December 4 -- today's saints and blesseds

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Jmj

On December 4, 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. John of Damascus [often called John Damascene] ["Doctor of Christian Art"] (Syrian, financial officer of Moslem ruler, defender of art vs. iconoclasts, priest, theologian, orator [called Chrysorrhoas = Golden Stream], last Greek Church Father, first Christian Aristotelean, Doctor of the Church, died at about age 73 in 749)

St. Ada of Le Mans (French, abbess, 7th century)
Bl. Adolph Kolping of Kerpen [Adolf] (German, diocesan priest, died at age 52 in 1865 [beatified 1991])
St. Bernard degli Uberti of Florence [Bernardo] (Italian, Benedictine abbot, cardinal bishop of Parma, papal legate, d. 1133)
St. Cyran of Brenne (French, hermit, 7th century)
St. Felix of Milan (Italian, bishop of Bologna, d. 429)
Bl. Francis Galvez of Utiel [Francisco], Bl. Jerome de Angelis of Castrogiovanni [Girolamo], and Bl. Simon Yempo of Nozo (Spanish / Sicilian / Japanese ... Franciscan missionary priest / Jesuit missionary priest / lay catechist [a converted Buddhist monk] in Japan ... martyred by burning in 1623 [beatified 1867]) [Bl. Jerome died at about age 55.]
St. John Calabria of Verona [Giovanni] (Italian, impoverished and fatherless, priest, founded Congregation of the Poor Servants of Divine Providence, founded Poor Sister Servants of Divine Providence, died at age 81 in 1954 [beatified 1988, canonized 1999])
St. Maruthas of Maiferkat (Mesopotamian [Iraqi], teacher in Syria and Persia, bishop, composer of hymns, c. 415)
St. Melitus of Pontus (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], bishop, c. 295)
St. Osmund of Séez (French, count [part of Norman invasion force of 1066], chancellor of England, bishop of Salisbury, d. 1099 [canonized 1456])

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 04, 2004

Answers

[Excerpt from an "Exposition of the orthodox faith" by St. John of Damascus:]

"The saints must be honored as friends of Christ and children and heirs of God, as John the theologian and evangelist says: 'But as many as received him, he gave them the power to be made the sons of God....' Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all the apostles, martyrs, ascetics and just men who announced the coming of the Lord. And let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering, and perseverance unto death, so that we may also share their crowns of glory."

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 04, 2004.


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