Saint Paschal Baylon (1540-1592)

Saint Paschal Baylon was born to humble and pious peasants. From a young age, he showed a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. As a lad, he worked as a shepherd. He was extremely honest, even offering to compensate owners of crops for any damage that his sheep caused. Paschal joined the Friars Minor and devoted himself to a life of penance. He was a porter (doorkeeper) and tended to the poor who came to the friars' door. Paschal gained a reputation for his remarkable humility and generosity. While preaching in France, he stood up for the Real Presence in a heated argument with a Calvinist preacher. When a large number of Calvinists joined in, Paschal narrowly escaped with his life. It is said that he died at the exact moment of consecration at High Mass. Saint Paschal Baylon is the patron of cooks, shepherds, and Eucharistic congresses and organizations.