Saints Joachim and Anna

St. Joachim was of the tribe of Judah, and a descendant of King David. Anna was the daughter of Matthan the priest, of the tribe of Levi as was Aaron the High Priest. Matthan had three daughters: Mary, Zoia and Anna. Mary was married in Bethlehem and bore Salome; Zoia was also married in Bethlehem and bore Elisabeth, the mother of St. John the Forerunner; and Anna was married in Nazareth to Joachim, and in old age gave birth to Mary, the most holy Mother of God. Joachim and Anna had been married for fifty years, and were barren. They lived devoutly and quietly, using only a third of their income for themselves and giving a third to the poor and a third to the Temple, and they were well provided for. Once, when they were already old and were in Jerusalem to offer sacrifice to God, the High Priest, Issachar, upbraided Joachim, "You are not worthy to offer sacrifice with those childless hands." Others who had children jostled Joachim, thrusting him back as unworthy. This caused great grief to the two aged souls, and they went home with very heavy hearts. Then the two of them gave themselves to prayer to God that He would work in them the wonder that He had worked in Abraham and Sarah, and give them a child to comfort their old age. God sent them His angel, who gave them tidings of the birth of "a daughter most blessed, by whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed, and through whom will come the salvation of the world." Anna conceived at once, and in the ninth month gave birth to the holy Virgin Mary. St. Joachim lived for eighty years and Anna for seventy-nine, and they both entered into the kingdom of God.

Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent was born of poor parents in the village of Pouy in Gascony, France, about 1580. He enjoyed his first schooling under the Franciscan Fathers at Acqs. Such had been his progress in four years that a gentleman chose him as subpreceptor to his children, and he was thus enabled to continue his studies without being a burden to his parents. In 1596, he went to the University of Toulouse for theological studies, and there he was ordained priest in 1600.

In 1605, on a voyage by sea from Marseilles to Narbonne, he fell into the hands of African pirates and was carried as a slave to Tunis. His captivity lasted about two years, until Divine Providence enabled him to effect his escape. After a brief visit to Rome he returned to France, where he became preceptor in the family of Emmanuel de Gondy, Count of Goigny, and General of the galleys of France. In 1617, he began to preach missions, and in 1625, he lay the foundations of a congregation which afterward became the Congregation of the Mission or Lazarists, so named on account of the Prioryof St. Lazarus, which the Fathers began to occupy in 1633.

It would be impossible to enumerate all the works of this servant of God. Charity was his predominant virtue. It extended to all classes of persons, from forsaken childhood to old age. The Sisters of Charity also owe the foundation of their congregation to St. Vincent. In the midst of the most distracting occupations his soul was always intimately united with God. Though honored by the great ones of the world, he remained deeply rooted in humility. The Apostle of Charity, the immortal Vincent de Paul, breathed his last in Paris at the age of eighty. His feast day is September 27th. He is the patron of charitable societies.

Saint Elizabeth
Queen Saint of Portugal

1271-1336

Also known as: The Peacemaker; Isabel of Portugal; Isabella of Portugal

Memorial: 4 July; formerly 8 July  

Princess Elizabeth was born in 1271 at Aragon, Spain. She was the daughter of King Pedro III of Aragon and Constantia, great-granddaughter of Emperor Frederick II. When she was twelve, she was given in marriage to Dennis, King of Portugal and thus Queen of Portugal before she was a teenager. Even though her husband was unfaithful, she prayed that he would have a change of heart. Elizabeth became a saintly wife. She heard Mass and recited the Divine Office daily, but her devotions were arranged with such prudence that they interfered with none of her duties of state. Elizabeth gave her King two children, a daughter, Constance, who married Ferdinand IV of Castile, and a son Afonso (later Afonso IV of Portugal).

Like her great-aunt Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, for whom she was named, Saint Elizabeth of Portugal dedicated her life to the poor. Her charitable works were outstanding. She founded institutions for the sick, for travelers, for wayward women, for abandoned infants. She established a convent for nuns and provided dowries for poor brides. This gentle woman was also a peacemaker between members of her own family and between nations. Elizabeth managed to end a long standing feud between her husband and her son and managed to bring about a change in her husband's disposition before his death in 1324.

Her husband Dennis died in 1325. Elizabeth then retired to a convent of Poor Clares, which she had founded at Coimbra. She took the Franciscan Tertiary habit, wishing to devote the rest of her life to the poor and sick in obscurity.

Elizabeth lived eleven more years and died on July 4, 1336. She died at the age of sixty-five, while in the act of making peace between her children. She was buried at Coimbra, Portugal, and after her death, many miracles took place at her tomb.

Elizabeth was canonized: May 25, 1625 by Pope Urban VIII.

Representation: beggar; rose.

Patron Saint: of charitable societies, charitable workers, charities, difficult marriages, falsely accused people, invoked in time of war, peace, queens, tertiaries, victims of adultery, victims of jealousy, victims of unfaithfulness, widows, against jealousy, brides.

Prayer Father of peace and love, you gave Saint Elizabeth the gift of reconciling enemies. By the help of her prayers give us the courage to work for peace among men, that we may be called the sons of God. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.