Saints Eusebius of Vercelli and Peter Julian Eymard

The Church commemorates two pastors today, separated by a millennium and a half: The fourth-century Eusebius of Vercelli (+371), the first bishop we know...

Canterbury’s Augustine, Who Made England Catholic

There are two Saints Augustine - the bishop of Hippo, and author of the Confessions and numerous other theological masterpieces, and, today's saint, Augustine,...

The Divine Comedy of Saint Lawrence

Today's Saint Lawrence (+258) lives on in the legend of his own divine comedy, a Spaniard from Valencia, chosen in the very bloom of...

Saint Roch: Patron Saint of Bachelors and Dogs

Saint Roch (1295 - 1376?) - also known as Rock, or, in Scotland, Rollox, not to be confused with the luxury watch of similar...

Saints Hilary and Mungo

On this 13th day of January, in bleak midwinter, we celebrate two saints. The first, in the public calendar, is the great Saint Hilary...

Saints Peter Chanel and Louis Grignon de Montfort

On this Fifth Sunday of Easter day, would otherwise be the double memorial: Saint Peter Chanel (+1841) who evangelized the island of Futuna in...

Dymphna’s Sanity

The story of Saint Dymphna (7th century), steeped in legend, is not one, perhaps, that parents would feel comfortable telling their children. Dymphna was...

Saint Paschal Baylon’s Humility and Joy

The life of Paschal Baylon (1540 - 1592) has much in common with that of his fellow Franciscan, Joseph of Cupertino (+1633). They were...

Pope Benedict and the Curé d’Ars

(The holiness of the Church - and hence the salvation of the world - depends much upon the holiness of her priests. Hence, these...

Saint Josaphat, Martyr for Unity

Our Lord seems to have been speaking of our modern crisis when he warns that scandals are sure to come, and woe to him...