THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS, TOR

Saint Joseph the Worker Saint of the Day for May 1 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay01.mp3 The Story of Saint Joseph the Worker To foster deep devotion to Saint Joseph among Catholics, and in response to the “May Day” celebrations for workers sponsored by Communists, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker in 1955. This feast […]

Saint Athanasius Saint of the Day for May 2 (c. 296 – May 2, 373) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay02.mp3 Saint Athanasius’ Story Athanasius led a tumultuous but dedicated life of service to the Church. He was the great champion of the faith against the widespread heresy of Arianism, the teaching by Arius that Jesus was not truly divine. […]

Saints Philip and James Saint of the Day for May 3 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay03.mp3   Saints Philip and James’ Story James, Son of Alphaeus: We know nothing of this man except his name, and, of course, the fact that Jesus chose him to be one of the 12 pillars of the New Israel, his Church. He is not […]

Blessed Michael Giedroyc Saint of the Day for May 4 (c. 1425 – May 4, 1485) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay04.mp3 Blessed Michael Giedroyc’s Story A life of physical pain and mental torment didn’t prevent Michael Giedroyc from achieving holiness. Born near Vilnius, Lithuania, Michael suffered from physical and permanent handicaps from birth. He was a dwarf who had […]

Saint Hilary of Arles Saint of the Day for May 5 (c. 401 – May 5, 449) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay05.mp3 Saint Hilary of Arles’ Story It’s been said that youth is wasted on the young. In some ways, that was true for today’s saint. Born in France in the early fifth century, Hilary came from an aristocratic family. […]

Saints Marian and James Saint of the Day for May 6 (d. May 6, 259) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay06.mp3 Saints Marian and James’s Story Saints Marian, an ordained lector, and James, a deacon, were martyred during the persecution of Valerian around the year 259. Few other facts are known about them. It seems that while they were in […]

Saint Rose Venerini Saint of the Day for May 7 (February 9, 1656 – May 7, 1728) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SOD_May07.mp3 Saint Rose Venerini’s Story Rose was born at Viterbo in Italy, the daughter of a doctor. Following the death of her fiancé she entered a convent, but soon returned home to care for her newly widowed mother. […]

Saint Peter of Tarentaise Saint of the Day for May 8 (1102 – 1175) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay08.mp3 Saint Peter of Tarentaise’s Story There are two men named Saint Peter of Tarentaise who lived one century apart. The man we honor today is the younger Peter, born in France in the early part of the 12th century. The other […]

Saint John of Avila Saint of the Day for May 9 (c. 1500 – May 10, 1569) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay09.mp3 Saint John of Avila’s Story Born in the Castile region of Spain, John was sent at the age of 14 to the University of Salamanca to study law. He later moved to Alcala, where he studied philosophy and […]

Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i Saint of the Day for May 10 (January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay10.mp3 Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i’s Story When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen’s disease. By the time he […]

Saint Ignatius of Laconi Saint of the Day for May 11 (December 17, 1701 – May 11, 1781) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay11.mp3 Saint Ignatius of Laconi’s Story Ignatius is another sainted begging brother. He was the second of seven children of peasant parents in Sardinia. His path to the Franciscans was unusual. During a serious illness, Ignatius vowed […]

Saints Nereus and Achilleus Saint of the Day for May 12 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay12.mp3 Saints Nereus and Achilleus’ Story Devotion to these two saints goes back to the fourth century, though almost nothing is known of their lives. They were praetorian soldiers of the Roman army, became Christians, and were removed to the island of Terracina, where […]

Our Lady of Fatima Saint of the Day for May 13 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay13.mp3 The Story of Our Lady of Fatima Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children–Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia dos Santos–received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon. […]

Saint Matthias Saint of the Day for May 14 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay14.mp3 Saint Matthias’ Story According to Acts 1:15-26, during the days after the Ascension Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers–about 120 of Jesus’s followers. Now that Judas had betrayed his ministry, it was necessary, Peter said, to fulfill the scriptural recommendation that another should take […]

Saint Isidore the Farmer Saint of the Day for May 15 (1070 – May 15, 1130) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay15.mp3 Saint Isidore the Farmer’s Story Isidore has become the patron of farmers and rural communities. In particular, he is the patron of Madrid, Spain, and of the United States National Rural Life Conference. When he was barely old […]

Saint Margaret of Cortona Saint of the Day for May 16 (1247 – February 22, 1297) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay16.mp3 Saint Margaret of Cortona’s Story Margaret was born of farming parents in Laviano, Tuscany. Her mother died when Margaret was seven; life with her stepmother was so difficult that Margaret moved out. For nine years she lived with […]

Saint Paschal Baylon Saint of the Day for May 17 (May 24, 1540 – May 15, 1592) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay17.mp3 Saint Paschal Baylon’s story In Paschal’s lifetime the Spanish empire in the New World was at the height of its power, though France and England were soon to reduce its influence. The 16th century has been called […]

St. John I Saint of the Day for May 18 (c. 470 – May 18, 526) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay18.mp3 Saint John I’s Story Pope John I inherited the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. Italy had been ruled for 30 years by an emperor who espoused the heresy, though he treated the empire’s Catholics with […]

Saint Theophilus of Corte Saint of the Day for May 19 (October 30, 1676 – June 17, 1740) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay19.mp3 Saint Theophilus of Corte’s Story If we expect saints to do marvelous things continually and to leave us many memorable quotes, we are bound to be disappointed with Saint Theophilus. The mystery of God’s grace in […]

Saint Bernardine of Siena Saint of the Day for May 20 (September 8, 1380 – May 20, 1444) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay20.mp3 Saint Bernardine of Siena’s Story Most of the saints suffer great personal opposition, even persecution. Bernardine, by contrast, seems more like a human dynamo who simply took on the needs of the world. He was the greatest […]

Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions Saint of the Day for May 21 (d. between 1915 and 1937) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay21.mp3 Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions’ Story Like Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, S.J., Cristóbal and his 24 companion martyrs lived under a very anti-Catholic government in Mexico, one determined to weaken the Catholic faith of its people. Churches, […]

Saint Rita of Cascia Saint of the Day for May 22 (1381 – May 22, 1457) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay22.mp3 Saint Rita of Cascia’s Story 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 […]

Saint Gregory VII Saint of the Day for May 23 (c. 1025 – May 25, 1085) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay23.mp3 Saint Gregory VII’s Story The 10th century and the first half of the 11th were dark days for the Church, partly because the papacy was the pawn of various Roman families. In 1049, things began to change when Pope […]

Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi Saint of the Day for May 24 (April 2, 1566 – May 25, 1607) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay24.mp3 Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi’s Story Mystical ecstasy is the elevation of the spirit to God in such a way that the person is aware of this union with God while both internal and external […]

Saint Bede the Venerable Saint of the Day for May 25 (c. 672 – May 25, 735) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay25.mp3 Saint Bede the Venerable’s Story Bede is one of the few saints honored as such even during his lifetime. His writings were filled with such faith and learning that even while he was still alive, a Church council […]

Saint Philip Neri Saint of the Day for May 26 (July 21, 1515 – May 26, 1595) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay26.mp3 Saint Philip Neri’s Story Philip Neri was a sign of contradiction, combining popularity with piety against the background of a corrupt Rome and a disinterested clergy: the whole post-Renaissance malaise. At an early age, Philip abandoned the chance to […]

Saint Augustine of Canterbury Saint of the Day for May 27 (? – May 26, 605) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay27.mp3 Saint Augustine of Canterbury’s Story In the year 596, some 40 monks set out from Rome to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons in England. Leading the group was Augustine, the prior of their monastery. Hardly had he and his men […]

Venerable Pierre Toussaint Saint of the Day for May 28 June 27, 1766 – June 30, 1853) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay28.mp3 Venerable Pierre Toussaint’s Story Born in modern-day Haiti and brought to New York City as a slave, Pierre died a free man, a renowned hairdresser, and one of New York City’s most well-known Catholics. Plantation owner Pierre […]

Saint of the Day for May 29 (December 12, 1779 – May 25, 1865) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay29.mp3 Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat’s Story The legacy of Madeleine Sophie Barat can be found in the more than 100 schools operated by her Society of the Sacred Heart, institutions known for the quality of the education made available to the […]

Saint Joan of Arc Saint of the Day for May 30 (? January 6, 1412 – May 30, 1431) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay30.mp3 Saint Joan of Arc’s Story Burned at the stake as a heretic after a politically-motivated trial, Joan was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. Born of a fairly well-to-do peasant couple in Domremy-Greux southeast of Paris, Joan was […]

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Saint of the Day for May 31 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODMay31.mp3 The Story of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary This is a fairly late feast, going back only to the 13th or 14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to pray for unity. The present date of celebration […]

Saint Justin Martyr Saint of the Day for June 1 (c. 100 – 165) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun01.mp3 Saint Justin Martyr’s Story Justin never ended his quest for religious truth even when he converted to Christianity after years of studying various pagan philosophies. As a young man, he was principally attracted to the school of Plato. However, he […]

Saints Marcellinus and Peter Saint of the Day for June 2 (d. 304) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SODJun02.mp3 Saints Marcellinus and Peter’s Story Marcellinus and Peter were prominent enough in the memory of the Church to be included among the saints of the Roman Canon. Mention of their names is optional in our present Eucharistic Prayer I. Marcellinus was […]