September Saints

Saint Rosalia 

(d 1160)

Saint Rosalia was born at Palermo in Sicily. In her youth, her heart turned from earthly vanities to God. She left her home to live in a cave, on the walls of which she wrote these words: “I, Rosalia, daughter of Sinibald, Lord of Roses and Quisquina, have taken the resolution to live in this cave for the love of my Lord, Jesus Christ.” She remained there entirely hidden from the world. She practised great mortifications and lived in constant communion with God. Later, she moved to Mount Pellegrino in sight of her paternal home. She died alone, in 1160, ending her strange and wonderful life unknown to the world. Her body was discovered several centuries later.

Saint Rosalia, teach us not to be swayed by the temptations of this world.

(Source: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=157)

Saint Alonso de Orozco
(1500-1591)

Saint Alonso de Orozco was born in Toledo, Spain in 1500. His father was governor of the local castle. After early studies in Talavera de la Riena and Toledo, he studied law at the University of Salamanca. Here he met and was inspired by Saint Thomas of Villanova. He entered the novitiate of the Friary of St Augustine in 1522.

When ordained a priest in 1527, his deep spirituality and capacity for proclaiming the Word of God saw him appointed to the ministry of preaching. From the age of thirty he held many offices but, in spite of his own austere life, his style of governing always showed him to be full of understanding. Inspired by a desire for martyrdom, he set off for Mexico as a missionary in 1549, but severe illness prevented this.

In 1554 he was appointed royal preacher to the court of Emperor Charles V and moved with it to Madrid in 1561. Despite his now exercising an office outside his Order and carrying a stipend, he renounced all privileges and wished only to live as a humble friar in obedience to his Superiors. He lived in austere poverty. He took only one daily meal at midday, and slept no more than three hours. A table was his bed, cut vines his pillow. His room had just one chair, a candle, a broom and some books. His room was near the door so he could attend to the needs of the poor. Without neglecting his daily attendance in choir for prayer, he visited the sick in hospitals, prisoners in gaols, and the poor in the streets and in their homes. He spent the day in prayer, in writing his books and preparing his sermons. His gentle sensibility made him popular with every social class.

As he neared his eightieth year, he asked the king to be relieved of his duties so he could spend his final days in prayer and seclusion in preparation for his death. He was refused, and carried on for another ten years. He died in 1591, mourned by all.

Saint Alonso, may we find our true status only in our faithfulness to the Gospel.

(Source: Internet – various)

Saint Andrew Kim (1821-1846)

Andrew Kim Tae-gon was born on 21 August 1821, in Chungchong Province, Korea. His parents, being converts to Catholicism, were subject to persecution, to avoid which they moved to Kyonggi Province. At 15 years old, Kim Tae-gon was chosen by a visiting priest to be a seminarian, and was sent with two other seminarians to Macao. He arrived in 1873 and began his studies with the missionaries of the Far Eastern Procure of the Paris Foreign Mission Society.

In 1842 Kim left Macao as an interpreter for a French admiral aboard a warship. When the admiral returned to France, Kim tried to return to his homeland but failed. He was ordained a deacon in China in 1844 and went back to Korea the following year. He then led the French missionaries by sea to Shanghai, where Bishop Ferreol ordained him the first Korean priest.

Kim returned to Korea with Bishop Ferreol and, in his home town, he catechised the faithful until he was summoned to Seoul. At the Bishop’s command, he tried to introduce French missionaries from China into Korea. For this, he was arrested and sent to the central prison in Seoul, where was charged as the ringleader of a heretical sect and traitor to his country. He was sentenced to death and beheaded on 16 September 1846.

Saint Andrew, show us how to be a good example to others.

(Source: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsholy/saints/A/standrewkimtaegon.asp)