Some parents give their newborn child the name of the saint on whose feast day he/she is born. Today’s saint was born on Easter, so his resourceful parents named him Pascua – in English, Paschal. Paschal joins the list of 16th century saints in what is referred to as the Golden Age of the Church in Spain. Among them were Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and Peter of Alcantara. Pascal’s parents were poor and pious. Paschal worked on the family farm, shepherding their livestock, from age 7 until he left to become a Franciscan at age 24. He taught himself how to read and how to combine work and prayer. In a real sense, he attended Mass while in the fields. He would drop to his knees when he heard the church bells ring at the elevation. When he decided to become a friar, the Franciscan community urged him to become a priest, knowing of his devotion to the Eucharist. He declined ordination and spent most of his years with the friars as porter and beggar. Much of his time was spent in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. He found that helping others energized him. Aware of his generosity, many people came to the friary to seek food and alms. They also sought his counsel and spiritual advice. Before the term was invented, Paschal was an expert at “multi-tasking”—work and prayer; prayer and service. He was named patron of Eucharistic congresses and societies.