SAINT OF THE DAY

(1207 -1231) Today’s saint, Elizabeth, has been honored in our community through the name of one of our local hospitals. Elizabeth’s father was Andrew II, the rich and powerful King of Hungary. To reinforce political ties, he had married the German Countess Gertrude of Andechs-Meran, sister of St Hedwig who was wife to the Duke […]

(880–942) St. Odo was born in about 880, on the boundary between the Maine and the Touraine regions of France. His father consecrated him to the holy Bishop Martin of Tours, in whose beneficent shadow and memory he was to spend his entire life, which he ended close to St Martin’s tomb. Odo was still […]

(1240-1298) Matilda Von Hackeborn-Wippra belonged to one of the noblest and most powerful Thuringian families. Her sister was the saintly and illustrious Abbess Gertrude von Hackeborn. Matilda was so fragile at birth, that the attendants, fearing she might die unbaptized, hurried her off to the priest who was just then preparing to say Mass. After […]

(1769-1852) St. Rose was born in Grenoble, France. She learned political skills from her father and a love of the poor from her mother. Rose entered the Visitation of Mary convent at 19 and remained despite family opposition. As the French Revolution broke, the convent was closed, and she began taking care of the poor […]

(1842-1902) Born Frances Siedliska, into a family of privilege and wealth in mid-19th century Poland, Frances hungered for a deep spiritual life that expressed itself in the radical commitment of vowed religious life. As she traveled through Europe seeking cures for her physical ailments, she eventually recognized and accepted God’s invitation to begin a new […]

(Martyred c. 230 Ad) The picture of St. Cecelia above comes from the ceiling over the choir loft at St. Mary of Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament Parish. Today we celebrate her feast. Her story is contained in the Passio Sanctae Caeciliae, a more literary than historical text. It tells us that Cecilia was betrothed […]

(c. 843-615) St. Columban was from Leinster, Ireland, and went on to become an abbot, a writer, speaker and one of the greatest missionaries of the Celtic Church initiating a revival of spirituality in Europe. He went to the great monastic seat of learning at Bangor in Northern Ireland, where he was educated by St. […]

(Third century) Chrysogonus was a martyr who suffered at Aquileia, probably during the persecution of Diocletian. He was buried there, and publicly venerated by the faithful of that region. Soon the veneration of this martyr of Aquileia was transferred to Rome, where a titular church, in Trastevere, bears his name to this day. In about […]

(287-305) St. Catherine was born in Alexandria, Egypt, one of the finest cities in the world, and a center of learning and culture as well as faith in that period. Christian tradition states she was of noble birth, possibly a princess. As a member of the nobility, she was also educated and was an avid […]

(1177-1267) Sylvester was born into a noble family in Osimo. As a young man he was sent to study jurisprudence at Bologna and Padua but felt more drawn to theology. Changing his concentration of studies, he dedicated long hours to prayer and when his father became aware of his change of heart refused to speak […]