catholicsaints

Born in 1458, St. Casimir was the son of King Casimir IV and Queen Elizabeth, monarchs of Poland and Lithuania. In contrast to other members of the royal court, St. Casimir preferred a life of asceticism and prayer. He was educated by Fr. John Dlugosz, the historian and diplomat whose deep piety and political expertise would greatly influence Casimir in his upbringing. Known for his material charity to the poor, St. Casimir was a compassionate young man with great devotion and love for the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

~ In 1984, at the 500th anniversary commemorating St. Casimir’s death, St. John Paul II said, “His life of purity and prayer beckons you to practise your faith with courage and zeal, to reject the deceptive attractions of modern permissive society, and to live your convictions with fearless confidence and joy.”

St. Katharine was the founder of the congregation of missionary nuns, dedicated to the welfare of American Indians and African Americans, now named Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Born into a wealthy family in 1858, St. Katharine was greatly influenced by seeing her parents practice charity from their own home, distributing food, clothing, and money to the poor. She would devote her life to the impoverished, taking a special interest in the material and spiritual well-being of African Americans and Native Americans. In 1915, she founded Xavier University in New Orleans, along with the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. At the time of her death, St. Katharine had used a large amount of her inheritance for her charitable and apostolic missions.

~ “God of love, you called Saint Katharine Drexel to teach the message of the Gospel and to bring the life of the Eucharist to the Native American and African American peoples; by her prayers and example, enable us to work for justice among the poor and the oppressed, and keep us undivided in love […]

St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, was close to St. John the Evangelist, and sometimes accompanied him on his apostolic journeys. In the second century, St. Polycarp was martyred under emperor Aurelius for refusing to renounce Christ as Lord and King. At his trial, he said, “Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?”

~ “God of all creation, who were pleased to give the Bishop Saint Polycarp a place in the company of the Martyrs, grant, through his intercession, that, sharing with him in the chalice of Christ, we may rise through the Holy Spirit to eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ from the Proper of […]

This feast commemorates the office of supreme pastor conferred by Christ upon St. Peter and continued in unbroken succession to the present. ~ from the Proper of Saints, Daily Roman Missal

–“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter said in reply, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And […]

Born into a wealthy and prominent family in Thessalonica, brothers Cyril and Methodius evangelized Moravia, Bohemia, and Bulgaria. Their ardent love for Christ would drive them to renounce wealth and status in order to fully commit themselves in service to the Lord. St. John Paul II proclaimed them patron saints of Europe along with St. Benedict of Nursia.

~ “O God, who enlightened the Slavic peoples through the brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius, grant that out hearts may grasp the words of your teaching, and perfect us as a people of one accord in true faith and right confession. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ from the Proper of Saints, Daily Roman Missal […]

Today marks the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Bernadette, the young peasant girl from Southern France. In 1858, Our Lady revealed herself to St. Bernadette as “the Immaculate Conception,” and her loving message was a call to conversion, prayer, and charity.

~ “Grant us, O merciful God, protection in our weakness, that we, who keep the Memorial of the Immaculate Mother of God, may, with the help of her intercession, rise up from our iniquities. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ from the Proper of Saints, Daily Roman Missal

Born in 480 to a Roman noble family, St. Scholastica was the twin sister of St. Benedict, the “father of monasticism.” Following the rule of her brother, she founded the Order of Benedictine nuns. According to the “Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great,” they spent their last day together in prayer and conversation.

~ “As we celebrate anew the Memorial of the Virgin Saint Scholastica, we pray, O Lord, that, following her example, we may serve you with pure love and happily receive what comes from loving you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ from the Proper of Saints, Daily Roman Missal

St. Agatha is one of the most highly venerated of the virgin martyrs in the early Church. Although there is little that is known about her life, tradition holds that she was born in Sicily to a noble family, and martyred there during the time of Emperor Decius in the third century. St. Agatha is among the saints commemorated in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I).

~ “May the Virgin Martyr Saint Agatha implore your compassion for us, O Lord, we pray, for she found favor with you by the courage of her martyrdom and the merit of her chastity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ from the Proper of Saints, Daily Roman Missal

In both the Eastern and Western Church, there is widespread veneration of St. Blasé due to the many cures attributed to him. According to tradition, he was a physician before being consecrated Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia and in 316 martyred under Licinius.

“Hear, O Lord, the supplications your people make under the patronage of the Martyr Saint Blaise, and grant that they may rejoice in peace in this present life, and find help for life eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one […]