SAINT OF THE DAY

SATURDAY, 17 MAY, 2025

SAINT PASCHAL BAYLON

(1540 - 1592)

St. Paschal Baylon was born in 1540, at Torres Hermosa, in the kingdom of Aragon, Spain. His parents were day-laborers, and very virtuous; and to their example our saint was greatly indebted for their spirit of piety and devotion. They could not afford sending him to school; but Paschal out of an earnest desire of attaining proper instruction, carried a book with him into the fields where he watched the sheep, and desired those that he met to teach him the letters; and thus, in a short time, being yet very young, he learned to read. He made use of reading only to improve his soul in devotion and piety: (avoiding books of amusement altogether). The lives of the saints, and, above all, meditations on the life of Christ were his chiefest delight. It served to instruct and to inflame his heart in the love and practice of virtue.

When he was of a proper age, he engaged with a master to keep his flocks as under-shepherd. His master, who was a person of singular piety, was charmed with his edifying conduct, and made him an offer to adopt him for his son, and to make him heir. But Paschal, who desired only the goods of another life, was afraid that those of this world would hinder his spirit; he therefore modestly declined the favor, desiring more conformability to that which Christ chose for himself on earth, who came not into the world to be served, but to serve.

He was often discovered praying on his knees under some tree, while his flocks were browsing on the hills. It was by this secret entertainment of his soul with God, in the most profound humility, and perfect purity of his affections, that he acquired a most sublime science and experience in spiritual things. He spoke of God and of virtue with an inimitable unction and experimental light, and with sentiments which the Holy Ghost alone forms in souls which are perfectly disengaged from earthly things, and replenished with his heavenly fire.

St. Paschal in his poverty joined alms with his continual prayer; and not having any other means to relieve the poor, always gave them a good part of his own dinner which was sent him into the fields. He was slowly determined to leave his companions in the field who used to quarrel and abuse the neighbor's workers. He desired to learn the will of God in the choice of a religious state of life in which he might most faithfully serve him, he redoubled his prayers, fasts, and other austerities.

In around 1564, he joined the Reformed Franciscan Order (Alcantarine Reform) as a lay brother. He chose to live in poor monasteries because, he said, "I was born poor and am resolved to die in poverty and penance." He lived a life of poverty and prayer, even praying while working, for the rest of his life.

The meanest employments always gave him the highest satisfaction. Whenever he changed convents, according to the custom of his order, the better to prevent any secret attachments of the heart, he never complained of any thing, nor so much as said that he found any thing in one house more agreeable than in another. He had never more than one habit, and that always threadbare. He walked without sandals in the snows, and in the roughest roads.

He had a singular devotion to the Mother of God, whose intercession he never ceased to implore that he might be preserved from sin. The Holy Sacrament of the altar was the object of his most tender devotion; also the passion of our divine Redeemer. He spent, especially towards the end of his life, a considerable part of the night at the foot of the altar on his knees, or prostrate on the ground. In prayer he was often favored with ecstasies and raptures. He died at Villa Reale, near Valentia, on the 17th of May, in 1592, being fifty-two years old. His corpse was exposed three days, during which time the great multitudes which from all parts visited the church, were witnesses to many miracles by which God attested the sanctity of his servant. St. Paschal was beatified by Pope Paul V. in 1618, and canonized by Alexander VIII. in 1690.

PATRON: Eucharistic Congresses, Societies and Shepherds.

PRAYER: God, You filled St. Paschal with a wondrous love for the sacred mysteries of Your Body and Blood. May we draw from this Divine Banquet the same spiritual riches he received. Amen.

St. Paschal Baylon: Pray for us!