Today, March 16, is the commemoration of Blessed John de Sordis. John was born in Cremona, Italy in 1125. His parents Evangelista and Berta were from the nobility. His father died early, and so his mother married nobleman Adam Cacciafronte. Adam was a very loving stepfather and treated him like his own son, giving him …
Today, March 15, is the commemoration of Saint Clement Hofbauer. Born in 1751 in present-day Czech Republic, Clement felt called to become a priest early in life. However, his family could not afford such an education. After his father’s death, he then worked as a journeyman, apprentice baker, and househelp at the Norbertine Abbey. He …
Today, March 14, is the commemoration of Blessed Thomas Vives. Little is known about this humble member of the Mercedarian Order. He was sent to Tunis (Africa) to do mission, but was instead met with resistance by the anti-Christian forces in the area. For five years he was imprisoned there. He spent his remaining days …
Today, March 12, is the commemoration of Saint Luigi Orione. Founder of the Little Missionaries of Charity, the Hermits of Divine Providence, and the Ladies of Divine Providence. Luigi, born in 1872 in Alessandria, Italy, came from a poor family. At the start of his teenage years, Luigi joined the Franciscans. He went out after …
Today, March 11, is the memorial of Saint Eulogio of Cordoba. Eulogio was the son of a senatorial family from Cordoba, Spain. He was a well-respected priest and ecclesiastical school head who provided support to Christian martyrs and their survivors. This was the time of the Islamic persecutions in Moorish-occupied Spain. He was arrested several …
Today, March 10, is the commemoration of Saint Marie-Eugénie de Jésus. Foundress of the Religious of the Assumption. Marie-Eugenie was born in 1817 in Moselle, France. She was raised in a well-to-do and educated family with almost zero faith in God. Her father Jacques Milleret lost all their fortune when she was 13. Because of …
Today, March 9, is the commemoration of Saint Frances of Rome. Patron saint of drivers. Foundress of the Oblates of the Tor de’ Specchi (Collatines). Born to the aristocracy in 1384, Frances was the daughter of Paul Bussa and Jacobella de’ Roffredeschi. She wanted to pursue her religious calling, but her parents got in the …
Today, March 8, is the commemoration of Saint John of God. Founder of the Hospitaller Order of the Brothers of Saint John of God (San Juan de Dios). Born in 1495 in Portugal, John came from an upper class family that went broke. He ended up a shepherd in Spain. As a young man, John …
Today, March 7, is the commemoration of Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity. St. Perpetua was a young, well-educated, noblewoman and mother living in the city of Carthage in what is now modern-day Tunisia. Her mother was a Christian and her father was a pagan. Perpetua took her mother as her role model. Her father tried …
Today, March 5, is the memorial of Blessed Lazër Shantoja. Lazër was born in 1892 (other biographers claim another year) in Albania. For his elementary and secondary education, he studied at the Albanian Pontifical Seminary. He was described as a very talented seminarian. In 1915, he was ordained priest and thereafter pursued his love for …