Catholic Saint of the Day

Saint Francis Xavier is the Apostle of the Far East and is considered the greatest missionary since the time of the Apostles, and the zeal he displayed, the wonderful miracles he performed, and the great number of souls he brought to the light of true Faith, entitle him to this distinction.

Saint Bibiana was reserved for greater sufferings. She was placed in the hands of a wicked woman called Rufina, who in vain endeavored to seduce her. She used blows as well as persuasion, but the Christian virgin remained faithful. Enraged at the constancy of this saintly virgin, Apronianus ordered her to be tied to a pillar and beaten with scourges, laden with lead plummets, until she expired. The saint endured the torments with joy, and died under the blows inflicted by the hands of the executioner.

St. Edmund Campion was born in London, the son of Catholics who later became Protestants. Doubts about Protestantism increasingly beset him, and he returned to Catholicism. Campion was sentenced to death by the English Crown as a traitor and was hanged, drawn and quartered.

Saint Andrew was the first disciple of Jesus. He was the younger brother of Saint Peter and was born in Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. The brothers were fishermen by trade. Jesus called them to be his disciples by saying that he would make them “fishers of men.”

Saint Saturninus was Bishop of Touloise in the 3rd century. St. Saturninus went from Rome by the direction of Pope Fabian, about the year 245, to preach the faith in Gaul He was martyred by being tied to a bull and dragged through the city.

St. Catherine Laboure at an early age entered the community of the Daughters of Charity, in Paris, France. On November 27, 1830 the lady showed St. Catherine the medal of the Immaculate Conception, now universally known as the "Miraculous Medal."

St. James Intercisus was a Persian who lived in the fifth century. He was executed by having his body cut apart into 28 pieces, beginning with his fingers (hence his surname "Intercisus" - meaning "cut to pieces"), and then beheaded. All the while, he kept declaring his faith that his body would one day rise in glory.

St. John Berchmans was born at Diest in Brabant (Modern Belgium), on March 13, 1599; died at Rome, August 13, 1621. He is the patron saint of Altar Boys His parents watched with the greatest solicitude over the formation of his character. He was naturally kind, gentle, and affectionate towards them, a favourite with his playmates, brave and open, attractive in manner, and with a bright, joyful disposition. Yet he was also, by natural disposition, impetuous and fickle.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr whose feast day is November 25th. She is one of the 14 Holy Helpers and the patroness of philosophers, preachers, nurses, mechanics, craftsmen who work with a wheel (potters, spinners, etc.), archivists, dying people, educators, girls, jurists, lawyers, librarians, libraries, maidens, millers, hat-makers, nurses, philosophers, preachers, scholars, schoolchildren, scribes, secretaries, and unmarried girls.

Several groups of martyrs were slain for the faith in Vietnam from 1798 until 1861. Between 1798 and 1853, sixty-four were martyred, receiving beatification in 1900. Those who died in a second group, between 1859 and 1861, were beatified in 1909. There were twenty-eight courageous men and women who died for the faith during a long period of persecution.