AUGUST 18 -- today's saints

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Jmj

Today, August 18, the Catholic Church honors, in a special way, the following friends of God, saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Jane Frances (Jeanne Francoise) de Chantal (French widow, foundress of Visitation order, d. 1641)
St. Evan (9th century Scottish hermit)
St. Helena (found True Cross, mother of Constantine, d. 330)
St. Hermas (early Roman martyr)
Bl. James Guengoro (two-year-old crucified with parents in Japan, 1620) (
St. John (early Roman priest and martyr)
St. Juliana (early martyr of Asia Minor [Turkey])

Here are some excerpts form a work by St. Jane Frances called "Wings to the Lord:"
"Fidelity toward God consists in being perfectly resigned to his holy will, in enduring everything that his goodness allows in our lives, and in carrying out all our duties, especially that of prayer, with love and for love. In prayer we must converse very familiarly with our Lord, concerning our little needs, telling him what they are, and remaining submissive to anything he may wish to do with us...
"We should go to prayer with deep humility and an awareness of our nothingness. We must invoke the help of the Holy Spirit and that of our good angel, and then remain still in God's presence, full of faith that he is more in us than we are in ourselves.
"There is no danger if our prayer is without words or reflection because the good success of prayer dependsd neither on words nor on study. It depends upon the simple raising of our minds to God, and the more simple and stripped of feeling it is, the surer it is.
"We must never dwell on our sins during prayer. Regarding our offenses, a simple humbling of our soul before God, without a thought of this offense or that, is enough...such thoughts act as distractions."

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 saint -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints and want to find out more about him, please ask. 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 (jgecik@amdg.ihs), August 18, 2001

Answers



-- (_@_._), August 18, 2001.

John, I was saddened to read that, Bl.James Guengoro was crucified at the tender age of 2 years old.I can not imagine the horror that His parents, Blessed Thoffias and, Mary Guengoro must of had.Our Lord gave them alot of grace to withstand that.Do know why their is not a St. before BI.James Guengoro name? I will pray to all of those Holy People tonight! God Bless you! David Sullivan

-- David S (asdzxc8176@aol.com), August 18, 2001.

John, I forgot to Say, Thank you for taking the time to put the Saints on this forum, so we can read about them. David S

-- David S (asdzxc8176@aol.com), August 18, 2001.

Dear David,
You're welcome. Perhaps it is only a matter of time before the Guengoro family is canonized. I found this information for you:
"There are two large groups of martyrs in Japan, representing the thousands of Christians who died for the faith from about 1614 to 1664. The first party of martyrs was headed by St. Paul Miki, who received canonization in 1862 by Pope Pius IX. A second gathering of martyrs was composed of thirty-six Jesuits, twenty-six Franciscans, twenty-one Dominicans, five Augustinians, and one hundred seven lay men, women, and children. They were beatified over the years by several popes, including Pius IX and Leo XIII. Pope John Paul II has also beatified and canonized several individual martyrs in Japan."

God bless you.
John

-- (jgecik@amdg.ihs), August 18, 2001.


[Here are some August 18 saints/blesseds to be added to those listed in the opening message:]

St. Agapitus of Palestrina (Italian, boy aged 15, martyred c. 274)
Bl. Aimo Taparelli (Italian, Dominican friar, inquisitor, d. 1495)
St. Alipius of Tagaste (North African, lifelong colleague of St. Augustine, converted Manichaean, bishop, c. 430)
St. Crispus (Roman, priest, martyred c. 303)
St. Daig Maccairill of Iniskin (Irish, bishop, c. 560)
St. Firminus of Metz (Greek or Italian, bishop in France, d. 496)
Sts. Florus and Laurus (Illyrian [from Balkan area], twin brothers, stone-masons, martyred by drowning in 2nd century)
St. Hugh the Little (English, boy aged 9, tortured and martyred in 1255)
Bl. Mary and Bl. Thomas Guengoro (Japanese, husband and wife [parents of Bl. James (see top)], martyred by crucifixion in 1620)
St. Leo of Myra (early martyr)
Bl. Leonard of Cava (Italian, Benedictine abbot, d. 1255)
Bl. Milo of Fontenelle (French, nobleman, Benedictine monk, hermit, c. 730)
Bl. Raynald of Ravenna (Italian, archbishop, d. 1321)

JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 18, 2002.



Jmj

On August 18, 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. Jane Frances de Chantal of Dijon [Jeanne Françoise] [nee Fremiot] (French, baroness, mother of four, widow at age 28, founded Order of the Visitation of Our Lady , d. 1641) {feast moved from December 12 in U.S.}

St. Agapitus of Palestrina (Italian, boy aged 15, martyred c. 274)
Bl. Aimo Taparelli of Savigliano (Italian, Dominican friar, inquisitor, d. 1495)
Bl. Albert Hurtado Cruchaga of Vina del Mar [Alberto] (Chilean, Jesuit priest, died at age 51 in 952 [beatified 1994])
St. Alipius of Tagaste (North African, lifelong colleague of St. Augustine, converted Manichaean, bishop, c. 430)
Sts. Crispus and John of Rome (Italian, priests, martyred c. 303)
St. Daig Maccairill of Iniskin (Irish, bishop, c. 560)
St. Evan of Ayrshire (9th century Scottish hermit)
St. Firminus of Metz (Greek or Italian, bishop in France, d. 496)
Sts. Florus and Laurus (Illyrian [from Balkan area], twin brothers, stone-masons, martyred by drowning in 2nd century)
St. Helena of Drepanum (found True Cross, mother of Constantine, d. 330)
St. Hermas, Serapion, and Polyaenus, of Rome (early martyrs)
St. Juliana of Strobylum (early martyr of Asia Minor [Turkey])
Bl. Mary, Bl. Thomas, and Bl. James Guengoro (Japanese [husband, wife, and 9-year-old son] martyred by crucifixion in 1620 [beatified 1867])
St. Leo of Myra (early martyr)
Bl. Leonard of Cava [Leonardo] (Italian, Benedictine abbot, d. 1255)
Bl. Milo of Fontenelle (French, nobleman, Benedictine monk, hermit, c. 730)
Bl. Rinaldo of Ravenna (Italian, archbishop, d. 1321)

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. 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 18, 2003.


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