Saint of the day

Saint of the day

May 19: Saint Crispin of Viterbo, Capuchin Friar Minor

Beggar for God 

“The power of God creates us, wisdom governs us, mercy saves us”. This is what Friar Crispin of Viterbo repeated to those he met. A simple lay brother of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, assigned to soliciting alms on behalf of the Order, serving the sick and taking care of the convent garden, Friar Crispin (Pietro) Fioretti was born in Viterbo on November 13, 1668. His father, Ubaldo Fioretti, had married Marzia, who was already a widow with a daughter. Crispino soon lost his father and his uncle Francesco took care of him, sending him to attend the school run by the Jesuits. Crispino also worked as an apprentice shoemaker in his uncle's shop.

May 18: Saint Felix of Cantalice, Capuchin Friar Minor

The “Friar Deo gratias” 

He was called the “Friar Deo gratias”, because that was how he greeted people he met. For forty years, in fact, he wandered the streets of Rome asking for alms, taking advantage of the opportunity to give spiritual advice to commoners and aristocrats. He is Felice Porro, known as Saint Felix of Cantalice, for the name of the place where he was born in the province of Rieti in 1515. As a child he moved to Cittaducale to serve a family as a shepherd and farmer. He devoted himself to reading the Lives of the Fathers and the desire to lead an austere existence grew in him. 

May 17: Saint Paschal Baylón, Franciscan layman

The doorman and beggar in love with the Eucharist 

He was almost illiterate, teaching himself to read and write, humble, poor, a simple lay friar following in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi, a great devotee of the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar to the point of being called the "theologian and Seraphim of the Eucharist". He is Paschal Baylón, born in Torrehermosa, then Kingdom of Aragon, to Martín and Isabel Jubera, on May 16, 1540. They were a large family but very poor. For this reason, the boy was sent at an early age by his father to graze the flocks. He took advantage of his time in nature to praise God and sing hymns to the Virgin Mary. 

May 16: Saint Ubaldo, Bishop of Gubbio

A shepherd at the service of his people 

The exact year of birth of Ubaldo Baldassini is not known, probably around 1085, in the town of Gubbio in the Italian province of Umbria. He was the only son of Rovaldo Baldassini, and Giuliana. He lost his parents as a child and was taken care of by his uncle Ubaldo. In 1115 he was ordained a priest and three years later he became prior of the Cathedral of San Mariano. 

May 15: Saint Isidore, Farmer

Work and Prayer: the Path to Holiness 

He was a humble farmer, very poor, who spared no effort and sacrifice to bring a piece of bread home.  However, he had discovered Christ and everything else seemed nothing compared to his friendship with Him. His name was Isidore. He was born around 1080 in Madrid, which at the time was not yet the capital of Spain but a city like any other.

May 14: Saint Matthias Apostle

The Last Apostle 

In the Acts of the Apostles (1:15-26) it is said that in the days following the Ascension of the Lord, the Apostle Peter, presiding at the assembly of 120 brothers, proposed that they choose one amongst themselves to take the place of the traitor Judas Iscariot.