St. George Preca
Born 12 February 1880
Valletta, Crown Colony of Malta
Died 26 July 1962 (aged 82)
Santa Venera, Crown Colony of Malta
Venerated in Catholic Church
Beatified 9 May 2001, Floriana, Malta by Pope John Paul II
Canonized 3 June 2007, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI
Feast 9 May
Attributes Priest's attire
George Preca (in Maltese: ?or? Preca) (12 February 1880 - 26 July 1962) was a Maltese Roman Catholic priest who founded the Society of Christian Doctrine,[a] a society of lay catechists. In Malta, he is affectionately known as "Dun ?or?" and is popularly referred to as the "Second Apostle of Malta", after Saint Paul of Tarsus. He was canonized on 3 June 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI.
George Preca (in Maltese: Ġorġ Preca) (12 February 1880 – 26 July 1962) was a Maltese Catholic priest and the founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine as well as a Third Order Carmelite. He is known as "Dun Ġorġ" in Maltese and Pope John Paul II dubbed him "Malta’s second father in faith".[1] He assumed the religious name of "Franco" after becoming a Secular Carmelite. He was a popular figure among some groups, and his pastoral care and religious teaching earned recognition. However, his activities raised suspicions of heresy from senior clergy. He was ordered to close down his teaching centres for a time while they could be investigated; they were subsequently re-opened.[2]
His activism earned him praise and in 1952, Pope Pius XII nominated him as a Papal Privy Chamberlain and awarded the rank of Monsignor.[2]
In 1957 he composed five new mysteries for the Rosary for his followers which he had referred to as the "Mysteries of Light".[3] He was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 2007.
Life
George Preca was born in Valletta on 12 February 1880[4] as the seventh of nine children of Vincent and Nathalie Ceravolo Preca.[5] His father was both a merchant and a health inspector.[6] He received his baptism on 17 February 1880 in the Church of Our Lady of Porto Salvo.[7] Preca was a frail child due to a range of illnesses he had and in 1885 almost drowned in the harbour though boatmen rescued him.[8]
In 1886, the family relocated to Ħamrun. He received both his First Communion at some stage in his childhood and then his Confirmation on 2 August 1888 in the Parish Church of St. Cajetan, Ħamrun.[7]
In 1897, while walking along with the Maglio Gardens in Floriana, Ġorġ Preca met one of his professors, Father Ercole Mompalao, who encouraged his religious vocation. Preca first studied at the state-owned school on the island before he commenced his studies for the priesthood; he had studied Latin and English but also studied Italian and received a prize in handwriting.[6] Shortly before his ordination, Preca was diagnosed with acute pulmonary tuberculosis and given a poor prognosis. He attributed his recovery to the intercession of Saint Joseph, patron of the dying, however, the illness left him with a damaged left lung.[9]
On 8 April 1905 his confessor Aloysius Galea died and Preca would often recount that not long after Galea seemingly appeared to him and encouraged his call to the priesthood. In his studies he began to write a rule in Latin for use in a planned religious movement for permanent deacons that he wished to establish but this desire subsided over time. The idea remained much on Preca's mind but he altered the idea after being ordained. Preca received his ordination to the priesthood alongside thirteen others on 22 December 1906 from Bishop Pietro Pace and he celebrated his first Mass on 25 December – Christmas – at the Saint Cajetan parish church in Ħamrun He was appointed assistant priest at St. Gaetano, and immediately devoted himself to teaching the youth
Blessed Maria del Carmen Rendiles Martinez
Also known as
• Carmen Elena Rendiles Martínez
• María Carmen
Profile
Third of eight children born to a wealthy and respected family, the daughter of Ramiro Antonio Rendiles and Ana Antonia Martínez; she was born without a left arm and lived with prosthetic. She was baptized on 24 September 1903, confirmed on 28 October 1905, and made her first Communion on 11 March 1911. At age 15 she began serving as a catechist in her parish, and would travel to other towns to teach at parish missions. Feeling a call to the religious life, she joined the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament on 25 February 1927. After studying in Toulouse, France, she received her habit on 8 September 1927, her first vows on 8 September 1929, and her solemn profession on 8 September 1932. She then returned to Caracas, Venezuela where she worked for the next ten years, serving in a variety of positions. Chosen Provincial Superior of the Order in 1951, she started convents and schools in Venezuela and Columbia including a school for poor children in her family home when she inherited it. For practical reasons, including the distance from the motherhouse in France to the sisters in South America, the congregation split on 25 March 1965, and Blessed Carmen is considered the founder of the Servants of Jesus of Caracas (Servant Congregation of Jesus of Venezuela); she served the rest of her life as its superior. By 2015 there were 94 religious in 19 communities.
Born
11 August 1903 in Caracas, Venezuela
Died
9 May 1977 in Caracas, Venezuela of influenza
Beatified
• 16 June 2018 by Pope Francis
• the beatification miracle involved the healing of Trinette Durán de Branger on 18 July 2003
• beatification recognition celebrated in Caracas, Venezuela, Cardinal Angelo Amato chief celebrant
Patronage
Servants of Jesus of Caracas
Blessed Karolina Gerhardinger
அருளாளர் கரோலின் கெரார்டிங்கர்
மறை பணியாளர்:
பிறப்பு: ஜூன் 20, 1797
ஸ்டட்டமோஃப், பவரியா, தூய ரோம பேரரசு
இறப்பு: மே 9, 1879 (வயது 81)
மூன்சேன், பவரியா, ஜெர்மன் பேரரசு
ஏற்கும் சமயம்:
ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை
முக்திபேறு பட்டம்: நவம்பர் 17, 1985
திருத்தந்தை இரண்டாம் ஜான் பவுல்
நினைவுத் திருநாள்: மே 9
பாதுகாவல்:
நோட்ரேடாம் பள்ளி சகோதரியர், கல்வியாளர்கள்
அருளாளர் கரோலின் கெரார்டிங்கர் ஒரு ஜெர்மன் ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க மறைபணியாளரும், "இயேசுவின் மரிய தேரேசியா" (Maria Theresia of Jesus) என அழைக்கப்பட்ட " நோட்ரேடாம் பள்ளி சகோதரியர்" (School Sisters of Notre Dame) அமைப்பின் நிறுவனரும் ஆவார். சிறந்த கல்வியாளராகிய இவர், தாம் நிறுவிய சபை ஐரோப்பா முழுதும் பரவ ஆரம்பிக்கும்வரை "பவரியாவில்" பணியாற்றினார்.
கி.பி 1797ம் ஆண்டு, ஜூன் மாதம், இருபதாம் நாளன்று, பவரியாவில் பிறந்த இவரது தந்தையார் "வில்லிபார்ட்" (Willibard) ஆவார். தாயாரின் பெயர் "ஃபிரான்சிஸ்கா கெரார்டிங்கர்" (Franziska Gerhardinger) ஆகும். இவர் தமது பெற்றோரின் ஒரே குழந்தை ஆவார்.
கெரார்டிங்கரின் பங்குத்தந்தை இவரை ஒரு ஆசிரியையாக ஊக்குவித்தார். கி.பி 1809ம் ஆண்டு, தமது ஆசிரிய பயிற்சியை தொடங்கிய இவர், கி.பி 1812ம் ஆண்டுமுதல் "ரேகன்ஸ்பர்க்" (Regensburg) நகரில் ஒரு பெண்கள் பள்ளியில் ஆசிரியை பணியாற்ற தொடங்கினார்.
அவர் "ரேகன்ஸ்பர்க்" ஆயரான (Bishop of Regensburg) "ஜார்ஜ் மைக்கேல் விட்மன்" (Georg Michael Wittmann) அவர்களிடம் தாம் துறவு வாழ்வில் நுழைய வழிகாட்டுமாறு வேண்டினார். கி.பி 1816ம் ஆண்டு முதல் 1833ம் ஆண்டு வரை அவர் அதற்காக கற்றார்.
கி.பி 1833ம் ஆண்டு, அக்டோபர் மாதம், 24ம் தேதி முதல் தமது இரு சக அருட்சகோதரியருடன் இணைந்து துறவு வாழ்வினை தொடங்கினார். அதுவே " நோட்ரேடாம் பள்ளி சகோதரியர்" (School Sisters of Notre Dame) அமைப்பு நிறுவப்பட்டதன் முறையான நடைமுறையாக இருந்தது. அதிகாரப்பூர்வ அங்கீகாரத்துக்கான ஆரம்ப சிக்கல்கள் இருந்தாலும், பவரியா அரசனான "முதலாம் லுட்விக்" (Ludwig I), கி.பி 1834ம் ஆண்டு, மார்ச் மாதம், அவரது கன்னியர் மடத்திற்கு அங்கீகாரம் அளித்தார். ரேகன்ஸ்பர்கிலுள்ள "புனித கல்லஸ்" (Saint Gallus chapel in Regensburg) தேவாலயத்தில் தமது ஆன்மீக உறுதிப்பாடுகளை ஏற்றுக்கொண்டார். அத்துடன், "இயேசுவின் மரிய தேரேசியா" (Maria Theresia of Jesus) என்ற பெயரை தமது ஆன்மீக பெயராக ஏற்றுக்கொண்டார்.
கி.பி 1847ம் ஆண்டு, தமது இணை அருட்சகோதரியருடன் இணைந்து, தமது சபையினை விரிவாக்கம் செய்வதற்காகவும், ஜெர்மனிலிருந்து புலம்பெயர்ந்து வரும் மக்களின் நலன்களுக்காகவும் 'ஐக்கிய அமெரிக்க நாடுகள்' (United States of America) சென்றார். கி.பி 1850ம் ஆண்டு முதல், இவரது சபை இங்கிலாந்து (England) மற்றும் பிற ஐரோப்பிய நாடுகளிலும் பரவ தொடங்கியது. கி.பி 1865ம் ஆண்டு, இவரது சபைக்கு திருத்தந்தை ஒன்பதாம் பயஸ் (Pope Pius IX) அங்கீகாரமளித்தார்.
கி.பி 1877ம் ஆண்டு, நோயில் வீழ்ந்த கரோலின் கெரார்டிங்கர் 1879ம் ஆண்டு, தமது 81 வயதில் மரித்தார்.
Also known as
• Caroline Gerhardinger
• Maria Teresa Gerhardinger
• Maria Theresia of Jesus
• Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger
Profile
Born to a working class family. Educated by the Augustinian canonesses until 1809 when religious orders were closed by decree of the Bavarian government in Germany. Caroline decided to start a new religious order devoted to God and Christian education. In 1828 the Vatican got concessions from the Bavarian government, and many religious communities re-opened. Caroline and other sisters moved into a refurbished convent, and started the order that was to become the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Caroline took the name Theresa in religious life but was soon called Theresa of Jesus because of her devotion to the True Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. The sister's Rule and Constitutions were approved by the Vatican on 23 January 1854 and the Order began to quickly spread. Teresa spent the rest of her life devoted to the work.
Born
20 June 1797 at Stadtamhof, Bavaria, Germany as Caroline Gerhardinger
Died
9 May 1879 in München, Bavaria, Germany of natural causes
Beatified
17 November 1985 by Pope John Paul II
Blessed Stefan Grelewski
Also known as
• prisoner 10444 (Auschwitz)
• prisoner 25581 (Dachau)
Profile
Older brother of Blessed Kazimierz Grelewski. Studied at the Progimnazjum in Sandomierz and Lubartów in Poland. Ordained in October 1921 as a priest in the archdiocese of Radom, Poland. Graduated with a doctorate in canon law in Strasbourg, France in 1924. General secretary of the Christian Workers Union in Radom in 1925. Writer, journalist, and translated works from French and German to Polish. Founded the magazine Catholic Truth in 1930. Worked with the people of Catholic Action and the Association of Polish Intelligence. Helped organize the first diocesan Eucharistic Congress in Radom in 1933. Prefect of a boy‘s elementary school from 1928 through 1931; prefect of the Jan Kochanowski state boy‘s grammar school from 1932 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. During the Nazi occupation of Poland, he covertly continued teaching religion. Arrested with his brother on 24 January 1941 as part of the Nazi persecutions, he was deported, imprisoned and tortured in the concentration camps of Auschwitz and then Dachau. Martyr.
Born
3 July 1899 in Dwikozy, Swietokrzyskie, Poland
Died
starved to death on 9 May 1941 in the camp hospital of Dachau, Oberbayern, Germany
Beatified
13 June 1999 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Pachomius of Tabenna
Also known as
• Pachomius the Elder
• Pachomius the Great
• Pachome, Pakhomius
Profile
Soldier in the imperial Roman army. Convert in 313. He left the army in 314 and became a spiritual student of Saint Palaemon. Lived as a hermit from 316. During a retreat into the deep desert, he received a vision telling him to build a monastery on the spot and leave the life of a hermit for that of a monk in community. He did in 320, and devised a Rule that let fellow hermits ease from solitary to communal living; legend says that the Rule was dictated to him by an angel. Abbot. His first house expanded to eleven monasteries and convents with over 7,000 monks and nuns in religous life by the time of Pachomius's death. Spiritual teacher of Saint Abraham the Poor and Saint Theodore of Tabennísi. Considered the founder of Christian cenobitic (communal) monasticism, whose rule for monks is the earliest extant.
Born
c.290 at Upper Thebaid, Egypt
Died
• c.346 of natural causes
• buried in an unknown location by Saint Theodore of Tabennísi
Blessed Alexandru Rusu
Profile
One of twelve children of a priest in the Saulia Commune, Mures, Romania. Ordained a priest in the Romanian Greek-Catholic Rite on 20 July 1910. Chosen the first bishop of Maramures, Romania on 17 October 1930. Chosen the archbishop of Fagaras and Alba Iulia, Romania in 1946, a move opposed by the Communist government. For defying the anti–Christian authorities, Bishop Alexandru was arrested in October 1948. Confined first in monasteries, he was eventually sent to Sighet prison. He was finally “tried” by a military tribunal in 1957 who found him guilty of treason for remaining faithful to the Catholic church, sentenced him to 25 years, and sent him to Gherla prison where he died. Martyr.
Born
22 November 1884 in Saulia de Câmpie, Mures, Romania
Died
9 May 1963 in Gherla, Cluj, Romania
Beatified
2 June 2019 by Pope Francis
Saint Beatus of Lungern
Also known as
• Apostle of Switzerland
• Beatus of Beatenberg
• Beatus of Thun
Profile
Convert, baptized in England by Saint Barnabas the Apostle. Priest, ordained in Rome, Italy by Saint Peter the Apostle. Missionary to Switzerland. Lived in a cave above the Lake of Thun, which tradition says is where he fought a dragon (often used as a metaphor for chasing the devil out of a region by bringing in Christianty); it became known as Mount Beatenburg in his honor, and became a place of pilgrimage in later years. Confessor of the faith.
Died
c.112 on Mount Beatenburg, Lake of Thun, Switzerland of natural causes
Patronage
Beatenberg, Switzerland
Representation
• old man in a cave, usually reading
• monk fighting or chasing a dragon
• monk with a book and a weapon
Blessed Thomas Pickering
Profile
Benedictine lay brother at the Saint Gregory Monastery in Douai, France in 1660. Sent to London, England in 1665 to serve as steward to the Benedictines in the queen's royal chapel. He came to know Queen Catherine of Braganza and King Charles II, and in 1675 when the all other Benedictines were exiled from England, Thomas was allowed to stay. Falsely accused in 1678 of being part of the Titus Oates Plot to murder the king, he was found guilty and executed. Martyr.
Born
c.1621 in Westmorland, England
Died
• hanged, drawn and quartered On 9 May 1679 in Tyburn, London, England
• some relics persevered at Downside Abbey
Beatified
15 December 1929 by Pope Pius XI
Blessed Benincasa of Montepulciano
Also known as
• Benincasa of Montepulciano
• Benincosa of...
• John Benincasa
• Giovanni Benincasa
Profile
Joined the Servites as a teenager. At age 25 he became a prayerful hermit in a cell on Monte Amiata near Siena, Italy. Around age 50 he was ordered by the Servites to move to their community at Monticchiello, Italy where he lived his final months.
Born
1375 at Montepulciano, Siena, Italy
Died
9 May 1426 at Monticchiello, Italy of natural causes
Beatified
23 December 1829 by Pope Pius VIII (cultus confirmation)
Saint Gregory of Ostia
Also known as
• Gregorius IV
• Gregorio Ostiense
• Gregorio di Ostia
• Gregorio de la Berrueza
Profile
Benedictine monk. Priest. Abbot of the monastery of Saints Cosma e Damiano ad Micam auream, Rome, Italy. Chosen Cardinal–Bishop of Ostia, Italy and Vatican librarian c.1034 by Pope Benedict IX. Papal legate to the kingdoms of Spanish Navarre and Old Castile. Reported miracle worker, especially concerned with saving crops from pests, he is venerated throughout Navarre and Rioja.
Died
9 May 1048 at Logroño, Spain of natural causes
Patronage
protection of crops
Isaiah the Prophet
Profile
Eighth century BC Old Testament prophet. Killed at the order of King Manasses of Juda.
Died
• sawn in two
• buried under an oak tree
Representation
• elderly man holding a scroll that reads "Ecce Virgo Concipiet"
• old man being sawn in two
• robed figure holding a saw
Saint Giuse Hiên
Also known as
• Giuseppe Dô Quang Hiên
• Joseph Hiên
• José Dô Quang Hiên
Profile
Dominican priest. Martyred in the persecutions of Emperor Thieu Tri.
Born
c.1769 in Quân Anh Ha, Nam Ðinh, Vietnam
Died
beheaded on 9 May 1840 at Nam Ðinh, Vietnam
Canonized
19 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Banban the Wise
Also known as
• Banban Sapiens
• Mabran Barbarus
• Mauranum cognomento Barbanum
• Banbanum, Banbanus, Banbhanus, Banuanus, Barbanum, Mauran, Methbrain, Methbruin, Nia Brain, Niabrain, Nie Brain, Niethbrain, Seannan
Profile
5th century priest who worked with Saint Patrick who installed him as pastor of the Domnach Mór church at Magh Slécht, Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland.
Born
Ireland
Blessed Pedro of Alcobaça
Profile
Cistercian monk in the monastery of Alcobaça, Portugal. His piety and his connection to this monastery, which was founded in 1153 by King Afonso Henriques, let to many outlandish tales about him, his royal connections, etc. But all we really know was that he was a pious Cistercian.
Died
• c.1160
• relics translated in 1293
• relics translated in 1351
Blessed Fortis Gabrielli
Profile
Hermit in the mountains near Scheggia, Italy. Spiritual student of Blessed Ludolph. Benedictine monk–hermit at the monastery of Fontavellana.
Born
Gubbio, Umbria, Italy
Died
9 May 1040 of natural causes
Beatified
17 March 1756 by Pope Benedict XIV (cultus confirmed)
Saint Tudwg
Also known as
Tudinus
Profile
A church was dedicated to him in Llandudwg (modern Tythegston, Glamorganshire, Wales). Some records say he was the son of Saint Tydodwg, and a monk at the monastery of Saint Cenydd on the Gower peninsula of Wales, but nothing certain is recorded about him.
Born
Wales
Saint Gerontius of Cervia
Also known as
Geronzio
Profile
Bishop of Cervia, Italy. Martyr.
Died
c.501 on the Flaminian Way at Cagli, Italy
Patronage
Cagli, Italy
Saint Beatus of Laon
Also known as
Beatus of Vendome
Profile
Third-century cave-living hermit and missionary in the area of Laon, France.
Born
Italy
Saint Sanctan of Kill-da-Les
Also known as
Sanctain
Profile
Son of King Sawyl Penuchel. Sixth-century bishop of Kill-da-Les (Kill-na-Sanctan) in Ireland.
Born
northern Britain
Saint Brynoth of Scara
Profile
Bishop of Scara West Gothland, Sweden for 38 years.
Born
Sweden
Died
6 February 1317 of natural causes
Canonized
1498
Saint John of Châlon
Profile
Bishop of Châlon-sur-Saône, France consecrated by Saint Patiens of Lyons.
Died
c.475 of natural causes
Saint Vincent of Montes
Profile
Monk. Spiritual student of Saint Gennadius. Abbot of San Pedro de Montes Abbey in Spain.
Died
c.950
Saint Gorfor of Llanover
Profile
No information has survived.
Born
Welsh
Patronage
Llanover, Gwent, Wales
Saint Hermas of Rome
Profile
First century Roman mentioned in Saint Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Bishop of Philippi. Martyr.
Saint Dionysius of Vienne
Also known as
Denis
Profile
Bishop of Vienne, France.
Died
c.193
Martyrs of Persia
Profile
310 Christians murdered together for their faith in Persia. No details about them have survived.
20 Mercedarian Martyrs of Riscala
Profile
20 Mercedarian friars who were murdered by Huguenot heretics for refusing to denounce their faith.
Died
16th century at the Santa Maria convent at Riscala, France
