Holy Family
The Holy Family fulfils to the highest degree the two commandments of love. Jesus, Mary and Joseph indicate that the family is an image of the Holy Trinity and, to reflect this image, is called to place God at the centre
Nativity of the Lord
“Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you, who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger”. Thus the angel announced to the shepherds the birth of the divine Child who took us away from the slavery of darkness to illuminate us with His light, becoming flesh in the fullness of time.
Saints Adam and Eve
December 24th is the day of the liturgical memory of the holy ancestors of Jesus, among whom the Church venerates Adam and Eve.
Saint John of Kety
Karol Wojtyla was very devoted to Saint John of Kety (1390-1473), also known as John Cantius, a Polish priest, theologian and university teacher, who always gave half of his academic salary to the poor.
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini
The unshakable faith in God’s will was the distinctive trait of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), detectable in the choice of her name as a religious, when she added "Xavier" to her first name, in honour of the great Spanish missionary who had given everything up for Christ, announcing Him in the most distant and impenetrable lands of the East.
Saint Peter Canisius
Without St. Peter Canisius (1521-1597), the Catholic Reformation would have lacked a fundamental building block. Suffice to say that his three Catechisms formed German Catholics for centuries.
Saint Dominic of Silos
The reputation for holiness that Dominic of Silos (1000-1073) enjoyed during his lifetime led to his canonisation just three years after his death, while Spain was in the midst of the so-called Reconquista.
Saint Anastasius I
Saint Anastasius I († 401) became Pope on 27th November 399. Although his pontificate only lasted two years, he played a decisive role in the defence of orthodoxy, earning the admiration of his contemporary Saint Jerome, exalting his sanctity and richness in poverty.
Saint Gatien
Saint Gatien, or Gratianus, was the founder of the Diocese of Tours a century before Saint Martin was appointed its bishop; apart from this little else is known about his life.
Saint Olympia
The 17 letters Saint John Chrysostom wrote to Olympia (361-408) from his exile witness the esteem she enjoyed within the Christian community. She in turn was persecuted during the last few years of her life by the enemies of the deposed Eastern patriarch.
Saint Adelaide
Queen, empress and, above all, saint: there were indeed many important milestones in the life of Adelaide of Burgundy (931-999), the common denominator was her reputation as an exemplary Christian, which she earned already in her youth.
Saint Mary Di Rosa
That the foundress of the Handmaids of Charity, Saint Mary Di Rosa (1813-1855), had a vocation to sanctity was obvious since her childhood. The sixth of nine children, she was born in Brescia to noble and pious parents, who baptised her Paola Francesca Maria.
