SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 15TH

MEMORIAL OF SAINT LOUISE DE MARILLAC,  WIDOW; SAINT LONGINUS THE CENTURION, MARTYR AND SAINT CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER, PRIEST: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 15TH: Today, we honor the Memorial of Saint Louise de Marillac, Widow, a devoted servant who co-founded the Daughters of Charity, dedicating her life to serving the poor and sick (Patron Saint of sick people, widows, orphans, and Social Workers); Saint Longinus the Centurion, Martyr (the Roman soldier who pierced the side of Jesus, the Sacred Heart and later converted to Christianity, becoming a martyr for his faith (Patron Saint of the blind and people with poor eyesight, of labor, of power, and of good discernment) and Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, Priest, a Redemptorist priest known as the “Apostle of Vienna,” or the Apostle on the Move, who tirelessly worked for the renewal of the Church and the care of the poor (Co-Patron of Vienna and Warsaw).

Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy Saints on this feast day, we humbly offer prayers for all who serve selflessly in caring for the marginalized, for those who have converted to the faith and face persecution, and for priests and religious dedicated to the renewal and mission of the Church. We pray for all those who are sick, especially those who are blind and those with poor eyesight. We also pray for orphans, widows, social workers, travellers, missionaries and for the conversion of sinners. May the examples of these saints inspire us to deepen our commitment to service, courage in faith, and dedication to God’s will… Amen 🙏🏽

“O God, who have taught your Church to keep all the heavenly commandments by love of You as God and love of neighbor; grant that practicing the works of charity after the example of blessed Saint Louise de Marillac, we may be worthy to be numbered among the blessed in your Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.” Amen. 🙏🏽

Saint Louise de Marillac; Saint Longinus; and Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽

SAINT LOUISE DE MARILLAC, WIDOW: St. Louise De Marillac (1591-1660) was born on August 15, 1591 near the town of Meux, Paris, France to a noble family. Her mother died shortly after her birth, and her father when she was sixteen years of age. St. Louise received an education from the Dominican convent at Poissy and eventually discerned that she was called to religious life. After consulting her confessor concerning her plans to enter the religious life, Louise decided not to pursue this vocation. Instead, in 1613, St. Louise de Marrillac married an official of the royal court, Antony Le Gras and she  became known as Mademoiselle Le Gras. Her husband died thirteen years later in 1625, leaving St. Louise with a young son. After his death in 1625, St. Louise again began to think about joining a religious community. She became a nun and chose St. Vincent de Paul, then known as Monsieur Vincent, as her spiritual director. She became an active supporter of the charitable work of St Vincent de Paul, who came to put more and more reliance on her. With the help of Monsieur Vincent, St. Louise established the Daughters of Charity, a group of women dedicated to serving the sick, the poor and the neglected as it was frowned upon for wealthy women to serve those outside of their own social class besides raising money. They were dedicated to the corporal and spiritual service of the poor in their homes.

In 1642, St. Louise wrote the formal Rule for the Daughters of Charity and in 1655 they received formal approval from the Vatican. Her clear intelligence and wide sympathy played a big part in the beginnings of the congregation, whose aspirants she trained and whose rapid growth involved responsibilities which largely fell on her. After forming the Rule for the Daughters of Charity, St. Louise traveled around France forming convents and instituting the Daughters as workers in hospitals, orphanages and other institutions dedicated to helping the neglected. St. Louise worked zealously until her death in Paris in the year 1660. At the time of her death there were already over forty houses of the sisters in France, the sick poor were looked after at home in twenty-six Parisian parishes, hundreds of women were given shelter, and there were other undertakings as well. St Louise was not physically robust, but she had great powers of endurance, and her selfless devotion was a source of incalculable help and encouragement to Monsieur Vincent. She was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934 and was declared patroness of social workers in 1960. She’s the Patron Saint of disappointing children, widows, loss of parents, sick people, social workers, Vincentian Service Corps, people rejected by religious order

PRAYER: God, You inspired St. Louise to strive for perfect charity and so attain Your Kingdom at the end of her pilgrimage on earth. Strengthen us through her intercession in the way of love. Amen 🙏🏽

SAINT LONGINUS THE CENTURION, MARTYR: The Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion (whose feast is traditionally honored on March 15th, though also observed on October 16th in the modern Roman and Eastern calendars), a Roman soldier, served in Judea under the command of the Governor, Pontius Pilate. When our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified, it was the detachment of soldiers under the command of Longinus which stood watch on Golgotha, at the very foot of the holy Cross. Longinus and his soldiers were eyewitnesses of the final moments of the earthly life of the Lord, and of the great and awesome portents that appeared at His death. These events shook the centurion’s soul. Longinus believed in Christ and confessed before everyone, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Mt. 27:54). According to Church Tradition, Longinus was the soldier who pierced the side of the Crucified Savior with a spear, and received healing from an eye affliction when blood and water poured forth from the wound. After the Crucifixion and Burial of the Savior, Longinus stood watch with his company at the Sepulchre of the Lord. These soldiers were present at the All-Radiant Resurrection of Christ. The Jews bribed them to lie and say that His disciples had stolen away the Body of Christ, but Longinus and two of his comrades refused to be seduced by the Jewish gold. They also refused to remain silent about the miracle of the Resurrection. Having come to believe in the Savior, the soldiers received Baptism from the apostles and decided to leave military service. Saint Longinus left Judea to preach about Jesus Christ the Son of God in his native land (Cappadocia), and his two comrades followed him. The fiery words of those who had actually participated in the great events in Judea swayed the hearts and minds of the Cappadocians; Christianity began quickly to spread throughout the city and the surrounding villages. When they learned of this, the Jewish elders persuaded Pilate to send a company of soldiers to Cappadocia to kill Longinus and his comrades. When the soldiers arrived at Longinus’s village, the former centurion himself came out to meet the soldiers and took them to his home. After a meal, the soldiers revealed the purpose of their visit, not knowing that the master of the house was the very man whom they were seeking. Then Longinus and his friends identified themselves and told the startled soldiers to carry out their duty. The soldiers wanted to let the saints go and advised them to flee, but they refused to do this, showing their firm intention to suffer for Christ. The holy martyrs were beheaded, and their bodies were buried at the place where the saints were martyred. The head of Saint Longinus, however, was sent to Pilate.

Pilate gave orders to cast the martyr’s head on a trash-heap outside the city walls. After a while a certain blind widow from Cappadocia arrived in Jerusalem with her son to pray at the holy places, and to ask that her sight be restored. After becoming blind, she had sought the help of physicians to cure her, but all their efforts were in vain. The woman’s son became ill shortly after reaching Jerusalem, and he died a few days later. The widow grieved for the loss of her son, who had served as her guide. Saint Longinus appeared to her in a dream and comforted her. He told her that she would see her son in heavenly glory, and also receive her sight. He told her to go outside the city walls and there she would find his head in a great pile of refuse. Guides led the blind woman to the rubbish heap, and she began to dig with her hands. As soon as she touched the martyr’s head, the woman received her sight, and she glorified God and Saint Longinus. Taking up the head, she brought it to the place she was staying and washed it. The next night, Saint Longinus appeared to her again, this time with her son. They were surrounded by a bright light, and Saint Longinus said, “Woman, behold the son for whom you grieve. See what glory and honor are his now, and be consoled. God has numbered him with those in His heavenly Kingdom. Now take my head and your son’s body, and bury them in the same casket. Do not weep for your son, for he will rejoice forever in great glory and happiness.” The woman carried out the saint’s instructions and returned to her home in Cappadocia. There she buried her son and the head of Saint Longinus. Once, she had been overcome by grief for her son, but her weeping was transformed into joy when she saw him with Saint Longinus. She had sought healing for her eyes, and also received healing of her soul. St. Longinus  is the Patron Saint of the blind and people with poor eyesight, of labor, of power, and of good discernment.

PRAYER: O Saint Longinus, you were chosen as the venerable gate keeper and was granted the gift of discernment by the Lord; an eyewitness of God’s miracle who glorified the resurrected Christ. To your death, you remained Christ’s soldier and for Christ you gave your head. Pray for us, therefore, O St. Longinus so that being inspired by your example and assisted by your prayers, we may live a holy life, die a happy death, and reach eternal life to praise and thank God in heaven with you. I ask you to pray to God this special request if it be His holy will… Amen 🙏🏽

Almighty, Eternal God, You were pleased to make Your Church illustrious through the varied splendor of St. Longinus. As we venerate his memory, may we also follow such shining examples of virtue on earth and thus obtain merited crowns in Heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord… Amen 🙏🏽

SAINT CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER, PRIEST: Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer (1751-1821) was born on December 26,1751, at Taswitz, Moravia to a butcher and his wife and was baptized John. His family name was originally Dvorak, but was changed to the German Hofbauer. He was the youngest of twelve children, St. Clement was six years old when his father died. His great desire was to become a priest, but since his family was unable to give him the necessary education, he became a baker’s assistant, devoting all his spare time to study. He was a servant in the Premonstratensian monastery of Bruck from 1771 to 1775, then lived for some time as a hermit. As part of his so-called Josephinist policies, Austrian Emperor Jo­seph II abolished hermitages, and Clement went to Vienna, where he and a friend, Peter Kunzmann, received permission from Bishop Chiaramonti of Tivoli, Italy, to live in a hermitage. Bishop Chiaramonti later became Pope Pius VII.

He made three pilgrimages to Rome, and during the third, accompanied by a good friend, he entered with the same friend the Redemptorist novitiate at San Giuliano. The two were professed in 1785 and ordained a few days later. They were stationed in Vienna, but Emperor Joseph II closed religious foundations, so they were sent to Courtland. Peter Kunzmann joined Clement as a lay brother, and the three were sent to St. Benno’s Church in Warsaw, Poland, to begin two decades of missionary labors from 1786 to 1808. The church in Warsaw was granted by King Stanislaus Poniatowski, and they labored under incredible difficulties. A larger church was also reserved for them, where daily instructions were given for non-Catholics. Saint Clement  preached and also founded in Warsaw an orphanage and a school for boys and established a vast Redemptorist presence in the city. His great friend, Thaddeus Habul, died in 1807; the following year four houses founded by Saint Clement were suppressed and the Redemptorists expelled from the Grand Duchy. Napoleon suppressed all religious institutions, and Clement and the Redemptorists were imprisoned in 1808, each one then exiled to his own native land. St. Clement went with one companion to Vienna, where for the last twelve years of his life he acted as chaplain and director at an Ursuline convent and pastor of the adjoining parish. There he exercised a veritable apostolate among all classes in the capital. He devoted himself in a special way to the conversion and formation of young men. He became known for his holiness and zeal. He founded a Catholic college and began to reform and revitalize the Catholic faith of Austria and Germany. Prince Rupert of Bavaria aided Clement in defeating a move to establish a German national Church. St. Clement also fought against Josephinism and was about to be expelled from Austria for his opposition to such secular control, when, surprisingly, Emperor Joseph’s successor, Emperor Francis I, defended him. St. Clement died in Vienna on March 15, 1821. When he died, Pius VII said, Religion in Austria has lost its chief support. On April 19, the Emperor admitted the Congregation into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thanks to Fr. Joseph Passerat, one of St. Clement´s first companions, the Congregation spread from Vienna throughout Northern Europe. St  Clement was canonized by Saint Pius X on May 20, 1909. He is co-patron Vienna and Warsaw.

PRAYER: God of the Journey I pray, O God, for all who under full sail journey upon unchartered waters. God of the universe, You are on a journey and You are taking us with You. Help us to keep up and give as companions along the way. I commend to your care people on really big journeys. I pray with those entering a relationship or leaving one, those leaving home or returning, for the sick and the dying, and for immigrants, asylum-seekers and tourists. St Clement Hofbauer, the Apostle on the move… pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽

Through the intercession of Saints Louise de Marillac, Longinus, and Clement Mary Hofbauer, may we be inspired to live lives of profound faith, unwavering hope, and boundless charity. 🙏🏽