Jmj

Today, October 16, 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. Gerard Majella (Italian, Redemptorist brother, miracle worker, d. 1755 at age 30)
St. Hedwig [Jadwiga] (Bavarian, queen of Poland, mother of seven, nun in widowhood, d. 1243)
St. Bercharius (French, abbot, d. 696)
St. Bertrand of Comminges (French, bishop for 50 years, d. 1123)
St. Gall (Irish, missionary priest, hermit, exorcist, c. 630)
St. Gerald (French, Cistercian abbot, d. 1177)

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 16, 2001

Answers

[Words of St. Gerard Majella:]

"The Most Blessed Sacrament is Christ made visible. The poor sick person is Christ again made visible."

"Consider the shortness of time, the length of eternity and reflect how everything here below comes to an end and passes by. Of what use is it to lean upon that which cannot give support?"


-- (_@_._), October 16, 2001.

John,

I think there are two St. Hedwigs! Is it possible that the Saint whose Feastday is today is St. Hedwig OSB, Germany d.1243, and the Saint Hedwig, who was Queen of Poland Feastday is on Feb.28 and not today on Oct.16?

Is St. Margaret Mary Allacoque, France,d. 1690 Feast Day today Oct. 16. in Holy Catholic Church to ?

God Bless You.

David S

-- David S (asdzxc8176@aol.com), October 16, 2001.

Hello, DS. You are as quick as lightning! While posting the original message, I had the feeling that I was forgetting someone important. So I checked a second source and -- sure enough -- there was St. Margaret Mary. I prepared my little "summary line" and came here to post it. That's when I found your message. So I confirm part of what you said. I will look into the situation of the St. Hedwigs in a moment. Here is an addition that should be inserted at the top:

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (French, nun of the Order of the Visitation, received visions of Jesus and Mary, encouraged devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, d. 1690 [incorrupt])

Thanks. JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 16, 2001.

David,
I double-checked on today's St. Hedwig, even looking at the Liturgy of the Hours, which has a very short biography. I got confirmation of everything I wrote about her above, except the idea that she was Queen of Poland. I got that title from my main source of information about saints, but it was probably an accident or exagerration.
Actually, today's St. Hedwig could be called a princess, rather than a queen. The biography says that she was the daughter of Croatian duke, was the aunt of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, and was married to Prince Henry I of Silesia and Poland in 1186 at age 12 (making her a princess). I mentioned, above, that she became a nun after her husband died, and that fits with your "OSB" (that she was a Benedictine nun).

You are right that the St. Hedwig of February 28 (who died about 155 years after today's St. Hedwig [probably her patron saint]) was the Queen of Poland, a title she inherited from a male relative who was the king.

God bless you.
John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 16, 2001.

John,

Thanks, It was the title "queen of Poland" that threw me into some confusion here!

I do find myself looking forward to see who our Holy Catholic Church Honors each Day! I appreciate you always being on top of things.

God Bless.

David S

-- David S (asdzxc8176@aol.com), October 17, 2001.

[Here are some October 16 saints/blesseds to be added to those listed in the opening message:]

St. Ambrose of Cahors (French, bishop, d. 772)
St. Anastasius of Cluny (Italian, Benedictine monk in Spain [evangelizing Moslems] and France, d. 1085)
St. Balderic of Montfauçon (French, abbot, 7th century)
St. Baldwin of Laon (French, archdeacon, martyred c. 680)
St. Bolonia (French?, virgin, martyred in 362)
St. Conogan of Quimper (bishop in France, d. 460)
St. Dulcidius of Agen (French, bishop, d. 450)
Sts. Eliphius of Toul, Eucharius, and two companions (Irish or Scottish, two brothers and two sisters, missionaries in France, martyred by beheading in 362)
St. Eremberta of Wierre (French, Benedictine abbess, 7th century)
St. Florentinus of Trier (German, bishop, 4th century)
St. Junian of Commodoliacus (French, hermit, 5th century)
St. Kiara of Kilkeary (Irish, virgin, c. 680)
St. Lull of Mainz (English, Benedictine missionary monk in Germany, bishop, d. 786)
St. Magnobodus of Angers (French, bishop, c. 670)
Sts. Martinian, Saturian, Maxima, and companions (North African, four brothers and a fellow slave, martyred [the men dragged by horses] in 458)
St. Mommolinus of Noyon (Swiss, Benedictine monk, bishop, c. 686)
St. Saturninus, Nereus, and over 360 companions (North African, martyred by Arian Vandals c. 450)
St. Vitalis of Moirmoutier (French, Benedictine monk, hermit, c. 740)

JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 26, 2002.

Jmj

On October 16, 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. Hedwig of Andechs [Jadwiga] (Bavaria, princess, mother of seven, nun in widowhood, d. 1243)
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque of L'Hautecourt [Marguerite-Marie] (French, nun of the Order of the Visitation, received visions of Jesus and Mary, encouraged devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, d. 1690 [incorruptible] [canonized 1920])

St. Ambrose of Cahors (French, bishop, d. 772)
St. Anastasius of Cluny [Anastasio] (Italian, Benedictine monk in Spain [evangelizing Moslems] and France, d. 1085)
St. Balderic of Montfauçon (French, abbot, 7th century)
St. Baldwin of Laon (French, archdeacon, martyred c. 680)
St. Bercharius of Moûtier-en-Der (French, abbot, d. 696)
St. Bertrand of Comminges (French, bishop for 50 years, d. 1123)
St. Bolonia (French?, virgin, martyred in 362)
St. Conogan of Quimper (bishop in France, d. 460)
St. Dulcidius of Agen (French, bishop, d. 450)
Sts. Eliphius, Eucharius, and two companions, of Toul (Irish or Scottish, two brothers and two sisters, missionaries in France, martyred by beheading in 362)
St. Eremberta of Wierre (French, Benedictine abbess, 7th century)
St. Florentinus of Trier (German, bishop, 4th century)
St. Gall of Arbon (Irish, missionary priest in France, hermit in Switzerland, exorcist, c. 630)
St. Gerald of Clairvaux (Italian, Cistercian abbot in France, d. 1177)
St. Gerard Majella of Muro Lucano [Gerardo Maiella] (Italian, Redemptorist brother, miracle worker, d. 1755 at age 30 [canonized 1904])
St. Junian of Commodoliacus (French, hermit, 5th century)
St. Kiara of Kilkeary (Irish, virgin, c. 680)
St. Lull of Mainz (English, Benedictine missionary monk in Germany, bishop, d. 786)
St. Magnobodus of Angers (French, bishop, c. 670)
Sts. Martinian, Saturian, Maxima, and companions (North African, four brothers and a fellow slave, martyred [the men dragged by horses] in 458)
St. Mommolinus of Noyon (Swiss, Benedictine monk, bishop, c. 686)
St. Saturninus, Nereus, and over 360 companions (North African, martyred by Arian Vandals c. 450)
St. Vitalis of Moirmoutier (French, Benedictine monk, hermit, c. 740)

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 16, 2003.

John , did you get my mail ?? __ Sent 15 okt , mail = 10k

Salut & Cheers from a NON BELIEVER:

-- Laurent LUG (.@...), October 16, 2003.