Christian Today

31st March - Saint Acacius - Independent Catholic News : Bishop of Antioch. According to legend, this 3rd century saint was so revered by his flock that they nicknamed him 'Agathangelus' which means 'The Good Angel'. When the Emperor Decius began persecuting Christians, it is said not a single Christian in his diocese denied their faith. In 261 a representative of Decius named Martian summoned the bishop for cross-examination. Acacius told him that all the Christians were loyal to the Emperor, but when he was asked to make a sacrifice to the gods he refused.

St. Balbina - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Balbina, Roman Catholic Women Martyr, Patron of struma, scrofulous diseases. Balbina died for the faith and was buried on the Appian Way. Her relics were later enshrined in St. Balbina's Church on the Aventine. Feastday March 31

St. John Climacus - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. John Climacus, Roman Catholic monk called “Climacus” from the title of his famous book, The Climax, or The Ladder of Perfection. Feastday Mar.30

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: Restoration of the Society of Jesus and England : Today is the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus--The Jesuits, and 2014 also marks the 200th anniversary of th...

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: English Jesuits in the Crimean War : From the Jesuits in Britain website : This year, the 30th of March marks the 160th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris: the Treaty which ...

St. Mark - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Mark, Martyred Roman Catholic Bishop of Arethusa, on Mount Lebanon. He destroyed a local pagan temple, enraging the pagan populace. Emperor Julian the Apostate ordered that Mark and other Christians rebuild the temples that they had destroyed. Mark fled rather than comply, but he surrendered when members of his flock were arrested. He was tortured by being dragged through the streets, but he remained so loyal to Christ and the Church that he was set free. Emperor Julian pardoned him. Feastday Mar. 29

St. Berthold - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Berthold, Roman Catholic Priest and the founder of the Carmelite Order. Feastday March 29

29th March - Saints Gwynllyw and Gwladys; Saint Berthold of Carmel - Independent Catholic News : These sixth century saints were the parents of St Cadoc, one of the early founders of monasticism in South Wales. They are also one of very few married couple to be canonised. Gwynllyw was a chieftain. His wife Gwladys also came from an aristocratic family. Much of their life was spent fighting neighbouring tribes, but their son Cadoc converted them to Christianity and they became devout followers of Christ.

28th March - Saint Tutilo - Independent Catholic News : Monk, and gifted musician. St Tutilo was an Irish monk who lived in the late ninth and early tenth centuries. He was educated at the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Gall in Switzerland. A good-humoured person of many talents, he was a poet, portrait painter, sculptor, orator, architect and mechanic. But his greatest talent was music. He could play all the instruments known to the monks. Together with his friend, Blessed Notker, he composed much church music and taught at the abbey school.

St. Venturino of Bergamo - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Venturino of Bergamo, Roman Catholic Dominican Monk, known for helping to organize a crusade, at the behest of Pope Clement VI (r. 1342-1352), against the Turks who were then menacing Europe. Feastday March 28

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: Chesterton to the Neophytes : In the diocese of Wichita, Kansas last night, perhaps 327 adults joined the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. At least that's how man... Perhaps these two paragraphs from the "Why I Am a Catholic" essay in The Thing summarize Chesterton's reasons for becoming a Catholic. He just kept finding out that the Catholic Church told the truth: There is barely space here to indicate this one thing out of the thousand things that confirm the same fact and confirm each other. I would undertake to pick up any topic at random, from pork to pyrotechnics, and show that it illustrates the truth of the only true philosophy; so realistic is the remark that all roads lead to Rome. Out of all these I have here only taken one fact; that the thing is pursued age after age by an unreasonable hatred that is perpetually changing its reason. Now of nearly all the dead heresies it may be said that they are not

St. Augusta - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St Augusta, Roman Catholic Virgin martyr, the daughter of the duke of Friuli, in Italy. It is reported that the duke was so infuriated by Augusta's conversion to Christianity that he killed her with his own hand. Her shrine is near Treviso, in northern Italy. Feastday Mar.27

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Bl. Emilian Kovch - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Emilian Kovch, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr. Parish priest in 1922 at Peremyshliany, Ukraine, a village of 5,000, most of whom were Jewish. An active priest, he organized pilgrimages and youth groups, and welcomed poor and orphaned children of all faiths into his home. When the Nazis invaded Ukraine, they began rounding up Jews. To save them, Father Emilian began baptizing them, and listing them as Christians. The Nazis were wise to this trick, and had prohibited it. Emilian continued, but was arrested by the Gestapo in December 1942. Deported to the Majdanek concentration camp in August 1943. There he ministered to prisoners, hearing confessions, and celebrating Mass when possible. He was Martyred in the ovens. Feastday Mar.25

St. Dismas - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Dismas, the Good Thief crucified with Christ on Calvary. Feastday March 25

St. Timolaus & Companions - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Timolaus & Companions, Eight Roman Catholic Martyrs who were beheaded at Caesarea, in Palestine, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. According to the historian Eusebius of Caesarea, the names of the other martyrs were: Dionysius (two by this name), Alexander (two by this name), Romulus, Pausis, and Agapius. Feastday Mar.24

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: Holy Week: The Triduum Before the English Reformat... : Please note: I'll be on the Son Rise Morning Show this morning to discuss St. Margaret Clitherow, whose execution was on Good Friday, Ma...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oranges_and_Lemons Oranges and lemons, Say the bells of St. Clement's . You owe me five farthings , Say the bells of St. Martin's . When will you pay me? Say the bells of Old Bailey . When I grow rich, Say the bells of Shoreditch . When will that be? Say the bells of Stepney . I do not know, Says the great bell of Bow . Here comes a candle to light you to bed, And here comes a chopper to chop off your head! [1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Mary,_Quite_Contrary Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells, And pretty maids all in a row. [1] Like many nursery rhymes, it has acquired various historical explanations. These include: That it is a religious allegory of Catholicism, with bells representing the sanctus bells , the cockleshells the badges of the pilgrims to the shrine of Saint James in Spain ( Santiago de Compostela ) and pretty maids are nuns, but even within this strand of thought there are differences of opinion as to whether it is lament for the reinstatement of Catholicism or for its persecution

English Historical Fiction Authors: Garden Guide for English Historical Authors: Sprin... : by Margaret Porter Tulips and primula 'Planting and gardening addes much to the Health and Content of Man.'   Moses Cook, ... Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells, And pretty maids all in a row

22nd March - 

Saint Nicholas Owen - Independent Catholic News : Jesuit lay-brother, martyr. There is no record of his family, birthplace, date of birth, or baptism. Nicholas had been a servant of the Society of Jesus and joined the order around 1580. At the execution of St Edmund Campion he openly declared him innocent and was imprisoned. After his release he served the priests Henry Garnett and John Gerard for eighteen years. He was captured again with with Fr John, escaped from the Tower, and helped the escape of Father Gerard.

St. Callinica & Basilissa - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Callinica & Basilissa, Roman Catholic Women Martyrs of Galatia. Wealthy matrons, Callinica and Basilissa spent their fortunes bringing aid to the imprisoned Christians in their area. They were arrested for their generosity and slain. Feastday March 22

St. Lea - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Lea, Roman Catholic fourth-century saint in the Roman Catholic Church based on the authority of Jerome., soon after her marriage she was widowed and left very sound financially. Instead of retiring as a wealthy widow, however, she joined a convent of consecrated virgins in the city—shedding all the money and social standing she possessed. In later years she was named the prioress of the convent. Feastday Mar.22

St. Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello, Roman Catholic Nun founded the Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters of Providence. The guiding charism of her order is their focus on the education of young girls and confidence in and abandonment to God in the living out of their vows. Feastday March 21

21st March - Saint Enda - Independent Catholic News : Abbot. Born in Co Meath, during the 6th century, Enda was a boy soldier who became a monk. He was trained at St Ninian's monastery in Whithorn, Galloway and then returned to Drogheda and founded monastic communities in the Boyne valley, before settling in Inishmore in the Aran Islands. This became his base. Many monks came to to join him there including Ciaran of Clonmacnoise.

St. John, Sergius, & Companions - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. John, Sergius, & Companions. Roman Catholic Monks who resided in the laura, or an eremetical monastery, of St. Sabas, near Jerusalem. They were martyred by a band of Arabs who devastated the community. One of the wounded monks, named Stephen, composed a poem in honor of the martyred and to commemorate the event. Feastday March 20

St. Photina - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Photina, Roman Catholic Martyr. Photiona was the Samaritan woman with whom Jesus spoke at the well as was recounted in the Gospel of St. John, chapter four. Deeply moved by the experience, she took to preaching the Gospel, received imprisonment, and was finally martyred at Carthage. Feastday March 20

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: Happy St. Patrick's Day! : This English version of the Shield or Breastplate of St. Patrick  (also called the Lorica) was created by Cecil Frances Alexander, an Angl...

St. Abban - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Abban, Roman Catholic Abbot and Irish missionary. An Irish prince, Abban was the son of King Cormac of Leinster. He is listed as the nephew of St. Ibar. Abban founded many churches in the old district of Ui Cennselaigh, in modern County Wexford and Ferns. His main monastery is Magheranoidhe, in Adamstown, Ireland. This monastery's fame is attributed in some records to another Abban, that of New Ross. Abban is also associated with Kill-Abban Abbey in Leinster, serving as abbot there until March 16, 620. He is revered in Adamstown, which was once called Abbanstown. Feastday March 16

16th March - Saint Fintan Lobur - Independent Catholic News : St Finan was an Irish abbot who lived in the 6th century. Although of Munster descent he was born in Leinster. He is said to have suffered from a skin disease, possibly leprosy. He ruled over the monastery of Swords, north of Dublin, and possibly over Clonmore at the end of his life, where he was buried. In one of his few surviving quotes, he said: 'Most ignorant and of least account among the faithful, despised by many.

15th March - Saint Louise de Marillac - Independent Catholic News : Widow. Foundress of the Daughter of Charity. Born in 1591 to an aristocratic family, Louise was educated by nuns at Poissy. Her mother died when she was very young and her father died when she was 15. Louise married Anthony Le Gras and they lived happily together for 12 years and had one son. After her husband's death, Louise became involved with the work of St Vincent de Paul, who was organising groups of women into helping the poor and sick. He asked her to help train women in this work.

Pope: The Lord walks with us through the dark valleys of our lives - Independent Catholic News : We all experience dark times in our lives, Pope Francis said during morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta on Monday. Reflecting on the day's Reading which tells the story of Susanna, a just woman who is blackmailed by two judges, but chooses to trust in God rather than succumb to their wish, he said that even when we find ourselves walking in a 'valley of darkness' we need not fear evil. The Lord always walks with us, loves us and does not abandon us. 'When we look at the many dark valleys, at the many misfortunes, at the fact there

St. Matilda - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Mathilda, Roman Catholic Queen. The pious Queen adorned the throne by her many virtues. She visited and comforted the sick and the afflicted, instructed the ignorant, succored prisoners, and endeavored to convert sinners, and her husband concurred with her in her pious undertakings. After twenty-three years of married life King Henry died, in 936. No sooner had he expired than she had a Mass offered up for the repose of his soul, and from that moment she renounced all worldly pomp. Feastday Mar.14

Martyrs of Valeria - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Martyrs of Valeria, two Roman Catholic Monks and Martyrs. Two monks hanged from a tree by the Lombards. Pope St. Gregory I the Great reported that after dying, the monks could be heard singing Psalms. Feastday Mar.14

St. Ramirus and Companions - Saints St. Ramirus and Companions, Roman catholic Martyrs of Spain. Ramirus served as prior of St. Claudus Monastety in Leon, Spain. The community was set upon by the Visigoths who, as Arians, opposed orthodox Christianity. The abbot, St Vincent, was put to death, followed two days later by Ramirus and the entire community. Feastday Mar. 13

St. Fina - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Seraphina, Roman Catholic laywoman known for her self denial and acts of penance as a young girl. Feastday March 12

St. Peter of Nicomedia - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Peter of Nicomedia, Roman Catholic Martyr. According to tradition, he was a chamberlain at the court of Emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia. Arrested for being a Christian when the last great persecution of the Church was launched at Diocletian's command, Peter was cruelly tortured by having the flesh stripped from his body and salt and vinegar poured and rubbed into the wounds. Finally, he was roasted to death over a fire. He is ranked as one of the first victims of the last persecution by the Roman Empire. Feastday Mar.12

Martyrs of Armenia - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Martyrs (Forty) of Armenia, Roman Catholic soldiers martyred by Emperor Licinius Licinianus at Sebaste, in modern Armenia. They are also called the Martyrs of Sebaste. The martyrs were forced to march naked upon the ice of a frozen lake after they refused to abjure the faith. Feastday March 10

St. Aurea - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Aurea, Roman Catholic Nun, During the Moorish occupation of Spain, she became a nun at a nearby Benedictine San Millan de la Cogolla abbey and lived as a solitary famed for her visions and miracles. Her feast day is March 11th

St. Frances of Rome - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Frances of Rome, Obl.S.B. Roman Catholic wife, mother, mystic, organizer of charitable services and a Benedictine oblate who founded a religious community of oblates, who share a common life without religious vows.Feastday Mar.9

8th March - Saint John of God - Independent Catholic News : Founder of the Brothers Hospitallers. Patron of hospitals, the sick, booksellers and printers. St John was born in Portugal in 1495. For a few years he was a mercenary for the Count of Oroprusa and fought for Spain against the Turks in Hungary and the French. John gave up religious practice while he was in the army. When his troop disbanded he went to Andalusia and worked as a shepherd.

St. Arian and Companions - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Arian and Companions, A Roman Catholic Alexandrian martyr with Theoticus and three others. Arian was the governor of Thebes. He and his companions witnessed the martyrdom of Sts. Apollonius and Philemon in Alexandria and were converted. Upon confessing the faith, the men were thrown into the sea. Feastday March 8

7 March - Saints Perpetua and Felicity - Independent Catholic News : Martyrs. Perpetua was a 22 year old married Christian woman who lived in Carthage during the first century. She had given birth to a son a few months before she was arrested for her faith, under the persecutions of Septimus Severus. A pregnant slave, Felicity, with her husband Revocatus and six other African Christian men were also arrested. The group were kept together in a house for several weeks, during which time Felicity had her baby.

Pope Francis: Nuns killed in Yemen are modern-day martyrs - Independent Catholic News : The four Missionary of Charity sisters killed together with 12 staff at a care home in Yemen on Friday are modern-day martyrs, Pope Francis said at the end of the Angelus with pilgrims in St Peter's Square on Sunday. The Holy Father said the nuns 'gave their blood for the Church'' and that they were not only victims of the attackers but also of 'this indifference of globalization.' Pope Francis also praised an ecumenical project to fly refugees to Europe as 'a concrete sign of commitment for peace and life.'

St. Colette - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Colette, Roman Catholic Nun, foundress of the Colettine Poor Clares, better known as the Poor Clares. Due to a number of miraculous events claimed during her life, she is venerated as the patron saint of women seeking to conceive, expectant mothers and sick children. Feastday Mar.6

5th March - Saint Ciaran of Saighir - Independent Catholic News : Bishop and monk. St Ciaran was born in West Cork in the 6th century. He came from an Ossory family. Ciaran went to Europe as a young man where he was baptised and ordained. He returned to Ossory and settled at Saighir near Birr in Co Offaly, first as a hermit, then later as the abbot of a large monastery. He may have been consecrated bishop by St Patrick. There are many legends about St Ciaran. He is said to have had great skills communicating with wild animals. A wolf, a badger and a fox helped him and his monks build their huts.

St. Oliva - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Oliva, Roman Catholic Martyr. She was executed in the last year of the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Her relics are venerated at Saint Afra's Church, Brescia. Feastday Mar.5

St. Casimir of Poland - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Saint Casimir, Roman Catholic crown prince of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania who became a patron saint of Lithuania, Poland, and the young. Feastday March 4

St. Basil and Companions - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Basil and Companions, Roman Catholic Priests and Martyrs. Martyred bishop, with Agathodorus, Elpidius, Ephraem, lftherius, Eugene, Arcadius, Capito, and Nestor. These prelates served as bishops. Nestor and Arcadius were rnartyred on Cyprus. The others died in the Crimean area and elsewhere in southern Russia. Feastday Mar.4

St. Lucius I - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Lucius I, Roman Catholic Priest and elected Pope to succeed Pope St. Cornelius on June 25, 253, and ruled only eighteen months. He was exiled briefly during the persecution of Emperor Gallus, but was allowed to return to Rome. Feastday March 4

Pope: When your heart is hard you cannot understand God's mercy - Independent Catholic News : Jesus asks each one of us directly: 'are you with me or against me?' - Pope Francis said during Mass at Casa Santa Marta on Thursday morning. Admitting that we are sinners, open ourselves unconditionally to God's mercy, and being able to ask for forgiveness is the first step in a decisive response to that question, he said. At the beginning of the first reading, Francis noted, the prophet Jeremiah (7:23-28), 'reminds us of God's pact with his people: 'Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people.

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: Book Review: "Papist Devils" : As mankind become more liberal they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community a...

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: Father Francis Walsingham, SJ : From the Worcester Cathedral Library and Archive blog : the other Francis Walsingham--not the spymaster Secretary of Elizabeth I--convert,...

Saint of the Day for Thursday, March 3rd, 2016 - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Katharine Drexel, Roman Catholic American Nun. Katharine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Black and Native American peoples, whose members would work for the betterment of those they were called to serve. Feastday March 3

New bin Laden documents reveal stresses on al Qaeda : The handwritten will of Osama bin Laden has revealed the former al Qaida leader had about 29 million US dollars (£20.8 million) in personal wealth - the bulk of which he wanted to be used 'on jihad, for the sake of Allah'. The will was released in a batch of more than 100 documents seized during...

Martyrs of Campania - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online The Martyrs of Campania, Christians martyred by the Lombards in Italy. They number several hundred and their suffering was recorded by St. Gregory I the Great. Feastday March2

Pope: Blood of the martyrs has become seed of Christian unity - Independent Catholic News : Pope Francis urged world leaders to 'promote peaceful coexistence' in the face of 'a devastating outbreak of violence against Christians' on Monday, 29 February, when he received the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Pope Matthias I, in the Vatican. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, which rejected the definitions of the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. In his address, Pope Francis told Pope Matthias I 'what unites us is greater than what divides us... shared sufferings