St. Filippo Smaldone (1848–1923) was born in Naples, Italy, during a time of upheaval and unrest both in Italy and in the Church. He decided to become a priest, and while in seminary he took on a personal apostolate of assisting the deaf and mute community in Naples. He dedicated so much time to this work that he barely passed his exams. After his ordination he continued to assist the...

One of 22 Ugandan martyrs, Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. He protected his fellow pages, aged 13 to 30, from the homosexual demands of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, and encouraged and instructed them in the Catholic faith during their imprisonment for refusing the ruler’s demands. Charles first learned of Christ’s teachings...

Saints Marcellinus and Peter (sometimes called Peter the Exorcist) were two 4th century Christian martyrs in the city of Rome. Marcellinus was a priest and Peter an exorcist. They were arrested and imprisoned in the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. In the prison, they converted Arthemius, the jailer, and his wife and daughter.  Both martyrs were beheaded by order of the magistrate...

St. Justin Martyr (100–165 A.D.) was a pagan philosopher from Samaria. After meeting a Syrian Christian who convinced him that the biblical prophets were more trustworthy in the pursuit of truth than worldly philosophers, St. Justin renounced his paganism and studied Sacred Scripture. The bold witness of the early Christian martyrs led to his own conversion to the Catholic faith. St....

St. Camilla was born out of wedlock of a noble mother and a gentleman of the court.  She was raised in the court and received an education. She was not particularly religious and made fun of the nuns and the friars.  During the Lent of 1479, Varano listened to a sermon of Observant Franciscan friar Francesco of Urbino, whom she described as "the trumpet of the Holy...