaspard CratzSt. John of RavennaSt. Martin of LeonMartyrs of Ephesus

St. Margaret BourgeoysSt. VictorianBl. Pierre-Francois Jamet

January13

St. Hilary of PoitiersBl. YvetteSt. ElianSt. AgreciusSt. Andrew of TrierSt. ViventiusSt. Elian ap ErbinSt. EnogatusSt. Erbin of DumnoniaSt. GlaphyraSt. GumesindusSt. HermylusSt. Kentigern MungoSt. Leontius of CaesareaSt. Berno of Cluny

January14

St. Felix of NolaSt. SavaSt. BarbasymasSt. DaciusSt. DeusdeditSt. EuphrasiusSt. Fulgentius of CartagenaSt. FelixSt. Macrina the ElderMartyrs of Mount SinaiMartyrs of RaithuBl. Peter Donders

January15

St. BonitusSt. ItaSt. NinaSt. Arnold JansenSt. BlaithmaicSt. TarsiciaSt. TeathSt. SawlSt. SecundinaSt. Ceolwulf of NorthumbriaSt. EmebertSt. EphysiusSt. EugyppiusBl. Frances de CapillasSt. John CalabytesSt. Liewellyn & GwrnerthSt. LleudaddSt. Macarius the GreatSt. MalardSt. Maura & BrittaSt. Maximus of NolaSt. Paul the HermitBl. Peter of CastelnauSt. Beauch (Bagug)

St. Francis Ferdinand de CapillasSt. Francisco Fernandez de Capillas

January16

St. ValeriusSt. Titian of OderzoSt. TriveriusSt. Dunchaid O'BraoinSt. FurseySt. Fusca and MaruraSt. Henry of CocketSt. Honoratus of AriesSt. HonoratusSt. James of TarentaiseSt. LiberataSt. Melas

January17

St. Anthony the AbbotBl. Gonzalo de AmaranteSt. SulpiciusSt. AchillasSt. Julian Sabas the ElderSt. NenniusSt. MildgythaSt. PiorSt. AchillasBl. Gregory Khomyshyn

January18

St. Margaret of HungarySt. AmmoniusSt. Archelais and CompanionsSt. VolusianSt. UlfridSt. Vincenza Mary Lopez y VicunaSt. DaySt. DeicolaSt. FazzioSt. LeobardSt. LiberataSt. Moseus & AmmoniusSt. BastmusSt. Jaime Hilario BarbelBl. Marie de la Dive du VerdierBl. Monique PicheryBl. Victoire Gusteau

January19

St. PontianusSt. FillanSt. Henry of SwedenSt. Henry of UppsalaSt. ArcontiusSt. ArseniusSt. BassianSt. WulfstanSt. Canute IVSt. Catellus of CastellamoreSt. ContentiusSt. FirminusSt. Germanicus of Smyrna

St. Henry of UppsalaSt. RemigiusBl. NathalanSt. Paul, Gerontius and CompanionsSt. PontianSt. Germanicus of SmyrnaSt. HenrySt. AbsadahSt. Beshada (Abshadius, Psote)St. Macarius the Great of AlexandriaSt. Tomasso da Cori

January20

St. FabianSt. SebastianSt. EuthymiusSt. FechinSt. MaurusSt. Eustochium CalafatoSt. NeophytusSt. MolaggaSt. AbadiosBl. Cyprian Michael Iwene TansiSt. Eustochia Calafato

January21

St. AgnesBl. InezSt. MeinradSt. Alban Bartholomew RoeSt. BrigidSt. ViminBl. Thomas ReynoldsBl. Edward StranshamSt. Epiphanius of PaviaSt. Fructuosus of TarragonaSt. LawdogSt. MaccalinSt. PatroclusSt. PubliusSt. Patroclus

January22

Bl. Laura VicunaSt. Vincent PallottianoSt. Vincent PallottiSt. Vincent SaragossaSt. Anastasius XIVSt. BlaesillaSt. BrithwaldSt. Valerius of SaragossaSt. Vincent of DigneSt. Vincent, Orontius, & VictorSt. Vincent the DeaconBl. William PatensonSt. Dominic of SoraSt. Francis Gil de FrederichSt. Matthew Alonso LezinianaSt. PaschasiusBl. Ladislaus Batthyany-Strattmann

Bl. William Joseph ChaminadeJanuary

23St. IldephonsusSt. AgathangelusST. AmasiusSt. AsclasSt. BarnardSt. Severian & AquilaSt. Colman of LismoreSt. EmerentianaSt. EusebiusBl. Henry SusoSt. John the AlmonerSt. LuthfildSt. MaimbodSt. OrmondSt. ParmenasSt. AbakuhSt. Marianne Cope

January24

St. Francis de SalesSt. ArtemiusSt. BabylasSt. BertrandSt. ZamaBl. William IrelandSt. Thyrsus & ProjectusSt. Exuperantius of CingoliSt. GuasachtSt. Felician of FolignoBl. John GroveSt. MacedoniusSt. MardoniusSt. MessalinaBl. Anicet HryciukBl. Bartlomiej OsypiukBl. Daniel KarmaszBl. Filip GerylukBl. Ignacy FranczukBl. Michal WawryszukBl. Onufry Wasyluk

January25

St. AmarinusSt. ApolloSt. ArtemasSt. BretannionSt. DonatusSt. DwynwenSt. Eochod of GallowaySt. Juventius & MaximusSt. RachoSt. MaurusSt. Peter ThomasSt. PraejectusSt. Poppo

January26

St. TimothySt. Paula

St. Alberic of C � teaux St. AnsuriusSt. AthanasiusSt. TheofridSt. ThordgithSt. TitusSt. ConanSt. Robert of NewmisterBl. Michal Kozal

January27

St. Angela MericiSt. MariusSt. Sabas of SerbiaSt. AvitusSt. Theodoric of OrleansSt. CandidaSt. DatiusSt. DevotaSt. EmeriusSt. GamoSt. Gamelbert of MichaelsbuchSt. GilduinSt. Julian of Le MansSt. Julian of SoraSt. Lupus of ChalonsSt. NatalisSt. MaurusSt. Julian of Le MansSt. AviatesSt. Henry de Osso y CervelloBl. Rosalie du Verdier de la Soriniere

January28

Bl. Amadeus of LausanneSt. AntilnusSt. Thyrsus, Leucius, & CallinicusSt. Thomas AquinasSt. CanneraSt. FlavianSt. GlastianSt. James the HermitBl. Jerome LuSt. John of ReomaySt. Julian of CuencaBl. Lawrence WangBl. Roger of TodiSt. Richard of VaucellesSt. Odo of BeauvaisSt. PalladiusSt. Peter NolascoBl. Joseph FreinademetzSt. Jerome Lou-Tin-Mei

January29

St. DallanSt. AquilinusSt. BlathSt. VolocSt. Valerius of Tr � ves

St. Sabinian of TroyesSts. Sarbelius & BarbeaSt. CaesariusSt. Papias and MaurinusBl. Boleslava Lament

January30

St. HippolytusSt. AldegunaisSt. AleaunieSt. AlexanderSt. ArmentariusSt. ArmentariusSt. BarsimaeusSt. BathildisSt. TudySt. Savina of MilanSt. FelicianSt. HyacinthSt. Martina of RomeSt. Matthias of JerusalemSt. Mutien-Marie Wiaux

January31

St. John BoscoSt. CyrusSt. MarcellaSt. Adamnan of ColdinghamSt. Aidan of FernsSt. AthanasiusSt. BobinusSt. UlphiaSt. TarskiusSt. TrypbaenaSts. Saturninus, Thrysus, & VictorSt. DomitiusSt. EusebiusSt. GeminianSt. Julius of NovaraSt. MadoesSt. MarcellaSt. Martin ManuelSt. NicetasSt. MetranusSt. Francis Xavier Bianchi

Mary the Blessed Virgin

Feastday: January 1

Death: 1st century

The Mother, of God, Mother of Jesus, wife of St. Joseph, and the

greatest of all Christian saints. The Virgin Mother "was, after her Son,

exalted by divine grace above all angels and men". Mary is venerated

with a special cult, called by St. Thomas Aquinas, hyperdulia, as the

highest of God's creatures. The principal events of her life are

celebrated as liturgical feasts of the universal Church. Mary's life and role in the history

of salvation is prefigured in the Old Testament, while the events of her life are recorded in the New

Testament. Traditionally, she was declared the daughter of Sts. Joachim and Anne. Born in

Jerusalem, Mary was presented in the Temple and took a vow of virginity. Living in

Nazareth, Mary was visited by the archangel Gabriel, who announced to her that she would become

the Mother of Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. She became betrothed to St. Joseph and went to visit her

cousin, Elizabeth, who was bearing St. John the Baptist. Acknowledged by Elizabeth as the Mother

of God, Mary intoned the Magnificat. When Emperor Augustus declared a census throughout the

vast Roman Empire, Mary and St. Joseph went to Bethlehem, his city of lineage, as he belonged to

the House of David. There Mary gave birth to Jesus and was visited by the Three

Kings. Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple, where St. Simeon rejoiced

and Mary received word of sorrows to come later. Warned to flee, St. Josephand Mary went

to Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod. They remained in Egypt until King Herod died and

then returned to Nazareth. Nothing is known of Mary's life during the next years except for a visit to

the Temple of Jerusalem, at which time Mary and Joseph sought the young Jesus, who was in

theTemple with the learned elders. The first recorded miracle of Jesus was performed at a wedding

in Cana, and Mary was instrumental in calling Christ's attention to the need. Mary was present at

the Crucifixion in Jerusalem, and there she was given into John's care. She was also with the

disciples in the days before the Pentecost, and it is believed that she was present at the resurrection

and Ascension. No scriptural reference concerns Mary's last years on earth. According to tradition,

she went to Ephesus, where she experienced her "dormition." Another tradition states that she

remained in Jerusalem. The belief that Mary's body was assumed into heaven is one of the oldest

traditions of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII declared this belief Catholic dogma in 1950. The

feast of the Assumption is celebrated on August 15. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception -

that Mary, as the Mother of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, was free of original sin at the

moment of her conception was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854 . The feast of the  Immaculate

Conception is celebrated on December 8. The birthday of Mary is an old feast in the Church,

celebrated on September 8 since the seventh century. Other feasts that commemorate events in

the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary are listed in the Appendices. Pope Pius XII dedicated the entire

human race to Mary in 1944. The Church has long taught that Mary is truly the Mother of God . St.

Paul observed that "God sent His Son, born of a woman," expressing the union of the human and

the divine in Christ. As Christ possesses two natures, human and divine, Mary was the Mother

of God in his human nature. This special role of Mary in salvation history is clearly depicted in the

Gospel in which she is seen constantly at her son's side during his soteriological mission. Because

of this role exemplified by her acceptance of Christ into her womb, her offering of him to God at

the Temple, her urging him to perform his first miracle, and her standing at the foot of the Cross at

Calvary Mary was joined fully in the sacrifice by Christ of himself. Pope Benedict XV wrote in

1918: "To such an extent did Mary suffer and almost die with her suffering and dying Son; to such

extent did she surrender her maternal rights over her Son for man's salvation, and immolated him -

insofar as she could in order to appease the justice of God, that we might rightly say she redeemed

the human race together with Christ" . Mary is entitled to the title of Queen because, as Pope Pius

XII expressed it in a 1946 radio speech, "Jesus is King throughout all eternity by nature and

by right of conquest: through him, with him, and subordinate to him, Mary is Queen by grace, by

divine relationship, by right of conquest, and by singular election." Mary possesses a

unique relationship with all three Persons of the Trinity, thereby giving her a claim to the title of

Queenship. She was chosen by God the Father to be the Mother of his Son; God theHoly

Spirit chose her to be his virginal spouse for the Incarnation of the Son; and God the Son chose her

to be his mother, the means of incarnating into the world for the purposes of the redemption of

humanity. This Queen is also our Mother. While she is not our Mother in the physical sense, she is

called a spiritual mother, for she conceives, gives birth, and nurtures the spiritual lives of grace for

each person. As Mediatrix of All Graces, she is ever present at the side of each person, giving

nourishment and hope, from the moment of spiritual birth at Baptism to the moment of death. The

confidence that each person should have in Mary was expressed by Pope Pius IX in

the encyclical Ubipriinum : "The foundation of all our confidence. . . is found in the Blessed Virgin

Mary. For God has committed to Mary the treasury of allgood things, in order that everyone may

know that through her are obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation. For this is his will,

that we obtain everything through Mary."

St. Basil the GreatFacts

Feastday: January 2

Patron of hospital administrators

Death: 379

St. Basil the Great was born at Caesarea of Cappadocia in

330. He was one of ten children of St. Basil the Elder and

St. Emmelia. Several of his brothers and sisters are

honored among the saints. He attended school in Caesarea,

as well as Constantinople and Athens, where he became

acquainted with St. Gregory Nazianzen in 352. A little

later, he opened a school of oratory in Caesarea and

practiced law. Eventually he decided to become

a monk and found a monastery in Pontus which he directed for five years. He wrote a famous

monastic rule which has proved the most lasting of those in the East. After founding several other

monasteries, he was ordained and, in 370, made bishop of Caesaria. In this post until his death in

379, he continued to be a man of vast learning and constant activity, genuine eloquence and

immense charity. This earned for him the title of "Great" during his life and Doctor of the Church

after his death. Basil was one of the giants of the early Church. He was responsible for the victory

of Niceneorthodoxy over Arianism in the Byzantine East, and the denunciation of Arianism at the

Council ofConstantinople in 381-82 was in large measure due to his efforts. Basil fought simony,

aided the victims of drought and famine, strove for a better clergy, insisted on a rigid clerical

discipline, fearlessly denounced evil wherever he detected it, and excommunicated those involved

in the widespread prostitution traffic in Cappadocia. He was learned, accomplished in

statesmanship, a man of great personal holiness, and one of the great orators of Christianity.

His feast day is January 2.

St. Gregory NazianzusFeastday: January 2

Birth: 329

Death: 390

Doctor of the Church, born at Arianzus, in Asia Minor, c. 325; died at the same place, 389. He was

son -- one of three children -- of Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus (329-374), in the south-west of

Cappadocia, and of Nonna, a daughter of Christian parents. The saint's father was originally a

member of the heretical sect of the Hypsistarii, or Hypsistiani, and was converted to Catholicity by

the influence of his pious wife. His two sons, who seem to have been born between the dates of

their father's priestly ordination and episcopal consecration, were sent to a famous school at

Caesarea, capital of Cappadocia, and educated by Carterius, probably the same one who was

afterwards tutor of St. John Chrysostom. Here commenced the friendship between Basil and

Gregory which intimately affected both their lives, as well as the development of the theology of

their age. From Caesarea in Cappadocia Gregory proceeded to Caesarea in Palestine, where he

studied rhetoric under Thespesius; and thence to Alexandria, of which Athanasius was then bishop,

through at the time in exile. Setting out by sea from Alexandria to Athens, Gregory was all but lost

in a great storm, and some of his biographers infer -- though the fact is not certain -- that when in

danger of death he and his companions received the rite of baptism. He had certainly not been

baptized in infancy, though dedicated to God by his pious mother; but there is some authority for

believing that he received the sacrament, not on his voyage to Athens, but on his return

to Nazianzus some years later. At Athens Gregory and Basil, who had parted at Caesarea, met

again, renewed their youthful friendship, and studied rhetoric together under the famous

teachers Himerius and Proaeresius. Among their fellow students was Julian, afterwards known as

the Apostate, whose real character Gregory asserts that he had even then discerned and thoroughly

distrusted him. The saint's studies at Athens (which Basil left before his friend) extended over some

ten years; and when he departed in 356 for his native province, visiting Constantinople on his way

home, he was about thirty years of age.

Arrived at Nazianzus, where his parents were now advanced in age, Gregory, who had by

this time firmly resolved to devote his life and talents to God, anxiously considered the plan of his

future career. To a young man of his high attainments a distinguished secular career was open,

either that of a lawyer or of a professor of rhetoric; but his yearnings were for the monastic or

ascetic life, though this did not seem compatible either with the Scripture studies in which he was

deeply interested, or with his filial duties at home. As was natural, he consulted his beloved friend

Basil in his perplexity as to his future; and he has left us in his own writings an extremely

interesting narrative of their intercourse at this time, and of their common resolve (based on

somewhat different motives, according to the decided differences in their characters) to quit the

world for the service of God alone. Basil retired to Pontus to lead the life of a hermit ; but finding

that Gregory could not join him there, came and settled first at Tiberina (near Gregory's own home),

then at Neocæsarea, in Pontus, where he lived in holy seclusion for some years, and gathered round

him a brotherhood of cenobites, among whom his friend Gregory was for a time included. After a

sojourn here for two or three years, during which Gregory edited, with Basil some of the exegetical

works of Origen, and also helped his friend in the compilation of his famous rules, Gregory returned

to Nazianzus, leaving with regret the peaceful hermitage where he and Basil (as he recalled in their

subsequent correspondence) had spent such a pleasant time in the labour both of hands and of

heads. On his return home Gregory was instrumental in bringing back to orthodoxy his father who,

perhaps partly in ignorance, had subscribed the heretical creed of Rimini ; and the aged bishop,

desiring his son's presence and support, overruled his scrupulous shrinking from the priesthood, and

forced him to accept ordination (probably at Christmas, 361). Wounded and grieved at the pressure

put upon him, Gregory fled back to his solitude, and to the company of St. Basil; but after some

weeks' reflection returned to Nazianzus, where he preached his first sermon on Easter Sunday, and

afterward wrote the remarkable apologetic oration, which is really a treatise on the priestly office,

the foundation of Chrysostom's "De Sacerdotio", of Gregory the Great's "Cura Pastoris", and of

countless subsequent writings on the same subject.

During the next few years Gregory's life at Nazianzus was saddened by the deaths of his brother

Caesarius and his sister Gorgonia, at whose funerals he preached two of his most eloquent orations,

which are still extant. About this time Basil was made bishop of Caesarea and Metropolitan of

Cappadocia, and soon afterwards the Emperor Valens, who was jealous of Basil's influence, divided

Cappadocia into two provinces. Basil continued to claim ecclesiastical jurisdiction , as before, over

the whole province, but this was disputed by Anthimus, Bishop of Tyana, the chief city of New

Cappadocia. To strengthen his position Basil founded a new see at Sasima, resolved to have

Gregory as its first bishop, and accordingly had him consecrated, though greatly against his will.

Gregory, however, was set against Sasima from the first; he thought himself utterly unsuited to the

place, and the place to him; and it was not long before he abandoned his diocese and returned

to Nazianzus as coadjutor to his father. This episode in Gregory's life was unhappily the cause of an

estrangement between Basil and himself which was never altogether removed; and there is no

extant record of any correspondence between them subsequent to Gregory's leaving Sasima.

Meanwhile he occupied himself sedulously with his duties as coadjutor to his aged father, who died

early in 374, his wife Nonna soon following him to the grave. Gregory, who was now left

without family ties, devoted to the poor the large fortune which he had inherited, keeping for

himself only a small piece of land at Arianzus. He continued to administer thediocese for about two

years, refusing, however, to become the bishop, and continually urging the appointment of a

successor to his father. At the end of 375 he withdrew to a monastery at Seleuci, living there in

solitude for some three years, and preparing (though he knew it not) for what was to be the

crowning work of his life. About the end of this period Basil died. Gregory's own state of health

prevented his being present either at the deathbed or funeral; but he wrote a letter of condolence to

Basil's brother, Gregory of Nyssa, and composed twelve beautiful memorial poems or epitaphs to

his departed friend.

Three weeks after Basil's death, Theodosius was advanced by the Emperor Gratian to the dignity of

Emperor of the East. Constantinople, the seat of his empire, had been for the space of about thirty

years (since the death of the saintly and martyred Bishop Paul) practically given over too Arianism,

with an Arian prelate, Demophilus, enthroned at St. Sophia's. The remnant of persecuted Catholics,

without either church or pastor, applied to Gregory to come and place himself at their head and

organize their scattered forces; and many bishops supported the demand. After much hesitation he

gave his consent, proceeded to Constantinople early in the year 379, and began his mission in a

private house which he describes as "the new Shiloh where the Ark was fixed", and as "an

Anastasia, the scene of the resurrection of the faith". Not only the faithful Catholics, but

many heretics gathered in the humble chapel of the Anastasia, attracted by Gregory's sanctity,

learning and eloquence; and it was in this chapel that he delivered the five wonderful discourses on

the faith of Nicaea -- unfolding the doctrine of the Trinity while safeguarding theUnity of the

Godhead -- which gained for him, alone of all Christian teachers except the Apostle St. John, the

special title of Theologus or the Divine. He also delivered at this time the eloquent panegyrics on

St. Cyprian, St. Athanasius, and the Machabees, which are among his finest oratorical works.

Meanwhile he found himself exposed to persecution of every kind from without, and was actually

attacked in his own chapel, whilst baptizing his Easter neophytes, by a hostile mob of Arians from

St. Sophia's, among them being Arian monks and infuriated women. He was saddened, too, by

dissensions among his own little flock, some of whom openly charged him with holding Tritheistic

errors. St. Jerome became about thistime his pupil and disciple, and tells us in glowing language

how much he owed to his erudite and eloquent teacher. Gregory was consoled by the approval of

Peter, Patriarch of Constantinople(Duchesne's opinion, that the patriarch was from the first jealous

or suspicious of the Cappadocian bishop's influence in Constantinople, does not seem sufficiently

supported by evidence), and Peter appears to have been desirous to see him appointed to the

bishopric of the capital of the East. Gregory, however, unfortunately allowed himself to be imposed

upon by a plausible adventurer called Hero, or Maximus, who came

to Constantinople from Alexandria in the guise (long hair, white robe, and staff) of a Cynic, and

professed to be a convert to Christianity, and an ardent admirer of Gregory's sermons. Gregory

entertained him hospitably, gave him his complete confidence, and pronounced a public panegyric

on him in his presence. Maximus's intrigues to obtain the bishopric for himself found support in

various quarters, including Alexandria, which the patriarch Peter, for what reason precisely it is not

known, had turned against Gregory; and certain Egyptian bishops deputed by Peter, suddenly, and

at night, consecrated and enthroned Maximus as Catholic Bishop of Constantinople, while Gregory

was confined to bed by illness. Gregory's friends, however, rallied round him, and Maximus had to

fly from Constantinople. The Emperor Theodosius, to whom he had recourse, refused to recognize

any bishopother than Gregory, and Maximus retired in disgrace to Alexandria.

Theodosius received Christian baptism early in 380, at Thessalonica, and immediately addressed an

edict to his subjects at Constantinople, commanding them to adhere to the faith taught by St. Peter,

and professed by the Roman pontiff, which alone deserved to be called Catholic. In November, the

emperor entered the city and called on Demophilus, the Arian bishop, to subscribe to the

Nicene creed : but he refused to do so, and was banished from Constantinople. Theodosius

determined that Gregory should bebishop of the new Catholic see, and himself accompanied him to

St. Sophia's, where he was enthroned in presence of an immense crowd, who manifested their

feelings by hand-clappings and other signs of joy. Constantinople was now restored

to Catholic unity; the emperor, by a new edict, gave back all the churches to Catholic use; Arians

and other heretics were forbidden to hold public assemblies; and the name of Catholic was

restricted to adherents of the orthodox and Catholic faith.

Gregory had hardly settled down to the work of administration of the Diocese of Constantinople,

when Theodosius carried out his long-cherished purpose of summoning thither a general council of

the Eastern Church. One hundred and fifty bishops met in council, in May, 381, the object of the

assembly being, asSocrates plainly states, to confirm the faith of Nicaea, and to appoint

a bishop for Constantinople (see CONSTANTINOPLE, THE FIRST COUNCIL OF). Among

the bishops present were thirty-six holding semi-Arian or Macedonian opinions; and neither the

arguments of the orthodox prelates nor the eloquence of Gregory, who preached at Pentecost, in St.

Sophia's, on the subject of the Holy Spirit, availed to persuade them to sign the orthodox creed. As

to the appointment of the bishopric, theconfirmation of Gregory to the see could only be a matter of

form. The orthodox bishops were all in favor, and the objection (urged by the Egyptian and

Macedonian prelates who joined the council later) that his translation from one see to another was

in opposition to a canon of the Nicene council was obviously unfounded. The fact was well known

that Gregory had never, after his forced consecration at the instance of Basil, entered into

possession of the See of Sasima, and that he had later exercised his episcopal functions at

Nazianzus, not as bishop of that diocese, but merely as coadjutor of his father. Gregory succeeded

Meletius as president of the council, which found itself at once called on to deal with the difficult

question of appointing a successor to the deceased bishop. There had been an understanding

between the two orthodox parties at Antioch, of which Meletius and Paulinus had been

respectivelybishops that the survivor of either should succeed as sole bishop. Paulinus, however,

was a prelate of Western origin and creation, and the Eastern bishops assembled

at Constantinople declined to recognize him. In vain did Gregory urge, for the sake of peace, the

retention of Paulinus in the see for the remainder of his life, already fare advanced; the Fathers of

the council refused to listen to his advice, and resolved that Meletius should be succeeded by an

Oriental priest. "It was in the East that Christ was born", was one of the arguments they put

forward; and Gregory's retort, "Yes, and it was in the East that he was put to death ", did not shake

their decision. Flavian, a priest of Antioch, was elected to the vacant see; and Gregory, who relates

that the only result of his appeal was "a cry like that of a flock of jackdaws" while the younger

members of the council "attacked him like a swarm of wasps", quitted the council, and left also his

official residence, close to the church of the Holy Apostles.

Gregory had now come to the conclusion that not only the opposition and disappointment which he

had met with in the council, but also his continued state of ill-health, justified, and indeed

necessitated, his resignation of the See of Constantinople, which he had held for only a few months.

He appeared again before the council, intimated that he was ready to be another Jonas to pacify the

troubled waves, and that all he desired was rest from his labours, and leisure to prepare for death .

The Fathers made no protest against this announcement, which some among them doubtless heard

with secret satisfaction; and Gregory at once sought and obtained from the emperor permission to

resign his see. In June, 381, he preached a farewell sermon before the council and in presence of an

overflowing congregation. The peroration of this discourse is of singular and touching beauty, and

unsurpassed even among his many eloquent orations. Very soon after its delivery he

left Constantinople (Nectarius, a native of Cilicia, being chosen to succeed him in the bishopric ),

and retired to his old home at Nazianzus. His two extant letters addressed to Nectarius at

his time are noteworthy as affording evidence, by their spirit and tone, that he was actuated by no

other feelings than those of interested goodwill towards the diocese of which he was resigning the

care, and towards his successor in the episcopal charge. On his return to Nazianzus, Gregory found

the Church there in a miserable condition, being overrun with the erroneous teaching

ofApollinaris the Younger, who had seceded from the Catholic communion a few years previously,

and died shortly after Gregory himself. Gregory's anxiety was now to find a learned and

zealous bishop who would be able to stem the flood of heresy which was threatening to overwhelm

the Christian Church in that place. All his efforts were at first unsuccessful, and he consented at

length with much reluctance to take over the administration of the diocese himself. He combated for

a time, with his usual eloquence and as much energy as remained to him, the false teaching of the

adversaries of the Church ; but he felt himself too broken in health to continue the active work of

the episcopate, and wrote to the Archbishop of Tyanaurgently appealing to him to provide for the

appointment of another bishop. His request was granted, and his cousin Eulalius, a priest of

holy life to whom he was much attached, was duly appointed to the See of Nazianzus. This was

toward the end of the year 383, and Gregory, happy in seeing the care of thediocese entrusted to

a man after his own heart, immediately withdrew to Arianzus, the scene of his birth and his

childhood, where he spent the remaining years of his life in retirement, and in the literary labours,

which were so much more congenial to his character than the harassing work of ecclesiastical

administration in those stormy and troubled times.

Looking back on Gregory's career, it is difficult not to feel that from the day when he was

compelled to accept priestly orders, until that which saw him return

from Constantinople to Nazianzus to end his life in retirement and obscurity, he seemed constantly

to be placed, through no initiative of his own, in positions apparently unsuited to his disposition and

temperament, and not really calculated to call for the exercise of the most remarkable and attractive

qualities of his mind and heart. Affectionate and tender by nature, of highly sensitive temperament,

simple and humble, lively and cheerful by disposition, yet liable to despondency and irritability,

constitutionally timid, and somewhat deficient, as it seemed, both in decision of character and in

self-control, he was very human, very lovable, very gifted -- yet not, one might be inclined to think,

naturally adapted to play the remarkable part which he did during the period preceding and

following the opening of the Council of Constantinople. He entered on his difficult and arduous

work in that city within a few months of the death of Basil, the beloved friend of his youth; and

Newman, in his appreciation of Gregory's character and career, suggests the striking thought that it

was his friend's lofty and heroic spirit which had entered into him, and inspired him to take the

active and important part which fell to his lot in the work of re-establishing the orthodox

and Catholic faith in the eastern capital of the empire. It did, in truth, seem to be rather with the

firmness and intrepidity, the high resolve and unflinching perseverance, characteristic of Basil, than

in his own proper character, that of a gentle, fastidious, retiring, timorous, peace-loving saint and

scholar, that he sounded the war-trumpet during those anxious and turbulent months, in the very

stronghold and headquarters of militant heresy, utterly regardless to the actual and pressing danger

to his safety, and even his life which never ceased to menace him. "May we together receive", he

said at the conclusion of the wonderful discourse which he pronounced on his departed friend, on

his return to Asia from Constantinople, "the reward of the warfare which we have waged, which we

have endured." It is impossible to doubt, reading the intimate details which he has himself given us

of his long friendship with, and deep admiration of, Basil, that the spirit of his early and well-loved

friend had to a great extent moulded and informed his own sensitive and

impressionablepersonality and that it was this, under God, which nerved and inspired him, after

a life of what seemed, externally, one almost of failure, to co-operate in the mighty task of

overthrowing the monstrous heresywhich had so long devastated the greater part of Christendom,

and bringing about at length the pacification of the Eastern Church.

During the six years of life which remained to him after his final retirement to his birth-place,

Gregory composed, in all probability, the greater part of the copious poetical works which have

come down to us. These include a valuable autobiographical poem of nearly 2000 lines, which

forms, of course, one of the most important sources of information for the facts of his life; about a

hundred other shorter poems relating to his past career; and a large number of epitaphs, epigrams,

and epistles to well-known people of the day. Many of his later personal poems refer to the

continuous illness and severe sufferings, both physical and spiritual, which assailed him during his

last years, and doubtless assisted to perfect him in those saintly qualities which had never been

wanting to him, rudely shaken though he had been by the trails and buffetings of his life. In the tiny

plot of ground at Arianzus, all (as has already been said) that remained to him of his rich

inheritance, he wrote and meditated, as he tells, by a fountain near which there was a shady walk,

his favourite resort. Here, too, he received occasional visits from intimate friends, as well as

sometimes from strangers attracted to his retreat by his reputation for sanctity and learning; and

here he peacefully breathed his last. The exact date of his death is unknown, but from a passage in

Jerome (De Script. Eccl.) it may be assigned, with tolerable certainty, to the year 389 or 390.

Some account must now be given of Gregory's voluminous writings, and of his reputation as an

orator and a theologian, on which, more than on anything else, rests his fame as one of the

greatest lights of the Eastern Church. His works naturally fall under three heads, namely his poems,

his epistles, and his orations. Much, though by no means all, of what he wrote has been preserved,

and has been frequently published, the editio princeps of the poems being the Aldine (1504), while

the first edition of his collected works appeared in Paris in 1609-11. The Bodleian catalogue

contains more than thirty folio pages enumerating various editions of Gregory's works, of which the

best and most complete are the Benedictine edition (two folio volumes, begun in 1778, finished in

1840), and the edition of Migne (four volumes XXXV - XXXVIII, in P.G., Paris, 1857 - 1862).

Poetical Compositions

These, as already stated, comprise autobiographical verses, epigrams, epitaphs and epistles. The

epigrams have been translated by Thomas Drant (London, 1568), the epitaphs by Boyd (London,

1826), while other poems have been gracefully and charmingly paraphrased by Newman in his

"Church of the Fathers". Jerome and Suidas say that Gregory wrote more than 30,000 verses; if this

is not an exaggeration, fully two-thirds of them have been lost. Very different estimates have been

formed of the value of his poetry, the greater part of which was written in advanced years, and

perhaps rather as a relaxation from the cares and troubles of life than as a serious pursuit. Delicate,

graphic, and flowing as are many of his verses, and giving ample evidence of the cultured and

gifted intellect which produced them, they cannot be held to parallel (the comparison would be an

unfair one, had not many of them been written expressly to supersede and take the place of the work

of heathen writers) the great creations of the classic Greek poets. Yet Villemain, no mean critic,

places the poems in the front rank of Gregory's compositions, and thinks so highly of them that he

maintains that the writer ought to be called, pre-eminently, not so much the theologian of the East

as "the poet of Eastern Christendom ".

Prose Epistles

These, by common consent, belong to the finest literary productions of Gregory's age. All that are

extant are finished compositions; and that the writer excelled in this kind of composition is shown

from one of them (Ep. ccix, to Nicobulus) in which he enlarges with admirable good sense on the

rules by which all letter-writers should be guided. It was at the request of Nicobulus, who believed,

and rightly, that these letters contained much of permanent interest and value, that Gregory prepared

and edited the collection containing the greater number of them which has come down to us. Many

of them are perfect models of epistolary style -- short, clear, couched in admirably chosen language,

and in turn witty and profound, playful, affectionate and acute.

Orations

Both in his own time, and by the general verdict of posterity, Gregory was recognized as one of the

very foremost orators who have ever adorned the Christian Church. Trained in the finest

rhetorical schools of his age, he did more than justice to his distinguished teachers; and while

boasting or vainglory was foreign to his nature, he frankly acknowledged his consciousness of his

remarkable oratorical gifts, and his satisfaction at having been enabled to cultivate them fully in his

youth. Basil and Gregory, it has been said, were the pioneers of Christian eloquence, modeled on,

and inspired by, the noble and sustainedoratory of Demosthenes and Cicero, and calculated to move

and impress the most cultured and critical audiences of the age. Only comparatively few of the

numerous orations delivered by Gregory have been preserved to us, consisting of discourses spoken

by him on widely different occasions, but all marked by the same lofty qualities. Faults they have,

of course: lengthy digressions, excessive ornament, strained antithesis, laboured metaphors, and

occasional over-violence of invective. But their merits are far greater than their defects, and no one

can read them without being struck by the noble phraseology, perfect command of the purest Greek,

high imaginative powers, lucidity and incisiveness of thought, fiery zealand transparent sincerity of

intention, by which they are distinguished. Hardly any of Gregory's extant sermons are direct

expositions of Scripture, and they have for this reason been adversely criticized. Bossuet, however,

points out with perfect truth that many of these discourses are really nothing but skillful

interweaving of Scriptural texts, a profound knowledge of which is evident from every line of them.

Gregory's claims to rank as one of the greatest theologians of the early Church are based, apart from

his reputation among his contemporaries, and the verdict of history in his regard, chiefly on the five

great "Theological Discourses" which he delivered at Constantinople in the course of the year 380.

In estimating the scope and value of these famous utterances, it is necessary to remember what was

the religiouscondition of Constantinople when Gregory, at the urgent instance of Basil, of many

other bishops, and of the sorely-tried Catholics of the Eastern capital, went thither to undertake the

spiritual charge of the faithful. It was less as an administrator, or an organizer, than as a man of

saintly life and of oratorical giftsfamous throughout the Eastern Church, that Gregory was asked,

and consented, to undertake his difficult mission; and he had to exercise those gifts in combating

not one but numerous heresies which had been dividing and desolating Constantinople for many

years. Arianism in every form and degree, incipient, moderate, and extreme, was of course the great

enemy, but Gregory had also to wage war against the Apollinarian teaching, which denied the

humanity of Christ, as well as against the contrary tendency -- later developed into Nestorianism --

which distinguished between the Son of Mary and the Son of God as two distinct and separate

personalities.

A saint first, and a theologian afterwards, Gregory in one of his early sermons at the Anastasia

insisted on the principle of reverence in treating of the mysteries of faith (a principle entirely

ignored by his Arian opponents), and also on the purity of life and example which all who dealt

with these high matters must show forth if their teaching was to be effectual. In the first and second

of the five discourses he develops these two principles at some length, urging in language of

wonderful beauty and force the necessity for all who would know God aright to lead

a supernatural life, and to approach so sublime a study with a mindpure and free from sin. The third

discourse (on the Son) is devoted to a defence of the Catholic doctrine of the Trinity, and a

demonstration of its consonance with the primitive doctrine of the Unity of God. The eternal

existence of the Son and Spirit are insisted on, together with their dependence on the Father as

origin or principle; and the Divinity of the Son is argued from Scripture against the Arians, whose

misunderstanding of various Scripture texts is exposed and confuted. In the fourth discourse, on the

same subject, the union of the Godhead and Manhood in Christ Incarnate is set forth and

luminously proved from Scripture and reason. The fifth and final discourse (on the Holy Spirit ) is

directed partly against the Macedonian heresy, which denied altogether the Divinity of the Holy

Ghost , and also against those who reduced the Third Person of the Trinity to a mere impersonal

energy of the Father. Gregory, in reply to the contention that the Divinity of the Spirit is not

expressed in Scripture, quotes and comments on several passages which teach the doctrine by

implication, adding that the full manifestation of this great truth was intended to be gradual,

following on the revelation of the Divinity of the Son. It is to be noted that Gregory nowhere

formulates the doctrine of the Double Procession, although in his luminous exposition of the

Trinitarian doctrine there are many passages which seem to anticipate the fuller teaching of the

Quicumque vult. No summary, not even a faithful verbal translation, can give any adequate idea of

the combined subtlety and lucidity of thought, and rare beauty of expression, of these wonderful

discourses, in which, as one of his French critics truly observes, Gregory "has summed up and

closed the controversy of a whole century". The best evidence of their value and power lies in the

fact that for fourteen centuries they have been a mine whence the greatest theologians

of Christendom have drawn treasures of wisdomto illustrate and support their own teaching on the

deepest mysteries of the Catholic Faith.

St. Raymond of PennafortFacts

Feastday: January 7

Patron of Canonists

St. Raymond of Pennafort, Patron Saint of Canonists (Feast day - January 7) Born in Spain, St.

Raymond was a relative of the King of Aragon. From childhood he had a tender love and devotion

to the Blessed Mother. He finished his studies at an early age, and became a famous teacher. He

then gave up all his honors and entered the Order of the Dominicans. St. Raymond was very humble

and very close to God. He did much penance and was so good and kind that he won many sinners to

God. With King James of Aragon and St. Peter Nolasco he founded the Order of Our Lady of

Ransom. The brave religious of this Order devoted themselves to saving poor Christians captured

by the Moors.

Once he went with King James to the Island of Majorca to preach about Jesus. King James was

a man of great qualities, but he let himself be ruled by passions. There on the Island, too, he was

giving bad example. The Saint commanded him to send the woman away. The King said he would,

but he did not keep his promise. So St. Raymond decided to leave the Island. The King declared he

would punish any ship captain who brought the Saint back to Barcelona. Putting all his trust in God,

Saint Raymond spread his cloak upon the water, tied up one corner of it to a stick for a sail, made

the Sign of the Cross, stepped onto the cloak, and sailed along for six hours until he reached

Barcelona. This miracle moved the King. He was sorry for what he had done, and he became a true

follower of St. Raymond. St. Raymond was one hundred years old at the time of his death.

St. Hilary of Poitiers

Facts

Feastday: January 13

Patron against snake bites

Death: 368

"They didn't know who they were." This is how Hilary summed up the problem with the

Arian heretics of the fourth century.

Hilary, on the other hand, knew very well who he was -- a child of a loving God who had inherited

eternallife through belief in the Son of God. He hadn't been raised as a Christian but he had felt a

wonder at the gift of life and a desire to find out the meaning of that gift. He first discarded the

approach of many people who around him, who believed the purpose of life was only to satisfy

desires. He knew he wasn't a beast grazing in a pasture. The philosophers agreed with him. Human

beings should rise above desires and live a life of virtue, they said. But Hilary could see in his own

heart that humans were meant for even more than living a good life.

If he didn't lead a virtuous life, he would suffer from guilt and be unhappy. His soul seemed to cry

out that wasn't enough to justify the enormous gift of life. So Hilary went looking for the giftgiver.

He was told many things about the divine -- many that we still hear today: that there were many

Gods, that God didn't exist but all creation was the result of random acts of nature, that God existed

but didn't really care for his creation, that God was in creatures or images. One look in his

own soul told him these images of the divine were wrong. God had to be one because

no creation could be as great as God. God had to be concerned with God's creation -- otherwise why

create it?

At that point, Hilary tells us, he "chanced upon" the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. When he read

the verse where God tells Moses "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14), Hilary said, "I was frankly

amazed at such a clear definition of God, which expressed the incomprehensible knowledge of the

divine nature in words most suited to human intelligence." In the Psalms and the Prophets he found

descriptions of God's power, concern, and beauty. For example in Psalm 139, "Where shall I go

from your spirit?", he foundconfirmation that God was everywhere and omnipotent.

But still he was troubled. He knew the giftgiver now, but what was he, the recipient of the gift? Was

he just created for the moment to disappear at death? It only made sense to him that God's purpose

in creationshould be "that what did not exist began to exist, not that what had begun to exist would

cease to exist." Then he found the Gospels and read John's words including "In the beginning was

the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with

God..." (John 1:1-2). FromJohn he learned of the Son of God and how Jesus had been sent to bring

eternal life to those who believed. Finally his soul was at rest. "No longer did it look upon the life of

this body as troublesome or wearisome, but believed it to be what the alphabet is to children...

namely, as the patient endurance of the present trials of life in order to gain a blissful eternity." He

had found who he was in discovering God and God's Son Jesus Christ.

After becoming a Christian, he was elected bishop of Poitiers in what is now France by the laity and

clergy. He was already married with one daughter named Apra.

Not everyone at that time had the same idea of who they were. The Arians did not believe in the

divinity ofChrist and the Arians had a lot of power including the support of the emperor

Constantius. This resulted in many persecutions. When Hilary refused to support their

condemnation of Saint Athanasius he was exiled from Poitiers to the East in 356. The Arians

couldn't have had a worse plan -- for themselves.

Hilary really had known very little of the whole Arian controversy before he was banished. Perhaps

he supported Athanasius simply because he didn't like their methods. But being exiled from his

home and his duties gave him plenty of time to study and write. He learned everything he could

about what the Arians said and what the orthodox Christians answered and then he began to write.

"Although in exile we shall speak through these books, and the word of God, which cannot be

bound, shall move about in freedom." The writings of his that still exist include On the Trinity, a

commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, and a commentary on the Psalms. He tells us about the

Trinity, "For one to attempt to speak of God in terms more precise than he himself has used: -- to

undertake such a thing is to embark upon the boundless, to dare the incomprehensible. He fixed the

names of His nature: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whatever is sought over and above this is

beyond the meaning of words, beyond the limits of perception, beyond the embrace of

understanding."

After three years the emperor kicked him back to Poitiers, because, we are told by Sulpicius

Severus, the emperor was tired of having to deal with the troublemaker, "a sower of discord an a

disturber of the Orient." But no one told Hilary he had to go straight back to his home and so he

took a leisurely route through Greece and Italy, preaching against the Arians as he went.

In the East he had also heard the hymns used by Arians and orthodox Christians as propaganda.

These hymns were not based on Scripture as Western hymns but full of beliefs about God. Back at

home, Hilary started writing hymns of propaganda himself to spread the faith. His hymns are the

first in the West with a known writer.

Some of use may wonder at all the trouble over what may seem only words to us now. But Hilary

wasn't not fighting a war of words, but a battle for the eternal life of the souls who might hear the

Arians and stop believing in the Son of God, their hope of salvation.

The death of Constantius in 361 ended the persecution of the orthodox Christians. Hilary died in

367 or 368 and was proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1851.

In His Footsteps:

In Exodus, the Prophets, and the Gospel of John, Hilary found his favorite descriptions of God and

God'srelationship to us. What verses of Scripture describe God best for you? If you aren't familiar

with Scripture, look up the verses that Hilary found. What do they mean to you?

Prayer:

Saint Hilary of Poitiers, instead of being discouraged by your exile, you used your time to study and

write. Help us to bring good out of suffering and isolation in our own lives and see adversity as an

opportunity to learn about or share our faith. Amen

St. Anthony the AbbotFacts

Feastday: January 17

Two Greek philosophers ventured out into the

Egyptian desert to the mountain where Anthony lived. When

they got there, Anthony asked them why they had come to talk

to such a foolish man? He hadreason to say that -- they saw

before them a man who wore a skin, who refused to bathe, who

lived on bread and water. They were Greek, the world's most

admired civilization, and Anthony was Egyptian, a member of a

conquered nation. They were philosophers, educated in

languages and rhetoric. Anthony had not even attended school

as a boy and he needed an interpreter to speak to them. In their

eyes, he would have seemed very foolish.

But the Greek philosophers had heard the stories of Anthony.

They had heard how disciples came from all over to learn from

him, how his intercession had brought about miraculous healings, how his words comforted the

suffering. They assured him that they had come to him because he was a wise man.

Anthony guessed what they wanted. They lived by words and arguments. They wanted to hear his

words and his arguments on the truth of Christianity and the value of ascetism. But he refused to

play their game. He told them that if they truly thought him wise, "If you think me wise, become

what I am, for we ought to imitate the good. Had I gone to you, I should have imitated you, but,

since you have come to me, become what I am, for I am a Christian."

Anthony's whole life was not one of observing, but of becoming. When his parents died when he

was eighteen or twenty he inherited their three hundred acres of land and the responsibility for a

young sister. One day in church, he heard read Matthew 19:21: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell

your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come,

follow me." Not content to sit still and meditate and reflect on Jesus' words he walked out the door

of the church right away and gave away all his property except what he and his sister needed to live

on. On hearing Matthew 6:34, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries

of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today," he gave away everything else, entrusted his sister

to a convent, and went outside the village to live a life of praying, fasting, and manual labor. It

wasn't enough to listen to words, he had to become what Jesus said.

Every time he heard of a holy person he would travel to see that person. But he wasn't looking for

words of wisdom, he was looking to become. So if he admired a person's constancy in prayer or

courtesy or patience, he would imitate it. Then he would return home.

Anthony went on to tell the Greek philosophers that their arguments would never be as strong as

faith. He pointed out that all rhetoric, all arguments, no matter how complex, how well-founded,

were created by human beings. But faith was created by God. If they wanted to follow the greatest

ideal, they should follow their faith.

Anthony knew how difficult this was. Throughout his life he argued and literally wrestled with the

devil. His first temptations to leave his ascetic life were arguments we would find hard to resist --

anxiety about his sister, longings for his relatives, thoughts of how he could have used

his property for good purposes, desire for power and money. When Anthony was able to resist him,

the devil then tried flattery, telling Anthony how powerful Anthony was to beat him. Anthony relied

on Jesus' name to rid himself of the devil. It wasn't the last time, though. One time, his bout with

the devil left him so beaten, his friends thought he was dead and carried him to church. Anthony

had a hard time accepting this. After one particular difficult struggle, he saw a light appearing in

the tomb he lived in. Knowing it was God, Anthony called out, "Where were you when I needed

you?" God answered, "I was here. I was watching your struggle. Because you didn't give in,

I will stay with you and protect you forever."

With that kind of assurance and approval from God, many people would have settled in, content

with where they were. But Anthony's reaction was to get up and look for the next challenge --

moving out into the desert.

Anthony always told those who came to visit him that the key to the ascetic life was perseverance,

not to think proudly, "We've lived an ascetic life for a long time" but treat each day as if it were the

beginning. To many, perseverance is simply not giving up, hanging in there. But to Anthony

perseverance meant waking up each day with the same zeal as the first day. It wasn't enough that he

had given up all his property one day. What was he going to do the next day?

Once he had survived close to town, he moved into the tombs a little farther away. After that he

moved out into the desert. No one had braved the desert before. He lived sealed in a room for

twenty years, while his friends provided bread. People came to talk to him, to be healed by him, but

he refused to come out. Finally they broke the door down. Anthony emerged, not angry, but calm.

Some who spoke to him were healed physically, many were comforted by his words, and others

stayed to learn from him. Those who stayed formed what we think of as the first monastic

community, though it is not what we would think of religious life today. All the monks lived

separately, coming together only for worship and to hear Anthony speak.

But after awhile, too many people were coming to seek Anthony out. He became afraid that he

would get too proud or that people would worship him instead of God. So he took off in the middle

of the night, thinking to go to a different part of Egypt where he was unknown. Then he heard a

voice telling him that the only way to be alone was to go into the desert. He found some Saracens

who took him deep into thedesert to a mountain oasis. They fed him until his friends found him

again.

Anthony died when he was one hundred and five years old. A life of solitude, fasting, and manual

labor in the service of God had left him a healthy, vigorous man until very late in life. And he never

stopped challenging himself to go one step beyond in his faith.

Saint Athanasius, who knew Anthony and wrote his biography, said, "Anthony was not known for

his writings nor for his worldly wisdom, nor for any art, but simply for his reverence toward God."

We may wonder nowadays at what we can learn from someone who lived in the desert, wore skins,

ate bread, and slept on the ground. We may wonder how we can become him. We can become

Anthony by living his lifeof radical faith and complete commitment to God.

In His Footsteps: Fast for one day, if possible, as Anthony did, eating only bread and only after the

sun sets. Pray as you do that God will show you how dependent you are on God for your strength.

Prayer: Saint Anthony, you spoke of the importance of persevering in our faith and our practice.

Help us to wake up each day with new zeal for the Christian life and a desire to take the next

challenge instead of just sitting still. Amen

Copyright (c) 1996-2000, Terry Matz. All Rights Reserved. Quotations from "Life of St. Anthony"

by Saint Athanasius. Translated by Sister Mary Emily Keenan, S.C.N. Copyright 1952 by Fathers

of the Early Church, Inc.

St. AgnesFacts

Feastday: January 21

Patron of the Children of Mary

Death: 304

St. Agnes was a Roman girl who was only thirteen years old when she suffered martyrdom for her

Faith. Agnes had made a promise, a promise to God never to stain her purity. Her love for

the Lord was very great and she hated sin even more than death! Since she was very beautiful,

many young men wished to marry Agnes, but she would always say, "Jesus Christ is my only

Spouse."

Procop, the Governor's son, became very angry when she refused him. He had tried to win her for

his wife with rich gifts and promises, but the beautiful young girl kept saying, "I am already

promised to theLord of the Universe. He is more splendid than the sun and the stars, and He has

said He will never leave me!" In great anger, Procop accused her of being a Christian and brought

her to his father, the Governor. The Governor promised Agnes wonderful gifts if she would only

deny God, but Agnes refused. He tried to change her mind by putting her in chains, but her lovely

face shone with joy. Next he sent her to a place of sin, but an Angel protected her. At last, she was

condemned to death. Even the pagans cried to see such a young and beautiful girl going to death.

Yet, Agnes was as happy as a bride on her wedding day. She

did not pay attention to those who begged her to save herself.

"I would offend my Spouse," she said, "if I were to try to

please you. He chose me first and He shall have me!" Then

she prayed and bowed her head for the death-stroke of the

sword.

St. Francis de SalesFacts

Feastday: January 24

Patron Saint of Journalists, Writers

Birth: 1567

Death: 1622

Born in France in 1567, Francis was a patient man. He knew for thirteen years that he had a

vocation to the priesthood before he mentioned it to his family. When his father said that he wanted

Francis to be a soldier and sent him to Paris to study, Francis said nothing. Then when he went

to Padua to get a doctorate in law, he still kept quiet, but he studied theology and practiced

mental prayer while getting into swordfights and going to parties. Even when his bishop told him if

he wanted to be a priest that he thought that he would have a miter waiting for him someday,

Francis uttered not a word. Why did Francis wait so long? Throughout his life he waited for

God's will to be clear. He never wanted to push his wishes on God, to the point where most of us

would have been afraid that God would give up!

God finally made God's will clear to Francis while he was riding. Francis fell from his horse three

times. Every time he fell the sword came out of the scabbard. Every time it came out the sword and

scabbard came to rest on the ground in the shape of the cross. And then, Francis, without knowing

about it, was appointed provost of his diocese, second in rank to the bishop.

Perhaps he was wise to wait, for he wasn't a natural pastor. His biggest concern on being ordained

that he had to have his lovely curly gold hair cut off. And his preaching left the listeners thinking he

was making fun of him. Others reported to the bishop that this noble-turned- priest was conceited

and controlling.

Then Francis had a bad idea -- at least that's what everyone else thought. This was during

the time of the Protestant reformation and just over the mountains from where Francis lived

was Switzerland -- Calvinist territory. Francis decided that he should lead an expedition to convert

the 60,000 Calvinists back to Catholicism. But by the time he left his expedition consisted of

himself and his cousin. His father refused to give him any aid for this crazy plan and

the diocese was too poor to support him.

For three years, he trudged through the countryside, had doors slammed in his face and rocks

thrown at him. In the bitter winters, his feet froze so badly they bled as he tramped through the

snow. He slept in haylofts if he could, but once he slept in a tree to avoid wolves. He tied himself to

a branch to keep from falling out and was so frozen the next morning he had to be cut down. And

after three years, his cousin had left him alone and he had not made one convert.

Francis' unusual patience kept him working. No one would listen to him, no one would even open

their door. So Francis found a way to get under the door. He wrote out his sermons, copied them by

hand, and slipped them under the doors. This is the first record we have of religious tracts being

used to communicate with people.

The parents wouldn't come to him out of fear. So Francis went to the children. When

the parents saw how kind he was as he played with the children, they began to talk to him.

By the time, Francis left to go home he is said to have converted 40,000 people back to

Catholicism.

In 1602 he was made bishop of the diocese of Geneva, in Calvinist territory. He only set foot in the

city of Geneva twice -- once when the Pope sent him to try to convert Calvin's successor, Beza, and

another when he traveled through it.

It was in 1604 that Francis took one of the most important steps in his life, the step

toward holiness and mystical union with God.

In Dijon that year Francis saw a widow listening closely to his sermon -- a woman he had seen

already in a dream. Jane de Chantal was a person on her own, as Francis was, but it was only when

they became friends that they began to become saints. Jane wanted him to take over her spiritual

direction, but, not surprisingly, Francis wanted to wait. "I had to know fully what God himself

wanted. I had to be sure that everything in this should be done as though his hand had done it." Jane

was on a path to mystical union with God and, in directing her, Francis was compelled to follow her

and become a mystic himself.

Three years after working with Jane, he finally made up his mind to form a new religious order. But

where would they get a convent for their contemplative Visitation nuns? A man came to Francis

without knowing of his plans and told him he was thinking of donating a place for use by pious

women. In his typical way of not pushing God, Francis said nothing. When the man brought it up

again, Francis still kept quiet, telling Jane, "God will be with us if he approves." Finally

the man offered Francis the convent.

Francis was overworked and often ill because of his constant load of preaching, visiting, and

instruction -- even catechizing a deaf man so he could take first Communion. He believed the

first duty of a bishop wasspiritual direction and wrote to Jane, "So many have come to me that I

might serve them, leaving me notime to think of myself. However, I assure you that I do feel deep-

down- within-me, God be praised. For the truth is that this kind of work is infinitely profitable to

me." For him active work did not weaken his spiritual inner peace but strengthened it. He directed

most people through letters, which tested his remarkable patience. "I have more than fifty letters to

answer. If I tried to hurry over it all, i would be lost. So I intend neither to hurry or to worry. This

evening, I shall answer as many as I can. Tomorrow I shall do the same and so I shall go on until I

have finished."

At that time, the way of holiness was only for monks and nuns -- not for ordinary people. Francis

changed all that by giving spiritual direction to lay people living ordinary lives in the world. But he

had proven with his own life that people could grow in holiness while involved in a very active

occupation. Why couldn't others do the same? His most famous book, INTRODUCTION TO THE

DEVOUT LIFE, was written for these ordinary people in 1608. Written originally as letters, it

became an instant success all over Europe -- though some preachers tore it up because he

tolerated dancing and jokes!

For Francis, the love of God was like romantic love. He said, "The thoughts of those moved by

natural human love are almost completely fastened on the beloved, their hearts are filled with

passion for it, and their mouths full of its praises. When it is gone they express their feelings in

letters, and can't pass by a tree without carving the name of their beloved in its bark. Thus too those

who love God can never stop thinking about him, longing for him, aspiring to him, and speaking

about him. If they could, they would engrave the name of Jesus on the hearts of all humankind."

The key to love of God was prayer. "By turning your eyes on God in meditation, your

whole soul will be filled with God. Begin all your prayers in the presence of God."

For busy people of the world, he advised "Retire at various times into the solitude of your own

heart, even while outwardly engaged in discussions or transactions with others and talk to God."

The test of prayer was a person's actions: "To be an angel in prayer and a beast in one's relations

with people is to go lame on both legs."

He believed the worst sin was to judge someone or to gossip about them. Even if we say we do it

out of love we're still doing it to look better ourselves. But we should be as gentle and forgiving

with ourselves as we should be with others.

As he became older and more ill he said, "I have to drive myself but the more I try the slower I go."

He wanted to be a hermit but he was more in demand than ever. The Pope needed him, then a

princess, then Louis XIII. "Now I really feel that I am only attached to the earth by one foot..." He

died on December 28, 1622, after giving a nun his last word of advice: "Humility."

He is patron saint of journalists because of the tracts and books he wrote.

St. TimothyFacts

Feastday: January 26

Born at Lystra, Lycaenia, Timothy was the son of a Greek

father and Eunice, a converted Jewess. He joined St.

Paul when Paul preached at Lystra replacing Barnabas, and

became Paul's close friend and confidant. Paul allowed

him to be circumcised to placate the Jews, since he was the

son of a Jewess, and he then accompanied Paul on his

second missionary journey. When Paul was forced to flee

Berea because of the enmity of the Jews there, Timothy

remained, but after a time was sent to Thessalonica to report on the condition of the Christians there

and to encourage them under persecution, a report that led to Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians

when he joined Timothy at Corinth. Timothy and Erastus were sent to Macedonia in 58, went

to Corinth to remind the Corinthians of Paul's teaching, and then accompanied Paul into Macedonia

and Achaia. Timothy was probably with Paul when the Apostle was imprisoned at Caesarea and

then Rome, and was himself imprisoned but then freed. According to tradition, he went to Ephesus,

became its first bishop, and was stoned to death there when he opposed the pagan festival of

Katagogian in honor of Diana. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy, one written about 65 from

Macedonia and the second from Rome while he was in prison awaiting execution. His feast day is

January 26.

St. Thomas AquinasFacts

Feastday: January 28

Death: 1274

St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church, patron of all universities and of students.

His feast day is January 28th. He was born toward the end of the year 1226. He was the son of

Landulph, Count of Aquino, who, when St. Thomas was five years old, placed him under the care

of the Benedictines of Monte Casino. His teachers were surprised at the progress he made, for he

surpassed all his fellow pupils in learning as well as in the practice of virtue.

When he became of age to choose his state of life, St. Thomas renounced the things of this world

and resolved to enter the Order of St. Dominic in spite of the opposition of his family. In 1243, at

the age of seventeen, he joined the Dominicans of Naples. Some members of his family resorted to

all manner of means over a two year period to break his constancy. They even went so far as to send

an impurewoman to tempt him. But all their efforts were in vain and St. Thomas persevered in his

vocation. As a reward for his fidelity, God conferred upon him the gift of perfect chastity, which

has merited for him the title of the "Angelic Doctor".

After making his profession at Naples, he studied at Cologne under the celebrated St. Albert the

Great. Here he was nicknamed the "dumb ox" because of his silent ways and huge size, but he was

really a brilliant student. At the age of twenty-two, he was appointed to teach in the same city. At

the same time, he also began to publish his first works. After four years he was sent to Paris. The

saint was then a priest. At the age of thirty-one, he received his doctorate.

At Paris he was honored with the friendship of the King, St. Louis, with whom he frequently dined.

In 1261, Urban IV called him to Rome where he was appointed to teach, but he positively declined

to accept any ecclesiastical dignity. St. Thomas not only wrote (his writings filled twenty hefty

tomes characterized by brilliance of thought and lucidity of language), but he preached often and

with greatest fruit. Clement IVoffered him the archbishopric of Naples which he also refused. He

left the great monument of his learning, the "Summa Theologica", unfinished, for on his way to the

second Council of Lyons, ordered there by Gregory X, he fell sick and died at the Cistercian

monastery of Fossa Nuova in 1274.

St. Thomas was one of the greatest and most influential theologians of all time. He was canonized

in 1323 and declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V.

St. John BoscoFacts

Feastday: January 31

Birth: 1815

Death: 1888

What do dreams have to with prayer? Aren't they just random images of our mind?

In 1867 Pope Pius IX was upset with John Bosco because he wouldn't take his dreams seriously

enough. Nine years earlier when Pope Pius IX met with the future saint who worked with neglected

boys, he learned of the dreams that John had been having since the age of nine, dreams that had

revealed God'swill for John's life. So Pius IX had made a request, "Write down these dreams and

everything else you have told me, minutely and in their natural sense." Pius IX saw John's dreams

as a legacy for those Johnworked with and as an inspiration for those he ministered to.

Despite Scripture evidence and Church tradition respecting dreams, John had encountered

skepticism when he had his first dream at the age of nine. The young Bosco dreamed that he was in

a field with a crowd of children. The children started cursing and misbehaving. John jumped into

the crowd to try to stop them -- by fighting and shouting. Suddenly a man with a face filled with

light appeared dressed in a white flowing mantle. The man called John over and made him leader of

the boys. John was stunned at being put in charge of these unruly gang. The man said,

"You will have to win these friends of yours not with blows but with gentleness and kindness." As

adults, most of us would be reluctant to take on such a mission -- and nine year old John was even

less pleased. "I'm just a boy," he argued, "how can you order me to do something that looks

impossible." The man answered, "What seems so impossible you must achieve by being obedient

and acquiring knowledge." Thenthe boys turned into the wild animals they had been acting like.

The man told John that this is the field of John's life work. Once John changed and grew in

humility, faithfulness, and strength, he would see a change in the children -- a change that

the man now demonstrated. The wild animals suddenly turned into gentle lambs.

When John told his family about his dream, his brothers just laughed at him. Everyone had a

different interpretation of what it meant: he would become a shepherd, a priest, a gang leader. His

own grandmother echoed the sage advice we have heard through the years, "You mustn't pay any

attention to dreams." John said, "I felt the same way about it, yet I could never get that dream out of

my head."

Eventually that first dream led him to minister to poor and neglected boys, to use the love and

guidance that seemed so impossible at age nine to lead them to faithful and fulfilled lives. He

started out by learning how to juggle and do tricks to catch the attention of the children. Once he

had their attention he would teach them and take them to Mass. It wasn't always easy -- few people

wanted a crowd of loud, bedraggled boys hanging around. And he had so little money and help that

people thought he was crazy. Priests who promised to help would get frustrated and leave.

Two "friends" even tried to commit him to an institution for the mentally ill. They brought a

carriage and were planning to trick him into coming with him. But instead of getting in, John said,

"After you" and politely let them go ahead. When his friends were in the carriage he slammed the

door and told the drive to take off as fast as he could go!

Through it all he found encouragement and support through his dreams. In one dream, Mary led

him into a beautiful garden. There were roses everywhere, crowding the ground with their blooms

and the air with their scent. He was told to take off his shoes and walk along a path through a rose

arbor. Before he had walked more than a few steps, his naked feet were cut and bleeding from the

thorns. When he said he would have to wear shoes or turn back, Mary told him to put on sturdy

shoes. As he stepped forward a second time, he was followed by helpers. But the walls of the arbor

closed on him, the roof sank lower and the roses crept onto the path. Thorns caught at him from all

around. When he pushed them aside he only got more cuts, until he was tangled in thorns. Yet those

who watched said, "How lucky Don John is! His path is forever strewn with roses! He hasn't a

worry in the world. No troubles at all!" Many of the helpers, who had been expecting an easy

journey, turned back, but some stayed with him. Finally he climbed through the roses and thorns to

find another incredible garden. A cool breeze soothed his torn skin and healed his wounds.

In his interpretation, the path was his mission, the roses were his charity to the boys, and the thorns

were the distractions, the obstacles, and frustrations that would stand in his way. The message of the

dream was clear to John: he must keep going, not lose faith in God or his mission, and he would

come through to the place he belonged.

Often John acted on his dreams simply by sharing them, sometimes repeating them to several

different individuals or groups he thought would be affected by the dream. "Let me tell you about a

dream that has absorbed my mind," he would say.

The groups he most often shared with were the boys he helped -- because so many of the dreams

involved them. For example, he used several dreams to remind the boys to keep to a good and moral

life. In one dream he saw the boys eating bread of four kinds -- tasty rolls, ordinary bread, coarse

bread, and moldy bread, which represented the state of the boys' souls. He said he would be glad to

talk to any boys who wanted to know which bread they were eating and then proceeded to use the

occasion to give them moral guidance.

He died in 1888, at the age of seventy-two. His work lives on in the Salesian order he founded.

In His Footsteps:

John Bosco found God's message in his dreams. If you have some question or problem in your life,

askGod to send you an answer or help in a dream. Then write down your dreams. Ask God to help

you remember and interpret the dreams that come from God.

Prayer:

Saint John Bosco, you reached out to children whom no one cared for despite ridicule and insults.

Help us to care less about the laughter of the world and care more about the joy of the Lord. Amen