A Community of Love, Unity and Service

St. John Capistran

Saint John was born at Capistrano, near Naples in Italy, in 1385. Having studied both secular andcanon law, he became so skilled in it that his reputation spread over all of Italy. He was imprisonedduring a war and abandoned by his protector for some time, during which his young wife died. Heresolved while still in prison to serve in the future no other interests but those of God. His propertywas sold at his command, his ransom paid, and from his prison he entered a monastery near Perusewhere the Rule of Saint Francis was observed in its purity.

The superiors, fearing this vocation to be a passing fancy, tested him severely, even sending himaway twice; but he remained day and night at the door, suffering joyfully all trials. His heroicperseverance disarmed their fears and severity, and he was admitted to religious profession.

For seven years he practiced great austerities, cared for the sick in the hospitals, and preached on allsides the word of God. In this, say his biographers, he succeeded so admirably that few preachers inthe course of all the centuries can be compared with him. He became a disciple of Saint Bernardineof Siena, assisting him in public conferences and discussions. Like many great servants of God hewas calumniated, as though he had taught errors; he went to Rome to justify his teachings in thepresence of the Pope and a group of cardinals, which he did admirably well, and they recognized theobvious innocence of the accused Saint.

Afterwards he preached all over Italy, and everywhere brought about the reform of lives. FivePopes in succession gave commissions to this remarkable Franciscan to represent them in importantaffairs, and he traveled to France, Austria, Poland and Germany. Everywhere his negotiations werecrowned with success. But none of the Popes succeeded in raising him to the episcopal dignity; theirefforts met an absolute resistance in his humility.

His extraordinary qualities proved to be of great assistance to the Holy See in another circumstance. When Mohammed II was threatening Vienna and Rome, Saint John Capistran, at the bidding of PopeCallixtus III, enrolled for a crusade 70,000 Christians. In a vision he was assured of victory in theName of Jesus and by the Cross he bore. Marching at the head of the crusaders, he enteredBelgrade at the head of the army. This General of the Friars Minor won a remarkable victory in thatyear of 1455, when 40,000 of the enemies of the Christians perished, but virtually none among thelatter. He himself died the following year at the age of 71. He is regarded as a martyr, for enemiesof the faith twice succeeded in giving him poison, which was ineffectual; he died only from theimmense fatigue he had suffered in the defense of the city of Belgrade. “An infinity of miracles”followed his death. He was canonized in 1690.

St. Gontran

Saint Gontran was the son of King Clotaire and grandson of Clovis I and Saint Clotildis. WhenClotaire died in 561, his domains were divided among his four sons. While Gontran’s brotherCaribert reigned at Paris, Sigebert in Metz, and Chilperic in Soissons, he was crowned king ofOrleans and Burgundy in 561. He then made Chalons-sur-Saone his capital.

When compelled to take up arms against his ambitious brothers and the Lombards, he made no otheruse of his victories, gained under the conduct of a brave general called Mommol, than to give peaceto his dominions. The crimes in which the barbarous habits of his nation involved him, he effaced bytears of repentance. The prosperity of his reign, both in peace and war, condemns those whosuppose that human policy cannot be determined by the maxims of the Gospel, whereas the truth isjust the contrary: no others can render a government so efficacious and prosperous.

Saint Gontran always treated the pastors of the Church with respect and veneration. He was theprotector of the oppressed, and the tender parent of his subjects. He gave the greatest attention tothe care of the sick. He fasted, prayed, wept, and offered himself to God night and day as a victimready to be sacrificed on the altar of His justice, to avert His indignation, which Saint Gontranbelieved he himself provoked and drew down upon his innocent people. He was a severe punisher ofcrimes in his officers and others, and by many wholesome regulations he restrained the barbarouslicentiousness of his troops; but no man was ever more ready to forgive offenses against his ownperson. With royal magnificence he built and endowed many churches and monasteries.

This good king died on the 23^rd of March in 593, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, having reignedthirty-one years.

Bl. Jeanne-Marie de Maillé

St. Barachisius

King Sapor of Persia, in the year 327, the eighteenth of his reign, raised a bloody persecution againstthe Christians and laid waste their churches and monasteries. Jonas and Barachisius, two brothers ofthe city Beth-Asa, hearing that several Christians were under sentence of death at Hubaham, wentthere to encourage and serve them. “Fear not, brothers, but let us combat for the name of Jesuscrucified, and like our predecessors we shall obtain the glorious crown promised to valiant soldiers ofthe Faith.” Fortified by these words, nine of that number received the crown of martyrdom.

After their execution, Jonas and Barachisius were apprehended for having exhorted the martyrs todie. The president entreated the two brothers to obey the king of Persia, and to worship the sun, themoon, fire, and water. They answered that it was more reasonable to obey the immortal King ofheaven and earth than a mortal prince. Saint Jonas was beaten with knotty clubs and with rods untilhis ribs were visible, but he blessed God. Then he was chained by one foot and dragged to a frozenpond to spend the night there.

Saint Barachisius had two red-hot iron plates and two red-hot hammers applied under each arm, andmelted lead dropped into his nostrils and eyes; after which he was carried to prison, and there hungup by one foot. Despite these cruel tortures, the two brothers survived and remained steadfast in theFaith. New and more horrible torments were then devised; both finally expired under a terrible press. They yielded up their heroic lives, praying for their enemies, while their pure souls winged their flightto heaven, there to gain the martyr’s crown which they had so faithfully won.

St. Jonas

King Sapor of Persia, in the year 327, the eighteenth of his reign, raised a bloody persecution againstthe Christians and laid waste their churches and monasteries. Jonas and Barachisius, two brothers ofthe city Beth-Asa, hearing that several Christians were under sentence of death at Hubaham, wentthere to encourage and serve them. “Fear not, brothers, but let us combat for the name of Jesuscrucified, and like our predecessors we shall obtain the glorious crown promised to valiant soldiers ofthe Faith.” Fortified by these words, nine of that number received the crown of martyrdom.

After their execution, Jonas and Barachisius were apprehended for having exhorted the martyrs todie. The president entreated the two brothers to obey the king of Persia, and to worship the sun, themoon, fire, and water. They answered that it was more reasonable to obey the immortal King ofheaven and earth than a mortal prince. Saint Jonas was beaten with knotty clubs and with rods untilhis ribs were visible, but he blessed God. Then he was chained by one foot and dragged to a frozenpond to spend the night there.

Saint Barachisius had two red-hot iron plates and two red-hot hammers applied under each arm, andmelted lead dropped into his nostrils and eyes; after which he was carried to prison, and there hungup by one foot. Despite these cruel tortures, the two brothers survived and remained steadfast in theFaith. New and more horrible torments were then devised; both finally expired under a terrible press. They yielded up their heroic lives, praying for their enemies, while their pure souls winged their flightto heaven, there to gain the martyr’s crown which they had so faithfully won.

Daily Mass