Calendar of Saints

9 October	• yesterday • tomorrow
Optional Memorial of Saint Denis, Bishop, and Companions, Martyrs; Optional Memorial of Saint John Leonardi, Priest

Saint John Henry Newman

Profile

Educated at Ealing and Trinity College, Oxford. Chosen a fellow of Oriel College. Ordained an Anglican priest in 1824. Curate of Saint Clement's, Oxford for two years. As he continued his studies he began to be influenced by Catholic writers. Vicar of Saint Mary's in 1828. Resigned his position in 1832. Helped found and guide the Tractarian Movement beginning in 1833. His writings grew more and more in sympathy with Catholicism, and he was forced to resign his position at Saint Mary's. He claimed that his philosophy was a via media (middle way) between Catholicism and Luthero-Calvinism, but he came to see that this idea was just a repetition of old heresies. In 1841 he lived in seclusion with friends at Littlemore, reading, studying, and praying. In 1845 he joined the Catholic Church.

Ordained in Rome, Italy in 1846. Joined the Oratorians. Returned to England in 1847 where he lived in Maryvale, Cheadle, Saint Ann's, Birminghan, and finally Edgbaston where he lived the bulk of his remaining 40 years. Founded the London Oratory. Influential writer on matters of theology, philosophy, and apologetics bringing hundreds into the Church; noted poet. Made an honorary fellow of Trinity College in 1878. Created cardinal in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII.

Born

21 February 1801 at London, England

Died

11 August 1890 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, England of pneumonia

Beatified

• Sunday 19 September 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI
• recognition celebrated at an outdoor Mass in Coventry, Diocese of Birmingham, England

Canonized

• 13 October 2019 by Pope Francis at Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy
• the miracle involved the healing of a pregnant American woman from an life-threatening condition hemorrhage and blood-clot

Video

YouTube PlayList

Readings

I have a place in God's counsels, in God's world, which no one else has;
whether I be rich or poor, despised or esteemed by man,
God knows me and calls me by my name.
God has created me to do Him some definite service;
He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission-I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
Somehow I am necessary for His purposes,
as necessary in my place as an Archangel in his
-if, indeed, I fail, He can raise another, as He could make the stones children of Abraham. Yet I have a part in this great work;
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connexion between persons.
He has not created me for naught.
I shall do good, I shall do His work;
I shall be an angel of peace,
a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it,
if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.

Therefore I will trust Him.
Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him;
in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him;
if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end,
which is quite beyond us.
He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it;
He knows what He is about.
He may take away my friends,
He may throw me among strangers,
He may make me feel desolate,
make my spirits sink, hide the future from me
- still He knows what He is about.
- Saint John Henry Newman

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-john-henry-newman/

Saint Publia

Profile

Mother of one son, John, who became bishop of Antioch. Widow. Formed a group of local Christian women into an informal community. When Julian the Apostate came through the area in 362, he stopped to hear the community singing Psalms during their prayers. He took part of their translation to be a direct insult to him, and had Publia smacked around by his men. He planned to have the entire community executed for the perceived slight, but was killed in battle with Persia soon after, leaving Publia and her sisters to live and worship in peace.

Born

4th century in Antioch, Syria

Died

4th century in Antioch, Syria of natural causes

Readings

I will now include in my history the noble story of a right excellent woman, for even women, armed with divine zeal, despised the mad fury of Julian. In those days there was a woman named Publia, of high reputation, and illustrious for deeds of virtue. For a short time she wore the yoke of marriage, and had offered its most goodly fruit to God, for from this fair soil sprang John, who for a long time was chief presbyter at Antioch, and was often elected to the apostolic see, but from time to time declined the dignity. She maintained a company of virgins vowed to virginity for life, and spent her time in praising God who had made and saved her. One day the emperor was passing by, and as they esteemed the Destroyer an object of contempt and derision, they struck up all the louder music, chiefly chanting those psalms which mock the helplessness of idols, and saying in the words of David "The idols of the nations are of silver and gold, the work of men's hands," and after describing their insensibility, they added "like them be they that make them and all those that trust in them." Julian heard them, and was very angry, and told them to hold their peace while he was passing by. She did not however pay the least attention to his orders, but put still greater energy into their chaunt, and when the emperor passed by again told them to strike up "Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered." On this Julian in wrath ordered the choir mistress to be brought before him; and, though he saw that respect was due to her old age, he neither compassionated her gray hairs, nor respected her high character, but told some of his escort to box both her ears, and by their violence to make her cheeks red. She however took the outrage for honour, and returned home, where, as was her wont, she kept up her attack upon him with her spiritual songs, just as the composer and teacher of the song laid the wicked spirit that vexed Saul. - from the Ecclesiastical History of Theodoretus

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-publia/

Saint Denis of Paris

Also known as

• Denis of France
• Dennis, Denys, Dionysius

Profile

Missionary to Paris, France. First Bishop of Paris. His success roused the ire of local pagans, and he was imprisoned by Roman governor. Martyred in the persecutions of Valerius with Saint Rusticus and Saint Eleutherius. Legends have grown up around his torture and death, including one that has his body carrying his severed head some distance from his execution site. Saint Genevieve built a basilica over his grave. His feast was added to the Roman Calendar in 1568 by Pope Saint Pius V, though it had been celebrated since 800. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

Died

• beheaded c.258 at Montmarte (= mount of martyrs)
• his corpse was thrown in the River Seine, but recovered and buried later that night by his converts
• relics at the monastery of Saint Denis

Patronage

• against frenzy
• against headaches
• against hydrophobia or rabies
• against strife
• France
• Paris, France
• possessed people

Representation

• beheaded bishop carrying his severed head - the head sometimes wears its mitre, and there is often a vine growing over his neck
• city
• furnace

Video

YouTube PlayList

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-denis-of-paris/

Saint John Leonardi

Also known as

• Giovanni Leonardi
• Jean Leonardi

Profile

Worked as a pharmacist's apprentice while studying for the priesthood. After ordination on 22 December 1572, he worked with prisoners and the sick. His example attracted some young laymen to assist him, most of whom became priests themselves. This group formed Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of Lucca, a congregation of diocesan priests which, for reasons having to do with the politics of the Reformation and an unfounded accusation that John wanted to form the group for his own personal aggrandizement, provoked great opposition. The Clerks were confirmed on 13 October 1595 by Pope Clement VIII, but John was exiled from Lucca for most of the rest of his life. John was assisted in his exile by Saint Philip Neri, who gave him his quarters - and his pet cat!

In 1579 he formed the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, and published a compendium of Christian doctrine that remained in use until the 19th century. He died from a disease caught while tending plague victims. By the deliberate policy of the founder, the Clerks have never had more than 15 churches, and today form only a very small congregation. The arms of the order are azure, Our Lady Assumed into Heaven; and its badge and seal the monogram of the Mother of God in Greek characters.

Born

1541 at Diecimo, Lucca, Italy

Died

• 8 October 1609 at Rome, Italy of natural causes
• buried in Santa Maria in Portico

Canonized

17 April 1938 by Pope Pius XI

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-john-leonardi/

Saint Louis Bertrand

Also known as

Video

YouTube PlayList

https://catholicsaints.info/abraham-the-patriarch/

Saint Domninus

Also known as

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-gislenus/

Blessed Bernard of Rodez

Also known as

Bernard of Montsalvy

Profile

Augustinian monk as a young man. Spiritual student of Blessed Gausberto of Montsalvy. Monk at Montsalvy abbey. Chosen abbot in 1079, he served for over 30 years.

Born

1040 in Rodez, France

Died

• 1110 of natural causes
• buried at Montsalvy abbey, Clermont-Ferrand, France
• re-interred in a chapel of the abbey church in 1258

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-bernard-of-rodez/

Saint Athanasia of Antioch

Profile

Ninth-century lay woman in Antioch, Syria. Married to Saint Andronicus of Antioch. Mother of two. On the death of their children, Andronicus and Athanasia agreed to live separately as hermits in upper Egypt. Made multiple pilgrimages to Jerusalem.

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-athanasia-of-antioch/

Saint Eleutherius and Saint Rusticus

Profile

Priest and deacon who were tortured and martyred with Saint Denis.

Died

beheaded c.258 at Montmarte (= mount of martyrs)

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-eleutherius/
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-rusticus/

Saint Demetrius of Alexandria

Profile

Patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt in 188; he served for 43 years. Supported the catechetical school of Alexandria, appointing Origen as director of the school in 203; he later exiled Origen for being ordained without permission.