The Life of St Vincent de Paul. c. 1581-1660 His Legacy continues today. Written for teens and young adults. Excerpt: Chapter 5 MISSION WORK THE incident which had given rise to Vincent's first mission at Folleville had never been forgotten by Madame de Gondi. It seemed to her that there was need to multiply such missions among the country poor, and no sooner had Vincent returned to her house than she offered him a large sum of money to endow a band of priests who would devote their lives to evangelizing the peasantry on her estates. Vincent was delighted, but considering himself unfit to...

The Life of Saint Monica: This book is above all things the story of a mother. But it is also the story of a noble woman-a woman who was truly great, for the reason that she never sought to be so. Because she understood the sphere in which a woman's work in the world must usually lie, and led her life truly along the lines that God had laid down for her; because she suffered bravely, forgot herself for others, and remained faithful to her noble ideals, she ruled as a queen amongst those with whom her life was cast. Her influence was great and far-reaching, but she herself was the last to...

San Atanasio vivio en tiempos turbulentos para la Iglesia. Arrio y sus seguidores negaban que Jesucristo fuera verdaderamente Dios, intentando hacer el cristianismo menos escandaloso a los ojos del mundo. A pesar de que el Concilio de Nicea condeno sus ensenanzas, los arrianos se extendieron por toda la Iglesia con ayuda de los emperadores romanos. Primero como diacono y luego como Patriarca de Alejandria, Atanasio lucho sin descanso para defender la fe de la Iglesia de los que querian deformarla. Por no doblegarse ante el poder imperial, sufrio constantes persecuciones y destierros. Durante...

La vida de San Vicente de Paul es fascinante. Nacio de padres campesinos, que se sacrificaron para que pudiera ser sacerdote. Despues de su ordenacion, cayo en manos de los piratas berberiscos y vivio como esclavo en Tunez. Al recobrar la libertad, se convirtio en preceptor de una de las mas nobles familias de Francia y fue consejero real, contrarrestando las intrigas palaciegas con una gran sencillez evangelica. A la vez, cuidaba de los condenados a galeras, mendigos y huerfanos. Fundo la Congregacion de la Mision, dedicada a la predicacion, y las Hijas de la Caridad, al servicio de los...

Este libro contiene uno de los secretos mejor guardados de nuestro tiempo: para entender Europa, es imprescindible conocer la vida de San Benito y la Regla monastica que escribio. Quiza, mas que un secreto, podria considerarse un olvido intencionado por p

"He who loves Thee, O my God, travels safely by the open and royal road. far from the precipice; he has scarcely stumbled at all when Thou stretchest forth Thy hand to save him."-ST. TERESA. " IT was the little girl who made me do it,"pleaded Rodrigo de Cepeda, and although he did not know it, the excuse was as old as the world. The" little girl" in question was Rodrigo's seven-year-old sister Teresa, who had been seized with a burning desire for martyrdom. She wanted to see God, she passionately assured her brother, and as it was necessary to die first, martyrdom was obviously the only means...

In spite of the boy's name, however, underneath the strong faith and love, the true and deep devotion that were always his chief characteristics, lay a nature that was in no wise dovelike. Loyal, great-hearted, and compassionate as he undoubtedly was, the blood of the fierce and haughty Hy-Nialls flowed in his veins. To be quick to take offence and slow to forgive an injury is a characteristic of the Celtic race all the world over, and Columba was no exception to the rule. Long and sharp was to be the struggle before that quick and imperious nature was wholly conquered by the grace of God,...

Saint Athanasius, the Father of Orthodoxy By F. A. Forbes