The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (also known as “Trappists”) is a Roman Catholic contemplative religious order, consisting of monasteries of monks and monasteries of nuns. We are part of the larger Cistercian family which traces its origin to 1098. As Cistercians we follow the Rule of St Benedict, and so are part of the Benedictine family as well. Our lives are dedicated to seeking union with God, through Jesus Christ, in a community of sisters or brothers.
Early Monasticism
Jesus in the desert
The concept of monasticism is ancient and is found in many religions and philosophies. In the centuries immediately before Christ, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism all developed alternative styles of life which involved renouncing the world in some ways, in order to seek liberation or purification or union with God, sometimes as a solitary ascetic, sometimes in community.
Early Christian monasticism drew its inspiration from the examples of the Prophet Elijah and John the Baptist, who both lived alone in the desert, and above all from the story of Jesus’ time in solitary struggle with Satan in the desert, before his public ministry. Beginning with the Exodus and all through the Old Testament times, the desert was regarded as a place of spiritual renewal and a return to God. Although there were ascetics, especially women ascetics, among the first generations of Christians, they generally lived in the towns and cities.
St John the Baptist
St. Anthony the Great (ca. 251-356) was the first well-known Christian to withdraw to the desert. According to the Life of Anthony written by St Athanasius in the mid fourth century, Anthony retreated to the wastelands of Egypt to lead an intensely ascetic life with the sole purpose of pursuing God in solitary prayer. He remained alone until his holiness and evident wholesomeness attracted a growing circle of followers. So deep was his influence that he is considered the father, not only of the movement of Desert Fathers and Mothers of fourth – fifth century Egypt, but also the father of the entire Christian monastic family.
St Anthony While the earliest Desert Fathers lived as hermits, they were rarely completely isolated, but often lived in proximity to one another, and soon loose-knit communities began to form in such places as the Desert of Nitria and the Desert of Skete. The progression from hermit (“anchorite”) to monk (“cenobite”) living in community under one abbot, came quickly, when in 346 St Pachomius established in Egypt the first cenobitic Christian monastery.
Mary of Egypt
The Eastern monastic teachings were brought to the western church by Saint John Cassian (ca. 360 – ca. 435). As a young adult, he and his friend Germanus entered a monastery in Palestine but then journeyed to Egypt to visit the eremitic groups in Nitria. Many years later, Cassian founded a monastery of monks and probably also one of nuns near Marseilles, and partly to counter what he felt were the abuses he found in Western monasticism, he wrote two long works, the Institutes and Conferences. In these books he not only transmitted his Egyptian experience (they are perhaps the oldest written record of the thought of the Desert Fathers), but he also gave Christian monasticism a profound evangelical and theological basis.
Cassian’s influence was enormous and lasted for centuries – even the smallest monastic library in Europe’s Dark Ages would have its copy of Cassian. Furthermore, St. Benedict incorporated Cassian’s thought into his monastic Rule, and recommended that his monks read Cassian’s works. Since the Rule of St Benedict is still used by Benedictine, Cistercian, and Trappist monastics, the thought of John Cassian, and the desert tradition behind him, still guides the spiritual lives of thousands of men and women in the Catholic Church.
The fear of the Lord is our cross. Just as someone who is crucified no longer has the power of moving or turning his limbs in any direction as he pleases, so we also ought to fasten our wishes and desires, not in accordance with what is pleasant and delightful to us now, but in accordance with the law of the Lord, where it hems us in. Being fastened to the wood of the cross means: no longer considering things present; not thinking about one’s preferences; not being disturbed by anxiety and care for the future; not being aroused by any desire to possess, nor inflamed by any pride or strife or rivalry; not grieving at present injuries, and not calling past injuries to mind; and while still breathing and in the present body, considering oneself dead to all earthly things, and sending the thoughts of one’s heart on ahead to that place where, one does not doubt, one will soon arrive…
One person on earth for one forgotten soul in purgatory!
Lets remember!
O merciful God, take pity on those souls who have no particular friends and intercessors to recommend them to Thee, who, either through the negligence of those that are alive, or through length of time are forgotten by their friends and by all.
Spare them, O Lord, and remember Thine own mercy, when others forget to appeal to it. Let not the souls which Thou has created be parted from Thee, their Creator. They are Thy work, and though they have sinned, they have been redeemed by Thee.
Vouchsafe, therefore, to look upon them and to deliver them from the intolerable pain of absence from Thee; the light and love of all Thy creatures. Oh! place them in the number of Thy blessed Saints and citizens through Jesus Christ their Savior. Amen.
Like Elizabeth Ann Seton, Rita of Cascia was a wife, mother, widow, and member of a religious community. Her holiness was reflected in each phase of her life.
Born at Roccaporena in central Italy, Rita wanted to become a nun but was pressured at a young age into marrying a harsh and cruel man. During her 18-year marriage, she bore and raised two sons. After her husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died, Rita tried to join the Augustinian nuns in Cascia. Unsuccessful at first because she was a widow, Rita eventually succeeded.
Over the years, her austerity, prayerfulness, and charity became legendary. When she developed wounds on her forehead, people quickly associated them with the wounds from Christ’s crown of thorns. She meditated frequently on Christ’s passion. Her care for the sick nuns was especially loving. She also counseled lay people who came to her monastery.
Beatified in 1626, Rita was not canonized until 1900. She has acquired the reputation, together with Saint Jude, as a saint of impossible cases. Many people visit her tomb each year.
Like Elizabeth Ann Seton, Rita of Cascia was a wife, mother, widow, and member of a religious community. Her holiness was reflected in each phase of her life.
Born at Roccaporena in central Italy, Rita wanted to become a nun but was pressured at a young age into marrying a harsh and cruel man. During her 18-year marriage, she bore and raised two sons. After her husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died, Rita tried to join the Augustinian nuns in Cascia. Unsuccessful at first because she was a widow, Rita eventually succeeded.
Over the years, her austerity, prayerfulness, and charity became legendary. When she developed wounds on her forehead, people quickly associated them with the wounds from Christ’s crown of thorns. She meditated frequently on Christ’s passion. Her care for the sick nuns was especially loving. She also counseled lay people who came to her monastery.
Beatified in 1626, Rita was not canonized until 1900. She has acquired the reputation, together with Saint Jude, as a saint of impossible cases. Many people visit her tomb each year.
Reflection
Although we can easily imagine an ideal world in which to live out our baptismal vocation, such a world does not exist. An “If only ….” approach to holiness never quite gets underway, never produces the fruit that God has a right to expect.
Rita became holy because she made choices that reflected her baptism and her growth as a disciple of Jesus. Her overarching, lifelong choice was to cooperate generously with God’s grace, but many small choices were needed to make that happen. Few of those choices were made in ideal circumstances—not even when Rita became an Augustinian nun.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, at age 88, and the Jesuit Conference joins people around the world in mourning. May he rest in the peace of Christ.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Jorge Mario Bergoglio entered the Society of Jesus on March 11, 1958, and was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969. As a Jesuit, he served as novice master, a theology professor and provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina (1973-1979).
Undated photo of Fr. Jorge Mario Bergoglio , SJ (Jesuit Curia)
He was named auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992 and archbishop in 1998. Pope Saint John Paul II elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 2001. On March 13, 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope, making him the first Jesuit pope and the first pope from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere. Read his full obituary at America magazine.
Below, read a statement from Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ, president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, on Pope Francis’ passing:
I join the countless people around the world who are mourning the death of the Holy Father Pope Francis at this hour. I pray for the repose of his soul and for the consolation of his family, friends and brother Jesuits. While more thorough reflections and examinations of Pope Francis’ legacy will be published in the coming weeks and months, I wanted to offer this brief expression of gratitude for the Holy Father’s extraordinary life of service to God’s people, energized by the love of Christ.
First and foremost, Pope Francis was a pastor. He consistently encouraged bishops, priests and all church ministers to meet people wherever they are in their life journeys, in messiness and complexity and ambiguity, and to help them grow in holiness. The Holy Father’s witness as a shepherd “with the smell of the sheep” from closeness to those on the peripheries of the church and society always inspired and challenged me in my own priestly ministry.
Pope Francis met refugees at Centro Astalli’s soup kitchen in Rome in 2013. (Jesuit Refugee Service)
And Pope Francis indeed went to the peripheries time after time: His first official trip outside of Rome as pope was to visit the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, a common entry point to Europe for migrants, to pray and advocate for those who had left their homes and risked their lives in pursuit of a better future. He washed the feet of prisoners at Holy Thursday liturgies. He directed the construction of showers for the homeless in St. Peter’s Square. And he appointed cardinals from regions on the planet that had never seen a cardinal named there before — the Amazon, the Philippines, South Sudan, Myanmar and more. These decisions and hundreds of similar ones made headlines so often during Francis’ papacy that it’s easy for us to take them for granted, but let us not forget how much his boldness surprised us. I believe Pope Francis will always be remembered for how he brought marginalized individuals and communities to the heart of the church.
Pope Francis with Father General Arturo Sosa, SJ (Jesuit Curia)
I also believe future appreciations of Pope Francis’ leadership will reflect the ways his reforms in church governance, the roles of the laity, and the social engagement of the church in service to the world were rooted in the teachings of Vatican II. The “Francis Project,” as it has sometimes been called, was not his own personal vision alone, but one formed by his experiences as a leader in the Latin American church in the decades following the Council.
The distinctly Ignatian influence on Pope Francis’ ministry was also unmistakable. In listening to Pope Francis and reading his writings, it is clear to me how much his thought was marked by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. The Spiritual Exercises are a “school of the heart” that help a retreatant to grow in self-knowledge of their gifts, weaknesses and sinfulness while meditating on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Ignatian spirituality is extraordinarily practical; it engages our own hopes, desires, dreams, struggles, joys and sorrows. In works like “Evangelii Gaudium” and “Laudato Si’,” just to name two, Pope Francis offered his own “school of the heart” meditations, inviting all believers to find the joy of the Gospel within their everyday lives and to commit to responding to “the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor” as an integral, concrete part of discipleship.
Fr. Brian Paulson, SJ, with Pope Francis
In recent years, the Synod on Synodality emerged as a signature moment of Pope Francis’ outreach toward the peripheries, calling the universal Catholic Church to live a deeper and more inclusive process of listening that includes the voices of all stakeholders. I pray this new mode of dialogue and decision-making continues to develop and take root in the church in the years to come.
Before all else, the Gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others and to go forth from ourselves to seek the good of others. -Pope Francis
I will close this brief reflection with a quote from “Evangelii Gaudium,” the richness of which will continue to make the document a gift to the church for generations. In the quote, as in the exhortation as a whole, we get a sense of what Pope Francis saw as the heart of the spiritual life. “Before all else,” Pope Francis writes, “the Gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others and to go forth from ourselves to seek the good of others.” Let us honor Pope Francis by trying to follow that advice every day.
May the Holy Father Pope Francis rest in the peace of Christ, his brother and Lord.
It requires a bit of detective work—pulling a few threads here, a few more there, and so on throughout the Gospels—to form a viewable tapestry of the holy Galilean women. However, by taking the time to delve into the verses on these women, this lovely group slowly comes into focus, and we can better learn to appreciate them for who they were and all they did for Jesus. St. Mary Magdalene, Blessed Joanna, Susanna, St. Salome, St. Mary of Clopas, and many others unnamed are indeed a special collection of women to know.
It is Luke who gives a formal introduction to these women. At the start of his eighth chapter, he presents them as a unique cluster from the region of Galilee who ministered to Jesus from “their resources.” Luke also lets us know that at least some of these women had suffered terribly and found healing.
We can only imagine the day-to-day lives of these women while they traveled with and assisted Jesus and the Twelve Apostles. Obviously, they had “resources” to spare. Perhaps it was strictly financial assistance that they gave. However, it seems possible that they helped with other things too—maybe they did some cooking, helped with laundry and mending, or nursed anyone who got sick. With a bit of imagination, it is easy to envision them helping in a variety of ways. These women most certainly gleaned some significant insights and understandings during their time of accompanying Christ. It would be nice to have more biblical elaboration on their roles, but we don’t.
After pondering their time going from town to town with Jesus and the apostles, Bible readers pretty much have to wait until the Passion narratives in each Gospel to read anything more about these women (a short narrative on St. Salome is one exception).
Their Home of Galilee
The region of Galilee was the site of many wonderful New Testament events: the Sermon on the Mount, the miracle of the wine at Cana, the healing of the centurion’s servant, and the Transfiguration—just to name a few. And, of course, Jesus’ childhood home in Nazareth was in Galilee as well. This collection of women is another star for this region west of the Sea of Galilee.
St. Mary Magdalene
Poor Mary Magdalene has been stuck for centuries now with the reputation of having been a prostitute. In reality, though, all we know for sure about her past is that she had been burdened with seven demons that had left her—under the authority of Jesus (Lk. 8:2 & Mk. 16:9).
During the early medieval days, Pope Gregory the Great once connected Mary Magdalene to a passage shortly before Luke’s formal introduction to the Galilean women (Lk 7:36-39). In it, a sinful woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and then anointed them with a flask of ointment is presented.
Evidently, the pope had a hunch that the sin of this woman was prostitution and that she was likely the same as Mary Magdalene, who is mentioned just 12 verses later. Pope Gregory the Great (who we must remember really did do many “great” things) also linked Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany. These well-intentioned ideas stuck for a long time.
You still don’t have to go far to find someone who thinks Mary Magdalene was undoubtedly a prostitute and the same as Mary of Bethany. Many now assert that seven demons may actually represent mental illness—not prostitution. And most conclude that Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, and the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears are most likely three separate women.
Of all the holy Galilean women, Mary Magdalene is the most prominent. Three evangelists name her specifically as being at the Crucifixion, two at the burial, and all four Gospel writers put Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb. Matthew, Mark, and John also assert that she saw and spoke to the risen Christ.
Blessed Joanna
Joanna is the next Galilean woman Luke introduces. Little is said about Joanna, but the brief mention that Luke presents offers an intriguing clue. He included the fact that Joanna had a close connection to Herod Antipas the Tetrarch, who had John the Baptist beheaded. Joanna was the wife of Herod’s steward, Chuza.
Being a steward, Chuza likely had the responsibility of overseeing Herod’s estate, a job that surely demanded a certain loyalty to this ruler. One can only guess how Joanna managed to support her husband and follow Jesus without any conflict. Perhaps Joanna and her husband were present at the ill-fated birthday banquet. Maybe they heard Herod’s order for the beheading of John the Baptist and perhaps even saw the gruesome platter. We can only wonder.
Joanna is mentioned by name only one other time in the Bible—Luke lists her as one of the women who went to the tomb on the day of the Resurrection.
According to Luke, Joanna—along with other women of Galilee—saw two men in dazzling clothes at Jesus’ empty tomb, learned of Christ’s resurrection, and shared the great news with the apostles—who did not believe them! Although Joanna’s name is never mentioned again, it is reasonable to consider that she was likely a part of the group whenever there is a general reference to the Galilean women.
In the current Roman Martyrology, Joanna is listed as a blessed, rather than a saint. This is hard to discern; in the earliest days of the Church, the words blessed, holy, and saint were often used interchangeably. So you might see Joanna listed as a saint in some resources and as a blessed in others, similar to the way we call Mary the Blessed Virgin Mary or St. Mary.
It’s impossible to know with certainty what exactly was meant. Was Joanna considered an official saint in heaven or just a really good and pious person (perhaps not martyred)? Either way, she gave much and is an inspiration to all.
Blessed/St. Joanna’s memorial is May 24.
St. Salome
It is Mark and Matthew who let us know that Salome is another holy woman of Galilee. Mark provides us with her name—within his Crucifixion and Resurrection narratives. Matthew, who calls her “the mother of the sons of Zebedee,” gives an additional, somewhat amusing account of St. Salome. In his 20th chapter, he relates how this mother of two apostles—James the Greater and John the Evangelist—had big ideas for her sons and boldly requested: “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom” (Mt 20:21).
Of course, Jesus took the opportunity to preach on the importance of humility and that serving others would count for more than grand places of honor.
St. Salome is listed on the April 24 page of the Roman Martyrology.
Susanna
Susanna is mentioned one time only—in Luke’s introduction to the Galilean women. So we can only glean that she, like Mary Magdalene and Joanna, had been cured of some demon or malady, traveled with Jesus and the apostles, and offered assistance in whatever way she could. Susanna was credibly present at the Crucifixion, burial, and empty tomb. It would be nice to know more, but we just don’t.
Susanna is not listed in the current Roman Martyrology; however, that does not exclude her from sainthood. Actually, if you were to attend Mass at a Byzantine Catholic church two Sundays after Easter, you would notice that Susanna is given special notice and is commemorated as a part of a group called the Holy Myrrhbearers.
St. Mary of Clopas
St. Mary of Clopas is especially hard to pin down in the Gospels, for she is referred to by a variety of titles:
Mary, the Mother of James and Joseph;
The Other Mary;
Mary, the Mother of the Younger James and of Joses;
Mary, the Mother of Joses;
Mary, the Mother of James;
Mary, the Wife of Clopas.
It is through John’s labeling, “Mary, the wife of Clopas” (19:25), that she has received her name: St. Mary of Clopas. Although she doesn’t stand out like Mary Magdalene, one variation or another of her titles appears at the death, burial, and empty tomb scenes repeatedly. Matthew’s Gospel asserts that both Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas saw and heard Jesus that first Easter morning.
Some propose that Mary of Clopas’ husband was the Cleopas who traveled to Emmaus with a friend and met up with Jesus in Luke’s 24th chapter. Many even suggest that it was St. Mary of Clopas who was the unidentified traveling partner. This is not known for sure, but it is an intriguing thought to consider.
St. Mary of Clopas shares a memorial day with St. Salome: April 24.
The Unnamed Other Galilean Women
Although we don’t know their names, it is only fair to also remember the unnamed women of Galilee—many others, according to St. Luke. Perhaps these nameless women were shy or had other responsibilities that took them away from Jesus and the apostles from time to time.
Whatever the reason, the Gospels give plenty of assertions that there were others. And they deserve our notice—especially if we have ever experienced being overlooked or not named. When we get to heaven, we can meet these women, learn their names, and thank them for their rich contributions to the mission of Jesus, for bringing comfort to his crucifixion and love to his burial.
Honoring the Holy Galilean Women
Even though the Gospel writers vary somewhat in their placement of the holy Galilean women, we can still get the general idea. They were there, they were helpful, they were devout, they were fearless (braver than most of the apostles at the Crucifixion!), and they loved Jesus dearly and showed it. And at least Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas were highly blessed by being the first to see Jesus resurrected. Though not specifically mentioned, it seems highly probable that at least some of the holy Galilean women were present during the nine days in the upper room in Jerusalem, praying and awaiting the Holy Spirit.
The holy Galilean women were generous in many ways and great adorers of God; their good works are an example to all Christians. They fully and very bravely lived out Christ’s command to deny oneself and follow him.
Restoring St. Mary Magdalene’s Reputation
Hopefully St. Mary Magdalene’s mistaken reputation as a prostitute will continue to steadily diminish. It seems reasonable to offset this unfortunate label by putting a special emphasis on a far better one—a label given to St. Mary Magdalene by St. Thomas Aquinas: “The Apostle to the Apostles.”
This 13th-century Italian doctor of the Church wrote a commentary on the Gospel of St. John, a Gospel that offers particularly poignant highlights on Mary Magdalene’s role on that first Easter morning. John’s 20th chapter presents Mary Magdalene arriving at the empty tomb alone. His unique and rich portrayal of this special woman asserts that she tearfully glanced toward the empty tomb, was visited by two angels, mistook Jesus for a gardener, and then was overcome with emotion as she recognized her Lord. Then, Mary Magdalene—without hesitation—followed Jesus’ charge to share the news of his resurrection: “Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’” (Jn 20:18a), and shared what he told her.
It was Mary Magdalene carrying out Jesus’ wish to announce his resurrection with eager confidence that prompted St. Thomas Aquinas to call Mary Magdalene the Apostle to the Apostles within his commentary.
It is compelling to note that St. Thomas Aquinas also pointed out Matthew’s inclusion of another holy Galilean woman—”the other Mary” (St. Mary of Clopas)—during the first appearance of Jesus. Certainly, her role was profound as well, and more elaboration on her story would be welcome. However, St. Thomas Aquinas couldn’t help but notice Mary Magdalene’s overall prominence, especially in John’s Gospel, and felt inspired to highlight her apostle-like role.
Evidently, Pope Francis has read this commentary of St. Thomas Aquinas and agrees. In June 2016, the pope expressed a great appreciation for this title bestowed upon St. Mary Magdalene and felt it was time to elevate her day of remembrance (July 22) from a memorial to a feast. (The rank of Church celebrations are: optional memorial, obligatory memorial, feast, and solemnity.)
This seems a perfect counteraction: to start referring to St. Mary Magdalene as the Apostle to the Apostles in order to help restore her due reputation and highlight her holiness; to focus on her great love and devotion to Christ; and to recognize her rich contribution of proclaiming Christ’s triumph over the cross.
Sidebar: A Retreat with the Holy Galilean Women
Perhaps you would like a two-week, at-home retreat with these special women. If so, take some time each day for 14 days to read a biblical passage on them. Take in one or two surrounding verses and read the footnotes, if desired, and ponder their impact. Try to imagine yourself at the various scenes; maybe jot down your thoughts in a journal. Note which of these women each Gospel writer chose to highlight for the death, burial, and Resurrection accounts.
“The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”
In 1854, Pope Pius IX’s solemn declaration, “Ineffabilis Deus,” clarified with finality the long-held belief of the Church that Mary was conceived free from original sin. Mary was granted this extraordinary privilege because of Her unique role in history as the Mother of God. That is, she received the gift of salvation in Christ from the very moment of her conception.
Even though Mary is unique in all humanity for being born without sin, she is held up by the Church as a model for all humanity in Her holiness and Her purity in her willingness to accept the Plan of God for her.
Every person is called to recognize and respond to God’s call to their own vocation in order to carry out God’s plan for their life and fulfill the mission prepared for them since before the beginning of time. Mary’s “Let it be done to me according to Thy Word,” in response of the Angel Gabriel’s greeting, is the response required of all Christians to God’s Plan.
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a time to celebrate the great joy of God’s gift to humanity in Mary, and to recognize with greater clarity, the truth that each and every human being has been created by God to fulfill a particular mission that he and only he can fulfill.
“The word of the Lord came to me thus: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jeremiah 1:5-6)
Our book is now available as an ebook on amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4WQLFRXyou can buy or read free if you subscribe to kindle reading.
This book celebrates the meaningful recitation of novenas, a traditional nine day prayer to a particular saint, angel or Madonna for help in solving a problem.
It was our objective to create a book that would be assessable to all, Catholic and non-Catholics alike.
You will learn about The Saints, Angels and The Madonna. The history of The Saints who lived with us on earth. The many visions of The Madonna as she appeared on earth. And more…
“I know by experience that the glorious Saint Joseph assists us generally in all necessities. I never asked him for anything which he did not obtain for me.” —Saint Teresa of Avila
Patron of: Fathers
A righteous man who never shirked his responsibilities as protector of his family, Saint Joseph offers a perfect example for fathers everywhere. He is invoked by families for all matters of support needed to sustain a household, both material and spiritual.
A descendant of the House of David, there is very little written about Joseph in the gospels. He was said to be betrothed to Mary when she became pregnant with Jesus. Instead of leaving her in scandal, he accepted the word of the angel Gabriel who told him that the child was divinely given and Joseph and Mary were chosen by God to be his earthly parents. It was Joseph who protected Mary on the journey to Bethlehem when Jesus was born. He also suffered the frustrations of a man who could not find proper shelter for his family as his wife was about to give birth. Upon returning to their native city of Nazareth, Joseph was once again visited by an angel warning him of the impending slaughter of the innocents. On faith alone, he dispensed with his business and personal effects, taking Jesus and Mary to Egypt where they stayed for seven years until Herod’s death. It fell upon Saint Joseph to support his young family in this foreign country.
The last mention of Joseph comes when Jesus is twelve years old and strayed from his family while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It is thought that he died well before Jesus began his mission with Jesus and Mary at his deathbed. For this reason, more than any other saint, he is invoked for a happy death, one where a person is older and has their family at their side.
Though of noble lineage, Joseph was a carpenter and it was from him whom Jesus learned his trade. Because he worked with his hands and frequently put his family ahead of any personal ambitions, workers everywhere who live similar lives call on him as a patron. It is no mystery that the cult of Saint Joseph became more popular in modern times with the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Many saints throughout the ages have declared him to be a powerful advocate as well, since it is thought that Jesus obeyed him in his earthly life, he is inclined to listen to Joseph in his heavenly life. Teresa of Avila always buried medals with his image when she needed land for a new convent. This tradition has extended itself to realtors of all faiths who bury statues of Saint Joseph on properties they wish to sell.
It is assumed that since Joseph respected his wife’s virginity that he was an older man when he married. He is depicted in art with a staff, which he led his family ( precursor to the bishop’s staff) a lily for purity, and with carpenter tools or holding the baby Jesus.
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.
All four Gospels make note that Mary was present at the crucifixion and death of Jesus on Good Friday. Matthew, Mark, and Luke note that Mary and other women, in particular Mary Magdalene, “watched from a distance.” Only Luke writes that “some of Jesus’ disciples” were with Mary. Notably, the Twelve were not there, but hiding out of fear for their lives.
John, however, says very clearly that Mary—with Mary Magdalene and the disciple whom Jesus loved—witnessed Jesus’ death “from the foot of the cross,” not from a distance. At the same time, the distinction made between John and the other three evangelists may provide us with significant teaching moments.
On the one hand, Matthew, Mark, and Luke may be understood as historical descriptions since family and relatives, especially women, would not have been permitted up close to the actual place of execution. Executions were “men’s work.” Those executed were stripped of all clothing and died naked. Artists have added loincloths for the sake of Jesus’ dignity. And executioners would not have wanted hysterical family members getting in the way. If you’ve seen The Passion of the Christ, you will remember the shocking brutality of the crucifixion. But the point is that, even at a distance, the fact is that Mary and others saw Jesus crucified and die.
Universal Truths
John’s description has Mary, Magdalene, and “the disciple whom Jesus loved” close enough so that they could hear his words. John’s account is not for the purpose of describing the actual historical scene. Rather, it is to give the early Church a powerful instruction in the relationship of Mary not only to the disciple standing near her, but also to the whole Church. Jesus showed us that his mother was, indeed, the mother to all of God’s children.
In looking at this scene of Jesus’ crucifixion and noting the distinctions between Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s description—and that of John’s—we see an important point in reflecting on Scripture. Sometime people want to put great emphasis on those things that they see and understand as historical. It is essential to understand that God reveals his truth in various ways.
The writer, John, already knew of the other Gospels as they described Mary and the others watching the death of Jesus, showing their dedication and faithfulness to him even in death. The best conclusion to draw is that everything in the Gospels (and all of Scripture) is significant since it is the revealed word of God. Whether it is a fact of history or a manner of teaching that might not be historical, both contain the truth of God’s teaching for us.
Both the devotion of Mary and the women witnessing Jesus’ death—and the gift of Mary as mother to us—are truths we cannot be without.
“Behold the heart which has so much loved men that it has spared nothing, even exhausting and consuming itself in testimony of its love….” Patron of: family peace, anything Feast Day: June 8
The iconography of the Sacred Heart speaks to us on such a basic level that its image can be found everywhere in everyday life – from tattoos on bikers to stained glass windows in cathedrals. Traditionally, many Catholic homes display the Sacred Heart of Jesus to insure domestic peace and a loving atmosphere. This ancient concept depicting Christ’s heart in flames was first meditated on in privacy by the 4th century hermits in the desert and taken up by mystics in religious communities in the 11th and 12th centuries; it did not become a popular devotion until the 17th century.
On December 27, 1673, a young Visitation nun in Burgundy, France, named Margaret Mary Alacoque was praying in the convent chapel when she heard a strong inner voice identifying itself as Jesus Christ. In later visits the voice requested that she begin a devotion to an image of Christ’s heart in flames, bleeding and encircled by thorns. The flames were for His ardent love for mankind, the thorns were to remind us of His sacrifice on the cross and the blood was because He was God made man. There is no indication that Margaret Mary Alacoque had ever seen this image before. Indeed, she was puzzled by it and greatly mistrusted herself as being qualified to relay any spiritual messages no matter who they purportedly came from. When she reported her communications to her Mother Superior she was scoffed at as delusional and forbidden to perform any of the devotions she was instructed to carry out. It was only after her Confessor, Claude de La Columbiere heard her describe her visions that she was taken seriously.
Unlike the Mother Superior or Margaret Mary, he was well aware of the private devotions of Bernard of Clairvaux and Mechtilde of Helfta, religious mystics who lived centuries before, inspired by same image. La Columbiere did much to publicize devotion to the Sacred Heart based on the messages Christ gave to Margaret Mary. According to her, Christ was greatly troubled by the indifference and sacrilege He was being treated with by the average person.
As a reward for contemplating this image He promised:1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life. 2. I will give peace in their families. 3. I will console them in all their troubles. 4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death. 5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings. 6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy. 7. Tepid souls shall become fervent. 8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection. 9. I will bless those places wherein the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated. 10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts. 11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my Heart. 12. In the excess of the mercy of my Heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.
Since there is no way to physically depict the soul, it is thought that the image of the Sacred Heart comes closest. The heart is the seat of love in the body and the wounded heart represents Christ’s sacrifice at the crucifixion as well as His ongoing pain at the state of mankind.
Novena:
O Lord, Jesus Christ, to your most Sacred Heart I confide this intention. Only look upon me, then do what your love inspires. Let your Sacred Heart decide. I count on you. I trust in you. I throw myself on your mercy. Lord Jesus, you will not fail me. (Mention your request.)
Sacred Heart of Jesus I trust in you. Sacred Heart of Jesus I believe in your love for me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, your kingdom come. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked you for many favors, but I earnestly implore this one. Take it, place it in your open heart. When the Eternal Father looks upon it, he will see it covered with your Precious Blood. It will no longer be my prayer, but yours, Jesus. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Let me not be disappointed. Amen.
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