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Jan 27 - St. Angela Merici 1470-1540

Angela Merici was born in the year 1470 at Decenzano, northern Italy, on the banks of Lake Garda. Even as a child she served God very fervently. She so loved modesty and purity of heart that she was quite generally venerated as a little saint in her native town.

When she was in her 13th year she entered the Third Order of St. Francis, and soon afterward took the vow of perpetual chastity, renounced all her possessions, and wished to live only on alms. Along with this she practiced great austerities, slept on the bare earth, and fasted continuously on bread and water. Sometimes holy Communion was her only food over a period of several days.

When she was 23 years old, Angela was praying one day in a secluded place, and there she had a vision of a friend who had died a short while before. Her friend prophesied that Angela would be the foundress of a religious institute which would be devoted to the education of youth, and destined to do an unlimited amount of good for the kingdom of God. That proved to be a great incentive for Angela, not only to lead a life of contemplation, but also to serve her fellowmen in active work.

She gathered about her a group of young women, and together they went out to give religious instruction to little children, to help the poor, and to care for the sick. Often there were great sinners among those to whom she ministered, and in such cases she did not cease instructing, entreating, and encouraging them until they were reconciled with God and began to lead a new life.

Her saintly conduct and the profound knowledge she had, concerning even the most difficult questions of theology, caused her to be greatly respected by high and low and to be regarded as a saint. In order to escape such honor, Angela left her native town of Decenzano in 1516, and went to Brescia, where a wealthy but pious merchant offered her a house. There she lived absorbed in God until the year 1524.

At that time Angela was seized with an ardent desire to visit the Holy Land, just as our holy Father St. Francis once was. She visited Jerusalem, Mt. Calvary, and the other holy places with uncommon devotion. She returned by way of Rome, in order to pray at the tombs of the apostles, and this gain the great jubilee indulgence. Pope Clement VII, who was not unaware of her sanctity, wished to detain her in Rome, and did not permit her to return to Brescia until he understood by divine inspiration that in Brescia lay the field of labor for which God had destined her.

Due to disturbances caused by war, Angela could not undertake her appointed work until 1531. On November 25, 1535, her pious society was founded as the religious congregation of St. Ursula, who was the special patron of their work. The congregation, known also as Ursulines, spread rapidly and is active in many countries, also in America, where its institutions for the Christian education of Feminine youth are blessed with much success.

When Angela reached the age of 70, the day and hour of her death were revealed to her. She received the last sacraments with great fervor, and was rapt in ecstasy. While pronouncing the holy name of Jesus, she departed this life on January 27, 1540, in the very hour that had been foretold to her. She was laid out in the habit of the Third Order, holding in her hand the pilgrim's staff she had used in the Holy Land. Thus she reposes in a side chapel of the parish church of St. Afa in Brescia. Pope Clement XIII beatified her, and on March 24, 1807, Pope Pius VII canonized her in St. Peter's Church, Rome.

ON THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS
1. Consider that St. Angela, whose pure soul would have preferred to devote itself exclusively to the instruction of youth, did not disdain to interest herself for love of God in depraved human beings and great sinners, in order to convert them. As a matter of fact, there can be nothing more pleasing to God than to lead a sinner back to Him. Really, the reason why our heavenly Father sent His only-begotten Son into the world was, that no one should be lost, but that also should have eternal life through Him (John 3:16). The Son of God Himself declares: "I came not to call the just" --they do not need it-- "but sinners to penance" (Luke 5:32). If you can look with indifference on the ruination of sinners and not concern yourself at all with their conversion, then you do not truly love God, and you are not a good Christian, no matter how numerous are your pious practices.
2. Consider the great personal benefit you derive from interesting yourself in the conversion of sinners. First of all you will then have discharged your duty, especially if you have any responsibility in this matter, because the Prophet, writing of superiors, says: "But if you tell the wicked man that he may be converted from his wicked ways, and he be not converted from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul!" (Ezech. 33:9). But if, by the grace of God, you have succeeded in converting a sinner, then you have acquired invaluable treasures for yourself, for St. James (5:20) writes: :He who causes a sinner to be converted from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins." -- What an incentive, especially for those who themselves have once walked the road of sin!
3. Consider by what means the sinner is converted. Not by corrections, sermons, and reproaches can one hope to achieve this end. If it is tried with bitterness and abusive words, it will serve only to make the sinner more set. A hearty, kind, and gentle word generally does more good than severity. St. Francis de Sales used to say: "One can catch more flies with a drop a honey than with a cask of vinegar." But it is also necessary to pray fervently to God, "who inclines hearts as the divisions of waters" (Prov 21:1), and to invoke Mary's intercession for the conversion of the soul. Mary is the Refuge of Sinners and the Mother of Mercy. Appeals to her most pure heart have resulted in the most astounding conversions. You will also find grace taking effect in a remarkable way if you aim to appease the divine justice for the sinner by means of works of penance. St. Francis Xavier used to do that. But the most effective appeal to the heart of the sinner is the example of a holy and perfect life, of love, patience, faithful performance of duty, and sincere piety, which we give him. In this way St. Angela converted sinners, St. Monica converted her husband and her son Augustine, and in the same way the sisters in hospitals, like real angels of mercy, still convert numerous souls to God. -- May St. Angela help us arrive ay the joys of heaven in this way ourselves and be instrumental in helping others get there too.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
O God, who through Blessed Angela didst cause a new company of holy virgins to grow up within Thy Church, grant us through her intercession to lead angelic lives, so that, renouncing all earthly joys, we may deserve to enjoy those that are eternal. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.