Born in India in 1954 to Catholic parents, Mariam Vattalil followed God’s call to religious life and entered a Franciscan congregation at 17. The other sisters said she always smiled, never complained, and meticulously followed the congregation’s rules. After her final vows, she began missionary work, serving the poor in northern India. She taught the Gospel, helped the farmers, preached against vice, and taught the poor how to free themselves from local money lenders who took advantage of them, keeping them in a cycle of poverty. Seeing her as a threat to their business, the money lenders hired an assassin who stabbed her to death on a bus in 1995. As she died, she repeated over and over the name of Jesus.
CHALLENGE
The family of Blessed Mariam Vattalil forgave Mariam’s killer and successfully petitioned the government for his release from prison. Mariam lived a saintly life because her parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles created an environment that raised a saint. Whether or not you have children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews, you are called to do the same. How are you raising saints?
Being a good husband and father starts when a man honors his wife.
Kevin Lowry’s new delightful, easy-to-read book Honor Thy Wife, he shares a month’s-worth of stories and the lessons he learned over 35+ years of marriage.
Fr. John Riccardo says, “Please read this and give it to every married man you know!” And Michael Hernon, President and co-founder of Messy Family Project enthused, “All married men need this book—their wives will be grateful!”
