June 2012 Saints

Some heroes to imitate and intercessors to call on during June.  Chock full of links (all the underlined words) to learn more if you care to.  Add your favorites to your calendar and do something special to remember them and pray with them on their feast days.  It’s not an exhaustive list, but a great place to start.

• 6/1 St. Justin Martyr – (c.100-165) 2^nd century Philosopher, Martyr, Father of the Church.  First layman apologist.  Patron of apologists, lecturers, orators, philosophers and speakers.  Scroll down to his name on this list to read his writings.
• 6/1 St. Gwen (aka Whyte or Candida)
• 6/2 St. Blandina – (d.177) Slave, Martyr
• 6/2 St. Elmo (aka Erasmus) – (d.c.303) Bishop, Martyr, rolled in pitch and set on fire
• 6/3 Holy Trinity
• 6/3 St. Charles Lwanga & Companions – (d.1886) Martyrs of Uganda in 1886. “You can burn our bodies, but you cannot harm our souls.”
• 6/3 St. Morand – (d.c.1115) Monk, fasted on grapes one Lent
• 6/5 St. Boniface – (d.754) Originally named Wynfrith (almost as cool as St. Patrick’s [fellow Englishman] original name, Maewyn Succat).  English Benedictine monk known as the “Apostle of Germany”.
• 6/6 St. Philip the Deacon – (d.c.58) Mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, converted Simon Magus, the Ethiopian eunuch of Queen Candice, and many more.
• 6/9 St. Columba (aka Columbkille) – (521-597) Irish poet
• 6/10 Corpus Christi
• 6/11 St. Barnabas – (d.c.61) Apostle, Martyr.  Early missionary and leader of the Church.  Introduced Paul to Peter and the other Apostles (Acts 9:27).  Cousin to the Mark who wrote the Gospel.  He’s mentioned often in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, especially chapters 11-15.
• 6/12 St. Onophrius – (d.c.400) Hermit.  Naked for 60 years
• 6/13 St. Anthony of Paudua – (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church, Franciscan priest, gifted speaker, miracle worker.  St. Francis himself directed Anthony to teach theology because he was so good at it.  Known as patron for lost items, he has many other patronages including pregnant women, travelers, against starvation, against sterility…  and on and on… check the list here.
• 6/15 Sacred Heart of Jesus
• 6/15 St. Alice – (d.1250) – Cistercian Nun, Leper, Visionary, Healer
• 6/15 St. Vitus – (d.c.303) Martyr. Boiled in oil.
• 6/16 Immaculate Heart of Mary
• 6/16 St. John Francis Regis – (1597-1640) Confessor. Jesuit.  Missionary.  Popular catechist, gifted preacher.  Also helped prostitutes get out of the trade be establishing them in lacemaking and embroidery.
• 6/17 St. Harvey – (d.c.556-575) blind minstrel
• 6/19 Venerable Matt Talbot – (1856-1925) Patron of Alcoholics. Secular Franciscan. Alcoholic from Dublin for 15 years, then led a life of heroic penance and prayer.
• 6/20 St. Osana – (1449-1505) Dominican Stigmatist
• 6/21 St. Aloysius Ganzaga – (1568-1591) Patron of teenagers. Jesuit. Italian noble and son of a compulsive gambler, his dad wanted him to be a military hero.  Instead he gave his life to prayer and serving the poor.  Received first Communion from St. Charles Borromeo and last rites (Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick) from St. Robert Bellarmine.  Died from the plague caught while helping the sick at the age of 23.
• 6/21 St. Alban – (d.c303) Martyr
• 6/21 St. Leufredis
• 6/22 St. Thomas More – (1478-1535) Martyr, Husband, father, devoted family man, lawyer, Lord Chancellor of England (2^nd to the King).  Fought any form of heresy, which eventually got him beheaded by Henry VIII.  Patron of lawyers, civil servants, politicians, adopted children, widowers and more.
• 6/22 St. John Fisher – (1459-1535) Martyr, Priest, Bishop, Cardinal.  Tutor of young Henry VII, eventually beheaded for opposing Henry’s claim to be head of the Church of England.
• 6/23 St. Agrippina – (d.c.262) Martyr
• 6/23 St. Joseph Cafasso – (1811-1860) Priest, precursor to Bosco
• 6/24 St. John the Baptist – (d.c.30) His birth was announced by the angel Gabriel.  He prepared the way for the Messiah, and was eventually beheaded.  Read about him in Mt 3; Mk 1; Lk 1 & 3; Jn 1 & 3.
• 6/25 St. Molaug – (c.530-592) Irish noble and founder of monasteries
• 6/26 St. Josemaria Escriva – (1902-1975) Founder of Opus Dei, priest during religious persecution of the Spanish Civil War.  Check out his writings.
• 6/25 St. Pelayo (aka Pelagius) – (c.912-925) Martyr
• 6/27 Our Lady of Perpetual Help – You’ve probably seen this miraculous image, the devotion to which is now spread by the Redemptorists. Discover the story and the message.
• 6/27 St. Cyril of Alexandria – (376-444) Doctor of the Church, Father of the Church, monk, priest, bishop. Was the Pope’s representative at the Council of Ephesus, emphasizing that Mary was mother of the one Person who is both truly God and truly human.  Scroll down to his name on this list to read his writings.
• 6/27 St. Lazlo – (1040-1095) King of Hungary, not the guy in the closet in “Weird Science”
• 6/28 St. Irenaeus – (c.130-202) Bishop, Martyr, Father of the Church, disciple of St. Polycarp, writer, theologian. Scroll down to his name on this list to read his writings.
• 6/28 St. Basildes
• 6/29 Sts. Peter & Paul – (d.c.64, Peter; c.3-c.65, Paul) Apostles, Martyrs. First Pope & mega-missionary. Read the whole New Testament to learn more.  There’s some interesting at-a-glance info on the links listed above, or reflect on them together here.