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On December 17, 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. Begga of Ardenne (French, widow, abbess, d. 693)
St. Briarch of Brittany (Welsh, abbot in France, d. 627)
St. Eigil of Fulda (probably German, Benedictine abbot, d. 822)
Sts. Florian, Calanicus, and 58 companions, of Beit Jibrin (Palestinian, marytred by Moslems in 638)
Bl. Hyacinth Mary Cormier of Orléans [Hyacinth-Marie] (French, Dominican friar, died at age 84 in 1916 [beatified 1994])
St. Joseph Manyanet y Vives of Tremp [José] (Spanish, priest, founded Congregation of the Sons of the Holy Family and the Sons of the Nazareth Family, died at about age 68 in 1901 [beatified 1984, canonized 2004])
Bl. Matilda of the Sacred Heart Téllez Robles of Robledillo de la Vera [Matilde del Sagrado Corazón] (Spanish, founded Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Mother of the Church, died at age 61 in 1902 [beatified 2004])
St. Maxentiolus of Cunault (probably French, abbot, 5th century)
St. Olympias of Constantinople (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], noblewoman, widow, d. 408)
St. Sturmi of Fulda ["Apostle of the Saxons"] (Bavarian, missionary priest, first German Benedictine abbot, d. 779 [canonized 1139])
St. Tydecho (Welsh, 6th century)
St. Wivina of Oisy (Belgian, virgin, hermitess, abbess, c. 1170)
Bl. Yolanda of Vianden [Yolande] (French, noblewoman, Dominican nun, d. 1283)

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 17, 2004

Answers

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 17, 2004.

ST BEGGA 698

Daughter of Blessed Pepin I of Landen, mayor of the palace, and Saint Ida of Nivelles. Sister of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles. Married Ansegilius, son of Saint Arnulf of Metz. Mother of Pepin of Herstal, founder of the Carolingian dynasty of rulers in France, in 635, and of Martin of Laon.

On the death of her husband in 691 in a hunting accident, she took the veil, founded founded seven churches, and built a convent at Ardenne on the Meuse River where she spent the rest of her days as abbess.

Died: 693 at Ardenne on the Meuse River

Canonized: Pre-Congregation

To see a picture go here: http://www.stjohn-catholic.org/images/Saints/Saint%20Begga%20-% 20web.JPG

-- St. Begga (698@yahoo.com), December 18, 2004.

ST BRIARCH OF BRITTANY 627, Natural Causes

Abbot and founder, a companion and evangelist with St. Tudwal. Briarch was an Irishman who entered a monastery in Wales. He went with St. Tudwal to Brittany, France. There he built a monastery and served as its first abbot.

READINGS: (Troparion of St. Briach) O holy Briach, thou dost teach us the value of renunciation, for thou didst renounce the world to seek salvation. Therefore we pray, that our lives may show forth the virtue of self denial and thereby attain the eternal salvation of our souls.

CANONIZED: Pre-Congregation

-- St Briarch (627@yahoo.com), December 18, 2004.

ST EIGIL (or ST AEGILIUS) 822

Benedictine abbot sometimes called Aegilius. Eigil became abbot of Fulda Monastery, in Germany, in 817. He restored the community and trained his successor, St. Rabanus Maurus.

DECEMBER 17, ANNUAL • READING OF EIGIL'S LIFE OF STURM

"...[Y]ou ask me to recount the life of the holy and venerable Abbot Sturm and to put into writing the early beginnings of the monastery of the Holy Savior which he founded and which is known by the name of Fulda. You also ask me to describe the events connected with the monastery as I have heard or seen them. As far as my capabilities allow, I have carried out your request and I have compressed into this little book both the early days and life of Sturm as reliable witnesses have recounted them to me, and the foundation of the aforesaid monastery. I have also added some details about the changes effected in the course of time, such as I have heard from others or seen with my own eyes. For I, Eigil, was his disciple for more than twenty years, and I was brought up and trained in the observance of his monastery from childhood. Some of the events, therefore, which I describe can be vouched for from my own experience."

The monks who were gathered for dinner at Fulda on this day, December 17, late in the eighth century, listened with interest as Eigil's letter to Abbess Angildruth was read aloud. Most of them had heard these words before, because the reading of the Life of Sturm was an annual tradition at Fulda. But the words still reminded them of their roots and of the noble men who had guided them in the recent past.

One of them was St. Eigil. Reared south of the Danube, he entered the Benedictine monastery of Fulda in Hesse. Sturm, its founder and abbot, was a relative. Eigil wrote Sturm's life. The picture he paints is of a prayerful man, a humble and obedient associate of the master missionary, St. Boniface. After a long and arduous search, blessed by miracles and improved by prayer, Sturm located the wilderness site on which Fulda would be built. Boniface appealed to Carloman, the King of the Franks, for permission to use the land. "We have found a site suitable for monastic life in the wilderness which is called Bochon, near the river Fulda, but this property belongs to you. I now beg Your Highness to give us this place, so that under your protection we may serve Christ there." All this is told in Eigil's letter.

According to Eigil, Sturm ruled well, for "by wise remarks and his personal example stimulated them to follow in his footsteps. For whenever he suggested the adoption of some point of monastic discipline he always took pains to do it first himself so that no one should say: 'Why are your words not confirmed by deeds?' " Sturm's popularity aroused jealousy; enemies turned the king against him. The noble abbot was exiled for many years on trumped up charges. Eventually, in answer to prayer, King Pippin restored him to Fulda. Sturm died in 779 and afterward, on Sturm's day, Eigil's account of his life was read.

Sturm's successor, Baugolf, served only three years before resigning. Ratgar, the man who took his place, was a tyrant who forced heavy building projects on the monks. He went so far as to expel Eigil because Eigil was too weak to work. After fifteen years, Ratgar was deposed.

The monks elected the elderly Eigil as their abbot. When Ratgar appeared, pleading to be readmitted. Eigil, with true Christian charity, used his influence with King Louis the Pious to readmit Ratgar into the community. Ratgar lived humbly and quietly after that. As for Eigil, he died in 822.

Sources: 1. Eigil. Life of Sturm. Medieval Sourcebook. 2. "Fulda." Catholic Encyclopedia. (Appleton, 1911). 3. Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church. Volume IV, Mediaeval Christianity From Gregory I to Gregory VII A. D. 590-1073. (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910).

-- St Eigil (822@yahoo.com), December 18, 2004.