BL. MIGUEL DE CARVALHO, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 25 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 25th of August

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

BL. MIGUEL DE CARVALHO, PRIEST AND MARTYR

Blessed Miguel was born in Braga, in 1579, to a noble and wealthy family. In 1597, he joined the Society of Jesus in Coimbra. In 1602, he studied in Portuguese India. After completing his studies of philosophy and theology at St Paul's College in Goa, he was ordained to the priesthood.

HE ARRIVED IN JAPAN

For several years, his vocation was a professor of theology at the Academy. On August 21, 1621, he arrived in Japan, after travelling from Portuguese India through Manila, Malay, and Portuguese Macau.

The situation in Japan was resulting in measures aimed at reducing the impact of the growing number of Catholics in social life.

CHRISTIANITY WAS FORBIDDEN

After a period of intense missionary activity by the Catholic Church, Hidetada Tokugawa, the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, issued a decree which banned the practice and teaching of the Christian faith, and under the threat of loss of life, all the missionaries had to leave Japan. This decree started the bloody persecution of Christians, which lasted several decades.

HE WAS EXPELLED FROM THE ISLAND

On Amakusa, Carvalho hid in plain view, disguised as a soldier for two years, where he assimilated the Japanese language. When the local governor openly confessed that Carvalho was a missionary, and the actual purpose of his stay was to preach and convert the locals to Christianity, he was expelled from the island. 

With the help of fellow believers, he went to Nagasaki, where the Jesuit Provincial, Francisco Pacheco advised him to remain prudent in the implementation of the apostolate and directed him to care for a small group living in a suburban area.

HE WAS ARRESTED

On July 22, 1623, as he returned from the pastoral ministry in Omura, Carvalho was arrested due to an accusation from an informant.

In the local prison, he joined Pedro Vasquez, Luis Sotelo, and two Japanese Franciscans, Ludovicus Sasada and tertiary Ludovicus Baba. Bl. Miguel spent his time in captivity with the celebration of daily Mass and prayer.

THEIR MARTYRDOM

On August 24, a death sentence was ordered, which was performed the next day in Omura. On August 25, 1624, Carvalho and his companions were burned at the stake. 

Bl. Miguel was beatified in July 1867 by Pope Pius IX.

(Information from Wikipedia - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Carvalho)