Today’s Saint

By Catholic Apostolate Center - St. Gabriel Possenti was born in 1838 in Italy and spent much of his teenage years pursuing girls and social recognition. After great tragedy struck his family at the end of his teenage years, he decided to enter the Passionists because of his new devotion to Christ in the Passion. He took the name Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows because his own grief led to a growing devotion to the sorrows of Mary. ...

By Catholic Apostolate Center Feast Days - St. Polycarp was a follower of St. John the Evangelist. He had the opportunity to learn about the life of Jesus from those who had walked with the Lord during his time on earth. St. Polycarp was in the second generation of Church leaders, and he had to navigate a lot of questions and heresies in the absence of the apostles. When making challenging decisions for the early Church, he tried to imitate the grace and charity of Jesus. Polycarp became Bishop of Smyrna.

By The Catholic Apostolate Center - St. Peter Damian was born in 1007 in Ravenna, Italy. He lost his parents at a very young age and one brother was left in charge of him. This brother treated him poorly and had him tend swine. Once Peter was old enough, a different brother, who was the archpriest of Ravenna, noticed the neglected Peter and took him in to be educated. Peter added Damian to his name in honor of this brother. In school, Peter proved to be an apt student, and later became a professor. While a professor, Peter constantly engaged in fasts and prayer. He then resolved to leave the world to enter monastic life.

Patron Saint of Bodily Illness - Francisco and Jacinta Marto were two of the three children to whom the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared six times at Fatima in 1917. Mary asked the children to pray the rosary, pray for sinners, and pray specifically for the conversion of Russia. The siblings both died during the influenza epidemic, not long after the apparitions in Fatima. They were canonized by Pope Francis in 2017. “We can take as our examples Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, whom the Virgin Mary introduced into the immense ocean of God’s light and taught to adore him.” -Pope Francis