Saints

We do not usually celebrate the birthdays of saints. Instead we celebrate the day they died, because that is the day they were born into the joys of heaven. But the birthday of Mary, is an exception. We celebrate her birthday because she came into this world full of grace and because she was to be the Mother of Jesus. In both the East and West, Mary is the most important of saints. St Matthew de... Read More

Martyr. Born near Sedburgh in Yorkshire, John Duckett studied at the English College of Douay and was ordained priest in 1639. He studied for three years in Paris before returning to England. He carried out his ministry for about a year before being arrested around the same time as another priest, Jesuit Ralph Corby. Father Ralph, who was born in Dublin and was educated in St Omer, Seville and Va... Read More

Missionary and patron saint of the African slaves. The son of a Catalonian farmer, Peter Claver was born at Verdu, in 1581. He obtained his first degrees at the University of Barcelona. At the age of 20 he entered the Jesuit noviciate at Tarragona. While he was studying philosophy at Majorca in 1605, Alphonsus Rodriguez, the door-keeper of the college, advised him to set out to evangelize the Spa... Read More