BLESSED DON ALFONSO MARIA FUSCO

Bl. Alfonso Maria Fusco

Feast day: February 6

1839 - 1910
Beatified By: October 7, 2001 by Pope John Paul II


Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco was a Roman Catholic priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist, commonly known as Baptistine Sisters. Their mission was to evangelize, educate and promote youth, especially those who were most poor, abandoned and at risk.



Don Alfonso Maria Fusco was born to Aniello Fusco, a farmer and his wife Giuseppina Schianova, at Angri, Salerno, Italy, March 23, 1839. Alfonso's birth was attributed to the intercession of St. Alphonsus de Ligouri, whose tomb was visited by the couple. A Redemptorist Father assured them that they would have a son, whom they would call Alfonso. Two months after the infant's birth, Alphonsus de Ligouri was canonized.

Due to the unusual circumstances related to the boy's birth, Aniello and Giuseppina sent him to a church school, trusting him to priests. This made Alfonso dream of becoming a priest. As a child, he played the role of a priests, saying a mass, singing hymns, and building an altar. From his days of childhood, his parents noticed his compassion for needy children, as told in the book Operaio di Dio ('Alfonso Is His Name'), by Monsignor Salvatore Garofalo.

At age 11 on November 5, 1850, Fusco entered the Seminary of Nocera dei Pagani. According to Eliodoro Tedesco's Biographic Profile of the Venerable Don Alfonso Maria Fusco, Founder of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist, the presence of the army in 1860 during battles related to unification, caused the dispersion of the Seminary's Archives. Fusco's coursework cannot be reconstructed. Giuseppe Nappi recalled that the Fusco was always respectful towards his professors. During these days, Fusco had a dream that Jesus Christ ordered him to found an Institute for nuns, and an orphanage for boys and girls. After he was ordained, he set about to make the dream happen.

SAINT PETER BAPTIST

St. Peter Baptist,

Feast day: February 6



Peter Baptist, OFM, (born 1545) was a native of Avila, Spain. He joined the Franciscans in 1567, worked as a missionary in Mexico, was sent to the Philippines in 1583, and on to Japan in 1593, where he served as commissary for the Franciscans. He had the gift of working miracles and is considered the leader of the Franciscan martyrs. 

SAINT PETER SUKEJIRO

St. Peter Shukeshiko

Feast day: February 6

Peter Sukejiro (Xukexico), OFM Tert., a Japanese Franciscan tertiary who served as a catechist, house servant, and sacristan to the Franciscan missionaries. He was sent by a Jesuit priest to help the prisoners, and was then arrested. 

SAINT MATTHIAS OF MEAKO

St. Matthias of Meako

Feast day: February 6
Died: 1597
Matthias of Miyako, OFM Tert., a Japanese native, became a Franciscan tertiary.

Martyr of Japan. A native Japanese from Meako, Matthias became a Franciscan tertiary. Matthias was not listed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi as one of the twenty-six Christians to be slain as examples; however, he took the place of one of the designated martyrs and was crucified with St. Peter Baptist and companions in Nagasaki. Matthias was canonized in 1862.

SAINT MARTIN LOYNAZ (DE AGUIRRE)

St. Martin de Aguirre

Feast day: February 6


Martin Loynaz (de Aguirre)
 Martin Loynaz of the Ascension, OFM, a native of Vergara near Pamplona, Spain. He studied in Alcala and became a Franciscan in 1586. He first worked as a missionary in Mexico, then Manila in the Philippines, and finally in Japan.



Missionary and martyr, one of the Martyrs of Japan. He was born in Vergara, Spain, a community near modern Pamplona. In 1586 hejoined the Franciscan Order and was ordained. Martin volunteered for the missions and was sent to Mexico and then to Manila in the Philippines. From Manila, Martin went to Japan, where the Church was converting hundreds in all regions. Christianity was tolerated in Japan at the time, and Martin was able to preach and instruct his Japanese parishioners. Within the Japanese government, however, many counseled opposition to the Christian faith, which they believed was but a prelude to a European invasion. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, at that time the power in Japan, was finally convinced that Christianity was a threat to Japanese peace and independence, and decided to rid his country of all foreign influence. He instituted a persecution that involved thousands, including the European missionaries. Martin was arrested with twentyfive of his converts. They were crucified on February 25, 1597, near Nagasaki. All of the Martyrs of Japan were canonized in 1862.

SAINT RELINDIS OF MAASEIK

St. Relindis of Maaseik

Relindis of Eyck, OSB, Abbess

 (also known as Renildis, Renula, Renule)

Feastday: February 6
Died: 750

 Relindis was educated with her sister Herlindis in the Benedictine monastery of Valenciennes. She became an expert in embroidery and painting. Saint Boniface appointed her abbess of the convent of Eyck (Maaseyk) on the Meuse, which had been founded by her parents


Benedictine abbess, also called Renule. She was educated with her sister Herlindis in the Benedictine house of Valenciennes, France, and after his death of Herlindis, she was named by St. Boniface to succeed her as abbess of Maaseyk, Belgium.

SAINT JAMES KISAI

St. James Kisai


Diego (James) Kisai (Kizayemon)

Feast day: February 6
Died: 1597


Jesuit martyr in Japan. A native of Japan, he entered the Society of Jesus and worked as a catechist until his execution by crucifixion at the age of sixty four.

A Japanese layman who was the temporal coadjutor of the Jesuits and a catechist in Osaka. Like John 

SAINTS SATURNINUS ,THEOPHILUS AND REVOCATA

 Saints Saturninus, Theophilus & Revocata
Feast day: February 6
 Date unknown. A group of martyrs concerning whom neither place nor date of martyrdom is known

SAINT THOMAS DANKI

St. Thomas Danki




Feast day: February 6
Died: 1597


Japanese martyr. A native layman, he entered the Franciscans as a tertiary and served as an interpreter for the Franciscan missionaries in Japan until arrested by authorities and crucified at Nagasaki with twenty-five other companions. He was canonized in 1886 and is counted as one of the companions of St. Paul Miki.

SAINT TANCO

St. Tanco


Feast day: February 6
Died: 808


Irish Benedictine abbot and bishop, also called Tancho and Tatta. Tanco became a monk and served as abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Amalbarich, Saxony, Germany. Successful as a missionary in Cleves and Flanders, Belgium, he was named bishop of Werden, Germany. He was stabbed to death by a mob of pagans for destroying their pagan statues, and is venerated as a martyr.