6th June
Saint Norbert
Norbert had been born in 1082 in Xanten, and as a young man he had taken minor orders because his parents thought that clerical life would provide...
From Pleasure To Prayer
8th June
Blessed Nicholas of Gesturi
A holy life, making his daily tasks an offering to God, resulted in a recent beatification. A year after he was born in Sardinia in 1882, the sixth...
The Brother Who Did Extraordinary Things Extraordinarily Well
9th June
Saint Columba
The little island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland, seems an unlikely choice of headquarters for any enterprise. But it became a stronghold of...
Dove Of Peace
11th June
Saint Barnabas
A prominent member of the early Church in Jerusalem, the name and deeds of Saint Barnabas are well documented in the pages of Scripture. Born on...
Son Of Encouragement
12th June
Saint Florida of Cevoli
For one convent to produce a saint is truly remarkable. But to have an Abbess who was proclaimed a saint and her Vicar beatified by Pope John Paul II...
The Perfect Poor Clare
13th June
Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
It is fitting that we should remember the Immaculate Heart of His Blessed Mother today having celebrated the Sacred Heart of Jesus yesterday. Her...
What A Wonderful Mother We All Have
13th June
Saint Anthony of Padua
Saint Anthony of Padua lived only 36 years but in that short life won the respect and affection of thousands of people, and gained a reputation for...
The Most Loved Franciscan
19th June
Saint Romuald
Most of us would be reluctant to exchange the comforts and pleasures of life for a hermit’s cell. How difficult it must have been for Romuald, a...
Man Of Prayer
20th June
Saint Alban
As the first British martyr Saint Alban should hold a very special place in our hearts. Born in the third century when Britain was part of the Roman...
Britain's First Martyr
21st June
Saints John Fisher and Thomas More
Today we honour the memory of two great English saints. We owe so much to Saints John Fisher and Thomas More for their loyalty to the Pope and their...
For Love of England and the Catholic Church
21st June
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
The short life of Aloysius Gonzaga was marked by contrast and struggle. His aristocratic family had planned a brilliant career but God called him to...
Patron Of Catholic Youth
29th June
Saints Peter and Paul
Today we honour the two greatest saints of the Catholic Church who were crucial in establishing it as a worldwide faith. Their influence has...
We Owe So Much To These Two Men
30th June
Protomartyrs of Rome
Around the year 58 the apostle Paul wrote an encouraging letter to the Christian community in Rome. He was looking forward to visiting them for the...
Flames Of Faith
1st July
Saint Oliver Plunkett
Oliver Plunkett was born in County Meath in 1629 to a wealthy and well-connected family. At the age of 16 he was sent to Rome to continue his...
Focused On The Lord
5th July
Saint Anthony Zaccaria
In the early sixteenth century the Church was under attack from many sides. Martin Luther criticised abuses and Protestant theories and practices...
Champion Of The Church
5th July
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
In the Middle Ages, little princesses had to grow up very quickly. Princess Elizabeth knew how to behave because she had the excellent example of her...
A Model Queen
6th July
Saint Maria Goretti
One of the largest crowds ever assembled for a canonization -250,000 - symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria...
A Model For The Young Girls Of Our Day
8th July
Blessed Gregory and Companions
The disciples were warned by Jesus that following Him would involve hardship and danger. A century ago Blessed Gregory and his friends suffered...
Dying For The Faith In China
9th July
Saint Nicholas Pick and Companions
One of the greatest evils of the Reformation was the hatred which was generated between Catholic and Protestant. In the 16th century Protestant...
Loyal To Christ And His Church
10th July
Saint Veronica Giuliani
Many saints have had to contend with opposition during their lives but few have had to face as many internal struggles and trials as Saint Veronica...
Work And Pray
11th July
Saint Benedict
The effect that Saint Benedict has had on our world is tremendous. But facts about his life are limited and most of what we know about him is given...
The Father Of Western Monasticism
13th July
Saint Henry
Henry was a ruler of the Holy Roman Empire but now he wears a crown in Heaven because of his love for the Church and his people. His mother was a...
Fighting For A Crown
14th July
Saint Francis Solano
Many stories are told of our Founder, St. Francis, walking through the Italian countryside singing for joy. He was sometimes referred to as God's...
"The Fiddling Friar"
14th July
Saint Camillus de Lellis
A wounded soldier with a quarrelsome nature and a taste for gambling might seem to be an unlikely candidate for sainthood but God called him to serve...
A Big Man With A Big Heart
15th July
Saint Bonaventure
The most powerful forces of change in the 13rh Century were two new institutions: the universities and the mendicant religious orders. The future...
The Second Founder Of The Franciscan Order
16th July
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
This is a very special day for Carmelite priests and religious because it commemorates the foundation of their Order. It is also an opportunity for...
From The Old Testament Of The Modern World
19th July
Saint John Plessington
Let's try to imagine what it was like being a Catholic in 1679 when Saint John Plessington was martyred ... For well over a century Catholicism had...
Chester's Local Hero
10th August
Saint Lawrence of Brindisi
If you go to Rome you may perhaps see the International College of our Capuchin Order, named after St. Lawrence of Brindisi who is the patron saint...
Patron Of All Capuchin Students
10th August
Saint Bridget of Sweden
The gift of clairvoyance is a mixed blessing. St. Bridget is famous for her visions, which were sometimes a means of guidance for herself or others,...
The Motherly Saint
10th August
Saint James
Saint James and his brother, John the beloved disciple, were given the nickname 'Boanerges' meaning the 'Sons of Thunder' by Jesus: does this suggest...
One Of The Inner Circle