Priest (1898–1963)In 1922, Hugh O’Flaherty, a young Irish seminarian, was assigned to pursue studies in Rome. Following his ordination in 1925, he stayed on to work for the Holy See,…

Hermit (291–371)St. Hilarion was born in Gaza to non-Christian parents. At fifteen, soon after his conversion to Christianity, he was inspired by tales of St. Anthony to head for the…

(1794)For over a hundred years, the Ursuline Sisters maintained a convent and religious school in Valenciennes in northeast France. When the Revolution of 1789 suppressed religious houses, the sisters moved…

Peacemaker (1930–2021)On July 28, 2012, Sr. Megan Rice (eighty-two at the time) and two fellow activists managed to cut through several fences at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak…

Founder, Friars Minor (1182–1226)As the Christian whose life most closely calls to mind the example of Christ, Francis of Assisi is one of the few saints widely honored beyond the…

Novelist (1923–1996) The novelist Shusaku Endo, who was baptized as a child following his parents’ divorce, spent much of his life pondering the ambivalence and tension implied in his identity…

Founder, Vincentians (1580–1660) Vincent de Paul was born to a peasant family in Gascony. Though he later achieved fame for his dedication to the poor, his early life was spent…

Sister of Mercy (1810–1884)Frances Warde, who was born in Ireland and became the first professed member of the Sisters of Mercy, would go on to play an enormous role in…

South African Freedom Fighter (1946–1977)Along the road to freedom in South Africa, many did not live to see the day of victory. Steve Biko is among the most honored martyrs…

J. R. R. Tolkien Author (1892–1973)John Ronald Reul Tolkien lost both his parents at a young age. Before her death, his mother, a devout Catholic, appointed a priest of the…