Lives of Saints

JANUARY 2, BASIL THE GREAT AND GREGORY NAZIANZEN, BISHOPS AND DOCTORS

Basil was born of a Christian family at Caesarea in Cappadocia in 330. Conspicuous for his learning and virtue, for a time he led the life of a hermit but in 370 was made bishop of Caesarea. He fought against the Arians and wrote many admirable works, especially his monastic rule which many Eastern monks still follow. Saint Basil died on January 1, 379.

Gregory Nazianzen was also born in 330. Traveling as a youth in the pursuit of learning, he first joined his friend Basil as a hermit and was later ordained priest and bishop. In the year 381 he was elected bishop of Constantinople; however, because of factions dividing the Church, he returned to Nazianzen where he died on January 25, 389 or 390. He was called theologus because of his outstanding teaching and eloquence.

JANUARY 4, ELIZABETH ANN SETON

Elizabeth Seton was born on August 28, 1774, of a wealthy and distinguished Episcopalian family. She was baptized in the Episcopal faith and was a faithful adherent of the Episcopal Church until her conversion to Catholicism. In 1794, Elizabeth married William Seton and they reared five children amid suffering and sickness. Elizabeth and her sick husband traveled to Leghorn, Italy, and there William died. While in Italy Elizabeth became acquainted with Catholicism and in 1805 she made her profession of faith in the Catholic Church. She established her first Catholic school in Baltimore in 1808; in 1809, she established a religious community in Emmitsburg, Maryland. After seeing the expansion of he small community of teaching sisters to New York and as far as St. Louis, she died on January 4, 1821, and was declared a saint by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975.

JANUARY 5, BLESSED JOHN NEUMANN, BISHOP

John Neumann was born in Bohemia on March 20, 1811. Since he had a great desire to dedicate himself to the American missions, he came to the United States as a cleric and was ordained in New York in 1836 by Bishop Dubois. In 1840, he entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists). He labored in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland. In 1852, he was consecrated bishop of Philadelphia. There he worked hard for the establishment of parish schools and of the erection of many parishes for the numerous immigrants. Bishop Neumann died on January 5, 1860; he was beatified in 1963.

JANUARY 7, RAYMOND OF PENYAFORT, PRIEST

Raymond of Penyafort was born near Barcelona around 1175. He became a canon of the diocese of Barcelona and afterward joined the Order of Preachers. At the command of Pope Gregory IX, he produced a collection of canon law. He was elected general of his order and directed it wisely. The Summa casuum, which treats of the correct and fruitful administration of the sacrament of penance, is the most notable of his works. He died in 1275.

(From Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours)