St Ignatius of Constantinople

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Uncle Eddy

Dear Constance,

I am terribly sorry once again to have to play “the heavy”, but I can’t in conscience keep letting you make excuses.  Now you are an “officer” in your sorority, and so you have a responsibility to set the tone for the whole community. If you don’t find ways to speak up in favor of virtuous behavior and against degrading activities, you will be (I am afraid it’s true) partially responsible for the adverse repercussions the younger girls will experience from their excesses.  That’s just the way it is. Those given position of influence are responsible for how they use it. I sincerely believe that your being in this position is providential, and will do much good for the sorority, if you can find the courage to alter bad fashions and set new good ones. Perhaps today’s saint can serve as an inspiration.

His career didn’t start out propitiously – though his mother was an emperor’s daughter, and his father himself was (briefly) emperor, he and his brother were mutilated and imprisoned when a usurper took his father’s throne.  The future saint decided to take the monk’s habit, and quickly learned the lessons of self-denial so essential for holiness as his abbot treated him poorly (probably to counteract any arrogance left-over from being aware of his high social standing).  But he suffered his humiliations with a true spirit of faith, and when the abbot died, he was elected abbot in turn. His holiness and eloquence gained him a reputation, and while still middle-aged, he was chosen to occupy the important patriarchate of Constantinople.  He served the Church with dedication and distinction, but he got himself into trouble when he publicly took the emperor to task for scandalizing the city with an incestuous affair (he actually refused to give the emperor Holy Communion on the great feast of Epiphany). That earned him venomous animosity and a trip into exile.  Later, following the frequent ups and downs of eastern politics, he was reinstated, and continued to serve with holiness and eloquence, though his intransigency in political affairs continued to keep in embroiled in controversy. Even today, however, his fidelity to Christ and his positive influence on court and commoners alike are so universally recognized that he is honored as saint both among Catholics and Orthodox.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m wishing you neither an expulsion from officer-ship nor an exile from your sorority, but I am hoping that you will use your influence and intelligence to diminish sin and encourage virtue.  You could make no greater contribution than that, both for the university and the sorority, not to mention the future lives of these gullible underclasswomen. Count on my prayers.

Your devoted uncle, Eddy

Uncle Eddy Introduces the Saints

Navigating today’s world is tough and all of us could use a nudge in the right direction. Figuring out the right path to take at work, at college, or in social situations is not always easy. Looking to the lives of the saints can give us the insights we need.

Written by Fr. John Bartunek, LC, Uncle Eddy’s Saint of the Day is a fictional series of letters written by a man who has been imprisoned for the Catholic Faith. Using the saints of the day as examples, Uncle Eddy pens a daily letter with spiritual advice to his many nieces and nephews.

Saint of the Day

Sign up to receive Uncle Eddy’s daily letter

Learn about the Saints with Uncle Eddy

Scroll to Top

Subscribe to the Saint of the Day from Uncle Eddy

* indicates required

Looking for another country?

RC Near You

News & Resources

News & Resources

The Regnum Christi Mission

The Regnum Christi Identity

Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!