Saint of the Day - March 12 - Blessed Angela Salawa
March 12
Blessed Angela Salawa
Virgin
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Angela served Christ and Christ’s little ones with all her strength.
Born in Siepraw, near Kraków, Poland, she was the 11th child of
Bartlomiej and Ewa Salawa. In 1897, she moved to Kraków where her older
sister Therese lived. Angela immediately began to gather together and
instruct young women domestic workers. During World War I, she helped
prisoners of war without regard for their nationality or religion. The
writings of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross were a great comfort
to her.
Angela gave great service in caring for soldiers wounded
in World War I. After 1918 her health did not permit her to exercise
her customary apostolate. Addressing herself to Christ, she wrote in
her diary, "I want you to be adored as much as you were destroyed." In
another place, she wrote, "Lord, I live by your will. I shall die when
you desire; save me because you can."
At her 1991 beatification
in Kraków, Pope John Paul II said: "It is in this city that she worked,
that she suffered and that her holiness came to maturity. While
connected to the spirituality of St. Francis, she showed an
extraordinary responsiveness to the action of the Holy Spirit" (L'Osservatore Romano, volume 34, number 4, 1991).
Comment:
Humility
should never be mistaken for lack of conviction, insight or energy.
Angela brought the Good News and material assistance to some of
Christ’s "least ones." Her self-sacrifice inspired others to do the
same.
Quote:Henri de Lubac, S.J.,
wrote: "The best Christians and the most vital are by no means to be
found either inevitably or even generally among the wise or the clever,
the intelligentsia or the politically-minded, or those of social
consequence. And consequently what they say does not make the
headlines; what they do does not come to the public eye. Their lives
are hidden from the eyes of the world, and if they do come to some
degree of notoriety, that is usually late in the day, and exceptional,
and always attended by the risk of distortion" (The Splendor of the Church, p. 187).
Here is a quote from Angela's diary:
"After having examined my life, I feel that I am at the
stage where God has called me since my childhood; as far as I can
remember I have always felt a strong attraction to suffering and
poverty. As a child I always felt in my heart that I could only
reciprocate the grace of God in a state of humility. That is why I
chose to work as a domestic assistant, having many times renounced the
riches offered to me, trusting that in persevering in this humble state
I may satisfy God's will.
For this I see that I must sincerely and practically love every kind of
poverty that comes my way, so to better respond to that first
attraction during my childhood. I also have to find a way to respond to
this grace no matter what happens in my life, even if it is very
difficult. I have always felt that God wanted even more from my soul. I
remember these words: "You have not chosen me, it is I who have chosen
you…" (Jn15:17). I see from these very words that God has destined me
to travel this way from my youth. I feel that an easier way is out of
the question, as it is only by responding to a so outstanding grace
that my life can put into practice these words: "Blessed are your eyes,
because they see, and your ears, because they hear" (Lk 10:23; Mt
13:16).
The following are the indications to follow along the way that God has marked out during my life:
l. In the many difficulties and sorrows that spring from others,
strength is needed, as well as suitable energy, proper silence,
patience, serenity, understanding of others, and as far as possible,
pursuit of justice. If I can follow these indications, it means I will
have to abandon myself even more to God, and with all my strength try
to not allow any bitterness in my soul, remembering that these are
things that a Christian soul is made of.
2. I have to be sure that this is my way and the goal of my life:
thinking this way, I will be able to accept all things peacefully and
for the greater good of my soul; and at the moment of my death I can
say:"All is accomplished".
Submitted by Anna Ferroni—Turin, Italy
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If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.
If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)
SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?