"Little Shepherd,” Visionary, Sufferer for Sinners St. Jacinta When St. Jacinta was canonized with her brother Francisco, a few years ago in 2017, the two children became the youngest non-martyrs to be canonized. Born in Portugal in 1910, Jacinta was the youngest of the three visionaries at Fatima. She was known as a joyful and [...]

Roman Noblewoman, Persuasive Evangelist, Virgin Martyr, Patron Saint of Music St. Cecilia Years ago, a priest gave me organ lessons, training me to accompany the sacred liturgy for a community of religious sisters. The sisters gifted me a statuette of St. Cecilia, patroness of musicians. It was a miniature of Stefano Maderno’s sculpture depicting Cecilia [...]

Beautiful, Beloved and Bold St. Catherine of Alexandria From simple to sublime – that was Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Early in her life, she had a transformative vision of Mother Mary with Baby Jesus, which sparked her conversion into Christianity, elevating and guiding her intellect, will and passions to be in communion with the Lord’s. [...]

Courageous, Virgin Martyr, Bride of Christ  St. Agnes of Rome Tradition tells us that St. Agnes was born circa 290 A.D. to a wealthy family of nobility in Rome. Her family believed in Christ and introduced Agnes to the truth of the Christian faith. Her name,  Agnes, comes from the Greek, meaning "chaste, pure and [...]

Daughter of the Lord, Mother of Mary, Grandmother of Jesus St. Anne Before the Blessed Virgin Mary, there was Anne of Nazareth, a woman adored by God and filled with God’s Grace. Anne was chosen by God to be the mother of Our Lady and maternal grandmother of Jesus Christ. Barren and childless for a [...]

"Apostle to the Apostles," Contemplative, Penitent St. Mary Magdalene There are many questions about the person of St. Mary Magdalene.  Is she the unnamed woman who washes Jesus’ feet in Luke chapter 7?  Is she the woman who anoints Jesus’ feet before His crucifixion?  Is she the same Mary who is the sister to Lazarus and Martha? Throughout [...]

Educator, Foundress, Pioneer, Social Justice Warrior, Courageous Reformer Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, O.S.P. Elizabeth Clarrise Lange, later known as Mother Mary Lange of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, was born circa 1794 in the French part of Santiago de Cuba. Elizabeth was born to a family of wealth and high social status, providing [...]

Educator, Foundress of the Ursuline Order, Visionary St. Angela Merici St. Angela Merici’s early life was one filled with loss and tragedy. She was born on March 21, 1474 in Desenzano, the Lombardy region of Italy. She and her sister lost their parents when Angela was only ten years old. Angela’s tragedies continued when her [...]

Beloved Spouse of Jesus, Patron of the Dead, Mystic, Theologian St. Gertrude the Great St. Gertrude the Great was born on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1256 in Eisleben, Germany. At the age of five, she began to attend a Cistercian monastery school in Saxony called Helfta, which is why she is also [...]

Martyrs, Mothers, Catechumens, Companions Sts. Perpetua and Felicity In the eyes of the world, Saints Perpetua and Felicity were separated by status: one a well-educated noblewoman, the other a servant or slave. Yet, in life and in death, these two women from early 3rd century Carthage, North Africa, were sisters in Christ. Both catechumens, they [...]