Memorials of Saints (November 1)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• All Saints
• Caesarius and Julian, martyrs
• Benignus of Dijon, martyr
• Austremonious or Stremoine, bishop
• Mary, virgin and martyr
• Maturinus or Mathurin;
• Marcellus of Paris, bishop
• Vigor, bishop
• Cadfan, abbot

Solemnity of All Saints: Originating in the 4th century A.D. Eastern feast of all Martyrs, and attested to by St. Ephrem (died 373 A.D.), Pope Gregory IV established this commemoration for all the Saints of the Roman Church in 835 A.D. Originally celebrated on Easter Friday, it came to be held in Rome on 13 May; later, in the 9th century A.D., it was transferred to 1 Nov., the date of its celebration in Ireland where it countered the Celtic pagan feast of the Druids.

The Solemnity of All Saints celebrates the triumph of Christ's grace in those who now enjoy the vision of God in heaven. The scope of this celebration includes:

• not only those officially raised as Saints or Blesseds in the altar of the Church,
• but all who lived very good and heroic lives
• known only to their families,
• friends,
• associates,
• members of their parish,
• diocese
• or religious communities

St. Mary (4th century A.D.) was a slave of a Roman official named Tertullus. During the persecution of Christians by Diocletian, she refused to give up her Christian faith. Tertullus wanted to protect her but he was obliged to deliver her to the prefect. She was tortured with such cruelty that the spectators demanded the prefect for her release. The prefect released her and gave her to the custody of a soldier who helped her to escape. St. Mary died a natural death but is venerated as a martyr for the torture she endured.

St. Vigor (d. ca. 537 A.D.) was born at Artois in France and was educated under St. Vedast. He ran away to escape his father's opposition to his desire to become a priest. He eventually was ordained, engaged in missionary work, and in 513 A.D., became bishop of Bayeux. He founded a monastery at nearby St. Vigeur le Grand.

Memorial of Saints (October 31)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Wolfgang
• Foillan
• Quentin

St. Wolfgang became a Benedictine at Einsiedeln and was ordained in 971 A.D.

St. Follian and his brothers built a monastery in England and worked as missionaries among the East Angles.

St. Quentin went to Gaul as a missionary and settled at Amiens in Picardy.

Learn more

This day in Catholic Church history (October 31).

• Martin Luther, former monk of the Augustinian Order, posted his 95 Theses on the door of the castle Church in Wittenberg
• These theses questioned the abuses in the sale of indulgences at that time
• October 31, 1517 A.D., is traditionally recognized as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation

• Voices of the Protestant Reformation:
• Martin Luther,
• John Huss,
• Erasmus,
• Servetus,
• Zwingli,
• and Calvin
• Voices of the Counter-Reformation:
• St. Teresa of Avila,
• St. John of the Cross,
• St. Ignatius of Loyola,
• St. Bernardine of Siena,
• St. John of Capistrano,
• Benedictines of Bursfeld and Melk Congregations
• the Dominican Lombard Congregation;
• and many Augustinian monasteries
• Learn more

• Saints and Leaders of the Counter Reformation, Learn more

Memorial of Saints (October 30)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints for October 30, Learn more

• Serapion of Antioch, bishop;
• Marcellus, martyr;
• Asterius, bishop;
• Germanus of Capua, bishop;
• Ethelnoth, bishop;
• Alphonsus Rodriguez

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez (1533-1617 A.D.) was the son of a wealthy merchant at Segovia, Spain. Bl. Peter Favre, one of the original nine members of the Society of Jesus, and who was a close friend of his father, prepared Alphonsus for first communion. Alphonsus was sent to Alcala to study under the Jesuits. He returned to Segovia upon the death of his father to oversee the family business. He got married but when his wife passed away, he sold the business. When his son also died several years later, he applied to the Society of Jesus. He was not admitted at Segovia. He went back to grade school and by a special ruling of the provincial was admitted to the Jesuits as a lay brother. After final vows, he served in the lowly post of hall porter at Montesion College on Majorca. Known for his holiness, he was consulted by both the learned and the simple. St. Peter Claver was under Alphonsus' guidance while a student at Montesion. St. Alphonsus suffered ill health the last years of his life until he died on November 1. He was canonized together with Peter Claver in 1888 A.D. by Pope Leo XIII.

Related blog posts:

• St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest and Founder of the Society of Jesus, Learn more
• "Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits", Learn more

The prayer of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez in the book, "Hearts on Fire":

"Lord, show me your ways".

His three brief aspirations:

"Lord, let me know you, let me know myself.
Lord, you do your will and not mine.
I'm just coming, Lord."