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On July 19, 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:

Bl. Achilles Puchala of Kosina [baptized Józef (Joseph)] and Bl. Herman Stepien of Lodz [baptized Karol (Charles)] (Polish, Franciscan priests, martyred by Nazis at Borowikowszczyzna [Poland] both at age 32 in 1943 [beatified 1999])
St. Ambrose Autpert (French, tutor of Bl. Charlemagne, Benedictine abbot in Italy, exegete, c. 778)
St. Arsenius the Great of Rome (Italian, hermit in Egypt, died at about age 96 c. 450)
St. Aurea of Cordova (Spanish, widow, nun, martyred by beheading in 856)
Bl. Bernard of Rodez (French, Benedictine abbot, cardinal, papal legate to Germany and Spain, d. 1079)
St. Epaphras of Colossae (Greek? disciple of St. Paul [Col. 1], bishop, martyred in 1st century)
St. Felix of Verona (Italian, bishop)
Bl. Hroznata of Tepl (Czech, widower, Norbertine monk in Bavaria, martyred by starvation at about age 57 in 1217 [beatified 1897])
St. Jerome of Pavia (Italian, bishop, d. 787)
St. John Plessington of Dimples Hall [alias William Scarisbrick] (English, priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] at about age 42 under Charles II in 1679 [beatified 1929, canonized 1970])
Sts. Justa and Rufina of Seville (Spanish, biological sisters, potters, tortured [racked] and martyred in 287)
St. Macrina the Younger of Caesarea (Cappadocian [from part of what is now Turkey], nun, died at about age 72 in 379)
St. Martin of Trier (German, bishop, c. 210)
St. Stephen del Lupo of San Liberatore di Majella [Stefano] (Italian, Benedictine abbot, d. 1191)
Bl. Stilla of Abenberg (German, virgin, c. 1141 [beatified 1927])
Pope St. Symmachus of Sardinia (Italian, archdeacon in Rome, elected to papacy in 498, reigned until death in 514)

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. Additional 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), July 19, 2004

Answers

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), July 19, 2004.