Saint Peter Gonzales
Image Courtesy: Catholic Online
(EWTN) The best of historians place the birth of Saint Peter Gonzalez in Spain in the year 1190 where he descended from an illustrious family.
Peter’s wonderful scholastic achievement in his studies, showed him endowed with an extraordinary quickness and he embraced an ecclesiastical state, though at that time a stranger to the spirit of disengagement and humility which should essentially accompany it.
To fight against pride and self-love, Peter labored strenuously to put off the old man by abstinence, humility and becoming quickly a new man in Christ-recollected, penitent, meek and humble. The better to secure his victory over the world and himself, he entered the Austere Order of St. Dominic — Having made his vows and strengthened his soul in the spirit of humility and penance, he was ordered by his superiors to employ his talents in the ministry of the divine word to which he consecrated the rest of his life to the great advantage of innumerable souls.
Fr. Gonzales passed the best part of the night in holy meditations or in the singing of praises of God, he spent the entire day ministering to the faithful, his words always animated with a burning charity and supported by example.
After King Ferdinand III and his troops defeated the Moors at Cordoba according to Franciscan Media Fr. Gonzales was successful in restraining the soldier from pillaging and he persuaded King Ferdinand, to treat the defeated Moors humanely and with compassion.
Fr. Gonzales was passionate to minister the great truths of Christianity to the poor and peasants and he ministered at many different places. At Baiona a municipality in Spain Galicia a number of individuals wanted him to preach in the open fields, subsequently a violent storm arose with wind, thunder and lightning, his audience became very uneasy, Fr. Gonzales prevailed upon them to stay and by prayer appeased the storm. All places around them were being deluged but not a drop of rain fell upon the audience. — Spanish and Portuguese Mariners invoke his intercession in storms
In April 1246 Fr. Peter Gonzales passed away during his travels in Spain Saintiago de Compostela — Fr. Peter Gonzales was Beatified in 1254 by Pope Innocent IV and Canonized in 1741 by Pope Benedict XIV
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