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On February 11, we members of the Catholic Church family celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
We also honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Adolph of Osnabrück [Adolf] (German, count, Cistercian monk, bishop, died at about age 39 in 1224)
St. Ardanus of Tournus (French, Benedictine abbot, d. 1058)
St. Benedict of Aniane (French, courtier, Benedictine abbot in Germany, died at about age 70 in 821)
St. Caedmon of Whitby (British, cowherd, Benedictine brother, singer of sacred poetry, d. 670)
St. Calocerus of Ravenna (Italian, bishop, c. 130)
St. Castrensis of Capua (Italian, bishop, 5th century)
Bl. Elizabeth Salviati of Boldrone [Elisabetta] (Italian, Camaldolese abbess, d. 1519)
St. Gobnata of Ballyvourney (Irish, abbess, 6th century?)
Pope St. Gregory II of Rome (Italian, Vatican librarian under four popes, elected to papacy in 715, reigned until death in 731)
Bl. Heloise of Coulombs (French, Benedictine hermitess, c. 1065)
St. Jonas of Demeskenyanos (Egyptian, monk, gardener for 84 years, 4th century)
St. Lazarus of Milan (Italian, archbishop, d. 450)
St. Lucius and companions, of Adrianople (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], bishop and disciples in France, martyred [died in prison or beheaded by Arian heretics] in 350)
Pope St. Paschal I of Rome (Italian, Benedictine abbot, elected to papacy in 817, fought iconoclasm, reigned until death in 824)
Sts. Saturninus the elder, Saturninus the younger, Felix, Mary, Hilarianus, Dativus, Felix, Thelica, Emeritus, Ampelius, Rogatus, Victoria, and 37 companions, of Abitina (Numidian [from what is now Algeria] ... priest, his four children, two senators, and disciples ... guarded holy scriptures from burning by pagans ... tortured and martyred [racked, torn with iron hooks, beaten with cudgels] in 304)
St. Severinus of Agaunum (French, abbot, c. 507)
St. Theodora of Constantinople (Turkish, empress, d. 867)

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 11, 2005

Answers

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), February 11, 2005.