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When Padre Pio began receiving the stigmata, he attempted to hide it from the world. But his superiors realised what was happening and under obedience, he gave them this testimony.

Padre Pio bore the wounds of Christ’s passion on his body and became famous for his ministry in the confessional, his spiritual direction and his miracles. In 1956 he opened the ‘Home to Relieve Suffering’ near his friary. Despite his popularity, he faced much opposition, even from Church authorities.

Pray this novena prayer each day of a nine-day novena to St Thérèse of Lisieux.

Jesus sees Matthew in the custom-house and says “Follow me”. Matthew responds immediately. He too has sins to be forgiven and he has, we can surmise, sat at his post mulling this over maybe for years. Was he awaiting the divine nudge? Later, a number of tax-gatherers join Jesus, and, presumably, Matthew, at dinner. Was Matthew’s sudden conversion such an attractive idea to them that they simply had to discover more?

The first Korean to be ordained a priest was Andrew Kim Taegon. He was executed a year later, just as thousands of others were in the course of that century. 103 of them were officially declared martyrs for the faith. The Korean martyrs remind us that faith makes us strong and steadfast in love. They were radical in their choice for Jesus, and died cruel deaths as a consequence.

Cardinal Francis-Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận was detained by the communist government in Vietnam for 13 years without trial. Nine of those years were spent in solitary confinement. In this blog, the now Venerable explains how the Eucharist became his only source of strength during his imprisonment.