Living in the 4th century A.D., St. Ambrose was bishop of Milan during a tumultuous era of Church history. His road to ordination was an interesting journey. The sudden death of the current bishop of Milan in 374 A.D. left the bishop’s seat open amid the climate of the Arian heresy. Ambrose, an unbaptized believer […]

In 2004, I became that convert who immediately jumped, with both feet, into all things Catholic. I was the one running to the Religious Goods store regularly, because, of course, I now needed a crucifix for every room, statues of our confirmation saints, candles, framed images and all the prayer cards I could find. Our […]

Modeling our lives after those of the saints can sometimes feel like a formidable task. We count the ways it seems impossible in the 21st century. We examine the action of the holiest saints and we wonder how we could ever compare. We’re juggling so many balls as it is – how could we possibly […]

A lot happens between the ages of 12 and 14. I call it the magical age, the ethereal age, the age of heroes and anything’s-possible. We’ve all passed through that moment. For some of us it was just another year, for others it was the turning point that made every subsequent moment in their lives […]

There was once a young man named Anthony who lived with his sister in a village called Coma in Egypt. The hills around the village were dry and brown against the pale blue sky. However, inside the village was lush and green. Palm trees dotted the horizon and water flowed through the canal. Anthony’s parents […]

Start 2023 strong by committing to grow in your Catholic faith and answering the call to be devoted to daily prayer. Our Catholic Guide to 2023 will lead you with the quotes, monthly devotions, and intentions to help you stay motivated each month of the year. Save or print this article so that you can […]

CARITAS IN VERITATE | June 29, 2009 Each person finds his good by adherence to God’s plan for him, in order to realize it fully: in this plan, he finds his truth, and through adherence to this truth he becomes free (cf. Jn 8:32).  Pope Benedict XVI Without God man neither knows which way to […]

All Catholics are called to be saints. If we genuinely want to grow in holiness, we must study the lives of the saints who have gone before us to learn what habits, virtues, and values guided their path to heaven. It doesn’t take long to realize that a deep devotion to Our Mother and praying […]

Saint Teresa of Calcutta was known for spending countless hours attending to the dying, the sick, and the poor. This flowed from her rich prayer life: Daily Mass and a daily holy hour. Where did Mother Teresa learn to sacrifice herself for others? Her first teacher in virtue was none other than her mother, Dranafile […]

When we think of the saints and martyrs, especially the first Christians, we struggle to conceptualize their experiences.  We don’t live in the same era, they seem “more Catholic” than us, and their level of holiness can feel unrelatable and unattainable. The magnitude of their sacrifice and their commitment to the name of Jesus can […]

What Is A Patron Saint? When you are baptized, the priest says the name chosen for you by your parents. However, when you are confirmed, in the Latin Rite of the Church, you get to choose a “Confirmation Saint.” This saint is a special patron saint which you have chosen to be a special protector […]

Bishop David Kagan, Diocese of Bismarck, N.D., announced the opening of the diocesan investigation which could lead to the beatification and canonization of North Dakota native Michelle Christine Duppong. Born in 1985, Duppong grew up in Haymarsh, N.D. She earned a degree in horticulture at North Dakota State University in 2006. While there, she encountered […]

The Catholic Church celebrates the memorial of St. Anthony Claret on October 24th.  But moviegoers will have the opportunity to learn about him sooner with an upcoming Fathom movie release of Slaves and Kings on August 22 (English) and August 23 (Spanish) in select theatres throughout the United States.  Personally, I was familiar with St. Anthony Claret […]

Who Was Pope St. Pius X? Born in 1835 in Venice, Guiseppe Melchiorre Sarto was pope from 1903 to 1914 under the name Pius X. He was a staunch defender of the truth, a liturgical reformer, and a man of great faith. Pope St. Pius X is well known globally for his repression of Modernism […]

To us, also, your servants, who, though sinners, hope in your abundant mercies, graciously grant some share and fellowship with your holy Apostles and Martyrs: with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia, and all your Saints: admit us, we beseech you, into their company, […]

If you could ask a few male saints how they were raised, what do you think they would say? Certainty, every Catholic father wants to raise a saint, but not every father is willing to make the sacrifice or knows where to start.  The Father Of St. Thomas More Let’s begin with John More, the […]

World Youth Day will take place August 1-6, 2023 in Lisbon. The motto chosen from Luke 1:39, “Mary arose and went with haste,” is one that will speak to the hearts of the thousands of young people expected to join Pope Francis in prayer during this international faith gathering. Catholics are asked to begin interceding […]

On May 15, 2022, Pope Francis introduced ten new Saints to the Catholic Church. Each of these holy men and women are powerful examples of lives dedicated to God through service, faith, and love. At the canonization Mass, Pope Francis reminded the faithful that all are called to become saints. “Being disciples of Jesus and […]

In one of his most famous dreams, St. Don Bosco saw a large ship being attacked by smaller ships. Eventually, the Holy Father steered the larger ship, which represented the Church, safely between two pillars: the Blessed Mother and the Holy Eucharist. Like the Holy Father, the parents of the saints helped guide their domestic […]

Though she was physically short in stature, St. Catherine of Siena was a spiritual giant among the giants. She was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1461, only eighty-one years after her death. In 1866, she was declared a patron saint of Rome, and in 1939, co-patron saint of Italy (along with St. Francis of […]

Once upon a time, there was a horrible dragon who lived in a pond near a village called Silene. The dragon was terribly large with a pointed head and a flickering forked tongue like a snake. He had sharp curved claws bigger and sharper than any sword. Deadly, though he was, the dragon was also […]

I am impressed every time my child spots a dandelion and plucks it as if something truly magnificent has captured his attention. This kind of wonder seems to fade as we get older. So I have always been interested in how the saints were able to not just maintain this sense of awe but also […]

Even if you didn’t watch the Oscars, you’ve likely seen all over social media what occurred between Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Will Smith. An offensive joke was told at the expense of Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband retaliated by walking on stage to slap Chris Rock and then proceeded to cuss him […]

The present situation in the world between Russia and Ukraine has brought to our attention many different saints that the western Church, that is, Roman Catholics, would have little familiarity. They could be saints associated with the Eastern Churches in communion with Rome like the Ukrainian Catholic Church or it could be saints associated with […]

It is a tradition of the Catholic Church to observe a specific devotion during each month of the year. Here is the list of those devotions and a saint quote that will inspire you! 2022 Catholic Monthly Devotions January – The Holy Name of Jesus “The sweet name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, […]