(312) St. Louis IX King of France (1214-1270): Faithful to God; Faithful to the People of France; a Leader of Medieval Christendom

 AMDG

                          A painting of King St. Louix IX By Emile Signol

      Many kings in history used the throne as a means of personal power, enrichment, glory, and pleasure.  St. Louis IX saw the throne as an opportunity to serve not himself, but to serve God and His people.  He was not an ordinary king, but a holy king and a saint.  With the help of God he would not let power corrupt him as it often does.  Let’s examine the saintly life of St. Louis IX. 

     His mother had a tremendous influence upon him since childhood.  She is known to have said: ” I love you, my dear son, as much as a mother can love her child; but I would rather see you dead at my feet than that you should ever commit a mortal sin”.   Furthermore, she prepared her son for the mission of being king by having him educated in Latin, the international language of the time, public speaking, writing, military arts, and government.

       Since his father died in 1226 when he was only 12 years old, his mother ruled as regent until the young Louis became of age in 1234.  That same year Louis married  Marguerite of Provence (1221–1295), the daughter of a count.  Being very devout, she was an excellent complement to the King as wife, mother of their children, and queen.  It was an exemplary marriage that bore him 11 children. 

 

                             Ste-Chapelle Church in Paris

      King St. Louis IX was a leader of the uniform Christian culture of medieval western Europe, which we refer to as “Christendom”.   Thus Christendom College, a truly Christ centered Catholic college in Front Royal, Virginia adopted its name and took on the great mission……”To restore all things in Christ”. 

   During his 44 year reign, St. Louis IX exemplified the highest medieval ideals of kingship, gaining for his people an era of peace with neighboring countries and prosperity.  He had a passion for justice with mercy.  A very pious king, he protected the Church.  Although respectful of the pope, he staunchly resisted unreasonable papal demands and protected his clergy.  He believed in the responsibilities to use his reign for the common good, not for personal advantage.  He founded abbeys, convents, hospitals, and almshouses for the poor, even serving meals to the poor in his palace.    He built the famous gothic Ste-Chapelle Church with stunning stained glass windows in Paris to house the Crown of Thorns. It’s a must see for every visitor to Paris.

The seal of King St. Louis IX

       Louis IX introduced legal reforms beyond his time, creating a royal mechanism that allowed petitioners to appeal judgments directly to the monarch, and established a code of ethical conduct for his officials as forbidding them to accept gifts.  He abolished trials by ordeal (physical tests), endeavored to terminate private wars, and incorporated the assumption of innocence into trials until proven guilty.  Louis IX's reign is often marked as an economic and political zenith for medieval France.  He held immense respect throughout Christendom.  His reputation of personal integrity as a fair, impartial, and judicious ruler led to his being solicited to mediate disputes beyond his own kingdom.  He reformed the administrative institutions of his own kingdom and had government abuses investigated.

         During the time of St. Louis, the kingdom of France was at its height in Europe, both politically and economically. He commanded the largest army and ruled the largest and wealthiest kingdom, the European center of arts and intellectual thought at the time. The foundations for the notable college of theology, later known as the Sorbonne and the University of Paris with such great minds as St. Thomas Aquinas in about the year 1257.

       King Louis IX enjoyed unparalleled prestige throughout Christendom and was respected even by his opponents as he was considered to be the 'Most Christian King' (rex Christianissimus).  This title adopted by the French kings was later confirmed by the Pope, while further papal concessions cemented France as the "eldest daughter of the Church"  A base relief of St. Louis IX adorns the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives.   

    The 13^th Century was a difficult time for Christianity.  The Holy Land was desecrated and occupied by radical Islam.  Christendom had to respond and it did with the Crusades.  King St. Louis IX did not stay back in the comfort of his palace and send troops.  Honoring a vow he had made while praying for recovery during a serious illness, he went to the Holy Land with his army.  He led two crusades, engaged in combat and risked his life.  He was even captured and held for ransom.  He returned to battle and finally died during the Eighth Crusade on August 25 (feast day), 1270.

        Interesting is a letter that St. Louis IX wrote to his son:  "My dear son, in the first place I teach you that you must love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your strength; unless you do so you cannot be saved. You must guard yourself from everything that you know is displeasing to God, that is to say, from all mortal sin. You must be ready to undergo every kind of martyrdom rather than commit one mortal sin.

     If God sends you tribulation, you ought to endure it, giving thanks, realizing that it is for your good, and that, perhaps, you have deserved it. If however, the Lord confers some benefit on you, you must humbly thank Him, and be on your guard not to become the worse for it, either through vainglory or in any other way. You must not offend God with the very gifts he has given you.

       Assist at the Divine Office of the Church with joyful devotion; while you are present in church do not let your gaze wander, do not chat about trifles, but pray to the Lord attentively, either with your lips, or meditating in your heart.

     Be compassionate towards the poor, the destitute and the afflicted; and, as far as it lies in your power, help and console them.  Give thanks to God for all the gifts he has bestowed upon you, so that you will become worthy of still greater gifts. Towards your subjects, act with such justice that you may steer a middle course, swerving neither to the right nor to the left, but lean more to the side of the poor man than of the rich until such time as you are certain about the truth.  Do your utmost to ensure peace and justice for all your subjects but especially for clergy and religious.

      Devotedly obey our mother, the Roman Church, and revere the Supreme Pontiff as your spiritual father.  Endeavour to banish all sin, especially blasphemy and heresy, from your kingdom.

   Finally, my dear son, I impart to you every blessing that a loving father can bestow on his son; may the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and all the saints, guard you from all evil.  May the Lord grant you the grace to do His will so that He may be served and honored by you, and that, together, after this life we may come to see him, love him and praise him forever. Amen.”

(311) St. John Vianney (1786-1859): Barely Made It Through the Seminary; But One of the Greatest Confessors of All Time

AMDG

       In 2019 the Knights of Columbus sponsored a national pilgrimage tour of the relics (left behind remains) of St. John Vianney, including his incorrupt heart (a first class relic), to promote his life and to honor the pivotal importance of the parish priest.  The founder of the Knights of Columbus, Blessed Michael McGibney, was a parish priest and most council chaplains are parish priests.  

       They conducted this promotion by sponsoring a national tour of the relics of St. John Vianney, particularly his incorrupt heart, considered to be the core of the person.  Hopefully, the tour has been a source of graces and personal holiness, inspiring people to defend the faith, to pray for and support our parish priests…..repent, reform, rebuild.  All that is part of the mission of the Knights of Columbus.

        At one church, knights led the rosary and the Litany of the Holy Spirit.  Each hour was dedicated to a different theme: Conversion and Personal Holiness, Sanctification of Bishops and Priests, and Perseverance and Holiness of Seminarians. The hour began with short readings from John Vianney’s writings, except for one “replacement” with St. John Paul II’s Letter on the Curé of Ars to All Priests of the Church.  

       Father Patrice Chocholski, rector of the Shrine of Ars and St. Jean Vianney’s successor as Curé d’Ars, gave reflections each hour on different aspects of the saint’s life and his extraordinary charism concerning the sacrament of Confession.  He quoted St. John Vianney: “The saints don’t all start well, but they finish well.”  In the saint’s case, “he was aware of walking with Jesus all the time,”

      Beautiful is the official statement of the Knights of Columbus: "The heart is a symbol of love, courage and commitment, and serves as the most evident sign of life within a person. In the case of St. Jean Marie Vianney, popularly known as the Curé of Ars, his incorrupt heart is also a sign of great holiness that holds a message of hope for those who approach it today for veneration." —Knights of Columbus

The reliquary containing the incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney

Entrusted to the Knights of Columbus by the Shrine of Ars, France where his incorrupt heart and body are displayed, this relic went on a national six month tour of the USA.  Thousands of pilgrims in long lines venerated him, named the patron saint of parish priests after his canonization in 1925.  Similarly, we honor the physical objects associated with our departed loved ones.  His holiness and integrity are a model for clergy and laity alike.  He faced obstacles with trust in the Lord.  They called the campaign, “The Heart of a Priest”.  Who was St. John Vianney? 

On August 4, we celebrated the feast day of St. John Vianney, who from the world’s perspective was headed to obscurity.  Born into a poor but devout farm family, St. John felt the call to the priesthood at an early age.  After the French Revolution and its violent persecution of Christians, a reign of terror forced priests into hiding in order to minister the sacraments and secretly say Mass.   

 By 1802, the Church in France was reestablished, but in recovery.  St. John entered the seminary, but struggled with the academics, particularly Latin and understanding Theology, but his holiness was recognized.  He barely made it through the seminary and was ordained in 1815.  A post in an affluent parish or university in Paris was out of the question.  

Thus they assigned him to an obscure rural village parish of Ars (population 214), so remote that he got lost trying to find it.  The parish church did not have a priest and was in disrepair while the people had drifted from the faith in religious ignorance and indifference.  He had the mission of starting from scratch in teaching the faith.  He spoke out against profane dancing and withheld absolution to those unwilling to give it up.

      The priest’s gentle manner and wise counsel soon brought souls back to Christ.  His ability to read souls, compassion for sinners, and understanding of human nature was a big help.  His deep devotion to Mary earned him the title of "Mary’s priest".  He sometimes heard confessions for 18 hours a day as people from across Europe came to seek guidance from a man gifted with reading hearts.  

       Even his little time for sleep was marred by demonic harassment.  The winter cold made it very difficult in the unheated church.  “People went not to see Jean Vianney, they went to see Christ and they met Him in the confessional and the altar,” Bishop Olson insisted.  “And [Jean Vianney] worked for them not as himself, but as Christ’s humble steward.”  He is also the patron saint of confessors.  

       By 1855 the number of pilgrims traveling to this obscure church reached 20,000 penitents per year.  St. John Vianney was so much in demand that the Bishop forbade him from taking off to attend the diocesan priestly retreats.  Even priests came to him for guidance. 

       Jean Vianney’s whole being was attuned to the mercy of God, which came like an overflowing stream. He was the first to experience the Divine Mercy which he then brought to countless others who streamed to his confessional in Ars to “experience the love and mercy of God.”

   Miraculous is the incident of a woman devastated by the suicide of her husband.  She desperately sought out St. John Vianney, but the throngs of people prevented that.  In a moment of great insight the great confessor shouted: “He’s in Purgatory; pray for him”.  Apparently, the woman’s husband repented on the way down from the bridge to the water.  During the last moments before death time stops!

      He was a champion of the poor as a Franciscan tertiary (Third Order) and was a recipient of the coveted French Legion of Honour awarded by the government of France.  Humility, self-discipline, fasting, and sacrifice were his life.  Despite honors, he saw himself only as the instrument of God's goodness.

      To commemorate the centenary of John Vianney's death in 1959, Pope John XXIII issued the encyclical letter Sacerdotii nostri primordia.  St. John Paul II visited Ars in 1986 in connection with the bicentenary of Vianney's birth and referred to him as a "rare example of a pastor acutely aware of his responsibilities ... and a sign of courage for those who today experience the grace of being called to the priesthood."  In observance of the 150th anniversary of Vianney's death Pope Benedict XVI declared 2009–2010 a Year of the  Priest, beginning on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, a day traditionally devoted to prayer for the sanctification of priests.  Its purpose was to encourage priests to strive for spiritual perfection.  The Curé d'Ars is "a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ's flock."

     As Joe Bollig explained in his article, "The heart receives special veneration because in Scripture it is considered to be a person's hidden center of emotional, intellectual and moral activity. Saint John Vianney is said to have lived his life according to the heart of Christ and united his heart to Christ's."  By the end of the six month tour, "the relic traveled almost 36,000 miles [58,000 km]—almost one and a half times the circumference of the Earth—and was available for over 1,200 hours of public veneration."

       Clearly, God does not give great intellectual gifts to some, but compensates for that with other gifts to serve Him and His people.  St. John Vianney was no great intellectual, but he had the great gift of being able to read hearts, communicate love, and empathize with the spiritual struggles of people.  Thus St. John Vianney was one of the greatest confessors of all time, a model for all priests and their patron saint.

( 310) DEACON JOHN VICTOR SEBASTIAN (1942-2025): He Taught Us How to live; He Taught Us How to Die

 

AMDG

      Our parents gave the future deacon the middle name of Victor because they could only think of victory after America entered World War II upon the attack of Pearl Harbor three weeks before his birth as the Great Generation greeted the new year of 1942.  The son of Hungarian/Ruthenian immigrants and grandson of Fr. Vladimir Mihalich, a Byzantine Catholic priest, he had achieved the American dream and generously gave back to the Church and the community of his time, talent, and treasure.  

    Still in his prime as a successful investment banker in Chicago, he took early retirement to become a man of the cloth and was ordained a deacon in 2003 after a few years (part-time) of study.  Kathleen gave him the required espousal permission and continued to faithfully be at his side during their 57 years of marriage.  John served as a deacon at his home parish of St. Isaac Jogues Church in Hinsdale, Illinois and for the winter at St. John the Evangelist Church in Naples, Florida where he had a condo. 

        Deacon John took his new vocation seriously.  He normally got up at dawn or before to say the scriptural prayers of the Lectio Divina (i.e. the breviary - read, pray, meditate, contemplate) as customary for religious and Catholic clergy and recommended for laity too.  

       Deacon John and his family spent several weekends in Rio Grande.  Fr. William Myers, of happy memory, was so gracious as to allow him to participate as a server at Mass and give the homily.  We all were thrilled, our mother especially, to hear him give these excellent homilies.

      John served his extended family as well.  When our cousin Eddie died, he was at the funeral in New Jersey; when cousin Emil died he traveled to Rochester, MN to give the family emotional and spiritual support.  He married our daughter Naomi to Dr. John Faro.  He would have baptized their baby if he were able as he did with his 11 grandchildren.

Deacon John conducts the wedding ceremony between his niece Naomi and Dr. John Faro.

Around 2015 Deacon John’s rheumatoid arthritis was in remission and he continued serving in both parishes.  In the last two or three years, however, he became incapacitated with one ailment after another in an out of his local hospital.  While fighting a blood disease that required 25 transfusions, his doctors discovered colon cancer and that meant surgery.  

Since the treatment with chemo destroyed his immune system, a whole series of diseases followed……laryngitis, a severe ear infection that made communication by phone impossible, a bad cough, and more.  Overcoming one sickness, he would be inflicted with another while Kathleen was fighting an ailment of her own.  Deacon John valiantly fought every ailment with a saintly attitude of faith and courage.  Michelle rallied to her father’s side with her mother and John Victor II handled the tax returns.

Deacon John and his lovely wife, Kathleen faithfully at his side in Rome

      During one of our phone conversations, his nurse came in and asked:  “How are you doing?  The deacon’s answer was “Blessed”.  He was grateful to the Lord despite it all and did not complain.  When I said, “John, it’s sort of not fair.  You have all this suffering and your older brother (me) just has a few old age aches and pains.”  His answer astonished me.  “WHY NOT ME?”  Our Dad would often repeat, “Every man has his cross to bear” on his journey to eternity and Deacon John had a heavy one.  Life is only a preparation for eternity.

      Deacon John believed in Redemptive Suffering. That is, every one of us has the opportunity to make his cross a prayer for others.  “I offer up my sufferings to God in reparation for my sins and for my children”. One of Mary’s most important messages at Fatima was to pray for and offer up one’s crosses for the conversion of sinners.  In that way the mystery of suffering becomes meaningful and productive.  Otherwise, it is misery.  He repeated more than once: “Thy will be done”.  As cousin Fr. Thomas Loya noted, “he gave his best homilies from his sick bed”.

Deacon John is at the lectern and Cardinal Francis George is on the right. The venue is Cardinal George's pastoral church in Rome, the Basilica of St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

      He went on a pilgrimage with the great Cardinal Francis George and served at one of his Masses.  Among those who visited him in the hospital were Bishop Conlin, Bishop Hicks, and of course cousin Fr. Loya and pastor Fr. Burke Masters who is also the Catholic Chaplain for the Chicago Cubs.      

        His funeral Mass at St. Isaac Jogues Church was full.  A large group of fellow deacons and Knights of the Holy Sepulcher attended in full regalia.  Deacon John was nominated for this prestigious group by Bishop Conlin in appreciation of his work in straightening out the Diocese of Joliet-IL pension plan for the priests and employees.  

    Relatives came from all over the country……his nephew John Paul's family of four plus one on the way flew in from Irving-TX, his niece Stephanie’s family of four drove from four Front Royal-Virginia, his niece Naomi’s family of three flew in from Durham-NC, and his nephew Joseph flew in from Atlanta-Georgia.  Deacon Greg and his wife came from Cleveland, Tim Loya from Jefferson-OH, and Michael Foley from New York City.   Fr. Thomas Loya, our cousin, concelebrated, was the homilist, led prayers at the wake, and officiated the burial at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.  Deacon Greg assisted and read the Gospel.  His daughter Michelle and son Mark gave eulogies.

Lt. John Sebastian Company Commander in Orleans, France

      Taps were played at the burial site by a group of Army veterans in a touching ceremony that left me (also a veteran) in tears as I saluted.  The flag, which draped the coffin crafted by Trappist Monks, was presented to his wife, Kathleen.  Deacon John certainly deserved the honor.  Although only a lieutenant, he was made commander of an important engineering company in Orleans, France in the midst of the Cold War in the 1960s.  Later in the reserves he was promoted to the rank of Captain.

      Let me close with a bit of humor.  In the Boy Scouts we sang a stupid lyric: “If I get to heaven before you do, I’ll drill a hole and spit on you”.  Well, Deacon John certainly is getting to heaven before me, his older brother.  And I know one thing.  He’s sending down a shower of prayers for his loved ones. 

    We can confide that John has received the ultimate prize......."Well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23).  May we all do as well. 

       May we all imitate his faithfulness to God and the teachings of His Church, especially his dear ones……John & Nicole, Christian, Justin, and soon to be Dr. Allison Peeney PhD; John Victor II & Ann, Kate, Mary, and John Victor Sebastian III; Shawn & Michelle, Isabella, Emilia, and Maria Gleason; Mark & Lauren, Mark II, and Valentino Sebastian.  Nothing would make him happier for you now and later to embrace you in Heaven.  Don't forget; you have a cheerleader up there cheering you on.  

      Your wife, two daughters, two sons, 11 grandchildren, numerous relatives and friends will miss you very much, John.  We can take solace in the thought that we will all be together again in Heaven for a joyful reunion.  Let’s make sure that we all get there by being always faithful to Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church.  Good-bye my brother until we meet again.  We love you.

      Obituary of Deacon John Victor Sebastian

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John Sebastian Obituary

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Sullivan Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Service - Hinsdale on Jun. 2, 2025.

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Deacon John Victor Sebastian, a devoted family man, faithful servant of God, and cherished member of his community, passed away peacefully at the age of 83 on May 31, 2025. Son of the late Drs. John and Stephanie Sebastian.  Preceded in death by his brother Fred.  Survived by his wife of 57 years, Kathleen Marks Sebastian; daughter, Nicole Peeney (John); son, John II (Ann); daughter, Michelle (Shawn); son, Mark (Lauren); grandchildren, Allison, Christian, and Justin Peeney, Kathleen, Mary, and John Sebastian III, Isabella, Emilia, and Maria Gleason, Mark II and Valentino Sebastian; brother, Paul (Jaga); brother-in-law James (Patricia); sister-in-law, Georgianna; many nieces and nephews and countless friends.

       Before dedicating his life fully to the church and charitable causes, John served his country as a Captain in the U.S. Army. He served as a liaison in Paris and briefly in Vietnam, and then as a member of the Army Reserves after returning to the United States.  

He then continued to have a successful career as an investment banker in Chicago for 30 years. John proudly co-hosted a weekly finance show, "Ask an Expert" on Channel 26 in Chicago. He graduated from Duquesne High School in 1959 near Pittsburgh, was proud to have earned his Bachelor's degree from Penn State University in 1963, making him a lifelong fan of the Nittany Lions, and later earned his MBA from the University of Chicago.

       In 1963 after graduating from Penn State he worked for Inland Steel in East Chicago, Indiana. While there, he met the love of his life Kathleen at her father's ophthalmologist office where she worked. They were married in 1967 and moved to Illinois in 1973 where he and Kathleen raised their four children. He was ordained as a permanent Deacon in 2003.

       For over 20 years, John served with unwavering commitment as Deacon at St. Isaac Jogues Church in Hinsdale, IL where he was a parishioner for over 50 years. He was also blessed to serve as a deacon at St John the Evangelist in Naples, Florida. In both communities, he was a beloved and integral part of the church, offering guidance, support, and comfort to many individuals. He also made countless gifts of his time, talent and treasure throughout his lifetime and was proud to be a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.

   Deacon John Sebastian's legacy of love, faith, and generosity will forever be etched in the hearts of his family and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Visitation Thursday, June 5th, 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Sullivan Funeral Home, 60 South Grant Street, Hinsdale, IL. Funeral Friday, June 6th, family and friends to meet for a 10:00 AM Funeral Mass at St. Isaac Jogues, 306 West Fourth Street, Hinsdale, IL. Interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

       Mass will be live-streamed Here.  Deacon John's Register Book can be signed Electronically Here.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet.

 For Information 630-323-0275 or www.sullivanfuneralhomehinsdale.com

       To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Deacon John, please visit our floral store.

(309) AUTHENTICATED EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES THROUGH THE CENTURIES ALL OVER THE WORLD as Science Supports Faith

 AMDG

       Today we celebrate the traditional feast of Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ, i.e., the Eucharist), on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday.  For the convenience of the faithful, many dioceses of secular America celebrate it on the following Sunday.  In Catholic Poland it is also a secular holiday.  In most cities there is a solemn procession with the Eucharist around the city.  As the Eucharist passes, on-lookers kneel on the street in adoration.  There are prayers at distinct stations along the way.  My family participated in one of them; it is a beautiful experience!  As I write, there is a joyful and enthusiastic festive Eucharistic Rally of thousands of people in Rzeszow, Poland.

       Throughout Church History, there have been well over a hundred documented Eucharistic miracles that Our Lord granted to strengthen our faith.  Too many of us have a difficult time believing that the sacred host is indeed the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The true presence is certainly not beyond the power of our omnipotent God who can do all things.  The documents of Vatican Council state that the Eucharist is the source, the center, and the summit of Catholic belief and of course the Mass (liturgy).

       Soon to be canonized Carlo Acutis, a teenager, was one of the first to host a website documenting the miracles of the Eucharist.  The Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association has published a book, “The Eucharistic Miracles of the World” and also has considerable information on the subject at www.therealpresenc.org with a video.

       In the 13^th Century St. Francis of Assisi cited the testimony of Christ Himself in Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life."  He explains with great love: "And just as He presented Himself to the Apostles in the form of a man, so He shows Himself to us in the consecrated bread.  And just as the Apostles (who, with the eyes of the body, only saw His flesh), contemplating with the eyes of faith, believed that He is God, so too we, seeing with our bodily eyes the bread and wine, believe that the Most Holy Body and Blood are present, living and true in the Eucharist.  In this manner the Lord is always present in the midst of His faithful, just as He Himself promised when He said: “Behold, I am with you until the end of the world” (Mt 28:20).

       There is another fascinating book by Dr. Franco Serafini on the subject: A Cardiologist Examines Jesus: The Stunning Science Behind Eucharistic Miracles     This book delves into scientific studies affirming five authentic Eucharistic miracles, with insights from experts, including hematologists, geneticists. oncologists, neurologists, and molecular biologists.  

       They all concluded that the five Eucharistic miracles are undeniably authentic.   All reveal heart muscle tissue; most reveal a heart that was experiencing extreme suffering, and some reveal a heart still enduring trauma.  The reader will learn what kept a revered eighth-century relic alive until the twenty-first century, and how the same Blood Type AB was common to all the samples!   All of this beautifully illustrates how modern science supports and reenforces faith!

The Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem, Portugal Described Below

       The most well known Eucharistic miracle is that of Lanciano, Italy (see https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2023/06/281-lanciano-first-and-most-prominent.html) .  Close behind is  the Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem, in central Portugal.  On February 16, 1266 a woman suspected her husband of infidelity.  Overcome by jealousy, she consulted a sorceress who instructed her to steal a consecrated host from her local parish church to use in a love potion.  To this day Satanists try to steal consecrated hosts for their rituals; Eucharistic ministers should be alert for anything suspicious.  Ironic is that these evil people believe in the authenticity of the Eucharist and many Christians do not. 

       Hidden in a linen cloth, the sacred host began to emit blood.  Frightened, the woman ran home and stored the blood stained contents in a drawer in her bedroom.  However, that night the sacred host emitted brilliant rays of light that illuminated the entire room as if it were day.   Her husband questioned his wife until she revealed the whole story.

A closeup of the reliquary of St. Stephen's Church in Santarem, Portugal

        The next day the couple informed their pastor, who retrieved the bloody sacred host that turned into flesh and returned it to the church in a solemn procession with a number of parishioners.  The sacred host bled for three consecutive days   It was later placed in a reliquary made of beeswax.  In 1340 another miracle occurred.   When the pastor opened the tabernacle, he found the wax container broken into multiple pieces and mysteriously replaced by a crystal vase that contained the Blood mixed with wax.   

       Today the sacred host is beautifully preserved for the last eight centuries in St. Stephen’s Church in Santarem, Portugal.  From time to time the sacred host bleeds again and different images of Christ appear on the sacred host.  St. Francis Xavier visited the church before beginning his great mission in the Far East.  Every year on the second Sunday of April, the same precious host is carried in procession from the woman’s home (now a chapel) to the church.     

(308) Is the Fire and Restoration of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris Stimulating a Revival of the Faith in France?

 AMDG

The great 13^th Century Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) in flames on April 15, 2019.  Little was left of the roof and spire.

       On the night of April 15, 2019 the world gasped in horror as it watched live on television the magnificent mediviel cathedral in flames……perhaps the most famous cathedral in the world, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris.  People all over France were praying –many for the first time in years-- that the firefighters save the iconic cathedral, which was close to collapsing.  In fact a spire did collapse before the eyes of the world. 

It is amazing how the people of the 12^th century could build such a magnificent cathedral with their rather primitive tools.  No tourist leaves Paris without visiting this classic cathedral with its Gothic architecture and exquisite stained-glass windows.  Notre-Dane is the most visited site in Paris, far exceeding the Eiffel Tower, with 13 million visitors per year.  

The 12^th Century Cathedral of Notre Dame fully restored in its original splendor, reopened on December 7, 2024, the eve of the great feast of the Immaculate Conception after a devastating fire five years earlier.  It was in 1858 that Mary herself revealed the doctrine to St. Bernadette.  Over 1500 people, including 40 heads of state attended the reopening ceremony.  Once again the huge bells of the jewel of Paris could be heard through much of Paris.  A few weeks earlier on November 15, the 14^th Century statue of Our Lady of the Pillar, miraculously untouched by the flames of April 15, 2019, was brought back in a torchlight procession, partially organized by the Knights of Columbus, through the streets of Paris to her proper place in the cathedral.    

The original construction was a labor of love that gives glory to God.  It took almost a century to build (1163-1260).  While in the Army stationed in Orleans two hours south, I was blessed to visit it more than once in 1962.  Using similar medieval tools and methods, the five year restoration was a painstaking labor of love at a cost of $800 million and a brother knight, a French craftsman and manager, had a significant part.  All of that funding and more was supplied by 340,000 donors from 150 countrues all over the world.  Some 240 companies and hundreds of craftsmen participated.

A view of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris from the Seine River

       The restoration is rekindling a religious fervor “This moment of joy confirms the vitality of Christianity in old Europe, which is only waiting to follow its Christian vocation more intensely in France and beyond” said Arnaud Bouthéon, territorial deputy of France.  Pope Francis himself called upon “all the baptized who will joyfully enter this cathedral to feel a legitimate pride and reclaim their faith heritage…..May the rebirth of this admirable church be a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France.”  And to think that the faith in secular France had been in decline for the previous 75 years.  

Will this tragic fire and the unifying restoration stimulate a religious revival?  About the same time in 2023, across the ocean, little Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia near Washington D.C. dedicated its magnificent neogothic chapel to Christ the King and renewed its mission to “restore all things in Christ”.  There was a time when the word “Christendom” was almost synonymous with Western Civilization because of the prevailing Christian culture before the Protestant Reformation. 

May the Church in France return to the days when they had a Catholic culture, as during the reign of King St. Louis IX (1226-1270).  It was King St. Louis IX, who placed the precious crown of thorns of Christ in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.  It survived the persecution and desecration during the French Revolution in 1789.  May France again be faithful to its calling as the eldest daughter of the Church.                                             

One of the many stained-glass windows of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris

       Jean-Baptiste Bonhoure, a member of Blessed Noël Pinot Council 18406 in Béhuard, France, was present at the restoration inauguration in his capacity as president of Ateliers Perrault, the company entrusted with the reconstruction of the nave, choir, as well as the north and south belfries of the 850-year-old cathedral.  Membership is growing in France to 1250 since the first five French councils of the Knights of Columbus were chartered in 2016. What attracted Bonhoure to join the Order in 2022 was seeing members put their faith into action through service.  “I joined the Knights to help serve the community,” he said, “while strengthening my Catholic faith with a group of men from all generations.”

A view of the Seine River and Paris from the tower of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris.  Notice the flying buttresses at the bottom of the photo.

      Many see the tragic fire and restoration as an opportunity for the re-evangelization of France and the Knights of Columbus have taken a part in that most noble undertaking.  Observers can see that “From a cultural and existential point of view, people today feel lost, which reinforces the attraction effect toward Notre-Dame.”  According to Fr. Amar, “We can turn every trial into a source of strength.  This is the direction Christ points us in, through his death on the cross and his resurrection in glory.”  The influx of tourists to the restored cathedral must be directed to prayer and reverence in this holy church……not simply herded through a museum.     

      In 2017 and again in 2018 the French knights organized a sound and light show on the façade of the cathedral to commemorate the centenary of Worlld War I under the title, “Queen of Hearts” before thousands of people.  During the Year of St. Joseph in 2021, the knights organized a procession with his statue through Paris, climaxed by a vigil of thanksgiving and Eucharistic Adoration in front of the cathedral. 

Even more ambitious, the Knights organized a 590 mile walking pilgrimage over 70 days from Paris to Southern France.  During the processions the knights distributed images of the statue of St. Joseph and the Christ child.  All of this is an answer to the emptiness of post-modern materialism.  The whole world can adopt this missionary spirit of evangelization.

This is in addition to the annual three day 60 mile walking pilgrimage from Paris to the great medieval cathedral of Chartres to the south.  The 2025 pilgrimage broke a record with some 19,000 participants, mostly youth.

A statue of one of the many saints of France, St. Joan of Arc in the center of Orleans.  She commanded the lifting of the siege of the English on May 7-8 1429.

      In fact there were 10,000 adult Baptisms at Easter 2025, a 45% increase over 2024, in itself a banner year in the French Church.  Perhaps the tragedy of the fire that nearly destroyed on April 19, 2019 and recent restoration is indeed stimulating a revival of the Faith in secular France.  Certainly, the army of saints that France has produced over the centuries are praying for that…..St. Joan of Arc (her feast day was yesterday May 30), St. Margaret Mary, St. Catherine Labore, Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, St. Bernadette, St. Louis IX, St. Louis de Monfort, St. John Vianney, St. Dennis, St. Theresa of Lisieux, and many more.  See

https://www.returntoorder.org/2025/05/the-unexpected-rise-in-adult-baptisms-in-france-should-encourage-and-challenge-all-catholics/.

For more details go to  https://www.kofc.org/en/news-room/columbia/2025/march/resurrection-notre-dame.html