The Ultimate Gift of Perpetua and Felicity
Today is also the feast – a commemoration now, in the Lenten calendar of the Novus Ordo – of the early martyrs Perpetua and Felicity, put to death likely in the year 203. This was under the reign of Septimius Severus, who seems on the whole to have been well-disposed to Christians. But the religion was still ten years away from being legally recognized by Constantine, and could suffer persecution even without an emperor’s explicit command, for example, by local magistrates with a grudge, and to offer a spectacle to the people – the narrative claims the ‘games’ were in honour of the emperor’s birthday, which you may take as you will.
The two saints are amongst that rare group of martyrs the ‘acts’ of whose passion are recounted in contemporaneous terms, in this case in the first person, by Perpetua herself, with additions from an editor, offering a vivid window into the real-life persecution of Christians, the horrible nature of their sufferings, and what supernatural courage and determination they displayed. It all makes for a rather dramatic and spiritually embracing read, highly recommended.
Both Perpetua and Felicity were young mothers, and even with this near-irrestible earthly bond, both refused to apostatize and give up their faith – their very souls. They knew God would take care not only of their own eternal fate, but also the fate of their infants. Perpetua offered her child to her own mother and brother to be raised, while Felicity – a slave girl – was actually pregnant, and feared she would miss out on her martyrdom, for the Romans, for all their cruelty, refused to put to death women in the family way. She gave birth in prison, giving the child away to Christian parents we may presume.
Both women, along with a number of others, were sent out into the stadium, scourged, then set upon by wild beasts, who tore at their flesh. Wounded and bleeding, they were dispatched by the sword.
In today’s Gospel, providentially enough, Christ warns that If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. And he who does not carry his cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple.
By ‘hate’ Christ means that we must love God above all things, and everything, and everyone else, in light of this same love of God. As such, we must be willing – should push come to shove, so to speak – to ‘lose’ everything else, even our nearest and dearest, for His sake. For only from such an eternal perspective can be hope to find and gain our true reward.
We may have a well-founded hope that both Perpetua and Felicity are now enjoying the company of their children, and their children’s children to many generations in a happy Jerusalem. For God is never outdone in generosity, and what we offer to Him – however radical it may seem – He will give back to us, flowing over, a hundredfold.
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 Closed, Unsustainable, Descending Loop
As a follow-up to my thoughts on Payette’s payout, here be a stark image of where are here in Canada. As the graph shows in, well, graphic terms, since 2025, the public sector has contributed to 95.5% of economic growth. The private sector – which funds the public sector, or is supposed to – has[…]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→
Presidential Pardon of Weronika Krawczyk
As a good news, follow-up to our story from Poland, of the persecution of Weronika Krawczyk for her pro-life views, we heard that she has been granted a presidential pardon. One might still wonder why one needs a presidential pardon for simply holding the long-held belief that the child within the womb is a child,[…]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→
Pope Leo and a Rosary for Peace
Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics across the world to join him in a Rosary for peace today, at 18:00 Rome time (6 pm), which would be noon from where I write (EST). If you are able, whether at that time or another, and in whatever way you pray, to join in intercession with the[…]Continue reading→
Payette’s Payout
I was glancing through some headlines, and noticed a mention of Julie Payette – engineer and astronaut and sometime the Queen’s representative in Canada – which brought back vague memories. She was appointed Governor-General by Justin Trudeau in 2017. Ms. Payette resigned in 2021, amidst claims that she created a ‘toxic work environment’, with allegations[…]Continue reading→