Today, October 14, 2018, the Roman Catholic Church canonized 7 saints:

• Archbishop Oscar Romero, the archbishop of El Salvodor, who was murdered in 1980
• Pope Paul VI, who oversaw the closing of the Second Vatican Council and who issued Humanae Vitae, died in 1978
• Francesco Spinelli, born in Milan in 1853, founded a community of nuns.
• Vincenzo Roman, born near Naples in 1751, taught children and helped his community recover from an eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
• Maria Catherine Kasper, born in Germany in 1820, created an organization that served the poor.
• Nazaria Ignazia of Saint Teresa of Jesus, born in Spain in 1889, founded a missionary group in Bolivia that served women and the poor.
• Nuncio Sulprizio, born in Italy in 1817, died of bone tuberculosis at the age of 19 and was praised for his “heroic virtues.”

The Archbishop Oscar Romero and Pope Paul VI obviously overshadowed the other 5 saints elevated today.

I thought some quotes from Archbishop Oscar Romero and Pope Paul VI that speak not only to the times in which they were spoken, but to the situation we find ourselves in today would be order.  After all, their quotes were based upon the Gospel and as today’s canonization proves, they were pilgrims faithfully living out the gospel as it inspired them to live, act, and be and in so doing, they were beacons of Divine Light, Love, and Hope in the darkness of the world.

“There is no dichotomy between man and God’s image. Whoever tortures a human being, whoever abuses a human being, whoever outrages a human being, abuses God’s image.” ~ St. Oscar Romero

“You can tell the people that if they succeed in killing me, that I forgive and bless those who do it. Hopefully, they will realize they are wasting their time. A bishop will die, but the church of God, which is the people, will never perish.” ~ St. Oscar Romero

“Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world. Let us not tire of preaching love. Though we see that waves of violence succeed in drowning the fire of Christian love, love must win out; it is the only thing that can.” ~ St. Oscar Romero

“We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.” ~ St. Oscar Romero

“Aspire not to have more, but to be more.” ~ St. Oscar Romero

“In America, you are not required to offer food to the hungry or shelter the homeless. There is no ordinance forcing you to visit the lonely, or comfort the infirmed. No where in the Constitution does it say you have to provide clothing to the poor. In fact, one of the nicest things about living here in America, is that you really don’t have to do anything for anybody. But when you do, you give meaning and provide soul to the concept of community…and develop a sense of purpose to something greater than one’s self.” ~ St. Paul VI

“The Eucharistic mystery stands at the heart and center of the liturgy since it is the fount of life by which we are cleansed and strengthened to live not for ourselves but for God and to be united in love among ourselves.” ~ St. Paul VI

“Of all human activities, man’s listening to God is the supreme act of his reasoning and will.” ~ St. Paul VI

“Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.” ~ St. Paul VI

St. Oscar Romero, pray for us.
St. Paul VI, pray for us.
St. Francesco Spinelli, pray for us.
St. Vincenzo Roman, pray for us.
St. Maria Catherine Kasper, pray for us.
St. Nazaria Ignazia, pray for us.
St. Nuncio Sulprizio, pray for us.