Our Saints
Christian Saints
There are more than 10,000 saints recognized by the Roman Catholic Church.
The Saints in Scripture
In scripture, Paul addresses many of his letters to the various local communities under the title of “saints:” (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, etc.) The term “saints” was also applied to those whom Christians served. In 1 Corinthians we read that Paul made a collection in Corinth for the relief of the saints in Jerusalem.
Paul also talks about the Communion of Saints in that each of us participates by baptism in the one Body of Christ. In his letter to the Romans, Paul tells us “For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us” (Romans 12:4-6).
Martyrs
As Christianity developed, the word saint came to be used more commonly to designate specific individuals who were held to be exemplars of the faith, and who were commemorated or venerated as inspirations to other Christians.
At the beginning of our Church’s history, many witnessed their faith by giving their lives. Many of the followers of Christ were martyred rather horrendously. Some early saints were stoned, as was Stephen. In the Acts of the Apostles, we read: “They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him….As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them;’ and when he said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:58-60).
Tradition has it that Peter chose to be crucified upside down and that St. Paul was beheaded. Ignatius of Antioch was “ground like wheat” by the teeth of animals. Perpetua and Felicity, two young women, had to wait until after Felicity’s baby was born before they could face the lions. During this time Perpetua wrote down her thoughts, giving us a firsthand account of martyrdom.
Tertullian rightly said that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church. (Tertullian was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa)
Canonization
Since the 10th century, the Church has officially applied the standard of holiness of life to certain individuals who lived exemplary Christian lives and through a lengthy process of prayer and study have declared that the individual is in heaven. Contrary to the belief of some, the Church does not “create” saints, but simply applies the standard of gospel holiness to those God permits the Church to know are in heaven. Canonization is a process that includes the calling forth of witnesses, verification of miracles and other holy actions and much research and scrutiny.
Below is a brief description of our Church Namesakes:
Saint Rose of Lima – 1586 – 1617
Feast Day of St. Rose of Lima – August 23
Canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671
Liturgical Color: White
For information about St. Rose of Lima’s life use the links below.
https://mycatholic.life/saints/
https://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php
Above is the stained glass window of St. Rose located in St. Rose of Lima Worship Site.
St. Matthew – First Century
Feast of St. Matthew September 21
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: Red
Matthew means “Gift of Yahweh.”
Saint Matthew was most likely born with the name of Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Though nothing is known about his childhood, Levi became a tax collector for the Roman authorities. The name “Levi” implies that he was from the Tribe of Levi, the tribe responsible for Jewish liturgical worship. Though scholars cannot arrive at a definitive conclusion about the details of his life, it is almost universally accepted that the Levi mentioned in Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 is the same person mentioned in Matthew 9:9 by the name Matthew. Levi might have been his original name, and Matthew may have been the name given to him by Jesus.
The Gospel of Matthew
As we honor Saint Matthew, we also celebrate the Gospel itself. Matthew was but a human instrument; the content of his Gospel is the Living Word of God. Ponder the inestimable value of this Gospel that God has used to transform countless lives.
https://mycatholic.life/saints/
https://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php
Saint Augustine of Hippo – 354 – 430
Feast of Saint Augustine – August 28
Pre-Congregation canonization
Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1298
Referred to as “Doctor of Grace” by popular acclaim
Augustine was born in 354 AD in Northern Africa what would be considered modern day Algeria. For 35 years, Augustine was the bishop of the modest port city of Hippo Regius.
Augustine the gifted writer
He was known for his profound intellect and as a prolific writer having published over 93 books and approximately 300 letters. He is said to have delivered over 8,000 sermons in his lifetime. Augustine’s voluminous writings remain among the most read and quoted texts today. His works include apologetics, sermons, letters, scripture commentaries, a monastic rule, and philosophical and theological treatises. In total, over five million words written by Augustine have survived until today, numbering over 1,000 documents.
https://mycatholic.life/saints/
https://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php
Saint Brendan – 484- 577
Feast of St. Brendan May 16
Canonization – Unknown
The Irish monk St. Brendan was born around 484 at Church Hill, on the north shore of Tralee Bay in Co Kerry, Ireland. He had an exceptionally long life – 93 when he died in Co Galway – as well as an exciting and event-filled one.
For information about St. Brendan use the link below.
Below are the Stained Glass Windows in St. Rose Worship Site.
Scroll below for a brief description of these Saints
Saint Catherine of Siena
Saint Mary Magdelene
Saint Elizabeth of Hungry
Saint Thomas of Aquinas
Saint Edward
Saint Agnes
Saint Catherine of Siena – 1347 – 1380
Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Feast Day April 29
Patron Saint of Europe, Italy, nurses, the sick, and those ridiculed for their piety, Invoked against fires, miscarriages, temptations
Canonized by Pope Pius II on June 29, 1461
Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI on October 4, 1970
Proclaimed Co-Patron of Europe by Pope John Paul II on October 1, 1999
Liturgical Color: White
For information about St. Catherine of Siena use the links below.
Saint Agnes – 291-304
Feast of St. Agnes January 21
Patron Saint of those seeking chastity and purity, engaged couples, rape victims, gardeners, young girls, Girl Scouts, and the Children of Mary.
Pre-Congregation canonization
Agnes was venerated as a saint at least as early as the time of St Ambrose, based on an existing homily. She is commemorated in the Depositio Martyrum of Filocalus (354) and in the early Roman Sacramentarians.[5]
Liturgical Color: Red
For information about St. Agnes use the links below.
Saint Mary Magdalene – First Century
Feast day July 22
Patron Saint of contemplative life, converts, glove makers, hairdressers, penitent sinners, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumeries, pharmacists, sexual temptation, tanners.
Below is the stained glass window of St. Mary Magdalene in St. Rose of Lima Worship Site.
For information about St. Mary Magdelene use the links below
https://mycatholic.life/saints/
https://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary – 1207 – 1231
Feast Day Nov 17
Patron Saint of Third Order Franciscans, bakers, beggars, brides, charitable societies and workers, exiles, falsely accused people, homeless people, hospitals, lacemakers, nursing homes, nursing services, people ridiculed for their piety, widows Invoked against in-law problems, the death of children, and toothache
Canonized by Pope Gregory IX on May 27, 1235
Liturgical Color: White
For information about St. Elizabeth use the links below
https://mycatholic.life/saints/
https://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php
St. Thomas Aquinas 1226 – 1274
Feast Day of St. Thomas – January 28
Thomas Aquinas OP was an Italian Dominican friar and priest, an influential philosopher and theologian, and a jurist in the tradition of scholasticism from the county of Aquino in the Kingdom of Sicily. Thomas was a proponent of natural theology and the father of a school of thought known as Thomism.
St Thomas Aquinas is known primarily as a brilliant theologian and philosopher and is the patron saint of universities and scholars. St Thomas Aquinas is an ambassador for education and serves as a wonderful role model for our children. His extensive writings explored the relationship between the mind of man and the mind of God and his synthesis of knowledge relating to this joining of intellect and religious belief, entitled The Summa Theologica (1267-1273), earned him a lasting reputation among scholars and religious alike.
Thomas Aquinas was the greatest of the Scholastic philosophers. He produced a comprehensive synthesis of Christian theology and Aristotelian philosophy that influenced Roman Catholic doctrine for centuries and was adopted as the official philosophy of the church in 1917.
For information about St. Thomas Aquinas use the links below.
St. Edward the Confessor – 1003 – 1066
Feast Day of St. Edward – Sept 13
St. Edward is the Patron Saint of difficult marriages and separated spouses. Today his name is called upon when marriages are struggling to survive in a world where to many marriages as treated as less than sacred.
For information about St. Edward use the links below
https://mycatholic.life/saints/
https://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php
