Feb 14, 2025 | Library
SAINT BLAISE
Saint Blaise was the Bishop of Sebastea and a doctor. The first known record of the saint’s life comes from the medical writings of Aëtius Amidenus, where he is recorded as helping patients suffering from objects stuck in their throats. Many of the miraculous aspects of St. Blaise’s life are written 400 years after his martyrdom in the “Acts of St. Blaise.”
Saint Blaise is believed to have begun as a healer and then, eventually, became a “physician of souls.” He then retired to a cave, where he remained in prayer. People often turned to Saint Blaise for healing miracles.
In 316, the governor of Cappadocia and of Lesser Armenia, Agricola, arrested then-bishop Blaise for being a Christian. On their way to the jail, a woman set her only son, who was choking to death on a fish bone, at his feet.
Blaise cured the child, and though Agricola was amazed, he could not get Blaise to renounce his faith. Therefore, Agricola beat Blaise with a stick and tore at his flesh with iron combs before beheading him. St. Blaise is the patron saint of throat illnesses, animals, wool combers, and wool trading. He died in the year 316 AD.
SAINT VALENTINE
Saint Valentine, officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, is a third-century Roman saint widely celebrated on February 14 and commonly associated with “courtly love.”
Although not much of St. Valentine’s life is reliably known, and whether or not the stories involve two different saints by the same name is also not officially decided, it is highly agreed that St. Valentine was martyred and then buried on the Via Flaminia to the north of Rome.
In 1969, the Roman Catholic Church removed St. Valentine from the General Roman Calendar, because so little is known about him. However, the church still recognizes him as a saint, listing him in the February 14 spot of Roman Martyrology.
The legends attributed to the mysterious saint are as inconsistent as the actual identification of the man.
One common story about St. Valentine is that at one point in his life, as the former Bishop of Terni, Narnia, and Amelia, he was on house arrest with Judge Asterius. While discussing religion and faith with the Judge, Valentine pledged the validity of Jesus. The judge immediately put Valentine and his faith to the test.
SAINT BLAISE AND SAINT VALENTINE – BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cronin, Blaise. The Book of Blaise: A Saint in his Name. Self-Published 2021.
Gabriel, Cole M. The Story of Saint Blaise. Self-Published: 2024.
Gauthier, Andrew. Saint Valentine: The Story of St. Valentine Patron Saint of Love. Self-Published 2024.
Pickfor, Ben. The Life of St. Blaise. Self-Published: 2023.
Roberts, Nichola. The Story of Valentine: History of God’s Brave Loving Servant, Patron Saint of Love and Relationships. Self-Published 2024
ARCHIVAL/SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Tennyson, Alfred Barron. The Poetical Works of Alfred Tennyson. Chicago, IL: National Library Association. 1891
Jan 17, 2025 | Library
St. John Bosco
August 16, 1815 – January 31, 1888
St. John Bosco was an Italian Catholic priest, educator, and writer of the 19th century. While working in Turin, where the population suffered many of the ill effects of industrialization and urbanization, he dedicated his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other disadvantaged youth. He developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method that became known as the “Salesian Preventive System.”
A follower of the spirituality and philosophy of St. Francis de Sales, Bosco was an ardent devotee of the Virgin Mary under the title *Mary Help of Christians*. He later dedicated his works to de Sales when he founded the Salesians of Don Bosco, based in Turin. He was one of the pioneers of mutual aid societies, which provided financial support to young migrant Catholic workers in Turin. In 1850, he drafted regulations to assist apprentices and their companions when they were involuntarily unemployed or fell ill.
In 1875, Bosco began publishing the *Salesian Bulletin*, which has remained in continuous publication and is currently available in 50 different editions and 30 languages. In 1876, he founded the Association of Salesian Cooperators, a movement of laypeople dedicated to the same educational mission for the poor. Through a network of organizations and centers, Bosco’s legacy continues to thrive.
St. Francis de Sales
August 21, 1567 – December 28, 1622
St. Francis de Sales was a Roman Catholic bishop of Geneva and a Doctor of the Church. He was active in the struggle against Calvinism and co-founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary.
At the age of 19, Francis attended a Calvinist lecture on predestination, which led him to believe he was destined for hell. This caused him great distress for months. Eventually, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother and the *Memorare* prayer, Francis was freed from this error and focused on the pure love of God. Though initially reluctant, his father eventually supported Francis’s ordination and helped secure him an important position in the Diocese of Geneva.
Francis’s success as a preacher was marked by his ability to convey the faith clearly, respectfully, truthfully, and charitably. He often placed written explanations of Catholic beliefs under people’s doors, inviting them to return to the Church. His motto was: *“He who preaches with love, preaches effectively.”*
Francis believed holiness was not limited to monastic or religious life but was attainable for everyone, regardless of their state in life or occupation. This conviction is most evident in his renowned book, *Introduction to the Devout Life.* It is said that through his efforts, Bishop de Sales brought back as many as 40,000 Catholics who had embraced Calvinism.
After nine years as a priest and 20 years as a bishop, Francis suffered a stroke and died shortly after. It is believed that one of the last things he wrote was a testimony to his deep love of God.
SAINT BOSCO & SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES – BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ceria, Reverand Eugenio. The Biographical Memoirs of Saint John Bosco. New Rochelle, NY: Salesiana Publishers. 1985.
Dailey, Thomas F. Praying with Francis de Sales. Winona, MI: St Mary’s Press. 1997.
Bacchiarello, Father J. (editor). Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco: The Apostle of Youth. Rockford, IL: Tan Books & Publishers Inc. 1969.
Phelan, Edna Beyer. Don Bosco A Spiritual Portrait. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc. 1963.
Rinaldi, Peter. Man with a Dream The Story of St. John Bosco. New Rochelle, NY: Don Bosco Publications. 1981.
De Sales, St. Francis. Thy Will Be Done! Letters of St. Francis de Sales. Manchester NH: Sophia Institute Press. 1995.
De Sales, St Francis and Mackey, Rev. Henry Benedict (Translator). The Catholic Controversy St. Francis de Sales Defense of the Church. Charlotte, NC. 2012.
Ravier, Andre. Francis De Sales Sage and Saint. Bowler, Joseph D. (Translator). San Francisco, CA: 1988.
Sheppard, Lancelot C. Don Bosco Westminster, MD: The Newman Press. 1957.
ARCHIVAL/SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Chalippe, Candide, Reverand (translator). The Life of S: Francis of Assisi. New York: D&J Sadler & Co. 1877
Livius, Reverand T. S. Peter, Bishop of Rome: or the Roman Episcopate of the Prince of the Apostles; proved from the Fathers, History, and Archeology, and illustrated by arguments from other sources. New York: Catholic Publication Society. 1888
Dec 9, 2024 | Library
Each of us can model ourselves after the Holy Family – trusting in God, following his will, and proclaiming the Good News. Today is a reminder of our own call to holiness and the mission of family life. The joy of this Christmas season is not meant to be kept to ourselves; rather, we must allow it to grow in our hearts and our families so that we can bring it to a world desperate to know Jesus Christ. (Knights of Columbus)
When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” … When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He shall be called a Nazorean” (Mt 2:13-15, 19-23).
HOLY FAMILY – BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bauer, Judy (editor). Advent and Christmas with Fulton J. Sheen. Liquori, MS: Liquori Publications. 2001.
Beckett, Sister Wendy. Sister Wendy’s Nativity. Chicago, IL: Loyola Press. 1998.
Deiss, Lucien. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press. 1996
Faber, Frederick W. Bethlehem. Charlotte, NC: Tan Books. 2011.
Farey, Caroline. Nativity: A Visual Meditation. Oxford, England: Family Publications. 2008
McGlinchey, Paul M. A Vatican Christmas: Creches of Pope John Paul II. New Haven, CT: Knights of Columbus Museum Publishing. 2006.
McKenna, Megan. Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Hyde Park, NY: New City Press. 2008.
Merton, Thomas. Advent and Christmas with Thomas Merton. Liquori, MS: Liquori Publications. 2002.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (The). The Nativity: The Christmas Creche. Garden City, NY: Doubleday Company. 1969.
Ryan, Father Kenneth. The Catholic Digest Christmas Book. St. Paul, MN: Carillon Books. 1977.
Sri, Edward. Dawn of the Messiah: The Coming of Christ in Scripture. Cincinnati, OH: St. Anthony Messenger Press. 2005.
ARCHIVAL/SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
English College of Douuay. The Holy Bible: Faithfully Translated into English out of Authentical Latin, Diligently Conferred with the Hebrew, Greek, & Other Editions in Diverse Languages, Tome. Printed by John Cousturier, 1635.
Schaff, Philip and Gilman, Arthur. A Library of Religious Poetry: A Collection of the Best Poems of All Ages and Tongues, New York, NY: Dodd, Mead, and Company. 1881.
Nov 8, 2024 | Library
Shortly after noon on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas.
Crowds of excited people lined the streets and waved to the Kennedys. The car turned off Main Street at Dealey Plaza around 12:30 p.m. As it was passing the Texas School Book Depository, gunfire suddenly reverberated in the plaza.
Bullets struck the president’s neck and head and he slumped over toward Mrs. Kennedy. The governor was shot in his back.
The car sped off to Parkland Memorial Hospital just a few minutes away. But little could be done for the President. A Catholic priest was summoned to administer the last rites, and at 1:00 p.m. John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. Though seriously wounded, Governor Connally would recover.
The president’s body was brought to Love Field and placed on Air Force One. Before the plane took off, a grim-faced Lyndon B. Johnson stood in the tight, crowded compartment and took the oath of office, administered by US District Court Judge Sarah Hughes. The brief ceremony took place at 2:38 p.m.
Less than an hour earlier, police had arrested Lee Harvey Oswald, a recently hired employee at the Texas School Book Depository. He was being held for the assassination of President Kennedy and the fatal shooting, shortly afterward, of Patrolman J. D. Tippit on a Dallas street.
On Sunday morning, November 24, Oswald was scheduled to be transferred from police headquarters to the county jail. Viewers across America watching the live television coverage suddenly saw a man aim a pistol and fire at point-blank range. The assailant was identified as Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. Oswald died two hours later at Parkland Hospital.
The President’s Funeral
That same day, President Kennedy’s flag-draped casket was moved from the White House to the Capitol on a caisson drawn by six grey horses, accompanied by one riderless black horse. At Mrs. Kennedy’s request, the cortege and other ceremonial details were modeled on the funeral of Abraham Lincoln. Crowds lined Pennsylvania Avenue and many wept openly as the caisson passed. During the 21 hours that the president’s body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda, about 250,000 people filed by to pay their respects.
On Monday, November 25, 1963 President Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was attended by heads of state and representatives from more than 100 countries, with untold millions more watching on television. Afterward, at the grave site, Mrs. Kennedy and her husband’s brothers, Robert and Edward, lit an eternal flame.
Perhaps the most indelible images of the day were the salute to his father given by little John F. Kennedy Jr. (whose third birthday it was), daughter Caroline kneeling next to her mother at the president’s bier, and the extraordinary grace and dignity shown by Jacqueline Kennedy.
Nov 8, 2024 | Library
ST PETER
Peter, who was also known as Simon Peter of Cephas, is considered the first Pope. Despite his papacy, Peter had humble beginnings and became one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was ordained by Jesus in the “Rock of My Church” written in Matthew 16:17-18, which says, “Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So, I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community.
Peter was Jesus’ closest friend and disciple and became an apostle during his ministry. After the death of Jesus, Peter became the leader of the apostles and is often described as their spokesperson in the gospels.
Aside from his position as the most important apostle, legend has it that he held the keys of heaven and hell, which he received from Jesus Christ himself after he was made the leader of His new church. He is always mentioned first in the Bible and any other historical texts because he was the representative of the Twelve Apostles. This shows us how important St. Peter was to Christianity. St Peter’s Basilica in Rome is dedicated to his martyrdom.
ST PAUL
Saint Paul is one of the most important and influential of all the saints. Many of his writings are contained in the Canon of the Bible and have influenced the growth and development of the Church since the first century.
St. Paul was originally known as Saul, and he was a Roman citizen and a Pharisee. He even presided over the persecutions of the early Christians and was present at the martyrdom of St. Stephen.
However, Saul experienced a powerful vision that caused him to convert to Christianity while on the road to Damascus. He was duly baptized and took the name Paul.
Paul traveled the world, first to Arabia then back to Damascus. He also visited Jerusalem to see St. Peter, the first pope and pay homage to him. During these travels, he preached ceaselessly, often drawing criticism and ire from those who rebuffed his message. Jews, in particular, hated his preaching as they saw him convert people to Christianity from Judaism.
Eventually, Paul returned to Tarsus, where he was born. He preached there until he was called by Barnabus to come to Antioch. After a year spent in Antioch, a famine occurred in Jerusalem and the pair was dispatched to the city with alms.
Paul traveled throughout much of Europe, particularly in Macedonia, Greece, and Italy. While preparing for a missionary trip to Spain, he was imprisoned in Caesarea by the Jews for two years. He traveled again, was shipwrecked in Malta, and was imprisoned for another two years for preaching in Rome. Despite these imprisonments, Paul continued to preach.
Paul eventually made his way to Spain, then returned to the East, and finally returned to Rome once again. In 67 AD, Paul was arrested in Rome for a second time and this time he was beheaded under the insane Emperor Nero. According to John Chrysostom, Nero knew Paul personally.
Paul is among the most famous, intelligent and influential of the apostles. There are some who argue that he was the leader of the apostles, but this is not supported by the evidence. Instead, he likely preached at the request of St. Peter, who was pope.
Bibliography for St. Peter & St. PAUL
SAINT PETER:
- Bockmuehl, Marcus. The New Testament Apostle of the Early Church: Simon Peter in Scripture and Memory. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2012.
- Craughwell, Thomas J. St. Peter’s Bones: How the Relics of the First Pope were Lost and Found and then Lost and Found Again. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group. 2013.
- Dolan, Cardinal Timothy. To Whom Shall We Go? Lessons from the Apostle Peter. Huntington, IN: Sunday Visitor Publishing Division. 2008.
- Fasola, Umberto M. Traces on Stone: Peter & Paul in Rome. ROME: Stapato a Firenza Press. 1980.
- Grant, Michael. Saint Peter: A Biography. New York, NY: Scribner. 1994.
- La Due, William J. The Chair of St. Peter: The History of the Papacy. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. 1999.
- Murphy, Jennie Catherine. “Peter’s Journey through the Gospel of John Culminating in John 2:15-19.” M.A. Thesis, Holy Apostles College & Seminary, 2018.
SAINT PAUL:
- Buck, Charles, and Taylor, Greer. St Paul: A Study in the Development of His Thought. New York, NY: Charles Scribner & Sons. 1969
- Grant, Michael. Saint Paul. London, UK: Phoenix Press. 1976.
- McRay, John. Paul: His Life and Teaching. Grand Rapids, MI: 2003.
- Perez de Urbel, Justo. St. Paul the Missionary. Westminster, MD: 1957.
- Perowne, Stewart. The Journey of Saint Paul. New York, NY: Hamilton Publishing Group Ltd. 1973.
- Weldeghiorghis, Fr. Estifanos Helafu. “The Impact of St. Paul’s Imprisonment on the Faith of the Early Christians.” M.A. Thesis, Holy Apostles College & Seminary, 2016.
Oct 23, 2024 | Library
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, called during a vision of the Suffering Christ, on August 1, 1925 she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and took the name Sister Mary Faustina. She lived in the Congregation for thirteen years and lived in several religious houses. She spent time in Kraków, Poland and Vilnius, where she worked as a cook, gardener, and porter. Externally nothing revealed her rich mystical interior life. She zealously performed her tasks and faithfully observed the rule of religious life. She was recollected and at the same time very natural, serene, and full of kindness and disinterested love for her neighbor. She hid within herself an extraordinary union with God. At the specific request of and following the example of the Lord Jesus, she made a sacrifice of her own life for this very goal. In her spiritual life, she also distinguished herself with a love of the Eucharist and a deep devotion to the Mother of Mercy.
Francis of Assisi was an Italian mystic, poet, and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Christian life of poverty, he became a beggar and itinerant preacher. He is commonly portrayed wearing a brown habit with a rope tied around his waist, featuring three knots symbolizing the three Franciscan vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. According to Christian tradition, in 1224 Francis received the stigmata during the apparition of a Seraphic angel in a religious ecstasy. Francis is associated with patronage of animals and the environment. It became customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of the fourth of October, which became World Animal Day. He was noted for his devotion to the Eucharist.
Bibliography for Saint Maria Kowalska Faustina and Saint Francis of Assisi
SAINT FAUSTINA:
- Faustina, Saint Maria Kowalska. Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. Stockbridge, MA: Marian Press 2004.
- Kosicki, George W. Herald of Divine Mercy Meet Saint Faustina. Cincinnati, OH: Charis Books 2021.
- O’Boyle, Donna-Marie. 52 Weeks with Saint Faustina A Year of Grace & Mercy. Stockbridge, MA: Marian Press 2018.
- Sosnowski, Leszek. The Gospel of Lagiewniki: The Life and Work of Saint Sister Faustina. Cracow, Poland: Bialykruk 2002.
- Tarnawaska, Maria. Sister Faustina Kowalska. London, UK: Veritas Foundation Publication Centre 1989.
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI:
- Cunningham, Lawrence. San Franciso, CA: Harper & Rowe Publishers 1981.
- De la Bedoyere, Michael. Francis of Assisi. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press 1999.
- Deacon, Fr. Angelo (translator). Francis of Assisi. Freiburg, Germany: Herder KG Publishers 1975.
- North, Wyatt. Saint Francis of Assisi: A Life Inspired. Boston, MA: Wyatt North Publishing 2014.
- Schatzlein, Joan and Sulmasy, Daniel. Francis the Leper. Phoenix, AZ: Tau Publishing 2014.
- Simsic, Wayne. Living the Wisdom of St. Francis. New York, NY: Paulist Press 2001.
- Van Doonik, Fr. N.G. Francis of Assisi: A Prophet for Our Time. Chicago, IL: Franciscan Herald Press 1979.
- Velar, Editrice. Francis of Assisi: Innovator for a New Society. Waterford, WI: Franciscan Missions, Inc. 1994
