Welcome to Saintly Summer! Each summer, we take time to discover the lives of the saints and learn how their witness can help us become better disciples of Jesus Christ. In this first episode, Fr. John introduces this year’s Saintly Summer series and invites us to get to know the saints who will accompany us throughout the season. Then, Deacon Jhonny Escobar shares the story of St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters. Once consumed by his love of hunting, Hubert experienced a profound encounter with God that changed the direction of his life forever.  Whether it’s success, achievement, recognition, money, or something else, St. Hubert reminds us that no pursuit should take the place that belongs to God alone.

Saintly Summer – Full Text:

As we begin the season of summer, once again, it’s become our annual tradition to have a Saintly Summer. To focus on some of the great Saints in the church and how they can teach us and challenge us to be better disciples ourselves. So as we all enter into the summer season, Forenza is making her guest appearance in videos once again. As we enjoy Saintly Summer I invite you to really get to know some of the Saints we’ll introduce you to over these next few weeks and how they can teach us how to better follow Christ in our lives.

Hi everyone. Today I have a question for you. What are you and I chasing in life? Let me tell you a little bit about Saint Hubert. He is the patron saint of hunters and as a young nobleman, he loved hunting so much that he became the center of his life. And according to tradition on Good Friday while everybody else was, you know, in the church except Hubert, he went hunting and while hunting, he saw a deer with a crucifix, a shining crucifix between its antlers. And in that moment, he realized that he had been so busy chasing many things that he had forgotten to make room for God. That simple experience changed everything in his life. He later became a bishop and he dedicated his entire life to serve the church, to serve Christ, and to help others to find Him. And I know most of us are not hunters today of course, but I think we are all chasing something. You can be success. Money, achievements, recognition of so many other things and saying, Hubert today reminds us that many of these things are not wrong that they could never take the place that belongs to God. Sometimes, God meets us in the middle of our daily lives, busy lives and He asked the same question. He asked Hubert through thatexperience. Are we chasing the right thing? St. Hubert Patron of Hunters, pray for us.