Christian Today

St. Marcella - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Marcella, Roman Catholic Widowed noblewoman of Rome, the hostess of St. Jerome and other dignitaries. She was scourged in the invasion of Rome in 410 by the Visigoths Under King Alaric who wished to extract knowledge of her wealth, which had in fact been given away. While she survived the vicious beating, she died soon after from the severity of her ordeal. Widowed nine months of marriage, she gave her wealth to the poor and founded a community of pious noble women. . Feastday January 31

St. Martina of Rome - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Martina of Rome, Roman Catholic Virgin Martyr of Rome. A basilica was erected in her honor at the Roman Forum. Her remains were discovered there in 1634, Feastday January 30

30th January 
 - Saint Bathildis - Independent Catholic News : Queen, wife, mother and nun. This saint was a English woman whose life went from rags to riches. As a young girl, she was captured by pirates and sold as a slave to Erchinoald, who was in charge of the palace of the Frankish King, Clovis II. Bathildis was so beautiful and intelligent she attracted the attention of the king. They married and had three sons, each of whom in turn eventually became king.

29th January - 
 St Gildas - Independent Catholic News : Abbot. Born around 500AD, near the Clyde, ancient chronicles describe how St Gildas became a monk after his wife died. He became a notable figure in Welsh monastic life. Many Irish monks came to visit him and he travelled around Ireland and wrote letters to distant monasteries. In 540 he wrote his famous De Excidio Britanniae, mentioned by Bede, which gives a vivid description of contemporary British

Sts. Sarbelius & Barbea - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Sts. Sarbelius & Barbea, Roman Catholic Martyrs. Brother and sister, who were put to death at Edessa during the persecutions of Emperor Trajan. Sarbelius, also called Sharbel, was a high priest at Edessa, in Mesopotamia. They were arrested for converting to the faith, and were tortured with red-hot irons prior to execution. Feastday January 29

English Historical Fiction Authors: Saint Columbanus Forsakes All Women – Even His Mom... : By Kim Rendfeld Saint Columbanus (543-615) had tremendous following during his missionary work on the Continent, but a story from his yout...

28 January - Saint Thomas Aquinas - Independent Catholic News : Dominican friar and theologian. St Thomas was born to a noble family at Rocca Secca near Aquino. He was educated from the age of five to thirteen at St Benedict's monastery at Monte Cassino. He then studied at the University of Naples for five years, where he met the Dominicans and decided to join their order. His family were so upset by this they imprisoned him for fifteen months in an effort to make him change his mind. They failed.

St. Angela Merici - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Angela Merici, Roman Catholic Saint. She founded the Order of Ursulines in 1535 in Brescia. Feastday January 27

Jesus to St. Faustina on Spiritual Warfare: 25 Secrets : In Cracow-Pradnik, June 2, 1938, the Lord Jesus directed a young Polish Sister of Mercy on a three-day retreat. Faustina Kowalska painstakingly recorded Christ’s instruction in her diary that is a mystical manual on prayer and Divine Mercy. Having read the Diary a few times in the past 20 years, I had forgotten about the …

Spiritual Warfare 101: Are You Ready for the Fight? : Are you ready for the fight? If you were to enter the boxing ring today, would you be primed? Or are your muscles a little flabby, your lungs easily winded and your feet dragging instead of dancing? Besides you don’t want to break your nose. Competitive boxers prepare through discipline and hard work. They recognize …

Taking the Fight to the Enemy: Manual for Spiritual Warfare : The other day a book arrived in the mail. I had neither sought nor heard of it. Nevertheless, it intrigued me by its cover alone: leather bound funereal black. It reminded me of a Missal from times past, but this proved to be no antiquarian prayer book when I opened its pages to reveal instead …

Ten Ways to Fall in Love with the Eucharist : The saints are the mad-lovers of Jesus; they were on earth and now are in heaven loving God for all eternity.  In this article, we will give a list of what some saints have said in an excess of love for the most Holy Eucharist. Then we will give ten keys to unlock the treasure-case of …

God’s Special Weapon Against Evil: Spiritual Mothers : There is a most beautiful, vital vocation within a vocation that is “largely unknown, scarcely understood and, consequently, rarely lived, not withstanding its fundamental importance”: spiritual motherhood for priests. “It is a vocation that is frequently hidden, invisible to the naked eye, but meant to transmit spiritual life.” (Mauro Cardinal Piacenza, Eucharistic Adoration for the …

The Road that Leads to Life

27th January: St John, Apostle and Evangelist - Independent Catholic News : St John, son of Zebedee and Salome, was one of the Twelve Apostles. John was called to be an Apostle by Jesus in the first year of His public ministry. He is believed to be the same person as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos and the Beloved Disciple. John's older brother was St James the Great, another one of the Twelve Apostles. Jesus referred to the brothers as 'Boanerges' meaning 'sons of thunder.' John is believed to be the longest living apostle and the only one who did not to die a martyr's death.

Pope's Message for Lent: 'I desire mercy not sacrifice' - Independent Catholic News : Pope Francis' Message for Lent was released on Tuesday. Entitled 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice. The works of mercy on the road of the Jubilee' the message stresses the importance of corporal and spiritual works of mercy and condemns the attitude and actions of the proud, the powerful and the wealthy who refuse to open the doors of their hearts to God and to the poor. Pointing out that the poor have a special place at the heart of the Gospel, he warns of the 'blindness' and the 'illusion of omnipotence' which often afflicts the rich and powerful who

St. Timothy - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Timothy, Roman Catholic Saint. Timothy was probably with Paul when the Apostle was imprisoned at Caesarea and then Rome, and was himself imprisoned but then freed. Feastday January 26

Bl. Michal Kozal - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Michal Kozal, Roman Catholic Priest and Bishop. Polish Martyr and 220 other priests of the diocese, who died in Dachau Concentration camp .Feastday Jan 26

Accepting God's Will : Turn your eye to God’s will and see how he wills all the works of his mercy and justice, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Then with profound humility, accept, praise, and then bless this sovereign will, which is entirely holy, just, and beautiful.

Accepting God's Will : Turn your eye to God’s will and see how he wills all the works of his mercy and justice, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Then with profound humility, accept, praise, and then bless this sovereign will, which is entirely holy, just, and beautiful.

26 January - 

Saint Paula - Independent Catholic News : Widow. This early Christian saint came from the noblest of Roman families, the Scipios and Gracchis. She was happily married and had five children: four daughters, Blaesilla, Paulina, Eustochium, and Rufina and a son, Toxotius. Tragedy struck when she was only 32, when her husband and her daughter Rufina both died. After going through a long period of mourning, Paula found new purpose in life, when she met St Jerome. She became a Christian and devoted the rest of her life to caring for the poor and sick.

English Historical Fiction Authors: Steal a book, seven-years' hard labor overseas: Tr... : England, like many societies throughout history, has had to struggle with what to do with their criminal population. For a good chunk of Eng...

St. Peter Thomas - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Peter Thomas, Roman Catholic Martyr. At the behest of Pope Urban V, he journeyed to Serbia, Hungary, and Constantinople in an effort to organize a crusade against the Turks. He took part in a military operation against Alexandria, Egypt, in 1365 during which he was severely wounded. He died from his injuries at Cyprus a few months later. While never formally canonized, his feast was permitted to the Carmelites in 1608. Feastday Jan 25

The Importance of the Conversion of St. Paul : The conversion of St. Paul is one of the most important and sea-changing moments in the history of Christianity. While this is a tale that most of us are familiar with, it would behoove us to recount the story here, in order to fully immerse ourselves in this seminal moment. This is related to us …

Believe ‘In’ Jesus: Reading John 3:16 : Sometimes small words can make a big difference. Take this example: Harry carried Sally and Harry carried off Sally. In the first sentence, Harry is simply lifting up and moving Sally—perhaps as gesture of romance or to help her due to an injury. The second sentence has  an altogether different meaning. It conjures up the …

Pope Francis: Christian marriage is 'not an ideal for the few' - Independent Catholic News

Sharing Mercy with Fallen Away Catholics : Every single Catholic knows someone who has left the Church for one reason or another. The reasons for their leaving the Eucharistic Supper are varied, some are complex, some are superficial, but all are linked with pride. The antidote for pride is humility, but before humility can come, an individual must come to know why …

Bl. Monique Pichery - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Monique Pichery, Roman Catholic Laywoman and Martyr during the French Revolution. Feastday Jan.18

St. Jaime Hilario Barbel - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Jaime Hilario Barbel, Roman Catholic Religious Brother and Martyr Convicted on 15 January 1937 of being a Christian brother. Two rounds of volley fire from a firing squad did not kill him, possibly because some of soldiers intentionally shot wide; their commander then murdered Jaime with five shots at close range. First of the 97 LaSalle Brothers killed in Catalunia, Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Feastday Jan.18

Bl. Marie de la Dive du Verdier - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Marie de la Dive du Verdier, Roman Catholic Laywoman and Martyr during the French Revolution. Feastday Jan.18

Bl. Victoire Gusteau - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Victoire Gusteau, Roman Catholic Laywoman and Martyr during the French Revolution. Feastday Jan.18

18 January - Saint Prisca - Independent Catholic News : Martyr. Not a great deal is known about this early Roman saint, but a 4th century church on the Aventine hill is named after her. Legends sometimes identify her as the same Priscilla named in the Acts of the Apostles as the wife of Aquila. She is sometimes represented by two lions, who are said to have refused to attack her at the Coliseum in Rome.

St. Anthony the Abbot - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Saint Anthony of Egypt Roman Catholic Abbot. St Anthony was born in 251 in Upper Egypt. When he was 20, his parents died, leaving him a large estate. After much prayer Antony decided to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor. His younger sister joined a community of religious women while Anthony went to live in a deserted fort in complete solitude from 286 to 306. During this time he is said to have withstood many temptations. At the end of this time he gathered a group of disciples around him. He visited Alexandria to encourage the Christians there who were being persecuted by Maximinus. In 355 he went to Alexandria to refute the Arians. Feastday Jan.17

Bl. Gonzalo de Amarante - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Gonzalo de Amarante, Roman Catholic Dominican Priest. Feastday Jan. 17

Bl. Gregory Khomyshyn - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Gregory Khomyshyn, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr. Arrested for his faith in 1939. Arrested again in April 1945; deported to Kiev, Ukraine. Died in prison. One of the Martyrs Killed Under Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe Feastday January 17

Top 10 places Christians are persecuted (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES) - Middle East - International - News - Catholic Online

St. Nina, Roman Catholic laywoman. Scholars believe she was a slave to whom the name Nino (the Georgian form of Nina) was given; she has also been identified as Christiana. The quiet piety of her life and her preaching converted many people, and when she cured Queen Nana of a seemingly incurable disease, Nina converted the queen. When King Mirian also became a Christian, he sent to Constantinople for bishops and priests. Nina continued to preach throughout Georgia until her death at Bodke. A church dedicated to the memory of St. George was built on the site of her grave. Feastday Jan 15

15th January - Saint Paul the Hermit - Independent Catholic News : Saint Paul the Hermit is regarded as the first Christian hermit. He was born in 228 AD. The Life of Saint Paul the First Hermit, was composed in Latin by Saint Jerome, around 376. According to Jerome, Paul fled to the Theban desert as a boy during the persecution of Decius and Valerianus around AD 250. At that time Paul and his married sister, both of whom lived in the Thebaid, lost their parents.

Bl. Yvette Roman Catholic Patron of brides, large families, and widows  Feastday Jan.13

St. Hilary of Poitiers - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Hilary (Hilarius) of Poitiers (c. 310 – c. 367 [ 1 ] ) was Roman Catholic Bishop of Poitiers and is a Doctor of the Church. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians" Feastday Jan.13

13th January - Saint Hilary of Poitiers - Independent Catholic News : Bishop of Poitiers. Born in 315, to wealthy pagan parents, Hilary became an orator, married and had a daughter, Afra. After a long process of study, he became a Christian in 350 and devoted the rest of his life to the Church. In 353 he was chosen as bishop. St Hilary was an outspoken champion of orthodoxy against the Arian heresy. He took part in the Synod of Bitterae in 356 and the council of Selucia in 359.

Ephesus Martyrs - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Ephesus Roman Catholic Martyrs, Forty-two monks put to death by Byzantine Emperor Constantine V in 762 AD. for opposing the Iconoclasts. Feastday Jan. 12

St. Martina, Roman Catholic Martyr, tortured and beheaded there under Emperor Severus. Many miracles were attributed to her. Feastday Jan 12

St. Margaret Bourgeoys, Roman Catholic Nun, foundress of the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal in the colony of New France, now part of Canada. Feastday January 12

St. Tatiana of Rome - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Tatiana of Rome, Roman Catholic Martyr, put to death by beheading in Rome during the reign of Emperor Severus Alexander. Feastday Jan 12

Waiting for the Culture to Turn : I was reading an aviation magazine. The senior editor contributed a column on “what to do if you bend an airplane.” It was a discussion of the differences between an accident and an incident, the terms having precise meanings under FAA regulations, and what to do if you find yourself in either one. One thing …

What Kind of Spiritual Allies Should We Have? (Part II of II) : What Kind of Spiritual Allies Should We Have? Part II of II Editor’s Note:  In part I, we began to look at what type of spiritual allies we should have: we talked about the Christian identification card and the first two forms of fellowship.  Today, we will examine the role of faith-based friendships and the …

Fifteen Graces of Baptism : The following is a brief numerical recall of the graces that flow from your Baptism; then following are practical ways that you can activate these many graces!  Activate the spiritual time bomb that you have within you through the wonderful Sacrament of Baptism. Recall your own Baptismal date and give God abundant thanksgiving! 1. Son of …

St. Francis de Sales' Guide to Reconciliation : For St. Francis the sacrament of Reconciliation (aka Confes­sion) affords us the opportunity to experience divine compassion directly. In a “memo” in which he provides pastoral advice about Confession to the priests in his diocese, the saint emphasizes the sacrament’s salutary power. He reckons that “confession and penance render a man infinitely more honorable than …

English Historical Fiction Authors: Marginalized Healer to Revered Hospital Matron : by Peter Ardern I had the privilege of commencing my nurse training at the time of the traditional matron and ward sister. I developed a ...

St. Hyginus, Pope - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Hyginus, Roman Catholic Pope, from 137-140, successor to Pope St. Telesphorus. He was a Greek, and probably had a pontificate of four years. He had to confront the Gnostic heresy and Valentinus and Cerdo, leaders of the heresy, who were in Rome at the time. Feastday Jan.11

11 January - Saint Theodosius - Independent Catholic News

11 January - Saint Theodosius - Independent Catholic News

St. Agatho - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online St. Agatho,Roman Catholic Pope. St. Agatho was born c. 577 and was elected to the Roman see in 678. He had been a monk before his election and was well-versed in Latin and Greek. Although the exarch of Ravenna, Theodore, desired independence from Rome, he eventually submitted to Agatho's rule. In 678, Bishop Wilfrid of York, claiming he had been unjustly deposed, appealed to the pope, who ruled that Bishop Wilfrid should be returned immediately to his see. Concerned about the condition of the English church, Agatho sent an envoy to teach the Britons about chant and to report to him on the state of the church. The Sixth Ecumenical Council (680-681) accepted Agatho's definitions of the two wills of Christ, although the pope did not attend the council. Agatho died during a plague in 681. Feastday Jan10

Rome: Commemoration of 250th anniversary of James Frances Stuart - Independent Catholic News

St. Julian and Basilissa - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Saints Julian and Basilissa (died ca. 304) were husband and wife. Roman Catholic Christian Martyrs at Antioch in the reign of Diocletian. Feastday Jan.9

Martyrs of Egypt - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Martyrs of Egypt, Two groups of martyrs, otherwise unknown, who were slain in Egypt. There were many other known martyrs who were put to death in Egypt, a large number of them dying in Alexandria Feastday January 5

Bl. Angela of Foligno - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Angela of Foligno Franciscan tertiary and mystic. Born in Foligno, Italy, in 1248, Angela married and had several children. Wealthy, she took part in the social events of the city until 1285, when she had a vision. Following that mystical experience, Angela became a member of the Franciscan Third Order. When her husband died, she gave away her possessions and started a community of tertiaries devoted to the care of the needy. Her visions, which were recorded by her confessor, demonstrated a mature mystical union with Christ and the gift of revelation. She is sometimes called "the Mistress of Theologians." Her tomb is in the church of St. Francis in Foligno. Many miracles have been recorded there. Feastday Jan.4

4 January - Saint Elizabeth Seton, and Saint Rigobert (Robert) - Independent Catholic News

St. Genevieve - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Saint Genevieve Roman Catholic patron saint of Paris Her feast is kept on 3 January.

St. Zosimus & Athanasius - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Sts. Zosimus and Athanasius (d.303) + Martyrs in Cilicia (modern Turkey). They were executed during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305). According to one account, Zosimus was tortured and Athanasius, a witness, was so moved that he converted to the faith. Both were then tortured but survived and died in peace after being released. They became hermits. Feast day: January 3.

Bl. Odilia Baumgarten - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Odilia Baumgarten, Roman Catholic Nun and French Martyr, during the French Revolution. feastday Jan.2

Bl. Marie-Anne Vaillot - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Marie-Anne Vaillot, Roman Catholic Nun and French Martyr, during the French Revolution. Feastday Jan.2

2 January - Saint Basil the Great - Independent Catholic News

Bl. Jean-Baptiste Lego - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online Bl. Jean-Baptiste Lego, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr in Angers, France. Martyred during the French Revolution along with his brother Blessed René Lego. Feastday Jan.1

English Historical Fiction Authors: Surviving a Beggar's Curse : By Grace Elliot The fascinating thing about history is the fleeting glimpses into how people lived in the past. Letters and diaries giv...