Today, February 9, is the memorial of Saint Miguel Febres Cordero.
Born Francisco Luis Febres-Cordero y Muñoz in Ecuador in 1854, he was born with the inability to stand or walk. At age five, he saw the Blessed Virgin Mary in a vision and was afterwards cured. At age eight he was miraculously protected from being attacked by a wild bull.
In 1863, at age nine, he enrolled in a school run by the Brothers of the Christian Schools or the La Salle Brothers, a congregation that had just arrived in Ecuador. Five years later, he joined the La Salle Brothers, taking the name Miguel.
He eventually taught for over 30 years at the El Cebollar in Quito, Ecuador. He was loved by everyone for his kind, dedicated, and energetic approach to teaching.
He was a prolific writer and educator. He wrote textbooks that were used in Chile, as well as literary pieces and retreat manuals. He was a sought-after retreat master and became novice master.
In 1905, Miguel was asked to go to Europe to translate texts from French to Spanish by the congregation. His health began to decline until he could no longer work. In 1910, he died of pneumonia.
Brother Miguel was beatified in 1977 by Pope St. Paul VI. He was canonized in 1984 by Pope St. John Paul II.