Saint John of Cologne

Today we remember the Dominican martyr St. John of Cologne and the other 18 Martyrs of Gorkum, all priests and religious.

Previous to his martyrdom, all that we know of the life of St. John of Gorkum can be quickly told. He was a religious of his convent of Cologne who performed the duties of a parish priest in Holland, which was at that time engaged in a death struggle with the Spanish princes. The place and date of his birth are not known; those of his death will never be forgotten.

Anti Spanish and Protestant soldiers banded themselves into lawless armies of pirates, and, unpaid and disillusioned, foraged for themselves in the seaports, looking for plunder. Reproached by the clergy, they turned on the Church and one band of pirates laid siege to the city of Gorkum, capturing it after a struggle. For reprisal because of the city's determined defense they gathered all members of the clergy in Gorkum into one miserable prison and set about taking revenge on the priests for their own grievances against the Spanish crown. Hearing of the plight of these poor priests, John left the comparative safety of his parish and entered Gorkum in disguise in order to give whatever assistance he might. Several times he entered the city to dispense the sacraments, and to bring consolation to the priests who were being cruelly tortured. Eventually, he also was taken prisoner and subjected to torture.

Angered by the endurance of the priests, the pirates increased their abuses. Some of the religious were very old and infirm, but one and all, even to an aged Augustinian who was so weak he could barely stand, they bore their martyrdom with patience and sweetness for ten terrible days and nights. They were repeatedly asked to deny the Real Presence, and just as repeatedly refused, which brought on more and more dreadful tortures. Finally they were thrown into the hold of a ship, and they were taken to another city to be killed in the presence of a Protestant nobleman, a man noted for his hatred of Catholicism.

Eleven Franciscans, a Premonstratensian, an Augustinian and four secular priests suffered with John of Cologne the long anguish of protracted martyrdom. Two of the number had been far from exemplary in their lives, but by their heroic constancy at the hour of trial blotted out the stains that might otherwise have kept them out of heaven. But, sadly, there should have been twenty martyrs of Gorkum. One, who weakened and was released after he had denied the Real Presence, lived but twenty four hours to enjoy his wretched freedom. The other nineteen gloriously went to heaven.

The martyrs, after being exhibited to the curious townspeople (who paid to see the spectacle) and subjected to every manner of torture, were finally hanged in an old barn, amid the jeers of the mob. Stripped of their habits and made, like their Master, "the reproach of men and the outcast of the people," they benefitted by their Christ like sufferings and detachment and died a Christ like death.

Their bodies, mutilated both before and after death, were callously thrown into a ditch.

The scene of their martyrdom soon became a place of pilgrimage, where all the Christian world did reverence to the men who were so courageously obedient unto death. Accounts of several miracles, performed through the martyrs’ intercession and relics, were used for their beatification. Most of their relics are kept in the Franciscan church at Brussels to which they were secretly conveyed from Briel in 1616.

(Source : Dorcy, Marie Jean. St. Dominic's Family. Tan Books and Publishers, 1983, The Order of Preachers)


Painting depicting the Martyrs of Gorkum

Saint Vihn Son Ðo Yen (St. Vincent Yen)

Today we remember St. Vincent Yen, one of the Martyrs of Vietnam, individually. The following is from Witnesses of the Faith in the Orient, Dominican Martyrs of Japan, China, and Vietnam translated by Sister Maria Maez, O.P.

This holy martyr was born in Tra-lu in the province of Nam-dinh in 1764. He was trained under the supervision of Bishop Ignatius Delgado, who ordained him a priest at the age of 40. He was appointed to the care of souls. His Calvary began right away. He was secretly denounced to the Mandarins, taken prisoner and made to carry a heavy cangue [yoke]. He spent a month in this condition until he was rescued by friends.

Vincent asked to be admitted to the Dominican Order and received the habit on 22 July 1807. His purity and considerate treatment of others was such that he won everyone’s respect. “His eyes, his whole facial expression was an eloquent testimony of his holiness.” Even the enemies who captured him remarked that they had taken a prisoner who “was a man with a most beautiful countenance.” It was no wonder that he was able to win over all those entrusted to his care.

Vincent was once again imprisoned on 8 June 1838; on the 11th, the Mandarins came together to judge him. The leading Mandarin, a good man of means and influence, resisted imposing the death sentence. He proposed to Father Yen to say that he was a doctor, not a priest. Vincent rejecterd this outright, saying: “I am not a doctor, I am a priest. My office is to offer sacrifices to God and to preach the faith of Jesus Christ for whom I am ready to die. I do not accept the offer for the price of a lie.” Seeing the constancy of the priest, they took the message to the Emperor, who dictated the sentence himself. “Do Yen, native of this Kingdom, principal teacher of the Religion of Jesus Christ, has followed a false religion and does not wish to abandon it. He is truly a dangerous fool and is deserving of suffering any abomination, because he does not wish to follow what he knows and what he should do. Let his head be cut off.”

The venerable old man of 74 walked erectly, calmly and with joy to his execution on 30 June 1838. He was beheaded for being a priest of the Religion and for teaching it to the people.

The Process of Beatification says that Vincent had a most gentle disposition, a happy face and limitless mercy, — that he was prudent, peaceful, very virtuous and that his life had been an edification to all.

Saint Peter the Martyr

St. Peter the Martyr, also called St. Peter of Verona, is one of too many saints that no longer receive the remembrance that is greatly deserved. He is the Dominican protomartyr and the fastest papally canonized saint of the Church.

The Dominican Ordo for 2010 designates today as his memorial. His feast on the Extraordinary Calendar is 29 April. St. Catherine of Siena died on 29 April but was given the 30th because St. Peter the Martyr already had the 29th. In the “reformed” 1969 calendar, St. Peter the Martyr was bumped off the calendar by St. Catherine as she was moved back by one day.

St. Peter was born 1205 or 1206. The fact that he was born to parents that were heretical Cathars is proof of his divine love for truth and Orthodoxy. In such an atmosphere where his own family ridiculed his orthodoxy, his life was destined to be sacrificed for the faith!

He received the Dominican habit from St. Dominic, himself. He was a mystic that was visited by saints and angels, a gift for which he had to do penance for. On one occasion having celestial visitors in his cell, a passing monk heard female voices coming from his room. This led to his being accused of admitting females within the enclosure, to the great scandal of the house. The Saint said not a word in his own justification, but humbly accepted the severe penance imposed on him.

He became a very active and noted preacher in Northern Italy. His sermons were often complemented by miraculous signs of all kinds including casting out devils and healing the sick. Every day at the elevation of the Mass St. Peter prayed, Grant, Lord, that I may die for Thee, who for me didst die.

Pope Innocent IV made him inquisitor of Lombardy in 1232. It is said that wherever he appeared there was universal renunciation of errors and heresies. So great was his success to bringing those in error back to the Church that it’s no wonder the wrath of heretics was so violent towards him. He was attacked by assassins on the road between Milan and Como in 1252. His martyrdom had been mystically revealed to him and he approached happily. One of his assassins was so affected by the saint’s holy martyrdom that he entered the Order of Preachers, himself, and remained for forty years.

Saint Peter was canonized by Pope Innocent IV in the piazza outside the Dominican Church at Perugia, less than a year after his martyrdom.

Prayer

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we may imitate with due devotion the faith of Blessed Peter, Thy Martyr, who, for the extension of that same faith, was made worthy to obtain the palm of martyrdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint John Alcober

Today is the feast of one of the Dominican martyrs of China, St. John Alcober.

Born at Gerona, Spain, in 1694. John Alcober was a good friend of Bishop St. Francis Serrano, who was a brother Dominican of the Granada monastery and a fellow martyr in Tonkin. The two had planned to enter the Chinese missions together, but problems with the ship marooned Father Alcober in Lorca. There he spent his time as a popular preacher. In fact, he was beginning to forget about going to China until the Lord reminded him one day. As he was preaching, he used the words, "How long, you sinners, will you remain hardened?" His crucifix reproached him, "And you, John--how long?"

Dominican Saints of China from the Dominican Priory in Avila

He sailed to Manila with 43 religious in 1726, and he finally made it to China in 1728, where he labored for 16 years in the province of Fo-kien. Here his life was very difficult; he had to hide in uncomfortable places, and, once, he was smuggled in a coffin to anoint a dying man. Sometimes disguised as a water seller, he moved about the city. Once, he was far from any shelter,and he climbed into a tree to spend the night. Piously intoning the Miserere before going to sleep, he was startled to hear another voice answering his, and, to his joy, realized his old friend Father Serrano was sitting in the same tree.

One of his last acts as a free man was to baptize a sick woman to whom Our Lady of the Rosary had appeared. The new Christian was so beautiful after her death that pagans crowded in to see her. Father Alcober's presence there led to his capture in 1746. Soon he found himself reunited in prison with Father Serrano and another priest, Francis Diaz. They were tortured to disclose the whereabouts of Bishop Peter Sanz, though the revealed nothing. The bishop and Father Joachim Royo, upon hearing of the capture of the other three, surrendered themselves in order to spare their brothers further suffering.

The five were dragged before the emperor in chains, and again subjected to torture. Bishop Sanz was beheaded, but the others languished in prison for another six months. Father Alcober wrote a letter to his brother, a Carmelite, saying that they were all in good spirits, but that they hoped it would end soon because they were eager to shed their blood. Here in prison, Father Serrano was appointed successor to Peter Martyr.

Late in November, these four was strangled in their cell at Futsheu during the night. This was the best way to fend off their apostolic work among the jailers and soldiers. When the executioners returned in the light of day to dispose of the bodies, they were horrified to note that the faces of the martyrs were not only serene, but shone with an unearthly radiance--a phenomenon indeed for someone who had died by strangulation. Afraid of being punished for not carrying out their duty, the executioners covered the faces of their victims, but the Christians followed them nonetheless to try to collect relics. The soldiers already knew there would be problems trying to dispose of the relics: Those of Bishop Sanz had resisted burning and various other kinds of destruction. For this reason, the persecuted Christians were able to retain the relics of the five martyrs.

He was strangled to death on October 28, 1748 at Fu-tsheu prison in Tonkin. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in AD 1893. He was canonized along with the other martyrs of China by Pope John Paul II in AD 2000.

Prayer

O God, who didst endow Thy blessed St. John Alcober with constancy and charity to preach the faith to heathen nations, grant us, we beseech Thee, through his example and intercession, to prevevere contantly in Thy faith. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint Stephen

Then the twelve calling together the multitude of the disciples, said: It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying was liked by all the multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch. (Acts 6:2-5)

From this part of Acts of the Apostles we are introduced to St. Stephen. He was chosen as one of the original 7 deacons of the Church to work in the ministry of the Apostles.

By his faith, he was also a miracle worker along with being one of the earliest of preachers. It was in the name of his great faith and love that he was dragged outside the city of Jerusalem and stoned to death. He went to his death asking Jesus to forgive his killers.

From the last 2,000 years to infinity, he is one of the great standards for all mankind's witness to the Lord.

Ordination of St. Stephen by St. Peter

St. Stephen preaching at Jerusalem by Vittore Carpaccio


The stoning of St. Stephen by Bernado Daddi 1324

Prayer of Saint Stephen Martyr
Loving God, Saint Stephen was one of the first deacons in the Church. The Apostles ordained him with six others because they needed ministers who wouldoversee the needs of the poor and the widowed. His holiness was so evident that when he preached to his enemies, his face glowed brightly like an angel's. I ask him to pray for those who have been called to a life of service as ordained deacons. O Lord, help them to be a sign of Your love in their parishes and in the world where they live and work. Bless them with a vision of their ministry that stirs them to passion and tireless effort. Saint Stephen, pray for us. Amen. - Terry Anne Modica

Blessed Paganus of Lecco

Today the Dominicans remember Bl Paganus of Lecco. Bl. Paganus was received into the Order by holy father St. Dominic himself. He was the successor St. Peter the Martyr. He also followed in St. Peter the martyr's footsteps beeing martyred by heretics in 1274. He served in the Order for 50 years.

Blessed Adrian of Dalmatia

Today is the memorial of Bl. Adrian of Damatia. There is not much knowledge available about this 13th century Dominican missionary who was martyred by Muslims. 27 companions were martyred with him and their names have been lost to us.

Mercifully hear, O lord, we beseech Thee, the prayers of Thy Church: that, all adversities and errors being done away, we may serve Thee with a pure and undisturbed devotions. Amen.

St. Joseph Khang

Today the Dominicans remember St. Joseph Khang, one of the Martyrs of Vietnam.

Catechist Joseph (Nguyen-duy-) Khang was born in the year 1832 in the Christian community of Cao-mai in the district of Tra-vi, province of Thai-binh. At age 16, after his father died, he said goodbye to his mother and entered the House of God with the intention of studying for the priesthood. The tempest of persecution that arose against the Christians changed all his plans. All the colleges and seminaries were closed.

The fate of catechist Joseph Khang was the same that befell Bishop Jerome Hermosilla with whom he was taken prisoner. His fidelity and constancy were admirable since he could have escaped. Nonetheless, he preferred to remain at the side of his master. He stated: “If the Bishop dies for the faith, so will I.” For, as the Latin poet said: “There is nothing than can be disturbed in the soul of the just man who is tenacious in his purpose,” especially if his fidelity is founded on a supernatural life.

Joseph was cruelly whipped several times and subjected to other tortures but he never let out a groan nor did he get depressed. On the contrary, he was always happy and peaceful, carrying himself with utmost dignity. He exhorted all with whom he came into contact to love God and venerate Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to whom he had a special devotion. Joseph received the habit of a Lay Dominican and accompanied Bishop Hermosilla for three years. As the Vietnamese so aptly say: “He was the hands and feet of his master, Bishop Hermosilla.”

Joseph received the palm of martyrdom by decapitation on 6 December 1861, a few days after his beloved bishop was beheaded. His apostolate as a catechist and his martyrdom are an honor to all Lay Dominicans in Vietnam.

St. Andrew the Apostle

2^nd day of Advent



Today is the feast of the martyrdom of St. Andrew the Apostle, one of the original Twelve. Here is a brief outline of only some of the things about this glorious saint:

• He was a disciple of St. John the Baptist.
• He was the first called by Jesus.
• He is the brother of St. Peter.
• He recognized Jesus as the messiah the first time he saw Him.
• It was he who brought the boy with the loaves and fishes to Jesus before the feeding of the five thousand.
• founded the see of what would be Constantinople.
• He ordained Stachys, the first Bishop of Byzantium who was one of the 70 disciples of the Lord.
• He was martyred on an x-shaped cross known as a saltire. Like his brother, St. Peter, St. Andrew felt himself unworthy to be crucified on the upright cross of Christ.
• He hung for three days on the cross, fixed not by nails but by rope round his hands and feet; he preached until the end!
• He is the patron of the Ukraine, Russia, Sicily, Greece, Romania, Scotland, Philippines, Amalfi, Malta, Plymouth, England and former Prussia
• St. Andrew's cross is the flag of Scotland
• His name in Greek mean manly.
  
  

St. Andrew's last words on the cross, a prayer:

Lord, eternal King of glory, receive me hanging from the wood of this sweet cross. Thou who art my God, whom I have seen, do not permit them to loosen me from the cross. Do this for me, O Lord, for I know the virtue of Thy Holy Cross.

Prayer by St. John Chrysostom:

Lord, You raised up Saint Andrew, Your Apostle, to preach and rule in Your
Church. Grant that we may always experience the benefit of his intercession with You. Amen.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Protectress of the Order

The monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai is renowned as being the oldest continuously occupied monastery in Christendom. Yet it was first dedicated not to St. Catherine but to the Transfiguration of Jesus. Its architect began building the monastery walls in 542. Three centuries later, guided by a dream, the monks of this monastery found on the mountain the body of a woman, whom they took to be Saint Catherine--a body presumably miraculously flown there from Alexandria.

Falconius, archbishop of San Severino, speaks of the translation of the body of Catherine to the top of Mount Sinai. "As to what is said, that the body of this saint was conveyed by angels to Mount Sinai, the meaning is that it was carried by the monks of Sinai to their rich dwelling with such a treasure--It is well known that the name of an angelic habit, and that monks, on account of their heavenly purity and functions, were anciently called 'angels'" (Husenbeth).

Nothing is known for sure about her except that she was a maiden martyred at Alexandria under Maximinus Daza as related in the History of the Church (viii, c. 14) by Eusebius. Her acta, say she was the daughter of king Costos of Cyprus, who had been called to Alexandria to be a counselor to Emperor Maximinus. Philosophy was very fashionable in Alexandria's high society and Catherine was devoted to study, so that she had a good dose of it before she reached 18. During the course of her studies she learned about Christ. Then Catherine was converted by a vision of Our Lady and the Holy Child.

When Emperor Maximinus began his persecutions, the 18-year-old Catherine, who was very beautiful, went to the emperor and rebuked him for his tyranny as he stood in the middle of a pagan temple. Unable to answer her arguments, he called in fifty philosophers to confront her. After they admitted themselves to be convinced by her arguments, the furious emperor sentenced them to be burned.

The emperor offered to marry her, but she refused because Christ had already appeared to her in person and placed his gold ring on her finger (like St. Catherine of Siena); for this reason Greek Christians call her 'Ækatharina,' that is, 'ever pure.' She was beaten for two solid hours and then imprisoned, and the emperor departed to inspect a camp. In her cell she was fed by a dove, and Christ appeared to her in a vision.

When he returned, he found that his wife, Faustina, and an officer, Porphyrius, had gone to visit Catherine out of curiosity and were converted, and that Porphyrius had converted 200 men of the imperial guard. All were condemned to death.

Catherine was sentenced to be killed by means of a wheel set with spikes or razors, now known as "St. Catherine's wheel." When she was placed upon its rim, her bonds were miraculously loosened, the wheel broke, and the spikes flew off, killing onlookers. Finally, she was beheaded, as she called down blessings on all who should remember her. From her severed veins flowed a white, milk-like liquid instead of blood. It is claimed that for many years oil oozed from her bones; this oil was prized as medicine and for lamps in holy sanctuaries.

In 527 Emperor Justinian built a fortified monastery for the hermits of Mt. Sinai, and the body of Catherine is supposed to have been taken there in the 8th or 9th century; since then it has borne her name. In the 11th century, Simeon, a monk of Sinai, went to Rouen to receive an annual alms of Duke Richard of Normandy. He brought with him some of Catherine's relics, which he left there. She was one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, who were highly venerated individually and as a group during the Middle Ages because of the enormous amount of miracles that were done through their intercession.

Saint Joan of Arc heard and faithfully followed the voice of Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret. Perhaps the Lord gave Catherine to Joan to help her in her debate with the famous theologians. The real Passion of Catherine is the same as Joan of Arc's, which fortunately we know in all its details. Joan is the Catherine of modern times, indeed of all times. And so to be a woman, a saint, and a philosopher like Catherine, there is no need to be a king's daughter; the Hail Mary and Our Father are enough. No doubt Catherine had the simplicity of a shepherdess. Though philosophy and religion will never be found in perfect harmony, what matters is faith, pure and simple faith, and we rejoice that it is so. Saint Dominic also had heavenly visions of her and chose her and Mary Magdalene to be protectress of the Dominican Order.

source

Martyrs of Vietnam

Today is the day set aside for all the martyrs of Vietnam in the last 500 years.
Even though 117 martyrs are named, there are over 100,000 up to the present day to be included. Dominicans, of course, are among the many from the Church's various orders that were martyred.

For an excellent blog article on the Vietnamese Martyrs, visit Unam Sanctan's 2007 article about the subject!

It is often quoted, "The earliest martyrs mentioned in written sources are the Spanish Dominicans Francisco Gil de Federich and Matthew Alonzo Lenziana, who arrived in the country about 1580."  However, this information is very likely incorrect since most other sources place Francisco Gil de Federich in the mid-18th century.

The tortures these individuals underwent were among the worst in the history of Christian martyrdom. The means included cutting off limbs joint by joint, ripping living bodies with red hot tongs, and use of drugs to enslave the minds of the victims. Christians at the time were branded on the face with the words ta dao (false religion) and families and villages which subscribed to Christianity were obliterated.

The 117 martyrs were beatified in four groups, the first of them on 27 May 1900 (Pope Leo XIII), the second (all Dominicans) on 20 May 1906, a third on 2 May 1909 (both by Pope Pius X) and the last (including two Spanish bishops) on 29 April 1951 (Pope Pius XII). They were canonised in Rome on 19 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II.


Dominican Bishops
St. Dominic Hanares (1765-Jun. 22, 1838)
St. Vincent Yen (1764-Jun. 30, 1838)
St. Ignatius Delgado (1761-Jul. 12, 1838)
St. Jerome Hermosilla (1800-Nov., 1 1861)
St. Valentine de Berrio-Ochoa (1827-Nov. 1, 1861)
St. Joseph Mary Diaz-Sanjurjo (1818-Jul. 20, 1857)
St. Melchior García Sampedro (1821-Jul. 28, 1858)

Dominican Priests
St. Vincent Liem (1731-Nov. 7)
St. Dominic Hanh (1772- Aug. 1, 1838)
St. Joseph Fernandez (1775-Jul. 15, 1838)
St. Peter Tu (1776-Sep. 5, 1838)
St. Dominic Tuoc (1775-Apr. 2, 1839)
St. Thomas Dou (1778-Nov. 26, 1839)
St. Dominic Xuyen (1786-Nov. 26, 1839)
St. Joseph Hien (1775-May 9, 1840)
St. Dominic Trach Doia (1792-Sep. 18, 1840)
St. Matthew Alonso Liciniana (1702 -Jan. 22, 1745)
St. Francis Gil de Federich (1702-Jan. 22, 1745)
St. Vincent Liem Le Duang (1731-Nov. 7, 1773)
St. Hyacinth Castañeda (1743 -Nov., 7 1773)
St. Peter Almató y Ribera (Nov. 1, 1830-Nov. 1, 1861)
St. Dominic Mau (1808-Nov. 5,1858)
St. Joseph Tuan (Van Tran) [OP priest] (1821-Apr. 4, 1861)

Lay Dominicans
St. Dominic An Kham (1799-March 11, 1859)
St. Joseph Uyen (1775-Jul. 4, 1838)
St. Joseph Canh (1963-Sep. 5, 1938)
St. Francis Xavier Mau (?-Dec. 19, 1839)
St. Dominic Yu (?-Dec. 19, 1839)
St. Thomas De (1810-Dec. 19, 1839)
St. Augustine Moi (1806-Dec. 19, 1839)
St. Stephen Vihn (1814?-Dec. 19, 1839)
St. Thomas Toan (1767-Jun. 27, 1840)
St. Joseph Khang (1832-Dec. 6, 1861)
St. Dominic An Kham (Pham Thong) (1799-Jan. 13, 1859)
St. Luke Cai Thin (Trong Pham) (1819-Jan. 13, 1859)
St. Joseph Cai Ta (Pham Thong) (1800-Jan. 13, 1859)

Dominican Tertiaries
St. Augustine Schoeffler (1822-May 1, 1851) priest, M.E.P.
St. Dominic Caam (An-Kham) (?-Mar. 11, 1859) priest
St. Thomas Khuong (1779-Jan. 30, 1860) priest

Pope St. Clement I

One of the 70 Apostles, consecrated by St. Peter, worked with St. Paul, Church Father, one the earliest great Patristic writers, our fourth pope and witness to the historical proof of the papacy, holy martyr for the faith (c. A.D. 101)! How's that for a resume?!

Seek peace and go in pursuit of it. The eyes of the Lord rest upon the good, and His ears attend to their petition. But the frown of the Lord is upon evildoers, to extirpate the memory of them. The good man cried aloud, and the Lord heard him and delivered him from all his afflictions. Many are the plagues of the sinner, but mercy will encompass those that hope in the Lord.

--from Pope St. Clement I's Epistle to the Corinthians

The Prayer of St. Clement I

Give us the grace, Lord, to hope in Thy Name, to which all creatures owe their being. Open the eyes of our hearts to know Thee alone, the Most High in the highest heavens, whose dwelling is in the holy of holies. Thou abasest the arrogance of the proud, frustrate the designs of the godless, humble the lofty and exalt the lowly, makest wealthy and poor, Thou slayest, Thou savest and Thou bringest to life. Alone the Benefactor of spirits and God of all flesh, Thy gaze penetrates the depths, Thou observest the doings of men. Helper of those in peril, Savior of those in despair, Creator of all that draws breath, Thou causest the peoples on the earth to multiply and from them all choose those who love Thee through Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son. Through Him Thou hast instructed us, sanctified us, honored us.

We ask Thee, O Lord, to be our supporter and our helper. To those of us who are afflicted, free us, pity the lowly, raise the fallen, show thyself to the needy, heal the sick, convert Thy wayward people, feed the hungry, deliver our captives, support the weak, encourage the faint-hearted. Let all nations know that Thou alone art God and Jesus Christ is Thy Son, and we are Thy people, the sheep of Thy flock.

Truly Thou hast established the world and revealed Thy decrees. Thou art faithful through all generations, just in judgment, admirable in strength and majesty, wise in building, prudent in establishment, goodness in everything seen, faithful to those who put their trust in Thee, and kind and merciful. Dismiss from us our iniquities, our injustices, our sins and our failings.

Do not hold the sins of Thy servants against them, but purify us by Thy truth, and direct our steps that in holiness and justice and simplicity of heart we may walk and so do what is good and pleasing in Thy sight and in the sight of our leaders.

O Lord, let the light of your face shine upon us, so that we may enjoy Thy blessings in peace, protected by Thy strong hand, and freed from all sin by Thy outstretched arm; and deliver us from those who hate us unjustly.

Grant peace and concord to us and to all mankind, even as Thou gavest it to our forefathers when they devoutly called upon Thee in faith and in truth. Thou alone art able to bestow these and even greater benefits upon us. We praise Thee through our high priest and the patron of our souls, Jesus Christ. Through Him be glory and majesty to Thee now and throughout all generations, for ever and ever.

Amen.

"Viva Cristo Rey!"

Those were the last words of Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro - Padre Pro. Today is his feast day.

He had a great love for the Mass, devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and apostolic zeal for ordinary working men. Despite the fierce persecution of the Mexican Government as well as his own debilitating illnesses, Fr. Pro continued his ministry to the faithful. He was captured, imprisoned and martyred for his Catholic Faith in 1927 under [false] charges of sedition. source

Quotes:

How can I explain to you the sweet grace of the Holy Spirit,
which invades my poor miner's soul with such heavenly joys?

May God have mercy on you! May God bless you! Lord, Thou
knowest that I am innocent! With all my heart I forgive my enemies!

God our Father,
you gave your servant Miguel Agustin
the grace to seek ardently your greater glory
and the salvation of your people.
Grant that through his intercession
and following his example
we may serve you and glorify you
by performing our daily duties with fidelity and joy
and effectively helping our neighbor.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

Blessed Joachim Royo

Blessed Joachim Royo was martyred 1848; beatified in 1893. He was a Spanish Dominican missionary, who was sent to China to work under Blessed Peter Sanz, and was ordained there . He was strangled in prison at Fu-tshen.


Martyrs of China

Saint Dominic Doan (Xuyen Van Nguyen)

Today was the original memorial (old Roman Calendar) of St. Dominic Doan Xuyen when he was beatified as a Blessed in 1900.   His memorial on the current Roman Calendar is November 26.  He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

He is one of the Vietnamese Martyrs, born in Tonkin;  died 1839;  He was a member of the Dominican order and was martryed by beheading with Blessed Thomas Du (a Benedictine).

Blesseds Francis Serrano and Francias Diaz

Two of the many martyrs of China:

Blessed Francis Serrano & Francis Diaz OP MM (AC) Born in Spain; died 1748; beatified by Leo XIII in 1893. These Spanish born, Dominican missionaries were sent to Fo-Kien, China. After 20 years of work in China (now Vietnam), Serrano had been arrested with Blessed Bishop Peter Sanz in 1646. While in prison he was elected titular bishop of Tipasa after the beheading of Sanz on May 25, 1747. Serrano was a resourceful, careful person, which one would have to be to survive in such harsh conditions. He became adept at scaling walls and hiding in unlikely places.

Father Diaz was born in Ecija in 1713. He always claimed that he owed his vocation to having skipped school one day. A white-robed religious appeared to him--a Dominican. The curious boy continued to ask questions about the order, until he convinced himself that he must join. Even though his father tried to persuade his to accept a family benefice instead of entering the austere life of the Order of Preachers, he persisted. He was determined to serve God as a Dominican and to die in China. He preached the Gospel in Tonkin for eight years before his death.

Fathers Alcober, Serrano, and Diaz were captured and tortured to reveal the whereabouts of Bishop Sanz. Despite horrendous punishment, they refused to say anything. Father Joachim Royo and Bishop Sanz, wishing to spare his brothers further suffering, surrendered themselves to the authorities.

The five Dominican, as well as a native catechist named Ambrose Kou, were dragged before the emperor in chains. Again they were tortured, then sentenced to death in December 1746. After the bishop's death, the other four priests were branded on their faces with the words ta dao ("false religion") and left for six months to languish in prison.

Serrano, Diaz, and the two other Dominican priests were strangled at night in prison at Futsheu in order to end their evangelizing of the guards and soldiers. When the executioners returned the following morning to dispose of the bodies, they were terrified to see the beatific faces that shone with an unearthly radiance-- especially miraculous considering that they died of strangulation. The relics were preserved and treasured by the Christians (Benedictines, Dorcy).

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2 St. Lawrences and the Martyrs of Japan

In today's liturgical rememberance of Dominican saints, we had two Lawrences.

Blessed Lawrence of Ripafratta

The first Lawrence today is the memorial of Blessed Lawrence of Ripafratta (1373-1456) on the Dominican liturgical calendar.

Bl. Lawrence entered the order at the age of twenty. Years later he was called upon to help in the Dominican Reform Movement that was lead by Bl. John Dominici!

In the early 15th century he was made Dominican novice-master for a congregation in Tuscany. It was during this time of the Great Western Schism that he trained many great Domincans in the reform of the order: St. Antoninus, Bl. Peter Capucci, and the famous artist brothers that were Dominicans, Bl. Fra Angelico and Fra Benedetto.

He preached almost continuously throughout his life and had a reputation for compassion to the poor whom he tended, taught and visited, even in time of plague.

He lived to the age of 98. After his death there was a long history of miracles at his tomb. He was beatified by Pope Gregory XVI in 1851.

Dominican First Vespers
Antiphon. Strengthen by holy intercession, O Lawrence , confessor of the Lord, those here present, have we who are burdened with the weight of our offenses may be relieved by the glory of thy blessedness, and may by thy guidance attain eternal rewards.
V. Pray for us, Blessed Lawrence
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The 16 Maryrs of Japan

The day is also set aside to remember the 16 Martyrs of Japan (not to be confused with the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki). Our second Lawrence comes from these courageous souls.

The 16 Maryrs of Japan (1633 - 1637) were all Dominican related individuals that died for the faith during the time of persecution in Japan when Christianity was outlawed.

St. Lorenzo (Lawrence) Ruiz of this group is the first Filipino martyr and saint. He was a husband, father and member of the Confraternity of the Rosary. As a child he was educated by Dominicans and sought refuge with Dominican priests before his martyrdom. His last words (translated from Togalog) were:

I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly accept death for the
Lord; if I have a thousand lives, all of them I will offer to Him.

After St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the other 15 martyrs were 9 Dominican priests, 2 Dominican Brothers, 2 tertiaries (Lay Dominicans), 2 parishioners of Dominican missions.