St. Cecilia
Feast day is November 22.
Patron of Music.
She was a member of a noble Roman family. She was ordered to marry a nobleman. She converted him to Christianity and dedicated her life to consecrated virginity. She is a patron of music since it is reported she had a great talent to play many musical instruments. Her husband and she dedicated their time and wealth to helping the poor. He was put to death for his faith and when she refused to sacrifice to the gods, the judge ordered her killed. The first attempt to kill her failed and when the executioner attempted to cut off her head under a second sentence he only wounded her. She suffered for three days with the wound before she died after receiving the final Eucharist and dedicating all her wealth to help the poor.
St. Agnes
Feast day is January 21.
Patron of children of Mary.
As a young twelve-year-old Christian she was led to the altar of the goddess Minerva to offer incense. She refused and raised her hands to Jesus and made the Sign of the Cross. She was offered in marriage to a rich young man to escape further punishment but she refused. After being tortured and humiliated before a crowd she was beheaded. Before being killed she proclaimed, “Christ is my Spouse. He chose me first and His I will be. He made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace and virtue. I belong to Him whom the angels serve.” The name Agnes in Latin means lamb in English.
St. Therese of the Child Jesus
Feast day is October 1
Patron of Foreign Missions
She was born in a pious French religious family from which several of her older sisters became religious nuns. At a very early age she experienced a cure through prayer to the Blessed Virgin in which she said the statue of her had smiled upon her. At the age of 15 she was given special permission to enter the convent early. In her practice of serving others she strove to accept doing God’s way through the “Little Way” of prayer, sacrifice, and suffering- no matter how small and inconsequential, she offered up to God for the saving of the souls of others. As a young woman, she developed Tuberculosis. This was a slow and painful death that she patiently suffered for the salvation of others, praying especially for the missions. She died in 1897 at the age of twenty-four. Some claimed that on the day of her death the whole town was filled with the wonderful smell of roses. The cross of suffering and roses are often seen in her pictures.
St Francis Cabrini
Feast day is November 13.
Patron of Emigrants and Hospital Administrators.
She is the first American citizen to be canonized a Saint in 1946. Born in Italy she grew up on a farm in a large family. She took care of her parents until their death. While teaching for a parish she was asked by the bishop to found a missionary order to care for poor children in hospitals and schools. Pope Leo XIII asked her to go to the USA to serve the many poor there, especially the new Italian immigrants going to the USA in 1890. She founded, with her community of fellow dedicated women religious, many hospitals, schools and orphanages for the poor both in the USA but also Europe.
Our Lady of Lourdes – Shrine to Mary the Mother of Jesus.
In 1858, in southern France, Our Lady appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, a young farm girl. She revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception, asked that a chapel be built on the site of the vision, and told the girl to drink from a fountain in the grotto. No fountain was to be seen but when Bernadette dug a spot designated by the apparition, a spring began to flow. The water still is flowing from this spring and has had remarkable healing power, though it contains no curative property that science can identify.
Our Lady Fatima – Shrine is to Mary for forgiveness and conversion.
Mary appeared to three shepherd children near the town of Fatima, Portugal the summer of 1917. Appearing to the children, the Blessed Virgin told them that she had been sent by God with a message for every man, woman and child living in our century. She brought three messages to the people. She promised that heaven would grant peace to the entire world if people followed the requests for prayers and repentance.
St. Francis of Assisi
Feast day is October 4.
Patron of animals, ecology, tapestry makers.
In his youth, he was extravagant and carefree. On a pilgrimage to Rome he exchanged his rich attire for grimy beggar garb. Stole bolts of fabric from his father’s warehouse to give to the poor. His father disinherited him before the bishop. Francis found his true love in “My Lady Poverty”. He founded the Franciscan Order and Poor Clares order of Nuns.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Feast day is November 17
Patron of hospitals.
She was born in Hungary but married a German Prince. She had four children and dedicated her time and part of her wealth to helping the poor, building a hospital for the poor, and helping the sick. Her husband and his family opposed her work with the poor and sick. One day while carrying bread in a blanket he tried to open it to catch her I doing what he had forbidden. He only found flowers. After his death she sold what she had, gave it to the poor, and worked to support her family.
St. Patrick of Ireland
Feast day is March 17
Patron of Ireland.
He converted most of Ireland to Christianity and brought Ireland to better relations to the Western Church. Often known to have sent the snakes from Ireland. He is noted as the first Bishop of Ireland and great teacher, even of the Trinity that he tried to explain with the use of the three-leaf clover.
St. Martin of Tours
Feast day is November 11
Patron of soldiers.
He was born in Hungary but raised in Italy. While serving in the Roman army he became a Christian at age 18. He had a special desire to help the poor. One day he cut his cloak in half to help a cold beggar. That night a dream he saw Christ dressed in the half of the garment he had given away and He said to Martin: “You have covered Me with this garment.” After leaving the army he became a priest and bishop in Tours, France. He was a pastor who cared for the poor, founded monasteries, trained the priests and preached the Gospel.
The Apostles of the Church
In the upper windows in the front chapel are the twelve Apostles. St. Peter can be identified with the Keys of the Church in his hands. The others are more difficult to identify. See if you can find signs in the windows as to whom they belong: Peter, Paul, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot.
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Feast day is June 21
Patron of youth.
He was a noble lad from Venice, Italy. His father wished him to be a soldier but he disliked their vulgar talk and ungodly behavior. He was noted fro his kindness and willingness to help others. After his father realized his devotion to God he allowed him to join the newly formed Society of Jesus called the Jesuits. While in his studies to become a priest a great plague passed through the country. He went out to help the sick and also became sick from the plague and died. He died in 1591.
St. Stanislaus Kostka
Feast day is August 15
Patron of students.
He was born in 1550 of a noble wealthy Polish family. As a young boy he was sent away with his brother to study with the Jesuits. He was very bright and kind. His brother mistreated him. His father also opposed his plans to become a priest with the Jesuits. He was forced to flee them and continue his studies in Rome. He had a special devotion to Mary, the mother of God. He was a very dedicated student and prayerful person. He became ill and died on the feast of the Assumption of Mary in 1568 while not yet 18 years old.
St. George
Feast day is April 23
Patron of Boy Scouts, Knights, and Horsemen. Patron of England.
He was a soldier in the Roman army serving in Palestine before 300 AD. He suffered martyrdom in Lydda. A popular story in Palestine relates how a dragon was terrifying the city and the leaders decided to offer an innocent princess to it. St. George saved the princess from the dragon but only after the whole city agreed to be baptized. He then killed the dragon.
St. Stephen
Feast day is December 25
Patron of bricklayers, builders, and construction workers.
He is the first recorded Christian to die for his faith. The story can be found in the early chapters of Acts of the Apostles. He was stoned to death by pious Jews for blasphemy. The event was witnessed and supported by Saul who after his conversion became know as St. Paul. St. Stephen was one of the first deacons of the church who were given the charge of feeding and caring of the poor.
St. Bridget of Ireland
Feast day is February 1
Patroness of Ireland, nuns and fugitives.
Her mother died young and she was raised by her father. It is believed that she may have been baptized by St. Patrick. As a beautiful young lady she had many young men seek her hand in marriage. She prayed to become less beautiful so that she could become a nun dedicated to serving the Lord. The story ends with her losing her beauty, her father then permitting her to join a convent. After her vows to serve the Lord her beauty returned. She went out as a missionary to build many churches, schools and convents in Ireland.
St. Anne and the Child Mary
Feast day is July 26
Patroness of Canada, wives, mothers and grandmothers.
She was married to Joachim and they were childless. An Angel came to her and told her she was with child. She dedicated the child she gave birth to, Mary, to God. Mary was later to become the Mother of God through the birth of Jesus, the son of God.
St. Vincent de Paul
Feast day is September 27
Patron of charitable societies and hospital workers.
He was ordained a priest at nineteen. He founded a conference of charity workers to assist the poor. He also founded a group of sisters to help in this work – Daughters of Charity. Later he influenced a group of laymen and women to work for the poor through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Many parishes have such groups. All Saints has one. In church one finds baskets marked for the collection of food that they give to the poor.
St. Nicholas
Feast day is December 6
Patron of bakers, pawnbrokers, children, and Greece.
He is best known by his Dutch name of Santa Claus. He was recognized as holy even in his childhood. The story is told that three young girls were in need of a dowry (gift) for marriage. It was customary for the bride to give the groom’s family money as a sign of loyalty and support in the marriage. No money, no groom! St. Nicholas is said to have secretly thrown each in their window (down their chimney) during the dead of night a small gold ball. These three balls are often symbolized in pictures of St. Nicholas to represent financial aid in the time of need (used often as pawn shop symbols).
St. Goar
Feast day is July 6
Patron of hotel keepers, potters, and wine growers.
He was a parish Priest who became a hermit (one who lives in and out of the way and dedicates his life to prayer, reflection of God’s Word, and kind deeds. His small hermitage was situated along a desolate road where he served travelers food, water, and a rest place. Accused of hypocrisy and sorcery by the local bishop, he was found innocent. He was then offered the bishop’s office but died before giving his answer.
St. Boniface (Bonifacius)
Feast day is June 5
Patron of Germany
Born in 680 in England he was educated as a youth to become a Benedictine monk. He was sent to Germany with the Pope’s blessing to destroy their idols, build churches, and convert the people. He cut down a huge oak they had dedicated to the god Jupiter and used the wood to build a church. He set up the first bishoprics in the German speaking lands. In north Germany and what is today Holland, while he was preparing to confirm a group of new Christians on June 5, 755 a group of pagan soldiers attacked and killed him and the new converts.