October 14th - St. Callistus I By:Venassa Jijo

Saint Callistus was born a slave, owned by Caesar. His master entrusted a large sum of money to him to open a bank, which took several deposits and sent loans to people who refused to pay them back. This eventually caused Callistus to go broke. Knowing he would get the blame and punishment, he fled only to get caught and brought back to his master. Caesar sentenced him, Callistus, to work in the tin mines. After some time, a loophole in the law let him free from enslavement and he became the sixteenth pope. Saint Callistus was accused of many things but persevered. He spoke about how the church law trumps civil law. Eventually, he was martyred in the persecutions of Alexander Severus.
 
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
 
O God, who raised up Pope Saint Callistus the First to serve the Church and attend devoutly to Christ’s faithful departed, strengthen us, we pray, by his witness to the faith, so that, rescued from the slavery of corruption, we may merit an incorruptible inheritance. Through Christ our Lord, amen.