Saint Bridget of Sweden

Sweden started out as a Viking nation, which invaded and looted other lands and Nations, returning to their homeland with its collection of stolen treasures.

But it wasn’t until the eleventh century that Christianity would come to Swedish shores. This was also at a time when Finland was co-joined to Sweden who was also having border disputes with its neighbours, Norway and Denmark.

But it was in the year 1302 that a baby girl would be born to a noble family, the parents named her Bridget. Both her parents were overjoyed at the arrival of their beloved child. Bridget's father, Birger owned vast area's of property and her Mother, Ingeborg was related to the Swedish Royal family.

Both parents were very devout, which is just as well for their little Bridget would be the recipient of Divine revelations at a very young age. Unfortunately for Bridget, her Mother would die when she was still in her formative years. So upon Ingeborg's death in 1314, Bridget was sent to stay with her Aunt who helped raised this astonishing young lady.

For Bridget was no ordinary child and began seeing visions when aged only 8 years old, where upon she saw a vision of Our Lady who then placed a crown upon Bridget’s head. This would be followed with visions of Jesus suffering His Passion so that all men could be saved.

These visions would set Bridget’s heart ablaze with a zealous love of our Lord and The Church, and though Bridget longed to serve our Lord by joining a Religious Order, this was not meant to be, at such an impressionable age.

So going against her own wishes she married Ulf Gudmarsson, where upon they had four son's and four daughters, not all of her children though would make it to adulthood. But Bridget was a good mother who raised all her children to love and serve God, and through this sharing of her devout Faith, one of her daughters, Catherine would also be canonised in due course.

Coming from a noble lineage also allowed Bridget to be well read for her times and able to converse with both nobility and beggar alike. For Bridget treated all as if she were conversing with the Lord Himself, and showed no favouritism with a person's social position.

But sadly for Bridget her husband Ulf was suddenly taken ill and he died in 1344. Through his death Bridget felt free to pursue what her heart had been yearning for, to live as a Religious and embrace God through her love of the poor and also her love of prayer.

Thereby she went forward towards founding her own Order which would be called the 'Brigittines'. But in order to obtain recognition for her new Order Bridget travelled to see the reigning Pontiff Pope Urban V in Avignon. Whereby like Catherine of Siena, Bridget also inveigled the Pope to return to Rome and take his rightful position as Supreme Pontiff as was right and proper.

During this waiting time though Bridget also embarked on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as she knew it may be her last voyage to this great Land of the Savior’s birth. For Bridget needed to see for herself what had been revealed to her in her many mystical visions of our Lord and Lady.

For at the heart of Bridget lay a great compassion for the sufferings of Christ and the Gift that our Lord extended to this great daughter of the Church. For through her mystical visions, messages and prayers, the suffering of Christ would be revealed to all who would read Bridget’s Divine revelations.

The Pope finally recognised Bridget’s Order in 1370; this brought much joy to Bridget’s heart, as her own health began to fail.

Bridget of Sweden died in 1373.

St Bridget of Sweden was canonised in 1391 by Pope Boniface IX.

I would encourage all to read further on the revelations given to this great Saint including St. Bridget’s fifteen prayers.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Saint Margaret of Scotland

Scotland has a robust history of feuds between different clans and also a vicarious relationship with its neighbour England.

In between the different feuding clans King Kenneth I of Scotland was able to keep the country united as an independent kingdom from 843 onwards.

Donald III became King of Scotland in 1093 upon the death of Malcolm III, he ruled the land with Edmund I who was his nephew. This was to bring forth a power struggle as the son of Malcolm III, Duncan II fought to take the throne for himself in his attempt to depose King Donald III and Edmund I.

This drive for power from Duncan II who was being helped by English troops would lead to his death as both Donald III and Edmund I rose up against him and the invading English troops abandoned Duncan II to his fate.

As both Donald III and Edmund I retook Scotland it was decided that Donald III would rule over the north of Scotland while Edmund l ruled over the south. This agreement lasted until 1097 when King Edgar deposed both leaders with the help of English troops.

But it was in 1043 that a young woman would be born to a noble family, her father being Prince Edward son of Edmund Ironside, and her mother Agatha who may have been related to Emperor Henry III.

Margaret was to begin her life in Hungary where she was taught the Faith and garnered a love and devotion towards God and Church. But it was at the age of twelve that Margaret with her family traveled to England to be at the side of her uncle Edward the Confessor.

But upon his death Margaret’s Mother, Agatha decided to take her children and return to Europe as the situation in England became destabilized.

It was during this journey, that a heavy storm shipwrecked them as they made it ashore in Scotland and sought out the protection of King Malcolm Canmore.

King Malcolm had spent many lonely years upon the death of his first wife, and upon seeing Margaret he fell in love with her great beauty but also her virtuous nature. As King Malcolm had spent many years protecting his kingdom and his throne this led to a roughening of his own nature.

Margaret would be a soothing presence to this garrulous natured man who also longed to live a virtuous and noble life. Margaret’s influence on her robust natured husband would be great, as she gentled his rough edges with her finesse and sensitive heart.

Though Malcolm was not as well educated as his loving wife, he admired her generous nature and loving spirit and tried his hardest to emulate this beautiful wife of his. Their love would produce eight children one of whom would be Edmund who would go onto rule Scotland as King Edmund I alongside Donald III.

The love shared between Margaret and Malcolm was more than just physical as Margaret led Malcolm to love God and country but to also practice good works to those less fortunate. As Margaret with the approval of her husband built and restored many Churches and took great care of the sacred relics found within. Both Margaret and Malcolm would visit the shrine of Saint Andrew, and they would also provide the less fortunate an opportunity to visit this sacred site offering them free accommodation.

Margaret’s influence upon her rather uncivilized husband was one of the greatest acts of love by a wife to her husband in that she never belittled him for his uncouthness. But rather she helped Malcolm to understand and to also embrace a love of God over and above everything. And upon witnessing for himself his wife’s deep humility and docility, Malcolm came to embrace the Faith as deeply as Margaret herself.

With King Malcolm’s help Margaret tried her best to reform the Church in Scotland so that it be in alignment with Rome, and helped to buy vestments, chalices and other items required to hold Mass. She also formed a deep friendship with Prior Turgot who was her confessor, through his influence Margaret led a life of deep prayer and of generous alms giving to the poor.

Her prayer life would pay many dividends and great Blessings as her husband converted to the Faith and her offspring would also go onto practice virtuous lives, most especially her daughter Maude, who would become known as 'Good Queen Maude'.

Unfortunately for Margaret both her beloved husband, Malcolm and their son Edward would be killed by the British in 1093. Upon hearing this dreadful news Margaret’s heart would break for she had loved her husband dearly and his loss was too great for her to bear, she died four days later.

Queen Margaret died in 1093.

Saint Margaret was canonized in 1251 by Pope Innocent IV.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka

Martyr

Upon the implosion of the Holy Roman Empire, Austria like many nations were left to form independent countries. With the demise of the Holy Roman Empire the Habsburgs then gained control of Austria/Hungary and ruled it with a velvet glove.

It was in 1867 that both Austria and Hungary were co-joined under the leadership of Emperor Franz Joseph. But the unification of two diverse countries would hold complications as a Constitution evolved for the Austrian peoples.

When upon the death of Emperor Franz Joseph, his nephew Francis Ferdinand became Emperor in the year 1896, and it was during his leadership that the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina would have repercussions around the world and bring untold tragedy to many nations.

For in June 28 1914 both Emperor Francis Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated, which heralded in the First World War, which would impact the entire world with untold tragedy.

But it was in 1894 that the Kafka family would be blessed with another child as Helena joined her other five siblings. Though the family were not wealthy, still they managed well enough.

The Kafka family moved to Vienna when Helena was very young so she thought of herself as very much an Austrian and had the robust nature of a true patriot. Being that her family was not overly prosperous Helena found work in various occupations as a sales assistant before training as a nurse.

It would be her job as a nurse that would deeply move her for a love and compassion for the needy and infirm. And a longing in her heart to help assist and aid them in whatever way she could. For though Helena was a very practical and disciplined young lady, she had a growing love for our Lord and longed to serve Him through her prayer and her work.

Her parents did not share the same level of Faith as their daughter so when Helena informed her family that she was considering becoming a Religious her parents vehemently opposed it. But this did not stop the strong willed Helena, who though she loved and respected her parents, still her love for God was stronger and she could not neglect the calling she felt within her heart.

So in the year 1914 Helena joined the Franciscan Order of the Sisters of Charity, and took as her name Sister Restituta. Through her love of God Sister Restituta sought to ease His sufferings by serving the sick and ill in her vocation as a nurse. For by helping to heal and bring comfort to the sick, Sister Restitua knew that this was the most perfect way to love and serve her Lord.

And she served her Lord well for the next twenty years as a very competent nurse, for though Sister Restituta was not known for her charm, she was respected for her love of the poor and infirm.

But it was the Nazi Anschluss which overtook Austria that Sister Restituta showed an uncommon bravery, and vowed not to serve Hitler as she had been known to publicly call Hitler a 'mad man'. Sister Restituta was also puzzled in how much her beloved Austrians encouraged the Nazification of her beloved Austria, and unlike many of her fellow citizens she would not bend under the Nazi dictatorship!

She was openly defiant when it came to the Nazi's and wrote a poem mocking the 'German Dictator' as well as refusing to remove Crucifixes from the hospital rooms. If anything Sister Restituta placed even more Crucifixes in the hospital wards, which had been newly built.

This was too much for the Nazi's and when they ordered her to remove the Crucifixes Sister Restituta defiantly told them no! They would stay! The Nazi's were enraged and ordered her arrest, but still Sister Restituta stood firm.

The evil Nazi regime even tried to bribe Sister Restituta if she denied her religious calling and broke her Vows; they would then spare her life. Once again this most courageous of souls spurned the Nazi's offer as mere garbage from the sewer that was National Socialism.

The Nazi regime was incensed with this infuriating sister and ordered her death by beheading, upon hearing this order Sister Restituta remained resolute and stoic and said simply, "I have lived for Christ. I want to die for Christ".

Sister Restituta Kafka died by beheading in 1943.

Blessed Sister Restituta was beatified in 1998 by Pope John Paul ll.

To quote Pope John Paul II, "courageous witness to her conviction … The Church today does not need part-time Catholics but full-blooded Christians … Thank you Sister Restituta for swimming against the tide of the times!"

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.