Feast Day: St. Robert Bellarmine

Today is the feast of St. Robert Bellarmine, a Jesuit scholar (when that really meant something!) who was also a spiritual advisor to St. Aloysius Gonzaga (another Jesuit and patron of my alma mater) and counseled St. Francis de Sales. He taught at the Roman College where he was Chair of Theology (and later, Rector) and wrote many great theological works including several catechisms; he became the Provincial for the Jesuit order, and later was named Cardinal.  He fought heresies and doctrinal errors and is the patron saint of catechists (which is cool as dh started his catechism course for the post-confirmation students last night).

I LOVE his quote about charity ... something I need to have tattooed on my arm!

St. Robert Bellarmine, patron saint of catechists, pray for all of us who teach the Faith ... that we may always teach through our actions as well as our words ... and that we may always remember that charity is that with which no man is lost, and without which no man may be saved! 

Feast Day: St. Philip Neri

St. Philip Neri, a businessman-turned-priest, founded the Congregation of the Oratory and was a major reformer (both through his actions and his words) of the late 16th Century priesthood.  [An interesting personal note:  the first time I ever traveled outside the United States, I went by myself to the UK for a two week trip.  When I landed on a Sunday, found my way to my b&b, and set out to explore London -- jet lag wasn't an issue as I was all of 23 years old! -- I found a Catholic Mass at the Brompton Oratory.  At the time I had no idea what the name meant, figuring it was a British way of saying "Catholic Church".  It wasn't until YEARS later (like maybe 5 years ago!) that I found out about St. Philip Neri and his Oratorians -- including St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) and John Henry Cardinal Newman (famous English convert whose cause is up for canonization).

St. Philip Neri, help us to always live in sweetness, patience, humility and charity.