Born in Sicily to a shoemaker in 1605, Bernard of Corleone was taught his father’s trade from an early age. He had a short temper, didn’t care much for making shoes, and after his father’s death he left the profession and took up fencing. He became an accomplished swordsman, often dueling to defend the elderly and the helpless. Despite his way of life, he frequently made devout visits to a Crucifix. One day after mortally wounding his opponent and being chased by a mob, he sought refuge at a monastery and asked to be admitted as a lay brother. After being accepted into the novitiate, he spent the rest of his life atoning for his prior life of sin.
CHALLENGE
St. Bernard of Corleone reminds us again that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. Don’t let regret of your past sins keep you from being a saint. If you are still haunted by your confessed sins, prayerfully consider with the help of a spiritual director what you can do in this life to atone for the sins that weigh heaviest on your soul.
Deepen your love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus! The Sacred Heart Book of Devotions is full of prayers, litanies, meditations, and hymns that will enflame your love for the Sacred Heart!
