Throughout May, known as Leave a Legacy Month, we are encouraged to consider ways to leave the world a better place long after we’ve gone to be with the Lord. At Cross Catholic Outreach, we turn to the example of a humble 10th-century farmworker whose faith and generosity inspire our service to the poor.
Born in Madrid, St. Isidore made a living as a poor farmer in the Spanish countryside. A devout Catholic, he attended daily Mass and often arrived in the fields much later than his fellow farmworkers.
When the other workers challenged Isidore’s habit of taking time away from the fields for spiritual matters, the landowner went to confront him. But while Isidore knelt in the local parish, praying a holy hour, an angel plowed the field in his place. Sometimes two angels joined Isidore at the plow, tripling the work he could complete in the same time as the other workers. The foreman noted that he completed more labor than the others even though he took time away to pray.
Declared a saint alongside Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Philip Neri and Teresa of Avila, Isidore is among the group Spain fondly nicknamed “the five saints.” His feast day is celebrated annually on May 15, when we remember his love for the poor and the miraculous provision of food through his intercession.
St. Isidore’s influence as Cross Catholic Outreach’s patron saint has blessed the ministry in countless ways. The organization meets daily to begin the workday in prayer and devotion to God — gathering under a beautiful icon of Isidore himself, acting as he taught us to.
For mothers like Yolimen, the steady generosity of Cross Catholic Outreach’s partners makes all the difference in her family’s daily life. Her husband works hard cutting sugarcane, making a living as St. Isidore did. His pay is low, and when work isn’t available, the family cannot afford daily meals.
But with ministry partners like the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation in the Dominican Republic, such families are not alone. Regular deliveries of Vitafood, a nutritious prepackaged meal designed to improve the health of malnourished people, ensure that Yolimen can feed her family each evening.
“It benefits all of us, and even the kids know how to cook it,” Yolimen said. “It is very nutritious and tasty food for our family.”
Yolimen offers a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving for the daily meals her four children now receive, made possible by friends of Cross Catholic Outreach. The consistent generosity of donors in giving financially and spiritually has changed Yolimen’s life, allowing for greater stability at home and confidence in knowing that, despite circumstances beyond her control, she and her husband will be able to provide for their four children.
The example of St. Isidore urges us all to devote our lives to giving selflessly in both our spiritual and material lives. There is no need to choose between caring for your loved ones or for impoverished people around the world. The St. Isidore Legacy Society wants to help you do both — now and after you have gone to be with the Lord.
Amid lives that are busier than ever, your financial support for the poorest of the poor demonstrates a thoughtful, giving heart. By linking arms with Cross Catholic Outreach, you’ve dedicated yourself to sharing Christ’s love with others. But what if that difference could continue to change lives from Heaven?
The St. Isidore Legacy Society was designed for Catholic estate planning, with a mission focused on feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless and much more. The St. Isidore Legacy Society invites generous people like you to plan a legacy of love through the creation of a will or trust, charitable gift annuity, stocks, bonds and many other investments. With Cross Catholic Outreach’s decades of experience empowering people across the world through both spiritual and physical support, the ministry’s planned giving team is uniquely equipped to tailor a plan to you. Learn more about becoming a member of the St. Isidore Legacy Society and how you can leave a legacy that blesses others.
Mapping out your legacy can begin as simply making a will, allowing the fields to continue to be plowed by angels indefinitely. Looking after those in need while providing for your loved ones is entirely possible with the help of resources like My Catholic Will. With their guidance, write your legal will in just three steps, modeling your story after the compassionate example of saints like Isidore.
