SAINT OF THE DAY

(1486–1555) Thomas García Martínez was born in 1486 in Fuenllana, Ciudad Real, Spain. He spent his childhood in the family home in Villanova de los Infantes. A gifted student, Thomas entered the University of Alcalá at the age of 15. He earned a degree in theology in a very short time and was asked to […]

(1581–1654) In a time when people are marching in our streets shouting “Black lives matter,” we recall St. Peter Claver, who held to that principle more than 400 years ago. Peter left his homeland of Spain forever in 1610 to be a missionary in the colonies of the New World. He sailed into Cartagena; a […]

(1245–1305) Compagnonus de Guarutti and Amata de Guidiani, were childless until a prayerful visit to a shrine of St. Nicholas of Myra in Bari, Italy. In gratitude, the couple named their son Nicholas. Nicholas became an Augustinian friar at age 18, and a student with Blessed Angelus de Scarpetti. He was first a monk at […]

(1620–1684) Miguel Baptista Gran Peris was the only child in a farm family. He married at age 18, but became a widower just 16 months later. He then followed a call to religious life, and Franciscan friar at the convent of Sant Miquel d’Escornalbou, making his religious profession on July 14, 1641, and taking the […]

(950–1012) Born to poor parents, Guy lived a simple agricultural life until age 14. He became assistant sacristan at the Sanctuary of Our Lady at Laken, where his duties included sweeping the church, dressing the altars, taking care of the vestments and altar linens, ringing the bell for Mass and vespers, and providing flowers and […]

(c. 349-407) Growing up, and into adulthood, we often hear chastisement of complainers who lament the lack of some material item. We remind them of all the blessings they have been granted. “More is not better!” we might say to these people. Today’s saint would wholeheartedly agree with that exhortation. Brought to Constantinople after a […]

(Died 1214) St. Albert was born toward the middle of the 12th century in Castel Gualtieri in Emilia, Italy. He entered the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross at Mortara, Pavia, and became prior there in 1180. In 1184, he was named bishop of Bobbio, and the following year he was transferred to Vercelli which […]

(1447-1510)                 St. Catherine Fieschi was the daughter of a Viceroy of Naples, and born in Genoa. Her family had given to the church two popes, nine cardinals and two archbishops. Though noble in birth, rich and exceedingly beautiful, Catherine rejected the excesses of the world, and begged her divine Master for some share in His […]

(4th century)                A detailed account of the martyrdom of today’s saint reveals her many sufferings. Euphemia was the daughter of Christians, the senator Philophronos and Theodosia and suffered for Christ in the year 304 A.D. in the city of Chalcedon, on the banks of the Bosphorus opposite Constantinople. The Chalcedon governor Priscus circulated an order […]

(1542-1621) A promising scholar from his youth in Tuscany, Robert Bellarmine was ordained in 1570. He devoted his energy to the study of church history, as well as to scripture, in order to systematize church doctrine against the attacks of the Protestant Reformers. He was the first Jesuit to become a professor at Louvain. His […]