A Community of Love, Unity and Service

St. Crispin de Viterbe

St. Julia

Saint Julia was a noble virgin of Carthage, who, when the city was taken by Genseric in439, was sold for a slave to a pagan merchant of Syria. In the most mortifyingemployments of her station, by cheerfulness and patience she found a happiness andcomfort which the world could not give. Whenever she was not employed in householdaffairs, her time was devoted to prayer and reading books of piety.

Her master, who was charmed with her fidelity and other virtues, thought proper to takeher with him on one of his voyages to Gaul. When he reached the northern part ofCorsica, he cast anchor and went ashore to join the pagans of the place in an idolatrousfestival. Julia was left at some distance, because she would not be defiled by thesuperstitious ceremonies, which she openly spurned. The governor of the island, Felix, abigoted pagan, asked who this woman was who dared to insult the gods. The merchantinformed him that she was a Christian, and that all his authority over her was too weak toprevail upon her to renounce her religion; nonetheless, he found her so diligent andfaithful he could not part with her. The governor offered him four of his best slaves inexchange for her. But the merchant replied, “No; all you are worth will not purchase her;for I would lose the most valuable thing I have in the world rather than be deprived ofher.”

Nonetheless Felix, while the inebriated merchant was asleep, attempted to compel her tosacrifice to his gods. He offered to procure her liberty if she would comply. The Saintmade answer that she was as free as she desired to be, as long as she was allowed to serveJesus Christ. The pagan, offended by her undaunted and resolute air, in a transport ofrage caused her to be struck on the face, and the hair of her head to be torn off. Finallyhe ordered her to be hanged on a cross until she expired. Certain monks from the isle ofGorgon transported her relics there, but in 763 the king of Lombardy transferred them toBrescia, where her memory is celebrated with great devotion.

St. Jeanne-Antide Thouret

Born in the diocese of Besançon in November of 1765, Saint Joan Antide lost her piousmother when she was 16 years old, and for several years took charge of the householdand her family of younger brothers and sisters. After many hesitations, her fatherpermitted her to enter the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent dePaul in Paris in 1787.

She worked in various hospitals caring for the sick, until the Revolution in Francebrought about the dispersion of the Congregations. She was ordered to abandon herreligious habit in 1792, but refused and fled; she was struck so violently that sheremained for eight months between life and death. In 1793 she returned from Paris to hernative village of Sancey on foot, begging her bread; there she opened a school and caredfor the sick.

Times were growing ever more difficult, and Sister Thouret again had to depart, this timejourneying to Switzerland, where she assisted a French priest who had gone into exilewith a few members of his little community. Again she cared for the sick; but the entiregroup was forced to move once again and go to Germany.

After two years she went to the village of Landeron in Switzerland. There she met theVicar General of Besançon, and he asked her to found a school and a hospital in that city. In 1799 the foreseen school was opened at Besançon, and with a few novices theFoundress began work in France again.

She wrote a rule for her Daughters of Saint Vincent de Paul, as she called them todistinguish them from the larger group, the Sisters of Charity, of whom they wereindependent. The Congregation’s members multiplied, as did their works; in 1802 theywere given the direction of a house of detention at Bellevaux, sheltering more than 500prisoners. They opened schools in eastern France and Switzerland. The foundress wasinvited to go to Naples to take on the direction of a hospital and initiate other works; sheaccepted this invitation in 1810.

She remained in Naples until 1818, obtaining from Pope Pius VII the approval of herInstitute in 1819. Problems arising in Besançon caused her many sufferings, when thenew bishop there desired to maintain the Community under diocesan authority. SaintJoan Antide died in Naples in 1826, having left for her Sisters many examples of heroicvirtue. She was canonized in 1934 by Pope Pius XI, who invited the French nation toexult with joy on seeing its crown enriched by a new flower of holiness.

St. Donatian

There lived at Nantes an illustrious young nobleman named Donatian, who, havingreceived the holy Sacrament of regeneration, led a most edifying life and strove withmuch zeal to convert others to faith in Christ. His elder brother, Rogatian, was not ableto resist the moving example of his piety and the force of his discourses, and desired to bebaptized. But as the bishop had departed and concealed himself during the persecutions,he was not able to receive that Sacrament. Nonetheless, he was shortly afterwardsbaptized in his blood, for he declared himself a Christian at a time when to embrace thatsacred profession was to become a candidate for martyrdom.

Donatian was sought, first for professing himself a Christian and for having deterredothers, particularly his brother, from worshiping the gods. He was apprehended, andhaving boldly confessed Christ before the governor, was cast into prison and loaded withirons. Rogatian was also brought before the prefect who endeavored first to gain him byflattering speeches. Finding him inflexible, he sent him to prison with his brother.

Rogatian grieved that he had not been able to receive the sacrament of Baptism. Donatian prayed for him that his faith might procure for him the effect of Baptism, andthe effusion of his blood that of the Sacrament of Confirmation. They passed that nighttogether in fervent prayer. The next day they were summoned again by the prefect, towhom they declared they were ready to suffer for the name of Christ, whatever tormentswere prepared for them. By the order of the inhuman judge they were first stretched onthe rack, afterwards their heads were pierced with lances, and finally cut off, about theyear 287.

St. Rogatian

There lived at Nantes an illustrious young nobleman named Donatian, who, havingreceived the holy Sacrament of regeneration, led a most edifying life and strove withmuch zeal to convert others to faith in Christ. His elder brother, Rogatian, was not ableto resist the moving example of his piety and the force of his discourses, and desired to bebaptized. But as the bishop had departed and concealed himself during the persecutions,he was not able to receive that Sacrament. Nonetheless, he was shortly afterwardsbaptized in his blood, for he declared himself a Christian at a time when to embrace thatsacred profession was to become a candidate for martyrdom.

Donatian was sought, first for professing himself a Christian and for having deterredothers, particularly his brother, from worshiping the gods. He was apprehended, andhaving boldly confessed Christ before the governor, was cast into prison and loaded withirons. Rogatian was also brought before the prefect who endeavored first to gain him byflattering speeches. Finding him inflexible, he sent him to prison with his brother.

Rogatian grieved that he had not been able to receive the sacrament of Baptism. Donatian prayed for him that his faith might procure for him the effect of Baptism, andthe effusion of his blood that of the Sacrament of Confirmation. They passed that nighttogether in fervent prayer. The next day they were summoned again by the prefect, towhom they declared they were ready to suffer for the name of Christ, whatever tormentswere prepared for them. By the order of the inhuman judge they were first stretched onthe rack, afterwards their heads were pierced with lances, and finally cut off, about theyear 287.

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