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Called the great missionary of the 18th century, St. Leonard of Port Maurice’s preaching and writings had a profound impact on the Church in Italy and the Franciscan order.

St. Leonard of Port Maurice, a Franciscan friar, was well-known for his powerful preaching and deep devotion to the Stations of the Cross. Born Paul Jerome Casanova in Port Maurice, Italy, he was the son of a ship’s captain.

As a young man, he went to Rome to live with an uncle and study at a Jesuit college. His family encouraged him to pursue a career in medicine, but he felt drawn instead to religious life. When he declared his preference, his uncle disowned him.

Visit our special page dedicated to St. Leonard of Port Maurice created to help you connect with his story and his powerful example of faith.

St. Catherine of Alexandria was a noblewoman in the 4th century in Egypt. Being born into a wealthy family made it possible for her to study the arts, philosophy, and the sciences. Her love for learning led her to explore Christian writings. According to tradition, she received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Holy Child, and she converted to Christianity.

Her newfound faith soon brought her into conflict with Emperor Maxentius during a time of severe Christian persecution. St. Catherine boldly confronted the emperor, denouncing his cruelty and refusing to renounce her faith. To discredit her, the emperor summoned fifty of his most skilled philosophers to debate her. St. Catherine, however, spoke with such eloquence and conviction that many of them converted to Christianity. Angered, Maxentius had them executed and ordered St. Catherine imprisoned.

Visit our special page dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria created to help you connect with her story and her powerful example of faith.

St. Andrew Dung-Lac (1795–1839) was a Vietnamese priest and martyr whose steadfast faith in Christ cost him his life. He was born into a poor, non-Christian family in Bac Ninh, Vietnam. In search of work, his family moved to Hanoi, where a Christian missionary gave St. Andrew a place to live and educated him. Deeply moved by Christian teachings, he converted to Christianity. He chose the name “Andrew” at baptism.

Diligent in his studies, St. Andrew applied himself to learning Latin and became a catechist. He was chosen to study theology and was ordained a priest in 1823. As a parish priest, he preached with enthusiasm and lived an exemplary life of Christian values that led many to receive baptism.

Visit our special page dedicated to St. Andrew Dung-Lac created to help you connect with his story and his powerful example of faith.

St. Felicitas of Rome, a wealthy widow, was deeply devoted to her Christian faith during Christian persecutions in the 2nd century. Her story of tragedy and injustice underscores the courage and faith lived out by early Christians.

St. Felicitas was a wealthy widow who lived by her Christian values. She assisted the poor through charitable works and provided support for the Christian community in Rome. Her bold witness and influence won converts to the Christian faith. But it was her refusal to sacrifice to the pagan gods that infuriated the pagan priests, who reported her to the Emperor. They claimed that the Roman Gods would remove their favor from Rome in anger if St. Felicitas and her sons did not sacrifice to them.

Visit our special page dedicated to St. Felicitas of Rome created to help you connect with her story and her powerful example of faith.

St. Cecilia was born into a pagan noble family in the third century and was exposed to Christian beliefs from childhood. Her profound faith and devotion to Christ converted her pagan husband and brother-in-law, who then converted their jailer.

You have probably heard St. Cecilia’s name mentioned during the Canon of the Mass. She is one of the most well-known virgin martyrs of the early Church. Although historical details are scarce, the Basilica of St. Cecilia in Rome is believed to mark the site of her home.

St. Cecilia was a young Roman woman born to a noble family in the third century who, according to tradition, was given in marriage to Valerian, a pagan noble. On their wedding night, she revealed that she had pledged to God to remain a virgin, claiming that an angel guarded her purity. She vowed to love Valerian if he respected her virginity.

Visit our special page dedicated to St. Cecilia created to help you connect with her story and her powerful example of faith.