San Lorenzo Ruiz reminds us that holiness is possible in ordinary family and parish life, and that courageous faith means remaining faithful to Christ even when it costs us something.
Lorenzo Ruiz (c. 1594–1637) was a lay Catholic, husband and father who served his parish in Manila. After being falsely accused of a crime, he left the Philippines with Dominican missionaries and eventually arrived in Japan, where Christians were being severely persecuted. He was arrested because of his faith and was tortured in an effort to make him renounce Christianity. He refused to deny Christ and was martyred in Nagasaki in 1637.
His feast is especially meaningful because Lorenzo was not a priest or religious brother—he was an ordinary husband, father, and parishioner whose faith became extraordinary when it was tested. He is remembered for his courage, loyalty to Christ, and willingness to give everything for his Catholic faith.