It was my joy to scan-in the life of St. Hyacinth as the Saint of the Day for August 17. It was the first time I had read about this miracle worker from Poland who received the habit from St. Dominic. He entered into glory in 1257 at age 72 after walking across Asia to win souls! He converted multitudes, walked on water and raised the dead.

Here are a few excerpts from the account of his life. Notice how St. Hyacinth was beholden to the old theology. He actually believed that souls would perish for not knowing about Jesus Christ. His mortifications are unheard of today. And his grasp of ecumenism and the "seeds of truth" concept were greatly lacking, as he simply destroyed idols. Today, we know better. We no longer send the missionaries to convert the lost. We no longer fast but 2 days a year, and we join in dialogue with idolators. What happened? St. Hyacinth, pray for us.

"His zeal was too active for him to allow himself any rest whilst he saw souls perishing eternally in the ignorance of the true God;"

"His fasts were almost perpetual, and on all Fridays and vigils on bread and water; the bare ground was his bed, and sometimes in the open fields; neither hunger, thirst, weariness, rains, extreme cold, or dangers could ever abate his ardor to gain a soul to Christ."

"Seeing one day an assembly of idolaters on their knees before a great tree in an island in the river Boristhenes, commonly called the Nieper, he walked over the water to them, and easily prevailed with them, after the sight of such a miracle, to destoy their idols, fell the great oak, and embrace the faith."