James; his brother John, the Evangelist; and Peter were special favorites of the Lord. They had the privilege of witnessing the Transfiguration, when Jesus’ robe and face shined as bright as the sun and the voice of God spoke from the heavens, announcing that Jesus was his only Son.
Joachim and Anne were the parents of Jesus’ mother, Mary. We don’t know many details about their lives because they are never mentioned in the New Testament. Everything we know about them comes down through tradition—the stories people told about them.
When he was 29 and fighting against the French who were attacking Pamplona, a cannonball shattered his leg. Ignatius spent a year in bed recovering from his wounds. When he was 30, Ignatius turned from working as a soldier to working as a missionary for God.
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.
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.
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.