St. Augustine of Canterbury

Posted on 26. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

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May 27, non-binding commemoration Position: Archbishop, Prelate of England OSB Death: 604/605 CURRICULUM VITAE

He was sent as a missionary to England with 40 Benedictine monks from the peace of the Roman monastery. En route, he received episcopal ordination. Following the Pope’s instructions, he was successful in England, laying the foundations for the organizational structure of the Church. He won over a significant proportion of the population and educated local priests. 

THE BASIS OF SUCCESS, OBEYING GOD’S WILL The first reports of Augustine date back to 596, when he was the prior of the Benedictine monastery of St. Andrew in Rome. From there, Pope Gregory the Great sent him with 40 monks to England. There, after the collapse of the Roman Empire and the occupation by the pagan English and the Saxons at the end of the 5th century, Christianity almost disappeared. However, the pagan king Ethelbert had a Christian Frankish princess, Bertha, as his wife. This gave some hope, for which Augustine was sent to England with the monks. He obeyed and went.

Their missionary expedition stopped in Gaul, where it was slowed down by bad rumors about the place they were headed to. They heard that the people there were wild, hostile, and that it was impossible to communicate with them, not least because of the language barrier. Augustine therefore apparently returned himself to consult with the Pope. At his insistence that he not give up on his original plan, he set off back with Gregory’s recommendations to the Gallic bishops through whose dioceses his journey led. It was also a matter of obtaining capable Frankish priests to act as interpreters. Before leaving Gaul, he received episcopal ordination.

He is said to have landed with his monks and interpreters at the mouth of the Thames on ththen wase island of Thauet. From there he sent a message to the King of Kent that they wanted to preach the Gospel in his territory. The King came to them and requested a conversation with them under an oak tree that he considered sacred. He had the foundations of the faith explained to him and then allowed them to settle in the seat of the city of Canterbury, even to live in the palace and to preach religion without hindrance. Augustine and the monks probably settled on the outskirts of the city, where the small church of St. Martin stood, in which the queen’s devotions used to be held. There he began his apostolic work. The King had the old church rebuilt into a cathedral and also built for them the Benedictine monastery of Peter and Paul.

Through his exemplary life of preaching the word of God, Augustine gradually gained the favor of the people, and within the first year, a large number of the king’s people accepted baptism, and King Ethelbert also accepted it.
After hearing of Augustine’s success, the Pope sent another group of missionaries to him in 601. With them, he sent Augustine the pallium – the badge of metropolitan rank – and the task of founding two archbishoprics, each with twelve subordinate bishoprics.

The first archbishopric was in Canterbury at Christ Church Cathedral, from where Augustine served as archbishop until his death. For the second, he chose the city of York, where the bishopric began to operate only after his death. In his missionary work, he heeded the instructions of the Pope and respected the local culture, he did not destroy even pagan temples, but converted them into Christian ones. He only gave national customs a Christian character. Instead of pagan feasts, the Anglo-Saxons held love feasts, at which the poor were especially remembered. In these ways, Augustine won everyone over, because the top is more safely reached by slow growth rather than by reckless action.over because

The basis of success was initial obedience, submission to God’s will. Where a person submits his will, he gives space to God’s action. Whoever acts against the gospel acts against himself. Augustine also tried to unite the old British Christians with the new English Church, but he failed. There was too much hostility between the original inhabitants of the island, who had been pushed mostly in the western mountainous regions, and the Anglo-Saxons, who had come to the island as conquerors. King Ethelbert also wanted peace, and Augustine summoned the bishops of both sides to help achieve harmony, and he wanted the old Britons to give up their wrong customs. This also involved a different time for celebrating Easter and baptismal ceremonies. However, the old Britons were reluctant, and Augustine predicted to them that if they did not reconcile, bloody wars would break out, which would be the cause of their deaths. The prediction was sadly fulfilled.

Before that, Augustine focused on his work in the Kingdom of Kent, which soon became Christian. Until his last days, despite his high rank, he lived as a monk and missionary. Before his death, he ordained his successor.

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Philipp Neri

Posted on 25. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

Philip’s concern for the salvation of souls… When he was a young priest and had gathered around him a certain number of spiritual people, his first desire was to go with them all to proclaim the Gospel to the pagans in India, where the wonderful life of St. Francis Xavier was taking place. However, he wanted to subordinate this idea of ​​going to India in obedience to the opinion of the holy men with whom he consulted. As for the bad Christians at home, he had such a great desire for their conversion that even in his advanced age he severely mortified himself for them and wept for their sins as if they were his own. When he was still a layman, he converted thirty dissolute young people with one speech. By the working of God’s grace, he successfully brought back to the path of holiness an innumerable number of sinners. Many of them exclaimed at the hour of their death: “Blessed is the day when I first appeared to Father Philip to know him!” Others said: “Father Philip draws souls to himself as a magnet draws iron.” He concentrated on fulfilling what he considered his special mission, and he devoted himself entirely to the ministry of confession, which occupied him especially and above all. Before sunrise, he usually confessed a considerable number of penitents in his room. He went to church at dawn and never left until noon, except when he celebrated Holy Mass. If no penitents came, he remained near the confessional and read, prayed the breviary or said the rosary. Whether he found himself praying or eating, he always interrupted when penitents arrived. He never interrupted the ministry of confession because of illness, unless the doctor forbade him to do so. For the same reason, he kept his room open, so that anyone who passed by could see him. He took special care of boys and young men. He was always concerned to keep them busy, for he knew well that idleness was the origin of all evil. Sometimes he himself kept them busy when he could find no employment for them. He allowed them to make as much noise around him as they pleased, only in this way to protect them from temptation. When a friend of his protested against allowing them to annoy him in this way, he replied: “As long as they do not sin, they may even chop wood on my back.” He had permission from the Dominican fathers to take their novices for recreation. He was fond of inviting them to a festive dinner. He would say: “Eat, my sons, and do not feel guilty about it, for I am gaining weight while I look at you.” And then, after the meal was over, he would seat them around him and tell them the secrets of his heart, give them good advice, and encourage them to virtue. He had remarkable power to comfort the sick and deliver them from the temptations with which the evil spirit assailed them. To his zeal for the conversion of souls, Philip added the performance of corporal works of mercy. He visited the sick in hospitals, ministered to their needs, made their beds, washed the floor around them, and brought them food. Prayer:

Philip, my holy Patron, who cared so much for the souls of your brothers and sisters, and especially for your own people, when you were here on earth, do not cease to care for them now that you are in heaven. Be with us, who are your children and your clients. And by the great power of God and your intimate view of our needs and dangers, guide us on the path that leads to God and to you. Be our good father. Keep our priests undefiled and protect them from reproach and scandal. Make your children obedient, our youth prudent and pure, the heads of our families wise and kind, the elderly cheerful and zealous, and strengthen us by your powerful intercession in faith, love and all virtues. 

 

 

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Mary, Mother of the Church

Posted on 24. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

 

 

 

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Pentecost Monday, John 15:26-16:3, 12-15

Posted on 24. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

Jesus ​​promises the coming of “another Comforter” (Jn 14:16), who will always be with us. “Comforter” is a typical expression in the Gospel of John and, of Greek origin, designates a person who comes to comfort, defend, or help. Jesus announces the arrival of another Comforter after his departure, because the first is himself: Sacred Scripture tells us that Christ in heaven is “our advocate with the Father” (1 Jn 2:1). The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, remains with us forever on earth, accompanying and comforting us, protecting and defending us. He is the way to Christ because he reminds us of his words (cf. Jn 15:26); he gently and discreetly directs our hearts to Jesus Christ. “He who is drunk with the Spirit is rooted in Christ,” said Saint Ambrose.

“To teach and to remind: that is the task of the Holy Spirit. He teaches us to enter into the mystery, to understand it a little more. He teaches us the doctrine of Jesus and teaches us how to develop our faith (…). Faith is not static; doctrine is not static: it grows. It grows like trees, always the same but bigger, with fruit but always the same, in the same direction (…). And another thing that Jesus says the Holy Spirit does is to remind: He will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you (Jn 14:26). The Holy Spirit is like a memory; he awakens us: Remember this, remember that. He keeps us alert in the things of the Lord and also leads us to remember our own lives: remember that time, remember when you met the Lord, and remember when you left him.

(…). The Holy Spirit guides us in this remembrance; He guides us to discern what to do now, which path is right and which is wrong, even in small decisions. If we ask the Holy Spirit for light, He will help us make the right decisions, both the small, everyday ones and the bigger ones. He is the one who accompanies us, who sustains us”.

The Holy Spirit leads us to the truth…

FOLLOWING Jesus leads us to want to live in the truth, fascinated by the fact that we seek it with devotion, accept it, and love it. Wanting to accept the truth means truly loving Christ. In this effort, “the Holy Spirit teaches the Christian the truth as a principle of life and shows him the concrete application of Jesus’ words in his life”[3]. At least three times, Jesus calls the Comforter “the Spirit of truth” (Jn 14:17; 15:26; 16:13). Although different from Jesus, the Holy Spirit perfects Jesus’ presence in us.

We know that “Jesus Christ is the truth that is a Person and that draws the world to himself. The light that Jesus radiates is the radiance of truth. Every other truth is a fragment of the truth that is him and refers to him. Jesus is the pole star of human freedom: (…) with him freedom is rediscovered, recognized as created for good, and expressed in charitable actions and conduct (…). Jesus Christ, who is the fullness of truth, draws the heart of every person to himself, expanding it and filling it with joy. Indeed, only truth is capable of penetrating the mind and making it fully joyful”.

This love of truth, which drives our intelligence, is the work of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, it fills us with humility before creation and before the capacity of our own knowledge, which will always be small compared to the mysterious action of God. “Strive to make humility of mind your principle”, advised Saint Josemaría. “The desire for truth is part of human nature, and the whole of creation is a great invitation to seek answers that open the human mind to the great answer that it has always sought and always hoped for.

The gift of strength… THE

The HOLY SPIRIT works in the soul through his gifts, “distributing them to each one as he wills” (1 Cor 12:11). One of his gifts is the gift of strength, which drives us to great goals and sustains us in our weakness. Saint Josemaría referred to the Christian experience when he recalled that “all our strength is borrowed.” This gift is necessary to seek the truth constantly and to embrace it throughout our lives. It can certainly be tiring, especially because our abilities do not always align with our desires and because the truth is sometimes difficult to accept and does not always coincide with what seems to us to be the best option. Often, we must humbly open ourselves to other answers and ways of acting, even if we have long thought we were right.

This is precisely why the gift of strength must be the fundamental tone of our Christian existence, because it keeps us faithful in our search. Love for the truth binds our lives, and strength gives us the necessary firmness. In this way, we can “face problems with courage, without fear of sacrifice and the heaviest burdens, taking on our conscience and our personal responsibility.”

Jesus says: “You also bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning” (Jn 15:27). The Christian is called to be a reliable witness to the humble and sincere search for the truth. Christ warned his disciples of the persecution that awaits them for their witness. These men, having received the gift of strength at Pentecost, become courageous witnesses. They were truly strong in the face of adversity, in the face of unexpected events that came into their lives, in situations that could have disrupted their plans and projects. Mary’s tender accompaniment protects us: she listens to our invocations so that the Spirit of truth “illuminates our minds and strengthens our wills, so that we may always be accustomed to seeking, speaking, and listening to the truth.”

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What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

Posted on 23. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are special graces that help Christians live out their faith and grow in holiness. The list most people reference comes from Isaiah 11:2-3 and is used in Catholic and many other Christian traditions.

The 7 Traditional Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Gift

What it means

How it shows up in real life

Wisdom

Seeing things the way God sees them. It’s about valuing what’s eternal over what’s temporary.

You can choose to forgive when you’d rather hold a grudge, or find peace during chaos because you see the bigger picture.

Understanding

We are getting deeper insight into the truths of faith. Not just memorizing, but actually “getting it.”

Reading Scripture and suddenly a passage clicks, or understanding why suffering can have meaning.

Counsel

Right judgment — knowing what to do, especially in tough moral situations. Also called “right judgment.”

Having a gut sense of the right decision in a dilemma, or giving a friend advice that turns out to be exactly what they needed.

Fortitude

Courage to do what’s right even when it’s hard, unpopular, or scary.

Standing up for someone being bullied, sticking to your values at work, or enduring illness without despair.

Knowledge

Knowing God’s plan and the path He wants for us. Helps us see created things as signs that point to God.

Recognizing that your career is a gift to be used for good, not just for status or money.

Piety

Deep love and reverence for God as Father, and for people as brothers and sisters.

Praying not out of obligation but because you want to talk to God, or treating others with genuine affection and respect.

Fear of the Lord

Awe, wonder, and respect for God. Not being “scared” of Him, but hating sin because it separates us from Him.

Turning away from gossip because you know it wounds God’s heart, or feeling awe during worship.
 

A different list: “Charismatic gifts”

In 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, St. Paul lists other gifts given for building up the Church. These are sometimes called “charisms”:

  1. Word of wisdom

  2. Word of knowledge

  3. Faith

  4. Gifts of healing

  5. Working of miracles

  6. Prophecy

  7. Discerning of spirits

  8. Speaking in tongues

  9. Interpretation of tongues

Key difference: The 7 gifts from Isaiah are given to all Christians at Baptism/Confirmation to grow in personal holiness. The charisms from 1 Corinthians are distributed individually “as the Spirit wills” for the service of others

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Lord,what about him?

Posted on 22. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

 St Peter had the most important conversation of his life with Jesus. He received his definitive mission and was told that he would become a martyr. He understood it. But the Apostle John was also nearby. They had been good friends at work and in the company of Jesus. So it was only natural that he was interested in his fate, too. What would become of him? Taking an interest in others strengthens friendships and families, but it must be sincere and an expression of love.

There is an interest we call “gossip-gathering”: the desire to learn what others have failed to do, their mistakes, or at least what they would like to keep secret. However, we prefer to see such “interested people” far behind the door. On the contrary, it is very pleasing to be asked such a question: “How did your work go today?” “Do you still need many days to finish? ” etc. Newspapers, radio, and screens arouse interest in many things in the world, both useful and useless. However, it must not take such a place in the family that we lose interest in those we live with.

What does it matter to you? ▪ When someone shows an interest that is unpleasant to us, we respond with a rude expression: “What does that have to do with you? ” Of course, it can be expressed more gently. But the premise is the same: we have the right to our private secrets; the interest of others is disturbing. God also has his secrets, especially when it comes to people’s future destinies. The interest here disturbs not him, but us. We read about St. Anthony the Hermit, who supported, loved, and, in solitude, often thought about how many people would be saved and how many would perish. In response, he heard a voice from God: “Anthony, take care of yourself!” Unnecessary interest in others distracts us from what we should be concerned with: ourselves. But which interests are useful and which are useless? Scouts have a rule that they should be curious. It sounds wrong to say that someone is curious. To distinguish between them, we can apply the rule that applies to every conversation: the good one supports love and trust; the bad one destroys it. Sometimes it is a wonderful sign of trust not to ask. Even God demands this trust from people without asking when it comes to his providence.

I want him to stay until I arrive. Jesus’ answer is quite mysterious. After all, the apostles present misunderstood it. However, it is better to say that it is general than ‘mysterious.’ It expresses the truth that we believe in. The death of a person is never accidental. In images depicting the death of the Virgin Mary, Christ comes down from heaven to receive his mother’s soul. But this is also true of the death of all the righteous. Their souls are in the hands of God (cf. Wisdom 3:1). Christ, who saves souls, always arrives at the right moment to take them. This is why the saints were not afraid of death. St. Sabbas of Jerusalem was warned not to return to the monastery through the desert in the evening because a lion was loose. His answer was simple: ‘Either God exists, and a lion cannot harm me, or God does not exist, and it is better for a lion to eat me. ‘ Faith cannot justify gambling with life, but it provides peace and certainty in times of danger.

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Yes, Lord, you know that I love you (Jn 21:15).

Posted on 21. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

In today’s Gospel, a personal dialogue takes place between Jesus and Peter. Jesus asks Peter if Peter loves Him. This question, asked after the denial, sounds very cruel… But Peter, after looking into his heart, says, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Perhaps if this meeting had not taken place, Peter would have stopped believing in himself and thought his love was not real. But Jesus rose from the dead not only for everyone, but also for each one individually. Peter again sees love and friendship in the Master’s eyes.

His heart immediately responds to this look. He understands his connection with Jesus is something greater than just pleasant memories… Jesus asks a second and a third time, wanting to make Peter look deeper into his heart: “Do you love me?”. “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you,” Peter answers fervently. He looks at Jesus again and cannot say anything else. Yes, regardless of everything, love is alive. Standing before the one who knows everything, he confesses love again. In response, Peter hears the call “Feed my sheep.” With these words, Jesus awakens Peter to a new life. “Feed my sheep.”

Brotherly care not only revives Peter’s love but also makes it life-giving. Then follows the prophecy of martyrdom. These words reveal Jesus’ trust in Peter. This statement means that love destroyed his denial. His request to follow Jesus was even heard. What he was not at all prepared for was fulfilled later. Of course, Peter may be afraid again. But this fear can no longer destroy his happiness. Jesus rose from the dead, and everything was resurrected:dialog possible his love, his desires… Such a dialogue can take place with each of us. It can cleanse each of us from all falls and betrayals. He can renew our love and make it stronger in this world. What is asked of us? To believe we can respond to this call we have heard in our hearts. The joy that we feel in the depths of our hearts responding to Him will be the confirmation: yes, it is truly Him

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Pentecostes Sunday John 20,19-23

Posted on 20. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

Today we celebrate the feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit, which the Scriptures say occurred on the Day of Pentecost, 40 days after Easter. Why after such a long time? Because every remarkable moment of human life must not only be experiencedourexperienced couldcould, they but lived, and that takes time; otherwise, we are always on the surface. We always seek new experiences, but we do not live life; we experience it and let it flow. And how to really live life? First of all, through honest work and prayer, we follow the well-known motto of the Benedictines: ora et labore (pray and work). This is precisely what the apostles did together with the Virgin Mary, and then the Holy Spirit descended on them.

And the Holy Spirit is difficult for us to understand, because we live in the time of the Holy Spirit. How is that? I will explain. In the OT, God the Father, the first divine person, appears first, but only Jesus Christ in the NT shows us who God the Father really is. How is that? People in the OT understood the Father as a contentious, heart-hardening God and a strict judge, and only Jesus Christ showed us who the Father is. That God so loved the world that He gave His Son, that we can pray to Him, Our Father, etc.

And it was similar to Jesus, because the Jews were expecting Him as a military or high-priestly messiah, and He died for us on the cross, and even though Jesus told the apostles during His life what kind of Messiah He was, they were unable to understand Him. Only after Jesus’ death and resurrection could they say, ” Ah, so that’s how it is. And we live today in the time of the Holy Spirit’s activity. Therefore, this third Divine Person remains the most mysterious of the three to us, because His public activity has not been fully completed, as with God the Father in the OT and with Jesus in the Gospels.

But we do know something about Him. We know that the Holy Spirit is the one who mediates forgiveness and that without forgiveness, a person cannot even receive this Spirit. Why? Whenever I come across the topic of forgiveness, I ask myself: for whom does a person need forgiveness? Most of the time, people answer correctly: for themselves. And I ask again, why? And here the answer is not so clear-cut, because we are already a bit confused about this. But even here, the answer is not complicated: if I am hurt by something and do not heal it, I transfer my hurt to others. So if I have bitterness, hatred, or dislike within me and I do not work with these tendencies and emotions, I transfer them to others, especially those I care about the most, because I can hurt those I am closest to much more easily.

I met a man who was bitter towards the whole world, and those who wanted to help him took it out on him the most because he hurt them with his wounds. In the end, everyone more or less left him, and he literally created hell on earth for himself out of his unlove and unforgiveness. And even God cannot approach such a person because that person has closed himself off from him. That is why we should also forgive, so that we can not only receive forgiveness but also give it. Forgiveness cannot be received if we cannot forgive ourselves. What I do not have, I cannot only give, but also receive. Yes, to the extent that we open ourselves to the Spirit of God, or close ourselves off, to the extent that we can draw from it.

And it is certainly no coincidence that the fullness of the Holy Spirit is to be manifested in a person after confirmation, when on the path of life he freely decides that he will receive this sacrament and not only receive it, but that thanks to this received sacrament he wants to help the growth of the whole church, because if he does not do this, he resembles someone who received a certain hryvnia from the Lord, which he later buried. And instead of longing for the fullness of living from the Spirit, at baptism I encounter this – and the godfather must actually be confirmed? And could it not be otherwise? And I do not want this sacrament, because I do not have time for it!

This is how we behave towards God’s gifts. Then we are surprised that we do not feel any acceptance from God when we are not willing to come out of ourselves and our self-centeredness. In essence, even in adulthood, we have the faith of little children when I ask myself the question, “What will I get from it?” But then I do not live my Christian life; I only experience it to the extent that I open myself to God, to the extent that I can draw from His love and grace. And then here we have the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. And they will also work in our lives to the extent that we open ourselves to them. The first gift is the gift of wisdom. Wisdom is not about how smart I am, how intelligent I am, but it is about being able to distinguish between things that can be solved and things that cannot be solved. For example, someone has had a broken marriage in their family for many years and is still struggling with it, but it is no longer possible to reconcile it; there are children and grandchildren, and they are constantly being told what happened to those parents, and everyone is hurting each other. So the gift of wisdom is about recognizing the unsolvable facts, coming to terms with them, and the solvable ones, and with what needs to be done.

The gift of reason is about penetrating things. Finding the root of why this and that happened, and either looking for a solution or learning from what cannot be solved. The gift of counsel to make the right decision: if I realize that a given matter can be resolved, for example, if it was not possible with children, then at least I will convey the gift of faith to my grandchildren; then it is necessary to find appropriate means with which to resolve the matter, and the Holy Spirit will help me. The gift of strength is primarily about perseverance in goodness. It often happens that a person feels a bit overconfident, but after a while, it somehow fades away.

The gift of strength is about persevering in good; if we do not see things through, what is the point? The gift of art, or in every human endeavor, is to discover God’s presence. The goal is to become more and more an instrument of God. That is the beauty of the Benedictine rule: pray and work. Strive in everything as if it were your only concern, and always entrust it to God’s care. And another gift of the Holy Spirit helps with this: the gift of piety. Despite all our efforts and good discernment, many things do not work out for us, but I can always ask the Lord for help. So Lord, help me where my strength fails. Help me do the good I want to do, despite all my efforts to the contrary, and transform all the shortcomings that I sincerely surrender to you. It is the gift of piety to trust the Lord to correct my shortcomings if I surrender them to Him and transform them into something beautiful.

And the last is the fear of God. Fear is not fear; it is God’s sovereignty when I should first realize that, despite all my efforts, despite all my prayers, the Lord can decide that things in my life will be different from what I planned, and I should accept it. Accept that God knows far better than I do why this and that happened in my life and those around me, even though I tried so hard to make it different and to surrender it to the Lord. And if I can do that, then the Spirit of God can fully manifest in me, just as it fully manifested in those apostles, and everyone was amazed and wondered where that power came from in them. And so, Lord, we ask you to teach us to open ourselves to Your Spirit and not to be satisfied with just the little that we somehow stumble on along that path to You. Set our hearts on fire, just as You set the hearts of the apostles on fire, so that the Spirit You sent us can also manifest in us. Amen.
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St.Herman Joseph

Posted on 20. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

Position: priest, monk, and mystic OPraem
Death: 1241 or 1252
Patrons: mothers, children, and watchmakers
Attributes: boy, apple, Jesus Christ with Mother, inkwell, chalice, key, Premonstratensian, writing implements, rose
CURRICULUM VITAE

He was born in the 12th century. Redemonstrate in Cologne and from childhood was subject to mystical visions. Originally he was supposed to be a watchmaker, but then he entered the Premonstratensian order, where he became a priest. The abbot entrusted him with the care of the food of his brothers, in which he proved himself patient and obedient. In his spiritual life he is said to have achieved a mystical marriage. Finally, he was a sacristan, composing hymns and an interpretation of the Song of Solomon.
CV FOR MEDITATION

REWARDED TRUST
He came from a poor family in Cologne. He went to school from the age of seven and hurried to church afterward, where he spent hours in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. He spoke to them in a childlike, intimate way, as if they were not statues but real beings. He told them what he was thinking and loved to share it. Legend has it that he once gave an apple to the baby Jesus, and the baby Jesus reached out and took it. This reminds us that what we can truly think is truly accepted and rewarded by the loving God.

He called the Virgin Mary his mother and his rose. He often recalled Jesus’ poverty on earth and his humiliation and suffering. Then he rejoiced in his poverty, especially in the possibility of reproach. The world seemed to him like a sea of ​​temptations, and at the age of 12 he decided to enter the Premonstratensian monastery in Steinfeld. Perhaps precisely because St. Norbert had entrusted the order to the protection of the Mother of God and a flame of love for Herman burned in his heart. Around that time or later, he trained as a watchmaker.

After receiving the white robe of the order, he was sent to the monastery of Frisco for further education. There he studied well, but he did not like the writings of pagan orators. They allegedly gave him a musty smell. On the other hand, he felt a sweet delight in the writings of the Church Fathers. After his studies, he returned, took religious vows, and was ordained a priest.

Someone entrusted him with the care of food, shattering his dreams of remaining in contemplative prayer. He willingly and humbly provided it and served at the table. He himself preferred to fast on bread and water, and when he complained to Fr. Mary that he could no longer remain in prayer for long, she reassured him: when he performs the duties assigned to him by serving his brothers as if he were serving Christ and God, he offers the most beloved sacrifice.

After some time, he was appointed sacristan, with responsibility for the temple, sacred vessels, and liturgical vestments. Thus, the desire of his heart was granted so that he could devote himself more to meditation. Occasionally, he spent the whole night before the altar. Perhaps because he excelled in purity, love and reverence for the Mother of God, the brothers began to call him Joseph. His humility and modesty prevented him from accepting the name of the betrothed of St. Mary, until she allegedly appeared to him with an angel, who announced to him that the Most Holy Virgin was betrothed to him, as she was betrothed to Joseph, and that she wished him to accept his name.

Due to frequent mystical experiences with Mother Mary and especially an exaggerated ascetic life, Herman Josef became physically weak and then seriously ill. He blamed himself for being unable to serve his brothers. And the Virgin Mary brought him out of his despondency by begging for his health. One biographer wrote that he was like a grain of wheat ground by two millstones, one by pleasures and the other by sufferings.superiorscompanions

He also belonged to the worshipers of holy friends in heaven. In honor of St. Voršila and her companions, he composed a hymn, including a melody to it based on the singing of the virgins during a mystical experience. At that time, they also found their remainssuperiors, and Heřman Josef begged the superioress Voršila for the skull of St. Gertrude.

Among his remarkable virtues was touching humility. He behaved as the least and most unworthy, contented himself with an older patched monastic habit, and was perfectly obedient to his superiors. He also administered the hours in the monastery and radiated a special charm. In his later years, he began to write a commentary on the Old Testament Song of Solomon. His work had the best qualities, thanks to Father Maria’s encouragement. While working on his writing, he experienced pleasure and distanced himself from everything earthly.

In his last years, he prepared for the death he had predicted, as well as for the grave. He lived out his life in Hoven, near Zülpich, in a monastery where the Cistercian nuns had called him to perform the Easter rites. When they welcomed him there, he pointed with his staff to the place where he would be buried. Eventually, with great pomp, his body was transferred to Steinfeld. Miracles were performed at his grave. Two dates of indistinguishable authenticity have been preserved for the year of his death. He was canonized in 1960.

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St. Bernardine of Siena

Posted on 19. May 2026 by Peter Prochac

May 20, reminder

Position:

priest, popular preacher, OFM religious

Death:

1444

Patron:

wool weavers; invoked against hoarseness, lung diseases, bleeding

Attributes:

Franciscan, mountain, staff, miter at feet, IHS monogram, sun

CURRICULUM VITAE

He came from Siena. The foundation of his spiritual life was worship and veneration of the Virgin Mary. The strength of his love for his neighbor was especially evident during the plague, when he himself treated the sick. He entered a Franciscan monastery and became a priest. He renounced everything and sought only God. With love and zeal, he spread reverence for the name of Jesus throughout Italy. He was accused of heresy, but his innocence was always recognized. He died in L’Aquila at the age of 64.

CV FOR MEDITATION

HEROLD OF CHRIST

He was born on September 8, 1380, in Massa Maritima near Siena in central Italy. When he was three years old, his mother died, and three years later, his father, who was a mine owner, died. Bernardino was cared for by his father’s relatives in Siena. His grandmother taught him to love God and to be devoted to Mary. His extraordinary talent led him to enter the university very early. He was popular there for his friendly character and generosity. In Siena, he studied literature, law, biblical studies, and theology.

From about age 17, he was in the Virgin Mary brotherhood, which sought to lead its members to perfection through service to the needy, poor, and sick. When the plague broke out, he and his companions cared for the sick and dying, and he himself became severely infected. By the grace of God, he recovered and, for some time, helped his sick aunt. During his illness, he decided to become religious and considered the Augustinian and Franciscan orders, which he ultimately chose. He entered the Franciscans in Siena at the age of 22 and joined the strict branch of the Observants. After a year of novitiate, he took religious vows, and in 1404, he was ordained a priest.

In his early years, he further deepened his knowledge by studying theological, ascetic, and mystical writings, especially those of Franciscan church writers. The superiors allowed him to live for a while on the hill of Capriola, where he turned the hermitage into a small monastery and lived a very mortified life in fervent preparation. From 1417, he began his preaching and missionary work in central and northern Italy. At first, he felt incapable because of his weak voice, so he turned to the Mother of God, who helped him. He then spoke in a clear, resonant voice, which won the hearts of his listeners. He was equally proficient at preaching in the vernacular to quite simple peasants as well as to university listeners. He presented the deepest Christian truths to everyone in an appropriate manner. For many listeners, he often preached in the open air. His sermons sometimes caused a sudden shortage of confessors and dispensers of the Blessed Sacrament.

Contemporary chroniclers said of him that his influence was like the arrival of spring. It was a time full of hatred, marked by hostility between noble families and common neighbors. Italy was divided not only into principalities and city-states but also into political factions, and the sight of this torn world was depressing.her But Bernardine did not speak of disasters but of Jesus and his divine love. He said, “In him is contained everything that God has ordained for human salvation.” He pointed to him as a “burning light” and proclaimed the crucified Jesus, the divine physician of soul and body, as the answer.

He preached the need for forgiveness and reconciliation, and, with that aim, he also preached respect for the name of Jesus. He created an image of a shining sun with the monogram JHS; these are the first three letters of the Greek word “Jesus” (also an abbreviation of “Jesus, the Savior of the people”). Above the middle letter H was a cross, and a new coat of arms was created, drawing attention to the mystery of salvation. During Bernardine’s time, this symbol spread widely throughout Italy, especially to the houses of Christian brotherhoods, and it was also inscribed on the facades of public buildings. Bernardine carried a tablet bearing this symbol with him and placed it on the altar, where he celebrated Holy Mass before preaching. After preaching, he raised the tablet high and was blessed by it.

Finally, Bernardine was arrested and accused of heresy because the spread of such veneration displeased some theologians and humanists. The church court examined his accusations three times, the last time at the Council of Basel in 1438. John of Capistrano is said to have been one of Bernardine’s effective defenders. Bernardine did not take advantage of the emperor’s favor either, and in the end, his orthodoxy, pure intentions, and holiness of life were always recognized. On the other hand, the Pope offered him the episcopal office in Siena, Ferrara, and Urbino three times, but Bernardine always refused, preferring the path of preaching.

He also successfully defended the poor. Some inhabitants were expelled from a village for debts, and he fought relentlessly for each until they could return.

In 1438, Bernardine became the superior general of the Franciscan Observants and helped expand their order. As superior of the order, he participated in the general council in Florence. In the monastery of Monteripido near Perugia, he founded a theological school, where he himself taught, and in Siena, he established a higher theological teaching institution from which the religious professors were drawn. He tried to complement the Franciscan simplicity with intellectual maturity.

In 1442, he felt his strength diminish and resigned from the office of superior. The governor of Siena then asked him for some diplomatic services, which he successfully performed. He then tried to continue his apostolic work, but on the eve of the Ascension, while at San Silvestro near L’Aquila, his strength left him, and he died there in the monastery.

He was canonized by Nicholas V in 1450, and in 1474 his remains were transferred to a new church in L’Aquila, built in his honor.

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