St. Lawrence Virtue Club Report

Virtue Club Report by Pablo Cortez
Feast Day: August 10
Born: (about) 100 Death:158

St Lawrence was born in about the year 100 and lived until the year 158. He was  about 58 when he was martyred in Rome. His feast Day is August 10.

St. Lawrence was a deacon under Pope Sixtus II along with 6 other deacons. These deacons were responsible for caring for the poor and the needy. At this time in history there was big trouble with people in power who did not like Christians. They decided to murder the Pope. As they took the Pope away to behead him, Lawrence followed while weeping. He cried out to the Pope,

"Father, where are you going without your deacon?"

"I am not leaving you, my son," answered the Pope. "In three days you will follow me."

Lawrence was so happy that he gave the rest of the money he had with him to the poor. Then, so that he would have more money to give to the poor, he also sold expensive Church vessels.

The prefect of Rome who was very greedy man, suspected that the Church had a great treasures hidden away. He wanted it for himself so he ordered Lawrence to bring the Church's treasure to him. St. Lawrence said he would obey and bring the Church’s greatest treasure to the prefect in three days. 

St. Lawrence traveled through the city and brought together all the sick and poor people that the Church took care of. On the third day he presented them to the prefect and he said: "These people are the Church's treasure."

The powerful prefect was furious. He ordered Lawrence to be killed by being burned alive. He specified that he wanted Lawrence to suffer more so he said to burn him slowly. That is just what happened. The executioners burned him slowly over an iron grill while St. Lawrence was tied down.

God gave St. Lawrence so much strength and joy that he even joked and said,  “You should turn me over now. I am done on this side.”  And just before he died, he said, "It's cooked enough now."

Before he died, he prayed that the city of Rome would be converted to Jesus and that the Catholic faith would spread all over the world. After that, he went to receive the glorious martyr's reward --- heaven.

“Lawrence died on August 10,158. His feast spread throughout Italy and northern Africa. Emperor Constantine built a beautiful basilica in Lawrence's honor. St. Lawrence is among the saints mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer at Mass.”*1

_____________________________________________________________________

The virtue of the month is UNDERSTANDING which is one of the seven  Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

A synonym for this virtue is FAITH.

St. Thomas Aquinas defined this virtue like this:

(paraphrased)

With the gift of understanding, we know how we must live to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Just saying we believe in Jesus and we have faith in Him is not enough. Our lives must prove that, too.

A person with understanding is not confused by all the conflicting messages in the secular culture about the right way to live.

This is as true today(2010)as it was in St. Lawrence’s time (100 to 158AD) or St. Thomas’ time (1225 to 1274).
______________________________________________________________

I chose St. Lawrence as an example of the virtue of UNDERSTANDING (FAITH).

St. Lawrence could have run away when they took Pope Sixtus II away. He could have used the money he had to run and hide. He did not. He lived his faith to the moment of death.

He had faith even when he was being burned. He did not pray or yell to God saying, “Why did you do this. I have followed you all these years and this is what you’ve done to me?!” Instead he knew he was going to heaven and that his time on earth was over. He prayed for all of us as he was being tortured. 

SOURCES:

CatholicNotebook.blogspt.com

Holy Spirit Interactive (on-line)

Dictionary.com

FOOTNOTES: *1 Holy Spirit Interactive (on-line)

DEFINITIONS: Prefect: Person in command or chief magistrate in Ancient Rome

Virtue Club Saint Report - St. Thomas Aquinas

Virtue of the Month - Wisdom

Pablo Cortez

October 1, 2010

St Thomas Aquinas - The Dumb Ox (1225-1274)  FEAST DAY: JAN 28 

Thomas was born in his family castle near Naples, Italy. His family was very rich. Thomas was one of nine children and was extremely intelligent but he never bragged about his gifted mind from God. He was so quiet and reserved that sometimes people thought that he was dull. His parents wanted him to become a Benedictine abbot. 

Thomas was educated by the Benedictine monks from 5 years of age to 18. Then he went to the University of Naples to finish his studies. There he met a new group of religious men called the Preachers (or The Dominicans). They lived very simple lives and felt that their calling was to teach. Their founder, St. Dominic, was still living. Thomas knew he wanted to become a priest and he felt called to join the Dominicans. 

His parents were very angry with him! The Dominicans were not prestigious enough for them. He secretly joined the order in 1244.  His brothers actually kidnapped him and kept him a prisoner in one of their castles for over a year! They did everything they could think of to make him change his mind. One of his sisters came to convince him to give up his vocation. But Thomas spoke so beautifully about the joy of serving God that she changed her mind and became a nun. 

 After fifteen months, Thomas was finally allowed to follow his calling. 

When he first became a Dominican some of the men called him “The Dumb Ox”. They were very wrong! He was not dumb in fact, St. Thomas wrote so well about God that people all over the world have used his books for hundreds of years. St. Thomas’ explanations about God and the faith came from his great love for God. His writings touched the hearts of many people because he was not trying to impress anyone. He just wanted with all his heart to offer the gift of his life to Jesus and the Church. 

He died when he was 49.

St. Thomas is one of the greatest Doctors of the Church and is considered the universal patron of universities, colleges, and Catholic schools.

"The end of my labors is come.  All that I have written seems to me so much straw after the things that have been revealed to me."