St. John
Licci (Liccio)
Patron Saint
for Head Injuries
(I was unable to find a picture of him but
would like to have one if you are aware of
where I can find it...please write on
feedback link and let me know...thank you.)
Loving God, you made Blessed John illustrious by
a complete self-denial and the utmost zeal for
charity that he might reveal the mystery of your
love to the poor. By following his example may
we seek to please you and aid our brothers and
sisters in Christ. We ask this through our Lord
Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever.
My
Prayer to St. John Licci
St.
John Licci, I ask for your intercession for my
injury and all those who suffer with this
injury. There are many soldiers coming home
with the Traumatic Brain Injuries and they are
not aware of it or not able to function like
they did before...please help them find
assistance and pray for their healing and
salvation...Amen.
Born to a poor farmer, John's mother
died in childbirth. His life from then
on, all 111 years, was a tale of
miracles.
His father, who fed the baby on crushed
pomegranates, had to work the fields,
and was forced to leave the infant
alone. The baby began crying, and a
neighbor woman took him to her home to
feed him. She laid the infant on the bed
next to her paralyzed husband - and the
man was instantly cured. The woman told
John's father of the miracle, but he was
more concerned that she was meddling,
and had taken his son without his
permission. He took the child home to
feed him more pomegranate pulp. As soon
as the child was removed from the house,
the neighbor's paralysis returned; when
John was brought back in, the man was
healed. Even John's father took this as
a sign, and allowed the neighbors to
care for John.
A precocious and emotional child, John
began reciting the Daily Offices before
age 10. While on a trip to Palermo at
age 15, John went to Confession in the
church of Saint Zita where his
confession was heard by Blessed Peter
Geremia who suggested John consider a
religious life. John considered himself
unworthy, but Peter pressed the matter,
John joined the Dominicans in 1415, and
wore the habit for 96 years, the longest
period known for anyone.
Priest. Founded the convent of Saint
Zita in Caccamo. Lacking money for the
construction, John prayed for guidance.
During his prayer he had a vision of an
angel who told him to "build on the
foundations that were already built."
The next day in the nearby woods he
found the foundation for a church called
Saint Mary of the Angels, which church
had been started many years before, but
had never been finished. John assumed
this was the place indicated, and took
over the site.
During the construction, workmen ran out
of materials; the next day at dawn a
large ox-drawn wagon arrived at the
site. The driver unloaded a large
quantity of stone, lime and sand - then
promptly disappeared, leaving the oxen
and wagon behind for the use of the
convent. At another point a well got in
the way of construction; John blessed
it, and it immediately dried up; when
construction was finished, he blessed it
again, and the water began to flow. When
roof beams were cut too short, John
would pray over them, and they would
stretch. There were days when John had
to miraculously multiply bread and wine
to feed the workers. Once a young boy
came to the construction site to watch
his uncle set stones; he fell from a
wall, and was killed; John prayed over
him, and restored him to life and
health.
John and the two brother Dominicans who
were working on the convent were on the
road near Caccamo when they were set
upon by bandits. One of the thieves
tried to stab John with a dagger; his
hand withered and became paralyzed. The
gang let the brothers go, then decided
to ask for their forgiveness. John made
the Sign of the Cross at them, and the
thief's hand was made whole.
One Christmas a nearby farmer offered to
pasture the oxen that had come with the
disappearing wagon-driver. John
declined, saying the oxen had come far
to be there, and there they should stay.
Thinking he was doing good, the layman
took them anyway. When he put them in
the field with his own oxen, they
promptly disappeared; he later found
them at the construction site,
contentedly munching dry grass near
Father John.
While he did plenty of preaching in his
90+ years in the habit, usually on
Christ's Passion, he was not known as a
great homilist. He was known, however,
for his miracles and good works. His
blessing caused the breadbox of a nearby
widow to stay miraculously full, feeding
her and her six children. His blessing
prevented disease from coming to the
cattle of his parishioners. Noted
healer, curing at least three people
whose heads had been crushed in
accidents. Provincial of Sicily. Prior
of the abbey on several occasions.
Resource on lives
of saints
(Catholic-Forum.com).
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