Saint Josephine Bakhita

Feast Day: February 8

Bakhita was not the name given to her by her parents at birth. The trauma of her abduction caused her to forget her own name and Bakhita, an Arabic name which means “lucky” or “fortunate”, was given to her by her captors.

St. Josephine Bakhita was born in the Darfur region of Sudan in 1869. At about 9 years old, she was kidnapped and sold into slavery, and resold in the markets of El Obeid and of Khartoum. She experienced a series of humiliations, was tortured, mutilated and was even left half dead.

Finally, Bakhita was bought by an Italian diplomat, Callisto Legnani. When the consul had to leave for Italy, Bakhita obtained permission to go with them. On arrival in Genoa, at the request of Michieli’s wife, Bakhita became the nanny to Michieli’s daughter, Mimmina. Josephine Bakhita was loved and treated well by the family.

When the Michieli’s moved to the Red Sea to manage their hotel business in Suakin, Bakhita and Mimmina were entrusted to the Institute of the Daughters of the Canossian Charity. It was there that Bakhita came to know about God. After several months, Bakhita was baptized into Catholic faith on January 9, 1890 and was given the name, Josephine.

When Mrs. Michieli came back to get her daughter and her nanny, Bakhita in her great desire to know and serve God, remained with the Canossian Sisters.

For another 50 years, Bakhita lived in the community in Schio doing various services. And because one her duties was attending to the door, she was in frequent contact with the local community. She is well-known for her smile, gentleness as well as charisma and everyone calls her “Mother Moretta (Our little brown mother).
Josephine Bakhita died on February 8, 1947 and on her death bed she uttered her last words with a smile saying “Our Lady! Our Lady!”

Patronage:

St. Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of Sudan and of those who have suffered from human trafficking and slavery.

Prayer to St. Josephine Bakhita:

Dear St. Josephine Bakhita, you who knew the depths of suffering and yet found the light of faith and love in Christ, we turn to you in our times of need. Pray for all those who are enslaved, oppressed, and abused, that they may find freedom, healing, and hope. Intercede on behalf of victims of human trafficking, that they may be rescued from their plight and experience the love of God.

St. Bakhita, you who forgave those who caused you great pain, teach us the power of forgiveness and the strength of love. Help us to be instruments of God's mercy in a world filled with darkness and cruelty.

Guide us with your gentle spirit and inspire us to work for justice and the liberation of all who suffer. Through your intercession, may we strive to bring the light of Christ's love to those in the darkest of circumstances. Amen.

Reflection:

*In her trials, Bakhita met Jesus. She didn’t know His name. Perhaps, she just called Him hope until she met this familiar face again whom the nuns in the Canossian Charity called Jesus. Bakhita’s hope is in the Lord and her trials led her into a deeper spiritual life that made Bakhita’s life fruitful.

Whatever situation you find yourself in, there is hope. It maybe difficult to see or feel it at the moment, but it is there for you.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."- Jeremiah 29:11

*St. Josephine Bakhita's life is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of faith and love. Despite enduring unimaginable suffering as a slave, she not only found freedom but also discovered the freedom that comes from embracing Christ.

Her journey from slavery to sanctity reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and love. St. Bakhita's ability to forgive those who had harmed her and her capacity to radiate joy serve as a profound example of the Christian message of love and forgiveness.

As we reflect on St. Bakhita's life, let us remember all those who are trapped in modern forms of slavery and human trafficking. Let us pray for their liberation and for the strength to work towards a world where such injustices no longer exist. May St. Josephine Bakhita intercede for us and inspire us to be agents of change and compassion in our world.

Saint Martin de Porres

Feast Day: November 3

The father of Martin de Porres was a Spanish knight & adventurer and his mother a colored freed-woman from Panama.  Martin de Porres was born on the 9^th of December, 1579 in Lima, Peru.  Don Juan de Porres left Martin’s mother and just sent money every now and then.   Martin grew up in poverty and bore the stigma of having mixed blood and the shame of being an illegitimate child.  

When Martin turned 8, his father sent money for him and his sister to go to school. At age 12, he became an apprentice to a barber-surgeon where he learned to cut hair as well as to draw blood, prepare medicinal herbs, set broken bones and to properly care for the sick.  It was also during this time that he became a servant in the Holy Rosary Dominican priory.  At fifteen, he was allowed to become a lay brother at the Dominican Friary and was placed in charge of the infirmary.

St. Martin de Porres spent much time in prayer and meditation and had a great devotion to the sacrament of the Eucharist.  God endowed him with many supernatural graces and lights.  There are recorded instances when he was seen bi-locating or was inside the chapel levitating and so filled with love for Christ.  He went about curing the sick and giving alms to the poor; helped the farm laborers, Negroes and mulattoes.  He was good-natured and charitable and thus gained the name “Martin the charitable”.  He is also known as the first Black Saint from the Americas.

Patronage:

Animals: St. Martin de Porres is the patron saint of animals, especially for those who care for and show kindness to them.

Racial Harmony: He is also venerated as a symbol of racial harmony and social justice due to his mixed-race heritage and his tireless efforts to help all people, regardless of their background.

Prayer to St. Martin de Porres:

O compassionate St. Martin de Porres, you who humbly served the marginalized and cared for the suffering, we turn to you in our times of need. You, who showed love to all, regardless of their race or station in life, inspire us to follow your example of boundless charity.

Help us to embrace humility and find joy in serving others, especially those who are most in need. Intercede for us, dear Saint, in our petitions for healing, unity, and harmony among all people. Pray for us that we may become instruments of God's love and peace in the world.

St. Martin de Porres, patron of animals and advocate for social justice, we seek your guidance and intercession. Amen.

Reflection:

*What amazes me about Saint Martin de Porres is his profound humility.  He had suffered much and had experienced terrible humiliation yet instead of wallowing in self-pity  or  instead of redeeming himself by compensating or retaliating he continued to live in self- imposed poverty and reached out to the sick, the poor and the oppressed.  To me, this is a clear evidence that he was able to transcend the prejudice and humiliation he went through in his childhood.

 This reminds me of the quote from Mother Teresa about if you are humble nothing can hurt you.  Here's an  accurate quote on that one:

"Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience.  It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent.  If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.  If you are blamed you will not be discouraged.  If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal." 
-Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 'The Joy in Loving' page 363

 To Martin de Porres, only God suffices. His knowledge of the greatness of God, made him aware of his dignity as a child of God as well as his nothingness.  Though he is nothing, God loves him profoundly.  This experience of God’s love is all that mattered.  God’s love redeemed Martin and healed him of his pains.  To Saint Martin de Porres, God’s love was the source of all the love he generously shared to the poor, the sick and the unwanted and he looked on these poor people the way he looked at himself - a child of God.

* In God’s great wisdom, He chose Martin de Porres, an illegitimate, Negro to be a Saint to show that His love is universal.  

* St. Martin de Porres' life reminds us of the profound impact one person can have through simple acts of kindness and selfless service. His example teaches us to look beyond outward appearances and prejudices, to see the inherent dignity in every person, and to treat all with love and compassion.

As we celebrate his feast day, let us reflect on how we can emulate his virtues in our own lives. May we find joy in humble service, reach out to those in need, and work towards a world where all people are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their race or background. St. Martin de Porres, pray for us and help us be agents of love, unity, and peace in our communities and in the world.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

Feast Day: January 28
Doctor of the Church (Angelicus Doctor), Prince of Scholastics


Born at Rocca Secca in the Kingdom of Naples, the year of Thomas’ birth is not certain; either 1225 or 1227.

His father, Landulph, was Count of Aquino while his mother, Theodora, was Countess of Teano. His family was related to the Emperors Henry VI and Frederick II, and to the Kings of Aragon, Castile, and France.

At the age of five, as it was the custom of that time, he was sent to obtain his first training from the Benedictines of Monte Casino then to the University of Naples around 1236. At the age of seventeen, in spite of the opposition of his family, he entered the Order of St. Dominic in Naples.

At the request of their mother, the brothers of Thomas, who were soldiers under the Emperor Frederick, took him back forcibly and imprisoned him in the fortress of San Giovanni. He was detained nearly two years; they even went so far as to send a beautiful young lady into Thomas’ room for the purpose of alluring him. But as soon as the lady came inside, he drew a burning stick from the fire and drove her out from his room.

These long months of imprisonment were not put to waste, however, for Thomas spent his time reading the valuable books (Holy Scriptures, Aristotle's Metaphysics, and the "Sentences" of Peter Lombard),which his kind sister obtained for him.

After eighteen months or so in confinement and with all their efforts put in vain, her mother relented and Thomas was set free.

He was ordained priest in 1250. Upon the advice of Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas then journeyed to Paris to continue his studies and to teach in their Study House. This may be regarded as the beginning of his public career, for his teaching soon attracted the attention of both the professors and the students. Subsequently, St. Thomas began teaching, lecturing and writing. At the same time, he also began to publish his first works.

The reputation of Saint Thomas as a Philosopher and theologian spread far and wide, and he was frequently invited to preach and give lectures.

In due time, Saint Thomas was admitted to the degree of Doctor in Theology. By the age of thirty-one, he received his doctorate.

On his way to the second Council of Lyons, he fell sick and died at the Cistercian monastery of Fossa Nuova in 1274 leaving the "Summa Theologica" unfinished.

St. Thomas was one of the greatest and most influential theologians of all time. But despite that, he remained childlike. Once, there was this friar who made a ruse about a horse flying over the priory. The friars were laughing at Thomas as he ran to the window to look at the flying horse. Laughing at himself, he added, “I thought it was easier for a horse to fly than for a friar to utter a lie”.

Saint Thomas was canonized in 1323 and declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V.

Patronage:

St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of a variety of individuals and groups, including theologians, philosophers, academics, Catholic schools, universities, and students. He is also often invoked by those seeking to understand and deepen their faith through intellectual exploration.

Prayer to St Thomas Aquinas:

O God, who inspired St. Thomas Aquinas with an ardent love for knowledge and truth, and who enabled him to harmonize faith and reason, we humbly ask for your guidance and wisdom. May we, like him, seek to understand the mysteries of our faith and the world around us with a heart full of devotion and a mind open to the light of reason.

St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, intercede for us before the throne of grace. Help us to navigate the challenges of our time, especially in matters of faith and morality. Grant us the courage to pursue truth relentlessly, and may our pursuit of knowledge always lead us closer to you, the source of all wisdom.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflections:

Before he began his study, Saint Thomas always prays for God's assistance, for he acknowledged that not all truths are learned by human intellect alone but that some truths are known through revelation (God revealing the truth to us) and through experience (our own personal experience of God).

For Saint Thomas Aquinas, faith and reason are not in conflict.
The fullness of truth is found only in God.
Saint Thomas Aquinas' constant search for truth is essential in a life dedicated to the pursuit of sanctity and perfect charity.

 St. Thomas also teaches us the importance of humility. Despite his incredible intellect, he remained humble and open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He recognized that human knowledge is limited, and our understanding of God's mysteries is always incomplete.

Here's a video I saw in YouTube (Fr. Barron comments on St. Thomas Aquinas) that I'd like to share with you.