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On July 20, 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. Ansegisus of Fontenelle (French, Benedictine abbot, died at about age 63 in 833)
St. Aurelius of Carthage (North African, opposed various heresies, friend of St. Augustine, bishop, c. 429)
St. Elijah [also called Elias] (Israelite, Old Testament prophet, 8th century B.C.)
St. Etheldwitha of Winchester (British, princess, widow, Benedictine nun, d. 903)
Sts. Flavian of Antioch and Elias of Jerusalem (Syrian and Palestinian, patriarchs [bishops], opposed Monophysite heresy, died c. 512 and 518)
Bl. Gregory Lopez of Madrid [Gregorio] (Spanish, king's page, hermit in Mexico, died at about age 54 in 1596)
Bl. John Hambley of St. Mabyn (English, priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] under Elizabeth I at about age 27 in 1587 [beatified 1987])
St. Joseph Barsabas Justus (Israelite, disciple of Jesus [Acts 1], 1st century)
St. Margaret of Antioch (Pisidian [from part of what is now Turkey], virgin, martyred c. 304)
St. Paul of Córdova (Spanish, deacon, martyred [beheaded] by Moslems in 851)
St. Rheticus of Autun (French, bishop, opposed Donatist heresy, d. 334)
Bl. Rita Dolores Pujalte Sánchez of Aspe and Bl. Frances of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Aldea Araujo of Somolinos [Francisca del Sagrado Corazón de Jesus] (Spanish, members of Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus [83-year-old, blind former Superior General and 54-year-old college secretary], martyred [shot by Civil War rebels] in 1936 [beatified 1998] [incorruptible])
Sts. Sabinus, Julian, Maximus, Macrobius, Cassia, Paula, and ten companions (Syrian, early martyrs)
St. Severa of Villeneuve (German? abbess in France, c. 680)
St. Severa of Öhren (German, Benedictine abbess, c. 750)
Blessed Visitandine Martyrs (Spanish, nuns of the Order of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, martyred [firing squad] by anarchists in 1936 [beatified 1998])
----- Bl. Mary Gabriel de Hinojosa Naveros of Alhama [María Gabriela] (died at age 64)
----- Bl. Josepha Mary Darrera Izaguirre of El Ferrol [Josefa María] (at age 55)
----- Bl. Mary Angela Olaizola Garagarza of Azpeitia [María Angela] (at age 42)
----- Bl. Mary Cecilia Cendoya Araquistain of Azpeitia [María Cecilia] (at age 26)
----- Bl. Mary Grace Lecuona Aramburu of Oyarzun [María Engracia] (at age 39)
----- Bl. Mary Agnes Zudaire Galdeano of Echávarri [María Inés] (at age 36)
----- Bl. Teresa Mary Cavestan y Anduaga of Puerto Real [Teresa María] (at age 48)
St. Vulmar of Samer (French, Benedictine brother, woodchopper, herder, priest, abbot, d. 689)

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. Additional 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 20, 2004

Answers

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), July 20, 2004.

Bl. Rita Dolores Pujalte Sánchez of Aspe and Bl. Frances of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Aldea Araujo of Somolinos [Francisca del Sagrado Corazón de Jesus] (Spanish, members of Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus [83-year-old, blind former Superior General and 54-year-old college secretary], martyred [shot by Civil War rebels] in 1936 [beatified 1998] [incorruptible])

***Can you please tell me more about this saint? Rita and Dolores are popular names in Mexico and now I am curious to know who many were named after.

TIA

God Bless,

Jalapneo

-- Jalapeno (jalapeno52000@hotmail.com), July 20, 2004.

+
Hello, Jalapeño. Thanks for your question.

I would like to request the help of my amigo, Enrique Ortiz, in fully answering your question. I can say, though, that I feel quite sure that few, if any, Mexican women named Rita or Dolores are named after the two beatified women you have mentioned above. First, they are from Spain, not Latin America. Second, they lived quite recently. And third, they are not well known -- except perhaps in Spain.

I hope that Enrique can tell us why many Mexican women are named Rita or Dolores. Here is what I suspect is true:
(1) Those named "Rita" are named after St. Rita of Cascia -- or perhaps "Rita" is a nickname for "Margarita."
(2) Those named "Dolores" are named after the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title, "Our Lady of Sorrows" -- in Spanish, "Nuestra Señora de (los) Dolores."

God bless you.
John

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), July 21, 2004.

I bet you are right on why they have their names. There are many people in Mexico though who come from Spanish descent. Both of my mom's parents had Spanish blood one being 100% Spaniard the other being half. I will ask my mom today why and see if she knows. Thanks again for taking the time to answer. :o)

God Bless.

-- Jalapeno (jalapeno52000@hotmail.com), July 21, 2004.