With the dark complexion and distinct features he inherited from his mother, a freed slave of African or Native American descent, St. Martin de Porres’s mere existence was upsetting to his father, a wealthy Spanish gentleman.

Not only did Martin’s father abandon Martin and his mother to poverty, he refused to even acknowledge his son’s existence. Left with the physical suffering inflicted by his poverty, St. Martin was also left with deep psychological suffering from the abandonment and neglect of his father.

Yet, despite these unimaginable pains, St. Martin did not grow bitter.

Rather, he became a young man of great compassion, caring deeply for those suffering poverty alongside him.

Although initially apprenticed as a barber and medical practitioner (yes, in Peru in the 16th century, these trades were often practiced together!), St. Martin’s love for his Faith and profound compassion for others led him to enter a life of service. Following God’s call, Martin applied to the Dominicans to be a “lay helper,” not feeling himself worthy to be a religious brother.

The wounds of his abandonment and neglect still shaped Martin, convincing him that he would always be lesser…unworthy.

But the Dominican brothers he worked with not only recognized St. Martin’s inherent dignity, they recognized his deep and abiding holiness. After nine years, the example of his prayer, penance, charity, and humility led the community to request him to make a full religious profession.

St. Martin was instrumental in founding an orphanage, took care of slaves brought from Africa, and managed the daily alms of the priory with practicality as well as generosity. He would regularly experience ecstasies that lifted him into the air and light would often fill the room where he prayed. He also possessed the gifts of bi-location, miraculous knowledge, and instantaneous cures.

St. Martin de Porres put his whole life in God’s hands. Beginning with the difficult circumstances of his birth and childhood, he humbly surrendered everything to the will of God. Today on his feast day, let us be inspired by St. Martin and follow his example of radical surrender. The Surrender Novena Chaplet is a powerful way to practice trust in Our Lord. The novena encourages us to surrender ourselves to Him, so that He can “take care of everything.” Bring home your Surrender Novena Chaplet from The Catholic Company today!

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While we can and do use the word “saint” to refer to canonized saints, the definition of a saint is actually anyone who is in Heaven, both canonized and uncanonized.

Today is a celebration of all the denizens of Heaven, including Our Lady, the angels, the canonized saints, and all those other holy men and women who have made it into their company, known and unknown. Many holy men and women have lived and died without anyone knowing they were saints, and others needed purification in Purgatory before entering Heaven. But all who become citizens of Heaven are now sanctified—they are “saints.”

Today is a celebration of the Church Triumphant.

What do we mean by that?

The Church has three states, that is, three categories into which its members fall: The Church Militant, the Church Suffering, and the Church Triumphant.

The Church Militant is us—the members of the Church who are still running the race, fighting for our souls, and working out our salvation here on earth.

The Church Suffering refers to the souls in Purgatory, who will indeed go to Heaven but must undergo purification before they can enter into the Beatific Vision.

The Church Triumphant encompasses all the saints (canonized and uncanonized) and angels in Heaven, united to God forever.

Together, all three groups constitute the Communion of Saints. Through this communion, we can exchange spiritual goods with those in other states: we can pray for each other and for the souls in Purgatory. We can pray to the saints and the saints can pray for us.

Of course, we members of the Church Militant can’t rest on saintly laurels. We aren’t saints yet, and the devil will strive till the moment of our deaths—and especially at that critical moment—to turn us away from God and drag us down to Hell.

Enlist the help of the saints so you can join them in Heaven one day with this beautiful Glory Saints & Angels Bracelet! Featuring thirteen medals depicting a variety of saints, this bracelet is a faithful reminder of the glory awaiting us in heaven and the power of the communion of saints! Get yours today at The Catholic Company!

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The old pirate captain responds: “You’d best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner—you’re in one!”

The truth is, there are such things as ghosts—but not (as Miss Turner would be pleased to discover) the outlandish sort portrayed in that fantasy film. The culturally-popular idea of ghosts draped in white sheets or lurking about in half-decayed forms are just that: a popular (not accurate) concept.

Properly defined, “ghosts” are the disembodied spirits of dead humans, and yes, these do on rare occasions appear to living humans.

These spirits can be souls in Purgatory—coming to ask for prayers—or the souls of the damned, whom God has permitted to appear to the living as a warning of the results of a sinful life. St. Thomas Aquinas mentions this in his writings.

A realistic portrayal of a real-world ghost might be the ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge’s deceased business partner in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, who comes to warn the miserly Scrooge of the consequences of greed.

Now, this doesn’t mean that every report of ghostly activity is genuine. Most can be attributed to natural causes, wild imaginations, or, unfortunately, demonic activity.

Yes, some things that are often called “ghosts” inhabiting places that people call “haunted” are not really ghosts, but demons. A demon can even falsely present itself as the “ghost” of a departed person.

Regarding the few true ghosts, remember why many of them appear: to ask for prayers. This time of Allhallowtide—All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day—is a special time for remembering the faithful departed and remembering that you will join them one day. The Afterlife: Purgatory and Heaven Explained offers the assurance you need to resolutely face the final things: death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell. Read these pages, and you’ll embark on the ultimate journey of discovery into what happens to the soul after death. Available today at The Catholic Company.

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But we’ve also heard the term “friar.”

Is a monk the same as a friar? Can we call a Franciscan a “monk,” or a Cistercian a “friar”? Was St. Francis of Assisi a monk, for example?

The answer to all of the above is: no!

The answer is rooted in the categorization of the Church’s religious orders (both male and female) into two main groups: active and contemplative.

Both types of orders follow a religious “rule”; both take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience; both wear habits; both live in community.

For the male orders, priests can be found in their ranks, taking their orders from their superior rather than the bishop of the diocese, as diocesan priests do.

However, as part of their service to God, active orders go out into the world and perform a particular work, be it teaching, preaching, running hospitals, serving the poor, or some other labor or combination of labors. The members of these orders can also be moved about from place to place as their superior assigns them and as the needs of the order dictate.

Dominicans, for example, are a teaching order and can often be found running schools and universities. The men in such active orders are known as “friars.”

Friars

The main work of contemplative orders, on the other hand, is a hidden life of prayer and penance. They are attached to a particular monastery and generally remain there throughout their lives, following a regulated schedule of prayer and work—ora et labora, as the Benedictines would say.

Speaking of Benedictines, they actually take an additional vow of stability, which illustrates the importance of this reality to the contemplative life. The men in these orders are known as “monks.”

Monks

Sometimes a contemplative community is “cloistered,” that is, enclosed, and the members have very limited contact with the outside world. You can often attend Mass or prayers at these communities, but the members will be separated by a “grill.” An awe-inspiring example of an enclosed community is the Carthusian Order, founded by St. Bruno in France in the 11th century.

Although the main mission of these contemplative orders is prayer, you might ask what the labora part of their life includes, if they don’t go out into the world as active orders do. Well, it varies. In addition to maintaining the monastery buildings and grounds, the work of these orders can include projects such as publishing books, recording sacred music, crafting sacramentals, hosting pilgrims and travelers, and of course, brewing some of the world’s finest ales and liqueurs.

Although our lives as lay people differ from those of both monks and friars, we are called to unite with them in prayer. A wonderful way to do this is to join them—in our own small way!—in praying the Liturgy of the Hours. Adapted to fit the schedule of laypeople, Shorter Christian Prayer is an abbreviated version of the Hours including Morning and Evening Prayer. Available today at The Catholic Company!

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While we don’t know much else for sure about him, various traditions say that he preached the Gospel in Edessa, Armenia, Mesopotamia, Libya, and Persia, where he suffered martyrdom with St. Simon the Zealot. He shares his feast today with St. Simon, and both are buried in St. Peter’s Basilica.

St. Jude wrote an epistle that is included in the New Testament. A fun fact about this epistle is that it is the only time in the New Testament outside the Book of Revelation in which St. Michael the Archangel is mentioned.

St. Jude Thaddeus (Yair Haklai/CC BY-SA 4.0)

This epistle is one of the traditional sources for our devotion to St. Jude as the patron saint of hopeless cases. In this letter, he denounces the heretics and false teachers that have tried to corrupt the faith of the Christians he addresses. He encourages these Christians to stay strong, to “build yourselves up on your most holy faith,” and to wait for the mercy of Christ.

Interestingly, he also urges them to save those in spiritual danger, “snatching them out of the fire.” How many of us have prayed to St. Jude for a wayward loved one?

Another traditional origin for invoking St. Jude in hopeless cases is that his name is so close to that of Judas Iscariot that early Christians were afraid to invoke it. Indeed, you’d have to be desperate to do so.

Then, there is the testimony of Our Lord Himself. He revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden that He desired to foster devotion to St. Jude, saying:

“In accordance with his surname, ‘Thaddeus,’ the amiable, loving, he will show himself most willing to give help.”

St. Jude is now immensely popular in the Church for those in overwhelming predicaments. This beautiful St. Jude Chaplet will aid you in prayer while seeking the intercession of this amazing saint! Available right here at The Catholic Company.

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So why do Catholics use it so often?

We derive our use of incense from Scripture. Psalm 141:2 reads, “Let my prayer be incense before you; my uplifted hands an evening offering.” Also, in Revelation, John describes incense as a symbol of the prayers of the saints in heaven.

Incense has long been a part of Judeo-Christian worship. In the Old Testament, incense was used for worship, and Catholics used incense even in the early Church.

We use incense in the Mass and at Adoration to symbolize our prayers rising to heaven, and how the grace of the Mass purifies and sanctifies us. Also, when the burning incense rises into the air, representing our prayers going to heaven, we’re reminded of the spiritual connection as earth and heaven meet in the sacrifice of the Mass.

Incense is required for Benediction and may be used at certain points in the Mass, including during the entrance procession, at the proclamation of the Gospel, at the offertory, and at the consecration. Priests may also burn incense at funerals around the coffin to represent our prayers to heaven for the deceased person, and also to commemorate that this person’s body was holy as a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Incense powerfully represents what really happens at the Mass, Adoration, and Benediction. The next time you see incense in Church, think about how in this moment, your prayers are rising to God and He is descending to earth to make His presence real before you in the Eucharist.

Although we don’t often use incense at homes, a beautiful candle can serve as a similar reminder of Our Lord’s presence. At The Catholic Company, we have a large selection of candles inspired by our faith. One of our personal favorites is this Fiat Scented Candle! Along with it’s lovely mandarin vanilla bourbon smell, this candle displays the beautiful words of Our Lady from the Gospel of Luke: “May it be done unto me according to your word.” Remind yourself to say yes to Our Lord daily with this stunning candle! Available today at The Catholic Company!

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Galileo was criticized by many people when he began to publicize his research on heliocentrism, which explains how the earth revolves around the sun.

In his book Why We’re Catholic: Our Questions for Faith, Hope, and Love, Catholic Answers apologist Trent Horn describes what really happened. Citing the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Trent Horn shows that, at this point in history, the Church did not have an official position for or against heliocentrism.

Moreover, our Good Catholic Series We Believe explains how heliocentrism was first introduced by Nicholas Copernicus, a Polish scientist who may have been a priest. The Copernican model was not banned or forbidden by the Church. It had even been suggested a century prior by Nicolas of Cusa, a Catholic cardinal. Many Jesuit scholars promoted Copernicus’s ideas and sought to understand them better.

Nonetheless, when Galileo championed heliocentrism, this theory was still an unproven hypothesis at this point in history. There is no doubt that Galileo’s work has contributed greatly to the fields of astronomy and physics, but his insistence on promoting the yet-unproven heliocentric model as a fact (when it had not yet been “proven”) led to his conflict with the Church.

Despite popular theory, Galileo was never tortured. However, since he belligerently refused to admit that his theory was still an unproven hypothesis and made trouble about it for everyone else, he was rebuked and placed under house arrest. Other scientists, who didn’t insist on an unproven hypothesis, were free to write on the very same theory!

Historian Christopher Zehnder explains Galileo’s punishment and its significance:

Galileo’s “imprisonment” in the palace of the Holy Office lasted three days [after the trial]…he was then moved to a rich villa and from there to comfortable quarters belonging to a friend in Siena. Finally, in December 1633, he was allowed to return to his own villa near Florence. There he spent the remaining years of his life, receiving visitors, studying, teaching, and writing books.

The Catholic Church, who has always been the advocate and promoter of good science, teaches that the scientific method helps us better understand the world God created and advance our knowledge of the physical earth. But the Church is very careful about promoting theories that have not been “proven.” If She weren’t so cautious, the Church might have ended up promoting theories that were later disproven by scientific advancements.

Learn more about Galileo’s trial and why moderns invented a myth around it to make science appear incompatible with the Catholic faith in Diane Moczar’s book, Seven Lies About Catholic History! In this popular work, Diane Moczar tackles the most infamous and prevalent historical myths about the Church — popular legends that you encounter everywhere from textbooks to T.V. — and reveals the real truth about them. Available today at The Catholic Company!

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Coffee’s Patron Saint
Tradition says that St. Drogo, patron saint of coffee, remained at prayer when the church beside his cell burned down, leaving him unharmed. Perhaps this explains his patronage. You could say that he was tempered by fire, but better because of it—just like roasted coffee beans!

The Pope’s Drink
When coffee first came to Europe, it was greatly distrusted and called “the devil’s drink.” It was a dark, bitter brew that had strange energizing effects upon those who drank it. But legend tells us that Pope Clement VIII tasted coffee and blessed the beans, declaring, “This Satan’s drink is so delicious that it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it.”

The Catholic Exporters
Brazil is home to 123 million Catholics, the largest Catholic community in the world. This fascinating country has also been the largest coffee exporter for over 150 years, producing 30% of the world’s coffee.

Make your morning cup of coffee a moment of prayer and peace with this “Let Us Begin” Black Travel Mug. This travel coffee mug provides your daily dose of inspiration from St. Teresa of Calcutta with the engraved words: “We have only today. Let us begin.” Available today at The Catholic Company!

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So no, angels can’t read our minds.

But the angels—our guardian angels especially—can often tell what we’re thinking based on physical cues such as facial expressions.

It makes sense, if you think about it. A family member or a good friend can often tell what we’re thinking or feeling just by the slump of our shoulders or the very slight smile on our faces.

Our guardian angels saw us grow up. They’ve seen our faces and mannerisms since we were babies. They’ve been at our side 24/7 for all our existence, so they certainly can tell a lot through our subtle external signals (especially considering that their intellects are far superior to ours).

Tobias and the Archangel Raphael by Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo

So does the fact that angels can’t actually mind-read mean that we always have to pray out loud to communicate with them?

No. We can, without the aid of articulated words, communicate any thoughts or prayers we desire to share with them. God allows such things through His power.

[Angels] can know specific thoughts that we willfully desire to communicate with them…Therefore, as soon as we make the decision to speak with or to pray to the angels, they will become aware of what we want to communicate to them.
—Fr. Matthew Hincks, ORC, Opus Sanctorum Angelorum

If you think about it, this is rather fun, since it’s so different from how we communicate with other humans. Words are, at best, only estimations of our thoughts. They are always a translation of sorts, never quite reaching the accuracy of the original language. It can even be a source of sorrow and frustration when we can only imperfectly convey our ideas through human language.

But with angels, we can convey our thoughts and prayers just as they are. Instantaneously. Presto. How cool!

And how comforting it is to have a friend with whom we can communicate so easily, who often already knows how we’re feeling…

Keep the archangels close by your side with this Personalized Archangels Saint Box! The archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael are powerful companions along the journey of life, and this unique boxed set will help you take advantage of the amazing graces available through the archangels’ intercession! Get yours today at The Catholic Company!

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This modest appearance, however, conceals a symbolically-rich custom.

The Christmas wafers come from Eastern Europe. The name means “Angel Bread.” Made only of flour and water, they are stamped with Christmas images such as the Star of Bethlehem or the Nativity.

On Christmas Eve, the head of the family prays for the members of his family, present or absent, then breaks a piece off the wafer and gives it to each person. As the family members receive the wafer pieces, they are greeted with a kiss and a felicitation for a joyful feast. They then return the greeting in the same way.

The lesson of this custom is that the family must be united with the bonds of charity. It reminds us that we do not seek salvation alone, but with others, especially our family. We should help each other obtain salvation, always bearing Christ-like charity toward one another. When we are united in charity, we are joined, by the head of the family, to the unbroken links of One Body, One Bread, One Christ, and One Church.

If you have family and friends who live far away or overseas, the Christmas wafer is an excellent way to reach out to them and let them know they are loved and missed and are still an integral part of the family or group. The oplatki wafers are so thin and surprisingly sturdy that they can be carefully mailed in a Christmas card without breaking.

Today, many also purchase oplatki wafers to share among a special group of friends, such as friends from church or the classroom. You can even send several oplatki wafers to your friends and family members so that they can enjoy the tradition with those who are special to them.

Do you want to renew and cultivate the bond of charity you have with your family? Incorporate the Oplatki Christmas Wafers tradition into your own family customs this year. The delicate sets of Angel Bread, colored white and pink, come in an envelope printed with the description of the Oplatki tradition. Order your Angel Bread today at The Catholic Company!

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