St. Philip the Deacon is one of the seven deacons first appointed by the Apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-7). After the preaching and subsequent stoning of St. Stephen the Deacon (Acts 7), Saul appears to have initiated an aggressive persecution of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-3). All but the Apostles were “scattered” throughout the region. Philip went North to the city of...

Saint Paulinus (born 584?, Rome [Italy]—died 644, Rochester, Kent, Eng.) was an Italian missionary who converted Northumbria to Christianity, became the first bishop of York, and was later made archbishop of Rochester. In 601 Paulinus was sent with St. Mellitus (later first bishop of London) and St. Justus (later first bishop of Rochester) to England by Pope St. Gregory I the Great to...

Today, as in any age, people seem plagued with the dilemma of getting involved. In his own way, John Leonardi answered these questions. He chose to become a priest. After his ordination, Fr. Leonardi became very active in the works of the ministry, especially in hospitals and prisons. The example and dedication of his work attracted several young laymen who began to assist him. They later...

Blessed Ambrose (1220-1286) was born in Siena, Italy, the son of a book illuminator. He was born so severely deformed that his parents could not bear the sight of him. They put their son in the care of a nurse who took the child with her to daily Mass at the Dominican church. The child, often fussy, would become calm when he was placed near the altar of relics, and would cry when he was...

Saint Osith, also known as Osyth, Osgyth, Othith, Ositha, and Sythe, was born a princess to Frewald, a Merclan prince of the Hwiccan tribe, in the town of Quarendon, Buckinghamshire, England. She was the niece of Editha, who owned the town and manor of Ailesbury and raised Osith as her own. Growing up, Osith received a comprehensive education at the convent school located in Aylesbury. During...