I was reading an interesting story in Spirit Daily about a modern saint who spent three hours in purgatory. I love these modern tales: https://aleteia.org/2026/10/29/friar-who-died-and-spent-3-hours-in-purgatory-named-venerable/ Friar who died and spent 3 hours in purgatory named venerable Brother Daniele Natale was a spiritual son of St. Padre Pio and after dying, he spent some time in purgatory, but was sent back to live another 42 years. On October 24, another spiritual son of St. Padre Pio was recognized as "venerable" in the Catholic Church. His name is Brother Daniele Natale and he was very close to Padre Pio, the famous mystic, during his life, having been born in the same town of San Giovanni Rotondo and later spending time with him when he became a lay brother in his same religious order. Being declared, "venerable," means that Brother Daniele lived a life of heroic virtue and is currently a candidate for beatification and canonization. What needs to happen next is for a miracle to be attributed to the intercession of Brother Daniele, opening the door to him behind declared a "blessed" and then a "saint." At first glance an eventual canonization seems likely, especially with the many miracles that happened during his life. 3 Hours in purgatory In 1952, Brother Daniele was diagnosed with a type of spleen cancer. He was referred to a doctor in Rome, who examined Brother Daniele and initially did not want to operate on him. The doctor believed the cancer was too advanced and that there would be no chance of survival. Eventually, various doctors on the case agreed to operate, but after the operation, Brother Daniele slipped into a coma and was pronounced "dead." What happened next sounds like it came out of a movie. Anna Gębalska-Berekets describes the remarkable experience Brother Daniele had in an article for Aleteia: Relatives gathered around his body to pray. But three hours later, the friar removed the sheet covering his body, stood up, and began to speak. He said that after death, he stood before God. He saw him as a loving Father, not a judge who was only waiting to hold him accountable for all the sins he’d committed on earth. Brother Natale realized that the Creator cared for him every day, even though he didn’t always respond to that love. The Capuchin was then sentenced to three hours of Purgatory. The pain was terrible and intense, “especially in the senses of the body, which most offended God.” The most painful thing was the feeling of separation from the Creator. Not only that, "The Capuchin also saw the Blessed Virgin Mary. Brother Daniele asked the Mother of God to intercede for him with God the Father and give him the opportunity to return to earth. Suddenly, Padre Pio appeared next to Mary and asked Our Lady to ease his friend's pain. Natale was pardoned. This experience led Brother Daniele to carry out a unique mission of converting hearts after his return to earth." Brother Daniele would go on to live for 42 more years, dying in 1994. For the remainder of his life he organized Prayer Groups and devoted himself to his ministry. He specifically chose not to become a priest, and so was appointed a variety of tasks at the monastery, such as cook, sacristan, and porter .Brother Daniele was well-known for his sanctity, ministering to the poor and suffering, as well as assisting others in their spiritual lives.
FEAST OF THE DAY SUNDAY, 1 NOVEMBER, 2026 THE SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS Throughout the year the Church celebrates daily the feasts of different saints. Today she joins them all in one great festival. In addition to those whose names she has declared, she recalls in a magnificent vision all the others "of all nations and tribes standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, proclaiming Him who redeemed them in His Blood." The feast of All Saints should inspire us with tremendous hope. Among the saints in heaven are some whom we have known. All lived on earth lives like our own. They were baptized, marked with the sign of faith, they were faithful to Christ's teaching and they have gone before us to the heavenly home whence they call on us to follow them. The Gospel of the Beatitudes, read today, while it shows their happiness, shows, too, the road that they followed; there is no other that will lead us whither they have gone. "The Commemoration of All Saints" was first celebrated in the East. The feast is found in the West on different dates in the eighth century. The Roman Martyrology mentions that this date is a claim of fame for Gregory IV (827-844) and that he extended this observance to the whole of Christendom; it seems certain, however, that Gregory III (731-741) preceded him in this. At Rome, on the other hand, on May 13, there was the annual commemoration of the consecration of the basilica of St. Maria ad Martyres (or St. Mary and All Martyrs). This was the former Pantheon, the temple of Agrippa, dedicated to all the gods of paganism, to which Boniface IV had translated many relics from the catacombs. Gregory VII transferred the anniversary of this dedication to November 1. PRAYER: Almighty ever-living God, by whose gift we venerate in one celebration the merits of all the Saints, bestow on us, we pray, through the prayers of so many intercessors, an abundance of the reconciliation with you for which we earnestly long. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Dear God, thank you for the example of the Saints. I desire to join in their company, worshiping you forever in Heaven. Please help me to follow their footsteps, and yours, Jesus Christ. Please help me to conform myself to Your image, seeking Your will in all things, as the Saints did. Please help me to devote myself, and all that I do, for Your glory, and to the service of my neighbors. Amen. THE LITANY OF THE SAINTS Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us. Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us. Saint Michael, pray for us. Saint Gabriel, pray for us. Saint Raphael, pray for us. All ye holy angels and archangels, pray for us. All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, pray for us. Saint John the Baptist, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. All ye holy patriarchs and prophets, pray for us. Saint Peter, pray for us. Saint Paul, pray for us. Saint Andrew, pray for us. Saint James, pray for us. Saint John, pray for us. Saint Thomas, pray for us. Saint James, pray for us. Saint Philip, pray for us.Saint Bartholomew, pray for us. Saint Matthew, pray for us. Saint Simon, pray for us. Saint Thaddeus, pray for us. Saint Matthias, pray for us. Saint Barnabas, pray for us. Saint Luke, pray for us. Saint Mark, pray for us. All ye holy apostles and evangelists, pray for us. All ye holy disciples of the Lord, pray for us. All ye holy innocents, pray for us. Saint Stephen, pray for us. Saint Lawrence, pray for us. Saint Vincent, pray for us. Saints Fabian and Sebastian, pray for us. Saints John and Paul, pray for us. Saints Cosmos and Damian, pray for us. Saints Gervase and Protase, pray for us. All ye holy martyrs, pray for us. Saint Sylvester, pray for us. Saint Gregory, pray for us. Saint Ambrose, pray for us. Saint Augustine, pray for us. Saint Jerome, pray for us. Saint Martin, pray for us. Saint Nicholas, pray for us. All ye holy bishops and confessors, pray for us. All ye holy doctors, pray for us. Saint Anthony, pray for us. Saint Benedict, pray for us. Saint Bernard, pray for us. Saint Dominic, pray for us. Saint Francis, pray for us. All ye holy priests and levites, pray for us. All ye holy monks and hermits, pray for us. Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us. Saint Agatha, pray for us. Saint Lucy, pray for us. Saint Agnes, pray for us. Saint Cecilia, pray for us. Saint Catherine, pray for us. Saint Anastasia, pray for us. Saint Clare, pray for us. All ye holy virgins and widows, pray for us. All ye holy men and women, saints of God, intercede for us. Be merciful, spare us, O Lord. Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord. From all evil, deliver us O Lord. From all sin, deliver us O Lord. From Thy wrath, deliver us O Lord. From sudden and unprovided death, deliver us O Lord. From the snares of the devil, deliver us O Lord. From anger, and hatred, and all ill-will, deliver us O Lord. From the spirit of fornication, deliver us O Lord. From the scourge of earthquake, deliver us O Lord. From plague, famine, and war, deliver us O Lord. From lightning and tempest, deliver us O Lord. From everlasting death, deliver us O Lord. Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy coming, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy birth, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy baptism and holy fasting, deliver us O Lord.Through the Institution of the Most Blessed Sacrament, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy cross and passion, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy death and burial, deliver us O Lord. Through Thy holy Resurrection, deliver us O Lord. Through Thine admirable Ascension, deliver us O Lord. Through the coming of the Holy Ghost the Paraclete, deliver us O Lord. In the day of judgment, deliver us O Lord. We sinners, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst pardon us, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to govern and preserve Thy holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolic Prelate and all orders of the Church in holy religion, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to humble the enemies of holy Church, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bring back to the unity of the Church all those who have strayed away, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from eternal damnation, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously to hear us, we beseech Thee, hear us. Son of God, we beseech Thee, hear us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. LET US PRAY: Almighty, everlasting God, who hast dominion over both the living and the dead and art merciful to all who, as Thou foreknowest, will be Thine by faith and works; we humbly beseech Thee that they for whom we intend to pour forth our prayers, whether this present world still doth detain them in the flesh or the world to come hath already received them stripped of their mortal bodies, may, by the grace of Thy fatherly love and through the intercession of all the saints, obtain the remission of all their sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth God, world without end. Amen.
I was just thinking yesterday of all the saints who lived and died during my life time. A for instance Padre Pio. But there are many, many saints who died young of cancer as well. Such as Carlo Acutis. I think too of Sister Clare Crockett who died so young and saintly. It is very humbling to think of saints who lived at the same time we did but actually attained high sanctity. Than I think to myself, why have I not done the same? One thing we do know is that they really do hear are prayers and intercede for us. That they spend their heavens doing good.
ALL SOULS DAY MONDAY, 2 NOVEMBER, 2026 THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS) The Church, after rejoicing yesterday with those of her children who have entered the glory of heaven, today prays for all those who, in the purifying suffering of purgatory await the day when they will be joined to the company of saints. At no place in the liturgy is stated in more striking fashion the mysterious union between the Church triumphant, the Church militant and the Church suffering; at no time is there accomplished in clearer fashion the twofold duty of charity and justice deriving for every Christian from the fact of his incorporation in the mystical Body of Christ. By virtue of the consoling doctrine of the communion of saints the merits and prayers of each one are able to help all; and the Church is able to join her prayer with that of the saints in heaven and supply what is wanting to the souls in purgatory by means of the Mass, indulgences and the alms and sacrifices of her children. The celebration of Mass, the sacrifice of Calvary continued on our altars, has ever been for the Church the principal means of fulfilling towards the dead the great commandment of charity. Masses for the dead are found in the fifth century. But it was St. Odilo, fourth abbot of Cluny, who was responsible for the institution of the general commemoration of all the faithful departed; he instituted it and fixed its celebration on November 2, the day after All Saints. The practice spread to the rest of Christendom. Daily in a special Memento in the Canon of the Mass, at which the priest remembers all those who have fallen asleep in the Lord, the priest implores God to grant them a place of happiness, light and peace. Thus there is no Mass in which the Church does not pray for the faithful departed; but today her thoughts are directed towards them in a particular fashion, with the maternal preoccupation of leaving no soul in purgatory without spiritual aid and of grouping them all together in her intercession. By a privilege that Benedict XV's decree has extended to the whole world every priest can today celebrate three Masses; for the liberation of the souls in purgatory the Church multiplies the offering of the sacrifice of Christ, from which she draws forever on behalf of all her children, infinite fruits of redemption.LITANY FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY O Jesus, Thou suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of: My dear parents and grandparents, my Jesus mercy! My brothers and sisters and other near relatives, my Jesus mercy! My godparents and sponsors of confirmation, my Jesus mercy! My spiritual and temporal benefactors, my Jesus mercy! My friends and neighbors, my Jesus mercy! All for whom love or duty bids me pray, my Jesus mercy! Those who have offended me, my Jesus mercy! Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me, my Jesus mercy! Those who are especially beloved by Thee, my Jesus mercy! Those whose release is near at hand, my Jesus mercy! Those who desire most to be united to Thee, my Jesus mercy! Those who endure the greatest sufferings, my Jesus mercy! Those whose release is most remote, my Jesus mercy! Those who are least remembered, my Jesus mercy! Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church, my Jesus mercy! The rich, who now are the most destitute, my Jesus mercy! The mighty, who now are powerless, my Jesus mercy! The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly, my Jesus mercy! The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness, my Jesus mercy! The poor, who did not seek the treasures of heaven, my Jesus mercy! The tepid, who devoted little time to prayer, my Jesus mercy! The indolent, who neglected to perform good works, my Jesus mercy! Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments, my Jesus mercy! The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace, my Jesus mercy! Parents who failed to watch over their children, my Jesus mercy! Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them, my Jesus mercy! Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures, my Jesus mercy! The worldly-minded, who failed to use their wealth and talents in the service of God, my Jesus mercy! Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own, my Jesus mercy! Those who did not provide for the life hereafter, my Jesus mercy! Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them, my Jesus mercy! The popes, kings and rulers, my Jesus mercy! The bishops and their counselors, my Jesus mercy! My teachers and spiritual advisors, my Jesus mercy! The deceased priests of this diocese, my Jesus mercy! The priests and religious of the Catholic Church, my Jesus mercy!The defenders of the holy faith, my Jesus mercy! Those who died on the battlefield, my Jesus mercy! Those who fought for their country, my Jesus mercy! Those who were buried in the sea, my Jesus mercy! Those who died of apoplexy, my Jesus mercy! Those who died of heart attacks, my Jesus mercy! Those who suffered and died of cancer, my Jesus mercy! Those who died suddenly in accidents, my Jesus mercy! Those who died without the last rites of the Church, my Jesus mercy! Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours, my Jesus mercy! My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgment seat, my Jesus mercy! Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of Thy redemption. Amen.
https://seton-parish.org/plenary-indulgences-for-all-souls-week-and-the-month-of-november Plenary Indulgences for All Souls Week and the Month of November Visiting a Cemetery: Visiting a Cemetery: An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. Typically the indulgence is plenary each day from November 1-8; on other days of the year, it is only a partial indulgence. Visiting a Church on November 2: A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who on the day dedicated to the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [November 2 {as well as on the Sunday preceding or following, and on All Saints' Day}] piously visit a church. In visiting the church it is required that one Our Father and the Creed be recited. Indulgence Requirements: To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary also to fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father while being detached from sin. It is appropriate that the sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act. One sacramental Confession suffices for several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the Holy Father's intentions are required for each plenary indulgence. The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary. A plenary indulgence can be acquired only once in the course of the day. Prayers for the Poor Souls in Purgatory Lord Jesus, lovingly welcome into Your presence my deceased family, relatives and friends who have completed their journey on this earth, and have gone to their rest in the hope of rejoicing with you forever in heaven. Source of all life and love, in Your infinite mercy, look favorably upon their goodness, and forgive any sins they may have committed, so they may enjoy for all eternity the great rewards You have promised to those who believe in You. Amen. V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. V. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis. Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace. Amen.
SAINT OF THE DAY TUESDAY, 3 NOVEMBER, 2026 SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES CONFESSOR (9 December 1579 - 3 November 1639) Saint Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru in 1579, during the days when Spanish noblemen and many adventurers were still in the land, fascinated by the lure of the gold and silver which abounded there. He was the natural son of one of these and a young Indian woman. It was not long before his dark complexion caused his father to be ashamed of him and his mother, and to abandon them. Later the father would regret his too rapid decision, and take Martin under his protection. The young boy often heard himself referred to as a half-breed, and all his life long, his profound humility saw in himself only the magnanimity of God amid the inadequacy of his origins. When his mother could not support him and his sister, Martin was confided to a primary school for two years, then placed with a surgeon to learn the medical arts. This caused him great joy, though he was only ten years old, for he could exercise charity to his neighbor while earning his living. Already he was spending hours of the night in prayer, a practice which increased rather than diminished as he grew older. Until his death he would flagellate himself three times every night, for his own failings and for the conversion of pagans and sinners. He asked for admission to the Dominican Convent of the Rosary in Lima and was received first as a tertiary. When he was 24, he was given the habit of a Coadjutor Brother and assigned to the infirmary of that convent, where he would remain in service until his death at the age of sixty. His superiors saw in him the virtues necessary to exercise unfailing patience in this difficult role, and he never disappointed them. On the contrary, it was not long before miracles began to happen, and Saint Martin was working also with the sick outside his convent, often bringing them healing with only a simple glass of water. He begged for alms to procure for them necessities the Convent could not provide, and Providence always supplied what he sought. One day an aged beggar, covered with ulcers and almost naked, stretched out his hand, and Saint Martin, seeing the Divine Mendicant in him, took him to his own bed, paying no heed to the fact that he was not perfectly neat and clean. One of his brethren, considering he had gone too far in his charity, reproved him. Saint Martin replied: Compassion, my dear Brother, is preferable to cleanliness. Reflect that with a little soap I can easily clean my bed covers, but even with a torrent of tears I would never wash from my soul the stain that my harshness toward the unfortunate would create. When an epidemic struck Lima, there were in this single convent of the Rosary sixty religious who were sick, many of them novices in a distant and locked section of the convent, separated from the professed. Saint Martin is known to have passed through the locked doors to care for them, a phenomenon which was observed in the residence more than once. The professed, too, saw him suddenly beside them without the doors having been opened; and these facts were duly verified by the surprised Superiors. Martin continued to transport the sick to the convent until the provincial Superior, alarmed by the contagion threatening the religious, forbid him to continue to do so. His sister, who lived in the country, offered her house to lodge those whom the residence of the religious could not hold. One day he found on the street a poor Indian, bleeding to death from a dagger wound, and took him to his own room until he could transport him to his sister's hospice. The Superior, when he heard of this, reprimanded his subject for disobedience. He was extremely edified by his reply: Forgive my error, and please instruct me, for I did not know that the precept of obedience took precedence over that of charity. In effect, there are situations where charity must prevail; and instruction is very necessary. The Superior gave him liberty thereafter to follow his inspirations in the exercise of mercy.In normal times Saint Martin succeeded with his alms to feed 160 poor persons every day, and distributed a remarkable sum of money every week to the indigent — the latter phenomenon hard to explain by ordinary calculations. To Saint Martin the city of Lima owed a famous residence founded for orphans and abandoned children, where they were formed in piety for a creative Christian life. This lay Brother had always wanted to be a missionary, but never left his native city; yet even during his lifetime he was seen elsewhere, in regions as far distant as Africa, China, Algeria, Japan. An African slave who had been in irons said he had known Martin when he came to relieve and console many like himself, telling them of heaven. When later the same slave saw him in Peru, he was very happy to meet him again and asked him if he had had a good voyage; only later did he learn that Saint Martin had never left Lima. A merchant from Lima was in Mexico and fell ill; he said aloud: Oh, Brother Martin, if only you were here to care for me..! and immediately saw him enter his room. And again, this man did not know until later that he had never been in Mexico. When he died in 1639, Saint Martin was known to the entire city of Lima; word of his miracles had made him known as a Saint to every resident of the region. After his death, the miracles and graces received when he was invoked multiplied in such profusion that his body was exhumed after 25 years and found intact, and exhaling a fine fragrance. Letters to Rome pleaded for his beatification; the decree affirming the heroism of his virtues was issued in 1763 by Clement XIII; Gregory XVI beatified him in 1836, and in 1962 Pope John XXIII canonized him. The poor and the sick will never fail to find in him a friend having great power over the Heart of God. PATRON: African-Americans; against rats; barbers; bi-racial people; hair stylists; hairdressers; hotel-keepers; innkeepers; inter-racial justice; mixed-race people; mulattoes; paupers; Peru; poor people; public education; public health; public schools; race relations; racial harmony; social justice; state schools; television. PRAYER: O God, who led Saint Martin de Porres by the path of humility to heavenly glory, grant that we may so follow his radiant example in this life as to merit to be exalted with him in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
There is a wonderful eye opening first hand witness story about St Martin . A travelling soldier came to the Priory to beg a bed for the night. None was available but the saint offered him to share his bedroom for the night and put up a spare bed. The devil attacked St Martin while the poor soldier listened and it set the room on fire. The soldier was lucky to get out alive. He left an account of the night he spent there, it seemed to have been quite a deal. But it occurs to me that the poor soldier experienced just one horrible night, but these attacks would have been constant. https://www.facebook.com/efrenriz.l...on-the-convent-stairwaythe/29343790831891216/ Saint Martin de Porres drives out demon on Lima convent stairway Saint Martin de Porres and the Battle with the Demon on the Convent Stairway The testimony is attributed to Captain Juan de Guarnido, who knew and lived alongside Saint Martin. According to his account, there was a staircase connecting one of the upper cloisters to the infirmary of the Convent of Our Lady of the Rosary in Lima. This staircase was normally kept closed. Whenever it was opened, however, something strange would attract attention: people who passed through it would frequently fall or injure themselves. The place was already considered problematic within the convent. One night, Saint Martin was climbing that staircase to assist a sick religious brother. He was carrying a lit brazier and some clothing in his hands. Then, in one corner of the staircase, whom did he see there? The devil. Saint Martin asked him what he was doing there. According to the testimony, the devil replied that he had his “gains” there—that is, that he obtained an advantage over the people who passed through the place, causing them harm. The saint then ordered him to leave and go to his “deep, accursed caves.” The devil, however, refused to obey. Saint Martin then removed the belt he was wearing around his waist and began striking him with it, while saying several words to him. Faced with this, the devil finally withdrew. After the struggle, Saint Martin made two crosses on the wall with charcoal, at the very place where the encounter had taken place. The testimony states that Juan de Guarnido later saw these crosses. Martin also ordered a wooden cross, approximately one and a half varas high—roughly 1.2–1.3 meters (4–4.3 feet)—to be made and placed at that same location. The testimony further states that, after this, people were able to pass along the staircase without experiencing any of the accidents that had previously occurred there. Let us meditate for a moment... One of the ways the devil seeks to make us stop on the path toward God is through fear. Fear can cause us to retreat when difficulties arise, abandon a good work, give up prayer, or remain paralyzed in the face of what we need to confront. Following the example of Saint Martin de Porres, we are called not to retreat, but rather to advance in the Lord. While climbing the staircase to assist a sick religious, he encountered the figure of the devil, but Martin did not retreat. He did not abandon his mission, nor did he allow that presence to prevent him from continuing. Instead, he confronted him firmly and ordered him to leave. When the devil persisted, Saint Martin continued to confront him. Since he would not leave politely, he was made to leave by force! Saint Martin then gave the devil a good beating with his belt, and the devil quickly withdrew. And so... We too encounter, throughout our lives, many “staircases” that seem difficult to climb. Sometimes they are temptations, trials, discouragement, worries, or fear of what might happen. The danger lies in allowing fear to paralyze us precisely when we should continue walking with perseverance in the Lord. It is here that Saint Martin reminds us that we must not negotiate with anything that draws us away from God. A Christian does not overcome temptations by relying solely on his own strength, but by remaining united to Christ and turning to prayer, the Sacraments, and the grace of God. Fear may knock at the door; however, we do not have to open the door of our hearts to it. When difficulties arise, let us continue climbing our “staircase,” just as Saint Martin continued climbing the convent staircase: with our eyes fixed upon the duty that God has entrusted to us and with confidence in the One who is infinitely more powerful than all the power of darkness. The Lord Jesus, just as He once did with His disciples, always challenges us: “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Matthew 8:26 And Saint James firmly counsels us: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 ▪︎ Reference Cf. Proceso de beatificación de Fray Martín de Porres, testimony of Juan de Guarnido, p. 309. ℣. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace! ℣. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. ℟. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. ℣. Lord, hear my prayer, ℟. And let my cry come unto You. “For Christ, through Mary and Joseph, in supplication for the souls in Purgatory.” Jesus and Mary, I love you; save souls!
