St. Mary's Parish Library Of The Sacred Heart

06/06/2026

Saints Of The Week: June 7 - June 13.
June 7 - St. Willibald. Born in the year 700 in Wessex, England, he was the brother of St. Winebald and St. Walburga and a cousin to St. Boniface. He studied for a while in a monastery in Hampshire, then went on a pilgrimage to Rome and then to Jerusalem. He later met Pope Gregory III, who sent Willibald to Germany to assist his cousin, St. Boniface, with missionary work. He later founded a double monastery at Heidenheim with his brother Winebald. He died in 786.
June 8 - St. William of York. Born around 1100, he was the son of Count Herbert and his mother was the half-sister of King William. Young William became the treasurer of the Church of York and was later named Archbishop of York in 1140. He retired, for a while, to live a life of prayer as a monk, but later returned to be Archbishop. He died in 1154 and was canonized by Pope Honorius II in 1227.
June 9 - St. Columba. “In 1492, Columba sailed the ocean blue”. No, wait, that was someone else. Columba was born in 521 in Donegal, Ireland and studied under St. Finnian. He was ordained a priest before he turned 25 and spent the next 15 years preaching the Faith and setting up foundations at Derry, Durrow and Kells. He left Ireland and traveled to the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland and it was there that he built the well-known monastery. He died on Iona in 597.
June 10 - St. Maximus of Aquila. He was born in the early third century and would evenly become a deacon in Aquila, Italy. When the Roman authorities demanded that he deny his Faith, he refused and was martyred by being thrown off a cliff in the year 250. I guess you could say that was his “leap of Faith”.
June 11 - St. Barnabas. He was born in Cyprus during the life of Christ and was given the name Joseph. Following Christ's teachings, he sold his property and donated the money to the Apostles, who gave him the name Barnabas. He was the one who convinced the Christian community in Jerusalem to accept St. Paul as a disciple. Barnabas traveled throughout the region preaching the Word. Though it cannot be proven, tradition has it that Barnabas was martyred by being stoned to death for his Faith at Salamis around the year 61.
June 12 - St. John of Sahagun. He was born John Gonzales de Castrillo at Sahagun, Spain in the year 1419 and was educated by Benedictine monks at Fagondez monastery. He was ordained in 1445 and was becoming well-known as a preacher and spiritual director. He became a Augustinian friar in 1463 and began experiencing visions and performing miracles. He denounced evil in those in authority and several attempts were made on his life. He died at Sahagun on June 11, 1479 and was canonized in 1690.
June 13 - St. Anthony of Padua. He was born in 1195 in Portugal and joined the Franciscan Order in 1221. His decision to become a Franciscan was made when the headless, mutilated bodies of five Franciscans, who were martyred in Morocco, Africa were brought to the Franciscan monastery for burial. Anthony was one of those who assisted in the burials. He became a Franciscan in hope of shedding his own blood for his Faith and becoming a martyr. He became a great preacher for the Faith, he died in 1231 and was made a Doctor of the Church in 1946 by Pope Pius XII. He is typically depicted with a book and the Infant Jesus and is referred to as the "finder of lost articles" (like the head of hair that I had when I was in high school).
June 14 - St. Anastasius XVII. He was born in the early 9th century and became a Benedictine monk at the monastery near Cordoba, Spain. He was beheaded in 853 by the Muslim Moors during the persecution of Christians, along with Sts. Felix and Digna.

05/30/2026

Saints Of The Week: May 31 - June 6.
May 31 - The Visitation. This feast day originated as recently as the 13th or 14th century. It was chosen to be celebrated between the Annunciation of the Lord (March 25) and the Birth of John the Baptist (June 24). The Visitation, as you may recall, celebrates the journey made by Mary to her kinswoman, Elizabeth. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for several months until the birth of Elizabeth's son, who would become known later as John the Baptist.
June 1 - St. Justin. He was born in the early second century and received his education in Rome. He studied the Greek philosophers but found the answers he searched for in the Christian faith. He lived his life dedicated to the Faith, which ended sometime around 165 when he was martyred for his Faith by being beheaded.
June 2 - St. Pothinus and the Martyrs of Lyons. Pothinus, also called Photinus, was born in the year 87 and became a very devout Christian. He would ultimately be named Bishop of Lyons, France during a great persecution of Christians throughout the area. He and many others from Lyons were brutally tortured and martyred for their Faith in the year 177. Pothinus was 90 years old when he was martyred.
June 3 - St. Charles Lwanga and Companions. To make a long (and tragic) story short, in the mid-1800's, the African country of Uganda was ruled by a cruel pe*****le named King Mwanga. Mwanga would basically r**e the young boys and men who served as pages and attendants in his court. Charles Lwanga, who took over the leadership of the Christian community there, worked tirelessly at keeping the boys away from Mwanga. Mwanga eventually became outraged and ordered that Charles and 21 other Christians be forced to march to a place called Namugongo, where they were burned to death. They were canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 18, 1964.
June 4 - St. Petroc. Wasn’t that the big craze in the 1970’s? No, wait, that was the “pet rock”. Petroc was born in Wales sometime around the beginning of the 6th century. He became a monk and moved to Padstow, England. After 30 years, he made his way to Rome, and then Jerusalem. He would later return to England and built a chapel near Padstow. He attracted many followers and became known for his miracles. He would later die on June 4, 564 while visiting some of his disciples.
June 5 - St. Boniface of Mainz. The patron saint of brewers (my hero). He was born in 675 and was named Winfrith, but he was given the name Boniface later in life by Pope Gregory II. Boniface was a Benedictine monk who preached tirelessly on the Word of Christ. He converted many pagans to Christianity but sadly, in 754, he was martyred by an angry mob who wanted nothing to do with his message.
June 6 - St. Philip the Deacon. All that is known about Philip is what is written in the Acts of the Apostles. He was not Philip the Apostle. This Philip was one of seven people chosen by the Apostles to tend to the physical needs of the members of the young Church (food, shelter, whatever) so the Apostles themselves would be free to preach the Word. He would eventually travel the coastal area from Gaza to his home in Caesarea, preaching to and converting many along the way. As a side note, 24 years later, St. Paul himself stayed with Philip for a short while. I can’t imagine what they would’ve talked about.

05/23/2026

05/23/2026

Saints Of The Week: May 24 - May 30.
May 24 - St. Joanna, or Jennifer. She was the wife of Chuza, who was a steward to the tetrarch of Galilee, some guy named King Herod (remember him?). She was one of the women who provided food and shelter for Jesus and the Apostles from time to time and she was one of the three women who discovered the empty tomb on Easter morning. I can only imagine what a shock that was for them. But a joyous shock, none the less.
May 25 - Venerable Bede. He was born in 673 near the monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul at Wearmouth-Jarrow, England. He was sent to the monastery when he was three to begin his education. He was a brilliant student and was ordained a monk when he was 30. He was considered to be one of the most learned men of his time, well versed in many subjects, including the Holy Scriptures. He is credited with writing many books (45 or so), his best-known being "Historia Ecclesiastica", which is a history of the Church in England. He was given the title "the Venerable" to acknowledge his wisdom, he was the first to use the term "anno domini" referring to dates after the birth of Christ and he was declared to be the only English doctor of the Church. He died at Wearmouth-Jarrow on May 25, 735.
May 26 - St. Philip Neri. He was born in Florence, Italy in 1515 and was given the nickname "Pippo Bueno” (which means "good little Phil") when he was a child. In 1533, he traveled to Rome to become a live-in tutor to a friend of the family, but after a while, he chose to dedicate his life to God and live as a hermit. He would spend time in the catacombs of St. Sebastiano to pray and was inspired to form a confraternity with other laymen to minister to poor immigrants who came to Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1551 and spent many years teaching about prayer and the moral lifestyle. He died in 1595.
May 27 - St. Augustine of Canterbury. Not much is written on his birth and childhood. He was born in Italy sometime in the middle of the 6th century and would eventually become the abbot of a monastery in Rome. He and 30 other monks were sent by Pope Gregory the Great to England in the year 596 to preach to the pagans there. They landed in Kent and were well-received by King Ethelbert, whose wife was a Christian. Augustine and the other monks converted thousands to Christianity, including the King himself. With the King's assistance, they built the cathedral at Canterbury. Augustine died in 605 and is buried at the Canterbury Cathedral.
May 28 - St. Bernard of Montjoux. The patron of mountaineers, skiers and the Alps. He was born in Italy in 923 (or so historians believe) and he was later ordained a priest. He was made Vicar General of Aosta and spent the next 40 years doing missionary work in the Alps. He built several schools and churches in the diocese, but he is remembered for building two hospices (named Great Bernard and Little Bernard) in the mountain passes to help lost travelers. He died in 1008. And no, I don't think he carried a little barrel of booze around his neck.
May 29 - Blessed Joseph Gerard. Ah, the man with two first names. He was born on March 12, 1831 in Bouxieres-aux-Chenes, France and received his education from the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He wasn't a gifted student, but he had the ability to learn languages quickly. Using this talent, he learned to speak Zulu and Sesotho to help with his missionary work in South Africa, which he began in 1853. He died on May 29, 1914 and was beatified by Pope John Paul on September 15, 1988.
May 30 - St. Joan of Arc. Does anyone not know the story of Joan of Arc? She was born on January 6, 1412 to a poor, yet pious, family in the obscure, small village of Domremy, France. As a child, she heard voices from unseen people who identified themselves as Sts. Michael, Catherine and Margaret. In May 1428, those voices told her to go to the King of France and offer to help him reconquer his kingdom. Although she was only 17 years old, the King gave her a small army to attack and recapture the city of Orleans, which had been taken by the English. She was successful, not only with that battle, but with many others, to the point that the King of England wanted her to be dealt with in a not-so-friendly way. She was eventually captured and tried at city of Rouen. She refused to retract her claims that she had been following the orders of the saints and she was subsequently condemned to death as a heretic. She was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431 at the young age of 19 and was canonized in 1920. I could say that the actions of the King of England really burned her up, but I won't.

05/16/2026

Saints Of The Week: May 17 - May 23.
May 17 - Paschal Baylon. He was born in 1540 to a poor family at Torre Hermosa, Spain and he worked as a shepherd from the time he was 7 until he was 21. He received a vision instructing him to enter the Franciscan Order, which he did. He had a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and would spent hours at a time kneeling in prayer without letting his hands touch the pew. He died in 1592 at the friary in Villareal with a rosary in his hands and was canonized in 1690.
May 18 - St. Felix of Cantalice. He was born to peasant farmers at Cantalice, Italy in 1515. He worked as a shepherd in his youth and then became a Capuchin brother when he was 30. He was sent to Rome in 1549 and spent the next 40 years tending to the sick. Although he was illiterate, he stated from time to time that he recognized only six "letters": five red ones and a white one. The five red ones referred to the wounds of Christ and the white one referred to the purity of Mary. He died in 1587 and was canonized in 1709.
May 19 - St. Pope Celestine V. He was given the name Peter at birth and was one of 12 children in a poor Italian family. When he was 20, he went off to live as a hermit, spending his time in prayer and reading the Bible. After a while, other hermits would come to him for advice, so he took the occasion to invite all of them to join him in a new religious Order. He was well known for his piety and compassion for the needy and his reputation spread. He was quite old, 84 years of age, when he was named Pope, and he took the name Celestine V. He served as Pope for only 5 months before deciding to step down. In an attempt to provide for Celestine's safety, the new Pope arranged to have Celestine stay in a protected cell and it was in that cell that Celestine eventually died.
May 20 - St. Bernardine of Siena. He was born in 1380 to an Italian governor. His parents died before he was 7 and he went to live with his aunt. When he was 20, he and a few of his friends volunteered at a local hospital to help with the many who were suffering from a plague. They worked there day and night for four months. After his aunt died, he traveled to Siena and joined the Franciscan Order and was ordained a priest in 1404. He traveled to Milan and went throughout the area preaching the Word until his death in 1444.
May 21 - St. Mateo Correa Magallanes. He was born in 1866 in Tepechitlan, Mexico and after years of study, he was ordained a priest. In 1927, during the Mexican government’s persecution of Christians, he was arrested. While in jail, he was asked by a military officer, General Ortiz, to hear the confessions of other inmates. Fr. Correa obliged, probably knowing full well what was to follow. When he finished hearing the confessions, General Ortiz demanded that Fr. Correa disclose the details of the confessions. When the good Father refused, he was executed.
May 22 - St. Rita of Cascia. The patron saint of impossible cases (take heart, Cleveland Browns fans!) She was born in 1381 in Spoleto, Italy. As a young woman, she begged her parents to let her join a convent, but they insisted that she go through with an arranged marriage. Her new husband was exceptionally mean and had a violent temper, but she stayed with him for 18 years. He eventually turned to God and became a kind and gentle man, but was tragically murdered a short time later. She entered the convent of the Augustine nuns at Cascia and devoted her life to the Passion of Christ. She prayed that Jesus would share His suffering with her and, strangely enough, a thorn flew off of a crucifix while she was praying and struck her in the forehead. The deep wound it caused would not heal and it eventually led to her death on May 22, 1457.
May 23 - St. Julia. She was born in North Africa to noble parents but, while she was still young, she was taken prisoner when her city was conquered by barbarians. A few years later, her master took her with him on a trip to France. On the way, they stopped by an island to attend a pagan festival. When the governor of the area noticed that Julia was not actively participating in their rituals, he confronted her and insisted that she join them. When she refused, the governor had her beaten, tortured by having her hair torn from her head and hung on a make-shift cross until she died. What an a-hole!

05/09/2026

Saints Of The Week: May 10 - May 16.
May 10 - Blessed Ivan Merz. Not related to Fred and Ethel Mertz from the old "I Love Lucy” TV show, Ivan was a Bosnian-Croatian academic who was born in 1896. He dedicated his life to religious education and to promoting the liturgy for young people in Croatia. He died in 1928 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 23, 2003.
May 11 - St. Ignatius of Lacona. He was born on Dec. 17, 1701 to a poor farming family in Lacona, Italy. When he was in his late teens, he became very ill and he promised God that he would join the Franciscan Order if he ever became well. Become well he did, but his father persuaded him to wait to join the Franciscans, saying "you may have promised to join the Franciscan Order if you became well, but you didn't say how soon". Oops, bad call. A short time later, Ignatius almost died in a freak accident while riding his horse. Feeling that this was a tap on the shoulder reminding him of his promise, Ignatius made a bee-line to join the Franciscans. He lived in relative obscurity in the Order, working the first 15 years or so in the weaving shed and then spending the next 40 years going from door-to-door, begging for food and other donations for the poor. He was a very pious man who was kind to others, whether they accepted him or not. He died on May 11, 1781 and was proclaimed a saint in 1951 by Pope Pius XII.
May 12 - Sts. Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla and Pancras. No, these were not the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Nereus and Achilleus were Roman soldiers who converted to Christianity, supposedly baptized by St. Peter himself. Domitilla was a young Roman girl from a wealthy family, possibly the great-niece of Emperor Domitian, who also converted to Christianity. Pancras was a 14 year old boy from another wealthy Roman family who left his home and converted to Christianity. What these four had in common is that they were all imprisoned, cruelly tortured and then were martyred for their Faith. Heroes in a half-shell indeed.
May 13 - St. Agnes of Poitiers. She was a very devout Christian who would become a nun and eventually be named abbess of the Holy Cross convent in Poitiers, France. She was well respected for her holiness and intelligence. She served as abbess until her death in 586.
May 14 - St. Matthias. He was chosen by the remaining 11 Apostles after the Resurrection of Christ to replace Judas Iscariot. The 11 had decided that only two men were qualified to carry on Christ's ministry: Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas. The 11 prayed on the matter and chose lots to decide Judas' replacement. Matthias' name was drawn, but, oddly enough, he is not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament.
May 15 - St. Isidore the Farmer. The patron of farmers and rural communities. He was born in 1070 and at an early age began working in the fields for a wealthy land owner named John de Vergas. He married a devout woman named Maria de la Cabeza, who would later become a saint herself. They both lived holy lives and worked for years preaching the Word to other workers and also helping those in need. Isidore died on May 15, 1120 and was canonized in 1622.
May 16 - St. Ubald. Which, sadly, is what most people say to me when they see the top of my head. Ubald was born in 1084 to a noble family in Gubbio, Italy. He became a priest and would be named Bishop of Gubbio in 1128. He was well-respected for his piety and peaceful manner. He died on May 16, 1160 and was canonized in 1192.

05/02/2026

Saints Of The Week: May 3 - May 9.
May 3 - Sts. Philip and James. These guys were two of Jesus's twelve Apostles. Philip, when asked by Jesus to follow Him, wrote to his friend, Nathaniel, declaring that he had "found Him whom Moses and the prophets wrote. He is Jesus of Nazareth". But Nathaniel, knowing that Nazareth was a very small village and considered to be a bit backwoods, responded with the insult of insults: "Can any good come out of Nazareth?" James (also known as James the Lesser) was a relative of Jesus. After Jesus' Ascension, James was named Bishop of Jerusalem. He is believed to be the author of the first Catholic Epistle that bears his name, which was written around the year 60 A.D. Both of these guys, as well as the rest of the Apostles, would eventually be martyred, with Philip being crucified upside down in the city of Hierapolis.
May 4 - St. John Payne. He was born in 1532 at Peterborough, England. He was ordained in 1576 but was arrested some time later for so-called crimes against the Church of England. He was eventually released, but was arrested a second time. This time he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, tortured and condemned to death. He was executed in 1582 by being hanged, then drawn and quartered. He was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI. I could say the time that he spent in the Tower of London was a real Payne, but I won’t.
May 5 - St. Angelo. As the story goes, Angelo was one of twin brothers born in 1185 to a Christian family. The twins entered the Carmelite Order when they were 18, already able to speak Greek, Latin and Hebrew. In a vision, Christ urged Angelo to travel to Sicily to spread the Word, which Angelo did. Once there, he spoke openly on Christ's teachings, which was accepted by many, but rejected by a few. While preaching to a crowd, a group of those who were angered by Angelo's preaching broke through the crowd and murdered Angelo. He was martyred in 1120 in the town of Leocata.
May 6 - Blessed Edward Jones. This Edward Jones was educated at Douai College in Rheims, France in the mid-16th century. He and his friend, Anthony Middleton, became priests and were sent to an English mission. Edward quickly earned the reputation as a devout man and an eloquent speaker. They were both arrested, however, and hanged for what the officials called "treason and foreign invasion". They were martyred on May 6, 1590. Sounds like someone you could really invest in.
May 7 - St. Rose Venerini. She was born in 1656 in Viterbo, Italy. She entered a convent when she was a teenager, but returned home to care for her widowed mother. In the evenings, she would gather the local women together and pray the rosary. She would spend some time teaching religion to them and word of her knowledge of the Faith spread throughout the area. Upon the urging of Fr. Ignatius Martinelli, Rose and two associates opened a school for girls in Viterbo. Her reputation spread even more and in 1692, she was asked by Cardinal Barbarigo to be an advisor in the training of teachers and the organization of schools in the Montefiascone diocese. In 1713, she established a foundation in Rome that was praised by Pope Clement XI. She died in Rome on May 7, 1728 and was beatified in 1952.
May 8 - St. Peter of Tarantaise. This is not the Peter of Tarantaise who would later become Pope Innocent V ( yes, there’s more than one ). This Peter of Tarantaise was born in Dauphine, France in 1102. He joined the Cistercian Order at Bonneveaux in 1122 with his two brothers and their father, while his mother and sister became Cistercian nuns. He was sent to Tamie in the Tarantaise Mountains to serve as the first abbot there. He opened a shelter for the sick and for those traveling over the mountains. He was named Archbishop of Tarantaise, which he reluctantly accepted. He died in 1175 and was canonized 16 years later.
May 9 - Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger. Also known as Mary Theresa, she was born Caroline Gerhardinger in Bavaria in 1797. She became a teacher and founded a religious community that focused on providing an education for the poor. That community is none other than the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She brought the Order to America to help with the German immigrants here. She died in 1879 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1985.

04/26/2026

Saints Of The Week: April 26 - May 2.
April 26 - St. Cletus or Anacletus. He was the third Bishop of Rome (also known as the Pope), succeeding St. Peter and St. Linus and he served as the Bishop of Rome from 76 to 92 A.D. He is recognized as a martyr and his relics are buried near St. Linus at the Vatican.
April 27 - St. Zita. The patron saint of domestic workers. She was born to a poor Italian family in the early 13th century. When she was 12, she became a housekeeper for a rich family in Lucca, Italy. Despite her busy workload, she found time to attend Mass every day. She helped the poor and visited those in prison. Over the years, word spread of her good deeds and holy lifestyle and many sought her out for advice. She died in 1278.
April 28 - St. Peter Chanel. His numbers 1 through 4 were so-so, but I hear his No. 5 turned out great (Chanel No. 5, anyone? No?). Anyway, he was born in 1803 in Clet, France. In 1831, he joined the Society of Mary (also known as "Marists") and he began his life as a missionary. He was among a group sent to the South Pacific to preach and after a 10 month journey, he finally arrived at the island of Futuna. The local king permitted Peter to preach to the locals. But when the king's son expressed a desire to be baptized, the king sent a group of warriors to deal with Peter, who was clubbed to death and then dismembered. He was martyred on April 28, 1841. By 1844, however, the entire island had converted to Christianity.
April 29 - St. Catherine of Siena. Born in 1347 in northern Italy, she was the 25th child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa (25 children! I hope they had more than one bathroom). She lived a pious life and became a Dominican tertiary when she was 16. She experienced visions of Jesus and Mary, and she gained the reputation as a brilliant theologian. When the Church found itself to be split during the Great Schism of 1378, she worked tirelessly to bring all the factions together. She received the Stigmata (the wounds of Christ), which were visible only after her death. She died in 1380. But in 1430, her grave was opened and, as amazing as it may seem, her body was found to be incorrupt (without decay).
April 30 - St. Pope Pius V. He was born Antonio Ghislieri in 1504 to a poor family in Bosco, Italy. He joined the Dominicans when he was 14, he became a bishop in 1556 and a cardinal in 1557. He was elected Pope in 1566 and was given the charge to implement the reforms laid out by the Council of Trent. He spent several hours each day in prayer and refused to indulge in the luxuries of the Papal Office. He even went so far as to wear his coarse Dominican robes under the Pope's elegant vestments. He died in 1572, he was beatified by Pope Clement on May 1, 1672 and he was canonized by Pope Clement XI on May 22, 1712.
May 1 -St. Bertha of Kent. Not to be confused with Clark of Kent (for all you ’Superman’ fans out there), Bertha was born in 539 and would eventually become the first Christian queen of England. She married Ethelbert of Kent, who was a pagan king. Her holy lifestyle impressed the King so much, he would eventually welcome St. Augustine himself to Kent in 596. She died in 612.
May 2 - St. Athanasius. Born in Alexandria near the end of the third century, he was an Egyptian who devoted his life to proving that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. He entered the priesthood, became a secretary to the Bishop of Alexandria and was later named Bishop of Alexandria himself. He was exiled five times during his life, all because of his steadfast belief and preaching that Jesus was divine. During his exiles, he found time to write and one of his more famous writings was "The Life of St. Anthony". He died on May 2, 373.

04/18/2026

Saints Of The Week: April 19 - April 25.
April 19 - St. Alphege. Born in England in 953, he would later become a monk in the Deerhurst Monastery in Gloucester. When he was 30, he was named Archbishop of Canterbury. The following year, the Danes attacked the city, burning the buildings and murdering anyone in their way: men, women and children. The Danes took Alphege prisoner and demanded that the Church pay a ransom for his release. Alphege sent word to the Church not to pay the ransom, and after a few months of being held in captivity, the Danes beat him, stoned him and finally killed him with an axe. The year was 1012, his body was recovered and buried at Canterbury. However, in 1105, his body was exhumed and found to be incorrupt. He is the patron of kidnap victims and his emblem is an axe.
April 20 - St. Agnes of Montepulciano. Not to be confused with Agnes of Morehead (for all you "Bewitched" fans out there), this Agnes was born to rich parents in Gracchiano-Vecchio, Italy around 1268. She entered the monastery at nearby Montepulciano when she was just 9 years old. When she was 13, she was commissioned by Pope Nicholas IV to assist in the establishing of a new convent in Procena and she became head of the nuns there when she was 15. She headed the convent at Montepulciano and governed it under the Dominican lifestyle until her death in 1317. It is said that she experienced visions during her life, including one where she was able to hold the baby Jesus.
April 21 - St. Anselm. He was born to noble parents in Piedmont, Italy in 1033. He entered the monastery of Bec at Normandy, France and was made abbot when he was 30. The abbey of Bec owned property in England and Anselm traveled to England to spread the Faith. He became known for his teaching ability and was urged to write about his Faith in order to teach others. He wrote several books, his best-known being the book "Cur Deus Homo" ("Why God Became Man"). He was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093, but went into exile due to a disagreement with King William Rufus. Anselm returned to Canterbury after William Rufus' death, but then left for Dover. He fell ill and eventually died in 1109.
April 22 -St. Tarbula. Also called Tarba or Tarbo, she was born around the year 300 and was the sister of St. Simeon. She was very much dedicated to her Faith and because of that, she was accused of witchcraft for supposedly causing an illness to befall the wife of the very anti-Christian Persian king Shapur. She was condemned to death and was martyred in the year 345 by being sawed in half. I saw something like that at a circus once.
April 23 - St. George. As the comedian George Carlin once said, this is the one name that never ends whenever you spell it: GE-OR-GE-OR-GE-OR-GE-OR... Be that as it may, St. George is often pictured slaying a dragon in an effort to rescue a beautiful woman, with the dragon representing wickedness and the woman representing God's holy truth. This depiction is based on a 12th century Italian fable. The real St. George was a soldier in Roman Emperor Diocletian's army back in the early days of the Church. Diocletian brutally persecuted the Church, putting to death everyone that was known to be a Christian. It is said that George, knowing full well that he would be murdered, personally approached the Emperor and bravely rebuked Diocletian for his cruelty toward Christians. Needless to say, George was not wrong. He was severely tortured and then beheaded. He is the patron saint of England, Portugal, Germany and Venice.
April 24 - St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen. He was given the name Mark Rey at birth in SIgmaringen, Germany in 1577. He became a successful lawyer, working to defend the poor and oppressed, thereby earning him the nickname "Poor Man's Lawyer". In 1612, he became a Franciscan monk , taking the name "Fidelis" (which means "faithful"). He traveled to Grisons, Switzerland to preach the Faith, but was later murdered in 1622 by enemies of the Church. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIV.
April 25 - St. Mark. Another one of the biggies of the Church. Mark (sometimes called John Mark) wrote what we call the second Gospel, although some believe that Mark's Gospel was actually written first, probably in Rome sometime before 60 A.D. The Church accepts the idea that the Romans asked Mark to write down the teachings of St. Peter. So Mark wrote his Gospel in Greek for the Gentile converts to Christianity. He did accompany St. Barnabus (his cousin) and St. Paul to Cyprus, but Mark was not one of the 12 Apostles. Some believe him to be the first bishop of Alexandria, Egypt, where he was martyred. His symbol is a winged lion and he is the patron saint of notaries, as well as the patron saint of the city of Venice, where his remains are believed to be kept in the basilica there.