If my efforts do no more than to hinder one sin, I shall consider them well expended!
Saint John Francis Regis
Saint of the Day Quote:
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 41 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
Jean-François Régis, known as Saint John Francis Regis and St. Regis, was a French priest of the Society of Jesus, recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
Born: January 31, 1597, Fontcouverte, France
Died: December 31, 1640, Lalouvesc, France
Beatified: May 18, 1716
Feast: 10 September; 16 June (on some local calendars)
St. John’ missions were to convert the Huguenots; strengthen the faith of the R. Catholics; and rescue wayward women and girls from prostitution. He founded hostels for them where they learned lace making and were able to earn a good living. He also tended to plague victims and travelled the countryside hearing confessions ( some areas had not seen a priest for 20 years). He assisted the poor by tasking the well off families with feeding the poor; he did so in writing stating the numbers of poor to be fed and the amount of money to be given to them. Interestingly the rich did not protest but did as St. John told them.
St. John yearned to be a missionary in New France, but never came to the New World. However there is St. Regis University in Denver, CO, St John Regis Church in Arnauldsville, LA, St. John Regis Church in Hollywood MD founded in the 1600s; and several high schools named after him in the US.
Thanks CAM.