SAINT CATHARINE OF SWEDEN
Virgin
(1331 + 1381)
The fourth child of St. Bridget and her husband, Ulf Gudmarsson, born 1331 or 1332; died 24 March, 1381. At the time of her death St. Catherine was head of the convent of Wadstena, founded by her mother; hence the name, Catherine Vastanensis, by which she is occasionally called. At the age of seven she was sent to the abbess of the convent of Riseberg to be educated and soon showed, like her mother, a desire for a life of self-mortification and devotion to spiritual things. At the command of her father, when about thirteen or fourteen years, she married a noble of German descent, Eggart von Kürnen. She at once persuaded her husband, who was a very religious man, to join her in a vow of chastity. Both lived in a state of virginity and devoted themselves to the exercise of Christian perfection and active charity. In spite of her deep love for her husband, Catherine accompanied her mother to Rome, where St. Bridget went in 1349. Soon after her arrival in that city Catherine received news of the death of her husband in Sweden. She now lived constantly with her mother, took an active part in St. Bridget's fruitful labours, and zealously imitated her mother's ascetic life. Although the distinguished and beautiful young widow was surrounded by suitors, she steadily refused all offers of marriage. In 1372 St. Catherine and her brother, Birger, accompanied their mother on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land; after their return to Rome St. Catherine was with her mother in the latter's last illness and death.
In 1374, in obedience to St. Bridget's wish, Catherine brought back her mother's body to Sweden for burial at Wadstena, of which foundation she now became the head. It was the motherhouse of the Brigittine Order, also called the Order of St. Saviour. Catherine managed the convent with great skill and made the life there one in harmony with the principles laid down by its founder.
Blessed Maria Karlowska
Religious
(1865-1935)
Maria Karlowska was born in the territories under Prussian occupation in 1865. She worked as a true Samaritan among women suffering great material and moral deprivation.
Her holy zeal quickly attracted a group of disciples of Christ, with whom she founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd of Divine Providence. For herself and her Sisters she set the following goal: "We must proclaim the Heart of Jesus, that is, so to live from him, in him and for him, as to become like him and that in our lives he may be more visible than we ourselves".
Her devotion to the Saviour's Sacred Heart bore fruit in a great love for people. She felt an insatiable hunger for love. A love of this kind, according to Blessed Maria Karlowska, will never say "enough", will never stop midway. Precisely this happened to her, who was as it were transported by the current of love of the Divine Paraclete.
Thanks to this love she restored to many souls the light of Christ and helped them to regain their lost dignity.
aint Oscar Romero (1917 - , Cardinal
Early life
Oscar Romero was born into a large family on August 15, 1917 in El Salvador. Although
they had more money than many of their neighbours, Oscar’s family had neither
electricity nor running water in their small home, and the children slept on the floor.
Oscar’s parents could not afford to send him to school after the age of twelve, so he went
to work as an apprentice carpenter. He quickly showed great skills, but Oscar was
already determined to become a priest. He entered the seminary at the age of fourteen
and was ordained a priest when he was 25 in 1942. Recognising the power of radio to reach
the people, he convinced five radio stations to broadcast his Sunday sermons to peasant farmers
who believed they were unwelcome in the churches.
In 1970, he became Auxiliary Bishop in San Salvador. In 1974 he became Bishop of Santiago de Maria. At this time,
Oscar Romero was described as a conservative, not wanting to break from tradition. He supported the hierarchy who
encouraged conformity. He was uncomfortable with social action that challenged political leaders.
Growing awareness
During his two years as Bishop of Santiago de Maria, Romero was horrified to find that children were dying because
their parents could not pay for simple medicines. He began using the resources of the diocese and his own personal
resources to help the poor, but he knew that simple charity was not enough. He wrote in his diary that people who are
poor should not just receive handouts from the Church or the government but participate in changing their lives for the
future.
In 1977, Romero became Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital city. The situation in El Salvador was becoming worse
and he couldn’t remain silent any longer. The military were killing the Salvadorian people - especially those demanding
justice such as teachers, nuns and priests – including Romero’s good friend, Fr Rutilio Grande.
Thousands of people began to go missing. Romero demanded that the President of El Salvador thoroughly
investigate the killings, but he failed to do so.
Voice of the voiceless
In his actions and words, Oscar demanded a peace that could only be found by ensuring people had access to basic
needs and their rights upheld. He raised awareness globally about the people in his country who had been killed or
"disappeared". When he visited the Vatican in 1979, Oscar Romero presented the Pope with seven detailed reports of
murder, torture, and kidnapping throughout El Salvador.
In 1979, the number of people being killed rose to more than 3000 per month. Oscar Romero had nothing left to offer his
people except faith and hope. He continued to use the radio broadcast of his Sunday sermons to tell people what was
happening throughout the country, to talk about the role of the Church and to offer his listeners hope that they would not
suffer and die in vain.
Martyrdom
On March 23, 1980, after reporting the previous week’s deaths and disappearances, Oscar Romero began to speak
directly to soldiers and policemen: “I beg you, I implore you, I order you... in the name of God, stop the repression!” The
following evening, while saying Mass in the chapel of Divine Providence Hospital, Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot
by a paid assassin.
Only moments before his death, Romero spoke these prophetic words: “Those who surrender to the service of the poor
through love of Christ will live like the grain of wheat that dies… The harvest comes because of the grain that dies.” Like
many great leaders who have fought for truth, Oscar Romero was killed and became a martyr, but his voice could not be
silenced. He is a symbol of hope in a country that has suffered poverty, injustice and violence.