TFP Student Action: Our young saint lived in tumultuous times. The socialist government of Mexico was waging a bloody war against the Catholic Church, and fervent Catholics known as the Cristeros rose up to defend Christ the King. Their heroic … Continue reading
Category: Lives of the Saints
Saint Robert Southwell: A Brief Life
Robert Southwell was born in 1561, the third son of Richard Southwell, a gentlemen and courtier of Horsham St. Faith in Norfolk. His mother was Bridget Southwell, a Copley of Sussex. His paternal grandfather was Sir Richard Southwell of Wodrising … Continue reading
Blessed Herman the Cripple, Author of Salve Regina and Alma Redemptoris Mater
A hundred years after Blessed Herman died, Saint Bernard added the O Clemens, O Pia, O Dulcis Virgo Maria to the Salve Regina, genuflecting three times as he processed to the altar in the cathedral of Speyers in 1146 on … Continue reading
On Padre Pio’s Feast Day, Let Us Give Thanks for His Father
Seton Magazine, John Clark: On a hot and sunny day about one hundred and twenty-five years ago, on a little Italian farm, the landscape contained a familiar image—a man tending to the needs of his land. That man, Grazio Mario … Continue reading
Was the Last Apostle to Die Martyred?
ChurchPop: Of the 12 Apostles appointed by Jesus, 10 of them died as martyrs. Judas, the traitor,took his own life. But the last Apostle to die, John, met a very different fate. Living nearly to the very end of the 1st century, he died … Continue reading
Council Father, a Saint Who Spoke in Tongues
Last week, August 23, was the feast day of Saint Rose of Lima, one of five saints from that illustrious city in Peru. It is also the feast day of a lesser known saint, Philip Benizi. There were two saints … Continue reading
St. Mary Magdalene is the Same Mary, the Sister of Lazarus and Martha of Bethany
I had doubted this in the past. My main reason was that Saint Mary Magdalene is called “the Magdalene” not “Mary of Bethany.” Magdala was in Galilee, not Judea, where Bethany was. I stand corrected by this informative article by Father … Continue reading
The ‘Gaucho’ Priest and Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio to Be Canonized October 16
CNA: If Jose Brochero doesn’t sound like a Gaucho name, nothing does. Earlier this year, Pope Francis announced Oct. 16 as the canonization date for Blessed Brochero, a fellow countryman from Argentina also known as the “Gaucho priest.” More here.
‘If You Would Have Seen Him He Is So Ugly’
Saint Gemma Galgani ChurchPop: “During the last two days Jesus has been telling me after Holy Communion: ‘My daughter, the devil will soon wage a great war against you,’” she wrote to a priest. “These words I hear in my heart continuously. … Continue reading
Saint Columba and the Loch Ness Monster
(Courtesy of Fisheaters.com) St. Columba (also known as “Columcille”) was born of the O’Donnell Clan in Garten, County Donegal, Ireland, on December 7, 521; he died on 9 June, 597. In between, he founded monasteries in and evangelized Ireland and … Continue reading
The Fourteen Holy Helpers
During the chastizing period of the Black Death that devastated Europe from 1346-1349 there were many saints that the faithful invoked against the plague and sudden death. Among these were those who a century later would be known as the … Continue reading
The 124 Korean Martyrs
AsiaNews: The Korean Church waits for the canonization of Paul Yun Ji-chung and his 123 companions, proclaimed Servants of God by the Vatican in 2003. Bishop of Daejeon: “It would be nice to have Pope Francis here to celebrate together.” Their … Continue reading
Armenian Martyr Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan
Reading through the tenth anniversary issue of the Knights of Columbus’ Colombia magazine I came to a short, boxed article on Blessed Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan. He was one of the Armenian martyrs, victim of the Turkish genocide. Shoukr Allah Maloyan … Continue reading
A Polish Martyr Who Gave Her Life for Her Daughter-in-Law
National Catholic Register, Matthew Archbold: Blessed Marianna Biernacka is described in many reports as leading a “simple” life. But it’s my experience that there are really no simple lives. Marianna knew heartbreak. She knew fear. She knew backbreaking work. She … Continue reading