Enrique Shaw: the Argentine businessman who transformed his company with the Gospel
Enrique Shaw is one of those names that breaks the mold: a deeply humane businessman, a layman committed to the Church, and a family man who understood that holiness also plays a role in the office, in the factory, and in day-to-day management. His life not only left its mark on Argentina, but today inspires thousands of people who seek to live their faith in the midst of the world.
Declared Venerable by the Church in 2021, his cause for beatification is moving forward, driven by the testimony of those who knew him: a man who worked, led, and served as one who wanted to be like Christ. His figure challenges us to rediscover the role of the laity in the mission of the Church, a mission that the CARF Foundation supports supporting the training of seminarians and priests diocesan priests, who will guide as many people as he did, both humanly and spiritually.
Who was Enrique Shaw? A life of faith, work, and service
The Venerable Enrique Ernest Shaw was born in 1921. His mother died when he was very young, and his father decided to entrust his spiritual education to a priest of the Sacramentinos. That early education marked the beginning of a God-centered life.
He later joined the Navy and married Cecilia Bunge, with whom he had a large family: nine children. After leaving military service, he entered the business world, where he developed an innovative vision of Christian leadership. He was one of the founders of the Christian Association of Business Leaders (ACDE) in Argentina, and promoted spaces where ethics, social justice, and charity were lived out in concrete ways.
An entrepreneur who brought the Gospel to the workplace
Shaw believed that faith should permeate all decisions, including economic ones. He did not conceive of the company as a mere place of production, but as a human community where each person had dignity and rights. Some characteristics that defined his business style:
He promoted real improvements in working conditions for his employees.
It encouraged participation and internal dialogue.
He argued that businesspeople should put the common good before personal interests.
He promoted policies to support families and vocational training.
His leadership style anticipated what the Church would develop decades later as Social Doctrine applied to the world of work: a leadership that seeks prosperity without sacrificing humanity.
A coherent family and spiritual life
The venerable Enrique Shaw and his wife, Cecilia, on a day at the beach with their children. Family life had a profound impact on his journey of faith.
At home, the venerable Shaw lived his faith naturally and joyfully. His warmth, his ability to listen, and his constant search for holiness in everyday life left a mark on his wife, his children, and hundreds of people who crossed his path.
During his illness—a cancer that accompanied him in his final years—he continued to work, encouraging others and offering his suffering for the people he loved. Many testimonies highlight his serenity and his way of facing pain with hope and gratitude.
The cause for beatification of Enrique Shaw
In 2021, Pope Francis approved the decree recognizing heroic virtues by Enrique Shaw, granting him the title of Venerable. This is a decisive step in the beatification process.
The cause continues to move forward thanks to the testimony of those who witnessed his life and the spiritual fruits that his example continues to bear. For the Church, the venerable Shaw represents a model of the laity: a Christian who sanctifies work, accompanies others, and builds a more just society.
What Enrique Shaw inspires in lay people around the world today
His figure answers a question that many believers ask themselves today: How can we live our faith in a demanding professional environment?
Shaw proves that it is possible:
lead without abusing,
grow without stepping on,
lead without losing humanity and
work always seeking the common good.
In a world where competitiveness seems to prevail over the individual, his testimony brings the essence of the Gospel back to the center of professional activity.
The CARF Foundation: training those who will accompany and inspire the laity
Enrique Shaw's life shows how decisive it is to have a good Christian education, especially received from childhood and accompanied by trained priests.
Today, that same mission continues with strength in CARF Foundation, which helps seminarians and diocesan priests from around the world receive a comprehensive education: academic, human, and spiritual. They will be the ones who accompany lay people like Shaw, and who will enlighten businesses, families, parishes, and entire communities.
Your support makes it possible for this chain of training to continue unbroken.
Help train those who will lead the Church of the future.
Today we must praise simplicity. It is a rare virtue that we want to appreciate in others, but perhaps we are not convinced that it is also very good for us. Some, due to their accumulated life experience, harbor a certain distrust of what is natural and simple; and, fearing they will be deceived when they encounter a simple person, they strive only to find out what that person is hiding.
The spiritual greatness of simplicity
Many people may consider simplicity to be useless in the struggle for life that we face every morning. I must confess that I am moved every time I meet a simple person who is «natural or spontaneous, uncomplicated in character, free of reserve or artifice,» as defined by the dictionary; and when faced with other human beings who are also simple and who, according to the dictionary, «in their dealings with others, do not assume an attitude of superiority in terms of status, intelligence, knowledge, etc., even if they are.».
The simple man enjoys the kindness of others, rejoices in the joy of those around him, and enjoys the sixth sense of discovering beauty and goodness around him. I see him as if he were always at God's side, thanking Him for creation.
The joy of those who discover God in simplicity
A sunset by the sea, a sunset viewed from the top of a mountain, a peaceful conversation with a friend... the simple man savors every detail. His simplicity opens the horizon of his spirit to the greatness of God, of the world, of all creation; the greatness of friendship, the greatness of the company of a loved one and the wonder of love that is enclosed in a grateful heart; the greatness of a spirit that rejoices with the joy of those around him...
Contemplating a landscape at sunset, evoking simplicity and spiritual connection with Creation.
In this rediscovery, the intelligence of simplicity finds a place for everything in the order of the universe. With simplicity, one enjoys conquering the moon; and no less joyful is smiling at a newborn baby, helping an elderly woman who is somewhat helpless to cross the street, comforting a grandchild who is suffering the first professional failure of his life, rejoicing with a neighbor over a lottery prize...
I don't know if we are still too influenced by Nietzsche's miserable dreams of greatness, with his superman in tow; a superman who is weak in intelligence and has feet of clay, the product of an evasive imagination.
Or perhaps it is our innate sense of tragedy that prevents us from discovering the value and flavor of ordinary things, leading us to unattainable dreams, sterile and useless dreams, so different from true and great human ambitions, and causing us to go through life without enjoying the simplicity of so many wonders.
Scripture expresses this graphically by showing us the prophet Elijah learning to discover God, not in the storm, nor in the hail, nor in the strong winds, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in “a gentle breeze,” the most ordinary and common thing, where no one would expect it. Christ thanks and rewards those who give a glass of water to the thirsty.
The simple man savors, has a palate for tasting the flavor of things, enjoys giving thanks—giving thanks is also a privilege of the intelligent—and receiving that small reward of life that is the simplicity of a smile.
Juan Ramón Jiménez expresses it in poetic prose: «What a smile the little girl had! With her tearful joy, she offered me two carefully chosen oranges. I took them gratefully and gave one to the weak little donkey as sweet consolation, and the other to Platero as a golden reward.».
It is not nostalgia for other times gone by, better times, childhood times. Simplicity is the gateway to understanding a future that begins at every moment. That future which the simple-minded embrace with open arms. Sometimes I think that the simple-minded hide a treasure: the eternity of God's love.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception invites us every December 8 to contemplate Mary in the fullness of grace. It is a solemnity that has its roots in the tradition of the Church and, at the same time, looks forward: toward the redemption that Christ brings to the world and toward the mission that every believer is called to live.
In this mystery, the Church recognizes that God prepared Mary of Nazareth from the first moment of her existence to be the Mother of the Savior. A truth that illuminates the Annunciation, introduces us to the wait for the Advent season and renews the spiritual life of Christians. It is also a day of special significance for institutions such as the CARF Foundation, which seeks to spread a solid formation in the faith and promote vocations to the service of the universal Church.
A dogma that reveals the logic of God's love
The proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1854, was not an improvised novelty. It was the solemn recognition of something that Christian piety, liturgy, and the Church Fathers had affirmed for centuries: that Mary was preserved from original sin from the moment of her conception, through the anticipated merits of Jesus Christ.
This truth expresses a profound logic of divine love: God acts first, prepares, cares for, and brings grace forward. The mystery of the Immaculate Conception shows that the history of salvation is not improvised, but responds to a plan where human freedom and God's initiative meet.
The solemnity of December 8 helps us to better understand Mary's unique mission. Being full of grace from the beginning, her freedom was fully oriented toward God. This does not mean an absence of struggle or automatism, but rather the fullness of a life entirely open to the divine will. She thus becomes a model of what God dreams for each person: an existence marked by grace and availability.
"The Annunciation" (c. 1426) by Fra Angelico. Saint Gabriel is depicted as the sublime messenger of the Incarnation of the Word.
The Annunciation: the moment when the Immaculate Virgin reveals her mission
When contemplating the Immaculate Conception, the gaze naturally turns to the Annunciation. There, the angel Gabriel He greets Mary with words that confirm the mystery: «Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.» Her fullness of grace is not a spiritual adornment, but the condition for the mission that God entrusts to her.
Mary's response—an unambiguous “yes”—is possible because her heart is not divided. Her complete freedom is the fruit of that divine preparation we celebrate on December 8. In this way, the Immaculate Conception illuminates God's entire plan: in Mary begins the new creation that Christ will bring to completion.
This perspective is especially valuable during Advent. As the Church awaits the coming of the Lord, she looks to Mary as a foretaste and model. In her, the future redemption already shines forth; in her, we already see what God can do when he finds an open heart.
A message for Christian life today
Celebrating the Immaculate Conception is not just about remembering a dogma.. It means embracing a message for daily life. Mary shows us that grace is not abstract: it transforms, sustains, and guides. Her life is an invitation to trust in God's action even when we do not understand all the details of the journey.
In a time marked by haste, superficiality, and the search for immediate certainties, the figure of the Immaculate Conception invites us to return to the center: to docility, listening, and openness to grace. Believers discover that true freedom is born when God occupies the first place.
Inspiration for the Church's Mission
The Immaculate Conception also inspires the Church's evangelizing mission. Mary, full of grace, is a source of hope and a model of dedication. That is why institutions dedicated to formation and priestly vocations—such as the CARF Foundation— find in this feast a shining example. The Church needs men and women who, like Mary, live in an attitude of availability, guided by grace and at the service of the mission.
The beauty of this mystery encourages us to continue building a holier Church, one that is closer and more capable of bringing the light of Christ to the world.
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«In Loreto, I am especially indebted to Our Lady.»
Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer visited Loreto for the first time on January 3 and 4, 1948. But the reason why the founder of Opus Dei felt particularly indebted to Our Lady of Loreto was due to a very serious need that arose years later and was linked to the legal structure of the Work, for which he sought the protection of the Virgin Mary.
Account of the visits of the founder of Opus Dei to Loreto
«On the afternoon of January 3, Saint Josemaría and Don Álvaro del Portillo, Salvador Moret Bondía, and Ignacio Sallent Casas. They said the prayer in the courtyard of the House of Nazareth, inside the Shrine. Upon leaving the temple, the Father asked Don Álvaro:
—What did you say to the Virgin Mary?
«Do you want me to tell you?« And, at a gesture from the Father, he replied: "Well, I repeated what I always say, but as if it were the first time. I said to him: I ask of you what the Father asks of you.".
-I think what you said is very good. –St. Josemaría later told him. Repeat it many times.».
The feast of Our Lady of Loreto is celebrated on December 10. Photo: Vatican News.
The 1950s were years of great suffering for St. Josemaría, due to misunderstandings and conflicts. In the midst of these difficulties, he decided to go to Loreto to place himself under the protection of the Virgin Mary's mantle and caresses.
Consecration to the Most Sweet Heart of Mary: August 15, 1951
«On August 14, 1951, he decided to set out by road for Loreto," recounts writer Ana Sastre, "to be there on the 15th and consecrate Opus Dei to the Blessed Virgin. The heat was suffocating, and thirst would be felt throughout the journey. There was no highway. The road runs through valleys, climbs steeply up the Apennines, and descends in the last part until it reaches the Adriatic Sea.
According to a centuries-old tradition, since 1294 the Holy House of Nazareth has stood on the hill of Loreto, beneath the transept of the basilica built later. It is rectangular, with walls about four and a half meters high. One wall is modern, but the others, without foundations and blackened by candle smoke, are, according to tradition, those of the House of Nazareth.
Its structure and the geological formation of the materials bear no resemblance to the characteristics of the ancient architecture of the area: it is perfectly analogous to the constructions that were built in Palestine twenty centuries ago: sandstone blocks, using lime as a binding agent.
The sanctuary stands on a hill covered with laurel trees, hence its name. They park in the central square and the priest quickly gets out of the car. For fifteen or twenty minutes, they lose sight of him among the crowds filling the basilica. Finally, he emerges, after greeting the Virgin Mary, smiling and cheerful. It is half past seven and they have to return to Ancona to spend the night.
«The next morning, before the sun rises, they return to the road. Despite the early hour, the sanctuary is packed. The Father dresses in the sacristy and advances toward the altar of the House of Nazareth to celebrate Mass. The small enclosure is crowded and the heat is stifling.
«Under the votive lamps, he wants to officiate the Liturgy with complete devotion. But he has not counted on the fervor of the crowd on this feast day: "While I was kissing the altar as prescribed by the rubrics of the Mass, three or four peasant women were kissing it at the same time. I was distracted, but I was moved.
I was also struck by the thought that in that Holy House—which tradition holds to be the place where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived—these words have been placed on the altar table: Here the Word became flesh. Here, in a house built by human hands, on a piece of the earth where we live, God dwelt" (Christ is Passing By, 12).
«During Mass, without any formula but with words full of faith, the Father performs the consecration of Opus Dei to the Lady. And then, speaking quietly to those beside him, he repeats it again on behalf of the whole of Opus Dei:
The founder of Opus Dei with Bishop Alvaro del Portillo in front of the Holy House.
An invocation to the Virgin Mary
"We consecrate ourselves and our lives to you; everything that is ours: what we love and what we are. To you we give our bodies, our hearts, and our souls; we are yours. And so that this consecration may be truly effective and lasting, we renew today at your feet, Lady, the commitment we made to God in Opus Dei. Instill in us a great love for Church and to Papa, and make us live fully submissive to all his teachings."(RHF 20755, p. 450).
The Father has left Rome Visibly tired. But when he returns, he seems renewed. As if every obstacle had just been pulverized in God's path. A few weeks ago, he suggested to his sons and daughters that they repeat an invocation to the Mother of Jesus over and over again. Sweetest Heart of Mary, make my journey safe!,Sweetest Heart of Mary, prepare a safe path for us!»
«The paths of Opus Dei will always be preceded by the smile and love of the Virgin Mary. Once again, the Founder has moved within the coordinates of faith. He provides the human means, but trusts in the decisive intervention from above. "God is the same as always. Men of faith are needed: and the wonders we read about in the Holy Scriptures will be renewed." Writing. Behold, the hand of the Lord is not shortened –The arm of God, his power, has not been diminished! (The Way, 586).
He went to the Holy House six more times: on November 7, 1953, May 12, 1955, May 8, 1960, April 22, 1969, May 8, 1969, and finally on April 22, 1971. On December 9, 1973, the eve of the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, she said, "All the images, all the names, all the invocations that the Christian people give to Saint Maria, I think they are wonderful. But in Loreto, I am especially indebted to Our Lady.".
The Legend of the Holy House of Loreto
The history of this Marian devotion revolves around the house where the Virgin Mary was born and lived with Jesus and Saint Joseph in Nazareth, Palestine.
The miracle: According to tradition, when the Crusaders lost control of Holy Land at 1291, The house was in danger of being destroyed. To save it, a group of angels lifted it into the air and carried it across the Mediterranean.
Basilica of the Holy House.
The story of the journey tells that the house first flew to Croatia (Trsat), then crossed the Adriatic Sea to Italy (Ancona), and finally landed in December 10, 1294, in a forest of laurels (lauretum in Latin, from which the name Loreto derives).
From the perspective of various modern studies, some suggest that the Byzantine noble family Angeli (a surname meaning angels) financed and organized the transfer of the stones from the Holy House by boat to save them, giving rise to the beautiful legend of the angelic flight.
Why is Loreto a Black Virgin?
When you visit the shrine of Loreto or contemplate the images of many Marian devotions, Torreciudad, Montserrat... you notice that both the Virgin and the Child have dark skin. The most common cause of this very dark brown tone is that the wood took on this color over the years, mainly due to the smoke from candles and oil lamps inside the small Holy House.
In the case of Loreto, following a fire in 1921, a new image was carved using Lebanese cedar (a dark wood) and it was decided to retain the traditional black color that had made it so recognizable to pilgrims for centuries.
Loreto, patron saint of aviation
Due to the miraculous transfer of the Holy House from Palestine to Italy, the Pope Benedict XV proclaimed her the patron saint of universal aviation in 1920. In Spain, she is also the patron saint of the Air Force, the Sepla (Spanish Air Traffic Controllers' Association), and Space. Every December 10 is a big day at all Spanish air bases.
The Virgin of Loreto protects pilots and military personnel, but also air travelers and all flight personnel.
In Spain, devotion is closely linked to this stirring hymn, which is sung at military and religious ceremonies:
«Hail, Mother, Hail, Queen of Heaven, of beauty a star, of purity the radiance; source of the purest love, our hope is in her, Hail, Mother, Hail, Queen of Heaven.
If our wings break at the end of our flight, before we reach the ground, may your arms open with love. Hail, Mother, Hail, Queen of Heaven.
Celebrations in Spain
In addition to traditional military celebrations, there are also very popular religious and civil celebrations: December 10 itself, which is the official liturgical holiday. It is celebrated in many parishes dedicated to Our Lady of Lore (such as Barajas in Madrid or on hills near airports).
As notable popular festivals in Jávea and Santa Pola, towns in Alicante, the festivals in honor of the Mother of God of Loreto are very important. Interestingly, in Jávea they are celebrated at the end of August and beginning of September, with the traditional Bulls to the Sea.
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Saint Francis Xavier, life and mission of the giant of missions
Saint Francis Xavier He is one of the most prominent figures in the history of Christian evangelization, and each year his feast day reminds the Catholic Church that mission requires prior preparation, sending, and a truly universal vision.
His life, marked by total dedication, is naturally connected to the work carried out by institutions dedicated to priestly formation, such as the CARF Foundation. This relationship allows us to view his life not as an isolated historical episode, but as a living reference for the service that the Church provides throughout the world.
Javier Castle, in Navarre, is the place of his birth and one of the most striking places in his history.
The Life of Saint Francis Xavier
Francisco de Jasso Azpilicueta was born in 1506 in the Javier Castle, Navarre, into a noble family. From a young age, he stood out for his intellectual and athletic abilities, which opened the doors to the University of Paris, where he became a professor. There he experienced a decisive period for his vocation: his encounter with Íñigo de Loyola, his roommate and friend: Saint Ignatius.
At first, Francisco had no intention of orienting his life toward the religious life or missionary. His goal was to advance academically. However, Ignatius knew how to challenge him with a phrase that became a turning point: «What good is it to gain the whole world if you lose your soul?» Over time, that message transformed his priorities.
This inner change led him to join the founding nucleus of the Society of Jesus in 1534. That decision marked the beginning of a life devoted entirely to serving the Catholic Church throughout the world.
In 1541, at the request of the king of Portugal, the Society of Jesus was commissioned to send missionaries to the kingdom's Asian territories. Although Ignatius had initially considered other companions, circumstances led Francisco Javier to set sail for the East. He accepted without hesitation.
Map of the seven journeys of St. Francis Xavier between 1541 and 1552, with routes differentiated by colors indicating his travels through Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.
His arrival in Goa in 1542 marked the beginning of an unprecedented missionary period. Saint Francis Xavier traveled throughout India, Malacca, the Moluccas, and Japan, always with a clear approach: closeness to the people, learning languages, seeking cultural adaptation, and an attitude of constant listening. His dream was to reach China, but he died in 1552 on the island of Shangchuan, at the gateway to the continent.
His method, based on direct presence and understanding of the local context, laid the foundations for what the Church today recognizes as respectful and deeply human evangelization.
Javier understood that his vocation as a missionary was not an abstract idea, but a concrete task that required humility, study, and perseverance. His ability to move between different cultures, learn languages, understand societies, and love them meant that his inner fire (his love for Jesus Christ) led him to baptize more than thirty thousand people. It is said that sometimes he had to support one arm with the other because his strength failed him from administering the sacrament so often.
His apostolate also reached Europe through passionate and enthusiastic letters that inspired many other young people to become missionaries in the following centuries.
The mission of formation in the Church
One of the most important elements of his work was the training of catechists, the creation of Christian communities, and the preparation of local leaders who would ensure the continuity of the Catholic Church's evangelization. St. Francis Xavier knew that it was not enough to reach new territories: it was essential to train people capable of sustaining the faith in each community.
This emphasis makes his life a direct reference point for those who work today in the comprehensive training of priests. The CARF Foundation carries out work that also connects with the missionary vision of St. Francis Xavier: to train seminarians and diocesan priests with sufficient intellectual, human, and spiritual preparation to evangelize anywhere in the world.
Each year, the Foundation supports seminarians and priests from more than 130 countries, many of them from places where the Church is growing, where resources are scarce, or where pastoral challenges are great. This diversity reflects the universality that St. Francis Xavier embodied during his life as a giant of the missions.
Saint Francis Xavier is known as the man who transformed the missions into a global adventure. His eagerness to save souls led him to never stop, and he always sought to go further. For all these reasons, the Catholic Church named him Universal Patron of Missions (alongside Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, although for reasons different from hers).
Young people studying with the support of the CARF Foundation are trained for their home diocese and to serve the universal Church. They learn to engage in dialogue with different cultures, to understand complex social realities, and to support communities where, often, the priest is the only educational or social reference point.
Just as St. Francis Xavier knew that the mission needed well-trained people, the CARF Foundation helps parishes, dioceses, and mission territories to have solidly trained priests. All of these students return to their countries, where the figure of the priest is essential for education, spiritual guidance, community stability, and the transmission of the faith.
From a human perspective, which is difficult to explain, what is most striking about the life of Saint Francis Xavier was the sheer physical magnitude of his work. In the 16th century, without modern means of transportation, he traveled some 100,000 kilometers.kilometers (equivalent to circling the globe more than twice). It is rightly called the giant of missions.
If anything characterized the life of St. Francis Xavier, it was his global vision and his ability to break new ground. The mission of the CARF Foundation replicates his geographical adventure from its very essence: to create conditions for faith to reach where it is most needed, in an orderly, profound, and forward-looking manner.
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The communion of saints: a comforting truth of faith
On November 2, the Church's liturgy invites us to commemorate All Souls' Day. All Souls' Day. It reminds us that Christians can and should help the blessed souls in Purgatory, who eagerly await their complete purification there, longing to reach the house of Heaven; our cooperation allows those souls to arrive as soon as possible.
Also, God, in His mercy, grants us the possibility of being intercessors for one another. Not only does He make this possible through Baptism, but He also reminds us that we need others and are responsible for others. We need the gifts of others, and we must be givers ourselves. We are both sheep and shepherds at the same time. Each of us depends on others, and others depend on us to reach Heaven.
All of us who are baptized are united to Christ, and in Christ, to one another. And so we can help one another without death standing in the way. Let us examine this truth of our faith, so that we may trust more in the communion of saints: «Dear friends, how beautiful and comforting is the communion of saints! It is a reality that gives a different dimension to our whole life.
We are never alone! We are part of a spiritual community in which profound solidarity reigns: the good of each person benefits everyone, and, conversely, the common happiness radiates onto each person. It is a mystery that, to a certain extent, we can already experience in this world, in family, in friendship, and especially in the spiritual community of the Church.Benedict XVI, Angelus. November 1, 2009).
A resource with tradition: the saints of Heaven
On one of the walls of St. Peter's house in Capernaum, graffiti was discovered in which the early Christians invoke the apostle's intercession to obtain God's favor. This archaeological discovery in 1968 by an Italian group debunks the Protestant claim that the mediation of saints is a medieval invention of a superstitious church.
From the second half of the first century, Peter's house enjoyed a clear distinction from the others. When Christians ceased to be persecuted in the Roman Empire at the end of the fourth century, they built a pilgrims' home on the site and, later, a Byzantine church, the remains of which can still be seen today.
In the early days of the Church, veneration and recourse to the apostles and martyrs arose. Later, many others were added, including those «whose outstanding exercise of Christian virtues and whose divine charisms made them worthy of the pious devotion and imitation of the faithful» (Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium No. 50). The saints in Heaven are a treasure of the Church, a great help on our journey to Heaven, filling us with hope.
But they don't just protect us...
St. Augustine taught, «Let us not think that we are giving something to the martyrs when we celebrate their solemn days. They rejoice with us not so much when we honor them as when we imitate them.».
As Pope Francis pointed out, «the saints give us a message. They tell us: trust in the Lord, because the Lord does not disappoint. He never disappoints, he is a good friend always at our side. With their witness, the saints encourage us not to be afraid to go against the tide, or to be misunderstood and mocked when we speak of Him and the Gospel; they show us with their lives that those who remain faithful to God and His Word already experience the consolation of His love on this earth and then a hundredfold in eternity» (Francis, homily on the feast of All Saints, November 1, 2013).
That is why it is a Christian custom to read and meditate on the biographies of saints and their writings. With their lives and teachings, they show us the good and righteous path to find and love Jesus, who is the common denominator of all of them. They serve as our guides and speak to us in the intimacy of our hearts. Cultivating devotion to the saints, whichever ones we choose, will bring into our lives great friends in Heaven, who will pray to God and accompany us on our journey.
Become a patron of Cielo
The term patron originates from Gaius Maecenas, an advisor to the Roman emperor Augustus, who used his wealth to promote the arts, protecting and sponsoring poets, writers, and artists of his time. In our case, God desires and allows us to show solidarity among brothers and sisters if we live united with Jesus Christ. This is the reality of the communion of saints.
This solidarity extends to all who are baptized. Through Baptism, we become part of the Church, the mystical body of Christ, of which He is the head (cf. Colossians 1:18). This communion not only signifies “union with,” but also implies “communication of goods” among the souls in whom the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, dwells.
«Just as in a natural body the activity of each member benefits the whole, so too in the spiritual body that is the Church: since all the faithful form one body, the good produced by one is communicated to the others» (St. Thomas Aquinas, On the Creed, 1. c. 99).
Since Baptism makes us partakers of eternal life, of life with God, death does not interrupt that union with those who have died; it does not break the family of believers. «God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive» (Matthew 22:32). Therefore, this month we focus our prayers on the deceased, on the souls in Purgatory.
«In this month of November, we are invited to pray for the deceased. Guided by faith in the communion of saints, try to entrust to God, especially in the Eucharist, your deceased relatives, friends, and acquaintances, feeling them close to you in the great spiritual company of the Church» (Pope Francis, Audience of November 6, 2019).
AI-generated image of the communion of saints in heaven.
The Church encourages us to intensify our help to those who have died, to sponsor them with the treasure of graces that Jesus gave to his Church and with our good works, which should be the main recipients of our patronage, so that they may be admitted into Heaven.
By God's goodness, we Christians who are pilgrims on earth can collaborate with Him. Through the communion of saints, with our prayers, we accelerate the process of purification of those souls, hastening their entry into Glory. How much we can help them!
A sentence with a turn
This solidarity is very pleasing to God because, in His mercy, He desires that the beloved souls in Purgatory reach Heaven as soon as possible. Therefore, praying for the deceased is one of the spiritual works of mercy that we must always practice, but especially in November. In a private revelation, Jesus said:
«I want you to pray for these blessed souls in Purgatory, for my divine Heart burns with love for them. I ardently desire their liberation, so that I may finally unite them with me completely! (...) Do not forget my words: "I was in prison and you visited me." Apply them to these blessed souls: it is Me whom you visit in them, with your prayers and your works on their behalf and for their intentions.».
«From the earliest times, the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, especially the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, once purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also recommends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance on behalf of the dead» (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1032).
Is that how we do it? When we attend a funeral, do we pray intensely for the deceased? When we attend Mass, do we pray intensely for the deceased? Mass, Do we remember to pray for the deceased, at least at the moment when the liturgy provides for it, in the memento of the deceased, which is included in every Eucharistic prayer?
When we pass by a cemetery, do we lift our hearts to God, praying for the souls buried there? Out of pity for them, do we visit our deceased loved ones, to pray for them, tidy their graves, and bring them flowers as a sign of hope?
Does the illusion of “emptying” Purgatory, of God granting a general amnesty, move us to earn indulgences for the deceased, to offer any good work as a form of suffrage, to pray the Rosary imploring the Virgin, gate of Heaven, to help her children? We can also dedicate Mondays to praying for the souls in Purgatory, according to the custom of the Church...
«Our prayers for them can not only help them, but also make their intercession on our behalf effective.»(Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 958). Prayers for the dead are “two-way” prayers. The souls in purgatory are closer to God than we are, and always will be; they are united with us through the communion of saints and they love us. They do not suffer in vain; although they cannot merit anything for themselves, they can do so for us. In this way they give glory to God, seeking to fill the hearts of men with God's love so that they may be saved.
They will encourage us to apply ourselves, to love God and others more, to hate sin—even venial sin—which causes so much pain, to love the cross of each day, to purify ourselves through the means Christ has left us: prayer, the sacraments, charity...
They tell us: "It is worth not going through these hardships that we go through, also for your years on earth." Hence arises devotion to the souls in Purgatory. So, when someone close to us dies, it is just as appropriate to pray for them as it is to ask them for help. Let us entrust ourselves to the souls in Purgatory, let us ask them for things.
The saints have been great devotees of this mutual aid. St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori affirms that we can believe that the Lord makes our prayers known to the souls in purgatory, and if this is so, since they are so full of charity, we can be sure that they intercede for us (St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, The Great Means of Prayer, Chapter I, III).
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus often sought their help, and after receiving it, she felt indebted: «My God, I beg you to pay the debt I owe to the souls in purgatory» (Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Last Conversations, August 6, 1897).
Saint Josemaría Escrivá also confessed his complicity with them: “At first, I felt very strongly the company of the souls in purgatory. I felt as if they were pulling on my cassock, asking me to pray for them and to entrust myself to their intercession. Since then, because of the enormous services they have rendered me, I have liked to speak about, preach, and instill in souls this reality: my good friends, the souls in purgatory.».
You win if others win
«None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself» (Romans 14:7). «If one member suffers, all suffer together» (1 Corinthians 12:26). Everything that each person does or suffers in and for Christ benefits everyone. We can pray and work for others, known or unknown, near or far, and intercede before God for their sufferings, fears, ailments, illnesses, conversion, salvation...
The love that leads us to seek service, comfort, and material care is the same love that, with supernatural meaning, leads us to pray and offer small sacrifices for people who may be physically distant but are very close to the heart of Christ. It is real help, and effective love and affection.
In business, it is fashionable to sell the idea that the best deals are “win-win” deals. You win if others win too. In the communion of saints, this is certainly true. It is an incentive for our Christian life. God allows us to accompany others through the communion of saints. Furthermore, if we think of others, it becomes less difficult for us to overcome what is difficult for us and what we must do. Perhaps we would not do it for ourselves, but thinking of others, of the needs of the Church and the world, gives us the final push. We cannot fail them.
This is what St. Josemaría suggested: «Have you seen how easily little children are deceived? They don't want to take bitter medicine, but... come on! they are told, this spoonful is for daddy, this other one is for your grandmother... And so on, until they have swallowed the whole dose. The same goes for you» (St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, The Way, no. 899), which is so difficult for us.
In this way, we foster the awareness that we are never alone and never do things by ourselves. There is always someone praying and sacrificing for us. And with that help, we can do it. Everything that unites us to Christ, everything that comes from Him, is shared by all and helps us all.
AI-generated image of the communion of saints in heaven and some well-known figures.
A special communion of saints: the family
St. Josemaría reminded married couples who visited him of this. «In my conversations with so many married couples, I insist that as long as they live and their children live, they must help them to be saints, knowing that none of us will be saints on earth. We will do nothing but struggle, struggle, and struggle. And I add: you, Christian mothers and fathers, are a great spiritual engine, sending your children God's strength for that struggle, to overcome, to be saints. Do not disappoint them!» (St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, The Forge, no. 692).
In Hebrew, the word used to refer to marriage is kidusshin, a word used to designate “holiness.” The Jews considered marriage to be sacred, and therefore used the term sanctification, a gift from the Spirit of God. God also shows his mercy through the family: he does not leave us out in the cold, but his plan of love is that man should be born and live in a family, in which each member, thanks to the love of the spouses for each other and for each child, is able to live in, from, and for love.
Husband and wife are God's co-workers: your family It must be introduced into God's family through your holy life of total dedication. You live in a special communion of saints with your spouse and your children. Such is God's interest that He blesses marriage with one of the seven sacraments. And it is also the devil's interest that the family be wrecked, as we see in these times.
To make this a reality in everyday life, it may be helpful to establish the custom of offering the good things of each day of the week for one of the members of the family. If it helps, in distributing the days, you can dedicate Saturday to your wife, since the Church especially remembers the Virgin Mary; Wednesday to yourself, since the Church remembers St. Joseph; Monday to deceased family members, for that reason; Sunday to the whole family in the broadest sense, because it is Trinity Sunday and it is normal to spend it with the family; ...apply the rest. You can repeat or combine them depending on the size of your family.
It's worth it.
When, by God's mercy, we arrive in Heaven one day, we will be able to contemplate the great good we did for many Christians and for the whole Church from our desk, kitchen, gym, living room... We will marvel at the potential of the communion of saints, and we will receive many thanks and give thanks for so much help. Therefore, let us not waste a single hour of work, a setback, a worry, or an illness. We can turn everything into grace and thus, united with Christ, enliven his entire mystical Body. And this month, let us do so more intensely for the souls in purgatory who so greatly need our help.
