At Rieti there was a young religious named John. He was simple, humble, always happy. He followed the same lifestyple as his fellow friars insofar as concerns both food and drink. However, he had a particular character. He loved very much the other friars; he lived with them in a charitable manner, never uttering words or doing anything contrary to the rules of love for our neighbour. He treated everybody […]
Blessed John of Rieti – 2nd August Read More »
He was born in Alfaro (Spain) and, following the example of his brother, in 1864 he joined the Augustinians at their convent for contemplatives at Monteagudo. He was sent to the Philipines in 1871, was ordained priest and commenced his apostolic work. At the Provincial Chapter of 1885 he was appointed Prior at the convent of Monteagudo. Nobody, as a missionary of great experience and holiness, had the ability to
Saint Ezekiel Moreno – 19th August Read More »
In 1881 Pope Leo XIII declared Clare of Montefalco a saint. Before he was elected pope, Pope Leo XIII was an acquaintance of this saintly nun at Perugia, less than 50km away from the small city of Montefalco. It appears that he had a particular devotion towards this saint and, until this day, one can see his episcopal ring on one of the preserved fingers of St. Clare. The story
Santa Clare from Montefalco – 17th August Read More »
Augustine is her biographer. Let us let him talk to us; because what he tells us is more than a biography; he as her son gives us a sweet hym of praise to the Lord. Girl. Brought up to be humble and prudent (Confessions 9, 9). “You created her; her mother and father were unaware of what a daughter they were going to have. The staff of your Christ brought
Saint Monica – 27th August Read More »
To the reader: “…as I wanted a true church of Christ of the Lord, holy and catholic to benefit from all that I received through wisdom and the word, I did not wish to let pass silently all that I saw and heard throughout my life and from Augustine’s habits, who was predestined to be, and indeed became, a good Bishop (Intr.1). “I am not going to recount what
Saint Augustine of Hippo – 28th August Read More »
In one of his treaties St. Augustine, an expert on both nature and the human being, exclaimed: “Return to your heart! Where do you want to go? If you go far away you will be lost. Why do you wander in the desert? Come back from your wandering that has made you go astray; come back to the Lord. You who have become an alien to yourself because of your
Blessed Angelo from Foligno – 6th September Read More »
He was born at Oropesa (Toledo, Spain) and started his studies at Talavera, and then he served as a member of a group of youths studying music at the chapel of the cathedral at Toledo. The study of music was very close to his heart. He was sent to the University of Salamanca and there he felt the call to holiness at St. Augustine’s convent. He joined the Order and
Saint Alfons from Orozco – 19th September Read More »
St. Nicholas, who always appears with a star on his chest and was born in Sant’ Anġlu at Pontano and lived for thirty years at Tolentino, is considered to be the first and most prominent saint of the Augustinian Order. In 1256, the ‘Grand Union’ year, Nicholas was eleven years old and, soon after, was attracted to religious life. His holiness was built on a hard life, ceaseless prayer, voluntary
Saint Nicholas of Tolentino – 10th September Read More »
During the thirties in the twentieth century, the Church in Spain went through a period of great martydom, when the civil authorities started a systematic persecution that lasted three years and during which time a great number of Christians were killed: laity, religious, priests and bishops. Brethren of the Augustinian family, in these difficult circumstances, also showed great strength of their faith in the face of such harsh persecution, at
Blessed Josephine of the Purification – 22nd September Read More »
In the beginning of the XVII century there started in Japan one of the most harsh and bloody persecutions of the Church. Many were the numbers of martyrs amongst the members of the Augustinian Order for the Gospel. Augustinians from Japan, Spain, Portugal and Mexico, men and women, tertiaries, lay brothers and other faithful who, with their death, gave an example of the unity and universality of the Order. Hereunder
Blessed Martyrs of Japan – 28th September Read More »
