St. Paul of the Cross, Confessor.

New Zealand Tablet, Issue 17, 25 April 1907, Page 3

St. Paul of the Cross, Confessor.

\ St. Paul was bora near Genoa, in Italy. From childhood he showed a special devotion to the Passion -of Christ. He founded the Congregation of the Passion, the members of which, besides the usual three vows, make a fourth, that they will -do their utmpsfc to keep alive in the hearts of the faithful the memory of Our Lard's Passion. St. Paul died in Rome in 1775. St. Peter, Martyr. •'-. St. Peter was born at Verona, in "Italy. At the age of fifteen he was received into the Dominiqan. Order by the great St. DomiiAc. To a profound humility he joined exceptional talents. He was 'very successful ~ as a preacher, and in particular brought about the conversion of many Maniohaean heretics, a sect wfolch was still very numerous in the neighborhood of Milan. He met his death at the hands of . some sectarians, who, remaining obstinate in their heresy, were enraged at his successful efforts to propagate the genuine teach- . ing- of Christ, A,D. 1252. . St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin: Siena, in Italy, has the honor of having been the birthplace of this great saint. From her earliest years St. Catherine cultivated a spirit of perfect union with God, and even when .engaged in 'the most dist r acting och " pupations succeeded in keeping herself no less sensibleof His presence than if she" had no exterior employment. She was indefatigable in her efforts to bring souls to God, and her words and example, and even ' the very sight of her emaciated but saintly countenance, were the cause of many conversions. She seemed to have a special grace for effecting the reconciliation of enemies. Her powerful' influence in tUis'direc- ■ tion was exercised, not only in the case of private individuals 'but also in reconciling States that were <at variance, and in obtaining the submission and pardon of rebellious cities which had incurred the censures of " the Holy See. But the most important service she rendered to the Church was the restoration of the Sovereign Piontifi to his episcopal city, after a residence of nearly seventy years at" . Avignon, in France, an . end being thus put to the innumerable evils resulting to the Church from the prolonged absence of the Vicar of Christ from Rome. St. Catherine died in 1380, at the age of 47, and was ,buried in- Rome, in the Church' of the Min<erva, where her remains are still preserved.