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We all know about Saint Joseph - that he is the foster father of Jesus, that he protected Jesus and Mary, that he taught Jesus to be a carpenter. Today, I want to talk about some of the apparitions and miracles attributed to Saint Joseph. Image of Saint Joseph and the Baby Jesus retrieved from https://alchetron.com/Saint-Joseph-1044450-W and used as being in the public domain. The Loretto Staircase Image of the Loretto Staircase from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/21744010670415070/ and used as being in the public domain. When the New Mexico territory was created, the new bishop, Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy realized that there was a need for a school in the territory to teach the children of the area. He reached out to all of the orders of sisters that taught children, and only one group answered, the Sisters of Loretto. They arrived around 1850 to Santa Fe after a long and arduous journey across the country and began the process of building a school in the Gothic style of a chapel that Bishop Lamy had loved back in France. A chapel was built thereafter. The architect died before the Chapel of Our Lady of Light (as it was then called) was finished and there was no access to the choir loft some 22 feet above the ground of the chapel. Several carpenters were called in, all of them saying that the only way to gain access to the choir loft and not lose any seating capacity, was to build a ladder. For obvious reasons, this was unacceptable. The sisters prayed a nine-day novena to Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth day of the novena, a man appeared with a donkey, a hammer and a carpenter's square looking for work. He had two conditions: 1) that water be brought into the chapel and 2) that no one be present while he was working. He would leave whenever the sisters came in to pray. This carpenter built a beautiful staircase with two 360 degree turns using only wood and pegs, There were no nails and no glue used in the construction of the staircase. The staircase was built with any visible means of support. After finishing the work, the carpenter disappeared without being paid or given thanks. The sisters checked with all of the hardware stores and lumber yards in the area to see if there had been an account for the wood for the staircase, but could not find one. Interestingly, the wood is a rare type of wood that is not found in the American southwest. It may be from the spruce family The sisters ran an ad in the local newspaper looking for the name of the carpenter, but no one came forward either as the carpenter or to identify the carpenter. Many believe that it was Saint Joseph himself. Others believe that it may have been someone sent by Saint Joseph. But the staircase is "springy" under people's feet and has stood for close to 150 years with to visible means of support. Its design is nothing short of miraculous! It lost some of its springy-ness when metal brackets were added in the late twentieth century. The Apparition of Saint Joseph at Fatima Image retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/story/100th-anniversary-of-our-lady-of-ftima and used as being in the public domain. Few people realize that Saint Joseph also appeared at Fatima. That would include me until today. But it is true that he did appear there during the October 1917 apparition. As Venerable Servant of God Lucia reports in her memoirs at Page 183: “Af­ter Our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of the firmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus seemed to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Cross with their hands.” This was important, as later messages would show, that God wanted some devotion to Saint Joseph, who knew of the Passion that Jesus was to endure, but suffered silently. There are other apparitions of Saint Joseph that may be discussed on another day or maybe next year on March 19. Stay tuned! _______________________________________________________________________________ Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update. I have nine beautiful prayer pamphlets that contain the Story of the Miraculous Medal and include a Miraculous Medal. I will give one each day from Good Friday through and including Mercy Sunday to the first person each day at 3:30 p.m. who calls 515-602-9655 and prays the Divine Mercy Novena with me. One winner per address. If you are a winner, find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kathleens.captain.crash to send me your address for your prize. You MUST pray with me live online to claim your prize. Starting on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, we will be praying the Divine Mercy Novena on the Chaplet of Divine Mercy show. The prayers will come from here: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop. Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include: Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly. I love ewtn.com for its religious programming and often listen live on my computer. I also play its television on my computer since EWTN is not carried on DirecTV Stream. Finally, I love the Guadalupe Radio Network and my Alabama feed!

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem was an early (fourth century) Church Father who left significant volumes of writings about the training of catechumens in the early Church as well as notes on the liturgy in his time. He was declared a Doctor of thew Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1883. Saint Cyril is one of those few early saints that we know a bit about and whose life is surrounded by very few "legends". Join me as we take a glimpse into the life of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem! Image retrieved from https://www.monasteryicons.com/product/saint-cyril-of-jerusalem-original-icon-pmc05/original-icons-of-the-saints-and-angels and used as being in the public domain. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem was born around the year 313. The year of his birth is conjecture from various sources including Father Alban Butler in his Lives of the Saints. Saint Cyril was ordained to the diaconate by Saint Macarius of Jerusalem (feast day March 10) around the year 335. He was ordained to the priesthood by Saint Maximus of Jerusalem (feast day May 5) about eight years after being ordained a deacon, so around 343. Seven years later, in 350, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem succeeded Saint Maximus as Bishop of Jerusalem. During his bishopric, Saint Cyril would be banished from Jerusalem three times (by a Church council under the influence of Arian Acasius of Caesarea in in 357 and returned in 359 by order of the Council of Seleucia; in 360 by Emperor Constantius, returned in 361 by Emperor Julius; and in 367 by the Arian emperor , but returned after the death of Valerie in 378). Saint Cyril remained in Jerusalem from 378 until his death in 386. When Saint Cyril returned to Jerusalem in 378, he found the city destroyed by heresy and was never able to set the city completely right. In the year 380, Saint Gregory of Nyssa (feast day January 10) was sent to visit with Saint Cyril. It was recommended that he visit Saint Cyril by the Council of Antioch. Saint Gregory found the Church in Jerusalem to be in good shape, although he found the city to be corrupt in morals and prey to parties. The Council of Constantinople, which Saint Cyril attended in 381, affirmed Saint Cyril's position as Bishop of Jerusalem, among other things. This council was the first to adopt the term homoouisios, which defined the relationship between "God the Father" and "God the Son" as being of the same nature and that Jesus was both divine and human. Saint Cyril is particularly famous for the -three lecture he gave to catechumens. The first eighteen lectures are commonly known as the Catechetical Lectures, Catechetical Orations or Catechetical Homilies, while the final five are often called the Mystagogic Catechesesis, because they deal with the mysteries of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. Image retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_of_Jerusalem#/media/File:Cyrillus_Hierosolymitani_Catecheses.jpg and used as being in the public domain. The above image is the cover page of the written version of the Catechetical Lectures of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem with Greek and Latin appearing side by side. Latin is on the left. Saint Cyril died in 386, possibly on March 18, since a saint's feast day is generally celebrated the day he or she died. He was declared to be a saint before the existence of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, so there is no specific canonization date for him. He was declared to be a Doctor of the Church in 1883 by Pope Leo XIII. Image retrieved from. https://www.nationalshrine.org/blog/st-cyril-of-jerusalem-a-peaceful-soul/ and used as being in the public domain. _______________________________________________________________________________ Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update. I have nine beautiful prayer pamphlets that contain the Story of the Miraculous Medal and include a Miraculous Medal. I will give one each day from Good Friday through and including Mercy Sunday to the first person each day at 3:30 p.m. who calls 515-602-9655 and prays the Divine Mercy Novena with me. One winner per address. If you are a winner, find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kathleens.captain.crash to send me your address for your prize. You MUST pray with me live online to claim your prize. Starting on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, we will be praying the Divine Mercy Novena on the Chaplet of Divine Mercy show. The prayers will come from here: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop. Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include: Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly. I love ewtn.com for its religious programming and often listen live on my computer. I also play its television on my computer since EWTN iOS not carried on DirecTV Stream. Finally, I love the Guadalupe Radio Network and my Alabama feed!

TODAY'S CATECHISM . WE BEGIN OUR CATECHISM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AMEN TOPIC: HOLY WEEK => INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS => BRIEF HISTORY => HOLY WEEK => EASTER TRIDUUM => 2024 HOLY WEEK CALENDAR => CONCLUSION => REFERENCE INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS Holy Week, in the Christian church, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, observed with special solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. Holy Week is most definitely a very sacred time of the year, for it is now that we will commemorate and remember the last week of Jesus' life on this earth. These are the days leading up to the great Easter Feast. Holy Week is described in Matthew chapters 21-27, Mark chapters 11-15, Luke chapters 19-23 and John chapters 12-19 BRIEF HISTORY In the Greek and Roman liturgical books, it is called the Great Week because great deeds were done by God during this week. The name Holy Week was used in the 4th century by St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, and St. Epiphanius of Constantia. Originally, only Good Friday and Holy Saturday were observed as holy days. Later, Wednesday was added as the day on which Judas plotted to betray Jesus, and by the beginning of the 3rd century the other days of the week had been added. The pre-Nicene church concentrated its attention on the celebration of one great feast, the Christian Passover, on the night between Saturday and Easter Sunday morning. By the later 4th century the practice had begun of separating the various events and commemorating them on the days of the week on which they occurred: Judas’s betrayal and the institution of the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday; the Passion and death of Christ on Good Friday; his burial on Saturday; and his Resurrection on Easter Sunday The Holy Week observances in the Roman Missal were revised according to the decree Maxima Redemptoris (November 16, 1955) to restore the services to the time of day corresponding to that of the events discussed in Scripture. HOLY WEEK Holy Week stands at the head of our calendar, the holiest week of the entire liturgical year. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and continues until Easter Sunday. It celebrates the Paschal Mystery, the passion and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and his victorious resurrection, his triumph over sin and death and his glorification by his Father. During Holy Week, Christians recall the events leading up to Jesus’ death by crucifixion and, according to their faith, his Resurrection. I. Palm Sunday On the Sunday before his death, Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for our sins. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples ahead, telling them to look for a donkey and its unbroken colt. The disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him. Then Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" Jesus' triumphal entry is recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19. II. Holy Monday In Christianity, Holy Monday is the last Monday prior to Easter Sunday. It is the second day of Holy Week after Palm Sunday. Some denominations celebrate Holy Monday and some do not. The Eastern Orthodox Church observes the day, typically marking it with Bible readings and certain hymns. According to tradition, Holy Monday is the day on which Jesus cleansed the temple, was praised by local children, and cursed by the fig tree (Matthew 21:12-22). Scripture tells us, “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ He said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:12-13). III. Holy Tuesday Holy Tuesday is the last Tuesday prior to Easter Sunday; it is the third day of Holy Week after Palm Sunday and Holy Monday. Depending on the denomination, this day may or may not be celebrated at all. Similar to Holy Monday, those that do observe Holy Tuesday, such as Eastern Orthodox churches, typically mark it with readings of particular passages of Scripture and the singing of relevant hymns. According to common interpretation in the Bible, Holy Tuesday is when Jesus was issued various challenges by the Pharisees and Sadducees over subjects such as marriage in heaven, paying taxes to Caesar and the source of His authority. By the same interpretation, this is the day Jesus commented on the widow’s donation (Mark 12; Luke 21) and was approached by a number of God-fearing Greeks (John 12:20-36). Tuesday would also be the day Jesus spoke to His eight ‘woes’ against the Pharisees (Matthew 23:13-26). IV. Holy Wednesday ‘Spy Wednesday’ Have you ever heard of “Spy Wednesday”? If you haven’t, you’re not alone. An archaic and infrequently used name for the Wednesday before Easter is Spy Wednesday, named for the day on which Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin. Because Judas thought to be sneaky, his actions conjured up the image of a spy. The synoptic gospels all include an account of the betrayal – Matthew 26:12-14, Mark 14:10-12 and Luke 22:3-6. This is how the Gospel of Luke recounts these events: “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. So he consented and begin to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present” (Luke 22:3-6). EASTER TRIDUUM: Especially important for Catholics is the Easter Triduum. This is the three days just before Easter: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. V. Holy Thursday 'Maundy Thursday' On Holy Thursday, we reenact the Lord's Last Supper, which He shared with His apostles on the night He was betrayed and arrested. This is one of the most beautiful liturgies of the entire liturgical year. At the Mass, the priest will wash the feet of twelve men, just as Jesus did. Also on this night, priests all over the world will renew their sacred vows. This is because, at the Last Supper, Jesus not only instituted the Mass (Eucharist) but also the ministerial priesthood. VI. Good Friday On Good Friday, the day of the crucifixion and death of our Lord, we have the veneration of the Cross. A service is held at three o'clock in the afternoon (the hour He is believed to have died) and another later in the evening. We go forward and kiss the Cross in order to show honor and respect for Christ's sacrifice for our sake. There is no consecration of the Eucharist on this day, and the Communion we receive will be from the night before, which has been reserved in the tabernacle. VII. Holy Saturday Holy Saturday is a vigil. We keep watch for the expectant rising of Our Savior. This was the day He went down into the netherworld in order to bring back up with Him into heaven those who had died before His coming. Up to this time, the gates to heaven were closed and no one could go there because of the original sin of Adam. Jesus changed all that. By paying the price for our sins on the Cross, He gained for us our eternal salvation, and heaven was opened once more. Also on this night, persons who have spent months of preparation will be received through Baptism and Confirmation into the Catholic Church for the first time. It is a joyous occasion. 2024 HOLY WEEK CALENDAR I. Palm Sunday, 24th March. II. Holy Monday, 25th March. III. Holy Tuesday, 26th March. IV. Holy Wednesday, 27th March. V. Maundy Thursday, 28th March. VI. Good Friday, 29th March. VII. Holy Saturday, 30th March. CONCLUSION Those who engage themselves wholeheartedly in living the entire paschal cycle (Lent, Triduum and Easter's Fifty Days) discover that it can change them forever. This is especially so of the Triduum which, standing at the heart of the Easter season, is an intense immersion in the fundamental mystery of what it is to be Christian. During these days, we suffer with Christ so that we might rise with Him at His glorious Resurrection. Holy Week is a time to clear our schedules of unnecessary activities. Our minds and hearts should be fixed on Jesus and what He did for us. Let us bear the Cross so that may be worthy of wearing the crown He wore. REFERENCE => The Holy Bible => Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) => https://www.britannica.com => https://www.learnreligions.com => https://www.crosswalk.com We have come to a conclusion on the topic HOLY WEEK Thanks for your participation, support and contributions. May the God in his infinite mercy continue to be bless and grant you more understanding of his words; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen PLEASE WE ARE ENCOURAGE TO CONTRIBUTE AND ASK QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS GREAT TOPIC.

Saint Mathilda of Saxony was known as a very holy and virtuous monarch. Born in Prussia, she entered into a politically arranged marriage with King Henry I of Germany. She was the maternal parental unit of several important historical figures, including a saint: Holy Roman Emperor Otto I; Henry, Duke of Bavaria; Saint Bruno, Archbishop of Cologne; Gerberga, wife of King Louis IV of France; and Hedwig, mother of Hugh Cape. Yet another amazing saint of the Roman Catholic Church! Join me as we take a glimpse into the life of Saint Mathilda of Saxony. Image from https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/63050463523896263/. Used as being in the public domain Saint Mathilda was the daughter of a Saxon Count named Theodoric. She was born around the year 892. She died on March 14, 968. She was declared a saint during the pre-Congregation for the Causes of Saints days, so there wass no "official" canonization for her. But she has been recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church for well over a Millennium. She entered into a politically arranged marriage with King Henry I of Germany in 909 (she was around 17). They remained married through his death in 936 (26 or 27 years). Together, they had five children: Otto (912–973), who was crowned the Holy Roman Emperor in 962; Henry (919/22–955), who was appointed Duke of Bavaria in 948; Saint Bruno (925–965), who was elected Archbishop of Cologne in 953 and Duke of Lorraine in 954 (feast day October 6); Hedwig (910 - 965/80), who married the West Frankish duke Hugh the Great; and Gerberga (c. 913 - 968/69 or 984), who first married Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine and later the Carolingian king Louis IV of France. All of their children had varying degrees of historical importance. King Henry I died in 936 at Memleben. He was buried at Quedlinburg. The same year, Saint Mathilda opened a convent there. She lived in the Quedlinburg Abbey for a number of years and took care of the memorialization of her family there. Because of this, it became the most important center of prayer and memorialization of the dead in the East Franconian Empire. She founded several other convents including one in 947 at Enger. The last convent she founded was at Nordhausen in 961. Saint Mathilda had received her dowry from her husband in 929. She used it to found convents, build churches and give alms to the poor. This caused more than a little bit of strife between her and her son, King Otto I, during the decade from 936 to 946. Otto made a claim for his mother's possessions, leaving her no choice but to escape to exile. During Saint Mathilda's absence from the court, many bad things happened to Otto in terms of economical health and success (or the lack thereof) in battles. She was invited to return to the court in 946, a deal which appears to have been brokered by Otto's wife, Queen Eadgyth. After peace was made between Saint Mathilda and King Otto I, life improved. Because of concerns that he son would again claim her possessions, Saint Mathilda sought to protect her goods and property by acquiring papal privileges for all of the monasteries in Saxony which she had founded. Nonetheless, the efforts were largely ignored when the wife of Otto II, Theophanu, gained control of Saint Mathilda's dowry. On March 14, 968, Saint Mathilda died at Quedlinburg following a long illness. She was buried next to her husband in Quedlinburg Abbey. _______________________________________________________________________________ Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update. I have nine beautiful prayer pamphlet's that contain the Story of the Miraculous Medal and include a Miraculous Medal. I will give one each day from Good Friday through and including Mercy Sunday to the first person each day at 3:30 p.m. who calls 515-602-9655 and prays the Divine Mercy Novena with me. One winner per address. If you are a winner, find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kathleens.captain.crash to send me your address for your prize. You MUST pray with me live online to claim your prize. Starting on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, we will be praying the Divine Mercy Novena on the Chaplet of Divine Mercy show. The prayers will come from here: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop. Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include: Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly. I love ewtn.com for its religious programming and often listen live on my computer. I also play its television on my computer since EWTN iOS not carried on DirecTV Stream. Finally, I love the Guadalupe Radio Network and my Alabama feed!

TODAY'S CATECHISM . WE BEGIN OUR CATECHISM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AMEN TOPIC: LAETARE SUNDAY => INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS => ORIGIN OF LAETARE SUNDAY => LAETARE SUNDAY => WHAT HAPPEN ON LAETARE SUNDAY? => CONCLUSION => REFERENCE INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS Laetare Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. Laetare Sunday (as similarly with the Third Sunday of Advent’s Gaudete Sunday) the Church expresses hope and joy in the midst of our Lenten fasts and penances. It indicates a glimpse of the joy that awaits us at Easter, just before we enter into the somber days of Passiontide. Laetare Sunday, also sometimes called “Refreshment Sunday,” serves as a break, about midway through the penitential Lenten season, an opportunity for one day to "rejoice" and look forward, with hope, to Easter. ORIGIN OF LAETARE SUNDAY Laetare is a Latin word meaning “rejoice” The term is derived from the opening words of the Latin Mass, "Rejoice (Laetare) Jerusalem" (Is 66:10). The church is called to joyful anticipation of the victory to be won. This joyful theme provides lightening from the penitential emphasis of Lent. Since the thirteenth century the celebrant of the Eucharist has been permitted to wear rose-colored vestments which express the change of tone in the Lenten observance. " This custom is not required in the Episcopal Church, but it is observed by some parishes with a traditional Anglo-catholic piety Historically, the day was also known as "the Sunday of the Five Loaves," from the story of the miracle of the loaves and fishes . Before the adoption of the modern " common lectionaries", this narrative was the traditional Gospel reading for this Sunday in Roman Catholic, Lutheran , Anglican, and Old Catholic churches. The station church at Rome for this day was Santa Croce in Gerusalemme , one of the seven chief basilicas ; the Golden Rose , sent by Popes to Catholic sovereigns, used to be blessed at this time and for this reason the day was sometimes called Dominica de Rosa. LAETARE SUNDAY The introductory word of the Introit is laetare, "Rejoice O Jerusalem." As it is Mid-Lent Sunday, rose vestments are worn, flowers are permitted on the altar, and the organ is played. On this day the Golden Rose is blessed. The day is referred to also as Mediana, Mid-Lent, Mi-Carême, Mothering, Rose, or Refreshment Sunday. The day’s theme comes from the entrance antiphon reflecting on Isaiah 66:10-11: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exalt and be satisfied at her consoling breast.” Laetare Sunday is the Church’s way of giving us a “shot in the arm” as we approach the darkness and horror of the days through Good Friday and Holy Saturday. It’s an opportunity to savor and keep in the back of our minds what awaits us on Easter Sunday — the reality that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and that our hearts will always be filled with joy! WHAT HAPPEN ON LAETARE SUNDAY? Flowers 💐 are allowed: The joy of Easter being around the corner is symbolized in a few other interesting liturgical possibilities. During Lent, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal forbids flowers adorning the altar. But on Laetare Sunday (as well as solemnities and feasts within the season), there’s a temporary halt to these penitential observations! Marriage is Accepted: At one time, marriages were generally forbidden during Lent, but Laetare Sunday was often associated as a day when marriages could be celebrated during the penitential season. While marriages are now only forbidden on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, Laetare Sunday is still a fitting day for those wishing to be married before Eastertide. Vestments: As we all know purple/violet color of vestments are used during lenten season, but on laetare Sunday rose color vestment is used. The use of rose vestments probably stems from an ancient papal tradition of blessing golden roses which would be sent to Catholic heads of state in Europe on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. Visitation: there was a medieval tradition of visiting one’s “mother church” (the church where one was baptized) on this day. A family trip to see where mom and dad or the children began their journey of faith could make for a fine Sunday afternoon outing. CONCLUSION On this Sunday, we look with expectation to the great Solemnity of Easter for which we have been preparing ourselves as a Church during the Lenten season. By its anticipation of the joy of Easter, Laetare Sunday is meant to give us hope and encouragement as we slowly progress towards the Paschal Feast. Being aware of traditions and customs it will assists us in celebrating the beauty of our faith. As you can see, there is much associated with Fourth Sunday of Lent. Take advantage of the richness of our Catholic traditions. REFERENCE => The Holy Bible => Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) => https://www.newadvent.org => https://www.britannica.com => http://www.fathersforgood.org We have come to a conclusion on the topic LAETARE SUNDAY Thanks for your participation, support and contributions. May the God in his infinite mercy continue to be bless and grant you more understanding of his words; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen PLEASE WE ARE ENCOURAGE TO CONTRIBUTE AND ASK QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS GREAT TOPIC.

Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity and their Companions were second and third century Christians who were martyred during the persecution of the Church in Africa. Their stories, weaved together, are nothing short of authentically Christian. Join me as we delve into their stories as best we can! Image retrieved from https://www.rvasia.org/saints/sts-perpetua-and-felicity-mothers-who-martyred-christ. Used as being in the public domain. Septimius Severus, who was the Roman emperor in the second century, ordered the persecution of all Christians and Jews in the year 201. In the year 203, two young Christian mothers found themselves imprisoned because they refused to renounce their faith in the One True God. Though they found themselves imprisoned together and for the same reason, their stories could not be any different. Saint Perpetua was born into a wealthy noble family in Carthage (which is now located in Tunisia). Saint Felicity was a slave. In 201, Septimius Severus started enforcing the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. In the year 203, the Governor of Carthage, Hilarian, followed his lead and started persecuting converts to Judaism and Christianity in Northern Africa. As a young mother, Saint Perpetua found herself drawn to the Christian faith. There was allegedly a conversation with her father wherein Saint Perpetua pointed to a water jug and asked if he could call it anything other than what it was. When he replied in the negative, Saint Perpetua told him that, like the water jug, she could not be called anything other than what she was - a Christian. So, in 203, Saint Perpetua, as a young mother, found herself arrested for being a Christian. She was reportedly baptized on her way to prison (note: I di=on't see how that is possible as anyone baptizing her would have been arrested as well). Saint Perpetua was thrown into a prison where she was soon joined by four men and a lady who was eight months pregnant - Saint Felicity, the young slave girl. Saint Perpetua received visits from her father to attempt to get her to renounce her Christian , to no avail. While she was in prison, Saint Perpetual spent much of her time writing in her diary and in prayer. On one day, she wrote: “(w)hat a day of horror! Terrible heat, owing to the crowds! Rough treatment by the soldiers! To crown all, I was tormented with anxiety for my baby.” In addition to the things that she saw and experienced, Saint wrote about her prophetic visions. She had a vision of her own death in the arena. When Saint Felicity's child was born, she became very happy. Under Roman law, pregnant women could not be killed in the arena. They had a different, more tortuous death for pregnant women. After the birth of her child, Saint Felicity could die in the arena with those she had been imprisoned with. This was recorded in Saint Perpetua's diary. On there eve of their execution, Saint Perpetua handed her diary over to another Christian and begged him to record everything that happened in the execution. Her final diary entry read, “(o)f what was done in the games themselves, let him write who will." This Christian man recorded everything that happened in the arena the next , including how Saint , Saint Felicity and their companions (the four men) were trembling from joy in the Holy Spirit as they entered the arena. St, Perpetua, Saint Felicity and the men were first scourged. After the , the soldiers released wild animals to attach Saint Perpetua, ?Saint Felicity and their companions. These animals were a boar, a leopard, and a bear for the men; and a wild cow for the women. When the animals tore apart her tunic, Saint Perpetua tried to cover herself and even asked for a pin for her hair. “It was not right that a martyr should die with her hair in disorder,” said Saint Perpetua. After the animals had severely wounded the six, the guards were to behead them. “She took the trembling hand of the young gladiator and guided it to her throat. It was as though such a great woman, feared by the unclean spirit, could not be dispatched unless she were willing,"{ according to the man who finished her diary. Saint Perpetua's diary was posthumously published under the title of The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity. It has since become an important document in understanding the ways of the early Church. It was even an influential document after its publication in forming early Christian communities. The book was completed with a statement that truly honored Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity. “Ah, most valiant and blessed martyrs! Embrace your calling and election for the glory of our Lord, Christ Jesus! And any man who exalts, honors, and worships His glory should read for the consolation of the Church these new deeds of heroism, which are no less significant than the tales of old," said the man who finished her diary. Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity were canonized by popular acclaim, as they were declared to be saints prior to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. Lord Jesus, we thank you for such great role models of the Church that You started with Your death and resurrection. Grant us the grace to never deny our faith in You. Amen. Saints Perpetua and Felicity, pray for us! _______________________________________________________________________________ Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update. Starting on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, we will be praying the Divine Mercy Novena on the Chaplet of Divine Mercy show. The prayers will come from here: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop. Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include: Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly. I love ewtn.com for its religious programming and often listen live on my computer. I also play its television on my computer since EWTN iOS not carried on DirecTV Stream.

Saint Colette was a French nun of the fourteenth sand fifteenth centuries. She is well-known for reforming the Poor Clares, the order founder by Saint Clare of Assisi. Saint Colette has a great story! Join me as we learn about Saint Colette! Image retrieved from https://christianapostles.com/st-colette/ and used as being in the public domain. Saint Colette was born the daughter of as poor carpenter named Robert DeBoilet and his wife, Marguerite Moyon, at Corby. Corby is in the Picardy region of France, which includes parts of 8 regions in the south and east of France, including Ardennes. Saint Colette was actually born Nicole DeBoilet. Her parents wanted a child in the worst way. They sought the intercession of Saint Nicholas (feast day is December 6 - YES! THAT Saint Nicholas) to get pregnant. They promised that the would name their child for Saint Nicholas. When Saint Colette was born, she was named Nicole - the feminine version of Nicholas. Colette came from the nickname that he parents called her growing up - Nicolette, which become shorted to Colette - and stuck with her hundreds of years later.. Her father served as the carpenter at the Benedictine Abbey nearby. After the death of her parents in 1399, Colette joined the Beguines. She found their lifestyle unchallenging and too easy for her . After that, she joined a Benedictine monastery as a lay sister. This was most likely to avoid an arranged marriage. However, she again found this life without any challenges. In September of 1402, Colette joined the Franciscan Order, again, as a lay sister. She lived the life of a hermit under the guidance of Abbot of Corbie. During this time, she lived close to the abbey. During this period, Saint Colette had a number of dreams and visions that she was intended to return the Franciscan Second Order to its original values of austerity and absolute poverty. In October of 1406, Saint Colette went to Pope Benedict XIII of .Avignon. While he is considered today to be an antipope, the people of France viewed him as the rightful pope. He met with her and agreed to allow her to transfer to the Order of the Poor Clares (a Franciscan Order of nuns who were founded by St. Clare of Assisi (feast day August 11). St. Clare was a contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi (feast day October 2). Benedict XIII also empowered Saint Colette, through several papal bulls issued between the years of 1406 and 1412, to complete the reformation of the order and establish new monasteries. Saint Colette sought the approval of Countess of Geneva and the aid of the Franciscan itinerant preacher, Henry de Beaume, both of which she received, and went about her work of reforming the Order, starting with the monastery at Beaume. She would remain there only a short time before she moved on the Besançon, where she opened a new monastery in a nearly abandoned convent of Urbanist Poor Clares. That was around the year 1410. From Besancon, the reform movement spread to Auxonne (1412), to Poligny (1415), to Ghent (1412), to Heidelberg (1444), to Amiens, to Pont-à-Mousson in Lorraine, and to other communities of Poor Clares. The reforms took off faster that Saint Colette could, travel from one monastery to another to implement them. In the monasteries that followed her reform, she decreed that the nuns (there is a difference between sisters and nuns - nuns are cloistered in monasteries and sisters are cloistered in the world) would go through life barefooted, would practice severe poverty, and the observation of perpetual fasting and abstinence. These nuns were (and are) called the Colettines. There is also a Colette Order of Friars. Saint Colette died on March 6, 1447 at Ghent. Her remains were interred at Ghent. She was renowned for her sanctity, ecstasies, and visions of the Passion, and prophesied her own death in her orders convent at Ghent, Belgium. Saint Colette was beatified on January 23, 1740 (nearly 300 years after her death as opposed to Saint John-Joseph of God, who was beatified barely 50 years after his death without the benefit of the internet or 24 hour news cycles) by Pope Clement XII. She was canonized on May 24, 1807 (more than 360 years after her death) by Pope Pius VIII. "We must faithfully keep what we have promised. If through human weakness we fail, we must always without delay arise again by means of holy penance, and give our attention to leading a good life and to dying a holy death. May the Father of all mercy, the Son by his holy passion, and the Holy Spirit, source of peace, sweetness and love, fill us with their consolation." St. Colette. Saint Colette, pray for us! _______________________________________________________________________________ Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update. Starting on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, we will be praying the Divine Mercy Novena on the Chaplet of Divine Mercy show. The prayers will come from here: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop. Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include: Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly. I love ewtn.com for its religious programming and often listen live on my computer. I also play its television on my computer since EWTN iOS not carried on DirecTV Stream.

Saint John-Joseph of the Cross is not to be confused with St. John. of the Cross (feast day December 14). He was a seventeenth and eighteenth century saint. He was born around the middle of the seventeenth century.He was born Carlo Gaetano Calosinto on or about August 15, 1654 (the Feast of the Assumption of Mary) and died March 5, 1739 (both dates and his birth name are from Wikipedia.com). He was a Franciscan monk and priest who has an amazing story. Join me as we delve into the story of Saint John-Joseph of the Cross. Image retrieved from https://www.prayersandpetitions.org/feast-of-saint-john-joseph-of-the-cross-5th-march/ and used as being in the public domain St. John-Joseph of the Cross was born sometime around the middle of the seventeenth century (maybe 1654) on the island of Ischia, which is said to be a very beautiful island in the Mediterranean Sea near Naples, Italy. Ischia is in Italy. From his earliest days, he was the model of a virtuous child. At the age of 16, he joined the Franciscan Order of the Strictest Observance also called the Reform of Saint Peter of Alcantara (feast day October 18). Young John-Joseph of the Cross was very influential, even as a young monk. He also had a reputation for holiness. After only three years as a monk and before he was ordained to the priesthood, he was sent out to form a new friary of monks at Piedmont. He was ordained to the priesthood, against his will and only out of obedience, at Piedmont. St. John-Joseph assisted in the construction of the monastery. Air the monastery at , he served in a number of roles including Novice Master and Superior of the monastery. He was eventually promoted to Provincial for the Province of Naples. It did not matter what his position was, Saint John Joseph always performed the lowliest of tasks including working in the kitchen, carrying wood or water to the friars or even to chopping the firewood, and cleaning. No work was below him, for his chosen station in life was as the servant of the servants of God. As provincial, he ordered that no beggar should be turned away from the convent gates (in that time, monasteries that housed men or women were referred to as convents) without being helped. When resources were scarce, he would give his own portions to those in need. He was a true Franciscan in putting the needs of all others before his own needs. When Saint John-Joseph's term as Provincial had expired, he dedicated the remainder of his life to hearing confessions and practicing mortifications. He practiced daily acts of mortification and penance. Even when he was sick, he refused to allow himself any respite from hearing confessions, saying Mass and practicing mortifications. He was known as a very holy man who was given the gifts of prophecy and performing miracles, most of which were healing miracles (he wanted those he healed to drink some natural elixir so that it could be said that the healing was natural). Saint John-Joseph of the Cross died on March 5, 1739. Pope Pius VI beatified him on May 24, 1789 (a mere 50 years after his death, which is relatively fast). He was canonized by Pope Gregory XVI on May 26, 1839 (only 100 years after his death). Saint John-Joseph of the Cross, pray for us! _______________________________________________________________________________ Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update. Starting on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, we will be praying the Divine Mercy Novena on the Chaplet of Divine Mercy show. The prayers will come from here: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop. Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include: Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly. I love ewtn.com for its religious programming and often listen live on my computer. I also play its television

TODAY'S CATECHISM . WE BEGIN OUR CATECHISM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AMEN TOPIC: THE THREE PILLARS OF LENT => INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS => THE THREE PILLARS OF LENT => PRAYER => FASTING => ARMSGIVING => CONCLUSION => REFERENCE INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS Most practicing Catholics know what is expected and required of us during the Season of Lent. We talk about giving something up for Lent. We want to make Lent special. Most Catholics want Lent to be a spiritual experience, a truly life changing experience. We hope to approach Easter Sunday with hearts overflowing with love for God and a raised awareness and ardent appreciation of the great sacrifice Jesus made for us. In a way we go into our own desert for 40 days as Jesus did. THE THREE PILLARS OF LENT To indeed have a virtuous Lenten experience it’s necessary to know and follow The Three Pillars of Lent., Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. These 3 Essential Pillars Help Us Discover The Purpose Of Lent What is the purpose of Lent? Lent is not simply a way to renew your commitment to a New Year’s resolution or jump start your diet. It’s much more than a tradition or ritual. Lent should be a time of spiritual renewal and purification that ultimately leads us to Christ. It’s easy to get caught up in the goals that we have set for ourselves during Lent and to become fixated on the results that we desire, but we must remember that if we have not grown deeper in love with the Lord, our accomplishments are in vain. Keeping our eyes fixed on Christ will help us stay strong in our Lenten sacrifices and offerings. When we purposefully fast, give alms, and pray with a heart that desires to know Jesus and serve Him, our actions move beyond requirements and rules. It is this type of Lent that will lead to a joyous Easter morning and a true celebration of the Risen Lord. PRAYER CCC 2564: Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between God and man in Christ. It is the action of God and man springing forth from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of God made man. The more we pray from the heart, the more we want to pray and the greater will be our ability to feel the presence of God. Remember our prayer is the holy covenant relationship between God and us. If we desire to get closer to Our Lord it may be necessary to increase our prayer life. There are many ways to add prayer to our daily prayer routine. It’s up to us to evaluate how much we pray and decide what we can add. Consider finding time to pray with others at home or at church such as the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet. Drop into the church for at least 10 minutes a couple of times a week, kneeling or sitting before the Blessed Sacrament, quietly loving Our Lord. Find out when your parish will be praying the “Stations of the Cross” together and mark your calendar to participate. As we make our prayers, let pray with regards to the 'Spiritual Works of Mercy': counsel the doubtful instruct the ignorant admonish sinners comfort the afflicted forgive offenses bear wrongs patiently pray for the living and the dead Prayer is extremely important. Prayer bonds us to God. When we pray, we let God know we believe in Him. When we pray we learn to feel God’s love in our hearts. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has very much to say about prayer: FASTING Fasting is difficult for everyone. Fasting takes a lot of effort and dedication as we offer up to Our Lord the food we’re not eating. Think about this, if we follow the guidelines for adult fast during Lent we’ll always be aware that it’s the Season of Lent. There’s no way we can forget why we’re fasting. Isn’t this what we want? To have Jesus on our mind every day during Lent? Maybe if we’re able to stick with the fast during Lent, we’ll be blessed to have Jesus stay in our mind and hearts even after Lent is over. “Fasting is one of the most ancient actions linked to Lent. Fasting rules have changed through the ages, but throughout Church history fasting has been considered sacred. The prophet Isaiah insists that fasting without changing our behavior is not pleasing to God. Therefore, the goal of fasting is linked with prayer. The pangs of hunger remind us of our hunger for God, and prayer and fasting together brings us to what Lent is about - a deeper conversion.” (Encyclopedia of Catholic Spirituality and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Fasting goes very well with prayer. It’s like salt and pepper, they just work well together. One reason is that by fasting we deny our human appetites, both literally and figuratively, and can focus more intensely on our prayer. We don't only fast by not eating food or drinking water, we can also fast by abstaining from what we like doing; all to the great glory of God. Something else to think about, if we offer our fast for a special intention or petition such as World Peace, fasting let’s God know how serious we are about our petition. What are we willing to give up for World Peace or an end to abortion or some other concern close to our heart. Note: there are only two days of the year that Latin Rite Catholics are required to fast. One is Ash Wednesday and the other is Good Friday. In fact, both days are days of fasting and abstinence. What’s the difference between the two, you may ask. On days of fasting we are to eat only one meal, If needed, two smaller meals (not adding up to more than one regular meal) may be eaten at regular mealtime. On days of abstinence, which are somewhat optional throughout the year we are to abstain from eating meat. Almost everyone knows that Good Friday is a day of abstinence, but a surprising amount of people forget that Ash Wednesday is too. Also even though Fridays throughout the year have had their law of abstinence loosened, in that you may replace abstaining from meat with some other form of penance or corporal work of mercy, during Lent all Fridays are days of abstinence. ALMSGIVING When we think of almsgiving with think of donating money. Almsgiving extends beyond money we might give. Almsgiving encompasses our time and talent given freely to be Jesus in disguise. Jesus identified himself with our poorest brothers and sisters. Whoever possesses the goods of this world, and sees his brother to be in need, and yet closes his heart to him: in what way does the love of God abide in him? (1 John 3:17) Giving alms might be difficult if we’re on a tight budget but if we think about it most of us are much better off than much of the world’s population. This is a hard fact to consider. Jesus said we must give to the poor. “…Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these least of brethren, you did it to me.” Muslims are required to give alms as a kind of tax. “The Arabic word for this pillar (almsgiving) is ‘Zakah’ better translated as purification and growth. Muslims are encouraged to do charitable acts every day of their lives and as much as possible.” (Voices of Faith – Muhammad Malik) All Muslims, poor or rich are obliged to do charitable works and to be aware of the needs of others. There’s no stigma to being poor in Islam. The poor are holy and close to God because they’re poor. By their very existence, the poor enable others the chance for Zakah, which helps all Muslims move toward purification and growth. Christians and Muslims are in union in the belief of the importance of almsgiving. We are encouraged to do charitable acts every day and to pay attention to the needs of others. Let give arms in regards to the 'Corporal Works of Mercy': feed the hungry give drink to the thirsty clothe the naked shelter the homeless visit the sick visit the imprisoned bury the dead “For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into Darkness. Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practice it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High,” (Tobit 4:10-11) CONCLUSION We are not called to do only one, but all three pillars to prepare our hearts for Christ on Easter. As Catholics we take up the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving every year. These practices help us to remember the merciful love and compassion that God shows all people. Participating in these practices, we journey with our community and God and toward the celebration of the Paschal Mystery of our Lord. We have blessed opportunities to get closer to Our Lord! To get closer to Our Lord now! Let’s take advantage of this opportunity for holiness and not let this Lent pass us by! “God’s becoming man is a great mystery! But the reason for all this is His love, a love which is grace, generosity, a desire to draw near, a love which does not hesitate to offer itself in sacrifice for the beloved… Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance.” Pope Francis REFERENCE => The Holy Bible => Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) => https://www.catholic365.com => https://catholic-link.org => https://www.saintpats.org We have come to a conclusion on the topic THE THREE PILLARS OF LENT Thanks for your participation, support and contributions. May the God in his infinite mercy continue to be bless and grant you more understanding of his words; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen PLEASE WE ARE ENCOURAGE TO CONTRIBUTE AND ASK QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS GREAT TOPIC.

Saint David of Wales was a sixth century priest, Celtic monk, missionary worker, archbishop, and the founder of many monasteries.. He was descended of Welsh nobility. His feast day, March 1, is the national day in Wales. In Wales, he is called "Dewi Sant". Image retrieved from http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/St-David-Patron-Saint-of-Wales/ and used as being in the public domain. As is the case with many saints of the early years of the Church, we don't know too much about Saint David of Wales. There are many legends and a few truths that we know about Saint David. We know that he was the son of King Sant of South Wales and St. Non. We know that he was ordained a priest and that he trained for the priesthood at the Hen Fynyw monastery. We know that he later trained under St. Paulinus (feast day June 22). We also know that he founded several monasteries, chief among them was the monastery at Menevia, which was in southwestern Wales. This monastery was particularly known for its asceticism. The monks there imbibed in neither beer nor wine, but simply drank water after putting in a rough day of manual labor. The life at Menevia was more like the lives of the hermits in the desert than to monastic life as it was then known throughout much of Europe. While he also founded a monastery at Glastonbury, it is said that Saint David made the monastery at Menevia his seat as a bishop. That monastery continues to exist today and is called the Monastery of Saint David. We know that Saint David attended a synod at Brevi in Cardiganshire around 550, where his major contributions were monumental to the synod and the advancement of the Faith in Wales. These contributions also led to his being named Primate of the Cambrian Church. Among the legends are that, while on a trip to Jerusalem, he was reportedly consecrated as an Archbishop by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Another legend has it that Saint David invoked a council that dealt the death blows to Pelagianism in Wales, Scotland and England. Yet another legend has Saint David advising the Welsh soldiers to wear leaks on their helmets so that they could be told apart from enemy soldiers. It is said that this is why the leak is so important to the Welsh that it is part of their national emblem. It is likewise said that, as a penance, Saint David would stand up to his neck in water and recite scripture, and that milestones in his life were recognized with springs of water. It is also said that Saint Patrick (feast day March 17) predicted the birth of David around the year 520. It is said that Saint Patrick was born near what is now called David's City. Saint Patrick lived about a century earlier that Saint David, being a fifth century saint. Saint David died on March 1, 589. He was canonized in 1123 by Pope Callixtus II. Saint David's Cathedral. Image from Wikipedia. Flag of Saint David. Image from Wikipedia Some of the information for this article came from https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/St-David-Patron-Saint-of-Wales/ _______________________________________________________________________________ Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update. Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop. Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include: Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly.

Daniel Jules Alexis Brottier, C.S.Sp., was a Roman Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in the French Army during World War I. Image retrieved from https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/catholic/saints/d/daniel-brottier.aspx and used as being in the public domain. Blessed Daniel was born on September 7, 1876 at Ferte-Saint-Cyr, a city in northern France. His parents were Jean-Baptise and Herminie Brottier. As a child, he expressed a desire ti be a priest. His dream came true on October 22, 1899. As a priest, he ba=egan his ministry teaching secondary s . However, teaching school did not provide him with the excitement and sense of adventure he was looking for. Accordingly, he joined the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in 1902. His first assignment with the Congregation was to Senegal West Africa. However, due to ill health, his first overseas assignment was cut short and he returned to France in 1906. He would remain permanently in France starting in 1911. With the outbreak of World War I, Blessed Daniel volunteered to serve as a military chaplain. He would spend the war on the front lines ministering to the injured and the dying. He credited St. Thérèse of Lisieux with his surviving unscathed from the war. For his heroic service as a chaplain, he was awarded both the Croix de guerre and the Légion d'honneur, high French Army awards. Over a period of seven years, including the war years, Blessed Daniel collected money for the construction of a new Cathedral at Dakar, Senegal at the request ion the bishop there. He succeeded in raising the funds. The Cathedral would be completed just 26 days before his death. After the conclusion of the war, Blessed Daniel founded the National Union of Servicemen. It's purpose was to help French military men of all wars. In 1923, the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris asked Blessed Daniel's order, the Congregation of the Holy Ghost, to take over the care of the Orphans Apprentices of Auteiul, which was an orphanage of sorts that was more of a shelter for starving youth living in the streets of Paris. The Congregation had a long history of having orphanages and schools attached to seminaries. Blessed ?Daniel jumped Ito this work with both feet. For the next 13 years, Blessed Daniel expanded many of the orphanages and personally ministered to these children with the belief that “There has to be a minimum of well-being and comfort if these young people are to grow up without bitterness. Otherwise they will later on sow the seeds of revolt and anarchy in society.” On February 28, 1936, Blessed Daniel passed from this life into the next to meet his Savior. He was buried in the Chapel of Saint Therese ay Auteiul, which had had built in her honor, on April 5, 1936. His funeral was attended by 15,000 people As part of the canonization process, Blessed /Daniel's body was exhumed in 1962. His body was found to be incorrupt. (one of these days, I will write an article on the incorruptible and namer some of the incorruptibles). On January 13, 1982, Blessed Daniel was declared Venerable with a decree of heroic virtue by Pope Saint John Paul II. On November 25, 1984, he was declared to be Blessed by Pope Saint John Paul II ay Paris. There have been many miracles attributed to Blessed Daniel's intercession. While his feast day is celebrated on February 28, we are celebrating it on February 29 because there are no saints with a feast day off February 29, since it only comes every four years. _______________________________________________________________________________ Please join me at 3:30 pm Eastern (US) time for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Saint of the Day and Daily Update. Please visit our friends, Tony and Paulette Rock at the Rock Company Shop. Websites I regularly mention in my broadcast include: Morning Offering (www.mortningoffering.com) and Catholic Online (www.catholic.org). Franciscan Media (Franciscanmedia.org) is another site that I peruse regularly.