St. John Neumann (1811-1860) was born in Bohemia in what is now the Czech Republic. He entered the seminary, and when the day came for his ordination to the priesthood, his bishop fell ill and couldn't proceed with the ceremony. However, because Bohemia had an over-abundance of priests, John's ordination was never rescheduled. Undeterred in pursuing his priestly vocation, John decided...

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774–1821) was born in New York City to a wealthy, virtuous, and influential family.  She married a businessman, and together they lived on Wall Street.  They attended an Episcopalian church where Elizabeth was very active in charitable works to the poor.  When her father-in-law died, she became like a mother to her husband's six younger...

Pope Antherus (died 3 January 236) was the Bishop of Rome from 21 November 235 to his death in 236. He succeeded Pope Pontian, who had been deported from Rome to Sardinia, along with the antipope Hippolytus. Anterus was the son of Romulus, born in Petilia Policastro, Calabria. He is thought to have been of Greek origin, and his name may indicate that he was a freed slave. He created one...

Gaspare was the son of Antonio del Bufalo, a chef to Prince Altieri, and Annunziata Quartieroni. As an infant he suffered from an eye condition that threatened to blind him; he was cured in 1788 following prayers for the intervention of Saint Francis Xavier. He studied at the Collegium Romanum from age twelve, and considered becoming a Jesuit. He was President of the newly instituted...

John was a country lad who made good in the big city and the big university of Kraków, Poland. After brilliant studies he was ordained a priest and became a professor of theology. The inevitable opposition which saints encounter led to his being ousted by rivals and sent to be a parish priest at Olkusz. An extremely humble man, he did his best, but his best was not to the liking of his...