Dominican saints and blesseds – Page 9

Saint Zedislava Berkiana

Faithful
God, by her married life and works of charity you taught Saint Zedislava to
pursue the way of perfection. By her prayers may family life be strengthened
and be a witness to Christian virtue.

Saint Zedislava is depicted as a third order Dominican
(in the Dominican habit on the left in the image) wearing a rosary wound with
roses, lying in the place of a sick person in bed. She is the patron saint of
difficult marriages and people who are ridiculed for their piety.

Blessed Sebastian Maggi

Strengthened by holy intercession, O Sebastian, Confessor of
the Lord, those here present , that we who are burdened the weight of our
offenses. Maybe relieved by the glory of thy blessedness, and may thy guidance
attain eternal rewards.

God of faithfulness, you made Blessed Sebastian and
outstanding example of evangelical perfection and truth. By following his
example may we enter the path to perfect charity and deepen the life of the
spirit through penance and so obtain your glory and eternal life.

More on Blessed Sebastian Maggi may be found here.

Blessed John of Vericelli

God of power and mercy, you made Blessed John an outstanding promoter of the Order of Preachers. By his remarkable zeal, his wonderful prudence and his courage, and with the help of his prayers may your family always and everywhere be governed by beneficial rule.

A brief bio about Blessed John.

And how are making the Holy Name of Jesus better known today?

Blessed Margaret of Savoy

God
of holiness, you taught Blessed Margaret to leave the royal court and to follow
you in humility. Following her example may we learn to cherish what is divine
and to overcome all adversities through love of your cross.

A paragraph on Blessed Margaret

Blessed James Benefatti

Eternal
God, you established Blessed James as a model for your flock and made him
renowned for his zeal for peace and for his mercy towards your people. By his
prayers and example may we be united in the truth of your word and ever ardent
in your divine love.

Saint Albert the Great

The
learned will shine like the brilliance of the firmament, and those who train
many in the ways of justice will sparkle like the stars for all eternity.

God
of truth, you endowed our brother Albert with the gift of combining human
wisdom with divine faith. May the pursuit of all human knowledge lead to a
greater knowledge and love of you.

Blessed John Liccio

Loving God, you made Blessed John illustrious by a complete self-denial and the utmost zeal for charity that he might reveal the mystery of your love to the poor. By following his example may we seek to please you and aid our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Blessed Ignatius Delgado, Francis de Capillas & Alphonsus Navarrete, & companions

Almighty and merciful God, you filled the hearts of the
peoples of the Orient with the knowledge of your only-begotten Son through the
preaching of your holy martyrs, Ignatius, Francis, Alphonsus and their
companions. Through their prayers may you now confirm those same peoples in the
faith.

Blessed Simon Ballachi

O God, you called Blessed Simon from a concern for worldly things and gave him the gifts of prayer and humility. By following his example may we learn to seek you alone here on earth and obtain the rewards promised to the humble.

Blessed Simon, a Dominican lay brother, comes from a distinguished family who gave themselves to ecclesial and civil service. While relatively uneducated in Letters, he received good training in military discipline. In a real way he was a soldier for Christ. Simon entered the Order of Preachers at the age of 27 and is reported to have lived an exemplary life as a Dominican. His biographers bring to light Brother Simon’s work as a convent gardener, thus bringing natural beauty and good food to the table. The biographer wrote, “He labored with his own hands, and strove to bring each flower and plant to perfection according to its kind.”

Brother Simon is also known to have had enjoyed the beauty of mystical union with the Lord, His Mother, St Dominic, St Peter Martyr and the angels. He also endured the annoyance of Satan. Grace triumphed. In his last days Brother Simon bore the burden of blindness, as did the Prophet Tobias.

The Lord called Brother Simon to himself on November 3, 1319. In 1817 Pope Pius VII named Brother Simon a “Blessed” of the Church.

May we follow the example of Blessed Simon who closely followed the Lord in prayer and work.

Saint Martin de Porres

Lavishly he gives to the poor; his justice stands firm forever. His head will be raised in glory.

Loving God, you led Saint Martin de Porres to the glory of heaven by the path of humility. May we follow his splendid example and so be raised on high with him.