11 May: Blessed Gregory Celli, Religious Blessed Gregory’s life is a mixture of historical truth and legend. This because no documents of his time are available and biographies concerning him are comparatively recent. Thu, we have the ideal conditions so that, as is not unusual in writings on saints, we have an interesting mixture in which, as time passes, it becomes more difficult to distinguish between the truth and what …
In 1451 Cherubino was born into the noble Testa family of Avigliana (Turin). From his early life he was inclined towards a religious life and he joined the Hermits of St. Augustine at the convent established by Blessed Adrian Berzetta from Buronzo. There he led a life free of vanity but full of mortifications and holiness, always ready to obey and to be of help. He was known for his …
Blessed Cherubino Testa from Avigliana – 16th December Read More »
Antonio was from Milan and was born of the Della Torre family around 1424. After studying, he graduated in medicine in Pavia and spent some time working as a doctor in Milan until he became acquainted with the Augustinians of the famous convent of St. Mark where he eventually asked to be accepted. He continued his formation and was ordained a priest in Milan. He was soon sent to the …
Although the year of her birth is unknown, we know that Oringa Menabuoi was born in the village of Santa Croce on the river Arno, close to the town of Pistoia, Italy. According to some historical sources, it is most probable that she was born towards the end of the 30th year of the 13th century. The background of this blessed person follows the traditional ways of those times, when …
Blessed Christine of the Holy Cross – 4th January Read More »
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 …
What we know regarding Veronica is that she was born in 1445 in Binasco, in the province of Milan, within a family of farmers and that she was God fearing. However, her mother was so poor that she was unable to give her even a little schooling. At 22 years of age “after many requests she managed to wear the habit of St. Augustine” as a lay member of the …
Blessed Veronica Negroni from Binasco – 13th January 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 …
Christina was named Mattia Ciccarelli. She was the daughter of Domenico and Maria di Pericolo at Colle dei Lucoli (Aquila) and was born on 24 February 1480, the last of six children. From an early age she was full of the virtues of obedience, humility, serenity and she was totally dedicated to prayer to which she devoted the entire day in a corner of the family home in front …
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 »
He was born in Furci (Abruzzo) in 1246, a son of wealthy parents who could not have children. According to the tradition as recounted in the story of his life, he was born through the intercession of St. Muchael the Archangel after his parents went on a pilgrimage to his sanctuary near Gargano. At his baptism he was given the name Angelo which he retained even when he became a …
