St. Francis of Paola, Confessor, A.D. 1508.
by VP
Posted on Thursday April 02, 2026 at 12:00AM in Saints
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, St. Francis of Paola
"From his youth he seemed inflamed with the Holy Spirit; for, retiring into a desert, he spent six years in great austerity, with almost continued prayer and divine contemplation. Pray especially for young persons, that God would diminish in them excessive fondness for the world and themselves, and give them a true sense of their eternal state, that they may not admire and adore vanity, but God alone. And if any are under your care, reflect on your obligation both to God and them. See that they want no instruction, keep them to their hours of prayer and reading, teach them to employ themselves, oblige them to order and discipline, examine their company and conversation, study to make them easy in a regular life, allow them innocent diversions, but see that they are not fond of what is vain, extravagant, and foolish. By these degrees you may teach them to love God, to have a true esteem for virtue, and to live as becomes Christians. But by following a contrary method, in giving them liberty to gratify corrupt nature, you will concur to their ruin, and find too late their flattered innocence to end in professed vice.
St. Francis being prevailed upon to leave his solitude, for the encouragement of many who desired to follow his example, procured a church to be built near Faula, in Calabria, the place of his birth, and there laid the first foundation of a religious order. He obliged his followers to perpetual abstinence, to go barefoot, and to lie on the ground. And that they might be ever mindful of that humility, which, above all, he recommended to them as the ground of all Christian virtues, he called them Minims, that is the least and most contemptible of all the servants of God. In this method he lived to the ninety-first year of his age, and made a happy end in the year 1508.
Pray for all of this holy Order, that they may truly practice what they profess; that they may
keep up the spirit of their founder, and be an example to all others of
the true spirit of the Gospel. Learn something of it for yourself. The
corruption of your nature can have no better remedy than in a discreet
abstinence from such things as are too favorable to it, in being either
vicious, or disposing that way. Learn never to despise others, but
judge yourself the least and most contemptible of all." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother
St. Mary of Egypt, A.D. 421.
by VP
Posted on Wednesday April 01, 2026 at 12:00AM in Saints
St. Mary of Egypt by Jusepe de Ribera
"She was born in Egypt; and having left her father's house at the age of twelve years, she went to Alexandria, where she abandoned herself to all the liberties of a sinful life. But after some years, being touched by a wonderful grace of God, she resolved upon a new life, and doing penance for her sins. For this end, she retired into the desert beyond the river Jordan, with three loaves, and lived there in prayer and penance seven and forty years, without seeing any person in all that time. She was then discovered by a holy monk and priest, named Zosimus, to whom she gave an account of her life, and begged a share in his prayers. She desired him to return to the same place the following year on Maundy Thursday, and to bring with him the sacred Body and Blood of our Lord, and wait for her on the banks of the river. He did so; and at night she appeared on the other side, and making the sign of the cross over the river, she walked over as if it had been dry land. She received the Blessed Sacrament, and desired him to return the following Lent to the place where he first saw her. On his arrival at the appointed time, he found her dead; and being miraculously assisted by a lion, he dug a grave and buried her.
Pray for all those unhappy souls who live in sin, that they may hear the voice of God, who invites them to repentance. Let the mercy shewn to this sinner arm you against despair. But then let her penance instruct you what you are to do upon your change of life. For if ill habits are strong, they will scarcely yield to resolutions without some more penitential method. There will be a necessity of such a solitude at least as separates you from the occasions of sin, and gives you opportunity of recollection.
On this first day of the month make a sincere offering of yourself and all yours to God, and put all under his direction. Beg His blessing on all your undertakings, and offer yourself to all disappointments and troubles. Beseech God that you may make a right use both of His favors and scourges. Take a review of your past errors and evil habits which every month you resolve to amend. One month is to be your last; who knows but it may be this? Do now, at least, as if it were to be so." Source: The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
Prayer of St. Mary of Egypt: "O Holy Virgin, mother of the Word made flesh, so pure and humble and chaste, intercede for me. Procure for me, a vile creature, the grace to go in and venerate the Holy Cross on which thy Son shed His blood, and I promise no more to return to my bad life, but to do penance in any way that may be most pleasing to God"
Any girl who comes to confession with simplicity and earnestness as St. Mary did, no matter how much she may have sinned, will find it easy, as Mary did, and will receive from God graces similar to those that Mary received.
Let us thank God for this consoling Sacrament of Penance, and, when we return from it cleansed and strengthened, say, with the Blessed Virgin: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit exult in God my Savior, who hath had regard to the humility of His handmaid. For He wo is powerful hath done great things for me: Blessed be His holy name." (St. Luke i.46)
Source: Guide for Catholic Young women, Especially for Those who Earn Their Own Living By Rev. Fr. George Deshon · 1893: Example of St. Mary of Egypt page 106
