As cold, wintry winds whipped across the former farmland where the grand brick church now stands, some 700 people huddled in front of the $6 million structure and strained to watch Bishop Malooly accept the keys and construction documents of the new church. Festooned in brightly colored capes and feathered caps, members of sword-bearing Knights...Read More

St. Adelaide, the daughter of a king of Upper Burgundy, had an arranged marriage. At 16, she married the man who became a king of Italy. He died in 950. She married Otto the Great in 951, and he became emperor in 952. When Otto died in 973, his son, Otto II, became emperor. Otto...Read More

Peter Boyle, who was once a Christian Brother before he pursued a career in acting, died Dec. 12 at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Boyle, 71, had been suffering from multiple myeloma and heart disease. Boyle became familiar to U.S. television audiences as perpetually cranky Frank Barone, the father of Ray Barone, on the sitcom "Everybody...Read More

St. John of the Cross was born in Spain in 1542. He became a Lay Carmelite brother at age 21 and a Carmelite priest at age 25. Following the advice of St. Teresa of Avila, he began the Discalced reforms in his order. His changes aided in the revitalization of his order. He died Dec....Read More

St. Damasus I was born circa 306 in Rome. A priest, he was elected the 37th pope in 366. This election also saw the rise of anti-pope Ursinus. The pope was opposed to Arianism and Apollinarianism. He commissioned St. Jerome to do a translation of Scripture, which is now called the Vulgate. Damsus restored shrines,...Read More

St. Juan Diego was born in Cuauhtitlan (in modern-day Mexico) in 1474. This poor farm worker converted to Christianity when he was about 50 years old. The Virgin Mary appeared to him at Guadalupe in December 1531. This image of her became known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. He died in 1548. Juan Diego was...Read More

St. Ambrose of Milan was born in Gaul (modern-day Germany) circa 340. He tried to mediate a dispute over the replacement for the bishop of Milan after the bishop died. Both sides were so impressed with Ambrose that he was chosen to become bishop. Ambrose was baptized, ordained a priest and made a bishop Dec....Read More

St. Bibiana was a virgin and martyr. Although there is very little information about her, one account says she lived during the time Julian the Apostate. Julian persecuted Christians, including Bibiana and her family. Her parents and her sister were persecuted and died. Bibiana was tortured to death. St. Bibiana is patron saint of torture...Read More