Juanita came from a wealthy family in Santiago, Chile, where she was born in 1900. There was a chapel on the family property and Juanita attended Mass every day from the time she was a small child. She could hardly wait for her First Communion so that she could receive Jesus.
Imagine seeing our Blessed Mother not just once, but eighteen times! That is the blessing Bernadette Soubirous was given for five months in 1858.
The man we now call the “St. Francis of the Americas” began life in 1626, growing up a poor shepherd in the Canary Islands. He often lived in a cave. As he cared for the sheep, he spent his time growing closer to God in prayer. He longed to travel to Guatemala City, where he hoped he could earn a better living.
Mark was an Evangelist—one of the four men who wrote the Gospels found in the New Testament. Mark’s Gospel was written first, and it is the shortest description of Jesus’ life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Mark’s writings helped both Matthew and Luke to write their Gospels.
Sometimes saints lead very normal lives. They love sports and have hobbies. They get married and have children. Some, like Gianna Molla, are even modern-day working mothers.
Catherine’s parents lived in Siena, Italy, and had 25 children. Catherine, who was born in 1347, was number 23. From an early age she loved to pray, and at the age of seven she already knew she wished to remain chaste and unmarried to devote her life to God. By the time of her death in 1380—when she was only 33—she had touched the lives of many people.
Born in 1864 and raised in a large farm family in Spain, José entered the seminary in 1876 when he was only 12 years old. After ordination in 1887, he worked as a parish priest and was a professor at the seminary in Madrid.
Philip and James were both Apostles, chosen by Jesus to follow him and to continue his work of building the Kingdom of God. We celebrate their feast on the same day because, although they died at different times and in different places, their bodies were moved and are buried together in the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Rome.
It isn’t always easy to be different from others, but Dominic, who was born in 1842, was different. Even as a young boy, he had great faith. His parents taught him how important it was for him to put Jesus first in his life.
Damien was born Joseph de Veuster in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840. When he was only 13 he had to quit school to work on the family farm. At age 19, he joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. As a member of this religious community, he took the name Damien. He chose this name after a fourth-century physician and martyr.