Saint Jacques-Désiré Laval The Apostle of Mauritius

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1 Saint Jacques-Désiré Laval The Apostle of Mauritius Blessed Jacques-Désiré Laval (18 September September 1864) was a French Roman Catholic priest who served in the missions in Mauritius; he was a professed member of the Spiritans. He is known as the "Apostle of Mauritius" due to his tireless work in aiding the poor and ill. Laval also educated the flock he was assigned to for those people were uneducated and were former slaves for the most part. He lived with them and learned their language while also fasting when supplies were short; he slept in a packing crate. His prior medical training was useful as he worked to improve conditions in agriculture as well as science and sanitation. His success is said to have been so great that he is believed to have converted 67,000 people in his parish. Laval died in 1864 after a series of apoplectic attacks. The funeral oration commented on the words of Isaiah: Evangelizare pauperibus misit me "He sent me to announce the Gospel to the poor". The casket had 30,000 people following it and was buried opposite the church in Sainte Croix. His beatification on 29 April 1979 saw him become the first beatified member of his religious order.

2 Saint Charbel Makhlouf Lebanon's Hermit Saint Charbel Makhlouf, (May 8, 1828 December 24, 1898) was a Maronite monk and priest from Lebanon. During his life he obtained a wide reputation for holiness and he has been canonized by the Catholic Church. Many Lebanese Christians have prayer cloths blessed and then place them on the sick, praying to God through the intercession of Saint Charbel, for healing. The young monk Charbel began his study of philosophy and theology at the Monastery of Saints Cyprian & Justina in Kfifan, Lebanon. In 1851, Youssef left his family and entered the Lebanese Maronite Order to begin his training as a monk, later transferring to the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya, located near Beirut. Here he received the religious habit of a monk and took the name Charbel, after a Christian martyr in Antioch from the 2nd century. He made his final religious profession in the Order on 1 November In 1875, Charbel was granted by the abbot of the monastery the privilege of living as a hermit at the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul. He spent the next 23 years living as a solitary hermit, until his death from a stroke on 24 December Even at his death, it was noted in the Monastery's records that he was expected to remain active after his death. In a dedication to him his obedience was described as "more angelic than human". The expectation that the world would be hearing more of Charbel was soon fulfilled: his grave was immediately surrounded by an "extraordinary brightness", according to a booklet produced by the Monastery about its most famous son.

3 Saint John the Baptist Patron Saint of Puerto Rico Saint John the Baptist (San Juan Bautista) was a contemporary of Christ who was known for evangelization and his baptizing of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was born through the intercession of God to Zachariah and Elizabeth, who was otherwise too old to bear children. John began public ministry around 30 AD, and was known for attracting large crowds across the province of Judaea and around the Jordan River. When Jesus came to him to be baptized, John recognized him and said, "It is I who need baptism from you." Jesus told John to baptize Him anyway, which he did, whereupon the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God was seen like a dove. The voice of God spoke, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Following his baptism of Christ, John's popularity grew so much that he alarmed King Herod. Herod ordered him imprisoned and ultimately killed sometime between 33 and 36 AD. John the Baptist's feast day is June 24. On the island of Puerto Rico, which had originally been named San Juan Bautista, after the saint, a night-long celebration, called "La Noche de San Juan" is held.

4 Saint Mary MacKillop Australia s First Saint Saint Mary Helen MacKillop, also called Saint Mary of the Cross (born January 15, 1842, Melbourne - died August 8, 1909, North Sydney) was a religious figure, educator, and social reformer who was the first Australian beatified by the Roman Catholic Church and the first Australian to be recognized as one of its saints. MacKillop was born in Australia to Scottish immigrants. When she was 14, MacKillop began working, and she was often her family s main source of support. In 1860 she moved to the small rural town of Penola. There MacKillop provided her cousins with a basic education and soon extended this to the poor children of the town. A young priest, Father Julian Tenison Woods, encouraged her to continue this work, assuring her that educating the poor would be an ideal way to serve God. In 1866 MacKillop and Woods founded Australia s first order of nuns, the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, and also established St. Joseph s School in a converted stable in Penola, providing a free education to children from the area. In 1867 MacKillop took vows and became the first mother superior of the sisters. The following year the sisters opened schools in other Australian cities, as well as an orphanage and a refuge for women released from prison. She remained at the head of the order until her death in In June 1995 MacKillop was beatified by Pope John Paul II. Pope Benedict XVI recognized MacKillop as a saint in October 2010.

5 St. Thorlak Thorhallsson Patron Saint of Iceland Saint Thorlak was born in the south of Iceland in His parents were quite poor. They lost their farm and the family broke up while he was still a boy. Before he was 20, Thorlak became a priest. For a few years he served as a parish priest and is said to have been very conscious of his duties. After some time abroad, he returned to Iceland and spent time at Kirkjubaer in the South-East of Iceland. He established the first nunnery in Iceland at this place. When Thorlak had spent 6 years at Kirkjubaer, the first Augustinian Canonry in Iceland was founded at Thykkvibaer. Thorlak became the first Abbot. Some years later Thorlak was elected Bishop of Skálholt. He was consecrated bishop in Norway on the 2nd July He was Bishop of Skálholt for 15 years, until his death in 1193, aged 60. Thorlak worked hard to reform the Nation and to strengthen the Church. This proved to be a tremendous undertaking. Although not always successful, he did pave the way for future improvements. Thorlak lived a holy life and after his death hundreds of miracles were attributed to his intercession. He was canonized locally in 1198 and on the 14th of January 1984, the Holy Father, John Paul II, declared Thorlak to be the Patron Saint of Iceland. Thorlak has 2 feast days, 20th July and 23rd December.

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