July 31 St. Germanus of Auxerre

Another bad boy redemption story.

St. Germanus started his life as a party boy. A brilliant student he drank his way through colleges in Gaul and Rome. Famed for his hunting parties, he was an excellent shot, though some claimed his lawyer tongue and logic just worn the animals down to the point of death. He took to hanging hunting trophies on an enormous, ancient tree that had been an object of worship by local pagans. This led to condemnation by Saint Amator of Auxerre, who said he set a terrible example, and was leading people back to their pagan origins. Germain ignored him, so Amator cut down the tree and burned the trophies. Germain tracked down Amator, intending to kill him but Amator forced the tonsure on Germain (how do you force the tonsure on a bad boy?), made him a deacon, and told him to stop being a tool and start living as one destined to be a bishop. By a miracle only possible by the hand of Gad, Germaine took the advice seriously and became a just and dedicated administrator.

I wonder if it would worked if I forced the tonsure on my boys …

July 30 St. Leopold Bogdan Mandic

Saint Leopold was a contrast between physical frailty and spiritual strength. Four foot five inches tall, and physically weak, his health became worse with age. He had a stammer, suffered abdominal pains, and was gradually deformed by chronic arthritis, making his frame stooped, his hands gnarled, and his life one of endless pain. Spiritually, Leopold Mandic was a giant, full of Christian strength. Twelfth child born to Peter and Caroline Mandic. Physically malformed and delicate of health, Bogdan early showed signs of great spiritual strength and integrity. At age 16, Bogdan left Dalmatia for Italy where he was accepted into the Capuchin order as a priest.

The first sixteen years of his priesthood were spent in and around Venice, including some time in his native Dalmatia. Father Leo was posted to Padua, Italy in 1906 where, except for a year spent in a prison camp in World War I because he would not renounce his Croat nationality, he remained for the rest of his life. In Padua he became a Confessor and Spiritual Director for almost forty years. Father Leopold encouraged many, especially the hopeless in enslavement to sin. Though he did not go to the missions, his long service in the confessional proved it to be his own apostolate. For nearly forty years, twelve hours a day, he absolved and counseled thousands of penitents, always weak but always available.

 

July 29 St. Olaf II

St. Olaf started his adult life as a pirate, raiding the Irish and English coastline. Eventually, one of those monks managed to convert him. He brought the same blood lust zeal to converting his homeland, especially after he became king. Needless to say, the Norwegian pagans did not appreciate his efforts and ran him off to Russia. He attempted to take back his throne through battle, but was killed in the action. He is also known as Oslo the Fat and Oslo the Thick. He is considered a hero of Norway.

July 28 St. Samson of York

Samson was a Welsh by birth, but his noteriety drove him to move from place to place. He started at the abbey at Llanwit Major in South Glamorgan, but soon desired a more solitary life, so he moved on to a small monastery on Caldey Island off Cornwall. Wanting to deepen his learning, he joined a group of Irish monks returning to Ireland for a visit. However, Samson soon gained a reputation for holiness, and many came to him for prayers on their behalf. Uncomfortable with fame, Samson returned to the anonymity of Cornwall. Samson received a vision from God telling him to evangelize Brittany. He and some monks there established a monastery at Dol that later became the center of a new diocese. Samson spent the rest of his life in Brittany, gaining renown for wisdom, holiness and dedication, and is regarded by many as one of the greatest Welsh saints.

July 27 Blessed Rudolph Aquaviva, SJ

Rudolf was the oldest son of an Italian earl. He was raised in the family castle on the Abruzzi coast. When he stated his desire for priesthood, his family balked. His  uncle, a Jesuit, finally convinced the family to let him join. After taking final vows, he was sent off to Goa, India. From their he was sent on a diplomatic trip to Akbar the Great Mogul,  who had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a desire to bring peace and harmony to both his Muslim and Hindu subjects who, because of their religious beliefs, were at odds with each other. Akbar held weekly religious discussions at his court near Agra and decided to include Christian theologians in these discussions. When he invited the Jesuits to his court to instruct him in the Christian faith, Fr Acquaviva and another Jesuit arrived at his court in 1580 with a seven-volume copy of the Bible with the hope of converting the grand mogul. Akbar was greatly interested in Christianity and seemed convinced of its truth but was not prepared to give up his harem. Fr Acquaviva returned to Goa after three years, disappointed that Akbar would never be converted.

With in days of returning to Goa, he was sent off to the hostile area south of Goa called Salsette. Upon arrival he planted a cross outside the first village. Unfortunately it was the site of a Hindu temple. Father Rudolf and his band of merry men were immediately attacked. With a scimitar’s single slash, an attacker cut the back of the priest’s thighs and floored him. To show his readiness for martyrdom, Fr Acquaviva opened the collar of his cassock and exposed the left side of his neck. He was struck twice and the third blow hit his shoulder and his arm was nearly cut off. But it was an arrow in the breast that killed him. Fr Acquaviva’s last words were, “Forgive them, Lord. Francis Xavier, pray to God for me. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He was just thirty-three years old.

July 26 Blessed Titus Brandsma

I was first drawn to the story of Titus because of his nickname – Shorty. I like the idea of a Father Shorty. Drawn in by the name, his story impressed me.

A Carmelite from the the Netherlands, Father Shorty spoke multiple  languages, taught philosophy at the Catholic University of the Netherlands and was editor of the local daily newspaper. He was a common sight around campus with cigar and jaunty walk. After becoming president of the university, he hit the lecture circuit, traveling extensively around Euruope. He was appointed ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic journalists in 1935.

Shortly after the appointment, Father Shorty made a speaking tour of the United States, speaking out against Nazi propaganda. In 1935 he wrote against anti-Jewish marriage laws, which brought him to the attention of the Nazis. He later wrote that no Catholic publication could publish Nazi propaganda and still call itself Catholic; this led to more attention. Continually followed by the Gestapo, the Nazi attention led to his arrest on 19 January 1942. For several weeks he was shuttled from jail to jail, abused, and punished for ministering to other prisoners.

Deported to the Dachau concentration camp in April 1942. There he was overworked, underfed, and beaten daily; he asked fellow prisoners to pray for the salvation of the guards. When he could no longer work, he was used for medical experiments. When he was no longer any use for experimentation, he was murdered.

July 25 St. Glodesind

The lovely Glodesind was engaged to be married to the love of her life, a courtier in the German court. She had a lovely bridal shower, a large feast planned and new underwear made for the occasion. Then her beloved was arrested on the morning of their wedding and later executed. She became a nun. All those undergarments gone to waste.

July 24 St. Christina the Astonishing

[fully lifted from SaintsSQPN, because I couldn’t write a fictional character so brilliantly]

Born to a peasant family, orphaned as a child, and raised by two older sisters. At age 21, she experienced a severe seizure of what may have been epilepsy. It was so severe as to be cateleptic, and she was thought to have died. During her funeral Mass, she suddenly recovered, and levitated to the roof of the church. Ordered down by the priest, she landed on the altar and stated that she had been to hell, purgatory, and heaven, and had been returned to earth with a ministry to pray for souls in purgatory.

Her life from that point became a series of strange incidents cataloged by a Thomas de Cantimpré, Dominican professor of theology at Louvain who was a contemporary who recorded his information by interviewing witnesses, and by Cardinal Jacques de Vitny who knew her personally. She exhibited both unusual traits and abilities. For example, she could not stand the odor of other people because she could smell the sin in them, and would climb trees or buildings, hide in ovens or cupboards, or simply levitate to avoid contact. She lived in a way that was considered poverty even in the 13th century, sleeping on rocks, wearing rags, begging, and eating what came to hand. She would roll in fire or handle it without harm, stand in freezing water in the winter for hours, spend long periods in tombs, or allow herself to be dragged under water by a mill wheel, though she never sustained injury. She took time off from these pursuits to have the occasional ecstasy, during which she escorted departed souls into Purgatory and those who had served their time from Purgatory to Paradise.

People who knew her were divided in their opinions: she was a holy woman, touched of God, and that her actions and torments were simulations of the experiences of the souls in purgatory; she was suffering the torments of devils – or she was flatly insane. However, the prioress of Saint Catherine’s convent testified that no matter how bizarre or excessive Christina’s reported actions, she was always completely obedient to the orders of the prioresses of the convent.

You call – holy, insane or both?

July 23 St. Liborius

Patron Saint Against Gravel

Born to a noble family of Gaul. Priest. Bishop of Le Mans, France from 348. Friend of Saint Martin of Tours. Served his diocese for 45 years, building many churches. The translation of his relics from Le Mans to Paderborn led to a sister-city relation that has lasted for over 1,000 years.

I have no idea what he had against gravel.

July 22 Blessed Augustine Fangi

A devout Dominican, Augustine was known for his ability to enter deep prayer. He had surgery without anesthesia, never cried out in pain and remained perfectly relaxed throughout the entire four hour procedure. in the 1530s, workmen found his coffin floating in the water that had seeped into the burial chamber – when opened, Augustine’s body and clothing were found to be incorrupt.