AUGUST 25 -- today's saints

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Jmj

Today, August 25, the Catholic Church honors, in a special way, the following friends of God, saints whose souls are now in heaven:

King St. Louis IX (French, Franciscan tertiary, d. 1270)
St. Joseph Calasanz (Spanish priest, founder of Piarists, d. 1648)
Sts. Eusebius, Pontian, Vincent, and Peregrinus (martyrs at Rome in 192 ... stretched on a rack, clubbed, burned, then beaten to death with lead-tipped whips)
St. Genesius of Arles (French martyr c. 305)
St. Gelasius (Roman actor, beheaded c. 303)
St. Geruntius of Italica (bishop in Spain, martyred c. 100)
St. Gregory of Utrecht (German, Benedictine monk, abbot, bishop, d. 776)
St. Gurloes (French, Benedictine monk, abbot, d. 1057)
St. Hunegund (Benedictine nun, c. 690)
St. Julian (Syrian priest)
St. Patricia of Naples (Turkish nun in Italy, c. 665)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron saint -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints and want to find out more about him, please ask. Information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@amdg.ihs), August 25, 2001

Answers

[Pious St. Louis is famous for many things, not the least of which is a letter to his son, the future king of France. Here is part of the letter:]

My dearest son, my first instruction is that you should love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your strength. Without this there is no salvation. Keep yourself, my son, from everything that you know displeases God, that is to say, from every mortal sin. You should permit yourself to be tormented by every kind of martyrdom before you would allow yourself to commit a mortal sin.

If the Lord has permitted you to have some trial, bear it willingly and with gratitude, considering that it has happened for your good and that perhaps you well deserved it. If the Lord bestows upon you any kind of prosperity, thank him humbly and see that you become no worse for it, either though vain pride or anything else, because you ought not to oppose God or offend him in the matter of his gifts.

Be kindhearted to the poor, the unfortunate and the afflicted. Give them as much help and consolation oas you can. Thank God for all the benefits he has bestowed upon you, that you may be worthy to receive greater. Always side with the poor rather than with the rich, until you are certain of the truth. Be devout and obedient to our mother the Church of Rome and the Supreme Pontiff as your spiritual father.

In conclusion, dearest son, I give you every blessing that a loving father can give a sons. May the three Persons of the Holy Trinity and all the saints protect you from every evil. And may the Lord give you the grace to do his will so that he may be served and honored through you, that in the next life we may together come to see him, love him and praise him unceasingly. Amen.

-- (jgecik@amdg.ihs), August 25, 2001.


I am an employee of St. Louis Catholic Church in Austin,TX. We celebratated our patronal and titular feast in grand style. I can offer, in his regard, the following:

He was considered the most Christian of kings. He was a valiant crusader in the name of faith, and not politics. He was passed the sovereign title of king when he was almost a teen. His mother, Blanche, acted as his regent until he assumed his throne at the age of 21. He married, and had 11 children. St. Louis was a daily communicant, and spent at least two hours each day in prayer. He often was reported to invite the poverty stricken of his realm into his home for dinner. When he was afflicted with typhoid on his second (I think) crusade, he laid down, outstreching his arms so his body formed the shape of the cross, and gave up his spirit at the hour of Christ's death, on August 25, 1270. He is also credited with the recovery of the crown of thorns placed on Christ's head as well as the nails used to crucify him. That is why you will often see St. Louis depicted venerating the crown of thorns and three nails in religious art.

The most moving commentary on St. Louis' life is a statement he made regarding his coronation against his baptism. He said he thought more of the church in which he was baptized, than the cathedral in which he was crowned...for the dignity of becoming a child of God was unsupassed by the bestowing upon him his kingdom. He said that when he died, the kingdom he ruled would cease to be, but his baptism was his passport to eternal life.

A true role model, and a man deserving of the regard as a saint.

All peace and good, Melissa

<'))><

-- Melissa (holy_rhodes@earthlink.net), August 27, 2001.


Here's a nice addition for today:

Bl. Mary of Jesus Crucified [baptized Mariam Baouardy] ["Al Qiddisa" (the Holy One), "The Little Arab"] (Galilean, Melkite Catholic, orphaned at age 2, servant in Egypt, Carmelite nun in France/India/Palestine, mystic, stigmatist, died in Bethlehem at age 32 [gangrene] in 1878)

JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 25, 2002.


Oops! Forgot to mention ... Bl. Mary of Jesus Crucified was beatified in 1983.
From her writings:

"Everything passes here on earth. What are we? Nothing but dust, nothingness, and God is so great, so beautiful, so lovable, but He is not loved.

"Holy Spirit, inspire me. Love of God consume me. Along the true road, lead me. Mary, my good mother, look down upon me. With Jesus, bless me. From all evil, all illusion, all danger, preserve me.

"Always remember to love your neighbor; always prefer the one who tries your patience, who tests your virtue, because with her you can always merit: suffering is Love; the Law is Love.

"I desire to suffer always and not to die. I should add: this is not my will, it is my inclination. It is sweet to think of Jesus; but it is sweeter to do His will.

"The proud person is like a grain of wheat thrown into water: it swells, it gets big. Expose that grain to the fire: it dries up, it burns. The humble soul is like a grain of wheat thrown into the earth: it descends, it hides itself, it disappears, it dies; but to revive in heaven.

"Observance of the [Carmelite] rule is of more value than all extraordinary states, more than the stigmata and the gift of miracles."

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 25, 2002.


Jmj

On August 25, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints and blesseds whose souls are now in heaven:

King St. Louis IX of Poissy (French, Franciscan tertiary, monarch, d. 1270)
St. Joseph Calasanz of Peralta [Jose] (Spanish, priest, founder of Piarists [also called Scalopians], d. 1648)

St. Aredius of Limoges (French, abbot, d. 591)
St. Ebbe the Elder of Northumbria (British, princess, Benedictine abbess in Scotland d. 683)
Sts. Eusebius, Pontian, Vincent, and Peregrinus (tortured [racked, clubbed, burned] and martyred [beaten] at Rome in 192)
St. Genesius of Arles (French, martyr c. 305)
St. Gelasius of Rome (Italian, actor, beheaded c. 303)
St. Geruntius of Italica (bishop in Spain, martyred c. 100)
St. Gregory of Utrecht (German, Benedictine monk, abbot, bishop, d. 776)
St. Gurloes of Brittany (French, Benedictine monk, abbot, d. 1057)
St. Hunegund of Homblieres (French, Benedictine nun, c. 690)
St. Julian (Syrian, priest)
Bl. Louis Baba (Japanese, Franciscan friar, catechist, martyred [burned] in 1624 [beatified 1867])
Bl. Louis Sasanda [Luis] (Spanish, Franciscan friar in Mexico, priest in Philippines, missionary in Japan, martyred [burned] in 1624 [beatified 1867])
Bl. Louis Sotelo of Seville [Luis] (Spanish, nobleman, Franciscan missionary priest in Philiipines and Japan, martyred [burned] in 1624 [beatified 1867])
St. Lucilla (Italian, daughter of St. Nemesius, martyred by beheading in Rome c. 260)
St. Maginus of Tarragona (Spanish, missionary, early martyr by beheading)
St. Marcian of Apt (French, abbot)
Bl. Mary of Jesus Crucified Baouardy of Abellin [baptized Mariam] ["Al Qiddisa" (the Holy One), "The Little Arab"] (Galilean, Melkite Catholic, orphaned at age 2, servant in Egypt, Carmelite nun in France/India/Palestine, mystic, stigmatist, died in Bethlehem at age 32 [gangrene] in 1878 [beatified 1983])
Bl. Mary of the Assumption and of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament Cabanillas Luján of Cordoba [Maria del Transito de Jesus Sacramentado] [baptized Eugenia de los Dolores] (Argentinian, foundress of Congregation of Tertiary Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Argentina, d. 1885 [beatified 2002])
St. Menas of Alexandria (Egyptian, patriarch of Constantinople, d. 552)
St. Nemesius (Italian, father of St. Lucilla, military tribune, deacon, matyred by beheading in Rome c. 260)
St. Patricia of Naples (Turkish nun in Italy, c. 665)
Bl. Peter Vasquez of Berin [Pedro] (Spanish, Dominican missionary priest in Japan, martyred [burned] in 1624 [beatified 1867])
Bl. Petra of St. Joseph Perez Florido of Malaga [Petra de San Jose] [Anna Petra] (Spanish, virgin, founded Institute of the Mothers of the Helpless and of St. Joseph of the Mountain, d. 1906 [beatified 1994])

Please scroll up for additional reflections, posted in 2001 and 2002 (after the original message).

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints or blesseds and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 25, 2003.



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