Penitent Sinners Who Offered Their Lives To Christ And Became Saints

[MarysLittleFlower]

Another saint that was not mentioned on here is the one that I have for the patron saint of the year - St. Margaret of Cortona.  She was a Third Order Franciscan who converted from her former way of life. 

Margaret's mother died when she was very young and her father remarried.  Her stepmother despised her and treated her poorly.  She left her father's house when she was very young and lived with a nobleman and had a child out of wedlock.  Her lover was killed and she realized that her life was not what she wanted it to be.  She tried to return home, but her stepmother did not agree with her choices and did not want the child living in her home.  Margaret felt a call to become devoted to Christ, so she and her son went to the nearby Franciscan friary where she put herself entirely in the hands of the friars.  She gained a spiritual director and was clothed in the TOR habit.  She experienced mystic visions of Christ and was often in ecstasy over the visions.  She is one of the incorruptible saints, too.  You can find more about her here:

http://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/saint-margaret-of-cortona.html

​Thanks for sharing about her! I really like this Saint a lot.

[MarysLittleFlower]

It can be very difficult and a real spiritual trial to feel the weight of one's own sinfulness - even that sinfulness that lay in the past and validly confessed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation; therefore, God has not only forgiven but He has forgotten too.  One is restored to that place spiritually as if one had never sinned in the first place and this is our sound Catholic Theology on the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Even though one may know all of this intellectually there can be realization of what one has done, something of what sin actually is, especially as one grows closer to God.    Not always, but sometimes spiritual direction can increase the suffering from the sheer inability to explain what one is actually going through - although I tend to think that today there is more insight into it with spiritual directors who are  experienced and well trained.

Such spiritual suffering can eke out a place within where humility in truth can find rich soil and flower.  And St Albert tell us that humility is the foundation for all the other virtues.  Holiness is all about growing in virtue.

Such suffering is not about God and forgiveness, it is really about forgiving oneself, closing the door and walking on as if nothing at all had happened, for this is the truth of matters theologically.

St Francis of Assisi, St Ignatius of Loyola and also St Augustine all had quite a 'past' and went on to be great saints indeed.

​Good points!! I agree.

[MarysLittleFlower]

Thanks for bringing back this thread!

[OnlySunshine]

​Thanks for sharing about her! I really like this Saint a lot.

​That's why I like to draw a random saint at the start of every liturgical year.  I knew nothing of St. Margaret, but I found it very cool that she was a Third Order Franciscan as I want to be a Secular Franciscan. 

[BarbTherese]

A response by Fr. Vincent Serpa OP (Apologist on Catholic Answers) http://50.22.108.14/showthread.php?s=bb9090e1bf4cc5d6b286e4422417ece6&t=557218

 

Hi,

There are many reasons that can disqualify a woman from being accepted into a novitiate, but being a sinner is not one of them. What a woman confesses in the sacrament is between her and God. When she is absolved, she is without sin. There have been many great sinners who have become holy nuns. You are correct.



Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.

__________________
Recent apologetics answers by Fr. Vincent Serpa

---

 Sometimes a religious order has their own unique impediments to entering their order.  Hence it would be wise to ask a particular order in which one has interest whether there are any impediments applying to their life.

As Father has stated, there are canonical impediments to religious life.  Some I can think of is if a women is still married or divorced. If a woman has a child or children dependant on her still.  If one is not a baptised Catholic.  There might be other canonical impediments too that other members can think of and post. .

I am unsure on this point, but I do not think it is necessary to reveal the actual details of one's past.  If one is asked if one has lived a good life, it would be sufficient to state that "No I have not, but have made a full Confession and am very sorry. I have lived a good life for the past....(x number)......of years" or similar.

 

[seamoylantd]

You wouldn't be the first. St Margaret of Cortona.

[seamoylantd]

Look I think the best thing to do, would be for you to go to Confession. Vocation or no vocation, you obviously feel bad about your past and its stopping you from moving on. Crystalina Evert has an excellent ministry in this area. You should watch her YouTube videos.

[NadaTeTurbe]

Bx Charles de Foucault lived a sinful life, I read that it was so terrible that it's why they can't have him as a saint ? 

I can feel you, Mary, because I have a past too. TWe have to trust God and the power of the Sacrament of Confession ! He is full of mercy ! 

[MarysLittleFlower]

Look I think the best thing to do, would be for you to go to Confession. Vocation or no vocation, you obviously feel bad about your past and its stopping you from moving on. Crystalina Evert has an excellent ministry in this area. You should watch her YouTube videos.

Oh I've gone to Confession​ for all this! that's not the issue and I don't feel unforgiven. I just feel unworthy. Thanks for bringing up Crystallina Evert, I like her videos too.

[MarysLittleFlower]

Bx Charles de Foucault lived a sinful life, I read that it was so terrible that it's why they can't have him as a saint ? 

I can feel you, Mary, because I have a past too. TWe have to trust God and the power of the Sacrament of Confession ! He is full of mercy ! 

Very true about God's mercy! I think my difficulty is not doubting forgiveness but feeling unworthy of religious life / sanctity. Regarding Charles De Foucault I actually know nothing about him but I'd say even if someone was very sinful but then turned around, they can still be canonized? I mean - St Augustine is an example...

[NadaTeTurbe]

Yes, I'm not sure if I read it... 
Charles de Foucault lived a very sinfull life (sex, alcohol, etc...), until his conversion, where he became a holly man. If would be a great benefit for your spiritual life to read a biography of him ! 

 
Yes, I can understand it. What I fear - it is to be with all the "perfect catholic", who come from catholic family, are virgin, understand all the cultural things related to catholicism... And to be here, me, who come from a atheist, spanish republican then in the resistance during the war, with some jewish root family, and who have a bad past, etc... and who don't deny it. I think it's the harder for me. I can't change my family (that I love), and I can't change my past life, and I don't want to hide it. This year, I am in a catholic college, and I feel very lonely on a lot of point (i don't have monney, I don't understand a lot of things related to catholicism), and I sometimes whant to cry when I speak with the other catholic students and I feel the judgement. I think I am not good enough to be a catholic. In this moment, I try to remember that what matter is my relationship with God, not my past or my family or my place in the society. 
 

[NadaTeTurbe]

You know, also, what can be good is, for a moment, stopping to read the life of saint and read a little of the old testament. 

Here is my little testimony. When I was 14, i was raped. I never went to the police. I was sick, and to try to get better, I became very involved in catholic stuff. The word of the month in the youth group  was purity. So, during the month after the rape, I heard that purity and virginity are very good, that virgin girls (boy did not need virginity in the youth group...) are better than non-virgin girls, etc... They did not tell it like this, but it was my understanding. A brother teach us the life of a saint (can't remember the name), and the conclusion was that "it's better to died than to be raped. If you get raped, you will loose your purity." Of course, I received the message. My conclusion was : I am impure (I felt that way anyway), and I would be better dead than in life. By God grace, I was to "coward" to commit suicide, but I think about it. In the same time, they asked us to read a lot of Saint life (st Thérèse of Lisieux, etc...). And I saw, in this saint life, that their parent were saint, their childhood was saint, their teenage years were saint, etc... Second conclusion : I could not be a saint, because my parent were not saint, my childhood was not one of a saint, and I was impure. Third conclusion : why should I respect God's command when I was so sure I could not be a saint ? I began my sinfull life here. Boys, and other sin. I was also close to other religious tradition. 
I still was an altar server, in this time. One day, there was a priest at the mass, and I asked him for confession. In this confession (that lasted 3 hours !), he told me "you have to choose. What matter for you : God, or other people ?" I said "God in theory, but in practice, it's other people judgement that matter". He told me "you have to stop to compare yourself with other catholic or saint. Stop reading the life of saint". He asked me to read the Bible. And, surprise (I knew nothing of the Bible !), there was so muche sinners in the Bible ! Please, think about David ! And he is in the Bible ! So, if a big sinners like David could still be in the Bible, I could be a saint (or at least a good catholic). I stopped to sins. I also call an feminist association, and they put me in touch with a good counselor. Today... I still have time where I have to remember : god matter, not others. God want everyone to be a saint, even the sinners ! 

 

[seamoylantd]

At least you young adults have the Internet with  Crystalina Evert and Fr Baron and lots of great  resources. When I was young and you were sexually mistreated there was no spiritual perspective.

[puellapaschalis]

I have no idea why I'm typing typed that out loud.

Edited April 26, 2015 by puellapaschalis

[MarysLittleFlower]

Yes, I'm not sure if I read it... 
Charles de Foucault lived a very sinfull life (sex, alcohol, etc...), until his conversion, where he became a holly man. If would be a great benefit for your spiritual life to read a biography of him ! 

 
Yes, I can understand it. What I fear - it is to be with all the "perfect catholic", who come from catholic family, are virgin, understand all the cultural things related to catholicism... And to be here, me, who come from a atheist, spanish republican then in the resistance during the war, with some jewish root family, and who have a bad past, etc... and who don't deny it. I think it's the harder for me. I can't change my family (that I love), and I can't change my past life, and I don't want to hide it. This year, I am in a catholic college, and I feel very lonely on a lot of point (i don't have monney, I don't understand a lot of things related to catholicism), and I sometimes whant to cry when I speak with the other catholic students and I feel the judgement. I think I am not good enough to be a catholic. In this moment, I try to remember that what matter is my relationship with God, not my past or my family or my place in the society. 
 

I'm sorry to hear you feel that way at your college I can relate in some way I think... I'm a convert and my family isn't Catholic. I had lived a very sinful life before. I'm an only child. I love the big Catholic families at my parish and I really love my parish but for the longest time I felt a deep pain in my heart because I couldn't connect to people in this. And I love my family very much too. But its like these two worlds, and then its my past that I sometimes remember. Its like I was a different person. Its funny cause I might look like I fit in... And with my long skirts, no makeup, etc, maybe people wouldn't guess my past. But inside I know. And the difference with my family I feel very keenly. I mean the fact that I'm an only Catholic, only child, that is not common. I love both my family and my parish. I would agree with you about concentrating on your relationship with God... There was a time I didn't have Catholic friends except online and felt very lonely, but God more than made up for this. I went and still go to church for Him. Jesus is there alone and waiting for souls to visit Him, open up to Him..  For each soul because each soul is unrepeatable. God bless you

[MarysLittleFlower]

You know, also, what can be good is, for a moment, stopping to read the life of saint and read a little of the old testament. 

Here is my little testimony. When I was 14, i was raped. I never went to the police. I was sick, and to try to get better, I became very involved in catholic stuff. The word of the month in the youth group  was purity. So, during the month after the rape, I heard that purity and virginity are very good, that virgin girls (boy did not need virginity in the youth group...) are better than non-virgin girls, etc... They did not tell it like this, but it was my understanding. A brother teach us the life of a saint (can't remember the name), and the conclusion was that "it's better to died than to be raped. If you get raped, you will loose your purity." Of course, I received the message. My conclusion was : I am impure (I felt that way anyway), and I would be better dead than in life. By God grace, I was to "coward" to commit suicide, but I think about it. In the same time, they asked us to read a lot of Saint life (st Thérèse of Lisieux, etc...). And I saw, in this saint life, that their parent were saint, their childhood was saint, their teenage years were saint, etc... Second conclusion : I could not be a saint, because my parent were not saint, my childhood was not one of a saint, and I was impure. Third conclusion : why should I respect God's command when I was so sure I could not be a saint ? I began my sinfull life here. Boys, and other sin. I was also close to other religious tradition. 
I still was an altar server, in this time. One day, there was a priest at the mass, and I asked him for confession. In this confession (that lasted 3 hours !), he told me "you have to choose. What matter for you : God, or other people ?" I said "God in theory, but in practice, it's other people judgement that matter". He told me "you have to stop to compare yourself with other catholic or saint. Stop reading the life of saint". He asked me to read the Bible. And, surprise (I knew nothing of the Bible !), there was so muche sinners in the Bible ! Please, think about David ! And he is in the Bible ! So, if a big sinners like David could still be in the Bible, I could be a saint (or at least a good catholic). I stopped to sins. I also call an feminist association, and they put me in touch with a good counselor. Today... I still have time where I have to remember : god matter, not others. God want everyone to be a saint, even the sinners ! 

 

Thats very sad what happened about the rape :( I am sorry... A lot of this is stuff good (virginity, Saints) but maybe not always explained completely. Like virginity is beautiful but its for guys too, and non virgins can be saints too, and rape is an offense against the person. I know the Saint you are describing - I visited her relics once great Saint but she was given a choice by the attacker - agree to be raped or be killed. She didn't want to agree. That's a specific event that occurred. There are many cases women struggle against their attacker and still get raped. In any case God doesn't want it and its something the attacker chose that's a terrible thing :( I believe it hurts His Heart greatly because its an offence against someone's dignity. I believe He would only have compassion for the victim. A priest once asked me - if I saw Jesus now how do I think He would look at me? That did me so much good because I realized how much love He has when He looks at a soul. Its very healing I spend much time thinking of that now..

[MarysLittleFlower]

Anyways God does want each person to be a saint I do believe that...

[MarysLittleFlower]

Thats very sad what happened about the rape I am sorry... A lot of this is stuff good (virginity, Saints) but maybe not always explained completely. Like virginity is beautiful but its for guys too, and non virgins can be saints too, and rape is an offense against the person. I know the Saint you are describing - I visited her relics once great Saint but she was given a choice by the attacker - agree to be raped or be killed. She didn't want to agree. That's a specific event that occurred. There are many cases women struggle against their attacker and still get raped. In any case God doesn't want it and its something the attacker chose that's a terrible thing I believe it hurts His Heart greatly because its an offence against someone's dignity. I believe He would only have compassion for the victim. A priest once asked me - if I saw Jesus now how do I think He would look at me? That did me so much good because I realized how much love He has when He looks at a soul. Its very healing I spend much time thinking of that now..

Just to clarify what I meant is that it sounds like St Maria Goretti was asked to agree to the rape and said no, and the man killed her in response. Most women are not asked questions though they obviously dont want the event, they struggle but are still raped, its ​not willful for them and is forced on them.

St Maria is an example of heroism because of how she lived, how she was so resolute, and forgave her attacker. It doesn't mean that other women agree to the rape if it happens to them or that they would be better if they died, of course God does not want that and when Alessandro killed St Maria he committed another very grave sin. God did not want any of these things. But He made her a Saint martyr and her forgiveness later was so powerful, she appeared to the man, Alessandro after her death and he was converted and lived in a monastery doing penance. Hope it makes sense what I'm saying... That its a specific case cause other women don't agree with the rape either, its forced on them. St Maria was at first asked and kept saying no - they say no too but different outcome. Both are extremely bad sins for the attacker. Murder is not less grave. St Maria pleaded with Alessandro not to sin and do that to his soul. Sorry for so much rambling... I hope it doesn't make things worse  God looks at the will!!!

Edited April 27, 2015 by MarysLittleFlower

[MarysLittleFlower]

Those are just some reasons why I think the story of St Maria Goretti isn't like a commentary on women who were victims of rape. That's not what its saying. God doesn't want rape nor does He want anyone to be killed. He wants repentance from the attackers. I'm sure Jesus has endless compassion on victims of this.

[MarysLittleFlower]

Those are just some reasons why I think the story of St Maria Goretti isn't like a commentary on women who were victims of rape. That's not what its saying. God doesn't want rape nor does He want anyone to be killed. He wants repentance from the attackers. I'm sure Jesus has endless compassion on victims of this.

Also losing virginity is in the will. It has to be willful not forced on the person. It only takes away purity if its a personal choice like fornication. Everything is in the will that is what God looks at.

Edited April 27, 2015 by MarysLittleFlower