Saints Back Then And In Our Time

THEN

December 21
St. Peter Canisius
(1521-1597)


The energetic life of Peter Canisius should demolish any stereotypes we may have of the life of a saint as dull or routine. Peter lived his 76 years at a pace which must be considered heroic, even in our time of rapid change. A man blessed with many talents, Peter is an excellent example of the scriptural man who develops his talents for the sake of the Lord’s work.

He was one of the most important figures in the Catholic Counter-Reformation in Germany. His was such a key role that he has often been called the “second apostle of Germany” in that his life parallels the earlier work of Boniface.

Although Peter once accused himself of idleness in his youth, he could not have been idle too long, for at the age of 19 he received a master’s degree from the university at Cologne. Soon afterwards he met Peter Faber, the first disciple of Ignatius Loyola, who influenced Peter so much that he joined the recently formed Society of Jesus.

At this early age Peter had already taken up a practice he continued throughout his life—a process of study, reflection, prayer and writing. After his ordination in 1546, he became widely known for his editions of the writings of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Leo the Great. Besides this reflective literary bent, Peter had a zeal for the apostolate. He could often be found visiting the sick or prisoners, even when his assigned duties in other areas were more than enough to keep most people fully occupied.

In 1547 Peter attended several sessions of the Council of Trent, whose decrees he was later assigned to implement. After a brief teaching assignment at the Jesuit college at Messina, Peter was entrusted with the mission to Germany—from that point on his life’s work. He taught in several universities and was instrumental in establishing many colleges and seminaries. He wrote a catechism that explained the Catholic faith in a way which common people could understand—a great need of that age.

Renowned as a popular preacher, Peter packed churches with those eager to hear his eloquent proclamation of the gospel. He had great diplomatic ability, often serving as a reconciler between disputing factions. In his letters (filling eight volumes) one finds words of wisdom and counsel to people in all walks of life. At times he wrote unprecedented letters of criticism to leaders of the Church—yet always in the context of a loving, sympathetic concern.

At 70 Peter suffered a paralytic seizure, but he continued to preach and write with the aid of a secretary until his death in his hometown (Nijmegen, Netherlands) on December 21, 1597.

Comment:

Peter’s untiring efforts are an apt example for those involved in the renewal of the Church or the growth of moral consciousness in business or government. He is regarded as one of the creators of the Catholic press, and can easily be a model for the Christian author or journalist. Teachers can see in his life a passion for the transmission of truth. Whether we have much to give, as Peter Canisius did, or whether we have only a little to give, as did the poor widow in the Gospel (see Luke 21:1–4), the important thing is to give our all. It is in this way that Peter is so exemplary for Christians in an age of rapid change when we are called to be in the world but not of the world.

Quote:

When asked if he felt overworked, Peter replied, "If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all."

(From AmericanCatholic.org)
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NOW

Cardinal Avery Dulles, S.J., a premier Catholic intellect and champion of the unborn died this morning at the age of 90 in New York.
Dulles was actually once an agnostic. But after his service in the Navy, Dulles entered the Society of Jesus and was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1956. His father was John Foster Dulles, who served as Secretary of State from 1953 to 1959, after whom Dulles airport outside Washington D.C. was named.
In 2001, Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal in the Catholic Church because of his renowned scholarship.
The legacy of Cardinal Dulles is impossible to sum up, and his writings will be studied for many years. But one element of Dulles’ prolific life involved his dedication to the truths taught consistently by the Catholic Church on the dignity of all human life.
This past Election featured several public disputes over these topics, with some politicians who profess a Christian faith claiming that religious views should be censored from the public square, or that some truths shared by religious believers should not be “imposed” on others.
Cardinal Dulles soundly rejected this falsehood:
“Many politicians, like much of the American public, seem to be unaware that abortion and euthanasia are serious violations of the inalienable right to life. These are not just 'Church' issues but are governed by the natural law of God, which is binding upon all human beings. The right to life is the most fundamental of all rights, since a person deprived of life has no other rights.”
Cardinal Dulles was right. The truth about human life is not a “Catholic” thing, or even an exclusively religious doctrine. The priority of protecting all human life is a truth fundamental to all people. We must care because we are human too.
More than anything, Cardinal Dulles was a model of holiness, living a life of prayer and scholarship in the service of his Church and country.
We will miss this strong voice for the unborn. May he be welcomed today in the arms of Our Heavenly Father, where we hope to one day join him.
(Brian Burch, CatholicVote.com)

Upon stepping down as the Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society at Fordham University in April, he wrote: "Well into my 90th year I have been able to work productively. As I become increasingly paralyzed and unable to speak, I can identify with the many paralytics and mute persons in the Gospels, grateful for the loving and skillful care I receive and for the hope of everlasting life in Christ. If the Lord now calls me to a period of weakness, I know well that his power can be made perfect in infirmity. 'Blessed be the name of the Lord!'" (from Zenit.org)