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Sunday, October 11, 2009

Father Damien and four others canonized as saints today

It is reported that five new saints were canonized by the Pope today, including Fr. Damien, who worked with lepers, Zygmunt Szecezesny Felinski, a 19th century Polish bishop who defended the church during the shutdown of churches in his homeland, Francisco Coll y Guitart, who founded a Dominican order, Rafael Arniaz Baron, who dedicated himself to prayer during his short life, and Jeanne Jugan, a French nun who helped found the Little Sisters of the Poor, an order that serves the indigent elderly.

The pontiff said the newly canonized had taken up the call of Jesus to give themselves totally without "calculation or personal gain."

"Their perfection, in the logic of a faith that is humanly incomprehensible at times, consists in no longer placing themselves at the center, but choosing to go against the flow and live according to the Gospel," Benedict said in his homily. via foxnews.com


4 comments:

berenike said...

Zygmunt *Szczęsny* Feliński!

:-)

Ruth said...

Mea culpa! I will beat my voice recognition microphone with a wet noodle...

Dr. Laura Marie Grimes said...

My recent post "We Bipolars" reflected, among other things, on the beautiful poignancy of St. Damien's canonization occur on the first day I needed to celebrate mass and hear confessions while manic, and thus come out to my superior and colleagues about it for support and monitoring. A healing and blessed day for all concerned, I think, and I know that Fr. Damien's intercession was part of that.

Ruth said...

Yes, Saint Damien's healing intercession continues for all of us as we live together in community, a struggle that still continues.