Winchester, VA - Born in 1656 in a Mohawk village, Kateri was orphaned as a young child in a smallpox epidemic, of which she was also a victim, surviving with many unsightly scars. Her uncle tried to arrange a marriage for her but she had no desire to marry. She converted to Catholicism at 19 and took a vow of chastity. Having left her tribe, which was hostile to her new […]
Winchester, VA - Born in 973 in Bavaria, Saint Henry II was the son of nobility, but lived his early life in exile, so he turned to the Church and was educated at the cathedral school of Hildesheim. He reigned first as Duke of Bavaria, then King of Germany, then King of Italy, and finally as Holy Roman Emperor for 10 years. He was married to Cunigunde of Luxembourg, but they […]
Winchester, VA - Louis and Zelie Martin were born in 1823 and 1831 respectively in France. Both set their hearts on a religious vocation, but such a vocation was not to be for either of them. Louis became a watchmaker and Zelie a crafter of the delicate Alencon lace. While walking on a bridge one day, Zelie recalled that passing a distinguished looking gentleman, she heard an interior voice she identified […]
Winchester, VA - Born in 580 in Nursia, Italy, Saint Benedict received his education in Rome, but he was repulsed by the rampant immorality and fled, making his home for 3 years in a cave at Subiaco. He was drawn out of solitude when he was asked to be the abbot for a local group of monks, but they disliked his rule and tried to poison him. He later settled at […]
Winchester, VA - The Druz was an Islamic sect whose members in the 1860's were making their way through Lebanon, slaughtering Christians for refusal to convert to Islam. They had already killed thousands of Maronite Christians in southern Lebanon when they made their way to Damascus and killed another two thousand. Included among the martyrs of Damascus was Father Emmanuel Ruiz, the superior of the Franciscan convent, who was told to […]
Winchester, VA - A native of Flacsted, Hants, England, Blessed Ralph Milner was a husband and father of eight who died as a martyr of the English Reformation. Born and raised Anglican, he was impressed by the difference in the lives of his Catholic and Protestant acquaintances, and so determined to officially become part of the historic Church. On the day of his First Holy Communion, Milner was arrested for having […]
Winchester, VA - Saint Peter was a humble, yet impetuous fisherman from Galilee. He first recognized Jesus as the Messiah, at which time Jesus changed his name to Kepha, meaning “rock,” and made him the steward of His coming Church. Peter, Apostle to the Jews, was crucified in Rome upside down by request, around 66 AD. Saint Paul, born Saul, was the prized student of Rabbi Gamaliel. He eagerly assisted in […]
Winchester, VA - Saint Cyril of Alexandria is colorful character. He is a Church Father, Bishop, Doctor of the Church, and the 24th Pope, or Patriarch of Alexandria. His maternal uncle was the 23rd Pope of Alexandria and even ordained Cyril. Saint Cyril is known for the run-ins he had with others. He drove the Jews from Alexandria, and had frequent public conflicts with the Roman governor Orestes. Most notably, however, […]
Winchester, VA - Martyrs of the English Reformation, Saints John Fisher and Thomas More died protecting the integrity of the sacrament of marriage when they refused to accept King Henry VIII's desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon. Saint John Fisher was the respected Bishop of Rochester. He sounded the warning bells to the Parliament about Henry's disregard for the authority of the Pope and the control he was assuming over the […]
Sermons culled from traditional Catholic priests according to the season.
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