Saint Gaspar statue at Saint Mary Catholic Church in Philothea, Ohio, USA. Photo by Nheyob |
History
Saint Gaspar was a newly ordained
priest in Rome when Napoleon’s army took over the city. Father Gaspar, along
with most of the other priests, were thrown out of the city because they
refused to give up their loyalty to the Pope. But Napoleon did not remain in
charge. The priests returned to serve the people who had been almost entirely
without Mass, confession and other Sacraments for nearly five years. Father
Gaspar had a lot of work to do. He started the Congregation of the Most
Precious Blood to work in the most awful places in Italy. Father Gaspar
understood these people and started an all-night prayer for men who were too
embarrassed to come to church during the day, when others might see them.
Activity
Have you ever been too embarrassed to admit that you are a Christian? Or that you go to church? Have you ever been too embarrassed to pray before your meal at a restaurant? Saint Gaspar would have understood, even though he was brave enough to stand up for what he believed him when faced with a powerful army. Today, pray to Saint Gaspar and ask him to help you be courageous about your faith.
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