Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez lost his mother, wife, and daughter within a period of three years. He retired to his sister’s home, and after the death of his son, he entered the Jesuit Order, where he served as college porter. Saint Peter Claver was a seminarian during Saint Alphonsus’ time at the college.
Read MoreSome speculate that Saint Narcissus lived well beyond 100; some say he lived to 160. We don’t know much about him, but a number of miracles are attributed to him. Narcissus served as bishop of Jerusalem in the late second century.
Read MoreIf there is one thing you can guarantee about having kids, it’s that they are going to act out sometimes. It’s only normal to push the boundaries and rebel, and although it can be a stressful experience for the parents it is important to only respond appropriately. Unfortunately, moms and dads often have very different ideas of appropriate ways to manage the behavior of their children and this can cause its fair share of controversy.
This is exactly what gained attention on Twitter recently after a father chose to punish his daughter for cutting class by turning her room into a ‘jail cell’. Removing all the furniture and even giving her a uniform of a T-shirt to wear, viewers were skeptical that this act of discipline would be helpful. If nothing else, it seems a completely disproportionate reaction to missing one class. There have got to be better ways to respond to this.
Gregory, called “the Great,” became pope at the age of 50. In his new role, he had much to do both within and outside the Church. Known for his reform of the liturgy, he is credited as the author of the Gregorian chant used for centuries in the Latin church.
Read MoreA member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic, Saint Rose of Lima lived a life of penance and devotion to the poor at home under the disapproving eyes of her parents.
Read MoreFounder of the Society of Jesus Ignatius of Loyola, like Francis of Assisi, had a conversion experience while recuperating from a serious illness. Being a military man, the Rule of Life that Saint Ignatius wrote for his followers shows the discipline and rigor of a soldier, but a soldier of faith with the mercy and compassion of the Gospel.
Read MoreSaint Elizabeth of Portugal did not have an easy time in spite of the fact that she was royalty. She spent her life seeking peace between herself and her unfaithful husband, and between many of her relatives. Elizabeth saw some progress in this endeavor before retiring to a Poor Clare monastery where she died.
Read MoreSamurai, meaning “those who serve,” were members of the military nobility in feudal Japan. Emerging in the Heian period (794–1185), samurai initially served as guards for the imperial court and provincial governors. More…
Read MorePublished in 1978, Paul Avrich’s “An American Anarchist: The Life of Voltairine de Cleyre” was the first substantial biography of Voltairine de Cleyre (1866-1912), an influential member of the American labor movement at the turn of the 20th century. Donated to the Library of Congress in 1986, the biography refers to de Cleyre as “one of the most interesting if neglected figures in the history of American radicalism.”
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