Jmj

Today, August 27, the Catholic Church honors, in a special way, the following friends of God, saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Monica (Algerian, widow, mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, d. 387)
St. Margaret the Barefooted (Italian, widow, d. 1395)
Bl. Gabriel Mary (French priest, d. 1532)
St. Gebhard (German, bishop, d. 995)
St. Honoratus (Italian, beheaded in 303)
St. John of Pavia (Italian, bishop, d. 813)
St. Phanurius (martyr)
[August 27 is also the date of commemoration, by Discalced Carmelites, of the "Transverberation (piercing) of the heart of St. Teresa of Avila." In 1559, at the age of 44, the saint experienced one of the most sublime of her many mystical ecstasies. In a vision, she saw an angel, and in his hand he held a golden spear tipped with fire. He penetrated her heart and caused a very sharp pain that was at the same time exquisitely beautiful, "leaving me," she said, "all on fire with a wondrous love for God." Signs that the piercing were real are visible in her heart, which is still preserved in an incorrupt state.]

Prayer for the intercession of Saint Monica:
"Exemplary Mother of the great Augustine, you perseveringly pursued your wayward son not with wild threats but with prayerful cries to heaven. Intercede for all mothers in our day so that they may learn to draw their children to God. Teach them how to remain close to their children, even the prodigal sons and daughters who have sadly gone astray. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen."

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

Answers

Jmj

Since our forum has been visited by many women who have suffered much in their married life, I wanted to make special mention of St. Margaret the Barefooted.
Though born into a poor family in San Severino, Italy, in 1325, she was married to a "gentleman" -- a strange term to use to refer to the man who long abused her for her attachment to the Catholic Church and her service to the poor. She gave up her shoes and dressed as a beggar to better associate herself with the less fortunate. St. Margaret is one of the patron saints of brides, people in difficult marriages, victims of abuse, and widows.

St. Margaret the Barefooted, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

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

[Here are some August 27 saints/blesseds to be added to those listed in the opening message:]

Bl. Agilo of Sithiu (French, Benedictine abbot, d. 957)
Bl. Angelus of Foligno (Italian, Augustinian friar, d. 1312)
St. Anthusa the Younger (Persian, virgin, martyred by drowning)
St. Caesarius of Arles (French, bishop, c. 542)
St. David Lewis (Welsh, Jesuit priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] in 1679 [canonized 1970])
St. Decuman (Welsh, monk, hermit, martyred by beheading in 716)
Bl. Dominic Barberi (Italian, shepherd, orphan at age 8, Passionist priest in Belgium and England, received John Henry Newman into the Church, d. 1849 [beatified 1963])
St. Ebbo of Sens (French, Benedictine monk, bishop, d. 740)
Bl. Ebbo of Hamburg (German, Benedictine abbot, d. 1162)
St. Etherius of Lyons (French, bishop, d. 602)
St. Euthalia of Lentini (Sicilian, virgin, early martyr)
Sts. Honoratus, Fortunatus, Arontius, and Sabinian (Italian, martyred by beheading c. 303)
St. Licerius of Counserans (Spanish, bishop in France for 44 years, c. 548)
St. Malrubius (Scottish, hermit, martyred by Norse invaders c. 1040)
Sts. Marcellinus, Mannea, John, Serapion, Peter, and 13 companions (Egyptian ... tribune and wife, three sons, bishop, three clergymen, nine other laypersons ... martyred by beheading c. 303)
St. Narnus of Bergamo (Italian, bishop, c. 75)
St. Poemen of Skete (Egyptian, desert hermit, abbot, c. 450)
Sts. Rufus and Carpophorus (Italian, early martyrs)
St. Rufus of Capua (Italian, deacon?, martyred in 1st century)
St. Syagrius of Autun (French, bishop, d. 600)

JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 27, 2002.

Jmj

On August 27, 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. Monica of Tagaste (North African [Algerian], widow, mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, d. 387)

Bl. Agilo of Sithiu (French, Benedictine abbot, d. 957)
Bl. Angelo of Foligno (Italian, Augustinian friar, d. 1312)
St. Anthusa the Younger (Persian, virgin, martyred by drowning)
St. Caesarius of Arles (French, bishop, c. 542)
St. David Lewis of Abergavenny (Welsh, Jesuit priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] at about age 63 under Charles II in 1679 [canonized 1970])
St. Decuman of Rhoscrowther (Welsh, monk, hermit, martyred by beheading in 716)
St. Ebbo of Sens (French, Benedictine monk, bishop, d. 740)
Bl. Ebbo of Hamburg (German, Benedictine abbot, d. 1162)
St. Etherius of Lyons (French, bishop, d. 602)
St. Euthalia of Lentini (Sicilian, virgin, early martyr)
Bl. Gabriel Mary of Clermont [Gabriel-Marie] [baptized Gilbert Nicholas] (French, Franciscan priest, d. 1532)
St. Gebhard of Constance (German, bishop, d. 995)
Sts. Honoratus, Fortunatus, Arontius, and Sabinian, of Potenza (Italian, martyred by beheading c. 303)
St. John of Pavia (Italian, bishop, d. 813)
St. Licerius of Counserans (Spanish, bishop in France for 44 years, c. 548)
St. Malrubius of Merns (Scottish, hermit, martyred by Norse invaders c. 1040)
Sts. Marcellinus, Mannea, John, Serapion, Peter, and 13 companions, of Oxyrinchus (Egyptian ... tribune and wife, three sons, bishop, three clergymen, nine other laypersons ... martyred by beheading c. 303)
St. Margaret the Barefooted of San Severino [Margherita] (Italian, widow, d. 1395)
Bl. Maria Pilar Izquierdo Albero of Zaragoza (Brazilian, foundress of the Missionary Work of Jesus and Mary, d. 1945 [beatified 2001])
St. Narnus of Bergamo (Italian, bishop, c. 75)
St. Phanurius (Cretan, soldier, early martyr)
St. Poemen of Skete (Egyptian, desert hermit, abbot, c. 450)
Bl. Roger Cadwallador of Stretton Sugwas [alias Rogers] (English, priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] at about age 44 under James I in 1610 [beatified 1987])
Sts. Rufus and Carpophorus of Capua (Italian, early martyrs)
St. Syagrius of Autun (French, bishop, d. 600)

[August 27 is also the date of commemoration, by Discalced Carmelites, of the "Transverberation (piercing) of the heart of St. Teresa of Avila." In 1559, at the age of 44, the saint experienced one of the most sublime of her many mystical ecstasies. In a vision, she saw an angel, and in his hand he held a golden spear tipped with fire. He penetrated her heart and caused a very sharp pain that was at the same time exquisitely beautiful, "leaving me," she said, "all on fire with a wondrous love for God." Signs that the piercing was real are visible in her heart, which is still preserved in an incorrupt state.]

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 30, 2003.