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Today is the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. The Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles (through the three kings), the baptism of Jesus and the first miracle at Cana. Traditionally, the feast is celebrated Jan. 6 – the twelfth day after Christmas.

St. John Neumann was born March 28, 1811, in Bohemia (Czech Republic). He became a seminarian, but his bishop decided to stop ordinations due to the great number of priests. John learned English and was ordained in New York. He joined the Redemptorists and was later made bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. He organized Catholic schools in the City of Brotherly Love and is considered one of the founders of American Catholic education. He learned a number of languages so that he could hear confessions from many people. John Neumann died Jan. 5, 1860, in Philadelphia. He is patron saint of Catholic schools.

Today is the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. St. Bernard, St. John Capistrano and the Franciscans especially supported the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus.

St. Basil the Great was born in 329 in what is now Turkey. He was such a successful speaker that he feared he would lose his piety. Therefore, he gave away his money and things to become a priest and monk. The bishop and archbishop of Caesarea founded monasteries; he also made rules for monks who lived in the desert. He is a doctor of the church and a father of the church. He died in 379. St. Basil is patron saint of hospital administrators, reformers and Russia.

Today is the solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. She was the mother of Jesus and the wife of St. Joseph. The title, Mother of God, was used by St. Elizabeth when Mary visited her before the birth of Jesus.