Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

Saint Michael de Aozaraza (1598–1637) was a Spanish missionary born in Oñati, whose life was marked by a generous desire to bring the Gospel to others. Though few details of his ministry have been preserved in the information available to us, he is remembered as one who embraced the demanding path of mission with faith and perseverance. His witness continues to be honored in the Church, and he is especially invoked as a patron of Balanga. Celebrated each year on September 29, Saint Michael invites the faithful to renew their own missionary spirit—seeking Christ more deeply and sharing His love with humble courage wherever they are sent.

Saint René Goupil was born on May 15, 1608, and baptized in Saint-Martin-du-Bois near Angers in France. Trained as a surgeon in Orléans, he felt drawn to give his life to Christ in the service of souls. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in Paris in 1639, but worsening deafness forced him to leave. Undeterred, René offered himself as a lay missionary assistant to the Jesuit Fathers, arriving in New France in 1640. At the Saint-Joseph de Sillery Mission near Quebec, he quietly served the sick and wounded, tending their injuries with patience and charity. In 1642 he traveled with Father Isaac Jogues and others toward the Huron missions, but they were captured by the Mohawk and taken to Ossernenon in present-day New York. After enduring torture, René was killed for the faith on September 29, 1642, after teaching a child the sign of the cross. He is honored as the first canonized Catholic martyr in North America and is a patron of anesthetists. His feast day is September 29.

Saint Stefano del Lupo was a religious figure born in 1099 in Carovilli, the place that would later honor him as its patron. Living into the late twelfth century, he died in 1191, leaving behind a memory of faith that endured within his hometown and the Church’s devotion. Though few details of his life have been preserved for us, his veneration speaks of a Christian witness strong enough to be cherished across generations. The faithful remember him each year on September 29, turning to his intercession with gratitude and trust. In the quiet simplicity of what is known, Saint Stefano del Lupo invites us to holiness rooted in fidelity—serving God where we are planted, and allowing a life of devotion to bear lasting fruit.