Saint Pontian and Saint Hippolytus

Martyrdom of Saint Hippolytus

Today, August 13th, the Church honors Saint Pontian, Pope and Martyr, and Saint Hipploytus, Martyr.



LORD, MAY THE LOYAL SUFFERING OF YOUR SAINTS, PONTIAN AND HIPPOLYTUS, FILL US WITH YOUR LOVE, AND MAKE OUR HEARTS STEADFAST IN FAITH. GRANT THIS THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.

King Charles the Martyr

King Charles I was executed by Oliver Cromwell's Puritan government on January 30, 1649. King Charles has long been considered a saint and a martyr by the High Church Party in the Church of England.

See last year's post on King Charles the Martyr.

Father Miguel Pro, S.J.

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Edith Stein was born of Jewish parents in 1891, becoming an influential philosopher following her extensive studies at major German universities. Following her conversion to Catholicism she became a major force in German intellectual life, entering the Discalced Carmelites in 1933. Sister Teresa Benedicta was arrested by the Nazi regime on August 2, 1942, along with all Catholics of Jewish extraction, and transported by cattle train to the death camp of Auschwitz where she died in the gas chambers that same year.

PRAYER: Lord, God of our Fathers, You brought Saint Teresa Benedicta to the fullness of the science of the cross at the hour of her martyrdom. Fill us with that same knowledge; and, through her intercession, allow us always to seek after You, the supreme truth, and to remain faithful until death to the covenant of love ratified in the blood of Your Son for the salvation of all men and women. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Saints John Fisher & Thomas More, Martyrs

Saint John Fisher was born in 1469. After completing his theological studies at Cambridge in England, he was ordained to the priesthood. Appointed Bishop of Rochester, he led a most austere life and fulfilled his pastoral role by frequently visiting the faithful. He also composed works against the errors of the time.

Saint Thomas More was born in 1477 and was educated at Oxford. He married and had one son and three daughters. While Chancellor in the King's Court, he wrote works on the governance of the realm and in defense of the Faith.

Both were beheaded in 1535 by order of King Henry VIII, whom they had resisted in the matter of his divorce: John Fisher on June 22 and Thomas More on July 6. While detained in prison, Bishop Fisher was named to the College of Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church by Pope Paul III.



Father, you confirm the true faith with the crown of martyrdom. May the prayers of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More give us the courage to proclaim our faith by the witness of our lives. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Source: Liturgy of the Hours

Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

Saint Boniface was born in England about the year 673. He was first professed in the monastic life at Exeter but in 719 went to Germany to preach the Gospel. He made many converts there and was consecrated bishop, ruling over the church at Mainz. He attracted many companions by whose help he founded or restored dioceses in Bavaria, Thuringia and Franconia. He also convened councils and promulgated laws. While preaching the Gospel to the Frisians, Saint Boniface was killed by pagans in 754. His body is buried in the monastery of Fulda.

As the cool illustration shows, one of the things that Saint Boniface was known for was destroying pagan shrines and building Christian Churches on top of them to show the power of the true God. Here he is depicted chopping down a holy tree dedicated to the pagan God Thor. In other words, Saint Boniface was definitely not politically correct in respecting the beliefs of the pagans! In our politically correct, morally relativistic culture, where we are required to believe that the beliefs of all people are equally valid, no doubt Saint Boniface would get martyred again.

Lord, your martyr Boniface spread the faith by his teaching and witnessed to it with his blood. By the help of his prayers keep us loyal to our faith and give us the courage to profess it in our lives. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(Source: Liturgy of the Hours).

Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs of Uganda

Owing to religious hatred, many faithful Christians were killed in Uganda by King Mwanga during the years 1885-87. some of them had enjoyed the good graces of the king at his court, and some were even related to him. Among them, Charles Lwanga and his twenty one companions, adhering steadfastly to the Catholic faith, were put to death, some by sword, others by burning, because they would not accede to the king's unreasonable demands.

Father, You have made the blood of the martyrs the seed of Christians. May the witness pf Saint Charles and his companions and their loyalty to the Christ in the face of torture inspire countless men and women to live the Christian faith. 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. Amen.

(Source: Liturgy of the Hours)

Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs

Pope Damasus is our authority for the martyrdoms of Saints Marcellinus and Peter during the Diocletian persecution. He received this information from the executioner himself. They were beheaded in a grove, but their bodies were moved and buried in the cemetary Ad duas Lauros on the Via Labicana. Once peace had been restored, the Church built a basilica over their tombs.

Father, may we benefit from the example of Your martyrs Marcellinus and Peter, and be supported by their prayers. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(Source: Liturgy of the Hours).

Justin Martyr

Saint Justin, philosopher and martyr, was born of pagan parents at Flavia Neapolis in Samaria at the beginning of the second century. Following his conversion to the faith he wrote many works in defense of religion, of which we have only two; the Apology and the Dialogue with Trypho. He also opened a school at Rome in which public debates were held. Justin was martyred along with several companions during the reign of Marcus Aurelius around the year 165.

Father, through the folly of the cross You taught Saint Justin the sublime wisdom of Jesus Christ. May we too reject falsehood and remain loyal to the faith. 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. Amen.

(Source: Liturgy of the Hours)

The Crime of Being Catholic

The 40 Catholic Martyr Saints of the English Reformation

Catholic Christians in the U.S. and Western Europe may not be suffering "red martyrdom" by being tortured or put to death, but many are most certainly facing "white martyrdom" by being persecuted for their beliefs.

Apparently, if you are a doctor in Ireland, (Holy Ireland, who would have thought such a thing possible fifty years ago!) it is illegal to practice medicine according to the laws of the Church. An Irish physician has been hauled before a medical ethics tribunal for refusing to give fertility treatments to an unmarried couple.

Full story from the Irish Medical Times.

Poland Mourns 3,000 Martyred Priests

The Polish Church honored the approximately 3,000 priests who were killed in World War II. Full story here.

Saint George, Martyr

From Wikipedia:

"Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier and priest in the Guard of Diocletion, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Eastern Catholic Churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His memorial is celebrated on 23 April, and he is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints."

Prayer from The Liturgy of the Hours:

Lord, hear the prayers of those who praise Your mighty power. As Saint George was ready to follow Christ in suffering and death, so may he be ready to help us in our weakness. 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. Amen.

More about Saint George here and here.

Saint Martin I, Pope and Martyr

From the Liturgy of the Hours:

Saint Martin was born at Todi in Umbria. He became a member of the clergy of Rome and was elected pope in 649. He convened the council which condemned the heresy of the Monothelites. In 653 he was taken prisoner by the Emperor Constans and detained in Constantinople where he was forced to suffer many indignities. Finally, having been exiled to Kherson, he died in 656.

Merciful God, our Father, neither hardship, pain, nor the threat of death could weaken the faith of Saint Martin. Through our faith, give us the courage to endure whatever sufferings the world may inflict upon us. 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. Amen.

Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity

Today the Church commemorates the martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicity who suffered martyrdom at Carthage in the year 203. A most accurate account of their death still exists, derived partly from their own testimonies and partly from a writer of the period.

Perpetua was a young Roman noblewoman and Felicity was her servant girl. When Perpetua was arrested for being a Christian she was pregnant and her execution was delayed until after she gave birth.

Perpetua, along with other Christians of Carthage, went bravely to her death while admonishing other Christians, "Stand firm in faith, love one another and do not be tempted to do anything wrong because of our sufferings."

Not being killed outright by the beasts, Saint Perpetua guided the sword of a frightened gladiator assigned to kill her to her own throat. The ancient account of her death says "Such a woman - one before whom the unclean spirit trembled - could not perhaps have been killed, had she herself not willed it."

Several years ago, I read an excellent scholarly book about the persecution of Christians under the Emperor Septimus Severus and the martyrdom of Saint Perpetua and the martyrs of Carthage. The book is called Perpetua's Passion.

PRAYER: FATHER, YOUR LOVE GAVE THE SAINTS PERPETUA AND FELICITY COURAGE TO SUFFER A CRUEL MARTYRDOM. BY THEIR PRAYERS, HELP US TO GROW IN LOVE OF YOU. 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. AMEN.

King Charles the Martyr

Today in 1649, King Charles I was executed by the Puritan Parliament led by Oliver Cromwell. The High Church party in the Church of England has long regarded King Charles as a Christian martyr.

O ALMIGHTY GOD, look down, we beseech thee, upon thy Holy Catholic Church in England, in defense of which Thy blessed martyr Charles shed his blood. Mercifully deliver us from such persecutions as our forefathers in his time endured, raise up unto us wise and holy prelates to fill chairs of those for whose hierarchy he suffered; root out from among us all heresy, schism, and sacrilege; forgive our iniquities, heal our dissensions, make wise our ignorance; that we being aided by his powerful intercession, the light of the true faith may shine throughout the land, and coldness and error may be chased from our midst; through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.