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LAURENCE, ABBOT OF VILLERS - 17 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 17th of May WELCOME! LAURENCE, ABBOT OF VILLERS  Laurence (Laurentius) , remembered on May 17, was a monk at Clairvaux Abbey to start with. A student of  Saint Bernard , Laurence afterwards became the first abbot of the  Cistercian  monastery of  Villers  / Villiers  (Villaria) in Brabant. The establishment flourished under Laurence's leadership: the initially small monastery, through the holiness of its monks and the generosity of the faithful, became one of the most distinguished in Belgium.  Laurence loved holy poverty to the highest degree and bore all its hardships with admirable patience. He had the oratory and the huts for the brothers built from tree branches; his sustenance consisted of vegetables and water, and his clothing barely covered his limbs. After his term had ended, he continued to serve God in utter humility, and concluded his holy life, glorified by miracles, in 1154...
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RAIMUND REMBOLD, ABBOT OF BLAUBEUREN - 5 JULY

  WELCOME! RAIMUND REMBOLD, ABBOT OF BLAUBEUREN Raimund was a Benedictine from  Weingarten Abbey (pictured) Raymundus [Raimund Rembold], remembered on July 5, was a Benedictine from Weingarten Monastery [South Germany]. Descended from the Augsburg patrician Rembold family, and a man of outstanding piety and admirable wisdom, he was appointed and elected abbot of Blaubeuren.  Amidst the greatest hostility from the heretics, he led the monastery with great courage and commendable prudence for over 50 years and, to the great joy of all his subordinates, celebrated the jubilee of his priesthood and abbotship. Worn down by age and ailments, he eventually fell asleep in the Lord, full of merit, at the age of 89, on July 5, 1684.  (Information from  Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints,  Volume  5, Augsburg, 1882, pp. 50-51) Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.g...

ST GENITOR, MARTYR OF TOURAINE - 25 OCTOBER

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER Saints celebrated on the 25th of October WELCOME! SAINT GENITOR, MARTYR OF TOURAINE   Saint Genitor, commemorated on October 25, was a martyr in the French region of Touraine. The Goths were the ones who killed him in the 4th century along with his holy mother  Saint Maura and eight brothers, of whom Saint Spanus (French: Saint Epain ) is the most famous because he named the place of their martyrdom - St. Epain (near Chinon).  (Information from  Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints,  Volume  2, Augsburg, 1861, p. 374) Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Genitor may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. Sources of these articles (in the original German): b...

GREGORY OF GENOA, CAPUCHIN - 1 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 1st of May WELCOME! GREGORY OF GENOA, CAPUCHIN  Gregory, known as Gregorius Genuensis (from Genoa), is remembered on May 1. He was a Capuchin lay brother who took the greatest joy in self-denial. Despite his strictness toward himself, he was so kind and loving to all he met that everyone left comforted and strengthened. A noble woman who always fainted when hearing death mentioned in conversation was completely healed by his simple consolation.  Long before his hour had come, Gregory predicted his own passing, including the fact that he would be buried not among his fellow brothers, but far from them. In fact, he died in 1579 in a field hospital, as he was ministering to the sick during the plague, and was buried there and then. The gravediggers tied a rope around his feet and laid him in the graves reserved for plague victims. His soul "was carried to heaven by the angels." (Flor. Seraph. I. 427) (Information from...

ST MARIA DEL MONTE CARMELO RENDILES MARTINEZ, VIRGIN - 9 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 9th of May WELCOME! SAINT MARIA DEL MONTE CARMELO RENDILES MARTINEZ, VIRGIN Saint Maria Carmen was born on August 11, 1903, in Caracas, Venezuela. Despite being born without an arm due to a rare physical deformation, she radiated a joyful spirit and dedicated her life to serving God. At fifteen, she became a catechist and felt a strong calling to religious life. In 1927, she joined the Congregation of the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament. Over the years, she founded schools for poor children and, in 1965, established the Servants of Jesus. Her unwavering devotion garnered support from the Church, and she led her order until her passing on May 9, 1977. Source: https://ewtn.co.uk/article-canonisation-of-the-7-new-saints-2/ PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Maria Carmen may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns w...

ST JOSE GREGORIO HERNANDEZ, PHYSICIAN - 29 JUNE

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JUNE Saints celebrated on the 29th of June WELCOME! SAINT JOSE GREGORIO HERNANDEZ, PHYSICIAN Born October 26, 1864, in the small rural town of Isnotú in Trujillo state, Venezuela, José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, a member of the Third Order of Saint Francis, was a saint who “to monetary wealth preferred that of the Gospel, spending his existence helping those in need.” Known as “the doctor of the poor,” he dedicated hours to serving those most in need. In fact, he died after being run over by a car on June 29, 1919, while crossing the street to buy medicine for an elderly woman. Pope Francis dedicated a catechesis at a September 2023 general audience to this layman, noting that “charity was the North Star that guided” his existence. He also described him as “a good and joyful person with a cheerful disposition, endowed with a marked intelligence.” The Holy Father also praised Hernández’s enthusiasm and apostolic zeal, which came from grace and intimacy w...

ST MARIA TRONCATTI, VIRGIN - 25 AUGUST

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST Saints celebrated on the 25th of August WELCOME! SAINT MARIA TRONCATTI, VIRGIN On February 16, 1883, Maria Troncatti was born in Corteno Golgi, Brescia, to a humble farming family. Early on, she learned hard work, deep faith, and tender love for others. The  Salesian Bulletin that reached her village opened her heart to the joy of mission, awakening her call to consecrated life. After some hesitation, her father blessed her decision, and in 1908 Maria professed her vows as a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians. From the very beginning, she offered her life with the spirit of service, trusting that all was in God’s hands. Her time as a Red Cross nurse during World War I prepared her for the mission God was quietly shaping in her heart. In the midst of suffering, she became a sign of peace and healing. After surviving a violent storm, Maria entrusted her future to Our Lady, promising to dedicate herself completely to the missions. In 1925 she s...