From Season to Season

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the L ord has anointed me; He sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, release to prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the L ord and a day of vindication by our God. —Isaiah 61:1-2   Bernardino Luigi Realino was born in Carpi, Italy, in 1530. The son of a wealthy and influential family, he attended the academy in Modena, Italy, and went on to study the arts and medicine in Bologna. After finishing his studies, he considered becoming a physician. Instead, he chose to study canon and civil law (apparently, at the request of a lady he had fallen in love with and who thought he would have made a good lawyer). For his part, Bernardino recognized that his legal studies would give him a solid foundation for a career in government or public administration. After completing his doctorate in 1556, he became an auditor and general superint...

You who fear the Lord trust him, And your reward will not be lost. You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, For lasting joy and mercy. You who fear the Lord, love him, And your hearts will be enlightened. — Sirach 2:8-10 In these final days of the Christmas Season, there are a handful of “American” Saints that we are celebrating: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (on January 4), St. John Neumann (on January 5), and St. André Bessette (on January 6 in the United States and January 7 in Canada). “It is with the smallest brushes that the Artist paints the best paintings.”—Saint André Bessette Born in Saint-Grégoire d’Iberville, Canada, in 1845, “Brother André” was orphaned at the age of twelve. Unable to attend school, he was forced to support himself and worked as an unskilled laborer in various textile mills in New England.   In 1867, André returned to Canada and entered the Congregation of Holy Cross as a lay brother. Known for his generosity and credited with man...