
Happy Sunday! Today is Fathers’ Day, and Jesus taught us to call God “Our Father.” It is this sacred title, showing how God loves us not as unworthy subjects but as His children, that all the saints we celebrated this past week used in addressing God.
St. Barnabas the Apostle (June 11) “was not one of the Twelve [Apostles]. He was the companion of St. Paul [in missionary work] and merited the title of Apostle by his preaching and labors. He was stoned by the Jews in about 61.”1 St. Batholomew the Apostle (June 11, Byzantine calendar) is the Nathaniel from the Gospels (Batholomew means “son of Tholomai”) who wondered that a prophet should come from Nazareth, but was called by Jesus an “Israelite...in whom there is no guile” (Jn. 1:47). Nathaniel testified (Jn. 1:49), “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.” Tradition says he preached in India and Greater Armenia, where he was martyred by being flayed, which is why he is often depicted holding his own skin.
St. Basil the Great (June 14, Latin Mass), “the Patriarch of Eastern monks, completed his studies at Constantinople and Athens with his friend Gregory of Nazienzen. He opposed the Arians, and is one of the four great [Church] Doctors of the East. He died in 379.” Eliseus the Prophet or Elisha (June 14) was chosen to succeed the Old Testament prophet Elijah and saw the latter ascend to Heaven in a fiery chariot. Eliseus performed many miracles, including curing Naaman the leper (4 Kings 5) and raising a dead child back to life (4 Kings 4).
St. Anthony of Padua (June 13) was one “of the greatest Franciscan Saints…a profound theologian, a brilliant preacher, a formidable foe to heresy, [a miracle-worker,] and a terror to heretics, through the supernatural forces which seemed always at his command. He was born in Lisbon, [Portugal,] but labored chiefly in Italy, where he died in 1231.” Received a vision where he held the Child Jesus in his arms, and is the patron of finding lost articles.
St. Margaret of Scotland (June 10) “was born in Hungary, though of the Saxon royal stock, and was married to Malcolm III, King of Scotland, [with whom she had eight children]. Her long reign of thirty years was illustrious for her inexhaustible charity to the poor. She died in 1093 and is honored as Patron of Scotland.” Bl. Diana d'Andalo (June 10) was born wealthy, and her family so opposed her becoming a Dominican that her brothers forcibly dragged her from a convent and broke several of her ribs. She escaped from family-imposed imprisonment to join a Dominican convent, however. Corresponded with both St. Dominic and St. Jordan (d.1236).
St. Vitus (June 15) was a pagan senator’s son who was converted by his tutor St. Modestus and nurse St. Crescentia. They were all arrested and scourged, but then freed by angels. Vitus drove a demon from the emperor’s son in Rome but his Christianity was discovered and he and his saintly companions were boiled in oil c.303; as they died, a storm destroyed multiple pagan temples. One of the 14 Holy Helpers, and the patron of dancers. St. Germaine Cousin (June 15) was a 16th century French girl with scrofula and a deformed hand. Her step-mother viciously abused her, half-starving, beating, and scalding her. Germaine, put to work as a shepherdess, prayed in the fields and would go to daily Mass leaving her sheep under her Guardian Angel’s care; Germaine once walked on water to reach church. She taught catechism to children and fed other poor folk, and when bread in her apron turned to flowers her family finally recognized her holiness.
Amos the Prophet (June 15) was a Jewish shepherd and one of the Old Testament minor prophets. His Biblical book is a lengthy denunciation of wicked sinners. St. Bernard of Menthon (June 15) was a French priest, evangelizer, and vicar-general of an Alpine diocese, where he helped clear out robbers and founded hospices for travelers. He established a community of Augustinian Hospitallers and the St. Bernard dogs that search for lost travelers are named for him. The 108 Martyrs of WWII (June 12) were Polish Catholics martyred by Nazis; the group included priests, religious, and laymen.
Bl. John Dominic (June 10) was a Florentine who joined the Dominicans, reformed his order, wrote a treatise on Christian education, and supported the pope during the Western Schism. A cardinal, John died in 1419 while on a mission to Hungary and Bohemia to combat the Hussite heresy. The Hulks of Rochefort Martyrs (June 10) were French clerics imprisoned in horrible conditions on old ships at Rochefort during the French Revolution, where they died. Sts. Basilides, Cyrinus, Nabor, and Nazarius (June 12) were “Roman soldiers…martyred at Rome in the persecution of Diocletian in 305.”
Sts. Achaicus of Corinth and Fortunatus (June 15) were early Christian converts mentioned by St. Paul as carrying letters between Paul and the Corinthians. Some traditions say they were among Jesus’s 70 disciples. St. John of San Facundo (June 12) was a Spaniard who “preached peace during time of war, distributed his revenues among the poor, and devoted his time to works of charity. He died as a hermit in 1470.” Famously raised a child back to life.
St. Methodius of Constantinople (June 14) was a Sicilian who became a monk and was called to help the Patriarch of Constantinople against the iconoclasts. Methodius later became patriarch and worked for East-West unity (d.847). St. Julitta (June 16) was a noblewoman arrested and tortured. Her son Cyriacus angrily attacked the prefect and declared he was a Christian, and the prefect smashed his skull. Julitta was then brutally martyred.
The Làng Cóc Martyrs (June 16) were a doctor and four farmers in Vietnam who were martyred in 1862 after refusing to stomp on a cross. St. Juan de Sahagún (June 11) was a scholar who entered the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine after surviving a surgery. Juan could read consciences, was devoted to the Eucharist, and delivered hard-hitting sermons. One woman he rebuked for impurity is thought to have poisoned Juan in 1479.
Pope St. Leo III (June 12) was mutilated by enemies but miraculously recovered and was championed by Charlemagne, whom Leo crowned as Holy Roman Emperor in 800. The pope and emperor together combatted heresy. St. Benno of Meissen (June 16) was a bishop arrested after supporting Saxon resistance to imperial forced labor and taxes. Benno supported the pope against the emperor on lay investiture and evangelized pagans (d.1106). Bl. Gerard of Clairvaux (June 13), brother of St. Bernard, was wounded in battle and miraculously freed from prison. He became a monk and helped Bernard found the monastery at Clairvaux.
St. Caomhán of Inisheer (June 14) was the 6th century Irish relative of St. Kevin and spiritual student of St. Enda. St. Eulogius of Alexandria (June 13) was a patriarch in 6th century Egypt and a correspondent of Pope Gregory the Great. St. Hilarion of Espalion (June 15) was a French priest martyred by Muslims; beheaded c.793, his body picked up his head to take it back to his mother. St. Edburgh of Winchester (June 15) was an English princess who became an abbess (d.960). St. Barbara Cui Lianshi (June 15) was a Chinese wife and mother tortured and martyred in 1900. St. Tryphillius of Leucosia (June 13) was a lawyer who became a bishop, fought heresy, and supported St. Athanasius (d.370). Bl. Ignazio Maloyan (June 11) was a Lebanese archbishop in Turkey martyred with many other Christians by Muslims in 1915. Bl. Edward Poppe (June 10) was a Belgian WWI soldier who became a priest and zealously fought Marxism and secularism.
Bl. Henry of Treviso (June 10) dedicated his life to helping the poor after his wife and son died (d.1315). St. Landelin of Crespin (June 15) was a French founder of monasteries and spiritual director of Sts. Hadelin and Domitian. St. Protus of Aquileia (June 14) was the tutor of Sts. Cantius, Cantian and Cantianilla; they were martyred in 304. St. Aleydis of Schaerbeek (June 11) suffered for years from leprosy and enforced isolation but received visions and could heal others miraculously (d.1250). Bl. Helen of Poland (June 11) was a Hungarian princess who married Poland’s Bolesław the Pious, had three daughters, and retired to lead a monastery at her husband’s death in 1279. Bl. Marianna Biernacka (June 13) was a Polish mother and grandmother who offered to be killed by Nazis in place of her pregnant daughter-in-law. Bl. Joseph Kugler (June 10) was a Bavarian iron worker who became a Hospitaller, cared for the sick, and led his order (d.1946). Bl. Isfrid of Ratzeburg (June 15) was a Premonstratensian bishop and miracle-worker who built many churches in Germany (d.1204).
St. Vaughe of Ireland (June 15) was a 6th century priest and hermit who evangelized in Cornwall, England. St. Paula Frassinetti (June 11) founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Dorothy in 1834 and educated youth. St. Davnet (June 14) was a 6th century Irishwoman who founded a monastery. St. Onuphrius (June 12) was an Egyptian desert monk who lived some 70 years as a hermit. St. Bogumilus of Gniezno (June 10) was a Polish archbishop who founded an abbey and was strict with his clergy (d.1182). St. Gaspare Bertoni (June 12) had mystical experiences and inspired others, even during decades of severe ill health. St. Cunera (June 12) was a Yorkshire princess whose companions were massacred; while she served the Frisian king, the jealous queen had her murdered. St. Luigi Maria Palazzolo (June 15) was a 19th century Italian priest who founded religious congregations to care for neglected children. St. Lutgardis (June 16) was a renowned mystic whose physical blindness did not affect her inner sight (d.1246). St. Aurelian of Arles (June 16) was a sixth century papal vicar in Gaul. Bl. Albertina Berkenbrock (June 15) was a pious Brazilian girl martyred by a would-be rapist in 1931.
Also honored this week were Getulius and martyrs, Walter Pierson, Thomas Green, Gerlac of Obermarchtal, Ithamar of Rochester, Our Lady of the Grotto, Timothy of Prusa, Asterius of Petra, and Illadan (June 10); Parisius, Bardo of Mainz, Jean de Bracq, Kasper of Grimbergen, Rembert, Blitharius, Maximus of Naples, Riagail, Hugh of Marchiennes, and Tochumra of Kilmore (June 11); Maria Candida, Lorenzo Salvi, Antonia M.Verna, Guy Vignotelli, Odulph of Utrecht, Conrad of Maleville, Eskil, Lochinia, Amphion, Peter of Mt.Athos, Mercedes M.Ayala, and Chrodobald (June 12); and Victorinus of Assisi, Aventino of Arbusto, Augustinô Phan Viet Huy, Anthony of Ilbenstadt, Alfonso Gomez de Encinas, Servatius Scharff, Mac Nissi, and Salmodio (June 13).
You can further read about Valerius of Soissons, Constance de Castro, Theopista, Rufinus of Soissons, Burchard, Fortunato, Cordoba Martyrs, Gerold of Evreux, Peter da Bustamante, Dogmael, Castora Gabrielli, Walter Eustace, Elgar, Cearan, and Our Lady of the Trellis (June 14); Hilarian of Perse, Abraham of Cyriacus, Pietro Spagnoli, Eigil, Orsisius, Trillo, Pierre de Cervis, Peter Snow, Thomas Scryven, Ralph Grimston, Esichio, Tatian, Benildis, and Palmyra Martyrs (June 15); and Tycho of Amato, Antoine Auriel, Ferrutio and Ferreolus, Aureus of Mainz and martyrs, Africa Martyrs, Palerio, Thomas Redyng, Ismael of Menevia, and Berthaldus (June 16).
Have a blessed week!
Quotes without links in this piece are taken from the Latin Mass Missal.