Saint Francis Solano’s Story (March 10, 1549 – July 14, 1610)
Francis came from a leading family in Andalusia, Spain. Perhaps it was his popularity as a student that enabled Francis in his teens to stop two duelists. He entered the Friars Minor in 1570, and after ordination enthusiastically sacrificed himself for others. His care for the sick during an epidemic drew so much admiration that he became embarrassed and asked to be sent to the African missions. Instead he was sent to South America in 1589.
While working in what is now Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, Francis quickly learned the local languages and was well received by the indigenous peoples. His visits to the sick often included playing a song on his violin.
Around 1601, he was called to Lima, Peru, where he tried to recall the Spanish colonists to their baptismal integrity. Francis also worked to defend the indigenous peoples from oppression. He died in Lima in 1610 and was canonized in 1726. His liturgical feast is celebrated on July 14.
Reflection
Francis Solano knew from experience that the lives of Christians sometimes greatly hinder the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Francis lived an exemplary life himself, and urged his fellow Spaniards to make their lives worthy of their baptisms.
Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726, it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception.
Saint Teresa of Avila called Carmel “the Order of the Virgin.” Saint John of the Cross credited Mary with saving him from drowning as a child, leading him to Carmel, and helping him escape from prison. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus believed that Mary cured her from illness. On her First Communion day, Thérèse dedicated her life to Mary. During the last days of her life she frequently spoke of Mary.
There is a tradition—which may not be historical—that Mary appeared to Saint Simon Stock, a leader of the Carmelites, and gave him a scapular, telling him to promote devotion to it. The scapular is a modified version of Mary’s own garment. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance—a call that Mary models in a splendid way.
Reflection
The Carmelites were known from early on as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as “mother,” but also as “sister.” The word sister is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace.
In our world today, there are millions trapped in slavery and sex trafficking. The most horrific and devastating example of this is the sale of the weakest and most vulnerable in society, our children.
Today, Fr. Mike shares his honest review of the film, “Sound of Freedom,” currently in theaters, and offers a word of encouragement for how each of us can confront this terrible reality head-on and proactively do something about it.
The Bible is chock-full of miracles, which are often positioned as “signs and wonders” (wonderful signs that point you to something important). We read about supernatural works of God throughout the Old Testament and plenty of well-attested miracles wrought by Jesus and accomplished through his apostles in the Gospels.
But… today doesn’t look like that. Does it?
Today, Fr. Mark-Mary and Fr. Columba Maria Jordan take a deep dive into the reality and the purpose of modern day miracles—and the reasons some people want to convince you that they don’t happen.
Hang Around a Barber Shop Long Enough and You’re Gonna Get a Haircut
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
July 15 – 16, 2023
Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23
Our good Lord has given us the gift of life. With that gift of life, we are meant to serve Him in this world and reign with Him in the next. That is what the Catechism tells us. However, to reign with Him in the next life, we must take care of what we’ve been given – our souls. Our souls can become a beautiful garden of joy, peace, and tranquility. And if we take care of that garden, Christ will come dwell in it. But it is up to us to make sure that our garden is prepared for God and a place where the Word of God can get through.
Now, a garden takes a little work, because you first must prepare the soil by tilling and fertilizing it. After that, you need to get the soil ready for plants by removing all the rocks and weeds. It is not fun sometimes, especially in the North Carolina heat. As the Misfits will tell you, our gardens need constant weeding. One day everything can look great in the garden, and the next day it’s full of weeds. “Where the heck did those come from!” It is amazing how quickly Mother Nature will rebound, and those pesky weeds grow back. The bad stuff always seems to grow the quickest. It’s like good and bad habits. While good habits take longer to develop, bad habits develop quickly and, like weeds, are hard to get rid of.
We are called to tend to the garden of our souls so that when Christ comes, and we let Him in, He will find a place where He can grow into a thing of beauty which is Him. We must protect it by avoiding all provocations to sin, whether it is people, places, or things. Remember, if you hang around a barber shop long enough, you’re gonna get a haircut. Stay away from those provocations. You don’t have to go looking for satan; he will find you. We fertilize the garden of our soul with renunciation of self, prayer, penance, and mortification. Through prayer, sacrifice, and corporal and spiritual works of mercy, we prepare for God to come into and remain in our souls.
We must be ever vigilant so that when those sneaky, annoying weeds come back, we are ready for them. It is a never-ending task. No matter your vocation and no matter your age, it is a never-ending task. As Peter tells us, “The devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). And that’s true. So, do not tire of doing the daily activities which include prayer and mortification. A commander once told me, “Do the routine things routinely.” “But I’m not getting any benefit from it!” We are never good judges of ourselves. If you do the routine things, you will receive a benefit. You may not feel it, wherein lies the temptation. The last 60 years of spiritual “care” have people thinking more about their feelings. “I don’t feel. . .” and “I feel. . .” You all know my reaction to that – Shut up! I don’t care how you feel . . . I really don’t. I only care about what you do. Christ never asked that question in Scripture. Instead, He asked, “What do you think?” and the apostles got that wrong too. It has nothing to do with feelings and has everything to do with reality.
We must be vigilant and pay attention to our souls every day so that they remain in a state of grace. Do routine things routinely. Keep your garden nice, clean, and free of weeds. Water it with tears of penance for your sins and the sins of others. Fertilize it with acts of love. Do these things so that when our Lord comes and sows the seeds with His Word through the Sacraments, He will find a place where His love can take root and grow.
Father’s Afterthoughts . . .
As part of my continuing education, and so that I don’t forget the stuff learned in seminary, I do a lot of reading about theology, Christology, eschatology, and ecclesiology. With over 2,000 years of Church history, you can’t read or remember it all. So, I keep reading. And because of my work as a hospital chaplain, I read a lot of medical literature to keep up with what I might face in the hospital. I have been reading several articles lately, and I want to pass along what I have learned as a matter of perspective instead of waiting for the synod. The percentage of people who are afflicted with gender dysphoria or transgenderism is about 1.4% of the population. The percentage of people afflicted with same-sex attraction is about 2%. So, in total, we are talking about 4% of the population. Considered together, 40% of these people have additional psychological afflictions. That information comes straight from medical literature. None of those conditions are terminal in themselves. However, to put that into perspective, 10% of the population is afflicted with the disease of alcoholism which, if left untreated, is terminal. Untreated alcoholism is terminal not only for alcoholics, but also for the poor people who encounter them on the highway when they are driving drunk. The alcoholism death rate is astounding. I hope this provides some perspective on what is behind all the arguments.
How will you apply this message to your life? ________________________________________
You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” then “Sermon Notes.” On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.” Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.” Sermon Notes are also available on the church Facebook page at ola.catholic.church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”
Perhaps not a household name for most people, Saint Bonaventure, nevertheless, played an important role in both the medieval Church and the history of the Franciscan Order. A senior faculty member at the University of Paris, Saint Bonaventure certainly captured the hearts of his students through his academic skills and insights. But more importantly, he captured their hearts through his Franciscan love for Jesus and the Church. Like his model, Saint Francis, Jesus was the center of everything—his teaching, his administration, his writing, and his life. So much so, that he was given the title “Seraphic Doctor.”
Born in Bagnoregio in 1221, Saint Bonaventure was baptized John, but received the name Bonaventure when he became a Franciscan at the age of 22. Little is known about his childhood, but we do know that his parents were Giovanni di Fidanza and Maria Ritell. It seems that his father was a physician and a man of means. While Saint Francis died about five years after the saint’s birth, he is credited with healing Bonaventure as a boy of a serious illness.
Saint Bonaventure’s teaching career came to a halt when the Friars elected him to serve as their General Minister. His 17 years of service were not easy as the Order was embroiled in conflicts over the interpretation of poverty. Some friars even ended up in heresy saying that Saint Francis and his community were inaugurating the era of the Holy Spirit which was to replace Jesus, the Church, and Scripture. But because he was a man of prayer and a good administrator, Saint Bonaventure managed to structure the Order through effective legislation. But more importantly, he offered the Friars an organized spirituality based on the vision and insights of Saint Francis. Always a Franciscan at heart and a mystical writer, Bonaventure managed to unite the pastoral, practical aspects of life with the doctrines of the Church. Thus, there is a noticeable warmth to his teachings and writings that make him very appealing.
Shortly before he ended his service as General Minister, Pope Gregory X created him a Cardinal and appointed him bishop of Albano. But a little over a year later, while participating in the Second Council of Lyon, Saint Bonaventure died suddenly on July 15, 1274. There is a theory that he was poisoned.
Saint Bonaventure left behind a structured and renewed Franciscan Order and a body of work all of which glorifies his major love—Jesus.
Reflection
Bonaventure so united holiness and theological knowledge that he rose to the heights of mysticism while remaining a very active preacher and teacher, one beloved by all who met him. To know him was to love him; to read him is still for us today to meet a true Franciscan and a gentleman.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha’s Story (1656 – April 17, 1680)
The blood of martyrs is the seed of saints. Nine years after the Jesuits Isaac Jogues and Jean de Lelande were tomahawked by Iroquois warriors, a baby girl was born near the place of their martyrdom, Auriesville, New York.
Her mother was a Christian Algonquin, taken captive by the Iroquois and given as wife to the chief of the Mohawk clan, the boldest and fiercest of the Five Nations. When she was four, Tekakwitha lost her parents and little brother in a smallpox epidemic that left her disfigured and half blind. She was adopted by an uncle, who succeeded her father as chief. He hated the coming of the Blackrobes—Jesuit missionaries—but could do nothing to them because a peace treaty with the French required their presence in villages with Christian captives. She was moved by the words of three Blackrobes who lodged with her uncle, but fear of him kept her from seeking instruction. Tekakwitha refused to marry a Mohawk brave, and at 19 finally got the courage to take the step of converting. She was baptized with the name Kateri–Catherine–on Easter Sunday.
Now she would be treated as a slave. Because she would not work on Sunday, Kateri received no food that day. Her life in grace grew rapidly. She told a missionary that she often meditated on the great dignity of being baptized. She was powerfully moved by God’s love for human beings and saw the dignity of each of her people.
She was always in danger, for her conversion and holy life created great opposition. On the advice of a priest, Kateri stole away one night and began a 200-mile walking journey to a Christian Indian village at Sault St. Louis, near Montreal.
For three years she grew in holiness under the direction of a priest and an older Iroquois woman, giving herself totally to God in long hours of prayer, in charity, and in strenuous penance. At 23, Kateri took a vow of virginity, an unprecedented act for an Indian woman whose future depended on being married. She found a place in the woods where she could pray an hour a day—and was accused of meeting a man there!
Her dedication to virginity was instinctive: Kateri did not know about religious life for women until she visited Montreal. Inspired by this, she and two friends wanted to start a community, but the local priest dissuaded her. She humbly accepted an “ordinary” life. She practiced extremely severe fasting as penance for the conversion of her nation. Kateri Tekakwitha died the afternoon before Holy Thursday. Witnesses said that her emaciated face changed color and became like that of a healthy child. The lines of suffering, even the pockmarks, disappeared and the touch of a smile came upon her lips. She was beatified in 1980 and canonized in 2012.
Reflection
We like to think that our proposed holiness is thwarted by our situation. If only we could have more solitude, less opposition, better health. Kateri Tekakwitha repeats the example of the saints: Holiness thrives on the cross, anywhere. Yet she did have what Christians—all people—need: the support of a community. She had a good mother, helpful priests, Christian friends. These were present in what we call primitive conditions, and blossomed in the age-old Christian triad of prayer, fasting and almsgiving: union with God in Jesus and the Spirit, self-discipline and often suffering, and charity for her brothers and sisters.
We continue our examination of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Fr. Mike explores that interior conversion, or conversion of the heart, is a radical reorientation of our whole life. Conversion is so much more than just going through the motions or checking off the boxes. He emphasizes that interior conversion and repentance requires an active hatred for sin. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1427-1433.
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the chapter on the sacraments of healing, starting with the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Christ has given the Church the power of the Holy Spirit to continue his earthly ministry of healing and redemption with the sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. He also points out that through Reconciliation, we not only receive God’s forgiveness, but are also reconciled to the Church. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1420-1426.
The Catechism has spent considerable time unpacking Holy Communion—the “sacrament of sacraments”—with us, and now she summarizes the most essential truths that we must internalize and move forward with. Fr. Mike takes this “nugget day” to tell us that God desires to feed us. He has given us his Son so that we might be filled with him and made whole again, in unity with him for all of eternity. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1406-1419.
