St. Teresa of Calcutta is well known and well loved for her burning passion for the poorest of the poor. Many admired her for her charity work and her heart for serving others. As we celebrate her feast day on September 5, let us look back to her life and her extraordinary ministry.
St. John Marie Vianney was a priest who Pope Pius X proposed as a model of parochial clergy for his extraordinary devotion and life which he committed to the church ministry. In time for his feast day, which we celebrate on August 4. Let’s revisit his inspiring and thought-provoking story.
Every July 31, we commemorate the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the patron saint of the Society of Jesus, soldiers, educators and education. In time for this celebration, let us look back to his story and find inspiration in it.
The most precious blood of Jesus is a symbol of the ultimate sacrifice. We celebrate the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in July.
What food did Almighty God provide for them every morning? Bread. What did Christ multiply for the hungry crowds who had gathered to hear Him teach? Bread.
Josemaria was a bright, hard-working little boy with a sunny disposition. His home life was bustling and joyful, with five siblings and happy, faithful Catholic parents. His life shifted suddenly when his three sisters all died at a young age and his family, suffering financial hardship from the father’s job less, needed to move to a different town in Spain to find work.
Catholicism is rich with stunning, faith-inspiring iconography as reminders of the Truths of our Faith. There are several ways to honor the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts, all of which deepen our fervent dedication to the Faith and shower us with special graces.
The Catholic understanding of the importance of Mary is so deep, rich, beautiful, and Biblically-based. Catholics are blessed to have a fullness of understanding of her role in salvation as well as a personal relationship with her.
The patron saint of farmers was a lousy farmer? How is that possible? The life of St. Isidore the Farmer is a vivid reminder that the Lord works in mysterious ways. What are the four most important lessons we can learn from this ordinary man who became the extraordinary patron saint of farmers, peasants, day laborers, rural communities?
Saint Isidore is the patron saint of farmers and rural communities. Born in Madrid, Spain, in the year 1110, he came from a poor family and spent many years working as a farm hand on the De Vargas estate beginning from his childhood. Isidore was very prayerful and devoted to attending Mass and receiving the Holy Eucharist.
Pope Saint Pius V, born Antonio Ghislieri, was ruler of the Papal States and head of the Catholic Church from January 8, 1566 until he passed away on 1572. He was the one responsible for assembling the alliance of Catholic states to fight off the Ottoman Empire’s advancement in Eastern Europe.
Saint Catherine of Siena was a theologian who possessed a strong connection to the Catholic Church, a tertiary of the Dominican Order and a Scholastic Philosopher. She was born and raised in Siena where at a young age dedicated her life completely to God at a young age. Although her parents disapproved of her choice, she eventually joined the Sisters of the Penance of St. Dominic. Soon after taking her vows she received a mystical phenomenon called stigmata and experienced a mystical marriage.
Saint Mark the Evangelist wrote the second gospel, the Gospel according to Mark. He is one of the four evangelists who penned the good news of Jesus. Not only did Mark write the Gospel, he also founded the Church of Alexandria, which is referred to in early Christianity as one of the most important episcopal sees. In his lifetime he evangelized the word of Christ not only in writing but by traveling great distances as a Christian missionary alongside Saint Paul and Saint Barnabas.
In Catholic Tradition, there is more to St. Joseph than his mere presence in the Nativity Scene. His story and his saintly virtues also go beyond the story of Christmas. He is a role model of Christian Fatherhood in the face of today’s many modern adversities.
Out of the Church’s many saints, St. Patrick is one of the few who have also attained the status of historical legend and national icon. He is also a great example of a dedicated missionary who, above all else, put the spread of Christ’s message as his only purpose in life.
Although, Martin Luther King Jr. may be the most famous of all people to advocate for the plight of minorities in the United States, he wasn’t the first. Nearly a century before the civil rights movement, there was Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People.
We often pray for Saint Agatha’s intercession in our lives. Saint Agatha is the patron saint of nurses and of breast cancer. Our nurses provide care to so many and they do so with love and respect for each patient. They are with us in our time of need and suffering.
Saint Timothy is the patron saint of Stomach Disorders as he is known to have suffered from stomach ailments. He is a disciple of St. Paul and is credited as the co-author or several books in the New Testament.
St. Sebastian is a very popular patron saint as he is the patron saint of Athletes and Soldiers. Due to his unwaiving commitment to Christ and the courageous way he faced his martyrdom, he serves as an example of true love of God. He is usually depicted standing in front of a tree with an arrow pierced through him.
Saint Blaise was a physician and Bishop in Armenia. Blaise has been extremely popular for centuries and many cures were attributed to him.
