Saints

Irish abbot. Brendan was one of the early monastic Irish saints. He was a friend and disciple of St Columba. Brendan of Birr is said to have come from a noble Munster family. He studied at the Clonard monastery and it was here that he became a friend and companion of Ciarán of Saigir and Brendan of Clonfert. It is said that the average number of scholars under instruction at Clonard was 3,000. ... Read More

Nun and visionary. Founder of the devotion of the Miraculous Medal. Catherine came from a large farming family near Dijon in France. Born in 1806, she looked after her widowed father and later worked as a waitress in her uncle's cafe in Paris, before joining the Sisters of Charity at the age of 14. She lived in the community in Reuilly, caring for the elderly in a rest home and tending chickens.... Read More

Apostle and martyr. Patron saint of Scotland and Russia. Andrew was a brother of Simon Peter. A fisherman who lived at Capernaum, he was a follower of John the Baptist. When Jesus passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Peter and Andrew fishing and told them: "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Andrew went to his brother Simon and said: "We have found the Messiah." So he was the first a... Read More