Saint Claude de la Colombière
Claude de la Colombière (1641 – 1682) is known primarily for his role as the spiritual director of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, the recipient of numerous visions of the Sacred Heart, devotion to which she was asked to spread, in a quiet, anonymous way.
But the good Jesuit did much more than this, counseling future kings, princes and potentates. He was born in 1641 near the city of Vienne in France, and schooled by the Order he later joined in 1658. It is reported that he found the life contrary to his inclinations, but knew that it was his vocation, so he persevered, even later making a vow to keep the rule perfectly, under pain of sin – perhaps because part of him rebelled so vehemently.
It was in 1675 – providentially on February 2nd, the feast of the Presentation – that he was appointed spiritual director of the Visitation convent of Paray-le-Monial, where Margaret Mary was a sister. After discernment, he concluded her visions were authentic, and became one of her primary supporters, a great solace to Sister Alacoque, who had doubt about their veracity.
The next year, Father Colombière was sent to England – he kept in touch with Sister Margaret Mary by letter. It was in the now anti-Catholic country, after fruitful ministry to many, including the royal family, he was falsely implicated in the false ‘Popish plot’ to kill Charles II, promulgated by the lies of Titus Oates – about whom the less said, likely the better. Cast into prison under brutal conditions, Father Colombière’s health – already weak – was broken. By the intervention of King Louis XV, he escaped death, but was exiled back to France, where he spent his final days as novice director and, again, as spiritual director at Paray-le-Monial. He died on this day, February 15th, 1682, beatified by Pius XI in 1929, and canonized by Saint John Paul II on May 31st, the feast of the Visitation, 2002.
Carney’s Amoral Majority
After five defections – euphemistically described as ‘crossing the floor’ – and three by-elections, Mark Carney and his Liberals how have their coveted majority. One wonders what bowls of pottage were offered in back-room deals. In the archaic monarchical system that is the Dominion of Canada, this majority allows the newly-minted Prime Minister to rule[…]Continue reading→
Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress
This was the title given to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, by Pope Benedict XVI, when he canonized her on October 28th, 2012, along with six others, in Saint Peter’ Square (she had been beatified by Pope John Paul II back in 1980). With Saint Joseph as our protector, along with the Canadian martyrs, we seem to[…]Continue reading→
A Tale of Two Benedicts
A grace-filled Holy Week to all our readers! As we await and prepare for the Resurrection about to dawn upon us, we might keep in mind two Benedicts: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, requiescat in pace, elected on this day in 2005; and today’s commemoration of the mystic pilgrim, Benedict Joseph Labre, who died on this[…]Continue reading→
My Name is Bernadette
April 16th is a propitious day, for besides the anniversary of Father de Valk’s death, who founded Catholic Insight in its print form decades ago, and the commemoration of the ‘two Benedicts’, mentioned in accompanying posts, today we also recall Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared numerous times at[…]Continue reading→
Saint Lydwina of Schiedam and Suffering Joyfully
Saint Lydwina of Schiedam (1380 – 1433) was one of the countless and glorious ‘victim souls’ in the history of the Church, those whose lives are filled with suffering, often of an unimaginable intensity, but who suffer joyfully. She was a fifteen-year old Dutch girl, out skating one day, when she fell and broke one[…]Continue reading→
The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus
As we enter into Eastertide, we recall on this 13th of April Pope Saint Martin I (+655), one of the noblest, if most tragic, of the successors of Saint Peter. Born in Umbria, Italy, he was of noble lineage, with great intelligence combined with charity and love of the poor and the Church. While still[…]Continue reading→
Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów
We celebrate Saint Stanislaus today (+ April 11, 1079), in light of this Easter Octave, a bishop and martyr who accepted the episcopacy only at the direct order of Pope Alexander II. He proved a wise and courageous leader of his flock, put to death by his own king, Boleslaus, for rebuking the monarch’s ‘immoral[…]Continue reading→
Saint Gemma Galgani
On this April 11th, in 1903 – the same year that the Italian Guiseppe Sarto was elected Pope later that summer as Pius X – a lovely, young Italian woman died, by the name of Gemma Galgani. She lived a brief life of 24 years, as did a number of other young saints, including Pier[…]Continue reading→
An Ideological and Improper Translation
I noticed something odd with the psalm reading at Mass the other day. Our bishops’ conference here in Canada has decreed that the Mass in English – Novus Ordo – use the ‘NRSV’, the ‘New Revised Standard Version’, an ‘updated’ translation of the original RSV, first published in 1952. This ‘new translation’ has the tendency[…]Continue reading→
Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle: A Teacher for Teachers
Jean-Baptiste de la Salle (1651 – 1719), a French nobleman, ordained a priest, founded the first order in the Church’s history entirely without priests, and this came about almost by accident. I say ‘almost’, for, of course, there are no accidents with God. Destined for ordination from an early age, Jean-Baptiste never looked back, even[…]Continue reading→