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Everyone has dreams and goals that they want to achieve, but the foremost and overarching goal for every catholic, and the only one that brings true happiness, should be to become a saint and enjoy the Beatific Vision. It is a momentous task that can often seem overwhelming and unattainable. Indeed, without the aid of grace it is impossible. But confident hope can be placed in God that He will always provide the grace necessary to accomplish such a feat. The saints in this volume are evidence of this fact and serve as role models for cooperation with the action of God's grace.Within this volume are fifty eight saints who achieved holiness as husbands, wives, parents, or youth. Some lived in marital bliss with never a quarrel; others suffered greatly at the hands of their spouse, and many became saints while still at a tender young age. Each of these saints have qualities to be emulated in living as a member of a family, whether patience is needed in bearing with the faults of a spouse or temperance is needed to check a natural inclination to anger.

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Christian theology

Catholic Church

Christianity

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Publié par	TAN Books
Date de parution	20 octobre 2015
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9780895558572
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0300€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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LAY SAINTS
Models of Family Life
LAY SAINTS
Models of Family Life
JOAN CARROLL CRUZ
TAN Books Charlotte, North Carolina
Copyright © 2015 TAN Books.
Lay Saints: Models of Family Life is a selection of saints biographies originally appearing in Secular Saints © 1989 by Joan Carroll Cruz. Revisions to the original biographies include updating of diction, punctuation, and spelling, along with the correction of occasional errors in typography, spelling, grammar, syntax, diction, and factual information.
All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts used in articles and critical review, no part of this work may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in any form whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Cover design by David Ferris. www.davidferrisdesign.com
Cover image: The Holy Family .
Cataloging-in-Publication data on file with the Library of Congress.
ISBN: 978-0-89555-722-3
Printed in the United States of America.
TAN Books Charlotte, North Carolina www.TANBooks.com 2015
This book is dedicated with love to The Holy Family
CONTENTS
Introduction
Preface
HUSBANDS, WIVES, AND PARENTS
1 Saint Adalbald of Ostrevant
2 Saint Adelaide
3 Blessed Albert of Bergamo
4 Blessed Angela of Foligno
5 Blessed Anna Maria Taigi
6 Blessed Castora Gabrielli
7 Saint Catherine of Genoa
8 Saint Clotilde
9 Saint Dorothea of Montau
10 Saint Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal
11 Saint Elzear and Blessed Delphina
12 Saint Gengulphus
13 Saint Godelieve
14 Saint Gorgonia
15 Saint Gummarus
16 Saint Hedwig
17 Saint Hedwig, Queen of Poland
18 Blessed Ida of Boulogne
19 Blessed Jacoba
20 Blessed Jeanne Marie de Maille
21 Blessed Joan of Aza
22 Saint Julitta and Saint Cyricus
23 Saint Leonidas
24 Saint Leopold
25 Blessed Louis of Thuringia
26 Saint Luchesius
27 Saint Ludmila
28 Saint Macrina the Elder
29 Saint Margaret Clitherow
30 Blessed Margaret Pole
31 Saint Margaret of Scotland
32 Saint Matilda
33 Saint Monica
34 Saint Nicholas of Flüe
35 Saint Nonna
36 Blessed Paola Gambara-Costa
37 Blessed Pepin of Landen
38 Saint Pharaildis
39 Saint Philip Howard
40 Saint Richard
41 Blessed Zdislava Berka
YOUTH
42 Saint Agnes
43 Blessed Alpais
44 Blessed Antonia Mesina
45 Saint Arthelais
46 Saint Dominic Savio
47 Saint Dymphna
48 Saint Edward, the Boy King
49 Saint Eulalia of Merida
50 Saint Justus and Saint Pastor
51 Saint Mammas
52 Saint Maria Goretti
53 Saint Pelagius
54 Saint Rose of Viterbo
55 Saint Simon of Trent
56 Saint Wernher
57 Saint William of Norwich
Index of Saints
Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
A NATIONAL Catholic magazine polled a thousand of its readers to learn what they believe about the saints. The magazine reported that while news reports on the nation’s Catholics have highlighted disagreements with traditional Church teachings, sixty-seven percent of the survey’s respondents said they prayed to the saints as much, or more, than they did years ago. Sixty-eight percent of the respondents said they tried to imitate the lives of the saints.
Mentioned as the four favorite saints were the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thérèse of Lisieux (the Little Flower). With the exception of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, who are in a unique category, we are left with a Franciscan brother and a Discalced Carmelite cloistered nun. While we can admire the virtues of St. Francis and St. Thérèse, the lifestyles of these two saints, and other saints of religious orders, are far removed, to say the least, from those of lay people.
Although the exact number of canonized saints is unknown, we know, of course, that the greater majority have been members of religious orders. We love them, we admire them, we wish to imitate them. But how can a mother with small children, a wife with a difficult husband, a young bride with in-law problems—how can they really relate to the nun who lived in the quiet of a cloister, the nun who lived in a community where everyone shared the work of the house? How can they relate to the saints of religious orders whose lives were arranged in an orderly manner and who had designated times for quiet prayer and who had little or no financial problems?
One might wonder whether these saints of the cloister would have merited their titles if they had remained in the world to face the conflicts and dangers confronted by ordinary lay people.
It is profitable, of course, for lay people to love these saints, to pray to them and to imitate their virtues as much as they are able. But it seems that lay people would draw more encouragement to advance in prayer and virtue and would derive more consolation in their trials by examining the troubles and temptations of those saints who lived and died as lay members of the Church.
St. Teresa of Ávila suggests that “we need to cultivate and think upon, and seek the companionship of those saints who, though living on earth like ourselves, have accomplished such great deeds for God.” In these four volumes, then, are the lives of lay saints who have, so to speak, “lived on earth like ourselves.” Represented here are single men and women, mothers and fathers, soldiers and servants, doctors and lawyers, the humble and the noble—all who have met the difficulties and challenges of the secular life and triumphed over them.
Their virtues are to be admired, but most of all imitated. May we benefit from their example and from their prayers.
—Joan Carroll Cruz
PREFACE
A WORD ABOUT THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
A BOOK about lay saints would be incomplete without mentioning the preeminent model for lay people, the Blessed Mother. But what could be said here that has not been mentioned about her already in numerous biographies and devotional works? We have only to delve into these to find a solicitous and understanding mother, a kindly and generous friend, a consoling companion, and a ready and willing intercessor with God.
Although it is known that Mary was free from sin, full of grace, blessed among women and the fairest honor of our race, yet she was not exempt from countless trials and hardships. She, who was the model of saints throughout the ages, should be the particular ideal of lay people, since Mary was an exemplary member of our lay ranks. She was, of course, a young bride, a young mother, a housekeeper, and a widow. …
May this Immaculate Mother pray for us, that in our imitation of the saints, we can advance in virtue and eventually join her and her sainted children in our heavenly homeland.
LAY SAINTS
Models of Family Life
But if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, you have your choice: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you would rather serve, whether the gods which your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord .
—Joshua 24:15
HUSBANDS, WIVES, AND PARENTS
ONE
SAINT ADALBALD OF OSTREVANT
D. 650
A S THE son of a distinguished family, Adalbald spent much of his time in the court of Dagobert I and Clovis II and may have been the Duke of Douai. An ideal Christian noble, he was a general favorite among the courtiers.
While on an expedition in Gascony, Adalbald became friends with a noble lord named Ernald, whose daughter, Rictrude, became Adalbald’s bride. The wedding was performed with great pomp, but the union did not please certain members of the bride’s family. Yet, in spite of a critical assessment of the groom by his in-laws and their dire predictions for the couple’s future, the marriage proved to be a happy one. Early in their wedded life, the young couple became interested in performing works of mercy and spent time visiting the sick, relieving the poor, feeding the hungry, and converting prisoners.
Four children were born to them: a son, Mauront, and three daughters, Eusebia, Clotsind, and Adalsind. All four children imitated their parents in the ways of virtue and acts of charity.
In the year 650, sixteen years after his marriage, Adalbald was recalled to Gascony, never to return. When he reached the vicinity of Perigueux, he was attacked and killed by a number of his wife’s vindictive relatives.
When news of her husband’s death reached Rictrude, she was overcome with grief. Even so, she managed to obtain possession of her husband’s body, which was buried with honor.
Following Adalbald’s death and after her children were grown, Rictrude entered the double monastery for men and women at Marchiennes, which she had previously founded. This monastery was so arranged that the living accommodations and prayer areas were entirely separate. Only the chapel was shared, but even this was divided into sections. Accompanying Rictrude into the monastery were her two younger daughters, Adalsind and Clotsind, as well as her only son, Mauront, who left the world and the Frankish court to receive the tonsure in his mother’s presence.
Following Rictrude’s death, Clotsind succeeded her mother as abbess of the monastery. The third daughter, Eusebia, entered the monastery of Haimage, which had been founded by her great-grandmother, St. Gertrude of Haimage.
The remains of St. Adalbald rested in the Monastery of St. Amandles-Eaux in Elanone (Elnon), France, but afterward his head was taken to Douai. This we learn from an ancient manuscript of the Church of St. Ame, where there was, at one time, a magnificent chapel dedicated to Sts. Adalbald, Rictrude and their son, St. Mauront. Exhibited there for public veneration were statues of the holy trio. That of St. Adalbald was draped in a robe covered with lilies; St. Rictrude’s statue was clothed in a Benedictine habit and held a miniature replica of the Abbey of Marchiennes in her hand; and St. Mauront was represented with a sceptre in his right hand and towers in his left.
The whole family—father, mother, three daughers and one son—are honored as s