The Ave Maria Hour Radio Show

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Dramatization of the beatitude in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied." Matthew 5:6.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Dramatization of the beatitude in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted."  Matthew 5:4.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Dramatization of the beatitude in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Dramatization of the beatitude in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."  Matthew 5:3.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Bernardino was born in 1530 in Capri, Italy.  At the age of 34, he became acquainted with priests of the Society of Jesus and made an eight-day retreat with them. During this retreat, he felt a strong call to religious life and asked to be admitted to the Jesuits. He was accepted and ordained a priest in 1567. For ten years he served in Naples, preaching, teaching catechism, visiting the sick, the poor and those in prison. He was eventually sent to Lecce, Italy. Bernardino was well-known and loved for his work in Leece. He was a model confessor, a powerful preacher, a diligent catechist to the youth, as well as a Rector of the Jesuit college and Superior of the Community there. His charity to the poor and the sick knew no bounds and his kindness brought about the end of vendettas and public scandals. St. Bernardino died in 1616, speaking the names of Jesus and Mary with his last breath. He was beatified by Pope Leo XII in 1895 and canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1947. His feast day is celebrated on July 2nd.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org In the Acts of the Apostles, the Bible says that the apostles of Jesus needed helpers to care for widows and the poor. They ordained seven deacons to that task, and St. Stephen is the most famous of these. He is described as a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, who worked great miracles among the people. Stephen preached forcefully and with wisdom about Jesus, telling all who would listen that Jesus is the Savior that God had promised to send. He scolded local Jewish authorities for not believing in Jesus. At that rebuke, they rose up in great anger and accused Stephen of blasphemy. They dragged him outside the city of Jerusalem and stoned him to death. The saint prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Then he fell to his knees and begged God not to punish his enemies for killing him. St. Stephen is often depicted with stones, a Gospel Book, a miniature church and a martyr's palm frond. He is the patron saint of altar servers, bricklayers, casket makers and deacons. His feast day is celebrated on December 26.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Julia was a pious Carthaginian girl who, after being captured from her city, was sold as a slave to a pagan merchant. She accepted her slavery without complaint and remained fervent in her devotion to God. One day while accompanying her master on a trip to France, Julia refused to attend a pagan festival, saying she wanted nothing to do with those superstitious ceremonies. The governor of that region was very angry with her for not joining in the pagan feast. "Who is that woman who dares to insult our gods?" he cried. Julia's master answered that she was a Christian and, although she would not give up her religion, Julia was an exemplary servant. The governor attempted to trade other slaves for Julia, but her master refused. When the merchant was asleep, however, the wicked governor tried to force Julia to make a sacrifice to the gods. Although the governor promised to set her free, Julia refused. She said she was as free as she wanted to be as long as she could serve Jesus. The governor, in great anger, had her tortured and put to death. St. Julia’s feast day is May 23rd.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org This week’s broadcast is the story of Blessed Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy, a pious and charitable ruler. Amadeus was the son of Duke Louis I of Savoy. He was born in 1435 in Thonon, Savoy and betrothed as an infant to Princess Yolanda, the daughter of Charles VII of France. They were married in 1451, and Amadeus succeeded his father as Duke of Savoy. Duke Amadeus proved to be a wise and fair ruler who strived for peace and was known for his compassion and generosity to the poor. On one occasion when a visiting ambassador bragged to Amadeus of all the fine hunting dogs that his monarch possessed, the Duke replied by pointing to a terrace filled with tables at which the hungry were being fed. "These," he said, "are my packs and my hunting dogs. It is with the help of these poor people that I chase after virtue and hunt for the kingdom of heaven."  Duke Amadeus was a lifelong victim of epilepsy. Around 1471, his seizures became so incapacitating that he entrusted the rule of his duchy to his wife Yolanda. His subjects became discontented and started a revolution, imprisoning the Duke. Only the intervention of King Louis XI of France, his brother-in-law, secured his release.  Duke Amadeus IX of Savoy died on March 30, 1472 at the age of 37. In 1677, Pope Innocent XI proclaimed the generous ruler "blessed."

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour,” a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Born into a peasant family at Riva, Italy, young Dominic joined St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesians, as a student at the Oratory in Turin at the age of 12. He impressed John Bosco with his desire to be a priest and to help him in his work with neglected boys. A peacemaker and an organizer, young Dominic founded a group he called the Company of the Immaculate Conception which, besides being devotional, aided John Bosco with the boys and with manual work. As a youth, Dominic spent hours rapt in prayer during which he would experience visions. Even in play, he said that at times, “It seems heaven is opening just above me. I am afraid I may say or do something that will make the other boys laugh.” Dominic would say, “I can’t do big things. But I want all I do, even the smallest thing, to be for the greater glory of God.” Dominic’s health, always frail, led to lung problems and he was sent home to recuperate. As was the custom of the day, he was bled in the thought that this would help, but it only worsened his condition. He died on March 9, 1857, after receiving the Last Sacraments. Some thought that Dominic was too young to be considered a saint. Saint Pius X declared that just the opposite was true, and went ahead with his cause. Dominic was canonized in 1954. His feast day is celebrated on May 6.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Rose Hawthorne was born on May 20, 1851, in Lenox, Massachusetts, to American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife Sophia. Rose married author George Parsons Lathrop in 1871. In 1876, they had a son, Francis, who lived only until the age of 5. The couple eventually separated. George Lathrop died in 1898. Rose’s search for meaning in life inspired her extensive charity work. The death of a dear friend from cancer moved Rose to work with people with incurable illnesses. In the summer of 1896, she trained as a nurse at the New York Cancer Hospital, the first institution in the United States to provide training in treating cancer while general hospitals in the city did not admit patients with cancer. Later that year, she founded a charitable organization named after Saint Rose of Lima, Sister Rose's Free Home, to care for impoverished cancer patients. In 1900, she founded a new religious order, the Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer. Rose became its first Mother Superior, taking the name Mother Mary Alphonsa. The order, now known as the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, opened a facility called St. Rose's Home on Water Street in Manhattan. The facility was later moved north of New York City to what is now Rosary Hill Home in Hawthorne. Mother Mary Alphonsa died in her sleep on July 9, 1926. She was buried on the grounds of the Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters in Hawthorne, N.Y. In 2003, Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York, approved the movement for her canonization. Mother Mary Alphonsa now has the title "Servant of God" in the Catholic Church.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Sebastian de Aparicio y del Pardo, OFM (1502 – 1600) was born in Spain and moved to Mexico in 1533. His background in ranching led him to work rounding up wild cattle, and he became known as the first Mexican cowboy, or charro. His experience moving cattle made him realize that Mexico needed a road system. He constructed highways from Veracruz to Puebla, Zacatecas, Mexico City, and other places. After a lifetime of successful work as a rancher and road builder, Sebastian gave all his wealth and possessions to the poor and entered the Order of Friars Minor as a lay brother at the age of 72. He spent the next 26 years of his life as a beggar for the Order and had a reputation for great holiness. Sebastian died at the age of 98. He was beatified by Pope Pius VI in 1789 and is known as a patron of travelers. His feast day is celebrated on February 25.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Valentine is a third-century Roman saint. Few facts about his life are known, but one of the legends attributed to him involves a miraculous healing. Valentine was a priest arrested for trying to convert people to Christianity, a crime punishable by death. While under house arrest in the home of a local judge, Valentine was introduced to the judge’s blind daughter. Valentine prayed to God to restore the girl’s sight, if it be His will. The girl’s vision was restored. St. Valentine was martyred on February 14, 269 AD.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Born to a noble and wealthy family in the town of Piacenza, Italy, Conrad’s early life was marked by privilege and leisure but also a deep faith in the Lord. Having married quite young, both he and his wife were recognized for their piety and charity.  During a hunting outing, Conrad ordered his attendants to scatter some brush and light it on fire in attempts to smoke out some game hiding there. Without warning, a great wind arose, spreading the fire and causing severe damage to neighbors’ homes and land. Authorities mistakenly arrested a mendicant friar living in the area, and the man was tried and sentenced to death. Conrad confessed to the crime and sold all his possessions to pay restitution to those who had lost property. Now destitute, he and his wife separated, Conrad entering a monastery of the Franciscan Order, and his wife entering the Order of Poor Clares. St. Conrad spent the remainder of his life in Rome, and then in Sicily, living a life of repentance, penance, and austerity. As news of his piety and holiness spread, he received many visitors which forced him to relocate numerous times, preferring the solitude of penitence. He fled to the valley of Noto, Italy, where he lived as a hermit for 36 years. Numerous miracles have been attributed to St. Conrad during his lifetime and also at his tomb in Noto, Italy after his death. Conrad died while praying before a crucifix in 1350. While he is recognized and referred to as saint, Conrad has never been officially canonized.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org A powerful episode demonstrating the virtue of charity by which we love God above all things.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Vincent Pallotti was born in Rome in 1795 and began studies for the priesthood very early in life. He was ordained at 23 years of age and earned a doctorate in theology soon afterward. He was given an assistant professorship at the Sapienza University but resigned it soon after to devote himself to pastoral work. Pallotti organized schools for shoemakers, tailors, coachmen, carpenters, and gardeners so that they could better work at their trade, as well as evening classes for young farmers and unskilled workers. He gave away his books, his possessions, and even his clothes to the poor. In 1835, he founded his two congregations and was instrumental in the founding of a missionary order in England and several colleges for the training of missionaries. St. Vincent Pallotti died in 1850 at the age of 55 and his body lies incorrupt in the church of San Salvatore in Rome. He was canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1963.His feast day is celebrated on January 22nd.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org The story of a young girl who is in conflict with her mother over whether she should return to a convent school after her holiday visit home.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour,” a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Blandina Segale, S.C., more commonly known as Sister Blandina, was an Italian-born American religious sister and missionary who became widely known through her service on the American frontier in the late 19th century. Born in Italy in 1850, Sr. Blandina came to America at the age of 4 and grew up to become a Sister of Charity of Cincinatti. Her ministry led her to the frontier West, where she challenged Billy the Kid, calmed angry mobs and worked as a teacher and social worker. She taught poor and immigrant children in Ohio, Colorado and New Mexico. Her encounters with Old West outlaws were so legendary that the CBS series "Death Valley Days" aired an episode based on her life called "The Fastest Nun in the West." Sr. Blandina founded St. Joseph's Hospital in Albuquerque before returning to Cincinnati in 1897 to start Santa Maria Institute, which served immigrants. Sr. Blandina died in 1941. In 2014, Archbishop Michael Sheehan of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe received permission from the Vatican to open a “Cause for Sainthood” for Sr. Blandina Segale. The Cause is currently ongoing.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org "As Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is now called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:18-20)  Andrew and Simon were the first disciples of Jesus. As in the case of all the apostles except Peter and John, the Gospels tell us little about the holiness of Andrew. He was an Apostle, personally chosen by Jesus to proclaim the Good News, to heal with Jesus’ power and to share his life and death. Andrew preached in what is now modern Greece and Turkey and was crucified at Patras on an X-shaped cross. The feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle is celebrated on November 30.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org This episode illustrates the biblical Book of Job. In the scriptures, Job is described as a blessed man who lives righteously in the Land of Uz. The Lord's praise of Job prompts Satan to suggest that Job serves God simply because God has been generous with him. God removes Job's protection and gives permission to Satan to take his wealth, his children, and his physical health but not his life. As these afflictions become almost unbearable, Job does not curse God, but rather curses the day of his birth. And although he anguishes over his plight, he stops short of accusing God of injustice. Job’s friends argue with him whether the punishments are justified and offer him solutions. Job rebukes his friends, saying that he accepts that his affliction is God's will even though he despairs at not knowing why. Job’s faith in God is rewarded with his being restored to an even better condition than his former wealthy state.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Daniel, Franciscan provincial of Calabria, Italy, led a contingent of Franciscan friars who were inspired by the example of St. Berard to preach the Gospel in North Africa in 1227. The six other friars were Angelo, Domnus, Hugolino, Leo, Nicholas, and Samuel. They came to Ceuta, Morocco, where the Christian merchants warned them against preaching. The friars, however, were so enthusiastic they preached openly and were immediately imprisoned. Unpersuaded by bribes, threats, and torture, they refused to renounce their faith and were martyred. All were canonized in 1516. Their feast day is celebrated on October 10.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Paola Elisabetta was born Costanza Cerioli in 1816 in Soncino, Italy, the last of 16 children born into a noble family. A frail child, she lived at home until she was 11 years old, when she was sent off to school in Bergamo, where she learned to depend on God and to find her comfort in him. At age 19, she married a 59-year-old widower, Gaetano Busecchi. Her difficult marriage lasted 19 years. Three of her four children died prematurely. The fourth, Carlo, lived only to age 16 and died the same year as her husband. Costanza, now 38, began to visit and assist the sick and to share her belongings with the poor and orphans. In 1856, she took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Young women asked to join her, forming the Sisters of the Holy Family. Costanza took the name Sister Paola Elisabetta. Mother Paola’s her special care was to form her religious sons and daughters to love and educate the neglected and lost ones under their care. She died on December 24, 1865.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour,” a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada was born in Avila, Spain in 1515. Her parents were pious Catholics and in some ways inspired their daughter to take up a life of prayer. As a young child, Teresa showed signs of a deeply religious nature; she would often retreat into silence for prayer and would enjoy giving alms to the poor. At the age of 16, Teresa’s father sent her to a convent school to be educated. There Teresa found her calling to a spiritual life and became a nun of the Carmelite Order. Shortly after becoming a nun, Teresa suffered a severe bout of malaria, which left her in great pain for a long period. At one point it was feared that her illness was so severe that she would not be able to recover. However, during this period of intense physical pain, she began to experience divine visions and an inner sense of peace. At the age of 43, St. Teresa decided to found a new order recommitting to the values of poverty and simplicity. She founded the convent of Discalced Carmelite Nuns and devoted much of the rest of her life to travelling around Spain setting up new convents. St. Teresa of Avila died in 1582 at the age of 67. She was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV. Her feast day is celebrated on October 15.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Our Lady of Walsingham is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by Roman Catholics and Anglicans associated with the Marian apparitions to Richeldis de Faverches, a pious English noblewoman, in 1061 in the village of Walsingham in Norfolk, England. According to legend, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Lady Richeldis and transported her soul from England to Nazareth during a religious ecstasy to show her the house where the Holy Family once lived. Our Lady tasked Lady Richeldis to build a replica of the home in which the Annunciation of Archangel Gabriel occurred. The task was accomplished as requested. The building structure came to be known as the "Holy House," and later became a shrine and place of pilgrimage.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org As a thirteen-year-old shepherd of Sisan, Turkey, Simeon heard a Gospel reading of the Beatitudes that greatly affected him. Entering a nearby monastery, he learned all the Psalms by heart and began to manifest the extraordinary spirit of self-denial that was to become a hallmark of his spirituality. Thereafter Simeon lived as a hermit. In the year 423 he imposed on himself the unusual mortification of living atop a pillar only a few feet in diameter and about ten feet high. Later a much taller pillar over sixty-five feet high was built for him. The local bishops and abbots tested his virtue by commanding him to come down from the pillar, a command they immediately rescinded after the hermit demonstrated his humble willingness to obey them. One bishop even brought him Holy Communion. Simeon devoted himself to prayer, but also gave exhortations twice daily to those who gathered around the pillar to hear him. His words won the conversion of pagans in the audience. Simeon would urge his listeners to pray for the salvation of souls.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Elizabeth of Hungary, also known as St. Elizabeth of Thuringia, was born in Hungary in 1207 to the Hungarian King Andrew II and Gertrude of Merania. At the age of four, Elizabeth was betrothed to Ludwig IV of Thuringia, a German nobleman. In 1221, Elizabeth and Ludwig were married. Together the couple had three children. At around the same time period, Franciscan friars arrived in Thuringia and taught 16-year-old Elizabeth all about Francis of Assisi's ideals. She made a decision to live her life mirroring his. Ludwig, who was now one of the rulers of Thuringia, supported and encouraged Elizabeth's religious endeavors even though she was a part of the royal court.  The couple lived with a remarkable generosity toward the poor. Tragedy struck when Ludwig died in 1227.  After his death, Elizabeth left the court, made arrangements for the care of her children, and in 1228, renounced the world, joining the Third Order of St. Francis. Having received her dowry, Elizabeth founded a hospital in honor of St. Francis, where she personally devoted herself to the care of the sick. Elizabeth died at the age of 24 on November 17, 1231 in Marburg, Hesse. She was canonized in 1235 by Pope Gregory IX.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Rose of Lima is remembered for her piety and chastity. Born in 1586 in Lima, Peru to Spanish colonists, and named Isabel Flores de Olivia, she was exceptionally beautiful. Her beauty was so great that she was nicknamed "Rose." From an early age, Rose wanted to become a nun. She often prayed and fasted in secret. Rose kept herself cloistered in her room, spending long periods in prayer. It was said she slept only two hours per night so as to have more time for prayer. When she turned 20, Rose was permitted to join the Third Order of St. Dominic. She continued a life of extreme prayer, fasting and penance. St. Rose died in 1617 at the age of 31. Pope Clement IX beatified her in 1667 and Pope Clement X recognized her as a saint, canonizing her in 1671. Her feast day is celebrated on August 23.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Born in Bithynia, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), circa 248, St. Helena was married to Roman Emperor Constantius and had a son who would become Constantine I, also known as Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to become a Christian. St. Helena, who converted as well, oversaw the construction of churches on Holy Land sites. She would later be credited with discovering the cross upon which Jesus Christ is believed to have been crucified.  St. Helena was renowned for helping entire communities through her works of charity. She helped the poor and destitute. She visited churches and left them rich donations. St. Helena was a very devout servant of God. Through her influence and work, Christianity continued to spread throughout the known world. St. Helena died circa 328 in Nicomedia (present-day Turkey). Her feast day is celebrated on August 18.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Blessed Joan of Aza was born in the Old Castile region of Spain. The date of her birth is unrecorded. She married Felix de Guzman, governor of Calaruega, Burgos, Spain circa 1165. Joan and her husband had three grown children together. While pregnant with her fourth child, Joan had a dream of a dog carrying a torch in his mouth. When she shared this dream with her spiritual director, he suggested that this meant that the child she carried would grow to become the watchdog of the Church. She gave birth to a son and named him Dominic. That child grew up to be St. Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Order of Preachers, the first order within the Church to focus on study and spreading of the Word of God. Joan of Aza died circa 1190 in Celeruga, Spain. Popular devotion to Joan sprang up almost immediately upon her death. She was beatified in 1828 by Pope Leo XII. Her memorial day is celebrated on August 2.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Francis Ignatius Vincent Peis was born in Laconi, Italy on December 17, 1701 to a poor farming family. His mother named him Francis because she attributed his safe delivery after a difficult pregnancy to the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi. In her petitions, she promised the saint that she would name her baby Francis and that he would join the Capuchins as an adult. Since his early childhood, Francis demonstrated a capacity for hard work in the fields and a strong piety. He would often be seen in prayer and was known to wait at the church doors every morning in prayer until they were opened. Francis wanted to join the Capuchins as a teenager, but his father would not allow him to because the family depended on his labor to survive. However, on surviving a riding accident through God’s intervention at the age of 20, he decided to enter the Capuchin monastery at once, and took his vows a year later, taking his second name, Ignatius, as his religious name. Ignatius spent his first 15 years as a Capuchin doing various menial jobs around the monastery and for the last 40 years of his life he was appointed questor, or official beggar for the monastery. He would travel around the town collecting food and donations for the friars. He was particularly well-loved by the poor and by children, and was often given alms by those who barely had anything to give. He refused them from the very poor, saying that it was better that they keep it for themselves. He tended to the sick during his daily rounds through town, and many miracles of healing were said to have occurred through his intercession. St. Ignatius of Laconi died in 1781. He was canonized 1951 by Pope Pius XII.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Bridget of Sweden was born circa 1303 to a prestigious family. From an early age, she had remarkable religious visions that prompted her to lead a simple and pious life. In 1316 she married Ulf Gudmarsson, later governor of the province of Nericia, and bore eight children, including St. Catherine of Sweden. Following the death of her husband in 1344, Bridget retired to a life of penance and prayer near the Cistercian monastery of Alvastra. To the prior, Peter Olafsson, she dictated the revelations that came to her, and he translated them into Latin. One was a command to found a new religious order. In 1370, she founded the Birgittines, also known as the Order of the Most Holy Savior. Bridget ministered among the rich and poor, sheltering the homeless and sinners, and worked tirelessly for the return of the papacy from Avignon to Rome. St. Bridget of Sweden died in 1373 and was canonized in 1391 by Pope Boniface IX. Her feast day is celebrated on July 23.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Born on July 5, 1773 in Le Blanc, France, Elizabeth was the daughter of Antoine Bichier, the Seigneur of Ages and a public official, and Marie Augier de Moussac, whose father was a politician. She spent much of her childhood at the convent at Poitiers. In 1792, after the death of her father, Elizabeth and her mother went to live in La Guimetière. Near their new home was a parish left in chaos because of the French Revolution. Elizabeth dedicated herself to rebuilding the community. Every night she gathered parishioners for prayers and hymns. Elizabeth became friends with a local priest, André-Hubert Fournet (who later became a saint), and together they reestablished religion in the area. With Fr. Fournet’s spiritual guidance and assistance, Elizabeth found her true vocation. In 1806, she established a religious congregation of women to care for the sick and aged, for the education of children, and to offer reparation for the blasphemies and sacrileges committed against the Most Blessed Sacrament during the French Revolution. The congregation was officially recognized by the diocese in 1816 and named Daughters of the Cross. During her lifetime, Elizabeth established over sixty convents under the rule of the Daughters of the Cross. In 1836, Elizabeth fell seriously ill. After ten days of intense suffering, she died on August 26. She was canonized in 1947.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Thomas was born a Jew and was called to be one of the twelve Apostles. His birth and death dates are unknown, but his feast day is celebrated July 3. He lived before the formal establishment of the Catholic Church but is recognized as the patron saint of architects. He was a dedicated but impetuous follower of Christ. When Jesus said He was returning to Judea to visit His sick friend Lazarus, Thomas immediately exhorted the other Apostles to accompany Him on the trip which involved certain danger and possible death because of the mounting hostility of the authorities. At the Last Supper, when Christ told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them to which they also might come because they knew both the place and the way, Thomas pleaded that they did not understand and received the beautiful assurance that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. St. Thomas is best known for his role in verifying the Resurrection of his Master. Thomas' unwillingness to believe that the other Apostles had seen their risen Lord on the first Easter Sunday earned him the title of "doubting Thomas."

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Aloysius Gonzaga was born the eldest of seven children in Castiglione, Italy into the illustrious House of Gonzaga. As the first-born son, he stood to inherit his father's title and status. However, by the age of 9 Aloysius had decided on a religious life. Wishing for a strong heir to perpetuate the family name, his father violently objected. Eventually, his father relented. In 1585, Aloysius gave up all rights of inheritance and was accepted into the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Rome. In 1587, he took his religious vows and began studying theology to prepare for ordination. In 1591, a plague broke out in Rome. The Jesuits opened a hospital for the stricken, and Aloysius volunteered to work there. He begged for alms and washed and fed the victims. He soon contracted the disease and died in 1591 at the age of 23. St. Aloysius Gonzaga was beatified in 1605 by Pope Paul V and canonized in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII. His feast day is celebrated on June 21.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Anthony of Padua was born on August 15, 1195 in Lisbon, Portugal to a prominent family. At 15 years of age, St. Anthony, then-called Ferdinand, entered the Order of St. Augustine. The young monk, viewing a solemn funeral procession for five Franciscans who were martyred in Morocco, was inspired to leave the Augustinian monastery to become a Franciscan. He took the name Anthony. The life of St. Anthony of Padua was filled with great and holy experiences. A nobleman who lived close to Padua, Italy had a large property which housed a chapel and a hermitage for the friars. St. Anthony often stayed at there. One night, his small room filled up with light. Jesus appeared to Anthony in the form of a tiny child. Passing by the hermitage, the nobleman saw the light shining from the room and St. Anthony holding and speaking with the infant. The nobleman fell to his knees upon seeing this wondrous sight. When the vision ended, St. Anthony saw the man kneeling at the open door and begged him not to reveal what he had seen until after Anthony’s death. Artwork depicting St. Anthony of Padua frequently shows him holding the infant Jesus in his arms. St. Anthony of Padua died on June 13, 1231 in Padua, Italy at the age of 36. He was canonized less than one year later by Pope Gregory IX.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Damien of Molokai, also called Father Damien, was born Jozef De Veuster on January 3, 1840 in Tremelo, Belgium. He was educated at the college of Braine-le-Comte, and in 1858 he joined the Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary at Leuven, Belgium. In 1863, Fr. Damien went as a missionary to the Hawaiian Islands. Moved by the miserable condition of the lepers whom the Hawaiian government had deported to the island of Molokai, he volunteered to take charge of the settlement. Fr. Damien served as both pastor and physician to the colony and undertook many projects to better the conditions there. He improved water and food supplies and housing and founded two orphanages. After sixteen years in the colony, Fr. Damien succumbed to leprosy on April 15, 1889 at the age of 49. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Joan of Arc was born on January 6, 1412 in Domremy, France to a peasant family. She was only 12 when she experienced a vision and heard voices that she later identified as Saints Michael the Archangel, Catherine of Alexandria, and Margaret of Antioch. Joan believed that God had chosen her to lead France to victory in its Hundred Years’ War with England. With no military training, Joan convinced the embattled crown prince Charles of Valois to allow her to lead a French army to the besieged city of Orleans, where it achieved a momentous victory over the English. After seeing the prince crowned King Charles VII, Joan was captured by the English and tried for witchcraft and heresy. She was found guilty and burned at the stake in 1431, at the age of 19. She was posthumously acquitted at a retrial 25 years later. Joan of Arc was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Lutgarde was born in 1182 in Tongres, Belgium. When she was twelve she was placed in St. Catherine's Benedictine Convent at Saint Trond because her family did not have the necessary dowry for marriage. During her teenage years, a young man fell in love with her and began paying her frequent visits. One day, while Lutgarde was speaking with her admirer, a vision of Jesus appeared before her and revealed the spear wound in His side. Her eyes fixed upon the wound in the Heart of Christ, she lost all consciousness of her surroundings and indicated to her visitor that something extraordinary had happened. This vision of Christ compelled Lutgarde to become a Benedictine nun. St. Lutgarde had many mystical experiences, levitated, and had a form of the stigmata. She was blind for the last eleven years of her life, and died of natural causes on June 16, 1246 at the age of 64. She is revered as one of the leading mystics of the 13th century.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Born near Aosta in Italy in 1033, St. Anselm began his education under the tutelage of the monks of a local Benedictine monastery. At age 27, he fulfilled his desire to be a monk. He entered the monastery of Bec in Normandy and was elected Prior three years later. St. Anselm was later named Abbot of the monastery. In 1093 he was summoned to England to become the Archbishop of Canterbury. The brilliance of St. Anselm's thinking and writing about the nature of faith and of God has influenced scholars since the Middle Ages. His written works have been studied and praised by many of the world's greatest theologians and philosophers. St. Anselm died in the year 1109.  We celebrate his feast day on April 21.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born in New York City on August 28, 1774 to a prominent Episcopal family. At the age of 19, Elizabeth married William Magee Seton, a wealthy businessman. The couple’s happy life turned tragic when William's business went bankrupt and his health failed. William died of tuberculosis in 1803, leaving Elizabeth penniless with five small children to support. After discovering Catholicism in Italy, where she had lived for a short period of time, Elizabeth returned to New York and joined the Catholic Church in 1805. In 1809, she made her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. She moved to Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she founded the Sisters of Charity, the first community for religious women established in the United States. She also began St. Joseph’s Academy and Free School, planting the seeds of Catholic education in the United States. Her legacy now includes religious congregations in the United States and Canada, whose members work to meet the needs of people living in poverty. Elizabeth Ann Seton died on January 4, 1821 at the age of 46. She was beatified by Pope John XXIII in 1963 and canonized on September 14, 1975 by Pope Paul VI.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org John Baptist de la Salle was a French priest, educational reformer, and founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Born to a wealthy family in Rheims, France in 1651, La Salle felt called to the priesthood very early in life. La Salle received the tonsure at age 11 and was named canon of Rheims Cathedral when he was 16. He was ordained to the priesthood at the age of 26.  Inspired by a fellow Frenchman who had opened four schools for poor boys, Fr. LaSalle founded the Brothers of the Christian Schools. They were the first religious order established to educate the poor. La Salle was one of the first to emphasize classroom teaching over individual instruction and age-level grades. He taught students in their native language instead of instructing them in Latin, as was commonly done. Students were also encouraged to learn a trade so they could support themselves and a family after they completed their education. John Baptist de la Salle died in 1719 and was canonized in 1900 by Pope Leo XIII. He was named "Patron Saint of Teachers" by Pope Pius XII in 1950. We celebrate his feast day on April 7.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org In this powerful episode, the story of Jesus’ trip from Bethany to Jerusalem is told through the lens of two people in the desert. A crippled Bedouin Arab chieftain, traveling through the desert to find the "Miracle Worker," is abandoned by his caretaker brother and left to die so he could take over the tribe. Rachel, a follower of the Nazarene, finds the chief near death in the desert, hungry and thirsty. She learns the chief was on the road seeking Jesus’ healing. She reveals that she has already been healed from a sinful life by Jesus. Rachel leaves to find food and returns worried that the townspeople are plotting to imprison the so-called Messiah. She wants to warn Jesus of what awaits Him in Jerusalem. The chief is more interested in finding Jesus so he will cure his lameness. Jesus tells the chief that he must first forgive his brother before he can be truly healed.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Patrick of Ireland was born in Britain around the year 386. Around the age of fourteen, he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream in which God told him to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britain and was reunited with his family. Patrick entered the priesthood and, inspired by a vision, he returned to Ireland, then a land of Druids and pagans. Patrick spent 40 years preaching the Gospel and converting people throughout Ireland. He built churches across the country, and many miracles were attributed to him. St. Patrick died on March 17, 461. We observe the Feast of St. Patrick on March 17.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Catherine de Vigri was born on September 8, 1413 in Bologna, Italy. She was a member of an aristocratic family and the daughter of a diplomat to the Marquis of Ferrara. Catherine received a wonderful education in reading, writing, singing and drawing while being raised at the court of the Marquis. She excelled in painting, Latin and the viola. When the Marquis’ daughter eventually married, she wanted Catherine to remain in her service, but Catherine instead became a Franciscan Tertiary. Eventually, the community to which Catherine belonged adopted the second rule of the Franciscans, joining the Order of the Poor Clares. Catherine was graced with many spiritual gifts throughout her life. A mystic, she frequently experienced visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Christ at the hour of His crucifixion, and Satan. In the most remarkable of her visions, the Blessed Virgin appeared to Catherine with the swaddled baby Jesus in her arms. The Mother of God handed the Infant to Catherine, who joyously held Him and kissed His cheek. St. Catherine of Bologna lived a Christian life of perfect piety, charity, and kindness. She died in 1463 at the age of 50. She was canonized on May 22, 1712 by Pope Clement XI. Her feast day is celebrated on March 9.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org The valiant woman who became world-renown as Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910 in Macedonia. At the age of 18, she joined the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland and took the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Therese of Lisieux. In 1929, she was sent to Calcutta, India to become a teacher. In 1946, Mother Teresa, as she was now called, received inspiration to leave her job as a teacher and minister among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta.  She established the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, a community dedicated to that cause. Today their foundations are located all over the world. Mother Teresa received worldwide recognition for her work and, in 1979, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She humbly received awards and accolades "for the glory of God and in the name of the poor." Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003 and canonized by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Orsola Giuliani was born on December 27, 1660 in Mercatello, Italy. At the age of 17, Orsola was received into the monastery of the Capuchin Poor Clares in Città di Castello in Umbria, Italy, taking the name of Veronica in memory of the Passion. At the conclusion of the ceremony of her reception, the bishop said to the abbess: "I commend this new daughter to your special care, for she will one day be a great saint." After 17 years in various offices in her community, she was entrusted with the guidance of the novices. It was at this time in her life when Veronica began to experience mystical revelations and she received the stigmata. Veronica was examined and tested by a local bishop. At the conclusion of these trials, the bishop reported to Rome that his tests had proved the admirable manifestations to be the work of God. St. Veronica Giuliani died on July 9, 1727. She was canonized by Pope Gregory XVI in 1839. Her feast day is July 9.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Hildegard, also called Hildegard of Bingen, was born in 1098 in Bockelheim, Germany to noble parents. She was educated at the Benedictine cloister of Disibodenberg by the holy woman, Blessed Jutta. She received her habit at age 15 and began a religious life. Hildegard succeeded Jutta as prioress in 1136. Having experienced visions since she was a child, at age 43 she consulted her confessor, who in turn reported the matter to the Archbishop of Mainz. A committee of theologians subsequently confirmed the authenticity of Hildegard’s visions, and a monk was appointed to help her record them in writing. The finished work, Scivias (1141–52), consists of 26 visions that are prophetic and apocalyptic in form and in their treatment of such topics as the church, the relationship between God and humanity, and redemption. About 1147 Hildegard left Disibodenberg with several nuns to found a new convent at Rupertsberg, where she continued to exercise the gift of prophecy and to record her visions in writing. St. Hildegard died on September 17, 1179 at the age of 81. Although she was long considered a saint, Hildegard was not formally canonized until May 10, 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.  Later that year, Benedict proclaimed St. Hildegard a Doctor of the Church, one of only four women to have been so named.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Alfred Bessette was born in Quebec on August 9, 1845. Alfred was a sickly and frail child, but from an early age he had a deep faith in God and a strong devotion to St. Joseph. His pastor encouraged Alfred to consider a vocation to religious life. With the assistance of the Archbishop of Montreal, he was received into the Congregation of Holy Cross at the age of 25. Alfred took the name Andre in religious life. Brother Andre was assigned as doorkeeper of Notre Dame College in Montreal where he greeted visitors and tended to their needs. Many people began to experience physical healings after praying with Brother Andre, and he became to be known as the "Miracle Man of Montreal."  His desire to increase devotion to St. Joseph inspired Brother Andre to found Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal in Quebec. Brother Andre died on January 6, 1937 at the age of 91. He became the first saint of the Congregation of Holy Cross when he was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 17, 2010.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Angela Merici was born on March 21, 1474 in Desenzano, Italy. At just 10-years-old, Angela and her older sister were orphaned and went to live with their uncle in Saló. There they led a quiet and devout Catholic Christian life. After the untimely death of her sister, Angela was saddened by the fact that she had not had the opportunity to receive her last Sacraments and was concerned for her sister's eternal salvation. Angela was inspired by the Holy Spirit to dedicate herself to the Lord and to give her life in service to the Church to help everyone grow closer to the Lord. In a vision, Angela saw her sister in the company of the saints in Heaven. She became increasingly more devout and joined the secular Third Order of St. Francis. When Angela was 20-years-old, she returned to her hometown of Desenzano. She found there were many young girls who had no education at all, and her heart was moved to find a way to help them. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Angela founded the Ursulines, a religious community of women with a teaching ministry. The Ursulines opened schools and orphanages and in 1537, Angela was elected "Mother and Mistress" of the group. St. Angela Merici died on January 27, 1540 and was canonized on May 24, 1807 by Pope Pius VII. Her feast day is celebrated on January 27.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org St. Genevieve was a peasant girl born around 422 in Nanterre, France. When Genevieve was only 7 years-old, St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre visited Nanterre on his way to Britain. While he was there, many people flocked to receive his blessing. The child Genevieve stood amid a crowd which had gathered around the Bishop, and he singled her out and foretold her future sanctity. Encouraged by Germanus, Genevieve dedicated her life to prayer, practices of devotion and a acts of penance. When she was only 15-years-old, she met with the Bishop of Paris and asked to become a nun. From this moment, she also began praying continuously and fasting, eating only twice a week, as a sign of her devotion to God. Her dedicated Christian way of life was filled with the signs of the Holy Spirit working through her. The signs included miracles and spiritually-inspired predictions. She frequently had visions of heavenly angels and saints. However, when she shared those visions and experiences of the Lord, people began to turn against her. They called her a hypocrite and accused her of being a false visionary. When Attila and his army of Huns came upon Paris, the Parisian Christians were prepared to run, but Genevieve spoke to them and convinced them to stay within their homes, fast and pray to the Lord. She assured them they would have the protection of Heaven. Her prediction came true as Attila suddenly changed his path and turned away from Paris. The people no longer doubted Genevieve’s holiness.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org In today’s episode, a troubled woman is unable to move on from her painful past. Her priest reminds her that our Lord’s grace and strength indwells and sustains us when we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist.

Rebroadcast of the long-running radio program, "The Ave Maria Hour," a presentation of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. www.AtonementFriars.org Alexandre De Rhodes (1591 -1660) was a Jesuit missionary and the first Frenchman to visit Vietnam. De Rhodes was admitted to the Society of Jesus at Rome in 1612 and in 1619 went to Indochina to establish a mission. He later estimated that he had converted some 6,700 Vietnamese to the Roman Catholic faith.