St Rafael Arnáiz Barón
Rafael Arnáiz Barón was born in Burgos on 9 April 1911. An architecture student in Madrid, in 1934 he left his university studies to enter the Trappist monastery of San Isidro de Dueñas, where he died just four years later, on 26 April 1938, from a diabetic coma. In very short time, he embarked on an exceptional journey of faith, love, humility and prayer along the way of the Cross, which led him to an exemplary contemplative and mystical experience. His letters and diaries have been widely circulated. On 19 August 1989 in Santiago de Compostela, the holy Pope John Paul II held him up as a model for young people throughout the world and beatified him on 27 September 1992. He was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI on 11 October 2009.
Blessed Marie-Joseph Cassant
Joseph-Marie Cassant was born on March 6, 1878, in Casseneuil, diocese of Agen, France. He received a solid education from his family and school. As he grew in the desire to be a priest, he diligently cultivated a spirit of solitude and prayer. On December 5, 1894, at the age of sixteen, he entered the Cistercian Abbey of Sainte-Marie du Désert, in the diocese of Toulouse.
Inspired by his motto: “All for Jesus, all through Mary” and also by his devotion to the Eucharist, he made progress in simplicity of heart. He professed solemn vows on May 24, 1900. Then, after great hardship and struggles, he was ordained a priest on October 12, 1902. He lived in obscurity for sixteen years in Casseneuil and for nine years in a monastery cloister, performing simple tasks such as prayer, study and work in an extraordinary manner; small deeds, yet carried out with boundless generosity. Exhausted by tuberculosis be offered his sufferings for love of Jesus and for the Church and died on June 17, 1903, at the age of 25. He was beatified by saint Pope John Paul II on 3 October 2004.
Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu
Maria was born in Sardinia in 1914. Her father and some of her brothers died while she was still a child. Her sister died when Maria was 18 moved her to deepen her faith. She became a member of the movement ‘Catholic Action’. In 1835 Maria entered the monastery of Grottaferrata near Rome taking the name Maria Gabriella. The Abbess had promoted ecumenism within the community and during the week of prayer for Christian Unity in 1938 Maria Gabriella offered herself as a spiritual sacrifice. Shortly afterwards she contracted tuberculosis. Maria Gabriella deid on 23 April 1939. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 25 January 1983.
Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi
Iwene Tansi was born in Nigeria in 1903. His parents were not Christian but he was baptised in 1912 and given the name Michael. He trained and worked as a teacher but later joined the seminary and was ordained for the diocese of Onitsha in 1937 where he served with great zeal for 13 years. He felt a call to lead a more contemplative life and desired to bring monastic life to Nigeria. In 1950 he entered the monastery of Mt St Bernard in England where he was given the name Cyprian. When Mt St Bernard made a foundation in Cameroon in 1963 Cyprian was named as Novice Master of the new monastery, but he was unable to travel because of his ill health. He died on 20 January 1964. Cyprian Michael Iwene was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 22 March 1983, the first Nigerian to receive beatification.
Martyrs of Viaceli
In 1936 15 monks from the monastery of Viaceli in Spain were killed as part of the religious persecution at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. The monastery of Viaceli was founded in 1903 and by 1936 numbered 60 monks. On 8 September of that year the 40 remaining monks were forcibly removed from the monastery, two of them were shot a fortnight later while 12 others were bound and drowned in the sea at the beginning of December and one other was executed at the end of the month. They were all killed because of their Christian faith and because they were monks. They were beatified on 3 October 2015, at the cathedral in Santander.
Atlas Martyrs
In March 1996, seven monks from the monastery of Our Lady of Atlas, near the village of Tibhirine in Algeria, were abducted by a radical faction of the Islamic fundamentalist GIA. The monastery had been founded in 1934 by monks from France and six of the seven monks who were killed had transferred to Tibhirine from monasteries in France. Under the leadership of the Prior, Dom Christian de Chergé community had decided to remain at the monastery despite the danger and risk of death. The monks were executed on 21 May 1996. Their funeral Mass was celebrated in the Cathedral of Algiers and they were buried in the cemetery of their monastery at Tibhirine. They were beatified together with 12 other Algerian martyrs in Oran on 8 December 2018.
Venerable Romano Bottegal
Romano Bottegal was born in 1921 in northeastern Italy. After school he entered the local seminary. Though he expressed the desire to enter monastic life he was advised to continue with his studies for priesthood. He was ordained a priest in June 1946 and joined the monastery of Tre Fontane a few months later. In 1961 he went to Lebanon to assist with the foundation of a new monastery. Though the monastery was closed after two years Fr Roman subsequently received permission to live in Lebanon as a hermit. He died from Tuberculosis in 1978. His beatification process was begun in 2000 by the Church in the Lebanon and Fr Romano was declared venerable on 9 December 2013.
Postulator General of the Order
The Postulator General is nominated by the Abbot General to promote the causes of beatification and canonization of members of the Order. (ST 84.1.D b) Causes for beatification or canonization or members of the order are entrusted to the Postulator General by General Chapter. (ST 79.A i). The current Postulator General is Sr. Gabriella Masturzo of the monastery of Vitorchiano who was nominated in 2015.
Sr. Gabriella Masturzo ocso Monastero Trappiste Via della Stazione, 23 01030 Vitorchiano (Viterbo), ITALIA
email: pmgabriella.vit@gmail.com