There are many wonderful saints whose Feast Days are celebrated in April. In this blog, we touch on 5 of them. Each of these saints displayed unwavering devotion and dedication to their faith, some ultimately dying for their faith.
St John Baptist de la Salle – 7th
‘De La Salle’ made a significant contribution to education through his writings and methodologies. During his early life, he was immersed in religious and cultural life and had a strong commitment to his faith.
During his time, schooling was prominently only for the wealthy, so he had a focus on making education free for the poor, which resulted in a network of schools to be created across France. Later, he founded a religious order solely dedicated to education, the Brothers of the Christian Schools, rather than the focus being on priestly duties. His style of teaching through simultaneous instruction – one teacher for many students – refined the inspiration of today’s modern education systems.
De La Salle recognised the need for a personal, ongoing relationship with Christ. He found that the children of his time were largely irreligious and lacked a moral framework. Therefore, he established schools in which students were instructed in religious education.
(For more info, view secondary Unit 8 – Part 5 – Page 7 to 9)
St George – 23rd
St George is venerated as one of the 14 Auxiliary Saints. There is little information about St George, particularly his early life, with many of it being primarily based on legend and tradition. According to tradition, he was a Roman army soldier, and rose to the rank of Praetorian Guard, but was later sentenced to death for refusing to deny his faith during persecutions under Emperor Diocletian.
There is however a Christian legend of a dragon causing panic in Libya at the time of St George’s arrival. There were hopes that offering sheep to the dragon would alleviate the situation, however it was not enough, and they began to sacrifice people. The King’s daughter was among those elected to be sacrificed, and no one volunteered to take her place. St George intervened and saved the King’s daughter by slaying the dragon. In gratitude, the King offered treasures to St George, but he refused them and instead insisted that they were given to the poor. Inspired by his actions, the people of the city were baptised and became Christian.
St Mark the Evangelist – 25th
St Mark is one of the four Gospel writers of the New Testament. He was a companion of saints Paul and Peter and is a significant figure of Christian history. He lived a life of missionary work and was persecuted for his faith. He accompanied fellow apostles on their missionary journeys and is believed to be the founder of one of the first Christian communities, the Church of Alexandria.
It is believed that his Gospel was the first to be written and served as a source for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. His Gospel emphasises a call to action for his intended audience and implies an image of Jesus being truly human.
He played a vital role in recording Jesus’ life and spreading Christianity. His writings continue to shape the understanding of Christian theology today.
St Catherine of Siena – 29th
St Catherine was born into a big family, believed to be the 24th child of 25. At a young age, she joined an order of laywomen who lived at home and worked for the poor and the sick. Despite the nature of her time, she learnt to read and gradually was recognised as a very holy woman.
During her time, and only in her 20s, her enthusiasm converted many sinners, and she was approached by nobles, generals and the pope for her advice. She wrote many poems, letters, and theological works which helped restore the papacy to Rome and later established a convent for sisters. She was a very inspiring woman during a time when females had minimal rights, and profoundly shaped the Catholic Church.
(For more info, view secondary Unit 14 Part 6 Page 7 and Unit 21 Part 1 Page 4)
St Pius V – 30th
Saint Pius V was the Pope from 1566-1572. He came from a poor family and at the age of 14 became a Dominican friar. He worked his way from being a Dominican friar, to being ordained as a priest, later becoming a bishop and cardinal, served as a Grand Inquisitor, and then eventually, the Pope.
As Pope, he was a central figure in the Counter Reformation and enforced the reforms of the Council of Trent. He was known for defending the faith, declaring Queen Elizabeth I a heretic and excommunicated her during her reign.
St Pius V lived a simple and austere life, and even chose to wear his Dominican habit rather than his papal garments. He is remembered for his significant contributions to strengthening Catholic discipline and doctrine.
