O Adonai, and Leader of the House of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law on Sinari: come and redeem us by Thy outstretched arm.Roman Breviary, Great Antiphon at Vespers on December 18th (ca. 7th cent.) Read more
Flavio Insinna gives a winning performance as John (Don) Bosco, the great priest and educator of youth from the tough streets of Turin, Italy. Beautifully filmed in Italy, this epic movie dramatizes the many challenges that Don Bosco had to overcome from this childhood through founding his religious order, the Salesians, for helping educate boys. Growing up without a father gave him compassion for the many orphans that he cared for, while he faced persecution from both secular society and... Read more
At the age of nineteen, Giulia Valle, of Aosta, Italy, entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joan Antida Thouret, subsequently taking the religious name Nemesia. She soon formulated a prayer for herself that became the rallying cry of her spiritual life: “Jesus, empty me of myself, let me be clothed in you. Jesus, for you I live and for you I die…” After taking her vows, she served as a teaching nun, and thereafter as superior... Read more
O Wisdom, that proceedest from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end mightily, and sweetly disposing all things: come and teach us the way of prudence.Roman Breviary, Great Antiphon at Vespers on December 17th (ca. 7th cent.) Read more
Blessed Matilde del Sagrado Corazón Téllez Robles was a Spanish Roman Catholic nun and the foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of the Church. Matilde Telléz Robles was born on 30 May, 1841 in Robledillo de la Vera, Spain, the second of four children to Félix Telléz Gomez and Basilea Robles Ruiz. They moved to Béjar in 1851. As an adult, Matilde founded a religious institute dedicated to the Eucharistic adoration and caring for the sick... Read more
François Leclerc du Tremblay, also known as Père Joseph, was a French Capuchin friar, confidant and agent of Cardinal Richelieu. He received a careful classical training, and in 1595 made an extended journey through Italy, returning to take up the career of arms. He served at the Siege of Amiens in 1597, and then accompanied a special embassy to London. In 1599 he renounced the world and joined the Capuchins. He became a notable preacher and reformer. In 1606 he... Read more
Joseph Manyanet y Vives was born into a large and pious family in the municipality of Tremp, Catalonia (Spain). He received his education with the Piarist Fathers in Barbastro, Aragon and then went on to be trained in theological institutes of Lleida and La Seu d’Urgell. He was ordained into the priesthood on 9 April 1859 and went on to become the private secretary to the Bishop of Urgell, Josep Caixal i Estradé. Josep’s other priestly tasks included being the... Read more
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