Jmj

Today, July 15, 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. Bonaventure [baptized Giovanni di Fidanza] ["Seraphic Doctor"] ["Second Founder of the Franciscans"] (Italian, Franciscan priest and Minister General, teacher of scripture in France, theologian, cardinal bishop, Doctor of the Church, d. 1274)
St. Abudimus of Tenedos (from Asia Minor [Turkish], martyred in 4th century)
St. Adalard the Younger (French, Benedictine monk, died at age 20 c. 824)
Sts. Agrippinus, Secundinus, Maximus, Fortunatus, and Martialis (Pannonian [Hungarian], martyred in 4th century)
St. Andrew Nam-Thuong (Vietnamese, village mayor, catechist, martyred on forced march in 1855 [canonized 1988])
Bl. Angelina of Marsciano (Italian, widow at age 17, Superior General of Regular Tertiaries of St. Francis of Foligno, d. 1435)
Bl. Anne Marie Javouhey (French, co-founded Congregation of St. Joseph of Cluny, teacher of slaves in French Guiana, d. 1851)
Bl. Anthony Francisco, Bl. Francis Aranha, Bl. Rudolph Acquaviva, and Bl. Peter Berna (3 Portuguese and 1 Swiss, Jesuit missionary priests in India, martyred in 1583)
Sts. Antiochus and Cyriacus (from Asia Minor [Turkish], physician and converted executioner, martyred in 3rd century)
St. Apronia of Troyes (German, nun in France, 5th or 6th century)
St. Athanasius of Naples (Italian, nobleman, bishop at age 18, imprisoned and exiled after 20 years, d. 872)
St. Baldwin of Rieti (Italian, Cistercian monk in France, abbot in Italy, d. 1140)
St. Barhadbesaba (Persian, deacon, tortured [racked] and martyred by stabbing in 355)
St. Benedict of Angers (French, bishop, c. 820)
Bl. Bernard of Baden (German, civil official, d. 1458)
Sts. Catulinus, Januarius, Florentius, Julia, and Justa (Carthaginian [North African], early martyrs)
St. David of Munkentorp (English, Benedictine abbot, missionary bishop in Sweden, c. 1080)
St. Donald of Ogilvy (Scottish, widower, 8th century)
St. Edith of Polesworth (English, widow, Benedictine abbess, c. 927)
St. Egino of Augsburg (German, Benedictine abbot, died in Italy in 1122)
St. Eternus of Évreux (French, bishop, c. 661)
Sts. Eutropius, Zosima, and Nonosa (Italian, martyred c. 273)
St. Felix of Pavia (Italian, early martyr)
St. Haruch of Werden (German, Benedictine abbot, bishop, c. 830)
Bl. Ignacio de Azevedo and 40 companions (Portuguese and Spanish, Jesuit college rector, superior and his band of Jesuit missionaries [novices, coadjutors, brothers, priests] headed to Brazil, martyred by drowning off the Canary Islands by Huguenot pirates in 1570)
----- [A partial list of the companions of Bl. Ignacio: Alphonsus de Vaena, Antony Correa, Antony Fernández, Antony Suarez, Benedict de Castro, Br. Dominic Fernández, Br. Francis Alvarez, Fr. Francis Magallanes, Francis Perez Godoy, Gregory Escrivano, Fr. James Andrade, John de Baeza, Fr. John Fernández, John Fernández, Fr. John of San Martin, John de Mavorga, John de Zafra, Fr. Louis Correa, Mark Caldeira, Nicholas Dinnis, Fr. Peter Nuñez, Peter Fontura, Simon Acosta, Fr. Simon Lopez, Stephen de Zudaira]
St. James of Nisibis (Syrian, monk, bishop, c. 340)
Bl. Peter Tuan (Vietnamese, priest, martyred in 1838 [beatified 1900])
Sts. Philip, Zeno, Narseus, and companions (Egyptian, early martyrs [including ten little children])
St. Plechelm of Guelderland (English, Benedictine monk, bishop, missionary in Holland, martyred while preaching c. 730)
St. Pompilio Maria Pirotti (Italian, Piarist priest, d. 1756 [canonized 1934])
St. Swithun of Winchester (English, king's chaplain and counselor, prince's tutor, bishop, d. 862)
St. Vladimir Svyatoslavich I of Kiev [baptized Basil] (Ukrainian, Grand Prince, first Christian ruler of his land, d. 1015)

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 (jfgecik@desc.dla.mil), July 18, 2002

Answers

[From St. Bonaventure:]

"Since happiness is nothing but the enjoyment of the Supreme Good, and since the Supreme Good is above us, we cannot be happy unless we rise beyond ourselves. Since we cannot reach above ourselves in our own strength, we must be helped by supernatural strength, lifted up by a higher power that stoops to raise us. However much we structure our inner lives and make progress, it does us no good unless our efforts are accompanied by help from on high. Divine aid is available for those who seek it with a devout and humble heart; this is done by fervent prayer. Prayer is, therefore, the source and origin of every upward journey toward God. Let us each, then, turn to prayer and say to our Lord God: 'Lead me, O Lord, on your path, that I may walk in your truth.'"

-- (_@_._), July 18, 2002.

[I am repeating the following message here. It was accidentally posted on the July 14 thread. JFG]

Good morning, John!

Today is also the feast day of St. Bonaventure.

St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio
baptised Giovanni di Fidanza
b. 1221 -- d. 1274 A. D.

FRIAR MINOR, MASTER OF PARIS, MINISTER GENERAL OF THE ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR, CARDINAL BISHOP OF ALBANO, FATHER OF THE COUNCIL OF LYONS, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

source for this card: The Franciscan Archive
Prayer after Communion

PRAYER OF ST. BONAVENTURE Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.

Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.

May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of widsom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fulness of the house of God; may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverence to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

MaryLu
mlc327@juno.com
July 15, 2002.

-- (_@_._), July 18, 2002.

Jmj

On July 15, 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. Bonaventure di Fidanza of Bagnoregio [Bonaventura] [baptized Giovanni] ["Seraphic Doctor"] ["Second Founder of the Franciscans"] (Italian, Franciscan priest and Minister General, teacher of scripture in France, theologian, cardinal bishop, Doctor of the Church, d. 1274)

St. Abudimus of Tenedos (from Asia Minor [Turkish], martyred in 4th century)
St. Adalard the Younger of Corbie (French, Benedictine monk, died at age 20 c. 824)
Sts. Agrippinus, Secundinus, Maximus, Fortunatus, and Martialis (Pannonian [Hungarian], martyred in 4th century)
Bl. Angelina of Marsciano (Italian, widow at age 17, Superior General of Regular Tertiaries of St. Francis of Foligno, d. 1435)
Bl. Anne Marie Javouhey of Jallanges (French, co-founded Congregation of St. Joseph of Cluny, teacher of slaves in French Guiana, d. 1851 [beatified 1950])
Bl. Anthony Francisco of Coimbra, Bl. Francis Aranha of Braga, Bl. Rudolph Acquaviva of Atri, and Bl. Peter Berna of Ascona (3 Portuguese and 1 Swiss, Jesuit missionary priests in India, martyred in 1583)
Sts. Antiochus and Cyriacus of Sebaste (from Asia Minor [Turkish], physician and converted executioner, martyred in 3rd century)
St. Apronia of Troyes (German, nun in France, 5th or 6th century)
St. Athanasius of Naples (Italian, nobleman, bishop at age 18, imprisoned and exiled after 20 years, d. 872)
St. Baldwin of Rieti [Balduino] (Italian, Cistercian monk in France, abbot in Italy, d. 1140)
St. Barhadbesaba of Arbela (Persian, deacon, tortured [racked] and martyred by stabbing in 355)
St. Benedict of Angers (French, bishop, c. 820)
Bl. Bernard of Baden [Bernhard] (German, civil official, d. 1458)
Sts. Catulinus, Januarius, Florentius, Julia, and Justa, of Carthage (North African, early martyrs)
St. David of Munkentorp (English, Benedictine abbot, missionary bishop in Sweden, c. 1080)
St. Donald of Ogilvy (Scottish, widower, 8th century)
St. Edith of Polesworth (English, widow, Benedictine abbess, c. 927)
St. Egino of Augsburg (German, Benedictine abbot, died in Italy in 1122)
St. Eternus of Évreux (French, bishop, c. 661)
Sts. Eutropius, Zosima, and Nonosa, of Porto (Italian, martyred c. 273)
St. Felix of Pavia (Italian, early martyr)
St. Haruch of Werden (German, Benedictine abbot, bishop, c. 830)
St. James of Nisibis (Syrian, monk, bishop, c. 340)
Blessed Jesuit Martyrs of 1570 [also called Bl. Ignatius de Azevedo and companions] (Portuguese [31] and Spanish [9] ... Jesuit college rector, superior, and his band of Jesuit missionaries [novices, coadjutors, brothers, priests] headed to Brazil ... martyred by drowning off the Canary Islands by Huguenot pirates in 1570)
--- [Priests:]
----- Bl. Ignatius de Azevedo of Oporto [Ignacio] (Portuguese, superior, died at about the age of 44)
----- Bl. James Andrade of Pedrógao Grande [Iago] (Portuguese, died at age 39)
----- Bl. Louis Correa of Évora [Luis] (Portuguese)
--- [Brothers:]
----- Bl. Emmanuel Alvares of Estremoz [Manuel] (Portuguese, died at age 34)
----- Bl. Francis Alvares of Covilha [Francisco] (Portuguese, died at age 31)
----- Bl. Caspar Alvares of Oporto [Gaspar] (Portuguese)
----- Bl. Peter Fontoura of Braga [Pedro] (Portuguese)
----- Bl. Steven of Zudaire [Esteban] (Spanish)
----- Bl. Alphonse de Baena of Villatobas [Alonso] (Spanish, died at age 31)
--- [Others:]
----- Bl. Alexis Delgado of Elvas (Portuguese, novice, died at age 14)
----- Bl. Alvaro Borralho Mendes of Elvas (Portuguese, scholastic)
----- Bl. Andrew Gonzalves of Viana de Alvito [Andre] (Portuguese, scholastic)
----- Bl. Anthony Correia of Oporto [Antonio] (Portuguese, novice scholastic, died at age 17)
----- Bl. Anthony Fernandes of Montemór-o-Novo [Antonio] (Portuguese, novice brother)
----- Bl. Anthony Soares of Vila de Trancoso [Antonio] (Portuguese, scholastic)
----- Bl. Benedict de Castro of Vila de Chacim [Bento] (Portuguese, scholastic, died at age 27)
----- Bl. Blaise Ribeiro of Braga [Bras] (Portuguese, novice brother)
----- Bl. Dominic Fernandes of Villa de Borba [Domingos] (Portuguese, novice brother, died at age 19)
----- Bl. Emmanuel Fernandes of Celorico da Beira [Manuel] (Portuguese, scholastic)
----- Bl. Emmanuel Pacheco of Ceuta [Manuel] (Portuguese, scholastic)
----- Bl. Emmanuel Rodrigues of Alcochete [Manuel] (Portuguese, scholastic)
----- Bl. Ferdinand Sanchez of Gamle Castilla [Fernando] (Spanish, scholastic)
----- Bl. Francis de Magalhaes of Vila de Alcácer do Sal [Francisco] (Portuguese, novice scholastic)
----- Bl. Francis Perez Godoy of Torrijos [Francisco] (Spanish, novice scholastic)
----- Bl. Gregory Escribano of Gamle Logroño [Gregorio] (Spanish, coadjutor)
----- Bl. Gonzalo Henriques of Oporto [Gonçalo] (Portuguese, deacon)
----- Bl. James Pires Mimoso of Nisa [Didacus] (Portuguese, scholastic)
----- Bl. John de Baeza [Juan] (Spanish, candidate)
----- Bl. John Fernandes of Braga [João] (Portuguese, novice scholastic, died at age 23)
----- Bl. John Fernandes of Lisbon [João] (Portuguese, scholastic, died at age 19)
----- Bl. John de Mayorga of Saint Jean Pied de Port [Juan] (Spanish, novice brother, died at age 37)
----- Bl. John de San Martin of Yuncos [Juan] (Spanish, novice scholastic, died at age 20)
----- Bl. John de Zafra of Jerez de Badajoz [Juan] (Spanish, novice brother)
----- Bl. Louis Rodrigues of Évora [Luis] (Portuguese, novice scholastic)
----- Bl. Mark Caldeira of Vila da Feira [Marcos] (Portuguese, novice brother, died at age 23)
----- Bl. Maurus Vaz of Bemfazer [Amaro] (Portuguese, novice brother)
----- Bl. Nicholas Dinis of Bragança [Nicolau] (Portuguese, novice scholastic)
----- Bl. Peter Nunes of Vila da Fronteira [Pedro] (Portuguese, scholastic)
----- Bl. Simon da Costa of Oporto [Simão] (Portuguese, novice brother)
----- Bl. Simon Lopes of Ourèm [Simão] (Portuguese, scholastic)
St. Peter Nguyên Bá Tuân of Tonkin (Vietnamese, priest, martyred in 1838 [canonized 1988])
Sts. Philip, Zeno, Narseus, and companions, of Alexandria (Egyptian, early martyrs [including ten little children])
St. Plechelm of Guelderland (English, Benedictine monk, bishop, missionary in Holland, martyred while preaching c. 730)
St. Pompilio Maria Pirotti of Montecalvo Irpino (Italian, Piarist priest, d. 1756 [canonized 1934])
St. Swithun of Winchester (English, king's chaplain and counselor, prince's tutor, bishop, d. 862)
St. Vladimir Svyatoslavich I of Kiev [baptized Basil] (Ukrainian, Grand Prince, first Christian ruler of his land, d. 1015)

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), July 15, 2003.