Feasts of Saints Celebrated in the Month of October

Saints for the month of October

Therese Martin: the "Little Flower," died 30 September 1897 A.D. of tuberculosis in Carmel of Lisieux at age 24; born in Alencon; contemplative who, in her biography, "The Story of a Soul" urged all to follow "the little way"; proclaimed doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II, 19 October 2001 A.D.; patroness of the missions, of France. (October 1)

also on October 1: Remigius, bishop and confessor; Romanus the Melodist; Melorus Melar or Mylor, martyr; Bavo or Allowin

Guardian Angels: Observed since the 16th c. A.D. in Spain, Pope Clement X in 1670 A.D. assigned this memorial to the first free day following Michaelmas day. (October 2)

also on October 2: Eleutherius, martyr; Leodegarius or Leger, bishop and martyr

on October 3: Hesychius; The Two Ewalds, martyr; Gerard of Brogne, abbot; Froilan and Attilanus, bishop; Thomas of Hereford, bishop

Francis of Assisi: (died 3 Oct 1226 A.D.); noted for his charismatic personality, deep compassion for all, and love for God's creation; renounced wealth to follow "Lady Poverty"; deacon; founded the Order of Friars Minor, the Poor Clares and the Third Order; wrote Canticle of the Sun; received the stigmata 14 Sept. 1224 A.D.; canonized only two years after his death; patron of ecologists and of Italy. (October 4)

also on October 4: Ammon; Petronius, bishop

on October 5: Apollinaris of Valence, bishop; Galla, widow; Magenulf or Meinulf; Flora of Beaulieu, virgin; Aymard of Cluny, abbot

Bruno (died 1101 A.D.): at la Grande Chartreuse (or Charter House) near Grenoble; sought "to seek God assiduously, to find God promptly, and to possess God fully"; founded (1084 A.D.) the Carthusians, whose motto is "while the world changes, the cross stands firm." (October 6)

also on October 6: Faith, virgin and martyr; Nicetas of Constantinople; Mary Frances of Naples, virgin

on October 7: Our Lady of the Rosary; Mark, pope; Justina, virgin and martyr; Osyth, virgin and martyr; Artaldus or Arthaud, bishop

on October 8: Marcellus, martyr; Simeon; Pelagia the Penitent; Thaïs; Reparata, virgin and martyr; Demetrius, martyr; Keyne, virgin

Denis, or Dionysius (died 258 A.D.): first bishop of Paris; martyred with the presbyter, Eleutherius, and the deacon, Rusticus, on Montmartre (or "mount of martyrs"); patron of Paris and France. (October 9)

John Leonardi: (died 1609 A.D.) at Lucca; founded (1574 A.D.) the Congregation of Clerics Regular of the Mother of God to further education in Christian doctrine; helped found the Propaganda Fide, the Vatican Congregation in charge of missionary activity (known as the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples). (October 9)

also on October 9: Demetrius of Alexandria, bishop; Publia, widow; Andronicus and Athanasia; Savin; Gislenus or Ghislain, abbot; Gunther; Louis Bertrand

on October 10: Francis Borgia, confessor; Gereon and Companions, martyrs; Eulampius and Eulampia, martyrs; Maharsapor, martyr; Cerbonius, bishop; Paulinus of York, bishop; Daniel and Companions, martyrs

on October 11: Andronicus, Tarachus and Probus, martyrs; Nectarius, bishop; Canice or Kenneth, abbot; Agilbert, bishop; Gummarus or Gommaire; Bruno the Great of Cologne, bishop; Alexander Sauli, bishop; Maria Desolata (Emmanuela Torres Acosta), virgin

on October 12: Maximilian, bishop and martyr; Felix and Cyprian and Companions; Edwin, martyr; Ethelburga of Barking, virgin; Wilfrid, bishop

on October 13: Edward the Confessor; Faustus, Januarius, and Martial, martyrs; Comgan, abbot; Gerald of Aurillac; Coloman, martyr; Maurice of Carnoë, abbot

Callixtus I (died 222 A.D.): incurred ire of Tertullian and

Hippolytus (13 Aug) over lapsi controversy; organized the first official Christian cemetery in Rome and instituted Ember day fasts. (October 14)

also on October 14: Justus of Lyons, bishop; Manechildis, virgin; Angadrisma or Angadrême, virgin; Burchard, bishop; Dominic Lauricatus

on October 15: Theresa of Avila, virgin and doctor of the Church; Leonard of Vandoeuvre, abbot; Thecla of Kitzingen, virgin; Euthymius the Younger, abbot

Hedwig (died 1243 A.D.): born in Bavaria; duchess of Silesia and mother of seven; peacemaker dedicated to the poor and prisoners; as a widow, retired to a Cistercian convent. (October 16)

Margaret Mary (died 17 Oct. 1690 A.D.) at age 43; French Visitandine mystic who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a feast which helped free the Church from the spirit of Jansenism; promoted first Friday devotion. (October 16)

also on October 16: Martinian and Companions and Maxima; Gall; Mommolinus, bishop; Bercharius, abbot; Lull, bishop; Anastasius of Cluny; Bertrand of Comminges, bishop; Gerard Majella

Ignatius: (died c. 107 A.D.) under Trajan in Rome's amphitheater; from Syria; Apostolic Father known as the second successor of St. Peter in Antioch; wrote seven letters to local communities on church unity and structure, esp. the monoepiscopacy; first to use the term "Catholic Church" as a collective designation for Christians; mentioned in the Roman Canon. (October 17)

also on October 17: John the Dwarf; Anstrudis or Anstrude, virgin; Nothelm, bishop; Seraphino, confessor; Richard Gwyn, martyr

Luke (died 1st c. A.D.): Syrian physician from Antioch and companion of Paul; authored c. 70-85 A.D. Acts of the Apostles and the gospel for the gentile Christians; it speaks of God's mercy, universal salvation, love of the poor and marginalized, absolute renunciation, prayer and the Holy Spirit; represented by a winged ox (cf. Ezekiel 1); patron of the medical profession, painters, artists, sculptors and butchers. (October 18)

also on October 18: Justus of Beauvais, martyr

John de Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues and companions: French Jesuit and oblate missionaries to the Hurons and Iroquois of North America, (died 1642-1649 A.D.); Isaac was tomahawked to death by Iroquois on 18 Oct. 1646 A.D. near Albany; John was savagely mutilated and slain 16 Mar. 1649 A.D. near Georgian Bay; other martyrs were Antony Daniel, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier, Noel Chabanel and oblates Rene Goupil and Jean de la Lande; secondary patrons of Canada. (October 19)

also on October 19: Paul of the Cross, priest; Peter of Alcantara, confessor; Ptolemaeus and Lucius, martyrs; Cleopatra, widow, and Varus; Ethbin; Aquilinus, bishop; Frideswide, virgin; Philip Howard, martyr

on October 20: Caprasius, martyr; Artemius, martyr; Acca, bishop; Andrew of Crete, martyr; Maria Bertilla (Ann Francis Boscardin), virgin

on October 21: Hilarion, abbot; Malchus; Fintan or Munnu of Taghmon, abbot; Condedus; John of Bridlington

on October 22: Abercius, bishop; Philip of Heraclea, bishop; and Companions, martyrs; Mallonius or Mellon, bishop; Nunilo and Alodia, virgins and martyrs; Donatus of Fiesole, bishop

John of Capistrano (died 1456 A.D.): OFM; reformer of the Franciscans and Poor Clares; preached devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus; sought an end to the Western Schism; animated resistance against the Turks at the battle of Belgrade (1456 A.D.); patron of military chaplains. (October 23)

also on October 23: Theodoret, martyr; Severinus or Seurin, martyr; Severinus Boethius, martyr; Romanus of Rouen, bishop; Ignatius of Constantinople, bishop; Allucio

Anthony Claret: (died 1870 A.D.); from Catalonia; vigorous reforming bishop of Santiago, Cuba; founded (1849 A.D.) the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians), today numbering about 2,900 members; fostered credit unions and the apostolic press. (October 24)

also on October 24: Felix of Thibiuca, bishop and martyr; Proclus, bishop; Aretas and the martyrs of Najran and Elesbaan; Senoch, abbot; Martin or Mark; Maglorius or Maelor, bishop; Martin of Vertou, abbot; Ebregislus or Evergislus, bishop

on October 25: Chrysanthus and Daria, martyrs; Crispin and Crispinian, martyrs; Fronto and George, bishops; Gaudentius, bishop

on October 26: Lucian and Marcian, martyrs; Rusticus of Narbonne, bishop; Cedd, bishop; Eata, bishop; Bean, bishop

on October 27: Frumentius, bishop; Otteran or Odhran, abbot

Simon (died 1st c. A.D.): called the "Canaanite" and also "the Zealot," an anti-Roman party; possibly preached in Egypt and Persia; mentioned in the Roman canon. (October 28)

Jude, or Thaddeus ("Courageous") (died 1st c. A.D.): may have preached in Palestine and Persia; mentioned in the Roman Canon; patron of those in despair, or in hopeless situations (perhaps because of the similarity of his name with that of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus and despaired.) (October 28)

also on October 28: Anastasia and Cyril, martyrs; Fidelis of Como, martyrs; Salvius or Saire; Faro, bishop

on October 29: Narcissus of Jerusalem, bishop; Theuderius or Chef, abbot; Colman of Kilmacduagh, bishop; Abraham of Rostov, abbot

on October 30: Serapion of Antioch, bishop; Marcellus, martyr; Asterius, bishop; Germanus of Capua, bishop; Ethelnoth, bishop; Alphonsus Rodriguez

on October 31: Quentin or Quintinius, martyr; Foillan, abbot; Wolfgang, bishop

St. John Paul II (1920-1939 A.D.)

Series: On the life of John Paul II

From 1920 - 1939 A.D.

Birth and parents

Karol Wojtyla was born on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice - a large village about twenty miles southwest of Kraków, in southern Poland, not far from the Czech border. His father, also named Karol, and a former army lieutenant, was employed by the town council. His mother, Emilia Kaczorowska, was a Lithuanian, but spoke German at home.

The young Polish Republic attacked by the Russian Red Army

Just only three months after Karol was born, the young Polish Republic was attacked by Russia's Red Army. The Polish forces were able to repel the Russians in the Battle of Warsaw - which became known as the Miracle on the Vistula River. Eventually, the Russians succeeded in subjugating and dominating Poland. Little did Karol know that six decades later, as Pope of the Catholic Church, he would be one of the major catalysts for Poland's peaceful rejection of Communist subjugation.

The family Wojtyla

The Wojtylas lived in a small apartment across the street from St. Mary's Church, where the young Karol, nicknamed "Lolek", was baptized. Edmund, Lolek's elder brother, whose nickname was "Mundek", was fourteen years his senior. Edmund went off to college when Lolek was four years old, and studied to become a doctor. Between these two brothers, their mother also had given birth to another child, the only daughter, Olga, who however died in infancy. This sister whom Lolek never knew nonetheless remained a presence in his heart.

The death of Emilia, Karol's mother

The first eight years of Lolek's life were generally happy ones. But the ninth year brought a cross too heavy to forget for this young Pole: the death of his mother. Karol's father, Edmund, took him to the altar in the basilica at Kalwaria in 1929 A.D. to pray for the soul of his mother Emilia. Emilia had died alone, away from home, at the age of forty-five years. She had been under treatment for kidney and heart diseases. Ever since Lolek was small, Emilia was already in frail health. She was often ill and confined to bed. Upon hearing the news of the death of his mother, Lolek said, "It was God's will."

The spiritual mentoring of his father

After his mother's death, Lolek drew close to his father, who cooked and cleaned for him, read him Polish history, and inspired him with his piety and self-discipline (he was an army man). They slept in the same room, prayed together upon rising in the early morning, and took long walks in the evening. His father was the first of many mentors to engage Lolek in spiritual discourse, and encourage him toward the priesthood. When Lolek became Pope John Paul II, he would write, "My father's example was in a way my very first seminary, a kind of domestic seminary."

The death of Edmund ("Mundek"), Karol's brother

When Lolek was twelve years old, he experienced another loss in his life. Three years after the death of his mother, Edmund the doctor, Lolek's beloved older brother, who had carried him everywhere on his shoulders, died from scarlet fever contracted from a patient in the year 1932 A.D. While his brother was still alive and practising his medical profession in the city of Bielsko, they would often see each other, and Lolek would even entertain his brother's hospital patients. But Edmund contracted scarlet fever, and died in agony and anger, questioning why such a thing would happen to him, since he had just finished medicine. Lolek however had the answer: it was "the will of God". From the two experience of losses (that of his mother and now of his brother), Lolek was already showing signs of a faith that would champion the Catholic Church upon his ascent to the papacy. And when he was elected Pope, and took the name John Paul II, he never forgot his love for his family, especially since he always kept his brother Mundek's stethoscope in a drawer in his desk.

Studying at Jagiellonian University before the eruption of World War II

Graduating from high school in 1938 as class valedictorian, Karol set off for the prestigious Jagiellonian University in Kraków to study the discipline of linguistics. His father went with him, and they set up housekeeping together. One year later, on September 1, 1939 A.D., life in Poland was disturbed as the Nazis seized the country and World War II erupted. As the Nazis subjugated the Jews, they also set about conquering the Poles and enslaving its people. Jagiellonian University, were Karol was studying, was shut. Cathedrals were also closed. Many were arrested and sent to concentration camps. Some were simply shot on sight. Religion, art, literature, theater, and all that is good and decent were forced to go underground.

Edited from the following references

• The Pope Coming from the East, by Teresio Bosco, S.D.B.
• An Intimate Pope John Paul II Portrait, by Mark Bakermans
• The Pontiff in Winter, by John Cornwell
• Pope John Paul II: Champion of Faith, by TV Guide Magazine Group, Inc.