Today, September 26, is the memorial of Saints Cosmas and Damian. Patron saints of doctors, surgeons, pharmacists, physicians, day-care centers, orphanages, and against blindness and hernia. The twin brothers were born in Arabia and became skilled doctors. Saladino d’Ascoli, a 15th century Italian physician, claims that Cosmas and Damian invented the medieval electuary, a pasty …
Today, September 25, is the memorial of Blessed Herman the Cripple. Author of the “Salve Regina” and the “Alma Redemptoris Mater.” Herman was born in 1013 with a cleft palate and cerebral palsy. He suffered from severe physical disabilities and could hardly speak. Reports indicate he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or spinal muscular atrophy. Because …
Today, September 24, is the memorial of Blessed Encarnación Gil Valls. Third Order Carmelite and martyr. Apart from being a diligent tutor and teacher, Encarnación was a woman of prayer. She had a schedule for prayer; she had her devotions, her Ave Maria, and Holy Rosary. She attended daily mass and was often seen waking …
Today, September 23, is the memorial of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio). Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione to a southern Italian farm family in 1887. He was the son of peasant farmers Grazio Mario Forgione and Maria Giuseppa Di Nunzio Grazio, who was an avid devotee of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He …
Today, September 22, is the memorial of Saint Maurice & Companion-Martyrs of the Theban Legion. In the year 287, there was a group of around 6,500 Roman soldiers called the Theban Legion. All of them were Christians. Their leader was a general, Saint Maurice. These soldiers were recruited in the Thebes region in Upper Egypt. …
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Today, September 21, is the feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle.Son of Alphaeus, he lived at Capernaum on Lake Genesareth. He was a tax collector, someone who was corrupt, greedy, and dishonest.Worse for Matthew’s image, he was a Galilean son of the tribe of Levi, in those times he was probably seen as sympathetic to …
Today, September 19, is the memorial of Our Lady of La Salette.Our Lady of La Salette (French: Notre-Dame de La Salette) is a Marian apparition reported by two children, Maximin Giraud and Mélanie Calvat to have occurred at La Salette-Fallavaux, France, in 1846.In this apparition, Our Lady began her message with “If my people will …
Today, September 18, is the memorial of Saint Joseph of Cupertino. Patron saint of examination-takers, students, pilots, and astronauts. Joseph was born to a poor family. Even at age eight, he was already having ecstatic visions that left him gaping and staring into space. He had a hot temper, and was known for having a …
Today, September 17, is the feast of Saint Albert of Jerusalem. Law-giver of the Order of Carmelites. Albert was born in Castel Gualtieri, Italy. He was educated in theology and law. He entered the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross at Mortara and was elected prior in 1180. Albert was a canon lawyer who became …
Today, September 16, is the memorial of Pope Saint Cornelius and Saint Cyprian. The Roman Pope Saint Cornelius was the 21st successor of Saint Peter. His reign happened during the times of emperors Gallus and Volusian. Pope Cornelius bravely went against, and after, the first anti-pope Novatian, who believed that apostates who repented could not …