Saints celebrated on the 1st of May
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SAINT JEAN LOUIS BONNARD, MISSIONARY AND MARTYR
John Ludovicus Bonnard was a martyr in Tonkin [Vietnam], who, according to Pachtler* (p. 354), was beheaded on May 1, 1852. His beatification process is pending in Rome. [Since the original time of writing in the 19th century, this holy martyr has been beatified and canonised.]
The "New Palms of Victory of Catholic Martyrs," with a preface by His Eminence Cardinal Wiseman, provide a detailed account of his entire life and work, as well as his martyrdom (pp. 150-174). According to this, the Frenchman Jean Louis Bonnard, who had the Anamitic name Huong, was born in Saint Christot-en-Sarret on May 1, 1824, so that both his earthly and his heavenly birthday fall on the same day of the month.
Archbishop M. D. A. Sibour of Paris ordained him a priest, and two months later he embarked for Tonkin, where he arrived around Easter 1850. The apostolic vicar, Mgr. Retord, who described his life, sent him to the village of Ke-Bang to look after the parish there and also that of Ke-tring. Later, he visited the parish of Boi-Xuien, where he was arrested on March 21, 1852, on the complaint of a pagan mandarin.
After enduring many sufferings along with his catechist Kim and his disciple Ba, which he touchingly describes in several letters to Mgr. Retord, and after courageously enduring several interrogations, he was finally beheaded on May 1, 1852. The mandarins wanted to hide his body from the Christians by sinking it in a river, but the Christians soon found it, along with his head, which was tied in a sack under his arm. He was then solemnly buried in the college of Mgr. Retord.
[Jean Louis Bonnard was canonised on June 18, 1988 by Pope John Paul II]
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 3, Augsburg, 1869, p. 362-63)
*A hagiography source used by the authors
Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Jean Louis 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): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org
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