Daily Saints

Saint Cloud

Born in 522, Clodoald was the grandson of the Frankish King Clovis I, whose conversion to orthodox Christianity rather than the Arian heresy made him the first Catholic ruler of present-day France. In 554 Clodoald returned to the monastic life, founding and leading a community of monks in the village of Nogent near Paris. There, he was known for his generosity toward the poor, and his attention to the work of religious instruction among the people. He died on Sept. 7, 560, at the age of 38.

Under the name of “St. Cloud,” Clodoald became the namesake of several cities and towns. These include the Parisian suburb of Saint-Cloud, and later St. Cloud, Minnesota, whose Catholic diocese has been placed under his patronage.

Saint Cloud Read More »

Saint Eleutherius

Daily Saints

St. Eleutherius (d. 585 A.D.) was a monk living in Spoleto, Italy. Little is known of his early life. He became the Abbot of St. Mark’s Abbey and was well-known as a man of simplicity and penance. He also demonstrated the gift of miracles and exorcism, and raised a dead man to life. After he healed a boy from demonic possession and saw that the child was afterwards left unharmed, St. Eleutherius made a remark to this effect: “Since the child is among the servants of God, the devil dares not approach him.” Then the boy, who came to live at St. Mark’s Abbey to be educated by the monks, became possessed again. St. Eleutherius repented of his vain and presumptuous remark, and the whole monastery underwent a penitential fast before the devil would leave the boy for the final time. St. Eleutherius was a friend of Pope St. Gregory the Great, the latter having called upon the saint to pray for him in his illness. St. Eleutherius died in Rome in 585 A.D.

Saint Eleutherius Read More »

Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Daily Saints

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the tiny woman recognized throughout the world for her work among the poorest of the poor, was beatified October 19, 2003. Among those present were hundreds of Missionaries of Charity, the order she founded in 1950, as a diocesan religious community. Today the congregation also includes contemplative sisters and brothers, and an order of priests.

Born to Albanian parents in what is now Skopje, Macedonia, Gonxha (Agnes) Bojaxhiu was the youngest of the three children who survived. In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. On September 5, 1997, God called her home. Blessed Teresa was canonized by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016.

Saint Teresa of Calcutta Read More »

Saint Rose of Viterbo

Daily Saints

Even as a child, Rose had a great desire to pray and to aid the poor. While still very young, she began a life of penance in her parents’ house. She was as generous to the poor as she was strict with herself. At the age of 10, she became a Secular Franciscan and soon began preaching in the streets about sin and the sufferings of Jesus.

Viterbo, her native city, was then in revolt against the pope. When Rose took the pope’s side against the emperor, she and her family were exiled from the city. When the pope’s side won in Viterbo, Rose was allowed to return. Her attempt at age 15 to found a religious community failed, and she returned to a life of prayer and penance in her father’s home, where she died in 1251. Rose was canonized in 1457.

Saint Rose of Viterbo Read More »

Saint Gregory the Great

Daily Saints

Gregory was born in Rome and followed the career of public service that was unusual for the son of an aristocratic family, finally becoming the prefect of Rome before he was 30. After five years in office he resigned, founded six monasteries on his Sicilian estate, and became a Benedictine monk in his own home at Rome. Ordained a priest, Gregory became one of the pope’s seven deacons, and also served six years in the East as papal representative in Constantinople. He was recalled to become abbot, but at the age of 50 was elected pope by the clergy and people of Rome. He is known for his reform of the liturgy, and for strengthening respect for doctrine. Whether he was largely responsible for the revision of “Gregorian” chant is disputed. An Anglican historian has written: “It is impossible to conceive what would have been the confusion, the lawlessness, the chaotic state of the Middle Ages without the medieval papacy; and of the medieval papacy, the real father is Gregory the Great.” He died on 12th of March 604, but as this date always fall within Lent, his feast is celebrated on the date of his election as Pope.

Saint Gregory the Great Read More »

Blessed John Francis Burte and companions

Daily Saints

These priests were victims of the French Revolution. Though their martyrdom spans a period of several years, they stand together in the Church’s memory because they all gave their lives for the same principle. In 1791, the Civil Constitution of the Clergy required all priests to take an oath which amounted to a denial of the faith. Each of these men refused and was executed.

John Francis Burté became a Franciscan at 16 and after ordination taught theology to the young friars. Later he was guardian of the large Conventual friary in Paris until he was arrested and held in the convent of the Carmelites.

Blessed John Francis Burte and companions Read More »

Saint Giles

Daily Saints

Despite the fact that much about Saint Giles is shrouded in mystery, we can say that he was one of the most popular saints in the Middle Ages. Likely, he was born in the first half of the seventh century in southeastern France. That is where he built a monastery that became a popular stopping-off point for pilgrims making their way to Compostela in Spain, and the Holy Land. In In Germany, Giles was included among the so-called 14 Holy Helpers, a popular group of saints to whom people prayed, especially for recovery from disease, and for strength at the hour of death. Also among the 14 were Saints Christopher, Barbara, and Blaise. Interestingly, Giles was the only non-martyr among them. The pilgrimage center that once drew so many fell into disrepair some centuries after Giles’ death.

Saint Giles Read More »

Saint Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus

Daily Saints

The actions of these two influential Jewish leaders give insight into the charismatic power of Jesus and his teachings and the risks that could be involved in following him.

Joseph was a respected, wealthy civic leader who had become a disciple of Jesus. Following the death of Jesus, Joseph obtained Jesus’ body from Pilate, wrapped it in fine linen and buried it. For these reasons, Joseph is considered the patron saint of funeral directors and pallbearers. More important is the courage Joseph showed in asking Pilate for Jesus’ body.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and, like Joseph, an important first-century Jew. We know from John’s Gospel that Nicodemus went to Jesus at night—secretly—to better understand his teachings about the kingdom. Later, he spoke up for Jesus at the time of his arrest and assisted in Jesus’ burial. We know little else about Nicodemus.

Saint Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus Read More »

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

Daily Saints

St. John the Baptist has two feasts in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church. One, in August, celebrates his death, and one in June, celebrates his birth.
Herod is to Joh while Pilate is to Jesus. Like Pilate, out of cowardice and fear, led them to commanding death of an innocent man. According to Saint Mark, “Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man…When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him” (Mk 6: 20). “[Herod] was deeply grieved” (Mk 6: 26) that he had to order John’s death. But he didn’t actually have to order John’s death. If he were truly grieved, he could have stood up in the midst of the happy crowd, said “I made a stupid promise which I now regret,” and granted Salome (her name is not found in the Bible) some other handsome gift instead of a blood-splattered plate. Herod beheaded a man to save face, to avoid embarrassment, and to avoid having to say “I made a mistake.”

The Passion, or Beheading, of Saint John the Baptist is one of the very oldest liturgical feasts on the Church’s calendar.

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist Read More »

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Daily Saints

St. Augustine was born in Thagaste in Africa of a Berber family. He was brought up a Christian but left Church early and spent a great deal of time seriously seeking the truth by observing different heretical practices, until at length, through the prayers of his mother, St. Monica, and the teachings of St. Ambrose of Milan, he was converted back to Christianity and baptized in 387, shortly before his mother’s death.

He had a brilliant legal and academic career, but after his conversion he returned home to Africa and lead an ascetic life. He was elected Bishop of Hippo and spent 34 years as the Shepherd of his flock. He wrote enormous amount and left a permanent mark on both philosophy and theology. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1308.

Saint Augustine of Hippo Read More »

Saint Cloud

Saint Eleutherius

Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Saint Rose of Viterbo

Saint Gregory the Great

Blessed John Francis Burte and companions

Saint Giles

Saint Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Ways to Donate

Paypal

Using Zelle

Mail a Check

Quick Links

Contact us

Location:

Contact #

Email:

Quick Links

Contact us

Location:

Contact #

Email:

Ways to Donate

Using Zelle

Mail a Check

Paypal