Saints

Patron of nurses and the sick. Born in Naples in 1550, Camillus was very tall, (six foot six) and as a young man, hot-tempered and a wild gambler. He spent some time in the Venetian army fighting the Turks, before contracting a disease which left him lame in one leg. He then lost everything through gambling. For a few months he worked as labourer for the Franciscans. During this time, he experi... Read More

Abbess. This early English saint was the daughter of Merewald, king of Mercia and Ermenburga, princess of Kent. Mildred went to a convent school near Paris. Her parents wanted to arrange a marriage for her, but she refused and became a nun at Minster-in-Thanet. The abbey had been built by her mother on land provided by Egbert of Kent in compensation for murdering her brothers. St Mildred becam... Read More

Franciscan friar, bishop and cardinal. Bonaventure was born at Bagnoreggio, near Orvieto in 1218. A brilliant philosopher, he was made head of the Franciscans at a time when the order was expanding very quickly and there were many differences of opinion as to how it should be organised. St Bonaventure always worked for peace and reconciliation. Though a man of the highest intellectual attainments... Read More