In a Mass today in St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict XVI canonized four new missionary saints, including an American. The four new saints are:
1. Mother Anne-Thérèse (Theodore) Guérin - The Archdiocese of Indiana has a web page concerning Mother Guérin and links to news coverage, including a reference to an EWTN broadcast of today's Mass. Mother Guérin was a Frenchwoman who was sent by her order to the United States, where she started a mother house and schools.
2. Father Filippo Smaldone - An Italian priest who had a mission to deaf mutes.
3. Father Rafael Guizar y Valencia - A Mexican priest who had missions to Mexico, the United States, Cuba and Guatemala, and who became a bishop.
4. Mother Rose Venerini - An Italian woman who founded the Congregation of the Maestre Pie Venerini, which created 40 schools in Italy by the time of her death, works particularly for the education of young women, and also has assisted Italian immigrants to the United States.
The Holy Father's homily is available in English translation at the Vatican website and Papa Ratzinger Forum. An article with quotations is available from Asia News. The Vatican separately provided a translation of the Angelus address immediately following the Mass.
In the homily, the Pope mentioned today's memorial of St. Teresa of Avila ("Teresa of Jesus"). Here is the quotation, adapted from Teresa Benedetta's translation at Papa Ratzinger Forum:
"A saint is that man or woman who, responding with joy and generosity to the call of Christ, leaves everything to follow Him. Like Peter and the other Apostles, like St. Teresa of Jesus (Teresa of Avila) whom we remember today, and numberless other friends of God, the new saints went through this exigent but satisfying evangelical itinerary, and received back - along with the trials and persecutions of their earthly life - 'a hundredfold', as well as eternal life. "
Comments