Christian Today

St. Julitta, Roman Catholic Martyred woman of Caesarea in Cappadocia, in modem Turkey. She lost all her estates in a court case. Her opponent suffered a decision against his claims and denounced Julitta as a Christian, thus gaining the entire land in the dispute. She was burned at the stake. Feastday July 30

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 30 St. Tatwine 734 A.D.  Archbishop of Canterbury from 731. Probably from Mercia, England, he became a monk at Bredon, and eventually was named archbishop of Canterbury in succession to Brithwald. Respected by St. Bede, he was the author of several works, including a grammar and riddles.  Bl. Thomas Abel , 1540 A.D. English martyr. A graduate of Oxford University, Thomas served as chaplain to Queen Catharine of Aragon, proving intensely loyal to her cause during the ordeal of the divorce proceedings against her by King Henry VIII of England (r. 1509-1547). Arrested by English authorities for denying the spiritual supremacy of the king, he was incarcerated in the Tower of London for six years, finally receiving execution at Smithfield. He was beatified in 1886.  Bl. Edward Powell, 1504 A.D. English martyr, a councilor to Queen Catherine of Aragon, wife of King Henry VIII. A Welshman, Edward was a canon of Salisbury, England, and a fellow of Odd, noted fo

ST. PETER CHRYSOLOGUS, BISHOP OF RAVENNA AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH Peter Chrysologus was Bishop of Ravenna in the 5th century, when the Italian city was the capital of the western Roman empire. He is famous for his homilies, and his preaching earned him the epithet “golden-worded” (Chrysologus). St Peter was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1729.   July 30 STS. ABDON AND SENNEN, MARTYRS

Bl. Urban II, Urban supported the Christian conquest of Spain from the Moors, and at the council of Claremont in 1095, he declared the Truce of God and preached the first crusade. Feastday 7/29 St. Martha Wang, Roman Catholic Martyr of Tonkin, Vietnam, who was arrested carrying letters from the imprisoned martyrs, Blesseds Joseph Tshang and Paul Tcheng. She was beheaded with them at Tsingai. Feastday July 29th.

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 29 St. Kilian, 7th century. An Irish abbot who wrote the life of St. Brigid. He ruled a monastery on the island of Iniscaltra, Ireland.

ST. BEATRICE OF ROME The persecution of Christians was raging. From the bridge called the  pons aemilius , which spanned the Tiber River over Tiber Island, the bodies of her two brothers, Simplicius and Faustinus, were tossed into the waters below. They had been put to death because they were Christians. Pain and fear must have been the feelings that invaded the woman’s heart, but she did not hesitate to try to recover their bodies to give them a proper burial. Thanks to the help of two priests, she managed to recover them from the river. She gave them burial in the place, where she would herself eventually be laid to rest.. Martyrdom for Christ It was not long before Beatrice met the same fate as her brothers. She was denounced as a Christian, imprisoned and, despite the threats she received, persevered in the faith. Another woman, Lucina, buried Beatrice in the place where her brothers rested, a cemetery on the via Portuense. The catacomb of Generosa The catacomb cal

St. Alphonsa, Roman Catholic Nun, Patron against illness. Feastday July 28 St. Innocent I, Roman Catholic Pope, succeeding Pope St. Anastasius I, on December 22, 401. Innocent emphasized papal supremacy and strongly favored clerical celibacy. Feastday July 28th.

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 28 St. Samson, 565 A.D. Welsh bishop and evangelizer. Born at Glamorgan, Wales, he became a disciple of St. Illtyd at the monastery of Lianwit (Llantwit) in southern Glamorgan and then lived as a monk (and later abbot) of a community on Caldey Island (Ynys Byr). He was joined there by his uncle, Umbrafel, and his father, Amon. After a trip to Ireland, Samson became a hermit with Amon whom he cured of a mortal illness. During a trip to Cornwall, he was consecrated a bishop and appointed an abbot. He then departed England and went to Brittany where he spent the rest of his life as a missionary, even though he had long searched for solitude. Samson founded monasteries, including one at Dol and another at Pental, in Normandy. He was one of the foremost (if not relatively unknown) evangelizers of his century and has long been venerated with enthusiasm in Wales and Brittany.

B. URBAN II, POPE STS. NAZARIO AND CELSO, MARTYRS IN MILAN ST. VICTOR I, POPE

St. Anthusa, Roman Catholic Abbess tortured by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine V. Anthusa was originally a hermitess, becoming abbess of the convent near Constantinople. Because of her veneration of sacred images, she was arrested by the emperor, who, as an ardent iconoclast, opposed such sacramentals. Anthusa was tortured severely until the empress intervened and secured her release.  Feastday: July 27 Bl. Rudolf Acquaviva, Roman Catholic Jesuit Priest and  Martyr. he was the nephew of Claudius Acquaviva, the fifth master general of the Jesuits, and he followed his uncle into the Society of Jesus. In 1549, he was sent to India, going to the court of Mogul Akbar near Agra. He became superior of the Salsette mission. Rudolf was martyred at Salsette, near Goa, by Hindus, with four companions, including Alfonso Pacheco.  Feastday: July 27 Bl. Titus Brandsma, Carmelite martyr who died at the hands of the Nazis. When the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, Titus was singled out as an en

Sts. Natalie & Aurelius, Roman Catholic Martyr for her Faith with her husband Aurelius. According to his biography by St. Eulogius of Toledo, Aurelius was the son of a Moor and a Spanish woman, and was orphaned as a child. He was secretly raised a Christian by his aunt during the Moorish persecution of Christians. He married a half Moorish woman, Sabigotho, who took the name Natalie when he converted her to Christianity. They were both beheaded for practicing their religion openly together with George, a monk from Jerusalem whom Aurelius had befriended. FeastdayJuly 27th

ST. CELESTIN I, POPE ST. SIMEON STYLITES ST. PANTALEON, PHYSICIAN, MARTYR

Bl. Andrew of Phu Yen, "Protomartyr of Vietnam" After refusing to abjure the faith, he was put to death in Ke Kham. July 26

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 26 Bl. William Ward, 1641 A.D. Martyr of England. Born in Westmorland, England, he went to Douai, France, in 1604, where he studied and received ordination in 1608. Upon returning home to England, William was forced to land in Scotland and was arrested and imprisoned for three years. He was released and went on to England, where he spent twenty of his thirty-three years as a missionary in prison. When Catholic priests were banished on April 7, 1641, William was arrested. On July 26, he was executed at Tyburn.  Bl. John Ingram, 1594 A.D. Martyr of Scotland. He was born in Stoke Edith, Herefordshire, in 1565, and became a convert at Oxford. After conversion, he went to Reims and Rome and was ordained in 1589. Sent to Scotland in 1592, John was arrested on the Tyneside and taken to the Tower of London, where he was tortured Martyred at Gateshead, he was hanged, drawn, and quartered.

STS. JOACHIM AND ANNE, PARENTS OF B. V. MARY

St. Theodemir, Roman Catholic Monk and Martyr of Spain. He was martyred at Cordoba under  Muslim Emir Abd al-Rahman II (r. 822-852), because he would not recant his Christian faith. Feastday July 25

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 25 St. Nissen . Abbot and an Irishman, he was converted by St. Patrick and later became abbot of Mountgarret monastery in Wexford.

ST. CHRISTOPHER, MARTYR Protector of travelers The most popular image of St. Christopher depicts him as a huge, bearded man, carrying the Christ-Child on his shoulders as he wades across a river. The Child Jesus is holding the world in His hands like a ball. This image dates back to one of the most famous biographies of those who were martyred on July 25 th  in Samos, in Lycia. According to this tradition, Christopher’s real name was Reprobus and he was a giant of a man who wanted to be at the service of the world's strongest king. When he visited the court of a king who was apparently invincible, he entered his service. One day, while the king was listening to a song that mentioned the Devil, Reprobus saw him make the sign of the cross and asked him why he performed this gesture. The king replied that he was afraid of the Devil and that every time he heard him mentioned he made the sign of the cross for protection. Reprobus then decided to look for the Devil who was ev

Bl. Maria Pilar Martinez Garcia & Companions, Roman Catholic Carmelite nun, with Maria Angeles Valtierra and Teresa Garcia y Garcia. They were killed in Guadalajara, Spain, by communists in the civil war. Maria Pilar Martinez was an older nun from Tarazona, Zaragoza.Feastday July 24 Bl. Maria Angeles of Saint Joseph was a Carmelite nun at the monastery of Guadalajara, Spain. She was one of hundreds of martyrs during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939. Feastday July 24 Bl. Joseph Fernandez, Roman Catholic Dominican Martyr of Vietnam. He was sent there in 1805 as an ordained priest and appointed provincial vicar of the mission. He was beheaded. Feastday July 24

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 24 St. Declan. St. Declan First bishop of Ardmore in Ireland July 24     was baptized by St. Colman, and preached the faith in that country a little before the arrival of St. Patrick, who confirmed the Episcopal see of Ardmore, in a synod at Cashel in 448. Many miracles are ascribed to St. Declan, and he has ever been much honored in the viscounty of Dessee, anciently Nandesi.  Sts. Wulfhade and Ruffinus , 7th century.  Wulfhade and Ruffinus (d.c. seventh century). Martyrs of England. Little is known about them with any certainty, although according to tradition they were two princes of Mercia who were baptized by St. Chad and were swiftly executed by their pagan father. They were martyred at Stone, Staffordshire St. John Boste , 1594 A.D. One of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. He was born at Dufton, at Westmoreland, England, and studied at Oxford. Becoming a Catholic in 1576, he went to Reims and received ordination in 1581. John went back to

ST. CHRISTINE, VIRGIN AND MARTYR Like many ancient martyrs, Christina was a young woman who, on account of her love of Christ, found enemies within her own family. She was tortured by her own father to induce her to renounce her faith. After his death, the torture continued, until, shot by arrows, she won the crown of martyrdom.    ST. CHARBEL MAKHLOUF, PRIEST

Saint John Cassian (c. 360 – 435 AD), John the Ascetic, or John Cassian the Roman  was a Christian monk and theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern Churches for his mystical writings. Cassian is noted for his role in bringing the ideas and practices of Christian monasticism to the early medieval West. Feastday July 23 Martyrs of Bulgaria, Roman Catholic Martyrs caught in the war between the Byzantine Empire and the pagan Bulgars. Many were slain in battle, while others were put to death for the faith. Feastday July 23

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 23 Sts. Rasyphus and Ravennus, 5th century. Martyrs. They came from Britain, fleeing the islands upon the invasions by the Anglo Saxons. Settling in Gaul, they became hermits and were martyred, perhaps by Arian Goths who were advancing through the West. Their relics are enshrined in the cathedral of Bayeux.

ST. BRIDGET, RELIGIOUS, PATRON OF EUROPE

St. Theophilus, Roman Catholic Admiral and Martyr. An officer in charge of the Byzantine fleet stationed at Cyprus, he was captured in battle against an Arab fleet, despite the pleas of his officers to retreat when the cause was hopeless. He spent one year in a Muslim prison and was then martyred after he refused to abjure the Christian faith. Feastday July 22

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 22 Sts. Philip Evans and John Lloyd.  Philip Evans was born at Monmouth in 1645, was educated at Saint Omer, and joined the Society of Jesus at the age of twenty. In 1675 he was ordained at Liege and sent to South Wales. He was soon well known for his zeal, but no active notice was taken by the authorities until the scare of Oates plot, when in the November of 1678 John Arnold, of Llanvihangel Court near Abergavenny, a justice of the peace and hunter of priests, offered a reward of £200 for his arrest. Father Evans refused to leave his flock, and early in December was caught at the house of Christopher Turberville at Sker in Glamorgan. He refused the oath and was confined alone in an underground dungeon in Cardiff Castle. Two or three weeks afterwards he was joined by Mr. John Lloyd, a secular priest, who had been taken at Penlline in Glamorgan. He was a Breconshire man, who had taken the missionary oath at Valladolid in 1649 and been sent to minister in

ST. MARY MAGDALENE, DISCIPLE OF THE LORD Apostle of the Apostles "Apostle of the Apostles" is the title given Mary Magdalene by St Thomas Aquinas. Her name comes from her home town of Magdala, a fishing village on the western shore of Lake Tiberias. St Luke the Evangelist tells us, in Chapter 8 of his Gospel, how Jesus went from town to town announcing the Good News of the Kingdom of God, and how the Twelve Apostles were with Him together with some women who had been healed of evil spirits or infirmities, and were serving them. Among these was a certain "Mary, called the Magdalene, from whom seven demons came out." Misconceptions about her identity: she was not a prostitute As Biblical exegesis teaches, the expression 'seven demons' could indicate a serious physical or moral malady that had struck the woman and from which Jesus had freed her. But, until now, tradition has claimed that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. This is only because in Cha

St. Julia of Troyes, Roman Catholic Martyr of Troyes, France. Taken captive by the Romans, she was given to Claudius, a soldier. Julia converted him to Christ, and they were beheaded as martyrs. Feastday July 21

ST. LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI, CAPUCHIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH Lawrence entered the Capuchin order when he was only 16. He was entrusted with important missions by Popes as well as secular princes. He died in Lisbon in 1619, and was canonized by Leo XIII in 1881. In 1959, St John XXIII declared St Lawrence a Doctor of the Church.   ST. PRAXEDES, MARTYR IN THE CHURCH SHE FOUNDED ON THE ESQUILINO S. EZECHIEL, PROPHET

St. Paul of St. Zoilus, Roman Catholic Spanish martyr. Paul was a deacon of Cordoba, Spain, and a member of the community of St. Zoilus in that city. He devoted much of his effort to bringing aid to those Christians imprisoned by Muslim officials. Seized by members of the ruling Islamic government, he was beheaded. Feastday July 20

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 20 St. Etheidwitha. Widowed queen of King Alfred the Great of England. She was an Anglo-Saxon princess, also called Ealsitha. Etheldwitha founded a convent at Winchester in the Benedictine rule and became the abbess there.

ST. APOLLINARIS, BISHOP OF RAVENNA AND MARTYR ST. AURELIUS, BISHOP OF CARTHAGE Aurelius was Bishop of Carthage at the end of the 4th century. At the time, the churches of North Africa were split by the Donatist schism. Supported by the St Augustine, Aurelius worked to heal the division. He made sure that all his efforts were in harmony with the Roman Church. He died in 430.    ST. ELIJAH, PROPHET

Saint Aurea, Roman Catholic Martyr of Spain. Aurea was born in Cordoba, Spain. She was widowed there and became a Christian. Entering a convent at Cuteclara, she was denounced by her family to the Moorish authorities. Aurea was beheaded. Feastday July 19

Sts. Justa and Rufina,  Roman Catholic Virgins and Martyrs (Feast - July 19) These martyrs were two Christian women at Seville in Spain who maintained themselves by selling earthenware. Not to concur in idolatrous superstitions, they refused to sell vessels for the use of heathen ceremonies and when the worshipers broke up their stock-in-trade, Justa and Rufina retorted by overthrowing the image of a false goddess. Whereupon the people impeached them for their faith before the governor. The prefect, after they had boldly confessed Christ, commanded them to be stretched on the rack and their sides to be torn with hooks. An idol was placed near the rack with incense, that if they would offer sacrifice they should be released; but their fidelity was not to be shaken. Justa died on the rack; the judge ordered Rufina to be strangled, and their bodies to be burned. Feastday July 19

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 19 St. John Plessington, 1697 A.D. One of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. He was born at Dimples, Lancashire, England, and the son of a Royalist Catholic. Educated at Valladolid, Spain, and St. Omer’s in France. he was ordained in Segovia in 1662. John returned to England after ordination and served as a missionary in Cheshire. He became a tutor at Puddington Hall near Chester until his arrest and martyrdom by hanging at Barrowshill, Boughton. near Chester. Pope Paul VI canonized him in 1970.

When he was elected Pope in 498, Symmachus faced numerous challenges, including threats from the Ostrogothic King Theodoric, and a schism led by the antipope Laurentius. He is known for his charitable work, including freeing slaves. St Symmachus is said to have built the first palace on the Vatican.  

What Happened to Alex and Ani?

St. Marina, Roman Catholic Martyr of Orense, in Spanish Galicia, Spain.Marina and her sisters were baptized by the bishop of Braga Saint Ovidius (Ovid, Ovidio) and brought up in the Christian faith. When they were twenty, they were accused of being Christians and brought before their father the governor. He recognized them as his own daughters, and asked them to renounce their faith, promising them luxuries. The sisters refused and were imprisoned. They managed to escape and were ultimately martyred for their faith. A spring of water gushed out of the spot where they were beheaded; the spot was called Aguas Santas ("Holy Waters"). Feastday July 18

St. Theodosia of Constantinople, Roman Catholic Nun and Martyr at the monastery of St. Anastasia. She led a group of nuns in defense of the icon of Christ which hung over the main door of the community when soldiers were sent to enforce the decrees of the Iconoclast emperors Leo Ill the Isaurian  and Constantine V. Theodosia and twelve other nuns were arrested and tortured; Theodosia died of her grievous injuries while in prison.  Feastday: July 18

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 18 St. Theneva , 7th century. Also called Thenova, the patron saint of Glasgow, Scotland, with her son St. Kentigern.  St. Minnborinus , 986 A.D.  Benedictine abbot. He was born in Ireland and became abbot of St. Martin Monastery in Cologne, Germany, in 974. There he promoted monastic reform and scholarly pursuits.  St. Edburga of Bicester, 7th century. Nun at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, the daughter of Penda , the pagan king of Mercia. Her shrine is at Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, but her relics, originally at Bicester, were taken to Flanders, Belgium.

ST. BRUNO OF SEGNI, BISHOP ST. AEMILIANUS, MARTYR OF MESIA

Supremacy and Survival: The English Reformation: Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiegne : Ten years ago this November, I visited the graves of the Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiegne --the mass graves behind a gate and wa...

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 17 St. Turninus, 9th century. Irish priest and missionary. He labored to help evangelize the region of the Netherlands with St. Foillan, especially in the area around Antwerp.  St. Cynllo, 5th century. Welsh saint, patron of churches named in his honor. No records of his life are extant. St. Fredegand. Benedictine abbot, an Irishman and a companion of St. Foillan. He was abbot of Kerkeloder Abbey, near Antwerp, Belgium, also listed as Fregaut. He also aided St. Willibrord.  St. Kenelm, 821 A.D. Martyred king of Mercia, England. Traditions state that he was the son of King Kenulf, who succeeded to the throne at the age of seven. He was murdered by henchmen of his sister, Cynefrith. Another tradition states that his sister Quendreda bribed his tutor to slay him. He is buried at Winchcombe Abbey, in Gloucestershire. Miracles took place there. Kenelm is now belived to have died before his father. He is mentioned in the Canterbury Tales.

ST. ALEXIUS Several legends revolve around the figure of St Alexius. He is said to have lived as a beggar under a staircase of his own house, unrecognized by his family. After his death, his identity was discovered, and he was honoured as a saint.   ST. MARCELLINA, VIRGIN, SISTER OF ST. AMBROSE, BISHOP ST. LEO IV, POPE

St. Athenogenes, Roman Catholic Bishop and Martyr,  Burnt alive with ten disciples at Sebaste. He is the author of the earliest known Christian hymn recorded outside of the Bible that is still in use today. Feastday July 16

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY July 16 St. Tenenan , 7th century.  Hermit and bishop. A native of Britain, he lived for many years as a recluse in Brittany, France, and later served as bishop of Le6n, Spain.  St. Helier, 6th century.  Martyr on the island of Jersey, Britain. Also called Helerous, he was murdered by pagans he was evangelizing. He was born in Tongres, Belgium, and raised by a priest; later, he spent time with St. Marculf at Nanteuil.

S. MARY MAGDALEN POSTEL, VIGIN, FOUNDRESS OF POOR DAUGHTERS OF MERCY

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 15 St. Swithun "Swithin". Swithun, also spelled Swithin, was born in Wessex, England and was educated at the old monastery, Winchester, where he was ordained. He became chaplain to King Egbert of the West Saxons, who appointed him tutor of his son, Ethelwulf, and was one of the King's counselors. Swithun was named bishop of Winchester in 852 when Ethelwulf succeeded his father as king. Swithun built several churches and was known for his humility and his aid to the poor and needy. He died on July 2. A long-held superstition declares it will rain for forty days if it rains on his feast day of July 15, but the reason for and origin of this belief are unknown. St. Donald. All that is recorded of this saint, whose name is so common in Scotland, is that he lived at Ogilvy in Forfarshire in the eighth century, that his wife bore him nine daughters, and that on her death they formed a sort of community who led the religious life under his directi

Bl. Alphonsus de Vaena, Bl. James Andrade, Bl. Joanninus de San Juan, Bl. John Fernandez, Bl. Nicholas Dinnis, Roman Catholic Jesuit Priests and Martyrs, In 1570 he joined the band of Jesuits led by Ignatius de Azevedo assigned to the West Indies. On board the ship, the Jesuits were put to death by the captain of the vessel, who was a Protestant Huguenot. Feastday July 15

ST. BONAVENTURE OF BAGNOREGIO, CARDINAL, BISHOP OF ALBAN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, FRANCISCAN ST. POMPILIO M. PIROTTI, PIARIST

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 14 Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha , 1680 A.D. Patron of the environment and ecology.  Kateri was born near the town of Auriesville, New York, in the year 1656, the daughter of a Mohawk warrior. She was four years old when her mother died of smallpox. The disease also attacked Kateri and transfigured her face. She was adopted by her two aunts and an uncle. Kateri became converted as a teenager. She was baptized at the age of twenty and incurred the great hostility of her tribe. Although she had to suffer greatly for her Faith, she remained firm in it. Kateri went to the new Christian colony of Indians in Canada. Here she lived a life dedicated to prayer, penitential practices, and care for the sick and aged. Every morning, even in bitterest winter, she stood before the chapel door until it opened at four and remained there until after the last Mass. She was devoted to the Eucharist and to Jesus Crucified. She died on April 7, 1680 at the age of twenty-four. She

ST. CAMILLUS DE LELLIS, PRIEST, FOUNDER OF THE ORDER OF THE MINISTERS OF THE SICK

St. Teresa de los Andes, Roman Catholic Carmelite Nun,  also known as Saint Teresa of Jesus of Los Andes.  100,000 pilgrims who visit each year the shrine where her remains are venerated in the Shrine of Saint Teresa of Los Andes in the township of Los Andes, 60 miles (100 km.) from Santiago. She is Chile's first saint, and is specially popular among women and young people. Feastday: July 13

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 13 Bl. Thomas Tunstal, 1616 A.D.  English martyr. Born in Whinfell, near Kendal, Westmoreland, he studied for the priesthood at Douai, France, and was ordained there in 1609. The next year he returned to England but was arrested almost immediately upon his arrival. Escaping, Thomas was recaptured and taken to Norwich where he spent six years in confinement until finally being hanged, drawn, and quartered. While in prison, he joined the Benedictine Order. St. Dogfan , 5th century. Welsh martyr, descended from chieftain Brychan of Brecknock. He was slain by pagan invaders at Dyfed, Wales. A church there honors his memory.

ST.HENRY II, EMPEROR It’s difficult to understand the life of St Henry without considering the strong Christian formation he received from his childhood. Henry was born in Bamberg in 973, the son of the Duke of Bavaria. He grew up in a profoundly Christian atmosphere, receiving his education first from the canons at Hildesheim, and later, in Ratisbon (now Regensburg), from St Wolfgang, the Bishop of that city. He succeeded his father as duke; and later his cousin, Otto III, as King of Germany in 1002. Two years later, he added the title King of Italy. In 1014 Henry was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Benedict VIII. The Emperor and the Cluniac reform Henry’s support for the moral reform begun from the Abbey of Cluny was significant. Cluny’s abbot, St Odilo, was also one of Henry’s counsellors. The Cluniac Reforms affected not only monastic life, but the whole life of the Church. He helped the Church combat simony (the buying and selling of ecclesiastical goods and offices),

St. John Wall, Roman Catholic Priest and English Martyr, and imprisoned for five months. He was martyred by being hanged, drawn, and quartered at Redhill. Feastday July12    

St. Agnes De, Roman Catholic Woman Vietnamese Martyr, Agnes was arrested and died in prison at Namdinh. Feastday: July 12

Bl. Monica Naisen, Roman Catholic laywoman and Japanese Martyr. she was arrested for sheltering Blessed John Baptist Zola and was beheaded at Nagasaki with her husband, Blessed John Naisen. Feastday: July 12

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 12 St. Menulphus, 7th century. Bishop of Quimper in Brittany, France, originally an Irish pilgrim. Also called Menou, Menuiphus made a journey to Rome and died at Bourges on his return to Quimper.  Bl. David Gonson , 1541 A.D. Martyred English knight of St. John. He was the son of a British viceadmiral. David was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Southwark. St. John Jones , 1598 A.D. Franciscan member of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. He was born in Clynog Fawr, Gwynedd, Wales, and left the island for Rome where he became a Franciscan. He was ordained and returned to England in 1592, where he used the alias Buckley to assist his work. Arrested by English authorities for caring for the prisoners of London, he was kept in confinement for two years. John was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Southwark, London. Pope Paul VI canonized him in 1970.

ST. JOHN GUALBERT, ABBOT, FOUNDER OF THE VALLOMBROSANI STS. NABOR AND FELIX, MARTYRS OF MILAN

St. Abundius , Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr of Spain who faced Islamic persecution. Abundius, who was a pastor in Ananelos, was arrested in Córdoba, Spain, when he refused to abandon his Christian faith. Brought before the Caliph, the Muslim ruler of the city, he preached about Christianity and the Church. the Caliph condemned him and beheaded him. Feastday July 11

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 11 St. Turketil , 975 A.D. Abbot and brother of King Edred of England, he served as his chancellor until 948 when he abandoned the court life and entered a monastery. He soon became abbot of Croyland and successfully established a school which was attached to the community.  St. Oliver Plunkett, 1 681 A.D. Oliver Plunkett was born in Loughcrew in County Meath, Ireland on November 1, 1625. In 1647, he went to study for the priesthood in the Irish College in Rome. On January 1, 1654, he was ordained a priest in the Propaganda College in Rome. Due to religious persecution in his native land, it was not possible for him to return to minister to his people. Oliver taught in Rome until 1669, when he was appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland. Archbishop Plunkett soon established himself as a man of peace and, with religious fervor, set about visiting his people, establishing schools, ordaining priests, and confirming thousands.  The year 1673

ST. PIUS I, POPE ST. BENEDICT, ABBOT, PATRON OF EUROPE The thought of St. Benedict is the lifeblood of Europe Born in the central Italian mountain town of Norcia (Nursia) around AD 480, St. Benedict became one of the most important catalysts for the creation of a new European culture after the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (traditionally dated to AD 476). The system of monastic life he developed and nourished spread centers of prayer and hospitality throughout the continent. Benedictine monasteries were not only spiritual and cultural centers, but also a source of sustenance and relief for pilgrims and the poor. Bright Star in a Dark Century St. Gregory the Great – who wrote the only ancient biography of St. Benedict that we have – called St. Benedict “a bright light” in an age marked by the most serious crisis. From his youth, Benedict’s life was marked by prayer. His wealthy parents send him to Rome to provide him with adequate training. There, howeve

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St. Peter Tu, Roman Catholic Martyr, a Vietnamese who became a catechist and was arrested by authorities. He was beheaded. Feastday: July 10

Martyrs of Damascus. Eight Franciscan and three Maronite martyrs slain in a Druse uprising in 1860 in Damascus, Syria. When they refused to accept the Muslim faith, they were executed. Pope Pius XI beatified them in 1926.July 10 Bl. Emmanuel Ruiz. Martyr with eleven companions in Lebanon. A Spanish Franciscan, Emmanuel and the others were caught up in the rising of the Druses in Lebanon. The Franciscan community, eight in number, and three Maronite laymen were slain by the Islamic rebels. 1860 A.D. He was beatified in 1926.

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JULY 10 St. Etto, 670 A.D. Irish missionary bishop in Belgium, also called Hitto. He was at St. Peter Abbey in Fescau .

STS. RUFINA AND SECUNDA, MARTYRS ON THE VIA CORNELIA Sts Rufina and Secunda lived in the 3rd century. They were engaged to be married, but their fiancés renounced Christ for fear of the persecutions. Rufina and Secunda then took vows of virginity. Enraged, their former fiancés denounced them as Christians. They were martyred around the year 260.   STS. ANATOLIA AND VICTORIA, MARTYRS