Jmj

On February 1, 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. Agrepe of Velay (French, bishop, 7th century)
Bl. Andrew dei Conti of Segni [also called Andrew of Anagni] [Andrea] (Italian, Franciscan hermit, mystic, died at about age 61 in 1302 [beatified 1723]) [commemorated by some on the 15th or 17th]
Blessed Martyrs of Angers (French, 99 people [12 priests, 3 women religious, 4 laymen, 80 laywomen], martyred [guillotined or shot] by revolutionaries in 1793 and 1794 [beatified 1984])
[Here are their names. Assume death in 1794 by shooting, unless otherwise noted:]
-- [Priests]:
----- Bl. Andrew Fardeau of Soucelles [André] (guillotined at age 33)
----- Bl. Francis Louis Chartier of Marigné [François-Louis] (guillotined at age 32)
----- Bl. Francis Peltier of Savennières [François] (guillotined at age 66)
----- Bl. James Laigneau de Langellerie of La Flèche [Jacques] (guillotined at age 47)
----- Bl. James Ledoyen of Rochefort-sur-Loire [Jacques] (guillotined at age 33)
----- Bl. John Michael Langevin of Ingrandes [Jean-Michel Langevin] (guillotined at age 62 in 1793 [first martyr])
----- Bl. John the Baptist Lego of La Flèche [Jean-Baptiste] (guillotined at age 27)
----- Bl. Joseph Moreau of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Plaine (guillotined at age 31)
----- Bl. Lawrence Batard of Chalonnes-sur-Loire [Laurent] (guillotined at age 50)
----- Bl. Peter Tessier of Trinité d’Angers [Pierre] (guillotined at age 27)
----- Bl. René Lego of La Flèche (guillotined at age 29)
----- Bl. William Repin of Thouarcé [Guillaume] (guillotined at age 84 in 1794)
-- [Religious Sisters]:
----- Bl. Mary Ann Vaillot of Fontainebleau [Marie-Anne] (age 60)
----- Bl. Odile Baumgarten of Gondrexange (age 43)
----- Bl. Rosalie du Verdier de la Soriniere (guillotined at age 49)
-- [Laymen]:
----- Bl. Antony Fournier of La Poitevinière [Antoine] (age 58)
----- Bl. John Menard of Andigné [Jean] (age 60)
----- Bl. Peter Delepine of Marigné [Pierre] (age 60)
----- Bl. Peter Fremond of Chaudefonds [Pierre] (age 40)
-- [Laywomen]:
----- Bl. Anne Frances de Villeneuve of La Chapelle-Saint-Laud [Anne-Françoise] (age 52)
----- Bl. Anne Hainard of Saint-Clément-de-Craon (age 51)
----- Bl. Anne Maugrain of Rochefort-sur-Loire (age 35)
----- Bl. Catherine Cottenceau of Bressuire (age 60)
----- Bl. Charlotte Davy of Chalonnes-sur-Loire (age 33)
----- Bl. Charlotte Lucas of Chalonnes-sur-Loire (age 41)
----- Bl. Felicitas Pricet of Châtillon-sur-Sèvre [Felicite] (age 48)
----- Bl. Frances Bellanger of Trinité d’Angers [Françoise] (age 58)
----- Bl. Frances Gillot of Chanteloup [Françoise] [nee Micheneau] (age 57)
----- Bl. Frances Menard of Sainte-Gemmes d’Andigné [Françoise] [nee Suhard] (widow, age 63)
----- Bl. Frances Michau of La Pommeraye [Françoise] (age 28)
----- Bl. Frances Roulleau of Gouis [Françoise] [nee Pagis] (age 62)
----- Bl. Jacqueline Monnier of Saint-Melaine (age 68)
----- Bl. Joan Bourigault of Chaudefonds [Jeanne] (age 35)
----- Bl. Joan Delaunay of Montjean [Jeanne] [nee Thomas] (widow, age 70)
----- Bl. Joan Marie Paquier of Chalonnes-sur-Loire [Jeanne-Marie] [nee Leduc] (age 40)
----- Bl. Joan Onillon of Montjean [Jeanne] (age 41)
----- Bl. Gabrielle Androuin, Bl. Perrine Androuin, and Bl. Suzanne Androuin, of Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay (sisters, aged 38, 32, and 36)
----- Bl. Joan Chalonneau of Chalonnes-sur-Loire [Jeanne] [nee Fouchard] (age 44)
----- Bl. Joan Doly of Beaupréau [Jeanne] [nee Gruget] (age 63)
----- Bl. Joan Moreau of Sainte-Christine [Jeanne] [nee Gourdon] (widow, age 60)
----- Bl. Louise Barre of Longeron [nee Poirier] (age 37)
----- Bl. Louise Bessay de la Voute of Saint-Mars-des-Prés (age 72)
----- Bl. Louise Rallier Dean de Luigne [nee de la Tertiniere] and Bl. Louise Amy Dean de Luigne [Louise-Aimee] (mother and daughter, aged 60 and 37)
----- Bl. Madeleine Blond of Angers (age 30)
----- Bl. Madeleine Cady of Chalonnes-sur-Loire (age 38)
----- Bl. Madeleine Rousseau of Saint-Germain-des-Prés [nee Perrotin] (age 50)
----- Bl. Madeleine Salle of Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe (age 41)
----- Bl. Marguerite Huau of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné [nee Riviere] (age 37)
----- Bl. Marguerite Robin of Montjean (age 68)
----- Bl. Marie Banchereau of Bcésse [nee Fausseuse] (age 53)
----- Bl. Marie Bouju of Vezins [nee Roualt] (age 49)
----- Bl. Marie Brevet of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Plaine [nee Leroy] (age 38)
----- Bl. Marie Charrier of Montjean [nee Roger] (widow, age 67)
----- Bl. Marie Couffard of Montjean [nee Gingueneau] (widow, age 55)
----- Bl. Marie de la Dive du Verdier, Bl. Catherine du Verdier de la Soriniere, and Bl. Marie-Louise du Verdier de la Soriniere (mother guillotined at age 70, two daughters shot at ages 35 and 28)
----- Bl. Marie Delahaye [nee Pichery] and Bl. Monique Pichery of Chalonnes-sur-Loire (sisters, ages ? and 30) ----- Bl. Marie Forestier of Montjean (age 26)
----- Bl. Marie-Geneviève Poulain de la Forestrie and Bl. Martha Poulain de la Forestrie [Marthe] (sisters, ages 51 and 55)
----- Bl. Marie Grillard and Bl. Renée Grillard (sisters, aged 40 and 28)
----- Bl. Marie Lardeux of Freigné (age 45)
----- Bl. Marie Lepage Varance of Saumur [nee Lenée] (age 64)
----- Bl. Marie Leroy of Montilliers (age 24)
----- Bl. Marie Moreau of Chanteloup [nee Cassin] (widow, age 44)
----- Bl. Marie Rochard of Montjean (age 30)
----- Bl. Marie Joan Rorteau of la Jumellière [Marie-Jeanne] [nee Chauvigne] (age 39)
----- Bl. Marie Mercier of Saint-Georges-du-Ménil [nee Gasnier] (age 38)
----- Bl. Marie Queson of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Plaine [nee Gallard] (age 54)
----- Bl. Marie Supiot of Saint-Pierre-Montlimart [nee Piou] (age 36)
----- Bl. Mary Ann du Bois of Jallais [Marie-Anne] [nee Hacher] (age 28)
----- Bl. Perrine-Charlotte Sailland d’Epinatz [nee Phélippeaux], Bl. Joan Marie Sailland d'Epinatz [Jeanne-Marie], Bl. Madeleine Sailland d'Epinatz, and Bl. Perrine-Jeanne Sailland d'Epinatz, of Saumur … and Bl. Frances Bonneau [Françoise] of Saint-Léger (mother, three daughters, and servant … ages 54, 24, 23, 25, and 33)
----- Bl. Perrine Grille of Rochefort-sur-Loire (age 50)
----- Bl. Perrine Laurent of Louvaines (age 48)
----- Bl. Perrine Ledoyen of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné (age 29)
----- Bl. Perrine-Renée Turpault of Cléré-sur-Layon [nee Potier] (age 43)
----- Bl. Renée Dacy of Montjean [nee Seichet] (widow, age 40)
----- Bl. Renée Girault of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné [nee Cailleau] (age 42)
----- Bl. Renée-Marie Feillatreau (guillotined at age 44)
----- Bl. Renée Martin of Chalonnes-sur-Loire (age 42)
----- Bl. Renée Papin of Saint-Florent-le-Vieil [nee Rigault] (age 43)
----- Bl. Renée Valin of Chaudefonds (age 35)
----- Bl. Renée Juret [nee Bourgeais] and Bl. Perrine Bourigault of Montjean (widow and her half-sister, ages 43 and 50)
----- Bl. Rose Quenion of Mozé-sur-Louet (age 28)
----- Bl. Simone Charbonneau [nee Chauvigné] (widow, age 68)
----- Bl. Victoria Gusteau of Châtillon-sur-Sèvre [Victoire] (age 48)
----- Bl. Victoria Reveillere of Thouars [Victoire] [nee Bauduceau] and Bl. Perrine Besson of Cholet (woman and her servant, aged 48 and 51)
Bl. Anthony Manzoni of Padua [Antonio] ["The Pilgrim"] (Italian, always on pilgrimage [Spain to Palestine], died at about age 30 in 1267)
St. Autbert of Landevenec (French, Benedictine monk, chaplain to nuns, d. 1129)
St. Brigid of Fiesole (Italian, hermitess, 9th century)
St. Brigid of Kildare [also called Bridget of Ireland] (Irish, slave, nun, foundress and abbess of convents and first double monastery, died at about age 69 c. 525)
St. Cecilius of Granada (Spanish, bishop, c. 3rd century)
St. Cinnia of Ulster (Irish, pagan princess, nun, 5th century)
St. Clarus of Seligenstadt (German, Benedictine monk, hermit, c. 1048)
St. Crewenna of Cornwall (Irish, missionary to Britain, 5th century)
St. Darlaugdach of Kildare (Irish, abbess, c. 525)
Bl. Ela of Laycock (English, widow of crusader, foundress of monastery and convent, abbess, d. 1261)
St. Henry Morse of Broome (English, Jesuit priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] at about age 50 under Charles I in 1645 [beatified 1929, canonized 1970])
Bl. Jane Frances of the Visitation of Mary Michelotti of Annecy [Anne] (French, founded Congregation of Little Servants of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, died in Italy at age 44 in 1888 [beatified 1975])
St. Jarlath of Armagh (Irish, missionary, bishop, c. 480)
St. John of the Grating of Saint-Malo [Jean] (French, Cistercian abbot, bishop of Aleth, died at about age 65 in 1163 [canonized 1517])
St. Kinnia (Irish, virgin, baptized by St. Patrick, 6th century)
Bl. Louis Variara of Viarigi [Luigi] (Italian, Salesian priest, missionary to lepers in South America, founder of Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, died at age 48 in Colombia in 1923 [beatified in 2002])
St. Paul of Rheims (French, hermit, bishop of Trois-Châteaux, c. 405)
St. Pionius and fifteen companions, of Smyrna (Greek, priest and flock, tortured and martyred [burned at stake] in 250)
Bl. Reginald of Saint-Gilles (French, teacher of church law, Dominican friar, visionary, died at about age 37 in 1220 [beatified 1885])
St. Severus of Avranches (French, abbot, bishop, c. 690)
St. Severus of Ravenna (Italian, weaver, bishop, c. 348)
St. Sigebert of Austrasia (French, king, founder of monasteries, died at age 25 in 656)
St. Sour of Auvergne (French, miracle worker, c. 580)
St. Ursus of Aosta (Irish, deacon in Italy, arch-opponent of Arianism, d. 6th century)
St. Veridiana of Castelfiorentino (Italian, Benedictine nun, hermitess, died at about age 60 in 1242 [beatified 1533]) [commemorated by some on the 16th]

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), February 01, 2005

Answers

[Words attributed to St. Brigid of Kildare:]

"I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace. I would like full vessels of charity. I would like rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all. I would like Jesus to be present. I would like the three Marys of illustrious renown to be with us. I would like the friends of Heaven to be gathered around us from all parts. I would like myself to be a rent-payer to the Lord; that I should suffer distress, that he would bestow a good blessing upon me. I would like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I would like to be watching Heaven's family drinking it through all eternity."

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), February 01, 2005.

Thanks John

I recall speaking with a convert from Buddhism years ago in Rome. One of the things that most impressed him with the faith was that people don't loose themselves in the nothingness or the anonymity of "the people" or "the cosmos" or even God...but retain their individuality, their NAME even as they die and move on...

So even while holiness consists in renouncing ourselves, picking up our crosses and following Jesus, in the end it doesn't end in annihilation of the self, but the eternal salvation of the soul and remembrance of our name for all eternity within the family of the Church.

In the centuries and century just past which saw the awful rise of dehumanizing politican and now moral regimes which used people as fodder for some utopian dream that never materialized, the Church has been a shining beacon of individual hope and communal peace and harmony...the harmony of individuals who are freed from passion and selfishness and pride and thus can contribute and sacrifice themselves to the common good...

In really, if we only would seek the kingdom of God, all the rest we seek will be given us...but if we reject the kingdom of God we will loose him, and all the other goods we seek in his place and in the end will loose even ourselves in the maw of hell where our human nature would be eternally unfulfilled and our heart eternally stymied.

The saints point the way to freedom and truth and fulfillment. Let us imitate them.

Thanks again John.

Joe

-- Joe (joestong@yahoo.com), February 02, 2005.

The Holy Spirit has given you much wisdom, Joe. Thanks. JFG

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), February 02, 2005.