This lovable Saint was born at Assisi and received the name Francis at Baptism, in honor of the great St. Francis of Assisi. His mother died when he was only four. Francis' father sent for a governess to raise him and the other children.

Francis grew to be a very handsome, likeable boy, who was the most popular dancer at all the parties. He really loved to have fun, but he was a good boy and even while having good times, he felt bored. He felt in his heart a strong desire for the things of God. Twice when he became so sick that he nearly died, he promised Our Lady that if she obtained his cure, he would become a religious. He did get better both times, but he did not keep his promise.

One day, afterwards, as he looked at a picture of the Sorrowful Mother being carried in a procession, it seemed to him that the Blessed Mother looked at him. At the same time, he felt something like a voice in his heart telling him: "Francis, the world is not for you any more." That did it. Francis entered the Passionist monastery. He was only eighteen. The name he took was Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother.

Gabriels three great loves were the Passion of Our Lord, the Blessed Sacrament and our Sorrowful Mother. He practiced two virtues in a special way: humility and obedience. In just six years, Gabriel became a saint.

We should not think only of having good times. God made us for Heaven. So we should often think of the great joys awaiting us there, if we live a life pleasing to God.

A coloring picture can be found below.

St. Romanus was a French youth who was admired by everyone for his goodness. He had a great desire to become a saint. Since he saw that in the world there are many dangers for our soul's salvation, he decided to go to live alone with God.

First, he asked advice of a holy monk, and then he started off. He took with him two books on the lives of the saints. Living by himself, he thought continually about God, and praised and thanked Him. Soon afterwards, his brother Lupicinus joined him. Romanus and Lupicinus were very different in their ways. Romanus was very hard on himself but very kind and gentle and full of understanding with others. Lupicinus was hard and severe with himself and with everybody else, too. Yet they got along perfectly.

When many men came to join them, they built two monasteries. Romanus governed one and Lupicinus governed the other. They prayed much and did much penance. They worked very hard, kept silent all the time, and were concerned only about becoming Saints.

St. Romanus and St. Lupicinus were both Saints, even though they were so different. We should learn never to dislike anyone, for everyone has many good qualities.
 

Born of wealthy and noble parents, Porphyry left his family when he was twenty-five. He went to Egypt to enter a monastery. After five years, he made a trip to Jerusalem to visit the places where Jesus had been when He was on earth. Porphyry loved the poor. He sold everything he had in order to help those in need.

At the age of forty he became a priest and was given care of the relics of the true Cross of Jesus. When Porphyry was made bishop of Gaza, he worked as hard as he could to convert the pagans and stop the many pagan practices and superstitions.

Although he was able to stop many of these practices, he had to suffer very much from his
enemies.

Let us have nothing to do with foolish superstitions. There is no such thing as good luck from charms or bad luck from numbers, and other such things. God watches over us and gives us all the help we need, if we pray.

St. Walburga came from a family of Saints. Her father was St. Richard. Her brothers were St. Willibald and St. Winebald. She herself entered the convent after she had finished her education. St. Walburga's brother went with St. Boniface to convert Germany.

Later her brother founded a monastery with two houses, one for monks and the other for sisters. St. Walburga was asked to take care of the sisters while her brother took care of the monks. After his death, St. Walburga took care of both.

The pagans greatly admired these holy women who worked so hard on their convent farms. They listened to what the monks and nuns taught them about Christ, because they saw what holy lives they were living. Besides all her other duties, St. Walburga also took care of the pagans when they fell sick. When she, too, went to Heaven, she was buried beside her brother.

Let us offer prayers and sacrifices so that everyone in our family may live as good Christians and save their souls.

St. Matthias was one of Our Lord's seventy-two disciples. He was good and pure as a boy and as a young man. So when he met Jesus, he was attracted to Him and followed Him. He was with Our Lord during His whole public life.

After Jesus had gone back to Heaven, the eleven Apostles met together to choose another to take the place of Judas the traitor. They prayed to God to show them whom He had chosen. Then they cast lots and Matthias was the one chosen. He received the Holy Spirit with the other Apostles.

St. Matthias was a very good Apostle and preached the Word of God to many people. At last the enemies of Jesus grew so furious to see how people listened to Matthias that they put him to death. The Martyr thanked Jesus for letting him die for Him. and then he prayed for his enemies. Matthias had lived a very holy life and Jesus welcomed his faithful Apostle into the joys of Heaven.

Every morning, let us ask Jesus to give us the grace of living and dying faithful to Him.

St. Serenus was a Greek who left all his belongings and went to Yugoslavia to live a holy life. He lived alone and grew just enough fruit and vegetables to live on.

One night he awoke to hear someone in his garden. Getting up to find out who it was, he saw a woman and asked her what she was doing. She answered that she liked to walk in his garden. But St. Serenus knew that she was a bad woman and he told her to leave. The lady was very angry when she left. She went to her husband, who was one of the Emperor Maximian's guards. She told him that Serenus had insulted her. Her husband believed the lie and wrote to the governor of the land to punish Serenus. When the governor called Serenus, he found out that it was really the woman who was evil, not Serenus. Just as the Saint was about to be freed, someone said to the governor that such a holy man might be a Christian. At that time, the Christians were being persecuted. The governor asked Serenus if he were a Christian. Serenus was happy to declare his faith in Jesus and to have the privilege of dying a martyr.

If we have any friends who are not good, we will not go with them any more. It is better to be alone than to be with bad companions.

A coloring picture can be found below.

Little Margaret was only eight when her mother died. Her father married another woman, who treated her harshly.

At the age of sixteen, Margaret met a rich young man, who was struck by her beauty. He told her that he loved her. The poor girl was unhappy at home and she wanted to be loved. She wanted a grand house instead of a poor cottage. She thought it would be so nice to wear beautiful gowns and jewels instead of ragged clothes. So she went off with the nobleman. Although she now had the things she wanted, Margaret was never really happy. Deep down in her heart she felt bad because she was leading a life of sin.

One day, the nobleman was killed in the woods. His dog came home and led Margaret to the place where he lay. As she looked down on his body, she realized that if she did not change her sinful life she might one day die without God's grace. That terrible sight made such an impression on her that then and there, at only twenty-five years of age, she made up her mind to change. She confessed her sins and did penance for the rest of her life. To make up for the bad example she had given, she once put a rope around her neck and begged forgiveness to everyone in her parish church.

Her father and stepmother would not let her live in her home, but Margaret put all her trust in her heavenly Father. She started a hospital for the sick poor and served there herself. She brought many souls to God by her good example.

If we have given bad example, we should ask God's pardon. Then let us make up for our faults by kind words and good deeds.

A coloring picture can be found below.

This Saint was the son of a Roman general, who gave him whatever he wanted. Dositheus was tall and handsome, and he lived a life of fun in his rich house. He knew nothing about his religion. One day he decided to go with some officers on a trip to Jerusalem. There he saw where Jesus had walked and preached and suffered. In one church he also saw a picture representing Hell.

"What is that?" he asked. When he found out, what torments the damned souls suffer there, he could not get it out of his mind. He began to pray and to live a holy life. His friends could not believe their eyes!

"You are living like a monk in a monastery!" one said. Dositheus wondered what a monastery was. At last, to please him, they took him to the monastery where St. Seridon was the abbot. Dositheus asked to be allowed to enter, because he said he wanted to save his soul.

As a monk, Dositheus obeyed perfectly. He did whatever he was told and grew holier every day. Once, to test him, his director had him make a habit for himself and then told him to give it to another. Three or four times he did that. Yet St. Dositheus did not complain once.

Only five years did this young man live as a monk. When he was just twenty-two, he caught a very bad sickness, which soon took his life. He had not been able to do great penances either, because of his poor health. Yet, he became a Saint in that short time by obeying perfectly.

Let us try to imitate St. Dositheus by obeying quickly and cheerfully always. Whoever obeys is sure of doing what God wants.

St. Eucherius was born at Orleans, France. Every day his mother would offer him to God, and he was given a very good education. A sentence from the letters of St. Paul made a big change in him. The sentence was: "This world, as we see it, is passing away." It made him realize that our lives on this earth are very short and that Heaven and Hell last forever. He decided then and there to earn the joys of Heaven by living for God alone. So Eucherius left his rich home and entered the Benedictine Abbey. There he spent seven years in close union with God.

After the death of his uncle, the Bishop of Orleans, he was chosen to take his place as Bishop. Eucherius was then only twenty-five and he was very humble. He did not want to leave his beloved-Abbey. With tears, he begged to be allowed to remain alone with God in the monastery. But finally, he gave in for love of obedience. Eucherius became a holy, wise Bishop and did much good to his priests and to his people.

Charles Martel, who was Mayor of the Palace, used to take some of the Church's money to use for war. Because Bishop Eucherius told him that was wrong, Charles had him taken prisoner. But the governor in whose charge he put him was so moved by Eucherius' meekness toward his enemies that some time later, he sent him back to a monastery. Here, the Saint spent all his time in prayer until his death.

Let us, too, remember what St. Paul says: "This world is passing away," and try to think more of Heaven.

A coloring picture can be found below.

St. Barbatus was born in Italy. He was given a Christian education and was a very good and devout boy. What he liked most to do was to read the Holy Bible. As soon as he was old enough he was ordained a priest and later made pastor. But some of the people did not like him to tell them that they must lead better lives and be sorry for their sins. So they persecuted him and obliged him to leave.

St. Barbatus went back to Benevento, where he was born. There he was received with great joy. Many people in this city were converts to Christianity, but they still kept pagan idols in their homes. And they still believed that these idols had magic powers. St. Barbatus preached against this custom, but the people did not want to give up the false gods. The Saint told them that because of this sin, their city would be attacked by their enemies, and it was.

Afterwards, the people gave up their error and peace returned. St. Barbatus was made Bishop and continued his work to convert his people.

Our parish priests, like St. Barbatus, want us to be good so that we will go to Heaven. Let us listen to their advice and follow it.