Jmj

Today, May 1, we members of the Catholic Church family commemorate St. Joseph the Worker. We also honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

Sts. Acius and Aceolus (French, deacon and subdeacon, martyred by beheading c. 303)
St. Aldebrandus of Fossombrone (Italian, bishop, died at age 101 in 1219)
St. Amator of Auxerre (French, bishop, d. 418)
St. Andeolus of Smyrna (from Asia Minor [Turkish], subdeacon, martyred by beheading in 208)
Sts. Augustine Schöffler and John-Louis Bonnard (French, missionary priests in Vietnam, martyred by beheading in 1852 [canonized 1988])
St. Bertha of Avenay (French, Benedictine abbess, martyred c. 680)
St. Brioc (Welsh, abbot in France, d. 510)
St. Ceallach of Killala (Irish, bishop, hermit, possibly martyred, 6th century)
St. Evermarus of Tongres (pilgrim, martyred in Belgium c. 700)
St. Grata of Bergamo (Italian, duke's daughter, widow)
St. Isidora (Egyptian, nun, hermitess, c. 365)
St. Jeremiah (Israelite, Old Testament prophet, may have been stoned to death in Egypt c. 595 B.C.)
St. Kevoca of Kyle (Scottish, virgin, 7th century)
St. Marculf (French, nobleman, missionary in France, hermit, abbot, d. 558)
Sts. Orentius and Patientia (Spanish, married couple, martyred c. 240)
St. Orentius of Auch (French, bishop for over 40 years, c. 439)
St. Panacea of Quarona (Italian, five-year-old girl killed while praying [by stepmother] in 1383)
St. Peregrine Laziosi (Italian, Servite priest, penitent and tireless worker [never sitting for 30 years], cured of cancer, d. 1345 [incorruptible])
St. Richard Pampuri [Riccardo] [baptized Erminio Filippo] (Italian, orphan, Franciscan tertiary, World War I sergeant, medical doctor dedicated to the poor, member of Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, died at age 32 in 1930 [canonized 1989])
King St. Sigismund of Burgundy (French, monarch, repentant murderer of his son, martyred in 523)
St. Theodard of Narbonne (French, Benedictine monk, archbishop, d. 893)
St. Thorette (sheperdess, hermitess)

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), May 02, 2002

Answers

[In 1955, Pope Pius XII inaugurated the feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1 to counterbalance the May Day celebrations of the Communists. Here is a prayer for the intercession of Saint Joseph, patron saint of workers:]

O glorious patriarch, Saint Joseph, humble and just craftsman of Nazareth, you gave to all Christians an example of a perfect life of assiduous work and of admirable unity with Mary and Jesus. Help us in our daily work so that we might find in it an effective means of glorifying our Lord, of sanctifying ourselves and of being useful to the society in which we live. Obtain for us from our Lord, o beloved protector, humility and simplicity of heart, attachment to work, benevolence towards those who work with us, compliance with the divine will in the difficulties of this life and joy in bearing them, consciousness of our specific social mission and the sense of our social responsibility, a spirit of discipline and prayer, docility and respect for our superiors, fraternity towards our equals, support in times of stress, charity and indulgence for our dependents. Help us to follow your example and to keep our sight fixed on Mary, our Mother, your gentle wife, who wove silently in a corner of your humble shop, smiling sweetly. May we never avert our eyes from Jesus, who worked with you at your carpenter's bench, so that we may in like manner lead peaceful and holy lives on earth, the prelude to the eternally happy one which awaits us in heaven for ever more. Amen.

-- (_@_._), May 02, 2002.

Prayer to Saint Joseph Blessed Joseph, husband of Mary, be with us this day. You protected and cherished the Virgin; loving the Child Jesus as your Son, you rescued Him from the danger of death. Defend the Church, the household of God, purchased by the blood of Christ.

Guardian of the Holy Family, be with us in our trials. May your prayers obtain for us the strength to flee from error and wrestle with the powers of corruption so that in life we may grow in holiness and in death rejoice in the crown of victory. Amen.

-- Choas (Choas@nomail.com), May 01, 2003.

Jmj

On May 1, we members of the Catholic Church family commemorate St. Joseph the Worker of Nazareth. We also honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

Sts. Acius and Aceolus (French, deacon and subdeacon, martyred by beheading c. 303)
St. Aldebrando of Fossombrone (Italian, bishop, died at age 101 in 1219)
St. Amator of Auxerre (French, bishop, d. 418)
St. Andeolus of Smyrna (from Asia Minor [Turkish], subdeacon, martyred by beheading in 208)
Sts. Augustine Schöffler of Mittelbronn [Augustin] and John-Louis Bonnard of Saint-Christo-en-Jarez [Jean-Louis] (French, missionary priests in Vietnam, martyred by beheading in 1852 [canonized 1988])
St. Bertha of Avenay (French, Benedictine abbess, martyred c. 680)
St. Brioc of Cardiganshire (Welsh, abbot in France, d. 510)
St. Ceallach of Killala (Irish, bishop, hermit, possibly martyred, 6th century)
St. Evermarus of Tongres (pilgrim, martyred in Belgium c. 700)
St. Grata of Bergamo (Italian, duke's daughter, widow)
St. Isidora (Egyptian, nun, hermitess, c. 365)
St. Jeremiah (Israelite, Old Testament prophet, may have been stoned to death in Egypt c. 595 B.C.)
St. Kevoca of Kyle (Scottish, virgin, 7th century)
St. Marculf of Bayeux (French, nobleman, missionary in France, hermit, abbot, d. 558)
Sts. Orentius and Patientia of Loret (Spanish, married couple, martyred c. 240)
St. Orentius of Auch (French, bishop for over 40 years, c. 439)
St. Panacea of Quarona (Italian, five-year-old girl killed while praying [by stepmother] in 1383)
St. Peregrine Laziosi of Forli [Pellegrino] (Italian, Servite priest, penitent and tireless worker [never sitting for 30 years], cured of cancer, d. 1345 [incorruptible])
St. Richard Pampuri of Trivolzio [Riccardo] [baptized Erminio Filippo] (Italian, orphan, Franciscan tertiary, World War I sergeant, medical doctor dedicated to the poor, member of Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, died at age 32 in 1930 [canonized 1989])
King St. Sigismund of Burgundy (French, monarch, repentant murderer of his son, martyred in 523)
St. Theodard of Narbonne (French, Benedictine monk, archbishop, d. 893)
St. Thorette (sheperdess, hermitess)

[Please scroll up to see prayers posted in May of 2002 and 2003.]

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), May 01, 2003.