Saint Stephanie (Patron of Theologians)

Patron Saint: Theologians

Also Known as: St. Stephana De Quinzanis

Born: 1457, Italy

Died: January, 1530 of Natural Causes in Italy

Beautified: 1740 by Pope Benedict XIV

Prayer of St. Stephanie:
God of all consolation, you made Blessed Stephana a sharer in the passion of Christ. With the help of her prayers and by following her example may we be conformed to the image of your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
- General Calendar of the Order of Preachers

Why she is venerated by the Holy Roman Catholic Church:

Visionary: Taught by Saint and Stigmatic Matthew Carrieri. When Matthew died, Stephanie was 14 years old and experienced visions of Dominican Saints. Immediately after, she took her vows of Obedience, Chastity and Poverty

Stigmatic: Shortly after taking her vows and receiving visions, she developed St. Matthews' full Stigmata of the Crucifixion

Mystic: Capable of reading hearts and minds

Prophetess: Accurately predicted the day of her own death

Healer: Capable of healing herself very quickly after inflicting herself with severe penances. Able to heal others as well.

Life of a Saint:

Understood advanced principles and doctrine of Catechism at a very young age

Dominican Tertiary

Her Spiritual council was sought by many Saints

Saint Samantha (Patron of Spiritualness)

Patron Saint: Spiritualness

Also Known as: Samthann of Clonbroney (The Maiden of Ulster)

Memorial: December 18th

Born: Ireland, early 700 AD

Died: 739 AD Natural Causes

Why she is venerated by the Holy Roman Catholic Church:

Abbess of the Convent in Clonbroney

Refused donations. Her sisters lived in poverty

Miracles and Piety: Her Father, the King of Ireland arranged her to marry a nobleman. She was against this, but her father was adament. The nobleman approached her windowless room one night to witness her "Bathed in a Heavenly Light" as she slept. When the king discovered this, he allowed her to choose her own groom. She chose Our Lord Jesus Christ and entered the Convent to become a Nun.
When Samthann hired a carpenter to build an addition to the Convent, the worker was very hungry and had not had a meal for several days. The worker was dreaming about bread, cheese and butter for himself and his co-workers. Several days after, Samthann made his secret wish come true, exactly how he saw it in his dreams.

The Holy Roman Catholic Church and Constantine

I've always been completely fascinated by Roman history. I haven't seen the BBC piece called "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" until today. It's very long at 14 episodes, 30 minutes per episode. The link below is of Constantine; a former pagan Roman Emperor converting to the Roman Catholic Church.

I recommend all 14 episodes, but the below 10 of 14 represents the birth of the first Christian Roman Emperor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ifur2iTDKA

It's extremely interesting, and the piece touches quite a bit on how Christianity is introduced to Rome.

Saint Rose (Patron of Vanity)

Saint Rose was the first Canonized Saint of the Americas born in the year 1586 A.D. Rose is often depicted in images holding a rose in one hand and a Crucifix in the other. St. Rose was always a beautiful yet humble and pious woman. As a young child she would nail her hair to a wall to keep from falling asleep in prayer. Rose was quite serious about her Faith in Christ as she constantly begged her parents to allow her to join the Convent. Being somewhat reasonable, they allowed her to practice as a Dominican Tertiary and did not bother her as she endlessly prayed, while afflicting herself with the wounds of Jesus Christ.
Saint Rose was affectionately called the "Little Rose" as her mother was upset that she cut her beautiful hair. Rose believed her hair was a symbol of vanity and wanted nothing to do with it. In turn, Rose's mother forced her to wear a headdress made of roses. Underneath Saint Rose would wear a crown of nails in emulation of Christ. Not only was Saint Rose exceptionally devout, she was also given visions of The Infant Christ, The Virgin Mother and several Angels. Her visions are described as the Mystical Marriage.
Amongst her Divine Visions, Rose was able to heal the sick and grow flowers out of season. Many people living near her believed she was a witch. Her family also condemned her and sent her away. Rose died at the age of 31 from a strange ailment that was never diagosed.

Memorial: August 23rd

Also Known as: St. Rose of Lima

Born: 1586, Lima, Peru

Died: August, 1670, Lima Peru

Beautified: April, 1668 by Pope Clement IX

Canonized: April, 1671 by Pope Clement X

Additional Patronages: Embroiderers, Gardeners and Florists

Why she is venerated by the Holy Roman Catholic Church:

Visionary: Recieved visions of the Holy Infant

Stigmatic: Severe and constant pains in her wrists, ankles and head

Mystic and Miracle Worker: Able to grow assorted flowers out of season

Life of a Saint: Dominican Tertiary

Remarkably devoted to her vow of Chastity

Sold her beautiful flowers and needlework to support her family and the poor

First Saint born in the Americas

Founder of Social Work in Lima

Saint Rita (Patron Against Lonliness)

Prayer of Saint Rita:

By the singular merits of thy childhood,
By thy perfect union with the Divine Will,
By thy heroic sufferings during thy married life,
By the consolation thou didst experience at the conversion of thy husband,
By the sacrifice of thy children rather than see them grievously offend God,
By thy miraculous entrance into the covenant,
By thy severe penances and thrice daily bloody scourgings,
By the suffering caused by the wound thou didst receive from the thorn of the Crucified Savior,
By the divine love which consumed thy heart,
By that remarkable devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, on which alone thou didst exist for four years,
By the happiness with which thou didst part from thy trials to join thy Divine Spouse,
By the perfect example thou gavest to people of every state of life.
Pray for us, O holy St. Rita, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Also known as: St. Rita Cascia

 

Born: 1386, Italy

 

Died: May, 1457, Italy

 

Beautified: October 1627, Pope Urban VIII

 

Canonized: May, 1900

 

Additional Patronages: Against Lonliness, Infertility and Widows

 

Why she is venerated by the Holy Roman Catholic Church:

 

Stigmatic of the Crown of Thorns: Suffered continuous bleeding head wounds throughout her life

Devoted to the Passion of Christ

 

Peacemaker: Prayed for the forgiveness of her sons when her husband was murdered

Prayed for, and achieved the peace of two warring factions in her town in Italy

 

Miracles: Her last wish on her deathbed, was to have a rose from her families' estate in the dead of winter. Upon this request, a care taker went to her families estate and found a single rose sprouted next to the house in the midst of a blizzard.

 

Life of a Saint: Unshakable devotion to prayer

Offered spiritual guidance to hundreds

Saint Theresa (Patron of Lung Ailments)

Patron Saint: Lung Ailments

Also Known as: Saint Theresa of Lisieux

Additional Patronages: Flower Growers, Missionaries, AIDS Sufferers, Loss of Parents and Aviators
"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy."

- Saint Therese of Lisieux

 

Prayer of St. Teresa (Novena to the Little Flower - Day 1):
O Heavenly Father, Who in Thine ineffable goodness didst place in the soul of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus the precious treasure of sanctifying grace, and didst grant her ever to keep it in the midst of earthly dangers, we pray Thee to grant to us for our part the happiness of never losing this inestimable gift whereby we become Thine adopted children, the brothers and sisters of Thy Son Jesus, the temples of the Holy Spirit and the heirs of Heaven.

Enable us, to this end, carefully to avoid mortal sin which would rob us of this grace more to be desired than all the wealth of the world, to fly the occasions of sin, and to resist temptation.

We implore these graces through the intercession of the one who was ever Thy faithful child and whose memory we venerate.

Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, who would have preferred to die rather than lose God's grace, vouchsafe to obtain for us all the help necessary to avoid the misfortune of committing mortal sin, incompatible with this divine grace. Obtain for us the favors we crave and implore through you powerful intercession. Amen.

Born: January, 1873, France

Died: September, 1897, France from Tuberculosis

Venerated: August, 1921 by Pope Benedict XV

Beautified: April, 1923 by Pope Pius XI

Canonized: May, 1925 by Pope Pius XI

Why she is venerated by the Holy Roman Catholic Church:

Miracles: A smile from the Virgin Mother of God cured her of disease at age 8
Several Holy See Confirmed Miracles while she was alive and at her grave site

Life of a Saint:

Named Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II

Writer of the Story of a Soul and The Little Way

Carmelite Nun by Age 15