Saints

Born into a wealthy Roman family, young Gregory’s father was a senator and prefect – exposing him to the legal world. But as a youth, he was deeply affected by seeing many dying from disease and war.

St. Bernard was born into a wealthy Catholic family in France. Originally trained as a soldier, he subsequently joined the Cistercians, and led 12 monks to start a new community in Clairvaux (“the valley of light”).

"Trust always... in divine providence; never let yourselves be discouraged..."

Albert was born into a wealthy family in Poland, but kept his heart for the poor. Passionate about politics, at age 17 he took part in an 1863 uprising against Russian Czar Alexander II.

St. Isidore was born into a peasant family in Madrid. Although his family was poor, they were rich in love for God and taught Isidore to dedicate himself to His service.

Pope St. Pius V, known as “the pope of the rosary,” was born as Michele Ghislieri in Bosco, Italy in 1504, and became a Dominican priest at 26.

Arrested by the German Gestapo in 1944 for being “too Catholic” and sent to a concentration camp, Blessed Marcel Callo remains an exemplar for his faith devotion.

St. Peter Damian, a Doctor of the Church, is one of its greatest reformers.

St. John Neumann, the first U.S. bishop to be canonized, was a champion of the Catholic school system.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Italian-born foundress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was drawn to religious life as a little girl, and dreamt of being a missionary.

Blessed by visions of Christ when she was a young nun, St. Faustina obeyed Him in launching a new mission – spreading worldwide devotion to His mercy, particularly to those oppressed in sin.

Padre Pio was a 20th-century Italian Franciscan friar and priest with mystical gifts including bilocation, ability to read hearts in the confessional, transverberation (having piercings like Christ’s), and the odor of sanctity.

Pandemics are nothing new; humanity has been ravaged by them throughout history. In Christian Europe, the clergy, religious, and laity often responded to pandemic outbreaks with heartfelt prayer and acts of penance.

St. Dominic introduced devotion to the rosary and founded one of the great Catholic orders of the 13th century, The Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans.

Waikiki’s St. Augustine Parish in the Diocese of Honolulu, HawaiI, this year is opening a new Damien and Marianne of Molokai Education Center, a $6 million, 5,900-square-foot project spearheaded by Fr. Lane Akiona, St. Augustine’s pastor. It will tell the story of two of the Hawaiian Islands’ most popular saints, St. Damien of Molokai (1840-89) and St. Marianne Cope (1838-1918), with photographs, videos, interactive exhibits, and artifacts.