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Saint for the Month
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 ST.
LORENZO RUIZ
- Feastday: Sept.
28th
- First Filipino
Saint and Martyr
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Governor (Tormentor):
If we let you live, will you renounce your faith?"
St. Lorenzo Ruiz:
"That I shall never do, because I am a Christian and I shall die for God,
and for Him, I will give many thousands of lives if I had them. And so, do
with me as you will please."
Lorenzo Ruiz was born in Binondo, Manila between the years
1600 to 1610. His father was Chinese and his mother was native Tagalog.
During his youth, he was an altar boy, a sacristan at Binondo
convent. He was educated by the Dominican Fathers and was their
escribano because of his skillful hand and unsurpassed penmanship.
It is most commonly believed that he left the Philippines
in 1639 because the Spaniards believed he had committed a crime against
them. He left the Philippines on 10 June 1636 with the aid of the
Dominican Fathers and Sr. Domingo Gonzales.
In Japan, Christians were persecuted and put to death. St.
Lorenzo Ruiz together with his imprisoned companions were captured and
brought to Nagasaki around 10 July 1636.
There they suffered incredible torture as they were hung by
their feet and submerged in water till they neared death. They also
suffered 'water torture' which brought some of St. Lorenzo's companions to
recant their faith. Needles were pressed in between their fingernails and
skin, and they were beaten unconscious. St. Lorenzo never lost his faith.
On 27 September 1637, he was taken with his companions to
the "Mountain of Martyrs". There he was hung upside down into a pit in
what was called a 'horca y hoya'. This was the most painful way to
die in those times and involved using rocks to add weight to the person so
that the person suffocates faster, and is crushed from his own added
weight. After two days, he died from bleeding and suffocation. His body
was cremated and his ashes were thrown into the sea. He always professed
his love and faith in God.
He was beautified by Pope John Paul II during the
Papal visit to Manila on 18 February 1981. St. Lorenzo Ruiz was
elevated to sainthood and received canonization on 18 October 1987
by His Holiness Pope John Paul II in Vatican City,
Rome.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz was a layman, with two sons
and a daughter. He is recognized as the first Filipino Saint
and Martyr. His story, as his life, is so much more than the
aforementioned summary of events. Yet, his life stands simply for
love, having true unyielding belief and faith in God.
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- TELL US LIKE IT IS!
- Has something
wonderful and unique happened in your life lately? Did God answer your
prayer in a very unexpected way? Did you, like Isaiah, meet God’s
whisper?
- Have you felt His
powerful hand working in your life recently?
- Everyday, people are
experiencing God’s mighty Word in their lives and it is a pity that very
few know about it. Do you have a story to tell? Some Good News to
share?
- E-mail us (genesis@catholic.org) or fax us
(021-6627384), and tell us about it. That’s right! You don’t have to be
a great writer to do this. We can help you write it – just tell us like
it is!
- Don’t forget to write
the subject: “Let Me Tell You A
Story”
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ideas:
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This site has been awarded
IN THIS ISSUE:
HIS Servant
by Bro. Pete Lapid
Our Faith
By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC
Surabaya Corner
By Ramon Martillano
Place of Refuge
By Philip Yuson
Sharing
By Ricel Lapig
Here's the Latest
By Pinky Torres
Viewpoint
Straight from the Heart
By Carolle Bautista
On Focus
by Sansu Garin
Compiled by Armand Sol
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