Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Andre Grasset, Canada’s First Homegrown Beatus

Blessed André Grassett was the first Canadian to be beatified - not quite the first 'saint', which requires canonization, and that honour belongs to...

The Legendary Hermit, Saints Giles, or Egidio

The life of Saint Giles, as many mediaeval saints, is steeped in legend. What we do know is that he had quite a following,...

The Not so Hidden Life of Blessed John Juvenal Ancina

Saint Philip Neri, the founder of the Oratorians and the ‘second Apostle’ of Rome, recommended reading books beginning with ‘S’, that is, lives of...

The Baptist Loses his Head

The celebration of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist - an expeditious entrance into heaven - is sort of a bookend to the...

Pope Benedict and Augustine

BENEDICT XVI GENERAL AUDIENCE Paul VI Audience Hall Wednesday, 9 January 2008 Saint Augustine of Hippo (1) Dear Brothers and Sisters, After the great Christmas festivities, I would like to...

Augustine’s Long Pilgrimage to Truth

A blessed feast of the great Saint Augustine (354-430), bishop and doctor of the Church, and one of the greatest theologians in her history....

The Persevering Prayer of Monica

Monica is the patron saint of mothers - not least, those who pray for the conversion of their children, an integral part of the...

The Black Madonna: Our Lady of Częstochowa

This feast of the 'Queen of Poland' is a national holiday in that great nation, with thousands of pilgrims flocking to her shrine at Jazna...

Saint Louis IX: A Most Christian King

St. Louis IX (1214-1270) has been considered by many to be the greatest king of medieval Christendom. As the quintessential Catholic monarch, he ruled...

Saint Joseph Calasanz, a Radical Reformer

We would be remiss if we did not at least remark on this day on the great and sadly forgotten Saint Joseph Calasanz (+1648),...