I am the presenter for  a day of reflection on saints at Thomas Berry Place this Wednesday. Last week the film Cabrini, the story of Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini, was shown at the retreat house, so the day offers a good opportunity to discuss the film. I’m hoping some who come for the day may have seen it.

I’m interested in saints. Wednesday I’m going to reflect on our church calendar of saints for September. We ask saints to intercede for us, but they also are our teachers of faith. St. Peter Claver, the Jesuit who ministered to African slaves in Columbia, South America, in the 17th century, is remembered in all the churches of the United States on September 9. Like Mother Cabrini God called him to face the question of immigration, forced immigration in his case. With Mother Cabrini he faced the challenge of seeing Christ in the stranger.

I will be talking about other saints of September, like St. Gregory the Great, an early pope, St. Helena, who is associated with the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, September 14, Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, who struggled with the issue of forgiveness in the church, St. Matthew, author of a gospel.

The saints are a school of teachers to learn from. 

Our church calendar was revised in 1975 and like the lectionary of scripture readings, it’s the basic catechism we need to study from year to year.

You’re welcome to come Wednesday  to Thomas Berry Place in Jamaica, NY, from 9:30 am to 2pm, if you like. Just sign up at 929 357 6700.

Fr. Victor Hoagland