Jmj

Today, September 27, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Vincent de Paul (French, peasant, parish priest, slave of Muslim pirates, chaplain of French court, worker for poor and abandoned, co-founder of Daughters of Charity and Priests of the Mission [Lazarists/Vincentians], d. 1660, body still incorrupt)
St. Delphina of Glandenes (French, noblewoman, widow, Franciscan tertiary, d. 1360) and her husband, St. Elzear (French, nobleman, diplomat, Franciscan tertiary, d. 1323)
St. Gaius of Milan (Italian, bishop, father of two saints, 1st century)
St. Hilary the Hermit (French, martyr)
St. Hiltrude (French, recluse, c. 790)

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), September 27, 2001

Answers

From St. Vincent de Paul:

(1) The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.

(2) Even though the poor are often rough and unrefined, we must not judge them from external appearances nor from the mental gifts they seem to have received. On the contrary, if you consider the poor in the light of faith, then you will observe that they are taking the place of the Son of God who chose to be poor. Although in his passion he almost lost the appearance of a man and was considered a fool by the Gentiles and a stumbling block by the Jews, he showed them that his mission was to preach to the poor: "He sent me to preach the good news to the poor." We also ought to have this same spirit and imitate Christ's actions, that is, we must take care of the poor, console them, help them, support their cause. Since Christ willed to be born poor, he chose for himself disciples who were poor. He made himself the servant of the poor and shared their poverty. He went so far as to say that he would consider every deed which either helps or harms the poor as done for or against himself. Since God surely loves the poor, he also loves those who love the poor.

-- (_@_._), September 27, 2001.

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

St. Adheritus of Ravenna (Greek, bishop in Italy, 2nd century)
Sts. Adolphus and John of Seville [Adolfo and Juan] (Spanish, biological brothers, martyred by Moslems in 850)
St. Barrog (Welsh, island hermit, 7th century)
St. Bonfilius of Storace [Bonfiglio] (Italian, Benedictine monk, bishop, d. 1125)
St. Ceraunus of Paris (French, archbishop, d. 614)
St. Deodatus of Sora (Italian)
St. Elzear of Ansouis (French, nobleman, Franciscan tertiary, count and king's tutor in Italy, uncle of a pope, died in France in 1323)
St. Epicharis (wife of Roman senator, martyred in Asia Minor in 300)
Sts. Fidentius and Terence of Todi (early martyrs)

JFG

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

Jmj

On September 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. Vincent de Paul of Gascony (French, peasant, parish priest, slave of Muslim pirates, chaplain of French court, worker for poor and abandoned, co-founder of Daughters of Charity and Priests of the Mission [Lazarists/Vincentians], d. 1660 [incorruptible])

St. Adheritus of Ravenna (Greek, bishop in Italy, 2nd century)
Sts. Adolphus and John of Seville [Adolfo and Juan] (Spanish, biological brothers, martyred by Moslems in 850)
St. Barrog (Welsh, island hermit, 7th century)
St. Bonfilius of Storace [Bonfiglio] (Italian, Benedictine monk, bishop, d. 1125)
St. Ceraunus of Paris (French, archbishop, d. 614)
St. Delphine of Glandenes (French, noblewoman, widow of St. Elzear, Franciscan tertiary, d. 1360)
St. Deodatus of Sora (Italian)
St. Elzear of Ansouis (French, husband of St. Delphine, Franciscan tertiary, count and king's tutor in Italy, uncle of a pope, died in France in 1323)
St. Epicharis of Byzantium (wife of Roman senator, martyred in Asia Minor in 300)
Sts. Fidentius and Terence of Todi (early martyrs)
St. Gaius of Milan (Italian, bishop, father of two saints, 1st century)
St. Hilary the Hermit (French, martyr)
St. Hiltrude of Liessies (French, recluse, c. 790)

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), September 28, 2003.