Saint of the day and Feast days - Part 2

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February 14
Today we remember
Saint Maro
Among many other Saints

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Saint Maro
Also known as Maro of Beit-Marun and Maron.
He was born in 350 in Syria. He was a disciple of Saint Zebinus. He became a hermit near Cyrrhus on the Orontes River. Lived a life of prayer and mortification and drew great crowds by his spiritual wisdom. He reportedly trained many hermits and monks and founded three monasteries. It is believed that the Maronites take their name from Bait Marun Monastery near the source of the Orontes River where a church was erected over his tomb.
He died in 433
Saint Maro
Pray for us!

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February 15
Today we remember
Saint Craton
Among many other Saints

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Saint Craton
Martyr
Craton lived in Rome in the third century.
He was a well known philosopher.
Converted to the faith by Saint Valentine the bishop of Termi, Italy.
Caught up in the persecution of Christians, Craton was martyred in 273, together with his wife and family, whose names , unfortunataly, have not come down to us.
Saint Craton
Pray for us!

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February 16
Today is the Memorial of
Blessed Joseph Allamano
Among many other Saints and Blesseds.

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Blessed Joseph Allamano
Founder of the Consolata Missionaries.
Also known as Giuseppe Allamano, Joseph was born on 21 January 1851 at Castelnuovo d' Asti near Turin in Italy. Note that Castelnuovo is the birth place of well known saints, such as Saint Giuseppe Cafasso , who was, as a matter of fact, Blessed Allamano’s uncle, brother to his mother; and Don Bosco. Joseph was the fourth born of five children. His father died when he was three years old. Young Joseph studied at the Salesian Oratory in Valdocco, Italy and was lucky enough to have Don Bosco as his confessor and spiritual adviser. Answering the call to the priesthood, Joseph entered the diocesan seminary of Turin in November 1866. He was ordained on 20 September 1873. Thereafter, he was first appointed Spiritual director of the Turin seminary and then in October 1880, Father Joseph was appointed Rector of the main Marian Shrine of the diocese of Turin, the Consolata Shrine.
As Rector, Blessed Allamano remodeled the shrine, and made it a source for spiritual renewal throughout the diocese.
As Spiritual director of Turin seminary, Father Allamano noted that many priests were eager to become missionaries. This led to his founding of the Consolata Missionaries( Priests and Brothers) on 29 January 1901. One year later, the first shipment of priests left for Kenya, soon to be followed by others. The missionaries reached Kenya in 1902.
As a direct consequence of their missionary work in Kenya, I am happy to say that my own parish here in Nairobi is run by The Consolata Missionaries. Last Sunday we celebrated the Feast of Blessed Joseph Allamano, but I digress
On 29 January 1910 Father Allamano founded the Consolata Missionary Sisters for women with a missionary vocation.
Blessed Joseph Allamano devoted his best care and attention to his missionaries, through personal contacts, letters, and meetings.
He died on 16 February 1926 at Turin, Italy.
Venerated on 13 May 1989 by Pope John Paul II and beatified on 7 October 1990 by Pope John Paul II
Canonized
This is pending.
Blessed Joseph Allamano
Pray for us!

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The Consolata Shrine in Turin
There is a very interesting account of how the Consolata Shrine in Turin came to be built
 For many centuries, tradition had it that an icon of the Consolata was hidden somewhere in the city of Turin and  that the faithful of the city believed this to be true and kept the hope alive to be handed down to generations to come. In 1104, John Ravais, a blind man from Briançon, France, had a vision in a dream. In his vision, he saw a painting of Our Lady buried under the ruins of an old church. The location of the Church was revealed to him as being in Turin and that through him the BVM would again be honored in that place. She also promised him that his sight would be restored. John traveled to Turin as directed.
On relating his story, the locals believed him and excavation works began at the site immediately. They soon discovered the remains of an old chapel and then, to their great joy, the undamaged painting of Our Lady, the Consolata icon. It was June 20, 1104. The blind man was healed as Our Lady had promised. Deeply moved by the miracle of the recovery of the icon and the healing of the blind man, the people of Turin built a large Shrine at the site where Our Lady Consolata has continued to be venerated.
This is the Shrine where Blessed Joseph Allamano was appointed Rector.

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February 17
Today is the Memorial of
Saint Walter of Pontnoise
Among many other Saints

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Saint Walter of Pontnoise
Benedictine Abbot
Walter was born some time in the 11th century in Picardy, France. He was well educated and was noted for his deep learning. He was a professor of philosophy and rhetoric. Walter joined the Benedictines at Rebais en Brie. Against his will, he was appointed abbot of Pontnoise by King Philip I. He tried several times to escape this office and to return to monastic life.
He was discovered and force to return to Pontnoise by his monks. As a last resort, Walter went to Rome where he gave Pope Gregory VII his written resignation,
begging the Pope to allow him to resign. Gregory refused his request ordering him, instead, to return to his house, assume his responsibilities as abbot, and never leave again. He obeyed.
Walter returned to Pontnoise where he spent the rest of his life as abbot under papal command not to leave the monastery.
Walter fought simony and denounced the lax lives of some of the secular clergy. He was once beaten and kept in prison for a while by some of the priests whom he opposed.
The saint lived in great austerity.
He died in 1099 on Good Friday.
Saint Walter of Pontnoise
Pray for us!

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Today is the Memorial of
Saint Francis Regis Clet
Among many other Saints

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Saint Francis Regis Clet
Martyr of China
Francis was born in 1748 at Grenoble, France and was the tenth of fifteen children. His father was a merchant at Grenoble. The family was deeply pious and religious, and several of its members had consecrated themselves to God. One brother was a priest. Francis attended the Jesuit college at Grenoble and in 1769, he joined Saint Vincent de Paul’ s Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) in Lyons. He was ordained a priest in 1773. He was appointed Professor of moral theology at the Vincentian seminary in Annecy. At the seminary,Francis earned the nickname of "the walking encyclopedia", on account of his vast knowledge.
With the coming of the French Revolutionists, his community was disbanded, and their house destroyed.
Francis had always wanted to be a missionary. When he let his superiors know of this wish, he was sent as a missionary to China in 1791.
For 28 years, Francis did the Lord’s work, reportedly alone for several years. When persecutions of Christians started, it became illegal to be a missionary in China. His church and schoolhouse, were destroyed and he himself escaped death several times, as it were by miracle.
On 16 June 1819, Francis was betrayed by a "Christian" schoolmaster . He was
Forced to march hundreds of miles in chains to the venue for the trial. On 1 January 1820 he was found guilty of deceiving the Chinese people by preaching Christianity.
He was martyred on 18 February 1820 at Au-tshung-fu, China.
He was slowly strangled to death with a rope while tied on a cross.
He was buried on Red Mountain by local Christians, but was later moved to the Vincentian motherhouse, Paris, France., then to Saint Lazare church, also in Paris
He was beatified on 27 May 1900 by Pope Leo XIII and canonized on 1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II .
Saint Francis Regis Clet
Pray for us!

[George]

Saint Francis Regis Clet
Please pray for us

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Saint Francis Regis Clet
Please pray for us

George, imagine such a death, far, far from home!
Only the Love of God can explain such sacrifice.

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February 19
Today we remember
Saint Belina
Among many other Saints

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Saint Belina
Virgin Martyr.
Beline was born in Troyes, France. She was a simple peasant girl. She lost her life in defense of her virginity. The feudal lord of the district intent on defiling her, Belina refused his advances and died as a consequence. She was martyred in in 1135.
Was canonized in 1203 by Pope Innocent III.
Saint Belina
Pray for us!

[George]

Saint Francis Regis Clet
Please pray for us

George, imagine such a death, far, far from home!
Only the Love of God can explain such sacrifice.

It reminds me of the Martyrs of Japan, Nagasaki. Yes, only great faith can explain such heroism.