commentary
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He died at the age of 40, yet he is known as the “Father of the Poor” and founded an Order of Nuns. Meet Blessed Paul Joseph Nardini
By Larry Peterson Germersheim is a small town that is next to the Rhine River in Bavaria. On July 25, 1821, an unwed woman by the name of Margareta Lichtenberger gave birth to a baby boy and named him Paul Joseph Lichtenberger. The boy’s father remained unknown. Margareta tried her best, but being a single…
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A Summer snowstorm resulted in the First Church ever built in honor of the Blessed Mother
By Larry Peterson This is about the first church ever built for Our Lady. Today it is called the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Latin: Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris). It did not start out that way. I have a pre-Vatican II, St. Joseph Daily Missal which I use for reference. Its Liturgical Calendar lists August 5,…
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St. Margaret of Antioch: She is known as the Great Martyr, the Vanquisher of Demons, and is counted among the Fourteen Holy Helpers
By Larry Peterson She was only fifteen years of age when she died, and many stories have been attributed to her short life. What is factual is this: St. Margaret of Antioch is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church and is listed in the Roman Martyrology. Her feast day is on July 20. She…
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Francisca del Espiritu Santo Fuentes—The Young Widow Founded a new Order in the Philippines for Filipinos
By Larry Peterson Francisca de Fuentes was born in Manila in 1647. Her father was Don Simon de Fuentes, a Spanish nobleman and her mom’s name was Dona Ana Maria del Castillo y Tamayo. She was a true native to the islands and was quietly known as a Spanish mestiza (a woman of mixed race).…
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This Aborigine child’s legacy lives on in the 21st Century-Meet Francis Xavier Conaci
By Larry Peterson Kate Galvin is a nursing student from Australia who is a descendant of the Aborigines, the indigenous people native to her homeland. Her roots are ingrained in what is known as Australia’s Stolen Generations. In July of 2018, she was awarded the Francis Xavier Conaci Scholarship. Sponsored by the Australian Catholic University…
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A deadly blood disorder took his life at age 21, but it could not prevent him from reaching the road to sainthood–Meet Venerable Filippo Lo Verde
By Larry Peterson Filippo (Philip) Lo Verde was born in Palermo on December 10, 1910, and baptized on NewYear’s Day, 1911. By the time he was six years old, he had already developed a deep love for the Child Jesus and was spending more and more time in prayer at home or in the nearby…
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This 21 year old never stopped smiling as cancer destroyed his body…meet Venerable Nicola D’Onofrio—
By Larry Peterson Nicola D’Onofrio was born in Villamagna, Italy, on March 24,1943. His father, Giovanni, and his mom, Virginia, had their son baptized three days later in the parish church of St. Mary’s. Nicola’s dad was a successful farmer, but more importantly, he was a man of integrity, honesty, and wisdom, virtues fueled by…
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Venerable Mother Rosario Arroyo—She gave away her wealth and spent her life serving the poor
By Larry Peterson Maria Beatrice Rosario Arroyo was born on February 17, 1884, in Molo, which is located in the Philippines. She was the only daughter born to Ignacio Arroyo and Dona Maria Podal; the Arroyos also had two sons. Three days after Maria’s birth she was baptized in St. Anna’s Church in Molo and…
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Part II: Martyred Priests and Laypersons of the Cristero War: Canonized on May 21, 2000, by Pope St. John Paul II
By Larry Peterson On May 21, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized 25 saints and martyrs who died in the Cristero War in Mexico. Most of the newly canonized were Catholic priests. Six of the priests were members of the Knights of Columbus. This is Part II which profiles some of these heroes and defenders…
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This Pennsylvania native became the first American quadriplegic priest
By Larry Peterson William Edward Atkinson was born on January 4, 1946, in the suburban Philadelphia town of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, He came from a devout Catholic family, and as he grew, he was obviously someone who had focus and direction. Strong in faith, he studied hard and received excellent grades. He was blessed with…
Cradling Catholic 