SAINT OF THE DAY

(189 –1942) Today’s saint was born into a prominent Jewish family in Breslau, Germany — now Wroclaw, Poland — just as her family was celebrating Yom Kippur, the most important Jewish festival, the Day of Atonement. Her birth name was Edith Stein. Upon the death of her father when she was 2 years old, her […]

(Died 258AD) Little is known about the early life of St. Lawrence. He was a Christian during a very dangerous era, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Valerian, who ruled from 253 to 260. Lawrence became a Roman archdeacon under Pope St. Sixtus II. His position of arch deacon held the responsibility as the […]

On Palm Sunday 1211, 18 year-old Clare decided to rebel against her wealthy — and much beloved — family, in pursuit of the desire for true freedom that God put in her: She wanted to be poor. Seven years prior, she had witnessed a wealthy young man strip naked, return his rich and elegant clothing […]

(1572 –1641) At 20 years old, Jane married Christophe, a baron whom she soon found out was under a mountain of debt. Armed with her faith and humor (a friend once said, “Even stupid jokes were funny when she told them”), she took charge by personally organizing and supervising every detail of the estate, a […]

(Died 587 AD) St. Radegunda — also spelled Radegund or Radegundis, or in French, Sainte Radegonde — was a Thuringian princess. Radegunda was captured about 531 by Chlotar I during an expedition against the Thuringians. She was educated at his court, and, although she is said to have hoped from an early age to be […]

(1894–1941) “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This famous quote from John 15:12-13 was followed to the letter by today’s remarkable saint, Maximilian Mary Kolbe. He was born in Zduńska-Wola, Poland, during […]

(3rd century) Today’s saint proves that age is not a qualification for sainthood. He was martyred at age 12. He was alive during a period of open persecutions of the Christians. At that time each day, from a secret meeting place in the catacombs where Christians gathered for Mass, a deacon would be sent to […]

(1295-1327) St. Roch, also known as Roche and Rocco, was born in Montpellier, France, about 1295. His father was governor of that city. At his birth St. Roch is said to have had on his breast a birthmark in the shape of a red cross. His parents died when he was about 20 and he […]

(1666-1736) A chance encounter with a particular individual can sometimes alter the course of a lifetime. Today’s saint’s encounter with a shabby old woman many dismissed as insane prompted St. Joan (Jeanne DeLanoue), a relatively successful businesswoman, known more for her insensitivity and greed, to dedicate her life to the poor. This was a significant […]

St. Helena rose from humble station (St. Ambrose described her as a “good stable maid”) to become empress of the western world. She was born the third century in the town of Bithynia in Asia Minor. Her modesty and virtue attracted the attention of a young Roman official, Constantius Chlorus, who took her as his […]