• =?UTF-8?Q?May_26th_=E2=80=93_Bl=2E_Peter_Sanz?=

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Mon May 25 10:16:50 2020
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    May 26th =E2=80=93 Bl. Peter Sanz

    Born in Asco, Catalonia, Spain, 1680; died at Fu-tsheu, China, in
    1747; beatified in 1893 by Pope Leo XIII.

    The viceroy of Peking wrote this about the five martyrs that included
    Peter Sanz: "What are we to do with these men? Their lives are
    certainly irreproachable; even in prison they convert men to their
    opinions, and their doctrines so seize upon the heart that their
    adepts fear neither torments nor captivity. They themselves are joyous
    in their chains. The jailors and their families become their
    disciples, and those condemned to death embrace their religion. To
    prolong this state is only to give them the opportunity of increasing
    the number of Christians."

    Peter Sanz was among the first group of martyrs in Tonkin, which also
    included Bishop Francis Serrano, Father Joachim Royo, Father John
    Alcober, and Father Francis Diaz.

    Peter Sanz was professed a Dominican at Lerida when he was 18 (1697).
    He was ordained in 1704, volunteered for the Chinese missions, and was
    sent to Manila, The Philippines, in 1713. After studying the language
    for two years, he entered China where he spent 31 years evangelizing
    the Chinese before he was captured. In 1730, he was nominated vicar
    apostolic of Fukien and titular bishop of Mauricastro. When a renewed persecution of Christians flared up in 1746, he was accused of
    breaking the laws by converting thousands to Christianity by a man to
    whom he had refused to lend money, according to one account.

    The five men, bound together by their vows and their work, were
    brought more closely together during their imprisonment at Foochow.
    Fathers Serrano, Alcober, and Diaz were captured first, and tortured
    to reveal the whereabouts of Bishop Sanz. They did not break down, but
    the bishop and Father Royo, hearing about the torture, surrendered in
    the hope of sparing their brothers' suffering, says another account.

    The five priests were dragged in chains to the emperor's court, where
    they were subjected to frightful torments. All of them, with a
    catechist named Ambrose Kou, were sentenced to death in December 1746.
    During the long imprisonment, a Dominican, Father Thomas Sanchez,
    managed to see them. He brought them some clothes and a little money,
    and all the news he could find.

    On May 25, 1747, Bishop Sanz was beheaded at Fu-tsheu. Even the pagans
    were impressed with his gentle demeanor as he was led out to die, and
    a fellow prisoner who had been converted in prison, followed him
    closely through the mob, openly proclaiming his sanctity. As the
    headsman prepared to swing the axe, the venerable bishop looked at him
    and said, "Rejoice with me, my friend; I am going to heaven!"

    "I wish I were going with you!" blurted out the unhappy man.

    Laying his head upon the block, the bishop preached his last sermon:
    "If you want to save your soul, my friend, you must obey the law of
    God!" Pagan friends of the priests scurried through the crowd,
    gathering up the relics which they saved for the Christians. Many of
    these people, including the executioner, were later baptized.

    On October 20, 1747, after the death of Sanz, word arrived that Father
    Serrano was had been appointed titular bishop of Tipsa and coadjutor
    to Blessed Peter Sanz. At that point, he and the others were summarily
    executed at Fukien (Benedictines, Delaney, Dorcy).


    Saint Quote
    "Resist your impatience faithfully, practicing, not only with reason,
    but even against reason, holy courtesy and sweetness to all, but
    especially to those who weary you the most"
    --St. Francis de Sales

    Bible Quote
    And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into
    heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God. 20 But they going forth
    preached every where: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word
    with signs that followed.=C2 =C2 (Mark 16:19-20)


    <><><><>
    Canticle Ephesians 1
    God the Saviour

    Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    who has blessed us, in Christ, with every spiritual blessing in heaven.

    In love, he chose us before the creation of the world,
    to be holy and spotless in his sight.

    He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ,
    simply because it pleased him to do so.

    This he did for the praise of the glory of his grace,
    of his free gift of us to his Beloved,
    in whose blood we have gained redemption,
    and the forgiveness of our sins.

    This he did according to the riches of his grace,
    which he gave us in abundance,
    with all wisdom and discernment,
    revealing to us the mysteries of his will,
    because it pleased him to do so.

    In this action he has planned, in the fulfilment of time,
    to bring all things together in Christ,
    from the heavens and from the earth.

    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
    =C2 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
    =C2 world without end.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)