You can read biographies of all those to be canonized on Sunday here – and it’s worth doing. The lives of these men and women show so clearly that the life of holiness – of a saint – is anything but quiet, conformist passivity – the stereotype of one deeply committed to God. We know the stereotype is a lie, but sometimes even we need reminding, don’t we?  We forget that the goal of spiritual growth, as our culture defines it that even creeps into our churches – that it’s all about finding a space where I’m feeling comfortable and accepted and okay and am basically getting along with the world – is just a lie. At least for Christians. 

Filippo Smaldone ministered to the disabled, particularly the deaf and mute, in the political turmoil of 19th century Naples, at times fighting his own wishes to go elsewhere (the missions) and do other work.

Rosa Venerini began a mnistry of teaching lay women, especially their catechism – a movement that was resisted by both clergy and others, all of whom thought it was unseemly and inappropriate for a woman to be doing anything of the kind.

Rafael Guizar Valencia was a late 19th and early 20th century Mexican priest and bishop (d. 1938) – as a clergyman in Mexico he endured persecution:

In 1911, to counteract the persecution of the Catholic Church, he founded a religious newspaper in Mexico, but shortly thereafter it was unfortunately put out of business by the revolutionary movement. Persecuted until his death, he lived a number of years with no fixed home. He suffered loss of privacy and faced many dangerous experiences. To continue his ministry, he disguised himself as a street seller, a musician, and a doctor of homeopathic medicine. In this way, he was able to heal the sick, continue to console and administer the sacraments to the dying.

Untiring missionary

He was pursued by his enemies and was unable to remain permanently in placecountry-region Mexico due to the constant danger of being captured. He remained in the southern part of the United States until the end of 1915. The year after, he went to Guatemala where he conducted a large number of missions. His reputation as a missionary reached Cuba where he was later invited to conduct missions for the people. His work was very productive on the island. His charitable work with the victims of the black plague in 1919 was exemplary.

(Miguel Pro also disguised himself in order to minister)

Mother Guerin had her own share of problems, which included the serious meddling of Vincenne Bishop Hailandiere, who answered Mother Guerin’s resistance to his attempt to change the Rule of her order by excommunicating her. Briefly – for he retired to France, and his successor lifted the excommunication. Hailandiere apparently made life difficult for Fr. Sorin in his attempts to start a school near the South Bend of the St. Joseph’s River, as well.

Courage, persistence, fidelity, persecution from within and without – and complicated relationships with superiors. All a part of the lives of the saints…

Bishop Valencia was also a member of the Knights of Columbus – so look for them in full force on Sunday, as well:

While in Cuba, he was consecrated Bishop of Veracruz, Mexico. The end of the revolution enabled him to return to Mexico in January 1920, and he joined Knights of Columbus Council 2311 in Jalapa, Veracruz on August 16. 1923. As bishop, he founded a clandestine seminary to train future priests, noting that “A bishop can do without a mitre, a crosier, and even a cathedral, but never without a seminary, because the future of his diocese depends on the seminary.”

Bishop Guizar Valencia was forced to flee Mexico once again in 1927, during the persecution of the Church under Mexican President Plutarco Calles. He returned in 1929, the year the Church reached an accord with the Mexican government, reached in part because of successful lobbying by the Knights of Columbus to get the U.S. government to take an active role solving the crisis. After his return to Mexico, Bishop Guizar Valencia continued his ministry, and became known as “the bishop of the poor.” He died of natural causes on June 6, 1938, and was beatified by Pope John Paul II on January 29, 1995.