Saint Who?
Saints Who Worked with Their Hands
Saint Paschal Baylón
Religious († 1592) Feast: May 17
Born in Torrehermosa, Spain, Paschal worked as a shepherd from the age of seven to twenty-four. He taught himself to read so that he could follow a popular prayer book, and he attended daily Mass whenever possible. When that was not possible, he would kneel in prayer among his flocks, with his face pointed toward the nearest church.
But one of Paschal’s most notable virtues was his scrupulous honesty. If his sheep strayed and ate a farmer’s crops, he insisted on paying for the damage from his own wages. After he entered the Franciscan order as a lay brother, his brothers recognized his obedience but also his sense of justice. One day when wealthy women asked the father-guardian to come hear their confessions, the guardian told Paschal to tell them he was out. Paschal very humbly refused, saying that it “would not be the truth and would be a venial sin.” His superior gave in.
Paschal served his brothers as a cook, gardener, and doorkeeper but managed to pray before the Blessed Sacrament for hours at a time. The Church now honors him as a great patron of devotion to the Eucharist, even though he spent much of his life caring for animals, washing dishes, and answering the door.
Holy Spirit, inspire us with a love of justice and honesty.
