Presentation of BVM

When she was only three years old, her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne, took Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem. 

There she would be educated in the service and the law of God so that she would be protected against the sins of the world.

Mary's whole life was to belong to God as He had chosen her to be the Mother of his Son, Jesus. And St. Joachim and St. Anne were pleased to offer their saintly little girl to God. They knew that God had sent her to them.

In the Temple, the high priest received the child Mary, where she was placed among the girls who were dedicated to prayer and Temple service. The high priest kissed and blessed the holy child. He realized that the Lord had great plans for her.

Mary was happy to begin serving God in the Temple. She did not weep or turn back to her parents but came so happily to the altar that everyone in the Temple loved her at once.

St. Joachim and St. Anne went back home. They praised God for their blessed daughter. And Mary remained in the Temple, where she grew in holiness. 

She spent her days reading the Bible, praying and serving the Temple priests. She made beautiful linens and wonderful vestments (robes that the priests wear). All the other girls loved Mary because she was so kind. 

Mary tried to do each of her duties well, to please God. She grew in grace and gave great glory to the Lord. 

Note to Parents: "Parents, God does not simply want you to offer your children to Him in the temple, but requires you to take care to keep them pure and holy, as living temples which have been consecrated in Baptism."

St Lawrence O'toole

Feastday November 14 1128-1180

Lawrence was born at Castledermot in Ireland. He was the son of the chief of Hy Murray. When he was only ten years old, a neighboring king Dermot McMurrogh Leinster attacked his father's territory and kidnapped him. Young Lawrence suffered for two years. 

Then his father forced the king to give him up to the care of a bishop. When he did, Lawrence's father hurried to see his son and gratefully brought him home. 

The chief wanted one of his sons to enter the service of the Church. While he was wondering which one to send, Lawrence told him with a laugh that he need not wonder anymore. "It is my desire," said Lawrence, "to have for my inheritance the service of God in the Church." 

So his father took him by the hand and gave him into the care of the Bishop of Glendalough. Lawrence became a priest and the abbot of a great monastery. 

Once food became very scarce in the whole neighborhood of the monastery. The good abbot gave great quantities away to keep the people from starving. He had many problems to handle as head of the monastery, too. Some of the monks criticized him for being too strict.

But Lawrence kept right on guiding the community in the way of self-sacrifice, despite the criticism. Then, there was the problem of the robbers and outlaws who lived in the nearby hills. Yet nothing discouraged the fearless Lawrence O'Toole.

In fact Lawrence was very strict with himself too. He wore a hair shirt under this robes. He made a 40 day retreat in St. Kevin's cave every year. He never ate meat or drank wine and fasted every Friday. But when he was in company, he would color his water and make it look like wine to avoid bringing attention to himself.

He became so famous that soon he was chosen to be archbishop of Dublin. In this new position, he lived as holy a life as ever. Every day, he invited many poor people to be his guests and helped many others as well. Lawrence loved his people and Ireland, and his country very much. He did all he could to keep peace.

Once a madman attacked him as he was going up to the altar to say Mass. He was knocked to the floor unconscious. Yet he came to his senses right away. He asked for water, blessed it and washed the wound at once. The bleeding stopped and he went right ahead with the Mass. 

After years of labor for the Church, St. Lawrence O'Toole became very ill. When he was asked if he wanted to make a will, the holy archbishop smiled. He answered, "God knows that I don't have a penny in the world." He had long ago given everything he had to others, just as he had given himself completely to God. 

St. Lawrence O'Toole died on November 14, 1180 when he was traveling with King Henry II, as a peacemaker.

St Frances Cabrini

St Frances Cabrini November 13 1850-1917

Frances was born at Lombardy in Italy. She was one of thirteen children and was raised on a farm. As a child, she dreamed about being a missionary to China. She sailed paper boats down a stream to play her "pretend game."

The paper boats were ships taking missionaries to China. And she began giving up candy because in China, she probably wouldn't be able to have any.

But when she grew up, Frances was not accepted into the two convents that she asked to join. Her health was not too good, so she taught at girl's school for six years.

Then a priest asked her to help out in a small home for orphans. Things were very hard for Frances because of the lady who ran the house. Yet Frances stuck to the work, and some other generous women joined her. Together they took vows.

At last the bishop told Frances to begin her own congregation of missionary nuns, which Frances did without hesitation. This congregation is called the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

Soon it began to grow, first in Italy and then in many other countries. Frances, whom everyone called Mother Cabrini, had always had her heart set on going to China. But it seemed that God wanted her to come to America.

When Pope Leo XIII told her, "Go west, not east," the matter was settled. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini sailed for the United States and became an American citizen. She helped large numbers of Italian immigrants and was like their real mother and friend.

Mother Cabrini and her sisters found things very difficult in the beginning. The archbishop of New York even suggested that they go back to Italy. But Mother Cabrini answered, "Your excellency, the pope sent me here and here I must stay."

The archbishop admired her pioneer spirit, and so she and her sisters were allowed to begin their great work for God. Schools, hospitals, and homes for children were opened up in different states.

As the years passed, Mother Cabrini made many trips to spread her congregation and its works. She founded 67 institutions, and there were always difficulties, but she put all her trust in the Sacred Heart. "It is he who is doing everything, not us," she would say.

St Josaphat

Feastday November 12

Born: 1580 :: Died: 1623

Josaphat was born in Lithuania, Ukraine and baptized John in 1580. His father was a municipal counselor and his mother a pious woman. A merchant at Vilna trained him to do business. Later the merchant offered to make John his partner and asked him to marry his daughter.

But John felt that God was calling him to serve and he respectfully refused both the offers. He became a monk in the order of St. Basil and chose the name Josaphat. 

He was a self-sacrificing, brave man and because of his many natural qualities, he was chosen to lead the people. 

Josaphat became an apostle of ecumenism and preached unity among the Christian churches of the Ukraine. There were three main categories of Christians: the Latin Church united with the pope, the Orthodox Greek Church and the Greek Catholic Church. 

Josaphat became the bishop of Polotsk in 1617. He spent the next ten years helping the people know and love their Catholic faith better. He organized celebrations of prayer and religion classes. 

He called clergy meetings and worked with the priests to put into effect rules that helped the people live closer to Jesus. Archbishop Josaphat had a very good influence on people. He was a dynamic leader, which is why some people feared him. 

People who were against the unity of the Churches formed a big mob and came to attack him. Josaphat tried to make sure his servants were all safe before fleeing himself but was not able to get out in time. He was killed and his body was thrown into a local river. Josaphat died on November 12, 1623.

St Martin of Tours

Feast day November 11

Born: (around) 316 :: Died: 397

Martin was born at Upper Pannonia, which is called Hungary today. His father was a Roman military officer and tribune. Although his parents were pagans (did not believe in God), he began to study the Christian religion. 

Those who study the Christian religion are called catechumens until they are baptized. He joined the Roman imperial army in Italy when he was only fifteen in a unit that served as the emperor's bodyguard that very rarely had to fight in battle. 

One very cold winter day, when Martin was on horseback, he and his companions came upon a beggar at the gate of the city of Amiens. The man's only clothes were nothing but rags and he was shaking with cold. 

The other soldiers passed by him, but Martin felt that it was up to him to help the beggar. Having nothing with him, he drew his sword and cut his long cloak in half. Some laughed at his funny appearance as he gave one half to the beggar. Others felt ashamed of their own selfishness.

That night, Jesus appeared to Martin. He was wearing the half of the cloak that Martin had given away. "Martin, still a catechumen, has covered me with this garment," Jesus said. Right after this wonderful event, St. Martin went to be baptized at the age of eighteen.

Just before a battle, Martin announced that his faith did not allow him to fight. They called him a coward and put him in jail. His commander planned to put him in the front line in the battle, but when the enemy made peace the battle did not take place.

A few years later, the saint left the army. He became a disciple of St. Hilary, the bishop of Poitiers, France. Because of his strong opposition to the Arian heretics (non-believers) in various cities, Martin had to go into exile. But he was happy to live in the wilderness with other monks.

When the people of Tours asked for him as their bishop, he refused but they would not give up. They got him to come to the city to visit a sick person and when he got there, they took him to the church. 

As bishop of Tours, St. Martin did all he could to make the people of France friends of Jesus and give up their unbelief. He prayed, he worked and preached everywhere.

Our Lord let Martin know when his death was near. As soon as his followers heard of it, they began to weep. They begged him not to leave them. So the saint prayed: "Lord, if your people need me yet, I will not refuse the work. Your will be done." 

He was still laboring for the Divine Master in a far-off part of his diocese when death finally came in 397. St. Martin's tomb became one of the most famous shrines in all of Europe.

Pope St Leo the Great

Feast day November 10

Born 400 Died 461

St. Leo was born at Tuscany in Italy. He came from a noble Roman family and was a very good student especially in scripture and theology (religious studies). When he grew up, he became a priest and was a powerful writer and preacher.

When Pope Sixtus died in 440, St. Leo became pope. Those were difficult times for the Church. Barbarian armies of Attila the Hun were attacking Christians in many places. 

Within the Church, some people were spreading heresies (false teachings about the faith), too. But St. Leo was one of the greatest popes there ever was. He was absolutely unafraid of anything or anyone. He had great trust in the help of the first pope, St. Peter the apostle and prayed to St. Peter often.

To stop the spread of false teachings, St. Leo explained the true faith with his famous writings. He called a Council to condemn the wrong teachings. Those who would not give up their mistaken beliefs were put out of the Church. And Pope Leo received back into the Church those who were sorry. He asked people to pray for them.

When Attila the Hun came to attack Rome, all the people were filled with fear. They knew that the Huns had already burned many cities. To save Rome, St. Leo rode out to meet the fierce leader, Attila. 

The only weapon he had was his great trust in God. When they met, something wonderful happened. Attila, the cruel pagan leader, showed the pope great honor. He made a treaty of peace with him. 

Attila said afterward that he had seen two mighty figures standing by the pope while he spoke. It is believed that they were the great apostles, Peter and Paul. They had been sent by God to protect Pope Leo and the Christians.

Because of his humility and charity, Pope Leo was loved by all. He was pope for twenty-one years. He died on November 10, 461.

St Theodore Tiro

Feast Day: November 9
Born: (around) 280 :: Died: 319

St. Theodore was born of a noble family. He was still young when he joined the Imperial army.

Soon after he joined, the Emperor announced that all Christians must offer sacrifice to idols. Even as a new soldier in the Roman army he chose to die for the faith rather than worship idols, which he knew, was a sin. 

Although he was young, he knew how to keep his soul pure. He was wise and considered the devil a real enemy. When his troop camped for the winter in the country of Pontus, all the soldiers took part in services to the pagan gods. But as a Christian, Theodore knew that these gods did not exist and refused to join them. He was arrested.

"How dare you profess a religion which the emperor punishes with death?" demanded the governor. Without hesitation, the young soldier answered, "I do not know your gods. Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, is my God. If you take my answer as an offense, cut off my tongue. Every part of my body is ready to suffer when God calls for this sacrifice."

The pagan judges let Theodore go, believing that he would change his mind if he was given time to think. Theodore immediately went to the Temple of Isis and set it on fire.

Then he was arrested and brought before the judge. The judges first tried to win him with kindness. When that treatment did not work, they tried to frighten him by describing the tortures he would go through. But Theodore boldly made the Sign of the Cross and replied, “As long as I have breath, I will confess the name of Christ.” In the end, they sent him to be tortured.

When the suffering soldier was led back into prison, some said that angels came to comfort him. After he had been questioned three times, he was finally burned to death in the year 306. A Christian who was standing nearby, saw his soul rise like a flash of light to heaven.

A beautiful church was later built to preserve his ashes and great crowds of people go there to pray to this martyr.

St Godfrey

Feast Day: November 8
Born: 1066 :: Died: 1115

Godfrey was born at Soissons in France. From the age of 5, he was raised in the Benedictine abbey of Mont-Saint-Quentin where his godfather Godefroid was the abbot (like a parish priest). At the abbey Godfrey was immediately given a Benedictine habit and he lived as a tiny monk. The monks there educated him.

When he became of age he became a monk and then a priest. He was chosen to be abbot of the monastery in Champagne, France. The monastery was run-down and weeds had taken over. Only six monks and two children remained. 

The monks liked Godfrey. They realized that he was a holy man and admitted that he could help them find again the joy of a self-sacrificing life. Soon the eager community attracted new candidates who joined them. The abbey of Champagne became a center of prayer and spiritual joy.

Then Godfrey was made an archbishop. He was given the well-known diocese of Rheims, in France. He did not want to leave the small monastery but knew, that the Lord wanted him to reach out to the people of Rheims as well. 

He still lived like a simple monk. His house was poor but clean and his food was plain. Once in a while, his cook prepared food that seemed to him too fancy and rich. Godfrey would wait until the cook went out on errands. Then he would call in the poor people who lived nearby and give them the food to take home to their families.

Archbishop Godfrey suffered because he was very strict and would not tolerate drunkenness or other wrongdoing by his parishioners. When Godfrey tried to correct these people, some of them began to hate him. One person even tried to kill him. 

It was then that Godfrey wondered if he was doing more harm than good. But people with good will appreciated and loved him. Godfrey longed to resign as a Bishop and retire as a monk so he could live alone with God. But before he could resign, he died at the age of fifty.