Saint Clare of Montefalco

Clare Vengente was born in the year 1268 in the region of Montefalco, Italy. Her parents were prosperous so money was not a critical issue both Clare's parents instilled in their children a great devotion towards their Faith, which Clare took very much to heart as she grew in devotion towards God and the Church.

One of Clare's greatest examples was her sister Joan who practiced mortifications and penances as was common to this particular Era in time. Both Joan and Clare in their zealousness and love for God practiced denying their physical needs as in limiting their eating and other forms of bodily penances. As both Clare and her sister had an abhorrence and dread of even the slightest sin that may offend their beloved Jesus and the Blessed Mother.

The parents of both Joan and Clare, Damiano and Iacopa Vengente encouraged their daughters in this zealous love for God and provided them with their own hermitage which their father built for his daughters not far from the family home. This enabled both of their daughters the ability to withdraw from recreations and spend days and weeks in prayer and the practice of penances at times very severe penances.

Even though Clare loved God with a passionate love, this did not stop her suffering a severe sense of abandonment, this trial lasted 11 long years as Clare suffered the loss of 'feelings' as our Lord guided her towards a more mature love of Himself. During this ordeal Clare did not lose her Faith even though she suffered much. At times God calls all the souls who are particularly devoted to Him along the path of thorns rather than rose petals, though Clare did not doubt Gods Power she did have doubts about her own worthiness which plagued her for many years.

It was in 1290 that Joan and Clare's hermitage which had been built by their father became a monastery, the Bishop decided that the Monastery would be run by the Rule of St. Augustine. When the Bishop sent his envoy to Montefalco in order to vote for an Abbess the election outcome was that Clare was voted in by a majority. This did not appeal to Clare who merely wanted to serve her community and not be in charge of it, after pleading to her fellow Sisters who refused to hear them, Clare accepted the position of Abbess reluctantly.

Clare was to prove herself to be a worthy Abbess as she nurtured her community and helped them to keep a joyful interior as they did their daily round of chores and a life of prayer and penances. Her diplomacy in being able to guide this small group of women with no rancour was indeed meritorious as she wisely governed the Convent not with an iron hand but with the hand of a mother.

Though Clare continued her practice of mortification this did not lead her to become an unhappy or dour personality, indeed many came to love Clare for the happiness that sprung from her very nature and the wisdom and compassion she showed to her fellow Sisters and in the service of the poor in the community. Many came to not only love Clare but also to respect the obvious holy content of her very essence and many paid visits to her monastery in order to gain advice and to simply lift their spirits in the company of one so full of love and compassion.

Clare's particular devotion was for the Crucified Lord and she spent many hours in compassioning prayer for the suffering our Lord endured for the salvation of sinners. Her whole life revolved around pleasing her Lord and offering up her own sufferings for the sake of poor sinners. This focus on Christ's Passion was not done from a sense of morbidity but one of deep devotion and also Mystical experiences of what our Lord suffered as He endured the pain of the Crucifixion.

Through the years of practicing severe penances took a heavy toll on Clare's own health and so it was that she suffered through her last illness once again offering up her pains for the forgiveness of sins committed against God.

Clare Vengente died in 1308.

St. Clare of Montefalco was Canonized in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Roman Catholic
Catholic Saints

Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi

God was to touch the heart of Iwene Tansi very early in his youth, but as always God's Ways are not always mans way! Iwene Tansi was born in Nigeria in a village called Onitsha, in the year 1903. His parents, Tabansi and Ejilowevi were not Christian, but when his father was arrested this had a profound affect on the Tansi family, in that the father vowed that none of his children would be subject to such humiliation!

So though both Iwene's parents were not Christian they sent their children to Christian schools to be educated, so that they may prosper more than their parents and have a good start in life. This Christian education would affect the young Iwene profoundly, as he developed a very high and intense form of prayer, which often left him in tears, when he contemplated the Lord's suffering. This would often lead other young boys his age to beat him up, as they thought him a cry baby.

But the young Iwene took no note and continued his prayer life as he knelt each day in front of the Tabernacle in solitude and meditative prayer. Tears of joy and also of sorrow would fall down the face of this holy young boy as he sought to try and alleviate the pain that our Lord had suffered on behalf of sinners. The depth of his prayer life was also followed by his deeply humble behaviour towards all who knew him; Iwene never held grudges and treated all with respect and kindness in his simple manner.

In the year 1912 Iwene is baptised and given the Christian Michael, after this Michael would continue his schooling at Holy Trinity primary School. After completing his studies there he went on to gain his school leavers Certificate at St. Josephs School which allowed him to teach professionally. Many of his fellow teachers and students noted Michaels Iwene's love of prayer and how often he could be found kneeling in deep prayer often having open conversations with Our Lady, when he thought he was alone. Michael had a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and always carried a Rosary on his person.

But even though Michael’s prayer life was intense, he was not a dour or downhearted man, but one of quiet manner, gentle humour and a generous spirit towards all. If anybody needed help it would be Michael who would lend a hand at whatever needed doing, with a cheerfulness that lifted the hearts of all who knew him. But even though Michael Iwene displayed a cheerful countenance he also undertook severe personal penances for love of God and sinners. He also was very strict with his students and encouraged all to lead a more ascetic lifestyle, and to rise to the challenge of their studies. Perhaps Michael understood that the only way out of poverty was to be educated, and so he wasted no time in instilling the virtues to his young students, sometimes with the rod, which was acceptable discipline in that particular Era.

So it was in the year 1925 Michael entered the Seminary and upon completing his studies at St. Paul's he was Ordained a Priest in 1937, and though he was not a theologian, which would trouble him, he fully understood what it means to live and spread the Good News to all he met. He served as Parish Priest in Eastern Nigeria for the next 13 years, serving the people in the area with great devotion and tirelessness and making sure that all knew the Catholic Faith.

For in this particular part of Nigeria many pagan customs were still kept such as living together before marriage which was described as 'trial marriages', Father Michael fought vigorously to re-educate the people into accepting the need for Holy Matrimony before becoming one in flesh. So it was that Fr. Michael would often walk miles in order to teach the young people the importance of all the Sacraments of the Church while emphasising the Sacrament of Penance and the Sacrament of Marriage.

But deep in his heart, Father Michael longed for a more secluded life, even from a child he had shown a predilection for solitude and a longing for Monastic living. And so it was that in 1950 Fr. Michael left for England to study the Monastic spirituality in order to return to his own homeland and begin one there. This fuelled Fr. Michael’s zealous nature of love toward God but it also challenged him in that back in his homeland he had obtained a certain prominence whereas in England he became another brother Monk with a new name, Father Cyprian.

Though he struggled with a few issues, still he knew that this was where God wished for him to be and so Father Cyprian took to this new Monastic Rule of life like a duck to water. Though he strove hard to study and learn in order to bring the Monastic Rule back to his beloved homeland, this unfortunately did not eventuate as those in authority ruled that a Monastic Order would begin in Cameroon. This was a disappointment to Father Cyprian, but he humbly accepted it, for from his early years, as Iwene he knew God did indeed work in mysterious Ways!

And though Father Cyprian longed to join his fellow Priests in Cameroon this was not to be as he fell ill and was unable to recover.

Father Cyprian died in 1964.

Blessed Father Cyprian was beatified in 1998 by Pope John Paul II.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Roman Catholic
Catholic Saints

Blessed Alojzije Stepinac

Alojzije was born in the year 1898 in the village of Brezaric, near Zagreb. His parents were devout Catholics and raised all their children with a deep devotion to their Catholic Faith and heritage. Alojzije attended school at the Classical Gymnasium where he shined in his studies and took the first steps of trying to join the Priesthood.

Unfortunately the First Word War interrupted Alojzije longing to become a Priest and he was sent for officer training. Upon completing this course Alojzije was sent to fight in the Italian front. During the course of many battles Alojzije was captured by the Italians and gained release in 1918. After demobilization Alojzije, he went on to study agriculture but his heart was not truly involved with this course and he became more interested in the Catholic youth in his area, whom he encouraged to grow in their Faith and to become strong Catholics.

So it was that in 1924 Alojzije finally listened and followed his heart into the Priesthood, he studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University and in 1930 he was finally Ordained as a Priest, his quest was over, but his mission had only just begun.

He served the Church as Priest in many capacities and in many parishes where disputes were taking place due to social and political upheavals. His abilities to calm stormy waters on the political and religious levels led Pope Pius XI to appoint him coadjutor Archbishop to assist Archbishop Bauer, in a pastoral capacity. He was to be the youngest Bishop at that particular time in history. He proved himself a worthy leader through his hard work and his willingness to be of help to all who needed him.

So upon the death of Archbishop Bauer, Bishop Ajojzije immediately took on the responsibility of the archdiocese of Zagreb. He did so with a zealous zeal to promote the Faith and in particular to focus on the Eucharist and to honour Our Lady through Eucharistic and Marian devotions. He tried to instill in the youth of the region how important the Eucharist is so they could grow strong in their Faith and be more faithfilled Catholics. He also relayed this message by using and at times instituting the press such as the Catholic daily paper Hrvatski Glas, in order to instruct the people of his dioceses and other Catholics in other regions to maintain a deep love and devotion to all elements of our Catholic Faith and to participate in the Sacraments of the Church as often as possible.

Archbishop Alojzije seemed untiring as he encouraged the Catholic laity to become more involved in parish life and to not leave it totally to the Priests or Religious the heavy burden of evangelising the Catholic Faith. He taught through the press and his own involvements how integral it was to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church to all people.

The love Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac had for the Catholic Church was enormous and he wished to share this fervent and zealous love to all so that they too could enjoy and share in the abundant fruits of the Church. The Archbishop also established a Carmelite Convent in Brezovica, Croatia, for he grasped the fundamental importance that prayer must play in each persons life and also in the life and spiritual health of the country.

It was just as well that this wonderful Archbishop laid such good ground work for Croatia would soon be swallowed up by the terror of the Second World War, which would leave its mark on generations to come. During the war Archbishop Alojzije kept up his pastoral duties and tried to instill in the people to remain faithful to Church teachings irrespective of political ideology, a formidable undertaking when one was confronting the diabolical ideology of National Socialism! The Archbishop was careful in keeping a distance from all political ideologies and influences, and though he loved his country he did not approve of the persecution of entire people due to their race or religion.

Through watching the viciousness of the Axis powers Archbishop Alojzije became an outspoken opponent to what he could see happening and criticized all those involved in the persecutions of the Jewish people and other crimes against humanity, he outright condemned all injustices done against the innocent. Not only was the Archbishop an opponent of the holocaust happening before his eyes he also took direct action in trying to save those most threatened including helping to save Jews, Serbs, Gypsies and other groups who were in the direct and rabid eyes of the Nazi's and their supporters.

This courageous Archbishop also stated to the people and those who were perpetuating a crime against the innocent these words, "Every nation and every race on the earth, has the right to a life worthy of a person and to treatment worthy of a person. All without differentiation, whether black or distinguished Europeans, despised Jews or haughty Aryans, have the same right to say: 'Our Father who art in Heaven!" He continued on and ended his speech with these ringing words, "And if God has granted this right to all, what human authorities can negate it?"

This man of great Faith and courage also disputed the efforts of some within the Catholic Church to impose 'forced' baptisms on those of a different faith but instead encouraged the Catholic laity and all peoples of good heart to save those in peril from a sense of human decency rather than religious coercion. Though he took this stance he also did not outlaw the Baptism of individuals if it meant saving their lives, while at the same time honouring the religious heritage of the Jewish people. In his own words the Archbishop said, "when this time of insanity passes, those who converted due to conviction will remain in our Church, while the others, when the danger passes, will return to their own".

This marvelous man of God was tireless in saving all people from all walks of life, even though he knew what such outspokenness could do to his own safety. He suffered many persecutions not only from the Nazi regime, but also his own people who wished to dissociate from someone so outspoken, but through the fire of his own dry martyrdom Archbishop Alojzije remained composed and strident in condemning such evil and on such a grand scale, he would not be quiet! This led the Nazi regime to try many attempts to assassinate this aggravating Priest who so strongly opposed their psychopathic genocide of whole races. And from within the Catholic community some also petitioned the Holy See to remove this worrisome Archbishop who could not and would not be silenced!

Unfortunately the tragedies that struck the people of Croatia was not over upon the ending of the Second World War, for once the Nazi's had gone they were soon replaced by the Communists. So it was in 1945 that Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac was arrested, and soon after had a reported conversation with the Partisan hero of the Communist Party, Tito, it was at this meeting that Tito made plain he wished to make a 'new catholic church' which would be renamed 'The National Catholic Church' which would maintain its independence from The Holy See, this was anathema to this devout son of the Church and he vigorously opposed it!

This stance set Archbishop Alojzije in direct opposition to the reigning Tito government, and it was through Communist propaganda waged against this most humble and courageous son of the Church that would eclipse the persecution he had faced when opposing the evil Nazi regime. This would become a clash of mammoth proportion to the peoples of Croatia as Tito set upon not only discrediting Archbishop Stepinac but the entire Catholic Church .

Let us look at the personal toll these horrendous years must have placed on Archbishop Stepinac, though he was not tortured physically one cannot discount the mental and emotional anguish this man suffered through as he watched whole peoples being extinguished from the face of the earth. He recognised from the first the evil intent of the Nazi regime and all those who embraced its evil intent, yet he continued to be outspoken irrespective of his personal safety. Not only this but he also encouraged Priests and Religious to do all they could to save those under persecution with full knowledge of what this meant to those courageous enough to heed the Archbishops call. Through all this Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac did not relent or give way to the incredible pressures that must have been placed on him. One can only imagine the hours of sleep he missed out on, the skipped meals, the hours of prayer he undertook to strengthen his own spiritual needs. The hours spent visiting and encouraging those who sought his help and intercession, the visits within his own Dioceses and the many speeches he made opposing the Nazi madness. We can only speculate the toll that this took on this great man who so vigorously and courageously spoke out against totalitarian regimes.

We should also not underestimate the power that Tito imposed on this country that had suffered through the Nazi persecution and would now suffer under his reign of terror! Tito was a master at propaganda so much so that he even opposed Russian interference and prevailed against Stalin himself! Tito was a law unto himself and so began the persecution and vilification of Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac, with the full co-operation of the Tito government.

Though Tito threw all he could at Archbishop Stepinac this did not impede nor did it scare this great man with the heart of a lion as he once again opposed an ideology that was in opposition to God and the Holy Catholic Church. Through this new and ferocious whirlwind of hate Archbishop Stepinac faced off with the 'red terror' and did not shrink nor hide from its viscous tentacles even when he was physically attacked and his home stoned, still the Archbishop stood strong against that formidable foe who had helped defeat Nazism only to impose his own ungodly regime, that was Tito's communism!

This infuriated the Tito government who then re-arrested Archbishop Stepinac and in a 'kangaroo court' the Archbishop was sentenced to 16 years of enforced labor in a prison camp at Lepoglava,during his imprisonment, he was in total solitary confinement, was constantly humiliated by the inhumane guards and suffered poisoning, which led to a decoration in his health. Later he would also suffer interment, totally isolated from his beloved people but this did not stop, Pope Pius XII proclaiming Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac a Cardinal, this led the Tito government to sever all connections to the Holy See.

Through all this Cardinal Stepinac kept up a correspondence to the faithful and encouraged them all in writing to remain strong and faithful Catholics, despite their many sufferings. Though Tito may have imprisoned Cardinal Stepinac physically he had no power over the Cardinals spirit which remained united to his beloved Church and his Beloved Jesus and Him Crucified!

In the end the love and courage showed by this Saintly man gained him the recognition he deserves by the Church and the world, while those who opposed this great man of the Church remain indicted for their cowardice and malice. While communist statues would be toppled, and leaders overthrown, one man stood alone and led the cry...."Free my people".

Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac died in 1960.

Blessed Cardinal Stepinac was beatified in 1998 by Pope John Paul II.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Roman Catholic
Catholic Saints