Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Webster s Speech On Congress Addressing The Proposition...

Webster’s second reply to Hayne is the account of Massachusetts senator Daniel Webster’s speech to Congress addressing the proposition given by Senator Robert Hayne for states to have the right to nullify laws passed by Congress. Webster starts the speech off by affirming that what he understood Haynes stance to be concerning States Rights and Constitutionality was indeed correct. From Webster’s perspective he ascertained that Hayne believes that the states had the sovereign right to annul laws passed and approved by Congress if they considered the law to be unconstitutional. Then he goes on to counter Hayne’s belief by asking several vital questions: â€Å"Whose prerogative is it to decide on the constitutionality or unconstitutionality of the laws?† and â€Å"Who is the source and origin of the Government’s power?† Thus Webster launches into how the Government’s power resides with the people. He elaborates that it is the peopl e who have made the government what it is and the constitution the supreme law. After establishing the people as the foundation of government he goes on to concede that the individual States are indeed sovereign; however they are not sovereign over the people. Following this key element of Webster’s speech, he then distinguishes the attributes of the General and State Governments. According to Webster both general and state governments derive their power from the same source, yet each form has its unique identity and powers. The federal government is general

Monday, December 23, 2019

The Industrialization Of The Industrial Revolution Essay

There are many identifying factors unique to Britain that were responsible for industrial innovation, change, growth and contraction during the period defined by the industrial revolution in Britain. By about 1750 Britain had become a world leader as a trading nation, with London becoming the warehouse of the world. London also had an efficient financial centre selling services such as insurance, including shipping insurance. It is estimated that 600,000 people lived in London at this time and a quarter of them were connected with trade. Britain also had an economic system that moves from mercantilism to free trade, coupled with a government that believes in minimal economic interference (laissez faire), helping to ensure political stability, which encouraged the pursuit of scientific breakthroughs as people set up in business and sought profit. This essay is primarily focusing on the factors of proto industrialisation, the communication revolution, that is the development of roads, canals and railways, mineral wealth, population growth and the agricultural revolution. The industrial revolution was a period of transition in Britain which lasted approximately one hundred years between 1760 to roughly 1840. An identifying feature of the period was the ‘marked dynamism of certain industrialising regions while in others manufacturing activity and its offshoots stagnated or declined’. During this period there was no standardisation of prices, weights, measures, or wagesShow MoreRelatedIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution886 Words   |  4 PagesO Sullivan HIS 1102 29 March 2015 Industrialization in Europe Industrialization is a noun given the definition of the large-scale introduction of manufacturing, advanced technical enterprises, and other productive economic activity into an area, society, country (Dictionary.com). Tools have been around forever, but until the industrialization they required human labor to use. Almost every aspect of life was changed during this time. The industrial revolution was first used to describe a new economyRead MoreIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution1588 Words   |  7 PagesThe Industrial Revolution is a technological phenomenon that still continues to this day, in the form of its fourth to fifth wave. Ever since the late 1700s, our society has evolved over nearly two and a half centuries, for better or for worse. However, most of the negatives then have disappeared into obscurity and the positives have only grown more and more. So while some might argue that Industrialization had primarily negative consequences for society because of chi ld workers and the poor conditionsRead MoreIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution Essay999 Words   |  4 PagesIndustrialization is the process by which an economy is transformed from primarily agricultural to one based on the manufacturing of goods. There were several people involved in the industrialization process, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan. The Industrial Revolution completely restructured the old America into a completely different place in which we now live in. These changes brought about railroads, manufacturing cities, and population growth;Read MoreIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution859 Words   |  4 Pagesworked in farms. In the mid 1700’s events changed the way of life. These events are called the Industrial Revolution. It was a long, uneven process that affected peoples’ lives. Simple tools where changed to complex machines; from human and animal power to electricity. Rural soc ieties became urban. Industrialization brought a variety of goods and an improved way of living to many. Agricultural Revolution is when people learn to farm and domesticate animals. It contributed to a rapid population growthRead MoreIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution989 Words   |  4 PagesThe Industrial Revolution, which took place from the 18th to 19th centuries CE, was a period during which predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America became industrial and urban. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing was often done in people’s homes, using hand tools or basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories and mass production. The iron and textile industries, along with the development of the steam engine,Read MoreIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution1635 Words   |  7 Pages Just as it was in the 18th and 19th centuries when the industrial revolution began, today people fear that technology is d estroying jobs. Prior to the industrial revolution manufacturing was often done in peoples homes, using hand tools or basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to powered special purpose machinery, factories and mass production. Yet at this time people feared for their jobs because the machinery resulted in often-grim employment opportunities many people argue that theRead MoreIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution1996 Words   |  8 PagesThe Industrial Revolution started advancing in the mid-18th century after many sought new and more efficient methods of production to accomplish the needs of society . The Industrial Revolution brought with it an array of changes: an increase in population, the rise of new building typologies, redistributions of wealth and fluctuations of living conditions. The Industrial Revolution broke out in England with most of the important technological innovations being British ; with the application of reliableRead MoreIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution1332 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the 18th and 19th centuries, the Industrial Revolution played an integral role in the development of today’s world. Railroads were forming, factories were mass producing goods, medicines were being created, and communication was on the rise. Looking back on this time period, we can see how important all of these developments really were. Mechanization played a major role in the Industrial Revolution as people began to apply reason to manufacturing. Humans were flawed and such machineryRead MoreIndustrialization Of The Industrial Revolution1214 Words   |  5 Pagesthe emergence of the ‘Industrial Revolution’, the great age of steam, canals and factories that changed the face of the British economy forever.† (White, M, The Industrial Revolution). The industrial revolution sparked the development of capitalist economies and as a consequence a division of labour was formed. Therefore the capitali st system is seen as a natural consequence of the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution was a period in which societies became industrial due to there being anRead MoreIndustrialization During The Industrial Revolution1577 Words   |  7 PagesIndustrialization – ever changing the face and heartbeat of our society and the world in which we live – since the Industrial Revolution began in Britain (from 1760 until sometime between 1820 and 1840). The improvement of business acquisitions and evolution of trade were essential to the Industrial Revolution. Most of the British population lived in the countryside, in small villages, and interacted closely within their family unit and work. Industrialization, however, drastically altered the

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Alienation in the Music Industry Free Essays

Even though it has been quite a long time since Marx wrote about alienation, we can still apply his ideas to contemporary jobs. As an international student and a semi-professional musician, I will compare Marx’s ideas to Turkish and global music sector and examine whether they still pertain. I have been producing music for 12 years now and since last year I started producing music that really makes me feel satisfied. We will write a custom essay sample on Alienation in the Music Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now Last year, my band mates and me started seeking a record deal so that we could start making money. We read articles on ‘How to write a hit song? ’, ‘How to sell a song? ’ and on the general trends in the music sector. We noticed that almost all popular songs follow a similar pattern. 2012 statistics of ‘album sales’ in Turkey clarifies that nearly every song in top 50 is produced with a techno music background. â€Å"This emerging genre of dance music is produced by an unprecedented level of complex technologies involving computerized, electronic, hybrid machines that replace the traditional musical instruments. We can observe the same statistics in a global scale. We can understand techno music’s structure from digitally synthesized western chords and a digital drum kicks in every beat. In my opinion constant drum kicks in this music is a great metaphor for laborers who have to go to their workplaces and do the same assignments over and over again. Because of its basic, repetitive and computerized structure, it can be produced by any one with a computer and adequate recording software. Alienation, in Karl Marx’s words â€Å"†¦ replaces labour by machines but throws a part of the workers back to barbaric labour and turns the other part into machines. It produces culture, but also imbecility and cretinism for the worker. † Because of its complex structure and need for creativity, you cannot find any jazz songs in the best-seller list. In a globalized world we need to understand Marx’s ability to foresee this capitalist trend. â€Å"The need of a constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over the whole surface of the globe. It must nestle everywhere, settle everywhere, establish connections everywhere† . This quote made me think about the country that earns the most money out of this sector, United States of America. If we look at the Turkish music industry, it is obvious that songs that are most listened to are influenced by western musical traditions. Instead of creating music that has traditional Turkish elements or composing creative music, people tend to produce this global and mainstream genre just to make money. Another reason for this sort of production is that approximately 90 percent of the recording software that Turkish producers use, such as example ‘Logic Pro’ and ‘Cubase’ are made in USA. These software don’t let you use microtonal notes and scales that Turkish music has. In order to produce a digital song, your composition should be in Western structure. The quote â€Å"The external character of labour for the worker shows itself in the fact that it is not his own but someone else’s, that does not belong to him†(Ibid. ) pertains perfectly to this phenomenon. Lisiunia Romenienko wrote in his article that this transformation of IT and related technology ‘has had a diametrical effect in music’. For him â€Å"Computer technology has actually unified fragmented communities involved in techno music production, increased the quality of manufactured goods available to produce techno music, and facilitated cooperation across artistic and technological community factions†¦ This has resulted in comprehensive collaboration arrangements and prolific works of music production, thus optimizing aesthetic potential and maximizing opportunities for human creativity. In contrast to his opinions I think that this transformation creates alienation in music industry thus limiting creativity. This change causes musicians in developing countries to imitate mainstream artists in order to join the global competition. People evaluate success based on how much money one is making. In order to be a part of this competition, you have be successful, therefore musicians now create basic, pre-structured, mediocre music that affects a huge part of the society. By linking the modern capitalist society, specifically the Turkish music industry to Marx’s thoughts on alienation, one can expose crucial elements of contemporary issues. His explanations on externalization of labour and alienation in the act of production can be used to describe how musicians are alienated in our modern society. It is clear to me that this trend of globalization and mass marketing limits creativity and individuality in music, resulting in mediocre, similar and low quality works, which are devoid of color and taste. Bibliography 1. Istatistikler. † Muyap. N. p. , n. d. Web. Oct. 2012. . 2. Romanienko, Lisiunia 2001, â€Å"Disputing Marxian Alienation and Hegelian Dialectics Through The Elective Affinities Of Techno Music† in No Walls Leicester, UK: De Montfort University 2001 3. â€Å"Billboard 200. † Billboard. N. p. , n. d. Web. Oct. 2012. . 4. Kivisto, Peter. â€Å"Alienated Labor. † Social Theory: Roots and Branches. New York: O xford UP, 2011. 6-9. Print. 5. Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. â€Å"Chapter 1. † Manifesto of the Communist Party. Peking: Foreign Languages, 1965. N. pag. Print. How to cite Alienation in the Music Industry, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Korea Honey Marketing Plan- Samples for Students -Assignmenthelp

Questions: 1.What aspects of the Korean honey Market are favourable for Korean Food? What aspects of the Korean honey market are unfavourable for Korean Food? 2.What are the key uncertainties in the strategy suggested in the Marketing Plan? How can these uncertainties be reduced? Is it worth doing so? 3.How could the Marketing Plan be Improved? 4.Kevin Lee Opposes Korean Foods expansion into export, on the grounds that they dont really know what they are getting into. Take Kevin Lees point of view and address the issues he raises. Answers: 1.Korean honey market and Korean food There were several aspects that made Korean honey market suitable for Korean Food Company as well not suitable. The analysis of Korean honey market can begin with those suitable factors. Commodities in the market can be said to be suitable if only they fit the needs of the consumers. The demand and supply forces in the Korean market do not match (Kohsaka et al. 2017, 49). More of the honey is demanded by the 50 million people living in Korea with consumptions estimated at 1.2kg/person that are higher than what the market can produce. The domestic and foreign market can only provide an average of 0.95kg/person or the total honey production in Korea was estimated at 18.5 million kilograms in 2013. The statistic shows the need to fill the gap created by the demand and supply in Korean honey market (Czinkota Ronkainen 2013, 8). Table 1 shows the domestic honey production in Korea for a period 2004 to 2011 in metric tons. Years 2004 2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 Yields 16,509 18,248 27,585 23,028 38,505 35,310 Source: Korea trade information service 2011 The table1 show a slight improvement of domestic production over the years. In 2011the production dropped from 35,310 from 38,505. The findings showed that the domestic production is not sufficient for domestic consumption. Another factor that justifies suitability of the Korean honey market for Korean Food Company is on the household economic power. The honey was becoming affordable among the households in the country. The country economic stability as led to an increase in workers monthly earning power (Schlegelmilch 2016, 78). Once workers are economically empowered they have contributed more demand for honey which eventually contributes to per unit price of honey decreasing and supply to increase. The Korean change in lifestyle is another factor contributing to suitability of Korean honey market to Korean Food Company. For the last 10years the Koreans have changed their lifestyles to become health conscious (Jung and Cho 2015, 9). Economic and health statistics showed that the percentage spent by households on food and beverage in 2014 had decreased from 48.1% to 44.6%, and that of medical expenditure had increased from 3.9% in 2004 to 4.3% in 2009. Honey being part of their medical expenditure explains why the demand of it has increased over the years. The customer bad perception towards their domestic honey credibility is another factor that can contribute positively to suitability to Korean Food Company. The Koreans believe that honey produced locally is not pure as compared to a foreign one. The have continued importing honey from other countries to justify lack of believe. Figure 1 shows a summary of Korea honey imports. Figure 1 Korea honey imports Source: Korea trade information service 2011 Figure 1 show that there was increase in honey imports in Korea since 2008 to 2013. It means that more of the foreign honey is consumed where the company can capitalize on it. The internal characteristics of the company made it even more suitable (Baker 2014, 34). The company is reported to be in a good strong financial position and experience in dealing with Korean type of foods. That makes them able to understand the Korean market dynamics of culture and connections. On contrary to the mentioned factors there are others that make Korean honey market unsuitable to Korean Food Company. The Korean government legislation of imposing a 25% tariff of any honey import and legislations for hotel honey market use hinders foreign companies who want to venture in the sector (Percy 2014, 45). The economic quota makes countries and companies like Korean Food to compete for the smaller supply space created for them. Table 2 shows a summary of Korea imports of honey of three countries for three years. It shows that Koreans prefer to import from other countries rather than in Canada. Table 2 Korea import of honey Country 2012 000 kg 2013 000 kg 2014 000 kg United States 2738 451 293 Australia 596 83 0 Canada 249 2 0 Source: Kenya trade information service 2014 Table 2 shows that in 2014 no imports were done in the two countries which mean the honey may not be favorable among importers. The Korean perception of honey as medicine and not food is another factor which makes Korean honey unsuitable to Korean Food. If Koreans view honey as medicine a smaller percentage of it will be bought in comparison if it were for food. That means Korean Food will be limited in supplying large quantities to the Korean Market. Based on economies of scale that will not be a suitable venture the cost production of one unit will be more than output per unit. One market dynamic that made it unsuitable is that the Korean market is controlled by middlemen and agents. That makes it difficult for companies like Korean Food to have control over suppliers in terms of making contracts, quality, quantity and packaging. 2.Market plan uncertainties Based on the market plan strategy there are two main uncertainties mentioned that can influence Korean honey market business. The first is based on the culture and values of the Koreans regarding consumption and use of honey. The Koreans regard honey to be a medicinal substance rather than food. Honey was viewed to be a source of vigor, a miracle medicine, and curative for operations and hangovers. In other countries honey is perceived to be a normal food consumed using different methods (Messer, Wu Delaney 2015, 4384). The market strategy was that the Koreans will eventually change their perception and values over sometime so as to consume it as food. But it is uncertain if Korean will abandon their old tradition of honey being medicine and start consuming it as food. The company did employ different methodologies in the market plan in order to solve the uncertainty. The uncertainty was to be reduced if the company decides to advertise in order to create awareness of honey has a fo od commodity. But using the method can sound worthy because it can change the perception of users and values towards the commodity as food rather than medicine. The second uncertainty is based on the Korean government honey market legislations. The market plan strategy in phase two assumed that the government will open and relax import restrictions. The current situation in the market is that there are import restrictions that only allow imports of honey to be used in hotel industry only. Other restrictions are based on the quota system a certain % is to be supplied with 25% tariff imposed on them. The legislations imposed by the government are protecting its local honey production industries. The situation is uncertain because the company will not know when the legislation will be changed. The Korean company can reduce the uncertainty by carrying out government lobbying. This is to entice the government to change its legislations and allow an open market for imports. The method of using government lobbying is difficult to measure if it will be successful. The use of government lobbying is a costly and time wasting initiative it may not be w orth doing so. 3.Market plan improvement There are several items and strategies that can be included in the market plan to improve it. Risk management is required in the market plan. Any marketing plan begins with goals and objectives to achieve either long term or short term (Pride Ferrell 2016, 23). The market plan can be improved by setting objectives to achieve in Korean honey market. Other marketing strategies employed will provide answers to the marketing objectives set. The market plan in the case study lacks the description of Korean Food Company. The brief descriptions of its performance, experience and products offered to its customers. The market plan can be improved by having a full description of the honey products being offered to customers (Kim 2016, 110). The product description goes hand in hand with experience in the Korean market. Product analysis will make it possible to identify the type of product suitable to a specific environment. Venturing in a new market can be a risky venture due to several known and unknown uncertainties. If risk identification and analysis is done it will enable the company to identify the risks facing it and emanating from the environment (Appiah-Adu 2016, 20). The risks facing the company can be political, social, economic and legislative. Having a risk management plan will enable the company to be able to mitigate the severity of the risks if they occur. The market plan can be improved if the target market population is specified clearly. One target market need to be identified, analyzed, and suitable marketing strategies designed for them. Different market has different needs and characteristics that is why it is necessary to design independent market strategies for them (Sanova et.al.2017, 62). For example the target market in the case study was households (house wives), distribution stores and hotels. Each could have had different marketing strategies of reaching to their needs. Another method that will improve the marketing plan is carrying out an analysis of the competitors. Not much is mentioned on the competition found in the honey market in Korea. The analysis could have identified the strength and weakness of each competitor found in Korea market supplying honey. The findings of the analysis of competitors can lead to development of competitive advantage strategies in the market (Bickhoff et al. 2014, 114). In addition to improve the market plan a SWOT analysis could have been done. The SWOT analysis is a useful marketing managerial decision tool employed in strategy formulation and management. The SWOT analysis process involves analyzing the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Korean Food in Korean honey market (Shukla Gupta 2017, 56). The company can capitalize on its strength in exploiting several opportunities identified through the analysis. In addition the company needs to identify its weaknesses and threats facing them within and outside to formulate strategies to mitigate and manage them (Armstrong et.al. 2014, 12). The resources were not located in specific terms. To improve the marketing plan individuals need to have been allocated duties to perform for example person in charge of government lobbying and marketing functions. A detailed budget and work plan need to be included in the market plan to improve its workability and implementation (Steenkamp 2017, 89). 4.Kevin Lees point of view Kevin lee points out certain issues that oppose Korean food expansion into export in Korean honey market. The Kelvins point of concern was that they lack sufficient information than justify them to go to Korean honey market. Some of the issues that probably were mentioned by Kelvin were covering economic, legal and social concerns. The economic viability of exporting honey was unknown as per the market plan created. That can be justified by carrying out a financial analysis to establish the economic viability of the products in the market. They could have rather stuck on their normal food commodity exports. The concern is that of a conservative leader than that of a risk taker (Lee 2016, 201). Risk taking is of any successful venture. The Korean government legislations may hinder penetration to the market that was a point of concern they ought to look at. Another concern pointed by Kelvin was the company was employing investment on the new market despite uncertainty raised in the mar kets. A total of $500,000 million had to be invested to the export of Korean honey market. Successful businesses are those that provide enough resources to undertake operations (Hollensen 2015, 34). From their experience with food commodities they know that Koreans are cultural conversant people, and it would be difficult for them to change their values and perceptions regarding honey products for food rather than being medicines. Investment of advertising and campaigns can help change customer perception and values towards certain products. The changing society that has led individuals from different cultures interacts through immigrations policies will eventually change how customers perceive certain products and lifestyles. Reference lists Appiah-Adu, K 2016, market strategy in developing economy, Journal of African economic and management studies, 7 (1), pp.10-34. Armstrong, G., Denize, S and Kotler,P 2014, principles of marketing, Pearson Australia Baker,M 2014, marketing management and strategy formulation, Palgrave Macmillan Bickhoff, N., Opresnik, M and Hollensen, S 2014, Marketing plan implementation and execution, Marketing quintessence, (pp.112-138), Springer Berlin. Czinkota, R and Ronkainen, A 2013, International markets, Cengage Learning Gupta, K., De Waele, M and Bouters, A 2014, Bee production and marketing, journal of poverty alleviation and securing livelihoods (pp.599-637), Springer Netherlands. Hollensen, S 2015, Marketing management: relational approach, Pearson Education. Jung, C and Cho, K 2015, Honey production relation with market in Korea, Journal of apiculture science, 30 (2), pp.7-15. Kim, H 2016, Segmentation and marketing strategies in honey market, economics of Korean foods, vol.33, p.99-129 Kohsaka, R., Park, S and Uchiyama, D 2017, Beekeeping production in South Korea, Journal of ethnic produced foods, 30 (45), pp.34-56. Lee, J 2016, Food trends and consumption in Korea and Japan, Journal of food security and clustering in Asia (pp.198-208), Springer Japan Messer,K., Wu, S and Delaney, D 2015, Consumers demand for domestic honey, Journal of applied economics,47 (41), p.4378-4395. Percy, L 2014, integrated marketing communications, Routledge. Pride, M and Ferrell O 2016, Foundation marketing strategies, Cengage Learning Sanova, P., Hrubcova, B and Serakova, P 2017, Honey buyers behavior segmentation, scientific agricultural studies, 48 (1), p. 56-63 Schlegelmilch, B 2016, global marketing opportunities, Global marketing strategy (pp.21-43), Springer international publishing Shukla,S and Gupta, P 2017, A strategic planning in marketing, promotion and advertising, Journal of marketing technology and accounting, 1 (1), pp.9-12. Steenkamp, B 2017, Global marketing mix strategies: integration globally, Journal of global marketing strategy (pp.76-110), Palgrave Macmillan United Kingdom.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Gandhi - the Transformational Leader free essay sample

The Transformational Leader Leadership is the ability to influence a group towards the achievement of a vision or a set of goals. Leadership could be defined simply as the ability to lead that Is to guide, direct, influence or inspire. Many leadership theories abound amongst which the theory of Transformational Leadership proposed by Burns and Bass provides wide ranging applications and some very prominent examples. Transformational leadership enhances the motivation, morale and performance of followers through a rarity of mechanisms.This theory Includes the following four characteristics Idealized Influence, Inspirational Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation and Individualized Consideration. Gandhi was an exemplary public figure who captured the Imagination of the world and has remained Ingrained In peoples consciousness with his theory of non violence and straight. He provided a vowels and a sense of mission to the Indian public and It was under his leadership that Indians by giving them individualized consideration and stimulating them to higher order needs. We will write a custom essay sample on Gandhi the Transformational Leader or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He was not driven by market forces of capitalism but by sheer drive to achieve liberty and freedom for his people. He appealed to higher values and ideals of followers by using charismatic methods to attract them to the mission and consequently to himself. Thus, we decided to take up a study project concerned with Sandhogs leadership style and how it affected the Independence movement and spawned a series of followers of Gandhi redefining humanitys take on colonialism and human rights.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Somalia

Somalia and cultural factors that can cause a well founded nation to collapse and how such situations can be controlled to avoid the kind of nations that Somalia finds itself in.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 20

Personal Statement Example I honestly believe that the skills and competencies to be gained in this field of endeavor would immensely assist in the degree course that I intend to pursue. There are various expectations one could assert from a university education. For one, I am sure that the advanced and specialized theoretical frameworks that a college degree would provide are essential to be applied in my future career. In addition, a university education would enable inculcating the needed skills set that are crucial in the profession. For a business marketing graduate, the prospects for professional growth for the next five to seven years have been reported to be fast, averaging about 12%, as reported in the Occupational Outlook Handbook (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). Graduates from reputable universities, such as AUS, would provide core competencies that would facilitate finding appropriate employment in contemporary global organizations that accord lucrative financial returns. In addition, the network of friends, instructors, affiliates, and colleagues from the university would assist in referring me to future organizations that require my personal skills, qualifications, and knowledge gained from AUS. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014, January 8). Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers. Retrieved from Occupational Outlook Handbook:

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Sustainable Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainable Operation Management - Essay Example The sudden shift in the approach of companies towards sustainability occurred due to the sheer pressure from the customers, investors, local people in the area of operation and to some extent the employees (Dernbach, 2002). This report will shed light on the importance of sustainability in an organization. In addition, factors such as benefits of sustainability will also be covered. However, the principal purpose of this study is to address the issues that companies are facing in developing and implementing sustainability policies. Apart from addressing the aforementioned issues, the report will also emphasize the effectiveness of the approaches of different companies towards sustainability. The persisting inconsistencies of those companies in terms of their sustainability will be also highlighted. Finally, based on the outcomes the study will draw a conclusion and will provide recommendations on how to improve sustainability. Before getting further deep into the study, a brief synop sis of what sustainability actually means will be presented below. Discussion Sustainability has always been a significant and relevant issue for a large number of organizations. Sustainability management practices and strategies are of growing importance to every department of the organization. Sustainable development can be defined as a process of development in which the companies meet the present needs of the customers without compromising on the future needs (Bigg, 2004). Over the last few years, there has been an increasing pressure on the companies to reduce operations which harm the environment. Therefore, it is important for the companies to follow sustainable development. The principal driving factors of this drastic shift are competitive pressures, perceived marketing advantages, legal obligations, demands of investors and internal ethical values of the firm. The organizations which have considered sustainable development got benefitted to a large extent. For example, the se companies have been able to reduce their operating costs, increase market share and market penetration, increase investment levels, enhance brand reputation, developed new products and markets and improve customer satisfaction process (Misra, 2008). In order to get these advantages, it is important to take sustainable initiatives. According to a study carried out by Deloitte, several factors act as the enabler of sustainability. The major ones are allotted budget, dedicate employees, technology and also the company’s capability to focus on financial and strategic considerations. The table below will depict these factors more clearly. Figure 1 (Source: Deloitte, 2010) It is important that companies should meet the present needs without diminishing the capabilities of meeting future demands. Sustainable development is therefore regarded as a challenge for the organizations. In order to implement sustainable development, companies have to deal with a large number of issues. F or example, the increase in energy and food prices during the year 2008, led to severe food crisis. Despite in the reduction of energy prices, the food prices continued to remain high. The global economic downturn of 2009 has further exacerbated the condition. The negative impacts were reduced growth rates and increasing unemployment (Department of Economic and Social Affair, n.d.). Figure 2 (Source: Carter and Rogers 2008) The significance of sustainability in every department of an organization cannot be denied. However, the importance is more for a

Monday, November 18, 2019

Situational reactions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Situational reactions - Coursework Example Since they are human, I am confident; they would have listened to us (Barker, 2006).   In scenario B, it is a case of marijuana which is an illegal drug. As police officers, we should always be in the front line to fight it at whatever cost. As an officer, I would choose to ignore my colleague’s request. To make him convince I would make a request that we visit a drug expert who would make him understand the side effects that are associated with marijuana’s consumption. I am confident he would understand after getting an explanation that marijuana affects individuals in a different manner from the other. By this, it is clear that his wife may face more adverse effects than other individuals who consume it. It is, therefore, unwise to risk on the probability basis (Barker, 2006).   Alternatively, I would request him to take his wife to a practitioner to advise him on the best medication for her ailment. If the practitioner recommends marijuana of which I doubt he would do, I will be ready to breach the law to make sure that she is helped irrespective of whether it is against the law. However, if the practitioner makes another recommendation, he had to adhere to practitioner’s recommendation. The situation also had another perspective in that we might find ourselves in the other side of the law if the criminal is charged and we are requested to provide the exhibit. If the perpetrator is not set free, we will consequently find ourselves on the other side of the law since we took marijuana and used it instead (Barker, 2006).   In this scenario, as a parent it is not fair to both the school and the child to assist the child in his assignment. On the other hand, if my child would fail he would miss a scholarship opportunity which would be beneficial to both me as a parent and the child. This fact would make me assist the child no matter how unfair it is. However, this would not be

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Most Influential Theologians

Most Influential Theologians St. Thomas Aquinas St. Thomas was born toward the end of 1226 and was born in Italy. St. Thomas was an Italian scholar and the most influential theologian in the Catholic Church. In 1243 he joined the Dominican order which was not like by his parents and they put him in jail for two years. St. Thomas wrote many works philosophy and theology but his most famous is Summa Theological. In it he gives proof of God and his existence. In another section he talks about ethics and how it roots in Aristole. In a chain of acts of will man strives for the highest end. The third part is about Christ. Thomas teaches that Christ is to be regarded as redeemer after his human nature. Thomas was sent to Paris to study under Albert the Great. He served with Albert as his teaching assistant. In 1252 he began to become a master of theology. Thomas was regonized as an excellent theology. He was very holy and would celebrate mass and then have lunch with the friars. Then in the evening he would pray and read. When he became a Dominican he parents really wanted him to become a monk. He was 19 when this happened. He was in Rome but removed and sent to Paris by his parents. His family became desperate to have him not join but he remained determined. At last the he was sent to Rome to meet the master general of the Dominicans. In 1274 St. Thomas died and never got to finish Summa Theologica. He is known as the model for people studying priesthood. In 1333 he was canonized and was declared one of the doctors of the church by Pope Pius V. Kateri Tekakwitha Young Kateri Tekakwitha, born in 1656 near a town called Auriesville in New York, was the daughter of the Mohawk Chief and a Catholic Algonquin. In 1660, at the age of four, her parents and baby brother were killed by a disease that attacked the village, leaving her an orphan. Tekakwitha survived. Although, she was partially blind. She would feel around to find her way. Seeing this, the others called her a name that by which means The One Who Walks Groping for Her Way. Later on, her uncle and two aunts adopted her. They went back to the village where the disease killed her family and rebuilt a village known as Caughnawaga. Over time, she grew into a sweet, shy young woman. She would spend time with her aunts working in the fields. She would often go to the neighboring forest and gather firewood water from the stream and certain roots to make medicine and die. Despite her poor sight, she was very skilled at beadwork. Also, at the woods she would go alone to pray to god and listen to his and her own voice. At the age of 18, is when her holy and religious life truly began. A priest came to their village and established a chapel. Kateri wanted to learn more about Jesus so she decided to be baptized. At the Age of twenty, she was baptized on Easter. Although, her family did not accept her choice to embace Christ so she became a village outcast. Tekakwitha was treated very badly by others in her settlement. In 1677, she left her village and fled to the Catholic Mission of St. Francis Xavier at Sault Saint Louis, near Montreal. Her journey to get to the mission took over two months but because of her determination, she was allowed to receive her First Holy Communion on Christmas day of that same year. She helped the young and came to the assistance of those who were sick. Her favorite devotion was to fashion crosses out of sticks and place them throughout the woods. this would be the sign that whenever she saw one, she would take a moment to pray. One thing that she loved was the rosary, which she wore around her neck every day. People always asked her to tell them a story. they would listen for a long time because when they were with her they felt the presence of God. One day, a priest came to the people and asked why they always circle around Kateri. Their answer would be, We feel closer to God when she is around and her face glows and looks different when she prays.so beautiful as if she were looking at Gods face . On March 25, 1617 she made a vow of perpetual virginity. She wanted to start a convent of Native American sisters but she was discouraged. Due to bad health, Kateri Tekakwitha died in 1680 at the age of twenty-four. her last words were Jesus, I love you. Like the flower she was named for, the lily, her life was short and beautiful. Moments after her death the scarred face of Kateri Tekakwitha was transformed into a beautiful, flawless face. This was witnessed by many people. She was known as Lily of the Mohawks. In 1943, the Catholic church declared her venerable and beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980. Her feast day id celebrated on July 14 and she is the patroness of World Youth Day 2002. Although not a saint yet, she is the first native American to be declared Blessed. St. Jerome St. Jerome was born at Stridon, a small town in the Roman province of Dalmatia, around 347. In Latin, he was known as Sophronius Eusebius Hieronymus. St. Jerome was not baptized until about 360 or 366 when he went to Rome with his friend Bonosus to pursue their studies. As a student in Rome, he learned how to speak both Greek and Latin but he also engaged in bad activities and needed to repent. To make himself feel better, St. Jerome would visit the remains and items left by the martyrs and the apostles at their catacombs. This experience would remind him of the terrors of hell. To describe Christian concepts, Jerome initially used classical authors but later on converted to Christianity himself. After several years in Rome, he travelled with Bonosus to Gaul and settled in Trier where he began to take up his theological studies as well as meeting many Christian friends. Some of his friends accompanied him when he set out on a journey through Thrace and the Asia Minor. On this journey, two of his friends died and Jerome was seriously ill. During his illness, he had visions that led him to put aside secular studies and devote himself to God. St. Jerome wanted to live a new life of penance so he went for a time to the desert of Chalcis. There he studied, wrote, and attempted to learn the Hebrew language with the guidance of a converted Jew. Returning to Antioch, he was ordained by Bishop Paulinus and continued to study and write. At this time, St. Jerome was a main teacher of the church and was attached to Pope Damascus I and the leading Roman Christians. One of his most famous accomplishments was translating the Bible from Hebrew to Latin so that everyone could understand Gods teachings. Jerome continued to do many important things with the church later on in his life. St. Jerome died near Bethlehem on September 30, 420. His remains were buried in Bethlehem but were later transferred to the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. St. Jerome became the patron saint of librarians and is recognized as the Doctor of the Church. His feast day is on September 30. St. Matthew The writer of the first Gospel and one of the twelve Apostles was not only a strong believer in God but a sinning tax collector as well. St. Matthew was born in the first century Judea as the son of a tax collector named Alpheus. The young Matthew grew up like any boy would have if he lived in that time; learning how to complete his fathers job. His father was a tax collector and taught him how to be a good tax collector like Joseph taught Jesus to be a carpenter. From a sinner, to an Apostle, to a writer of the Gospel, Matthew lived a life a lot like Jesus. He was soon hired by Herod Antipas to collect taxes like his father had. As a tax collector he was given an office located in Capernaum. He soon became despised and thought of as an outcast like all tax collectors. While in a large tax collector meeting in his office, Matthew was called by Jesus to live a life devoted to God like the other eleven Apostles. Although many people were skeptical when Jesus asked a sinning tax collector to follow him, Matthew rose up right then and there, converted and started to follow Jesus. As one of the early Apostles, Matthew was often known as Levi. He is often paired with St. Thomas in the Bible and is thought to be involved with a group of early Christians called the Nazarenes. With this group, Matthew and the Apostles proclaimed that Jesus was the son of God and the everlasting Messiah. Matthew was sent to Palestine alone by Jesus to continue preaching the word of God. He isnt mentioned in the Gospel any more other than in the names of the Apostles. Some historical facts place him in Gentile places preaching to those who lived there. Matthew was present with Mary during Jesus Resurrection and Ascension. Matthew was most likely very literate which was an uncommon trait for people in that time. It is unknown where he began writing the first Gospel also known as the Gospel of the Hebrews. It is called this because he began writing it in Hebrew for the early Hebrew Christians. St. Matthew wrote his Gospel the Gospel of Mark somewhere between AD 50 to AD 55. Matthews Gospel reproduces about 90% of Marks. His Gospel was later translated into Greek so more people could read it but the Greek copy was soon lost. The Hebrew copy was placed in the Library of Caesarea where it was kept for many centuries. St. Matthew turned his life around with the help of a fellow Jew. He became an Apostle, and then wrote the first of the four Gospels. Matthew wrote It is unsure whether he died of natural cause or if he was a martyr. We celebrate his feast day on September 21st. He was canonized by Pope Gregory IX. St. Matthew grew up a sinning tax collector, was called by Jesus, lived the rest of his life devoted to God, and died with the satisfaction of keeping the oldest and greatest memories alive. St. Jude Personal Life St. Jude was born in the first century AD in the area of Galilee, Palestine. He is also known as St. Jude Thaddeus, Thaddeus being his last name which means the brave one while Jude means giver of joy. It is stated in Matthew 13:55 that St. Jude was a brethren of Jesus, brethren being a Hebrew word indicating a blood relationship. It is also reported that his father, Cleophas was a brother of St. Joseph and was later persecuted for his faith, and his mother, Mary was a cousin of the Blessed Virgin and was said to have stood by the Immaculate Conceptions side while Jesus was crucified. St. Jude also had many brothers, two of which was St. James the Less, and St. Simeon the Zealot. Missionary Work St. Jude was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus along with his brothers James and Simeon, and is remembered for asking Christ at the Last Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection. His name is not to be confused with Judas of Iscariot, another one of the twelve apostles since both their names are a Greek Variant of the word Judah. After the Pentecost (in which he was present) St. Jude continued to preach the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Libya, and Mesopotamia, where he became a leader of the Church of The East that St. Thomas established there around 37 AD. Although little is known about St. Jude, one of his acknowledged works is the conversion of King Abgar. This idea comes from a Biblical story in which King Abgar of Edessa (a city located in what is now southeast Turkey) asked Jesus to cure him of leprosy and sent an artist to bring him a drawing of Jesus. Impressed with Abgars great faith, Jesus pressed his face into a cloth and gave it to St. Jude to take to Abgar. Once the King saw Jesus image he was cured and he converted to Christianity along with most of the people under his rule. This cloth is believed to be the famous Shroud of Jesus which is currently on display in Turin, Italy. St. Jude is also credited for helping start the Armenian Church, and is believed to be the human author of the Epistle of St. Jude, which is the shortest book in the New Testament. One of his last works before his death was his aid in the election of the bishop of Jerusalem in 62 AD, the bishop that was chosen turned out to be his brother Simeon the Zealot Death Little is known about St. Jude, since he was confused with Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, and his veneration was avoided, thus resulting in being known as the Forgotten Saint. Also, there is little information written about him in the Bible since he was known to travel around the world to preach the Gospel. One of the countries that St. Jude traveled to was Armenia, and it was there where he was reportedly murdered for his faith around the year 65 AD, although there are some instances that claim that St. Jude suffered of martyrdom alongside St. Simon in Persia. Armenia was a country that did not completely convert to Christianity until the 3rd century, about 250 years after St. Judes death. We do not know the specifics of St. Judes death, but he is often depicted carrying an axe or a club, suggesting the way in which he was murdered. After his death, his body was brought back to Rome and was placed in a crypt beneath St. Peters Basilica, which people continue to visit to this day. Sainthood St. Jude was canonized pre-congregation, meaning that he was recognized as a saint before the Catholic Church had a formal process of canonization. His feast day for Western Christianity is on October 28, and his feast day for Eastern Christianity it is celebrated on June 19. St. Jude is often associated with St. Simeon the Zealot, whom he shares his feast day with. He is renowned for being the patron saint of Armenia, lost causes, desperate situations, ibises, hospitals, St. Petersburg, Florida, Cotta Lucena City Quezon, the Chicago Police Department, Club de Regattas do Flamengo (soccer team) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Remembrance Today Even though St. Jude isnt as well known as some of the other saints, he is still as important and is venerated in many religions including the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Eastern Catholic Churches, the Church of the East, the Coptic Church, and the Anglican Communion. Nowadays, St. Jude is probably best known for being the namesake of many hospitals specializing in treating people, and specifically children in terminal illnesses since he is the patron saint of desperate causes. We pray to him now in time of desperate need for the reason that he provided a lot of inspirational support to a group of Christians who were being persecuted in Eastern churches and he exhorted them to keep their faith and to stay in the love of God as they had been taught. We usually see St. Jude depicted carrying the image of Jesus (taken from the story of King Agbar), carrying an Axe, club, boat, oar, and/or a medallion. The following is a common prayer dedicated to St. Jude: Most holy apostle, Saint Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honors and invokes you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone. Make use I implore you, of that particular privilege given to you, to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (here make your request) and that I may praise God with you and all the elect forever. I promise, O blessed Saint Jude, to be mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen. Saint John the Apostle Saints to me are always people we can look up to and know that they were true followers of Jesus. Saints are a great guide on how to act and be when we grow up or even as teenagers. When we are in doubt we sometimes ask our selves what would Jesus do but we can also ask are selves what would the saints do and know that we would get the right answer. St. John the apostle was the son of Zebedee and was called to be on of the 12 apostles of Jesus along with his brother James. They also were with Jesus on his ministries. John appears on the list of the apostles in Acts and in the synoptic gospels. James and John were also believed to be given the nick name Boanerges which means sons of thunder due to their tempers. In the Bible there are no details about how old john might have been when he became one of Jesus disciples but the Christians say that he lived to at least 100 CE which would have been pretty old. There is also nothing in the Bible telling about how long his activity in Judea lasted. Christian traditions also say that John had a important position in the Apostolic body. John was also present at the transfiguration of Jesus. This is some of the things we have gotten from the Bible. John, according to the Bible, was said to be more important than all the other apostles. The reason why was because he was present at many important time such as the transfiguration, and at the Garden of Gethsemane before Jesus was arrested. Paul later in the Bible also calls John the pillar of the Jerusalem church. John was also important because he has been believed to be the author of the fourth gospel, three canonical letters, and the book of revelation. There are so many thing we can learn from saints and these are the most important things that I took from Saint John the Apostle. Again next time you need help deciding what to do just ask yourself what would Jesus do OR what would the saints do. St. Nicholas Having a wonderful family will get you many places, just like were it got Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas came from a wealth family who loved him very much. Sadly, Nicholas parents died while he was still young. Nick was a devoted catholic and when he received his fortune from his parents death, he decided to use it to help the poor and needy. Instead of using the money for himself, he used it for others, which was a start of his generosity. As a young man, Nicholas was known for his kindness. He devoted his life to serving God and became Bishop of Myra while still a young man. He took control of this job to show how responsible he was. This position was very good for Nick and I think it taught him many important things in life. Many people in the land knew that this man was a generous, kindhearted, children loving man who had concerns for other people just like sailors and ships sailings on the oceans. For loving and doing all these things, Nicholas was exiled and imprisoned for believing in god, just like Jesus. This conflict made many people angry and trying to rebel. At this time, there were so many priest, deacons, and other religious believers imprisoned that there was no room for murders, thieves and robbers. After he was released, Nicholas joined the council of Nicaea. After leaving the council, St. Nicholas died on December 6, which is his feast day. On this day, it is a time to reflect on how St. Nicholas was kind to everyone, just like we should be to. Creating this great example for us shows that we need to follow his good ways. Remembering this day will make us realize that we should all commit good deeds no matter what day it is. St. Nicholas was the Patron Saint of Russia. He has many churches named after is glorious name. As a young boy, St. Nick proved to not only himself, but also others that he was a responsible adult. Many people believe you become responsible when youre older, but Saint Nick proved them wrong. He left behind a great example and reputation that will live on forever. St. Augustine of Hippo St. Augustine of Hippo, also known as Aurelius Augustinus, was born into a middle class family on November 13, 354 in Tagaste, modern day Algeria. He was the son of St. Monica and of Patricius. As a young boy, Augustine received a catholic education. His father had believed that he was successful that he had sent him to Cathage, to prepare for his forensic career. St. Augustine was a man of belief, strength, and success. For this he had succeeded in life. Augustine came into the church for having such a strong belief. The reason why he became such a strong believer, was when he had become very ill and could not receive baptism, but he pursued that dream of his. He had joined the men of prayer group and he had three ideas stuck deep in his heart. The first idea was a divine providence or the virtue of prudence. The second one was the future with terrible sanctions or going to hell. The last idea that was in his heart was Christ is above all and the Savior. He also became close with the church when he had given up on Divine Truth and had prayed to the Blessed Mother. The prayers to the blessed mother brought him back to his faith and decided that Christianity was the religion for him. At the start of his religious life he became a priest. The only thing he had kept when he became a priest was his familys house which became a monastic house. Then later on in his life he became a bishop. As he came back to his Christian faith, he wrote about his experiences in books called, Retractions. As he lived his life of prayer, he became closer to God. He also learned how to live a life of peace. As his life drew near so did his life of becoming a saint. On August 28, 430, at the age of seventy-five, Augustines life had come to an end. Augustine was a patron of brewers. As his life came close to its end, he spent almost every moment praying to God. Augustine has become one of my favorite saints as I have learned more about him. His life was powerful and interesting to me. I will try to live my life as an image of him and live out my faith, become closer to the church and God. St. Leo the Great Saint Leo the great was and Italian aristocrat and is the first pope of the Catholic Church to be called The Great. He is best known for meeting Attila the Hun in 452 AD and persuading him to turn back on the invasion of Western Europe. He is also known for being called the Doctor of the Church. St. Leos date of birth is still unknown to this day, but he was born in Tuscany, in Northern France, but refers to Rome and his home town. But it is said that his family moved to Rome when he was very young. The earliest information about Saint Leo being part of the churchs clergy when he was a deacon under Pope Celestine I. While Leo was away on a civil mission to bring peace to France, Pope Sixtus III on August 19, 440. As the people of Rome knew of Leos care and love for the individual souls, Leo was voted by the people to be their bishop. But when the people asked Leo to come back to Rome the Holy Spirit was working through all the faithful, so when Leo came back he was anointed Pope of Rome. He was elected on September 9, 440 AD and would reign as pope for the next 21 years. As pope of the Rome Leo labored constantly to protect the integrity of Faith by waging wars, taking strenuous actions against regions, and ordered to correct the errors of countries in Spain. He did all of this because he cared about the people and the faithful. He wanted them to have the most loving gift of all and that was the teachings of Christ that was handed down by the apostles. He continued to do this by defending the unity of the Catholic Church and with constancy strove to teach all men who were doctrines to lead their souls to the greatest fulfillment of salvation. Pope Leo the Greats pontificate was a continuous period of tireless effort directed at upholding the unity of the Church as the people thought. But after this he did much more. He cared about the Church so much that he tried his hardest to stop invasions in order to save more lives. Such as when he went to Atilla the Hun in 452 and persuading him with all his power to turn back on the invasion of Western Europe. Legend has it that Attila, on looking above St. Leo, saw in a vision that Saints Peter and Paul would support the Popes wishes, which struck him with fear. One of his most important persuasions was with Genseric the Vandal, who had captured the city of Rome. But thanks to Pope Leos intervention the Vandals didnt even touch Rome by not hurting or killing anyone or even taking down the Churches. Pope Saint Leo the Great certainly possessed true care and love for the Church. He submitted his whole heart to Christ, labored to lead others into committing themselves into the See of Peter, and used all his influence to maintain the unity of the Church. If you ask me I would say Saint Leo the Great modeled his life after the sixth Beatitude, which proclaims, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. He has a connection between purity of heart and of faith. He exemplifies love of truth and orthodoxy of faith. In 1754 Benedict XIV exalted St. Leo to the dignity of Doctor of the Church. Not quite two centuries later, Pope Pius XII, in a sermon given on October 12, 1952, noted that Pope Saint Leo is the greatest among the great. Saint Martin of Tours Saint Martin of Tours was born around the time 317 A.D in modern-day Hungary. Martins father was a senior officer in the Roman Army; he was stationed in Ticinum, Cisalpine Gaul (now Pavia, Italy) where Martin grew up. Later, in Martins pre-teen years, he found God and took charge of his religious life. Martin learned many things about God and started on his way to becoming a saint. When Martin was ten years old he went to the church against his parents and became a candidate for baptism. His parents were very upset with him because he went against their wishes. When Martin was fifteen years old, because his father was a retired officer, Martin was required to join the army. While Martin was stationed in Amiens, he experienced the vision that is most remembered today. He was at the gates of the city of Amiens with his soldiers when he met a scarcely dressed beggar. He automatically cut his own military cloak in half and shared it with the beggar. That night he dreamed of Jesus wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. He heard Jesus say to the angels: Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptized; he has clad me. (Sulpicius, ch 2). This dream confirmed Martins fidelity. He was then baptized at the age of eighteen. Later Martin thought his faith prohibited him from fighting and shouted I am a soldier of Christ. I cannot fight. He was charged of cowardice and put in jail. Martin followed the way of the Lord and always served others. Some of the things he was known for were that he was against poverty and did everything he could to help the less fortunate. Some emblems that remind us of him are trees, beggars, soldiers and cloaks. He was known for many great deeds and acts of charity and kindness. Martin died on November 8, 397, in Candes, Gaul (modern-day France). Martin of Tours was just over eighty when he died. He is the patron Saint of beggars and soldiers. We celebrate his feast day on November 11th. Prayer: God, Your Bishop Saint Martin glorified You by both his life and death. Renew in us Your grace, so that neither death nor life can separate us from Your love. Amen Saint John the Baptist But He who acts in truth comes into the light, to make clear that his deeds are done in God. (Luke 3:21) Saint John was the cousin of Jesus. He was a baptizer. He was born to the people named Elizabeth and Zachariah. He had many duties such as; being the first baptizer, writing a gospel ect He told the people to repent and that the Lord is upon them. But his cry was not answered by many passing people. John was often mistaken for the Messiah. He was very holy, and spread Gods word so well that he was called The Anointed One. You yourselves are witnesses to the fact that I said: I am not the Messiah; I am sent before Him.'(Luke 3:28) To be a saint you have to have humility, you have to be willing to die for your faith. You have to be open to the fact that you have to make sacrifices to be a soldier of Christ. He took His chance and became that soldier and was the first priest, and was the first leader to baptize someone. He had a lot of weight on his shoulders that day. The cousin of the Lord being asked to baptize someone when you have no idea what to do. He had to be brave to be that kind of person. In current life today we should be Johns. We should be able to die for our faith and give it all up for the Lord. We were all sent by God to do his will and to be the messengers for his faith. We are to live by example and be the little Johns of the world. If we love and care for Jesus and God then we should be able to understand how we are part of the great plan of salvation. From John, we can learn that we just cant sit here and wait for miracles to happen, we need to write of the Lords love, sing of the Lords love, be the Lords love. Saint Anthony the Abbot Saint Anthony the Abbot was born in 251 at Heracleus, Egypt. He is also known by many names such as Abba Antonius, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, and Anthony the Anchorite. Anthony grew up in a wealthy family. He lived a good childhood and a healthy life. But unexpectedly everything changed. When he was about 20 years old his parents unexpectedly died. He ensured that his sister got a good education and that was about all he could do. But then the lord spoke to him and said If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell, what thou hast, and give to the poor. After Anthony heard this he gave away all of his possessions and started his holy life in the desert. He lived as a hermit in an old abandoned fort for more than 20 years praying in solitude. But the devil tried to tempt him many times and he never gave in to its temptations. But he wasnt always alone. Many followers and admirers came into his fort. He healed many of the sick who came and was also a spiritual counselor for others. He had so many disciples following him that he had to build two monasteries! A lot of people helped him by weaving baskets and making brushes for him which made him the patron of those 2 trades. Saint Anthony was also the patron saint of grave diggers and people who work with pigs. He was patron of gravediggers because he buried an Anchorite which was someone who walled themselves up to be alone in prayer. He was patron of pigs because he used pork to reduce inflammation and itching. An artist drew a picture of him with a pig and someone took it as Anthony being the patron saint of pigs. In 311 Anthony shortly left his fort to go fight Arianism in Alexandria. He also left to comfort the victims of the persecutions at Maximinus. While he was out of his fort he met his sister. It turns out she had also become a holy person and chosen to become a nun. Anthony did return to the desert but he did not return to his fort. He retired in a cave in Mount Colzim. Saint Anthony also knew some other saints. During the later part of his life he became good friends with Saint Paul the Hermit. And his biography was written by Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. He also founded a religious order of hermits. Saint Anthony died at Mount Colzim in 356 due to natural causes. Many people still follow his influences to this day. His order of hermits is still around. People give away possessions to help others. He was canonized by the Pre-Congregation which is where saints are canonized by local church officials so no one knows the exact canonization date. Saint Dominic Saint Dominic is the founder of the Order of Preachers, more commonly known as the Dominican Order. He is also the patron saint of astronomers and the Dominican Republic. Close friends with our patron, Saint Francis of Assisi, he was born into a very re Most Influential Theologians Most Influential Theologians St. Thomas Aquinas St. Thomas was born toward the end of 1226 and was born in Italy. St. Thomas was an Italian scholar and the most influential theologian in the Catholic Church. In 1243 he joined the Dominican order which was not like by his parents and they put him in jail for two years. St. Thomas wrote many works philosophy and theology but his most famous is Summa Theological. In it he gives proof of God and his existence. In another section he talks about ethics and how it roots in Aristole. In a chain of acts of will man strives for the highest end. The third part is about Christ. Thomas teaches that Christ is to be regarded as redeemer after his human nature. Thomas was sent to Paris to study under Albert the Great. He served with Albert as his teaching assistant. In 1252 he began to become a master of theology. Thomas was regonized as an excellent theology. He was very holy and would celebrate mass and then have lunch with the friars. Then in the evening he would pray and read. When he became a Dominican he parents really wanted him to become a monk. He was 19 when this happened. He was in Rome but removed and sent to Paris by his parents. His family became desperate to have him not join but he remained determined. At last the he was sent to Rome to meet the master general of the Dominicans. In 1274 St. Thomas died and never got to finish Summa Theologica. He is known as the model for people studying priesthood. In 1333 he was canonized and was declared one of the doctors of the church by Pope Pius V. Kateri Tekakwitha Young Kateri Tekakwitha, born in 1656 near a town called Auriesville in New York, was the daughter of the Mohawk Chief and a Catholic Algonquin. In 1660, at the age of four, her parents and baby brother were killed by a disease that attacked the village, leaving her an orphan. Tekakwitha survived. Although, she was partially blind. She would feel around to find her way. Seeing this, the others called her a name that by which means The One Who Walks Groping for Her Way. Later on, her uncle and two aunts adopted her. They went back to the village where the disease killed her family and rebuilt a village known as Caughnawaga. Over time, she grew into a sweet, shy young woman. She would spend time with her aunts working in the fields. She would often go to the neighboring forest and gather firewood water from the stream and certain roots to make medicine and die. Despite her poor sight, she was very skilled at beadwork. Also, at the woods she would go alone to pray to god and listen to his and her own voice. At the age of 18, is when her holy and religious life truly began. A priest came to their village and established a chapel. Kateri wanted to learn more about Jesus so she decided to be baptized. At the Age of twenty, she was baptized on Easter. Although, her family did not accept her choice to embace Christ so she became a village outcast. Tekakwitha was treated very badly by others in her settlement. In 1677, she left her village and fled to the Catholic Mission of St. Francis Xavier at Sault Saint Louis, near Montreal. Her journey to get to the mission took over two months but because of her determination, she was allowed to receive her First Holy Communion on Christmas day of that same year. She helped the young and came to the assistance of those who were sick. Her favorite devotion was to fashion crosses out of sticks and place them throughout the woods. this would be the sign that whenever she saw one, she would take a moment to pray. One thing that she loved was the rosary, which she wore around her neck every day. People always asked her to tell them a story. they would listen for a long time because when they were with her they felt the presence of God. One day, a priest came to the people and asked why they always circle around Kateri. Their answer would be, We feel closer to God when she is around and her face glows and looks different when she prays.so beautiful as if she were looking at Gods face . On March 25, 1617 she made a vow of perpetual virginity. She wanted to start a convent of Native American sisters but she was discouraged. Due to bad health, Kateri Tekakwitha died in 1680 at the age of twenty-four. her last words were Jesus, I love you. Like the flower she was named for, the lily, her life was short and beautiful. Moments after her death the scarred face of Kateri Tekakwitha was transformed into a beautiful, flawless face. This was witnessed by many people. She was known as Lily of the Mohawks. In 1943, the Catholic church declared her venerable and beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980. Her feast day id celebrated on July 14 and she is the patroness of World Youth Day 2002. Although not a saint yet, she is the first native American to be declared Blessed. St. Jerome St. Jerome was born at Stridon, a small town in the Roman province of Dalmatia, around 347. In Latin, he was known as Sophronius Eusebius Hieronymus. St. Jerome was not baptized until about 360 or 366 when he went to Rome with his friend Bonosus to pursue their studies. As a student in Rome, he learned how to speak both Greek and Latin but he also engaged in bad activities and needed to repent. To make himself feel better, St. Jerome would visit the remains and items left by the martyrs and the apostles at their catacombs. This experience would remind him of the terrors of hell. To describe Christian concepts, Jerome initially used classical authors but later on converted to Christianity himself. After several years in Rome, he travelled with Bonosus to Gaul and settled in Trier where he began to take up his theological studies as well as meeting many Christian friends. Some of his friends accompanied him when he set out on a journey through Thrace and the Asia Minor. On this journey, two of his friends died and Jerome was seriously ill. During his illness, he had visions that led him to put aside secular studies and devote himself to God. St. Jerome wanted to live a new life of penance so he went for a time to the desert of Chalcis. There he studied, wrote, and attempted to learn the Hebrew language with the guidance of a converted Jew. Returning to Antioch, he was ordained by Bishop Paulinus and continued to study and write. At this time, St. Jerome was a main teacher of the church and was attached to Pope Damascus I and the leading Roman Christians. One of his most famous accomplishments was translating the Bible from Hebrew to Latin so that everyone could understand Gods teachings. Jerome continued to do many important things with the church later on in his life. St. Jerome died near Bethlehem on September 30, 420. His remains were buried in Bethlehem but were later transferred to the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. St. Jerome became the patron saint of librarians and is recognized as the Doctor of the Church. His feast day is on September 30. St. Matthew The writer of the first Gospel and one of the twelve Apostles was not only a strong believer in God but a sinning tax collector as well. St. Matthew was born in the first century Judea as the son of a tax collector named Alpheus. The young Matthew grew up like any boy would have if he lived in that time; learning how to complete his fathers job. His father was a tax collector and taught him how to be a good tax collector like Joseph taught Jesus to be a carpenter. From a sinner, to an Apostle, to a writer of the Gospel, Matthew lived a life a lot like Jesus. He was soon hired by Herod Antipas to collect taxes like his father had. As a tax collector he was given an office located in Capernaum. He soon became despised and thought of as an outcast like all tax collectors. While in a large tax collector meeting in his office, Matthew was called by Jesus to live a life devoted to God like the other eleven Apostles. Although many people were skeptical when Jesus asked a sinning tax collector to follow him, Matthew rose up right then and there, converted and started to follow Jesus. As one of the early Apostles, Matthew was often known as Levi. He is often paired with St. Thomas in the Bible and is thought to be involved with a group of early Christians called the Nazarenes. With this group, Matthew and the Apostles proclaimed that Jesus was the son of God and the everlasting Messiah. Matthew was sent to Palestine alone by Jesus to continue preaching the word of God. He isnt mentioned in the Gospel any more other than in the names of the Apostles. Some historical facts place him in Gentile places preaching to those who lived there. Matthew was present with Mary during Jesus Resurrection and Ascension. Matthew was most likely very literate which was an uncommon trait for people in that time. It is unknown where he began writing the first Gospel also known as the Gospel of the Hebrews. It is called this because he began writing it in Hebrew for the early Hebrew Christians. St. Matthew wrote his Gospel the Gospel of Mark somewhere between AD 50 to AD 55. Matthews Gospel reproduces about 90% of Marks. His Gospel was later translated into Greek so more people could read it but the Greek copy was soon lost. The Hebrew copy was placed in the Library of Caesarea where it was kept for many centuries. St. Matthew turned his life around with the help of a fellow Jew. He became an Apostle, and then wrote the first of the four Gospels. Matthew wrote It is unsure whether he died of natural cause or if he was a martyr. We celebrate his feast day on September 21st. He was canonized by Pope Gregory IX. St. Matthew grew up a sinning tax collector, was called by Jesus, lived the rest of his life devoted to God, and died with the satisfaction of keeping the oldest and greatest memories alive. St. Jude Personal Life St. Jude was born in the first century AD in the area of Galilee, Palestine. He is also known as St. Jude Thaddeus, Thaddeus being his last name which means the brave one while Jude means giver of joy. It is stated in Matthew 13:55 that St. Jude was a brethren of Jesus, brethren being a Hebrew word indicating a blood relationship. It is also reported that his father, Cleophas was a brother of St. Joseph and was later persecuted for his faith, and his mother, Mary was a cousin of the Blessed Virgin and was said to have stood by the Immaculate Conceptions side while Jesus was crucified. St. Jude also had many brothers, two of which was St. James the Less, and St. Simeon the Zealot. Missionary Work St. Jude was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus along with his brothers James and Simeon, and is remembered for asking Christ at the Last Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection. His name is not to be confused with Judas of Iscariot, another one of the twelve apostles since both their names are a Greek Variant of the word Judah. After the Pentecost (in which he was present) St. Jude continued to preach the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Libya, and Mesopotamia, where he became a leader of the Church of The East that St. Thomas established there around 37 AD. Although little is known about St. Jude, one of his acknowledged works is the conversion of King Abgar. This idea comes from a Biblical story in which King Abgar of Edessa (a city located in what is now southeast Turkey) asked Jesus to cure him of leprosy and sent an artist to bring him a drawing of Jesus. Impressed with Abgars great faith, Jesus pressed his face into a cloth and gave it to St. Jude to take to Abgar. Once the King saw Jesus image he was cured and he converted to Christianity along with most of the people under his rule. This cloth is believed to be the famous Shroud of Jesus which is currently on display in Turin, Italy. St. Jude is also credited for helping start the Armenian Church, and is believed to be the human author of the Epistle of St. Jude, which is the shortest book in the New Testament. One of his last works before his death was his aid in the election of the bishop of Jerusalem in 62 AD, the bishop that was chosen turned out to be his brother Simeon the Zealot Death Little is known about St. Jude, since he was confused with Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, and his veneration was avoided, thus resulting in being known as the Forgotten Saint. Also, there is little information written about him in the Bible since he was known to travel around the world to preach the Gospel. One of the countries that St. Jude traveled to was Armenia, and it was there where he was reportedly murdered for his faith around the year 65 AD, although there are some instances that claim that St. Jude suffered of martyrdom alongside St. Simon in Persia. Armenia was a country that did not completely convert to Christianity until the 3rd century, about 250 years after St. Judes death. We do not know the specifics of St. Judes death, but he is often depicted carrying an axe or a club, suggesting the way in which he was murdered. After his death, his body was brought back to Rome and was placed in a crypt beneath St. Peters Basilica, which people continue to visit to this day. Sainthood St. Jude was canonized pre-congregation, meaning that he was recognized as a saint before the Catholic Church had a formal process of canonization. His feast day for Western Christianity is on October 28, and his feast day for Eastern Christianity it is celebrated on June 19. St. Jude is often associated with St. Simeon the Zealot, whom he shares his feast day with. He is renowned for being the patron saint of Armenia, lost causes, desperate situations, ibises, hospitals, St. Petersburg, Florida, Cotta Lucena City Quezon, the Chicago Police Department, Club de Regattas do Flamengo (soccer team) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Remembrance Today Even though St. Jude isnt as well known as some of the other saints, he is still as important and is venerated in many religions including the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Eastern Catholic Churches, the Church of the East, the Coptic Church, and the Anglican Communion. Nowadays, St. Jude is probably best known for being the namesake of many hospitals specializing in treating people, and specifically children in terminal illnesses since he is the patron saint of desperate causes. We pray to him now in time of desperate need for the reason that he provided a lot of inspirational support to a group of Christians who were being persecuted in Eastern churches and he exhorted them to keep their faith and to stay in the love of God as they had been taught. We usually see St. Jude depicted carrying the image of Jesus (taken from the story of King Agbar), carrying an Axe, club, boat, oar, and/or a medallion. The following is a common prayer dedicated to St. Jude: Most holy apostle, Saint Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honors and invokes you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone. Make use I implore you, of that particular privilege given to you, to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (here make your request) and that I may praise God with you and all the elect forever. I promise, O blessed Saint Jude, to be mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen. Saint John the Apostle Saints to me are always people we can look up to and know that they were true followers of Jesus. Saints are a great guide on how to act and be when we grow up or even as teenagers. When we are in doubt we sometimes ask our selves what would Jesus do but we can also ask are selves what would the saints do and know that we would get the right answer. St. John the apostle was the son of Zebedee and was called to be on of the 12 apostles of Jesus along with his brother James. They also were with Jesus on his ministries. John appears on the list of the apostles in Acts and in the synoptic gospels. James and John were also believed to be given the nick name Boanerges which means sons of thunder due to their tempers. In the Bible there are no details about how old john might have been when he became one of Jesus disciples but the Christians say that he lived to at least 100 CE which would have been pretty old. There is also nothing in the Bible telling about how long his activity in Judea lasted. Christian traditions also say that John had a important position in the Apostolic body. John was also present at the transfiguration of Jesus. This is some of the things we have gotten from the Bible. John, according to the Bible, was said to be more important than all the other apostles. The reason why was because he was present at many important time such as the transfiguration, and at the Garden of Gethsemane before Jesus was arrested. Paul later in the Bible also calls John the pillar of the Jerusalem church. John was also important because he has been believed to be the author of the fourth gospel, three canonical letters, and the book of revelation. There are so many thing we can learn from saints and these are the most important things that I took from Saint John the Apostle. Again next time you need help deciding what to do just ask yourself what would Jesus do OR what would the saints do. St. Nicholas Having a wonderful family will get you many places, just like were it got Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas came from a wealth family who loved him very much. Sadly, Nicholas parents died while he was still young. Nick was a devoted catholic and when he received his fortune from his parents death, he decided to use it to help the poor and needy. Instead of using the money for himself, he used it for others, which was a start of his generosity. As a young man, Nicholas was known for his kindness. He devoted his life to serving God and became Bishop of Myra while still a young man. He took control of this job to show how responsible he was. This position was very good for Nick and I think it taught him many important things in life. Many people in the land knew that this man was a generous, kindhearted, children loving man who had concerns for other people just like sailors and ships sailings on the oceans. For loving and doing all these things, Nicholas was exiled and imprisoned for believing in god, just like Jesus. This conflict made many people angry and trying to rebel. At this time, there were so many priest, deacons, and other religious believers imprisoned that there was no room for murders, thieves and robbers. After he was released, Nicholas joined the council of Nicaea. After leaving the council, St. Nicholas died on December 6, which is his feast day. On this day, it is a time to reflect on how St. Nicholas was kind to everyone, just like we should be to. Creating this great example for us shows that we need to follow his good ways. Remembering this day will make us realize that we should all commit good deeds no matter what day it is. St. Nicholas was the Patron Saint of Russia. He has many churches named after is glorious name. As a young boy, St. Nick proved to not only himself, but also others that he was a responsible adult. Many people believe you become responsible when youre older, but Saint Nick proved them wrong. He left behind a great example and reputation that will live on forever. St. Augustine of Hippo St. Augustine of Hippo, also known as Aurelius Augustinus, was born into a middle class family on November 13, 354 in Tagaste, modern day Algeria. He was the son of St. Monica and of Patricius. As a young boy, Augustine received a catholic education. His father had believed that he was successful that he had sent him to Cathage, to prepare for his forensic career. St. Augustine was a man of belief, strength, and success. For this he had succeeded in life. Augustine came into the church for having such a strong belief. The reason why he became such a strong believer, was when he had become very ill and could not receive baptism, but he pursued that dream of his. He had joined the men of prayer group and he had three ideas stuck deep in his heart. The first idea was a divine providence or the virtue of prudence. The second one was the future with terrible sanctions or going to hell. The last idea that was in his heart was Christ is above all and the Savior. He also became close with the church when he had given up on Divine Truth and had prayed to the Blessed Mother. The prayers to the blessed mother brought him back to his faith and decided that Christianity was the religion for him. At the start of his religious life he became a priest. The only thing he had kept when he became a priest was his familys house which became a monastic house. Then later on in his life he became a bishop. As he came back to his Christian faith, he wrote about his experiences in books called, Retractions. As he lived his life of prayer, he became closer to God. He also learned how to live a life of peace. As his life drew near so did his life of becoming a saint. On August 28, 430, at the age of seventy-five, Augustines life had come to an end. Augustine was a patron of brewers. As his life came close to its end, he spent almost every moment praying to God. Augustine has become one of my favorite saints as I have learned more about him. His life was powerful and interesting to me. I will try to live my life as an image of him and live out my faith, become closer to the church and God. St. Leo the Great Saint Leo the great was and Italian aristocrat and is the first pope of the Catholic Church to be called The Great. He is best known for meeting Attila the Hun in 452 AD and persuading him to turn back on the invasion of Western Europe. He is also known for being called the Doctor of the Church. St. Leos date of birth is still unknown to this day, but he was born in Tuscany, in Northern France, but refers to Rome and his home town. But it is said that his family moved to Rome when he was very young. The earliest information about Saint Leo being part of the churchs clergy when he was a deacon under Pope Celestine I. While Leo was away on a civil mission to bring peace to France, Pope Sixtus III on August 19, 440. As the people of Rome knew of Leos care and love for the individual souls, Leo was voted by the people to be their bishop. But when the people asked Leo to come back to Rome the Holy Spirit was working through all the faithful, so when Leo came back he was anointed Pope of Rome. He was elected on September 9, 440 AD and would reign as pope for the next 21 years. As pope of the Rome Leo labored constantly to protect the integrity of Faith by waging wars, taking strenuous actions against regions, and ordered to correct the errors of countries in Spain. He did all of this because he cared about the people and the faithful. He wanted them to have the most loving gift of all and that was the teachings of Christ that was handed down by the apostles. He continued to do this by defending the unity of the Catholic Church and with constancy strove to teach all men who were doctrines to lead their souls to the greatest fulfillment of salvation. Pope Leo the Greats pontificate was a continuous period of tireless effort directed at upholding the unity of the Church as the people thought. But after this he did much more. He cared about the Church so much that he tried his hardest to stop invasions in order to save more lives. Such as when he went to Atilla the Hun in 452 and persuading him with all his power to turn back on the invasion of Western Europe. Legend has it that Attila, on looking above St. Leo, saw in a vision that Saints Peter and Paul would support the Popes wishes, which struck him with fear. One of his most important persuasions was with Genseric the Vandal, who had captured the city of Rome. But thanks to Pope Leos intervention the Vandals didnt even touch Rome by not hurting or killing anyone or even taking down the Churches. Pope Saint Leo the Great certainly possessed true care and love for the Church. He submitted his whole heart to Christ, labored to lead others into committing themselves into the See of Peter, and used all his influence to maintain the unity of the Church. If you ask me I would say Saint Leo the Great modeled his life after the sixth Beatitude, which proclaims, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. He has a connection between purity of heart and of faith. He exemplifies love of truth and orthodoxy of faith. In 1754 Benedict XIV exalted St. Leo to the dignity of Doctor of the Church. Not quite two centuries later, Pope Pius XII, in a sermon given on October 12, 1952, noted that Pope Saint Leo is the greatest among the great. Saint Martin of Tours Saint Martin of Tours was born around the time 317 A.D in modern-day Hungary. Martins father was a senior officer in the Roman Army; he was stationed in Ticinum, Cisalpine Gaul (now Pavia, Italy) where Martin grew up. Later, in Martins pre-teen years, he found God and took charge of his religious life. Martin learned many things about God and started on his way to becoming a saint. When Martin was ten years old he went to the church against his parents and became a candidate for baptism. His parents were very upset with him because he went against their wishes. When Martin was fifteen years old, because his father was a retired officer, Martin was required to join the army. While Martin was stationed in Amiens, he experienced the vision that is most remembered today. He was at the gates of the city of Amiens with his soldiers when he met a scarcely dressed beggar. He automatically cut his own military cloak in half and shared it with the beggar. That night he dreamed of Jesus wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. He heard Jesus say to the angels: Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptized; he has clad me. (Sulpicius, ch 2). This dream confirmed Martins fidelity. He was then baptized at the age of eighteen. Later Martin thought his faith prohibited him from fighting and shouted I am a soldier of Christ. I cannot fight. He was charged of cowardice and put in jail. Martin followed the way of the Lord and always served others. Some of the things he was known for were that he was against poverty and did everything he could to help the less fortunate. Some emblems that remind us of him are trees, beggars, soldiers and cloaks. He was known for many great deeds and acts of charity and kindness. Martin died on November 8, 397, in Candes, Gaul (modern-day France). Martin of Tours was just over eighty when he died. He is the patron Saint of beggars and soldiers. We celebrate his feast day on November 11th. Prayer: God, Your Bishop Saint Martin glorified You by both his life and death. Renew in us Your grace, so that neither death nor life can separate us from Your love. Amen Saint John the Baptist But He who acts in truth comes into the light, to make clear that his deeds are done in God. (Luke 3:21) Saint John was the cousin of Jesus. He was a baptizer. He was born to the people named Elizabeth and Zachariah. He had many duties such as; being the first baptizer, writing a gospel ect He told the people to repent and that the Lord is upon them. But his cry was not answered by many passing people. John was often mistaken for the Messiah. He was very holy, and spread Gods word so well that he was called The Anointed One. You yourselves are witnesses to the fact that I said: I am not the Messiah; I am sent before Him.'(Luke 3:28) To be a saint you have to have humility, you have to be willing to die for your faith. You have to be open to the fact that you have to make sacrifices to be a soldier of Christ. He took His chance and became that soldier and was the first priest, and was the first leader to baptize someone. He had a lot of weight on his shoulders that day. The cousin of the Lord being asked to baptize someone when you have no idea what to do. He had to be brave to be that kind of person. In current life today we should be Johns. We should be able to die for our faith and give it all up for the Lord. We were all sent by God to do his will and to be the messengers for his faith. We are to live by example and be the little Johns of the world. If we love and care for Jesus and God then we should be able to understand how we are part of the great plan of salvation. From John, we can learn that we just cant sit here and wait for miracles to happen, we need to write of the Lords love, sing of the Lords love, be the Lords love. Saint Anthony the Abbot Saint Anthony the Abbot was born in 251 at Heracleus, Egypt. He is also known by many names such as Abba Antonius, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, and Anthony the Anchorite. Anthony grew up in a wealthy family. He lived a good childhood and a healthy life. But unexpectedly everything changed. When he was about 20 years old his parents unexpectedly died. He ensured that his sister got a good education and that was about all he could do. But then the lord spoke to him and said If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell, what thou hast, and give to the poor. After Anthony heard this he gave away all of his possessions and started his holy life in the desert. He lived as a hermit in an old abandoned fort for more than 20 years praying in solitude. But the devil tried to tempt him many times and he never gave in to its temptations. But he wasnt always alone. Many followers and admirers came into his fort. He healed many of the sick who came and was also a spiritual counselor for others. He had so many disciples following him that he had to build two monasteries! A lot of people helped him by weaving baskets and making brushes for him which made him the patron of those 2 trades. Saint Anthony was also the patron saint of grave diggers and people who work with pigs. He was patron of gravediggers because he buried an Anchorite which was someone who walled themselves up to be alone in prayer. He was patron of pigs because he used pork to reduce inflammation and itching. An artist drew a picture of him with a pig and someone took it as Anthony being the patron saint of pigs. In 311 Anthony shortly left his fort to go fight Arianism in Alexandria. He also left to comfort the victims of the persecutions at Maximinus. While he was out of his fort he met his sister. It turns out she had also become a holy person and chosen to become a nun. Anthony did return to the desert but he did not return to his fort. He retired in a cave in Mount Colzim. Saint Anthony also knew some other saints. During the later part of his life he became good friends with Saint Paul the Hermit. And his biography was written by Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. He also founded a religious order of hermits. Saint Anthony died at Mount Colzim in 356 due to natural causes. Many people still follow his influences to this day. His order of hermits is still around. People give away possessions to help others. He was canonized by the Pre-Congregation which is where saints are canonized by local church officials so no one knows the exact canonization date. Saint Dominic Saint Dominic is the founder of the Order of Preachers, more commonly known as the Dominican Order. He is also the patron saint of astronomers and the Dominican Republic. Close friends with our patron, Saint Francis of Assisi, he was born into a very re