The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Anthony of Padua Church offers spiritual growth and person-to-person assistance to those in need, focusing on home visits, aid for essentials, and collaborative support with the church’s food pantry. Volunteers help with home visits, funding for basic needs, and weekly outreach activities. How We Help WHAT IS THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL MINISTRY? The Society of SVDP is a Catholic lay organization, which leads women/men to join together to GROW SPIRITUALLY by offering PERSON TO PERSON SERVICE to the needy and suffering in the traditions of founder, Frederic Ozanam and patron St. Vincent De Paul. Essential Elements are Spirituality, Friendship and Service, as Christ teaches No work of charity is foreign: rent, utilities, vehicles, homes, food, disaster relief, prison ministries, etc. Core of our ministry starts with the home visit What can be accomplished with a HOME VISIT One sees and experiences the conditions that others face One can provide comfort and support One can pray with others One can show care and dignity Society of St. Vincent de Paul For those needing assistance Please call 281-466-1920 and leave a detailed message with your name and return phone number, and one of our members will contact you. Become A Volunteer The Founder of the Society of SVDP was Frederic Ozanam. Frederic and his Catholic friends were challenged with the question: “What is your church doing today to meet the needs of society and the poor?” Society of St Vincent De Paul was organized in 1833 in Paris, and quickly spread in Europe (Italy, England, etc), before coming to the United States in 1845 in St Louis. St. Vincent De Paul at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Approximately 50 members Meet twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. We are active for 3 out of 4 weeks in a month We provide funds for rent, utilities, car payments, furniture, medicine & more. We often work with the St. Anthony’s Bread food pantry to provide food. Our individual responsibilities include answering phones, scheduling and conducting home visits, pledging funds and paying client bills. We conduct roughly 8 to 12 home visits per week We distribute $8,000 to $10,000 per week, based on the donations received from the parish to the SVDP ministry Volunteer with SVdP You will go and visit the poor ten times a day and ten times a day you will find God there. -Saint Vincent De Paul Donate to SVdP Society

St. Anthony of Padua is a joyful Roman Catholic Community located in The Woodlands, Texas of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Welcome To St. Anthony of Padua The Woodlands, TX Mass Times Welcome Daily Mass Monday: 9 AM • Our Lady of the Angels Chapel (OLA) Tuesday: 9 AM & 6:45 PM • OLA Chapel Wednesday: 6 AM and 8:30 AM • Main Church Thursday: 9 AM and 6:45 PM • OLA Chapel Friday: 9 AM • OLA Chapel Saturday*: 10 AM • OLA Chapel *The First Saturday of every month, Daily Mass will be moved to the Main Church. Weekend Mass (Main Church) Saturday: 5 PM Vigil Mass Sunday: 7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM Español, 6 PM We, the people of St. Anthony of Padua, are a joyful Roman Catholic Community. We believe Our Lord calls us beyond membership to become His true disciples and live as One Body in Christ. Therefore, we choose to use our unique gifts to build a welcoming, interconnected gathering of the faithful that will be a beacon, a light to the world. - Parish Mission Statement – Adopted on September 8, 1998 (Birthday of Our Lady) Confession (OLA Chapel) Tuesday: 5 PM - 6:30 PM • English Only Wednesday: 6 PM - 8 PM • English and Español Thursday: 5 PM - 6:30 PM • English and Español Saturday*: 8 AM - 10 AM • English and Español * The First Saturday of every month, Confessions will be moved to the Main Church. Every Saturday we have nursery available. Pre-registration is required. Nursery Registration MAIN CHURCH PARISH OFFICE 7801 Bay Branch Dr The Woodlands, TX 77382 OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS CHAPEL 8715 Kuykendahl Rd The Woodlands, TX 77382 ST ANTHONY'S BREAD FOOD PANTRY 7985 Bay Branch Dr Spring TX 77382 JOIN OUR PARISH Register Today! PARISH EVENTS Upcoming Events EMAIL LIST Subscribe to Emails FACE- BOOK Follow us on Facebook Calendar of Events Calendar of Events Calendar of Events

Saint Bonaventure was a wise and holy man who devoted his life to the sharing of Christ’s love through mystical and Christian wisdom. His contributions to the Catholic Church – from his writings, restoration of the Franciscan Order and organization of the Council of Lyon – are immeasurable in their impact, and he is remembered as one of the most brilliant minds of his time. His intellectual prowess, paired with his calming, peaceful skills of reconciliation, created a much-needed bright spot in the Catholic Church in a time where many brewing storms could have caused severe, lasting damage if he hadn’t intervened. His feast day is July 15th. St. Bonaventure 1221 - 1274 Feast Day: July 15 Location: Italy Identifiers: Doctor of the Church, Franciscan Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of bone Saint Bonaventure was born Giovanni di Fidanza in Bagnoregio, then part of the Papal States, around the year 1221, but little is known about his early years. There are varying stories of how he became known as Bonaventure, but one story recounts his parents growing anxious when young Giovanni fell deathly ill. Beside herself with worry, his mother sent for none other than St. Francis of Assisi to come and pray over him. St. Francis healed the sickly 4-year-old boy and foreseeing the greatness of the future saint, cried out, “Oh good fortune!” which in Italian, is “O buona ventura.” And thus, the name “Bonaventure” stuck. Fast forward to 1243, when a healthy 22-year-old Bonaventure followed Francis by entering the Franciscan Order. He had already earned a Master of Arts degree in 1243, and after joining the Friars Minor, became a Master of Theology at the University of Paris alongside another future saint, Thomas Aquinas. He produced many notable works, including commentaries on the Bible, a commentary on “The Four Books of Sentences” (a theology book written by Peter Lombard), and the Breviloquium, which was an outlined summary of his theology. Bonaventure was particularly noted for his ability to reconcile and unite differing viewpoints into a harmony of theology, philosophy, and understanding. In 1256, a teacher at the University of Paris accused the mendicant Franciscans (meaning the friars who were nomadic wanderers, begging for a living) of defaming the Gospels by their practice of poverty, to prevent the Franciscans from holding teaching positions at the university. Bonaventure defended the Franciscan ideal of Christian life, and his ability to share his personal understanding of truth in a way that formed a pathway towards the love of God earned him the title of minister general of the Franciscan Order on February 2, 1257. Bonaventure expertly navigated numerous divides during his life, and thanks to his tireless visits to various provinces, he was able to restore unity to the order and reestablish the spirit of St. Francis among the friars and beyond. At all times, Bonaventure preached the Gospel eloquently and with a noticeable outward happiness. In his writings and teachings, he made it clear that only through an inward peace and joy, gained from having God in his heart, could he show happiness on the outside. He would serve as the superior of the Friars Minor for 17 fruitful years, and his impact is so great on the order that he is sometimes referred to as the second founder of the Franciscans. He successfully proposed a unified and collected text regulating the daily life of the Friars Minor in 1260, which was accepted and ratified by the General Chapter of the Order in Narbonne. Bonaventure’s skill at reconciling opposing views caught the attention of numerous Popes, including Pope Clement IV, who nominated Bonaventure for Archbishop of York in 1265. He would turn down the title though, wanting to live a simple and frugal life. A few years later though, the next Pope, Gregory X, appointed him Cardinal Bishop of Albano and it was a dignity that he couldn’t refuse in May of 1273. Pope Gregory consecrated him in November of 1273 in the French city of Lyon, and his first big task as a Cardinal Bishop was to help prepare the Second Ecumenical Council of Lyons, an important ecclesial event aimed at uniting the divisions between the Latin and Greek Churches at the time. Bonaventure worked hard to prepare the council and was a leading figure in the reform of the church, but sadly, he would not see its completion. Bonaventure died suddenly on July 15, 1274, while the council was still in session. He was buried the same day in a Franciscan Church. His contributions to the church and profound sanctity earned him the canonization of a saint on April 14, 1482 by Pope Sixtus IV, and he was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588 by Pope Sixtus V. He is often referred to as the “Seraphic Doctor” of the Church, with seraphic referring to the highest order of angels in heaven. Saint Bonaventure could have easily been remembered only for his immense intellect shared in his teachings and writings. Instead, this wise and holy man chose to reinforce that intellectual ability, while good and valid, is inferior to the direction and affections of the heart. In his own words: “If you learn everything except Christ, you learn nothing. If you learn nothing except Christ, you learn everything.” Next Item Previous Item

One of the most popular Catholic saints, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux has inspired generations of Catholics, despite never going on missions, never founding a religious order, writing only one main body of work, and living just 24 years on Earth. But it is the piety, the quiet self-sacrifice, and the love of simplicity that draws Catholics towards the Little Flower, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. The youngest ever Doctor of the Church, she pursued holiness despite declining health and other difficulties, but achieved sainthood through humility, and doing simple things with extraordinary love. St. Thérèse of Lisieux 1863 - 1897 Feast Day: October 1 Location: Lisieux, France Identifiers: Doctor of the Church, Carmelite Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: Flesh mixed with wood from the coffin You would be hard-pressed to find another saint in the Catholic Church who has garnered the same amount of admiration and devotion as Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. She’s one of the most popular saints, inspiring generations of Catholics, despite never going on missions, never founding a religious order, writing only one main body of work, and living just 24 years on Earth. But it is the piety, the quiet self-sacrifice, and the love of simplicity that draws Catholics towards the Little Flower, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Thérèse Martin was born in Alencon France in 1873. Her father, Louis, was a watchmaker and jeweler, and her mother Zelie Guerin, worked as a lacemaker. She was the youngest of nine children, but four of her siblings would die at a young age. Both of her parents had previous desires to enter religious life, and even after they were married they decided that they would remain celibate, until a confession revealed their celibacy to a priest who insisted they pursue a marriage as God intended. All five of Louis & Zelie’s daughters would go on to enter the convent, but Thérèse was less than saintly for most of her childhood. Adored and coddled by her family, she would in turn become needy and insecure at a young age. Furthermore, her mother Zelie would die from breast cancer while Thérèse was only 4, and having to witness her mother’s slow, painful decline greatly saddened the poor little girl. With all the circumstances and being the youngest of the family, Thérèse quickly became demanding and expectant to have her way no matter what. Her father’s nickname for her was ‘petite reine’, or ‘little queen’. At the age of 11, she became so ill with a fever, that many thought she wouldn’t make it. Family and friends would gather around her bed, desperately praying for her healing. Her sisters would pray to a statue of the Virgin Mary, which they placed in her bedroom. One day, as Thérèse stared at the statue and prayed, she saw the statue of Mary smile at her. She instantly began to feel better, and she recovered so dramatically that many were curious about her healing. Word of the healing grace of Mary spread, but when pestered with questions about the details regarding Mary, Thérèse refused to answer due to the intimacy with Mary she felt in the healing, so many assumed she had just made everything up. Following her sickness, Thérèse still remained self-centered and controlled by her emotions. As more sisters left for the convent, soon it was only her, her father, and one other sister, Celine. A moment of clarity at the age of 14 would help usher her out of her egocentric nature and begin her road to sanctity. Louis and his two daughters were nearing Christmas, and the Christmas day ritual of filling children’s shoes with presents. Though Thérèse was already a teenager, her sister Celine was unable to let her fully grow out of these childhood traditions, and she filled Thérèse’s shoes with gifts. When they arrived back from the church on Christmas day, Thérèse and Celine found their father looking down at the shoes, and before he noticed the two girls, they overheard him sigh and say, “‘Thank goodness that’s the last time we shall have this kind of thing!” Celine looked over to her sister, fully expecting tears and a temper tantrum to follow, but instead, it was a moment of serene clarity for the future saint. Thérèse immediately noticed her immaturity and childish ways, and thanks to Jesus entering her heart in that moment, she swallowed her tears, walked to the shoes and exclaimed in authentic joy over the gifts. It was a true conversion of heart, and Thérèse would enter the convent the very next year. She desired to enter Carmel as a contemplative nun, but she was deemed too young to enter the convent. She appealed to the Mother Superior, who told the 15-year-old Thérèse that she could enter early – at the age of 16. Not satisfied, she appealed to the Bishop. When that didn’t work, she took a pilgrimage to Rome and appealed directly to the Pope himself! While at an audience with the Pope, despite being forbidden to speak to him, she began begging that he let her enter the Carmelite convent as soon as he was near enough to hear her. While the Pope didn’t intervene, the Vicar General was impressed by her zeal, and Thérèse Martin was admitted to the Carmelite Convent at Lisieux on 9 April 1888. A once shy little girl, the pursuit of an early entrance to the convent was the first beginnings of blooming into the Little Flower. Entering the convent, she took the name Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Her sisters Pauline and Marie were in the same convent, but unlike her spoiled childhood, the life of routine and silent prayer was tough. On top of that, not long after she entered the convent, her father began hallucinating after a series of strokes left him stricken both physically and mentally. As a cloistered nun, she was unable to visit her beloved father, and this grief began a period of suffering and dryness of prayer for the distraught Sister Thérèse. She would try desperately to pray but write in her journals that “Jesus wasn’t doing much to keep the conversation going.” Thérèse persevered through this spiritual drought through one main focus: humility. Sitting in the convent, she knew that she may not be able to serve as a world-changer in the traditional sense of great works and deeds, but instead, she focused on the little sacrifices. She would write “Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love.” These ‘little sacrifices’ would range from being friendly to nuns she disliked, to not complaining about anything trivial, to even being accused of breaking a vase she hadn’t touched, and instead of proclaiming her innocence, she apologized and asked for forgiveness. This mindset would develop into an keen spirituality, based on childlike trust and confidence in God. The ‘little way’ of Thérèse was not about grandiose actions or words; it was about doing simple things well, and with extraordinary love. Another sacrifice for Thérèse would soon follow – her sister Pauline was elected prioress of the convent, and due to the politics of the order, many nuns feared the Martin sisters would ‘take over’ a rule on the convent. To alleviate those fears, Pauline asked Thérèse to remain a novice. This was no small request, as this would mean Thérèse would never become a fully professed nun in the order, continuing to have to ask permission for nearly everything. For Thérèse though, it was another sacrifice that she could offer up for the glory of God. As Thérèse continued her time in the convent, she reflected constantly on her ability to achieve holiness in life. For her, sainthood was the only option, even with the simple, hidden life she was living. She wrestled with her vocation, was placed in charge of the other novices, and even reflected on how she measured up to the saints in terms of her likelihood for sainthood. “I have always wanted to become a saint. Unfortunately, when I have compared myself with the saints, I have always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by. Instead of being discouraged, I told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to grow bigger, so I put up with myself as I am, with all my countless faults. But I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new.” She would continue to pursue her apostolic and missionary vocation, to love and draw everyone in her path closer to the Lord, even as her health began to fail her. In 1896, she coughed up blood, but kept working without telling another soul, until she became so sick that it was apparent. She experienced months of pain and agony, and her sister Pauline could only watch and pray at her bedside, before asking Thérèse to write about her life in hopes of distracting her. She penned her reflections on her childhood, her love of God, and her “everything is grace” mindset over the course of her final weeks, before finally succumbing to tuberculosis on September 30, 1897. She was 24. Before she died, realizing that her mission was only beginning, Thérèse proclaimed “I will spend my heaven doing good on Earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.” And while despite one nun at the convent commenting that there was “nothing to say” about Thérèse following her death, Pauline disagreed. She compiled the final writings of Thérèse, which would become her autobiography, “Story of a Soul.” Pauline sent the autobiography to 2,000 convents, and before long, her sister’s words had stirred up a passion for her “little way” of faith. The faith in Jesus and embracing of daily sacrifices that Thérèse had welcomed spoke to the hearts of nuns across the world. Her ‘shower of roses’ soon became a torrent, that still drenches the hearts of many Catholics to this day. Thérèse of Lisieux was canonized on May 17, 1925 by Pope Pius XI, only 28 years after her death. In October of 1997, Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church, the youngest ever in the Catholic Church, thanks to the impact of her profound spirituality on so many faithful Catholics. She Is the patron saint of missionaries, florists and gardeners, the loss of parents, tuberculosis, and the gardens of the Vatican City. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux taught us that we should never stop seeking holiness, even in the midst of ordinary lives. To feel as though we can do nothing is false, and a lure of the enemy aimed to keep us content with mediocrity, or a lukewarm faith. Instead, let us look to this inspiring Carmelite nun, who trusted in God enough to seek every available sacrifice she could endure, no matter how big or small. Pursuing this ‘little way’ of faith, may we too journey on towards heaven, picking up our crosses on the way, one shard of wood, one sacrifice, at a time. 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Saint Katharine Drexel, a beacon of social justice and religious devotion, was born in Philadelphia, PA, into a wealthy family in 1858. Despite her privileged upbringing, she was deeply moved by the plight of Native Americans and African Americans. Katharine dedicated her life to uplifting the marginalized, using her fortune to establish schools and missions across the US. In 1891, she founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious order committed to promoting racial harmony and educational opportunities for minority communities. Her tireless advocacy and commitment to equality earned her recognition as a saint. St. Katharine Drexel 1858 - 1955 Feast Day: March 3 Location: Philadelphia, PA Identifiers: Foundress Relic located in the: Right Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of clothing Saint Katharine Drexel, the second American-born saint to be canonized, exemplifies unwavering dedication to faith and an unyielding commitment to social justice. Born into a wealthy Philadelphia family Katharine defied societal expectations and used her considerable resources to uplift marginalized communities, particularly Native and African Americans, and live an extraordinary life of faith and philanthropic work. Katharine Mary Drexel was born on November 26, 1858, into the prominent Drexel family, known for their vast wealth derived from banking and investments. Raised in a devout Catholic household, Katharine imbibed the values of charity and compassion from her parents. She received an exceptional education and was exposed to a life of privilege. However, it was during her formative years that Katharine’s heart was stirred by the plight of the less fortunate. Inspired by her parents’ philanthropic endeavors, Katharine accompanied them on various charitable visits to aid the poor. These experiences planted the seeds of empathy and compassion in her heart, igniting a profound desire to make a lasting difference in the world. Katharine’s spiritual awakening deepened during a trip to the Western United States, where she witnessed firsthand the dire conditions faced by Native Americans. Appalled by the injustices and systemic racism they endured, Katharine felt called by God to dedicate her life to their upliftment. In 1891, Katharine made the extraordinary decision to enter religious life and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People. Taking a vow of poverty, she embraced a life of simplicity and service, committing her resources and those of her family to the cause of racial equality and social justice. One of Saint Katharine Drexel’s most significant contributions was her tireless advocacy for education among marginalized communities. She believed that education was the key to empowerment and worked tirelessly to ensure that Native and African American children had access to quality education. Using her vast inheritance, Katharine established and funded numerous schools and missions across the United States, including Xavier University in New Orleans and the first Catholic university for African Americans. She recruited dedicated religious sisters to teach in these institutions, ensuring that marginalized communities received a well-rounded education rooted in faith and dignity. Saint Katharine Drexel’s commitment to social justice extended beyond just education though. She spoke out against racial segregation and injustice, using her influence and resources to challenge the prevailing attitudes of her time. She tirelessly advocated for equality, working to dismantle the barriers that impeded the progress of marginalized communities. Katharine fearlessly confronted the societal norms that perpetuated racial discrimination. Her boldness and determination to create a more just and inclusive society inspired others to join the fight for equality and ignited a lasting change. After a life dedicated to serving God and championing the rights of the oppressed, Saint Katharine Drexel passed away on March 3, 1955. Her extraordinary legacy lives on, serving as an example of selflessness, compassion, and the transformative power of faith. In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Katharine Drexel as a saint, recognizing her profound holiness and the significant impact she made on society. Her tireless efforts to combat racism, promote education, and elevate the marginalized continue to inspire individuals around the world. In a world often plagued by inequality and injustice, Saint Katharine Drexel stands as a radiant beacon of love and social justice. Her unwavering dedication to the marginalized, her unyielding commitment to equality, and her tireless pursuit of education continue to inspire and challenge us today to do our part in building a more just society. Next Item Previous Item

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26th, 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia. She left home at 18 to become a Catholic missionary nun and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish order known for their missionary work in India. She was given the name Sister Mary Teresa and sent to Calcutta, where she established the Missionaries of Charity - a religious community dedicated to “laboring at the salvation and sanctification of the poorest of the poor.” Mother Teresa was a radiant servant of Christ who ventured boldly out into the world to tirelessly serve the poor and unwanted. St. Teresa of Calcutta 1910 - 1997 Feast Day: September 5 Location: Calcutta Identifiers: Virgin, Foundress of Missionaries of Charity Relic located in the: Right Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of hair The luminous missionary known as Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26th, 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia. The youngest of Nikola and Dranafile Bojaxhiu’s three children, Agnes was of Albanian heritage and only eight years old when her father, a local businessman, suddenly passed away. Her mother, a very devout and religious woman, raised Agnes to possess a strong faith, and after becoming very involved in her parish youth group and interested in missionary work, she left home to become a Catholic missionary nun at the age of 18. She joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish order known for their missionary work in India. She was admitted as a postulant and was given the name Sister Mary Teresa, after Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Teresa was sent by her order to India, and arrived in Calcutta, located on the Eastern side of the country near Bangladesh, in 1929 to teach geography and catechism at St. Mary’s School for girls. She made her final profession to join the Loreto order on May 24, 1937, becoming what she called the “spouse of Jesus” for “all eternity” and was henceforth called Mother Teresa. She continued to teach at St. Mary’s and in 1944, was made the principal of the school. On September 10th, 1946, Mother Teresa was riding a train from Calcutta to Darjeeling for her annual retreat, when she received what she termed the “call within a call,” where Jesus’ thirst for souls took over her heart. Her desire to satiate that thirst and spread His love would become the motivating force in her life, driving her to establish the Missionaries of Charity, a religious community dedicated to “labouring at the salvation and sanctification of the poorest of the poor.” After nearly two years of planning and discernment, Mother Teresa received permission to begin, and on August 17, 1948, she dressed for the first time in her iconic white, blue-bordered sari, to leave the Loreto convent and enter the world of the poor. She cared for the elderly, nursed the dying, washed the sick and desired to find Jesus in “the unwanted, the unloved and the uncared for.” After many months, former students from her time teaching began to join her, and on October 7, 1950, the Missionaries of Charity was officially established as a religious order in the Archdiocese of Calcutta. Through Mother Teresa’s hard work in the 1950’s, and Pope Paul VI granting them the Decree of Praise (an official measure from the Holy See which elevated their order to the recognition of pontifical right) in 1965, the Missionaries of Charity began opening houses in Venezuela, Rome, Tanzania, and even in Communist countries such as the former Soviet Union, Albania and Cuba. Throughout all of the rapid growth, Mother Teresa remained rooted in the Lord, bearing witness to the joy of loving and respecting the dignity of every human person, while doing little things with great love. She persevered through what she called the “painful night” of her soul, where she experienced a deep, abiding feeling of being separated from God, starting around the time she began working for the poor, and leading up to the end of her life. Despite this “darkness” and her deteriorating health, she never wavered, and by 1997, there were more than 4,000 Missionaries of Charity in nearly 600 foundations across 123 different countries. She blessed her successor as Superior General for the Missionaries of Charity in March 1997, before returning to Calcutta to spend her final weeks, passing away on September 5th, 1997. She was granted the honor of a state funeral by the Government of India, and less than two years after her death, Pope John Paul II permitted the opening of her Cause of Canonization. Mother Teresa was a radiant, loving servant of Christ, who ventured boldly out into the world to tirelessly reach the poor and serve the unwanted. Next Item Previous Item

Saint Simon, also known as Simon the Zealot, is one of the most obscure apostles of the 12 who followed Jesus Christ. We know next-to-nothing about his life, with his name being mentioned only a handful of times throughout the gospels. Simon played no particular role in the gospels, and even his moniker of “the Zealot” has an unconfirmed meaning. Regardless of the speculation, we know he was a passionate believer and unafraid to continue to serve the Lord, and thus, he is a saint, who faithfully followed the will of God, even unto death. He shares a feast day with St. Jude on October 28th. St. Simon the Apostle 1st Century Feast Day: October 28 Location: Jerusalem Identifiers: Apostle, Martyr Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of bone St. Simon, also known as Simon the Zealot or Simon the Apostle, is one of the most obscure apostles of the 12 who followed Jesus Christ. We know next-to-nothing about his life, with his name being mentioned only a handful of times throughout the gospels. Simon played no particular role in the gospels, and even his moniker of “the Zealot” has an unconfirmed meaning. Some writings identified Simon as a member of the Jewish sect known as the Zealots, while others imply that it was given to Simon simply to differentiate him from Simon Peter. Regardless, it’s likely that he earned the title through his zealous following of the Jewish law, or Jesus’ teachings, but we’ll never know for sure. Another common misconception about this mysterious saint is that he was from Cana. Early Christian writers misinterpreted the word “kananaios” to mean “from Cana”, which led to a few translations of the Bible to identify him as “Simon the Cananite” or “Simon the Cananean” (located in Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 specifically). In review, most scholars believe the word “kananaois” to be derived from the Aramaic word “qan’an” which roughly translates to “zealous one”, which would provide much more consistency throughout the gospel writings regarding Simon and his title. There are conflicting reports regarding the later portion of Simon’s life, including where he was sent to evangelize, while living as a disciple of Jesus, but most believe that he was sent to preach in Egypt. In the thirteenth century, Jacobus de Varagine, an Italian author, compiled numerous biographies of the saints into a book titled “The Golden Legend”, which is a great resource for many of the early saints. In it, de Varagine records that Simon preached in Egypt, before partnering with Judas, who was in Mesopotamia. It was in Persia that Simon reportedly joined the apostle St. Jude, known as Jude Thaddeus, where they were both martyred. Simon was said to have died from being cut in half with a saw, which is why he is often pictured with a saw in iconographic imagery. Other reports of his death also include him being crucified in Samaria, as well as passing away of old age in Edessa – many facts remain unconfirmed. Regardless of the speculation regarding St. Simon, this we know: he was a passionate believer; most likely in the Jewish law at first, but after encountering Jesus Christ, that passion changed to spreading the Kingdom of Heaven. He was unafraid to continue to serve the Lord, and thus, he is a saint, who faithfully followed the will of God, even unto death. Next Item Previous Item

“My Lord and my God.” Those five words together form one of the clearest declarations in scripture of the divinity of Jesus Christ, resurrected and standing in front of Saint Thomas. Thomas was one of the closest followers of Jesus and is most famous for being “doubting Thomas” – the result of an untimely absence on the first Easter Sunday that caused him to be skeptical upon hearing of the resurrection of Jesus. But while he may have a rough reputation for requesting physical proof of Jesus returning, he should be equally known for his courage as a follower of Christ. St. Thomas the Apostle 1st Century Feast Day: July 3 Location: Jerusalem Identifiers: Apostle, Martyr Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of bone “My Lord and my God.” Those five words together form one of the clearest declarations in scripture of the divinity of Jesus Christ, resurrected and standing in front of one incredulous apostle – Saint Thomas. Thomas was one of the closest followers of Jesus during His time on Earth and is most famous for being “doubting Thomas” – the result of an untimely absence on the first Easter Sunday that caused him to be skeptical upon hearing of the supposed resurrection of Jesus. But while he may have a rough reputation for requesting physical proof of Jesus returning, he should be equally known for his courage as a follower of Christ. Little is known about Saint Thomas. He is mentioned in every gospel, as well as Acts of the Apostles, but he only speaks in the Gospel of John. His exact birthday and date of death are unknown, but most historians agree he was most likely born to a Jewish family in Galilee. There’s no indication he was a fisherman, although he is among the apostles fishing in John 21 when Jesus appears on the shore prior to a miraculous catch. We don’t know how Thomas became a follower of Jesus, but from the very first time in the Gospel of John that he speaks, it’s clear that he is a dedicated, passionate follower of Christ. In John 11, Jesus announces His intention of returning to the town of Judea to visit his friend Lazarus, who He and the apostles had recently been told was sick. The majority of the apostles were less then enthused at the prospect of this trip (“…the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”) but Jesus was undeterred. “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up,” Jesus said. Displaying their trademark lack of understanding that the apostles often had when Jesus spoke with a deeper meaning, they replied, ““Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” These moments occur frequently throughout the gospels and while Jesus was fully divine, he was also fully man, and quite capable of growing frustrated at their moments of dragging their feet. “Lazarus is dead,” Jesus spoke plainly in John 11:14, “and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Placing yourself in the shoes of the apostles, it is not hard to understand their hesitancy. Jesus had ruffled feathers in Jerusalem when he had been pressed to tell plainly of His divinity, but instead chose to respond, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.” Narrowly escaping a stoning, the apostles were likely still trying to grasp the words of Jesus about The Good Shepherd and His Sheep (John 10) and “the Father is in me, and I in the Father” (John 10:38). But ringing clear through any grumbling or dissent was Thomas, showing a rare glimpse of courage not often displayed by the apostles prior to Pentecost. “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” The second instance of Thomas speaking in the Bible shows him to be an inquisitive follower of Christ, sharing his desire to know the way to following Him more ardently. Through his question, we ultimately hear one of the most profound truths of the ministry of Jesus in response. As Jesus is seated with His disciples around the table of the Last Supper, he speaks to them in hopes of comforting them. He had just predicted His betrayal, as well as Peter’s denial of Him, and tensions were likely running high. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas, taking the concept of the travel and direction of Jesus to remain earthbound, replied, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” The answer by Jesus is one we have heard countless times and likely was imprinted onto Thomas’ heart: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Lastly, we reach the upper room, where behind locked doors, the disciples, unsure of what to do next, remained in fear of the Jewish leaders. Mary Magdalene had recently told them the heart-stopping news that she had seen Jesus, raised from the dead, but they were still in awe when he suddenly appeared among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to the overjoyed apostles – but Thomas was not with them. The cause of Thomas’ absence is unknown, but when he returned and heard that the Lord had just been standing in that very room, back from death itself, he insisted on physical proof. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” It can be argued that the actions of Thomas in this moment weren’t even those of true “doubt.” Jesus – the man whom he fervently wished to follow, even unto the point of death – had died on the cross. Thomas had given Jesus his heart and his hope, so when Jesus entered the grave, Thomas didn’t doubt in the sense of simply wavering or hesitating: he did not believe at all. He refused to acknowledge the possibility of the risen Lord, refused to offer his heart to be crushed again, until he was close enough to put his fingers in Jesus’ wounds. What did Jesus do? He didn’t reappear with a thunderous rumble to rebuke Thomas for his disbelief. He didn’t leave him hanging and return back to His heavenly kingdom. Instead, one week later, he returned again to the apostles with the same greeting – “Peace be with you!” Then, speaking directly to Thomas, Jesus said, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Incredulously, Thomas felt the fatal wounds that had taken the Lord away from him, only to see Him now mere inches away. Falling at the feet of Jesus he exclaimed, “My Lord, and my God!” This profound realization of truth ultimately led Thomas to be the first person to explicitly acknowledge the divinity of Jesus. Following his encounter with the resurrected Lord, we lose track of a clear path of Thomas. We know he embarked on a missionary journey somewhere in the world, but most accounts are unreliable. According to many Christian traditions, Thomas traveled over to India, where he established numerous churches and preached the gospel all along the Malabar coast. Thomas is recognized as the founder of the Church of the Syrian Malabar Christians (also known as Christians of St. Thomas), of which there are more than 3,000 parishes around the world. According to Syrian Christian tradition, Thomas was martyred at Madras, a city in India now known as Chennai. Exact details are scarce, but most historians tell of Thomas coming into conflict with the king of Mylapore or the Hindu priests of Kali and Thomas eventually being killed by a spear. The spear wounds of Jesus were the evidence Thomas needed to truly believe, but it was his own spear wounds that would become the ultimate evidence of his own faith. Today, Saint Thomas is known as the patron of architects, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and theologians. The name “Thomas” remains popular among the Syrian Christians of India, and there are roughly 5 million Catholics belonging to the Syro-Malabar Church. Saint Thomas stands out among the apostles for his prominent questioning of what we all were taught to believe without question – that Jesus Christ died and rose again. But amidst what must have truly been a terrifying time for the apostles, having just seen their leader brutally murdered upon a cross, it’s perfectly understandable for Thomas to desire proof. Ultimately, he represents what we all desire; to have our love and faith of Jesus surpass all doubts and skepticism that can be heaped upon our Catholic beliefs. Jesus did not pick worthless men to be His disciples. Their hesitancy to follow Him to Judea, their lack of understanding in His deeper meanings and their abandonment upon Golgotha doesn’t point towards foolish followers – it proves that their human weakness did not disqualify them from holiness or sainthood, and neither does ours. Next Item Previous Item

Chapdelaine was born in La Rochelle-Normande, France, and became a priest in 1843. He joined the Paris Foreign Missions in 1851 and went to China’s Guangxi province in 1852. Due to the Taiping Rebellion, foreigners were forbidden, but Chapdelaine ministered to local Catholics. After brief imprisonment and multiple threats, he returned to Guangxi in 1855. On February 25, 1856, he was arrested and accused of inciting insurrection. He refused to pay a bribe and was subjected to brutal cage torture, where he suffered severe beatings and a slow death from suffocation in a hanging iron cage. St. Auguste Chapdelaine 1814 - 1856 Feast Day: February 27 Location: France & China Identifiers: Martyr Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: Piece of habit/clothing Chapdelaine was born on a farm in La Rochelle-Normande, France. By the age of twenty, he had entered the seminary at Coutances. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Coutances in 1843 and in 1851 joined the Institute of Foreign Missions in Paris. He left from Antwerp in April 1852 to join the Catholic mission in the Guangxi province of China. The Taiping Rebellion led to suspicion of Christians, and foreigners were forbidden to enter the area. After a stay in Guangzhou, he moved to Guiyang, capital of the Guizhou province, in the spring of 1854. In December, he went, together with Lu Tingmei, to Yaoshan village, Xilin County of Guangxi, where he met the local Catholic community of around 300 people. He celebrated his first mass there on 8 December 1854. He was arrested and thrown into the Xilin county prison ten days after his arrival and was released after sixteen or eighteen days of captivity. Following personal threats, Chapdelaine returned to Guizhou in early 1855, and came back to Guangxi in December of the same year. He was denounced on February 22, 1856, by Bai San, a relative of a new convert, while the local tribunal was on holiday. He was arrested in Yaoshan, together with other Chinese Catholics, by orders of Zhang Mingfeng, the new local mandarin on 25 February 1856. Chapdelaine was accused of stirring up insurrection and refused to pay a bribe. Condemned to cage torture (zhanlong), he was first beaten one hundred times on the cheek by a leather thong, which caused his teeth to fly out, his face mutilated, and his jaw lacerated. He was locked into a small iron cage, which was hung at the gate of the jail. The planks he stood on were gradually removed, placing a strain in the muscles of the neck, and leading to a slow and painful death from suffocation. ( https://www.catholic.org/saints/ ) Next Item Previous Item

Saint Peter –the first Pope and rock upon which Jesus built His church – is one of the greatest stories of redemption and love in the Bible. His bold faith was gained from humble beginnings, repeated missteps, and a stubborn trust that Jesus Christ was truly God. Jesus loved his Apostles dearly but was also unafraid to correct the words and actions of the fallible, fragile humans He chose to be His closest followers. Peter, an inquisitive, brash, hopeful follower of Christ, was the perfect leader of this group and provided the foundation for the Church we still have today. He shares his feast day on June 29th with St. Paul. St. Peter the Apostle 1st Century Feast Day: June 29 Location: Jerusalem Identifiers: Apostle, Martyr Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of bone Saint Peter – the most outspoken apostle, the first Pope, the rock upon which Jesus built His church – is one of the greatest stories of redemption and love in the Bible. His bold faith that would ultimately change the world was gained from humble beginnings, repeated missteps and a stubborn trust that Jesus Christ was truly God. It is nearly impossible to fully encompass all of Peter’s deeds in the Bible. His adventures are recounted throughout the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and numerous letters of St. Paul; his name appears a total of 187 times in the New Testament. As prominent of a role Peter played in Jesus’ ministry, we know very little about his life prior to his conversion. Tradition places his birth in the 1st century BC, and he was originally named Simon. He lived in the village of Bethsaida, near the Sea of Galilee, and scripture (as well as most historians) point to him having been married. Him and his brother Andrew were both fisherman by trade and Peter owned his own boat. It was in this boat that Peter’s life was changed forever. Matthew 4:18-19, Mark 1:16-17, and Luke 5:1-11 all depict Jesus encountering Peter as he was fishing on the Sea of Galilee. As the crowds listening to Jesus pressed in, He hopped into Peter’s boat and asked him to put out from the shore. Obeying the preacher, Peter rowed out so Jesus could continue to teach the people. After Jesus finished speaking, He turned to Simon Peter to teach one of the most important lessons Peter would ever learn: trust in Him. “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Simon Peter, already sensing the prominence of Jesus by calling Him “master”, obliged the request, and upon seeing the miraculous catch of fish they procured, fell to his knees in front of Jesus. “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” But Jesus instead called him deeper, replying, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So, they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” The Gospel of John tells a slight variation of when Simon Peter first met Jesus, including an earlier name change than the other three Gospels. John 1:35-42 tells of Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, hearing John the Baptist cry out, “Look, the Lamb of God!” as Jesus passed by. After Andrew heard this, he immediately ran to find his brother and tell him, “We have found the Messiah.” Jesus, meeting Simon for the first time, greeted Simon with a gift: a new name. “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).” In all of the Gospels, Jesus began to travel throughout the region after he had called His first disciples. He taught in synagogues, healed sicknesses and attracted large crowds everywhere He went. How awestruck must these first Apostles have been witnessing these miracles and hearing the Sermon on the Mount as written in Matthew 5. Just a few chapters later, Simon Peter witnesses a very personal miracle, as Jesus visits his mother-in-law, sick in bed with a fever. Matthew 8:14-15 tells of Jesus “touching her hand and the fever left her.” The faith of Peter was growing. That faith would be tested though later in Matthew 8, when the experienced fisherman found himself caught in a furious storm while out in a boat with Jesus, who was sleeping. The Apostles, many of whom were likely still just beginning to grasp the divine abilities of Jesus, frantically awoke him saying “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Matthew 8:26: “He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Sitting in the boat, an astonished Simon Peter stared at the calm waters which just seconds ago had been raging all around him. His faith was growing. Another miracle that Jesus would perform not long thereafter points to Simon Peter beginning to form a particular group with James and John out of the twelve Apostles. When a synagogue leader named Jairus earnestly pleaded with Jesus to heal his dying daughter, as written in Mark 5:21-43, Jesus would eventually only bring Peter, James, and John into the home to witness the healing. Perhaps it was for them to witness the mourners laughing at Jesus as He announced “The child is not dead, but asleep” or maybe Jesus wished Peter to see those miraculous steps the little girl took towards Him after she was resurrected. No matter what Jesus’ motives, it’s clear that this trio of Apostles (who would also be the only ones present at the Transfiguration of Jesus and were called deeper by Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane) were special. It’s clear throughout the Bible that Simon Peter was essentially the “spokesman” of the twelve Apostles. Whenever they are all listed by name (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; Acts 1:13), Peter is mentioned first. On a few occasions, when multiple Apostles were present or speaking, only Peter is specifically mentioned by name and the others are merely with him (Mark 1:36; Luke 8:45). His authority was recognizable by others as well; Matthew 17:24 tells of the collectors of the temple tax approaching Peter specifically to question him regarding Jesus. Peter – displaying remarkable insight, developing a depth to his faith, but still harboring reservations and doubts – was the perfect representative of the Apostles, as stubborn and foolhardy as they often were. Matthew 14 and Matthew 16 both contain a monumental event in Peter’s life and both of them are preceded with a misstep or misunderstanding by the Apostles. In Matthew 14, Jesus attempts to retreat to a solitary place following the death of John the Baptist. Crowds followed Him regardless, and while still mourning the loss of His close friend, Jesus “had compassion on them and healed their sick.” As night fell though, the worn-out disciples implored Jesus to dismiss the crowds so they would go away to buy themselves food and leave them alone. Jesus, likely beginning to prepare the Apostles for their ministry following His ascension into heaven, replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” And while they could only muster five loaves and two fish, Jesus taught them an important lesson that night: despite their “little faith” (Matthew 8:26, 14:31, 16:8, 17:20), what they have is enough. After five thousand were fed and twelve baskets of leftovers collected, Jesus instructed the disciples to get into a boat (a recurring location of transformative moments in Peter’s life) and meet Him on the other side. Jesus dismissed the crowds and retreated up the mountainside to pray alone. As the night grew later, the Apostle’s boat traveled a “considerable distance from land” as the wind had picked up. As they continued to traverse across the lake and dawn approached, an impossible sight appeared: a man, Jesus himself, walking on the water. Matthew 14:26-27: When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Then, Simon Peter took a leap of faith. “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Simon Peter, a normal fisherman from Bethsaida, stepped out of the boat. Eyes fixed on Jesus, he began to walk across the water. But as the wind picked up, his gaze on the Lord wavered and he instead looked at the waves all around him. Afraid and sinking into the cold water, Simon Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” There was no hesitation at all by Jesus. Matthew 14:31 – “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”” Peter and Jesus returned to the boat, where the incredulous Apostles began to worship Jesus saying, ““Truly you are the Son of God.” Two chapters later, the second prominent milestone of Peter would take place, and it was preceded with Jesus yet again questioning the Apostles and their little faith while in a boat. Matthew 16:5-12 depicts Jesus and the Apostles traveling across a lake. The Apostles had forgotten to pack bread for their journey, and Jesus took the opportunity to begin teaching them to be on their guard against “the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” The Apostles took the words in a literal sense (as they too often did) and began to discuss the teaching among themselves, as they assumed it was a form of chastisement from Jesus brought forth due to their forgetfulness. Matthew 16:7 – “They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” This reaction is unique for a number of reasons. Firstly, prior to this journey they had witnessed Jesus on multiple occasions supernaturally multiply bread right in front of them. Secondly, both scripture passages of this story (Mark 8:14-21 also tells of this moment) specifically displays them discussing this apparent chastisement by Jesus just among themselves, without including Jesus in the conversation. The all-knowing Jesus immediately cuts into the chatter and makes it clear that His teaching is regarding something much more serious than baking ingredients. Matthew 16:9 – Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” It’s not hard to imagine a stunned silence filling the boat, as Simon Peter and the other Apostles realized the profundity of Jesus’ words and the deeper meaning He was speaking to them. Arriving in the region of Caesarea Philippi, these thoughts were likely still swirling in Simon Peter’s head as Jesus turned to His disciples and asked: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” The first replies were hesitant and non-committal: “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Then, Jesus presented the most important question they’d ever face. Matthew 16:15 – “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” It was Simon Peter who stepped up for his second leap of faith. Matthew 16:16 – “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”” This was the first outright proclamation by an Apostle that Jesus was truly the Messiah – the one promised by God to save His people. It was a significant moment, and the response by Jesus was also significant. Matthew 16:17-18 – “Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Simon Peter had become the foundation of the future Catholic Church, but just a few verses later, it was clear that his sturdiness was still under construction. With everything slowly falling into place for Jesus to fulfill His mission, He began to explain what was soon to come. Peter however, still riding high from being given the keys of the kingdom, wasn’t too fond of the idea of his closest friend going to Jerusalem to be killed. Matthew 16:22 – “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”” Jesus replied with a stinging rebuke of His own, one that likely cut Peter to the core. Matthew 16:23 – “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”” The teaching that followed from Jesus, as Peter stood reeling from the swift reproachment, was one that would shape the lives of many future holy men and women of the Catholic Church. Matthew 16:24-25 – “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”” As sharp as this moment was for the future saint, Peter took it in stride. He experienced the wonder of the Transfiguration of Jesus just six days later, at which he had the unique opportunity of being interrupted by God Himself, speaking down from the clouds. Matthew 17:4-5 – “Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”” Peter and his fellow Apostles continued to do just that, but they found themselves dumbstruck while listening to Jesus on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, as they sat around the table to eat: one of them would betray the Messiah and Peter would deny Jesus three times. Jesus, alluding again to His death, had foretold the desertion of the Apostles and Peter’s response again resolutely denied this charge: “Even if I fall away on account of you, I never will.” Matthew 17:34-35 – ““Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.” But try as he might to prevent Jesus from being taken away later that night, going so far as to strike the servant of the high priest with his sword and cut off his ear, Peter was forced to witness the betrayal of Judas and arrest of Jesus. Peter, his world crashing down all around him, retreated to the courtyard as Jesus was brought before the high priests, who mocked and scorned his friend, his leader, the Son of Man. First, a servant girl came to him: “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said to Peter as Jesus was spit at and struck. He uttered his first denial – “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Then, a second slave woman noticed him and said to the people around them – “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” As bloodthirsty cries for Jesus, who had called Peter out into the depths, to be put to death rung out in the courtyard, Peter denied him again – “I do not know the man. And a final time, as more bystanders noticed his accent and came up to him with accusations, he began to curse and swear, crying out – “I do not know the man!” Immediately, a rooster crowed, and the devastating words of Jesus Christ had come true: Peter had denied Jesus three times. Just before Jesus was led away to face Pontius Pilate, be crowned with thorns, and ultimately crucified upon Golgotha, He locked eyes with Peter, who was filled with sorrow. He left the courtyard and wept bitterly. But the tomb would not remain occupied for long, and redemption was on its way to Peter. All four Gospels tell of the Resurrection of Jesus, with the Gospel of John providing unique details to the discovery of the empty tomb. After Mary Magdalene discovered the stone had been rolled away, it was Peter who she ran to in distress, believing someone to have taken the body of Jesus from the tomb. Simon and John immediately ran to the tomb, with John arriving first but remaining outside. Peter however, arrived at the tomb and went straight in. Stunned, Peter saw the strips of linen and the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head, lying on the ground. The immensity of what had happened was beginning to dawn on them. Even when Mary Magdalene told them of her seeing Jesus risen from the dead, many of the Apostles were likely still in a state of tense disbelief while together later that day in the locked upper room. But before they knew it, Jesus was there, standing in their midst. He would appear in the room again a week later to prove He had returned to Thomas the Apostle, who had been absent at the first reappearance. But it was the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after being raised from the dead that was most significant for Peter. John 21:1-14 tells of the Apostles once again on the Sea of Galilee. Peter, likely still yearning for a chance to reconcile with Jesus after his denials, had returned to his original occupation and familiar pastime: fishing. In a reflection of the first time Peter had encountered Jesus, they were fishing without success until a man on the shore called out to them. John 21:5-6 – “He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” The disciple whom Jesus loved immediately cried out “It is the Lord!” and that was all Peter needed to hear. Refusing to even wait for the boat to return to shore, Peter sprung into the water and swam the roughly hundred yards to shore, where Jesus was preparing a familiar breakfast of bread and fish. It was after this meal that Jesus finally spoke to Peter, but the conversation did not go how the future saint likely expected. John 21:15 – “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”” Twice more Jesus would ask Peter, “Do you love me?” and a perplexed Peter responded earnestly in affirmation but was hurt by what he perceived as a lack of trust between Jesus and himself on account of the repeated questions. “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you,” Peter responded to Jesus’ final question. But it was not an absence of trust that had led Jesus to ask Peter three times, but instead an opportunity for redemption – the three denials of Jesus had now been countered with three declarations of love. With that conversation Jesus reinstated Peter; the betrayal had been superseded by an ultimate act of forgiveness and love. Peter was at the head of a flurry of activity following the Ascension of Jesus Christ, which is depicted clearly in the Acts of the Apostles. He was in charge of appointing the replacement of Judas Iscariot, he was the first to preach following the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (which was so powerful that 3,000 people asked to be baptized following his preaching), and he even was the first one to defend the Church by rendering judgement upon anyone who sought to damage it (the first case being Ananias and Sapphira for lying about their almsgiving). He was even the first Apostle to perform a miracle of healing. A crippled beggar, cast down lame on the side of the road by some affliction, asked Peter for some money. While he had none on him, he instead told the man that in the name of Jesus the Nazarene, to arise and walk. Immediately cured of his lameness, the beggar stood up and was able to walk freely. As the Apostles began to fan out across the regions, Peter was instrumental in spreading the message of Jesus, but not without coming into conflict with the Jewish authorities, still dismayed by the boldness being displayed by the followers of the man they had put to death. Acts 4 tells of Peter and John being brought before the same high priests who had not long ago been spitting upon Jesus, to question their power to teach the people. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, delivered a matchless declaration that it was by the name of “Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead” that they did their mighty deeds. The high priests were astonished that these “unschooled, ordinary men” could have such wisdom and courage and they quickly attempted to threaten and silence them. But it was the faith of Peter, growing steadily through every miracle and misstep he had experienced in his journey with Jesus Christ, that led him to boldly reply, “we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Even when King Herod attempted to arrest and persecute some who belonged to Christ’s Church, including Peter, God had other plans for him. Acts 12 depicts Peter, bound with chains, freed and guided out of the prison by an angel; an escape so miraculous that when he arrived at the house of Mary, the mother of John, he had to knock multiple times before they believed it was truly him to let him in! On and on the stories continue, as Peter preached to countless regions and races, converting hearts for the Lord. We don’t know precisely the events towards the end of his life and details such as whether he ever physically resided in Rome, but testimony of Peter’s martyrdom is widespread. Following the Great Fire of Rome in A.D. 64, the emperor Nero wished to place the blame on Christians for the fire that had destroyed their city. Three months after the fire, on the “dies imperii” of Nero assuming power (the ten-year anniversary of him ascending the throne), Church tradition tells of Peter being sentenced to death by crucifixion at Vatican Hill. Peter had initially been encouraged to flee the city by his followers, in order to escape persecution, but stories tell of Peter coming across Christ, heading the other way as he fled the city. Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “I am going to Rome to be crucified again.” Realizing he is about to make the same mistake he made when denying Jesus three times, Peter turned around to return to Rome and accept his martyrdom. The death of Peter had been foretold by Jesus during that fateful breakfast next to the Sea of Galilee: “when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” However, Peter felt he was unworthy to die in the exact same manner that Jesus had, so he made one final request: to be crucified upside down. Most historians believe he died between the ages of 62 and 67. Most recounts of Saint Peter’s life tell of him having been buried in Rome near Vatican Hill. It was at his burial site that in the early 4th century, Emperor Constantine I built a large basilica in honor of Peter. The exact location of Peter’s body and relics were largely a mystery until 1950, when human bones were discovered beneath the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica. Believing these to belong to Saint Peter, an excavation began in 1953 that unearthed St. Peter’s tomb in Jerusalem (bearing the name Simon) as well as the tombs of other apostles. More excavations were conducted in the 1960s, which eventually led to Pope Paul VI in 1968 announcing that the relics they had discovered belonged to the Apostle Peter. Finally, on November 24, 2013, Pope Francis revealed the relics of nine bone fragments for the first time to the public during a Mass celebrated in the very square that bore Peter’s name. Jesus did not coddle the twelve Apostles. He loved them and cared for them deeply, but He was unafraid to correct the course of their words and actions. Fully God and fully man, He purposely selected fallible, fragile humans to be His closest followers. Saint Peter, an inquisitive, brash, hopeful follower of Christ, was the perfect leader of this group and provided the foundation for the Church we still love and cling to today. As the waves of our life rise, and the winds blow all around us, may we keep our eyes on Jesus as Peter did, and walk towards him with trust and faith. Next Item Previous Item