79th anniversary of the death of F. João Martins do RosáRio (78) d. 1951 at Baía, Brazil.
On this day in our Jesuit history...
1589
At Rome, the death of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, grandson of Pope Paul III, great benefactor of the Society and founder/builder of the Gesu.
1591
At Vilnius died Fr. Anthony Arias, a learned Spanish theologian, remarkable for his fervor and great delicacy of conscience.
1606
Brother Nicholas Owen, S.J. "Little John" is martyred in the Tower of London. For 26 years, he constructed hiding places for priests. "Perhaps no single person contributed more to the preservation of the Catholic religion in England during the Penal Times than Nicholas Owen". (Butler, Lives of the Saints).
1928
A Letter of Cardinal Billot in Etudes clarifies why he resigned from the cardinalate, and repeats his profession of obedience to the Holy See.
1991
John L. McKenzie dies age 80. Scripture scholar, pacifist, Two-Edged Sword, Dictionary of the Bible. He was a former Jesuit.
