APRIL 24TH, ST. FIDELIS OF SIGMARINGEN, MARTYR

Month in honor of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Fidelis was born of the respectable family of Rey in the town of Sigmaringen in Swabia, in the year of our Lord 1577. From his childhood he was adorned with many bright gifts of nature and grace. Intellectually distinguished, and assisted by all the advantages of education, he took at Fribourg the degrees of Philosophy and of Civil and Canon Law, and it was while engaged in these studies, that he began to strive after the height of perfection in the school of Christ, to which end he earnestly trained himself in all the exercises of godliness. He ceased not to exhort to Christian godliness, both by his words and works, the noblemen who made him their companion, and who were drawn from the chief families of diverse parts of Europe. While on his travels, he was careful to mortify the lusts of the flesh by frequent austerities, and so to get the command of himself, that he was never seen under any circumstances to be moved to anger. He was a zealous champion of law and justice, and when he returned into Germany, he won a most distinguished name in his profession as an advocate. After a while, however, in view of the dangers which beset him at the Bar, he determined to enter on a path safer as regarded his eternal salvation, and, in obedience to an inward call from above, he sought admission into the Seraphic Order, among the Capuchin Friars Minor, in the year 1612. After he had obtained his holy wish, he showed himself even in his noviceship a singular despiser of the world and of himself, and still more so when with great spiritual joy he had made his solemn profession to the Lord. By his observance of the Rule, he became the wonder and the example of all. He gave himself chiefly to prayer and sacred learning, but he excelled, by a remarkable grace, in the ministry of the Word, and thereby not only stirred up the Catholics to bring forth more fruit, but also drew misbelievers to the knowledge of the truth. He was set at the head of communities of Friars in diverse places, and discharged the duty so laid upon him with great praise for prudence, justice, meekness, wisdom, and lowliness. He was animated by a vehement love of the strictest poverty, and cleansed the convent of whatever was not altogether needful. While he pursued himself with an healthy hatred, and most stern fastings, watchings, and scourgings, he showed to all others a love like the love of a mother for her sons. When a contagious fever made horrid ravages among the Austrian soldiers, he gave himself up with his whole soul to unwearied offices of tenderness toward the helpless sick. In allaying quarrels and relieving the temporal distress of his neighbour, he bore himself with such wisdom and zeal as to earn the name of Father of his country. Tenderly and warmly loved the maiden Mother of God and her Rosary, and he besought God under the patronage of many of His holy servants, but especially under that of the same blessed Mother, to vouchsafe to let him offer his life and his blood together for the sake of the Catholic faith. This burning desire came upon him more and more, day by day, as he celebrated with great ardour of spirit the Holy Liturgy and by the unexpected Providence of God it came to pass that this brave He was a travelling tutor. soldier of Christ was chosen President of the Missions which the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith had at that time just founded for the Grisons. He accepted this hard task with a willing and joyful heart, and discharged it with such zeal, that many heretics were turned to the orthodox faith, and great hope was engendered that the whole of that people would return to the peace of Christ and His Church. Fidelis, who was gifted with the spirit of Prophecy, often foretold the great woes which afterwards came upon the Grisons, and that he himself would be murdered by the heretics. At last, on a certain 23rd of April, some of the heretics, who pretended to be converted, entreated him to come and preach the following day at the Church of a place which is called Sevis. He complied with the treacherous invitation, but, as he knew that plots were being laid against him, he had made himself ready beforehand for the last conflict. On the 24th day of April, in the year 1622, he went to Sevis, and began to preach, but his discourse was interrupted by a riot, and on his way back, he was [met by a party of Calvinists, and) brutally murdered. By this glorious death, which he suffered with a willing and cheerful heart, he offered to God in his own blood the first-fruits of martyrdom from the abovementioned Congregation. God hath since glorified him by many signs and wonders, especially at Chur and Feldkirch, where his relics are kept with much popular veneration.