Franciscan saints and blesseds – Page 11

Blessed Odoric Matiussi of Pordenone

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the man who bring tidings of peace, joy and salvation.

God our Father, through the apostolic ministry of blessed Odoric You made Your Church grow, shedding the light of the Gospel on many oriental peoples. Grant us through his prayers to stand fast in the faith and to remain constant in the hope of the gospel which he preached.

This Franciscan Friar is remembered for his preaching the Gospel in the far reaches of Asia. History also tells us that he traveled on diplomatic missions in China, India and Mongolia. He was well-known and appreciated by the laity. Blessed Odoric ranks just behind Marco Polo for his travel in foreign lands and understanding other cultures. He wrote of his explorations which are preserved in as many as 73 manuscripts.

Saint Bernard of Corleone

He humbled himself in all things and found favor with God. Great is the power of God; by the humble he is glorified.

God, our Father, You have given us Saint Bernard as a wonderful example of penance and of Christian virtues. By the power of Your Spirit make us firm in faith and effective in our work.

Saint Thomas of Cori

John Paul II called Saint Thomas “the living image of the Good Shepherd” who “meditated upon and incarnated in his life the Gospel requirement of poverty and of self-giving to God and neighbor.”

Saint Thomas’s brief biography may be read here.

Blessed Angela of Foligno

Praise to the holy woman whose home is built on faithful love and whose pathway leads to God.

Almighty God, You caused blessed Angela to excel in contemplating the mysteries of Your Son. Through he merits and prayers may we share in the same mysteries on earth and rejoice exultantly in the revelation of Your glory.

A 13th century third order Franciscan, Blessed Angela, gave her life to Christ based on a vision she had had of Saint Francis and after living a wild, and some would say sinful life. She was a wife, mother and a leader of other lay people who followed the Franciscan Rule for the laity.

Blessed Angela is the patron against sexual temptation, against the death of children, people ridiculed for their piety and widows. She is often depicted receiving Holy Communion from the Lord, or in the case of the image here, from an angel of the Lord (given her name, “Angela”).

The observance of the feast has had a number of changes: some calendars note her feast day as January 4th or March 30th, but the current Ordo has her liturgical memorial listed today.

An Italian website on Blessed Angela

Blessed Mary Frances Schervier

God, our Father, You bestowed a marvelous gift of
charity on blessed Mary Frances the virgin to help the poor and the sick. Grant
us through her example to live the spirit of poverty with prudence and to serve
the brethren with all care.

A little bit on Blessed Mary Frances’ life is found here and about her order you can this entry.

Some groups and webpages have Blessed Mary Frances’ liturgical memorial on December 15. The Roman Martyrology lists her on December 14 and the Franciscan supplement to the Roman Missal indicates today.

Blessed Mary Angela Astorch

Come you who have my Father’s blessing. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.

O God, grateful towards those who invoke You, You gave the virgin, blessed Mary Angela, the grace to penetrate the secrets of Your richness through her daily office of praise. Grant that we, through her intercession, may direct all our actions toward You, that they be in praise of Your glory.

Saint James of the Marsh

As a fruitful olive tree in the house of God I have hoped in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

God our Father, You made Saint James an illustrious preacher of the gospel for the salvation of souls and for bringing sinners back to the path of virtue. Through his intercession grant us the grace to atone for all our sins and to attain to everlasting life.

Read his bio

Blessed Francis Anthony Fasani

The teaching of truth was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips; he walked with me in peace and justice and turned many away from wickedness.

God our Father, You have made blessed Francis Anthony a model of seraphic perfection and an illustrious minister of gospel preaching. Through his merits and prayers may we always be fervent in loving You, effective in action and thus attain eternal reward.

His biography reads…

Saint Leonard of Port Maurice

Almighty and merciful God, You made Saint Leonard an illustrious herald of the mystery of the cross. Through his prayers may we comes to know the riches of the cross on earth and attain to its reward in heaven.

Renown for his devotion to the Holy Eucharist, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Conception and Saint Francis, Saint Leonard joined the Franciscan Fraternity in 1697 and was ordained in 1703. One of his missions was to make known to the faithful the devotion of the Stations of the Cross. Saint Leonard was a popular preacher and writer. Read one of his sermons.

Saint Agnes of Assisi

God, our Father, You made Saint Agnes an example of seraphic perfection for many virgins. Grant that we may imitate her virtues on earth and with her possess eternal joys.

Considered a co-foundress of the Poor Clares with Saint Clare, Saint Agnes of Assisi died three months after Clare. And like Clare, Saint Agnes was an abbess but of a group of former Benedictine nuns. On some calendars Saint Agnes of Assisi is commemorated on November 16, but she is commemorated today on the current ordo of the Franciscans.