St. Madeleine Sophie Barat
Feast Day: May 25th
Patron Saint: Educators and Teachers
Quote: “Your example, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson to the world.”
Lived: 1779-1865
Canonized: May 24, 1925
St. Madeleine Sophie Barat
Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat was a French Roman Catholic saint and the founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Born in 1779 during the French Revolution, she dedicated her life to the education of young women, believing that through education, they could transform society. Her commitment to both the intellect and the spirit of her students exemplified her vision of education. One lesson we can implement from her life is the importance of perseverance and dedication in our lives. By committing ourselves fully to our goals and values, we can create lasting positive impacts in our communities, just as she did.
Sources: Media, Franciscan. “Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat.” Franciscan Media, 29 May 2020, www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-madeleine-sophie-barat/.
St. Cecilia
Feast Day: November 25th
Patron Saint: Musicians
Quote: “To die for Christ,” Cecilia said, “is not to sacrifice one’s youth, but to renew it. It is relinquishing a perishable thing and receiving in turn an immortal gift.”
Lived: 180-230 AD
Canonized: She was not canonized because she lived before the process of canonization. She became a saint through her martyrdom.
St. Cecilia
Saint Cecilia was an early Christian martyr. Her birth year is estimated to be 200-230 AD. She took a vow of virginity for God, but was still forced to marry by her parents. But during the wedding, she sat apart from everyone else. She sang to God in her heart, showing her true devotion and commitment to the Lord. She told her husband that an angel of God was watching over her. She said that he would be loved if he respected her vow of virginity, but punished if he did not. After he was baptized, Cecilia’s husband saw the angel beside her, crowning her with a wreath of lilies and roses. Cecilia, along with her husband and brother in law, was killed for her faith. The legend of her death tells that she survived for three days after being struck with a sword three times, and begged the Pope to convert her home into a church.
The lessons I learned from Saint Cecilia’s story are her devotion to God and her perseverance to stay true to her values. She didn’t end her belief and love for God, no matter what obstacles lied in the way. She honored her promise of virginity, and fulfilled it although her parents didn’t respect it. She showed her devotion through song, and separated herself from her wedding, which did not honor her values. Cecilia didn’t even let death stop her devotion. She faced persecution head on and she kept the Lord on her mind while on the brink of death. I think that we all can follow in Cecilia’s footsteps by not letting distractions or hardships deter us from our end goal: eternity with God. Saint Cecilia also used her talents to help show her devotion to Christ. This is so important for us and it makes each of our faith journeys very personal and special. Doing this also devotes our talents to God and they give Him glory, not ourselves. So, I challenge you to use something that you are good at or find enjoyment in, and use it to glorify the Lord, just like Saint Cecilia.
Blessed Carlos Acutis
Feast Day: October 12th
Soon to be Patron Saint: Internet
Quote: “To be always close to Jesus, that is my life plan."
Lived: 1991-2006
Will be Canonized: April 27, 2025
Website: http://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/liste/list.html
Blessed Carlos Acutis
Blessed Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991 and raised in Milan, Italy. With the beginning of modern technology, Carlo saw it as a tool to build God’s Kingdom. Those around Carlo found him easy to get along with and always joyful. He knew that internal spirituality made you a happy person externally. Carlo also knew the importance of being united with Jesus in the Eucharist; he said, “If we get in front of the sun, we get sun tans… but when we get in front of Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints.” Neither of Carlo’s parents were religious when he was born, but they came back to the Church because of their son’s faith. Carlo worked for two years on his website about eucharistic miracles, and unveiled it on October 4, 2006 just days before his death. He died of a short illness brought on by leukemia at 15 years old in 2006.
In a world where social media and technology is at the center of our lives, we can take Carlo’s example and use it to spread the Gospel. We can also live by example, meeting Jesus face to face in the Eucharist and working on ourselves to radiate joy and bring peace to others. He will be fully canonized on April 27, 2025.
St. Valentine
Feast Day: February 14th
Patron Saint: Lovers, Epilepsy, and Beekeepers
Quote: “The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.”-Pope Gregory the Great
Lived: 226-269 AD
Canonized: Pre-Congregation
St. Valentine
This story starts around the time 265 A.D. During this time, the holy Roman empire had made it a rule that young men were not allowed to get married. This was because when men were at war they didn’t have to worry about having a family at home and could have their full focus on fighting. St. Valentine, from Teri, Italy, was not going to let this law interfere with his love life. So, St. Valentine secretly married, and ministered to couples in discrete locations so the Roman soldiers would not find out. He put his life on the line to help unite men and women in marriage. He did this for years, until one day he was found out by the emperor. The emperor demanded that St. Valentine recant his beliefs and become a loyal Roman citizen. However, St. Valentine decided to stand strong and because of that was put to death. Before he died, he sent letters out to his friends, many of which he had the chance to secretly marry, and asked them to pray for him and all the Christians in Rome. He urged them to keep their marriages sacred and focus on Christ. He closed each letter with these words, “Remember your Valentine.” Sadly, St. Valentine was killed on the 14th of February in 270A.D. This is why we celebrate Valentine's day on February 14!!
St. Maximilian Kolbe
Feast Day: August 14
Patron Saint: Prisoners, Families, and the Pro-Life Movement
Quote: “A single act of love makes the soul return to life.”
Lived: January 8, 1894 - August 14, 1941
Canonized: October 10, 1982
St. Maximilian Kolbe
Saint Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish priest and Franciscan friar. He had great love and devotion to the Virgin Mary, and promoted the consecration and entrustment to Mary. She even came to him in a dream when he was nine. She asked him if he was willing to accept a crown representing persevering in purity or a crown representing becoming a martyr. He chose both. He prayed fervently for the conversion of his enemies and sinners. Maximilian spread his faith in Christ to many by doing missionary work in China, Japan, and India. Throughout Maximilian's life, he rose above trials with God’s help. He lost his father during World War I and he suffered from tuberculosis, which led him to rely on his faith. But the toughest trial yet was when he was placed in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. When the Germans were taking over, Maximilian hid Jews inside of his monastery. But it was shut down, and he was sent to Auschwitz as a prisoner. There, he suffered from harassment and beatings because of his work as a priest. A couple of months later, a prisoner escapes the camp. This causes security to go up even higher, and the commander of the camp chose ten men to be starved to death in an underground bunker. One of the selected men cried out, “My wife! My children!”. Upon hearing this, Maximilian stepped up and asked to take his place. During his time in the bunker, he led the prisoners in prayer and was always seen looking calm. After two weeks, only four of the ten prisoners were still alive, including Maximilian Kolbe. These remaining men were executed by a lethal injection, so Maximilian died on August 14 and was cremated the next day, which happened to be the feast of the Assumption of Mary.
I learned so much through Maximilian Kolbe’s story, but most of all I was struck by his selflessness. He truly did what Christ would do, even if it resulted in major suffering for himself. He protected those who needed protection, prayed for those who persecuted him, and sacrificed his life for a man he didn’t even know. He said, “A single act of love makes the soul return to life”, and he truly put those words into action. His devotion to Mother Mary also inspired me, and it is so evident that Mary was watching over him throughout his life. I think each of us can be more like this saint by prioritizing kindness and selflessness over our own needs.