Long-term solitude, especially when forced rather than chosen, can be detrimental to those of us who need social interaction. And yet, there are some, who choose solitude as a lifestyle. One of those is St. Anthony of Egypt, also known as St. Anthony the Great, who lived in the third century to the extraordinary age of 105. His feast day is Jan. 17. This saint’s experience is similar to St. Francis of Assisi, in that he inherited great wealth from his family but touched by the word of God, sold everything and donated it to the poor. St. Anthony chose a life of solitude, first in the desert and then on mountain on the bank of the Nile River, so he could devote himself to God and prayer. From this solitude, he became the founder of Christian monasticism and spiritual father to the communities that followed in his footsteps. Our life mission may not take us to a hermitage in the desert, but an experience of solitude is healthy for mind, body and spirit. Solitude can be fruitful and lead to growth, as St. Anthony’s story reveals. In his book, “The Way of Silence: Engaging the Sacred in Daily Life,” Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast observes, “To have a place of solitude is an inestimable gift. It makes it easy to let the heart expand, to let the senses wake up, one by one, to come alive with fresh vitality. “Yet, whatever our circumstances, we need to somehow set aside a time and a place for this kind of experience. It is a necessity in everyone’s life, not a luxury. What comes alive in those moments of solitude is more than eyes or ears; our heart listens and rises to respond. All of us—each in a different measure—have need of solitude because we need to cultivate mindfulness.” Of the more than 10,000 saints recognized in the Catholic Church, many have been lost to the annals of history. The rest are all varied individuals with unique stories which can serve as inspiration for our own faith journey, and that of our students. Additional saints celebrated in January are St. Sebastian, St. Agnes, St. Vincent of Zaragossa, and St. Marianne Cope. Saint stories written at a level of appropriateness for students are best to use. Many saints underwent painful and difficult assaults to body and mind which may upset young children. Our Saint Resource Page offers a wealth of stories, a saint index, saint maps and page of saint terminology to explain titles such as Servant of God, Venerable, Blessed, Saint and mystic.
Mary Regina Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to nine, is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.