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Jul. 4 St. Elizabeth of Portugal |
She was the Queen of Portugal
and a Franciscan tertiary. A native of Aragon, Spain, she was married at the
age of twelve to the immoral King Denis of Portugal. Known as a peacemaker,
she was able to overcome the difficulties of her marriage. For her
peacemaking efforts not only at home but among many associates and
struggling people, she was called “the Peacemaker.” When Denis died in 1325,
Elizabeth entered the Poor Clares as a Franciscan tertiary. She later died
at Estremoz, Portugal.
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Jul. 24 Bl. Modestino of Jesus and Mary |
From a homily by Pope Paul II |
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July 24 Bl. Antonio Lucci |
Blessed Antonio Lucci was
reserved, timid and pious. It was his lifelong friendship with another
Conventual friar, St. Francesco Antonio Fasani (bishop of Bovino, +1752),
that helped transform him into "the star of Lucera". Through Antonio's
patient teasing (saying that the fastest way to become a saint was through
laughter), Francis Anthony learned the importance of close fraternal bonds
in the sanctification of self and the world. Never distancing himself from
those entrusted to his care, Francis Anthony served the community as a
theology and philosophy professor, a novice master and a minister
provincial. He was also an untiring confessor and minister of compassion to
prisoners and prison workers. Francis Anthony founded the Franciscan
oblates, a group of women who accompanied him begging from door to door for
food and clothing to help the impoverished. These ministries to the people
of Lucera were supported by two friary organizations: the Banco di Credito
(est. 1559), that assisted the poor with basic material concerns, and the
Confraternity of the Holy Cross that offered edifying support for matters of
the spirit. (Source: OFM Conventuals, Malta) |
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Jul. 28 Mary Teresa Kowalska |
She was born at Warsaw in
1902. Neither the names nor the occupations of her parents are known. At 21
years of age, Mieczyslawa sensed a call to religious life. She entered the
convent of the Capuchin Poor Clares at Przasnysa on January 23, 1923, with
the intent of making reparation for her family which had become permeated
with the spirit of atheism. Her investiture took place on August 12, 1923,
and she took the religious name Teresa of the Child Jesus.
She made her first profession on August 15, 1924, and her perpetual profession on July 26, 1928. She was a somewhat delicate and frail person, but open to everything and everyone. She served God in the convent with devotion and care. "Her way of doing things won the trust of everyone," recounted one of the nuns. She ministered in various capacities: doorkeeper, sacristan, librarian, novice director, and councillor. Sr. Mieczyslawa led a religious life in silence, totally dedicated to God, distinguishing herself for her zeal. One day this service to God was put to the ultimate test. On April 2, 1941, German soldiers burst into the cloister and arrested all the nuns, including Sr. Mieczyslawa who was sick with tuberculosis at the time. They were hauled off to the concentration camp of Dzialdowo. All 36 nuns were incarcerated in an enclosed space, under living conditions offensive to human dignity: a filthy environment, severe hunger, continual terror. The nuns were painfully aware of the fact that, in the camp, others - such as Bishop Anthony Nowowiejski and Leon Wetmanski of Plock, and many other priests - were being tortured. After spending a month under those living conditions, even the sisters who had been healthy began to get sick. Sr. Mieczyslawa’s condition worsened all the more until she was unable to stand. Her lungs had begun hemorrhaging. Not only was she not given any sort of medical attention, but not even water was provided for her thirst or hygienic needs. She endured her trials courageously and, as long as possible, prayed with the other nuns as well as by herself. In great pain, and knowing that death was imminent, she said to her sisters: "I will not leave here alive; I offer my life in sacrifice so that the sisters might return to the convent." Feverish and unable to rise from her bunk, she abandoned herself to prayer. Every so often she would ask the abbess: "Mother, will it be much longer? Will the end come soon?" She died during the night of July 25, 1941. Her body was removed and no one knows what became of her remains. Her death became a focal point of reflection for the other nuns. They were convinced that Sr. Mieczyslawa died a holy death and had been welcomed into the glory of the blessed; they held her in special veneration. In keeping with what she had told them earlier, two weeks following her death – on August-7, 1941 - the nuns were liberated from, the death camp of Dzialdowo. That liberation was interpreted as a grace received from God through the intercession of Sr. Mieczyslawa. It was an altogether singular occurrence, since the Germans generally did not leave behind survivors in the concentration camps. Although the sisters were unable to return to their convent at Przasnysz, they were, nonetheless, free. Following their return to the convent at Przasnysz in 1945, the nuns kept alive the holy memory of the life and martyr's death of Sr. Mieczyslawa. Notes were made in the convent's Book of the Dead. In addition, accounts of Sr. Mieczyslawa were communicated to the convent's new candidates. Due to the conditions imposed on convents under the Communist regime, nothing has been published about Sister until now. The process of canonization had been instrumental in publicizing and spreading the news of her martyrdom. (from Capuchin Sources)
Bl. Mattia Nazarei |
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Jul 28 Bl. Mattia Nazarei |
Bl. Mattia Nazarei Bl. Mattia Nazarei was born on March 1, 1253 in Matelica, a charming small town of region Marche. In the same year, on August 11, Saint Clare died in Assisi, just few kilometres from Matelica. The name "Mattia" means in Hebrew:"given by God", and it was a perfect choice, a prediction of Her shining life. Mattia's parents were Guarniero Gentile and Sibilla Ottoni, they both belonged to noble, rich and religious families. After a merry childhood, Her parents sought to force her into a marriage with a rich and noble young man, Pietro dei Conti Gualtiero, but Mattia firmly refused, because She had already answered to Christ's call. She asked leave to enter a Poor Clares' convent, where Her aunt was abbess but, unfortunately, the abbess was afraid of Her father's reaction and tried to dissuade Mattia from taking hurried decisions. The young girl decided to follow St.Clare's and St.Agnes' courageous examples, bravely defying Her family: She cut Her hair and wore an old habit, praying Christ to help Her, then She presented Herself to the Community, declaring that She wanted to lead the religious life. Her father had to resign himself to it and Mattia officially consacrated Herself to Our Lord on August 10, 1271, the eve of St.Clare's feast. Even during Her novitiate, Her model behaviour won Her sister's favour and they always tried to follow Her bright example. She unceasingly prayed, night and day, and always asked for the most menial tasks, in spite of Her noble birth. Blessed Mattia died on December 28, 1320, and was declared Blessed by Clement XIII in 1765. |