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Enduring a seriously dysfunctional marriage and being left a widow, Saint Marguerite d’Youville did not give in to despair. Rather, she founded the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, the “Grey Nuns,” rescued a failing hospital, and cared for the sick. Not even the destruction of the hospital by fire drove her to despair.
Saint Albert Chmielowski was a talented painter and a Secular Franciscan. In mid-life, he founded the Brothers of the Third Order of Saint Francis, Servants to the Poor, who worked with the poor and homeless. Known also as the Albertine Brothers, this community was renowned for depending completely on alms.
An Augustinian monk who was inspired by the martyrdom of Franciscan missionaries, Saint Anthony of Padua joined the Franciscans hoping to be a missionary. But God had other plans for him. He became one of the outstanding philosopher/theologians of the Order.
When life takes a turn for the worse it can feel as if God has forgotten us, doesn’t see us, or worst of all, doesn’t love us. If something disrupts your plans today, reinforce your trust in God by silently repeating the phrase, “I trust in you, God,” until your sense of calm is restored.
Saint Ephrem was ordained a deacon, but refused ordination to the priesthood. He was a teacher, defender of the faith, and a prolific writer. He refuted many heresies of his day, often through the lyrics of hymns that he wrote.
Anthony had sought solitude as an Augustinian canon in Coimbra, but that city attracted many visitors.
Anthony had an extraordinary knowledge of Scripture, thanks to the natural gifts that were expanded by his excellent education as an Augustinian canon.
With gun violence on the rise, we as a nation find ourselves at a crossroads.
If “beauty will save the world,” as Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky said, then “perhaps beauty can also save the unborn,” said Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz.
Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat lived in France during the French Revolution. Concerned about the education of children, especially girls, and feeling a call to the religious life, she founded the Society of the Sacred Heart. The sisters worked for the education of the poor and ran boarding schools for the well-to-do.
