Vatican names 42 new saints in the making

Fr Johannes Prassek, killed by the Nazis in Hamburg, November 1943 with two more diocesan priests.

Today, during a private audience with Archbishop Angelo Amato SDB, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorised the congregation to promulgate the decrees of 42 priests and religious from Italy, Romania, Spain, Germany, France, Argentina and Lithuania. The group included three German priests killed by the Nazis during the Second World War, and 14 Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary and ten Carmelites, killed for their faith during the Spanish Civil War. The names are:

MIRACLES

- Blessed Luigi Guanella, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Servants of Charity and of the Institute of the Daughters of Our Lady of Providence (1842-1915).

- Venerable Servant of God Giustino Maria Russolillo, Italian priest, pastor of Pianura and founder of the Society for Divine Vocations (1891-1955).

- Venerable Servant of God Maria Serafina of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (nee Clotilde Micheli), Italian foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Angels (1849-1911).

- Venerable Servant of God Alfonsa Clerici, Italian religious of Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of Monza (1860-1930).

- Venerable Servant of God Cecilia Eusepi, Italian member of the Third Order of the Servants of Mary (1910-1928).

MARTYRDOM

- Servant of God Janos Scheffler, bishop of Satu Mare, Romania (1887-1952).

- Servants of God Jose Maria Ruiz Cano, Jesus Anibal Gomez Gomez, Tomas Cordero Cordero and thirteen companions of the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, killed in hatred of the faith during religious persecution in Spain in 1936.

- Servants of God Carmelo Maria Moyano Linares and nine companions of the Order of Carmelites, killed in hatred of the faith during religious persecution in Spain in 1936.

- Servants of God Johannes Prassek and two companions, diocesan priests killed in hatred of the faith at Hamburg, Germany on 10 November 1943.

- Servant of God Marguerite Rutan, professed sister of the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, born in 1736 and killed at Dax, France on 9 April 1794.

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Basilio Martinelli, Italian professed priest of the Congregation of the Schools of Charity ("Istituto Cavanis") (1872-1962).

- Servant of God Maria Antonia of St Joseph (nee Maria Antonia de Paz y Figueroa), Argentinean foundress of the "Beaterio" of Buenos Aires (1730-1799).

- Servant of God Maria (nee Casimira Kaupas), Lithuanian foundress of the Congregation of Sisters of St Casimir (1880-1940).

- Servant of God Maria Luisa (nee Gertrude Prosperi), Italian abbess of the convent of the Order of St Benedict of Trevi (1799-1847).

- Servant of God Maria Teresa (nee Maria Carmen Albarracin), Spanish professed religious of the Claretian Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate (1927-1946).

- Servant of God Maria Plautilla (nee Lucia Cavallo), Italian professed religious of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity (1913-1947).

Source: VIS