COLLEGE of ARTS and

SCIENCES,
and EDUCATION (CASEd)
Columban College, Inc.
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PRELIM LEARNING MODULE

First Semester of A.Y. 2022-2023

REL 103 – Copyright

MARY AND2022 THE LIVES
Unauthorized reproduction of this Learning Module is strictly prohibited.
OF SAINTS

Prepared by:
Mrs. Myla M. Nacorda
Mrs. Angelita T. Geronimo
COLUMBAN COLLEGE, INC
School Motto: We are Christ’s and not our own. Christi Simus Non Nostri.
Vision: Inspired by our strong faith in Jesus Christ and sense of service, we shall be a
sustainable Catholic educational institution by 2022.
Mission: As a Catholic institution, we transform lives through holistic education,
Christian formation, and service.
Core Values: Christian Character. Competence. Service
REFLECT AND ANALYZE

How do you think the Mission-Vision-Goals of

Columban College will help you reach your full
potentials as a person? as a student? as a future
professional?

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 I. Introduction to the Blessed Virgin Mary:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course discovers the evolution and theology of Mary and the Saints in their
liturgical and doctrinal expressions to discern, evaluate, and articulate their proper place
within Christian liturgy, doctrine, and life today in relationship to the central mediatorial
role of Christ. Issues of popular piety, "models of holiness," and ecumenical division,
dialogue, convergence, the feminist critique, and liturgical renewal will also be examined.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Trace the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary
2. Support the basic truths about Mary based on the Sacred Scripture
3. Narrate the Visitation of Mary in the Gospel of Luke
4. Explain the roles of Mary in Salvation History and different titles attributed to
her.
5. Discuss the Theological Bases of Mary in the Church
6. Explain the meaning of “Hyperdulia”.
7. Realize and appreciate the Dignity of Mary
8. Show love, respect, and sincere devotion to the Blessed Mother.

Course Topic:
A. Mary in the Bible/ Scripture
1. Salvation History
Gen. 3:15
Isaiah 7:14
Mt. 1:22-23
2. The Visitation
3. Magnificat
B. Titles of Mary
1. Blessed Virgin Mary
2. Immaculate Conception
3. Theotokos
4. Mary, the Perfect Disciple of Jesus
5. Mary, the Mother of the Church
C. Dogmas and Devotions to Mary
1. Sources
a. Church Tradition
b. Apparitions
2. The Holy Rosary
3. The Glorious Mysteries
D. The Illuminated Gospels about Mary
1. Mary in the Church
2. Hyperdulia
3.The Dignity of Mary

INTRODUCTION:
Basically, Mariology deals with the life and role of the Virgin Mary, the mother of
Jesus, as well as her veneration, throughout the ages, in theology, prayer, hymns, art, music,

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and architecture. Mary, the greatest saint, plays a significant role in the history of salvation
when she cooperated in the salvific work of God. She was exalted yet remains to be with us.
Redeemed by reason of the merits of her Son and united to Him by a close and indissoluble tie,
she is endowed with the high office and dignity of being the Mother of the Son of God, by
which account she is also the beloved daughter of the Father and the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Because of this gift of sublime grace, she far surpasses all creatures, both in heaven and on
earth. At the same time, however, because she belongs to the offspring of Adam she is one with
all those who are to be saved.  (Lumen Gentium, no. 53)
In the wedding at Cana, she uttered, “do whatever He tells you”, signifying her role
as someone who brings us to Jesus and not to herself.

Activity #1. Using the letters of the alphabet, write words

that could be used to describe the Blessed Virgin Mary.

MARY IN THE SCRIPTURES:

The growth of the devotion to Mary can be seen in the gospels. Mary was explicitly
mentioned in the New Testament when the WORD was made Flesh through her positive

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response to God. Focusing on Jesus, Scripture begins to consider Mary in reference to Jesus'
origins.

1. ANNUNCIATION (Luke 1:26–38). In the Gospel of Luke, in the reign of Herod

the Great, Mary was living at Nazareth when Jesus' conception by the Holy Spirit
was announced by the angel Gabriel and said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is
with you. God has found favor with you. You will be the mother of Jesus, the Son
of the Most High.” Mary responded by saying yes! “I am the handmaid of the
Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:26). Luke adds that, at
that time, Mary was a virgin betrothed to "a man named Joseph of the house of
David" (v. 27).

2. VISIT TO ELIZABETH AND ZECHARIAH (Luke 1:39–45). Mary had learned

from the angel that her relative Elizabeth was also going to have a baby. Mary
went on a difficult journey to see the mother of John the Baptist, the prophet who
prepared the way for Jesus. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, she cried
out, “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
Elizabeth called Mary blessed because she knew that Mary was going to be the
mother of God’s Son.

3. THE BIRTH OF JESUS (Luke 2:6–20, Matthew 2:1–12). When Mary was close to
giving birth, she and Joseph had to go on a journey to Bethlehem because it was
the home of Joseph’s ancestors, the family of David. The government required
every family to return to their hometown to be counted for a census. History tells
that Jesus was probably born between 6 and 4 B.C. Luke mentions local
shepherds who visited the Holy Family shortly after Jesus' birth (Lk 2:8-20).
Matthew, on the other hand, tells us of Magi who came to the site from the Orient.

THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY

The prophecy of Simeon. (St. Luke 2:34, 35)
The flight into Egypt. (St. Matthew 2:13, 14)
The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple. (St. Luke 2: 43-45)
The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
The Crucifixion.
The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
The burial of Jesus.

4. FLIGHT INTO EGYPT (Matthew 2:1–23). Matthew also informs us that the Holy
Family fled to Egypt to avoid Herod's massacre of infants after the Magi's visit.
When Herod's sons succeeded him, the Holy Family returned to their hometown
of Nazareth, where Jesus grew up (cf. Mt 2:16-23).

5. JESUS WAS FOUND IN THE TEMPLE (Luke 2:41–52). The Lukan accounts
portray Mary [and Joseph] as faithful Jews, having Jesus circumcised and
presented to God in accord with Jewish law. Further: "His parents used to go up
every year to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover" (Lk 2:41). On one such
pilgrimage, Mary and Joseph lost track of their twelve-year-old son and found

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 Jesus in the temple amazing Jewish teachers with his insight (Lk 2:41-51). Joseph
is no longer mentioned in Scripture after this event. He probably died shortly
after, but almost certainly had died by the time Jesus began his public ministry.

6. MARY IN THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS. Jesus must have started his
public ministry at the age of thirty and lasted for about three years with Mary
around forty-eight at that time (i.e. 27-29 AD). Mary kept abreast of Jesus'
preaching activities and even followed Him to at least some of his lectures (cf. Mt
12:46-50, Mk 3:31-35, Lk 8:19-21).She was also with Jesus in the wedding feast at
Cana (John 2:1–12)when he performed his first miracle.

7. MARY AND THE PASSION OF JESUS. Jesus met with his disciples in the last
supper and instituted the Eucharist. After the meal, he was arrested, tortured and
crucified by the Roman soldiers in exchange of the liberation of Barabbas whom
the Jews believed to be a hero. All the four gospels mentioned about the
crucifixion however only John mentioned about Mary at the foot of the cross
(John 19:25–27). Jesus entrusted Mary to John the Beloved, signifying the
Christian community, and the latter was also entrusted to his mother, Mary.

8. PENTECOST. After the resurrection and ascension, Mary and the apostles
continued to pray and live together as a community. The last event when Mary
was mentioned in the Bible took place in the descent of the Holy Spirit among the
apostles.

ACTIVITY #2

The rosary contains the Paschal Mystery of Christ. It also reminds us of the
presence of Mary in this Paschal Mystery of Christ. Can you identify which
mysteries of the rosary can we find Mary?

Mary in the Old Testament – Prophecy and Type

You might have wondered why events in the New Testament were first presented. That is
because we wanted to establish the fact that Mary existed in our human history, and that her
life was a stage to the fulfillment of the first coming of the Messiah. Nevertheless, her
coming into human history is by no accident, she was truly chosen and prophesied in the
Old Testament. We will try to see her in a form of a TYPOLOGY. Mary was prefigured in a
TYPE. A TYPE is a form of a person, thing, place or action in the Old Testament which has its
own independent identity, but at the same time is intended by God to prefigure the chosen
woman in the person of MARY.

The Old Testament is the initial revelation of God, the fulfillment and perfection will take
place in the New Testament.

God’s plan of salvation begins to unfold the very moment Adam and Eve fall into sin.
Genesis 3:15, the Protoevangelium or the “First Gospel” is an announcement of the promised
Savior and his mother.

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1. She appears as a prototype of the second Eve in the creation narrative. After
humankind sins in the Garden of Eden, God says to the serpent (Satan), “I will put enmity
you and the woman and between your offspring and hers. He will strike at your head, while
you strike at his heel,” (Gen. 3:15).

2. In Israel, the ark of the covenant sheltered by the meeting tent represented the
presence of God. “Put the ark of the commandments in it…then a cloud covered the meeting
tent and the glory of the Lord filled the dwelling,” (Ex. 40:3,34). In the Lukan birth account
the angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most
High will over-shadow you,” (Lk. 1:35). Mary is the ark of the new covenant.

Reflection and Analysis

Complete the table and analyze the meaning of the text. Explain the significant
role performed by Mary in our economy of salvation based on the given texts.

Scriptural Text Meaning

Jn 2:4 Jesus said to her, “ O woman,
what have you to do with me? My
hour has not yet come.”
Jn 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his
mother, and the disciple whom he
loved standing near, he said to his
mother,” Woman, behold your
son!” Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother!”
Rev 12:1-6 And a great portent
appeared in heaven, a woman
“She is the WOMAN”
clothed with the sun, with the
moon under her feet, and on her
head a crown of twelve stars; she
was with child and she cried out in
her pangs of birth, in anguish for
delivery. And another portent
appeared in heaven: behold, a great
red dragon, with seven heads and
ten horns, and seven diadems upon
his heads….and the dragon stood
before a woman who was about to
bear a child, that he might devour
her child when she brought forth a
male child, one who is to rule all
the nations with a rod of iron but
her child was caught up to God and
to his throne, and the woman fled
in to the wilderness where she has
a place prepared by God

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Old Testament Typology

The following are examples of biblical typology. The events and objects existed in the Old
Testament and they prefigured something in the New Testament.

1. Peter uses Noah’s ark as a type of Christian baptism (1 Pt 3:18-22).

2. Paul explains that circumcision foreshadowed Christian baptism (Col 2:11-12).
3. Jesus uses the bronze serpent as a type of his Crucifixion (Jn 3:14; cf. Nm 21:8-9).
4. The Passover lamb prefigures the sacrifice of Christ (1 Cor 5:7).
5. The Passover Meal is a preparatory image of the Holy Eucharist which Christ will
establish in the Last Supper.
The following typologies prefigure Mary and her role in the economy of our salvation.

1. Jacob’s Ladder (Gen 28:12) is the symbol of God’s help He gives His people
while they are journeying on earth, It is His connection to His people.
It represents the fact that our prayers can assist those souls
in purgatory who are awaiting their final entrance to the full glory in heaven.
Mary is considered a ladder since through her, God descended to become Man
and through her intercession He grants sinners the graces necessary to reach heaven

2. Gideon’s fleece (Judges 6:36-39) is the symbol of virgin birth. Both events showed
that God could make the impossible possible.
The story of angel’s visit to Gideon was often paired with the gospel story of
angel Gabriel with Mary. Both were greeted with “the Lord is with you”,
signifying the news of salvation for Israel and informs each of them
of their special role in achieving this.

3. Ark of the Covenant (Gen 6:9) in the Old is the dwelling place of God.
Mary is the living shrine of the Word of God, the Ark of the New and Eternal
Covenant.

4. Eve is the woman in the Old Testament (Gen 2:23). The Lord God
formed the woman out of the rib of the man. Adam and Eve were the first creations of God.
This ancient text does not explicitly name the New Eve as Mary, but she is implied in the
reference to her being “believed on as a virgin.” She is depicted as being the opposite of
Eve who had been corrupted. Mary and Eve, two people without guilt, two simple people,

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were identical. Later, however, one became the cause of our death, the other the cause of
our life (St. Ephrem of Syria, Op. Syr. II 37, ca. 360).

5. Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2-3) the city of David, to distinguish it

from a second Bethlehem located in in the Zebulunite territory. It was first mentioned in
Gen 35:19 as the burial site of Rachel. Ephrathah means fruit or food. Saffron and other
resources for Temple Worship including the Passover Lambs came from Ephrathah.
Mary came from the priestly line of David. It has been a birthplace of the Messiah, a holy
priestly city, to satisfy all the requirements of the sacrifices for our sins. He came to the
lowliest place to give us life.

Check Your Progress 2

IDENTIFICATION

1.The first gospel that spoke about the first promise of redemption in the Bible.
2.The type that foreshadows the sufferings of Jesus in the New Testament.
3. the “bruise on the heel” refers to the ________________.
4. It refers to the happy announcement that God saved man through the non
divine existence of Christ.
5. He is referred to as the new Adam.
6. The prefiguration of baptism in the Old Testament.
7. It refers to the city of David because he was anointed here by the prophet.
8. The object that saved the Israelites from the seraph serpents’ bite.
9. As reflected in the ladder of Jacob, the role of Mary in our prayer to God.
10. The woman in the Old Testament who foreshadowed Mary as a humble
daughter of God.
C. TITLES OF MARY

1. Blessed Mother — This seminal title derives from Gabriel's greeting to Mary at the
Annunciation, where she is called "blessed" among all other women.

2. Blessed Mother — This seminal title derives from Gabriel's greeting to Mary at the
Annunciation, where she is called "blessed" among all other women.

3. “Theotokos”— Mary's first and most important title means "God bearer." The title, defined
by the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., refers to the Virgin Mary as the Mother of the
incarnate Son of God.

4. Immaculate Conception — The 1854 dogma issued by Pope Pius IX refers to Mary's
sinless nature at the moment of being conceived by her parents. The Immaculate Conception
was the first time a pope claimed a dogma to be infallible, even though the idea of papal
infallibility would not be officially proclaimed for another 16 years. This is the definitive title
of the Blessed Mother.

5. Mary is our Model on the way of discipleship. - Her "yes" they came to understand that
ordinary people can change human history. her "fiat", her obedient "yes" to the angel, the
undoing of the "no - I will not serve" given by the first woman Eve. They called Mary "The

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Second Eve", the mother of the new creation. In her womb she lovingly carried the One
whom St. Paul called the "New Adam" (1 Cor. 15). He was born from her as the first born of a
new race of men and women who find a new birth through His Saving Life, Death,
Resurrection, and Ascension, the Paschal Mystery.

MARIAN DOGMAS

The term ‘dogma’ means a divinely revealed truth, proclaimed as such by the
infallible teaching authority of the Church, and hence binding on all the faithful without
exception, now and forever [The Survival of Dogma, 153].

There are two essential elements here:

1. A dogma must be divinely revealed. It must be found explicitly or implicitly in the

deposit of faith that Christ gave the Church. This is found in sacred Scripture and
sacred Tradition. If something is to be a dogma, it must be in one of those two places
—or in both.
2. A dogma must be infallibly taught by the Magisterium as divinely revealed.

The most important features of Mary’s role and personal relationship to God are
captured in the Marian Dogmas. A dogma is a doctrine which receives official
pronouncement of the Catholic Church, therefore binding to all members of the Church.
Dogmas have binding character and intellect and heart to a deeper understanding of God’s
mystery (CCC 85-95). A dogma may be declared as such in an ecumenical council or by a
Pope. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reads, “What the Catholic faith believes about
Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines
in turn its faith in Christ” (No. 487).

MARY, the MOTHER OF GOD (Greek: Theotokos)

The Dogma was defined in the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.

To understand the title, “Mother of God,” we must first clearly understand Mary’s role as mother of
our Savior, Jesus Christ. As Catholics, we firmly believe in the incarnation of our Lord: Mary
conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Confer Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25.) Through
her, Jesus Christ– second person of the Holy Trinity, one-in-being (consubstantial) with the Father,
and true God from true God– entered this world taking on human flesh and a human soul. Jesus is
true God and true man. In His person are united both a divine nature and a human nature. Mary
did not create the divine person of Jesus, who existed with the Father from all eternity: “In fact, the
One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh,
was none other than the Father’s eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the
Church confesses that Mary is truly ‘Mother of God’ (Theotokos)” (Catechism, #495).

Mary’s divine motherhood is a free supernatural gift granted to her by God. This gift is
intimately connected with the Incarnation of the Son of God. Consequently, in the bull
Ineffabilis Deus (1854), Pope Pius IX taught, “By one and the same eternal decree, God has
predestined Jesus to a natural divine filiation and Mary to be the Mother of God.… By one
and the same eternal decree, Jesus was predetermined to be the Son of the Most High and
Mary the Mother of God.”( Pius IX, Bull Ineffabilis Deus, Dec. 8, 1854: DS 2803)

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She was called the Theotokos because she bore the Son of God. The Greek word Theotokos
(“Mother of God”) was already used to refer to the Virgin Mary by Alexander, Bishop of
Alexandria, as early as the year 318.6 Later, its use spread throughout the Christian world
Her title was derived from the very natures of Jesus as both God and Man contrary to the
Nestorian heresy which claimed that “Jesus existed as two persons, the man Jesus and the
divine Son of God, rather than as a unified person”. Jesus’ divinity and humanity are joined
in one person and one hypostasis (substance).

Reflection and Analysis

Mary was described as Mother of God because of the divinity of her son. In
ordinary human circumstance, our attributes are derived from what our parents
have. What are your significant characteristics and to whom do you attribute
these? What traits did you get from your mother? from your father?

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it was emphasized that when the fullness of time
came, the Holy Spirit accomplished in Mary the preparations for the coming of Christ to the
people of God. (#721-726). The Son of God came into this world through the Holy Spirit.

• In Mary, the Holy Spirit accomplished the compassionate design of God: The
Virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit and gave birth to the Son of God.

• In Mary, the Holy Spirit manifested the Son of the Father made Son of the
Virgin. She is the burning bush. Full of the Holy Spirit, Mary presents the Word to mankind.

• Through Mary, the Holy Spirit began to place humans in communion with
Christ. The shepherds, the Magi, Simeon and Anna, the spouses at Cana, and the disciples
were the first to receive Jesus through Mary.

• Mary, Mother of the “total Christ,” was present with the twelve apostles at
the dawn of the “last times” when the Holy Spirit manifested the Church.

In conceiving the body of Christ and giving birth to the divine Person of the Lord, Mary
established a direct relationship with the Person of the Incarnate Word. Aside from Christ’s,
no union between humanity and divinity is more perfect than Mary’s union. For the same
reason, her dignity and beatitude—derived from her perfect sanctity: full of grace—are
superior to the bliss of all saints, which consists only in knowing and loving God.

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY

The solemn definition of Mary's Immaculate Conception is like Divine Motherhood

and Perpetual Virginity part of the Christological doctrine, but it was proclaimed as an
independent dogma by Pope Pius IX in his Apostolic Constitution "Ineffabilis Deus"
(December 8, 1854). Though highlighting a privilege of Mary, it in fact stresses the dignity
and holiness required to become "Mother of God." The privilege of the Immaculate
Conception is the source and basis for Mary's all-holiness as Mother of God.

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Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through
God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate
Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and
privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race,
preserved immune from all stain of original sin. (CCC 491)

More specifically, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception states "that the most
Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and
privilege from Almighty God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, was kept free of every
stain of original sin."

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

It was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950 on his Encyclical

Munificentissimus Deus.

"Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her
earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as
Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and
conqueror of sin and death." The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her
Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians (CCC 966).

This dogma has no direct basis in scripture. It was nonetheless declared "divinely revealed,"
meaning that it is contained implicitly in divine Revelation. The scripture does not also give
explicit reference on the assumption, nevertheless, Revelation 12 speaks of a woman who is
caught up in the battle between good and evil. Many see this woman as God’s people. Since
Mary best embodies the people of both Old and New Testaments, her Assumption can be
seen as an exemplification of the woman’s victory. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was with her
Son in her ministry and sufferings, that she deserves glorification with Jesus in heaven.

Reflect and Analyze

The Assumption tells us that Mary is indissolubly linked to her Son on earth and in
heaven. What do you think are the traits of Mary that we have to possess so that we may
also be worthy of God’s Kingdom? How can we nurture these traits?

THE PERPETUAL VIRGINITY OF MARY

Mary as Aeiparthenos , the "Ever-virgin" was officially declared a dogma at the Fifth
Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 553 A.D.

499 The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real and
perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man. 154 In fact, Christ's

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birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." 155 And so the liturgy of the
Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin". 156 (CCC 499).

The Perpetual virginity of Mary means that she is ever virgin, before, during and after the
birth of Jesus. Her virginity is central to her identity, physically and spiritually. Her
pregnancy was made possible through divine intervention and she has the integrity that no
other possessed. Her pure spirit is expressed in her body. Impossible as it may seem, but
this event only proves that “for nothing will be impossible for God” (Lk 1:37). She was so
chaste that she is worthy to carry in her womb the Son of God.

Reflect and Analyze

Mary was a virgin and was chosen to become the mother of God. She willfully cooperated in the
grace of God. Can you imagine how difficult it is for her to become pregnant when she was
betrothed to Joseph, What would Joseph say? Will he accept it? Unmarried women during her time
are stoned to death for being pregnant.

Marian dogmas have a special meaning for our self-understanding as human beings created
in the image and likeness of God.

•Mary's divine motherhood reminds us that God is the origin of life and life's fulfillment,
and that it is in him that we are called to bear fruit.

•Mary's virginity reminds us that human fulfillment and authentic efficacy is rooted in the
gift of self.

•Mary's Immaculate Conception reminds us that we are called to the highest possible and
most intimate and lasting unity with God

•Mary's assumption is promise of ultimate and everlasting fulfillment in God.

Check Your Progress 3

Encircle the words you may find in the scrambled letters that are attributed to Mary.

X A W Y L I M A F N E D K E N

S D V V S S O E D O Y A R P E

X N S E U T T V G I E E O A V

H S G S M C H O H T M K R S A

X O E I H A E L A P Q T E Y E

X J N U E A R L M M H Y X T H

P Q R O D R U I L U B L E S S

R C G C R C I T A S B Q W B W

H Q D W A X F O K S A Y Z B P

Q T D M K F F O G A W Q L A X

Q G M H A I L M A R Y U I O Y
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G I T B K B U Y A T N E O W H

M T P P X B O R E A K E V P F
THE MARIAN APPARITIONS

An authentic apparition is believed not to be a subjective experience, but real and objective
intervention of divine power. The purpose of apparitions is to recall and emphasize some
aspect of Christian message.

Apparitions of Mary are held to be evidence of her continuing active presence in the life of
the church, through which she “cared for the brethren of her son who will still journey on
earth”.

1. The Apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico

Mary appeared four times to Juan Diego in 1531 at Tepeyac hill near Mexico City. She
proclaimed herself the spiritual mother of all mankind and left her miraculous image on Juan
Diego's outer garment, his tilma. To this day Mexicans have a great devotion to Our Lady of
Guadalupe.

2. The Apparitions at Rue du Bac, Paris, France

Mary appeared to Catherine Labouré, in the chapel of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent
de Paul, at Rue du Bac in Paris, three times in 1830. She showed her the design of the medal
of the Immaculate Conception, the "Miraculous Medal." This medal, when propagated,
helped to renew devotion to Our Lady, both in France and eventually around the world.

3. The Apparition at La Salette, France

Mary appeared to two children, Maximin Giraud, aged 11, and Mélanie Calvat, aged 14, in
1846, one afternoon while they were looking after the animals high up on the mountain. She
appealed for penance and an end to Sabbath breaking and blasphemy in the region. This
apparition is credited with a major revival of Catholicism in the area.

4. The Apparitions at Lourdes, France

Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, aged 14, a total of eighteen times at Lourdes in
southern France, at the Grotto of Massabielle. She asked for penance and prayer for the
conversion of sinners, and described herself as the "the Immaculate Conception." Lourdes is
most famous for the miraculous spring which has been responsible for many cures accepted
by the Church.

5. The Apparition at Pontmain, France

Mary appeared in the sky over the small town of Pontmain in north-western France to a
group of young children for about three hours in January 1871, as the Franco-Prussian war
was threatening the area. Her message appeared on a banner under her feet, and encouraged
prayer while emphasizing Jesus' love and concern. The village was spared invasion.

6. The Apparition at Knock, Ireland

Mary appeared at Knock, a small village in County Mayo, Ireland in August 1879. A number
of villagers of diverse ages saw a silent apparition, which lasted about three hours, outside

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the gable end of the local church. They saw three figures, Mary, Joseph, and St John the
Apostle, as well as a lamb on an altar and angels.

7. The Apparitions at Fatima, Portugal

Three children, Lucia de Santos, aged 10, and her two cousins, Francisco Marto, aged 9, and
Jacinta Marto, aged 7, saw Mary six times between May and October 1917. She described
herself as "Our Lady of the Rosary," while urging prayer, and particularly the rosary, as well
as penance for the conversion of sinners, and the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate
Heart.

8. The Apparitions at Beauraing, Belgium

Mary appeared thirty-three times to a group of children in the winter of 1932-33 at Beauraing
in Belgium, in a convent garden near a hawthorn tree. She described herself as "the
Immaculate Virgin" and "Mother of God, Queen of Heaven," while calling for prayer for the
conversion of sinners.

9. The Apparitions at Banneux, Belgium

Mary appeared eight times to Mariette Beco, aged 11, outside the family home at Banneux, a
small village, in Belgium. She described herself as the "Virgin of the Poor," and promised to
intercede for the poor, the sick and the suffering.

Check Your Progress 4

Matching Type

____1. Virgin of the Poor a.The Apparitions at Lourdes, France

____2. Spiritual Mother of Mankind b. The Apparition at La Salette, France

____3. Lady of Penance c.The Apparitions at Guadalupe, Mexico

____4. Immaculate Conception d. The Apparitions at Rue du Bac, France

____5. Miraculous Medal e. The Apparitions at Banneux, Belgium

CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS TO MARY

On the cross, Jesus entrusted the whole Church to his mother, Mary. Fr. Stefano Maria Pio,
FFI, S.T.D. says: "The first foundation for devotion to Mary is Her status as Mother and our
status as Her children." We resort to our mother so that we may grow in intimacy with our
brother, Jesus Whom we desire to imitate and to be with. AD JESUM PER MARIAM (To
Jesus through Mary).

We adore and worship (Latria) God alone, and we give our highest veneration (hyperdulia)
to Mary as a sign of our gratitude and love because she is the mother of God. Veneration,

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honor and reverence (dulia) is given to the saints because of their relationship to God. Like
Mary, the saints also help bring us closer to Jesus, and not to themselves. The dulia shown to
the saints does not end with the saints themselves, but ultimately is given to God through,
with and in the saints.

Mary means many things to many people, how we honor her varies from community to
community and from person to person. These external practices should flow from an inner
trust and love to Jesus, through Mary.

The rosary is a reflective journey towards God. Through

repetition of prayers from our Catholic tradition, the use of our
imagination to contemplate the mysteries in the life of Jesus
and Mary, and the physical discipline of touching each bead,
our whole being is brought into prayer. Mind, body, and spirit
are united in the act of opening oneself to God

The Brown Scapular is a silent prayer of true devotion to the

Blessed Virgin Mary which consists in three things: VENERATION,
CONFIDENCE AND LOVE. By simply wearing the Scapular, we
can tell her every moment of the day that we venerate her, love her
and trust in her protection. It was the promise of our Lady in her
appearance to St. Simon Stock in 1251: “WHOSOEVER DIES IN
THIS GARMENT SHALL NOT SUFFER ETERNAL FIRE.”

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary based on the

apparitions at Fatima as recorded by Lucia demonstrate
that the manifestations of Mary’s Immaculate Heart at
Fatima were in accordance with the will of God and the
desire of her divine Son, Jesus.

“With this devotion the Church renders the honour due to

the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary”, states
the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites in
establishing the feast, on 4th May 1944, “since under the
symbol of this heart she venerates with reverence the
eminent and singular holiness of the Mother of God and
especially her most ardent love for God and Jesus her Son,
The First Saturday Devotions came from Our Lady and
the child Jesus appeared to St. Lucia of Fatima. The
lady asked for consolation for her immaculate heart
surrounded by thorns pierced by ungrateful men who
commit blasphemy and ingratitude. The devotion is to
be done on the first Saturdays of five consecutive
months. The devotee must confess, receive Holy
Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary and
15 fifteen minutes on the fifteen mysteries of
meditate for
the rosary with the intention to make reparation to the
Blessed Mother.
 The Perpetual Help Novena is a traditional Catholic
prayer that continues for nine days and is intended to
ask for a particular favor or blessing—or to give thanks
for blessings received.

Check Your Progress 5

Joyful Mysteries Luminous Mystery Sorrowful Mysteries Glorious Mysteries

1. 1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2. 2.

3. 3. 3. 3.

4. 4. 4. 4.

5. 5. 5. 5.

SUMMATIVE TEST

1. Identify the attributes of Mary that begin with the following letters:
V ____________________ M ____________________

I ____________________ A ____________________

R ____________________ R ____________________

G _____________________ Y ____________________

I _____________________

N _____________________

2. Identify the meaning of the following TYPOLOGY in the Old Testament images:
____________________1. Expected Bride

____________________2. Noah’s Ark

____________________3. Circumcision

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 ____________________4. City of David

____________________5. Bronze serpent

3. Differentiate dulia from hyperdulia.

4. What is your conviction about Mary in the history of
our salvation.
5. Mary is one of the many women mentioned in the
Scripture. Can you identify and describe five other
significant women in the Old and New Testament.
6. What is your reaction to the Marian expression of
“Pagdungaw” (the image of the Blessed Mother is
placed outside windowpanes) as a response to
Pandemic?
7. Catholics devotions to Mary are expressions of love
and trust to Mary. How do you express them to your
own biological mother?

MIDTERM

II.Like and Share the Accounts of our Virtual Friends

in Heaven (Communion of Saints)

We confess our belief to the Holy, Catholic Church, and to the Communion of Saints.
The Communion of Saints is a “communion,” a union, a common bond, a profound
connection, a great fellowship — shared among the “saints,” the holy ones, the

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Christian faithful, those who are filled with grace, members of the one body with
Christ as the head.
“The communion of saints is the Church” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No.
946). It has three states or divisions, the communion of saints of the living, those who
are still on their pilgrim journey on earth; and the communion of saints of the dead
or the faithful departed, some of whom are being purified, those in purgatory, and
the ones who are enjoying eternal glory in the presence of God, those in heaven
(Catechism, No. 954).

In the West, the communion of saints more commonly means a communion of “holy
ones,” both the living and the dead. The communion of saints encompasses not only
all believers in Christ, but, according to many scholars, all those of truth and love, in
whom the Spirit is at work. This communion includes:

The church triumphant describes the Church in heaven. In the kingdom of God —
the realm in which the holy Trinity, the angels and saints, and the abode of all those
who have reached the fullness of salvation in Christ — the Church already exists. But
it will have its fullest being at the end of time, when all of creation and (we hope) all
human beings will be conformed to Christ and all reality will be one of divine praise
and glory.
The term “church triumphant” underlines the truth that in the glory of heaven all
human sin will have been transformed, death and suffering will be no more, and the
glory of God will have triumphed over all the imperfections of human history.

The church militant refers to the Church on earth. The term “militant” can suggest
an antagonistic relationship between the Church and the world. Nevertheless, it
refers to an authentic reality: that the Church on earth works to overcome the
imperfect and sinful dimensions of human existence.
The Church’s mission is not to oppose the world and society, but to work for their
transformation by the convincing preaching of the Gospel and by the edifying power
of the good works and example of those who are baptized into Christ. The Church’s
best asset is the saintly activity and example of those who have chosen the Christian
way of life.

The church suffering refers to the church in purgatory. Purgatory is not a kind of
temporary hell. It is rather the threshold, the antechamber of heaven. In purgatory,
all those — whether Christian or not — who have reached the gates of death without
reaching the full perfection of life represented in Christ are cleansed in a kind of
ongoing baptism and are purified by the enlightening fire of the Holy Spirit. The
suffering of purgatory is not one of destruction, but the suffering that comes from
leaving the old self behind and taking on the new.

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 Saints are the heroes of the Catholic faith. They lived
lives in holiness, dedicated to serving God and spreading his message of salvation. Indeed,
many Catholic saints courageously met their deaths simply because of their faith.

A “saint” is recognized by the Church as one who had an extremely close relationship with
God and who tried to live according to God’s Will for her/his life.

Saints are people through whom we come to a better understanding of:

1. what God is like, and

2. the kind of lives we should/could be living today.

Today, the saints serve as examples for all Catholics, showing us how to lead a more
satisfying, more spiritual life in communion with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. They are
reminders that this life will come to an end, and only what was done for Christ will have a
lasting reward. Each saint’s story is a fascinating one. They lived at different times in
different places throughout history, but they all shared a love of God that has been
meticulously documented through the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The saints have a special place in the Body of Christ, which includes both the living
and the dead. Through Christ we on earth remain in communion both with the saints in
heaven and with the dead who are still in Purgatory. We can pray for those in Purgatory and
ask the saints to pray for us. Through their prayers of intercession, the saints in heaven play
an integral role in the life of the Church on earth. "For after they have been received into their
heavenly home and are present to the Lord, through Him and with Him and in Him they do

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not cease to intercede with the Father for us, showing forth the merits which they won on
earth through the one Mediator between God and man." The saints, the members of the
Church who have arrived at perfect union with Christ, join their wills to the will of God in
praying for those in the Church who are still on their pilgrimage of faith. (From Popular
Devotional Practices)

Reflect and Analyze

Do you have a family altar? Do you recognize the image/s standing alongside the
image of Jesus? Why do you think the family keeps the image of this saint/s? Do you
have a special devotion for this saint? Why?

Devotion to the Saints

 Every member of Christ’s Body has a call to holiness

 The example of canonized saints can help all friends of Christ on the path to holiness

 By imitating their virtues and honoring

them through prayerful devotion

 Devotion involves veneration, not

worship

 True devotion involves studying their

lives and imitating their virtues

Veneration of the Saints

Besides what the saints can do for us by their prayers, the very practice of venerating
the saints does great good for those who are devoted to the saints. By practicing love of the
saints, we strengthen the unity of the entire Body of Christ in the Spirit. This in turn brings
us all closer to Christ. "For just as Christian communion among wayfarers brings us closer to
Christ, so our companionship with the saints joins us to Christ, from Whom as from its
Fountain and Head issues every grace and the very life of the people of God." Love of the
saints necessarily includes and leads to love of Christ and to love of the Holy Trinity. "For
every genuine testimony of love shown by us to those in heaven, by its very nature tends
toward and terminates in Christ who is the 'crown of all saints,' and through Him, in God
Who is wonderful in his saints and is magnified in them." (From Popular Devotional
Practices)

Although the Church affirms intercession and encourages invocation of the saints,
Catholic doctrine makes a clear distinction between the veneration given to saints (dulia,
Greek for service or veneration), and adoration or worship that is afforded to God alone
(latria, worship). {Veneration of Mary is a sort of glorified dulia (hyperdulia)} By
distinguishing between dulia and latria, the Church teaches that we pray only to God and
special graces or blessings bestowed on us come from God through the saint’s intercession.
Moreover, honor given to the saints is honor given to God because holiness is only possible
with the gift of God’s grace.

RELICS are any object directly connected with a saint. They are not holy in
themselves but are revered by Catholics because of their link with the saint. The tradition
started when the early Christians gathered fragments of bones and ashes of the martyrs and

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placed them in altars. The custom of celebrating Mass at an altar in which a relic of a saint is
placed is an ancient tradition, which at one time was mandatory. In our day of movable
altars, the custom is not essential. Relics are not to be sold! The same congregation as for
saints regulates relic documentation.

While devotion to the saints is encouraged and beneficial to one’s spirituality, it

needs to be balanced and kept secondary to the worship of God. Vatican II warns against
“abuse, excesses, or defects which may have crept in to practice, and to restore all things to a
more ample praise of Christ and of God.

Devotion to the saints and the use of Sacramentals are aids and accessories to one’s
faith. They are the side dishes; the entrée is worship of God through Christ in liturgy and
sacraments. They are of value only in so much as they lead us to a greater awareness of
Jesus in our midst.

Halo
The halo surrounding the head of a saint’s image has a pre-Christian history. It was
used among the Greeks and Romans as a symbol of divinity for their gods and goddesses
and in particular Apollo, the sun god. It was also used to distinguish Roman emperors on
their coins. Christians adopted the halo in the 4th century as a sign of sanctity in images and
mosaics. To distinguish Christ from Saints, the halo around Jesus’ head included a cross.

Reflect and Analyze

How do you think should we express our veneration for the saints? What does the
Church say about it? Make a list.

The Canonization Process

The process through which a holy person becomes an official Saint in the Church is
called “canonization.” It generally begins at least 5 years after a person’s death.

Road to Sainthood

1. Servant of God

The first esteemed title granted by the church in the canonization process is “Servant of
God.” Someone must nominate a candidate for official consideration to a bishop, who then
determines the candidate’s viability. If the bishop determines that the nominee is a viable
candidate for sainthood, then the candidate completes the first rung of canonization and
acquires his or her first title.

There are three things to look at if a person is to be considered for sainthood (canonization is the
Church’s term). First, the person must be thought of as having “heroic virtue;” second, they must be
thought of as being in heaven, and third, they must be recognized by the Catholic Church for the sake
of the faithful still here on Earth.

2. Venerable

Each officially sanctioned Servant of God then pursues the next title: Venerable. The
candidate’s life is investigated, analyzed, and contextualized by a Vatican committee called
the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. This committee works to uncover and understand
the life of the candidate and, ultimately, hopes to find proof that the candidate lived a life of

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heroic virtue — that he or she earnestly and aggressively sought to improve his or her own
spirituality consistently throughout his or her life.

3.Blessed

Once the Congregation for the Causes of Saints has ensured that there is substantial reason in
the life of the candidate that he or she might be a saint, a miracle attributed to the candidate
must be observed.

The Catholic Church only acknowledges a miracle as legitimate if it is both spontaneous and
enigmatic. Claims of a miracle are meticulously investigated, a process that includes an
examination of the person who experiences or witnesses the miracle. Experts are also
consulted to ensure that there is no physical or natural explanation for the miracle.

Although miracles often affect living people, especially in the form of healings, some
miracles are revealed in the mortal remains of the candidate. Such examples include
incorruptibility, in which the candidate’s remains do not decay, liquefaction, in which the
saint’s dried blood liquefies on his or her feast day, and odor of sanctity, in which the
candidate’s corpse smells not of decay, but of a sweet aroma years after his or her death.

If the miracle is verified, the candidate is then presented to the pope. So begins the process of
beatification in which the pope — in his own divine influence — determines if the candidate
is worthy of the title “Blessed.”

4. Saint

Once a candidate has reached the “Blessed”, he or she must be associated with at least one
more miracle. The pope is again presented with the miracle’s evidence and determines its
legitimacy. If the pope indeed decides that the candidate is worthy of sainthood, then
canonization ensues, and the Catholic Church officially recognizes a new saint.

Check Your Progress

Identify significant personalities in the Church who were considered SERVANT OF

GOD, VENERABLE and BLESSED.

Model Answer for CYP:

Filipino teen Darwin Ramos has been declared a 'Servant of God' by the Vatican.
A Filipino teenager could be on his way to sainthood after the Vatican declared him a
"Servant of God," the first step in the long process toward canonization as a saint.
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome has given Cubao Diocese in the
Philippines the green light to look into the life of Darwin Ramos who died in 2012 at
the age of 17.The declaration was made by Cardinal Angelo Becciu, prefect of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints, in March but was only made public in Manila
last week. "The Vatican has given us the go signal to go deeper into his life, how he
lived his faith and how he gave witness to Jesus to whom he was very close," said
Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao. The bishop said the Vatican declaration also

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reminded the Catholics that, "we are invited to give witness to our faith in concrete
ways."

Fr Alfredo Cremonesi – a new Blessed martyred in Myanmar

Father Alfredo Cremonesi, an Italian PIME priest was beatified at a Holy Mass in the
northern city of Crema on Saturday. A missionary in Myanmar (formerly Burma) for
28, he was killed on 7 February 1953.

The cause of beatification of Mother Émilie Gamelin, foundress of the Sisters of

Providence, is based in the Diocese of Montreal, Quebec. It is coordinated by the
Reverend James Fitzpatrick, OMI, Postulator, and Sister Thérèse Frigon, SP, Vice-
Postulator, who has been involved in the process for more than forty years.

Marguerite Bays: From everyday service to carrying the stigmata. Pope Saint John
Paul II proclaimed her Blessed on 29 October 1995.

The Lives of our Extended Family in Heaven

St. Paul
St. Paul (d. A.D. 67/8) was born in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia (cf. Acts 22:3), a provincial
capital under Hellenistic (Greek) influence. Tarsus was a noteworthy locale; a place of
culture and learning. As a Tarsusian, the Apostle could claim citizenship from Tarsus
and from Rome. This dual citizenship was a useful tool, later employed by St. Paul when
he defended himself before the authorities as a Christian "troublemaker" (cf. Acts 16:35-
39).

It is not surprising that the Apostle’s upbringing fostered both learning and piety (cf.
Acts 26:4). By age five, Paul would have started learning Hebrew and studying the Old
Testament. It is probable that the future Apostle spoke the Aramaic dialect in his
household. As well, because of the Hellenistic background of Tarsus, St. Paul may have
picked up the Greek language. Sacred Scripture affirms the Apostle’s use of the Hebrew
and Greek tongues (cf. Acts 21:37-40).

St. Paul was known by two names: his Jewish name "Saul" (cf. Acts 7:58), which can be
translated "asked of Yahweh," and the Roman name "Paulus," rendered simply as "Paul"
(cf. Tit. 1:1). Holding two names was a common practice among the Diaspora; those Jews
who lived outside Palestine (cf. 1 Pet. 1:1).

The Apostle was a descendent from the tribe of Benjamin (cf. Phil. 3:5), one of the famous
"Twelve Tribes of Israel" (cf. Gen. 49:1-28). This particular tribe brought forth King Saul;
the first king of that chosen nation (cf. 1 Sam. 10:17—11:15). The Benjaminite tribe held
favor with Yahweh (cf. Dt. 33:12), a point of pride for St. Paul during his evangelization

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efforts (cf. Rom. 11:1).

Having lived a strict life as a Pharisee (cf. Acts 26:5), St. Paul stated that he had kept "the
Law" to a great degree of perfection and enthusiasm (cf. Gal. 1:14). This Pharisaical life
was nurtured by his teacher, Rabbi Gamaliel, considered the greatest master of his day.
This teacher may have been the same Gamaliel who stood before the Sanhedrin and
asked for tolerance on behalf of the Christians (cf. Acts 5:33-40).

During St. Paul’s life, the Apostle practiced the skill of tent-making (cf. Acts 18:3), a trade
he utilized in his missionary efforts as a means of financial support (cf. 1 Cor. 4:12).
Fittingly, St. Paul placed a strong emphasis on honest manual labor (cf. 2 Thess. 3:6-12),
as well as the proper use of one’s time (Eph. 5:15-16).

St. Paul’s conversion to Christianity is one of the most decisive landmarks in history.
Acts 9:1-9 records this monumental event during the Apostle’s travel to Damascus; a
story recounted on two other occasions (cf. Acts 22:3-10; 26:12-18). St. Paul heard the
actual voice of the Lord Jesus Christ; an encounter with a lasting influence. The Savior’s
words concerning His relationship to the Church, recorded in Acts 9:4 ("why do you
persecute Me?"), is a theme St. Paul would expound in the future: the doctrine of the
"Mystical Body of Christ" (cf. Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-30).

St. Paul’s influence on Christianity is immeasurable. His tireless work as a missionary to

spread the Gospel, and his writing of a sizeable portion of the New Testament, will be
examined in the future. No doubt, the faithful can appreciate the greatness of this
inspired Apostle, God’s chosen vessel in the nascent years of the Catholic Church.

The apostle Paul is considered the greatest missionary of all times; he is called the
Apostle of the Gentiles since he was mainly responsible for the spread of Christianity
into the Gentile world. The Church owes much to Paul for its growth; he pioneered its
early expansion through his mission labors and his theological reflection.
Ciresi, Salvatore J. (The Arlington Catholic Herald,
March 7, 2002)

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 REFLECT AND ANALYZE
St. Paul is known for his EPISTLES to various communities and individuals to
communicate God’s message. Write your own epistle to your own community
regarding God’s message amid Pandemic

St. Augustine
St Augustine of Hippo, 354-430. St Augustine was an influential Christian theologian
from Numidia (modern-day Algeria). Augustine converted to Christianity in 386 and
wrote extensively on Christianity. In particular, he emphasizes the doctrine of original
sin, the importance of grace and the Holy Trinity.

Augustine was born in Souk Ahras in the Roman province of Numidia. His family were
ethnic north Africans (the Berbers), but the area was heavily Romanized, and they
spoke Latin at home. His father was a pagan, but his mother was a devout Christian.

His mother had a strong influence on the young Augustine, but to her disappointment,
Augustine left his Christian background and joined the Manichean sect, founded by the
prophet Mani in 240. He also fell in with friends who followed a hedonist approach to
life. He also remembers an incident when a youth – stealing fruit from an orchard
because he liked the idea of rebelling. This period stuck in his mind and helped
formulate his idea of the inherently sinful nature of man. Despite his wayward lifestyle,
he developed an interest in philosophy and was impressed by the writings of Cicero.
Augustine became an expert in Latin and rhetoric.

In his late teens, he developed an affair with a young woman from Carthage. She gave
birth to his illegitimate son Adeodatus in 372. Augustine taught grammar and rhetoric
at Tagaste, Carthage and later Rome.

In 384, he was given a more prestigious position as a rhetoric professor at the Imperial
Court of Milan. In Milan, he began to become more sceptical of his Manichean faith. He
also became friendly with Ambrose the bishop of Milan. Augustine listened to the more
sophisticated lectures of Bishop Ambrose, and he gained a new insight into
Christianity. This friendship and the genuine spirituality of Ambrose was influential in
re-awakening Augustine’s interest in Christianity – the religion of his childhood. His
mother had also followed Augustine to Milan and persuaded him to give up his lover

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and marry a young 11-year old girl who was in the same social class as Augustine.

Eventually, he annulled his marriage as he made plans to become a celibate priest.

In 386, at the age of 31, he made a formal conversion to Christianity. Augustine was inspired by
reading about the life of Saint Anthony of the Desert. He also reported hearing an inner voice
which told him to take up the Bible and read. He was drawn to a passage by St Paul which was
aimed at non-believers becoming transformed. The passage Augustine refers to was Romans
chapter 13, verses 13 and 14, his former lover.

“Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and
envying, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfil
the lusts thereof.”

He wrote an account of his conversion in his text Confessions – this is an influential

Christian apologist and important example of biographical text.

Augustine was baptized with his son by Bishop Ambrose in April 388. His mother died
shortly after his event. Afterwards, they returned home to Africa, where his son
Adeodatus died shortly after. Augustine gave away his wealth to the poor and
converted his house into a monastic foundation for himself and a group of like-minded
Christians.

In 391, he became the Bishop of Hippo and for the next 39 years became an influential
preacher, often speaking against his former religion of Manichaeism.

In the last half of his life, Augustine was noted for his piety – shunning his former
hedonistic lifestyle and living a life of simplicity and devotion. He also continued to
write. Important works included ‘City of God’ which was written in response to the
sack of Rome and argued the real religion was in spirit and not in temporal cities and
the religion of the world. To Augustine, the fall of Rome was of little consequence.
Augustine was an apologist for the Catholic Church but argued that the Church was
not always in a state of grace, but could attract bad and wicked people. The other reality
is the invisible Church of spirit which is ruled by love, grace and goodness. Ultimately,
this religion of spirit would triumph over worldly empires which were influenced by
human pride. However, his writings on the limitations of earthly power were used by
future popes to imply that the Pope was pre-eminent other kings and other countries.
This proved an influential philosophy for the next centuries conflict between the
Catholic Church and State.

St Augustine was aware of the challenges of sexual desire. As a youth, he uttered the
prayer ‘make me chaste and continent, but not just yet.’ He later taught that the original
sin of man could only be redeemed by faith in Christ. On becoming a Christian, he
wrote: “Nothing is so much to be shunned as sex relations”. His attitudes toward sex
and its inherent sinfulness were influential in shaping Medieval attitudes to sex relation

Augustine taught a modified form of predestination. He argued man had the freedom
to choose, but ultimately all things are ordered by God. To Augustine some of us are
predestined to be saved; this was influential to later theologians such as St Thomas
Aquinas and John Calvin.

In the spring of 430, the Vandals – who had previously sacked Rome, invaded Roman
Africa. Augustine fell ill and died on 28 August 430. The Vandals returned to Hippo

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 and burnt much of the city – though Augustine’s library survived.

As one of the last great Christian theologians before the dark ages of the Medieval
Period, Augustine was very influential on the development of Christianity.

He was canonized in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII.

Describe St. Augustine based on the life story that was presented:

A-
U-
G-
U-
S-
T-
I-
N-
E-

Ignatius of Loyola

Ignatian spirituality is a spirituality for everyday life. It insists that God is present in our
world and active in our lives. It is a pathway to deeper prayer, good decisions guided by
keen discernment, and an active life of service to others.

St. Ignatius Loyola was born in 1491, one of 13 children of a family of minor nobility in
northern Spain. As a young man Ignatius Loyola was inflamed by the ideals of courtly
love and knighthood and dreamed of doing great deeds.

Eventually he found himself at the age of 30 in May of 1521 as an officer defending the
fortress of the town of Pamplona against the French, who claimed the territory as their
own against Spain. The Spaniards were terribly outnumbered, and the commander of the
Spanish forces wanted to surrender, but Ignatius convinced him to fight on for the honor
of Spain, if not for victory. During the battle a cannon ball struck Ignatius, wounding one
leg and breaking the other. Because they admired his courage, the French soldiers carried
him back to recuperate at his home, the castle of Loyola, rather than to prison.

His leg was set but did not heal, so it was necessary to break it again and reset it, all
without anesthesia. Although he was told to prepare for death, on the fest of Saints Peter
and Paul (June 29) he took an unexpected turn for the better. The leg healed, but he was
left with one leg shorter than the other. For the rest of his life he walked with a limp.

While recuperating, Ignatius Loyola experienced a conversion. He had nothing to read but the
Lives of Jesus and the saints. The more he read, the more he considered the exploits of the saints

27
 worth imitating. However, at the same time, he continued to have daydreams of fame and glory,
along with fantasies of winning the love of a certain noble lady of the court. The identity of this
lady has never been discovered but she seems to have been of royal blood. He noticed, however,
that after reading and thinking of the saints and Christ he was at peace and satisfied. Yet when he
finished his long daydreams of his noble lady, he would feel restless and unsatisfied. Not only
was this experience the beginning of his conversion, it was also the beginning of spiritual
discernment, or discernment of spirits, which is associated with Ignatius and described in
his Spiritual Exercises.

The Exercises recognize that not only the intellect but also the emotions and feelings can help us to
come to a knowledge of the action of the Spirit in our lives. Eventually, completely converted from
his old desires and plans of romance and worldly conquests, and recovered from his wounds
enough to travel, he left the castle in March of 1522.

He had decided that he wanted to go to Jerusalem to live where our Lord had spent his life on
earth. As a first step he began his journey to Barcelona. He first proceeded to the Benedictine
shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, made a general confession, and knelt all night in vigil before
Our Lady's altar, following the rites of chivalry. He left his sword and knife at the altar, went out
and gave away all his fine clothes to a poor man, and dressed himself in rough clothes with
sandals and a staff.

He continued towards Barcelona but stopped along the river Cardoner at a town called Manresa.
He stayed in a cave outside the town, intending to linger only a few days, but he remained for ten
months. He spent hours each day in prayer and also worked in a hospice. It was while here that
the ideas for what are now known as the Spiritual Exercises began to take shape. It was also on the
banks of this river that he had a vision which is regarded as the most significant in his life. The
vision was more of an enlightenment, about which he later said that he learned more on that one
occasion that he did in the rest of his life. Ignatius never revealed exactly what the vision was, but
it seems to have been an encounter with God as He really is so that all creation was seen in a new
light and acquired a new meaning and relevance, and experience that enabled Ignatius to find
God in all things. This grace, finding God in all things, is one of the central characteristics of Jesuit
spirituality.

Over the years, Ignatius became expert in the art of spiritual direction. He collected his insights,
prayers, and suggestions in his book the Spiritual Exercises, one of the most influential books on
the spiritual life ever written. With a small group of friends, Ignatius Loyola founded the Society
of Jesus, or the Jesuits. Ignatius conceived the Jesuits as “contemplatives in action.” This also
describes the many Christians who have been touched by Ignatian spirituality.

Ever since his student days in Paris, Ignatius had suffered from stomach ailments and they
became increasingly troublesome in Rome. In the summer of 1556 his health grew worse, but his
physician thought he would survive this summer as he had done others. Ignatius, however,
thought that the end was near. On the afternoon of July 30th he asked Polanco, his secretary, to go
and get the Pope's blessing for him, suggesting by this to Polanco that he was dying.
The former worldly courtier and soldier who had turned his gaze to another court and a different
type of battle had rendered his soul into the hands of God. Ignatius was beatified on July 27, 1609
and canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622 together with St. Francis Xavier. Ignatius'
feast day is celebrated by the universal Church and the Jesuits on July 31, the day he died.
  (The Life of St. Ignatius of Loyola by Rev. Norman
O'Neal, S.J)

The Examen: A Daily Prayer

St. Ignatius Loyola's Examen is an opportunity for peaceful daily reflective prayer. It
invites us to find the movement of God in all the people and events of our day. The

28
Examen is simply a set of introspective prompts for you to follow or adapt to your
own character and spirit.

Begin with a pause and a slow, deep breath or two; become aware that you are in the presence
of the Holy.

Thanksgiving
What am I especially grateful for in the past day.
.
The gift of another day...
The love and support I have received...
The courage I have mustered...
An event that took place today...

Petition
I am about to review my day; I ask for the light
to know God and to know myself as God sees
me.

Review
Where have I felt true joy today?
What has troubled me today?
What has challenged me today?
Where and when did I pause today?
Have I noticed God's presence in any of this?

Response
In light of my review, what is my response to
the God of my life?

A Look Ahead
As I look ahead, what comes to mind?
With what spirit do I want to enter tomorrow?

St. Thomas Aquinas

29
Saint Thomas was an Italian Catholic priest in the 13th century. Born to a noble family, he
began his education at the famous Benedictine Abbey at Monte Cassino, near Rome, at
the age of five. His aristocratic family had planned for him to grow up to be the Abbot at
Monte Cassino, a very prestigious role which would further decorate their lineage.

The young Thomas, however, made different plans. Impelled by his love of God, Thomas
made clear his intention to join the Order of Preachers, a recently established fraternity of
wandering beggars who devoted themselves to study and preaching the Word of God. In
the early days these friars, called the Dominicans after their founder St. Dominic, were
looked upon by the nobility as the religious hippies of their day. For the young aristocrat
to join such an order, as opposed to the prominent Benedictines, was an outright scandal
to the family from Aquino.

So opposed was his family that when Thomas set out for the University of Paris to earn
his theological master’s degree with the Dominicans, they had him kidnapped and
brought home. They kept him under house arrest for nearly two years, hoping to break
his spirit, but according to tradition the young saint used this time to memorize the entire
Bible. As a final desperate attempt to dissuade Thomas from his vocation, his brothers
hired a prostitute and sent her into his room to seduce him, but rather than staining his
purity Aquinas chased her out of the room with a hot iron from the fireplace. His family,
so impressed by this display of virtue and resolve, finally relented and allowed Thomas
to pursue his calling with the Dominicans.

Aquinas would go on to become the star pupil of St. Albert the Great, the greatest
scientist of the Middle Ages. Together, Saints Albert and Thomas would successfully
introduce Aristotle to the medieval Church, which had been steeped in Platonism since
the time of St. Augustine. The new synthesis of Aristotelian natural science with
Christian theology, accomplished by St. Thomas in the 13th century more than by anyone
else, laid the intellectual foundations of what we today mistakenly call the “scientific
revolution” of the 16th century. Rather than revolting, the early modern scientists in the
16th century were continuing the legacy of the St. Thomas and the Scholastic philosophers
and scientists of the high Middle Ages, notably those who had come under the influence
of Aristotle as mediated by St. Thomas. In the history of science, Aquinas’ successful
synthesis of Aristotelianism with Christian theology is among the most important and
underappreciated events.

Of course, Aquinas was a theologian more than he was a scientist, but he used natural

science in the service of philosophy, just as he used philosophy in the service of theology.
His work forms an organic whole which embodies the medieval adage that “philosophy
is the handmaid of theology.”

His two famous “summaries” were “The Summa Contra Gentiles was written as a

systematic exposition and defense of Christian belief for the persuasion of unbelievers,
and it ranks among the finest texts in the history of apologetics. The Summa Theologiae
(summaries of theology), Aquinas’ undisputed magnum opus, was written as a textbook
for theology students, whose faith was already presumed.

Considered as a whole, the Summa Theologiae may be considered as a mirror of reality. It

starts with God the Creator, who as Love gives being to all things, which in their turn

30
seek the perfection of their created natures and thereby return to their Source. Man, as
the cosmic priest of creation, sums up all things in himself and by making a free gift of
himself back to God thereby brings all creation back to its Source. Reality is thus likened
to a vast metaphysical circulatory system, with created beings flowing out from God
Who Is Uncreated Being, unfolding their essences in time and attaining their various
ends, and thereby returning to their Source for which they unceasingly yearn. This is the
deeply biblical vision that runs through the entire Summa Theologiae, and on which the
very structure of the text is modeled.

St. Thomas died before completing the third part of the Summa. One night shortly after
he had composed the treatise on the Eucharist, Aquinas was praying in his chapel and
heard a locution from the crucifix on the wall. Christ spoke to him, “Thomas my son, you
have written well of me. What will you have as your reward?” The saint’s answer is the
perfect summary of his whole life and all his voluminous scholarly output. “Non nisi te,
Domine.” “Only yourself, Lord.”

Shortly thereafter one day while Aquinas was celebrating Mass he was granted a

profound grace of mystical union, which so transfixed him that he declared he could no
longer continue his writing. When his brother friars begged him to explain himself,
Thomas told them “Compared with what has been revealed to me, all that I have written
seems like so much straw.” On his deathbed soon after, he asked his brothers to read
aloud the Song of Songs, and cared not that his greatest work was left unfinished. Later,
his brother Dominicans systematically anthologized excerpts from his earlier work to
complete the last part of the Summa, which is called the Supplementum.

(St. Thomas Auinas for Beginner by

David Smither)

Describe St. Thomas

T–

H–

O–

M–

A–

S–

What part of his story is most striking to you as a youth? Why?

31
St. Francis of Assisi
Before he was St. Francis of Assisi, he was simply Francis Bernadone, son of Pietro
Bernadone, born in 1181 at Assisi, Umbria, Italy. He was s young man caught up in the
spirit of his age and not very concerned with the things of God. The wealthy son of a
cloth merchant, Francis wanted for nothing. In many ways he was a pampered and
spoiled child. He was the leader of a group of rabble-rousers who indulged in pleasures
and donned flamboyant clothing. His earliest biographer, Thomas of Celano, writes in
his First Life that, “until the twenty-fifth year of his age he miserably squandered and
wasted his time.” Celano states that Francis surpassed all of his peers as an instigator of
evil deeds and was a proud young man, given to vanity. Francis would later write of
himself simply, “I lived in sin.”

He was captured during a conflict between Assisi and Perugia, Italy, he spent over a

year as a prisoner of war. During this time he had a conversion experience, including a
reported message from Christ calling him to leave this worldly life. Upon release, Francis
began taking his faith seriously. He took the Gospels as the rule of his life, Jesus Christ as
his literal example. He dressed in rough clothes, begged for his sustenance,
and preached purity and peace. His family disapproved, and his father disinherited him;
Francis formally renounced his wealth and inheritance. He visited hospitals, served
the sick, preached in the streets, and took all men and women as siblings.

He began to attract followers in 1209, and with papal blessing, founded

the Franciscans based on a simple statement by Jesus: “Leave all and follow
me.” In 1212 Clare of Assisi became his spiritual student, which led to the founding of
the Poor Clares. Visited and preached to
the Saracens. Composed songs and hymns to God and nature. Lived with animals,
worked with his hands, cared for lepers, cleaned churches, and sent food to thieves.
In 1221 he resigned direction of the Franciscans.

While in meditation on Mount Alvernia in the Apennines in September 1224, Francis

received the stigmata, which periodically bled during the remaining two years of his life.
This miracle has a separate memorial on 17 September

Francis was torn between a life devoted entirely to prayer and a life of active preaching
of the Good News. He decided in favor of the latter, but always returned to solitude
when he could. He wanted to be a missionary in Syria or in Africa, but was prevented by
shipwreck and illness in both cases. He did try to convert the sultan of Egypt during the
Fifth Crusade.

During the last years of his relatively short life, he died at 44, Francis was half blind and
seriously ill. Two years before his death he received the stigmata, the real and painful
wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side.

On his deathbed, Francis said over and over again the last addition to his Canticle of the
Sun, “Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister Death.” He sang Psalm 141, and at the end asked
his superior’s permission to have his clothes removed when the last hour came in order
that he could expire lying naked on the earth, in imitation of his Lord. He was canonized

32
on 16 July 1228 by Pope Gregory IX.

Describe St. Francis before and after his conversion.

Francis
Bernadone

St. Francis

What about your own conversion?

33
 Your
Old Self

Your
NEW
Self

Mother Teresa
Santa Teresa of Calcutta (Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu) was born in Albania. After a difficult
childhood with the premature death of her father, she shows an early interest in charity
and mercy; she became nun at eighteen and, after a short stay in England and Ireland,
she was sent to India. Since very young she showed her love towards this country in her
close correspondence with the Jesuit missionaries in Bengal.

Since then, Saint Teresa lived between Calcutta and Darjelling, divided between prayer
and charity, until in August 1946 when, while Calcutta was bloodied by independent
fights, she was reached by the ‘call within the call’. She understood that she had to leave
the quiet life of the convent to fully immerse in the poverty of those who lived in the
street. Saint Teresa considered it as a precise order of God.

Since then, even by fighting the rejected of the Church itself, she began her true mission
as the poorest among the poor. She abandoned the black veil and assumed citizenship in
the newly independent Republic of India. Soon her example was followed by others.
Around her began a bigger network of volunteers: their tasks ranged from distributing
food, teaching, assisting the sick and dying.

In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a congregation devoted to

the mercy and care of the poor and those in need. As a robe Mother Theresa chose a
white sari with blue stripes, the colors of the caste of the Untouchables.

Mother Teresa’s influence grew rapidly, also thanks to the worldwide media attention.

34
 With the help of local and foreign personalities, she opened reception centers and care for
the poor, sick and lepers. She received the visit of heads of state, the most powerful men
in the world, and had a long friendship with Pope John Paul II, who already considered
her a living Patron of Hospitality.

She remained in charge of her congregation as long as health permitted her to, continuing
to serve among her people, and died in her Calcutta the age of 87. John Paul II started a
special beatification process for her, only two years after her death, to confirm the
holiness that accompanied her throughout her life.

Write a news article/poem about Mother Teresa

St. John Paul II

Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, the youngest of
three children. Although he was born into a loving family, his early life was marked by
suffering and loss. His older sister, Olga, died in infancy and, by the time Karol was
twelve, his mother Emelia had died of kidney failure and his older brother, Edmund,
had died heroically serving those stricken with scarlet fever. Known to his friends as
Lolek, and growing under the loving guidance of his father, he was a vibrant youth,
athletic, studious and a gifted theatrical performer.

After the death of his mother and his older brother, he was left with his father, a deeply
religious man, who provided Lolek with a domestic seminary life.

Young Karol attended Kraków’s Jagiellonian University in 1938 where he studied

Polish language, literature, theater and poetry. He also performed in local theatrical
productions, co-founding the Rhapsodic Theater of Kraków. It was during this time that
he met his spiritual mentor, Jan Tyranowski, and was introduced to the Carmelite
mysticism of St. John of the Cross. This meeting profoundly changed the course of his
life, leading him to the priesthood. However, his studies were interrupted when Nazi
Germany invaded Poland in September 1939.

In order to remain in the country, Karol was forced to work in a stone quarry as well as
night shifts at the Solvay chemical plant. During this time, Karol suffered the loss of his
father, who died of a heart attack on February 18, 1941. In 1944, he miraculously
survived being hit by a German truck. Through all this, he recounts the maturing of his
vocation and the formation of his priestly identity.

35
Fr. Wojtyła was consecrated auxiliary bishop of Kraków on July 4, 1958 - the youngest
bishop in the history of Poland. Among the first to hear of his election were the young
people who had accompanied him on many camping and hiking trips. Constantly
concerned with the question of man, Bishop Wojtyła encouraged a spiritual and cultural
resistance to the Communist occupation of Poland, giving his countrymen hope in the
face of grave oppression.

Bishop Wojtyła attended the Second Vatican Council beginning in 1962, where he
provided a vital support to the seminal documents of the Council. His insight and gifts
were also central in the final formulation of Humanae Vitae, which was promulgated by
Pope Paul VI in 1968. Soon after, he was elevated to the College of Cardinals and was
elected Pope on October 16, 1978, and took the name John Paul II. He was the 263rd
successor to Peter, and was to have one of the longest pontificates in the history of the
Church, lasting nearly 27 years. He retained his Episcopal motto, drawn from the
profound insight of St. Louis de Montfort, “Totus Tuus – I am completely yours.” It
would become increasingly clear to the world that this papacy was an incarnation of
that motto and a direct response to Divine Love, which was profoundly expressed in his
love for man.

Immediately, John Paul II went out to the entire world with a vigorous missionary
spirit. He embarked on 104 apostolic journeys to 129 different countries, “to the
uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 13:47), beginning with the West, Mexico and the
United States, for the sake of the Gospel. His love for young people led him to establish
World Youth Day, celebrated 19 times during his pontificate, which attracted millions
of young people from all over the world. The Pope’s concern for marriage and the
family was clearly expressed in the establishment of the World Meeting of Families, his
Wednesday catechesis on human love and the founding of the Pontifical John Paul II
Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.

The Pope’s presence on the world stage began the gradual and peaceful removal of
Communism from Eastern Europe, averted war between the nations of Chile and
Argentina, and began the restoration of peace and the healing of division between the
major world religions.

On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II was the victim of an attempted assassination in St.
Peter’s Square. Shocking the world, he exhibited extraordinary love and forgiveness
when he made a personal visit to his attacker, Ali Agca, in Rebibbia Prison in 1983.
Following his recovery, Pope John Paul II continued with his missionary activity,
meeting with more than 17,600,000 pilgrims during General Audiences and countless
millions of faithful during his subsequent pastoral visits throughout the world. He
continued to meet with numerous government leaders during 38 official visits and 738
audiences and meetings held with heads of state, including two landmark speeches at
the United Nations and 246 audiences with prime ministers.

With his emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,338 people and
canonized 482 saints, more than all of the popes in the last 500 years combined.

Throughout his pontificate, Pope John Paul II guided and prepared the Church to
celebrate the Great Jubilee, a celebration of the mercy of God and the forgiveness of sin,
which began with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. Eight million
pilgrims came to Rome to pray during the Year 2000, as the Church and the whole of
humanity passed into the third millennium since the birth of the Redeemer.

36
During this time, Pope John Paul II prayed for God’s forgiveness and for the
forgiveness of those wounded by the sins of Christians throughout the past two
millennia. John Paul II successfully encouraged dialogue with the Jews and inaugurated
a time of healing between Jews, Muslims and representatives of other religions. Several
times he extended an invitation for these groups to participate in worldwide meetings
to pray for peace.

With the Year of the Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist, he
devoted himself to the spiritual renewal of the Church. He was convinced that the
Church would receive courage and refreshment, even in the face of the great trials of
humanity experienced in the last century, by drawing near the Heart of Christ in the
Eucharist. He stated, “...The gaze of the Church is constantly turned to her Lord,
present in the Sacrament of the Altar, in which she discovers the full manifestation of
his boundless love” (John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 2003).

Suffering from the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s disease, the aftereffects of the
wounds from the attempted assassination, multiple surgeries, and the loss of his voice,
Pope John Paul II expressed in his last days the mystery of the Crucified Lord. With
hundreds of thousands of young people beneath the window of the papal apartment
keeping candlelight vigil during the pope’s final agony, John Paul II whispered in
response, “I have looked for you and you have come to me. Thank you.” Pope John
Paul II died during the first vespers of Divine Mercy Sunday, April 2, 2005, at 9:37 p.m.,
soon after he had uttered his final audible words, “Let me go to my Father’s house.”

On April 28, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the normal five-year waiting
period before beginning the cause of beatification and canonization would be waived
for John Paul II. On May 1, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI beatified Pope John Paul II, and
Pope Francis canonized Saint John Paul II alongside Saint John XXIII on April 27, 2014.
(John Paul II Shrine.org)

Watch the “Two Popes”. Compare the Three Popes

Pope John Paul Pope Benedict Pope Francis

Place of Origin

Motto

Coat of Arms

Advocacies

37
 Highlights of
their Papacy

St. Columban
St Columban was born in the province of Leinster, Ireland, about the year 530 CE. Little is
known about his family and early life, but we do know that his education was with a
teacher near his home. At that time, education simply meant training the child in the
knowledge and love of God. All study was directed towards this end. Study was not
confined to the Scriptures or Catechism however. All creation was the work of God and
whatever was good and beautiful in creation could teach people about the goodness and
beauty of God.

Columban was about 17 or 18 years old when he decided to dedicate his life to God so he
left home to continue his studies in a monastery on the island of Cleenish in Lough Erne.
Columban remained here for about five years before moving on to a larger monastery at
Bangor which had the reputation of discipline but fairness. It seems that as Columban
grew in knowledge of the Scriptures, he rose to be one of the great teachers of Bangor.

Columban remained here for many years, but there grew in him a desire to travel outside
Ireland to spread the message of the Gospel among the peoples of Europe who had been
overrun by barbarians. His abbot, St Comgall, reluctantly gave permission for Columban
and some companions to leave and begin their journey. He was then aged about 40. They
had no fixed plans, but wherever they wandered, Columban preached eloquently and the
example of the lives of his group made a deep impression on people. Finally the local King
pressed Columban and his friends to settle in eastern France and establish a community.
Over time, this monastery flourished as a centre of worship, learning and service to the
local people and as more young men came to join him, Columban established two more
houses in the area.

After firmly establishing these monasteries, Columban again took to the road. He
continued to journey through France, Germany, Switzerland and finally across the Alps
into Italy, preaching the good news of Jesus wherever he went and establishing another
community at Bregenz in Austria. This was Columban's fourth monastery, founded when
he was nearly 70 years old. Eventually, Columban settled down and built his final
monastery at Bobbio, near Genoa, where he died on November 23rd, 615.

Columban always tried to balance the demands of work, both in the community and with
the local people, with time for withdrawl and quiet prayer. In this he was following the
example of Jesus himself. Columban left a legacy of many monasteries which taught and
served the local people. During his travels, Columban showed great courage which
sometimes lead him to fearlessly admonish people he encountered even at much cost to
himself.

Columban became 'a wanderer for Christ'. One of his greatest sayings summarizes his life
and his work, 'Let us be of Christ not of ourselves'.
(St. Columbans
Mission Society)

38
Describe St. Columban

C-

O-

L-

U-

M-

B-

A-

N-

Who do you think best resembles St. Columban in our time? Why?

Mount his picture here

39
Get ready for a meaningful adventure!
Discover the journey of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod!
Research on the lives of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod and identify
the significant events in their lives leading to their sainthood.

SAINT LORENZO RUIZ

40
 SAN PEDRO CALUNGSOD

YOUR TURN!!!!

One way to increase devotion to the saints is by developing a relationship with one
particular saint—your patron saint. This exercise will help your students to choose their
own patron saint.  Create a documentation based on the following material.

GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

Write your complete name here:

____________________________________________________________

Using a Catholic encyclopedia, or a book of saints, or an Internet site such as

www.catholic.org/saints or http://saints.sqpn.com, list as many saints as you can
find that share one of your names.

Write your birthday and the date of your baptism here:

____________________________________________________________

List those saints whose feast day is one of the dates written above.

41
 Names of Saints Names of Saints
Names of Saints that Whose Feast Day is Whose Feast Day is
Share Your Names Same as Your Same as Your
Birthday Baptismal Day

List as many hobbies or regular activities as you can think of that are
important to you here:

_____________________________________________________________

Find out if there are patron saints for those hobbies or activities. List them here.

Patron Saints of Your Hobbies

Your Hobbies

Now read the short biographies of the five saints from your lists above
until you find a story that inspires you. Write that saint’s name here:

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Begin your research into this saints’ life by finding the following

42
information:

Date and place of birth:

Lifelong Catholic or convert:

Best known for:

Virtues exhibited by this saint:

Temptations or struggles faced by this saint:

Significant Teachings/Life Lessons of this Saint:

43
44