October 9 - St. Dennis & Companions and St. John Leonardi

OCTOBER 9

The current Roman calendar lists two saints on October 9. Their stories are briefly presented here one after the other.

ST. DENIS AND COMPANIONS

Denis is very popular in France. In fact, he is considered the patron saint of France. Because he lived at the beginning of Christian history-during the third century-we don't know as much about him as we would like to.

We do know that Denis was born in Italy. He came to France and became the bishop of Paris. He was preaching the Good News of Jesus when he and two companions were martyred. It is believed that his companions were a priest and a deacon. The Christian community cherished the memory of these brave martyrs. At first, they were able to build a little chapel to mark the sight of their death. Later the chapel became the great church of St. Denis.

St. Denis and his companions remind us of the brave men, women and children who have gone before us. They give us the example of their lives. They also remind us that they will help us now if we ask them.

ST. JOHN LEONARDI

Born in 1541, John became a pharmacist in Lucca, Italy. When he was twenty-five, John felt the call to become a priest. He began studies and was ordained in 1572. He spent his time teaching children the faith and training catechists. His active ministry also took him to hospitals and prisons. Several young men in Lucca gathered around Father John and helped him with his wonderful works. Eventually, this group was to become a new religious congregation of priests. They were called the Clerks of the Mother of God.

Father Leonardi was given a church as his headquarters in Lucca. His followers took care of the spiritual needs of the people in their new parish. Father Leonardi moved to Rome where his good friend St. Philip Neri lived. St. Philip was his spiritual director. Father Leonardi's work was hard at times because of all the political and spiritual turmoil in Europe. But St. Philip believed in Father Leonardi and in the good his congregation of priests was doing. St. Philip gave him his own house in Rome. It was called "St. William of Charity." With the building came St. Philip's cat. St. John gladly took care of it.

St. John Leonardi and his priests made a strong religious impact on the people of Italy. The order was officially recognized by Pope Clement VIII in 1595. Their founder died of the plague on October 9, 1609, while ministering to victims of the disease.

He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1938.