St. Martha (1st c.) was a pious Jewish woman from Bethany near Jerusalem. She was a close friend of Jesus during his earthly ministry, as was her brother, St. Lazarus, and her sister, St. Mary of Bethany. The Gospels tell us that "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary and Lazarus." Martha would serve the Lord faithfully when he was a guest in her home, once busying herself so much...

Stanley Rother entered Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, Tex., but had difficulties with theology studies, which were taught in Latin. He was action- and service-oriented and developed a love for the Hispanic culture. A private conversation with his bishop resulted in a transfer to another seminary. He completed his studies at Mount Saint Mary’s in Maryland and went on to become a...

Pope St. Celestine I (d. 432 A.D.) was a Roman deacon who was elected Supreme Pontiff in 422 A.D. He was a contemporary of St. Augustine, and it is said that the two were good friends. He also lived with St. Ambrose in Milan prior to serving in Rome. Pope St. Celestine led the Church for nine years during a troubled time of social upheaval. Within the Church there were multiple dangerous...

St. Anne and St. Joachim (1st c. B.C.) are the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the maternal grandparents of Jesus. Their names have been preserved in Church tradition since the second century, although little is known of their lives. It is believed that St. Joachim and St. Ann, although wealthy, lived a devout and simple life of voluntary poverty, chastity, and generosity to the poor....

St. James was the brother of the beloved evangelist, John. He was the first of the apostles to receive the crown of martyrdom, beheaded by Herod Agrippa. His sacred bones carried from Jerusalem to Spain and placed in the remote province of Galicia where they are devoutly honored by the far-famed piety of the inhabitants and the frequent concourse of Christians, who visit them through piety and...