SAINT OF THE DAY

(1783 – 1854) Joachima’s birth into an aristocratic family of Barcelona should have guaranteed an easy life, but fate saw things another way. Though she expressed a desire to become a Carmelite nun as early as 12 years old, she married at the age of 16 Theodore de Mas, a young lawyer. During their 17-year […]

(c. 75) You know that game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?” One could easily play that with St. Barnabas. Though not one of the original Apostles, he was about as close as one could be to that. Barnabas was a Jew from Cyprus and it was he who introduced Paul to Peter and the other […]

(c. 1235–1298) The daughter of King Bela IV of Hungary, Jolenta was sent to Poland to supervise the education of her sister Kunigunde, who was married to the Duke of Poland. So introduced into the Polish court, Jolenta became the wife of Boleslaaus, the Duke of Greater Poland. Together with her husband, the pair did […]

(1195–1231) St. Anthony certainly does not need any introduction in our city, having a neighboring parish bearing his name. He often is invoked when someone searches for a lost item or is at a loss for patience. There are, however, some popular misconceptions about the holy man. First of all, though he is the patron […]

(1845–1916) Albert was born near Kraków, Poland. At 19 years old he lost a leg in the Polish revolt against Czar Alexander III. His handicap did not stop him from cultivating his artistic talents as a painter. He studied in Warsaw, Munich and Paris. He returned to Kraków and became a Secular Franciscan. In 1888, […]

(1701–1771) Marguerite hails from neighboring Varennes, Canada. Her hardships began very early in life, when at age 12 she left school to help her widowed mother. In 1725 she married François d’Youville, an indifferent gambler and bootlegger. By his death in 1730, they produced six children, but only two survived. While raising her children, she […]

(1597-1640) St. John Regis, though born more than 400 years ago, was in many ways a man for our times. Pope John Paul II honored him in 1997 as an example of holiness and example for the church in today’s world. Among his patronage are those of medical social workers and illegitimate children. The St. […]

(1797-1856) St. Emily is the founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Assumption. She is recognized for introducing a new level of dedication for the poorest of the poor. Her mission, together with a few companions, began modestly in 1832 in Gaillac, France. Encouraged by the archbishop of Albi, François-Marie de Gauly, her […]

Mark and Marcellian were brothers of noble Roman birth. Though they converted to Christianity as boys, their families remained pagan. They later they each married, but their wives and children remained pagan. Under the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian they were arrested and put in prison. They were instructed to sacrifice to the Roman gods or […]

(1270-1341) St. Juliana was born to a wealthy Florentine family during one of the city’s most turbulent times. Two parties, the Guelfs (supporters of the papacy) and the Ghibellines (supporters of the emperor) were in constant political and physical conflict. Having lost her father at an early age, Juliana was raised by her widowed mother […]