Jmj

Today, October 17, 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. Ignatius of Antioch ["Theophoros"] (Syrian, bishop of Antioch, writer of extant letters, martyred by wild beasts in Rome c. 107)
St. Anstrudis of Laon (French, abbess, d. 688)
Bl. Balthassar of Chiavari (Italian, Franciscan friar, d. 1492)
St. Berarius I of Le Mans (French, bishop, c. 680)
St. Colman of Kilroot (Irish, abbot, bishop, 6th century)
Bl. Contardo Ferrini (Italian, civil and canon lawyer, teacher, Franciscan tertiary, d. 1902)
Bl. Gabrielle Bourla, Bl. Jane Louise Barre, and Bl. Jane-Reine Prin [Sisters Marie-Ursule, Cordula, and Laurentina] (French, Ursuline nuns, martyred by the guillotine of the French Revolution in 1794)
St. Gilbert the Theologian (English, Cistercian abbot, d. 1167)
St. Heron (Syrian, Bishop of Antioch, disciple and successor of St. Ignatius, martyred c. 136)
St. John the Dwarf (Egyptian, hermit, d. in 5th century)
St. Richard Gwyn (Welsh, teacher, poet, martyred in 1584 [canonized 1970])
St. Rudolph of Gubbio (Italian, nobleman, Benedictine monk, bishop, c. 1066)

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 17, 2001

Answers

[From one of St. Ignatius of Antioch's letters:]

"No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire. The prince of this world is determined to lay hold of me and to undermine my will which is intent on God. Let none of you here help him; instead show yourselves on my side, which is also God's side."

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 17, 2001.

[Here are some October 17 saints/blesseds to be added to those listed in the opening message:]

St. Florentius of Orange (French, bishop, c. 526)
Bl. Francis Isidore Gagelin (French, missionary priest in Vietnam, martyred by strangling in 1833)
St. Herodion of Antioch (Syrian, bishop, martryed in 136)
St. Louthiern of Cornwall (Irish, bishop, 6th century)
St. Mamelta (Persian, former pagan priestess, martyred by stoning and drowning c. 344)
Bl. Marie Magdalen Desjardin and Bl. Marie Louise Vanot [Sisters Marie-Augustine and Natalie] (French, Ursuline nuns, martyred [guillotined] by revolutionaries in 1794 [beatified 1920])
St. Nothelm of Canterbury (English, archbishop, c. 740)
St. Regulus (Scottish, abbot, 4th century)
St. Serafino of Montegranaro (Italian, Capuchin brother, spiritual advisor of dignitaries, healer, d. 1604)
St. Solina of Gascony (French, virgin, martyred by beheading c. 290)
St. Victor of Capua (Italian, bishop, ecclesiastical writer, d. 554)

JFG

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

Jmj

On October 17, 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. Ignatius of Antioch ["Theophoros"] (Syrian, bishop of Antioch, writer of extant letters, referrred to “Catholic Church,” martyred [torn by wild beasts] in Rome c. 107)

St. Anstrudis of Laon (French, abbess, d. 688)
Bl. Balthasar of Chiavari [Baldassare] (Italian, Franciscan friar, d. 1492)
St. Berarius I of Le Mans (French, bishop, c. 680)
St. Colman of Kilroot (Irish, abbot, bishop, 6th century)
Bl. Contardo Ferrini of Milan (Italian, civil and canon lawyer, teacher, Franciscan tertiary, d. 1902)
St. Florentius of Orange (French, bishop, c. 526)
Bl. Francis Isidore Gagelin of Montperreux [François] (French, missionary priest in Vietnam, martyred by strangling in 1833)
St. Gilbert the Theologian of Citeaux (English, Cistercian abbot in France, d. 1167)
St. Heron [or Herodion] of Antioch (Syrian, bishop, disciple and successor of St. Ignatius, martyred c. 136)
St. John the Dwarf of Basta (Egyptian, hermit, d. in 5th century)
St. Louthiern of Cornwall (Irish, bishop, 6th century)
St. Mamelta of Bethfarme (Persian, former pagan priestess, martyred by stoning and drowning c. 344)
St. Nothelm of Canterbury (English, archbishop, c. 740)
Bl. Peter of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Casani of Lucca [Pietro] (Italian, priest, religious of the Order the Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools, d. 1647 [beatified 1995])
St. Regulus (Scottish, abbot, 4th century)
St. Richard Gwyn of Llanidloes (Welsh, teacher, poet, martyred under Elizabeth I in 1584 [canonized 1970])
St. Rudolph of Gubbio [Rodolfo] (Italian, nobleman, Benedictine monk, bishop, c. 1066)
St. Seraphim of Montegranaro [Serafino] (Italian, Capuchin brother, spiritual advisor of dignitaries, healer, d. 1604)
St. Solina of Gascony (French, virgin, martyred by beheading c. 290)
Blessed Ursuline Martyrs of Valenciennes (French, eleven Ursuline sisters, martyred [guillotined] by revolutionaries in 1794 [beatified 1920]) [Their names are:]
----- Bl. Mary Cordula Joseph of St. Dominic Barre of Sailly-en-Ostrevant [Marie-Cordule-Joseph de Saint-Dominique] [baptized Jeanne-Louise (Joan Louise)] (died at age 44)
----- Bl. Mary Clotilda Angela of St. Francis Borgia Paillot of Bavay [Marie-Clotilde-Angele de Saint-François Borgia] [baptized Clotilde-Joseph (Clotilda Joseph)] (died at age 55)
----- Bl. Mary Augustine Clementine Joseph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Déjardin of Cambrai [Marie-Augustine-Clémentine-Joseph de Sacre-Coeur de Jesus] [baptized Marie-Madeleine (Mary Magdalen)] (died at age 34)
----- Bl. Mary Lawrence Joseph of St. Stanislaus Prin of Valenciennes [Marie-Laurentine-Joseph-de-Saint-Stanislas] [baptized Jeanne-Reine (Joan Regina)] (died at age 47)
----- Bl. Mary Louise Joseph of St. Francis Ducrez of Condé [Marie-Louise-Joseph de Saint-François] [baptized Marie-Geneviève] (died at age 38)
----- Bl. Mary Natalie Joseph of St. Louis Vanot of Valenciennes [Marie-Natalie-Joseph de Saint-Louis] [baptized Marie Louise] (died at age 66)
----- Bl. Mary Scholastica Joseph of St. James Leroux of Cambrai [Marie-Scholastique-Joseph de Saint-Jacques] [baptized Marie-Marguerite (Mary Margaret)] (died at age 45) and her blood sister …
----- Bl. Mary Josephine Leroux of Cambrai [Marie-Josephine] [baptized Anne-Joseph] (died at age 47)
----- Bl. Mary Ursula Joseph of St. Bernardine Bourla of Condé [Marie-Ursule-Joseph de Saint-Bernardin] [baptized Hyacinthe-Augustine-Gabrielle] (died at age 48)
----- Bl. Ann Mary Joseph Erraux of Pont-sur-Sambre [Anne-Marie-Joseph] [baptized Marie-Augustine (Mary Augustine)] (formerly a Brigittine nun, died at age 32)
----- Bl. Mary Lavinia Joseph Lacroix of Pont-sur-Sambre [Marie-Liévine -Joseph] [baptized Marie-Françoise (Mary Frances)] (formerly a Brigittine nun, died at age 41)
St. Victor of Capua (Italian, bishop, ecclesiastical writer, d. 554)

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 17, 2003.