The lives of the saints and heroes of Catholic history are not relics of the past — they are models for the present. In an age that celebrates mediocrity and avoids sacrifice, these men and women stand as proof that heroic virtue is possible, that faith can move armies, and that the Church has always raised up champions in her darkest hours.
From the Crusader knights who defended the Holy Land to the martyrs who gave their lives for the Faith, from the great doctors of the Church to the humble souls canonized for their hidden holiness — their stories inspire, instruct, and challenge us to aim higher.
Explore our articles on the saints, blessed, and Catholic heroes who shaped Christian civilization.
Saint Gregory the Great lived in the sixth century. He is considered a founder of the Middle Ages in the West. In the Dictionnaire de la Conversation et de la Lecture by William Duckett, we find the following biographical entry about him: “Saint Gregory was born in Rome the son of the … Read more
Martyrology says that God sent Saint Gabriel the Archangel to announce the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Word. We can have some notion of who Saint Gabriel is, precisely by the nature of his mission. Since the Angels have a much more elevated nature than ours, their individual tasks are related … Read more
The Latin adage grasps reality so well, talis vita, finis ita. That means the way you live is the way you die. If one lives well, a good death is likely with the grace of God. Whereas those who live a sinful life are unlikely to make a last minute conversion and … Read more
Modernity introduced a grave error into the spiritual lives of countless Catholics. It conditioned us to believe in a materialistic society in which spiritual things are deemed unimportant. It established a naturalistic mindset that denies supernatural action exists. Thus, at best, the spiritual life is considered a subjective feeling that we sense … Read more
A Review of the Book Stronger than Steel: Soldiers of the Great War Write to Saint Therese of Lisieux by Les Poilus, translated by Sr. Marie of the Child Jesus (Brooklyn, New York: Angelico Press, May 2021) We often hear about soldiers who call upon the saints to help them … Read more
Corpus Christi is the grand and solemn liturgical feast in praise of the Blessed Sacrament. Inspired by Saint Juliana of Mont Cornillon (1193–1258), it originated in the Middle Ages. Pope Urban IV approved it with the Bull Transiturus of September 8, 1264, and asked Saint Thomas Aquinas to compose its liturgical office. Hence, we … Read more
On June 22, the Church celebrates the memory of Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More, both martyred in England for refusing to join Henry VIII’s revolt against the Papacy. “Let me Sleep Another Hour” We will begin with a narration of the saint’s life and especially his death that follows: Before … Read more
The Italian historian, Roberto de Mattei, has written a highly readable new book that belongs on many American Catholics’ bookshelves. Saint Pius V: The Legendary Pope Who Excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I, Standardized the Mass, and Defeated the Ottoman Empire is an inspiring story of a single pope who left an overwhelming trail of accomplishment … Read more
“Charity gave me the key to my vocation.” “I want to be scourged and crucified like You, my Spouse; flayed alive like Saint Bartholomew; thrown into boiling oil like Saint John; and ground by the teeth of wild beasts like Saint Ignatius of Antioch, so that I might become bread worthy of … Read more
“At the age of eighteen Joan possessed the same military genius as Condé when he was twenty,” writes one of her biographers. Those who were her nearest friends have expressed themselves in a similar way. The Duke of Alençon says that Joan was very experienced in all things military, whether it was … Read more