Sep.3 Bl.Claudio Granzotto	Blessed Claudio Granzotto, born near Venice in 1900, served three years in the Italian Army. He had artistic talents that led him to the Academy of Fine Arts, from which he received a diploma in 1929. In 1933 he became a Franciscan brother and was very kind to the poor. He died on the feast of the Assumption in 1947 from a brain tumor. He was beatified in 1994 (Source: McCloskey, P. "Day-by-Day with followers of Francis and Clare.")
Sep. 24 St. Pacifico of San Severino	St. Pacificus (Pacifico) of San Severino (1 March 1653 - 24 September 1721) was an Italian Roman Catholic Saint. He was born at San Severino, the son of Antonio M. Divini and Mariangela Bruni. His parents died soon after his Catholic confirmation when he was only three years old. He suffered many hardships until December 1670, when he took the Franciscan habit in the Order of the Reformati at Forano, in the March of Ancona. Pacificus was ordained on 4 June 1678, subsequently becoming Lector (or Professor) of Philosophy from (1680-1683) for the younger members of the order, after which, for five or six years, he worked as a Catholic missionary among the people of the surrounding country. He then suffered lameness, deafness, and blindness for nearly 29 years. Unable to participate in missions, he cultivated then the contemplative life. He was said to have "borne his ills with angelic patience, worked several miracles, and was favoured by God with ecstasies". Though he was a constant sufferer, from (1692-1693) he held the post of Guardian in the monastery of Maria delle Grazie in San Severino, where he later died. His cause for beatification was begun in 1740; he was beatified by Pope Pius VI on 4 August 1786, and was solemnly canonized by Pope Gregory XVI on 26 May 1839. His feast is celebrated on 24 September.
Sep 22 St. Ignatius of Santhia	Saint Ignatius of Santhia was born on 5 June 1686 in Santhiá, in the Vercelli region of Northern Italy and died in Turin on 21 September 1770. He was a Capuchin priest, who was faithful to the Franciscan spirit, especially by his obedience, simplicity and humility. He was renowned for his gift of spiritual direction and concern for the spiritual growth of the faithful. He was also called the "father of sinners and the lost" thanks to his particular ability to deal with the "spiritually sick". He was baptized Lorenzo Maurizio, the fourth of six children of the upper-class Belvisotti family. He received his early education from a good priest, who inspired him and helped discern his call to enter the priesthood. In 1710 he was ordained a diocesan priest. After six years of priestly ministry, he joined the Capuchin Friars. At the time he suffered from the criticism of his family and parish who did not understand his decision. In the Capuchin Order Ignatius finally found the inner peace he had been searching for in the simplicity of Franciscan life. On 24 May 1717, he made his religious profession, and from that day he was like putty in the hands of his superiors. He began his spiritual journey being sent from one house to another in the Savoy region of Northern Italy. He was happy to be moved around out of obedience and honoured to be able to serve his brothers. He was completely at "God's disposition". In 1727, Ignatius was sent to the convent in Torino-Monte, with the responsibility of prefect of the sacristy and confessor for the laity, a mission he was to fulfill for the last 24 years of his life when he returned to Turin after serving as master of novices and chief of chaplains for the army of the Kingdom of Savoy. In this ministry he showed his fatherly concern for others and the spiritual wisdom that is learned at the foot of the Crucified One. It was not long before religious, priests, the faithful and the most hardened sinners began coming to the monastery to make their confession and to receive spiritual direction. In 1731, he was sent to the monastery of Mondovì, where he was made master of novices and vicar of the monastery. He was in charge of the novitiate for 14 years and his only desire was to make the novices entrusted to his care true followers of Christ and obedient sons of St Francis. His teaching was founded on two pillars: divinely loving the novices and teaching by example more than by words. He was available at all hours of the day and night for novices in need of help and he knew each one of them, making their formation his top priority. In 1744 he had to leave the novitiate and go to Turin because he suffered from a mysterious eye ailment that led to near blindness. He was partially cured so that he could return to active ministry. In 1743-1746, war broke out in the Piedmont. This also brought with it the influx of the wounded and an epidemic. The King of Sardinia-Piedmont, Charles Emmanuel III asked the Capuchins to provide medical and spiritual care for the hospitals. Fr Ignatius was made head chaplain and offered his assistance for two years in the hospitals of Asti, Vinovo and Alessandria, offering an example of tireless activity and piety, serving and healing in a spirit of genuine evangelical love. When Piedmont was at peace, he returned once more to his convent in Turin-Monte where he would remain for 24 years as spiritual director and confessor. He visited the sick and begged for money and food for the needy. He died in Turin-Monte on 21 September 1770. He would often say: "Paradise is not made for slackers. Let's get to work!". To all people, religious brothers and laity, he taught the way of holiness and of abandonment in God's hands, by his example and by his words. On 17 April 1966, Paul VI beatified Ignatius of Santhiá. (Source: Vatican Website)
Sep 25 Finding the Body of St. Clare	For some six centuries the body of St. Clare lay buried deep under the high altar of Santa Chiara, the church in Assisi which had been built in her honor. In 1850 Pope Pius IX granted permission that excavations be made, and after seven days the stone coffin containing the body of the saint was found. When it was opened, it was discovered that the body of St. Clare, though blackened with age, was still incorrupt. It was put into a crystal coffin, and this was placed in the crypt of the church after it was completed in 1872. The feast of the Finding of the Body of St. Clare, which was instituted by Pope Pius IX, is celebrated by the Franciscans and Conventuals, as well as the Poor Clares.
Sep 26 Bl. Aurelio of Vinalesa	Blessed Aurelio De Vinalesa and 16 Companions, martyrs from the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, killed in hatred of the faith during the religious persecution of the Second Spanish Republic (1936) Bl. Aurelio de Vinalesa, priest, was born in Vinalesa (Valencia, Spain) on the 3rd of February, 1896, and was shot near Precipice de Carraixet, on the 28th of August, 1936. He was professed in the Capuchin Order on August 10, 1910, and was ordained priest in Rome, March 26, 1921. Throughout his religious life he was Director of the philosophical-theological School that the capuchins had in Alicante (south of Valencia). He was professor in the Seminary, director of the Third Franciscan Order, confessor and preacher. He could well say: "I have always fulfilled my mission, like friar and priest." When the circumstances forced him to leave the friary, he took refuge in the house of his parents, where he was arrested by the military on the 28th of August, 1936. Lead at daybreak to the Precipice of the Carraixet, he exhorted his lay companions in martyrdom, to die peacefully, he gave them the sacramental absolution and he added: "Shout loudly: Alive Christ King." (translated from Spanish, using Babelfish).
Sep 28 Bl. Innocent of Berzo	There is not much information on the childhood of Innocent except that he was born in a poor family. After being ordained as a Diocesan Priest and was pastor in Berzo, he felt the call to join the Capuchins at the age of 30. He was a good preacher and a good confessor. He was devoted to Christ and the Cross and liked to meditate the Passion of Our Lord. His devotion in saying the mass, meditation and zeal to the Blessed Sacrament, touched so many people's hearts. The prayer was his full joy and he was a man of prayer. He died in 1890 when he was only forty five year old. Pope John XXIII added his name to the Blesseds on Sunday November 12th, 1961.