From: "Trudie" 

March 22nd - St. Nicholas Owen.

Born in Oxford, England; died in the Tower of London, 1606; beatified in
1929; canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of
England and Wales; feast day formerly March 12.  Saint Nicholas was
probably the most important person in the preservation of Catholicism in
England during the period
of the penal laws against the faith. He was a carpenter or builder, who
saved the lives of countless Jesuit priests in England for two decades by
constructing
hiding places for them in mansions throughout the country. He became a
Jesuit lay brother in 1580, was arrested in 1594 with Father John Gerard,
and despite prolonged torture would not give the names of any of his
Catholic colleagues; he
was released on the payment of a ransom by a wealthy Catholic.

Brother Nicholas is believed to have been responsible for Father Gerard's
dramatic escape from the Tower of London in 1597.

Nicholas was arrested a third time in 1606 with Father Henry Garnet, whom he had
served 18 years, Father Edward Oldcorne, and Father Oldcorne's servant,
Brother Ralph Ashley. He refused to give any information concerning the
Gunpowder Plot. They were imprisoned in the Tower of London. Nicholas was
subjected to such vicious torture, which literally tore his body to pieces,
that he died of it.

Nicholas was also known as Little John and Little Michael and used the
aliases of Andrewes and Draper (Attwater2, Benedictines, Delaney).

See longer version found at:
http://www.pitt.edu/~eflst4/owen.htm



Saint Quote:
"Thou oughtest not to let a day pass in which thou hast not trampled
upon thy will; and if such a thing should happen, consider that on that day
thou hast not
been a religious"
 -St. John Climacus

St Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi was extremely fond of not doing her own will,
and made a study of it, so that she regarded that day as utterly lost in
which she had not in some manner broken and denied it.

(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints".  March - Mortification)

Bible Quote:
1 And Jesus passing by, saw a man, who was blind from his birth: 2 And his
disciples asked him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his parents, that
he should be born blind? 3 Jesus answered: Neither hath this man sinned,
nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work
the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no
man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
(John 9:1-5)



The fourth sorrowful mystery prayer of the Eucharistic Rosary, to be
offered before the Blessed Sacrament:

The Carrying of the Cross, offered for patience:

Curses, outrages, ill-treatments, anguish of heart, sufferings of all
kinds, nothing can, O dear Redeemer, alter the mildness and patience with
which Thou carriest Thy heavy cross; with like sweetness and patience dost
Thou bear in the long course of ages...doubts, want of confidence, murmurs,
insults, discouragement on the part of Thy children.

O Jesus! we adore Thee carrying with love the cross prepared for Thee by
Thy Father, and we beg of Thee, through the intercession of Thy holy 
Mother, patience in the trials of this life.

Imprimatur:  + John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York, Sept 19, 1908.



Dear Angel, ever at my side, how lovely you must be, to leave your home in
heaven to guard a child like me. When I'm far away from home or may be hard
at play, I know you will protect me from harm along the way. Your beautiful
and shining face, I see not, though you are near; the sweetness of your
lovely voice, I cannot really hear. When I pray, your praying too, your
prayer is just for me. But when I sleep, you never do, you're watching over
me. Amen.

--- BBBS/LiI v4.01 Flag