31 October

. . . .is the 351st anniversary of the execution of the Blessed Terence Albert O’Brien, O.P. Blessed Terence, the last bishop of the Diocese of Emly, was captured after the Siege of Limerick. In view of his fighting spirit and constant advocacy of resistance, he was excluded from any quarter and was put to death by Cromwell’s troops. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1992.

This is also the feast of St. Quentin, the son of a Roman senator, who evangelized the area around Beauvais and Amiens. He was martyred somewhere between 282 and 287. “San Quentin” is a California town named after the saint and famous for its prison, which makes more interesting one of St. Quentin’s miracles which involved delivering a convict from the gallows. The martyrdom of St. Quentin as recorded in Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend may be found here.

It is also the Eve of All Saints’ Day, i.e., Hallowe’en. You can find all you’ll ever need to know about pumpkins here including, albeit a little late, tips on growing your own. And a recipe for Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake here.

All Saints Day will be tomorrow, Friday. If you happen to be in or near Orange County, you might like to attend the traditional Latin Mass at 7:15 p.m. at St. Mary’s by the Sea in Huntington Beach. Take Pacific Coast Highway and turn on to 10th Street. (You can only turn one direction; the other side of PCH is the Pacific Ocean.) St. Mary’s is three blocks up.