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CALENDAR of the SAINTS
7 February 2010 Anno Dómini
"....and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. ~ ~ Apocalypse
Blessed Adalbert Nierychlewski, Martyr
Professed priest in the Congregation of Saint Michael the Archangel, taking the name Adalbert. Arrested in 1941 in Cracow, Poland as part of the Nazi persecution of the Church. Martyred on 9 February 1942 at the Auschwitz death camp.
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Saint Adaucus, Martyr
Nobility. Friend of the Roman emperor, repeatedly honoured and rewarded by the emperor, and burned to death in 303 in Phrygia for his faith by order of the Roman Emperor Galerian Maximian. The entire town and all its Christian in habitants were burned to death.
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Saint Amulwinus of Lobbes
A Benedictine abbot and bishop. Amulwinus was Saint Erminus' successor at the monastery of Lobbes, Belgium. Amulwinus assumed his post in 737.
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Bishop Saint Anatolius of Cahors
Bishop of Cahors, France. His life is not recorded, but his relics were venerated at the Saint-Mihiel Abbey in Verdun, France.
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Blessed Anselmo Polanco, Martyr
Son of a farmer. Joined the Augustinian Order at Valladolid, Spain in 1896 at age 15. Studied at the monastery of Santa Maria of La Vid. Ordained in 1904. Taught theology in seminary. Prior in 1922. Provincial councilor of his Order in the Philippines, responsible for missionary efforts. Provincial-superior of his Order in 1932. Travelled to China, Colombia, Peru and the United States. Bishop of Teruel and Apostolic Administrator of Albarracin in 1935. Known for the depth of his prayer life. When the Republican Army overran Teruel in 1938, Bishop Polanco stayed with his flock, and refused to cooperate with anything he saw as being against Church interests. Imprisoned for thirteen months. Used as human shield by soldiers. Shot on 7 February 1939 at "Can Tretze" of Pont de Molins, Gerona, Spain during Catholic persecutions of the Spanish Civil War. Interred in the cathedral in Teruel, Spain
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Blessed Anthony of Stroncone
Franciscan lay brother from the age of 12. Fought the Fraticelli heresy.
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Bishop Saint Augulus, Martyr
Listed by St. Jerome as a bishop. He is also described as martyr of London, England.
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Saint Ava of Melk
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Bishop Saint Chrysolius the Armenian, Martyr
A martyred bishop of Armenia who served as a missionary in northeastern Gaul, where he became a bishop. During the persecution of Diocletian he was martyred in the region of modern Flanders. His relics are venerated in Bruges.
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Blessed Eugenie Smet, Martyr
Friend of Saint John Vianney. Felt a call to acts of charity made on behalf of souls in purgatory. Founded the Society of Helpers of the Holy Souls in Paris, France on 19 January 1856. The Society continues its missionary work today in 22 countries.
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Bishop Saint Fidelis
Originally from the East, he travelled to Merida, Spain with a group of merchants, settled there, trained with the bishop of the city, and then succeeded him.
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Blessed Felipe Ripoll Morata, Martyr
Born to a poor but devout family. Priest. Professor and spiritual director at the diocesan seminary, and later served as rector. When the Republican Army overran Teruel in 1938, Father Felipe stayed with his people, kept faith with his bishop, and refused to cooperate with anything he saw as being against Church interests. Imprisoned for thirteen months. Used as human shield by soldiers. Shot on 7 February 1939 at "Can Tretze" of Pont de Molins, Gerona, Spain; interred in the cathedral in Teruel, Spain.
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Saint Giles Mary of Saint Joseph
Born to a pious family and raised in a small village. Rope maker by trade. Drawn to a religious life, he applied to the Discalced Friars Minor of Saint Peter of Alcantara at Naples, Italy in 1754 at age 25. He wished to become a priest, but lacked the education, and was received as a lay brother.
Porter and gate-keeper at his monastery's seminary, a position that put him in constant contact with those in need. Had a special ministry to the sick, and worked with lepers, travelling outside the city to help those who had become shunned and isolated. Even in life he was considered by locals as a saint and patron of the sick and outcast. Legend says that when he was charged with distributing food and alms to the poor, Blessed Saint Joseph would intervene to insure the necessary food. Saint Giles died on 7 February 1812 at Naples, Italy of natural causes while at prayer; huge crowds were present for the funeral services.
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Cardinal Saint Guarinus
Augustinian canon regular. After 40 years in the habit, he was elected bishop of Pavia, but adamantly refused the appointment. Cardinal. Made bishop of Palestrina by Pope Lucius II.
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Blessed James Sales, Martyr
Jesuit. Preached against Protestantism at Aubenas in the Cevennes. A band of Huguenot raiders dragged him and William Saultemouche before a self-appointed court which argued theology with them, and then condemned them to death. Blessed James was shot on 6 February 1593.
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Blessed John of Triora, Martyr
Friar Minor at age 17. Missionary to China from 1799 through his death. He was strangled on 2 July 1816 at Ch'angsha Fu, China.
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Saint Juliana of Bologna
Pious, married laywoman. Her husand, with her blessing, left her to become a priest. She raised four children alone, and then devoted herself to the Church and service to the poor. Saint Ambrose of Milan wrote glowingly of her.
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Bishop Saint Lorenzo Maiorano
Related to Emperor Zeno of Byzantium. Bishop of Siponto, Italy in 492, consecrated by Pope Gelasius I. Received a series of visions of the Archangel Michael following Holy Michael’s apparition on Mount Gargano. Died on 7 February 545. His relics were interred in Manfredonia, Italy, however most of the relics were destroyed by invading Muslims in 1620. Saint Lorenzo's remaining relics are preserved in the Cathedral of San Lorenzo Maiorano in Manfredonia.
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Saint Luke the Younger, Martyr
Hermit and wonder-worker whose solitary hermitage in Thessaly, Greece, became known as the Soterion, “the place of healing.” Luke tried to become a religious but was arrested as an escaped slave and imprisoned for a time. He finally became a hermit on Mount Joannitsa. near Corinth. There he was revered for his holiness and miracles, which earned him the surname Thaumaturgus .
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Saint Mary of Providence
Friend of Saint John Vianney. Felt a call to acts of charity made on behalf of souls in purgatory. Founded the Society of Helpers of the Holy Souls in Paris, France on 19 January 1856. The Society continues its missionary work today in 22 countries.
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Saint Meldon of Péronne, Martyr
Irish hermit, and possibly a bishop in France. He died at Peronne, where he is titular saint of several parishes. He is also listed as Medon.
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Saint Moses
Hermit in the area between Syria and Egypt. Evangelized the nomadic tribes in the Syro-Arabian desert. Mavia, their queen, agreed to this on the provision that Moses be named their bishop. Moses agreed, but a controversy ensued when he refused to deal with the archbishop of Alexandria; the archbishop had jurisdiction over the area, but was supported Arianism, which made him a heretic to Moses. Later consecrated by an orthodox bishop, Moses spent the rest of his life teaching and preaching to the nomads. Negotiated a lasting peace between the nomads and the Roman Empire.
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Saint Nivard of Vaucelles
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Pope Blessed Pius IX
Son of a silk manufacturer. Studied in Milan, Italy, and at the Gregorian University of Rome. Ordained in 1879. Taught in the Milan seminary. Appointed one of the college of doctors of the Ambrosian Library, Milan in 1888, and won fame for his studies in paleography. Chief librarian in 1907. Vice prefect of the Vatican Library under Pope Pius X. Papal legate to Poland in 1918 under Pope Benedict XV; he put the Church on good terms with the Polish government, and made some inroads with the Bolsheviks in Russia. Papal nuncio to Poland in 1919. Archbishop of Milan in 1921. Cardinal. Elected 259th Pope on 6 February 1922.
Pius’s pontificate, like his pre-papal career, was marked by great diplomatic activity, often aided by Eugenio Pacelli (later Pope Pius XII). He openly opposed the youth activities of Fascist governments, and he finally published the papal letter Non abbiamo bisogno in 1931; it showed one could not be both Fascist and Catholic. Relations between Mussolini and the Holy See deteriorated.
Hitler signed a concordat with the Church in 1933, but never paid it any attention after the ceremony. Nazis continually meddled with Church activities, persecuted clergy, and tried to convert German Christians to the new 'faith' in Nazism. Pius denounced the government and Nazi theory in Mit brennender Sorge in 1937. Soon after, he issued the analysis On Atheistic Communism, denounced persecutions in Russia, Mexico, and Spain, and was on unusually good terms with England, Netherlands, and France.
Pius spoke out against nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism, and totalitarianism, and for human dignity. He established the new feast of Christ the King to recall the rights of religion in the state. He thought little of laissez-faire capitalism, and urged social reform in the 1931 encyclical Quadragesimo anno. He called for greater participation by the laity, a movement he called Catholic Action. He supported missionary work, but wanted to integrate Christianity with native cultures instead of making them European. To protect Eastern rite Catholics from Latin influence, he augmented their congregation, established a commission to study their canon law, and exhorted Western Catholics to embrace their brothers of the various Eastern rites. Pius loved technology, and sought ways for it to benefit the Church. He established Vatican radio, modernized the Vatican Library, and reconstituted the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences in 1936 with a large international membership. Pope Saint Pius IX died on 10 February 1939 in Rome, Italy of natural causes.
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Saint Richard the King
Saxon king, possibly of Wessex. Father of Saint Willibald, Saint Winebald, and Saint Walburga. Saint Richard died of natural causes in the year 722 A.D., at Lucca, Italy during a pilgrimage to Rome; buried in the church of San Frediano; miracles reported at his tomb; some relics translated to Eichstätt.
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Blessed Rizzerio, Martyr
Early member of the Franciscans and one of the favorite followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Originally from a wealthy family, he was born at Muccia, in the Italian Marches. While studying at the university of Bologna, Italy, in 1222, he had occasion to hear a sermon delivered by Francis and was so moved that he soon joined the Franciscans. Subsequently ordained, he became a leading advisor and close associate of Francis, served as provincial of the Marches, received from the saint a miracle by which his seemingly insuperable despair of God’s forgiveness was overcome, and was present at Saint Francis’ deathbed. He is mentioned in the famed work of the Fioretti, The Little Flowers of Saint Francis, under the name Rinieri.
Saint Ronan of Kilmaronen
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Blessed Rosalie Rendu
Eldest of four daughters in a middle class mountain family. When she was three years old, the French Revolution broke out. Priests loyal to Rome were expelled, killed, or chased into hiding. Jeanne's family hid those who stayed to minister to French Catholics, claiming that they were hired farm hands; the girl made her First Communion in her basement at a Mass celebrated by one of these covert priests. Her father died on 12 May 1796 when she was nine years old, and her baby sister a few months later. Educated for two years at an Ursuline boarding school in Gex, France. As a young girl she began working with the Daughters of Charity at the local hospital. On 25 May 1802, at age 16, Jeanne Marie went to the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity>/i> in Paris to join them, taking the name Rosalie. The intensity of her new devotional life harmed her health, and she was transferred to the house in the Mouffetard District, one of the poorest in 19th century Paris; she worked in the slum for 54 years. She worked with the sick and poor, taught catechism, and taught girls to read. Superior of her community in 1815. She started a free clinic, pharmacy, school, orphanage, child-care center, youth club for young workers, and a home for the elderly poor. Awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor by Napoleon III in 1852 for her charitable work; she wanted to refuse, as she sought no personal honor, but was ordered by her superiors to accept it. Blind during the last two years of her life.
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Saint Theodore Stratelates, Martyr
Roman general ( stratelates ) and covert Christian during a time of persecution. Exposed as a Christian, a military tribunal decided he was a good soldier who had made a mistake, told him to reconsider, and set him free; he promptly burned down a pagan temple. Arrested again, he was ordered to apostatize, then tortured by having his flesh torn off; he died reciting the Psalms.
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Saint Thomas Sherwood, Martyr
A draper's assistant and a physically small man. Both parents had been arrested for loyality to the One True Church during a time when Roman Catholicism was outlawed in England. Thomas aspired to the priesthood, and planned to go to Douai to study. Condemned to the Tower of London for his faith, he was tortured to obtain the location where he had attended Mass; while in prison, he ministered to other prisoners. Stated that he considered Queen Elizabeth to be excommunicated from the Church, and that he denied her supremacy over the Church; condemned to death for treason. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered on 7 February 1578 at Tyburn, London, England.
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Saint Tressan of Mareuil
One a group of siblings who evangelized sixth century Rheims, France. The names of the others are given as Helan, Germanus, Saint Gibrian, Petran, Franca, Promptia, and Possenna. Swineherd at Rheims. Ordained by Saint Remigius, who helped in their work. Curate of Mareuil-sur-Marne. His cultus has been continuous in the Rheims area for over 1,000 years.
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Saint Vullermus de Léaval
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Blessed William Saultemouche, Martyr
Co-adjutor Jesuit lay brother. Preached against Protestantism at Aubenas in the Cevennes, and publicly argued theology with Calvinists. A band of Huguenot raiders dragged him and James Sales before a self-appointed court which publicly argued theology with them, lost the arguments in the minds of many of the onlookers, and then condemned them to prison and death. Blessed William was stabbed to death on 6 February 1593.
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Saint Wunna of Wessex, Martyr
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