Jmj

On January 24, 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. Francis de Sales of Thorens [François] (French, lawyer, spiritual director, missionary to Protestants, bishop of Geneva in Switzerland, prolific and outstanding writer of treatises and letters, co-founder of Order of the Visitation, Doctor of the Church, died at age 55 in 1622 [incorruptible] [beatified 1662, canonized 1665])

St. Artemius of Clermont (Roman? bishop in France, c. 400)
Sts. Babylas, Urban, Prilidian, and Epolonius, of Antioch (Syrian, patriarch [bishop] and disciples, martyred c. 260)
St. Bertrand of Saint-Quentin (French, missionary, Benedictine abbot, 7th century)
St. Cadoc (Scottish, bishop, martyred c. 580)
St. Exuperantius of Cingoli (African, bishop in Italy, 5th century)
Sts. Felician of Foligno and Messalina (Italian, bishop and virgin, tortured and martyred [Felician at age 94] in 254)
Bl. Felix O'Dullany of Jerpoint (Irish, Cistercian monk, bishop of Ossory, d. 1202)
St. Guasacht of Granard (Irish, disciple of St. Patrick, bishop, 4th century)
St. Macedonius Kritophagos ["kritophagos" means barley-eater] (Syrian, hermit, lived 40 years on barley and water, c. 430)
Bl. Marcolino Amanni of Forli (Italian, Dominican friar for 70 years, mystic, died at about age 80 in 1397 [beatified 1750])
Sts. Mardonius, Musonius, Eugene, and Metellus (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], martyred by burning c. 305)
Bl. Marie Poussepin of Dourdan (French, Dominican nun, died at age 90 in 1744 [beatified 1994])
Blessed Martyrs of Podlasie [also called "Martyrs of Pratulin"] (Polish, 13 laymen, Byzantine Catholics who resisted forced conversion to Russian Orthodoxy, martyred [shot] by Russian soldiers in 1874 [beatified 1996])
----- Bl. Anicletus Hryciuk of Zaczopki [Anicet] (unmarried layman, died at about age 18)
----- Bl. Bartholomew Osypiuk of Bohukaly [Bartlomiej] (married man, father of two, died at age 30)
----- Bl. Constantine Bojko of Derlo [Konstanty] (married man, died at age 48)
----- Bl. Constantine Lukaszuk of Zaczopki [Konstanty] (married man, died at age 45)
----- Bl. Daniel Karmasz of Legi (married man, died at age 47)
----- Bl. Ignatius Franczuk of Derlo [Ignacy] (married man, father of seven, died at about age 49)
----- Bl. John Andrzejuk of Drelów [Jan] (married man, died at age 25)
----- Bl. Luke Bojko of Zaczopki [Lukasz] (unmarried layman, died at age 21)
----- Bl. Maxim Hawryluk of Bohukaly [Maksym] (married man, died at age 33)
----- Bl. Michael Wawryszuk of Derlo [Michal] (married man, died at about age 20)
----- Bl. Onufry Wasyluk of Zaczopki (died at about age 20)
----- Bl. Philip Geryluk of Zaczopki [Filip] (married man, father, died at age 43)
----- Bl. Vincent Lewoniuk of Krzyczew [Wincenty] (married man, died at age 24)
Bl. Steven Grelewski of Dwikozy [Stefan] (Polish, diocesan priest, martyred by Nazis at Dachau [Germany] at age 41 in 1941 [beatified 1999])
St. Suranus of Sora (Italian, abbot, c. 580)
Sts. Projectus and Thyrsus (early martyrs)
Bl. William Ireland of Lincolnshire [alias Iremonger] and Bl. John Grove (Irish and English, Jesuit priest [about age 42] and his servant, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] in 1679 [beatified 1929])
St. Xenia the Merciful and two companions (martyred in 450)
St. Zama of Bologna (Italian, bishop, c. 268)

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), January 24, 2005

Answers

[From the writings and letters of St. Francis de Sales:]

"Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father, who takes care of you today, will take care of you tomorrow. He will either shield you from suffering, or give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations."

"Nothing makes us so prosperous in this world as to give alms."

"Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence."

"Oh, what remorse we shall feel at the end of our lives, when we look back upon the great number of instructions and examples afforded by God and the Saints for our perfection, and so carelessly received by us! If this end were to come to you today, how would you be pleased with the life you have led this year?"

"We must fear God out of love, not love Him out of fear."

"In the royal galley of divine Love, there is no galley slave: all rowers are volunteers."

"There are many who say to the Lord, 'I give myself wholly to Thee, without any reserve,' but there are few who embrace the practice of this abandonment, which consists in receiving with a certain indifference every sort of event, as it happens in conformity with Divine Providence, as well afflictions as consolations, contempt and reproaches as honor and glory."

"Our business is to love what God would have done. He wills our vocation as it is. Let us love that and not trifle away our time hankering after other people's vocations."

"The highest degree of meekness consists in seeing, serving, honoring, and treating amiably, on occasion, those who are not to our taste, and who show themselves unfriendly, ungrateful, and troublesome to us."

"To be pleased at correction and reproofs shows that one loves the virtues which are contrary to those faults for which he is corrected and reproved. And, therefore, it is a great sign of advancement in perfection."

"Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them."

"Consider all the past as nothing, and say, like David: Now I begin to love my God."

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), January 24, 2005.

Are we not also friends friends of God...?

nolan

-- Are we not also friends.... (nolannaicker@webmail.co.za), January 25, 2005.