The life of Blessed James of Viterbo, whom we commemorate today, reminds us of the importance of placing our gifts at the service of others. In this way we find, as he did, the path that leads to our own personal growth and holiness, while at the same time bringing enrichment to others. The gift you have been given, give as a gift – are the words of Scripture that …
Blessed Gundisalv from Lagos provides evidence of the presence of the Augustinian order with Portugal where, from the time of the Order’s establishment, this was sown in various convents. These convents maintained their presence in the Portuguese kingdom until they were suppressed in the XIX century. Gundisalv was born in the city of Lagos, in the south of the country in 1360, into a family of fishermen. Detailed information about …
We are celebrating today the memory of an Augustinian friar of Spain who was called to become a bishop, and in the exercise of that ministry became a martyr of the Church, during a bloody civil war which saw hundreds upon hundreds of priests, religious and committed laymen and women give their lives in fidelity to their faith. Bishop Polanco and his fellow martyrs are not historical figures of the …
We have two principal souces of information on the life of John Bono, the biography written by St. Anthony of Florence in the middle of the XV century, as also the process of his beatification (XIII century) which, through the large number of witnesses, gave more details regarding the life and evengelical spirituality which this hermit led in the XIII century. He was born in 1168 in Mantova and …
Christine of Spoleto, whom we remember today, suffered great losses early in life, causing her to reconsider seriously the goals and ambitions she had previously considered essential. Trials brought her to a deeper level of faith in God, renewed dedication to the Church, and generous service to others. She found in Augustinian spirituality a reliable guide and support in living the Christian life, while remaining a laywoman fully engaged in …
He was born into a family of seafarers and thus, when he was old enough to join his father, this was his work until he reached the age of 30 years. After all, he was following the same sort of life as other youths from the city of his birth. Mulla, a small village close to Cattaro in Dalmania, today part of Montenegro. This sort of life engendered in him …
Blessed Simon of Cascia, whom we commemorate today, was an Italian Augustinian particularly attracted to a life of contemplation and prayer but who, out of obedience, became well known as a gifted preacher, writer, and spiritual director. He died in the middle of the 14th Century, but his influence remained very strong long after, and is notable, among other ways, in the life and spirituality of Saint Rita of Cascia. …
Blessed Frederick is a fine example of putting into practice what St. Augustine maintained: “where there is humility, there is love; where there is love there is peace”. Frederick did not pronounce this with his treatises and his writings, but by his example of leading a life of fidelity and religious observance. His date of birth is unknown, but we know that he was born around the second half of …
We celebrate today the memory of Blessed Stephen Bellesini, a man who lived during a difficult period of the Church’s history at the turn of 19th Century Italy. His vocation as an Augustinian religious was severely tried by strong anticlerical government regulations. Nevertheless, he did not withdraw in shame, nor did he become embittered by external challenges. Rather, he redoubled his commitment and persevered in his resolved, giving himself generously …
On 5 April 1983 Fr. Mariano de la Mata Aparicio, an Augustinain priest and missionary in Brazil, departed this life at the age of 77 years. It is certain that he himself, a humble and unpretentious person, never expected to find himself as the protagonist at his beatification ceremony in the cathedral of Sao Paolo, Brazil. He was born on the last day of the year 1905 in …
