Daily Martyrology for August 1

In 1787, in Italy, St. Aphonsus de’ Ligouri, bishop and doctor. He was born near Naples, studied law and worked as a lawyer. Despite his father's opposition, he abandoned the law and in 1726 was ordained a priest, doing missionary work as a preacher and confessor. He organized prayer groups for laymen. In 1732 he founded the Redemptorists, who were influential in combating Jansenism. His Moral Theology (published first in 1753-1755) was very influential. He was forced to become bishop of a small diocese, and thoroughly reformed it. He met with much opposition within and without his order, but persevered and died at the age of 91.

In 984, St. Ethelwold, a native of Winchester. He was ordained a priest there with St. Dunstan (May 19). When Dunstan became abbot of Glastonbury, Ethelwold entered the abbey. Ethelwold became abbot of Abingdon, then bishop of Winchester. With Dunstan and Oswald (February 28), he worked for the restoration of monasticism, learning and the arts in England. A translation of the Rule of Benedict and the composition of the Regularis Concordia have been attributed to him.

In 1546, Blessed Peter Faber, one of Ignatius of Loyola’s (July 31) earliest companions. He was born in Savoy to a farming family. After joining Ignatius’ company, he took part in several Catholic-Protestant dialogues, then devoted himself to the Catholic Reform. To that end he preached in Germany, Portugal and Spain. He had a winning personality, and influenced St. Peter Canisius (December 21) and St. Francis Borgia (October 10).

In 1868, at La Mure, St. Peter Julian Eymard. He became a Marist priest, then founded the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and Sisters, whose spirituality focused on adoration of the Eucharist. He founded the Priests’ Eucharistic League and the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament.

In 1943 in Belarus, Blessed Stella Mardosewicz and ten companions. They were members of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth who offered their lives to the Nazis in exchange for the lives of 120 factory workers. They were shot and their bodies buried in a common grave.

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Our daily martyrology was written by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB. Copyright © 2008 by the Monastery of the Ascension, Jerome, ID 83338.