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St. Pascal Baylon was born on May 24, 1540, in Spain. He was devoted to the Eucharist as a child, and he eventually became a Franciscan lay brother, usually serving as a cook. A man of great humility, St. Pascal Baylon was very charitable toward the poor. In France he defended the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist against the Huguenots, who nearly killed him. St. Pascal Baylon, who died in 1592, is patron saint of cooks.

St. John I was born in Italy and became the 53rd pope in 523. He was the first pope to go to Constantinople when he traveled there to speak to and crown Emperor Justin I. When St. John returned to home, the Italy’s ruler, Theodoric, thought the pope had plotted against him with the emperor. Theodoric put the pope in prison, where St. John I died May 18, 526.

St. Eugene de Mazenod was born in Aix-en-Provence in France on Aug. 1, 1782. There was constant fighting in his family and interference from relatives when St. Eugene was a child. His parents eventually divorced. In 1790, St. Eugene had to flee with his family to escape the French Revolution. He spent the next 11 years in Italy. St. Eugene became a parish priest in 1811, ministering to the poor, the sick, the young and the imprisoned. St. Eugene formed the Oblates of Mary Immaculate with approval from Pope Leo XII. He became a bishop, founded many parishes and restored many churches. He doubled the number of priests in his diocese and eventually became archbishop of Marseille. He died May 21, 1861. St. Eugene de Mazenod is patron saint of dysfunctional families.

St. John Baptist Rossi was born in the diocese of Genoa, Italy, in 1698. He studied under the Jesuits and the Dominicans and was ordained in March 1721. He helped begin a hospice for homeless women in Rome. Additionally, he was a catechist to farmers, the homeless, the sick, beggars, prisoners and many others. Although he avoided hearing confessions for a number of years because he had epilepsy, he eventually changed his mind and became a popular confessor in Rome. He also worked miracles. St. John Baptist Rossi died May 23, 1764.

St. Simeon Stylites the Younger was born in Antioch around in 521. When St. Simeon was 5 years old his father died, and a monk nearby undertook his care. At age 7, St. Simeon and the monk began to live solitary lives on top of platforms. The saint attracted a number of followers and eventually built a monastery for them. He built a pillar for himself in the monastery. When he was ordained the age 35, the bishop had to climb onto the pillar to ordain the saint. St. Simeon was a healer and miracle worker who spent most of his life on pillars. He died around 597.

St. Philip Neri was born in Florence, Italy, on July 22, 1515. He studied under the Dominicans until he had a vision, one of many he would receive, which told him he needed to go to Rome. St. Philip Neri took care of the sick and the poor in Rome. He became a priest in 1551 and worked with children, ensuring their safety. He founded the Congregation of the Oratory, a group dedicated to preaching, in 1575. He died in 1595. St. Philip Neri is patron saint of Rome and the United States Army Special Forces.

St. Augustine of Canterbury was born in Rome. He was a monk and abbot at St. Andrew’s Abbey in Rome. In 597, the pope sent him to the British Isles to evangelize along with about 40 other monks. St. Augustine was successful in spreading the faith and even converted a king, who in turn brought thousands into the church. The saint also helped reconnect the Celtic and Latin churches. St. Augustine, who died in 605, is patron saint of England.

Today is the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is the day that Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth who was with child, despite being advanced in years, as the angel had told her. Upon hearing Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth knew that Mary was the mother of the Lord; the Gospel says that the child leaped in her womb. Mary responds, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.”

St. Justin the Philosopher was born around 100 in Palestine. He was a non-believer and philosopher who converted to Christianity when he was 30 years old after reading Scripture and seeing the great faith of the martyrs. He disputed non-believers and became a Christian apologist. St. Justin was beheaded for his faith in Rome around 165. He is patron saint of philosophers and apologists.

St. John the Great Sinner was born into a Christian family in March 1546 in Spain. When he was 19 he left his business and gave away his belongings to live as a hermit. He worked in prisons and hospitals in Jerez de la Frontera, and he later founded the Hospital of Our Lady of Candlemas in Jerez. He joined the Order of Hospitallers in 1574. In 1600 he died while caring for those who were dying of the plague. St. John the Great Sinner is patron saint of the diocese of Jerez de la Frontera.

St. Francis Caracciolo was born in Italy in October 1563. After being cured from a disease when he was 22, he sold his belongings, gave the money to the poor and began to study theology. He was ordained in 1587 and, along with another man, formed the Congregation of the Minor Clerks Regular to minister to the sick and imprisoned. He also helped the poor, worked miracles, preached and is said to have cured the sick. He died in 1608. St. Francis Caracciolo is patron saint of Naples, Italy.

St. Boniface was born in England in the 670s. He became a Benedictine monk and went to Germany as a missionary. He destroyed the worship sites of non-believers and built churches. As an archbishop, he reformed churches and founded or restored a few dioceses. He went to Holland to evangelize the people. There in 754 he was captured, along with St. Adaler, St. Eoban and a number of his followers, by non-believers and was killed for his faith. St. Boniface is patron saint of brewers and tailors.