Saints

Nun and foundress. Katharine Drexel was the daughter of a millionaire banker. Born in Philadelphia in 1858, she had an excellent education and travelled widely. Her unusual family had their own railway car and were used to every luxury. But her mother also opened the door of their home to the poor three days each week and her father spent half an hour each evening in prayer. As a young woman Kat... Read More

Bishop. Chad was the first bishop of Mercia and Lindsay at Lichfield. Born in Northumbria in the 7th century, he was a pupil of St Aidan at Lindisfarne, who sent him to Ireland for part of his education. He later became abbot of Lastingham in Yorkshire, but was then called to be bishop of York. In 669, St Theodore of Canterbury judged him to have been irregularly consecrated. Chad accepted the d... Read More

Polish prince. Patron of Lithuania. Casimir was the third son of King Casimir IV of Poland. Born in 1458, he was educated by John Dlugosz, canon of Krakow, the mediaeval capital of Poland. When Casimir was just 13 there was an attempt to place him on the throne of Hungary. This failed and he was banished to a castle outside the city. The court then tried to pressurise him into marrying a daughte... Read More