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It is a great gift for a bishop of the Holy Church to see the fruits of his labor, praise God for them, and depart for eternity with a heart full of gratitude. However, not everyone receives that joy, and apparent failure can be a profound trial.

Today’s saint, Godfrey, came from a noble family in the Soissons region of France. After becoming a widower, his father chose to spend the rest of his life in a monastery. Godfrey was only five years old when he was entrusted to the care of the Abbot of Mont-Saint-Quentin, who had also baptized him.

From a young age, Godfrey strove to live a virtuous life by following the example of the religious. He prayed fervently, studied diligently, and willingly carried out any task entrusted to him. He also had a generous heart toward the poor, often giving them part of his own ration.

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While reviewing the saints celebrated on November 3rd in the Calendar of Saints, I was particularly moved by the story of Saint Ida of Toggenburg, a thirteenth-century hermit.

Her pious father, Count Hartmann, married her to Count Henry of Toggenburg when she was 17. She moved with her husband to Switzerland. This nobleman, owner of many castles and respected as a good warrior, had a very irascible temperament. Ida, raised in the fear of God and in virtue, endured him with patience and meekness. The couple could not have children, so Ida took in the poor as her own, becoming an “angel of comfort” to many in the villages and cottages. She also cared for all the castle’s inhabitants and guided them toward a pious life through her words and example. She was beloved by all.

It seemed that her life would pass peacefully, dedicated to the glory of God and the blessing of others. But suddenly, everything changed.

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Blessed Elizabeth of Hungary—who, although related, should not be confused with Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, also known as Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia—was the daughter of King Andrew III. Orphaned at an early age, she suffered under the harsh yoke of a stepmother who rejected her: Queen Agnes of Habsburg. She was destined to marry Prince Wenceslaus of Bohemia. However, after her father’s death, Elizabeth was stripped of her royal inheritance, causing Wenceslaus to lose interest in her. Elizabeth was imprisoned with her stepmother in the royal palace in Budapest and was then intended to become the wife of the Duke of Austria. But events took a different turn.

When her stepmother’s father was murdered, her stepmother took her to Swabia to seek revenge. Once there, she decided that Elizabeth should enter a convent but allowed her to choose it freely. Elizabeth, who was 16 years old at the time, resigned herself to her fate and chose the Dominican convent of Töss. Her stepmother insisted that she take the habit and make her vows after only fifteen weeks. The young woman, the legitimate heir to the throne of Hungary, gave in.

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Today we will talk about a lesser-known blessed in the Catholic Church: Blessed Stefana. She was born in the 17th century into a noble Calvinist family in Gex, France. At that time, there were great tensions between Catholics and various Protestant denominations. Stefana was said to be a cheerful and friendly girl, but she was so immersed in her erroneous beliefs that she mocked the customs and ceremonies of the Catholic Church. She would sometimes sneak into Catholic churches just to play pranks. For example, she would wash her hands in the holy water font and commit other similar acts of irreverence.

However, the Lord did not leave Stefana in confusion. Since no one was there to teach her and help her recognize the truth, the Lord Himself intervened. On the Feast of Corpus Christi, Stefana watched the procession from her home. Then, it was as if Christ were looking at her from the monstrance. Suddenly, a heavenly ray fell upon her soul, illuminating it and making her recognize with complete clarity the truth of Catholicism and the falsehood of the belief she had professed until then. At that moment, her heart instantly decided to convert to Catholicism at any cost and to serve the Lord fervently. She then exclaimed inwardly with the prophet: “bring me back that I may be restored” (Jeremiah 31:18).

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When we begin to discover the lives of the saints, we often come across extraordinary stories. Such is the case of Saints Chrysanthus and Darius, martyrs of the first centuries, whose memory is celebrated today in the ancient liturgical calendar.

The following is told about today’s saints:

Saint Chrysanthus was the son of pagan parents. His father, Polemius, was a senator in Alexandria and was held in such high esteem by the Emperor Numerianus that he brought him to Rome and made him his counsellor.

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According to the traditional calendar, today is the feast day of St. Raphael the Archangel. Describing an angel is undoubtedly much more difficult than describing the life of a saint. The latter are usually well documented and more accessible to us. Nevertheless, we should strive to become more familiar with our friends in heaven—without letting our imaginations run away with us.

Angels are often discussed in esoteric circles. However, without clear discernment of spirits, it is easy for our imagination to suggest illusory ideas about angels that do not correspond to reality—or even to be deceived by the devil. We cannot overlook the fact that demons still possess an angelic nature and are therefore endowed with an intelligence superior to ours, making it easy for them to mislead those who are not firmly rooted in the true faith. Therefore, before discussing the Archangel Saint Raphael, it is important to review what the Church teaches us about these beings. This will provide us with the criteria to better recognize faithful angels.

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What would Spain be without Saint Anthony Mary Claret?

In 1861, a prominent anarchist wrote, “If it hadn’t been for Father Claret, Catalonia would have understood the message of the revolution. With his thousands of extraordinarily popular sermons, this tireless man managed to re-Christianize the whole of Catalonia. After completely transforming Catalonia, he did the same in the Canary Islands and, later, in Cuba, where Catholicism was dying out. But that was not the worst of it. His time in Madrid was a catastrophe for the Spanish revolutionary movement.”

Who was this man who exerted so much influence and had such a profound impact on the political arena despite not being a politician himself?

Antonio María Claret was born in Sallent, near Barcelona, in 1807. Like his brothers, he helped in his parents’ textile business and demonstrated such talent in his higher studies that he was entrusted with taking over a large company. However, the Lord had heard his prayers, as from a very young age he had asked for the grace of the priesthood.

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Why would someone become a hermit? Why would he leave everything behind for Christ, giving up the opportunity to live in community with other brothers and sisters, in order to be alone with God?

This choice can only be understood through the eyes of faith. From the world’s perspective—so far removed from God—it might seem selfish. However, throughout the centuries, the Church and the faithful have held the hermit life in high esteem.

Although a hermit may feel a strong longing for solitude and intimacy with God, and although he may want to retreat to the most secluded place possible to find Him, it may happen that the Lord’s plans differ from what he himself desires. God is the master of every vocation, and following His will is more valuable than fulfilling one’s own desires, no matter how pious they may be.

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According to the new liturgical calendar, 19 October is the feast day of Saint Jean de Brébeuf. As yesterday’s meditation was dedicated to another saint, today I would like to talk about the heroic life of this tireless missionary.

What is the motivation that can lead a man to undergo terrible hardship and suffering for the salvation of souls, so that they may receive the message of Christ? It is that ineffable love which moved God Himself to come into this world and expose Himself to suffering in the person of His Son in order to wrest His prey from the powers of darkness and lead men into His eternal Kingdom.

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Pedro Garavito was born in Alcántara, Spain, in 1499 and, at the age of sixteen, entered the Franciscan Order. There he led a life of strict penance, particularly with regard to food and sleep, to a degree that is difficult for us to imagine today. This is why we tend to admire the saints for their asceticism rather than imitate it. While this is understandable, it can also have negative long-term effects. In fact, asceticism has almost completely disappeared from the life of the Church, so that, in general, fasting barely exists anymore. We risk losing the ability to imagine restraining ourselves from bodily comforts for love of the Lord.

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