This summer we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of American freedom. In one of the darker hours of our history, President Abraham Lincoln spoke of a need, “that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom.”
During the bicentennial of the constitution, when St. Pope John Paul II visited America in 1979, the Holy Father mentioned to president Ronald Reagan that, “A new birth of freedom is repeatedly necessary: freedom to exercise responsibility and generosity, freedom to meet the challenge of serving humanity, the freedom necessary to fulfill human destiny, the freedom to live by truth, to defend it against whatever distorts and manipulates it, the freedom to observe God’s law–which is the supreme standard of all human liberty – the freedom to live as children of God, secure and happy…”
Desiring to promote this new birth of freedom, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion is hosting a special Catholic Saints of America novena and exhibit dedicated to praying for the United States. The novena, written by the Shrine Rector Fr. Tony Stephens, CPM, will start July 1, and anyone can join the novena.
The exhibit July 1-9 will honor over 70 holy men and women of America, featuring Servants of God, Venerables, Blesseds, and of course Saints who have shaped the witness of the Catholic faith in America! Let us consider briefly an example from each category starting with the first step in the canonization process.
Servant of God, Adele Brice
Recently proclaimed a Servant of God, Adele Brice (1831-1896) immigrated from Belgium with her parents to Wisconsin. In 1859 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Adele three times while she was walking through the woods. Having identified herself as the queen of heaven, Mary instructed Adele to, “Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.”
Though Adele had no formal education herself, she sought to carry out the mission entrusted to her and would sometimes travel as far as 50 miles away on foot to prepare local children for the Sacraments and would eventually establish a schoolhouse that still stands today at the site where the Blessed Mother appeared.
Mary told Adele, “to go and fear nothing I will be with you,” and we too can be confident in Mary’s intercession for God’s plan for holiness in our own lives.
Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
While he will soon be beatified, Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979) holds a special place in the heart of the writer as we both are natives of the Diocese of Peoria, Il. And to speak of writers, Archbishop Sheen thanked his writers, “Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,” after winning an Emmy Award for his catechetical television program Life is Worth Living!
This program brought Jesus into many American homes, yet despite his celebrity status, Archbishop Sheen was also humble. He once recalled how when visiting a leper colony in Africa, while he was handing out crucifixes to those afflicted by disease, he dropped- instead of placing- the crucifix into the hand of the first leper he met.
As Sheen recalls, “All of a sudden there were five hundred and one lepers in that camp, and I was the five hundred and first, for I’d taken this symbol of divine love and refused to be identified with a man who was a thousand times better on the inside than I was.” What a holy example for those of us who can be quick to think ourselves better than others.
Blessed Stanley Rother
Next we have Blessed Stanley Rother (1935-1981), a priest from the archdiocese of Oklahoma City. After five years as an associate pastor, Fr. Rother received permission to serve in a mission in Guatemala and learned to celebrate Mass in the local tribal language. There he served amongst extremely poor farmers until a civil war broke out in the country.
After his name appeared on a death list, he was recalled home to Oklahoma due to concern for his safety. Yet, shortly afterwards Fr. Rother decided to return to his flock stating that, “the shepherd cannot run.” Upon returning he was attacked and killed in his rectory in the middle of the night and in December of 2016 was officially recognized as a martyr by Pope Francis.
His willingness to lay down his life for those of a different nationality brings to mind the universal love to which Christians are called as expressed in Galatians 3.28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek…for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Saint Marianne Cope
Finally, there is Saint Marianne Cope (1838-1918) who entered the Sisters of Saint Francis in Syracuse, NY in November 1862. She answered a call to establish hospital care in Hawaii for those who suffered from leprosy (Hansen’s disease). She cared for and tended St. Damian DeVeuster who had contracted the disease after ministering to the exiles of Molokai and herself freely embraced exile to continue the ministry the saintly priest had begun.
Holiness is contagious, more than even the most feared of diseases. As stated by the Second Vatican Council in Lumen Gentium, “Strengthened by so many and such great means of salvation, all the faithful, whatever their condition or state-though each in his own way-are called by the Lord to that perfection of sanctity by which the Father himself is perfect.”
Brothers and sisters, may the example of the saints inspire each of us to live God’s call to be a saint.
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Photo by Fr. Daniel Ciucci on Unsplash
