'Mother of the Poor'

There is no surfeit of mothers and wives, especially from the 13th-century, who have been canonized. As such, I did not want to miss this chance to mention St Zedislava Berkiana, a lay Dominican whose feast we celebrate today in the Order. She was born in Moravia, of Bohemian nobility, around the year 1220 and had four children. She was known as a loving mother of the poor because apart from providing for her own family, she gave generously to the poor. Such acts brought her frequently into conflict with her husband. Yet, together with her husband, she built up the Order of Preachers in Bohemia, founding Dominican priory of St Lawrence, near her castle. She received the habit of the Third Order of St Dominic and was a pious woman who, unusually for her time, received Holy Communion daily. Renowned for her service to the poor and suffering, she died in 1252 and was canonized by Pope Pius X in 1907. She is patroness of difficult marriages and people ridiculed for their piety.

"Faithful God,
By her married life and works of charity
You taught St Zedislava
to pursue the way of perfection.
By her prayers, may family life be strengthened
and be a witness to Christian virtue. Amen."