April 14 Saint Bénéze

Patron Saint of Bridge Builders

A shepherd in the fields of France, during an eclipse he received a vision telling him to build a bridge over the Rhone at Avignon; In his vision, he was told angels would watch his flocks while he was gone. He was also commanded to build the bridge at a point where the force of the Rhône was so great that it had discouraged even Roman engineers in antiquity. When the church and civil officials refused to help him, he lifted a huge stone into place, and announced it would be the start of the foundation.

According to the legend, there were shouts of “Miracle! Miracle!” when Bénézet had laid the first stone. Eighteen miracles occurred in total: the blind had their vision restored, the deaf could hear again, cripples could walk; and hunchbacks had their backs straightened.

Bénézet thus won support for his project from wealthy sponsors who formed themselves into a Bridge Brotherhood to fund its construction.

After his death, Bénézet was interred on the bridge itself, in a small chapel standing on one of the bridge’s surviving piers on the Avignon side. His relics were enshrined there until 1669, when a flood washed away part of the bridge. His coffin, recovered, was opened and the body of Bénézet was found to be incorrupt. His relics were eventually placed in the Celestine church of Saint Didier. The remains of the bridge still remain a pilgrimage site.

April 13 Blessed Margaret of Castello

Patron Saint of Handicap People

From :sqpn.com

Born a blind, lame, deformed, hunchback midget. When she was six years old, her Italian noble parents walled her up beside a chapel; she could not get out, but could attend Mass and receive the Sacraments. After 14 years of imprisonment, her parents took her to a shrine to pray for a cure. When none occurred, they abandoned her. She became a Dominican, and spent her life in prayer and charity. When she died, the townspeople thronged her funeral, and demanded she be buried in a tomb inside the church. The priest protested, but a crippled girl was miraculously cured at the funeral, and he consented.

April 12 Saint Alferius of La Cava

St. Alferius lead the model life of a nobleman in tenth century Italy. He was learned, acted as an ambassador for the duke of Salerno, Italy, traveled all over southern Italy. When he became seriously ill in Chiusa, Italy  he was taken to the local monastery. Like many a sickly person, he made the  clichéd pact that if he recovers he will join religious life. He did recover and he followed through on his promise to God. He became a monk in France and then was sent to his hometown of Salerno to reform the monasteries and local priests. He met with little success so he became a hermit in the foothills of Salerno.

His gentle teachings and wisdom earned a rather large following. He chose twelve of his favorite students and started his own monastery. The abbey became the motherhouse for scores of others in the region; this network of houses became a powerful force for civilization and religion in Sicily and southern Italy. Alferius lived to be 120, governing the abbey until the day he died, on Holy Thursday. On that day, he celebrated mass, and washed the feet of his brothers, including the future Pope Blessed Victor III. Twelve of the abbots of his monastery have gone on to be beatified.

April 11 Blessed George Gervase

George had quite the life. Raised Catholic in England, he was kidnapped by pirates after his parents died when he was 12. He ended up on Sir Francis Drake’s ship, sailing around the world, living the sailor’s life. Upon returning to England he returned to his childhood faith. He became a priest in Flanders. He was  immediately sent on a mission to England during the time the English were killing priests. He survived two years before being arrested and banished. After a pilgrimage to Rome and joining the Benedictines, he once again returned to England. This time he was quickly arrested, sentenced to death, hanged, drawn and quarter at the Tyburn.

April 10 Martyrs of Danish Invasions

If I had to make a guess at when the ice broke up in the harbors of Denmark, I would put money on the last week of March. That would give them time to make it to the coast of England by April 10. April 10 in 869 was a busy day for the Danish Invaders. In today’s list of saints – monks from the Chertsey Abbey, England (killed by Danish invaders in 869); monks from Peterborough Abbey, England (killed by Danish invaders in 869); monks from Thorney Abbey, England (killed by Danish invaders in 869). It must have been a very bitter winter in Denmark in 869.

April 9 St Hugh of Rouen

A French priest in the 700s, the most astonishing fact about him was that he held two bishop seats at the same time. In 724, he became both bishop of Paris and bishop of Bayeux. No word on how successful he was at being in two place at once.

April 8 St. Julia Billiart

Patron Saint Against Illness

St. Julia was born into a poor family in 1751 at Cuvilly, France. She had little education, but had memorized the catechism by age seven and began teaching other children. At age 22, she was sitting next to her father when some one shot at him; the shock left her partially paralyzed. During the French Revolution, a group of her friends helped organize the work she’d started by teaching young women and girls.  Julia was miraculously healed of her paralysis in 1804 and resumed teaching and organizing the other women. Her organization became the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame (Institute of Notre Dame; Sisters of Notre Dame), dedicated to the Christian education of girls.

The real truth of  why I picked St. Julia for today was because of a picture of her I found on the SQPN website. It made me want to know the woman in the painting.

St. Julia Billart

April 7 St. John Baptist de La Salle

Patron Saint of Educators

Born into a wealthy family on April 30, 1651 at Rheims, France,  St. John began his studies for priesthood in Paris France. He left when to care for his siblings upon the death of his parents. When they had grown, he returned to his studies and was ordained in 1678. Founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (Christian Brothers) in 1681. He instituted the process of dividing students into grades; established the first teacher‘s school, started high schools and trade schools, and was proclaimed the patron of all teachers of all youth by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

Today, say a prayer for that special teacher (or teachers) in your life.

April 6 St. Brychan of Brycheiniog

Another Welch saint who may or may not be a saint. One thing is certain. He had a lot of kids. Sources place the number at anywhere from 12 to 63, with 24 the generally accepted number. He was married three times, so at least it was not one poor woman suffering through that many labors. At least 15 of his children went on to become saints, mostly from their evangelizing Cornwall, England. Add him to the list of saints-to-which no-parent-can-measure-up.

April 5 St. Derfel Gadarn

Another Welch saint known mostly for who he was related to – various kings and saints. A soldier turned hermit, there are two outstanding facts about St. Derfel –

A wooden statue of St. Derfel on horseback, much beloved by the parish at Llanderfel, was used as the funeral pyre for Blessed John Forest.

Oliver Cromwell personally destroyed his relics.