St. Mary's Parish Library Of The Sacred Heart

09/05/2026

Saints Of The Week: Sept. 6 - Sept. 12.
Sept. 6 - St. Alexander. He was born in Egypt and became a soldier in the famous Theban Legion. Before embarking to Gaul for battle, the soldiers, who were Christians, venerated the tombs of the martyrs in Rome and received Communion from the Pope. Before reaching Gaul, they were given the command to begin worshipping pagan gods, which they refused. Upon hearing of their refusal, they were ordered to be put to death. Alexander and a few others escaped to the city of Bergamo, where he preached the Gospel to the people. He would eventually be martyred for his Faith.
Sept. 7 - Blessed Assunta Maria Pallotta. Maria was the first non-martyr missionary sister to be beatified in the history of the Church. She was born in 1878 in Force, Italy into a poor family. She joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Rome at an early age. She was sent to preach the Word in China, which she did with much compassion and enthusiasm. She contracted typhoid fever within a year of arriving there and soon died from it. She died on April 7, 1905.
Sept. 8 - The Nativity, or Birth, of Mary. Mary's birth is the only one, other than Jesus', that is celebrated by the Church. She was born in Jerusalem to Sts. Joachim and Anne. Needless to say, there is no actual record of her birth, so a September date was chosen because the Eastern Church begins its Church year in September. The accepted date of September 8 for her birth helped set the date of December 8 for the Immaculate Conception, which is nine months earlier.
Sept. 9 - St. Peter Claver. Born at Verdu, Catalonia, Spain in 1580, he studied to become a priest in the Society of Jesus. He traveled to the New World to work as a missionary and he settled in what is now known as Cartagena, Columbia. He was ordained a Jesuit there in 1615. He treated and preached to the sick and dying slaves that were brought there from West Africa (the slave trade had been thriving there for three hundred years before the Declaration of Independence was even written). He eventually died in 1654 from an extended illness that he contracted from helping sick slaves.
Sept. 10 - The Martyrs of Japan. You may not have heard much about this one, but it is certainly inspirational. On this date in 1622, dozens of European missionaries and lay people preaching in Japan were marched to a hill outside of Nagasaki and were subsequently slaughtered. They were killed by slow fires, they were lowered into a pit of sulfur which was called Hell's Mouth, they were buried alive, they were branded with hot irons or they were left out in open cells with no coverings or food. As the story goes, one six year old boy named Peter was awakened in the morning and told that he would die with his father that day. He was led by a soldier to the hill where his father's decapitated body was lying. Instead of screaming in terror, Peter knelt down beside his father's co**se, said a prayer and lowered the collar of his shirt for his own ex*****on. Payback came 323 years later with the atomic bomb during WWII.
Sept. 11 - St. Daniel (or Deiniol). He was a member of the Strathclyde family of Wales. He founded a monastery at Bangor Fawr, Caernarvonshire in 514 and would later become bishop there. He would die at a ripe old age in the year 584. You can call him Daniel, you can call him Deiniol but just don’t call him late for dinner. (Sorry, old joke).
Sept. 12 - The Holy Name of Mary. As the city of Vienna, Austria was being attacked by the Turks in 1683 in an attempt to destroy Christianity there, King John Sobieski of Poland traveled to Austria to help protect the city. He had dedicated himself and his army to the Holy Mother. Once the battle had begun, the Turks were routed in short order. The King sent the flag of the conquered Turks to Pope Innocent XI, who promptly declared that day to be the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary.

08/29/2026

Saints Of The Week: Aug. 30 - Sept. 5.
Aug. 30 -St. Bononius. Born sometime in the mid-10th century, he became a Benedictine monk and was a disciple of St. Romuald of Bologna, Italy. He was sent to Egypt and Syria to preach and would later become abbot of the abbey in Lucendo, Italy. He died in the year 1026.
Aug. 31 - St. Aidan. He was a Irish monk who lived at the monastery in Iona, which was founded by St. Columba. His reputation as a wise and holy man soon spread throughout the entire region, resulting in people from miles around coming to him for advice. He built the monastery on the island of Lindisfarne, which soon became known as the Holy Island. He died at the royal castle in Bamburgh in 651.
Sept. 1 - St. Simeon the Stylite. He was born into a poor family in Asia Minor and he earned his keep as a shepherd. One day he was unable to take the sheep into the pasture due to a snowstorm, so he decided to attend Mass. It was there that he introduced to the Beatitudes. He then sought to learn all he could about God. He joined a monastery and then chose to live on a desolate mountain. He eventually built a tall column and then lived on top of the column for forty years. Hence the name "Stylite", from the word "stylos", which means 'pillar'. The top of the column was too small to lie down, so he spent all of his time either standing or sitting, which would make it rather difficult to sleep, much less go to the bathroom (“Look out below!”). He prayed constantly and taught all those who gathered at the bottom of the pillar. It's nice to be someone that people look up to.
Sept. 2 - St. Ingrid of Sweden. She was born in Skanninge, Sweden in the 13th century and would later become the first Dominican nun in that country. She founded the first Dominican cloister in Sweden (St. Martin's) in 1281. She died the following year after living a life of prayer and piety. In 1405, the canonization process had begun for her to become a saint, but it would seem that it was never finished. Unfortunately, her convent and all of her relics were destroyed during the Reformation in the 1500's.
Sept. 3 - St. Gregory the Great. Patron of teachers. Born around the year 540, he was the son of Gordianus, a wealthy Roman senator. Gregory was named prefect of Rome while he was still in his twenties, but he resigned after 5 years. He became a Benedictine monk and founded six monasteries. He was ordained a priest, was named one of the Pope's seven deacons, served in Constantinople as papal nuncio and was recalled back to Rome to become abbot (not Costello). He was named Pope at the age of 50 and emptied the papal treasury to give aid to the victims of the plague and famine. Although there is some dispute among historians, he was given credit for the revision of what is known as the 'Gregorian' chant. He died on March 12, 604.
Sept. 4 - St. Rose of Viterbo. Born to a poor Italian family, she was only 8 years old when she experienced a vision of the Blessed Mother. Rose walked the streets of the city, preaching to the people, urging them to fight back against Emperor Frederick, who was waging war against the Church. She was banished into the wilderness to die, but when the Emperor died shortly thereafter, she was allowed to return home, where she herself died in 1251 when she was only 17.
Sept. 5 - St. Lawrence Justinian (or Giustiniani). No relation to Justinian Bieber, this Lawrence was born in Italy in 1381. He would frequently tell his mother that he was destined to become a saint. He followed his uncle's footsteps and joined the community of St. George. He would eventually become Bishop of Venice and he dedicated his life to preaching the Word. He died in 1456.

08/22/2026

Saints Of The Week: Aug. 23 - Aug. 29.
Aug. 23 - Rose of Lima. She was the first canonized saint of the New World. Born on April 20, 1586 to parents of Spanish descent in Lima, Peru, she would make herself more humble by rubbing pepper on her face in an attempt to hide her striking beauty with disfiguring blotches. Her parents refused to allow her to join a convent, so she quietly lived at home following the lifestyle of the Third Order of St. Dominic. During the last years of her life, she set up a room in her house to care for orphans and the poor. She would die at a not so ripe-old-age of 31 on Aug. 24, 1617.
Aug. 24 - St. Bartholomew. One of the Apostles of Jesus, he was also known by the name "Nathanael". The name "Bartholomew" is mentioned only in the list of Apostles. "Nathanael" was one of those to whom Jesus appeared on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias after the Resurrection. Batholomew preached the Gospel in India, Armenia, and other places throughout the area, at great risk to his life. He was later martyred for his Faith by being beheaded.
Aug. 25 - St. Louis of France. Born in 1226 at Poissy, France to Queen Blanche of Castile, he was destined to sit on the throne, which he did at the age of 12 when his father died. At his coronation, he pledged an oath to behave as God's anointed and he did not disappoint. He attended Mass twice daily and worked tirelessly to correct any injustices to the people. He led two crusades against the Turks in an attempt to protect Christians in the Holy Land, one in 1256 and the other in 1267. Unfortunately, both crusades were far from successful, mostly due to disease among the men. Louis died at the age of 44 in the year 1270 and was canonized 27 years later. Feel free to check out the statue of him in front of the Art Museum in Forest Park in St. Louis. Well worth the trip.
Aug. 26 - St. Elizabeth Bichier. She was born in 1773 and was raised in a noble French family during the French Revolution. She studied law as a teenager, but she dedicated her life to the Blessed Mother and with the help of St. Andrew Fournet, she started the Daughters of the Cross. She later met Fr. Michael Garicoits and encouraged him in the founding of the Priests of the Sacred Heard of Betharram. She died in 1838 and was canonized in 1947.
Aug. 27 - St. Monica. Patron of wives and abuse victims. She was born sometime in the early 4th century in North Africa and after she married a pagan official through an arranged marriage, she had three children: Navigius, Perpetua and the now famous St. Augustine (Aug. 28). Through her patience and prayers, her husband was converted into the Christian Faith in the year 370. She prayed for her son, Augustine, for many years for him to find Christ. Monica died in the year 387, shortly after Augustine was baptized into the Catholic Faith.
Aug. 28 - St. Augustine. Patron saint of brewers (those who make b**r, not the Milwaukee baseball team). The son of St. Monica, he was born in Africa in 354 and lived most of his early life in a decidedly less than pious lifestyle. Finally, through the prayers of his mother and the preaching of St. Ambrose, Augustine found Christianity to be the one, true religion. He was baptized by St. Ambrose on Easter, in the year 387, he studied to become a priest and was later named a bishop. He was very intelligent, a prolific writer and spent the remainder of his life in prayer, poverty and helping the poor. He died in the year 430.
Aug. 29 - The Beheading of John the Baptist. When John publicly chastised King Herod for marrying the wife of Herod's brother, Herod had John arrested and thrown in prison. Herodias, the king's wife, wanted John dead and she convinced her daughter to dance for the king at a feast, hoping that the daughter could convince Herod to kill John. After the daughter's dance, Herod was so entranced by the daughter’s beauty that he promised to give to her whatever she requested. At the prompting of her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist. And, sadly, the king obliged.

08/15/2026

08/15/2026

Saints Of The Week: Aug, 16 - Aug. 22.
Aug. 16 - St. Rock. Patron of invalids. He's been in a lot of movies but come on, the Tooth Fairy? Fortunately, this Rock was the son of the governor of Montpellier in France but was orphaned when he was 20. As an adult, he went on a pilgrimage to Rome. Unfortunately, by the time he made it to Italy, the plague had taken hold of the entire area. He spent his time caring for the sick, sometimes curing them by making the sign of the cross over them. Finally, in the city of Piacenza, he became sick himself. He managed to return home to Montpellier but died after five years of suffering.
Aug. 17 - Blessed Jeanne or Joan Delanoue. She is also called St. Joan of the Cross. Born in France on June 18, 1666, her widowed mother died when Joan was 25 and she was left with the store that they had been operating. She focused on making money instead of helping others and she soon found herself to be quite unhappy with her life. She was influenced by a local priest and she began directing her efforts to helping the poor. She eventually closed her shop in order to provide housing for poor families and orphans. She persuaded others to help her and they became the Sisters of St. Anne of Providence. Jeanne died on August 17, 1736.
Aug. 18 - St. Helena. She was the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. She spent nearly her entire life as a pagan, but she became a Christian when she was 63 years old. When she was 80, she travelled to Jerusalem to oversee the building of a church on Mt. Calvary (does that name ring a bell?). Along the way, she would give great amounts of money to cities for them to help the poor. As the story goes, while they were digging the foundation for the church on Mt. Calvary, they discovered what is thought to be the actual cross upon which Christ was crucified. She died in the year 330.
Aug.19 - St. John Eudes. Born in Normandy, France on Nov. 14, 1601, he was the oldest son of a farmer. He joined the Order of the Oratory and was ordained a priest when he was 24. He cared for the stricken during the plagues in 1627 and 1631. He founded several Congregations: the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, the Nuns of the Good Shepherd and the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (also called the Eudists). He was devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Heart of Mary. He would eventually die in 1680 after being stricken with illness due to preaching outdoors for nine weeks in the frigid winter weather.
Aug. 20 - St. Bernard. Born in 1091 to a wealthy French family, he left his home to join the monastic community at Citeaux when he was 16. He was joined by five brothers, an uncle and 30 or so friends. He later started a new Cistercian monastery in an area that would be renamed Clairvaux, "the valley of light". His reputation of a man of God spread to the point that the Holy See in Rome would ask for his advice. He died on August 20, 1153 and, no, he didn't have a dog named after him (“We named the dog “Indiana”).
Aug. 21 - Pope Pius X. Born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto on June 2, 1835, he was the second oldest of 10 children of a poor Italian family. He served the Lord throughout his life, from his humble beginnings to the day he was elected as pope on May 29, 1954. He was very much involved with politics, working to change any injustices to the poor. In 1905, when France threatened to confiscate Church property if control of Church affairs was not relinquished to the government, Pope Pius forcefully rejected the demand. He had foreseen the horror that would be the first World War, and, sadly, he died a few weeks after it began.
Aug. 22 - The Immaculate Heart of Mary (or the Queenship of Mary). This feast was established in 1954 by Pope Pius XII as a way to honor the love that Mary had, not only for God, but for all of us. She prays continually to Her Son for our salvation. And believe you me, we desperately need it.

08/11/2026

Saints Of The Week: Aug. 9 - Aug. 15.
Aug. 9 - St. Edith Stein. Although I'm sure that no one told her to "STIFLE!", this Edith was born in 1891 in Breslau, Poland and was the youngest of a large Jewish family. She was a very good student and soon became interested in the Catholic Faith. She was baptized into the Faith in 1922 in Cologne, Germany and later entered the Carmelite Order in Cologne. She took the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross and was sent to Echt, Holland. When the N***s conquered Holland a short time later, Teresa (Edith) was among those arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz, where she died in the gas chamber in 1942. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1987 and was canonized on October 11, 1998.
Aug. 10 - St. Lawrence. Born sometime in the third century, Lawrence would later become a deacon and was one of seven who were in charge of assisting the poor people in Rome. Immediately after Pope Sixtus II was martyred during the persecution of the Church by Emperor Valerian, the Prefect of Rome, thinking that the Church had a great fortune stashed away, demanded that Lawrence to bring it to him. Three days later, Lawrence brought to the Prefect many of the city's poor, proclaiming them to be the real treasure of the Church. Outraged, the Prefect ordered Lawrence to be put to death in a most sinister way. A large steel frame was built, Lawrence was tied to it and he was placed directly above a bed of hot coals. As he was being roasted alive, he allegedly joked to the judge; "Turn me over, I'm done on this side!".
Aug. 11 - St. Alexander the Coalman. When the city of Comana in Asia Minor needed a bishop, it was St. Gregory's job to choose one. At some point, someone sarcastically suggested to Gregory that he choose Alexander, a man who spent his days dressed in rags while he worked with charcoal. Ignoring the obvious contempt in the suggestion, Gregory called for Alexander, who was indeed dressed in rags and covered in dirt. But Gregory looked past the man's appearance and realized that Alexander was a very wise and pious man. Alexander soon came to be respected as an intelligent and compassionate bishop, but he would later be martyred by being burned to death during the persecution of the Church.
Aug. 12 - St. Euplius. Born sometime in the mid-3rd century, he would later study to be a deacon and he served at Catania, Sicily during the persecution of the Church by Emperor Diocletian. Euplius was found guilty of possessing a copy of the Gospels and when he refused to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods, he was beheaded. He was martyred on April 29, 304.
Aug. 13 - St. Radegunde. She was a German princess who was taken prisoner by King Clotaire of France when she was 12 years old. When she became an adult, the King married her. As Queen, she was able to use her many resources to care for the poor and sick of the kingdom. After several years, she convinced the King to allow her to leave, at which time she joined a convent and spent the remainder of her life serving those in need. She died at the monastery of the Holy Cross at Poitiers, France on Aug. 13, 586.
Aug. 14 - St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe. Born in 1894 in Poland, he once had a vision of the Blessed Mother holding two crowns: one white for purity and one red for martyrdom. When asked which one he would prefer, he answered "I choose both". He entered a Fransican seminary in Lwow, Poland and was ordained a priest when he was 24. He founded a group who called themselves the 'Militia of the Immaculata' and later started printing a magazine called 'Knight of the Immaculata'. When the Germans invaded Poland, he was arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. As punishment for the escape of a prisoner, ten men were sent to a starvation bunker to die. Fr. Maximillian volunteered to take the place of another man. It was there that he died, after two weeks of starvation, thirst and neglect and his body was burned with the rest of the deceased. He was martyred in 1941 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1982. We have a book or two about him in the library if you care to read more.
Aug. 15 - The Assumption. This is the day we commemorate the Holy Mother as she is take into heaven, not just the soul, but the body as well. Over the centuries, this feast was celebrated under different names: Commemoration, Dormition, Passing, as well as the Assumption. It is unclear exactly when the Church first started honoring this day, but homilies have been found referring to the Assumption which date back to the sixth century.
Aug. 16 - St. Rock. Patron of invalids. He's been in a lot of movies, but come on, the Tooth Fairy? Fortunately, this Rock was the son of the governor of Montpellier in France but was orphaned when he was 20. As an adult, he went on a pilgrimage to Rome. Unfortunately, by the time he made it to Italy, the plague had taken hold of the entire area. He spent his time caring for the sick, sometimes curing them by making the sign of the cross over them. Finally, in the city of Piacenza, he became sick himself. He managed to return home to Montpellier but died after five years of suffering.

08/11/2026

Saints Of The Week: Aug. 2- Aug. 8
Aug. 2 - St. Thomas of Dover. Born in the early 13th century, Thomas would later become a Benedictine monk at St. Martin's Priory in Dover, England. In 1295, however, the priory was overrun by a French raiding party. Thomas, being quite old at that time, could not escape and was taken prisoner. The raiders demanded that he tell them where the church treasures were hidden and when he refused, he was murdered. Miracles were reported to occur at his tomb and an altar at the priory church was dedicated to him.
Aug. 3 - St. Aspren. He was a native of Naples, Italy and served as a bishop of the Church in the early 1st century. He became ill and was cured by St. Peter, himself. The name of St. Aspren is actually invoked to help relieve migraines, which is why it is said that if you have a headache, reach for an "Aspren”. Aspren. Get it? Never mind.
Aug. 4 - St. John Vianney. The patron of priests. Born in the late 1700's in France, he studied for the priesthood and was ordained in 1815. He was named the parish priest at Ars, France and his reputation as a patient and devout Christian soon spread. He heard confessions up to sixteen hours each day from those who traveled to see him. He lived a life of charity and love and he converted a tremendous number of people to the Christian Faith. He died Aug. 4, 1859 and was canonized on May 31, 1925.
Aug. 5 - Our Lady Of The Snows. Around the year 400 in the city of Rome, as the story goes, there lived a holy nobleman named John and his wife, Mary. Since they were wealthy and had no children, they prayed to the Blessed Mother for advice on how to share their wealth with the poor. The Blessed Mother appeared in a dream to each of them and told them to build a church in her honor on the spot where they would find snow. Normally, there would be no snow in Rome on a hot August day, but, lo and behold, they found snow on a place called Esquiline Hill. It was there they built the church which was later named St. Mary Major. And no visit to southern Illinois is complete until you stop by the Shrine of Our Lady Of The Snows near Belleville. Well worth the effort.
Aug. 6 - Transfiguration of the Lord. Approximately a year before the Crucifixion, Jesus took Peter, James and John to Mt. Tabor (or Thabor). It was there that He was transfigured ("His face shone like the sun and his clothes were as white as the snow"). Next, the Apostles saw Jesus talking to Elijah and Charlton Heston (sorry, I mean Moses). Peter didn't build the booth or tent that he wanted to that day, but there is a church built on what is believed to be that very spot.
Aug. 7 - St. Cajetan. Patron of workers, gamblers and unemployed people (that's quite the mix). Born in 1480. Cajetan was the son of an Italian Count. He studied at the University of Padua, became a lawyer and then a senator and later traveled to Rome, where he was ordained a priest. He returned to his home town of Vicenza and focused his efforts on helping the poor and sick. He, along with three other priests (one of them would later become Pope Paul IV), founded an order called the Theatines. He died on Aug. 7, 1547.
Aug. 8 - Blessed John Felton. Are you ready for this one? When Pope Pius V booted Queen Elizabeth I out of the Church for proclaiming herself to be the head of the Church of England, it was John Felton who nailed the announcement on the door of the residence of the Bishop of London for everyone to see. The Queen, who was outraged, had John arrested and he was subsequently condemned to death. He bravely marched up to the gallows and was hanged, but he was cut down just before he died. Then, while he was still alive, his body was mutilated. He did finally die when his heart was literally pulled out of his body. The year was 1570. Eighteen years later, his son Thomas Felton would be martyred, as well. John was beatified in 1886 by Pope Leo XIII.

07/25/2026

Saints Of The Week: July 26 - Aug 1.
July 26 - Sts. Joachim and Anne. Grandpa and Grandma. Gramps and Granny. Pawpaw and Meemaw. They were the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, making them the grandparents of Jesus. Very little is known about them, but churches and shrines have been built in their honor, one of the more famous ones being the Shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre in Canada.
July 27 - St. Pantaleon. Patron of physicians and midwives. He was born in 275 and lived in Nicomedia, which is near the Black Sea in Asia. He was a Christian and a well-respected doctor, but during the persecution of the Christians by Emperor Diocletian, Pantaleon was imprisoned, tortured and martyred for his Faith. He died in the year 303.
July 28 - St. Botvid. Also called Boltuid and Boltwid, he was born in Sweden and raised as a pagan, but he traveled to England as an adult and eventually became a Christian. Although he was never ordained a priest, he traveled throughout Sweden and Finland preaching the Gospel. He was murdered by a Finnish slave that he had set free a few years earlier. I guess you can say his life of preaching was Finnished.
July 29 - St. Martha. Patron of cooks. Martha was the sister of Mary Magdelen(e) and Lazarus. She prepared the meal for Jesus and the Disciples as Mary sat at Jesus' feet. She also met Jesus outside of Bethany after Lazarus' death. And she spoke those famous words the moments before Christ ordered Lazarus to come out of the tomb: "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God!".
July 30 - Blessed Everard Hanse. He was born in Northhamptonshire, England and was raised a Protestant. He studied at Cambridge and later became a minister. He converted to the Catholic faith and eventually was ordained a priest. But he was arrested during the persecution of the Catholics and was imprisoned. He was martyred for his faith in 1581 by being hanged, drawn and quartered. As he was dying, it is reported that he proclaimed "O happy day!".
July 31 - St. Ignatius of Loyola. He was born in 1491 to a noble family in Spain and would eventually become a very successful soldier. After being badly injured in a battle, he spent time recovering at Loyola Castle, where he read book after book on Jesus and the saints. He saw the Blessed Mother in a vision and made a pilgrimage to her shrine at Monserrat. He attended and graduated from the University of Paris and with six other students (one of them being Francis Xavier), they founded the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as the Jesuits.
Aug. 1 - St. Peter in Chains. Shortly after the Crucifixion of Jesus, in an attempt to appease the enemies of the early Christians, King Herod executed St. James and he planned to do the same to St. Peter. He had Peter arrested, bound him tightly with chains and placed him with two guards, who kept a constant watch on him. The night before his ex*****on, an angel of the Lord appeared before Peter, woke him from his sleep and ordered him to stand. When Peter did so, the chains fell from his hands and the two of them walked past the still sleeping guards. When they passed the courtyard, the large iron gate leading out onto the street spontaneously opened before them. Once they stepped out onto the street, the angel disappeared and Peter went on to the house of Mary, the mother of St. Mark, where many Christians were staying. Needless to say, those two guards probably didn't keep their jobs, much less their heads.

07/18/2026

Saints Of The Week: July 19 - July 25.
July 19 - Sts. Justa and Rufina. Patrons of pottery and Potters (but not Harry). They were two Christian women who lived in Seville, Spain and provided for themselves by selling pottery. They lived among a city of pagans and when they refused to make pottery that would be used for pagan rituals, the governor ordered them to be stretched on racks and their sides torn open with hooks. Justa died on the rack, but Rufina, still alive, was finally strangled to death. Their bodies were then burned. They were martyred in the year 287.
July 20 - St. Margaret of Antioch. She was the daughter of a pagan priest in Antioch, which at that time was the third largest city in the Roman Empire (Rome was largest, Alexandria second). She is also known as Marina and when she converted to Christianity, she was banished from the family by her father (what a schmuck!). She became a shepherdess, but when she spurned the advances of a local prefect, he had her imprisoned and tortured. She was to be executed by being burned alive, but when the fire was lit, she was not harmed. She was then sentenced to be drowned, but, once again, she was not harmed. Thousands of spectators who witnessed the proceedings proclaimed their conversion to Christianity and they were promptly executed for their Faith. Margaret was then beheaded. As it turns out, her voice was one of the voices later heard by none other than Joan of Arc.
July 21 - St. Lawrence of Brindisi. No relation to Lawrence of Arabia, he was born on July 22, 1559 and died on his birthday in 1619. His parents named him after Julius Caesar but his name was changed to Lawrence when he entered the Capuchin Franciscan Order at the age of 16. After his ordination into the priesthood, he was sent to preach the Word of Christ to the Jews. He had the outstanding gift of languages, being able to speak in Italian, Latin, Hebrew, Greek, German, Bohemian, Spanish and French (but not Klingon). He died in 1619 and was canonized in 1881.
July 22 - St. Mary Magdalen(e). There have been different interpretations of her life by how it is described in the Bible. Was she sinful? Was she the one who washed Christ's feet with her tears and dried them with her hair? Was she the one who sang so beautifully in the movie "Jesus Christ Superstar”? But one thing is certain. She was one of the few who stood at the foot of the cross during the Crucifixion and she also went to the tomb on Easter morning. What you may not know, 14 years after the Crucifixion, Mary Magdalen, Martha, Lazarus, Maximin (who had baptized Mary), Sidonius (the "man born blind") and the body of St. Anne (the mother of the Blessed Virgin) were put out to sea by the Jews in a boat without any oars and were left to drift aimlessly. They did eventually land on the shores of Southern France, where Mary Magdalen spent the rest of her life in prayer in a cave known as Sainte-Baume. Or so the story goes.
July 23 - St. Bridget. Patron of Sweden. Born around the year 1303, she lived her married life in the court of the Swedish king Magnus II. She was the mother of eight children, with her second eldest child being St. Catherine of Sweden. She lived a very holy life and after her husband died, the King gave her land and buildings upon which to start a monastery. This group eventually expanded into an order that is known, to this day, as the Bridgetines. She was canonized in 1391.
July 24 - Sts. Boris and Gleb. These two were not the Russian spies who chased "Moose and Squirrel" in the old Bullwinkle and Rocky cartoons. They were sons of St. Vladimir of Kiev, who was the first Christian prince in Russia. Their Christian names were Roman and David. After their father died, their oldest brother schemed to kill both of them in an attempt to acquire more power. They could have sent armies to fight against their brother, but instead they decided to accept their fate, fulling expecting to be executed. They were willing to die, knowing that they would soon be with Christ in Heaven.
July 25 - St. James the Greater. He is so named because there was a younger Apostle that was also named James. This James is the brother of John the Evangelist. These two brothers were fishing with their father, Zebedee, when Jesus passed by and invited them to follow Him. James was there when Jesus brought the daughter of Jarius back to life, he was there at the Transfiguration and he was in the Garden of Gethsemane on the evening of Holy Thursday. He was later martyred by Herod but it is agreed upon by scholars that he was not the author of the Epistle of James.