Alphonsus was what we call a “gifted” student today. He was a lawyer by the time he was 16 years old! He came from a wealthy family in Naples, Italy, and had every advantage in life from the moment he was born in 1696. But his parents were spiritually devoted people, and Alphonsus was taught that the greatest blessing he had been given was his faith. He prayed often and attended Mass even on days when he was appearing in court.
Peter Julian Eymard was born on February 4, 1811 in La Mure, France. He grew up in a poor family after the French Revolution, at a time when Catholicism was not looked upon kindly.
John Vianney was born a peasant in Dardilly, France, in 1786. As a youth, John shepherded sheep on his father’s farm. It was during the French Revolution, and it was illegal for Catholics to attend Mass at the time. But the Vianney family traveled distances every Sunday to worship and pray in secret. Because of this, young John saw priests as particularly heroic to the people. Even after the revolution ended, when religion could again be practiced openly, John felt drawn to the vocation of the priesthood.
Dominic was born in 1170 in Castile, Spain. It was said that at his baptism, the priest saw a star-shaped light on the baby’s forehead. You will sometimes see a star in artwork of St. Dominic, and he is the patron saint of astronomers.
At the Mass of his beatification in 2007 in his native Austria, Franz Jägerstätter was remembered as a normal, everyday person with faults. Sometimes he took his faith lightly. He chased after girls, rode a motorcycle, and fathered a child outside of marriage.
Edith Stein was born in 1891 in Breslau, Poland, to a Jewish family. As a child, she was an extraordinary student, and in 1916 she received a doctorate in philosophy and began to teach at a university. Her family was religious, but Edith had no interest in religion. Eventually she became drawn to the Catholic faith after reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila.
Lawrence was a deacon in Rome in the early days of the Church; he lived around 225-258, a time when Christians were harshly persecuted. We know little about him except for a legend that tells us about the remarkable deed he performed a few days before he was martyred.
Clare’s parents wanted a good life for their daughter, who was born in Assisi in Italy in 1194. But what they wanted for Clare was not what Clare had in mind. At age 15 she refused to marry. One day she heard St. Francis, who was also from Assisi, preach. At that moment, she knew what she must do with her life. She knew she wanted to be like Francis. She would live a humble life dedicated to Jesus.
Jane was born in Dijon, France, in 1572. When she was 20, she married into a royal family. She and her husband had six children, two of whom died at a young age. Jane was a busy wife and mother, but she still found time to welcome the poor who came to the castle door looking for food.
Raymund Kolbe was born in Poland in 1894. His family was very poor, but they were rich in spirit. In 1914, his father was captured and killed by the Russians for fighting for Polish independence.