John was born in in 1542 in Fontiveros near Avila, a village in Old Spanish Castile. His father Gonzalo de Yepes was thrown out of his home and disinherited for marrying a poor silk weaver, Catalina Álvarez. Orphaned of his father at a very early age, he found himself having to move from city to city with his hardworking and active mother who was searching for their financial sustenance, thus he had to study and work in different places.
In the period between 1551 and 1559 he had cultural and artisan training in the «College of Doctrines» of Medina del Campo (today in the province of Valladolid), where he had moved with his mother. Later he was a carpenter, tailor, painter and carver; then an acolyte of the Church of Mary Magdalene, a clerk and assistant nurse in the Hospital of the Conception.
In 1563 he entered the Carmelite Order. Between 1564 and 1568 he completed his theological and philosophical studies at the University of Salamanca. In 1567 he was ordained a priest.
In October 1567, he met Teresa of Avila who was implementing a reform of Carmel. On August 9, 1568, after many talks with Teresa of Avila, he left for Valladolid where Teresa was to found a monastery of Discalced Carmelites. Here he remained until October, inquiring about and observing in detail the new reformed life. At the beginning of October, he went to Duruelo (Segovia), where he adapted a farmhouse as the first monastery of Discalced Carmelite friars. On 28 November, the first Sunday of Advent, he inaugurated the Reformed life there; on that occasion, he took the name of John of the Cross.
Between 1572 and 1577, he worked as a confessor and spiritual guide to the Monastery of the Incarnation of Ávila. On December 2nd 1577, he is arrested and imprisoned in the prison of the convent of the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance in Toledo. He remained captive for more than eight months, subjected to physical, psychological and spiritual ill-treatment, yet finding the inspiration to compose some of his most famous mystical poems. He finally managed to escape, on August 17, 1578.
In 1591, he was discharged from his leadership duties in the Order and being ill, on September 28 he went to Úbeda (Jaén), where he spent the last months of his life. Here he died, between Friday 13th and Saturday 14th of December 1591, at the age of 49. Since 1593, his incorrupt remains rest in Segovia.
The beatification ceremony was held in 1675. The solemn ceremony of canonization on December 27, 1726. In 1926, he was conferred the title of «Doctor of the Church».
1) In order to be able to consult the Positio please fill in the request form on this page.
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1. The canonical norms concerning the procedure to be followed in the Causes of Saints are stated in the Apostolic Constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister promulgated by John Paul II on 25 January 1983 (AAS LXXV, 1983, 349-355).
2. To initiate a Cause it is necessary that at least five years pass after the death of the candidate. This is to allow for greater balance and objectivity in the evaluation of the case and to allow the emotions of the moment to decant. There must be a clear conviction among people about his/her sanctity (fama sanctitas) and about the efficacy of his/her intercession with the Lord (fama signorum).
Elisabeth Catez was born on July 18, 1880 in the army camp of Avor near Bourges in France and was baptized four days later. In 1887 the family moved to Dijon; That same year her father died.
On April 19, 1890, she received her First Holy Communion, the following year the sacrament of Confirmation. In 1894 she made the private vow of virginity. Feeling called to the religious life, she asked her mother for permission to enter Carmel: she could only succeed when she came of age. On August 2, 1901, Elisabeth entered the Carmel of Dijon where on December 8, 1901 she took the religious habit, taking the name of Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity..
A few months after making her religious profession, which took place on January 11, 1903, she developed symptoms of Addison's disease: she accepted it with a smile, certain that she was immersed in the union of the Three Divine Persons. She died at the age of twenty-six on November 9, 1906.
The beatification ceremony was held on September 25, 1984. The solemn canonization ceremony on October 16, 2016.
1. The canonical norms concerning the procedure to be followed in the Causes of Saints are stated in the Apostolic Constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister promulgated by John Paul II on 25 January 1983 (AAS LXXV, 1983, 349-355).
2. To initiate a Cause it is necessary that at least five years pass after the death of the candidate. This is to allow for greater balance and objectivity in the evaluation of the case and to allow the emotions of the moment to decant. There must be a clear conviction among people about his/her sanctity (fama sanctitas) and about the efficacy of his/her intercession with the Lord (fama signorum).
1) In order to be able to consult the Positio please fill in the request form on this page.
2) If your request is accepted, we will then send you the conditions and directions for consulting the document.
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BLESSED GEORG HAFNER
George Hafner was born on 19 October 1900 in Wurzburg, Bavaria. His parents, Valentin and Barbara Hewig Ulsamer, were simple, humble and believing Christians who brought up George with a good education and a deep faith. He was baptized on 28 October 1900 and given the names Joseph George Simon.
From early childhood, George manifested a strong inclination towards the priesthood. He excelled as an altar boy at serving Mass and often entertained his companions by playing at imitating a priest celebrating Mass. His parents made many sacrifices so that George could complete his early studies. In 1918 he completed his secondary studies and, due to the First World War, was called up for army service. He never had to engage in any military activity. With a view to preparation for the priesthood, he began Philosophy and Theology in Wurzburg University and on 11 January 1920 he also joined the Carmelite Secular Order, taking the name Brother Aloysius of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Having obtained a doctorate in Theology, George was ordained a priest in the Seminary chapel of St. Michael, Wurzburg, by the Archbishop of Bamberga, Mons. Jacob von Hauck, on 13 April 1924. He was engaged in Pastoral ministry in different parishes until 12 November 1934, when he was nominated as Parish Priest of Oberschwarzach. Here he distinguished himself for his firm faith, extraordinary zeal and outstanding charity.
The Venerable Servant of God fulfilled all his priestly duties with great humility, in constant silence and prayer. His only desire was to encourage his faithful to be aware of their duties and to observe their religious practices.
Due to his fruitful pastoral activity, including religious education in the state schools, the Parish Priest of Oberschwarzach came to be seen as an enemy of the Nationalist-Socialist regime, due to his propagating 0f Christian principles which were considered as being opposed to the State. As his enemies could not find any valid accusation against him they resorted to a treacherous plot. During the funeral of a forest guard, they took the opportunity of denouncing him to the Gestapo. At that funeral service, Don Georg revealed that the deceased had been reconciled to the Catholic Church before his death. As a result, a second marriage of his, contracted in a civil rite, was invalid.
On 31 October 1941, the Servant of God was unjustly arrested, interrogated and incarcerated in Wurzburg prison with an accusation of “hostile behaviour towards the State”. Being condemned as a political prisoner, Don Georg was deported by the Nazi authorities to the concentration camp of Dachau, on December 1941. During his imprisonment, he never ceased to preach the truthful tenets of the Christian faith, while staunchly enduring all his physical and moral sufferings. He carried the cross, accepting the will of God in every situation. He died of neglect the 20 August 1942.
His Beatification ceremony took place in Wurzburg on 15 May 2011.
1. The canonical norms concerning the procedure to be followed in the Causes of Saints are stated in the Apostolic Constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister promulgated by John Paul II on 25 January 1983 (AAS LXXV, 1983, 349-355).
2. To initiate a Cause it is necessary that at least five years pass after the death of the candidate. This is to allow for greater balance and objectivity in the evaluation of the case and to allow the emotions of the moment to decant. There must be a clear conviction among people about his/her sanctity (fama sanctitas) and about the efficacy of his/her intercession with the Lord (fama signorum).

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