August Saints

The Feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori

St. Alphonsus Liguori was a Doctor of the Church widely known for his contributions to moral theology and for his remarkable kindness.

He was very intelligent, even as a young boy, excelling in many areas. Privately tutored at home, he practiced the harpsichord three hours a day and became a virtuoso by age 13. By 16, he became a doctor of civil law. It's said that he never lost a case in his eight years practicing law, except for his final case. He resigned from law after he overlooked one small but crucial piece of evidence, which caused him to lose the case.

He then entered seminary and was ordained three years later. He quickly developed a reputation as a preacher and confessor in Naples. His sermons were so simple and well-organized that all kinds of people, no matter their level of education, were blessed by his teaching. In 1732, he went to Scala and founded the Redemptorists, a preaching order. His published his famous book, “Moral Theology,” in 1748. Thirty years later, he was appointed bishop.

St. Alphonsus Liguori, please pray for us! 

The Feast of Sts. Eusebius of Vercelli and St. Peter Julian Eymard

The Church celebrates Eusebius of Vercelli, a defender of the faith against the Arian heresy, and Peter Julian Eymard, the founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and a key promoter of Eucharistic Devotion.

St. Eusebius of Vercelli is the first recorded Bishop of Vercelli in northwest Italy. He was also the first to connect the monastic life with that of the clergy, forming a group of priests dedicated to virtuous and communal living. He was one of many defenders of the faith against the Arian heresy and was sent into exile for standing up to the emperor. Many also consider him to be the author of the Athanasian Creed, and a copy of the Gospels written in his own hand is preserved in the cathedral at Vercelli.

St. Peter Julian Eymard was born near Grenoble, France, in 1811. At the age of 18, he joined the Oblate novitiate. Unfortunately, he became so ill that he was sent home to die. However, he made a remarkable recovery. He returned to seminary, was ordained in 1834, and later joined the Marists. In 1851, he established the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, a community dedicated to Eucharistic Adoration.

Sts. Eusebius of Vercelli and Peter Julian Eymard, please pray for us!

Feast of St. John Vianney

From a young age, John had the vision of being a priest, despite his lack of education. He was finally ordained after years of work. His imprint as a confessor is his most recognized accomplishment, offering confessions for more than 12 hours a day. He is the patron saint of parish priests.

St. John Vianney, please pray for us!

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of Transfiguration of the Lord commemorates a key moment in Christ's ministry.

Christ revealed his divinity to his three closest disciples through a miraculous and supernatural appearance and encounter.

Before his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus ascended Mount Tabor with Peter, James and John. "He was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him" (Matthew 17:2-3). They spoke of how Christ would suffer and die after entering Jerusalem, before his resurrection.

Matthew, Mark and Luke all record that God's audible voice confirmed Jesus as his son. "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him" (Matthew 17:5).

Pope Benedict XVI describes the Transfiguration as a "full manifestation of God's light," and he encourages us to seek Christ as the light of the world. "We urgently need to emerge from the darkness of evil, to experience the joy of the children of light!" 

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Sixtus II and Companions and St. Cajetan

Little is known about the early life of third-century Pope Sixtus II, and he is often confused with a Greek philosopher of the same name. St. Pontius of Carthage describes Sixtus II as a good and peaceful priest.

As Pope, Sixtus II continued to lead the Church faithfully amidst fierce persecution from Emperor Valerian. The Emperor demanded that Christians worship the pagan gods or face exile or death, eventually issuing an edict that sentenced all bishops, priests and deacons to death.

Despite attempts to meet with his flock in secret, Sixtus II was one of the first to be martyred. Four deacons, Januarius, Vincentius, Magnus and Stephanus, were also apprehended and beheaded. Two other deacons, Felicissimus and Agapitus were also martyred that day.

St. Cajetan was one of the great reformers of the Church during the period of the Reformation. In spite of the corruptions and excesses that led many others astray, he remained loyal to the Church and committed to fighting the corruption. He founded an order of priests dedicated to monastic poverty and prayer, the Congregation of Clerks Regular (also called the Theatines).

His charity and personal care for the poor were remarkable. He founded a hospital for those with incurable diseases, and he even founded a bank for the poor to offer loans without the usual high-interest other banks would require.

St. Sixtus II and Companions and St. Cajetan, please pray for us!

The Feast of St. Dominic

The Church celebrates St. Dominic of Guzmán, 12th-century priest and founder of the Order of Preachers, also known as The Dominicans.

“This great saint reminds us that in the heart of the Church a missionary fire must always burn,” Pope Benedict XVI said of St. Dominic. Born into nobility, Dominic received education from his uncle, a priest, before studying at the University of Palencia for ten years. During this time, he sold his entire collection of rare books to help the poor.

After his ordination to the priesthood, Dominic was asked by Bishop Diego of Osma to help with local church reforms. In the midst of the Albigensian and Manichean heresies, Dominic was inspired to form a religious order to promote truth. He was later named the Pope's chief theologian, expanding his Order of Preachers throughout Europe. It is said that through his preaching, over 100,000 people were converted.

St. Dominic, pray for us! 

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

The Catholic Church remembers St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also called St. Edith Stein. St. Teresa was a Jewish philosopher who converted from Judaism to Catholicism, later entering the Carmelite Order.

Remarkably intelligent, Edith pursued a study of philosophy as a pupil of the renowned professor, Edmund Husserl. In her studies, she grew to admire the intellectual and spiritual lives of several Christians. After reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila, she had a change of heart. She later recalled, "When I had finished the book, I said to myself: this is the truth."

She was baptized into the Catholic Church, and taught at a Dominican school for 11 years. The rise of Nazism led to the end of her teaching career, due to her Jewish ethnicity. After painfully parting ways with her mother who did not understand her conversion to Christianity, she entered a Carmelite convent in 1934. She took the name “Teresa Benedicta of the Cross” as a symbol of her acceptance of suffering.

"I ask the Lord to accept my life and my death,” she wrote in 1939, “so that the Lord will be accepted by his people and that his kingdom may come in glory, for the salvation of Germany and the peace of the world." She and the members of her religious community were later arrested and sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. She died at Auschwitz in 1942.

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, please pray for us!

The Feast of St. Lawrence

St. Lawrence was a third-century deacon who was martyred during the persecution of Emperor Valerian along with many other clergy. He was the last of Rome's seven deacons to die.

After St. Pope Sixtus II was martyred, authority of the Roman Church fell to Lawrence as the Church's treasurer. He was ordered to bring all the wealth of the Church with him to his execution. He arrived with a group of crippled, poor and sick men and said, "These are the true wealth of the Church." He was immediately put to death through cruel and painful means.

St. Lawrence is venerated as one of the patrons of Rome, along with Sts. Peter and Paul. St. Augustine said of St. Lawrence, "Just as Christ laid down his life for us, so we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren... Lawrence understood this and, understanding, he acted on it. In his life he loved Christ; in his death he followed in his footsteps."

St. Lawrence, pray for us!

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Clare 

Born into a wealthy and noble family, St. Clare dedicated her life to prayer.

After hearing St. Francis of Assisi preach one day, she chose to follow him, cutting her hair and giving up her expensive clothes for plain robes. She lived her life in poverty, but was happy, because the Lord was close to her at all times.

St. Clare, please pray for us!

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Jane Frances de Chantal

St. Jane Frances de Chantal was the 16th-century foundress of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary.

Born into nobility in Dijon, France, Jane (Jeanne) was the daughter of the president of the parliament of Burgundy. At age 20 she was married to the Baron de Chantal, and they had four children. Tragically, her husband died in a hunting accident at age 28.
She and her children endured a difficult season living with her unkind father-in-law, and she took a vow of perpetual chastity. She prayed constantly that God would provide her a spiritual guide, and God showed her a vision of a man that she would later recognize as St. Francis de Sales. She placed herself under his guidance. Many of the letters between these two saints have been preserved as an excellent example of spiritual direction.

In 1610, she relocated to Annecy to form an order for women and girls who felt called to live the life of Christian perfection, but without the severe asceticism of the religious orders of the time. Inspired by St. Francis, these women committed to keeping their will united to the Divine will, surrendering all of themselves into God's hands.

"In Madame de Chantal I have found the perfect woman, whom Solomon had difficulty finding in Jerusalem." – St. Francis de Sales

St. Jane Frances de Chantal, pray for us!

The Feast of Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus

Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus were two men who died for their faith after horrible treatment in the mines of Sardinia.

St. Pontian served as pope from 230 to 235. He held a synod in Alexandria confirming the ex-communication of the great theologian Origen. When the Roman emperor banished Pontian to the island of Sardinia in 235, he resigned as pope so that a successor could be elected.

St. Hippolytus, whose name means “a horse turned loose," had a rebellious streak in his early priesthood. He criticized the pope for responding too leniently to a certain heresy, calling him a tool in the hands of Deacon Callistus. When Callistus was later elected pope, Hippolytus criticized him as well. He had himself elected antipope by a group of followers.

In spite of his failings, St. Hippolytus is still one of the most important and prolific theologians of the pre-Constantinian era. His writings contribute greatly to our knowledge of the Roman liturgy and the structure of the early Church. He remained in schism through the reign of three popes before he too was banished to the island of Sardinia.

St. Pontian, a pope of five years, and St. Hippolytus, an antipope of 18 years, were reconciled at the island of Sardinia before their death. Their bodies were later brought back to Rome and buried as martyrs with solemn rites.

Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus, please pray for us!

The Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe

 A "martyr of charity" who is most known for sacrificing himself in order to save another's life in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz during World War II.

He is also celebrated for his missionary work, his creative communication for the gospel, and his lifelong devotion to the Virgin Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception. He founded the Militia Immaculata, a worldwide organization that continues to bring people and societies into the Catholic Church.

In 1939, Germany invaded Poland. St. Kolbe was arrested and transported to Auschwitz in 1941. Prisoners were sentenced to death by starvation on August 10 as punishment for another inmate's escape. Hearing a man's laments for his wife and children, St. Kolbe volunteered to die in his place.

Survivors of the camp testified that the starving prisoners could be heard praying and singing hymns, led by the priest who had offered his life for another's. After two weeks, on the night before the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the camp officials hastened Fr. Kolbe's death by injecting him with carbolic acid.

St. Kolbe, please pray for us!

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (which is not a holy day of obligation this year). Mary was taken up to Heaven, body and soul, at the end of her life on earth. Holy Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Blessed Mother, pray for us!

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Stephen of Hungary

The Church celebrates St. Stephen of Hungary, the 11th-century King who led his country to embrace Christianity.

It is said that his mother, the duchess Sarolt, received a vision of the original St. Stephen – the Church's first martyr. He appeared to her saying she would bear a son who would evangelize their land.

Named after the first martyr, St. Stephen of Hungary inherited his parents' desire to bring the Catholic faith to Hungary. As King, he used his wealth to build a monastery, established laws favoring Christianity over paganism, and he received confirmation of his authority from Pope Sylvester II.

He showed great diligence as king, while also dedicating himself to building up the church and helping the poor and sick. Greatly devoted to the Virgin Mary, Stephen had several churches built in her honor. Her intercession is credited with preventing a war and stopping an assassination plot against him.

St. Stephen fulfilled the Pope's charge to use his authority as king for the good of the Church. Sadly, he was overcome with illness in his final years. In 1038, on the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Stephen offered his final words to his fellow leaders, exhorting them to protect and spread the Catholic faith.

To the Virgin Mary, he offered a prayer: “To thee, O Queen of heaven, and to thy guardianship, I commend the holy Church, all the bishops and the clergy, the whole kingdom, its rulers and inhabitants; but before all, I commend my soul to thy care.”

St. Stephen of Hungary, pray for us!

The Feast of St. John Eudes

St. John Eudes was a 17th-century French missionary, founder of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity and also the author of the liturgical worship of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

At the age of fourteen, St. John took a vow of chastity, committing to live out his life in imitation of Christ. After his ordination to the priesthood in 1625, he immediately began caring for victims of the plague at great risk to his own life. He was also known as one of the greatest preachers of his age, preaching missions all over France.

He later founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, to provide a refuge for prostitutes. He also founded the Society of Jesus and Mary to help educate priests and missionaries. He was a major advocate for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Heart of Mary.

St. John Eudes, please pray for us!

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Bernard de Clairvaux

St. Bernard de Clairvaux was a French abbot and Doctor of the Church whose writings had a profound impact on Europe in the 12th- century.

Raised near Dijon, France, St. Bernard entered the abbey at Citeaux, joining the Cistercians at the age of 22. A few years later, he was sent to the Diocese of Champagne to establish a new monastery which would later be known as Clairvaux, meaning "valley of light." He faithfully served as abbot at Clairvaux for the rest of his days.

The saint’s strict observance of silence and contemplation did not hinder him from a commitment to missions. He became widely known throughout Europe, often serving as a consultant for popes and political leaders. He is also well known for his Marian devotion and for his use of the "Memorare" prayer.

“The richness of St. Bernard’s preaching and his theology were not in pursuing new paths, but in succeeding to propose the truth of the faith in a clear and incisive way so as to fascinate the listener and lead the person to prayer.” ~ Pope Benedict XVI

St. Bernard de Clairvaux, please pray for us! 

The Feast of St. Pope Pius X, the first Pope of the 20th-century

St. Pius X was elected to the papal office in 1903 and died 11 years later, just as World War I was beginning.

Born as Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto in 1835 at Riese, near Venice, he was one of eight children in a poor family. He pursued a calling to the priesthood from a young age and was ordained in 1858. After 26 years, he was named Bishop of Mantua, Italy, and was later named Patriarch of Venice in 1893.

As Pope, he issued a decree to lower the age of First Holy Communion to the age of 7. He also advocated for frequent and even daily reception of the Eucharist. He promoted Bible reading among laypeople and worked to reform the liturgy, promoting clear and simple homilies. He revived Gregorian chant, revised the Breviary, reorganized the curia and initiated the codification of canon law.

He died in 1914 of natural causes reportedly aggravated by worries over the beginning of World War I. St. Pope Pius X was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1954.

St. Pope Pius X, please pray for us!

The Feast of Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Queen of Heaven and Earth.

In 1954, Pope Pius XII established the traditional doctrine and feast of the Queenship of Mary for the Universal Church.

Pope Pius IX said of Mary: "Turning her maternal Heart toward us and dealing with the affair of our salvation, she is concerned with the whole human race. Constituted by the Lord Queen of Heaven and earth, and exalted above all choirs of Angels and the ranks of Saints in Heaven, standing at the right hand of her only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, she petitions most powerfully with her maternal prayers, and she obtains what she seeks."

Queen of Heaven, please pray for us!

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Rose of Lima, a 17th-century Lay Dominican from Lima, Peru

Born as Isabel Flores de Oliva in 1586, St. Rose chose to consecrate her life to God from a very young age. She practiced very intense prayer and penance daily, sometimes going without food and sleep.

She later joined the Third Order of St. Dominic and lived in a small hut in her parents' garden, working to help support them. She fought illness for the last three years of her life, until her death at the age of 31. It is said that she prophesied her own death on August 24, 1617, the feast of St. Bartholomew.

In addition to being the first saint of the Americas, she is also the patroness of Peru and the indigenous natives of Latin America.

St. Rose of Lima, please pray for us!

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Bartholomew

St. Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles. His name means "son of Talmai," an ancient Hebrew name.

Aside from being listed as an Apostle, he is not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament. However, Catholic tradition and many ancient writers identify Bartholomew as Nathanael in the Gospel of John (John 1:45-51, and 21:2).

In John's gospel, Nathanael is introduced to Jesus by his friend Phillip, and Jesus says, "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him" (John 1:47). Through this dialogue, we learn that Nathanael is a good Jew, honest and just, devoting time to quiet reflection and prayer "under the fig tree" (John 1:48).

In this encounter, Nathanael proclaims, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel" (John 1:49). Nathanael sees God, recognizes Him, believes him and then chooses to follow Him. While very little is known for sure about the life of Nathaniel/Bartholomew after the Ascension of Jesus, tradition holds that he traveled to the East to spread the gospel, dying a martyr's death in Armenia.

St. Bartholomew (Nathanael), please pray for us!

Scroll down for more saints of the month!

The Feast of St. Monica

St. Monica was the mother of the great theologian, St. Augustine. Also known as Monica of Hippo, this 4th-century saint is known for her fervent intercession for her son that led to one of the most incredible conversions in Church history.

Monica was born into a Catholic family in 332, in the North African city of Tagaste (present-day Algeria). She was raised by a maidservant who taught her the virtues of obedience and temperance. At a relatively young age, she married Patricius, an ill-tempered Roman civil servant who scorned his wife's religion.

Monica endured much in her marriage, including Patricius' infidelity. He refused to allow their three children to receive Baptism. When Augustine became critically ill, Patricius agreed for him to receive Baptism, but changed his mind when Augustine recovered.

Through enduring patience and prayer, Monica eventually witnessed a change of heart in Patricius one year before his death in 371. However, Augustine's lifestyle concerned her greatly. He fathered a child out of wedlock in 372, and soon after began to practice the occult religion of Manichaeism.

In grief, Monica initially shunned Augustine, but she received a dream in which a messenger told her, “Your son is with you.” After this dream, she welcomed Augustine back into her home and continued to pray for him.

Seeking the advice of the local clergy, one bishop assured Monica that it was “impossible that the son of such tears should perish.” After many years of fervent tearful prayer, Monica began to see a change in Augustine. Under the influence of Bishop St. Ambrose of Milan, Augustine renounced the Manichean heresy. After three years of inner struggle, Augustine was baptized in 387.

St. Monica has become the inspiration for the St. Monica Sodality, which encourages prayer and penance for Catholics whose children have left the faith.

St. Monica, please pray for us!

The Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo

The Church celebrates St. Augustine of Hippo, the 4th-century theologian and philosopher who became one of the most influential thinkers in the history of the Catholic Church. His teachings have formed the foundation for doctrines that have endured for centuries.

His life story, up to the point of his conversion, is contained in his autobiography, "Confessions," an intimate and revealing work full of fascinating philosophical, theological, mystical, poetic and literary content.

Though being brought up in his early years as a Christian, Augustine strayed in his older years, drifting away from the Church. He began his studies in Carthage and quickly became renowned for his brilliant mind, sharp rhetoric and a passion for philosophy.

Proponents of Manicheanism lured him into the heresy with false promises. They claimed to have scientific answers to the mystery of nature, they said they could disprove the Scriptures, and they promised an explanation for the problem of evil. Years later, with the guidance of St. Ambrose, Augustine rejected the heresy as incoherent and fraudulent.

He received baptism in 386. Soon after, his mother, St. Monica, died with the knowledge that her years of tearful and fervent prayer had brought her son to the Lord. Augustine returned to Africa, to his hometown of Tagaste, and "having now cast off from himself the cares of the world, he lived for God with those who accompanied him, in fasting, prayers, and good works, meditating on the law of the Lord by day and by night."

On a visit to Hippo, he was proclaimed priest and then bishop against his will. He later accepted it as the will of God and devoted his days to pastoring Hippo, where he worked tirelessly to refute the writings of heretics. On August 28, 430, as Hippo was under siege by the Vandals, Augustine died at the age of 76. His legacy continues to have a profound impact on the Church to this day.

St. Augustine, please pray for us!

The Feast of The Passion of St. John the Baptist

Having celebrated his birthday on June 24, on this day the Church honors the anniversary of his martyrdom.

This great prophet and reformer was sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. St. John the Baptist was profoundly humble and selfless, completely devoted to the cause of Christ. “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).

Many followed John, but John never allowed himself the false honor of receiving glory for his own sake. When the time came, he led his disciples to follow Jesus: “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God.' The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus” (John 1:35-37).

The martyrdom of St. John the Baptist resulted from the vengeful scorn of a queen taking advantage of the drunken oath of a foolish king. King Herod was wooed by a dance from Herodius' daughter, promising to give her anything she desired. Her mother told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter, and John was promptly executed.

This storied prophet suffered the fate of many prophets before him: rejection and martyrdom. His “voice crying out in the desert” did not hesitate to speak the truth and to call out sin, even unto death.

St. John the Baptist, please pray for us!