Be Prepared ~ Brother Johnpaul Casmir Ezeobinwa, Postulant

keep-calm-and-be-prepared-21

The first reading which is taken from the book of Daniel 12 vs 1-3:

In those days, I Daniel,
heard this word of the Lord:
“At that time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since nations began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;
some shall live forever,
others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.

“But the wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
and those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever.”
The first reading of today is a reminder of the last day, the events of the last day, the things that will take place on the last day when Michael, the guardian of the people of God, shall arise.  The Michael here being referred to is the Archangel Michael. The phrase, “those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,”  invariably means some who are sleeping in the Lord shall awake in glory because they lived their life so well. “Upon those found guilty shall face everlasting horror and disgrace but the wise and righteous shall shine like the early morning star,”
is a reminder that we should have it at the back of our mind that there is a judgement day, this day awaits anybody that fails to keep the laws of the most high God.

The psalmist also reminds us that God is our inheritance, we should should set the Lord first in all that we do.  Once we put God first in all we do, He will never abandon us, He will always be on our side so that we will not face horror.

The second reading:  Brothers and sisters:
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering
he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.

Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer offering for sin.

In the second reading of today, we are told about the sacrifice of Christ, a selfless sacrifice, sacrifice that takes the sins of humankind away. Here, we can see that every priest offers sacrifice daily but Christ offered the greatest sacrifice by shedding His blood for the remission of sins. The sacrifice that makes us whole. The sacrifice of Christ has no comparison, Christ offered the sacrifice and was perfect forever in the glory of God the Father.

The Gospel:  Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

“Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.

“But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

In today’s gospel periscope, it is reminding us about the end time, the signs which will show that the son of man is at the door post, the Bible makes it clear that so many things will happen as a clear sign that the coming of the son of God is almost at hand. Looking at what is happening on earth, war everywhere,  nation fighting against nation, father against children and children against father.

Brothers and sisters let us know that the length of our lives on earth does not count, but rather what counts is how we lived our life.  Did we live our life to please God or to please our fellow human beings? Let us get ready to account for the precious life that given to us, by living it well. Heaven is real, heaven is our permanent home.
Therefore my beloved one, let us strive for our salvation, let us prepare ourselves to meet the master of the universe, the creator.

GLORY TO JESUS.

Saint Albert the Great

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Saint Albert the Great was born sometime between 1193 and 1206, to the Count of Bollstädt in Lauingen in Bavaria.  Contemporaries such as Roger Bacon applied the term “Magnus” to Albertus during his own lifetime, referring to his immense reputation as a scholar and philosopher.  Albertus was educated principally at Padua, where he received instruction in Aristotle’s writings. A late account by Rudolph de Novamagia refers to Albertus’ encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary, who convinced him to enter Holy Orders. In 1223 (or 1221) he became a member of the Dominican Order, against the wishes of his family, and studied theology at Bologna and elsewhere. Selected to fill the position of lecturer at Cologne, Germany, where the Dominicans had a house, he taught for several years there, at Regensburg, Freiburg, Strasbourg and Hildesheim. In 1245 he went to Paris, received his doctorate, and taught for some time as a master of theology with great success. During this time Thomas Aquinas began to study under Albertus.

In 1254, Albertus was made provincial of the Dominican Order, and fulfilled the arduous duties of the office with great care and efficiency. During his tenure he publicly defended the Dominicans against attacks by the secular and regular faculty of the University of Paris, commented on St. John, and answered what he perceived as errors of the Arabian philosopher Averroes.

In 1260, Pope Alexander IV made him Bishop of Regensburg, an office from which he resigned after three years. During the exercise of his duties he enhanced his reputation for humility by refusing to ride a horse—in accord with the dictates of the Dominican order—instead walking back and forth across his huge diocese. This earned him the affectionate sobriquet, “boots the bishop,” from his parishioners. After his stint as bishop, he spent the remainder of his life partly in retirement in the various houses of his order, yet often preaching throughout southern Germany. In 1270, he preached the eighth Crusade in Austria. Among the last of his labors was the defense of the orthodoxy of his former pupil, Thomas Aquinas, whose death in 1274 grieved Albertus. After suffering a collapse of health in 1278, he died on November 15, 1280, in Cologne, Germany. His tomb is in the crypt of the Dominican church of St. Andreas in Cologne, and his relics at the Cologne Cathedral.

Albertus was beatified in 1622. He was canonized and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1931 by Pope Pius XI. St Albert’s feast day is celebrated on November 15.

Blessed John Licci

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Blessed John Licci, born to a poor farmer, his mother died in childbirth. His life from then on, all 111 years, was a tale of miracles.  His father, who fed the baby on crushed pomegranates, had to work the fields, and was forced to leave the infant alone. The baby began crying, and a neighbor woman took him to her home to feed him. She laid the infant on the bed next to her paralyzed husband – and the man was instantly cured. The woman told John’s father of the miracle, but he was more concerned that she was meddling, and had taken his son without his permission. He took the child home to feed him more pomegranate pulp. As soon as the child was removed from the house, the neighbor’s paralysis returned; when John was brought back in, the man was healed. Even John’s father took this as a sign, and allowed the neighbors to care for John.

A precocious and emotional child, John began reciting the Daily Offices before age 10. While on a trip to Palermo, Italy at age 15, John went to Confession in the church of Saint Zita of Lucca where his confession was heard by Blessed Peter Geremia who suggested John consider a religious life. John considered himself unworthy, but Peter pressed the matter, John joined the Dominicans in 1415, and wore the habit for 96 years, the longest period known for anyone.

He founded the convent of Saint Zita in Caccamo, Italy. Lacking money for the construction, John prayed for guidance. During his prayer he had a vision of an angel who told him to “build on the foundations that were already built.” The next day in the nearby woods he found the foundation for a church called “Saint Mary of the Angels,” a church that had been started many years before, but had never been finished. John assumed this was the place indicated, and took over the site.

During the construction, workmen ran out of materials; the next day at dawn a large ox-drawn wagon arrived at the site. The driver unloaded a large quantity of stone, lime and sand – then promptly disappeared, leaving the oxen and wagon behind for the use of the convent. At another point a well got in the way of construction; John blessed it, and it immediately dried up; when construction was finished, he blessed it again, and the water began to flow. When roof beams were cut too short, John would pray over them, and they would stretch. There were days when John had to miraculously multiply bread and wine to feed the workers. Once a young boy came to the construction site to watch his uncle set stones; the boy fell from a wall, and was killed; John prayed over him, and restored him to life and health.

John and two brother Dominicans who were working on the convent were on the road near Caccamo when they were set upon by bandits. One of the thieves tried to stab John with a dagger; the man’s hand withered and became paralyzed. The gang let the brothers go, then decided to ask for their forgiveness. John made the Sign of the Cross at them, and the thief‘s hand was made whole.

One Christmas a nearby farmer offered to pasture the oxen that had come with the disappearing wagon-driver. John declined, saying the oxen had come far to be there, and there they should stay. Thinking he was doing good, the layman took them anyway. When he put them in the field with his own oxen, they promptly disappeared; he later found them at the construction site, contentedly munching dry grass near Father John.

While he did plenty of preaching in his 90+ years in the habit, usually on Christ’s Passion, he was not known as a great homilist. He was known, however, for his miracles and good works. His blessing caused the breadbox of a nearby widow to stay miraculously full, feeding her and her six children. His blessing prevented disease from coming to the cattle of his parishioners.  A noted healer, curing at least three people whose heads had been crushed in accidents, he was Provincial of Sicily, and Prior of the abbey on several occasions.

 

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini ~ The Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI

St.-Francis-CabriniSt. Frances Xavier Cabrini was born Maria Francesca Cabrini on July 15th, 1850 at Sant’Angelo Lodigiano.  The young girl with was drawn to a life of religious service at an early age. She was influenced by her older sister, her uncle, a priest who captured her imagination with stories of missionary work, and also by the Daughters of the Sacred Heart,  who prepared her for a normal school diploma in 1870.

Francesca who had already vowed herself to virginity at the age of 12, attempted to enter the Daughters of the Sacred Heart in 1872, but she was declined due to health reasons as had contracted smallpox whilst caring for the sick during an epidemic, and although she was healed from such, she still did not seem to be strong physically.

She found employment briefly as a teacher in Virdardo and then she was persuaded to do charity work at an orphanage at Codogno, and it was here that she took her vows in 1877.

In thissame year she was appointed to be Prioress of her new foundation, The Institute of Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, which at the onset consisted of seven orphaned girls whom she had trained.

Mother Cabrini had much to do in Italy but very soon craved fulfillment ofa lifelong wish to do missionary work in China but Pope Leo XIII and Bishop Scalabrini of Piacenza instead urged her to carry her talents to Italian immigrants in the slums of the United States, and dutifully, but with reluctance, she sailed in 1889 with six sisters.

From modest beginnings in the New York City area,  Mother Cabrini and her followers gradually built a national and international network of some 70 institutions.

In 1909 she became an American citizen. Her journeys on behalf of her mission, which included 30 crossings of the Atlantic, occupied much of her time and energy, although she remained frail physically throughout her life.

At the breakout of World War I in Europe, she dedicated her hospitals, and nuns in Italy to the war effort there.

On December 22nd, 1917, she after a brief illness, died of malaria in her own columbus Hospital in Chicago.

Cardinal George Mundelein of Chicago and others launched the process of her canonization in 1928. She was pronounced Venerable in 1933, was beatified in 1938, and was canonized in 1946.

Her remains originally at West Park in New York, are now enshrined in the Chapel of the Blessed Mother Cabrini High school in New York City.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, though declared to have effected the two miracles needed for canonization, is best remembered for her energetic labours among immigrants and the poor in the United States and for establishing and the staffing of orphanages, schools, hospitals, convents and other facilities throughout the world.

SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS ~ The Rev. Dn. Joshua Hatten, OPI

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St. Martin of Tours was born in what is modern day Northern Yugoslavia and western Hungary. In about 316 A.D., when St. Martin was born, it was then known as Sabaria of Upper Pannonia.  Saint Martin was born to pagan parents – his father being an officer of the Army of Rome.  Due to a military transfer, Martin and his family relocated to Pavia in the north of Italy.  It was here, at Pavia, that Martin first encountered Christianity.  Being so drawn to the the faith, he soon became a catechumen, that is, one actively studying the faith before baptism into the Church. 

During this time of study, Martin reached the age of 15 and, as his father was a Roman  Officer, Martin was required to enter Roman Military service at this point.  History and tradition are quick to point out that Martin never attempted to get around the requirement and did sign on as an officer, but lived “more like a monk than a soldier.” 

Saint Martin was stationed to a place then called Amiens, in Gaul (modern day France).  Tradition hold that it was here that Martin had an experience that changed his life forever.  The story goes that one day, whilst riding toward town one cold winter day, Martin noticed a beggar at the entrance gates.  The man was dressed in threadbare rags, freezing and shivering from the elements and begging for alms.  Martin also noticed that EVERYONE else passed the beggar by without any notice, neverminding any charity or love toward the man. 

Martin’s heart was touched and the legend continue that he removed his heavy military issued cloak, and with his sword, cut the cloak in half.  Keeping half for himself and giving the other half to  the poor beggar.  Later the following night, Martin, while sleeping, saw Christ surrounded by throngs of angels.  And in this vision, Our Lord was wearing half of the cloak that Martin had given the beggar.  Martin was then asked, in the vision, whether or not he recognized the piece of the cloak – which he did.  Then Christ was heard to say to the surrounding angels:  “Martin, not even yet baptized, has covered ME with his cloak.”  Upon waking from the vision, Martin immediately looked to be baptized into the faith fully. 

Closer to the age of twenty, Martin, with a few soldier-comrades, was summoned by the Emperor Julian and given orders to go and take care of the Teutonic invasions happening in Gaul.  Martin’s conversion of heart kicked in and he was compelled to tell the emperor that he must refuse the order.  Saying to Emperor Julian: “Up to now, I have served you as a soldier, allow me henceforth to serve Christ.  Give the bounty and orders to others who are going out to battle.  I am a soldier of Christ and it is not lawful for me to fight.”   You might say that Saint Martin is one of our earliest Christian examples of a “conscientious objectors.” 

However, Emperor Julian, not being accustomed to being refused ANYTHING, had Martin hauled off to prison.  Fortunately his incarceration ended rather quickly with truces being put into place.  Martin, now free and on the go, then travailed to Poitiers, and under the Bishop and friend, Hilary, was ordained a deacon into the church. 

Other travels took Martin back toward his homeleand.  There he converted his mother and many others to the Christian faith.  To his dismay, Martin could not convince his father to give up his pagan beliefs.  Martin later felt a religious calling to a life of solitude.  His friend, the Bishop Hilary, gave him a small tract of land in what is now central France.  There, in this place called Liguge, Martin was joined by hermits and other holy men and then established a monastery, said to be the fist established in Gaul. It survived until the early 17th Century.

For the next 10 years of his life, Martin lived as the Prior of the monastery – directing the other brothers lives and preaching in nearby areas.  Around 371, the Bishop of Tours died, and so popular was Saint Martin with the locals, it was urged that he take up the vacant post.  Reluctantly, and actually with a bit of trickery from the locals, Martin did accept the post as Bishop of Tours.  But, even in this high post, Martin continued to live a strict and austere and simple life.  Martin soon grew tired of the rigorous life as a bishop and longed to return to a simple monastic life.   He retired from his post as Bishop and went Marmoutier, where he founded another simple monastery that later became a famous abbey of the region.  In fact, later Bishops of Tours were often selected from among the brothers and priests of Saint Martin’s monastery.  

During his life, Saint Martin was a true soldier for Christ.  He stood up to Emperors and fought heretics.  He won many souls for Christ and to him are attributed many, many other legends and miracles. 

Closing in on the year 400, St. Martin began to have premonitions of his death and eventually sickness fell upon him.  Ton the 8th of November, in the year 400, Saint Martin fell asleep in the Lord.  He was buried 3 days later, at Tours.  It is said that over two-thousand monks, nuns and religious attended his funeral.  Soon after his burial, a chapel, then basilica where built upon Saint Martin’s grave.  Both, long since destroyed, currently a modern church is built upon the site – which, still, annually has thousands of faithful pilgrims visit it.

Paying Attention ~ Br. Chip Noon, Novice

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Though today’s Gospel is from Mark, let me refer us to Matthew’s beautiful passage of Jesus speaking about God’s care for us:

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

And as God foretold through Elijah, the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry in the widow’s house.

So in the Gospel, Jesus admonishes those who are ostentatious in their wealth and commends the widow who gives all she had.

Is Jesus talking about money? Wealth? Poverty? Station in life? In an off-hand way, yes. All throughout the Gospels there are comparisons between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless, the haves and the have-nots.

Luke, in the first two of the four Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Plain, quotes Jesus as saying:

Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.

And the first two woes that follow:

Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.

Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.

And also from Luke: You cannot serve both God and Money.

This teaching, then, seems to me to be what is behind today’s readings. And the question is, what are we to pay attention to?

Years ago, when I was working as a management consultant, we used to advise our clients that they could not improve their business if they were not paying attention to the things that were important. Pretty basic, huh? But you would be surprised how many companies paid very little attention to the things that would improve their bottom line. They measured hours worked, the number of products made, precisely how much each employee should receive as a wage…almost everything but how their customers thought they were doing, how satisfied they were, and whether they would buy from the company again.

How many of us are like the scribes in long robes seeking places of honor at banquets? And even if we are not manipulating the law to expropriate the houses of widows, are we not daily concerned with our livelihood, our income, our shelter?

But at this point we hear those persistent voices in our head saying we must plan for the future, take heed of our finances, and care for our families. And then this verse comes to mind: “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

So what is a person to do?

What do we pay attention to? Well, his yoke may be easy and his burden light…but taking them up is pretty tough, wouldn’t you say? No really, what do we pay attention to? Maybe in the case of money, security, shelter we should actually be thinking of Jesus’ words as exercises, just as we exercise to keep our strength. Maybe the answer is to work every day at paying attention to the things of heaven, and not of this earth.

No matter how good we are at multi-tasking, we can only pay attention to a few things at a time. So let’s resolve to exercise our love of God by paying attention to him throughout the day. We have St. Paul urging us on: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Let’s resolve to pay attention the things that really matter, those things that we know, deep in our souls, that bring us peace and comfort.

Sure, the stresses of the day will intrude. But we can only experience the easy yoke and the light burden if we take them up. It’s that taking up that we must give some effort to.

One last quote, from Jeremiah:

“Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understand and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”

Lord, help us to take up our cross and focus ahead on knowing and loving you. Let our thoughts and actions be in your direction and let us have faith that your yoke will be easy and your burden light. Amen.

Feast Day of the Domican Saints of our Order

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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

 Why do we celebrate our Saints?

We come together as one Domican Family today to celebrate not only Our Saints, but also our many Blesseds, Holy Friars, Nuns, sisters and Laity who have lived over the past 800 years.

We are so priviledged to celebrate them as they provide us with an example by which we follow in our religious lives, by their wondorous fellowship in their communion and in their much needed aid to us by their intercessions to God on our behalf.

We include in our celebrations also all the “forgotten” saints because according to the General Chapter of Valencia in 1337, there were 13,370 martyrs between 1234 and 1335. There were another 26,000 in the 16th century alone. Martyrs, confessors, virgins, and holy men and women all have their place of honour in the Order. Friars, worn down through constant contemplation, study, and preaching; nuns who lived lives of great prayer, silence, and penance; sisters who educated 1000s of souls; and third order members who sanctified the world.

We celebrate our thanks to God on this Important feast day for our Order and turn to the examples of our Saints, their lives and their intercessions for us so that they may guide us on our spiritual Dominican lifes journey.

Our Order Father, Saint Dominic left us a wonderous legacy of teaching and preaching by word and example of how we should live our lives.It is, then, joyous and encouraging that so many of our Dominican brothers and sisters have been beatified and canonized.

 

Let us pray then in the example we have been taught to ask our dear saints to intercede for us, and to thank our God for all the saints of our Dominican Order and for the fruits of our order to be pleasing in his sight…..

God, the heavenly Father

have mercy on us.

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world

have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Spirit

have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God

have mercy on us.

Holy Mary

pray for us.

Holy Mother of God

pray for us.

Holy Virgin of Virgins

pray for us.

All you holy angels and archangels

pray for us.

All you holy Patriarchs and Prophets

pray for us.

All you holy Apostles and Evangelists

pray for us.

All you holy martyrs

pray for us.

All you holy virgins and widows

pray for us.

All you holy men and women

pray for us.

Saint Michael

pray for us.

Saint Gabriel

pray for us.

Saint Raphael

pray for us.

Saint Joseph

pray for us.

Saint John the Baptist

pray for us.

Saint Mary Magdalen

pray for us.

Holy Father Augustine

pray for us.

Holy Father Francis

pray for us.

Blessed Jane of Aza

pray for us.

Blessed Reginald

pray for us.

Holy Father Dominic

pray for us.

Holy Father Dominic

pray for us.

Blessed Bertrand

pray for us.

Blessed Mannes

pray for us.

Blessed Diana

pray for us.

Blessed Jordan of Saxony

pray for us.

Blessed John of Salerno

pray for us.

Blessed William and Companions

pray for us.

Blessed Ceslaus

pray for us.

Blessed Isnard

pray for us.

Blessed Guala

pray for us.

Blessed Peter Gonzalez

pray for us.

Saint Zdislava

pray for us.

Saint Peter of Verona

pray for us.

Blessed Nicholas

pray for us.

Saint Hyacinth

pray for us.

Blessed Gonsalvo

pray for us.

Blessed Sadoc and Companions

pray for us.

Blessed Giles

pray for us.

Saint Margaret of Hungary

pray for us.

Blessed Batholomew of Vincenza

pray for us.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

pray for us.

Saint Raymond of Penyafort

pray for us.

Blessed Innocent V

pray for us.

Blessed Albert of Bergamo

pray for us.

Saint Albert the Great

pray for us.

Blessed John of Vercelli

pray for us.

Blessed Ambrose

pray for us.

Blessed Cecilia

pray for us.

Blessed Benvenuta

pray for us.

Blessed James of Varazze

pray for us.

Blessed James of Bevagna

pray for us.

lessed Jane of Orvieto

pray for us.

Blessed Jordan of Pisa

pray for us.

Saint Emily

pray for us.

Blessed James Salomonio

pray for us.

Saint Agnes of Montepulciano

pray for us.

Blessed Simon

pray for us.

Blessed Margaret of Castello

pray for us.

Blessed Augustine Kazotic

pray for us.

Blessed James Benefatti

pray for us.

Blessed Imelda

pray for us.

Blessed Dalmatius

pray for us.

Blessed Margaret Ebner

pray for us.

Blessed Villana

pray for us.

Blessed Peter Ruffia

pray for us.

Blessed Henry

pray for us.

Blessed Sibyllina

pray for us.

Blessed Anthony of Pavonio

pray for us.

Saint Catherine of Siena

pray for us.

Blessed Marcolino

pray for us.

Blessed Raymond of Capua

pray for us.

Blessed Andrew Franchi

pray for us.

Saint Vincent Ferrer

pray for us.

Blessed Clara

pray for us.

Blessed John Dominic

pray for us.

Blessed Alvarez

pray for us.

Blessed Maria

pray for us.

Blessed Peter of Castello

pray for us.

Blessed Andrew Abellon

pray for us.

Blessed Stephen

pray for us.

Blessed Peter Geremia

pray for us.

Blessed John of Fiesole

pray for us.

Blessed Lawrence of Ripafratta

pray for us.

Blessed Anthony della Chiesa

pray for us.

Saint Antoninus

pray for us.

Blessed Anthony Neyrot

pray for us.

Blessed Margaret of Savoy

pray for us.

Blessed Bartholomew of Cerverio

pray for us.

Blessed Matthew

pray for us.

Blessed Constantius

pray for us.

Blessed Christopher

pray for us.

Blessed Damian

pray for us.

Blessed Andrew of Peschiera

pray for us.

Blessed Bernard

pray for us.

Blessed Jane of Portugal

pray for us.

Blessed James of Ulm

pray for us.

Blessed Augustine of Biella

pray for us.

Blessed Aimo

pray for us.

Blessed Sebastian

pray for us.

Blessed Mark

pray for us.

Blessed Columba

pray for us.

Blessed Magdalen

pray for us.

Blessed Osanna of Mantua

pray for us.

Blessed John Liccio

pray for us.

Blessed Dominic Spadafora

pray for us.

Blessed Stephana

pray for us.

Saint Adrian

pray for us.

Blessed Lucy

pray for us.

Blessed Catherine Racconigi

pray for us.

Blessed Osanna of Kotor

pray for us.

Saint Pius V

pray for us.

Saint John of Cologne

pray for us.

Blessed Maria Bartholomew

pray for us.

Saint Louis Bertrand

pray for us.

Saint Catherine de Ricci

pray for us.

Blessed Robert

pray for us.

Blessed Alphonsus and Companions

pray for us.

Saint Rose

pray for us.

Saint Dominic Ibanez and Companions

pray for us.

Blessed Agnes of Jesus

pray for us.

Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Companions

pray for us.

Saint Martin de Porres

pray for us.

Blessed Peter Higgins

pray for us.

Blessed Francis de Capillas

pray for us.

Saint Juan Macias

pray for us.

Blessed Terence

pray for us.

Blessed Ann of the Angels

pray for us.

Blessed Francis de Posadas

pray for us.

Saint Louis de Montfort

pray for us.

Blessed Francis Gil

pray for us.

Saint Matteo

pray for us.

Blessed Peter Sanz and Companions

pray for us.

Saint Vincent Liem

pray for us.

Saint Hyacinth Castaneda

pray for us.

Blessed Marie

pray for us.

Blessed George

pray for us.

Blessed Catherine Jarrige

pray for us.

Saint Ignatius and Companions

pray for us.

Saint Dominic An-Kham and Companions

pray for us.

Saint Joseph Khang and Companions

pray for us.

Saint Francis Coll

pray for us.

Blessed Hyacinthe Cormier

pray for us.

Blessed Pier Giorgio

pray for us.

Blessed Bartolo

pray for us.

Blessed Michael Czartoryski

pray for us.

Blessed Julia Rodzinska

pray for us.

All holy Dominican brothers and sisters

pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us.

Let us pray.–

God, source of all holiness, you have enriched your Church

with many gifts in the saints of the Order of Preachers.

By following the example of our brothers and sisters,

may we come to enjoy their company

for ever in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Your Son, who lives and reigns with You

and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Blessed Jerome, Valentine, Francis, Hyacinth & Companions (Martyrs of Tonkin)

martyrs-of-tonkin

Between the arrival of the first Portuguese missionary in 1533, through the Dominicans and then the Jesuit missions of the 17th century, the politically inspired persecutions of the 19th century, and the Communist-led terrors of the twentieth, there have been many thousands upon thousands murdered for their faith in Vietnam. Some were priests, some nuns or brothers, some lay people; some were foreign missionaries, but most were native Vietnamese killed by their own government and people.

Jerome Hermosilla, a Dominican missionary to Manila, Philippines, and a priest, he went as a missionary to Vietnam in 1828 where he was the Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Tonking, Vietnam and titular bishop of Miletopolis. H was martyred with Saint Valentin Faustino Berri Ochoa.

Valentin Faustinao Berri Ochoa. Born in the Basque country, and ordained on June 14, 1851, Valentin was a missionary to the Philippines and then to Vietnam.   He was appointed coadjutor vicar apostolic of Central Tonking, (the modern diocese of Bùi Chu) Vietnam and titular bishop of Centuria on December 25, 1857. He was martyred with Saint Jerome Hermosilla.

Francis Gil de Frederich was educated in Barcelona, Spain where he joined the Dominicans. He was a missionary to the Philippines first and then a missionary to Vietnam in 1732. He spent nine years in prison for his faith during which time he converted fellow prisoners and supervised evangelists on the outside.

Hyacinth Castaneda was a Dominican Priest and missionary to China.  He then was sent as a missionary to Vietnam. He was beheaded for his faith in 1773 in Vietnam

Blessed Simon Ballachi

biacchi

Blessed Simon Ballachi was born to the nobility in 1240, the son of Count Ballachi. His family had a close association with the Church clergy; two of his uncles became archbishops of Rimini, Italy, and a younger brother was a priest. Trained as a soldier and in administration, he was expected to take over the family estates. Against his family wishes, he joined the Dominicans as a lay brother at age 27.

Assigned to work in the garden of his friary, something he knew nothing about but which he loved instantly. He saw God in everything, and prayed constantly as he worked. Noted for his simple life, his strict adherence to the Dominican Rule, and his excellent work as a catechist to children. A visionary, Simon was visited by the devil, by Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Dominic de Guzman, Saint Peter Martyr, and the Blessed Virgin Mary; other brothers saw his cell glowing, and heard angelic voices. Blinded at age 57, he was nearly helpless during the last years of his life; he never despaired, and used the extra free time for prayer.  He died on 5 November in 1391.