Mary & the Saints

Overture on Silence There are many kinds of silence: the stony silence of hatred, the crimped silence of hurt, the directed silences of envy and contempt, the silence that is the pause between our chattering and nattering, the concentrated silence of an attempt to find

While St. John Paul II was influenced by many saints during his life, there was one saint who had a special place in his heart. As a young adult St. John Paul II was introduced to the works of St. John of the Cross. A

St. Lucy’s Day, also known as Lucia Day, is a traditional Swedish celebration filled with children in costumes, elaborate processions, and Swedish treats — all honoring the beloved saint. St. Lucy, whose feast day is celebrated by the Catholic Church on Dec. 13, was a

On Dec. 12 we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is the patroness of the unborn. When Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego nearly 500 years ago, she came first and foremost as a mother — the mother of God and

St. Edith Stein (1891-1942), also known by her religious name as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, is known for many things, such as her conversion to Catholicism from atheism after being raised in a Jewish family, her scholarly works, and her martyrdom at the

For many centuries Catholics have prayed the Memorare prayer, often attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux. In recent years, various adaptations have been popular, such as the following Memorare to Our Lady of Guadalupe: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, that in thy celestial

The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the “Immaculate Conception,” is patroness of the United States. She was proclaimed unanimously on May 13, 1846, by the Catholic bishops of the United States under that title. Pope Pius XI affirmed that decision July 2, 1847. That decision

Among the legends surrounding St. Nicholas, one that has become increasingly popular in online meme culture in recent years is the tale of the saint striking the heretic Arius during the Council of Nicea. As the story goes, the council fathers were debating the nature