Today, August 31, is the memorial of Saint Raymond Nonnatus.
Patron saint of pregnant women, midwives, and babies.
Raymond was born in the village of Portell (today part of San Ramon), in the Diocese of Urgell in 1204. He was taken from the womb of his mother after her death, hence his name.
His father mapped out his career path: to become part of Aragon’s royal court. Upon learning that his son had a religious calling, the father assigned him to become farm manager. At the farm, Raymond interacted and prayed with the shepherds and farm-workers. Only upon seeing this did his father give up in wanting a worldly career for Raymond.
He became a priest of the Mercedarian Order, receiving the habit from its founder St. Peter Nolasco. Raymond later became the Master-General of the Mercedarian Order.
Raymond spent his entire estate ransoming Christians from Muslim captors, then surrendered himself as a hostage to free another.
He was sentenced to death by impalement. He was spared because of his large ransom value. Imprisoned and tortured, he still managed to convert some of his guards.
To keep him from preaching the faith, his captors drilled a hole through his lips with a hot iron, and attached a padlock. Raymond was eventually ransomed and returned to Barcelona, Spain.
He died while en route to Rome to answer a papal summons in 1240.
He was beatified in 1625 by Pope Urban VIII. He was canonized in 1657 by Pope Alexander VII.