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On November 16, 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. Gertrude the Great of Eisleben (German, Benedictine nun, visionary, mystic, died at about age 46 in 1302 [canonized 1677])
St. Margaret of Scotland (British [born in Hungary], wife of Scottish king, mother of eight, died at about age 48 in 1093)

St. Afan (Welsh, bishop, 6th century)
St. Africus of Comminges (French, 7th century)
St. Agnes Offreducia of Assisi [Agnese] (Italian, younger sister of St. Clare, second Poor Clare nun [at age 15], abbess, died [three months after Clare] at about age 56 in 1253 [canonized 1753])
St. Alfrick of Canterbury (British, Benedictine abbot, archbishop, d. 1006)
Blessed Martyrs of Almeria (Spanish, 9 men [2 bishops, 7 Brothers of the Christian Schools], martyred [shot] by Civil War revolutionaries in 1936 [beatified 1993])
-- Bishops:
----- Bl. Emmanuel Medina Olmos of Lanteira [Manuel] (bishop of Guadix, died at age 67)
----- Bl. James Ventaja Milán of Ohanes [Diego] (bishop of Almeria, died at age 56)
-- Christian Brothers:
----- Bl. Amalio Zariquiegui Mendoza of Salinas de Oro [baptized Justo] (died at age 50)
----- Bl. Aurelius Mary Villalón Acebrón of Zafra de Zancara [Aurelio María] [baptized Benvenuto] (died at age 46)
----- Bl. Edimigio Primo Rodríguez of Adalia [baptized Isidro (Isidore)] (died at age 55)
----- Bl. Evencio Ricardo Alonso Uyarra of Viloria de Rioja [baptized Eusebio (Eusebius)] (died at age 29)
----- Bl. Joseph Cecil Rodríguez González of Molina de Ubierna [José Cecilio] [baptized Bonifacio (Boniface)] (died at age 51)
----- Bl. Theodomir Joachim Sáinz Sáinz of Puéntedey [Teodomiro Joaquín] [baptized Adriano (Adrian)] (died on his 29th birthday)
----- Bl. Walter Bernard Herrero Martínez of Santa María de Porquera de los Infantes [Valerio Bernardo] [baptized Marciano] (died at age 27)
St. Balsamie (French, nurse, 5th century)
St. Edmund Rich of Abingdon (English, theologian, teacher at Oxford, archbishop of Canterbury, adviser to king, died at about age 62 in 1242 [canonized 1246]) [commemorated by some on the 20th]
Bl. Edward Osbaldeston of Lancaster (English, priest, martyred under Elizabeth I in 1594 [beatified 1987])
St. Elpidius, Marcellus, Eustochius, and companions (dragged by horses and martyred by burning in 362)
St. Eucherius of Lyons (French, monk, hermit, bishop, c. 450)
St. Fidentius of Padua (Italian, 2nd century)
St. Gobrian of Vannes (French, bishop, hermit, d. 725)
Bl. Grace of Cattaro [Grazia] (Dalmatian [from part of what is now Croatia], fisherman, Augustinian brother, died at about age 71 in 1509 [beatified 1889])
St. Joseph Mkasa Balikuddembe of Buganda (Uganda, prefect of royal pages, companion of St. Charles Lwanga, martyred by beheading in 1885 [beatified 1920, canonized 1964])
Bl. Louis Morbioli of Bologna [Luigi] (Italian, Carmelite tertiary, died at about age 56 in 1495 [beatified 1842])
St. Mechtilde of Saxony (German, Cistercian nun, mystic, spiritual guide of St. Gertrude, d. 1298)
St. Othmar of Saint-Gall (Swiss, Benedictine abbot, d. 759)
Sts. Rufinus, Marcus, Valerius, and companions (African, early martyrs)
Bl. Simeon of La Cava (Italian, Benedictine abbot, died at about age 60 in 1141 [beatified 1928])

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), November 16, 2004

Answers

[Prayer by St. Gertrude:]

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary.
O my adorable and loving Savior, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Yours is aflame. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Your love. Let my heart be united with Yours. Let my will be conformed to Yours in all things. May Your Will be the rule of all my desires and actions. Amen.

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 16, 2004.