| 18 September |
• yesterday • tomorrow |
• Giuseppe da Copertino
• Joseph Desa
• Joseph of Copertino
• the Flying Friar
• the Gaper (derogatory term from his childhood)
Joseph's father, Felice Desa was a poor carpenter who died before the boy was born. Creditors drove his mother, Francesca Panara, from her home, and Joseph was born in a stable. Starting at age eight, he received ecstatic visions that left him gaping and staring into space. He had a hot temper, which his strict mother worked to overcome.
Apprenticed to a shoemaker. At age 17 Joseph applied for admittance to the Friars Minor Conventuals, but was refused due to his lack of education. He applied to the Capuchins, was accepted as a lay-brother in 1620, but his ecstasies made him unsuitable for work, and he was dismissed. Abused by his family, he continued his prayers, and was accepted as an oblate at the Franciscan convent near Cupertino, Italy. His virtues were such that he became a cleric at 22, a priest at 25. Joseph still had little education, could barely read or write, but received such a gift of spiritual knowledge and discernment that he could solve intricate questions.
His life became a series of visions and ecstasies, which could be triggered any time or place by the sound of a church bell, church music, the mention of the name of God or of the Blessed Virgin or of a saint, any event in the life of Christ, the sacred Passion, a holy picture, the thought of the glory in heaven, etc. Yelling, beating, pinching, burning, piercing with needles - none of this would bring him from his trances, but he would return to the world on hearing the voice of his superior in the order. He would often levitate and float (which led to his patronage of people involved in air travel), and could hear heavenly music.
Even in the 17th century, there was interest in the unusual, and Joseph's ecstasies in public caused both admiration and disturbance in the community. For 35 years he was not allowed to attend choir, go to the common refectory, walk in procession, or say Mass in church. To prevent making a spectacle, he was ordered to remain in his room with a private chapel. He was brought before the Inquisition, and sent from one Capuchin or Franciscan house to another. But Joseph retained his joyous spirit, submitting to Divine Providence, keeping seven Lents of 40 days each year, never letting his faith be shaken.
17 June 1603 at Cupertino, diocese of Nardo, near Brindisi in the kingdom of Naples, Italy as Joseph Desa
• 18 September 1663 at Ossimo, Italy of a rapidly developed but severe fever
• buried in the Crypt of the Sanctuary, Church of Saint Francis, Ossimo
16 July 1767 by Pope Clement XIII
• air crews
• Air Forces
• air travellers, flyers
• aircraft pilots, aviators, flyers
• astronauts
• paratroopers
• students, school children
• test takers
• Cupertino, Italy
• Osimo, Italy
Clearly, what God wants above all is our will which we received as a free gift from God in creation and possess as though our own. When a man trains himself to acts of virtue, it is with the help of grace from God from whom all good things come that he does this. The will is what man has as his unique possession. - Saint Joseph of Cupertino, from the reading for his feast in the Franciscan breviary
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-joseph-of-cupertino/
• Richardis of Swabia
• Richardis of Alsace
• Richardis de Soabe
• Richarda, Richarde, Richgard, Richgarda, Richkart
Daughter of Kenneth I, the Count of Alsace (in modern France) and a Scottish emigre. Sister of King Boso of Provence. Married Charles the Fat at age 22. Crowned Holy Roman Empress in 881.
After nineteen years of marriage, she was accused by Emperor Charles of infidelity, though the reasons behind the claim were likely political. Charles claimed she was involved with the Bishop Liutword of Vercelli. She denied the charges, and even underwent trial by fire, a barbaric ritual that "proved" she was innocent by surviving being placed in the flames. Vindicated, Richardis left Charles, and became a nun the Château de Hohenbourg in Alsace. Founded a Benedictine abbey at Andlau, France in 887, and lived the remainder of her days there.
Legend says that Richardis once found a mother bear grieving over a dead cub in the woods near the abbey. Richardis held the cub, and it returned to life. Both mother and cub became devoted companions of Richardis.
839 Andlau, Alsace, France
• c.895 at Andlau, Alsace, France of natural causes
• relics there in an 11th century church
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-richardis-of-andlou/
12 June as one of the 108 Martyrs of World War II
Parish priest in Goscieszyn, archdiocese of Poznan, Poland. Arrested October by the Gestapo during the Nazi occupation of Poland, he was imprisoned and tortured in the Dachau concentration camp. Through the intervention of some influential friends, Father Józef was offered release if he would renounce his priesthood; he refused and stayed. Martyr.
21 January 1905 in Slawin, Wielkopolskie, Poland
18 September 1942 in the Dachau concentration camp, Oberbayern, Germany of starvation, disease, abuse and neglect
13 June 1999 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-jozef-kut/
Ambrosio María del Torrent
Studied at the Conciliar Seminary of Valencia, Spain. Joined the Capuchin Tertiary Fathers and Brothers of Our Lady of Sorrows on 14 April 1892. Ordained a priest on 5 July 1898. Imprisoned on 21 August 1936 in the anti–Christian persecutions of the Spanish Civil War. Martyr.
16 April 1866 in Torrent, Valencia, Spain
shot at dawn on 18 September 1936 in Torrent, Valencia, Spain
11 March 2001 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-salvador-chulia-ferrandis/
• Ferreolus of Vienne
• Ferréol...
Tribune in the imperial Roman army, stationed at Vienne, Gaul (modern France). During the persecutions of Diocletian, he hid Saint Julian of Brioude from the anti-Christian authorities; Ferreolus may have been Julian's superior officer. For this, and for his faith, he was arrested by Crispin, the local governor. He was scourged and imprisoned, miraculously escaped, but was recaptured. Martyr.
304
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-ferreolus-the-tribune/
Dominic Trach Ðoài
24 November as one of the Martyrs of Vietnam
Raised a devout Catholic. Dominican tertiary. Priest. Worked in the missions until his arrest in 1842. One of the Martyrs of Vietnam.
c.1792 at Ngoai Voi, Nam Ðinh, Vietnam
beheaded on 18 September 1840 at Bay Mau, Hanoi, Vietnam
19 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-daminh-trach-doai/
David Okelo
Convert at about age fifteen. Catechist with Blessed Jildo Irwa. Local chiefs demanded that the two of them stop teaching the Gospel; they refused. Martyr.
c.1902 in Payira, Kitgum, Ugandan, Acholi tribe
• speared and knifed to death on 18 October 1918 in Palamuku, Uganda
• the place of his death has been called Wi-Polo (In Heaven)
20 October 2002 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-daudi-okelo/
Convert at about age eleven. Catechist with Blessed Daudi Okelo. Local chiefs demanded that the two of them stop teaching the Gospel; they refused. Martyr.
c.1906 in Bar Kitoba, Kitgum, Uganda, Acholi tribe
• speared and knifed to death on 18 October 1918 in Paimol, Kitgum, Uganda
• the place of his death has been called Wi-Polo (In Heaven)
20 October 2002 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-jildo-irwa/
Member of the Redemptorists, making his profession on 8 September 1893. Ordained a priest on 27 May 1899. Martyred in the Spanish Civil War.
21 March 1873 in Alaejos, Valladolid, Spain
18 September 1936 in Fuencarral, Madrid, Spain
24 April 2021 by Pope Francis (decree of martyrdom)
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-donato-jimenez-bibiano/
Ariadna, Ariane, Arianna
Christian slave of a Phrygian prince. Flogged for refusing to join in pagan celebrations on her owner's birthday. When she fled from his household, a large rock opened up for her to escape into; she was never seen again. She was assumed to have died in the rock, it became her tomb, and she is considered a martyr.
c.130
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-ariadne/
Hibald, Higbald, Hugbald, Hybald
Benedictine abbot at Bardney, Lincolnshire, England. Mentioned by the Venerable Bede as an acquaintance of Saint Chad. Hermit in later life. Some churches, the village of Hibaldstowe, and other locations are named in his honour.
• c.690 of natural causes
• relics at Hibaldstowe, Lincolnshire, England
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-hygbald/
• Eumenius the Wonder Worker
• Eumenes....
Late 3rd-century bishop of Gortyna, Crete. Noted for his charity and as a miracle worker, but died in exile.
relics transferred to Crete in the 7th century
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-eumenius-thaumaturgus/
Bishop of Milan, Italy in 315. Noted opponent of Arianism.
Greece
c.331
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-eustorgius-of-milan/
Bishop of Limoges, France in 579. Much admired by Saint Gregory of Tours.
c.591 of natural causes
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-ferreolus-of-limoges/
Martyr.
beheaded c.200 in Egypt
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-irene-18-september/
Sinerio, Senario
Bishop in Avranches, Brittany, France.
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-senary-of-avranches/
Martyr.
Nicomedia, Bithynia (in modern Turkey)
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-oceano-of-nicomedia/
Thousands of people were murdered in the anti-Catholic persecutions of the Spanish Civil War from 1934 to 1939. I have pages on each of them, but in most cases I have only found very minimal information. They are available on the CatholicSaints.Info site through these links:
• Blessed Carlos Eraña Guruceta
• Blessed Fernando García Sendra
• Blessed Jacinto Hoyuelos Gonzalo
• Blessed Jesus Hita Miranda
• Blessed José García Mas
• Blessed José María Llópez Mora
• Blessed Justo Lerma Martínez
• Blessed Salvador Fernández Pérez
• Blessed Vicente Gay Zarzo
• Blessed Vicente Jaunzarás Gómez
• Bertilia of Hainault
• Constantius the Theban
• Desiderius of Rennes
• Elias of Mantova
• Eustachius of Mondsee
• Michael of Male
• Reginfrid of Rennes
• Sophia of Egypt
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