[Robert Drobot]

† FEAST OF SAINT JOHN BAPTIST ROSSI, CONFESSOR † This holy priest was born in 1698 at the village of Voltaggio in the diocese of Genoa and was one of the four children of an excellent and highly respected couple. When he ws ten a nobleman and his wifre who were spending the summer at Voltaggio obtained permission from his parents to take him back with them to Genoa to be trained in their house. He remained with them three years, winning golden opinions from all, notably from two Capuchin friars who came to his patrons home. They carried such a favorable report of the boy to his uncle who was then minister provincial of the Capuchins that a cousin Lorenzo Rossi a canon of Santa Maria in Cosmedin invited him to come to Rome. The offer was accepted and he entered the Roman College at the age of thirteen. Popular with his teachers and with his fellow pupils he had completed the classical course with distinction when the reading of an ascetical book led him to embark on exfessive mortifications. The strain on his strength at a time when he was working hard led to a complete breakdown which boliged him to leave the Roman College. He recovered sufficiently to complete his training at the Minerva, but he never was again relly robust. ndeed his subsequent labours were performed under the handicap of almost constant suffering. On March 8, 1721 at the age of twenty three he was ordained and his first Mass was celebrated in the Roman College at the altar of St. Aloysius Gonzaga to whom he always had a special devotion. His fame came from his work as a confessor and as his ministry to the sick. Α ☧ Ω

[Robert Drobot]

CALENDAR of the SAINTS 23 May 2010 Anno Dómini "....and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. ~ ~ Apocalypse Α ☧ Ω Saint Bartolomeus Agricola Α ☧ Ω Saint Benvenutus of Recanati Α ☧ Ω Bishop Saint Desiderius of Langres, Martyr A native of Genoa, Italy, he became bishop of Langres, in France. When the Vandals invaded the region, Desiderius pleaded for his people and was slain. Α ☧ Ω Bishop Saint Desiderius of Vienne Desiderius was born at Autun, Gaul, and also known as Didier. He became bishop of Vienne. His enforcement of strict clerical discipline, his attachs on simony, and his denunciation of the immorality of Queen Brunhildis' court made him many enemies. He was denounced by the queen for paganism to Pope Gregory the Great who completely exonerated him, but was banished by a synod controlled by Brunhildis. Desiderius returned four years later but was murdered by three followers of King Theodoric, whom he had publicly censured. His feast day is May 23. Α ☧ Ω Saint Didier Α ☧ Ω Bishop Saint Epiphanius and Bishop Saint Basileus of Braga, Martyrs Martyrs, both. Saint Epitacius was the first bishop of Tuy, Spain, while Saint Basileus sheparded Braga, Portugal. Α ☧ Ω Saint Epitacius of Tuy Α ☧ Ω Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk Daughter of Prince Svyatoslav of Polotsk. Granddaughter of Prince Polacak Usiaslau. Entered the Convent of Holy Wisdom at Polotsk, a house founded by her aunt, at age 12; she was later joined by her sister, two nieces, and a cousin. Hermit in a cell in the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom. Book copyist; proceeds from the sale of the books were given to the poor. Founded a convent at Seltse. Pilgrim to Constantinople; received by emperor Manuel I and Patriarch Michael III. Pilgrim to the Holy Lands where she was received by the Crusader King Amaury I. Especially venerated by Belarussians, Ruthenians, Lithuanians, and Russians. Α ☧ Ω Saint Gereon Schlechl Α ☧ Ω Saint Goban Gobhnena Sixth-seventh century abbot at Old-Leighlin, County Limerick, Ireland. Α ☧ Ω Saint Guibertus, Martyr Aristocrat. Soldier in several campaigns. Hermit on his estates at Gembloux, Brabant. Founded a monastery in Gembloux. Benedictine monk at Gorze. Though he wanted to retire from the world, he was forced to return to Gembloux several times to defend the rights of the foundation he established to support the monastery. Α ☧ Ω Saint Ivo of Chartres Born to the French nobility. Studied in Paris and the abbey of Bec in Normandy. Fellow student with Saint Anselm of Canterbury. Prior at Saint Quentin, Beauvais c.1069. Teacher. Bishop of Chartres in 1090. Consulted on matters of theology and canon law, and a strong opponent of simony. Imprisoned for opposing King Philip I’s attempt to abandon his wife to make another marriage in 1092. Many of his letters and sermons survive to today. One of the most notable bishops of France at the time of the lay investiture controversy. Α ☧ Ω Saint Jane Antide Thouret Daughter of a tanner. Her mother died when Jane was 16 years old, leaving the girl to manage the family and help her father raise her younger siblings. Joined the Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul in 1787 at Paris, and worked in various hospitals over the next five years. During the suppression of religious orders in the French Revolution, she was ordered to return home to a secular life. Jane refused, and tried to escape the authorities; she was beaten so badly that it took months to recover. She finally returned on foot to Sancey where she cared for the sick, and opened a small school for girls. In the late 1790's, the government repression forced her to flee to Switzerland. There she teamed up with other exiled religious and clergy to minister to the sick. However, due to anti-Catholic prejudice, the group was forced to move on to Germany. Jane later returned to Landeron, Switzerland where she met with her order's Vicar-General of Besançon. He asked her to found a school and hospital for her Order, and in 1799 the school opened in Besançon. The congregation Jane founded to run these institutions was the Institute of the Daughters of Saint Vincent de Paul. Her people soon began to expand, to operate other schools and hospitals in France, Switzerland, and Italy, and moved into prison ministry. The Institute received papal approval in 1819. Α ☧ Ω Saint John Baptist Rossi One of four children born to Charles de Rossi and Frances Anfossi. Taken by a wealthy noble couple to Genoa, Italy for schooling. There he met some Capuchin friars who thought well of him, and helped him continue his education in Rome. Studied under the Jesuits at the Roman College at age 13. Member of the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin and the Ristretto of the Twelve Apostles. Epileptic. His self-imposed acts of austerity nearly broke his health, and he never completely regained his strength. Studied philosophy and theology under the Dominicans. Ordained on 3 March 1721, assigned to Rome. Helped start a hospice for homeless women near Saint Galla's hospice in Rome. Canon of Santa Maria, Cosmedin in 1737; he used his compensation from the position to purchase an organ for the church. Missioner and catechist to the teamsters, farmers, herdsmen, homeless, sick, beggars, prostitutes, and prisoners of the Campagna region. For many years, John was avoided hearing confessions for fear he would have a seizure in the confessional, but the bishop of Civitá Castellana convinced him it was part of his vocation; he relented, and soon became a sought after confessor in Rome; once said that the shortest road to heaven was to guide others there by the confessional. Sought after preacher. Assigned as catechist to many government and prison officials, including the public hangman. Miracle worker. Always had a special devotion to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Α ☧ Ω Saint John Rochester Α ☧ Ω Saint Josef Kurzawa Α ☧ Ω Saint Julia Born of noble parents in South Africa. When she was still quite young, her city was conquered by pagan barbarians. Julia was captured and sold as a slave to a pagan merchant, but she did not complain or feel sorry for herself. She accepted everything, and performed the most humble tasks with wonderful cheerfulness. For Julia loved God with all her heart. When it was possible she prayed fervently. Α ☧ Ω Saint Julian of Africa Α ☧ Ω Bishop Saint Leontius of Rostov Bishop and missionary in Russia. He was born a Greek and became a monk at the Caves of Kiev, Russia. In 1051, he became bishop of Rostov. Α ☧ Ω Saint Lucius of Africa Α ☧ Ω Martyrs of Cappadocia A group of Christians tortured and martyred in 303 A.D. in Cappadocia during the persecutions of Emperor Galerius. Their names and the details of their lives are not known. Α ☧ Ω Martyrs of Mesopotamia A group of Christians martyred in Rome's persecution of Christians. Their names and the details of their lives are not known. Α ☧ Ω Saint Mercurialis of Forlì Α ☧ Ω Saint Michael of Synnada, Martyr Bishop and disciple of Saint Tarasius of Constantinople. Michael was bishop of Synnada, Phrygia, in modem Turkey. He carried a synodal document from St. Tarasius to Pope St. Leo III in Rome. An enemy of the Iconoclast heretics in the Byzantine Empire, Michael was exiled to Galatia by Armenian Emperor Leo V. Α ☧ Ω Saint Quintian of Africa, Martyr Leader of a group of martyrs in Africa, including Julian and Lucius. The nineteen martyrs were put to death for being orthodox Christians by Arian ruler King Hunneric of the Vandals. Α ☧ Ω Saint Vivianus of Prémontré Α ☧ Ω Saint William of Rochester, Martyr William led a wild and misspent youth, but as an adult he had a complete conversion, devoting himself to God, caring especially for poor and neglected children. He worked as a baker, and gave every tenth loaf to the poor. He attended Mass daily, and one morning on his way to church he found an infant abandoned on the threshold. He named the baby David, and adopted him, and taught him his trade. Years later he and David set out on a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands. During a stopover in Rochester, England the boy David turned on William, clubbed him, cut his throat, robbed the body in 1201, and fled. Because he was on a holy journey, and because of the miraculous cures later reported at his tomb, he is considered a martyr. A local insane woman found William's body, and plaited a garland of honeysuckle flowers for it; she placed the garland on William, and then on herself whereupon her madness was cured. Local monks, seeing this as a sign from God, interred William in the local cathedral and began work on his shrine. His tomb and a chapel at his murder scene, called Palmersdene, soon became sites of pilgimage and donation, even by the crown. His relics were destroyed along with the cathedral in Rochester in 1538. Remains of the chapel can be seen near the present Saint William's Hospital. Α ☧ Ω