BLESSED BLOG

St. Hedwig
Feastday: February 28
1399

Queen of Poland and model of faith. She was the daughter of King Louis I of Hungray, ascending the throne at age thirteen. She married Jagiello of Lithuania only after he became a chirstan, and then actively promoted Christianity in Lithuania.

St. Hilary
Feastday: February 28
368

Pope from 461-468 and guardian of Church unity. He was born in Sardinia, Italy, and was a papal legate to the Robber Council of Ephesus in 449, barely escaping with his life from this affair. Hilary was used by Pope St. Leo I the Great on many assignments. When Leo died, Hilary was elected pope and consecrated on November 19, 461. He worked diligently to strengthen the Church in France and Spain, calling councils in 462 and 465. Hilary also rebuilt many Roman churches and erected the chapel of St. John Lateran. He also publicly rebuked Emperor Anthemius in St. Peter’s for supporting the Macedonian heresy and sent a decree to the Eastern bishops validating the decisions of the General Councils of Nicaea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon. Hilary consolidated the Church in Sandi, Africa, and Gaul. He died in Rome on February 28.

Blessed Villana
Feastday: February 28

Blessed Villana was the daughter of Andrew de'Botti, a Florentine merchant, and was born in 1332. When she was thirteen she ran away from home to enter a convent but her attempts were unsuccessful and she was forced to return. To prevent any repetition of her flight, her father shortly afterwards gave her in marriage to Rosso di Piero. After her marriage she appeared completely changed; she gave herself up to pleasure and dissipation and lived a wholly idle and worldly life. One day, as she was about to start for an entertainment clad in a gorgeous dress adorned with pearls and precious stones, she looked at herself in a mirror. To her dismay, the reflection that met her eyes was that of a hideous demon. A second and a third mirror showed the same ugly form. Thoroughly alarmed and recognizing in the reflection the image of herself sin-stained soul, she tore off her fine attire and, clad in the simplest clothes she could find, she betook herself weeping to the Dominican Fathers at Santa Maria Novella to make a full confession and to ask absolution and help. This proved the turning point of her life, and she never again fell away. Before long Villana was admitted to the Third Order of St. Dominic, and after this she advanced rapidly in the spiritual life. Fulfilling all her duties as a married woman, she spent all her available time in prayer and reading. She particularly loved to read St. Paul's Epistles and the lives of the saints. At one time, in a self-abasement and in her love for the poor, she would have gone begging for them from door to door had not her husband and parents interposed. So completely did she give herself up to God that she was often rapt in ecstacy, particularly during Mass or at spiritual conferences; but she had to pass through a period of persecution when she was cruelly calumniated and her honor was assailed. Her soul was also purified by strong pains and by great bodily weakness. However, she passed unscathed through all these trials and was rewarded by wonderful visions and olloquies with our Lady and other saints. Occasionally the room in which she dwelt was filled with supernatural light, and she was also endowed with the gift of prophecy. As she lay on her deathbed, she asked that the Passion should be read to her, and at the words "He bowed His head and gave up the ghost", she crossed her hands on her breast and passed away. Her body was taken to Santa Maria Novella, where it became such an object of veneration that for over a month it was impossible to proceed with the funeral. People struggled to obtain shreds of her clothing, and she was honored as a saint from the day of her death. Her bereaved husband use to say that, when he felt discouraged and depressed, he found strength by visiting the room in which his beloved wife had died. Blessed Villana's cultus was confirmed in 1824. Her feast day is February 28th.

St. Romanus of Condat
Feastday: February 28
460

Abbot of Gallo Roman descent, he adopted the life of a hermit in the Jura Mountains, France, at age thirty five and was joined by his brother, St. Lupicinus, and many other disciples. The two brothers thus found it necessary to establish two monasteries, at Condat and Leuconne, and a convent at La Beaume which was governed by their sister. Romanus was famed for his healing of two lepers at Saint Maurice. He died on February 28 and was buried at La Beaume.

I sincerely hope you will profit from this reading about fasting.There are only two days in the year that fasting must be done but it seems people still cannot abide by this miniscule, but very important, order of our Holy Catholic Church.

Happy reading.

> FASTING
>
> From "The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales for Lent"
> Chapter 1- Fasting, abridged.
>
> To treat of fasting and of what is required to fast well, we must, at the
> start, understand that of itself fasting is not a virtue. The good and the
> bad, as well as Christians and pagans, observe it. The ancient philosophers
> observed it and recommended it. They were not virtuous for that reason, nor
> did they practice virtue in fasting. Oh, no, fasting is a virtue only when
> it is accompanied by conditions which render it pleasing to God. Thus it
> happens that it profits some and not others, because it is not undertaken by
> all in the same manner.
>
> We find some people who think that to fast well during the holy season of
> Lent it is enough to abstain from eating some prohibited food. But this
> thought is too gross to enter into the hearts of religious, for it is to you
> I speak, as well as persons dedicated to Our Lord. We know very well that it
> is not enough to fast exteriorly if we do not also fast interiorly and if we
> do not accompany the fast of the body with that of the spirit.
>
> It will be very helpful to state clearly what must be done to fast well
> these forty days. For although everyone is bound to know it and to practice
> it, religious and persons dedicated to Our Lord are more particularly
> obliged to it. Now, among all the conditions required for fasting well, I
> will select three principal ones and speak familiarly about them.
>
> The FIRST condition is that we must fast with our whole heart, that is to
> say, willingly, whole-heartedly, universally and entirely. If I recount to
> you St. Bernard's words regarding fasting, you will know not only why it is
> instituted but also how it ought to be kept.
>
> He says that fasting was instituted by Our Lord as a remedy for our
> mouth, for our gourmandizing and for our gluttony. Since sin entered the
> world through the mouth, the mouth must do penance by being deprived of
> foods prohibited and forbidden by the Church, abstaining from them for the
> space of forty days. But this glorious saint adds that, as it is not our
> mouth alone which has sinned, but also all our other senses, our fast must
> be general and entire, that is, all the members of our body must fast.
>
> The SECOND condition is never to fast through vanity but always through
> humility. If our fast is not performed with humility, it will not be
> pleasing to God. Prepare yourselves to fast with charity, for if your fast
> is performed without it, it will be vain and useless, since fasting, like
> all other good works, is not pleasing to God unless it is done in charity
> and through charity. When you discipline yourself, when you say long
> prayers, if you have not charity, all that is nothing.
>
> The THIRD condition necessary for fasting well is to look to God and to
> do everything to please Him, withdrawing within ourselves in imitation of a
> great saint, St. Gregory the Great, who withdrew into a secret and
> out-of-the-way place where he remained for some time without anyone knowing
> where he was, being content that the Lord and His angels knew it.
>
> ("The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales for Lent" is available from
> www.tanbooks.com)
>
> --
> Sincerely in Christ,
> Our Lady of the Rosary Library
> "Pray and work for souls"

**************

Fasting & Juicing

Fasting is an advanced spiritual discipline that purifies the physical body, and creates increased awareness of the subtle spiritual force. This spiritual force is always present in varying degrees. Through the process of fasting, we re focus the cellular consciousness of the body, and increase the life-force streaming within us. This increased light-flow brings a feeling of great bliss, lightness, and connection to sacred source. When done in the context of living the enlightened life, fasting speeds spiritual evolution, and ultimately shows us the truth of immortal life.
The fasts described below are for healthy people who are seeking to live the enlightened life, and who have sufficient self-discipline and self-responsibility to undertake fasting in a mature, self-aware manner without professional supervision. If you have health concerns, or do not have good insight into your mental and emotional nature, you should not attempt the fasts given here, but you should consider undertaking a fast in a professionally supervised environment. Check your local resources for retreat centres offering supervised juice fasts, and residential programs offering living food programs.
Every day, and especially during a fast, it is very important to drink lots of fresh living water (i.e., spring water – not distilled, tap, or other "dead" waters). In addition to the foods and juices in the following fasts, consume at least 2 litres (or more) of water daily. During the first 24 to 72 hours of a fast you may experience symptoms of detoxification. These may include headaches, fatigue, nausea, and aching muscles and joints. It is important to rest and take it easy during this time. These symptoms are normal and will subside in a few days. The first days of fasting should be devoted to extra meditation, naps, and reading spiritually inspiring material. It is highly recommended that you drink a cup of herbal laxative tea on the second or third day to help the detoxification process. Toxins being broken up through the fasting process are dumped out rapidly into the colon where they can be re absorbed. Consuming herbal laxatives greatly aids the process, and reduces detoxification symptoms. You may also feel cold during a fast, so be sure to wear warm clothing and socks if needed.
By the third or fourth day you will be amazed as how healthy and clear you will begin to feel. At this point, you may begin to do yoga and exercise, which should continue for the rest of the fast – and the rest of your life! Be sure to follow the recommendations for breaking each fast, and returning to an enlightened diet.
A word about juicing: not all juicers are alike. For the greatest concentration of enzymes and life-force energy, you really need a triturating juicer. This type of juicer does not create excessive heat, and therefore preserves all of the live enzymes, fiber, minerals, and vitamins, which are the vital essence of the plant. No juice compares to the richness and intensity of juice from a triturating machine. A masticating juicer is also useful, but it does create heat and some enzymes are destroyed. Centrifugal juicers should be completely avoided as they destroy nearly all the enzymes with excessive heat, and waste a large amount of the produce in the process. Now you are ready to begin to build the enlightened body!

Fasts should be done in the following sequence:

Phase One Fast

Over the course of one to two weeks, gradually reduce the amount of cooked food you eat each day. You may begin by eating only a large raw salad at midday or evening. Next, replace your morning meal with all fruit, followed by the addition of raw vegetables for the remaining meal. You may also drink fresh organic juices. When you have eaten raw food solely for three days, substitute a glass of freshly juiced organic vegetable juice for the midday salad. The next day, have fruit juice in the morning, drink vegetable juice at midday, and have the raw salad at night. You can also eat a little raw fruit or vegetables between meal times if you feel you need it. Finally, replace the evening salad with another glass of freshly juiced vegetable juice. At this point, you can take three to five glasses of juice daily. It is recommended that the majority of juice be vegetable, with smaller amounts of fruit juice being taken in the morning. Don’t forget to continue drinking pure living water too! You may also drink organic herbal teas. Meditate as much as possible – this is important every day, but especially during any type of fasting.
When you have taken only juices for three days, you may return to a combination of juice and raw foods. As you begin to add small amounts of cooked food, keep at least 50% of your diet raw, living food. From this time on, choose one day a week as a juice fast day.

Phase Two Fast

After you have completed Phase One, and have maintained a 50% raw food diet and one day a week juice fast for six months, begin Phase Two by continuing to drink only juices following your weekly juice fast day. Consume 3 to 5 glasses of fresh organic fruit and vegetable juice for five to seven days. Drink lots of water and meditate every day. To end the fast, add raw fruit, followed by raw vegetables. After a few days, slowly add cooked food, again keeping the diet 50% living food, and fasting on juices once a week. Repeat this fast in three to six months, or whenever you desire. Phase Two can be extended for up to 21 days when you feel you are ready to try it. Always listen to your body’s own wisdom.

Phase Three Fast

Begin Phase Three during your third or fourth Phase Two Fast. Fast on juice for two days, on the third day, skip the morning juice. In the next day or two, reduce your intake to one juice a day (plus water – always drink lots of water!). Then eliminate the juice, and drink only water for one to three days. Meditate every day. Break the fast by drinking fresh apple or pear juice, then adding all juices, then raw food, and back to the 50% living food diet. Repeat this fast once a year, or whenever you desire. Phase Three can be expanded to as much as seven to ten days when you are sure you are ready to try it. Again, listen to your body and don’t go beyond your personal limits. Some advanced adepts fast on water for as much as forty days at a time, though this is not recommended until complete enlightenment has been attained!

St. Leander of Seville
Feastday: February 27

St. Leander of Seville, Bishop (Feast - February 27th) Leander was born at Cartagena, Spain, of Severianus and Theodora, illustrious for their virtue. St. Isidore and Fulgentius, both bishops were his brothers, and his sister, Florentina, is also numbered among the saints. He became a monk at Seville and then the bishop of the See. He was instrumental in converting the two sons Hermenegild and Reccared of the Arian Visigothic King Leovigild. This action earned him the kings's wrath and exile to Constantinople, where he met and became close friends of the Papal Legate, the future Pope Gregory the Great. It was Leander who suggested that Gregory write the famous commentary on the Book of Job called the Moralia. Once back home, under King Reccared, St. Leander began his life work of propagating Christian orthodoxy against the Arians in Spain. The third local Council of Toledo (over which he presided in 589) decreed the consubstantiality of the three Persons of the Trinity and brought about moral reforms. Leander's unerring wisdom and unflagging dedication let the Visigoths and the Suevi back to the true Faith and obtained the gratitude of Gregory the Great. The saintly bishop also composed an influential Rule for nuns and was the first to introduce the Nicene Creed at Mass. Worn out by his many activities in the cause of Christ, Leander died around 600 and was succeeded in the See of Seville by his brother Isidore. The Spanish Church honors Leander as the Doctor of the Faith.

St. Anne Line
Feastday: February 27
1601

English martyr from Dunmow, Essex. The daughter of William Heigham, she was disowned by him when she married a Catholic, Roger Line. Roger was imprisoned for being a Catholic and was exiled and died in 1594 in Flanders, Belgium. Anne stayed in England where she hid Catholic priests in a London safe house. In this endeavor she aided Jesuit Father John Gerard until her arrest. Anne was hanged in Tyburn on February 27, 1601. Pope Paul VI canonized Anne Line in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.

St. Julian
Feastday: October 30 or February 27
250

Martyr of Alexandria, Egypt, with Cronion and Bessa. Julian was so crippled with gout that he had to be carried to the court. Cronion stayed loyal to Christ with his master, Julian, to the death. A soldier named Bessa defended the pair and died with them. They were scourged and burned to death.

Blessed Augustus Chapdelaine
Feastday: February 27
1856

Martyr of China. Born in 1814, in France, Augustus was ordained to the priesthood in the Paris Society of the Foreign Missions. He was sent to China after a brief period of parish work, going to Kwang-si. There he was taken prisoner during the persecution of the Church and was put to death brutally. He was beatified in 1900.

St. Baldomerus
Feastday: February 27
650

Patron saint of locksmiths, a monk of Lyons, France. Baldomerus was a locksmith until he entered the monastery of St. Justus. He is depicted in liturgical art as carrying blacksmith tools and pincers.

St. Thalelaeus
Feastday: February 27
450

Hermit, also known as Epiklautos , "weeping much," owing to his habit of crying and weeping with such frequency. Born in Cilicia (modern Turkey), he took up the life of a hermit near Gabala (or Gala), modern Syria, and lived near a pagan temple which attracted pagan pilgrims. He converted many of them to Christianity through his zeal. It is reported that he spent many years living in a barrel. Thalelacus was a hermit for sixty years.

St. John of Gorze
Feastday: February 27
975

Benedictine abbot, sent as an ambassador to Caliph Abd al-Rahman III of Cordoba by Emperor Otto I. Born at Vandieres, France, he became a Benedictine at Gorze after renouncing his wealth and making a pilgrimage to Rome. After his two years in Cordoba, John was elected abbot of Gorze in 960.

Blessed Mark Barkworth
Feastday: February 27

Martyr of England, the first Benedictine to die at Tyburn. Born in Lincoinshire, he was a Protestant educated at Oxford. While in Europe, Mark visited Douai, France, and became a Catholic. He was ordained in Valladolid, Spain, in 1599, and became a Benedictine in Navarre while on his return to England. Mark was arrested soon after his return to his homeland, and three apostates testified against him. With Father Richard Filcock he was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tybum on February 27 — the first English Benedictine martyr.

St. Isabel of France
Feastday: February 26

Sister of St. Louis and daughter of King Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile, she refused offers of marriage from several noble suitors to continue her life of virginity consecrated to God. She ministered to the sick and the poor, and after the death of her mother, founded the Franciscan Monastery of the Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Longchamps in Paris. She lived there in austerity but never became a nun and refused to become abbess. She died there on February 23, and her cult was approved in 1521.

St. Alexander of Alexandria
Feastday: February 26
328

Bishop and defender of the faith. He was born circa (c.) 250, probably in Alexandria, Egypt, becoming the bishop of the see in 313. The heresy of Arianism was sweeping the region, as Arius was preaching the doctrine there. Alexander excommunicated Arius in 321, a decision upheld by a council. Alexander is also credited with drawing up the acts of the First General Council of Nicaea in 325. He was described by contemporaries as "a lover of God . . .just . . . eloquent." His successor, St. Athanasius, was the choice of Alexander on his deathbed.

St. Nestor
Feastday: February 26

Bishop of Magydos. Pamphylia, and martyr. He was arrested during the persecution under Emperor Trajanus Decius and was put to death when he refused to make sacrifices to the gods. The local governor, Pollio, condemned Nestor to death.

St. Victor
Feastday: February 26
995

Hermit. A recluse in the area of Arcissur-Aube, in Champagne, France, he was much venerated by the Benedictines of Montiramey who asked St. Bernard of Clairvaux to compose a hyrnn in Victor's honor.

St. Dionysius of Augsburg
Feastday: February 26
303

First bishop of Augsburg, Germany. St. Marcellus converted and baptized him. He is reported to have been martyred.

St. Faustinian
Feastday: February 26
4th century

Second bishop of Bologna. Italy. who suffered during the persecution of co-Emperor Diocletian but survived. He was an ardent foe of the Arian heresy.

St. Papias
Feastday: February 26
250

One of four shepherds, with Conon, Claudian, and Diodorus, executed in Pamphylia, Asia Minor, during the persecutions of Emperor Trajanus Decius.

St. Tarasius
Feastday: February 25

Tarasius was born at Constantinople in the middle of the eighth century, of a noble family. His mother, Eucratia, brought him up in the practice of the most eminent virtues. By his talents and virtue he gained the esteem of all, and was raised to the greatest honors of the empire, made first a Consul and afterwards first Secretary of State to the Emperor Constantine IV and the Empress Irene, his mother. In the midst of the court and in its highest honors, he led a life like that of a religious.
Tarasius was chosen, by the unanimous consent of the court, clergy and people to succeed to the Patriarch of Constantinople. Saint Tarasius declared that he could not in conscience accept the government of a see which had been cut off from the Catholic communion — which had occurred through the fault of his predecessor, who afterwards recognized his error in approving a group of dissidents — except on condition that a general Council be convoked to settle the dispute concerning holy images, which was dividing the Church at that time. This being agreed to, he was solemnly declared Patriarch, and consecrated soon afterwards, on Christmas Day.
The Council was opened on the 1st of August, 786, in the Church of the Apostles at Constantinople; but, being disturbed by the violences of the Iconoclasts, it adjourned, to meet again the following year in the Church of Saint Sophia at Nicea. The Council declared the positive thought of the Church in relation to the matter under debate, which was whether or not holy pictures and images should be allowed a relative honor. Afterwards synodal letters were sent to all the churches, and in particular to the Pope, who approved the council.
The life of the holy Patriarch Tarasius was a model of perfection for his clergy and people. His table contained barely the necessaries of life; he allowed himself very little time for sleep, rising the first and retiring last in his spiritual family. Reading and prayer filled all his leisure hours.
After the Emperor repudiated his legitimate wife and, with the collaboration of a servile priest, married a servant whom he had crowned as Empress in her place, he used all his efforts to gain the Patriarch of Constantinople over to his desires. Saint Tarasius resolutely refused to countenance the iniquity, even when imprisoned by the irritated monarch. Soon afterwards, the emperor lost his empire and his life, having spurned the reproaches of Saint Tarasius. The holy man gave up his soul to God in peace after governing his church for twenty-two years in great purity of life, on the 25th of February, 806.

St. Walburga
Feastday: February 25
779

St. Walburga, Virgin (Feast day - February 25) Walburga was born in Devonshire England, around 710. She was the daughter of a West Saxon chieftain and the sister of St. Willibald and Winebald. Walburga was educated at Wimborne Monastery in Dorset, where she became a nun. In 748, she was sent with St. Lioba to Germany to help St. Boniface in his missionary work. She spent two years at Bishofsheim, after which she became Abbess of the double monastery at Heidenheim founded by her brother Winebald. At the death of Winebald, St. Walburga was appointed Abbess of both monasteries by her brother Willibald, who was then Bishop of Eichstadt. She remained superior of both men and women until her death in 779. She was buried first at Heidenheim, but later her body was interred next to that of her brother, St. Winebald, at Eichstadt.

Blessed Constantius
Feastday: February 25

Early in the fifteenth century, there lived at Fabriano a boy of such extraordinary goodness that even his parents would sometimes wonder whether he were not rather an angel than a human child. Once, when his little sister was suffering from a disease which the doctors pronounced incurable, Constantius Bernocchi asked his father and mother to join him in prayer by her bedside that she might recover. They did so, and she was immediately cured. At the age of fifteen he was admitted to the Dominican convent of Santa Lucia and he seemed to have received the habit from the hands of Blessed Laurence of Ripafratta, at that time prior of this house of strict observance. Constantius was one of those concerned with the reform of San Marco in Florence, and it was while he was teaching in that city that it was discovered that he had the gift of prophecy or second sight. Among other examples, the death of St. Antoninus was made known to him at the moment it took place, and this is mentioned by Pope Clement VII in his Bull for the canonization of that saint. He was also credited with the power of working miracles, and besides the care of his office, he acted as peacemaker outside the convent and quelled popular tumults. He was esteemed so holy that it was reckoned a great favor to speak to him or even to touch his habit. Upon the news of his death, the senate and council assembled, "considering his death a public calamity", and resolved to defray the cost of a public funeral. The cultus of Blessed Constantius was confirmed in 1821. His feast day is February 25th.

St. Ananias
Feastday: February 25
1st century

Missionary, martyr, and patron of St. Paul. A Christian in the city of Damascus, Ananias was commanded by Christ in a vision to seek out Saul, the future Paul, who had staggered his way into the city following his dramatic encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. Finding Saul blind, Ananias cured him and baptized him. After seeing Paul start his missionary work, Ananias went to Eleutheropolis, where he was martyred for the faith.

St. Aventanus
Feastday: February 25
1380
Carmelite mystic and lay brother. A native of Limoges, France, he joined the Carmelites as a lay brother. With another Carmelite, Romaeus, Aventanus started on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Crossing the Alps they encountered many difficulties, including an outbreak of plague. Aventanus, who had a gift of ecstasies, miracles, and visions, succumbed to the plague near Lucca, Italy. His cult was approved by Pope Gregory XVI.

St. Victorinus
Feastday: February 25
284

Martyr with companions.A citizen of Corinth, Greece, he was exiled with a group of fellow Christians to Egypt during the persecutions under Emperor Numerian. Victor and the others had been exiled in 249 and lived in Egypt. Under Governor Sabinus they were arrested again, brutally tortured, and finally executed at Diospolis.

St. Caesarius of Nazianzus
Feastday: February 25
369

Brother of St. Gregory Nazianzus and son of St. Gregory the Elder. Caesarius studied medicine and philosophy at Alexandria, Egypt, and in Constantinople. Famous as a physician, Caesarius was appointed to the court of Emperor Julian the Apostate, who tried repeatedly to get him to renounce the Christian faith. Caesarius was only a catechumen, a Christian in training, but he resigned from the court rather than deny Christ. He served Emperor Jovian as physician and was the treasurer for Emperor Valens. In 468, after a harrowing experience during an earthquake at Nicaca, in Bithynia, Caesarius was baptized. His brother gave the details of Caesarius' life while conducting his funeral.

Blessed Didacus Carvalho
Feastday: February 25
1624

A martyr of Japan. A native of Coimbra, Portugal, he became a Jesuit in 1594 and was ordained in India in 1600. In 1609, he was sent to Japan. There he worked until 1623, when he was arrested and taken to Sendai, where he and other Japanese Christians were executed. He was beatified in 1867.

St. Sergius
Feastday: February 24
304

Martyred monk, He was a monk (possibly a priest) in Cappadocia, arrested and put to death during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian.

St. Modestus
Feastday: February 24
489

Bishop of Trier during the period of Frankish rule over the area from 486. His relics are enshrined in St. Matthias, Trier. Modestus suffered much during that difficult era.

St. Adela
Feastday: February 24
1137
Benefactor and English princess. Adela was the youngest daughter of William the Conqueror. In 1080 she married Stephen of Blois. Throughout her life, Adela had an active role in English politics. She was famed for endowing churches and monastic institutions.

St. Betto
Feastday: February 24
918
Benedictine bishop of Auxerre. He was a monk at Saint-Colombe Abbey in Sens, France, and was consecrated a bishop in 889.

St. Cumine
Feastday: February 24 or October 6
669
Irish abbot called “the White.” The abbot of Iona, Scotland, he wrote a biography of St. Columba.

St. John Theristus
Feastday: February 24
1129
Benedictine monk, called Theristus or “Harvester.” He was of Calabrian lineage, born in Sicily. His mother was a slave of the Saracens. John escaped at a young age and became a monk.

St. Montanus
Feastday: February 24
259
Martyr with Flavian, Julian, Lucius, Victoricus, and five others at Carthage. They were disciples of St. Cyprian of Carthage. Victoricus was a priest. These martyrs were tortured and then beheaded.

Saint Polycarp
Feastday: February 23

Imagine being able to sit at the feet of the apostles and hear their stories of life with Jesus from their own lips. Imagine walking with those who had walked with Jesus, seen him, and touched him. That was what Polycarp was able to do as a disciple of Saint John the Evangelist.
But being part of the second generation of Church leaders had challenges that the first generation could not teach about. What did you do when those eyewitnesses were gone? How do you carry on the correct teachings of Jesus? How do you answer new questions that never came up before?
With the apostles gone, heresies sprang up pretending to be true teaching, persecution was strong, and controversies arose over how to celebrate liturgy that Jesus never laid down rules for.
Polycarp, as a holy man and bishop of Smyrna, found there was only one answer -- to be true to the life of Jesus and imitate that life. Saint Ignatius of Antioch told Polycarp "your mind is grounded in God as on an immovable rock."
When faced with heresy, he showed the "candid face" that Ignatius admired and that imitated Jesus' response to the Pharisees. Marcion, the leader of the Marcionites who followed a dualistic heresy, confronted Polycarp and demanded respect by saying, "Recognize us, Polycarp." Polycarp responded, "I recognize you, yes, I recognize the son of Satan."
On the other hand when faced with Christian disagreements he was all forgiveness and respect. One of the controversies of the time came over the celebration of Easter. The East, where Polycarp was from, celebrated the Passover as the Passion of Christ followed by a Eucharist on the following day. The West celebrated Easter on the Sunday of the week following Passover. When Polycarp went to Rome to discuss the difference with Pope Anicetus, they could not agree on this issue. But they found no difference in their Christian beliefs. And Anicetus asked Polycarp to celebrate the Eucharist in his own papal chapel.
Polycarp faced persecution the way Christ did. His own church admired him for following the "gospel model" -- not chasing after martyrdom as some did, but avoiding it until it was God's will as Jesus did. They considered it "a sign of love to desire not to save oneself alone, but to save also all the Christian brothers and sisters."
One day, during a bloody martyrdom when Christians were attacked by wild animals in the arena, the crowd became so mad that they demanded more blood by crying, "Down with the atheists; let Polycarp be found." (They considered Christians "atheists" because they didn't believe in their pantheon of gods.) Since Polycarp was not only known as a leader but as someone holy "even before his grey hair appeared", this was a horrible demand.
Polycarp was calm but others persuaded him to leave the city and hide at a nearby farm. He spent his time in prayer for people he knew and for the Church. During his prayer he saw a vision of his pillow turned to fire and announced to his friends that the dream meant he would be burned alive.
As the search closed in, he moved to another farm, but the police discovered he was there by torturing two boys. He had a little warning since he was upstairs in the house but he decided to stay, saying, "God's will be done."
Then he went downstairs, talked to his captors and fed them a meal. All he asked of them was that they give him an hour to pray. He spent two hours praying for everyone he had every known and for the Church, "remembering all who had at any time come his way -- small folk and great folk, distinguished and undistinguished, and the whole Catholic Church throughout the world." Many of his captors started to wonder why they were arresting this holy, eighty-six-year-old bishop.
But that didn't stop them from taking him into the arena on the Sabbath. As he entered the arena, the crowd roared like the animals they cheered. Those around Polycarp heard a voice from heaven above the crowd, "Be brave, Polycarp, and act like a man."
The proconsul begged the eighty-six-year-old bishop to give in because of his age. "Say 'Away with the atheists'" the proconsul urged. Polycarp calmly turned to the face the crowd, looked straight at them, and said, "Away with the atheists." The proconsul continued to plead with him. When he asked Polycarp to swear by Caesar to save himself, Polycarp answered, "If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who I am. Let me tell you plainly, I am a Christian." Finally, when all else failed the proconsul reminded Polycarp that he would be thrown to the wild animals unless he changed his mind. Polycarp answered, "Change of mind from better to worse is not a change allowed to us."
Because of Polycarp's lack of fear, the proconsul told him he would be burned alive but Polycarp knew that the fire that burned for an hour was better than eternal fire.
When he was tied up to be burned, Polycarp prayed, "Lord God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of you, God of angels and powers, of the whole creation and of the whole race of the righteous who live in your sight, I bless you, for having made me worthy of this day and hour, I bless you, because I may have a part, along with the martyrs, in the chalice of your Christ, to resurrection in eternal life, resurrection both of soul and body in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. May I be received today, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, among those who are in you presence, as you have prepared and foretold and fulfilled, God who is faithful and true. For this and for all benefits I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom be to you with him and the Holy Spirit glory, now and for all the ages to come. Amen."
The fire was lit as Polycarp said Amen and then the eyewitnesses who reported said they saw a miracle. The fire burst up in an arch around Polycarp, the flames surrounding him like sails, and instead of being burned he seemed to glow like bread baking, or gold being melted in a furnace. When the captors saw he wasn't being burned, they stabbed him. The blood that flowed put the fire out.
The proconsul wouldn't let the Christians have the body because he was afraid they would worship Polycarp. The witnesses reported this with scorn for the lack of understanding of Christian faith: "They did not know that we can never abandon the innocent Christ who suffered on behalf of sinners for the salvation of those in this world." After the body was burned, they stole the bones in order to celebrate the memory of his martyrdom and prepare others for persecution. The date was about February 23, 156.
In His Footsteps:
When faced with challenges to your Christian life, try a version of Polycarp's prayer of martyrdom: "Lord God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of you, God of angels and powers, of the whole creation and of the whole race of the righteous who live in your sight, I bless you, for having made me worthy of this day and hour, I bless you, because I may have a part, along with the martyrs, in the chalice of your Christ, to resurrection in eternal life, resurrection both of soul and body in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. For this and for all benefits I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom be to you with him and the Holy Spirit glory, now and for all the ages to come. Amen."

St. Margaret of Cortona
Feastday: February 22

Margaret of Cortona, penitent, was born in Loviana in Tuscany in 1247. Her father was a small farmer. Margaret's mother died when she was seven years old. Her stepmother had little care for her high-spirited daughter. Rejected at home, Margaret eloped with a youth from Montepulciano and bore him a son out of wedlock. After nine years, her lover was murdered without warning. Margaret left Montpulciano and returned as a penitent to her father's house. When her father refused to accept her and her son, she went to the Friars Minor at Cortona where she received asylum. Yet Maragaret had difficulty overcoming temptations of the flesh. One Sunday she returned to Loviana with a cord around her neck. At Mass, she asked pardon for her past scandal. She attempted to mutilate her face, but was restrained by Friar Giunta. Margaret earned a living by nursing sick ladies. Later she gave this up to serve the sick poor without recompense, subsisting only on alms. Evenually, she joined the Third Order of St. Francis, and her son also joined the Franciscans a few years later. Margaret advanced rapidly in prayer and was said to be in direct contact with Jesus, as exemplified by frequent ecstacies. Friar Giunta recorded some of the messages she received from God. Not all related to herself, and she courageously presented messages to others. In 1286, Margaret was granted a charter allowing her to work for the sick poor on a permanent basis. Others joined with personal help, and some with financial assistance. Margaret formed her group into tertiaries, and later they were given special status as a congregation which was called The Poverelle ("Poor Ones"). She also founded a hospital at Cortona and the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy. Some in Cortona turned on Margaret, even accusing her of illicit relations with Friar Giunta. All the while, Margaret continued to preach against vice and many, through her, returned to the sacraments. She also showed extraordinary love for the mysteries of the Eucharist and the Passion of Jesus Christ. Divinely warned of the day and hour of her death, she died on February 22, 1297, having spent twenty-nine years performing acts of penance. She was canonized in 1728. Her feast day is February 22nd.

St. Aristion
Feastday: February 22
1st century

Martyr and disciple, one of the original seventy-two sent out into the world. Aristion preached on Cyprus and is listed as a martyr in Salamis. Other traditions list his martyrdom at Alexandria, Egypt.

St. Athanasius
Feastday: February 22
818

Abbot who suffered in the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Leo V the Armenian. Athanasius was abbot of Paulopetian Monastery near Nicomedia. The iconoclast controversy put him at odds with the Byzantine Emperor, who apparently persecuted him.

St. Baradates
Feastday: February 22
460

Hermit of Cyrrhus, Syria, a counselor of Byzantine Emperor Leo I. Baradates lived a solitary existence of penance and austerity. He was consulted by Emperor Leo I concerning the Council of Chalcedon.

St. Thalassius & Limuneus
Feastday: February 22
5th century

Two hermits who lived for many years in a cave near Cyrrhus (modern Syria). Limnaeus also spent time with St. Maro. He built two houses for the blind and was a noted healer. Knowledge of them comes from the historian and bishop of Cyrrhus,Theodoret (d.c. 466).

St. Elwin
Feastday: February 22
6th century

Companion of St. Breaca from Ireland to Cornwall, England, also called Elvis or Allen.

Blessed John the Saxon
Feastday: February 22
895

Monk and martyr. A monk in a monastery in France, he was invited to go to England by King Alfred the Great and to assist in the restoration of the Christian faith in the wake of the severe and destructive invasions by the Danes. Appointed abbot of Athelingay by Alfred, John served with vigor and distinction until his murder one night by two French monks under his care.

St. Raynerius
Feastday: February 22
967

Benedictine monk. He served at Beaulieu, near Limoges, France.

St. Maximian of Ravenna
Feastday: February 22
556
Bishop of Ravenna, Italy, ordained by Pope Vigilius in 546. Maximian erected St. Vitalis Basilica, which was dedicated in the presence of Emperor Justinian and his wife, Theodora.

St. Papias
Feastday: February 22
130

Bishop of Hieropolis in Phrygia, Asia Minor. Little is known about him beyond the fragments of his own writings and the statements of St. Irenaeus that he was a companion of St. Polycarp and “a man of long ago.” His own work, Expositions on the Oracles of the Lord, is preserved only through quotations found in Irenaeus and Eusebius of Caesarea.

St. Avitus II of Clermont
Feastday: February 21
689
Bishop and defender of the Church. He was appointed bishop of Clermont, France, in 676.

St. Valerius
Feastday: February 21
695
Abbot of the Isidorian revival. Born in Astorga, Spain, he entered the monastery of San Pedro de Montes and eventually became abbot there. He was the author of several ascetical works and was the last of the great educational champions following the ideals of St. Isidore of Seville.

St. Severian
Feastday: February 21
452
Bishop and martyr. The bishop of Scythopolis in Galilee. He attended the Council of Chalcedon (451) and took part in the complete triumph of the orthodox Christian cause against the heretics of the era. On his return home he was assassinated by a group of heretics at the command of Emperor Theodosius II.

St. Felix of Metz
Feastday: February 21
2nd century
Third bishop of Metz, France. He is believed to have ruled that see for more than four decades.

St. Gundebert
Feastday: February 21
676
Frankish Benedictine bishop of Sens, France, and founder of the abbey of Senores. He is also called Gondelbert or Gumbert.

St. Paterius
Feastday: February 21
606

A monk from Rome who became the bishop of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. He was reputedly a good friend of Pope St. Gregory I the Great and was the author of numerous works on the Bible.

Blessed Pepin of Landen
Feastday: February 21
640

Frankish mayor of the palace, duke of Brabant, and the chief political figure during the reigns of the Frankish kings Clotaire II, Dagobert I, and Sigebert TI . The husband of Blessed Ita, he was a close ally of Bishop Arnulf of Metz with whom he overthrew Queen Brunhilda of Austrasia. He was soon appointed mayor of the palace for his role. Following an incident in which he reprimanded King Dagobert I for his adulterous life, he was exiled from the court and went into retirement near Aquitaine. Re called to serve as tutor to Dagobert’s three year old son, Pepin once more became the chief figure of the king dom until his death. Pepin earned a reputation for defending the interests of the Church, promoting the spread of Christianity, and working to have only truly worthy bishops appointed to Frankish sees. While never canonized, he is listed as a saint in some old martyrologies. He was an ancestor of Charlemagne; his grandson, Pepin of Heristal, founded the Carolingian dynasty.

St. Eleutherius of Tournai
Feastday: February 20
532

Bishop of Tournai, Belgium, martyred by Arian heretics. Born in Tournai, France or Belgium, he became the bishop in 486. A group of Arians enraged by his preaching beat him severely He died some weeks later.

St. Amata
Feastday: February 20
1250
Poor Clare and niece of St. Clare of Assisi. Amata was miraculously cured of an illness by St. Clare. She entered a Poor Clare monastery as a result.

St. Bolcan
Feastday: February 20
840
Bishop and disciple of St. Patrick, also called Olcan of Kilmayle. Baptized by St. Patrick, Bolcan was sent to France for priestly studies and ordained. St. Patrick then named him the bishop of Derban in northern Ireland. He built a fine school there.

St. Valerius
Feastday: February 20
unknown
The first bishop of Conserans, France. He was mentioned in the writings of St. Gregory of Tours.

St. Wulfric
Feastday: February 20
1154
Wulfric (d. 1154) + hermit and miracle worker. Born at Compton Martin, near Bristol, England, he became a priest and was excessively materialistic and worldly. After meeting with a beggar, he underwent a personal conversion and became a hermit at Haselbury; Somerset, England. For his remaining years, he devoted himself to rigorous austerities and was known for his miracles and prophecies. While he was never formally canonized, Wulfric was a very popular saint during the Middle Ages, and his tomb was visited by many pilgrims. Feast day: February 20.

Sts. Tyrannio & Silvanus
Feastday: February 20
304
Martyrs with Peleus, Nilus, and Zenobius under Emperor Diocletian. According to Eusebius of Caesarea, Peleus and Nilus were Egyptian bishops martyred in Palestine, while the Bollandist scholars declared Tyrannio and Zenobius to have been martyred at Antioch (modern Turkey) and Silvanus at Emesa (modern Syria).

St. Sadoth
Feastday: February 20
345
Martyr who was put to death with 128 fellow Christians in Persia, also called Schadost. Sadoth was the metropolitan of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, Persia, and he attended the Council of Nicaea in 325. He headed the Christian community during the severe persecution of the Church in Persia under the Sassanid Persian ruler Shapur II. Arrested with many other believers, Sadoth and eight of his flock were cruelly imprisoned at Bei-Lapat and tortured prior to execution; Sadoth was beheaded.

St. Colgan
Feastday: February 20
796
Abbot of Clanmacroise, in Offaly, Ireland. A friend of Blessed Alcuin, Colgan was called “the Wise” and “ the Chief Scribe of the Scots.”

St. Leo of Catania
Feastday: February 20
787
Bishop of Catania, Sicily, called Maravigloso, “the Wonder-Worker.” He was revered for his holiness and learning.

St. Alvarez
Feastday: February 19

Alvarez was born in either Lisbon, Portugal, or Cordova, Spain. He entered the Dominican convent at Cordova in 1368. He became known for his preaching prowess in Spain and Italy, was confessor and adviser of Queen Catherine, John of Gaunt's daughter, and tutor of King John II in his youth. He reformed the court, and then left the court to found a monastery near Cordova. There the Escalaceli (ladder of heaven) that he built became a center of religious devotion. He successfully led the opposition to antipope Benedict XII (Peter de Luna), and by the time of his death was famous all over Spain for his teaching, preaching, asceticism, and holiness. His cult was confirmed in 1741.

St. Auxibius
Feastday: February 19
1st century
Bishop ordained by St. Paul. Auxibius was baptized a Christian by St. Mark. St. Paul appointed him the bishop of Soil, on Cyprus.

St. Barbatus
Feastday: February 19
682
Bishop of Benevento, Italy. He was born in Italy about 612 and was ordained in Marcona. Sent to Benevento, Barbatus evangelized and converted many. When the city was put under siege by Byzantine Emperor Constans II in 663, Barbatus predicted that the assault would end. When peace came, Barbatus was named bishop of Benevento. He attended the Council of Constantinople in 680. He died in Benevento on February 29.

St. Beatus
Feastday: February 19
798
Monk, author, and foe of the Adoptionist heresy. A member of St. Martin's Monastery, in Liebana, near Santander, Spain, Beatus opposed the Adoptionist theories of Archbishop Elipandus of Toledo. He worked with Etherius, the bishop of Osma, in converting Elipandus' followers. Both wrote the Liber Adversus Elipandum, a defense against the archbishop's censure. When the Adoptionist heresy was condemned, Beatus retired to the monastery of Valcavado, where he wrote commentaries and hymns.

St. Boniface of Lausanne
Feastday: February 19
1265
Bishop of Lausanne. He was born in Brussels, Belgium, and educated by the Cistercian nuns of La Cambra nearby. After studying in Paris, France, he taught dogma there and at Cologne, Germany. In 1230, he was made the bishop of Lausanne, Switzerland. He served nine years and then resigned to live at the Cistercian convent at La Cambra as chaplain because of an assault by agents of Emperor Frederick II after he had publicly scolded the emperor and the local clergy for their corruption.

St. Valerius
Feastday: February 19
450
Bishop of Antibes, France. He worked throughout southern France to evangelize the region and to increase the monastic presence.

St. Zambdas
Feastday: February 19
304
Bishop of Jerusalem. He was martyred during the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian. Zambdas is also listed as Bazas Or Zabdas, and he is associated in tradition with the Theban Legion.

St. Belina
Feastday: February 19
1135
Virgin martyr of Troyes, France. A peasant, Belina was threatened by the feudal lord of the district. Belina refused his advances and died in defense of her virginity. She was canonized in 1203.

Blessed Lucy
Feastday: February 19
1862
Martyr of China. She was a Catholic schoolteacher in China, where she was beheaded. Lucy was beatified in 1909.

St. Odran
Feastday: February 19
452

Martyr and friend of St. Patrick. According to tradition, he drove Patrick’s chariot. Odran died when he changed places with Patrick in the vehicle just before an ambush by pagans was sprung.

Sts. Cyril and Methodius
Feastday: February 14

Cyril and Methodius must have often wondered, as we do today, how God could bring spiritual meaning out of worldly concerns. Every mission they went on, every struggle they fought was a result of political battles, not spiritual, and yet the political battles are forgotten and their work lives on in the Slavic peoples and their literature.
Tradition tells us that the brothers Methodius and Constantine (he did not take the name Cyril until just before his death) grew up in Thessalonica as sons of a prominent Christian family. Because many Slavic people settled in Thessalonica, it is assumed Constantine and Methodius were familiar with the Slavic language. Methodius, the older of the two brothers, became an important civil official who would have needed to know Slavonic. He grew tired of worldly affairs and retired to a monastery. Constantine became a scholar and a professor known as "the Philosopher" in Constantinople. In 860 Constantine and Methodius went as missionaries to what is today the Ukraine.
When the Byzantine emperor decided to honor a request for missionaries by the Moravian prince Rastislav, Methodius and Constantine were the natural choices; they knew the language, they were able administrators, and had already proven themselves successful missionaries.
But there was far more behind this request and the response than a desire for Christianity. Rastislav, like the rest of the Slav princes, was struggling for independence from German influence and invasion. Christian missionaries from the East, to replace missionaries from Germany, would help Rastislav consolidate power in his own country, especially if they spoke the Slavonic language.
Constantine and Methodius were dedicated to the ideal of expression in a people's native language. Throughout their lives they would battle against those who saw value only in Greek or Latin. Before they even left on their mission, tradition says, Constantine constructed a script for Slavonic -- a script that is known today as glagolithic. Glagolithic is considered by some as the precursor of cyrillic which named after him.

Arriving in 863 in Moravia, Constantine began translating the liturgy into Slavonic. In the East, it was a normal procedure to translate liturgy into the vernacular. As we know, in the West the custom was to use Greek and later Latin, until Vatican II. The German hierarchy, which had power over Moravia, used this difference to combat the brothers' influence. The German priests didn't like losing their control and knew that language has a great deal to do with independence.
So when Constantine and Methodius went to Rome to have the Slav priesthood candidates ordained (neither was a bishop at the time), they had to face the criticism the Germans had leveled against them. But if the Germans had motives that differed from spiritual concerns, so did the pope. He was concerned about the Eastern church gaining too much influence in the Slavic provinces. Helping Constantine and Methodius would give the Roman Catholic church more power in the area. So after speaking the brothers, the pope approved the use of Slavonic in services and ordained their pupils.
Constantine never returned to Moravia. He died in Rome after assuming the monastic robes and the name Cyril on February 14, 869. Legend tells us that his older brother was so griefstricken, and perhaps upset by the political turmoil, that he intended to withdraw to a monastery in Constantinople. Cyril's dying wish, however, was that Methodius return to the missionary work they had begun.
He couldn't return to Moravia because of political problems there, but another Slavic prince, Kocel, asked for him, having admired the brothers' work in translating so much text into Slavonic. Methodius was allowed by the pope to continue saying Mass and administering baptism in the Slavonic tongue. Methodius was finally consecrated bishop, once again because of politics -- Kocel knew that having a Slavonic bishop would destroy the power of the Salzburg hierarchy over his land. Methodius became bishop of Sirmium, an ancient see near Belgrade and given power over Serbo-Croatian, Slovene, and Moravian territory.
The German bishops accused him of infringing on their power and imprisoned him in a monastery. This lasted until Germany suffered military defeats in Moravia. At that time the pope intervened and Methodius returned to his diocese in triumph at the same time the Germans were forced to recognize Moravian independence. There was a loss involved -- to appease the Germans a little, the pope told Methodius he could no longer celebrate liturgy in the vernacular.
In 879 Methodius was summoned to Rome to answer German charges he had not obeyed this restriction. This worked against the Germans because it gave Methodius a chance to explain how important it was to celebrate the liturgy in the tongue people understood. Instead of condemning him, the pope gave him permission to use Slavonic in the Mass, in Scripture reading, and in the office. He also made him head of the hierarchy in Moravia.
The criticism never went away, but it never stopped Methodius either. It is said that he translated almost all the Bible and the works of the Fathers of the Church into Slavonic before he died on April 6 in 884.
Within twenty years after his death, it would seem like all the work of Cyril and Methodius was destroyed. Magyar invasions devastated Moravia. And without the brothers to explain their position, use of the vernacular in liturgy was banned. But politics could never prevail over God's will. The disciples of Cyril and Methodius who were driven out of Moravia didn't hide in a locked room. The invasion and the ban gave them a chance to go to other Slavic countries. The brothers' work of spreading Christ's word and translating it into Slavonic continued and laid the foundation for Christianity in the region.
What began as a request guided by political concerns produced two of the greatest Christian missionaries, revered by both Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, and two of the fathers of Slavonic literary culture.
In Their Footsteps:
Cyril and Methodius believed in the importance of celebrating liturgy in our own language, a privilege we have only had in last twenty years. If this change took place before your time, ask older Catholics about the differences that have taken place in their worship because of this change. If you were worshipping during the change, reflect on how celebrating in the vernacular has helped your worship and your spiritual life.

St. Catherine de Ricci
Feastday: February 13

St. Catherine was born in Florence in 1522. Her baptismal name was Alexandrina, but she took the name of Catherine upon entering religion. From her earliest infancy she manifested a great love of prayer, and in her sixth year, her father placed her in the convent of Monticelli in Florence, where her aunt, Louisa de Ricci, was a nun. After a brief return home, she entered the convent of the Dominican nuns at Prat in Tuscany, in her fourteenth year. While very young, she was chosen Mistress of Novices, then subprioress, and at twenty-five years of age she became perpetual prioress. The reputation of her sanctity drew to her side many illustrious personages, among whom three later sat in the chair of Peter, namely Cerveni, Alexander de Medicis, and Aldo Brandini, and afterward Marcellus II, Clement VIII, and Leo XI respectively. She corresponded with St. Philip Neri and, while still living, she appeared to him in Rome in a miraculous manner.She is famous for the "Ecstacy of the Passion" which she experienced every Thursday from noon until Friday at 4:00 p.m. for twelve years. After a long illness she passed away in 1589. Her feast day is February 13.

February 11 - Feast of the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes
>
> This year marks the 150th anniversary of the apparition of our Blessed
> Mother to St. Bernadette at Lourdes, France. From February 11 to July 16,
> 1858, our Blessed Mother asked Bernadette to come to the grotto at
> Massabielle. In the apparitions Mary asked that prayers and penance be done
> for the atonement of sins. In the ninth apparition, the miraculous spring
> was revealed that has brought thousands of cures [see below - "Miracles of
> Lourdes" from http://www.olrl.org/stories/lourdes.shtml]. It was on March
> 25, that "the Lady" told St. Bernadette her name, "I am the Immaculate
> Conception".
>
> ------
>
> OUR LADY OF LOURDES PLENARY INDULGENCE
>
> In honor of the 150th anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary's appearances
> to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France, Pope Benedict XVI authorized a
> plenary indulgence for Catholics taking part in public or private devotions
> to Our Lady of Lourdes.
>
> The faithful may gain the indulgence by making a devout visit Feb. 2-11 to
> "a blessed image of the Holy Virgin Mary of Lourdes in any church, chapel,
> grotto or other suitable place in which it is solemnly displayed," according
> to the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican office dealing with indulgences and
> matters of conscience. In the presence of the image of Our Lady of Lourdes,
> the faithful "should perform some pious act of Marian devotion, or at least
> pause to reflect for an appropriate length of time, concluding with the
> Lord's
> Prayer, some legitimate form of the profession of faith, and the jubilee
> prayer or some other Marian invocation."
>
> The elderly, sick and all those unable to leave home for a just cause may
> also gain the plenary indulgence if from Feb. 2 to 11 they complete
> "spiritual visits" to a blessed image of Our Lady of Lourdes, recite the
> prayers indicated above, and trustingly offer the pains and discomforts of
> their own lives to God through Mary, according to the Apostolic
> Penitentiary. They must consciously reject all sin and have the intention to
> fulfill the abovementioned conditions as soon as possible.
>
>
> Norms for Indulgences - An indulgence is the remission before God of the
> temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is
> concerned. This remission the faithful with the proper dispositions and
> under
> certain determined conditions acquire through the intervention of the Church
> which, as minister of the Redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies
> the treasury of the satisfaction won by Christ and the Saints.
>
> An indulgence is partial or plenary, according as it removes either part or
> all of the temporal punishment due for sin.
>
> Catholic faithful must also meet the church's conditions for gaining
> indulgences. According to the Apostolic Penitentiary:
>
> - It is necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace at least at the
> time the indulgenced work is completed.
>
> - A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day. In order to obtain it,
> the faithful must have the interior disposition of complete detachment from
> sin, even venial sin; have sacramentally confessed their sins; receive the
> holy Eucharist; and pray for the intentions of the pope.
>
> - It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental confession and
> especially holy Communion and the prayer for the pope's intentions take
> place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed. But it is
> sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several
> days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act. Prayer for the pope's
> intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an Our Father and a
> Hail Mary are suggested. One sacramental confession suffices for several
> plenary indulgences, but a separate holy Communion and a separate prayer for
> the Holy Father's intentions are required for each plenary indulgence.
>
> - For the sake of those legitimately impeded, confessors can commute both
> the work prescribed and the conditions required (except, obviously,
> detachment from even venial sin).
>
> - Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the
> deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living on earth.
>
> Catholic faithful making a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, through Dec. 8,
> the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, can also
> receive the plenary indulgence. They must visit the following sites,
> preferably in this order: the parish baptismal font used for the baptism of
> Bernadette; the house of the Soubirous family, called the "cachet"; the
> Grotto of Massabielle; the chapel of the hospice where Bernadette made her
> first Communion. At each location, the faithful should meditate and pray the
> Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the jubilee prayer or a prayer to Mary.
>

>
> MIRACLES OF LOURDES
>
>
> INTRODUCTION TO LOURDES
>
> In 1858 in the grotto of Massabielle, near Lourdes, France, the Blessed
> Virgin Mary appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, a 14 year old peasant
> girl. She identified herself as The Immaculate Conception. She gave
> Bernadette a message for all: "Pray and do penance for the conversion of the
> world." The Church investigated Bernadette's claims for four years before
> approving devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. Lourdes has since become one of
> the most famous shrines, attracting more than a million pilgrims each year.
> There have been thousands of miraculous cures at this shrine.
>
> A Medical Bureau was established in 1882 to test the authenticity of the
> cures. The doctors include unbelievers as well as believers and any doctor
> is welcome to take part in the examination of the alleged cures. As many as
> 500 medical men of all faiths or no faith have taken advantage of the
> invitation each year. Many books and movies tell the story of Lourdes. Even
> Hollywood made a movie of this remarkable event in the 1940's entitled "The
> Song of Bernadette" which won six academy awards.
>
> No one leaves Lourdes without a gain in faith. Moral and spiritual cures are
> more marvelous than physical cures. Some go to Lourdes with lifetime
> prejudices, yet their minds are cleared in a sudden manner. Frequently
> skepticism gives way to faith; coldness and antagonism become whole hearted
> love of God. Again and again those who are not cured of bodily pain receive
> an increase of faith and resignation - true peace of soul. The story of two
> outstanding miracles that occurred at Lourdes are told below.
>
> THE STORY OF GABRIEL GARGAM
>
> The case of Gabriel Gargam is probably one of the best known of all the
> thousands of cures at Lourdes, partly because he was so well known at the
> Shrine for half a century, partly because it was a twofold healing,
> spiritual and physical. Born in 1870 of good Catholic parents, he gave early
> promise of being a clever student and a fervent Catholic. The promise was
> not fulfilled in the most important respect for, at 15 years of age, he had
> already lost his faith. He obtained a position in the postal service and was
> carrying out his duties as a sorter in December of 1899, when the train on
> which he was traveling from Bordeaux to Paris collided with another train,
> running at 50 miles per hour. Gargam was thrown fifty two feet from the
> train. He lay in the snow, badly injured and unconscious for seven hours. He
> was paralyzed from the waist down. He was barely alive when lifted onto a
> stretcher. Taken to a hospital, his existence for some time was a living
> death. After eight months he had wasted away to a mere skeleton, weighing
> but seventy-eight pounds, although normally a big man. His feet became
> gangrenous. He could take no solid food and was obliged to take nourishment
> by a tube. Only once in twenty-four hours could he be fed even that way. He
> brought suit for damages against the railroad. The Appellate Court confirmed
> the verdict of the former courts and granted him 6,000 francs annually, and
> besides, an indemnity of 60,000 francs.
>
> Gargam's condition was pitiable in the extreme. He could not help himself
> even in the most trifling needs. Two trained nurses were needed day and
> night to assist him. That was Gabriel Gargam as he was after the accident,
> and as he would continue to be until death relieved him. About his desperate
> condition there could be no doubt. The railroad fought the case on every
> point. There was no room for deception or hearsay. Two courts attested to
> his condition, and the final payment of the railroad left the case a matter
> of record. Doctors testified that the man was a hopeless cripple for life,
> and their testimony was not disputed.
>
> Previous to the accident Gargam had not been to Church for fifteen years.
> His aunt, who was a nun of the Order of the Sacred Heart, begged him to go
> to Lourdes. He refused. She continued her appeals to him to place himself in
> the hands of Our Lady of Lourdes. He was deaf to all her prayers. After
> continuous pleading of his mother he consented to go to Lourdes. It was now
> two years since the accident, and not for a moment had he left his bed all
> that time. He was carried on a stretcher to the train. The exertion caused
> him to faint, and for a full hour he was unconscious. They were on the point
> of abandoning the pilgrimage, as it looked as if he would die on the way,
> but the mother insisted, and the journey was made.
>
> Arrived at Lourdes, he went to confession and received Holy Communion. There
> was no change in his condition. Later he was carried to the miraculous pool
> and tenderly placed in its waters - no effect. Rather a bad effect resulted,
> for the exertion threw him into a swoon and he lay apparently dead. After a
> time, as he did not revive, they thought him dead. Sorrowfully they wheeled
> the carriage back to the hotel. On the way back they saw the procession of
> the Blessed Sacrament approaching. They stood aside to let it pass, having
> placed a cloth over the face of the man whom they supposed to be dead.
>
> As the priest passed carrying the Sacred Host, he pronounced Benediction
> over the sorrowful group around the covered body. Soon there was a movement
> from under the covering. To the amazement of the bystanders, the body raised
> itself to a sitting posture. While the family were looking on dumbfounded
> and the spectators gazed in amazement, Gargam said in a full, strong voice
> that he wanted to get up. They thought that it was a delirium before death,
> and tried to soothe him, but he was not to be restrained. He got up and
> stood erect, walked a few paces and said that he was cured. The multitude
> looked in wonder, and than fell on their knees and thanked God for this new
> sign of His power at the Shrine of His Blessed Mother. As Gargam had on him
> only invalid's clothes, he returned to the carriage and was wheeled back to
> the hotel. There he was soon dressed, and proceeded to walk about as if
> nothing had ever ailed him. For two years hardly any food had passed his
> lips but now he sat down to the table and ate a hearty meal.
>
> On August 20th, 1901, sixty prominent doctors examined Gargam. Without
> stating the nature of the cure, they pronounced him entirely cured. Gargam,
> out of gratitude to God in the Holy Eucharist and His Blessed Mother,
> consecrated himself to the service of the invalids at Lourdes.
>
> He sat up a small business and married a pious lady who aided him in his
> apostolate for the greater knowledge of Mary Immaculate. For over fifty
> years he returned annually to Lourdes and worked as a brancardier. The
> Golden Jubilee of his cure was the occasion of a remarkable celebration
> during the French National Pilgrimage in 1951. M. Gargam sat in a chair in
> the Rosary Square, surrounded by 1,500 sick and 50,000 other pilgrims while
> a description of his twofold healing was given by the celebrated apologist,
> Canon Baloney. His last visit to the Shrine was in August 1952: he died the
> following March, at the age of eighty-three years.
>
> THE STORY OF JOHN TRAYNOR
>
> In some respects the story of John Traynor is similar to that of Gabriel
> Gargam. Yet in many ways it is different. After their cures, the two men
> were brancardiers at Lourdes at the same time and may have discussed their
> cases with each other.
>
> John Traynor was a native of Liverpool, England. His Irish mother died when
> he was quite young, but the faith which she instilled in her son remained
> with him the rest of his life. His injuries dated from World War I, when he
> was a soldier in the Naval Brigade of the Royal British Marines. He took
> part in the unsuccessful Antwerp expedition of October, 1914, and was hit in
> the head by shrapnel. He remained unconscious for five weeks. Later, in
> Egypt, he received a bullet wound in the leg. In the Dardanelles, he
> distinguished himself in battle but was finally brought down when he was
> sprayed with machine gun bullets while taking part in a bayonet charge. He
> was wounded in the head and chest, and one bullet went through his upper
> right arm and lodged under his collarbone.
>
> As a result of these wounds, Traynor's right arm was paralyzed and the
> muscles atrophied. His legs were partially paralyzed, and he was epileptic.
> Sometimes he had as many as three fits a day. By 1916, Traynor had undergone
> four operations in an attempt to connect the severed muscles of this right
> arm. All four operations ended in failure. By this time he had been
> discharged from the service. He was given a one hundred percent pension
> because he was completely and permanently disabled. He spent much time in
> various hospitals as an epileptic patient. In April, 1920, his skull was
> operated on in an attempt to remove some of the shrapnel. This operation did
> not help his epilepsy, and it left a hole about an inch wide in his skull.
> The pulsating of his brain could be seen through this hole. A silver plate
> was inserted in order to shield the brain.
>
> He lived on Grafton Street in Liverpool with his wife and children. He was
> utterly helpless. He had to be lifted from his bed to his wheelchair in the
> morning and back into bed at night. Arrangements had been made to have him
> admitted to the Mosley Hill Hospital for Incurables.
>
> In July, 1923, Traynor heard that the Liverpool diocese was organizing a
> pilgrimage to Lourdes. He had always had a great devotion to the Blessed
> Virgin and determined to join the pilgrimage. He took a gold sovereign which
> he had been saving for an emergency and used it as the first payment on a
> ticket. At first his wife was very much disturbed by the idea of her husband
> making such a difficult trip. His friends tried to talk him out of it. His
> doctor told him the trip would be suicide. The government ministry of
> pensions protested against the idea. One of the priests in charge of the
> pilgrimage begged him to cancel his booking. All of this was to no avail.
> Traynor had made up his mind, and there was no changing it. When his wife
> saw how much he wanted to make the trip, she decided to help him. In order
> to raise the money for the pilgrimage, the Trainers sold some of their
> furniture; Mrs. Traynor pawned some of her jewelry.
>
> There was much excitement at the railroad station the day the pilgrimage was
> to leave. In addition to the noise and confusion that accompanies the
> departure of every large pilgrimage, there was the additional hubbub caused
> by the curious who had come to see Traynor. His trip had aroused much
> interest, and at the station a great number of people crowded about his
> wheel chair. Newspaper reporters and photographers were on hand to cover the
> event. As a result of all this, Traynor reached the station platform too
> late to get on the first train. The second train was crowded, and once more
> an attempt was made to talk him out of taking the trip. Traynor, however,
> said that he was determined to go if he had to ride in the coal tender.
>
> The trip was extremely trying, and Traynor was very sick. Three times,
> during the journey across France, the directors of the pilgrimage wished to
> take him off the train and put him in a hospital. Each time there was no
> hospital where they stopped, and so they had to keep him on board. He was
> more dead than alive when he reached Lourdes on July 22 and was taken to the
> Aisle. Two Protestant girls from Liverpool, who were serving as volunteer
> nurses in the Aisle, recognized Traynor and offered to take care of him. He
> gladly accepted the offer. He had several hemorrhages during his six days
> there and a number of epileptic fits. So bad was his condition that one
> woman took it upon herself to write to his wife and tell her that there was
> no hope for him and that he would be buried in Lourdes.
>
> Traynor managed to bathe in the water from the grotto nine times, and he
> attended all the ceremonies to which the sick are taken. It was only by
> sheer force of will that he was able to do this. Not only were his own
> infirmities a serious obstacle but the brancardiers and others in attendance
> were reluctant to take him out for fear he would die on the way. Once he had
> an epileptic fit as he was going to the piscine. When he recovered, the
> brancardiers turned his chair to take him back to the Aisle. He protested,
> but they insisted. They were forced to give in when he seized the wheel with
> his good hand and would not let the chair budge until it went in the
> direction of the baths.
>
> On the afternoon of July 25 when he was in the bath, his paralyzed legs
> became suddenly agitated. He tried to get to his feet, but the brancardiers
> prevented him. They dressed him, put him back in his wheel chair, and
> hurried him to Rosary Square for the Blessing of the Sick. Most of the other
> sick were already lined up. He was the third last on the outside as one
> faces the church.
>
> Let us hear in Traynor's own words what happened after that. This is the
> story as he told it to Father Patrick O'Connor.
>
> "The procession came winding its way back, as usual, to the church and at
> the end walked the Archbishop of Rheims, carrying the Blessed Sacrament. He
> blessed the two ahead of me, came to me, made the Sign of the Cross with the
> monstrance and moved on to the next. He had just passed by, when I realized
> that a great change had taken place in me. My right arm, which had been dead
> since 1915, was violently agitated. I burst its bandages and blessed
> myself - for the first time in years.
>
> "I had no sudden pain that I can recall and certainly had no vision. I
> simply realized that something momentous had happened. I attempted to rise
> from my stretcher, but the brancardiers were watching me. I suppose I had a
> bad name for my obstinacy. They held me down, and a doctor or a nurse gave
> me a hypo. Apparently they thought that I was hysterical and about to create
> a scene. Immediately after the final Benediction, they rushed me back to the
> Aisle. I told them that I could walk and proved it by taking seven steps. I
> was very tired and in pain. They put me back in bed and gave me another hypo
> after a while.
>
> "They had me in a small ward on the ground floor. As I was such a
> troublesome case, they stationed brancardiers in relays to watch me and keep
> me from doing anything foolish. Late that night, they placed a brancardier
> on guard outside the door of the ward. There were two other sick men in the
> room, including one who was blind.
>
> "The effect of the hypos began to wear off during the night, but I had no
> full realization that I was cured. I was awake for most of the night. No
> lights were on.
>
> "The chimes of the big Basilica rang the hours and half hours as usual
> through the night, playing the air of the Lourdes Ave Maria. Early in the
> morning, I heard them ringing, and it seemed to me that I fell asleep at the
> beginning of the Ave. It could have been a matter of only a few seconds, but
> at the last stroke I opened my eyes and jumped out of bed. First, I knelt on
> the floor to finish the rosary I had been saying. Then I dashed for the
> door, pushed aside the two brancardiers and ran out into the passage and the
> open air. Previously, I had been watching the brancardiers and planning to
> evade them. I may say here that I had not walked since 1915, and my weight
> was down to 112 pounds.
>
> "Dr. Marley was outside the door. When he saw the man over whom he had been
> watching during the pilgrimage, and whose death he had expected, push two
> brancardiers aside and run out of the ward, he fell back in amazement. Out
> in the open now, I ran toward the Grotto, which is about two or three
> hundred yards from the Aisle. This stretch of ground was graveled then, not
> paved, and I was barefoot. I ran the whole way to the grotto without getting
> the least mark or cut on my bare feet. The brancardiers were running after
> me, but they could not catch up with me. When they reached the grotto, there
> I was on my knees, still in my night clothes, praying to our Lady and
> thanking her. All I knew was that I should thank her and the grotto was the
> place to do it. The brancardiers stood back, afraid to touch me."
>
> A strange feature of Traynor's case was that he did not completely realize
> what had happened to him. He knew that a great favor had been bestowed upon
> him and that he should be thankful, but he had no idea of the magnitude of
> the favor. He was completely dazed. It did not seem strange to him that he
> was walking, and he could not figure out why everyone was staring at him. He
> did not remember how gravely ill he had been for many years.
>
> A crowd of people gathered about Traynor while he was praying at the grotto.
> After about twenty minutes, he arose from his knees, surprised and rather
> annoyed by the audience he had attracted. The people fell back to allow him
> to pass. At the crowned statute of our Lady, he stopped and knelt again. His
> mother had taught him that he should always make some sacrifice when he
> wished to venerate the Virgin. He had no money to give. The few shillings he
> had left after buying a railroad ticket, he had spent to buy rosaries and
> medals for his wife and children. He therefore made the only sacrifice he
> could think of: he promised our Lady that he would give up cigarettes.
>
> The news of his cure had spread rapidly, and a great crowd was waiting at
> the Asile. Traynor could not understand what they were doing there. He went
> in and got dressed. Then he went into the washroom. A number of men were
> there ahead of him.
>
> "Good morning, gentlemen!" said Traynor cheerily.
>
> But there was no answer. The men just looked at him; they were too overcome
> to speak.
>
> Traynor was puzzled. Why was everyone acting so strangely this morning?
>
> When he got back to his ward, a priest who was visiting at Lourdes came in
> and said, "Is there anyone who can serve Mass?"
>
> "Yes, I can," Traynor volunteered.
>
> The priest who knew nothing yet about the cure accepted the offer, and
> Traynor served Mass in the chapel of the Asile. It did not seem a bit out of
> the ordinary to be doing so.
>
> In the dining room of the Asile where Traynor went to eat his breakfast, the
> other patients stared at him in amazement. Later when he strolled outdoors,
> the crowd that had gathered there made a rush at him. Surprised and
> disconcerted he made a quick retreat into the enclosure.
>
> A Mr. Cunningham, who was also on the pilgrimage, came to talk to him. The
> visitor spoke casually, but it was evident that he was making a great effort
> to control his excitement.
>
> "Good morning, John. Are you feeling all right?"
>
> "Yes, Mr. Cunningham, quite all right. Are you feeling all right?" Then he
> came to the matter that was puzzling him. "What are all those people doing
> outside?"
>
> "They're there, Jack, because they are glad to see you.
>
> "Well, it's nice of them, and I'm glad to see them, but I wish they'd leave
> me alone."
>
> Mr. Cunningham told him that one of the priests of the pilgrimage - the one
> who had opposed his coming - wished to see him. There was much difficulty
> getting through the crowd, but they finally got to the hotel where the
> priest was waiting. The priest asked him if he was all right. All this
> solicitude was most bewildering.
>
> "Yes, I'm quite well," Traynor answered, "and I hope you feel well, too."
>
> The priest broke down and began to cry.
>
> Traynor traveled home in a first-class compartment despite all his protests.
> As they were going across France, Archbishop Keating of Liverpool came into
> his compartment. Traynor knelt to receive his blessing. The Archbishop bade
> him rise.
>
> "John, I think I should be getting your blessing," he said.
>
> Traynor did not know what the Archbishop meant.
>
> The Archbishop led him over to the bed, and they both sat down. Looking at
> Traynor closely, His Excellency said, "John, do you realize how ill you have
> been and that you have been miraculously cured by the Blessed Virgin?"
>
> "Suddenly," Traynor later told Father O'Connor, "everything came back to me,
> the memory of my years of illness and the sufferings of the journey to
> Lourdes and how ill I had been in Lourdes itself. I began to cry, and the
> Archbishop began to cry, and we both sat there, crying like two children.
> After a little talk with him, I felt composed. Now I realized fully what had
> happened."
>
> Someone suggested to Traynor that he telegraph his wife. Instead of telling
> her that he had been completely cured he merely said, "Am better - Jack."
> His wife was very much pleased to receive this message. She had been very
> much upset when the woman in the pilgrimage had told her that he was dying.
> But she was not prepared for the glorious news that was to come! She was the
> only one who was not, for the story had been in the Liverpool papers. Since
> she had not happened to see the story, those about her decided not to tell
> her. They thought it would be nicer to surprise her.
>
> It seemed that all Liverpool was at the station to greet the cured man upon
> his return. When Mrs. Traynor reached the platform, she told who she was and
> asked to be allowed through the crowd.
>
> "Well," said the official in charge, "all I can say is that Mr. Traynor must
> be a Mohammedan, because there are seventy or eighty Mrs. Traynors on the
> platform now."
>
> In an attempt to save Traynor from being crushed by the crowd which was
> growing every minute, the railway company stopped the train before it got to
> the station. The Archbishop walked toward the crowd. He asked the people to
> restrain their enthusiasm when they saw Traynor and to disperse peacefully
> after they had had a look at him. They promised that they would do so.
>
> Despite this promise there was a stampede when Traynor appeared on the
> platform. The police had to clear a passage for him to pass through.
>
> The joy of Traynor's family upon his return and their deep gratitude to Our
> Lady of Lourdes could never be put into words. The cured man went into the
> coal and hauling business and had no trouble lifting 200-pound sacks of
> coal. He went back to Lourdes every summer to act as a brancardier. He died
> on the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1943. The cause of
> his death was in no way related to the wounds which had been cured at
> Lourdes.
>
> The two non-Catholic girls who looked after Traynor at Lourdes came into the
> Church as a result of the cure. Their family followed their example, and so
> did the Anglican minister of the church they had been attending. A great
> number of conversions in Liverpool resulted from the miracle.
>
> Although the cure took place in 1923, the Medical Bureau waited till 1926 to
> issue its report. Traynor was examined again, and it was found that his cure
> was permanent. "His right arm which was like a skeleton has recovered all
> its muscles. The hole near his temple has completely disappeared. He had a
> certificate from Dr. McConnell of Liverpool attesting that he had not had an
> epileptic attack since 1923. . . .
>
> "It is known that when the important nerves have been severed, if their
> regeneration has not been effected (after the most successful operations
> this would take at least a year) they contract rapidly and become dried up
> as it were, and certain parts mortify and disappear. In Mr. Traynor's case,
> for the cure of his paralyzed arm, new parts had to be created and seamed
> together. All these things were done simultaneously and instantaneously. At
> the same time occurred the instant repair of the brain injuries as is proved
> by the sudden and definite disappearance of the paralysis of both legs and
> of the epileptic attacks. Finally, a third work was effected which closed
> the orifice in the brain box. It is a real resurrection which the
> beneficiary attributes to the power of God and the merciful intercession of
> Our Lady of Lourdes. The mode of production of this prodigious cure is
> absolutely outside and beyond the forces of nature."
>
> As is usual in such cures, John Traynor retained souvenirs of his former
> afflictions. The right hand did not hang quite normally, and the right
> forearm was a little less thick than the left. A slight depression was the
> only trace that was left of the hole in the skull.
>
> If John Traynor and Gabriel Gargam ever discussed their cases and compared
> notes while both were serving as brancardiers, they must have been amused by
> one point. Gargam succeeded in having his pension from the railway company
> discontinued. The British War Pension Ministry, however, insisted upon
> paying Traynor's pension till the end of his life. They had examined him
> thoroughly and found him incurable. They did not care what the Lourdes
> Medical Bureau said or what any of the doctors who examined Traynor after
> his return from Lourdes reported. It did not matter that he was engaged in
> the most strenuous kind of work. They had pronounced him incurable, and
> incurable he was. This decision was never revoked.
>
> The gift of miracles has never ceased to show its presence in the Catholic
> Church. "If you would not believe Me" said Our Lord to the Jews, "believe
> the works I do."
> ------
> "The Catholic Faith alone produces miracles, which are never seen among
> heretics. Plants of this sort cannot grow in a soil cursed by God; they can
> take root only in that Church where the True Faith is professed . . . God
> cannot sanction the performance of a miracle except in favor of the true
> religion; were He to permit it in support of error, He would deceive us."
>
> St. Alphonsus Marie de Liguori - Bishop & Doctor of the Church