Saint of the Month - July 2025: Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez

Bl. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez

A Life of Faith & Liturgical Renewal

Memorial: July 13th

This month I share a holy role-model who most of the Laity can sink their teeth into.  His life perfectly represents the concept of holiness in daily ordinary circumstances that we can all aspire to.

+ Early Life and Spiritual Formation +

Born Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago on November 22, 1918, in Caguas, Puerto Rico, he was the second of five children in a deeply pious family who simply called him Charlie.  His parents, Manuel and Herminia Rodríguez, instilled in him a strong faith from an early age.  He was baptized in the Sweet Name of Jesus Church on May 4, 1919, a parish that would remain prominent to his spiritual life.

Charlie’s childhood was marked by both joy and hardship.  In 1925, a devastating fire destroyed his family’s home and business, forcing them to live with his maternal grandparents.  In addition, he had a traumatic encounter with a vicious dog that resulted in him developing a serious digestive disorder.  Despite these challenges, he remained deeply committed to his faith, which steadily evolved into a profound love for the Eucharist and the Liturgy.  His grandmother, Alejandrina Esterás, played a significant role in shaping his spiritual outlook, teaching him the importance of prayer and devotion.

+ Education and Early Challenges +

Young Charlie attended Colegio Católico Notre Dame, where he excelled academically, particularly in religious studies.  However, his aspirations to become a priest were hindered by ulcerative colitis, which caused him great suffering throughout his life.  Despite his illness, he remained dedicated to his studies and faith, eventually transferring to Gautier Benítez High School and later the Academy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in San Juan.

His health struggles forced him to leave formal education before completing his degree, but he continued his intellectual pursuits independently.  He worked as an office clerk while dedicating his free time to Catholic catechesis and liturgical education.  His passion for the liturgical movement led him to translate and publish articles on the subject, promoting a deeper understanding of the Church’s traditions among Puerto Rican Catholics.

Bl. Carlos Manuel as a young student

(front row-center).

+ Apostolate and Liturgical Renewal +

Charlie became a key figure in the liturgical renewal movement, advocating for greater participation in the Eucharist and the Paschal Mystery.  He founded Liturgy and Christian Culture, a publication dedicated to educating Catholics about the richness of the liturgy.  His work extended beyond writing - he organized discussion groups, retreats, youth faith events, and catechetical programs, inspiring many to deepen their personal relationship with God.

Enrolling at the University of Puerto Rico in 1946, Charlie continued his personal mission of liturgical education.  He established the Círculo de Cultura Cristiana, a group dedicated to studying and promoting Catholic teachings.  His influence grew, and he became a respected mentor to students and clergy alike.

Despite his illness, the Blessed remained joyful and dedicated to his mission.  He was known for his humility, kindness, and unwavering faith, qualities that endeared him to those around him.  His motto, “We live for that night,” referred to the Easter Vigil, emphasizing the centrality of Christ’s resurrection in Christian life.

Charlie in evangelical action.

+ Final Years and Glorification +

Later diagnosed with colon cancer, Charlie’s health deteriorated in the early 1960s, but he continued his work until his passing on July 13, 1963; he was only 44-years-old.  His legacy of liturgical renewal and catechetical education left a lasting impact on in the Puerto Rico Catholic community and beyond.

Recognizing his sanctity, Pope John Paul II Beatified Carlos Manuel Rodriguez in April 2001, making him the first Puerto Rican and first Caribbean-born layperson to be beatified.  His feast day is celebrated on July 13, and he is commemorated as a patron of liturgical renewal and catechists.

Bl. Carlos Manuel’s life stands as a testament to faith, perseverance, and dedication to the Church’s liturgical traditions.  His work continues to inspire those seeking a deeper understanding of the Eucharist and the Paschal Mystery.  Let us pray for his speed Canonization.

Bl. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez,

pray for us.

Saint of the Month - June 2025: Blessed Marie-Therese Soubiran

Bl. Marie-Therese Soubiran

A Life of Hidden Holiness

Memorial: June 7th

This month, this ministry features the life of a founder of a religious institution who lived her life in exile and obscurity ... yet, it was apparently God's will that her hidden life be brought to light as evidenced by the Church's official recognition of heroic virtue.  This is her story.

+ Early Life and Calling

Blessed Marie-Thérèse Soubiran was born on May 16, 1834, in Castelnaudary, a small town in southern France.  Her baptismal name was Marie-Thérèse-Henriette Soubiran.  Raised in a devout Catholic family, she was instilled early with a deep love for God and a desire to serve others.  As a child, she showed signs of exceptional spiritual sensitivity and piety.  Despite living during a time of political and social unrest in France, her faith remained strong and unwavering.

Marie-Thérèse was particularly drawn to the poor and marginalized.  Inspired by the Gospel call to serve "the least of these", she felt a deep inner calling to religious life.  At the age of 20, together with a few companions, she founded a new religious community in 1855: the Sisters of Mary Auxiliatrix, dedicated to helping young working-class girls and women in the cities, who were often overlooked and vulnerable in the rapidly industrializing society.

+ Foundress and Spiritual Guide

As the first superior of the Sisters of Mary Auxiliatrix, Marie-Thérèse worked tirelessly to establish the community and its mission.  She combined a life of prayer with concrete action—offering vocational training, spiritual formation, and shelter to young women.  She believed in educating the whole person, both spiritually and practically, and was known for her kindness, humility, and maternal care.

However, the road was not easy.  Marie-Thérèse faced many external challenges, including financial struggles and suspicion from certain Church authorities, who were hesitant to accept a new religious institute led by such a young woman.  Nonetheless, her trust in Divine Providence never wavered.

+ A Life Marked by Humiliation and Obscurity

Tragically, Marie-Thérèse's greatest suffering came not from outside opposition, but from within her own community.  In 1869, due to the machinations of a fellow sister who falsely accused her of financial mismanagement and spiritual instability, Marie-Thérèse was removed from her position and expelled from the congregation she had founded.  Despite her innocence, she accepted this humiliation with remarkable humility and obedience, never defending herself or speaking against those who wronged her.

She was taken in by the Society of the Sacred Heart, another religious order, and lived for the next 33 years in obscurity, humility, and hidden service.  Though the truth of her situation was gradually discovered, she never returned to lead her congregation.  Instead, she embraced her new, humble life of silent prayer and simple tasks, confident that her suffering was united to Christ’s and would serve to spiritually support her congregation.

+ Death and Beatification

Blessed Marie-Thérèse died on June 7, 1889, in Paris, having lived her final years in quiet sanctity.  It was only after her death that her innocence was fully acknowledged and her true greatness recognized.  The Sisters of Mary Auxiliatrix continued to grow and flourish, eventually spreading beyond France to other countries, carrying her legacy of compassionate service.

Pope Pius XII beatified Marie-Thérèse Soubiran on October 20, 1946, recognizing her heroic virtue, enduring faith, and extraordinary example of forgiveness and humility.  Her feast day is celebrated annually on June 7.

+ Legacy

Blessed Marie-Thérèse Soubiran’s life offers a powerful testimony to the value of hidden holiness, patient suffering, and steadfast fidelity to God’s will.  She reminds us that even in the face of injustice and obscurity, love and humility can triumph.  Her example continues to inspire religious and laypeople alike, especially those who feel called to serve the forgotten and to persevere through personal trials with grace.

Bl. Marie-Therese, pray for us!

Saint of the Month - February 2025: Blessed Eustochio of Padua

Bl. Eustochio of Padua

She conquered the devil!

Memorial - February 13th

The Italian city of Padova (Padua) is known all the world over today thanks to its famous Patron Saint - St. Anthony of Padua.  In the 20th Century, it was graced by the presence of yet another holy figure - the Franciscan Priest/Confessor, St. Leopoldo Mandic ... but how many people are aware that there is another revered spiritual figure in the city?  A female Beata (or Blessed) baptized as Lucrezia Bellini, but more commonly invoked as Eustochio of Padua.  This ministry is pleased to feature her bio this month.

Lucrezia was the illegitimate daughter from the adulterous union of a married nobleman named Bartolomeo Bellini and an unworthy nun, Magdalena Cavalcabo.  Before continuing any further, it should be noted that the monastery where her mother resided - the Benedictine establishment of San Prosdocimo in Padua - wasn't noted for piety, rather it was gossiped about by the townsfolk because of the rumored widespread abuses of its Rule perpetrated by the occupants.  This was the dissolute environment that little Lucrezia was born into sometime in 1444.

Soon after her birth in the monastery, Lucrezia was discretely spirited away to be raised by Bartolomeo.  In the Bellini home, Bartolomeo's lawful wife, not surprisingly, resented the girl's presence and treated her with contempt. Things worsened when Lucrezia began exhibiting bizarre behavior starting at age 4, which was attributed to bouts of demonic possession.  Normally a well-behaved child, she fell into states of uncontrollable rage and violent behavior that lead to her being returned to the monastery as a "boarding student" at 7-years-old.  It was hoped that her condition would improve but just the opposite occurred - her symptoms of possession worsened so priests were summoned and exorcisms conducted.  The ritual brought a measure of relief to the child.

In the meantime, a new Abbess was installed who sought to reform the monastery but her efforts met with strong resistance from the community, with the exception of Lucrezia, who matured into a highly devout young woman. Perhaps because of her traumatic experiences, she was exceptionally prayerful and reflective; often seeking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, St. Luke, and St. Jerome for the general good of her soul.

When the Abbess died under mysterious circumstances (suspected poisoning), the local Bishop intervened by personally implementing greater discipline among the nuns of San Prosdocimo.  Rather than comply, the nuns chose to pack up and returned to their respective homes, which spoke volumes as to their degenerate spiritual disposition.  Again, the exception was Lucrezia, who was the only resident who chose to stay.

An old print of Bl. Eustochio (Note

the demon under her feet)

The Bishop brought in more-observant Benedictines to take over San Prosdocimo and the 17-year-old Lucrezia applied with this new group.  Given her condition, the nuns hesitated until the Bishop ordered them to admit her.  Hence, she was clothed in the habit on January 14, 1461, under the religious name of Sr. Eustochio.  The event triggered another full-blown possession, which figures prominently for the rest of her life.

This time around, the Beata was also subjected to other forms of diabolic vexations: she came down with mysterious illnesses that caused intense bodily pains and fits of vomiting; suffered blows from invisible attackers who sometimes also lifted her into the air only to throw her to the ground or against walls; she was choked and even burned.  Needless to say, Eustochio was often left bruised or wounded after each episode.  Her spiritual director - a Fr. Girolamo Saligario - performed repeated exorcisms on her, which provided temporary respite.  It became clear that the Lord had a special purpose for Eustochio's sufferings and she responded heroically.

The brave nun intensified her prayers, voluntary mortifications, and fasting to combat the evil forces; consciously accepting her sufferings as a way of closer conformity with her Crucified Spouse; the constant contemplation of the Cross was a source of both solace and strength in the midst of her terrible ordeals.  Some of her biographers have even speculated that the mysterious scourge wounds that appeared on her limbs were actually a form of mystical participation in the Passion of Christ.  Thus, she could reasonably be ranked amongst the rare group of mystics marked with the Stigmata.

To add to her troubles, Sr. Eustochio also suffered from her own community.  When the Abbess fell ill, some of her companions accused her of poisoning the woman; she was imprisoned for a period of three months during which she was chained to a pillar and fed only bread and water.  When the citizens of Padua heard of the strange events surrounding Eustochio, they accused her of witchcraft and threatened to burn her at the stake.  Fortunately, Fr. Girolamo staunchly defended her and he managed to convince the other nuns that she was indeed an innocent victim of the devil's wiles; not a willing perpetrator of evil.

The reliquary of Bl. Eustochio on display

in the Cathedral of Padua, Italy

Little by little the community came to recognize Eustochio's virtues, as her conduct was consistently beyond reproach during the intervals when she was fully herself ... and, on her part, she never harbored resentment for the way she was mistreated in the past.  The possession and attacks continued until shortly before the Beata's death; despite their horrific efforts, the demons never succeeded in breaking her faith in God.  Instead, Sr. Eustochio broke them and emerged victorious after her long battle, which is why her iconography depicts her stomping on demons!

The Beata was only 25-years-old when she passed on February 13, 1469, but had lost her youthful beauty due to her sufferings and mortifications.  But no sooner did she breathe her last when her corpse was transformed in heavenly beauty and exuded a floral scent, which were outward signs of the great sanctity she managed to achieve within her short life.  Furthermore, as the nuns prepared Eustochio's body for burial, a notable discovery was made - on her chest, directly over her heart were lesions that clearly spelled the name of "JESUS".

Veneration for the dead nun increased as miracles occurred at her grave in San Prosdocimo.  Within a span of six years, the graces attributed to Eustochio's intercession were so numerous, the Paduans popularly acclaimed her as "Beata Eustochio" and the Bishop authorized the translation of her remains into the monastery church.  Upon exhuming her body, it was found incorrupt and a spring began miraculously flowing from the original grave site, which cured the sick!  Pope Clement XIII recognized the validity of Sr. Eustochio's Cultus by making it official in 1760.

For centuries, Sr. Eustochio's relics were highly venerated at San Prosdocimo and the healing water was channeled into a large marble basin for pilgrims to collect.  However, when the anti-clerical government closed the monastery in 1806, the spring abruptly stopped flowing and the Beata’s body (then reduced to a skeleton) was taken by the nuns to a new tomb in the Benedictine monastery/church of San Pietro in Padua.  In 2019, the relics were moved to the Cathedral of Padua due to extensive  renovations at San Pietro Church.

A contemporary rendering of Bl. Eustochio,

based on forensic studies of her skull relic -

she was beautiful!

Today, the Beata's precious bones (enclosed in a simulacrum and wearing a forensically-reconstructed mask of her actual facial features) remain in the Cathedral where they are the destination of local pilgrims.  Monthly prayer services are celebrated in Bl. Eustochio's honor attended by many people from all over Italy - and even beyond - who desire to receive graces from deliverance prayers offered by resident exorcists for the diabolically afflicted and for the general sick.  Spiritual favors continue to be reported and because of her effective intercession against the demonic, Italian exorcists have designated Eustochio their Patroness and the Patroness of Spiritual Warfare.

Blessed Eustochio of Padua,

pray for us against the forces of evil!

Saint of the Month - January 2025: Blessed Juana of the Cross

Bl. Juana of the Cross

A Mystic of the Cross - Memorial: May 3rd

Madre Juana of the Cross Vazquez Gutierrez - who was she?  This obscure Franciscan nun was suddenly thrust into the limelight last November 2024 when the Vatican officially confirmed her cultus, effectively raising her to the status of a "Blessed".  She was a prodigious mystic and a ground-breaking spiritual figure of her time.  This is her story.

Juana was born May 3, 1481, to well-to-do farmers in Toledo.  Her remarkable experiences began when she was just a 4-year-old toddler - having fallen off a horse she was knocked unconscious but was revived shortly after by a private apparition of her guardian angel and the Virgin Mary.  The experience was pivotal because, from henceforth, she had a strong devotion to both ... and began living an intensely faithful and ascetic lifestyle.

As she approached her 15th year, Juana's beauty attracted suitors from whom her father chose a knight from a noble family for her future husband.  Upon learning of the plan to marry her off, the pious teen, with the direct assistance of her angel, escaped from home disguised in a male cousin's clothing.  Juana fled to the "Beaterio" (beguinage/hermitage) of Santa Maria de la Cruz in Cubas de la Sagra (built on the site of a 1449 Marian apparition) where a group of Franciscan Tertiaries were living in community.  Her father eventually found her but his efforts to retrieve her were firmly rebuffed by his daughter, forcing him to give up.  Thus, began this Blessed's life as a consecrated soul on May 4th, 1496.

In the Beaterio, Juana donned the habit and professed private vows under the name of Sr. Juana de la Cruz (Joan of the Cross), which later proved to be prophetic since her religious career was marked with much suffering heroically endured in union with Christ Crucified: she fasted strictly, slept very little, and practiced the discipline.  Her mystical experiences also gradually escalated with visions and ecstasies involving Jesus, the Blessed Virgin, and her angel, that sometimes lasted for hours.  The phenomena that surrounded the young nun was initially met with skeptism by some of her companions and she was subjected to mockery and outright hostile treatment from most of her peers ... but Sr. Juana submitted to their ill-treatment with unfailing patience and humility, refining her virtues in the face of adversity.

Madre Juana had a close relationship

with her guardian angel

Successive and significant events were further recorded concerning the mystic's early, formative years:

• In 1506, at age 25, Juana became mute for a 6-month period between February 10th until August 11th (the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi).  It was a period of preparation and purification as Jesus explained to her, "do not speak, because I will speak instead" ... because he desired to "reveal secrets and great wonders" to the people.  After Juana regained her voice, she began falling into ecstatic trances during which she "preached" about various spiritual topics that were simultaneously revealed to her in visions.

• In 1507, she experienced the Mystical Marriage to Christ in the presence of Our Lady, who presented the ring of espousal to her Son who then placed it on Juana's finger.

• During Lent of 1508, the Stigmata appeared on her limbs and exuded an exquisite scent that was undeniable.

It was just a matter of time before word of the miracle nun of Cubas de la Sagra spread outside of the hermitage, attracting both the faithful and the curious, alike.  In particular, her "sermons" were closely scrutinized by Church authorities and found to be of sound doctrine and highly edifying; her person and sanity were also tested and deemed sincere and healthy.  As a result, the local prelate - Cardinal Cisneros - was so impressed, he gave an unprecedented approval to have her publicly preach, a faculty usually reserved only for priests!  People from all walks of life - simple folk, royalty (e.g. Emperor Charles V), and Church leaders - flocked to the hermitage to witness her weekly discourses during which the visionary spoke with unusual eloquence and authority while in ecstasy.

As further confirmation of the divine origin of Sr. Juana's gift of preaching two other miracles were recorded about them: firstly, the mystic sometimes delivered her sermons in foreign tongues unknown to her (e.g. Arabic); secondly, a secretary appointed to assist her - an illiterate nun named Sr. Maria Evangelista - miraculously received the ability to read and write after being ordered to transcribe the words of the seer.

An A.I.-generated photo-like image, based on

early portraits.  Is this what she looked like?

In 1509, with the influx of applicants to the Beaterio, Juana was instrumental in having it converted to a Poor Clare Monastery and was elected its first Abbess by her companions.  In this capacity, she also proved to be a practical leader, expanding and upgrading the building for the good of the community; establishing a school for girls; and founding three new Clarist Monasteries in neighboring cities.  Her own monastery became a spiritual hub for the region, where people came to Madre Juana for advice, prayers, and a blessing (she reportedly cured illnesses with the sign of the cross).

Still, despite the support the seer received from the Church, she continued to have her detractors.  In 1517, after the death of Cardinal Cisneros, her own vicaress - a secondary superior named Sr. Eufrasia - with the backing of certain jealous priests, formally accused the Abbess of misconduct to the Spanish Provincial Minister of the Franciscans.  Consequently, Juana was replaced by her accuser.  In her customary humility, Juana urged the community to peacefully support the decision and was again subjected to a period of ill-treatment instigated by her successor and the hostile clergy who resented her powerful influence.

This new trial lasted for about six years, after which Sr. Eufrasia fell seriously ill.  Fearing death was near, the nun confessed that she had falsely accused her former superior, which led to the reinstatement of Madre Juana as Abbess in 1523.  The vindicated superior led her community with no further objections for the next 10 years.  She died at the age of 53 on May 3rd, 1534, after spending the last years of her life bedridden by illness.

Madre Juana's tomb in the Monastery

of Santa Maria de la Cruz

During her lifetime, Madre Juana of the Cross was considered by many to be a saint and a true prophetess, and was even nicknamed the "Trumpet of God".  After her death the sentiments continued and although she isn't Canonized, she is affectionately referred to by the locals as "la Santa Juana".  Her tomb in the church of the Monastery of Santa Maria de la Cruz in Cubas de la Sagra is still frequented by pilgrims.

And finally, in a rare move by Pope Francis, this remarkable Franciscan mystic was declared Blessed Juana of the Cross after the Pontiff officially recognized and approved her cultus on November 25, 2024 (an "Equipollent" Beatification that dispensed of a required official miracle).  From her place in Heaven, may she intercede for our personal needs and the needs of the universal Catholic Church.

A relic from the bones ("hueso") of Bl. Juana,

gifted to this ministry years ago by a Spanish

Franciscan nun.

Bl. Juana of the Cross,

pray for us!

Saint of the Month - August 2024: Blessed Maria Pilar Izquierdo Albero

Bl. Maria Pilar Izquierdo Albero

Submissive to the Way of the Cross

Memorial: August 27th

This August I feature another little-known mystic named María Pilar Izquierdo Albero – she was a founder of a religious congregation who suffered much to fulfill a mission for the poor tasked upon her by God.  Although she experienced one setback after another, she managed to turn the many “lemons” thrown her way into a large batch of the sweetest lemonade for Jesus!

Maria Pilar (or simply “Pilar”, as she was called) was born in 1906 into a large family from Zaragoza, Spain.  Raised under impoverished but devout circumstances, she grew up unschooled but with a highly pious and generous disposition.  At 12, she contracted a mysterious illness that often left her debilitated.  When she recovered sufficiently after four years of intermittent poor health and hospital stays, she worked in a shoe factory until a fall at 20-years-old resulted in a broken pelvis, which lead to her becoming partially paralyzed a year later.  This paralysis soon spread throughout Pilar’s body, leaving her bedridden and barely able to speak.  To make matters worse, she developed skin ulcers (likely bedsores); went completely blind; and became hearing impaired, too!  Due to these circumstances, her entire family also suffered and was forced to move to a small attic, while sometimes relying on charity to get by.

In 1929, the poor patient's state of decline was so bad, after a bout of severe chest pains, she lapsed into a coma.  Doctors pronounced her case hopeless and her priest administered the last rites.  All expected her to die, but the Lord had other plans for her ... and she woke up six months later.

Bl. Maria Pilar in her bed of suffering

Despite the onslaught of illnesses and misfortunes, Pilar displayed admirable faith and calm.  Rather than wallowing in misery and self-pity, or falling into despondency, she instead resigned herself to God's will; embracing her physical and moral suffering as a way of attaining closer union with Christ.  In fact, the Beata began experiencing mystical encounters with our Lord, who invited her to become a “victim soul” for sinners - especially Priests and Seminarians - to which she generously consented.  Not surprisingly, other spiritual charisms followed:

• the Sacred Stigmata, which she suffered interiorly without external wounds

• frequent Ecstasies during which she had visits from Jesus, the Blessed Virgin, and Saints

• Reading of Souls and Prophetic Insight

• Bilocation

For the next ten years, Pilar patiently suffered and her reputation for sanctity became widespread throughout the region, attracting pilgrims to her humble sickroom.  During the Spanish Civil War that raged between 1936 to 1939, she was inundated by visitors seeking her prayers and clamoring to get divine insight about loved ones fighting in the war.  

On December 8, 1939 – the Feast of the Immaculate Conception – Pilar was totally healed.  Months earlier Jesus had actually expressed his desire for a charitable work to be established in Spain to uplift the people from the misery left behind by the recently ended war ... and he foretold to the invalid her imminent healing since he apparently wanted her to be the person to accomplish it.  So upon her miraculous recovery, Pilar immediately set about the task of establishing a new congregation "to reproduce the active life of the Lord on earth through works of mercy".

Bl. Maria Pilar after her miraculous cure

Pilar moved to Madrid with a group of collaborators and there started the Missionaries of Jesus and Mary, which the local bishop approved as a Pious Union.  Things were going well, at first, until the following year when calumnies surfaced accusing her of vile things such as being mentally ill; diabolically possessed; or even an outright fraudster aiming to gain personal wealth to escape poverty.  As a result of the negative press, her bishop withdrew his approval and ordered that the Missionaries be dissolved.  Pilar again submitted to God’s will.

In spite of this setback, Pilar and her companions continued their ministry as laywomen serving the poor in the slums of Madrid and their work thrived.

The Beata (center) with her original

companions in ministry

A second review in 1942 of the Beata's work resulted in the approval of a revamped association - the Pious Union of the Missionaries of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph - but in 1944, the foundress was forced out of her own community after new slanders were spread against her.  Pilar left with nine loyal spiritual daughters, offering her humiliations and sufferings to God for the survival of her mission.  They moved to San Sebastiano to start all over again and there Pilar was diagnosed with stomach cancer.  Almost simultaneously with the diagnosis, the Beata suffered a broken leg from another accident leaving her bedridden again!  She succumbed to her maladies on August 27, 1945 being only 39-years-old.

Pilar’s many, many sacrifices eventually proved to not be in vain, as her small group of spiritual daughters persevered.  While the pious union floundered, the women who remained with her managed to reestablish themselves in May 1948 as the Missionary Work of Jesus and Mary; it was officially recognized as a new congregation of the Church in 1961.  Thus, their founder's legacy lived on and today flourishes through 24 houses scattered throughout Spain, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Mozambique, and Venezuela.

For her holy example of faith; charitable service to the poor and needy; humility and patience in suffering; and submission to God’s divine will, Maria Pilar Izquierdo Albero was Beatified in November 2001.  One more miracle is still needed to raise her to Sainthood.  Please join this ministry in praying for its realization.

Bl. Maria Pilar, pray for us!

Hawaii's Eucharistic Revival!

In conjunction with the Eucharistic Congress held this past weekend in Indiana, our Honolulu Diocese - through its Diocesan Evangelization Task Force - organized its own "mini-revival" at two of our parishes.  This author/ministry had the honor and joy of participating in these local events by giving a presentation called "Our Saints: Witnesses of the True Presence".

The presentation focused on the deep devotion and intimate relationship the Saints achieved with our Lord through the Eucharist ... as well as, highlighted the Eucharistic Miracles (e.g. Miraculous Communions, Levitations, Perpetual Fasting) experienced by several credible Mystic-Souls to further reinforce the truth of the Blessed Sacrament's supernatural character.  Of course, with this ministry being invited, relics were featured at the revival!

Rare relics of the following holy, Eucharistic souls were presented to help emphasize the amazing miracles I shared about them: St. Angelo of Acri; Servant of God, Anne Louise Lateau; Bl. Benedetta Bianchi Porro; soon-to-be canonized, Bl. Carlo Acutis; St. Charbel Makhlouf; St. Juliana Falconieri; St. Paul of the Cross; and St. Padre Pio.

After my talks, our special guest - Joe Melendrez, a Catholic Musician & Lay-Evangelist from California - took the reins and uplifted the crowd with his exhilarating musical performances, mixed in with Gospel teachings on Faith and Evangelization.  The man had us up on our feet, in no time, singing and dancing in praise and celebration of our Lord!

'Come, let us sing for joy to

the LORD; let us shout aloud to

the Rock of our Salvation.'

- Psalm 95:1

Both nights ended beautifully with very moving Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, which were the icing on the cake for Hawaii's contribution to the National Eucharistic Revival!

Below are several photos of the highlights from Hawaii's Eucharistic Revival ... All Thanks and Praises be to the Lord!

7/20/2024: ST. PIUS X CHURCH, MANOA

Joe Melendrez performing and praising

our Lord Almighty!

     

'I will declare Your name

to my brothers and sisters;

in the assembly I will sing

Your praises.'

- Hebrews 2:12

The presence of our Saints -

Witnesses of the True Presence!

Adoring our Lord at St. Pius X Church

After Adoration, participants paying their

respects to our inspiring Faith Heroes

7/21/2024: ST. GEORGE CHURCH, WAIMANALO

Joe Melendrez in action ... again!

'My lips will shout for joy

when I sing praise to You - I whom

You have delivered.'

- Psalm 71:23

Showing Jesus our Love through Adoration

Participants praying with our Saints; making

personal connections through their relics

Me and Fr. Ray hangin' with Joe

(click here to learn more about Joe

Melendrez, his ministry, & his really

cool God Swagg merch!)

Saints of the Month - July 2024: The Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Guadalajara

The Carmelite Martyrs

of Guadalajara

Memorial - July 24th

On July 24th, 1936, three nuns from the Carmel de San Jose in Guadalajara, Spain, died for the Catholic Faith.  Theirs’ were cruel and brutal deaths, but heroic, as they offered their lives for the end of the Spanish Civil War/Communist Revolution, and its bloody persecution of the Faithful.  Their names were, as follows:

Sr. Maria Pilar of St. Francis Borgia

Born in 1877, she initially didn’t intend to be a nun but experienced a strong conversion after attending the Carmelite profession of her older sister.  She ended up entering Carmel, herself, at age 20 and was distinguished for her strong love for the Eucharist and her habitual silence.  Being the oldest of the trio of Martyrs, Sr. Maria Pilar was 58 when she was killed.

Sr. Maria Angeles of St. Joseph

This nun was 31 when she suffered martyrdom.  Born in 1905, she entered Carmel at age 24 although she felt herself called to consecrated life from early childhood.  As a nun she was noted for her admirable adherence to the Rule and was said to have never infringed upon it.  Her virtues were so apparent, the prioress referred to her as a “little angel”.

Sr. Teresa of the Child Jesus and of St. John of the Cross

This sister was the youngest of the three Guadalajara Martyrs, having died at the age of 27.  She entered Carmel at 16 after having been inspired by reading the autobiography of St. Therese the Little Flower.  Like her holy role model, she was strong-willed, but was making great strides in her spiritual journey.  She loved our Eucharistic Lord and greatly enjoyed Adoration.

With the onset of the civil war, the Carmelites of Guadalajara, along with other Catholic religious began experiencing increasing hostility from the general public as the Communistic, anti-Christian mentality took hold of many of their countrymen.  Sensing the grave impact the revolution would have upon the local Church, Sr. Maria Angeles and Sr. Teresa of the Child Jesus were both inspired to offer their lives as sacrifices for the quick end to the war and persecution.  Sr. Maria Pilar, likewise, made a similar offering on July 22, 1936, while in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament - she beseeched the Lord to allow her to die as a victim-soul and to spare her companion nuns.  All three Carmelites had made their oblations consciously and deliberately after obtaining permission from their superior.

When the revolutionaries entered Guadalajara on July 22nd (the same day Sr. Maria Pilar made her self-offering), the tension in the city had reached such a critical level, the prioress felt it prudent to disperse the community to avoid the convent being targeted.  The plan was for the nuns to ride out the war while temporarily sheltering with their respective family and friends.  So, on the following evening, under cover of the night, the sisters discretely left in pairs, disguised in secular clothing.

When twelve of the nuns just so happened to end up at the same boarding house, the landlady became anxious and insisted that the majority of the sisters find other places to stay; she was only willing to shelter three.  Consequently, on the fateful day of July 24th, 1936, Sr. Teresa, Sr. Maria Pilar, and Sr. Maria Angeles left to go to the home of another woman they knew.  On their way to the alternate hiding place, the trio was somehow recognized by a female soldier who cried out, “Look - they are nuns!  Shoot them!”  The sisters then ran for cover in a nearby doorway as the militia opened fire at them - Sr. Maria Angeles was immediately killed when a bullet struck her heart, while Sr. Maria Pilar was badly wounded.

What followed next was simply diabolic – a couple of the men set upon the fallen nun with daggers, savagely slashing at Sr. Maria Pilar multiple times before leaving her to die.  Shocked bystanders transported her to a Red Cross clinic where nothing could be done for her.  Sympathetic medics later testified that she prayed constantly in her agony and her last words were: “Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.”

Sr. Teresa, on the other hand, somehow managed to dodge the bullets and ran into an alley where she was found by some of the same soldiers.  They pretended to be remorseful and offered to help the traumatized nun find safety.  Instead, they led her to the cemetery where they demanded that she give in to the Communist propaganda and their lewd suggestions, whereupon Sr. Teresa rebuked them before again fleeing from her captors.  She was mercilessly gunned down as she ran with arms spread open in a cruciform gesture shouting "Viva Cristo Rey!".

Bone relics from all three Carmelite

Martyrs gifted to this ministry by their

convent in Guadalajara, Spain.

After careful investigation of the facts, the Church deemed these three Carmelite nuns Martyrs of the Faith, and Beatified them on March 29, 1987.  Of the hundreds of faithful victims of the Spanish Civil War, they were among the earliest to be officially recognized as such, and declared Blesseds.  May their collective spirit of courage and self-sacrifice inspire us in our own present time of growing hostility towards Christianity.

* * AN INTERESTING ANECDOTE * *

These Martyrs have a special place in this author's heart because of a unique incident involving their precious relics guarded by this ministry: one afternoon I was awakened from a nap by an intense but delightful fragrance of roses.  Surprised and intrigued, I followed the scent trail from my bedroom to my living room shrine where I discovered the source of the aroma to be the relics of these three Blessed Carmelites!  I interpreted the occurrence as confirmation of their spiritual presence and heroic sanctity.

O, Carmelite Martyrs of Guadalajara,

pray for us!