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Canonized Priests Awaiting Sponsors
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Saint Ignatius of Loyola (23 October 1491 - 31 July 1556) Consider Sponsoring Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born to minor nobility in a castle in the Basque region of Spain, Ignatius was the youngest of thirteen children. After his mother died while he was an infant, he was moved from caretaker to caretaker, until he was old enough to become a page in the service of a relative. Here he adopted a worldly and sinful life style which continued through a nearly twelve year military career which ended when a cannonball fractured his leg at the battle of Pamplona. Recovering from this wound at the family castle, he asked for books of chivalry to read but the only book found was the lives of the saints and of Christ. Reading these brought about much deep thought and conversion. He was inspired by the poverty, faith, and courage of Saint Francis of Assisi and by the life of Christ. Following directions in his reading materials, Ignatius put himself into the Gospel scene and meditated on it. This technique became the basis for his later Spiritual Exercises. Upon his recovery, he took a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and continued his penances, meditations, and conversion. In time, he gained a following and the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) was established to establish schools, colleges and seminaries.
Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman (21 February 1801 - 11 August 1890) Consider Sponsoring Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman in Chapel of 1000 Priests
John Henry Newman was one of the greatest intellectuals of modern times, A perpetual seeker after truth, he was born in London, England. Much of his early life was spent searching for a faith that held up under scrutiny. To this end, he read widely on philosophy and theology. After trying out some Christian denominations, John Henry settled on Anglicanism and was ordained a priest in the Anglican Church. Highly educated as philosopher and theologian, John Henry was also a poet. lecturer, and author who held various positions in the universities including several teaching posts. He also participated in groups that discussed the faith and life in general, but he never stopped at one point. Instead, one discussion, one lecture, one book would lead him to greater clarity. Eventually, everything pointed to the Catholic Church and Newman formally joined in 1845. In 1879, he was made a cardinal. His numerous lectures, tracts, and books are testaments to his intelligence, wit, and faith.
Pope Saint Paul VI (26 September 1897 - 6 August 1978) Consider Sponsoring Pope Saint Paul VI in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Brescia, Lombardy, Italy, Pope Saint Paul VI was head of the Roman Catholic Church from 1963 to 1978. Prior to this appointment, he had received a doctorate in canon law, entered the Secretariate of State, and helped found a publishing house. Because of his organizational skills, he worked in the Roman curia, received promotions and was given greater responsibilities in that position. As the Pope's private secretary during World War II, he composed over 11 million replies to letters and also assisted refugees and others seeking asylum. In 1954, he was made Archbishop of Milan and Cardinal in 1958. He was present during the Second Vatican Council and helped bring it to completion after the death of Pope Saint John XXIII. Taking the name Paul as Pope (his baptismal name was Giovanni Battista), he indicated his desire to spread the faith which he did through many ecumenical meetings and visits to other countries. He did away with much of the papacy's regal splendor, reformed the Liturgy, and issued the encyclical Humane Vitae which condemned contraception. He became the first Pope to visit six continents and the first to ride in an airplane. He is remembered for his gentleness, astuteness, and deep theological insights.
Saint John of the Cross (24 June 1542 - 14 December 1591) Consider Sponsoring Saint John of the Cross in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born Juan de Yepes y Álvarez in Fontiveros, Spain, John's family was reduced to poverty when he was a young child. By moving to Medina del Campo, John's mother was able to find work and to enroll him in a school for poor children. Here he received not only a Christian education but also housing and food. In 1563, he entered the Carmelite Order, attended college, and was ordained a priest in 1567. That year, on his way to join the stricter Carthusian Order, he met Saint Teresa of Avila. She was seeking to reform the Carmelite Order by having members revert to the "Primitive Rule" of 1209 which had been relaxed by the Pope in 1432. She shared with John her vision and asked him to postpone joining the Carthusians. John did so and, in 1568, opened the first friary for men seeking to follow the original Carmelite Rule. Thereafter, the two saints worked closely in reforming the Order and opening new monasteries. Difficulties and tensions were many and extreme, even to the point of casting John into prison. The opposition, however, resulted in papal establishment of the Discalced Carmelite branch of the Order.
Saint Vincent Pallotti (21 April 1795 - 22 January 1850) Consider Sponsoring Saint Vincent Pallotti in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Descended from noble families, Vincent was born in Rome where he was educated and ordained a priest in 1818, thereafter earning his doctorate. People were drawn to this slightly built, short priest with penetrating blue eyes. After serving briefly as a professor, he resigned the position to serve the poor in Rome. He organized trade schools and heard many confessions. Once he dressed up as an old woman so that he could hear the confession of an angry man who had threatened to "kill the first priest to walk through the door." Vincent had an intense devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Holy Trinity. He founded the Union of the Catholic Apostolate which "consists in doing all that one must and can do for the great glory of God and for one’s own salvation and that of one’s neighbor." He formed the priests and brothers of the Union into the "Society of the Catholic Apostolate." Today the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (SAC), also called the Pallottines, are present in 45 countries on six continents. The brothers and priests of this Order work in education and in serving the poor.
Saint John of Capistrano (24 June 1386 - 23 October 1456) Consider Sponsoring Saint John of Capistrano in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in the Kingdom of Naples, Italy, John studied law and was appointed as governor of Perugia. While imprisoned during a war, he studied theology. Because of a dream of St. Francis telling him to enter the Order, he become a Franciscan friar upon his release. Highly penitential and gifted in preaching, John drew huge crowds so that he had to preach in the town squares rather than the churches. He also wrote tracts against heresy and worked with others to reform the Franciscan Order. Appointed by the Pope to serve as ambassador, legate and missionary, John travelled widely throughout Europe, drawing large crowds. Today some of his speeches against heretics and Jewish followers seem uncharitable, but they were not so considered during his time when the emphasis was on accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. In 1454, the Pope appointed John to preach a crusade against the Turks. He and a Hungarian military commander raised 40-50,000 peasant troops which John and the military commander successfully led into battle following a spontaneous attack by the peasants. John survived the battle but succumbed to bubonic plaque which he contracted in the camp.
Saint Giovanni Juvenal Ancina (19 October 1545 - 30 August 1604) -Consider Sponsoring Saint Giovanni Juvenal Ancina in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Fossano, Italy, Giovanni almost died as an infant. When he survived after his parents' fervent prayers to Saint Juvenal, the saint's name was added after Giovanni's. Pious even as a child, Giovanni was highly educated and became both a musician and a man of letters. He explored several career options, but meeting Saint Philip Neri and being involved in the Oratorians which Philip began gave Giovanni the direction he needed. Penitential and humble, Giovanni was ordained a priest in the Oratorian Order in 1582. He established a house of the Order, wrote spiritual songs, and essays and preached. Widely acclaimed by the public and admired by the Pope, Giovanni, against his wishes, was consecrated as Bishop of Saluzzo so that he could preach the faith there to the many heretics and, by God's grace, move their hearts. He implemented the teachings of the Council of Trent, including a new catechism and Eucharistic Adoration. He died of poisoning by a renegade monk.
Blessed Francesco Faà di Bruno (7 March 1825 - 25 March 1888) - Consider Sponsoring Blessed Francesco Faà di Bruno in Chapel of 1000 Priests
What makes a wealthy nobleman and esteemed mathematician seek to become a priest in his late forties? A heart of compassion. The twelfth and youngest child in a noble family of Alessandrina, Italy, Faà di Bruno had a happy child with parents who were strong in their Catholic faith and who encouraged the arts and helped the poor. After serving in the Royal Army, Faà di Bruno went to Paris where he completed doctoral studies which led to him becoming a university mathematics professor in Turin. Here he met Saint John Bosco whose work with poor boys was widely acclaimed. Inspired by Dom Bosco, Faà di Bruno established homes for the elderly and the poor and also oversaw the construction of Our Lady of Suffrage Church in Turin. Feeling a call to the priesthood, Faà di Bruno completed the necessary studies but had to appeal the Pope to be ordained at the advanced age of 51. In 1881, he founded the Minim Sisters of Saint Zita to pray for the dead, especially those who died in war, and to provide help to maids, servants, and unwed mothers. He composed some sacred melodies, penned some ascetical writings, and made significant contributions to mathematics.
Saint Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310? - c. 367?) Consider sponsoring Saint Hilary of Poitiers in Chapel of 1000 Priests.
Born of distinguished pagan parents, Hilary received a good education which included emphasis on Greek. When studying Old and New Testament writings, he became converted to Christianity and he, his wife, and daughter were baptized and received into the Church. At that time, there were fierce battles in the Church between Arianism (which denied the divinity of Christ) and the Trinitarians (who held that Christ was fully God and fully human). Hilary's studies led him to the Trinitarian belief. In 353, he was elected bishop of Arles, following a previous bishop who had been Arian. The rest of Hilary's life was spent battling the Arian heresy through speeches, writings, and important church synods. A forceful character, Hilary was sent into exile for nearly four years because his teachings opposed political policies. A Church that seeks secular support, Hilary said, insults Christ by implying that the Lord's support is insufficient. Did the Apostles have secular support, Hilary asked, when they were preaching and converting the first Christians? In addition to his theological writings and books, Hilary also composed works on the Psalms, Gospels, and the book of Romans. He has been named a Doctor of the Church.
Saint John Chrysostom (c 347 - 14 September 407). Consider sponsoring Saint John Chrysostom in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint John Chrysostom was an early Church father known for his eloquent preaching (Chrysostom means "golden-mouthed" in Greek.) Born in Antioch (today Turkey), John had wealthy parents who saw that he was well-educated. His teacher taught him rhetoric and a love of the Greek language and literature. Although John started his career as a lawyer, he became more committed to Christianity and began to study theology. Practicing great ascetism, John lived as a hermit for two years before being ordained a priest. He then entered the life of Antioch, preaching insightful sermons with great results. His insights into Bible passages and moral theology, preached in a manner laity could understand, increased his popularity. In 397, John was appointed Archbishop of Constantinople. His time was spent in preaching, assisting the poor, building hospitals, and angering his enemies who exiled him several times. His preserved writings include: 700 sermons, 246 letters, Biblical commentaries, moral discourses, and theological treatises. For this extensive work, the Church has named John a "Doctor of the Church."
Saint Gregorio Barbarigo (16 September 1625 - 18 June 1697). Consider sponsoring Saint Gregorio Barbarigo in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born of a noble family in Venice, Italy, Gregorio Giovanni Gaspare Barbarigo had many relatives who held important positions in the Catholic Church hierarchy. Well educated in Latin and Greek, he originally entered a secular career in politics but withdrew from it to study both canon and civil law. After ordination to the priesthood, he entered into service with the Pope. An early assignment was to organize assistance to Roman citizens struck by plague. He oversaw the care of mothers and their children, funerals for the deceased, nursed the sick, buried the dead, and comforted the frightened and grief-stricken. Very concerned with his flock, he was named Bishop of Bergamo and, later, Bishop of Padua. As Bishop, he conducted synods in his diocese and visited every parish (and there were hundreds). He participated in papal conclaves and was a contender for the office of Pope. Gregorio promoted religious education, visited every village in his diocese, and was well known for helping the poor even to the point of giving them his own personal goods and clothing.
Blessed Clemente Marchisio (1 March 1833 - 30 September 1984) - Consider sponsoring Blessed Clemente Marchisio in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Prayer was the bedrock of Blessed Clemente's life. Through prayer, the Holy Spirit directed his actions and supported his many good works. The oldest of five children born to a shoemaker in Cueno, Italy, Clemente, even as a young man, often attended Mass, had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother, and prayed the Rosary. While still young, he had a sudden interior call to become a priest, and, having been granted a dispensation for his youth, he was ordained a priest at the age of 23. His daily schedule was as follows: Awake 5 a.m. Spend 2 hours in prayer before offering Mass. Recite a Rosary morning and evening. Work with the poor daily. A weaving workshop which he opened to give girls employment became the basis of a religious women's order dedicated to the Eucharist and Saint Joseph. This order he promoted in various mission trips across Italy. He attributed his strength to prayer before the Eucharist. "Sometimes I am pressed with the weight of tribulations. But, I assure you that, after spending five minutes of prayer with living faith before the Blessed Sacrament, I am fully revived. Then everything that seemed difficult becomes light."
Saint Damien de Veuster of Molokai (3 January 1840 - 15 April 1889). Consider sponsoring St. Damien in Chapel of 1000 Priests.
The youngest of a Flemish corn merchant's seven children, Jozef was forced to quit school at the age of thirteen to work on the family farm. When his father sent him to college to prepare for a commercial career, Josef attended a Redemptorist mission and felt called to become a priest. He entered the Fathers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary and took the name Damien, probably after Saint Damien, a physician and martyr. Father Damien volunteered for a Hawaiian mission to tend lepers in an isolated leper colony and was ordained in Hawaii. The lepers had grown discouraged and selfish, and alcoholism was rampant. Fr. Damien addressed the social and moral problems first by his preaching, counseling, and working to improve living conditions. He taught, rebuilt and painted houses, organized farms, showed the people how to garden and farm, built chapels and schools, nursed the sick, dug graves, built coffins, ate and smoked his pipe with the lepers, and generally became one of his flock. In December 1884, he realized that he had contracted leprosy which took his life four years later. By then, the colony was a living city of charity, largely because of God's grace working through Father Damien, a "martyr of charity."
Saint John Wall (c 1620 - 22 August 1679). Consider sponsoring Saint John Wall in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint John Wall lived at a time that was very dangerous to Catholics. Born in Lancashire, England, in a well-to-do staunch Catholic family, John received his education at the English College in Douai, France, using the assumed name "John Marsh." Since Catholic priests were being sought and killed, he entered England as a missionary three years after his ordination, using the aliases of Francis Johnson and Dormore. For several years, he offered secret Masses in Catholic households whose members refused to submit to the religious demands of their government. In 1651, John returned to Douai where he joined the Order of Friars Minor and was given the name Friar Joachim of Saint Anne. After serving as Novice Master until 1656, he returned to England under the alias of Francis Webb where he became Six Master in the Royal Grammar School of Worcester. Highly respected by Catholics and Protestants alike, John secretly served the Catholics of the area until being apprehended in December 1678. Refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy, he was tried, found innocent of involvement in political plots, and offered his life if he would renounce the Catholic faith. Upon his refusal, he was condemned and executed.
Saint Killian (c 640 - 8 July 1689) Consider sponsoring Saint Killian in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint Killian (also spelled Cillian, Chillian, Killian, Cillín; Kilianus) was born to noble parents in the vicinity of Mullagh, Ireland. After a good education, he may have served some time as a monk in the monastery Hy, later known as Iona. In 686, he and eleven companions travelled to Rome to receive missionary faculties from the Pope. From there, they traveled to Würzburg, Bavaria, to the largest castle. this edifice was occupied by a duke who, like his people, did not believe in Christ as they had never heard the Gospel. The group of twelve companions went off in different directions while Killian and two others remained in Würzburg. Killian made Würzburg the center of his evangelization activity which, among other successes, converted the Duke to the Christian faith. However, when Killian told the duke that Sacred Scripture forbid him to marry his brother's widow, as he had done, the widow, who had never become a Christian, was furious. She waited for a time when the Duke was away, then sent her soldiers to the city square where Killian and his two companions were preaching. The soldier's followed her orders and apprehended Killian and two of his companions, then beheaded all three of them.
Saint Anselm of Canterbury (c 1033 - 21 April 1109) Consider sponsoring Saint Anselm in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in or around Aosta (then in upper Burgundy, now the Republic of Italy), Anselm's family was involved in politics, and such politics involved Anselm his entire life. Despite his father's refusal to have him enter a Benedictine monastery at the age of fifteen, Anselm, at the age of 27, eventually entered upon the death of his father. Within the first year, he composed his first work of philosophy and continued writing throughout his life. He composed many dialogs and treatises and is considered to be the originator for the ontological argument for the existence of God and the argument that Jesus' death sufficiently covered satisfaction for our sins. For all these works, Anselm is recognized as a Doctor of the Church. In addition to literary endeavors, Anselm served as abbot of a Benedictine monastery, and then was compelled to become Archbishop of Canterbury. In this office, he was embroiled in politics, always governing his see with firmness, charity, and steadfast faith that twice led to his exile. On his deathbed, he announced that he was calmly awaiting his Lord but regretted that he would not have time to write a treatise on the soul which he'd been planning.
Saint Arnulf of Metz (c 585 - c 643/47). Consider sponsoring Saint Arnulf in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born of a noble, landowning family near Lorraine, France, Arnulf (Arnoul, Arnoulf, Arnold) was well educated at a king's court in what is today northeastern France. As he matured, he aptly held positions in civil administration and the military. At about the age of fourteen, he married a twelve-year-old noblewoman and continued to serve in court until about the year 611. That year, he and a friend went on pilgrimage to a Cistercian Abbey on the island of Saint-Honorat. When his wife entered a convent, and he was offered the bishop's position in the diocese of Metz, Arnulf consented. Upon being ordained a priest and bishop, Arnulf learned that a fire had engulfed the cellars of the palace. Bravely he stood in front of the flames, calling out, "If God wants me to be consumed, I am in His hands." The fire was extinguished. During his religious career, Arnulf still served at the king's court where he became embroiled in politics while holding fast to faith and God's law. Attracted to religious life, he retired to a mountainous hermitage monastery where he lived for last fifteen years of his life. Upon his death, pilgrims went to the abbey to claim Arnulf's body, but the weather was so hot and dry that the people were exhausted. A parishioner prayed, ""By his powerful intercession, the Blessed Arnold will bring us what we lack." Immediately a pot that held only a small amount of beer began to fill, quenching the thirst of the pilgrims so that they could safely return home.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori, CSsR (27 September 1696 - 1 August 1787) Consider sponsoring Saint Alphonsus Liguori in Chapel of 1000 Priests
One of the most widely read Catholic authors, Saint Alphonsus Liguori was born in Italy, in the Kingdom of Naples, the oldest child of a naval officer. Since his poor eyesight and asthma prevented a military career, his father had him educated as a lawyer. At sixteen years of age, Alphonsus graduated from the university with degrees in civil and canon law. When he was eighteen, he joined the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy in which he tended patients with incurable illnesses. After eight years of law practice, Alphonsus followed an interior voice, "Leave the world and give yourself to me." Ordained a priest at the age of 30, Alphonsus lived with the homeless and marginalized youth of Naples. His preaching was plain, simple, popular, easily understood, and he expanded his mission to care for the destitute and abandoned. In 1732 he founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer to teach and preach in the slums. A sought-after confessor, Alphonsus also wrote music and hymns. Despite his objections that he was infirm. Alphonsus was consecrated Bishop in 1762. His diocesan reforms earned him bitter opposition as did his sale of diocesan objects to help the poor. By 1775, Alphonsus was "deaf, blind, and laden with so many infirmities" that the Pope accepted his resignation. He continued to live at a Redemptorist monastery until his death, leaving behind numerous sermons, books, and articles about the Blessed Sacrament and the Virgin Mary.
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Blessed John Duns Scotus (c 1265/66 - 8 November 1308) Consider sponsoring Blessed John Duns Scotus in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Little is known about Blessed John's life outside of his writings. Born in the area of Duns castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, John was descended from a leading family of that region. He received the habit of the Order of Friars Minor at Dumfries where his uncle was guardian. On 17 March 1291, John was ordained to the priesthood probably at the minimum age of 25. He lectured and preached in the universities and wrote many philosophical and theological disputations, treatises, and commentaries. He defended the Immaculate Conception of Mary which, at that time, was the discussion of much controversy. When, in 1854, Pope Pius IX defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, he used the reasoning of John Duns Scotus in his declaration that Mary, from the first moment of her conception, was preserved free from original sin. John's teaching of the universal primacy of Christ became the basis for the Solemnity of Christ the King, a feast in 1925 instituted for the universal church. Pope Saint John XXIII recommended that theology students study John Duns' Scotus writings.
Saint Antonio Maria Pucci (16 April 1819 - 12 January 1892) Consider sponsoring Saint Antonio Maria Pucci in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint Antonio Maria Pucci was a simple parish priest who served his flock faithfully and consistently for forty years. He is a model of faithfulness to one's duty in serving God. The son of a church sacristan in Florence, Eustachio (as he was baptized) had to win his father's favor to enter the Servite Order in 1837 where he was given the name Antonio Maria. In 1843, after being ordained to the priesthood, Antonio was sent to serve at the parish church of Sant'Andrea in Viarregio, Italy. Three years later, he was made pastor where he served until his death. Antonio cared for his flock, especially the poor, ill, and elderly, nursing them through two epidemics and founding a seaside hostel for sick and poor children. Antonio also founded a school for the education of poor children and the Holy Childhood Society which assisted in education. On January 6, 1892, after celebrating Mass for the Epiphany, Antonio left the church during a storm to tend to a sick person. He contracted pneumonia which caused his death six days later.
Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (c 296- 298 - 2 May 373) Consider sponsoring Saint Athanasius of Alexandria in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint Athanasius (also called Athanasius the Great) was a bishop of the early Church, his episcopacy lasting 45 years during which he suffered five exiles due to his angering different emperors for his firm adherence to Catholic doctrines and opposition to heresy. Born of wealthy parents in Alexandria, Egypt, Athanasius received an exemplary education and, while a young man, became secretary to the bishop whose see Athanasius assumed upon the bishop's death. Athanasius was then about 30 years of age. His episcopate was embroiled in controversy over the teachings of a priest named Arius who was teaching that Christ was not eternal with the Father and was subordinate to Him. This was a heresy opposed to the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity. Athanasius spent his life opposing this doctrine which was spreading throughout the Church. He is credited for having preserved the faith from this corruption, about which he spoke and wrote eloquently and firmly.
Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi (September 1903 - 20 January 1964) - Consider sponsoring Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi was an ordinary priest with an extraordinary humility, faith, and wisdom. Born in Nigeria to poor non-Christian farmers, Iwene was permanently blinded in one eye as a result of a mud-fight. His, father, wanting his son to get a good education and help the family escape poverty, sent his son to Holy Trinity School in Onitsha, where he learned about the Catholic faith from the Holy Ghost Fathers and where he was baptized Michael. He served as altar boy, then catechist, teacher, and finally school headmaster. When he entered the seminary to study for the priesthood, his family was appalled, but Michael felt he was following God's Will. He developed devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin, was ordained, and served as parish priest in four parishes. His parishioners loved this poor, simple, faith filled man who advocated for the rights of the repressed, especially women, and who helped the poor build their homes and learn to farm and harvest wisely and to live morally. Attracted to monastic life, in 1950 he entered the Trappist Abbey at Mount St. Bernard, England, where he took the name Cyprian. There he worked and prayed, living a life of obedience and humility, until his sudden death from a ruptured aneurysm.
Saint Jerome (c. 342-347 - 30 September 420) Consider sponsoring Saint Jermone in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint Jerome was a Christian priest, confessor, translator, theologian, and historian. He is best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate) and his Bible commentaries, using a Hebrew version of Scripture. Born in Dalmatia (now in modern Croatia), Jerome was baptized in Rome when he was in his twenties and where he had gone to study rhetoric and philosophy. As a student, Jerome was tormented by his sexual escapades and sought solace in visiting the burial places of martyrs and apostles. But there the Lord converted him with thoughts of hell. As a Christian, Jerome sought a life of penance in the desert where he studied, wrote, and learned Hebrew. When he returned to Rome, he continued to write as he worked closely with the Pope. Many of his letters and works were addressed to noble Roman women whom he was teaching and guiding in the spiritual life. Primarily known for his many written works on Scripture, morality, and philosophy, Jerome has been named a Doctor of the Church.
Saint Brice (Brizio) of Tours (c 370 A.D - c 444 A.D.) Consider Sponsoring Saint Brice in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint Brice (Brizio, Bricius, Britius, Brixius, Briktius, or Briccius) is a marvelous example of the truism, "It's never too late to repent." Orphaned at a young age, Brice was rescued by Bishop Martin of Tours (France) and raised in a monastery outside the city. Bishop Martin taught the ambitious, quick-tempered student, and the young troublemaker became a monk. However, Brice, then Bishop Martin's archdeacon, succumbed to his worldly side and left the monastery "to live with beautiful horses in his stables and pretty slaves in his house." When Bishop Martin died, Brice was chosen to succeed him as bishop. He performed his religious duties while succumbing to worldly pleasures. This went on for thirty years until he was accused of fathering a child by a nun who worked for him. Pleading innocence, Brice did seven years of penance in Rome after which the Pope completely exonerated him. When Brice returned to Tours, he was a changed man. Resuming his duties as bishop, Brice built a chapel to Saints Peter and Paul to protect Bishop Martin's remains. So humbly did he serve during the last ten years as bishop that the people proclaimed him a saint upon his death.
Saint Irenaeus (c 130 A.D. - c 202 A.D.) Consider Sponsoring Saint Irenaeus in Chapel of 1000 Priests
A Greek living in Smyrna, Asia Minor (now modern Turkey), Irenaeus was born into a Christian family and became a priest in the Church of Lyon France. Because the Lyon clergy sent Irenaeus to Rome with a letter to the Pope about a heresy in the area, he escaped martyrdom during a persecution of that city which took the life of the city's bishop. When Irenaeus returned to Lyon, he was made bishop. In his years as bishop, serving until his death, he wrote many books and treatises about the Christian faith and against the heresies of his time. His writings are still read and he is recognized as a Doctor of the Church. He wrote, "Christ came not only for those who believed from the time of Tiberius Caesar, nor did the Father provide only for those who are now, but for absolutely all men from the beginning, who, according to their ability, feared and loved God and lived justly. . . and desired to see Christ and to hear His voice." Irenaeus was instrumental in having the Church recognize the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. A central theme of his writings was the unity and goodness of God.
Blessed Giuseppe Allamano, IMC (21 January 1851 – 16 February 1926) Consider Sponsoring Blessed Giuseppe Allamano in Chapel of 1000 Priests
The fourth of five children born in Asti, Italy, Giuseppe was graced to have an uncle whose cause for canonization he later assisted with (Saint Joseph Cafasso). After studying at the Oratory of Saint John Bosco, Giuseppe entered the seminary and was ordained in 1873. He was appointed spiritual director at the major seminary in Turin and achieved his doctorate in theology. In 1880, he was appointed rector of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Consolation in Turin, which he restructured and repaired to make it a beautiful place of spiritual renewal. He also worked in the spiritual renewal and public good works of the city and began publishing a monthly Catholic newspaper. Vowing to found a missionary society for priests and laity, Giuseppe kept his vow when he recovered from a serious illness. The result was the Consolata Missionaries and the Consolata Missionary Sisters. Guiseppe urged the Pope to establish an annual day to support the missions. The year after Guiseppe's death, Pope Pius XI instituted World Mission Day.
Saint James of the Marches (c. 1372 - 28 November 1476). Consider sponsoring Saint James of the Marches in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born Dominic Gangala, Saint James received his name upon his entry into the Order of Friars Minor. By that time, this child of a poor family in Monteprandone, Italy, had been educated by his uncle, a priest, and then school and the University of Padua. Highly intelligent, James entered the friars with a doctorate in civil and canon law which, in the Order, he augmented with theological studies under Saint Bernardine of Siena. During his lifetime, James became known for his preaching, writing, faith, and miracles. These brought about many conversions around Europe where he had been sent. While promoting the Holy Name of Jesus, he also combatted heresy in various places including royalty whom he sometimes angered. He began several non-profit credit agencies to loan money at low interest to the poor. James is often painted with a chalice from which a snake is fleeing, a symbol of attempts by heretics to poison him.
Saint Angelus of Jerusalem (1185 - 5 May 1220) Consider sponsoring Saint Angelus in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born to Jewish parents in Jerusalem, Angelus was baptized along with his twin brother when his mother converted to Christianity. While still a child, Angelus suffered the deaths of his parents. Thus, the Patriarch of Jerusalem saw that the boys were educated and cared for until they were eighteen when they entered a Carmelite monastery in Jerusalem. Both brothers could speak Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This skill was useful as Angelus was ordained in 1210. Thereafter, he traveled around Palestine. As miracles began to be attributed to this holy young man, he became a hermit on Mount Carmel to avoid popularity. In 1218, he was sent from the monastery to preach to heretics and to obtain permission from the Pope to live a new definitive Rule for the Order, which was approved in 1226 after his death. Angelus preached and instructed throughout the area around Rome. However, an enraged knight, whom he reprimanded for committing incest, had Angelus stabbed. Before he died of his wounds, Angelus asked that the knight be pardoned and that the people not avenge the crime.
Blessed John of Vercelli (c 1205 - 30 November 1283) Consider sponsoring Blessed John of Vercelli in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in the Piedmont region of Italy, Blessed John spent his life combatting heresy and serving as Master General of the Dominican Order which he entered after completing studies in the arts and in canon law. He travelled extensively, always by foot following the Dominican rule, to all the houses of the Dominican Order. There he instructed the friars in following well their Rule of Life. He also attended 19 General Chapters of the Order, held yearly in various locations. In 1267, John oversaw the enshrinement of the body of the Order's founder Saint Dominic, in a new shrine in the apse of the Dominican church in Bologna. Several times the Pope called upon John to bring about peace between warring factions. John also fostered devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, declaring that every Dominican Church have an altar devoted to the Holy Name. The Society of the Holy Name was formed to combat blasphemy and profanation of the Holy Name of Jesus, and John is patron saint of the society.
Saint Bernardine of Siena (8 September 1380 - 20 May 1444) Consider sponsoring Saint Bernardine of Siena in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born to a noble family in Tuscany, Italy, Bernardine was raised by a pious aunt when his parents died. His life was long, varied, and full of spiritual and corporal works of mercy. At the beginning of his career, he treated plaque victims and took over administration of a hospital. After recovery from fever, he assumed the role of preaching which he did for the rest of his life. A popular preacher who used simple language and anecdotes of the people in Italy, Bernardine attracted huge crowds and made many converts. People would gather their vanities (fancy clothes, trinkets, jewelry) and burn them to show their rejection of their once worldly values. Bernardine supported women in their roles as wives and mothers while decrying the abuse often shown women at that time. To combat the political factions and emblems on people's homes, Bernardine devised a symbol IHS, the first three letters in Jesus' name in Greek, and promoted devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. He encouraged people to display the IHS emblem on their homes to replace political emblems. Bernardine encouraged purity, economic fairness, just wages, and the end of usury. He became Vicar General of his Order of Franciscan friars, which cut back his preaching. Relieved of this position, he again took up missionary work. He died "on the job."
