Rhode Island Rejoices: Vatican Confirms Baby Miracle
In a stunning affirmation of divine mercy and the power of intercessory prayer, the Vatican has officially recognized a miracle in Rhode Island attributed to the heavenly intercession of Venerable Salvador Valera Parra, a 19th-century Spanish parish priest known for heroism during plagues and earthquakes. On June 20, under the resolute guidance of Pope Leo XIV, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints affirmed the miraculous recovery of baby Tyquan Hall, who—after being pronounced without breath or pulse for more than an hour—began to breathe moments after his doctor invoked the humble priest from Almería, Spain. This sacred event, occurring in 2007 in the now-shuttered Memorial Hospital of Pawtucket, R.I., defied all medical explanation, with physicians having expected lifelong impairment, only to witness Tyquan thrive as a healthy, active child. This miracle not only propels Father Valera’s cause for beatification forward but ignites renewed faith in the mysterious workings of God through His saints. As Father Timothy Reilly of the Providence Diocese declared, this miracle powerfully reminds the faithful that “God is indeed close to us”—a beacon of hope shining brightly in an often darkened world.
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Today’s Birthday
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Saint Augustine of Hippo (354 CE)November 13, 2025
Augustine was bishop of Hippo, a Roman city that is now Annaba, Algeria. In his early 30s, he converted to Christianity, gave up his position as professor of rhetoric, became a bishop, and turned his home into a monastery. He served for more than 40 years. While he lay dying, Vandals destroyed his city but spared his library. His writings, which include Confessions and De Civitate Dei, deeply influenced Western Christianity. What now-extinct religion did he originally practice? Discuss
Augustine was bishop of Hippo, a Roman city that is now Annaba, Algeria. In his early 30s, he converted to Christianity, gave up his position as professor of rhetoric, became a bishop, and turned his home into a monastery. He served for more than 40 years. While he lay dying, Vandals destroyed his city but spared his library. His writings, which include Confessions and De Civitate Dei, deeply influenced Western Christianity. What now-extinct religion did he originally practice? Today’s Holiday
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Feast of St. Frances CabriniNovember 13, 2025
The first American citizen to be proclaimed a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, Francesca Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917) was born in Italy. She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart in 1880 and went on to establish orphanages, schools, and hospitals in many American cities, as well as in Europe and South America. She was canonized on July 7, 1946. Her feast day is commemorated in many places, but particularly at Mother Cabrini High School in New York City, in whose chapel she is buried, and at every establishment of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Discuss
The first American citizen to be proclaimed a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, Article of the Day
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Running the GauntletNovember 13, 2025
The phrase "running the gauntlet" is used figuratively today to mean enduring a series of punishments or tests. It derives from the Roman form of military execution known as fustuarium, in which a soldier found guilty of laxity was cudgeled to death by his comrades. In some later traditions, the condemned was forced to pass between two rows of armed soldiers and pardoned if he managed to exit the other side. "The gauntlet" is also a type of athletic drill used in training for what sports? Discuss
The phrase "running the gauntlet" is used figuratively today to mean enduring a series of punishments or tests. It derives from the Roman form of military execution known as fustuarium, in which a soldier found guilty of laxity was cudgeled to death by his comrades. In some later traditions, the condemned was forced to pass between two rows of armed soldiers and pardoned if he managed to exit the other side. "The gauntlet" is also a type of athletic drill used in training for what sports? This Day in History
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Nevado del Ruiz Erupts in Colombia (1985)November 13, 2025
When ash began to fall on the Colombian town of Armero, local authorities assured residents that it was safe to stay put, despite geologists' warnings to the contrary. It had been more than 140 years since the last serious eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz, known to residents as "the Sleeping Lion." That night, a lahar—a massive flow of mud and debris—swept down the side of the erupting volcano, destroying Armero. It was the worst natural disaster in Columbian history. How many people were killed? Discuss
When ash began to fall on the Colombian town of Armero, local authorities assured residents that it was safe to stay put, despite geologists' warnings to the contrary. It had been more than 140 years since the last serious eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz, known to residents as "the Sleeping Lion." That night, a lahar—a massive flow of mud and debris—swept down the side of the erupting volcano, destroying Armero. It was the worst natural disaster in Columbian history. How many people were killed? 
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