(354–431) Anyone looking for a song for a June wedding? The first existing one we know of was written by St. Paulinus (Paolino in Italian) of Nola. He has an interesting story. He was born near Bordeaux, the son of the Roman prefect of Gaul, he became a distinguished lawyer and even held political positions […]
SAINT OF THE DAY
JUNE 21: ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA
(1568-1591) By all rights, Aloysius Gonzaga should have lived a long and prosperous life. Sometimes divine fate takes the best of us before we can fulfill our earthly promise. Aloysius was born to one of the foremost families of Northern Italy in Stiviere, Republic of Venice. Trained for a military career, he received his education […]
JUNE 22: ST. THOMAS MORE
(1478-1535) Thomas More was an English Renaissance man, scholar, politician and a martyr for his Catholic convictions. An Oxford educated man, he was a master of Latin, Greek and logic. He was a writer of comedies and other works, including the first great histography in English, History of Richard III and Utopia, which criticized the […]
JUNE 23: ST. JOSEPH CAFASSO
(1811-1860) If St. Joseph Cafasso were a book, you certainly could not know it by its cover. Born with a twisted spine, he was small in stature and a bit deformed. His pleasant face and commanding voice quickly earned the respect of those who encountered him. He was a riveting speaker and an admired teacher. […]
JUNE 24: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
(Martyred 30 AD) John the Baptist is a familiar figure in Christian lore. He was born to Zachary, a priest and Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary. It is told that the couple was on in years, pious and virtuous, but Elizabeth was barren, much to their disappointment. One day, when Zachary was about to offer […]
JUNE 25: ST. FEBRONIA
(284-304) A version of the story of today’s saint says that St. Febronia was raised during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian by her aunt Briena, the superior of a convent in Sibapoli, Syria. She was renowned for her beauty, piety and virtue. When she was about 19 years old Diocletian sent the prefect […]
JUNE 26: ST. ANTHELM
(1107-1178) Anthelm was born in the South of France and did not begin his religious career until after a visit to the Carthusian Charterhouse at Portes when he was 30 years old Only two years past before he became the abbot of Le Grande Chartreuse. In this position he undertook reconstruction of the physical facility, […]
JUNE 27: ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA
Last Updated on June 27, 2020 by Editor (circa 378-444) Most of us would like to think that our revered saints are without blemish, that everything in their lives was chaste, holy and just. There are some parts of St. Cyril’s story that would challenge that idea by our modern standards. Cyril was the nephew […]
JUNE 28: ST. IRENAEUS
(130-202) St. Irenaeus, the bishop of Lugdunum (today Lyons, France) was born in Smyrna in Asia Minor, he was a pupil of Polycarp, who in turn, was a disciple of the apostle John. This connection to one of the original witnesses of Christ solidified the legitimacy of his teaching. Two of Irenaeus’ many written works […]
JUNE 29: STS. PETER AND PAUL
Today we have the pleasure to celebrate two of the founders of the church. The first, St. Peter, is the “Rock” (in Jesus’ words) upon which the church was established. Even though he denied his association to Christ during the passion, Jesus saw something that not even Peter himself recognized. On the Day of Pentecost […]