St. Adelaide, also called Aleydis, was born in 1204 in Belgium. She entered a Cistercian convent called Camera Sanctae Mariae when she was only 7 and remained there until her death in 1250. Though she was greatly appreciated by the Cistercians because of her humility and goodness, she had to be isolated when she contracted leprosy. As a result of the disease, Adelaide suffered from paralysis, blindness, and other physical and mental agonies. She felt consolation, however, in receiving the Eucharist, and was graced with visions and ecstasies. St. Adelaide is the patron of the paralyzed and the blind. Her feast day is June 15.

Questions for Reflection:

• Who are the lepers or outcasts of today’s society? What makes them lepers?
• How can we help those whom the world ignores?