Catholic Fire

The saint of the day for May 14th is St. Isidore, the farmer. St. Isidore was born in Madrid, Spain during the latter half of the twelfth century. His parents were pious Catholics, but were very poor. Consequently, Isidore was sent to work for a wealthy landowner, John de Vergas. (whom he remained with for the rest of his life.) He married a holy woman named Maria Torribia who, like Isidore, became a saint. They had one son who died as a child. They believed their son's death to be a sign from God and consequently vowed to live a life of perfect continence. Isidore faithfully attended daily Mass every morning. The neighbors accused him, to his employer, of neglecting his work in order to hear Mass, but Isidore replied, "I know, Sir, that I am your servant, but I have another Master as well, to whom I owe service and obedience." One morning, the employer went to the farm very early. When he found out that Isidore had not started his work until a later hour, he ...

Today is the feast of St. Benedict of Nursia, the twin brother of St. Scholastica and the founder of Western monasticism. Biography: Tradition teaches that St. Benedict lived from 480 to 547, though we cannot be sure that these dates are historically accurate. His biographer, St. Gregory the Great, pope from 590 to 604, does not record the dates of his birth and death, though he refers to a Rule written by Benedict. Scholars debate the dating of the Rule though they seem to agree that it was written in the second third of the sixth century. Saint Gregory wrote about St. Benedict in his Second Book of Dialogues , but his account of the life and miracles of Benedict cannot be regarded as a biography in the modern sense of the term. Gregory's purpose in writing Benedict's life was to edify and to inspire, not to seek out the particulars of his daily life. Gregory sought to show that saints of God, particularly St. Benedict, were still operative in the Christian Church in spite o...