Feast Day: 23 September Padre Pio was born on 25 May 1887 in Pietrelcina, southern Italy. He was tutored privately until his entry to the novitiate of the Capuchin Friars at the age of 15. Of feeble health but strong will, with the help of grace, he completed the required studies and was ordained a
Feast Day: 25 August St Joseph Calasanz was born into a noble Spanish family in 1557. At the age of fourteen he decided to become a priest, but his parents refused to support his vocation. In the meantime he studied philosophy and law, graduating with his doctorate. Following the death of his mother and brother,
Feast Day: 19 August St John Eudes was born on a farm in northern France and died at 79. He was a religious, a parish missionary, founder of two religious communities, and a great promoter of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. John joined the religious community
Feast Day: 13 August Today’s martyrs died on the island of Sardinia, perhaps from overwork in the mines or perhaps from starvation or neglect rather than execution. In a pacific interlude following the persecution which was their doom, a later pope, Fabian, returned their bodies to Rome for dignified burial. Pontian was interred in the
Feast Day: 14 August One evening at the dawn of the 20th century in Poland, a ten-year-old boy named Raymond prayed to the Mother of God, asking her what kind of man he was to be. In answer to his prayer, Mary appeared to him later that night, holding two crowns. Mary, who had seen
Feast Day: 8 August A highly educated upbringing Saint Dominic is probably one of the more well-known saints because he established the Dominicans — the Order of Preachers — and had success spreading devotion to the rosary. He was born is Spain in 1170 to what would have then been seen as a middle class
Feast Day: 4 August St John Vianney, the “Curé D’Ars,” is the patron saint of priests and parish clergy. His feast day is 4 August, the day you should also pray for your parish priest. St John Vianney’s life is ever an inspiration. He was born into a peasant family in the small town of
Feast Day: 13 June St Anthony of Padua is one of the Catholic Church’s most popular saints. Saint Anthony of Padua, patron saint of lost and stolen articles, was a powerful Franciscan preacher and teacher. He’s typically portrayed holding the child Jesus — or a lily — or a book— or all three — in
Feast Day: 24 March The night before he was murdered while celebrating Mass, Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador said on the radio: “I would like to appeal in a special way to the men of the army, and in particular to the troops of the National Guard, the police, and the garrisons. Brothers, you
Feast Day: 31 January Born in Castlenuovo d’Asti on August 16, 1815, John was educated in the faith and in living according to the Gospel message by his mother. He was just nine years old when he had a dream, which called him to dedicate himself to the education of young people. While still a
