SAINT OF THE DAY

JUNE 30: ST. THEOBALD

(1017 – 1066) Theobald was born into a noble family in Provins, France. His father was Arnout, the Count of Champagne. Raised in the military tradition of his family, he abandoned that life without the knowledge of his parent to live the life of a hermit, first in France and later in Luxemburg. He and […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 1: ST. JUNIPERO SERRA

(1713-1784) The American West is dotted with the names of missions founded by St. Junipero —  San Diego, San Juan Capistrano, Monterey/Carmel, San Antonio, San Gabriel, San Luís Obispo, Santa Clara, San Buenaventura, San Francisco. Who would have thought that the boy from the island of Mallorca, Spain, would have done so much abroad? It […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 2: ST. OLIVER PLUNKETT

(1629 – 1681) St. Oliver was born in County Meath Ireland, in 1629. He studied for the priesthood in Rome and was ordained there in 1654. He spent the beginning of his career teaching and serving the poor of Rome. In 1669 he was appointed Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland. When a wave of English […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 3: ST. THOMAS

(martyred circa 72 A.D.) When we hear the story of how Thomas needed to touch the wounds of the risen Christ to believe in his resurrection, we are reminded of our own struggles with our faith. Once convinced, he became a fervid believer, throwing himself at Jesus’ feet and saying, “My Lord and my God.” […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 4: ST. ANDREW OF CRETE

(660-740) Andrew was born in Damascus, and for the first seven years of his life did not speak. It is said that it was only after receiving his First Communion that he uttered his first words. He began his religious career at age 14 as a clerk. He proved to be brilliant in his job […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 5: ST. ANTHONY MARY ZACCARIA

(1502-1539) Born into a noble family from Cremona, Italy, Anthony lost his father shortly after he was born. His young mother (18 years old) never remarried but dedicated her life to her son and charitable works. Anthony was a bright child and studied Latin and Greek with private tutors and, when a bit older, was […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 6: ST. MARIA GORETTI

(1890–1902) St. Maria Goretti is the youngest saint. Maria was born into a poor family near Ancona, on the east coast of Italy. By the time she was 6 years old her family had lost everything, and her father moved them near Nettuno, about 40 miles south of Rome in hopes to establish a viable […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 7: ST. ETHELBURGA OF FAREMOUTIERS-EN-BRIE

(Died 664) St. Ethelburga was one of the five daughters of King Anna of East Anglia. She was sent to the monastery of Faremoutier, in Brie (France) with her sister Saethrith to be educated. Ethelburga became a nun and, eventually, succeeded her sister as abbess. While abbess, she began to build a church in honor […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 8: ST. PROCOPIUS OF SCYTHOPOLIS

(Died 303) St. Procopius holds the distinction of being the first Christian martyr of his city in what today is northern Israel. He was born in Jerusalem and was well educated and known for his virtue, grace, humility and chastity. He held three offices in the Sycythopolis church: reader, translator of Greek and exorcist. He […]

SAINT OF THE DAY

JULY 9: ST. VERONICA GIULIANI

(1660–1727) At birth in Mercatello, Italy, our saint of the day in was given the name Ursula. By her third or fourth year she already experienced a vision of the child Jesus while picking flowers in the garden. He simply said, “I am the true flower,” and then vanished. Growing up, Ursula would listen with […]