August 7 - St. Sixtus II and Companions, St. Cajetan

AUGUST 7

The current Roman calendar lists two saints on August 7. Their stories are briefly presented here one after the other.

ST. SIXTUS II AND COMPANIONS

The Roman emperors who persecuted Christians were trying to wipe out belief in Jesus and a religion they hated and feared. Although they did not know it, every time they murdered a saint, they gave Christians one more reason for belief. From the bloody Roman persecutions came the martyrs. The martyrs' gift of faithfulness to Jesus, even at the cost of their lives, will bless the Church until the end of time.

The persecution of Emperor Valerian caused the martyrdom of Pope St. Sixtus II and six deacons in one day. The persecution was fierce. Many in the Christian community gathered in the underground catacombs. They participated in the Mass and encouraged each other. Sixtus, a priest of Rome, became pope in 257. That same year Valerian's persecution began. Sixtus carried on bravely for a year, mostly from hiding, encouraging the Christians. With tact and gentleness, he even settled issues about Christian beliefs. Then on August 6, 258, Roman soldiers broke into a room in the catacombs as Sixtus sat peacefully. He was preaching a sermon about Jesus' love and forgiveness. Some say he was killed right there in his chair, along with four of the six deacons. Others say he and the deacons were taken away for trial. Then they were brought back to that very room, where they were killed. The two remaining deacons were killed later in the day.

A century later, Pope St. Damasus wrote a beautiful inscription on the tomb of St. Sixtus which is in the catacombs of St. Callistus in Rome. St. Sixtus II was so highly thought of by the early Christians that he is among the saints listed in the Church's First Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass.
We can ask St. Sixtus II to help us appreciate our gift of faith and grow in our love for Jesus. When we are afraid to stand up for what Jesus expects of us, we can pray to St. Sixtus and his companion martyrs for courage.

ST. CAJETAN

Cajetan was born in Vicenza, Italy, in 1480, the son of a count. He graduated from the University of Padua with law degrees. Then he worked in the papal offices in Rome. Cajetan became a priest in 1516. He returned to his own city of Vicenza. Although it angered his rich relatives, the saint joined a group of humble, simple men who devoted themselves to helping the sick and the poor. St. Cajetan would go all over the city looking for unfortunate people and would serve them himself. He helped at the hospital by caring for people with the most disgusting diseases. In other cities, he did the same charitable work. He also kept encouraging everyone to go to Holy Communion often. "I shall never be happy," he said, "until I see Christians flocking to feed on the Bread of Life with eagerness and delight, not with fear and shame."

Together with three other holy men, St. Cajetan started an order of religious priests called "Theatines." This group devoted themselves to preaching. They encouraged frequent confession and Communion, helping the sick and other good works.

Cajetan died at the age of sixty-seven. In his last sickness, he lay on hard boards, even though the doctor advised him to have a mattress. "My Savior died on a cross," he said. "Let me at least die on wood." Cajetan passed away on August 7, 1547, in Naples.

He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Clement X in 1671.