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On August 13, we members of the Catholic Church family honor the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title, "Refuge of Sinners." We also honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

Pope St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus, of Rome (Italian, pontiff [elected in 230, abdicated in 235] and priest [theologian and repentant antipope], exiled to Sardinian salt mines, martyred [abusive treatment] in 235)

St. Benilde Romançon of Thuret [baptized Pierre] (French, member of De La Salle brothers, teacher for over 40 years, died at age 57 in 1862 [beatified 1948, canonized 1967])
St. Cassian of Imola (Italian, teacher, martyred [hacked to death] in 250)
St. Concordia (early martyr)
Bl. Gertrude of Altenberg (German, daughter of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Norbertine abbess for 50 years, died at about age 70 in 1297)
Sts. Helen and Centolla of Burgos (Spanish, martyred c. 304)
St. Herulph of Ellwangen (German, nobleman, Benedictine abbot, bishop of Langres in France, d. 785)
Bl. Jakob Gapp of Wattens (Austrian, World War I soldier and prisoner-of-war, anti-Nazi and Marianist priest in Switzerland/Austria/France/Spain, martyred [guillotined] in Berlin at age 46 by Nazis in 1943 [beatified 1996])
Bl. John of Alvernia [Giovanni] (Italian, hermit, spiritual advisor, mystic, Franciscan for 50 years, died at about age 63 in 1322 [beatified 1880])
St. Junian of Poitou (abbot, hermit, d. 587)
St. Ludoiph of Westphalia (German, Benedictine abbot, d. 983)
Bl. Mark Cristofori of Aviano [Marco] [baptized Carlo Domenico (Charles Dominic)] (Italian, Capuchin priest, died in Austria at age 67 in 1699 [beatified 2003])
St. Maximus the Confessor of Constantinople (Turkish, emperor's secretary, abbot in Egypt/Carthage/Rome, theologian, tortured and martyred at about age 82 in 662)
St. Murtagh of Killala [also called Muredach or Meredith] (Irish, disciple of St. Patrick, bishop, hermit, 6th century)
St. Nerses Glaietsi (Armenian, poet, catholicos [bishop] to the Armenians, worked for Church unity, died at about age 71 in 1173)
St. Radegunde of Erfurt (German, queen, nun in France, d. 587)
St. Wigbert of Fritzlar (British, Benedictine missionary and abbot in Germany, d. 738)
Bl. William Freeman of Yorkshire (English, priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, quartered] under Elizabeth I in 1595 [beatified 1929])

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), August 13, 2004

Answers

[Insight from St. Maximus the Confessor:]

"To harbor no envy, no anger, no resentment against an offender is still not to have charity for him. It is possible, without any charity, to avoid rendering evil for evil. But spontaneously to render good for evil -- such belongs to a perfect spiritual love."

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 13, 2004.