Home Page

St. Joseph of Cupertino was born June 17, 1603, in Naples, Italy. When he was 17 years old, he tried to join the Friars Minor Conventuals but was refused because of his lacking education. He also tried to join the Capuchins. Finally, he was accepted as an oblate at a Franciscan convent close to Cupertino. He became a cleric at age 22 and a priest at age 25. The saint had a series of ecstasies throughout his life. They were triggered by the mention of God or a saint, or other people or things related to religion. The saint levitated and heard heavenly music. He died in 1663. St. Joseph of Cupertino is patron saint of air travelers, pilots and astronauts.

St. Matthew the Apostle was a Roman tax collector, a job considered to be working with the enemy by people who had to pay the taxes. When people were surprised to find Jesus with the “traitor,” Jesus said he had come to call the sinners. St. Matthew wrote his Gospel to convince the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. The saint preached to the Jewish people for 15 years. St. Matthew the Apostle is patron saint of tax collectors, bankers and money managers in general.

St. Cosmas and twin brother St. Damian were physicians who would not accept payment. Through their charity, many converted to Christianity. The brothers were tortured and beheaded for their faith circa 287-303. St. Cosmas and St. Damian are patron saints of apothecaries, barbers and physicians.

St. Vincent de Paul was born to a peasant family in 1581 in southwest France. He was educated by Franciscan friars before beginning studies at the University of Toulouse in 1596. He was ordained when he was 20 years old. Captured by pirates, St. Vincent de Paul was sold into slavery. He was only freed in 1607 after he converted his owner to Christianity. While serving as a parish priest in Paris, he formed groups to help the poor, the ill and the unemployed. With Louise de Marillac, he founded the Daughters of Charity. He also instituted the Congregation of Priests of the Mission (Lazarists). St. Vincent de Paul always worked for those in society who needed the most help: the poor, abandoned, ignored, sick, etc. He died in Paris in 1660, and his body was later found incorrupt. St. Vincent de Paul is patron saint of charities, St. Vincent de Paul societies, Vincentian Service Corps and volunteers.

St. Wenceslaus was born in Prague (in what was then Bohemia and is now the Czech Republic) in 907. The duke of Bohemia came to power after his father was killed in a time of backlash against Christianity. St. Wenceslaus fought the backlash through prayer. His brother, Boleslaus, killed him for political reasons Sept. 28, 929. However, St. Wenceslaus is considered a martyr since those reasons stemmed from his Christian faith. There have been miracles reported at his tomb. St. Wenceslaus is patron saint of Bohemia, the Czech Republic and Prague.

Today is the feast of guardian angels. The belief is that each soul has an angel who guides the soul through life and to God.

St. Bruno was born in Cologne, Germany, in 1030 and was ordained circa 1055. He taught theology, and one of his students became Pope Urban II. He presided at a school in Rheims between 1057 and 1075. He criticized worldliness among the members of the clergy. After having a vision, he moved to a mountain in 1084 to live a prayerful, quiet life dedicated to God. There he foundsed the first house of the Carthusians. They copied manuscripts to support themselves. Along with his friends, he built a hermitage in 1095 in Torre. He died in 1101. St. Bruno is patron saint of possessed people.

St. Pelagia the Penitent was a dancer who converted to Christianity after hearing a bishop preach about a woman who worked to be a beautiful dancer but did not do anything for God. St. Pelagia confessed, was baptized, and moved to Jerusalem to live as a hermit. St. Pelagia is patron saint of actresses.

St. Edistius died a martyr in Ravenna, Italy, in 303. He died for his faith during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian.

St. Callistus I lived in the late second century, early third century. Although he was born a slave, he eventually became a free man. Pope Zephyrinus had Callistus lead the Roman public burial grounds, now called the Cemetery of St. Callistus. The saint became an archdeacon and was elected the 16th pope circa 218. He died for his faith circa 223. St. Callistus is patron saint of people who work at cemeteries.

St. Teresa of Avila was born to a noble family in March 1515 in Castile, Spain. She read about the lives of the saints as a young girl. When she suffered from a crippling disease as a child, she prayed to St. Joseph and was cured. Although her father did not want her to enter the religious life, she left home at age 17 to join the Carmelites. Teresa became sick again after taking her vows and never fully recovered. The saint began having visions, which the Dominicans and Jesuits said were true. She founded a reformed convent of St. John of Avila. She died in October 1582 and was proclaimed a doctor of the church in 1970. She is patron saint of sickness.

St. Hedwig, daughter of the duke of Croatia, was born in Bavaria in 1174. She married Prince Henry I of Silesia and Poland when she was just 12 years old and went on to have seven children. She is the aunt of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. The saint founded hospitals and cared for the sick. After her husband died, she gave away her money and entered a monastery. She died in 1243. St. Hedwig is patron saint of brides, widows and difficult marriages.