saints

Protect and Preserve: St. Charles Lwanga and His 21 Fellow Companions

From Franciscan Media Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions’ Story One of 22 Ugandan martyrs, Saint 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 sexual demands of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, and encouraged and instructed them in the Catholic faith during their imprisonment for refusing the ruler’s demands. Saint Charles Lwanga first learned of Christ’s teachings from two retainers in the court of Chief Mawulugungu. While a catechumen, he entered the royal household as assistant to Joseph Mukaso, head of the court pages. On the night of Mukaso’s martyrdom for encouraging the African youths to resist Mwanga, Saint Charles Lwanga requested and received baptism. Imprisoned with his friends, Charles’ courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful. For his own unwillingness to submit to the immoral acts and his [...]

Protect and Preserve: St. Charles Lwanga and His 21 Fellow Companionstonyroberts2026-06-08T09:44:24-04:00

St. Joan of Arc Novena with The Sisters of the Little Way

Today we celebrate the life, death, and resurrection we share with St. Joan of Arc in Christ. Here is a Prayer Novena composed by the Sisters of the Little Way: "Saint Joan’s legacy is one of fierce trust, prophetic courage, and unwavering faith. Her life reminds us that God sometimes calls us to take bold steps that the world may not understand—steps that may even appear to end in failure. But with God, nothing is wasted. Even what seems like defeat can bear lasting and transformative fruit. Though young and without influence, Joan listened to God’s will and responded with a courage that defied fear and cold rationalism. In this way, she lived the little way of confidence in God, not shrinking from danger but stepping forward in obedience and love. Her bold witness calls us to live with that same courage: to choose truth even when it costs us, [...]

St. Joan of Arc Novena with The Sisters of the Little Waytonyroberts2026-05-30T04:00:49-04:00

Like a Fallen Ass: St. Bernardino of Siena on Prudence

"A sinner who repents learns to be prudent. He is like an ass that, once he has fallen in a spot, afterwards looks more carefully where he sets his foot..." "... See, you would never have learned what sin is unless you had tried it. 'In antiquis est prudentia.' In the old is prudence, and do you know why? Because they have experience. They have fallen often, and so they walk more gingerly. They think about how they had better set their feet. As they see death approaching, they thank God that they have time to turn to him. And they do not trust themselves not to fall, but always ask God to help them not to fall again." -- Saint Bernardino of Siena (1380-1444)

Like a Fallen Ass: St. Bernardino of Siena on Prudencetonyroberts2026-05-20T01:32:06-04:00

A Patron Saint for those with Unquiet Minds

Saint Dymphna is well known as a patron of people living with mental illness. She was a 7th-century Irish princess who fled from her father, who seems to have had a mental illness, and she settled in Geel, Belgium, where she cared for people with mental illnesses. Because she lived so long ago, much of her story is shrouded in the mist of legend, so it is difficult to know with certainty much about Dymphna herself. However, what is certain is that Saint Dymphna’s legacy inspired the people of Geel to show compassion for people who live with mental illness. Over the centuries, the people of Geel invited people with a mental illness to live and work in their community without any stigma or discrimination. Throughout the Middle Ages and even today, the town of Geel is known as a model for community acceptance of people who live with a [...]

A Patron Saint for those with Unquiet Mindstonyroberts2026-05-15T00:58:39-04:00

Saint Matthias: Chosen by God

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle Lectionary: 564 Reading I Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, “My brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. Judas was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. For it is written in the Book of Psalms: Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it. and: May another take his office. Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken [...]

Saint Matthias: Chosen by Godtonyroberts2026-05-14T09:12:23-04:00

Continual Conversion: St. Augustine and Me

"Conquer yourself and the world lies at your feet." St Augustine of Hippo. Like Augustine, I squandered God's gifts throughout the days of my youth in riotous living. Only by the grace of God was I able to survive and function with relative effectiveness. Were it not for God's sufficient grace, my behavior would have led to an early grave. But also like Augustine, I had people praying for me. My mother, Patsy, was like Saint Monica, refusing to give me over to forces within and around me that tried to steal my soul. In time, I came to my senses. God set me straight and I began the long journey home. I have turned away from addictive behavior and devote each day to continual conversion. Taking one step at a time, living day by day, I focus not on gratifying my own cravings but loving God and others, even [...]

Continual Conversion: St. Augustine and Metonyroberts2026-05-05T06:45:51-04:00

Two Books to Get, that Get It: Companions in the Darkness & Unravel.

Read, read, read. Read everything -- trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window. ― William Faulkner One of the perks of being a writer is fellow authors send me their books. This week I've been blessed to read two books that have helped me expand my literary companionships. Diana Gruver and Greg Ralls "get" the experience of living with mental health challenges and their stories depict this so well. Companions in the Darkness: Seven Saints Who Struggled with Depression and Doubt by Diana Gruver, Chuck DeGroat (Foreword) The church's relationship with depression has been fraught: for centuries, depression was assumed to be evidence of personal sin or even demonic influence. The depressed [...]

Two Books to Get, that Get It: Companions in the Darkness & Unravel.tonyroberts2024-08-26T13:03:29-04:00

Saints and Shadows by Les Rust

Leslie D. Rust is a Presbyterian pastor, writer, and blogger who has a keen interest in liturgy, monastic spirituality and the mysteries of faith. Having grown up in the mountains of east Tennessee he is an avid hiker, camper, and makes and hangs out in hammocks of his own creation. He is fond of music, mirth, and at least a little bit of mayhem. He can be found blogging at Character in the Making. characterinthemaking.com. The sun has made its way into my window this morning. It is a clear day with only a few high, thin clouds at the moment—warmer than it has been. Thankful for the sunlight on this new day. Before it rose I was chatting with a good friend who has a ministry dealing with faith and mental illness. He has had a hard time lately including a brief stay in the hospital to help [...]

Saints and Shadows by Les Rusttonyroberts2024-08-26T13:03:30-04:00