Jmj

On December 1, 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. Agericus of Verdun (French, bishop, died at about age 67 in 588)
St. Agnofleta (French, nun, 7th century)
St. Ananias of Arbela (Persian, early martyr)
St. Ansanus the Baptizer, of Rome ["Apostle of Siena"] (Italian, martyred in 304)
Bl. Antony Bonfadini of Ferrara [Antonio] (Italian, Franciscan, missionary, died at about age 82 in 1482 [beatified 1901])
St. Candres of Maestricht (Belgian, bishop, 5th century)
St. Castritian of Milan (Italian, bishop for 42 years, d. 137)
Bl. Christian of Perugia [Cristiano] (Italian, disciple of St. Dominic, 13th century)
St. Constantian of Javron (French, abbot, d. 570)
Sts. Diodorus, Marianus, and companions, of Rome (Italian, martyred by starving [buried in catacombs] in 283)
Sts. Edmund Campion of London, Alexander Briant of Somerset, and Ralph Sherwin of Rodsley (English, convert and two returned apostates, priests [two Jesuits, one diocesan], martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] under Elizabeth I in 1581 [beatified 1886, canonized 1970]) [Approximate ages at death: 41, 25, and 31]
St. Eligius of Chaptelet (French, master metalsmith, bishop of Noyon-Tournai, died at about age 72 in 660)
St. Evasius of Asti (Italian, bishop, martyred c. 362)
St. Florentius of Amboise (French, layman, 6th century)
St. Grwst (Welsh, 7th century)
Bl. John Garbella of Mosso Santa Maria [Giovanni] (Italian, professor of law, Dominican Master General, papal legate, died in France at about age 78 in 1283 [beatified 1903])
Bl. John Beche of Colchester [alias Thomas Marshall] (English, Oxford doctor of divinity, Benedictine abbot, martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] under Henry VIII in 1539 [beatified 1895])
Bl. John van Ruysbroeck of Brussels [Jan] (Belgian, Augustinian prior, mystical writer, died at about age 88 in 1381 [beatified 1908])
St. Leontius of Fréjus (French, bishop, c. 432)
Sts. Lucius, Rogatus, Cassian, and Candida, of Rome (Italian, early martyrs)
Sts. Martinus and Declan (Irish, missionaries to Germany, 8th century)
St. Nahum of Elkosh (Israelite, prophet, author of Old Testament book, c. 660 BC)
St. Natalia of Nicomedia (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], widow [witnessed husband Adrian's martyrdom], c. 311)
St. Olympiades of Rome (Italian, nobleman, martyred in 303)
St. Proculus of Narni (Italian, bishop, martyred by barbarians c. 542)
Bl. Ralph Ashley (English, Jesuit brother, tortured [racked] and martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] under James I in 1606 [beatified 1929])
Bl. Richard Langley of Ousethorpe (English, layman, martyred [hanged] under Elizabeth I in 1586 [beatified 1929])
St. Simon of Cyrene (from North Africa [modern Libya], helped Jesus carry his cross on Good Friday, 1st century)
St. Thomas Garnet of Southwark (English, Jesuit priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] at about age 34 under James I in 1608 [beatified 1929, canonized 1970])
St. Tudwal of Tréguier (Welsh, monk in Wales, missionary in Spain, bishop in France, c. 564)
St. Ursicinus of Brescia (Italian, bishop, d. 347)

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), December 01, 2004

Answers

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 01, 2004.