St. Mary of Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament Parish
648 JAY ST., UTICA, NY 13501 – 315-735-1482
(1247-1297) Margaret of Cortona was born in Loviana in Tuscany in 1247. Her father was a small farmer. Margaret’s mother died when she was 7 years old. When her father remarried, her stepmother disliked her high-spirited stepdaughter. Rejected at home, Margaret eloped with a youth from Montepulciano and bore him a son out of wedlock. […]
(1007-1073) Today’s saint is another example of how someone born with seemingly everything against him can rise to be a person of importance. In the case of Peter Damian, he became a prince and doctor of the church. Born the seventh child in a family of the city of Ravenna, Damian’s mother rejected the baby […]
(Jacinta: 1910-Feb. 20, 1920) (Francisco: 1908-April 14, 1919) Between May 13 and Oct. 13, 1917, three Portuguese shepherd children from Aljustrel, received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria, near Fátima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon. At that time, Europe was involved in an extremely bloody war. Portugal itself was in political […]
(Died 1351) Conrad was a member of one of the most noble families of the city of Piacenza and thusly enjoyed all the benefits riches and station in life. He was married at a young age and by all accounts led a virtuous and God-fearing life. One day, while out hunting, he instructed his servants […]
(1367-1455) Today’s saint is considered to be the patron of Christian artists. John was born in Fiesole, the hilltop town overlooking the great Renaissance city of Florence. While he was still a youth, he was attracted to the religious life, and received into the Order of Friars Preachers (called the Observance), which had been established […]
(c. 526-603) Fintan was born into an Irish Christian family about 526 AD. He received his religious training under the Abbot Colum, being introduced to a rule of severity and austerity. Fintan, in turn, founded the monastery at Conemaugh. Life was certainly hard on his monks. They had strict rules not to consume any animal […]
(1083-1189) Perhaps long life is a gift to those who serve unselfishly. Gilbert of Sempringham can certainly be held as an example of that premise. He was born into a wealthy family, but he followed a path quite different from that expected of him as the son of a Norman knight. Sent to France for […]
Jennifer Tran was baptized Catholic as a baby and has been going to Mass all her life. She made her First Communion and was confirmed, but something was missing. She had her doubts about the faith. It wasn’t until she became a Eucharistic minister that everything fell into place and she found her way. You […]
(Died 95 AD) Onesimus was born in Phrygia (west-central Turkey today). He became a slave to Philemon, an important person of the city of Colossae. At some point in his servitude Onesimus stole from his master and fled. During this period, he found himself in Rome and contacted St. Paul, who was in prison there. […]
(First died 269 AD; second died circa 346 AD) The feast of St. Valentine has become universal. Even non-Christians celebrate with messages and gifts to loved ones. But did you know there were two St. Valentines? Here are their stories. Our first St. Valentine was a Roman priest of the 3rd century. Intrigued by his […]