Christian Today

Bl. Raymond Lull, he became a Franciscan tertiary, provided for his family, gave the rest of his wealth to the poor, and determined to devote the rest of his life to converting the Mohammedans. June 30

Protomartyrs of Rome The holy men and women are also called the “Protomartyrs of Rome.” They were accused of burning Rome by Nero , who burned Rome to cover his own crimes. Some martyrs were burned as living torches at evening banquets, some crucified, others were fed to wild animals. These martyrs died before Sts. Peter and Paul, and are called “disciples of the Apostles. . . whom the Holy Roman church sent to their Lord before the Apostles’ death.” Feastday: June 30

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 30 St. Airick, twelfth century. Hermit and companion of St. Godric. Airick was a noted recluse in England. St. Godric is recorded as being his friend and deathbed companion. St. Eurgain, 6th century. Virgin foundress of Wales. The daughter of chieftain Caradog of Glamorgan, Wales, she founded Cor-Eurgain, later called Llanwit. Bl. Philip Powell, 1594-1646 A.D. Benedictine English martyr. Born in the Gwent district, southeast Wales, or at Tralon, England, he was educated in London and then entered the Benedictines in Douni in 1614. Ordained in 1621, he was sent to assist the English mission and spent two decades in the area of Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall before being arrested. He also served as a chaplain in the Civil War. Philip was executed at Tyburn by being hanged, drawn, and quartered; he was beatified in 1929.

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 29 SAINT PAUL, APOSTLE OF THE CITY OF ROME The Apostle to the Gentiles, St. Paul was the greatest missionary in history. A Pharisee converted to Christ, his concern for expounding the faith to those, who heard him, would make him the first Christian theologian. His martyrdom is remembered on June 29, together with that of St. Peter. A Jew of Tarsus, in modern-day Turkey, Saul, a Roman citizen, educated at the Jewish school in Jerusalem, had also a good Greek-Hellenistic formation: he knew Greek and Latin. The son of a curtain weaver, he also learned his father's craft. Like many Jews at that time, he had a second Greco-Latin name: Paul, chosen for simple assonance with his own name. Stubborn, courageous and bold, Saul was a skilled debater. His personality emerges in the Acts of the Apostles and his 13 Letters. He never met Jesus while Our Lord was on Earth, and was among the first to persecute Christians, whom he considered a dangerous sect to be overt...

St. Mary Salome, Roman Catholic, Mother of John, surnamed Mark, who is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. Her home in Jerusalem was a gathering place of the Apostles. Peter went to Mary’s home when he was released from prison by King Herod. Feastday: June 29

St. Argymirus. Roman Catholic Martyr of Spain. A native of Cabra, Spain, he held a high position in one of the Islamic domains in the peninsula. Fired because of his Christian faith, Argymirus became a monk. he made a public statement of his beliefs and was beheaded. 858 A.D. Feastday June 28 ”

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 28 St. Almus, 1270 A.D. Cistercian abbot also called Alme and Alanus. He was a monk in the English Cistercian monastery at Melrose when he was elected abbot of Scotland's Balmerino monastery, founded by Ermengardis, the widow of William I of Scotland. St. John Southworth, 1654 A.D. One of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. He was born in Lancashire and became a priest in 1619 in Douai. Sent to England that same year, he was arrested but released through the intercession of Queen Henrietta Maria. He joined St. Henry Morse, subsequently working diligently during the plague of 1636. Arrested again, he was martyred by being hanged, drawn and quartered at Tybum. His relics are in Westminster Cathedral in London, discovered there in 1927. Pope Paul VI canonized him in 1970. St. Austell, 6th century. Confessor and disciple of St. Newman of Cornwall, England. Modern scholars believe that Austell was a woman named Hoystill, a daughter of Brychan of Wales...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 28 ST. IRENAEUS, BISHOP OF LION AND MARTYR Saint Irenaeus was the first great theologian of the Church. His name, which means “peaceful” in Greek, matched the pattern of his life. He is noted for his defence of the Gospel against the various heresies of his day. As Bishop of Lyons, he was always a “good shepherd.” Irenaeus was born in Asia, most probably in the city of Smyrna, in the first part of the 3rd century; in 177, he went to the Roman region of Gaul in Western Europe. As a young man he was a disciple St Polycarp, who had learned the Gospel from St John the Apostle. St Irenaeus was a true witness of the Gospel in a time of harsh persecution. In order to evangelise the Celtic and Germanic tribes, he learned the languages of the people, whom the Romans considered barbarians. As a pastor he was distinguished on account of his missionary zeal and the richness of his doctrines. He confronted the heresy of “gnosticism,” a philosophical/religious movement tha...

Saint John Southworth. Priest and English martyr. He went overseas to study and was ordained in Douai in 1618. St John returned to England in 1627 and was soon arrested. He spent three years in prison - the first of several imprisonments. Most of his priestly work was carried out in Westminster. He was much loved for his ministry to the sick and dying, especially during the plague years. He continued his work until 1654, when he was arrested for the last time, tried and finally condemned to death. On this day, June 27 at the age of 62, he was hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, close to where Marble Arch now stands. St John was the last secular priest to suffer in this way. His body was taken to Douai, embalmed and buried. But when the seminary was demolished, during the French Revolution, his coffin was lost. It was accidentally discovered in 1927 and taken to St Edmund's College in Ware. Three years later St John's body was placed in a shrine at Westminster Cathedral, in t...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 27 ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 26 STS. JOHN AND PAUL, MARTYRS ST. JOSEMARIA ESCRIVÁ DE BALAGUER, PRIEST, FOUNDER OF THE OPUS DEI

St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, Roman Catholic Priest founded Opus Dei, an institution within the Catholic Church dedicated to helping people in all walks of life to follow Christ, to seek holiness in their daily life and grow in love for God and their fellow men and women. In 1930, responding to a new illumination from God, he started Opus Dei's apostolic work with women, making clear that they had the same responsibility as men to serve society and the Church. Feastday: June 26 St. Hermogius. Benedictine bishop whose nephew, St. Pelagius, served as his hostage with the Moors. Born at Tuy, Spain, Hermogius founded Labrugia Monastery in Spanish Galicia, Spain, in 915. Taken prisoner by the Moors in Cordoba, he was released when St. Pelagius took his place. He retired to Ribas del Sil where he died. 942 A.D. St. Pelagius. Martyr in Cordoba, Spain. Also called Pelayo, he was a young boy of Asturias who was left by his uncle as a hostage to the Moors of Cordoba. As he remaine...

Bl. Teresa Fantou, Roman Catholic Nun and French Martyr of the Sisters of Charity in Arras, during the French Revolution, she was arrested by republican authorities and guillotined at Cambrai.Teresa and her three companions, Francoise Lanel, Madeleine Fontaine, and Joan Gerard. Feastday: June 26

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 26 St. Corbican, 8th century. An Irish recluse in the Low Countries, now Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. He gave his life to educating the local peasants.

St. Eurosia, A Roman Catholic French martyr, a victim of the Muslim invasion of Spain. She was born in Bayonne, France, and was slain at Jaca in the Pyrenees of Aragon, Spain, when she refused to marry a Muslim. Feastday June 25

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 25 St. Adalbert, 740 A.D. A missionary in Ireland whose tomb became a center for pilgrims. Adalbert was born in Northumbria, England, and was educated at Rathmelgisi Monastery. Accompanying St. Willibrord and others to Friesland, he gained many converts in an area called Egmont. Adalbert was also a companion of St. Egbert to Ireland. It is believed that he became St. Willibrord's successor as the abbot of Epternach. Adalbert's shrine was noted for miracles after his death. St. Selyf, 6th century. Hermit in Cornwall. He is perhaps to be identified with St. Solomon, who has the same feast day. St. Moloc, 572 A.D. Scottish bishop and missionary, sometimes called Lugaidh, Molvanus, Molluog, or Murlach. The son of a Scottish noble, he was educated in Ireland under St. Brendan the Elder and evangelized the Hebrides region of Scotland. He died at Rossmarkie, Scotland. His shrine was at Martlach, and he is venerated in Argyll. St. Molonachu...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 25 ST.WILLIAM, ABBOT, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATION OF MONTEVERGINE Pilgrim, hermit, abbot, and finally a pilgrim again. That’s the story of St William of Vercelli, born in 1085. He became popular in Irpinia where he settled after a long voyage. He founded the Abbey of Montevergine and the Congregation attached to the abbey. He died in 1142. Sometimes, even a young child is able to make a decision that will change his life forever. This was the case with St William, who at the age of fourteen decided to go on pilgrimage – first to Santiago de Compostela, and then to the Holy Land. Like St Francis a century later, William gave up all he had in order to embrace a religious life. He freed himself from attachments to his family, gave up his noble title, put on a tattered habit, and left his home in Vercelli (Italy) barefoot. Compostela was the most famous pilgrimage site of his time, and it was to the Spanish shrine that William turned his steps. His journey took...

Bl. Joseph Yuen, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr of Tonkin, Vietnam. A native priest, he was imprisoned, then strangled. Feastday June 24 St. Kunegunda. (1224-1292) Daughter of King Bela IV and niece of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, she married King Boleslaus V of Poland at sixteen. On his death in 1279 she became a Poor Clare at the Convent of Sandeck, which she had founded. She also built churches and hospitals, ransomed Christians captured by the Turks, and served the poor and ill. She is also known as St. Kinga. Her cult was confirmed in 1690. St. Mother Maria Guadalupe Garcia Zavala ~ Mother Lupita, she co-founded a new Congregation, which they began on 13 October 1901. It was known as the "Handmaids of St Margaret Mary (Alacoque) and the Poor". María worked as a nurse. Regardless of the poverty and lack of material goods of the patients, compassion and care for the physical and spiritual well-being of the sick were the primary concerns of their congregation. The Mexican ...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 24 BIRTH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST STS. JOHN AND FESTO, MARTYRS ON THE VIA SALARIA ANTICA

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 24 St. Bartholomew of Fame, 1193 A.D. A Benedictine hermit and miracle worker associated with Durham, England. He was born in Whitby, in Northumbria, England, and was called Tostig. After going to Norway, Bartholomew was ordained and returned to Durham, where he entered the Benedictine Order. He became a hermit on the island of Fame, on the coast of Northumbria, remaining there for forty-two years. Bartholomew was noted as a miracle worker. St. Germoc, 6th century. Confessor of the faith, an Irish chieftain. He was the brother of St. Breaca. Germoc settled in Cornwall, England.

June 23, St. Agrippina, Roman Catholic Martyr. Martyr, whose shrine is venerated as a site of miracles. Agrippina is believed to have come from a good Roman family. She was caught up in the persecutions instituted by Emperor Valerian or Diocletian and was beheaded or scourged. Her body was taken to Mineo, Sicily, by three devout Christian women. The gravesite became a popular pilgrimage destination, noted for miracles through Agrippina's intercession. Feastday: June 23

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 23 Saint Ethelreda (Audrey), 679 A.D. Around 640, there was an English princess named Ethelreda, but she was known as Audrey. She married once, but was widowed after three years, and it was said that the marriage was never consummated. She had taken a perpetual vow of virginity, but married again, this time for reasons of state. Her young husband soon grew tired of living as brother and sister and began to make advances on her. She continually refused. He eventually attempted to bribe the local bishop, Saint Wilfrid of York, to release Audrey from her vows. Saint Wilfrid refused, and helped Audrey escape. She fled south, with her husband following. They reached a promontory known as Colbert's Head, where a heaven sent seven day high tide separated the two. Eventually, Audrey's husband left and married someone more willing, while Audrey took the veil, and founded the great abbey of Ely, where she lived an austere life. She eventually died of an e...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 23 ST. JOSEPH CAFASSO, PRIEST OF TURIN Father Joseph Cafasso lived in Turin, Italy, in the 19th century. He was famous for forming holy priests, including St John Bosco. He is also known for his ministry to prisoners, especially those condemned to death. Pope Benedict XVI described St Joseph Cafasso as a “formation teacher of parish and diocesan priests, indeed of holy priests such as St John Bosco.” Other priests of his time founded religious institutes; St Joseph Cafasso’s “foundation” instead was a “school of priestly life and holiness.” St Joseph Cafasso lived in the city of Turin, Italy, in the 19th century, and was known as a model of priestly life. It was there that he was given the nickname “the Priest of the Gallows,” for his pastoral care of criminals, especially those condemned to death. He stood by their side as they were lead to the execution, bringing them to repentance by showing them the mercy and compassion of God. It was particularly for ...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 22 ST. PAULINUS, BISHOP OF NOLA It is not common to receive the faith from two “giants” - but that’s exactly what happened with St. Paulinus, whose conversion is credited to the influence of Sts. Ambrose and Augustine. Known for his charitable works, Paulinus was elected Bishop of the Italian city of Nola. He died in the year 431. ST. JOHN FISHER, BISHOP OF ROCHESTER, ENGLISH MARTYR ST. FLAVIUS CLEMENS, ROMAN CONSUL, MARTYR B. INNOCENT V, POPE ST THOMAS MORE, ENGLISH MARTYR

June 22 The ten thousand martyrs of Mount Ararat were, according to a medieval legend, Roman soldiers who, led by Saint Acacius, converted to Christianity and were crucified on Mount Ararat in Armenia by order of the Roman emperor. June 22

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 22 St. Aaron. Aaron was a native of Britain. He went to Brittany, where he became a hermit on Cesabre (St. Malo) island. He attracted numerous disciples, among them St. Malo of Wales, and became their Abbot. St. Alban. St. Alban was the first martyr of England, his own country (homeland). During a persecution of Christians, Alban, though a pagan, hid a priest in his house. The priest made such a great impression on him that Alban received instructions and became a Christian himself. In the meantime, the governor had been told that the priest was hiding in Alban's house, and he sent his soldiers to capture him. But Alban changed clothes with his guest, and gave himself up in his stead. The judge was furious when he found out that the priest had escaped and he said to Alban, "You shall get the punishment he was to get unless you worship the gods." The Saint answered that he would never worship those false gods again. "To what family do ...

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 21 St. John Rigby, 1600 A.D. Martyr of England, a layman executed at Southwark. He was born near Wigan, England, and was reconciled to the Church. Admitting that he was a Catholic, he was arrested and placed in Newgate Prison. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Southwark on June 21. John is one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales and was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI. St. Corbmac, 6th century. An abbot and disciple of St. Columba, who made him the superior of Durrow Monastery. St. Maine. Founder of Saint-Meon in Brittany, France. He was a disciple of St. Samson. Maine, who also is listed as Meen, Mevenus, Mavenus, or Mewan, was either Welsh or Cornish.

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 19 ST. JULIANA FALCONIERI, VIRGIN, FOUNDRESS OF THE MANTELLATE Juliana Falconieri lived in Florence at a time when the city was divided between Guelphs and Ghibellines. Born into a noble family, she dedicated her life to serving the poor and praying for peace in her city. She founded the Sisters of the Third Order of Servites, known as the “Mantellate.” Juliana Falconieri lived in Florence during the Middle Ages. At that time, the city was plagued with internecine strife between Guelphs, who supported the Popes, and the Ghibellines, who supported the emperors. Juliana came from a noble Florentine family that was deeply involved in the affairs of the city. The girl in the cloak But the Falconieri’s wealth did not consist solely in gold and silver. The family was also rich in Christian faith, which had already led Alessio Falconieri, Juliana’s uncle, to give up everything and consecrate himself to God. Juliana was fascinated by her uncle’s vocation as one of...

June 20, Irish Catholic Martyrs were dozens of people who have been sanctified in varying degrees for dying for their Roman Catholic faith between 1537 and 1714 in Ireland. Feastday June 20

June 20 Japanese Martyrs St. Francis Pacheco, Roman Catholic Jesuit Priest and Japanese Martyr. Bl. Peter Rinshei, Roman Catholic Jesuit Martyr of Japan Bl. John Baptist Zola, Roman Catholic Jesuit Martyr of Japan. Bl. John Kinsako, Roman Catholic Jesuit Martyr of Japan Bl. Michael Tozo, Roman Catholic Jesuit Martyr of Japan Bl. Paul Shinsuki, Roman Catholic Jesuit Martyr of Japan. All burned alive with eight other Christians at Nagasaki Feastday June 20

June 20, St Helena, Benedictine Abbess Tier Germany

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 20 St. Govan, 6th century. Hermit who lived on a cliff at St. Govan’s Head, Dyfed, Wales. He was a disciple of St. Ailbhe and in some lists is called Cofen or Gonen. Bl. Anthony Turner, 1679 A.D. Martyr of England. The son of a Protestant minister, he was born in Leicestershire and educated at Cambridge. A convert to Catholicism, Anthony went to Rome and joined the Jesuits in Flanders and was ordained in 1661. He returned to England and labored in Worcester until he was arrested in the so-called Titus Oates affair. Convicted on perjured evidence, he was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn on June 20. Anthony was beatified in 1929. Bl. William Harcourt, 1679 A.D. Jesuit martyr of England, also called William Barrows. Born in Lancashire in 1609, he studied at St. Omer, France, where in 1632 he became a Jesuit. Returning to England in 1645, he labored in London on behalf of the Catholic mission for more than thirty years. Condemned falsely for comp...

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 19 Bl. Humphrey Middlemore, 1572-1591 A.D. Carthusian martyr of England. He was hanged at Tyburn with two monks of the London Charterhouse. Bl. William Exmew, 1535 A.D. Carthusian martyr. An Englishman, he was educated at Cambridge and entered the Carthusians, eventually becoming sub-prior of the London Charterhouse. Owing to their refusal to accept the reforms of King Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547), William was executed with Blesseds Sebastian Newdigate and Humphrey Middlemore. They were beatified in 1886. Bl. Thomas Woodhouse, 1573 A.D. English martyr. A resident of Lincolnshire, he received ordination as a secular priest and took up a post there. Forced to resign from this post, he became a tutor in Wales. He was arrested in 1561 for celebrating a Mass and was sent to Fleet Prison. During the period of his incarceration, which lasted twelve years, he entered the Society of Jesus Thomas was tried in 1570. He was hanged at Tyburn. Bl. Sebastian Newdiga...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 18 ST. GREGORY BARBARIGO, BISHOP OF PADUA AND CARDINAL ST. MARINA THE MONK

St. Marina Roman Catholic Virgin- She flourished in Bithynia in the eighth century, and served God under the habit of a monk, with extraordinary fervor. Her wonderful humility, meekness, and patience are celebrated in the lives of the fathers of the desert. Feastday: June 18. St. Aquilina, Roman Catholic Virgin and Martyr beheaded at Byblos. She was only twelve years old. Feastday: June 18

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 17 STS. BLAISE AND DIOGEN, MARTYRS ON THE VIA SALARIA ANTICA

Bl. Emmanuel d'Abreu, Roman Catholic Jesuit Priest and Chinese Martyr. He was arrested in Tonkin and was martyred the following year with three companions. Feastday: June 17

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 17 St. Herve, 575 A.D. Welsh bard who was is a popular patron in Brittany, France. Herve, sometimes called Harvey or Hervues, was the son of the bard Hyvarnion, and was born blind. Raised by his uncles because his mother was a hermitess, he was taken to Brittany. There he built an abbey at Lanhourneau, and he was venerated as a miracle worker and bard. He is invoked against eye trouble, and he is depicted with a wolf. Tales and legends associated Herve with a wolf. St. Adulf, 680 A.D. Bishop and missionary, venerated with his brother, Butulf. They were nobles of Saxon or Irish lineage who became monks. Both went as missionaries to Germany. There Adulf was made the bishop of Utrecht. Butulf returned to England and founded a religious house in 654, becoming widely respected for his holiness. St. Briavel. The patron of a parish in Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, England. St. Nectan. Hermit and martyr also called Nighton or Nectaran. Possibly a n...

Sts. Quiriacus and Julitta, Roman Catholic Martyrs. Quiricus was the three year old son of Julitta, a noble widow of Tarsus. Arrested for being a Christian, Julitta enraged the Roman magistrate by scratching his face. Her punishment before execution was to watch while Quiricus was beaten to death Feastday June 16

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 16 Bl. William Greenwood, 1537 A.D. Carthusian martyr of England. A lay brother in the Carthusian London Charterhouse, he was arrested for opposing the policies of King Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547) and starved to death in Newgate Prison with six companions. St. Cettin, 5th century. Bishop and disciple of St.Patrick also called Cetagh. Cettin was consecrated a bishop to help St. Patrick. St. Colman McRhoi, 6th century. An abbot and disciple of St. Columba. He founded the monastery of Reachrain, now Lamboy Island, in Dublin, Ireland, ruling as abbot. St. Curig, 6th century. Welsh bishop in the see of Llanbadarn. Several churches in Wales are dedicated to Curig.

St. Benildis. Roman Catholic Spanish woman martyr, converted by the heroic death of St. Athanasius. A priest, St. Athanasius, died in the city of Córdoba at the hands of the Moors, the Islamic rulers of that era. Benildis converted during the martyrdom of St. Athanasius and she died at the stake the following day. 853 A.D. Feastday June 15

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 15 St. Vouga, 6th century. Irish bishop also called Vougar, Veho, and Fiech. He gave up his post and went to Brittany, France, where he lived as a hermit near Lesneven. St. Trillo, 6th century. A Welsh saint of whom little is known beyond his status as patron saint of two sites in Gwynedd, Wales. In some lists he is called Drel or Drillo. St. Edburga of Winchester, 960 A.D. Benedictine abbess, the daughter of King Edward the Elder and his third wife Edgiva, and the granddaughter of Alfred the Great. She became a nun at Winchester Abbey, then abbess, and was known for her miracles. Her shrine is at Pershore, in Worchestershire, England. Bls. Thomas Green, Thomas Scryven, and Thomas Reding, 1537 A.D. English Carthusian martyrs. Thomas Green studied at St. John's College, Cambridge, entering the London Charterhouse of the Carthusians where he took vows and received ordination. Arrested for opposing King Henry VIII's (r. 1509-1547) cla...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 15 ST VITUS, MARTYR IN LUCANIA Little is definitively known about St Vitus, apart from the fact of his martyrdom in Lucania. Devotion to the Saint is known from the beginning of the Middle Ages. St Vitus was known for healing miracles; he is invoked especially against epilepsy and other neurological disorders. ST. BERNARD OF MENTHON, CANONS REGULAR OF SAINT AUGUSTIN ST. GERMANA COUSIN, VIRGIN

JUNE 14 St. Methodius I, Roman Catholic Priest and was exiled by Emperor Leo V the Armenian for refusing to yield to the imperial decrees on the destruction of icons. Feastday: June 14 St. Anastasius XVII Roman Catholic Deacon and Martyr. A monk in the Benedictine monastery in Tabanos, near Cordoba, Spain, Anastasius was caught up in the persecutions conducted by the Muslim Moors. With St. Felix and St. Digna, Anastasius was beheaded for the faith. 853 A.D. Feastday June 14

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 14 St. Cearan, 870 A.D. Irish abbot called “the Devout,” also known as Ciaran. He was abbot of Bellach-Duin now Castle Kerrant, County Meath. St. Dogmael, 6th century. Welsh monk of the house of Cunedda, the son of Ithel ab Ceredig ab Cunedda Wledig. He preached in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and then went to Brittany, in France. Several churches bear his name. St. Elgar, 1100 A.D. Hermit on the isle of Bardsey, off the coast of Cearnarvon, Wales. He was born in Devonshire, England, and spent many years as a captive in Ireland. St. Nennus. Abbot. From Ireland, he became abbot of monasteries on the isles of Arran and Bute. Nennus was the successor of St. Enda

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 14 ST. ELISHA, PROPHET

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 13 SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA A tireless preacher and confessor, Saint Anthony of Padua realized in his life a perfect balance and synthesis of hands-on pastoral work and retreat into intense spiritual solitude, love of neighbor and love for God. His memory is kept on June 13. Born into a noble family at Lisbon, Portugal, in 1195 (on August 15, it is believed), and baptized Fernando, the man we would come to know as St. Anthony was 15 years old when he entered the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. He was trained for the priesthood in Coimbra, in the monastery of the Holy Cross, and ordained at the age of 24. His early prospects strongly suggested an academic career: as a philosopher and theologian. He desired a more severe religious life, however. The turning point came in 1220 when the remains of five Franciscan missionaries tortured and killed in Morocco reached the church of the Holy Cross. From the Augustinian rule to the Franciscan rule Fernando decided to...

108 Blessed Polish Martyrs, Martyrs of World War II, were Roman Catholics from Poland killed during World War II by the Nazis The group comprises 3 bishops, 52 priests, 26 members of male religious orders, 3 seminarians, 8 religious sisters and 9 lay people. St. John of Sahagun, Roman Catholic Augustinian friar and priest. He was a leading preacher regarding social behavior of his day. Feastday June 12

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE June 12 St. Ternan, 5th century. Missionary and bishop, sometimes called Torannan. According to tradition, he was a disciple of St. Palladius and was perhaps consecrated bishop by him in 432. He worked for many as a missionary bishop among the Picts in Scotland and he is honored as the founder of the abbey of Culross, in Fifeshire, where he died. St. Christian, 1138 A.D. Bishop and brother of St. Malachy of Armagh. His Celtic name was Croistan O'Morgair. In 1126, Christian was named the bishop of Clogher, in Ireland. St. Cominus. Patron saint of Ardcavan, Ireland, an abbot. St. Cunera. A British virgin venerated in Germany. St. Eskill, 1080 A.D. English missionary to Sweden, a companion of St. Sigfrid, his kinsman. Eskill went with St. Sigfrid to Sweden. There he was consecrated as the bishop of Strangnas and evangelized Sodermanland. King Sweyn the Bloody, the pagan successor to the murdered Christian King Inge, revived pagan pract...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 12 ST. LEO III, POPE SAINT ONUPHRIUS, ANACHORITE

St. Peter Rodriguez and Companions, Roman Catholic Knights of Santiago of Portugal and Spanish Martyrs, put to death by the Muslim Moors Feastday: June 11

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 11 St. Tochmura. Irish virgin. She is venerated in the diocese of Kilmore, Ireland, and is considered a special patron of women in labor. St. Blitharius, 7th century. Companion of St. Fursey. A native of Scotland, Blitharius went with St. Fursey to France to undertake missions and evangelization. He is venerated in Champagne, and is sometimes called Blier.

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 11 ST. PAOLA FRASSINETTI, VIRGIN, FOUNDRESS OF THE SISTERS OF SAINT DOROTHY St Paola Frassinetti lost her mother when she was just 9 years old; from that time, she cared for her father and four brothers. She founded an order of teaching nuns, the Sisters of St Dorothy. St Paola was canonised in 1984. ST. BARNABAS, APOSTLE ST. RESTITUTO, MARTYR ON THE VIA NOMENTANA ST. JOHN OF ST. FACUNDUS, AGOSTINIAN

Bl. Olivia, was a beautiful girl of thirteen, of a noble Palermo, Italy, family who was carried off to Tunis by raiding Moslems. They allowed her to live in a nearby cave but when they found that her miracles and cures had converted many Mohammedans, she was imprisoned, tortured, and after converting her executioners trying to burn her to death, was beheaded. Feastday June10 St. Getulius, Martyr with Amantius, Caerealis, and Primitivus. He was the husband of St. Symphorosa. An officer in the Roman army, he resigned when he became a Christian and returned to his estates near Tivoli, Italy. There he converted Caerealis, an imperial legate sent to arrest him. With his brother Amantius and with Caerealis and Primitivus, Getulius was tortured and martyred at Tivoli. Feastday June10

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 10 ST. LANDRY, BISHOP OF PARIS

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 09 ST. EPHREM, DEACON AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH B. ANNA MARIA TAIGI, MOTHER STS. PRIMUS AND FELICIAN, MARTYRS

June 09 St. Ephrem. Roman Catholic Doctor of the Church, he is given credit for awakening the Church to the important of music and poetry in spreading and fortifying the faith. Feast day June 09 Bl. Anne Mary Taigi, Roman Catholic Laywoman,

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 9 St. Columba, 521-597 A.D. Born probably in Donegal Ireland of royal descent he studied at Moville under St. Finnian then in Leinster at the monastery of Clonard under another St. Finnian. He was ordained before he was twenty-five and spent the next fifteen years preaching and setting up foundations at Derry, Durrow, and Kells. Possibly because of a family feud which resulted in the death of 3000 and for which he considered himself partly responsible he left Ireland at 42 and landed on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. There he built the monastery which was to become world famous. With SS Canice and Comgall he spread the gospel to the Picts; he also developed a monastic rule which many followed until the introduction of St. Benedicts. He died on Iona and is also known as Colm, Colum and Columcille. St. Baithin, 598 A.D. Abbot and cousin of St. Columba, also listed as Comm or Cominus in some lists. Baithin was abbot of Tiree Abbey in Ireland, ...

Bl. Pacificus of Cerano. Franciscan friar and renowned preacher. Pacificus Ramota was a native of Cerano, Novara, Italy, and entered the Franciscans in 1445. He served as a missionary in northern Italy and worked for the reform of the Church, fulfilling a task given to him by Pope Sixtus IV to bring reform to the Church in Sardinia. The pope also asked him to preach a crusade against the Ottoman Turks who had recently captured Constantinople and were threatening the Mediterranean. Especially respected for his knowledge of moral theology, Pacificus authored the Summa Pacifica, which was widely read by theologians of the time. 1424-1482 A.D. He died at Sassari, Sardinia, on June 4, 1482, and his cult was confirmed in 1745

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 8 St. Bron, 511 A.D. Bishop and disciple of St. Patrick. Bron was the bishop of Cassel-lrra, near Sligo, Ireland. He continued St. Patrick's missionary efforts and introduced literary and artistic standards in Irish monastic life. St. William of York. Bishop. William of York was the son of Count Herbert, treasurer to Henry I. His mother Emma was the half-sister of King William. Young William became treasurer of the church of York at an early age and was elected archbishop of York in 1140. St. Edgar the Peaceful, 975 A.D. English king and patron of St. Dunstan, who served as his counselor. England underwent a religious revival in his reign, and he is venerated at Glastonbury. However, his daughter, St. Edith of Wilton, was borne by one of two religious women with whom he had an affair. St. Levan, 6th century. Celtic saint sometimes listed as Levin or Selyr. He went to Cornwall, England, as a missionary and is revered there. St. Muirchu...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 08 ST. MEDARD, BISHOP OF NOYON St Medard, the son of conquering Franks, lived in Gaul in the 6th century. He was one of the most famous bishops of his day. Some of his miracles in favour of thieves who had robbed him may have inspired story of Bishop Myriel in the novel Les Misérables.

St. Peter, Roman Catholic Priest and Spanish Martyr with Wallabonsus, Sabinian, Wistremundus, Habentius, and Jeremias. They were put to death in Cordoba at the order of Emir Abd al-Rahman II for preaching against Muhammad. Though most were beheaded, Jeremias was scourged to death. Feastday June 7

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 7 St. Robert of Newminster. Robert of Newminster, Saint, Abbot, (Benedictine) Cistercians (1100-1159) A priest from North Yorkshire who took the Benedictine habit at Whitby and obtained permission to join some monks of York who were attempting to live according to a new interpretation of the Benedictine rule at Fountains abbey (1132). Fountains soon became Cistercian and one of the centres of the White Monks in N. England. Newminster abbey in Northumberland was founded from it in 1137, and Robert became its first abbot. He is described as gentle and merciful in judgement. St. Willibald, 786 A.D. Bishop and missionary. A native of Wessex, England, he was the brother of Sts. Winebald and Walburga and was related through his mother to the great St. Boniface. After studying in a monastery in Waitham, in Hampshire, he went on a pilgrimage to Rome (c. 722) with his father, who died on the way at Lucca, Italy. Willibald continued on to Rome and then to Jerusalem...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 07 ST. ANTHONY MARY GIANELLI, BISHOP OF BOBBIO, FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF MARY

Bl. Maria Karlowska, Roman Catholic Nun and founder of the Sisters of the Divine Shepherd. Feastday June 6 Martyrs of Tarsus, A group of twenty Roman Catholic Martyrs slain at Tarsus, in modern Turkey, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. Feastday June 6

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 6 Bl. Walter Pierson, 1537 A.D. Carthusian martyr of England. A member of the Carthusian Charterhouse of London, he served as a lay brother and was arrested with his companions by English authorities for opposing the religious policies of King Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547). With six other Carthusians, he was starved to death in prison. St. Cocca, Patroness of Kilcock on the borders of Counties Meath and Kildare in Ireland also called Cucca or Cuach. St. Jarlath. St. Jarlath, Bishop is regarded as the founder and principle patron of the Archdiocese of Tuam in Galway, Ireland. He belonged to the Conmaicne family, perhaps the most important and powerful family in Galway during that period. Jarlath was trained by a holy man and ordained a priest along with his cousin. He then founded the monastery of Cluain Fois, just outside Tuam, and presided over that monastery as abbot-bishop. Later, Jarlath opened a school attached to the monastery, one which soon became k...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 06 ST. NORBERT, BISHOP OF MAGDEBURG, FOUNDER OF THE REGULAR CANONICS PREMOSTRATENSIAS STS. ARTEMIUS AND PAULINE, MARTYRS ON THE VIA AURELIA ST. CLAUDIUS, ABBOTT AND BISHOP

St. Dorotheus of Gaza, Presbyter, (like a bishop) lived in a cave, doing penance. My ministry was to other monks and priests. The granddaughter of the Spaniard, St. Melania the Great, Melania the younger once gave me five hundred solidi. I shared the funds with the other brothers. I kept three solidi. The rest I gave to another anchorite, Diocles, to distribute to those needy. Feastday June 5 Bl. Franciscan Martyrs of China, Twenty-nine Franciscans and Franciscan tertiaries who became victims of the Boxer Rebellion. They represent more than 100,000 Christians of China who were martyred in the reign of Empress Tz’u hsi. These martyrs are recorded as being slain in the palace of the viceroy of Taiyuan-fu of Xian-fu Province. The martyrs are: Bishop Gregory Grassie, Bishop Francis Fognolla, Father Elias Facchini, Father Theodore Balat, Father Franco Benedictine hermit.Feastday June 5 St. Sanctinus. Also known as Sancho, a martyr. He was born in Albi, France, but was captured as a ch...

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 4 St. Tudno, 6th century. Welsh saint after whom Llandudno in Gwynedd, Wales, is named. He figures in various Welsh Christian legends. St. Eoban, 754 A.D. Benedictine monk and martyr of Irish descent, a companion of Sts. Willibrord and Boniface. Eoban was martyred with Boniface at Dokkum, Holland.

St. Metrophanes of Byzantium,Bishop of Byzantium. A nephew of Emperor Probus, he was a convert and entered the Church. After studying for the priesthood, Metrophanes was ordained by Bishop Titus of Byzantium whom he succeeded in 313. His devotion to the faith as bishop was so remarkable that Emperor Constantine the Great was supposedly influenced by him in placing the new imperial capital at Byzantium, on the Hellespont. The new city was named Constantinople. Feastday June 4

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 4 St. Petroc. Petroc was born in Wales, possibly the son of a Welsh king. He became a monk and with some of his friends, went to Ireland to study. They immigrated to Cornwall in England and settled at Lanwethinoc (Padstow). After thirty years there, he made a pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem, at which time he is also reputed to have reached the Indian Ocean where he lived for some time as a hermit on an island. He then returned to Cornwall, built a chapel at Little Petherick near Padstow, established a community of his followers, and then became a hermit at Bodmir Moor, where he again attracted followers and was known for his miracles. He died between Nanceventon and Lanwethinoc while visiting some of his disciples there. St. Breaca, 5th or 6th century. Disciple of St. Brigid, also called Breque, Branca, and Branka. She went from Ireland to Cornwall, England, about 460. There Breaca and her companions settled on the bank of the Hoyle River. St. Bu...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 04 ST. FRANCIS CARACCIOLO, PRIEST, FOUNDER OF THE REGULAR MINIMIS

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 3 St. Kevin. Known in Ireland as Coemgen as well as Kevin, according to tradition he was born at the Fort of the White Fountain in Leinster, Ireland, of royal descent. He was baptized by St. Cronan and educated by St. Petroc. He was ordained, and became a hermit at the Valley of the Two Lakes in Glendalough. After seven years there, he was persuaded to give up his solitary life. He went to Disert-Coemgen, where he founded a monastery for the disciples he attracted, and later moved to Glendalough. He made a pilgrimage to Rome, bringing back many relics for his permanent foundation at Glendalough. He was a friend of St. Kieran of Clonmacnois, and was entrusted with the raising of the son of King Colman of Ui Faelain, by the king. Many extravagant miracles were attributed to Kevin, and he was reputed to be 120 years old at his death. St. Cronan, 617 A.D. A disciple of St. Kevin called “the Tanner.” St. Glushallaich, 7th century. Irish hermit who was a disciple...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 03 STS. CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS OF UGANDA ST. CLOTILDA, QUEEN OF THE FRANKS

St. Blandina, Roman Catholic Martyr. Blandina was tortured for her faith; body burned and ashes thrown in the Tiber River. Feastday June2 Martyrs of Lyons, A group of Christians that include Photinus, Sanctius, Vetius, Epagathus, Maturus, Ponticus, Biblis, Attalus, Alexander, Blandina, and companions. They were attacked by a pagan mob and then tried as Christians in the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Lugdunum, Gaul. Writers from Lyons and Vienne provided very graphic descriptions of the terible torments endured by these martyrs. Feastday June2. #france

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 2 St. Adalgis, 686 A.D. A missionary and monastic founder, born in Ireland. As part of the heroic undertakings of the early Irish monks, Adalgis, who was a disciple of St. Fursey, sailed from his home to France. He did missionary work in Arras and Laon and founded a monastery in Picardy. St. Bodfan, 7th century. Patron saint of Ahern, in Gwynredd, Wales. He saw the formation of Beaumaris Bay in a natural inundation and became a religious.

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 02 STS. MARCELLINUS, PRIEST, AND PETER, EXORCIST, MARTYRS ON THE VIA LABICANA Marcellinus and Peter: two of the innumerable saints who have given heroic witness to the Gospel in the infancy of the Church, when neither torture nor death could give them cause to turn their backs on Christ. Their story unfolds between the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth century.

Bl. Alphonsus de Mena, Roman Catholic Dominican martyr of Japan. He was born in Logrono in Spain and entered the Dominican Order at Salamanca. A nephew of Blessed Peter Navarrete, Alphonsus accompanied him to Japan where he worked in the Dominican missions. On September 10, 1622 Alphonsus was burned alive by the Japanese in a group of martyrs, led by Blessed Charles Spinola at Nagasaki. Feastday June 1 Bl. Ferdinand Ayala, Roman Catholic Dominican martyr of Japan With Blessed Aiphonsus Navarette, he was arrested at Omura and beheaded. Feastday June1

ENGLISH SPEAKING SAINTS JUNE 1 St. Wistan, 850 A.D. Wistan (d.c. 850), Martyr of England. A grandson of the king of Mercia, he was supposedly murdered by Bertulph, king of Mercia and his godfather, for opposing the ruler's planned marriage to Wistan's mother. Originally buried at Repton, his remains were translated to Evesham Cathedral. St. Tegla. Patron saint of a church and well in Ciwyd, Wales. St. Ronan. A Celtic bishop who promoted the faith in his native Cornwall, England, and in Brittany, France. Ronan is also associated with St. Rumon in some accounts. Bl. John Storey, 1571 A.D. Martyr of England. A Doctor of Law, John studied at Oxford, was president of Broadgate Hall and a professor of law, and was an active Catholic in the reign of Queen Mary Tudor. Married about 1547, he entered Parliament and was vocal in his opposition to various anti-Catholic laws then being proposed by the governments of King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth I. Arrested and imprisoned...

SAINT OF THE DAY JUNE 01 ST. JUSTIN, PHILOSOPHER AND MARTYR Using human reason to understand the divine: many saints in the Church have taken this path as they try to comprehend God’s existence. Among of the first of these was St. Justin, martyred in 165 AD. His feast day is June 1. Coming to know God face to face. He’ll get there, but this man with a sharp intellect and an even sharper soul starts from afar, from paganism. In Samaria in the first century after Christ, Justin grows up nourished by philosophy. The masters of Greek philosophical thought are the light guiding his search for the infinite Being. He has a burning desire for this knowledge; if he could, he would like to grasp and explain that infinite Being with the power of reason. Disappointed by the many philosophies For Justin, the final goal of philosophy is the “vision of God.” But which philosophical school could even come close to this? The Samaritan from Flavia Neapolis – Justin’s native city – knocks at the ...