Jmj

On August 15, we members of the Catholic Church family celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul, into heaven -- a holy day of obligation in the U.S. and many other nations. We also honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Alipius of Tagaste (North African, lifelong colleague of St. Augustine, converted Manichaean, bishop, c. 430 [beatified 1584]) [commemorated by some on the 18th]
St. Altfrid of Hildesheim (German, Benedictine monk, bishop, d. 874)
St. Arduino of Rimini (Italian, priest, d. 1009)
St. Arnulf of Flanders (Belgian, nobleman, Benedictine abbot, bishop of Soissons in France, died in Belgium at about age 47 in 1087)
Bl. Chester Jozwiak of Lazyn [Czeslaw], Bl. Edward Kazmierski of Poznan, Bl. Edward Klinik of Bochum, Bl. Francis Kesy of Berlin [Franciszek], and Bl. Jarogniew Wojciechowski of Poznan (Polish, Salesian seminarians, martyred by Nazis [guillotined] at Dresden [Germany] at ages 22/22/23/21/19 in 1942 [beatified 1999])
Bl. Claude Granzotto [Claudio] [baptized Riccardo (Richard)] (Italian, peasant, honored sculptor, Franciscan friar, died [brain tumor] eight days before his 47th birthday in 1947 [beatified 1994]) [commemorated by some on September 2]
Bl. Isidore Bakanja of Boanji (Congolese, mason, servant, tortured and martyred at about age 22 in 1909 [beatified 1994])
St. Limbania of Genoa (Cypriot, Bendictine nun in Italy, d. 1294)
St. MacCartin of Clogher (Irish, nobleman, disciple of St. Patrick, bishop, d. 506)
Bl. Mary Tabernacle of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Moragas Cantarero of Lillo [María Sagrario de San Aloisio Gonzaga] [baptized Elvira] (Spanish, pharmacist, Carmelite prioress, martyred [shot] during Spain's Civil War at age 55 in 1936 [beatified 1997])
Blessed Martyrs of Motril [Granada] (Spanish, one diocesan priest and seven Augustinian Recollects [six priests, one brother], martyred [shot] during Spain's Civil War in 1936 [beatified 1999])
----- Bl. Emmanuel Martín Sierra of Chiurriana de la Vega [Manuel] (diocesan priest, died at age 44)
----- Bl. Thanks-be-to-God of St. Augustine Palacios del Rio of Baños de Valdearados [Deogracias de San Agustín] (priest, died at age 35)
----- Bl. Joseph of Sorrows Rada Royo of Tarazona [José de Dolores] (priest, died at age 74)
----- Bl. Joseph Richard of the Heart of Jesus Díez of Camposalinas [José Ricardo del Corazón de Jesús] (brother, died at age 27)
----- Bl. Julian of St. Nicholas of Tolentino Benigno Moreno of Alfaro [Julián de San Nicolás de Tolentino] (priest, died at age 65)
----- Bl. Leon of the Virgin of the Rosary Inchausti Minteguia of Mendieta-Beaskoa [León de la Vírgen del Rosario] (priest, died at age 77)
----- Bl. Vincent of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Pinilla Ibánez of Calatayud [Vicente de San Aloisio Gonzaga] (priest, died at age 66)
----- Bl. Vincent Soler Muñárriz of Malón [Vicente] (priest, died at age 72)
St. Napoleon of Alexandria (Egyptian, tortured and martyred c. 300)
St. Rupert of Ottobeuren (German, Benedictine abbot for 43 years, d. 1145)
St. Tarcisius of Rome (Italian, acolyte or deacon, martyred [stoned and clubbed] protecting the Blessed Sacrament c. 255)

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), August 14, 2004

Answers

[Note: I am copying the following several (indented) messages from the old, obsolete "saints" thread for this day of the year, so that the old thread can later be deleted.
The first message was written because, in the original 2001 thread, I started by saying, in an unqualified way, that the Assumption was a Holy Day of Obligation. JFG]

John:

While the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be a holy day of obligation in the United States, it is no longer one in Canada and some other parts of the world. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops have changed those feast days which require all Catholics to attend Mass. In Canada, there remain only two holy days of obigation other than Sundays. They are Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

I am informed that the jurisdiction regarding holy days of obligation is purely at regional discretion, which means an American travelling in Canada on Aug. 15 does not have to attend Mass. Conversely, a Canadian travelling in the United States on Aug. 15, must comply with regional Church regulations and is compelled to attend Mass.

St. James and Mary Our Blessed Mother, pray for us!

-- Ed Lauzon -- August 19, 2001.

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Jmj

Thanks for this information about Canadian holy days (which saddens me a bit) ...
When you mention "New Year's Day" as one of the two remaining holy days, are you referring to the celebration of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God on the 1st of January?
St. James, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- August 19, 2001.

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Yes John, I was referring to the celebration of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God on the 1st of January. I meant no disrespect in referring to her day as New Year's Day, just wasn't thinking.

-- Ed Lauzon -- August 19, 2001.

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Ed,

Thanks for the info, to me it's an "eye opener" that days of obligation aren't Church-wide.

Frank

-- August 20, 2001.

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A good woman, martyred on August 15 of this year, may be added to the list of blesseds and saints some day.

-- August 28, 2002.

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I think its very sad the Solemnity of the Assumpton of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul into Heaven is not a holy day of obligation in Canada.

Am I missing something? Shame on you, Canada!

May the Blessed Virgin pray for all of us sinners.

-- David -- August 16, 2003.

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 14, 2004.