ST ANNE

The grandmother of Jesus and the mother of Mary, St. Anne’s name and the name of her husband, St. Joachim, come from the stories that developed in Post-Biblical times. Joachim and Anne represent the many generations of faith filled people in Israel. We honor them for their role in shaping the character of Mary.

ST FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI
(1850-1917)

Foundress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and the first U.S. citizen to be canonized, she worked among Italian immigrants in New York, Chicago and Denver. She founded 67 institutions dedicated to serving the poor, including Assumption School. While in Chicago, she attended Mass at Assumption.

ST JOSEPHINE BAKHITA
(1869-1947)

A Native of Sudan, she was sold into slavery at age seven. She slaved under a number of owners, some of whom were abusive. Last owned by an Italian family, she learned of Catholicism and gained her freedom. She entered a convent of Canossian Sisters, where her holiness was manifest over the next five decades.

ST KATERI TEKAKWITHA
(1656-1680)

An Algonquin-Mohawk woman, she assisted Jesuit missionaries in caring for the sick and wounded during an era of constant warfare. This led to her conversion to Catholicism. For the remainder of her short life, she was known for her intense prayer and penitential practices, while facing much persecution.

ST PATRICK
(389-461)

A native of Britain, he was captured by Irish raiders at age 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland, where he became a shepherd. His captivity led to his desire to do mission work in pagan Ireland. He returned as a priest, and was enormously successful, establishing Catholicism throughout Ireland in a very short time.

ST PHILIP BENIZI
(1233-1285)

One of the first to join the newly founded Order of Friar Servants of Mary, he gained formal approval for the Order and served as Prior General for many years. His brilliance, his humility, and his concern for the poor were widely known, and at once point he was considered a leading candidate for the Papacy.

ST THERESA OF THE CHILD JESUS
(1873-1897)

A Carmelite nun, she lived an obscure cloistered life in Lisieux, France. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, was one of the most influential spiritual books of the twentieth century. Her example of quiet sacrifice and doing all things with love helped millions of people discover a path to holiness.

ST ANTHONY OF PADUA

Renowned for his preaching ability and for his knowledge and understanding of Scripture and theology, he was the first friar to teach theology to other Franciscan Friars. In later years, his special apostolate was explaining the truths of the Catholic faith to those who had become lost or misled by heretics.

THE INFANT OF PRAGUE

This popular image of Jesus, is a reproduction of a much-venerated statue brought from Spain to Prague in the sixteenth century.  The child Jesus is dressed in royal robes and wears a crown on his head.  Jesus’ right hand is raised in blessing, while his left hand holds the globe, indicating the world is in his hands.

ST JUDE

One of the twelve apostles, little is known of his life. He is thought to have preached extensively throughout the middle East, where he was martyred. He has been associated with a New Testament letter which decries the sad state of the world. In Catholic tradition, he is invoked as the patron saint of the impossible.

ST OSCAR ROMERO
(1917-1980)

Though scholarly and scrupulous as a young priest, he became known for his courage and valor. As Archbishop of San Salvador, he spoke out against social injustice, human rights violations, and the escalating violence of the Civil Wat in El Salvador. He was assassinated while saying Mass at a hospital.

ST PEREGRINE
(1265-1345)

A violent young man, his life was changed by an encounter with St. Philip Benizi. Peregrine joined the Servite order, ministering to the poor and sick. At age sixty, he was diagnosed with cancer. He spent the night prior to surgery before an image of Christ crucified. The next morning the cancer was gone.

BLESSED STANLEY ROTHER
(1935-1981)

A priest of the Diocese of Oklahoma City, he volunteered to serve in his diocese’s mission to the Tz’utujil people in rural Guatemala. He cared for the Indian people’s spiritual needs, taught them modern farming techniques, and advocated for their rights. He was assassinated during the Guatemalan Civil War.