commentary
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Saint Jane Frances de Chantal; widowed with four small children she founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (VHM) the first order to accept women of older age and those in poor health
By Larry Peterson Jane Frances de Chantal was born into an upper-class family in Dijon, France, in 1572. Her dad was the president of the Parliament of Burgundy, and the family was well connected. Jane’s mom died when she was only 18 months of age, and her upbringing was taken over by her dad. Under…
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Saint Alice: The Patroness of the Blind and Paralyzed entered the Cistercian Order at the age of Seven
By Larry Peterson Sometimes we read or hear stories about certain saints that make us simply “wonder” how can this be? For example here are two; Her name was Nellie Organ but she was called Little Nellie of Holy God. This innocent child understood the Real Presence at the age of two. She inspired Pope…
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This Saint became one of the most honored Jesuits in History; His name is Edmund Campion
By Larry Peterson Edmund Campion was born in England in 1540. His father was a bookseller, and Edmund’s love of books was instilled in him as a child. He had a brilliant mind and, at the age of thirteen, he was chosen to deliver a speech when Queen Mary visited London. Soon after he became…
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Saint Abel the Just; His was the first recorded death in Human History; Feast Day, January 3
By Larry Peterson The holy people from the Old Testament are not usually called saints. We do not say, “St. Abraham”, or “St. Moses” as we do for St. Joseph or St John. But the church does allow for them to be called saints one day during the year. That day is their acknowledged feast…
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St. Madeleine Sophie Barat; The Preemie Who Grew Up to Change the World
By Larry Peterson It was December 12, 1779 and Madame Fouffe Barat was seven months pregnant with her third child. She had been sleeping comfortably when screams and the smell of smoke awoke her. She sat up and saw the flames outside her window. They were coming from her neighbor’s house. The sudden trauma of…
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Meet Saint Emil and Saint Lillian—-Strangers No More
By Larry Peterson My parents would have celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on September 19, 2018. They had made it to their 17th anniversary when Mom died. Dad lasted four years and then he was gone. For some unknown reason, their anniversary played inside my head…over and over. I have Masses offered for both of…
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On the Fifth Anniversary of her Passing: Remembering a future saint: Mother Antonia Brenner aka The “Prison Angel”
By Larry Peterson Mother Antonia Brenner Praying with Prisoners in La Mesa prison This is a love story. No, it is not about romantic love. Rather, it is about the love of Christ exploding in the soul of a woman who ran with her God-given gift and did her best to shower it upon some…
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A Saintly Journey—The Road to Sainthood is a Fascinating Journey into Human Holiness
By Larry Peterson On May 12, 2013, the Catholic Church canonized 802 saints. Blessed Antonio Primaldo and the other 799 soon-to-be saints were living in the town of Otranto in the south of Italy. The year was 1480. The Ottoman Turks had taken over the city and demanded these “infidels” convert to Islam. They refused…
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St. Vincent de Paul; His Feast Day is Sept. 27—Some facts about his life you may not know
Larry Peterson I have been a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society for twenty-five years. At present I am not active but being part of this organization has allowed me to interact and work with the least and most marginalized of God’s people. My affiliation with the society has allowed me to experience…
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Catholics and America; “Joined at the Hip” We must be; look at all the American cities named after a Catholic saint
By Larry Peterson One of our greatest Americans, George Washington, said of the United States Constitution: “The adoption of the Constitution will demonstrate as visibly the finger of Providence as any possible event in the course of human affairs can ever designate it.” The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and on …
Cradling Catholic 