St. Philomena, virgin and martyr, is a challenge to modern minds. Martyred during the third century, she was completely unknown on earth until her intact tomb was discovered in 1802 during an excavation of the Roman Catacombs. All that could … Continue reading
Category: Lives of the Saints
Saint André Bessette: Montreal’s Miracle Worker
[This article was formerly titled “Blessed Brother André of Saint Joseph.” With the canonization of Frere André on October 17, 2010, we have changed the name to something more fitting. The author is grateful that he had the grace to … Continue reading
American Wonderworker, The Life and Miracles of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
October in New Orleans. The Crescent City is getting its first annual breath of relief from the seemingly endless summer. Though the calendar says fall has started, September is still really summer in this city on the Mississippi. It’s 1867, … Continue reading
Saint Jerome, Doctor of Biblical Studies
Saint Jerome (c. 341-420) is both a Father and a Doctor of the Church; and he has, through the centuries, been a great light and inspiration to the whole world. We are convinced that we need him now more than … Continue reading
Saint Thomas More: His Times and Ours
No layman of equal status from Medieval Times until this very day presents such an epitome of tradition and progress with such sanity and balance as the sixteenth century saint and martyr, Thomas More. Is this then to be another … Continue reading
Saint Maria Goretti, Martyr of Purity
“In a time that has increasingly stressed education as an indispensable need, she knew neither how to read nor how to write; but she knew better than others how to live and how to die.” —Marie Cecilia Buehrle. Her life … Continue reading
Saint Mary Magdalen, the Beautiful Penitent
In order to know what great love is, one should study the beautiful penitent, who washed the feet of Jesus with the water of her tears, and dried them with the towel of her hair. Saint Mary Magdalen’s audacity, her … Continue reading
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
Our Lady especially loves little children. They are so guileless, so direct. Their faith is so simple and chaste, their hope so aspiring and inspiring, their charity so warm and sincere, that She could not help but love them above … Continue reading
Saint Miguel Pro, A Modern Martyr
Without a trace of fear or hesitancy, he walked to the wall, and tranquilly faced the firing squad. He stretched forth his hands in the form of a cross, refused a blindfold, and cried out: “With all my heart I … Continue reading
Saint Peter, the First Pope
“They who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” (Ps. 125) To Saint Peter, prince of the Apostles, these were very sacred words. It is a tradition that Saint Peter’s cheeks were furrowed by the streams of repentent tears which … Continue reading
Saint Teresa of Avila (1582)
She is the radiant Carmelite nun and prioress who was born at the beginning of the sixteenth century and died at the age of sixty-seven in the year 1582. Saint Teresa of Avila was one of twelve children. From reading … Continue reading