March Feasts and Celebrations
The Pope’s prayer intention for March is for broken families; that might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences.
MARCH 3
ST. KATHARINE DREXEL, VIRGIN
At the age of 30, Saint Katharine Drexel decided that God had work for her to do, and so, she founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Saint Katharine established a system of missions and schools for educating Native Americans and African Americans, most notably, Xavier University of New Orleans. She lived to age 96 and was canonized in 2000.
MARCH 4
SAINT CASIMIR
Saint Casimir was born a prince of Poland. He had no desire to become king, rather, he preferred helping the poor and imprisoned. Saint Casimir never failed to remind his father of injustices. He lived simply, devoting hours to prayer and study, and lived a life of celibacy. He died of tuberculosis in 1483 at age 23. He is the patron saint of Poland, Russia, and Lithuania.
MARCH 5
ASH WEDNESDAY
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving leading up to Easter. It is a solemn day of reflection and repentance, where Catholics receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross as a sign of humility and a reminder of human mortality (“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”). The ashes also symbolize the call to turn away from sin and embrace the Gospel.
MARCH 7
SAINTS PERPETUA AND FELICITY, MARTYRS
Two young members of the early Church, Saints Perpetua and Felicity were threatened with death if they didn’t renounce their Christian faith.
Saint Perpetua chronicled the persecution of the Christians by Emperor Sepimius Severus. She was imprisoned at 22 years old.
Saint Felicity, a slavewoman along with three companions, Revocatus, Secundulud, and Saturninus, refused to reject their faith.
As a result, they were all sent to the public games amphitheater where Saints Perpetua and Felicity were beheaded, while the others were killed by beasts.
MARCH 8
SAINT JOHN OF GOD, RELIGIOUS
It wasn’t until age 40 that Saint John realized the true extent of his sinfulness. Moved by a sermon from Saint John of Avila, Saint John of God engaged in a public beating of himself as he begged for mercy for all of his wrongdoings. He was committed to a mental hospital where Saint John of Avila advised him to tend to the needs of others rather than inflict pain on himself. As a result, Saint John of God cared for the poor. His qualities attracted helpers. Twenty years after his death, they formed the Brothers Hospitallers, which is now a worldwide religious order.
Saint John of God is the patron saint of booksellers, firefighters, heart patients, hospitals, nurses, printers, and the sick.
MARCH 17
ST. PATRICK, BISHOP
Saint Patrick was a humble, self-educated man who against great odds, achieved extraordinary things. As a teenager, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He turned to God and underwent a conversion. After escaping, Saint Patrick was convinced that he was called by God to go back to Ireland and walk among those who enslaved him. Returning as a priest, he was eager to spread the gospel. He was a missionary and preacher. St. Patrick died around 493. He is the patron saint of engineers, Ireland, and Nigeria.
MARCH 18
SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, BISHOP
Saint Cyril was the bishop of Jerusalem in the mid 4th Century during the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. A conflict arose between him and one of the bishops that had consecrated him. As a result, Saint Cyril was condemned and driven from Jerusalem. He spent half of his 35 years in exile. Jerusalem became a city torn with strife.
Saint Cyril embraced the term “consubstantial,” meaning that Christ shares the same substance or nature as the Father. While some viewed this as an act of repentance, the bishops at the Council praised him as a staunch defender of orthodoxy against the Arians.
MARCH 19
SOLEMNITY OF SAINT JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Scripture tells us Saint Joseph was a righteous and just man. He was the husband of Mary, foster father of Jesus, and carpenter by trade. He was holy and totally open to all that God wanted to do for him. He is the patron of fathers, workers, the universal church, and a happy death because Mary and Jesus were thought to have been present when Saint Joseph died.
MARCH 25
SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
Today we celebrate the conception of Jesus and Mary accepting Angel Gabriel’s prophecy that she would bear a child who would be called the Son of the Most High. Mary submitted to God’s will. She is God’s instrument in the incarnation. Mary is the link between heaven and earth. She is the human being, who best exemplifies what every member of the Church is meant to become.
