Vatican In Exile

Saint Joachim
Father of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary
August 16

Joachim, of the tribe of Juda and the family of David, was a shepherd of Nazareth. Stolanus, father of Saint Anne, gave him his pious daughter in marriage. The two spouses lived in the fear of the Lord and the practice of good works. They divided all their wealth into three parts: the first was regularly given to the temple, for its support and that of the ministers of religion; they gave the second part to the poor, while the last and least excellent served for the needs of the family. Nonetheless, happiness had not come to this home — the spouse of Joachim was sterile.

For twenty years already they had prayed to God to deliver them from this opprobrium. The holy couple invariably went, according to custom at the Feast of Tabernacles, to the Holy City. There the high priest was immolating the victims when Joachim presented himself in his turn, bearing a lamb; Anne followed him. The high priest had only words of contempt and reproach for them, and in the presence of the people he rejected their offering.

Joachim did not have the heart to return to Nazareth; his grief prompted him to seek solitude and prayer. Anne returned alone to their residence, and he retired to a region near Jerusalem, where shepherds were pasturing their sheep. The silent calm of pastoral life, brought some relief to the wound of his heart. Who has not known how solitude brings one closer to God?

One day when he was alone in the fields, the Angel Gabriel came and stood before him. Joachim prostrated himself, trembling with fear. Do not fear, said the heavenly messenger. I am the Angel of the Lord, and it is God Himself who sends me. He has heard your prayers; your alms have come before His presence. Anne, your spouse, will bear a daughter whose happiness will be above that of other women; She will be blessed, and named the Mother of eternal blessing. You will name the Child Mary and consecrate Her to God when the time comes. The Holy Spirit, from the time She is in the womb of Her mother, will dwell in Her soul, and He will accomplish in Her great things. With those words, the Angel disappeared.

The Archangel's announcement and the Lord's promise were fulfilled. Joachim in his turn was faithful to the commands of the Lord. His daughter received the name of Mary, and when She was three years old, he and Saint Anne entrusted Her to the pious women who in the temple of Jerusalem brought up young girls consecrated to the Lord. Mary had lived there under the gaze of God for eight years, when Joachim died, laden with merits and virtues. Anne, his spouse, had him buried in the Valley of Josaphat, not far from the Garden of Gethsemane, and one year later rejoined him there.

Saint Cajetan, also known as Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene, was a Venetian priest and reformer who lived from 1480 to 1547.
Key aspects of his life
Early Life & Education: Born into a noble family in Vicenza, Italy, Cajetan received a doctorate in civil and canon law from the University of Padua.

Conversion and Priesthood: He served as a prothonotary in the Roman Curia but later felt a call to deeper holiness. He was ordained a priest in 1516 and devoted himself to charitable works and spiritual renewal.

Theatines: Cajetan is known for co-founding the Congregation of Clerics Regular (Theatines) with Gian Pietro Carafa (later Pope Paul IV) in 1524. This order aimed to reform the clergy and promote Christian piety through a life of poverty, preaching, and care for the sick.

Traditionalist Catholics or True Catholics or Continuing Catholic or Simply .... Catholic

Traditionalist Catholicism is a movement within the Catholic Church that emphasizes adherence to historical forms of liturgy, spirituality, and teaching. This movement is a response to changes introduced following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Traditionalist Catholics often only accept the Traditional Latin Mass, also known as the Tridentine Mass, and express concerns about certain modern teachings and practices within the Church.