Jmj

Today, October 1, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face [The Little Flower, Therese Martin of Alencon and Lisieux] (French, Carmelite nun, autobiographer, follower of "The Little Way," Doctor of the Church, d. 1897)
St. Bavo (Belgian, nobleman, widower, monk, d. 654)
Bl. Edward James (English, priest, martyred by being drawn/hanged/quartered in 1588)
St. John Kukuzelis (Macedonian, monk, shepherd, hermit, d. 12th century)
Bl. John Robinson (English, widower, priest, martyred in 1588)
St. Remigius (French, nobleman, bishop of Reims for 74 years [from age 22], "Apostle of the Franks," d. 533)
St. Romanos the Melodist (Syrian, Jewish convert, deacon, writer of a thousand hymns, c. 556)
Sts. Julia, Maxima, and Verissimus of Lisbon (Portuguese, sisters and brother, martyrs, 4th century)

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/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), October 01, 2001

Answers

[A few thoughts of St. Therese:]

--- You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.

--- Kneeling before the tabernacle, I can think of only one thing to say to our Lord: "My God, you know that I love You." And I feel that my prayer does not weary Jesus; knowing my weakness, He is satisfied with my good will.

--- Our Lord needs from us neither great deeds nor profound thoughts. Neither intelligence nor talents. He cherishes simplicity.

--- Our Lord does not come down from Heaven every day to lie in a golden ciborium. He comes to find another heaven which is infinitely dearer to him - the heaven of our souls, created in His Image, the living temples of the Adorable Trinity.

--- Above all it's the Gospels that occupy my mind when I'm at prayer; my poor soul has so many needs, and yet this is the one thing needful. I'm always finding fresh lights there, hidden and enthralling meanings.

-- (_@_._), October 01, 2001.

[Here are some October 1 saints/blesseds to be added to those listed in the opening message:]

Sts. Aizan and Sazan (Abyssinian [Ethiopian], chieftains, martyred c. 400)
St. Albaud of Toul (French, bishop, c. 520)
St. Aretas and 504 companions (early martyrs in Rome)
Bl. Caspar Fisogiro (Japanese, member of Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, martyred at Nagaski in 1617)
Bl. Christopher Buxton (English, priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] by Elizabethans in 1588 [beatified 1929])
St. Dodo of Lobbes (Belgian, Benedictine abbot in France, d. 750)
St. Fidharleus of Rathin (Irish, abbot, d. 762)
Bl. John of Dukla (Polish, Franciscan friar, d. 1484)
St. Melorius of Cornwall (English, prince, murdered as a child before 1100)
Bl. Nicholas of Forca-Palena (Italian, founded Hermits of St. Jerome, d. 1449)
St. Piaton of Tournai (Italian, missionary in France and Belgium, martyred in 286)
Sts. Priscus, Crescens and Evagrius of Tomi (early martyrs)
Bl. Ralph Crockett (English, schoolteacher, priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] by Elizabethans in 1588 [beatified 1929])
Bl. Robert Widmerpool (English, tutor for nobility, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] by Elizabethans in 1588 [beatified 1929])
Bl. Robert Wilcox (English, priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] by Elizabethans in 1588 [beatified 1929])
St. Virila of Leyre (French, Benedictine abbot, miracle worker, d. 1000)

JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 01, 2002.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (The Little Flower)

I have not the courage to force myself to seek beautiful prayers in books; not knowing which to choose I act as children do who cannot read; I say quite simply to the good God what I want to tell Him, and He always understands me. Story of A Soul, Chapter X

-- Choas (Choas@ivillage.com), October 02, 2002.

Jmj

On October 1, 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:

St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face Martin of Alençon [also called “The Little Flower” and “St. Therese of Lisieux”] (French, Carmelite nun, autobiographer, follower of "The Little Way," Doctor of the Church, d. 1897 [canonized 1925])

Sts. Aizan and Sazan (Abyssinian [Ethiopian], chieftains, martyred c. 400)
St. Albaud of Toul (French, bishop, c. 520)
St. Aretas and 504 companions (early martyrs in Rome)
St. Bavo of Brabant (Belgian, nobleman, widower, monk, d. 654)
Bl. Caspar Fisogiro (Japanese, member of Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, martyred at Nagaski in 1617)
Bl. Christopher Buxton of Tideswell, Bl. Ralph Crockett of Barton-on-the-Hill, Bl. Edward James of Breaston, Bl. John Robinson of Ferrensby, Bl. Robert Wilcox of Chester, and Bl. Robert Widmerpool of Nottingham (English, 5 priests and a layman, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] under Elizabeth I in 1588 [beatified 1929]) [Buxton was about 26 years of age. Crockett had been a schoolteacher. Robinson was a widower. Wilcox was about 30. Widmerpool, about 28, was a tutor for the nobility.]
St. Dodo of Lobbes (Belgian, Benedictine abbot in France, d. 750)
St. Fidharleus of Rathin (Irish, abbot, d. 762)
Sts. Julia, Maxima, and Verissimus, of Lisbon (Portuguese, sisters and brother, martyrs, 4th century)
St. Melorius of Cornwall (English, prince, murdered as a child before 1100)
Bl. Nicholas of Forca-Palena [Niccola] (Italian, founded Hermits of St. Jerome, d. 1449)
St. Piaton of Tournai (Italian, missionary in France and Belgium, martyred in 286)
Sts. Priscus, Crescens and Evagrius of Tomi (early martyrs)
St. Remigius of Reims (French, nobleman, bishop for 74 years [from age 22], "Apostle of the Franks," d. 533)
St. Romanos the Melodist (Syrian, Jewish convert, deacon, writer of a thousand hymns, c. 556)
St. Virila of Leyre (French, Benedictine abbot, miracle worker, d. 1000)

[Scroll up, if you wish to read excerpts from the writings of St. Therese, some posted in 2001 and another in 2002.]

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), October 01, 2003.

Late in 2003 and early in 2004, Pope John Paul II beatified sixteen servants of God. The following one was assigned this calendar day for yearly commemoration.

Bl. Louis Mary Monti of Bovisio [Luigi Maria] (Italian, layman, co-founded Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception, died at age 75 in1900 [beatified 2003])

-- (jfgecik@spamfreeHotmail.com), May 07, 2004.