St. John Berchmans
Feastday: November 26
Patron: of Altar Servers
Birth: 1599
Death: 1621
Eldest son of a shoemaker, John was born at Diest, Brabant. He early wanted to be a priest, and when thirteen became a servant in the household of one of the Cathedral canons at Malines, John Froymont. In 1615, he entered the newly founded Jesuit College at Malines, and the following year became a Jesuit novice. He was sent to Rome in 1618 to continue his studies, and was known for his diligence and piety, impressing all with his holiness and stress on perfection in little things. He died there on August 13. Many miracles were attributed to him after his death, and he was canonized in 1888. He is the patron of altar boys. His feast day is November 26.
John Berchmans (Dutch: Jan Berchmans [jɑm ˈbɛr(ə)xmɑns]; 13 March 1599 – 13 August 1621) was a Jesuit scholastic and is a saint in the Catholic Church. In 1615, the Jesuits opened a college at Mechelen and Berchmans was one of the first to enroll. His spiritual model was his fellow Jesuit Aloysius Gonzaga, and he was influenced by the example of the English Jesuit martyrs. Berchmans is the patron saint of altar servers, Jesuit scholastics, and students.
Early life
John Berchmans was born on 13 March 1599, in the city of Diest situated in what is now the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, the son of a shoemaker. His parents were John Charles and Elizabeth Berchmans. He was the oldest of five children and at baptism was named John in honor of John the Baptist. He grew up in an atmosphere of political turmoil caused by a religious war between the Catholic and Protestant parts of the Low Countries.[1] When he was age nine, his mother was stricken with a very long and a very serious illness. John would pass several hours each day by her bedside.[2] He studied at the Gymnasium (grammar school) at Diest and worked as a servant in the household of Canon John Froymont at Mechelen in order to continue his studies.[1] John also made pilgrimages to the Marian shrine of Scherpenheuvel, some 30 miles east of Brussels, but only a few miles from Diest.
In 1615, the Jesuits opened a college at Mechelen and Berchmans was one of the first to enroll. Immediately upon entering, he enrolled in the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin. When Berchmans wrote his parents that he wished to join the Society of Jesus, his father hurried to Mechelen to dissuade him and sent him to the Franciscan convent in Mechelen. At the convent, a friar who was related to Berchmans also attempted to change his mind. Finally as a last resort, Berchmans's father told him that he would end all financial support if he continued with his plan.[3]
Nevertheless, on 24 September 1616, Berchmans entered the Jesuit novitiate. He was affable, kind, and endowed with an outgoing personality that endeared him to others. He requested that after ordination as a priest he could become a chaplain in the army, hoping to be martyred on the battlefield.[1]
On 24 January 1618, he made his first vows and went to Antwerp to begin studying philosophy. After only a few weeks he was sent to Rome, where he was to continue the same study. He set out on foot, with his belongings on his back, and on arrival was admitted to the Roman College to begin two years of study. He entered his third-year class in philosophy in the year 1621.[2]
Later, in August 1621, the prefect of studies selected Berchmans to participate in a discussion of philosophy at the Greek College, which at the time was administered by the Dominicans. Berchmans opened the discussion with great clarity and profoundness, but after returning to his own quarters, was seized with the Roman fever.[2] His lungs became inflamed and his strength diminished rapidly.[3] He succumbed to dysentery and fever on 13 August 1621, at the age of twenty-two years and five months.[4] When he died, a large crowd gathered for several days to view his remains and to invoke his intercession. That same year, Phillip-Charles, Duke of Aarschot, sent a petition to Pope Gregory XV with a view to beginning the process leading to Berchman's beatification. His remains were eventually entombed in Rome's Sant'Ignazio Church.
John Berchmans took as his spiritual model his fellow Jesuit Aloysius Gonzaga and he was also influenced by the example of the English Jesuit martyrs. It was his realistic appreciation for the value of ordinary things, a characteristic of the Flemish mystical tradition, that constituted his holiness. He had a special devotion to Mary, mother of Jesus; and to him is owed the Little Rosary of the Immaculate Conception.[3]
Veneration
Jan Berchmans, by Boetius Adams Bolswert.jpg
At the time of Berchmans's death, his heart was returned to his homeland in Belgium where it is kept in a silver reliquary on a side altar in the church at Leuven (Louvain).[5] Berchmans was declared Blessed in 1865, and canonized in 1888.[2] Statues frequently depict him with hands clasped, holding his crucifix, his book of rules, and his rosary.
The miracle that led to his canonization occurred at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. In 1866, one year after the Civil War, he appeared to novice Mary Wilson. Mary's health was poor, and her parents thought that the gentler climate of south Louisiana could be a remedy. However, her health continued to decline, to the point where for about 40 days she had only been able to take liquids. "Being unable to speak, I said in my heart: 'Lord, Thou Who seest how I suffer, if it be for your honor and glory and the salvation of my soul, I ask through the intercession of Blessed Berchmans a little relief and health. Otherwise give me patience to the end.'" She went on to describe how John Berchmans then appeared to her, and she was immediately healed.[6] When the Academy opened a boys school in 2006, the trustees named it St. John Berchmans School. It is the only shrine at the exact location of a confirmed miracle in the United States.[7]
The feast day of John Berchmans has never been inscribed in the General Roman Calendar, but prior to the liturgical reforms of Pope John XXIII there was a Mass set for him among the section of Masses for Various Places (Missae pro aliquibus locis) of the Roman Missal which foresaw that it would be celebrated in different places on either 13 August or 26 November. Berchmans is currently inscribed in the 2004 official edition of the Catholic Church's Martyrologium Romanum (p. 451) on 13 August, the date of his death. He is celebrated by the Society of Jesus on 26 November.
Blessed Gaetana Sterni
Also known as
Cajetana Sterni
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Daughter of Giovanni Battista Sterni and Giovanna Chiuppani; one of six children. Her father was an administrator for the country property of the Mora, who were members of the Venetian nobility. The family lived relatively comfortably until Gaetana was about 15 years old when, in short order, her elder sister Margherita died, her father died, and her brother Francesco left home to become an actor, leaving the rest of the family in sad shape financially. Gaetana, a pious girl, did what she could to help her mother, but soon attracted the attention and a marriage offer from Liberale Conte, a widower with three children.
Gaetana accepted, and was soon very happily married and pregnant. However, during prayer one day she received a prophecy of her husband's early death; it proved true, and she widowed before their child was born. The baby died a few days after birth, and her late husband's family demanded that her three step-children be returned to them. At age 19 Gaetana found herself a widow, alone, broke, alienated from her in-laws, and having buried a child; she returned to her mother's house.
She spent much of her time there in prayer, looking for a direction for her future, and finally came to understand that she had a call to the religious life. Joined the Canosian convent at Bassano, Italy for five months, but received another prophetic message in prayer that foretold her mother's death. Her mother died a few days later, and Gaetana left the convent to care for her younger siblings. She was head of the household for the next six years.
Free at last at age 26, she began to fulfill anther message she had received in prayer while with the Canosians. There she had been told "to employ there all of herself in the service of the poor and thus fulfill His will." A Jesuit priest confirmed this message for her, and in 1853, she began work at the hospice for beggars in Bassano. She would remain there for her remaining 36 years, tending to the aged, the sick, the dying. In 1860, at age 33 she made a private vow of total devotion to God.
In 1865 Gaetana and two like-minded friends formed what would become the Daughters of the Divine Will, a name chosen to indicate that the members would surrender themselves completely to God's plans. They dedicated themselves to service to the sick and poor, and worked especially with those who were sick, but still able to live in their own homes. The bishop of Vicenza, Italy approved the congregation in 1875, and today the Daughters are working across Europe, America, and Africa.
Born
26 June 1827 at Cassola, Vicenza, Italy
Died
• 26 November 1889 of natural causes
• buried at the Daughters mother house at Bassano del Grapo, Vicenza, Italy
Beatified
4 November 2001 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Leonard of Port Maurice
மவுரிஸ் கோட்டை புனிதர் லியோனார்ட்
இத்தாலிய ஃபிரான்சிஸ்கன் போதகர்/ துறவற எழுத்தாளர்:
பிறப்பு: டிசம்பர் 20, 1676
போர்டோ மவுரிஸியோ
இறப்பு: நவம்பர் 26, 1751
ரோம் (Rome)
ஏற்கும் சமயம்:
ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை
முக்திபேறு பட்டம்: ஜூன் 19, 1796
திருத்தந்தை ஆறாம் பயஸ்
புனிதர் பட்டம்: ஜூன் 29, 1867
திருத்தந்தை ஒன்பதாம் பயஸ்
பாதுகாவல்: மறைப்பணியாளர்கள்
நினைவுத் திருநாள்: நவம்பர் 26
“பால் ஜெரோம் கஸனோவா” (Paul Jerome Casanova) எனும் இயற்பெயர் கொண்ட புனிதர் லியோனார்ட், இத்தாலிய ஃபிரான்சிஸ்கன் சபை துறவியும் போதகரும் ஆவார். "டொமினிகோ கஸனோவா" மற்றும் "அன்னா மரியா பென்ஸா" (Domenico Casanova and Anna Maria Benza) இவரது பெற்றோர் ஆவர். இவரது தந்தையார் ஒரு கப்பல் தலைவர் ஆவார். இவர்களது குடும்பம் இத்தாலியின் வடமேற்கு கடற்கரை பகுதியான “போர்ட் மௌரிஸ்” (Port Maurice) எனும் இடத்தில் வசித்து வந்தனர்.
இவர் தமது பதின்மூன்று வயதில் தமது மாமன் “அகோஸ்டினோ” (Agostino) என்பவருடன் தங்கி “இயேசுசபையின் ரோமன் கல்லூரியில்” (Jesuit Roman College) கல்வி பயில்வதற்காக இத்தாலி சென்றார். நல்ல மாணவரான லியோனார்ட், மருத்துவ தொழிலை தேர்வு செய்திருந்தார். ஆனால், கி.பி. 1697ம் ஆண்டில் “இளம் துறவியர்” (Friars Minor ) சபையில் இணைந்தார். அவர் தாம் தேர்வு செய்திருந்த மருத்துவ தொழிலை கைவிட்டபோது, அவரது மாமனும் அவரை கைவிட்டார்.
கி.பி. 1697ம் ஆண்டு, அக்டோபர் மாதம், இரண்டாம் தேதி, தமது துறவற சீருடைகளைப் பெற்றுக்கொண்ட “பால் ஜெரோம் கஸனோவா” “அருட்சகோதரர் லியோனார்ட்” என்ற ஆன்மீக பெயரையும் ஏற்றுக்கொண்டார்.
மத்திய இத்தாலியின் "சபின் மலை” (Sabine mountains) பகுதியிலுள்ள “போண்டிசெல்லி" (Ponticelli) என்னும் இடத்தில் “துறவறப் புகுநிலை பயிற்சியை” (Novitiate) பூர்த்தி செய்தபின்னர், ரோம் நகரின் “பாலடின் (Palatine) எனுமிடத்திலுள்ள “தூய போனவெஞ்சுரா” கல்லூரியில் (St. Bonaventura) தமது கல்வியை முடித்தார். குருத்துவ அருட்பொழிவின் பிறகு அங்கேயே தங்கி பேராசிரியராக பணியாற்றிய லியோனார்ட், சீன பயணங்களை எதிர்பார்த்து காத்திருந்தார். ஆனால், அந்நேரத்தில் (கி.பி. 1704ல்) அல்ஸர் நோயும் அதில் இரத்தப்போக்குமாக பாதிக்கப்பட்ட லியோனார்ட் அவரது சொந்த ஊரிலுள்ள ஃபிரான்ஸிஸ்கன் துறவு இல்லத்திற்கு அனுப்பப்பட்டார். நான்கு வருடங்களின் பின்னர் நோயிலிருந்து குணமடைந்த அவர் “போர்ட்டோ மௌரிஸோ” (Porto Maurizio) பகுதிகளில் தமது போதனையை தொடங்கினார்.
பதினெட்டாம் நூற்றாண்டின் தலைசிறந்த போதகர் என்று அழைக்கப்பட்ட லியோனார்ட், சமய போதனைகளிலும் தியானங்களிலும் நோன்பு விரதம் போன்றவைகளைப் பற்றியும் பங்கு பயணங்கள் பற்றியும் பிரசங்கிப்பதில் பிரபலமானவராயும் வல்லவராயும் திகழ்ந்தார். சிறந்த மறைப்பரப்பு பணியாளராக செயல்பட்டார். பயணங்கள் பல மேற்கொண்டு, ஊர் ஊராக சென்று மறையுரையாற்றினார். இவரின் மறையுரையால் பலர் கவர்ந்து, இவரை பின்தொடர்ந்தனர். அனைத்து வித மக்களும் எளிமையாக புரிந்துகொள்ளும் விதத்தில் மறையுரை ஆற்றும் திறமையை பெற்றிருந்தார். இயேசுவின் நற்செய்தியை மிக எளிய முறையில் அறிவித்தார். அவரது ஒவ்வொரு போதனை பயணங்களும் பதினைந்து முதல் பதினெட்டு நாட்கள் வரை நீடித்தன. மேலும் அதன் பிறகும் ஒரு வாரம் வரை பாவ மன்னிப்பு கேட்கும் பணிக்காக தங்கி இருப்பார்.
கி.பி. 1720ம் ஆண்டு, “டுஸ்கனி” (Tuscany) எல்லைகளைக் கடந்து மத்திய மற்றும் தென் இத்தாலி பகுதிகளில் மறையுரையாற்றினார். திருத்தந்தை பன்னிரெண்டாம் கிளெமென்ட்டும் (Pope Clement XII). திருத்தந்தை பதினான்காம் பெனடிக்ட்டும் (Pope Benedict XIV) அவரை ரோம் வரவழைத்து கௌரவித்தனர். திருத்தந்தை பதினான்காம் பெனடிக்ட் (Pope Benedict XIV), அவரை பல்வேறு சிக்கலான இராஜதந்திர பணிகளில் ஈடுபடுத்தினார். “ஜெனோவா” (Genoa), “கோர்ஸிகா” (Corsica), “லுக்கா” (Lucca) மற்றும் “ஸ்போலெடோ” (Spoleto) ஆகிய நாடுகளின் பிரஜைகள் திருத்தந்தையின் நோக்கங்களை பிரதிநிதித்துவம் செய்ய ஒரு அலங்கார கர்தினாலை எதிர்பார்த்திருந்தனர். ஆனால், அவர்கள் கண்டதோ மிகவும் பணிவான, காலணிகள் கூட இல்லாத, சேரும் சகதியுமான ஒரு துறவியை. அவர்களின் எதிர்பார்ப்புக்கு மாறானவராக அவர் இருந்தார்.
லியோனார்ட், சிறிது காலம் இங்கிலாந்து (England), ஸ்காட்லாந்து (Scotland) மற்றும் அயர்லாந்து (Ireland) நாடுகளின் அரசனான, “ஜேம்ஸ் பிரான்சிஸ் எட்வர்ட்” (James Francis Edward) என்பவரது மனைவியான “மரியா கிளமென்டினா’வின்” (Maria Clementina Sobieska) ஆன்மீக வழிகாட்டியாக பணியமர்த்தப்பட்டிருந்தார்.
லியோனார்ட் பல பக்தி மார்க்க சபைகளை நிறுவினார். இயேசுவின் திருஇருதய (Sacred Heart of Jesus) பக்தியையும் தூய நற்கருணை (Most Blessed Sacrament) ஆராதனையையும் பரப்ப தம்மை அர்ப்பணித்துக்கொண்டார்.
நாற்பத்துமூன்று வருடங்களுக்கும் மேலாக அன்னை மரியாளுக்கு வணக்கத்தையும், சிலுவைப்பாதை வழிபாடுகளையும் போதித்த லியோனார்ட், எளிமையான முறையில் மக்களை வழிநடத்தி இறையுணர்வை கொண்டு வாழ செய்தார். இவர் மருத்துவப்படிப்பையும் தத்துவயியலையும் கற்றிருந்தபோதும் கூட எளிமையாக வாழ்ந்து நற்செய்திக்கு சான்று பகிர்ந்தார்.
மறை பரப்புதல் பணியின் கடின உழைப்பு அவரது ஆரோக்கியத்தை கடுமையாக பாதித்தது. எழுபத்தைந்து வயதான புனித லியோனார்ட் தமது "தூய பொனவெஞ்சுரா” (St. Bonaventura) துறவு இல்லத்தில் மரித்தார்.
Also known as
• Jerome Casanova
• Paul Jerome Casanova
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Son of Domenico Casanova, a sea captain, and Anna Maria Benza. Placed at age thirteen with his uncle Agostino to study for a career as a physician, but the youth decided against medicine, and his uncle disowned him. Studied at the Jesuit College in Rome, Italy. Joined the Riformella, a branch of the Franciscans of the Strict Observance on 2 October 1697, taking the name Brother Leonard. Ordained in Rome in 1703. Taught for a while, and expected to become a missionary to China, but a bleeding ulcer kept him in his native lands for the several years it took to recover and regain his strength.
Sent to Florence, Italy in 1709 where he became a noted preached in the city and nearby region. He was often invited to other areas, and worked for devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception, and the Stations of the Cross. Established the Way of the Cross in over 500 places, including the Colosseum in Rome. Sent as a missionary by Pope Benedict XIV to the island of Corsica in 1744. There he restored discipline to the holy orders there, but local politics greatly limited his success in preaching. He returned exhausted to Rome where he spent the rest of his days.
Born
20 December 1676 at Porto Maurizio, Italy on the Riviera di Ponente as Paul Jerome Casanova
Died
11:00pm 26 November 1751 at the monastery of Saint Bonaventura, Rome, Italy
Canonized
29 June 1867 by Pope Pius XI
Saint Sylvester Gozzolini
Profile
Born to the Italian nobility. Began the study of civil law in Bologna and Padua in Italy in 1197. Renouncing civil law, he studied theology and was ordained in 1217 in the diocese of Osimo, Italy; his father was so upset with the change that he refused to speak to his son for ten years. Canon in Osimo, Italy; his ministry was so successful that his local bishop became jealous. Hermit at age 50, living on herbs and water, sleeping on the ground, and spending his time in study and prayer; his reputation for learning and holiness attracted many students. He received a vision of Saint Benedict of Nursia in 1231 and understood that he should form his spiritual students into a formal community. Founded a Benedictine community at Monte Fano, Fabriano, Italy, a house devoted to strict adherence to the Benedictine Rule, and built on the site of an old pagan temple that Sylvester destroyed. The Order, known as a the Sylvestrines or Blue Benedictines, was approved by Pope Innocent IV in 1247, Sylvester led them until his death decades later, Sylvester founded eleven houses of them in his time, and they continue their work today.
Born
1177 in Osimo, Marche, Italy
Died
• 26 November 1267 at Monte Fano, Fabriano, Italy
• re-interred in a shrine in the monastery church of Monte Fano c.1280
Canonized
• 1598 by Pope Clement VIII (added to the Martyrology)
• 1890 by Pope Leo XIII (office and Mass added to the General Roman Calendar)
Saint Bellinus of Padua
Also known as
Bellino
Profile
Priest. During a period of turmoil in his diocese, Bellinus stayed loyal to the bishop appointed by the legitimate Pope. Bishop of Padua, Italy. Led a reform of the spiritual lives of the canons in his diocese, and the effort to rebuild the cathedral after its destruction in 1117 by earthquake. Worked to re-build the status and dignity of the Church, defended Church rights and helped build schools. Killed by assassins paid by the Capodivacca family of Padua; Bellinus was becoming very effective in building up the Church at the expense of the noble families. Martyr.
Born
late 11th century in Padua, Italy
Died
• stabbed by assissins 1151 on a forest road while on a trip to Rome, Italy
• buried in the church of San Giacomo in Lugarano, Italy
• the church was destroyed by flood and the relics relocated to the church of San Bellinus in San Martino di Variano, Italy
• relics relocated to a newly built chapel in San Martino di Variano in 1647
Canonized
by Pope Eugene IV
Saint Conrad of Constance
புனித_கொன்ராட் (-975)
நவம்பர் 26
இவர் (#St_ConradOfConstance) ஜெர்மனியை ஆண்டுவந்த ஹென்றி என்ற பிரபுவின் இரண்டாவது மகன்.
தனது கல்வியைத் தற்போது சுவிட்சர்லாந்தில் உள்ள கான்ஸ்டான்ஸ் என்ற இடத்தில் இருக்கக்கூடிய பள்ளியில் படித்த இவர், அருள்பணியாளராகவும் பின்னர், 934 ஆம் ஆண்டு கொன்ஸ்டான்ஸ் நகரின் ஆயராகவும் உயர்த்தப்பட்டார்.
இவர் ஆயராக உயர்த்தப்பட்ட பிறகு, தனக்குச் சேரவேண்டிய குடும்பச் சொத்து அனைத்தையும் திருஅவைக்கும் ஏழைகளுக்கும் பகிர்ந்து கொடுத்தார். இவ்வாறு இவர் ஏழைகளின்மீது கொண்டிருந்த அன்பை வெளிப்படுத்தினார்.
இவர் மூன்றுமுறை புனித நாடுகளுக்கும், ஒருமுறை உரோமைக்கும் திருப்பயணம் சென்று, ஆண்டவர்மீது கொண்டிருந்த பற்றில் இன்னும் உறுதியடைந்தார்.
ஏறக்குறைய 42 ஆண்டுகள் கான்ஸ்டான்ஸில் ஆயராகப் பணிபுரிந்த இவர், அம்மறைமாவட்டத்தைப் பல நிலைகளிலும் வளர்த்தெடுத்தார்; நிறைய கோயில்களை கட்டியெழுப்பினார்.
ஒருமுறை இவர் திருப்பலி நிறைவேற்றிக் கொண்டிருந்தபோது, பெரிய சிலந்தி ஒன்று இரசக் கிண்ணத்தில் விழுந்துவிட்டது. இது இவருக்குத் தெரியாது. இரசக் கிண்ணத்திலிருந்த இயேசுவின் திருஇரத்தத்தைப் பருகிய பின்னரே இவருக்குத் தெரிந்தது. ஆனாலும் இவர் கடவுளிடத்தில் தனக்கு ஒன்றும் ஆகக்கூடாது என்று வேண்டிக் கொண்டார். இவர் வேண்டிக்கொண்டது போன்றே இவருக்கு எந்தவோர் ஆபத்தும் ஏற்படவில்லை. இதனாலேயே இவருடைய கையில் இரசக் கிண்ணம் உள்ளது.
இவர் எந்தவொரு பதவிக்கும் ஆசைப்படாதவராகவே வாழ்ந்து வந்தார்.
இப்படித் தன் வாழ்வாலும் வார்த்தையாலும் ஆண்டவருக்குச் சான்று பகர்ந்து வாழ்ந்த இவர் 975 ஆம் ஆண்டு இறையடி சேர்ந்தார்.
Also known as
Konrad of Konstanz
Profile
Second son of Count Heinrich von Altdorf, part of the Guelf family. Educated at the cathedral school at Constance, Germany (in modern Switzerland). Priest. Provost of the cathedral. Bishop of Constance from 934 to 975. Made three pilgrimages to the Holy Lands. Accompanied Emperor Otto I to Rome, Italy. Renovated churches in his diocese, and built three new ones on lands he inherited. Known for his charity to the poor, and his lack of concern over the power politics that occupied so many other bishops of the day.
During Mass one day a spider dropped into the chalice of Precious Blood; though Conrad believed all spiders were poisonous, his love of communion overcame his fear, and he drank the Blood, spider and all. He did, of course, survive.
On 14 September 948 Conrad was witness to the miraculous consecration of the Chapel of Mary, Einsiedeln, Switzerland by Christ and some angels.
Died
975 of natural causes
Canonized
1123 by Pope Callistus II
Blessed Giacomo Alberione
Also known as
Santiago Alberione
Profile
Seminarian in Bra and Alba in Italy. During the night of 31 December 1900 to 1 January 1901, while doing nightly Eucharistic adoration in Alba, he suddently felt he was called on to do something for the people of the new 20th century. Ordained on 29 June 1907. Parish priest in Narzole. Spiritual director for youth and altar servers in the Alba seminary on 1 October 1908. Director of the weekly publication Gazzetta d'Alba beginning in September 1913. Founded the Society of Saint Paul on 20 August 1914. Founded the Daughters of Saint Paul on 15 June 1915. Founded the Sisters Disciples of the Divine Master on 10 February 1924. Founded the Sisters of Jesus Good Shepherd in Rome, Italy in August 1936. These congregations, under his leadership and on to today, publish materials to spread the word of God, and help in personal devotions.
Born
4 April 1884 in San Lorenzo di Fossano, Cuneo, Italy
Died
6:26pm on 26 November 1971 in the Generalate House, Rome, Italy of natural causes
Beatified
27 April 2003 by Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pontius of Faucigny
Also known as
Ponzio
Profile
Born to the nobility of the Savoy region (in modern France). Monk at the Canonici Regolari di Abondance abbey as a young man. Over the years he helped revise the constitutions of the abbot to put them in closer accord to the Augustinian rule. Founded a religious house in Sixt, Savoy in 1144, and served as its first abbot. Abbot of the Abondance abbey in 1172. Late in life he retired from the abbacy to spend his final days as a prayerful simple monk.
Born
c.1100 in Faucigny, Savoy (in modern France)
Died
• 26 November 1179 in Sixt, Savoy (in modern France) of natural causes
• buried in the abbey church
• relics enshrined in the church at an unknown date
• Saint Francis de Sales, having a devotion, took some relics on 14 November 1620
Beatified
15 December 1896 by Pope Leo XIII (cultus confirmation)
Pope Saint Siricius
Profile
Son of Tiburtius. Lector. Deacon. Friend of Saint Ambrose of Milan. Unanimously elected 38th pope in 384. He was opposed by the anti-pope Ursinus, but the pretender could not get any support, and nothing came of it. Expanded papal power and authority, decreeing that any papal documents should receive widespread distribution. Held a synod at Rome, Italy on 6 January 386 which re-affirmed a variety of canon laws and disciplines for both clergy and laity. A separate synod in 390 to 392 re-affirmed the merits of fasting, good works, and the need for celibate life among the religious and clergy. Opposed the Manicheans. Settled the Meletian schism at Antioch.
Born
c.334 at Rome, Italy
Papal Ascension
December 384
Died
• 26 November 399 of natural causes
• buried in the cemetery of Priscilla on the Via Salaria, Rome, Italy
Canonized
by Pope Benedict XIV
Blessed Marmaduke Bowes
Additional Memorial
22 November as one of the Martyrs of England, Scotland, and Wales
Profile
Married layman and father. Fearful of the persecutions of the day, he was a covert Catholic who put in appearances in the Established church to keep the authorities away. He sheltered priests on the run, and had his children raised Catholic. In 1585 his children's tutor was arrested and bribed to apostatize, turn informer, and denounce Bowes for helping priests. Bowes and his wife were arrested and imprisoned in York; she was released, but Marmaduke was convicted on the statements the tutor. First layman executed under the law that made helping priests a felony. Martyr.
Born
Ingram Grange, Yorkshire, England
Died
hanged on 26 November 1585 in York, Yorkshire, England
Beatified
22 November 1987 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Alypius Stylites
Also known as
• Alypius of Adrianople
• Alypius of Adrianoplis
• Alypius of Hadrianople
• Alypius of Hadrianopolis
• Alipio, Stiljanus, Stylianos, Stylianus, Styllianus
Profile
Deacon. Gave away all his possessions to live first as a monk, and then as a cave hermit and finally as one of the early ascetics who would live atop a pillar for long periods.
Born
early 4th-century in Adrianople, Paphlagonia, Asia Minor (modern Edirne, Turkey)
Died
c.390 at Adrianopolis, Paphlagonia, Asia Minor (modern Edirne, Turkey) of natural causes
Blessed Hugh Taylor
Memorial
• 22 November as one of the Martyrs of England, Scotland, and Wales
• 29 October as one of the Martyrs of Douai
Profile
Studied at Rheims, France. Ordained in 1584. Ministered to covert and oppressed Catholics in England starting in March 1585. He worked for only a few months, being the first person martyred in the persecutions of Queen Elizabeth. One of the Martyrs of England, Scotland and Wales.
Born
c.1559 at Durham, England
Died
hanged, drawn, and quartered on 26 November 1585 at York, Yorkshire, England
Beatified
22 November 1987 by Pope John Paul II
Blessed Albert of Haigerloch
Also known as
• Albert of Oberaltaich
• Adalbert of...
Profile
Related to the Counts of Haigerloch, Hohenzollern (Germany). Benedictine monk at Oberaltaich, Bavaria in 1261. Head of the monastery school. Prior of his house, and priest of the surrounding parish. Insured support for the monastery scriptorium, and started care for lepers in the area of the Danube.
Born
1239 in Haigerloch, Hohenzollern (Germany)
Died
26 November 1311 at Oberaltaich, Bavaria, Germany of natural causes
Saint Humilis of Bisignano
Also known as
• Luca Antonio Pirozzo
• Umile of Bisignano
Profile
Franciscan lay-brother. So renowned for his sanctity, he was summoned to Rome to be counselor to Pope Gregory XV and Pope Urban VIII.
Born
26 August 1582 at Bisignano, Cosanza, Italy
Died
26 November 1637 at Bisignano, Cosanza, Italy of natural causes
Canonized
19 May 2002 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Ðaminh Nguyen Van Xuyên
Also known as
Dominic Nguyen Van Xuyen
Additional Memorial
24 November as one of the Martyrs of Vietnam
Profile
Dominican priest. Worked in the Dominican missions in Vietnam. Martyr.
Born
c.1786 in Hung Lap, Nam Ðinh, Vietnam
Died
beheaded on 26 November 1839 in Bay Mau, Hanoi, Vietnam
Canonized
19 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Tôma Ðinh Viet Du
Additional Memorial
24 November as one of the Martyrs of Vietnam
Profile
Dominican priest. Tortured and martyred in the persecutions of Minh Mang.
Born
c.1783 in Phú Nhai, Nam Ðinh, Vietnam
Died
beheaded on 26 November 1839 in Bay Mau, Hanoi, Vietnam
Canonized
19 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Basolus of Verzy
Also known as
• Basolus of Limoges
• Basle of...
Profile
Benedictine monk at Verzy, France. Lived for 40 years as a hermit on a hill near Rheims, France. Miracle worker.
Born
c.555 in Limoges, France
Died
• 620 of natural causes
• relics enshrined in 879 in the monastery built over his original tomb
Saint Martin of Arades
Also known as
Martin of Corbie
Profile
Monk at Corbie Abbey in France. Priest. Court chaplain and confessor of Charles Martel.
Died
• 726 of natural causes
• buried in St-Priest-sous-Aixe, Haute-Vienne, France
Patronage
• against gout
• against paralysis
Saint James the Hermit
Also known as
• James the Lonely
• James Hypeterius
Profile
Monk. Hermit. Miracle worker. His reputation for wisdom and holiness led the emperor to ask James to attend the Council of Chalcedon in 451.
Born
near Cyrus, Syria
Died
457 of natural causes
Blessed Delphine of Glandèves
Also known as
Delfina
Profile
Married to Saint Elzear of Sabran. Widowed, she spent the rest of her days in prayerful poverty.
Died
c.1359
Saint Ida of Cologne
Profile
Daughter of Matilda and Erenfrid, Count Palatine of Lorraine; her brother was Archbishop Hermann II of Cologne, her sisters were Queen Richeza of Poland and Abbess Theofano in Essen. Nun. Abbess of Saint-Mary-in-Kapitol Abbey in Cologne, Germany.
Died
1060
Saint Egelwine of Athelney
Also known as
Aylwine, Egelwin, Ethelwin, Ethelwine
Profile
Seventh century prince of Wessex, England. Lived as a prayerful hermit at Athelney, Somersetshire, England.
Born
Athelney, Somersetshire, England
Saint Nicon of Sparta
Also known as
Nicon Metanoiete ( = repent)
Profile
Monk. Wandering preacher and evangelist, especially in Greece, calling everyone to repent (metanoete).
Born
Armenia
Died
998 of natural causes
Saint Magnance of Ste-Magnance
Also known as
• Magnance of Auxerre
• Magnentia, Magnantia, Magnence
Profile
Spiritual student of Saint Germanus of Auxerre.
Died
c.450 of natural causes
Saint Marcellus of Nicomedia
Profile
Priest in Asia Minor. Martyred in the persecutions of the Arian Emperor Constantius.
Died
thrown from a cliff in 349 in Nicomedia, Asia Minor (modern Izmit, Turkey)
Saint Bertger of Herzfeld
Profile
Priest in Herzfeld, Germany. Spiritual director and confessor of Saint Ida of Herzfeld.
Died
c.830 in Herzfeld, Germany of natural causes while celebrating Mass
Saint Amator of Autun
Profile
Bishop of Autun, France c.270. Brought the Gallic Aedui tribe to the faith.
Died
buried in the cemetery of t-Pierre-l'Etrier just outside Autun, France
Saint Sabaudus of Trier
Also known as
Sebaldus, Sebaud
Profile
Saint Sabaudus of Trier, also known as Sebaldus or Sebaud, was a Frankish bishop of Trier (Treves) in the 6th century. He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, and his feast day is celebrated on November 26.
Early life and career
Sabaudus was born into a noble family in Trier, Germany, in the early 6th century. He was educated in the Christian faith and became a devout follower of Christ. He eventually entered the priesthood and was ordained a deacon.
In 546, Sabaudus was elected bishop of Trier. He served as bishop for 15 years, during which time he worked to restore the diocese after the devastations of the Merovingian wars. He also played an important role in the conversion of the pagan tribes of the region to Christianity.
Death and veneration
Sabaudus died in 561 and was buried in the cathedral of Trier. His tomb soon became a place of pilgrimage, and he was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.
Sabaudus is considered a patron saint of the city of Trier and the Diocese of Trier. He is also invoked by those seeking protection against storms and floods.
Attributes
Sabaudus is often depicted in art as a bishop with a white beard and a staff. He is sometimes accompanied by a dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
Legacy
Sabaudus is a revered figure in the history of the Catholic Church. He is remembered for his piety, his devotion to his faith, and his work to spread the Gospel message.
Died
c.614
Saint Vacz
Profile
Saint Vacz was an eleventh-century hermit who lived in Visegrád, Hungary. He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, and his feast day is celebrated on November 26.
Vacz was born into a noble family in Hungary. He was a devout Christian and spent much of his time in prayer and meditation. He eventually decided to become a hermit and moved to the mountains of Pilis, where he lived in a cave for many years.
Vacz was known for his piety and his dedication to his faith. He was also a skilled healer and was able to cure many people of their illnesses. He is said to have performed many miracles, and he is considered a patron saint of the sick and the infirm.
Vacz died in the early 11th century. He is buried in the Cathedral of Vác.
Vacz is a popular figure in Hungarian folklore. He is often depicted as an old man with a long white beard and a kindly face. He is said to be a protector of the poor and the downtrodden, and he is often called upon for help in times of need.
Martyrs of Alexandria
Profile
A group of approximately 650 Christian priests, bishops and laity martyred together in the persecution of Maximian Galerius. We have the names and a few details only seven of them - Ammonius, Didius, Faustus, Hesychius, Pachomius, Phileas and Theodore.
Born
Egyptian
Died
c.311 in Alexandria, Egypt
Martyrs of Capua
Profile
A group of seven Christians martyred together. The only details about them to survive are the names - Ammonius, Cassianus, Felicissimus, Nicander, Romana, Saturnin and Serenus.
Died
in Capua, Campania, Italy, date unknown
Martyrs of Nicomedia
Profile
A group of six orthodox Christians martyred by Arians. Few details have survived except their names - Marcellus, Melisus, Numerius, Peter, Serenusa and Victorinus.
Died
349 in Nicomedia, Bithynia, Asia Minor (modern Izmit, Turkey)
Adam Rusdrig
Adam Rusdrig was a Premonstratensian canon who died in 1633. He is considered a martyr by the Catholic Church, and his feast day is celebrated on November 26.
Rusdrig was born in Bohemia in the late 16th century. He joined the Premonstratensian Order at the Teplá Monastery in the western part of the country. In 1598, he was appointed prior of the Convent of St. Wenceslas in Chotesov, a town about 20 miles west of Plzeň.
During his time as prior, Rusdrig worked to restore the convent and maintain its religious life. He also faced persecution from both Protestants and Jesuits. In 1633, he was captured by Protestant forces and tortured. He refused to renounce his Catholic faith, and was eventually beheaded.
Rusdrig was beatified on May 21, 1995, by Pope John Paul II. He is now considered a patron saint of the Premonstratensian Order. His relics are enshrined in the Church of the Most Holy Name in Teplá.
Banban of Lethglenn
Saint Banban of Lethglenn, also known as Saint Banbán of Leighlin, was a 7th-century Irish bishop and abbot who is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on November 26.
Banban was born into the powerful Corcu Duibne lineage. He became a monk and eventually rose to the position of abbot of the monastery of Claenad (Ciane) in Kildare. He was also appointed bishop of Lethglenn (Leighlin) in Carlow.
Banban was known for his piety and his dedication to his monastic duties. He was also a skilled teacher and preacher. He is said to have been a particularly effective communicator, and he was able to convert many people to Christianity.
Banban died in 777. He is buried in the monastery of Claenad.
Banban is considered a patron saint of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. He is also a popular figure in Irish folklore.
Walter of Aulne
Walter of Aulne (d. ~1180) was a Cistercian abbot and a companion of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, and his feast day is celebrated on November 26
Walter was born into a noble family in Liège, Belgium. He was a brilliant student and was well-educated in the classics and theology. He was also very devout and spent much of his time in prayer and meditation.
Walter was deeply moved by the preaching of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. In 1123, at the age of 23, he joined the Cistercian Order at the Clairvaux Abbey. He quickly became one of Bernard's closest disciples.
In 1144, Walter was appointed abbot of the new Cistercian abbey of Aulne in Brabant, Belgium. He was a wise and compassionate leader, and he quickly gained the respect of his monks. He also played an important role in the expansion of the Cistercian Order in Europe.
Walter died in about 1180. He is buried in the abbey church of Aulne.
Walter of Aulne is a model of Cistercian spirituality. He was a man of great humility and obedience, and he was always willing to put the needs of others before his own. He was also a gifted teacher and preacher, and he helped to spread the message of the Cistercian Order throughout Europe.
