Saint Fidelis was born Mark Rey in 1577, at Sigmaringen, Prussia, and was first a practicing lawyer who was a zealous advocate for the poor. Disgusted by injustice in the legal profession, Mark Rey chose to enter the Capuchin friars and took
Wife of King Henry I of Germany, Matilda was a Benedictine Oblate and the mother of Otto the Great. Her husband died in 936, and her sons, Otto and Henry, vied for their father’s throne. Matilda supported
Henry’s claim to power. When Otto
St. Frances of Rome (1384-1440) — an Italian wife, mother, and founder of the Oblates of St. Frances of Rome — led a life marked by deep prayer and service to the poor, despite personal sorrows including the loss of two children
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., invites visitors to explore the lives of heroic women — saints in the Church — through art every day. The museum presents a special opportunity for Catholics on International Women’s Day. Instead of producing
St. John of God was orphaned at eight, and was at one point a shepherd, soldier and book dealer before experiencing a profound spiritual awakening at age 40, guided by a vision of the Infant Jesus and the influence of St. John
Saints Perpetual and Felicity are best known for their joy and calm amid terror and horrendous suffering. Together with other companions, they were imprisoned for their Christian faith when the governor of Carthage enforced an edict by the Roman emperor forbidding conversion
St. Gregory of Narek was an Armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher and theologian born in A.D. 950. In 2015, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, Pope Francis declared him a Doctor of the Church for his timeless and
No one saw the speaker, but Christians nearby heard words of encouragement spoken at the time St. Polycarp was on trial for being a Christian in A.D.155. A friend of St. Ignatius of Antioch, another early Christian martyr, Polycarp was a bishop
The feast of the Chair of St. Peter honors the special role given to the apostle Peter by Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Christ asks his apostles, “Who do people say that the Son of Man
St. Peter Damian is known for a deep devotion to Christ as evidenced in his initial life as a hermit and in his writings calling for the reform of the Church particularly with regard to simony and priestly celibacy. His sufferings as
Francisco and Jacinta Marto were two of the three children (along with their cousin Lucia dos Santos) to whom the Blessed Virgin appeared at Fatima from May to October 1917. The three lived in the village of Aljustrel, near Fatima, Portugal, and