Saints John Houghton, Robert Lawrence, Augustine Webster, Richard Reynolds
The saints remembered today were the first to suffer martyrdom for refusing to take the oath to the Act of Supremacy of 1534, which declared King Henry VIII supreme head of the Church of England. These were the Carthusian Protomartyrs John Houghton, Robert Lawrence and Augustine Webster and the Brigidine monk Richard Reynolds, all martyred on 4 May 1535.
Saints Philip and James the Lesser
The two apostles Philip and James the Lesser are remembered with a single liturgical feast because their relics, transferred respectively from Hierapolis and Jerusalem, were placed together in the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome. Their joint worship was established with the 1969 calendar reform.
Saint Athanasius
The five times this man of Providence was forced into exile for his indomitable defence of the true faith, which was threatened by the Arians, shine a light on why Saint Athanasius (c. 295-373) was called “the Great”.
Saint Joseph the Worker
On May 1, 1955, Pius XII instituted the feast of “St. Joseph the Worker” to help workers not to lose sight of the Christian sense of labour, so fully incarnated in the humble carpenter of Nazareth and glorious putative father of Jesus.
Saint Pius V
An impressive number of achievements were accomplished in the six years of the pontificate of Saint Pius V (1504-1572), one of the greatest figures of the Catholic Reformation, who defended the true faith against heresies and linked his name to the Battle of Lepanto.
Saint Catherine of Siena
The stigmata, the ecstasies, the conversations with God, the bilocations were just some of the countless graces received by Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), co-patroness of Italy and Europe.
Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort
Saint Pius X not only recommended reading the Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, one of the masterpieces by St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716), but he also granted in writing the Apostolic Blessing “to all those who will read this Treatise”.
Saint Zita
Patroness of Lucca, in Tuscany, Saint Zita (1218-1278) enjoyed a widespread cult long before she was canonized, so much so that her contemporary Dante Alighieri mentioned her in the Divine Comedy.
Saint Paschasius Radbertus
Saint Paschasius Radbertus (c. 790-865) is considered the greatest theologian of the 9th century for his treatise on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, as well as for some works on Mary. He intuited the Virgin Mary's Immaculate Conception and wrote that “she was exempt from all original sin”.
Saint Mark
If St. Matthew writes for his fellow Jews (as we gather from his many references to Old Testament quotations revealing that Jesus is the Messiah), St. Mark wrote the second Gospel on the direct appeal of the first Christians of Rome, attracted by the teachings of St. Peter.
Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen
“If I am killed, I will gladly accept death for the love of Our Lord. I will consider it a great grace”, Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen (1577-1622) had told his confreres. He was martyred by the Calvinists after having converted many of them to the true faith.
Saint George
Saint George (c. 275 - c. 303) was already the object of an extensive and ancient cult long before the legendary image of his fight with the dragon, symbolizing the intrepid faith that triumphs over evil.
