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OCTOBER 29 - ST. NARCISSUS

Saint Narcissus from the time he was young, took great interest and care to study about his Christian faith. When he was of age, he became a priest and because he was so good, people called him “the holy priest”.

He only became the Bishop of Jerusalem when he was eighty years old but he ruled the Church with the energy of a young man. Narcissus was an excellent bishop and with God’s grace performed many miracles.

One Holy Saturday, the members of his Church were all upset because they could not find any oil to light the lamps in the Church for the Easter Vigil.

St. Narcissus asked them to draw water from a nearby well and after he blessed it, told them to put it in the lamps. To the delight of the people, the water changed to oil and some of this oil was later saved in a sealed jar in Jerusalem in memory of the miracle.

Everyone admired this good and holy man except people who chose to live evil lives. Three enemies of the saint accused him of a terrible crime.

One said: “May I die by fire if it is not true!”

The second said: “May I be wasted away by leprosy if it is not true.”

The third said: “May I be struck blind if it is not true.”

Yet no one believed their lie and the wicked story. The people knew how good Narcissus was. But Narcissus who wanted to spend time alone with God in prayer used it as an excuse to go off and live in the desert.

His put his trust in God, whom he served so lovingly. And God took care of Narcissus by proving that the story of those men was not true. Each of the men got the punishment they had called upon their own heads.

Then because his people pleaded, Narcissus returned to be bishop of Jerusalem to the great joy of his people. Although he was even older, he seemed to be more energetic and stronger than ever.

When he became too weak to carry on, he begged God to send him a bishop to help him. Our Lord sent him another saint, Alexander of Cappadocia. With great love and eagerness, they ruled the diocese together.

Narcissus lived to be over 116 years old. He died in the year 215.

OCTOBER 31 - ST. WOLFGANG

Wolfgang was born in Swabia, Germany, and was educated at a school located at the abbey of Reichenau. There he encountered Henry, a young noble who went on to become Archbishop of Trier. Meanwhile, Wolfgang remained in close contact with the archbishop, teaching in his cathedral school and supporting his efforts to reform the clergy.

At the death of the archbishop, Wolfgang chose to become a Benedictine monk and moved to an abbey in Einsiedeln, now part of Switzerland. Ordained a priest, he was appointed director of the monastery school there. Later he was sent to Hungary as a missionary, though his zeal and good will yielded limited results.

Emperor Otto II appointed him Bishop of Regensburg (near Munich). He immediately initiated reform of the clergy and of religious life, preaching with vigor and effectiveness and always demonstrating special concern for the poor. He wore the habit of a monk and lived an austere life.

The draw to monastic life never left him, including the desire for a life of solitude. At one point he left his diocese so that he could devote himself to prayer, but his responsibilities as bishop called him back.

In 994 he became ill while on a journey; he died in Puppingen near Linz, Austria. His feast day is celebrated widely in much of central Europe. He was canonized in 1052.

OCTOBER 30 - ST. ALPHONSUS RODRIGUEZ

Alphonsus was born at Segovia in Spain. He was one of eleven children and his father was a wealthy wool merchant. When he was a teenager, Alphonsus and his older brother were sent to study in a Jesuit college. But a year later his father died and he had to return home.

He took over the family business of buying and selling wool when he was twenty-three. Three years later, he got married to a good woman named Mary Suarez. God blessed him and his wife Mary with two sons and a daughter.

But in five years God took away two children and his wife. He then moved in with his sisters who helped him to raise his little son. But when Alphonsus was nearly forty, that son died too.

All this heartbreak did not weaken his trust in God and Alphonsus now began to pray even harder, he did severe penance, and received the sacraments more than he had ever done.

Alphonsus gave away all that he had and decided to return to the religious life that he had given up when he was young. He wanted to join the Society of Jesus but he was told that he must study first.

So he went back to school. Little boys made fun of him. He had to beg for his food, as he didn’t have any money left. At last, he was accepted as a brother and was made door-keeper at a Jesuit college.

“That brother is not a man - he is an angel!” his superior said years later. Priests who knew him for forty years never heard him say or do anything wrong and they all knew how kind and obedient he was.

Once, all the chairs in the house were borrowed for a Forty Hour Devotion. They forgot to return Brother Alphonsus’ chair and only returned it the following year but he did not complain.

He suffered his physical illness and pain gladly for Jesus. Then, just before he died, he was filled with peace and joy. He kissed his crucifix and looked lovingly at the other priests.

He died in 1617 with the name of Jesus on his lips.

NOVEMBER 1 - ALL SAINTS DAY

This feast day grew out of the love and devotion of God’s people. The Church chose this feast to honor God in His saints, in whom He has shown Himself so wonderful. We thank God as the creator of all holiness and for the graces He has showered upon them.

The communion of saints is made up of all true children of God. They may belong to:

the militant Church on earth

the suffering Church in purgatory or

the triumphant Church in heaven

Some saints needed to pass through purgatory to be purified before they were fit for the Lord’s presence. They stayed there until they were ready to see God. They are with him now forever.

A few saints have their own feast day but as there are not enough days in the year we cannot celebrate a special day for each of the saints.

Some stayed close to God all their lives. Others found Him along the way. Some led good lives without too much difficulty. Others made big mistakes, but were truly sorry for their sins and drew close to God.

They made it! We celebrate their journey that led to eternal happiness with God. We celebrate our own family members, relatives, neighbors and friends whom we believe are in heaven.

Today we can rejoice in our hearts with all the saints in heaven. We can make up our own prayer to them, thanking them for the witness of their lives.

We can thank them too, for helping us overcome our difficulties and temptations. We ask them to help us on our own journey through life so we can be saints like them and go to heaven.

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