Vincent 's gift was that he was able t to use his influence among the rich and fashionable to organise the resources needed for works of charity among the poor and oppressed.
Because they refused payment for their medical services, they were known as "the silverless ones". During the persecution of Diocletian (303), they were imprisoned, tortured and beheaded.
"He shall be called Finn-barr, that is 'beautiful hair', from the beautiful head he offered in sacrifice to God."
St Sergius by his prayer prayer and self-discipline built up Russian spirituality and helped restore Russian society
Theodore, a Greek monk living in Rome who was sent by Pope Vitalian (657-672) to be the archbishop of Canterbury.
Eunan intervened to liberate war captives and to claim safety during war for women, children and clerics.
The stigmata on Padre Pio's hands and feet became visible and a wound in his side bled for the rest of his life.
Matthew, a Jew, was a tax collector for the Romans and accused of being a traitor to his own people, went on to write his Gospel
Kim Taegon was Korea’s first Roman Catholic priest. One year after his ordination, he was arrested, tortured and at the age of 25 was finally beheaded on 22nd September 1846 at the Han River near Seoul.
Januarius was a 4th century bishop who with his companions suffered martyrdom in the persecution of Diocletian.
Joseph of Cupertino was worthy of sainthood because of his extraordinary humility, gentleness and patience.
St Robert Bellarmine was a Jesuit theologian and then a bishop who was almost elected pope.
Summary: Hildegard of Bingen, (1098–1179), a German mystic, writer, composer, philosopher, Benedictine abbess, visionary, & polymath. “Who is this woman?” asked Cistercian Pope Eugenius III, when shown her writings. “She rises out of the wilderness like a column of smoke from burning spices.”
Summary: St Hildegard of Bingen, a visionary, doctor of the Church and mystic in her medieval Germany, now she is very much admired as a saint.
Fr John Murray PP details her life here
Cyprian was put to death on 14th September AD 258
The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order in Florence are credited with starting devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows in A D 1239.
Summary: The Cross is the sign of our Redemption, and within the Redemption is contained the pledge of resurrection and the beginning of new life: the lifting up of human hearts.
Summary: Helen was the mother of the Emperor Constantine (285-337 AD). She is famous for her discovery of the Holy Cross which led to the great feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on 14th September.
Fr John Murray profiles her life and influence.
Summary: John Chrysostom, a bishop and an eloquent preacher (His nickname ‘Chrysostomos’ means “golden-mouthed”) . He became patriarch of Constantinople, fell foul of the empress Eudoxia there, possibly for his denunciation of her wealth, and she had him deposed and [...]
Summary: St Ailbe is regarded as the patron saint of Munster and his church at Emly and was for long the province’s chief ecclesiastical centre. He is the patron saint of the joint archdiocese of Cashel and Emly with the see at Thurles. (The last bishop of Emly [...]
Summary: St Catherine of Genoa, for Catherine life was very painful , she called her spiritual life is a ‘beautiful purgatory’. Her personality was both enigmatic and engaging.
Patrick Duffy tells her story.
Her Marriage
Summary: St Peter Claver SJ, a Catalan Jesuit missionary, who worked in Colombia, South America. At the height of the slave trade, he befriended and baptized some 300,000 African slaves over a 40-year period. He died on 8th September 1654.
Paul Hurley tells his extraordinary [...]
Summary: St Nicholas of Tolentino , born in 1245 0r 6, gaining a reputation for working miracles and making peace. Tolentino had a name as a trouble town, but Nicholas brought it peace. He was known as the Patron of Holy Souls, was an Italian saint and mystic.
Summary: St Ciarán of Clonmacnoise’s, supposedly born Ciarán mac an tSaeir, was one of the ‘Twelve Apostles of Ireland’ and the first abbot of Clonmacnoise. He is sometimes called Ciarán the Younger to distinguish him from the 5th-century Saint Ciarán the Elder who was bishop of Osraig
Summary: The Nativity of Our Lady The Catholic Church observes the actual birthday/date of only two saints: Saint John the Baptist (June 24), and Mary, Mother of Jesus ( In the case of all other saints, especially martyrs, they are venerated on the day of their [...]
Summary: St Magnus, a monk and missionary. An interesting story involves him bringing reconciliation between St Gall and his master St Columban. He is also venerated as one of the Holy Helpers invoked in time of plague such as the Black Death.
Patrick Duffy tells his story.
Summary: St Finnian There are many St Finians and at least two Movilles. The Movilla of this saint is not – as many people may think – the village of Moville in Co Donegal, but Movilla in Co Down, just outside Newtownards. A graveyard and the [...]
Summary St Ultan, abbot-bishop at Ardbraccan in Co Meath, an important ecclesiastical centre in the middle ages. The image shown here is from the now de-consecrated Church of Ireland church at Ardbraccan. Today the catholic parish is centred at Bohermeen, Co Meath. Ultan is also associated with the care [...]
Summary: Mother Teresa during her lifetime was widely held to be a living saint as she ministered to the sick and dying in some of the poorest neighbourhoods in the world. Although some people criticized her for not also challenging the wider ’causes of injustice’s that kept so [...]
Summary: St Mac Nissi, bishop. Oengus Mac Nissi took his name from his mother Cnes or Ness. It is claimed that Patrick baptised him and taught him the psalms. He seems to be one of the early converts. He chose the district of Connor for his hermitage, but [...]
