St. Pius V was born Michele Ghislieri in 1504 to poor parents of noble lineage at Bosco, near Alexandria, Lombardy on January 17, 1504. He worked as a shepherd until the age of 14 when he encountered two Dominicans who recognized his intelligence and virtue. He joined the Dominicans and …

Do you know about Mary or do you actually know her? What was she like? How did she speak? What did she care about? What made her laugh? If you’re like me, you really want to get to know Mary – but how do we do that? We can learn …

St. Catherine was a third-order Dominican, peacemaker and counselor to the Pope. She singlehandedly ended the Avignon exile of the successors of Peter in the 14th century. She is the co-patron of Italy and of Europe. Born in Siena, on the feast of the Annunciation, March 25, 1347, Catherine was …

On April 27 the Catholic Church honors Saint Zita, a 13th century Italian woman whose humble and patient service to God has made her a patron saint of maids and other domestic workers. Born into poverty during the early 1200s, Zita was taught by her mother from an early age …

What does it mean when a priest says a Mass is being offered for a person? As part of the prayers of the Mass, the priest may offer a Mass for a particular intention, which is often for the repose of a deceased person’s soul, though Masses can be offered …

By the time Archbishop Alter and Purcell Marian high schools reached their respective girls basketball state tournament finals on March 12, they were ready to make a statement. In Division II, Alter left no doubt with a 54- 38 victory over Thornville Sheridan, while in Division III, Purcell Marian dispatched …

On the Feast of St. Mark, April 25, 1467, at the close of a festival in Genazzano, Italy, a cloud descended upon an ancient 5th-century deteriorated church, dedicated to Our Lady of Good Counsel. When the cloud disappeared, the festive crowd found a small, fragile image of the Blessed Virgin …

Heaven never tires from pursuing our hearts through the saints and different titles of Jesus and Mary. If you’re drawn to certain saints or holy titles, consider it a nudge to the soul from the Holy Spirit. I once got lost driving through the middle of nowhere in southernmost Louisiana. …

St. Mark, the Evangelist, is the author of the second Gospel and the patron saint of notaries. He wrote the Gospel in Greek for the Gentile converts to Christianity. Tradition says the Romans asked St. Mark to record the teachings of St. Peter about Jesus. St. Mark is often depicted …

In 1955, Pope Pius IX established May 1 as the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, a day set aside to seek St. Joseph’s intercession on behalf of laborers. The date was chosen as an alternative to International Workers’ Day, to celebrate workers while avoiding association with May Day’s historical …