SAINTS AND MARTYRS for September 07

SAINTS AND MARTYRS for September 07 

St. Regina. She was betrothed to the proconsul Olybrius, but refused to renounce her faith to marry him, for which she was tortured and was beheaded at Alesia. Feastday, September 7

The Martyrs of Kosice, Martyrs of Hungary, sometimes called Mark Crisin. He was born into a famed Croat family and studied at the Germanicum in Rome. Ordained, he returned to Hungary and became a canon at Esztergom. He was assigned to missionary work near Kosice, Slovakia, with two Jesuits - Hungarian Stephen Pongracz and Melchior Grodecz, a Czech. In 1619 they were taken prisoner by invading Calvinist troops under George Racoczk. Tortured, Marek and his companions were martyred. They were canonized in 1995 as the Martyrs of Kosice by Pope John Paul II. Sept. 7

Bl. John Duckett, 1644 A.D.  Martyr of England, born in Underwinder, Yorkshire, John was ordained in 1639 at Douai. He studied three years in Paris and then returned to the English mission at Durham, where he worked until his arrest and martyrdom on September 7 at Tyburn with Blessed Ralph Corby. They were hanged, drawn, and quartered. Both were beatified in 1929.  

Bl. Ralph Corby, 1644 A.D. Jesuit martyr of England, also known as Ralph Corbington. Born in Maynooth Ireland, on March 25, 1598, he was trained at St. Omer, France, Seville, and Valladolid, Spain, before receiving ordination. He entered the Jesuits in 1631, and volunteered in 1632 for the dangerous mission in England He was given responsibility for the area around Durham Ralph worked for twelve years before he was arrested near Newcastle with Blessed John Duckett. He was martyred by being hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tybum on September 7. Ralph was beatified in 1929. 

St. Grimonia. French legend relates that St. Grimonia was the daughter of a pagan Irish chief, and that when she was twelve years old; she was converted to Christianity and made a vow of perpetual virginity. Her father, in defiance of or not understanding such a vow, wished her to marry, and when she refused, shut her up. Grimonia escaped and fled to France, where she became a solitary in the forest of Thierache in Picardy. Here the contemplation of the beauty of created things would often bring her to the state of ecstasy. After a prolonged search, the messengers of her father traced her to her retreat, where they before her the alternatives of return in a forced marriage or death. Grimonia remained firm and so she was beheaded on April 20th in an unknown year. A chapel was built over her grave which became famous for miracles, and around it, grew up a town called from its origin, LaChapelle. On September 7, 1231, her relics, together with those of Saint Proba (Preuve), another Irish woman, who is supposed to have suffered with Grimonia, were enshrined at Les Quielles. The facts about St. Grimonia are hard to come by; she may have been a solitary who lost her life in defending her chastity.  

Bl. John Maid, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr of Japan, the adopted son of Blessed Louis Maki. A Christian, he refused to abjure the faith when arrested and was burned alive at Nagasaki. Feastday, September 7.

Bl. Louis Maki, Roman Catholic Martyr of Japan. He was a Japanese layman who allowed Blessed Thomas Tsughi to celebrate Mass in his home. Arrested, Louis was burned alive at Nagasaki, Japan. Feastday Sept 7

St. Alcmund, 781 A.D. Bishop and miracle worker, also called Alchmund in some lists. He was the bishop of Hexham in Northumberland, England, in 767, succeeding to the see established by St. Wilfrid. His tenure as bishop lasted until his death on September 7, 781. He was buried near St. Acca beside the Hexham church, but invasions by the Danes decimated that area of England, and the grave was forgotten. In the eleventh century, St. Alcmund appeared to a parishioner, telling him to inform the sacrist of Durham, a man named Alfred or Alured, to move the bones. Alfred agreed, but he took one bone from the remains when the grave was opened. No one could move the remains of St. Alemund until that one bone was placed among the rest. In 1154, Hexham was again invaded, and the bodies of the Hexham saints were gathered into one shrine. These remains were destroyed in 1296, when Scottish Highlanders attacked the region.  

St. Tilbert, 789 A.D.  Bishop of Hexham, England, from 781 A.D.  He was the eighth bishop of that see. Simeon of Durham wrote of him.  

St. Diuma, 7th century. Bishop of Mercia and companion of St. Cedd. An Irishman, Diuma was praised by St. Bede.  

St. Madalberta. Benedictine abbess, the daughter of Sts. Vincent Madelgarus and Waldetrudis. St Aldegund was her superior and aunt who founded. Maubeuge, where Madalberta took the veil. She became abbess in 697. Her sister was St. Aldetrudis.