St. John of Sahagun was born in 1419 in Sahagun, Spain. A bright, attractive, and high-spirited child, Juan Gonzalez Catrillo, as he was baptized, soon came to the attention of the Bishop of Burgos, who had him educated in his own household. Ordained priest at 26, he was made a Canon at the cathedral and then completed four years of study in theology at the great University of Salamanca. However, in 1463, he decided to join the Hermits of St Augustine in that city and soon rose to be Master of Novices and eventually Prior.
John had a particularly deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and was often privileged to behold the Sacred Host resplendent with divine glory during Mass. Daily, after rising for Matins, he would remain in the choir for adoration and prayer until it was time to celebrate Mass. A powerful and utterly fearless preacher, he inveighed relentlessly against impurity and vice in high places and the extravagances of feminine apparel. Assassins who his enemies had hired seemed to become disarmed by his angelic sweetness and serenity. John was gifted with the ability to read the secrets of conscience, so it was not easy to deceive him.
Many hardened sinners found their innermost consciences revealed to his gaze. Because of his reputation, he was often approached to reconcile rival groups and restore peace to the city. He was also respected as a defender of the rights of workers and the common folk. St. John Sahagun passed away on 11 June 1479 as a result of poisoning. He was canonized in 1690 by Pope Alexander VIII.
St. John of Sahagun, you fearlessly confronted evil by relying on the graces bestowed upon you. Help us to deepen our devotion and encounter the Holy Mass in a profound and transformative manner so that we may readily access the graces that empower us to face life's challenges with courage and steadfast faith.
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
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