Our Saint of the Day staved off temptation through prayer 🙏. Find out who it is!
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Saint of the Day for February 19: Saint Conrad of Piacenza (c. 1290 – February 19, 1351)
Born of a noble family in Italy, Conrad as a young man married Euphrosyne, daughter of a nobleman. One day while hunting he ordered attendants to set fire to some brush in order to flush out the game. The fire spread to nearby fields and to a large forest. Conrad fled. An innocent peasant was imprisoned, tortured to confess, and condemned to death. Conrad confessed his guilt, saved the man’s life, and paid for the damaged property. Soon after this event, Conrad and his wife agreed to separate: she to a Poor Clare monastery and he to a group of hermits following the Third Order Rule. His reputation for holiness, however, spread quickly. Since his many visitors destroyed his solitude, Conrad went to a more remote spot in Sicily where he lived 36 years as a hermit, praying for himself and for the rest of the world. Prayer and penance were his answer to the temptations that beset him. Conrad died kneeling before a crucifix. He was canonized in 1625. Reflection Francis of Assisi was drawn both to contemplation and to a life of preaching; periods of intense prayer nourished his preaching. Some of his early followers, however, felt called to a life of greater contemplation, and he accepted that. Though Conrad of Piacenza is not the norm in the Church, he and other contemplatives remind us of the greatness of God and of the joys of heaven. |
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Rejoice in Humanity St. Francis told his followers to walk on the good earth, forsaking the privilege and comfort of horseback riding. He didn’t want his followers to be separated and superior to ordinary working class people. To be saint is to plunge into the intricate, chaotic, and wondrous interdependence of life, knowing our utter dependence on God and the bounty of creation for every breath and for the energy to share in God’s vision of creative transformation. Saints rejoice in their common humanity, knowing that God’s word becomes flesh in fallible and ambivalent persons like ourselves. —from the book Simplicity, Spirituality, Service: The Timeless Wisdom of Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure by Bruce G. Epperly |
Newly Released Version! Take a look at this revised and updated edition of Richard Rohr's bestseller, From Wild Man to Wise Man (previously translated into seven languages). This is a wonderful book for Lent or any time of the year! Buy it for yourself or for a loved one. |
The Canticle of Mary Reflect The Blessed Mother brings us so much joy and peace. Reflect on how she has been there for you, offering you a mother’s love and comfort. Pray Blessed Mother,
In your canticle in the Gospel of Luke,
you sang of your joy to Elizabeth.
Together, you were two women full of love for each other,
overflowing with the bliss of carrying children within.
Today, I imagine being Elizabeth
and hearing your soul proclaiming the greatness of the Lord.
Today, I celebrate that song and the beauty of you. Act Listen to a version of “Immaculate Mary.” The Daughters of St. Paul singers have a gorgeous version that will uplift you. Today's Pause+Pray was written by Maureen O'Brien. Learn more here! |
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