THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS, TOR

  Image: Saint Thérèse of Lisieux as a novice at age 16. | Carmelite Archives of Lisieux Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Saint of the Day for October 1 (January 2, 1873 – September 30, 1897) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Thérèse of Lisieux’s Story “I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifice to all ecstasies. […]

Image: Detail | The Guardian Angel | Marcantonio Franceschini Feast of the Guardian Angels Saint of the Day for October 2 Click to hear audio clip ► The Story of the Feast of the Guardian Angels Perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is as comforting to parents as the belief that an angel protects their little ones from […]

Image: Saint Theodora Guerin | Image courtesy and © Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Saint Theodora Guérin Saint of the Day for October 3 (October 2, 1798 – May 14, 1856) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Theodora Guérin’s Story Trust in God’s Providence enabled Mother Theodore to leave her homeland, sail halfway around the world, and […]

Image: Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy | Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio | photo by carulmare | flickr Saint Francis of Assisi Saint of the Day for October 4 (September 26, 1182 – October 3, 1226) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Francis of Assisi’s Story Francis of Assisi was a poor little man who astounded and inspired […]

Image: Saint Faustyna and Jesus, I Trust in You sculpture | Piotrków Trybunalski Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska Saint of the Day for October 5 (August 25, 1905 – October 5, 1938) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska’s Story Saint Faustina’s name is forever linked to the annual feast of the Divine Mercy, the Divine Mercy […]

Image: Saint Bruno | Girolamo Marchesi Saint Bruno Saint of the Day for October 6 (c. 1030 – October 6, 1101) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Bruno’s Story This saint has the honor of having founded a religious order which, as the saying goes, has never had to be reformed because it was never deformed. No […]

Image: Our Lady of the Rosary | St. Nicholas Church, Osgood, Ohio Our Lady of the Rosary Saint of the Day for October 7 Click to hear audio clip ► The Story of Our Lady of the Rosary Saint Pius V established this feast in 1573. The purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians […]

Image: Body of Saint John Leonardi | Santa Maria in Portico in Campitelli, Rome Saint John Leonardi Saint of the Day for October 8 (1541 – October 9,1609) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint John Leonardi’ Story “I am only one person! Why should I do anything? What good would it do?” Today, as in any age, […]

Image: Detail | Louis XII of France Kneeling in Prayer | Jean Bourdichon Saint Denis and Companions Saint of the Day for October 9 (d. 258?) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Denis and Companions’ Story This martyr and patron of France is regarded as the first bishop of Paris. His popularity is due to a series […]

Image: Carlos V receives a visit from Saint Francis Borgia in Yuste | Joaquín María Herrer y Rodríguez Saint Francis Borgia Saint of the Day for October 10 (October 28, 1510 – September 30, 1572) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Francis Borgia’s Story Today’s saint grew up in an important family in 16th-century Spain, serving […]

Image: Pope John XXIII begins the Mass | Saint Peter’s Basilica, October 11, 1959 | photo by Medici con l’Africa Cuamm Saint John XXIII Saint of the Day for October 11 (November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint John XXIII’s Story Although few people had as great an impact on […]

Image: Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, St Magn Basilica, Füssen, Germany | photo by Myke Rosenthal Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Saint of the Day for October 12 (January 11, 1819 – October 4, 1867) Click to hear audio clip ►   Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos’ Story Zeal as a preacher and a confessor led Father […]

Image: Blessed Marie Rose Durocher | Achona, The Online Newspaper of Academy of the Holy Names, Tampa | photo by Keri Kelly/Achona Online Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher Saint of the Day for October 13 (October 6, 1811 –  October 6, 1849) Click to hear audio clip ► Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher’s Story Canada was one diocese from coast to […]

Image: Statue of Pope Callistus I on the Saints portal | Northern transept of Our Lady cathedral of Reims, Marne, France | photo by Fab5669 Saint Callistus I Saint of the Day for October 14 (d. 223) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Callistus I’s Story The most reliable information about this saint comes from his […]

Image:The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa of Avila | Gian Lorenzo Bernini | photo by Tybo | flickr Saint Teresa of Avila Saint of the Day for October 15 (March 28, 1515 – October 4, 1582) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Teresa of Avila’s Story Teresa lived in an age of exploration as well as […]

Image: Stained glass, depiction Christ appearing to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and showing her His Sacred Heart | St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Vincennes, IN Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque Saint of the Day for October 16 (July 22, 1647 – October 17, 1690) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque’s Story Margaret Mary was […]

Image: Detail | Saint Ignatius with Madonna and Child | Lorenzo Lotto Saint Ignatius of Antioch Saint of the Day for October 17 (d. c. 107) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Ignatius of Antioch’s Story Born in Syria, Ignatius converted to Christianity and eventually became bishop of Antioch. In the year 107, Emperor Trajan visited Antioch […]

Image: The Apostle Luke | Andrey Mironov Saint Luke Saint of the Day for October 18 (d. c. 84) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Luke’s Story Luke wrote one of the major portions of the New Testament, a two-volume work comprising the third Gospel and Acts of the Apostles. In the two books he shows the […]

Image: Martyrdom of Father Isaac Jogues S.J. | Engraving by A. Malaer | Wellcome Images Saints Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf, and Companions Saint of the Day for October 19 (d. 1642 – 1649) Click to hear audio clip ► Saints Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf, and Companions’ Story Isaac Jogues and his companions were the first […]

Image: Saint Paul of the Cross | Engraving | Wellcome Images Saint Paul of the Cross Saint of the Day for October 20 (January 3, 1694 – October 18, 1775) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Paul of the Cross’ Story Born in northern Italy in 1694, Paul Daneo lived at a time when many regarded Jesus […]

Image: Saint-Hilarion Church, Church place in Saint-Hilarion, France | photo by Lionel Allorge Saint Hilarion Saint of the Day for October 21 (c. 291 – 371) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Hilarion’s Story Despite his best efforts to live in prayer and solitude, today’s saint found it difficult to achieve his deepest desire. People were […]

Image: Pope John Paul II | old Yankee Stadium, New York City, in October 1979 | Library of Congress Saint John Paul II Saint of the Day for October 22 (May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint John Paul II’s Story Open wide the doors to Christ,” urged John Paul II […]

Image: Saint John Capistrano | Stained glass window in the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, DC. | photo by Lawrence OP Saint John of Capistrano Saint of the Day for October 23 (June 24, 1386 – October 23, 1456) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint John of Capistrano’s Story It has been said the Christian saints are […]

Image: Saint Anthony Mary Claret | Saints in Rome and Beyond Saint Anthony Mary Claret Saint of the Day for October 24 (December 23, 1807 – October 24, 1870) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Anthony Mary Claret’s Story The “spiritual father of Cuba” was a missionary, religious founder, social reformer, queen’s chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop, and […]

Image: Statue of Saint Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão | Cathedral of Saint Anthony, Guaratinguetá | photo by Zééh.mané Saint Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão Saint of the Day for October 25 (1739 – December 23, 1822) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão’s Story God’s plan in a person’s life often takes unexpected turns which […]

Image: Saint Peter of Alcántara | Luis Tristán Saint Peter of Alcantara Saint of the Day for October 26 (1499 – October 18, 1562) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Peter of Alcantara’s Story Peter was a contemporary of well-known 16th-century Spanish saints, including Ignatius of Loyola and John of the Cross. He served as confessor to […]

Image: Statue of Blessed Bartholomew of Vicenza | Monastery of Saint Bartholomew-Saint Anthony, Vicenza, Italy | photo by Claudio Gioseffi Blessed Bartholomew of Vicenza Saint of the Day for October 27 (c. 1200 – 1271) Click to hear audio clip ► Blessed Bartholomew of Vicenza’s Story Dominicans honor one of their own today, Blessed Bartholomew of […]

Image: San Simón | Jusepe de Ribera / Image: Saint Jude Thaddeus | Georges de La Tour     Saints Simon and Jude Saint of the Day for October 28 (1st Century) Click to hear audio clip ► Saints Simon and Jude’s Story Jude is so named by Luke and Acts. Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus. He is not […]

Image: Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem | in Caractâeristiques des saints dans l’art populaire | photo by Internet Archive Book Images Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem Saint of the Day for October 29 (d. c. 216) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem’s Story Life in second- and third-century Jerusalem couldn’t have been easy, but Saint Narcissus managed […]

Image: Detail | Vision of Alphonsus Rodriguez | Francisco de Zurbarán     Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez Saint of the Day for October 30 (1533 – October 30, 1617) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez’ Story Tragedy and challenge beset today’s saint early in life, but Alphonsus Rodriguez found happiness and contentment through simple service and […]

Image: Statue of Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg | main altar, Parish church in Metnitz | Raul de Chissota Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg Saint of the Day for October 31 (c. 924 – August 31, 994) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg’s Story Wolfgang was born in Swabia, Germany, and was educated at a school […]

Image: Evening of All Saints’ Day at Malmi Cemetery, Helsinki, Finland | photo by Jori Samonen | flickr Solemnity of All Saints Saint of the Day for November 1 Click to hear audio clip ► The Story of the Solemnity of All Saints The earliest certain observance of a feast in honor of all the saints […]

Image: Orthodox service for the Faithful Departed | Vasily Vereshchagin Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed Saint of the Day for November 2 Click to hear audio clip ► The Story of the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed The Church has encouraged prayer for the dead from the earliest times as an act of Christian […]

Image: Saint Martin de Porres | St Dominic’s priory church in London | photo by Lawrence OP Saint Martin de Porres Saint of the Day for November 3 (December 9, 1579 – November 3, 1639) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Martin de Porres’ Story “Father unknown” is the cold legal phrase sometimes used on […]

Image: Saint Carlo Borromeo, cardinal of Milan | Wellcome Images Saint Charles Borromeo Saint of the Day for November 4 (October 2, 1538 – November 3, 1584) Click to hear audio clip ► Saint Charles Borromeo’s Story The name of Saint Charles Borromeo is associated with reform. He lived during the time of the Protestant Reformation, and […]