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Our Lady of Aparecida – Patroness of Brazil

January 10, 2012 by 1 Comment

They wrapped a statue they found in cloth and continued to fish. Then their nets were full. That was exactly how Our Lady of Aparecida was named by a few fishermen in Brazil. Blessed be Our Lady of Aparecida, who is our latest WYD 2013 Patron Saint.
You may be wondering – What sort of impact on Catholic spirituality does Our Lady of Aparecida have on the people of Brazil?

In October of 1717, Dom Pedro de Almedida, travelled from Sao Paulo to Minas Gerais. During his journey, he passed through a small city in the Paraiba river valley called Guaratinqueta.

During his time there, the local people had decided to put together a great party that would require an incredible number of fish. Gathered together were three fishermen who had a special devotion to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Prior to fishing, all three men plead to God that they would be blessed with more than enough fish.

At that time, one of the men named Felipe Pedroso got on his knees swiftly and prayed saying, “Mother of God and our Mother; we need to find fish!”

Lone and behold, after not being able to find anything for hours, they cast their net out for a final time near the Port of Itaguagu. To their amazement, they hauled in the body of a statue, as well as the statue’s head. After cleaning the statue, they discovered that it was Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. They named the statue Our Lady of Aparecida. They wrapped a statue they found in cloth and continued to fish. All of a sudden, through the grace of God, their nets were full.

Our Lady’s feast is celebrated in the Universal Church on October 12, which is marked as a national holiday throughout Brazil. Blessed John Paul II, during his pontificate, blessed the shrine that was dedicated to Our Lady of Aparecida in 1980. Today, her shrine is visited by more than five million visitors.

Through her intercession, we pray that Our Lady of Aparceida will continue to be at the heart of every Catholic in Brazil and intercede for the millions of pilgrims that will soon travel to Rio in 2013.

Stay tuned to WYDCentral for your next WYD Patron Saint, in our lead up to Rio de Janeiro.

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St. Peter of Alcantara – Model of Poverty

November 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Poverty and Chastity. Those were two virtues at the forefront of his earthly life. He is none other than St. Peter of Alcantara. Meet your second WYD 2013 Patron Saint.
So, who is St. Peter of Alcantara? What sort of spirituality did he have that would warrant him being made a Saint?

St. Peter was born in Alcantara, Spain (which borders on the country of Portugal). His father was the governor of Alcantara. St. Peter studied law at Salamanca University and at the age of 16, he joined the Observant Franciscans.

When he was 39, he was elected provincial of his order and became renowned to others as a preacher.  It is important to know in his earthly ministry, St. Peter of Alcantara did not seek out attention. On the other hand, he preferred a life lived in poverty, and embraced silence and solitude.

In 1554, St. Peter of Alcantara received permission to form a group of Franciscans, formally known as Alcantarines. Later on, the Alcantarines were joined with the other Observant friars and became known as the Order of Friars Minor. Interestingly enough, St. Peter of Alcantara was a confessor and spiritual director to St. Teresa of Avila.

As St. Teresa of Avila’s confessor, he encouraged her to bring about and promote Carmelite reform. Because of his dynamic ability to preach, St. Peter of Alcantara inspired many people to embrace religious life, especially to the Secular Franciscan Order, the friars and the Poor Clares.

He was eventually canonized in 1669.

Fast forwarding to the year 1826, St. Peter of Alcántara was named Patron of Brazil. Every year, the universal Church celebrates his feast day on Oct. 19.

Don’t forget – join WYDCentral every Monday for our next instalment on Patron Saints, as we begin our incredible journey to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

St. Peter of Alcantara, pray for us!

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Blessed Albertina Berkenbrock – Model of Purity

November 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Blessed Albertina Berkenbrock

She is most well known as the martyr of chastity. She is none other than Blessed Albertina Berkenbrock. Meet your first of many WYD 2013 Patron Saints.
This week, we introduce to you, as part of our lead up to JMJ 2013, an indepth series on patron saints.  In this instalment, we look at a phenomenal and captivating woman who is a model for all.

Blessed Albertina is one of many saints in the country of Brazil even though her family was originally from Germany. In fact, it is Albertina’s grandparents who brought her father to Brazil.

Blessed Albertina was born in São Luís, Brazil on Apr. 11, 1919. On May 25 of the same year, she was baptized and received into the Church. On August 16, 1928, she made her First Holy Communion. When Blessed Albertina looked back on receiving First Eucharist, she described that most holy experience as being the most beautiful day in her life.

At the early age of 12, Albertina was attacked and almost raped by one of her father’s work employees, Maneco Palhoça. It is known that later, while in prison, Palhoça made it known that the reason he killed Blessed Albertina was because she had resisted his rape attempts. In the struggle, Albertina tried fighting back, to the best of her ability. Sadly, she died as a result of having her throat slashed.

Pope Benedict beatified Blessed Albertina on Oct. 20, 2007. In the universal Church, we celebrate her feast day every year on June 15.

It is worth noting that Blessed Albertina has a special devotion to St. Aloysius Gonzaga, patron saint of São Luís and a definite model for purity. Not only does she look up to St. Aloysius Gonzaga, but Mother Mary too.

Be sure to join WYDCentral every Monday for the next instalment on Patron Saints, as we begin our incredible journey to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Blessed Albertina, pray for us!

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St. Edith Stein

May 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Do you know much about St. Edith Stein? Here’s your chance if not.

Be sure to check back with us on a regular basis and read about the lives of WYD Patron Saints. We now begin our indepth look at WYD Patron Saints, with St. Edith Stein, who was headlined at WYD 2005 in Cologne.

Stein was born on October 12, 1891 to Jewish parents in Breslau, Germany. Since her earlier years as a teenager, she proved to be an     incredible learner. By the time World War I had commenced, she continued her studies at the University of Goettingen and the University of Breslau, studying philosophy.

When Jewish violence and persecution increased, Sister Teresa Benedicta understood how dangerous her presence was to the Cologne Carmel. With that, she sought out permission, successfully to transfer to a foreign monastery. On December 31, 1938 at night, Stein secretly crossed the border into Holland where she was welcomed into the Carmel of Echt. She then wrote her final piece of work entitled, The Science of the Cross.

When Hitler’s Nazis invaded Holland during the second World War, they arrested all Catholics of Jewish heritage. Thus, Stein was arrested at Echt Carmel in August of 1942 and taken to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, where many
Jews secumbed to their death. Stein then died in the gas chambers at Auschwitz on August 9, 1942.

By Stein’s way of life, she continues to be an inspiration to many Catholic-Christians. Stein offered her life for those Jewish people who were sick and suffering.

Decades later, the late Holy Father, now Blessed John Paul II beatified Edith Stein, who was formally known as Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross on May 1, 1987. He later canonized her as St. Edith Stein on October 11, 1998.

St. Edith Stein, pray for us.

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Top 10 details to know about Spain and WYD 2011

April 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Having the opportunity to travel or set out on a pilgrimage is an incredible opportunity that not many people will get.

As pilgrims, or even tourists, we sometimes find ourselves too caught up with the kind of clothing we should pack, the style of suitcases we need, the warm weather, and what needs to be planned ahead of time before pausing to reflect on the beauty and significance of the surroundings we will soon be in.

For hundreds and thousands of Catholic youth around the world, this will be a reality, in the lead up to the celebration of World Youth Days in Madrid, Spain in August of this year.

With that being said, you may be wondering. Where is Spain? More than that, what’s there to do and know about Madrid and the rest of the country?

If so, take note. Here is a list of top ten things you should be acquainted with materialistically as well as spiritually before getting on that plane.

According to the SpanishTalk website,

  1. Spain, as a country, produces around nearly 45% of the olive oil that is consumed on Earth.
  2. Madrid, being the capital of Spain, is the highest capital city in the continent of Europe. It measures 667 meters above sea level. The city is also situated precisely in the centre of the country.
  3. When it comes to the weather, the Spanish climate really fluctuates. So much so, the north of Spain is largely wet and cool with the south being dry and hot. The centre of Spain, which includes the Madrid, is pretty much cool and can be extremely cold during winter.
  4. Spain’s population is approximately 45 million, the sixth largest in Europe.
  5. There are four official and co-official dialects in Spain: Castillian (known to most people as “Spanish”), Euskara, Catalan and Galician.
  6. Don’t be ruled by your watch and your personal timeframe. Life in Spain is very relaxed. You will come to enjoy it.
  7. Spain is geographically the closest country to Africa: at its closest point, the region of Andalucia, in the south, is nearly 12 miles from the coast of Morocco.
  8. Spain controls two cities in Africa: the cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
  9. Spain is the third largest country in Europe in terms of geographocal territory.
  10. Travel to Madrid with very few expectations and an open heart and mind. Then will you look back and reap the many spiritual benefits post-pilgrimage.

May God’s peace and our prayers be with you as you look ahead to World Youth Days in Madrid. Bon voyage!

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