ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS OCTOBER 11, St. Kenneth, Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos, St. Ethelburga, St. John of Bridlington,

 ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS OCTOBER 11 

St. Kenneth. Kenneth is a derivative of Canice. All we know about Canice is from unreliable legend, according to which he was born at Glengiven, Ireland. He became a monk under St. Cadoc at Llancarfan, Wales, and was ordained there. After a trip to Rome, he studied under St. Finnian at Clonard, Ireland, accompanied Ss. Kieran, Columba, and Comgall to St. Mobhi at Glasnevin. He preached for a time in Ireland, and then went to Scotland. A close friend of Columba's whom he accompanied on a visit to King Brude of the Picts; he was a most successful missionary. He built a monastery at Aghaboe, Ireland, and probably one at Kilkenny. He is also known as Kenneth and Cainnech. 

 Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos. Francis Xavier Seelos was born in Fussen, Germany, in 1819. Expressing his desire for the priesthood since an early age, he entered the diocesan seminary of Augsburg after completing his studies in philosophy. Upon learning of the charism and missionary activity of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, he decided to join and go to North America. He arrived in the United States on April 20, 1843, entered the Redemptorist novitiate and completed his theological studies, being ordained a priest on December 22, 1844. 

 St. Ethelburga, Benedictine abbess, daughter of the king of the East Angles and sister of Sts. Eronwald, Etheldreda, Sexburga, and Withburga. St. Erconwald founded a convent for her at Barking, in Essex, England. She was trained as an abbess by St. Hildelid, who came from France to assist her.  

St. John of Bridlington, 1379 A.D. Augustinian prior and patron of women who face difficult labors. He was born John Thwing in Bridlington, Yorkshire, England, in 1319, and became a student at Oxford. Joining the Augustinians at Bridlington, he served as prior for seventeen years until his death. He was canonized in 1401.