Saints Story

St James the greater

Nothing is known of St. James the Greater's early life, though it has been
established that he is the son of Zebedee and Salome and brother of John
the disciple.

The title "the Greater" was added to St. James' name to help distinguish him
from the Apostle James "the Less," who is believed to have been shorter than
James "the Greater."

Saint James the Greater was one of Jesus' first disciples. James was fishing
with his father and John the Apostle when Jesus came to the shores of the
Sea of Galilee and called for the fisherman, who were unable to catch any
fish that day, to dip their nets in the water once again.

When the fishermen followed Jesus' instructions, they found their nets full,
and after emptying the fish on board, the boats nearly sank from their
weight.

Later, James was one of only three called by Jesus to witness his
Transfiguration, and when he and his brother wanted to call fire upon a
Samaritan town, both were rebuked by Jesus.

Following Christ's Ascension, James spread the Gospel across Israel and the
Roman kingdom as well. He traveled and spread the Word for nearly forty
years in Spain.

It is said that one day, as he prayed, The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to
him and asked him to build her a church, which he did.

Later, James returned to Jerusalem but was martyred for his faith by King
Herod, who decapitated him. Saint James the Greater is known as the first
apostle to die.
As he was not allowed to be buried following his martyrdom, his remains
were taken to Compostela, Spain, by some of his followers, who buried him.

St Stephen
Great preaching and miracles were attributed to Stephen. The Bible records
that Stephen "full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among
the people." Stephen s popularity created enemies among some Jews,
members of the Synagogue of Roman Freedmen. They debated with him, to
generate evidence against him in furtherance of their persecution of the
early Church.

They accused him of blasphemy, of speaking against God and Moses. The
charges inflamed the local populace which demanded he be tried and
punished. When Stephen was put on trial, several false witnesses were
brought forward by the Sanhedrin to testify that he was guilty of blasphemy.
He was charged with predicting that Jesus would destroy the Temple and for
preaching against Mosaic law.

Stephen was filled with wisdom from heaven. He responded by detailing the
history of Israel and outlining the blessings God had bestowed upon his
chosen people. He also explained how disobedient Israel had become,
despite the goodness and mercy of the Lord. Stephen explained that Jesus
had come to fulfil the law of Moses, not destroy it. He quoted extensively
from the Hebrew scriptures to prove his case.

As Stephen was being brutally stoned, he spoke his last words, "Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit. Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Words which
echoed the very words of Jesus on the Cross. Following those words, Stephen
died, in the Lord.

St Vincent Ferrer

St. Vincent Ferrer is the patron saint of builders because of his fame for
"building up" and strengthening the Church: through his preaching,
missionary work, in his teachings, as confessor and adviser. At Valencia in
Spain, this illustrious son of St. Dominic came into the world on January 23,
1357. In the year 1374, he entered the Order of St. Dominic in a monastery
near his native city. Soon after his profession he was commissioned to deliver
lectures on philosophy. On being sent to Barcelona, he continued his
scholastic duties and at the same time devoted himself to preaching. At
Lerida, the famous university city of Catalonia, he received his doctorate.
After this he labored six years in Valencia, during which time he perfected
himself in the Christian life. In 1390, he was obliged to accompany Cardinal
Pedro de Luna to France, but he soon returned home. When, in 1394, de Luna
himself had become Pope at Avignon he summoned St. Vincent and made
him Master of the sacred palace. In this capacity St. Vincent made
unsuccessful efforts to put an end to the great schism. He refused all
ecclesiastical dignities, even the cardinal's hat, and only craved to be
appointed apostolical missionary. Now began those labors that made him the
famous missionary of the fourteenth century. He evangelized nearly every
province of Spain, and preached in France, Italy, Germany, Flanders,
England, Scotland, and Ireland. Numerous conversions followed his
preaching, which God Himself assisted by the gift of miracles. Though the
Church was then divided by the great schism, the saint was honorably
received in the districts subject to the two claimants to the Papacy. He was
even invited to Mohammedan Granada, where he preached the gospel with
much success. He lived to behold the end of the great schism and the
election of Pope Martin V. Finally, crowned with labors, he died April 5, 1419.
His feast day is April 5.

St Lorenzo Ruiz
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz was born around the year 1600 in Binondo, Manila in the
Philippines. He was the son of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. Both
were Christians and took care to raise Lorenzo as a Catholic. He served
happily in his parish church as an altar boy and calligrapher.

As a young man, Lorenzo joined the Dominican Confraternity of the Most

Holy Rosary.

Later, he married a woman named Rosario. The happy couple had three
children, two sons and one daughter. By all accounts, the family was ordinary
and happy.

In 1636, Lorenzo was accused of murder. Allegedly he killed a Spaniard.

However, to protect his safety at the time, he fled home and found refuge on
board a ship with three Dominican priests and a leper. There are no details of
this alleged crime other than a journal entry by two Dominican priests, that
he joined their group to escape possible arrest. The ship departed the
Philippines on June 10, 1636, bound for Okinawa.

A shock awaited the holy passengers when they arrived in Japan. At the time
of their arrival, the rulers of Japan, the Tokugawa Shogunate, were
persecuting Christians. Prior to this persecution, the Christian population of
Japan was thought to number 50,000 souls.

Now Lorenzo was arrested by Japanese officials for the crime of being a
Christian and ordered to recant his faith. When he refused he was imprisoned
for two years. On September 27, 1637, Lorenzo and his companions were
taken to Nagasaki to be tortured and killed if they would not recant their
faith.
Lorenzo and his companions were tortured by water, which was forced into
their mouths and down their throats and out their noses and ears. Despite
the painful torture, the men refused to do so.

Following this, Lorenzo was hanged upside down, with a rope around his
ankles. This method of torture was known as tsurushi, or "gallows and pit."
The torture forces a person to be hanged upside down with a gash cut in
their forehead to prevent too much blood from gathering in the head. The
gash also causes the victim to bleed to death over an extended period of
time.

Those who have survived the torture have said it is unbearable.

One hand is left free so the victim can offer an agreed symbol that will
represent their desire to recant their faith. Those few who recant are spared
and allowed to live. But few people ever recanted, choosing instead to die for
their faith.

Lorenzo refused to recant. According to the record of his death, his last words
were, "I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God. Had I a
thousand lives, all these to Him I shall offer. Do with me as you please."

His traveling companions were all killed, steadfast until the end.

Lorenzo was beatified by Pope John Paul II on February 18, 1981. The
beatification ceremony was held in the Philippines making it the first
beatification ceremony ever held outside the Vatican.

A miracle attributed to his intercession occurred in 1983. A two-year-old girl,

Alegria Policarpio, suffering from hydrocephaly, a condition she had since
birth, was miraculously cured.

His canonization took place at the Vatican on October 18, 1987.

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz is the patron saint of Filipino youth, the Philippines, people
working overseas, and altar servers.

His feast day is September 28.

St Pedro Calungsod
Saint Pedro Calungsod (c. 1654 - April 2, 1672) is a Filipino Roman Catholic
martyr who was killed while doing missionary work in Guam in 1672. He was
beatified on March 5, 2000, by Pope John Paul II. As a skilled sacristan and
teacher of cathecism, he was a companion of Blessed Diego Luis de San
Vitores to the Marianas Islands. Through their efforts, many receive the
sacraments especially that of baptism. A plot to kill Pedro and San Vitores
started when a certain Choco, a Chinese who gained influence over the
Macanas of Marianas Island, circulated false accusations that the
missionaries were spreading poison through the ritual of the pouring of water
(i.e. baptism), and through the ritual of Catholic Masses. Calungsod and
Diego San Vitores were both murdered after baptizing an infant and mother
who converted to the Roman Catholic faith.