Home Page

St. Thomas Becket was born in London in 1118. He served as archdeacon of Canterbury and chancellor of England. He was ordained in 1162 and became archbishop of Canterbury. This saint resisted the king’s interference in church matters. He was martyred in 1170. St. Thomas Becket is patron saint of the clergy.

St. John the Evangelist, the brother of St. James the Great, was a fisherman. Jesus called John to follow him, and John became “the beloved disciple.” He was at the Last Supper and stood at the foot of the cross during Jesus’ passion. He wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and possibly the Book of Revelation. He died circa 101. St. John the Evangelist is patron saint of authors, booksellers, editors, printers, writers and theologians.

St. Stephen the Martyr was a preacher and deacon who became the first Christian martyr. He is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. He was preaching the Gospel outdoors when an angry mob stoned him to death circa the year 33. St. Stephen is patron saint of deacons, headaches, horses and masons.

Today is the feast of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), a holy day of obligation. This feast celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Merry Christmas!

St. Philogonius of Antioch was a lawyer and widower. This patriarch of Antioch was vocally opposed to Arianism. He died in 324.

St. Winebald, along with brothers St. Willibald and St. Walburga, was a son of St. Richard the King. He made a pilgrimage from his homeland of England to the Holy Land. However, he became ill and lived in Rome for seven years to recover and study. After returning to England, he went to Germany with St. Boniface to evangelize the people. This saint founded a monastery Heidenheim, Germany. He died in that town in 761.

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 II and his wife, Theophano, mistreated Adelaide. When Otto II died, his young son, Otto III, became emperor. After Theophano died, Adelaide acted as regent for Otto III until he grew up. She helped the poor and evangelized; she also built churches. She died in 999. St. Adelaide is patron saint of abuse victims, empresses, princesses and step-parents.

St. Valerian was born circa 377. He served as a bishop in Africa. He refused to give sacred vessels to vandals who demanded them; they left him in the street to die circa 457.

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 Loves Raymond” (1996-2005). The show lasted nine seasons, filming 201 episodes.

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. 14, 1591. This contemplative and spiritual writer was named a doctor of the church in 1926. St. John of the Cross is patron saint of contemplatives, mystics and Spanish poets.

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The feast honors the Blessed Virgin Mary’s apparitions to Juan Diego in December 1531 in Mexico. Our Lady of Guadalupe is patron saint of Mexico and the Americas in general.