AUGUST 22 -- today's saints

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Jmj

Today, August 22, the Catholic Church honors, in a special way, the following friends of God, saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. John Kemble and St. John Wall (English priests; Kemble martyred by hanging, Wall martyred by drawing and quartering in 1679 [canonized in 1970])
St. Gunifort (earlier British martyr)

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
PS: In case you didn't know what I meant when I said that St. John Wall was "drawn and quartered," please read the following (from an Internet site about capital punishment in Great Britain).
WARNING: This is not for the squeamish or very young.
"Hanging, drawing, and quartering ... was the ultimate punishment available in English law for men who had been convicted of high treason. Women were burned at the stake instead for the sake of decency. It should properly be called drawing, hanging, and quartering as the condemned was drawn to the place of execution on a hurdle (similar to a piece of fencing made from thin branches interwoven to form a panel.) He was tied to the hurdle which was dragged by a horse. Once [at the place of execution] the prisoners were hanged in the normal way (i.e. without a drop to ensure that the neck was not broken) but cut down whilst still conscious. Their [genitals] were cut off and the [abdomen] was slit open. Their intestines were removed and burned before [their eyes]. Their other organs were then torn out, and finally the head was cut off and the body divided into four quarters. The head and quarters were parboiled to prevent them rotting too quickly and then displayed upon the city gates as a grim warning to all. At some point in this agonising process the prisoner inevitably died of strangling and/or haemorrhage and/or shock and damage to vital organs, but it often took a long time to happen. It has to be one of the most sadistic forms of execution ever invented ... In the 1500's a total of 105 Catholic martyrs were hanged drawn and quartered at Tyburn in London for what amounted to 'spiritual treason' failing to recognise the official religion of the day. ... Hanging, drawing, and quartering remained the lawful punishment for treason until abolished in 1814. ..."

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@amdg.ihs), August 22, 2001

Answers



-- (_@_._), August 22, 2001.

John, Those 105 Catholic Martyrs that were Hanged,drawn, and quarted are the definition of courage to me! I have never heard of such a terible way to be tortued.We are so lucky to be able to have freedom of relegion in our Country! I will rember ST. John Wall for the rest of my life now. ST.John Wall please pray for us, David S

-- David S (asdzxc8176@aol.com), August 22, 2001.

I just realized that I neglected to mention that the Church, on August 22, also commemorates the "Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary."
Thus, the fourth and fifth glorious mysteries of the Rosary are remembered one week apart in August.
JFG

-- (jgecik@amdg.ihs), August 27, 2001.

[Here are some August 22 saints/blesseds to be added to those listed in the opening message:]

Sts. Agathonicus, Zoticus, and companions (from Asia Minor [Turkish] ... patrician, philosopher, and disciples ... martyred in 3rd century)
St. Andrew of Fiesole (Irish or Scottish, Benedictine abbot in Italy, c. 880)
St. Antoninus (Roman, executioner, convert from paganism, martyred in 186)
St. Arnulf of Eynesbury (English, hermit, 9th century)
Sts. Athanasius of Tarsus, Anthusa, Charisius, and Neophytus (Cilician [Turkish] ... bishop, noblewoman, and her slaves ... martyred c. 257)
St. Bernard of Offida (Italian, peasant, Capuchin brother, miracle worker, d. 1694)
St. Ethelgitha of Northumbria (English, Benedictine abbess, c. 720)
Sts. Fabrician and Philibert (Spanish, early martyrs)
Bl. Lambert of Chézery (French, Cistercian abbot, d. 1151)
Sts. Martial, Saturninus, Epictetus, Maprilis, Felix, and companions (martyred c. 300)
St. Maurus and fifty companions (French, priest, martyred c. 260-300)
St. Sigfrid of Wearmouth (English, Benedictine abbot, d. 688)
St. Symphorian of Autun (French, nobleman, martyred by beheading c. 180)
St. Timothy of Antioch (Syrian, priest in Rome, martyred by beheading in 311)
Bl. William Lacey and Bl. Richard Kirkman (English ... widower/priest and priest/tutor, martyred in 1582)

JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 24, 2002.


Jmj

On August 22, 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:

Sts. Agathonicus, Zoticus of Bithynia, and companions (from Asia Minor [Turkish] ... patrician, philosopher, and disciples ... martyred in 3rd century)
St. Andrew of Fiesole (Irish or Scottish, Benedictine abbot in Italy, c. 880)
St. Antoninus of Rome (Italian, executioner, convert from paganism, martyred in 186)
St. Arnulf of Eynesbury (English, hermit, 9th century)
Sts. Athanasius of Tarsus, Anthusa of Seleucia, Charisius of Nicaea, and Neophytus of Nicaea (from Asia Minor [Turkish] ... bishop, noblewoman, and her slaves ... martyred c. 257)
St. Bernard of Offida [Bernardo] (Italian, peasant, Capuchin brother, miracle worker, d. 1694)
St. Ethelgitha of Northumbria (English, Benedictine abbess, c. 720)
Sts. Fabrician and Philibert (Spanish, early martyrs)
St. Gunifort of Pavia (British of Irish, early martyr in Italy)
St. John Kemble of Saint Weonard's (English, priest, martyred by hanging at age 80 under Charles II in 1679 [canonized in 1970])
St. Joachim of St. Anne Wall of Lancashire [alias Dormer, alias Webb, alias Francis Johnson] [baptized John] (English, Franciscan priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] under Charles II in 1679 [canonized in 1970])
Bl. Lambert of Chézery (French, Cistercian abbot, d. 1151)
Sts. Martial, Saturninus, Epictetus, Maprilis, Felix, and companions (martyred c. 300)
St. Maurus and fifty companions, of Rheims (French, priest, martyred c. 260-300)
St. Sigfrid of Wearmouth (English, Benedictine abbot, d. 688)
St. Symphorian of Autun (French, nobleman, martyred by beheading c. 180)
St. Timothy of Antioch (Syrian, priest in Rome, martyred by beheading in 311)
Bl. William Lacey of Horton and Bl. Richard Kirkman of Addingham (English ... widower/priest and priest/tutor, martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] under Elizabeth I in 1582 [beatified 1886])

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

PS: In case you didn't know what I meant when I said that Bl. William Lacey and others were "drawn, hanged, and quartered," please read the following (from an Internet site about capital punishment in Great Britain).
WARNING: This is not for the squeamish or very young.

"Hanging, drawing, and quartering ... was the ultimate punishment available in English law for men who had been convicted of high treason. Women were burned at the stake instead for the sake of decency. It should properly be called 'drawing, hanging, and quartering' as the condemned was drawn to the place of execution on a hurdle (similar to a piece of fencing made from thin branches interwoven to form a panel.) He was tied to the hurdle which was dragged by a horse.

"Once [at the place of execution] the prisoners were hanged in the normal way (i.e. without a drop to ensure that the neck was not broken) but cut down whilst still conscious. Their genitals were cut off and their abdomens were slit open. Their intestines were removed and burned before their eyes. Their other organs were then torn out, and finally the head was cut off and the body divided into four quarters. The head and quarters were parboiled to prevent them rotting too quickly and then displayed upon the city gates as a grim warning to all.

"At some point in this agonising process the prisoner inevitably died of strangling and/or haemorrhage and/or shock and damage to vital organs, but it often took a long time to happen. It has to be one of the most sadistic forms of execution ever invented ... In the 1500's a total of 105 Catholic martyrs were hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn in London for what amounted to 'spiritual treason' failing to recognise the official religion of the day. ... Hanging, drawing, and quartering remained the lawful punishment for treason until abolished in 1814. ..."

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 22, 2003.



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