A fifty-nine year old Spanish Franciscan priest, on September 10, 1622, he was burned alive in Nagasaki, along with 9 Jesuits, 6 Dominicans, 3 other Franciscans, and 6 lay Catholics, part of the huge group of martyrs in Japan whose blood planted so firmly the Cross of Christ in Japanese soil, that over two hundred years of isolation from the rest of the Catholic world did not uproot it.
Saint of the Day Quote: Blessed Peter of Avila
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
The history of the Catholic missionaries to Japan and their martyrdom reminds me of St. Francis Xavier, another Basque and roommate of St. Ignatius Loyala. Above the San Francisco Japan town is the Church of St. Francis Xavier on Octavia and Pine Streets. The exterior is reminiscent of a Japanese pagoda. Inside the Japanese theme is continued with the Holy Family depicted in bronze. Though the parish is now named St. Benedict (the Moor) for the Deaf. There are still services in Japanese and of course, American Sign Language.https://sfdeafcatholics.org/about-us/history/