Jesuit Martyrs because of the faith (Sts. John Ogilvie, pr; Stephen Prongracz, Melchior Grodziecki, prs, and Mark of Krizevci, Can. of Esztergom; Bl. Ignatius de Azevedo, pr, and comp.; James Sales, pr and William Saultemouche, rel, martyrs) [SJ] Texts in the Jesuit Supplement. (Download Mass texts and Divine Office texts here) From the Common of Martyrs (Readings from the Common of Saints: Common of Martyrs: Readings outside Easter Time I. Wisdom 10:10-14; Ps 116(115):10+15, 16-17, 18-19; John 15:9-17. II. Phil 1:20b-26; Ps 31(30):3b-4, 6-8a, 16b-17, 21; Matt 10:16-22. III. 1 Pet 3:14-17; Ps 124(123):2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8; John 12:24-26. Common of Martyrs: Readings during Easter Time I. Rev 12:10-12b; Ps 34(33):2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; John 17:11b-19.
Optional
Anniversary:
88th anniversary of the death of F. Adalebert Pazcka (79) d. 1955 at Kasisi, N. Rhodesia.
Anniversary:
78th anniversary of the death of P. Francis Rogers (71) d. 1965 at Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.
On this day in our Jesuit history...
Blessed James Sales, priest, and William Saultemouche, religious; Bl. Melchior Grodecz and Stephen Pongracz, priests. Bl. Ignatius de Azevedo, priest, and companions;
Bl. James Bonnaud, priest, and companions, martyrs; Bl. Joseph Imbert and John Nicholas Cordier, Priests, martyrs optional memorial.
Saints John Ogilvie, Priest; Stephen Pongrácz, Melchior Grodziecki, Priests, and Mark of Križevci, Canon of Esztergom; Blessed Ignatius de Azevedo, Priest, and Companions; James Salès, Priest, and William Saultemouche, Religious, Martyrs (Martyrs killed for the Catholic Faith) (Optional Memorial)
Today we commemorate Jesuits who were killed for the Catholic Faith in the sixteenth century, after the Reformation. John Ogilvie ministered clandestinely to persecuted Catholics in Scotland. Stephen Pongrácz from Hungary, Melchior Grodziecki from Poland, and Mark Križevci, a local diocesan priest, ministered to the abandoned Catholics in Košice (Slovakia). Ignatius de Azevedo and thirty-nine Jesuits he had recruited from Portugal for the Missions were massacred at sea by French Calvinist pirates en route to Brazil. James Salès, a French Jesuit ministered to straying Catholics in the Aubenas, with his companion William Saultemouche, a coadjutor Brother.
1544
Spain is divided into three provinces of Aragon, Castile, and Betica. 1566. The Election of Pope St. Pius V, a great friend of St. Francis Borgia. He wished to impose the office of Choir on the Society and actually ordered it.
1561
In the region that was later to be called Zimbabwe, the baptism of the powerful King of Monomotapa, also of his mother and 300 chiefs by Father Goncalvo de Silveira.
1565
The death at Rome of Father General Diego Lainez, the second superior general of the Society and the pope's theologian at the Council of Trent. He had been a papal theologian at Trent. There were 18 Provinces and 3,500 members at his death.
1754
Carvalho gave orders that none of Ours in Portugal were to leave their Houses, thus practically imprisoning 1,500 of the Society.
1890
The Society received from Pope Leo XIII the special feast and office of Our Lady della Strada.
1927
Fr. Alexander Burrowes died. The evolution of St. Ignatius College in Chicago into a university was largely due to his enterprise. He later became Provincial of the Missouri Province between 1913 and 1919.
1945
Joseph O Callaghan, S.J. receives the highest USA honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism as chaplain on the Franklin in WW II.
2008
Adolfo Nicolas, S.J. of Spain and Japan, elected the 30th General of the Society.
