Born: August 26, 1861
Died: August 9, 1936 (aged 74)
Feast Day: May 4
Patronage: Romani and Sinti peoples

Born in Spain to a Catholic Romani (Gypsy) family, Ceferino Gimenez Malla (also known as “El Pele,” “the Strong One” or “the Brave One”) lived much of his early life as a nomad. As such, little is know about his upbringing.

At 18 he married Teresa Castro (also a Romani) in a traditional Roma ceremony. Their union was later validated by the Catholic Church in 1912. They were married for forty years until her death in 1922.  Though they had no children themselves, Ceferino and Teresa adopted her orphaned niece Pepita in 1912.

Ceferino and Teresa eventually settled in Barbastro where he worked as a horse trader. Known for his honesty and industriousness, he became a successful businessman and helped make peace among the Kalòs (Spanish nomads) and resolve their disputes with others. His natural goodness and virtue led him deeper into his relationship with Christ.

Although illiterate, Ceferino became a catechist, teaching the children about Christ through storytelling and exhorting them to pray daily. He became a daily communicant and was known for his special affection for the rosary. He became a member of the Franciscan Third Order, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, and participated in night adoration.

In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Ceferino was arrested for defending a Catholic priest who had been arrested. Imprisoned at a local monastery and advised to give up his rosary in order to save his life, Ceferino fervently continued his prayers. On the day of his execution, As the firing squad prepared to kill him, Ceferino held his rosary and cried out, “Long live Christ the King!” He was executed for his faith along with other priests, brothers, and lay persons and buried in a mass grave.

Ceferino Gimenez Malla was beatified on May 4, 1997. In his homily for the beatification Mass, Pope St. John Paul II said

Ceferino Giménez Malla, known as “El Pelé” died for the faith in which he had lived. His life shows how Christ is present in the various peoples and races, and that all are called to holiness which is attained by keeping his commandments and remaining in his love (cf. Jn 15:11). El Pelé was generous and welcoming to the poor, despite his own poverty; honest in his activities, faithful to his people and his Gypsy race, endowed with an extraordinary natural intelligence and the gift of counsel. He was above all a man of deep religious beliefs.

Blessed Ceferino Gimenez Malla, pray for us.

Born: 1207
Died: 1231
Feast Day: November 17
Patronage: Bakers, beggars, brides, charities, dying children, Secular Third Order of Saint Francis

St. Elizabeth of Hungary was born in 1207 to King Andrew II, King of Hungary, and Gertrude of Merania. The daughter of royalty, she was soon arranged to be married to Lugwig IV of Thuringia and was sent for education at the court of the Landgrave of Thuringia. She was four at the time, and Ludwig was eleven.

Two years later, in 1213, Elizabeth’s mother was murdered. Though this was a difficult time in her young life, she turned to prayer and found support in her future mother-in-law, Countess Sophia. Sophia instilled in Elizabeth religious values and deep personal piety.

At age 14, in 1221, Elizabeth and Louis were married. Their marriage was an exceptionally happy union that produced three children. One biographer wrote that Elizabeth “was an extremely warm, affectionate person…From a very early date there was between them a love more intimate than that experienced by many couples who have been married for a long time.”

Louis understood his wife’s piety and placed no obstacles in her way. The two spouses, says the biographer, “were in agreement with respect to the most profound things that can unite human beings, that is, the things of God.” Elizabeth’s acts of charity were already well-known, as she distributed alms throughout the territory and established a hospital near the castle.

After six years of marriage, Elizabeth’s world was shattered when Louis died of the plague en route to the Sixth Crusade. On hearing the news, Elizabeth was reported to have said, “It is to me as if the whole world died today.”

During her brief widowhood, Elizabeth came under the influence of the Franciscans and learned to love voluntary poverty. In 1228 she joined the Third Order of St. Francis, also known as the Secular Franciscan Order, the lay branch of the Franciscan order. St. Francis of Assisi sent her a personal message shortly before his death. In his spirit, Elizabeth gave her dowry proceeds to the poor and ministered with the sick and needy.

She died in 1231 at the age of 24. She was canonized in 1235.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, pray for us. 

St. Louis: August 22, 1823 – July 29, 1894
St. Zelie: December 23, 1831 – August 28, 1877
Feast Day: July 12
Patronage: Illness, Marriage, Parenting, Widowers

This couple is best known as the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux (the Little Flower), but they are models of holiness in their own right. They are only the second married couple to be canonized.

Louis was born in 1823 in Bordeaux. When his hope of entering religious life was thwarted he became a watchmaker. Zelie Guerin was born in 1831. She, too, hoped to become a religious, but eventually understood that it was not God’s will. She became a successful lace-maker.

Louis and Zelie met in Alencon and were married in 1858 after a three-month courtship. For almost a year the couple lived as celibates, but the advice of a confessor changed their minds and they decided to raise as many children as possible for the glory of God. Zelie gave birth to nine children, five of whom entered religious life.

The family lived a comfortable lifestyle, but they also suffered the loss of four children at an early age and had to deal with a rebellious daughter. Their devotion never wavered, however. The couple lived modestly, reached out to the poor and the needy, and led daily prayers in the household. St. Therese would later write: “God gave me a father and a mother who were more worthy of heaven than of earth.”

In 1877, at age 45, Zelie Martin died of breast cancer. Louis and his daughters moved to Lisieux. Gradually his daughters left to enter the convent. Despite his loneliness he said: “It is a great, great honor for me that the Good Lord desires to take all of my children. If I had anything better, I would not hesitate to offer it to him.” Louis died in 1894 after suffering greatly, including a three-year stay in a psychiatric hospital.

Louis and Zelie Martin were beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 and canonized by Pope Francis in 2015. Their feast day is July 12, though a liturgical celebration in their honor is not included in the current General Roman Calendar.

Sts. Louis and Zelie, pray for us.

For further reflection:

• Read Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (1864-1885)
• Pray a novena to Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin

Born: April 23, 1813
Died: September 8, 1853
Feast Day: September 9
Patronage: Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Frédéric Ozanam was born on April 23, 1813 in Milan to Jean and Marie Ozanam. He was the fifth child of fourteen, but one of only three children who would live to adulthood.

During his teenage years, Ozanam experienced a time of great doubts about the Catholic faith he had been raised in. He turned to reading and prayer, neither of which seemed to help, but found great clarity in long discussions with Fr. Noirot, a priest and professor at Lyons College. The challenge to live out the faith captivated him. He said, “Let us not talk so much about charity! Instead we ought to practice it and really help the poor!”

In 1831, Ozanam left for Paris to begin his studies in law at the University of the Sorbonne. During his time at the Sorbonne, Ozanam organized a discussion club for students to debate the issues of the day. During one of these meetings, a member of the club challenged him to demonstrate his faith in a way other than words, to prove that the faith Ozanam spoke highly of was alive in him.

Struck by this challenge, Ozanam and a few of his friends met and founded the “Conference of Charity” to assist the poor in Paris. This organization was the beginning of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which today provides direct services to the poor in 148 countries.

Ozanam graduated from the Sorbonne in 1836 and went on to teach and practice law, also pursuing a degree in literature. the Society continued to grow and spread throughout Europe, with dozens of chapters forming in Paris and around the continent.

Frédéric knew that he wanted to marry. In his humility he prayed that his future wife would be “a pure soul, quite different from me.” On June 23, 1841 he married Amelie Soulacroix. Before the wedding he wrote to her: “I give you the will of a man, an upright and honest will, the will to be good so as to make you happy.” In remembrance of their wedding, he gave his wife a bouquet of flowers on the 23rd of each month. After two miscarriages, they were blessed with a daughter, Marie, in 1845.

In 1848 another revolution broke out in France and the government asked Ozanam’s organization to supervise government aid to the poor. Frédéric became an outspoken proponent of Christian democracy; he also started a newspaper dedicated to securing justice for the poor and the working classes. Fellow Catholics often took issue with his political stands.

Poor health forced Frédéric to resign his professorate. He died on September 8, 1853 in Marseilles at the age of 40.

In his homily for the beatification of Frédéric Ozanam in 1997, Pope St. John Paul II said:

Frédéric Ozanam believed in love, the love of God for every individual. He felt himself called to love, giving the example of a great love for God and others. He went to all those who needed to be loved more than others, those to whom the love of God could not be revealed effectively except through the love of another person. There Ozanam discovered his vocation, the path to which Christ called him. He found his road to sanctity. And he followed it with determination… Today the Church confirms the kind of Christian life which Ozanam chose, as well as the path which he undertook. She tells him: Frédéric, your path has truly been the path of holiness.

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, pray for us. 

Born: January 28, 1572
Died: December 13, 1641
Feast Day: August 12
Patronage: forgotten people, in-law problems, loss of parents, parents separated from children, widows

St. Jane Frances de Chantal is probably best known for her great spiritual friendship with St. Francis de Sales, with whom she founded the Visitation sisters. Before that, however, St. Jane was a happily married wife and mother who successfully ran a large estate.

St. Jane was born in Dijon, France in 1572. At age 21 she married Christopher, the baron de Chantal. She bore six children, four of whom survived past infancy. She and her husband enjoyed a happy marriage. A witness during her canonization stated: “These two spouses provided a model of a genuinely holy marriage. They had between them one heart and one soul.”

Tragically, after nine years of marriage Christopher was killed in a hunting accident. Before he died, Christopher forgave the man who shot him. Jane, however, struggled for a long time. She was finally able to forgive the man and even became godmother to his child.

Jane and her children moved in with her father-in-law, who humiliated and terrorized the young widow for seven years. She endured patiently, even helping to raise his four illegitimate children.

In 1604 Jane’s life changed dramatically when she heard St. Francis, Bishop of Geneva, preach a series of Lenten sermons. The two began a friendship that quickly bore fruit. In 1610 they started the Congregation of the Visitation, a religious order for women who could not endure the austerities of traditional orders. The Visitandines flourished and exist to this day in countries around the world.

Jane died in 1641 and was canonized in 1767. Her feast day is celebrated on August 12.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal, pray for us. 

Born: May 20, 1907
Died: August 9, 1943
Feast Day: May 21
Patronage:  Conscientious objectors

The Second World War produced several saints; one of them was Blessed Franz Jagerstatter, husband, father and Austrian conscientious objector.

Franz was born on May 20, 1907 in Upper Austria. He gained a reputation for wildness while growing up—he was the first in his village to own a motorcycle—and fathered a daughter out of wedlock. His marriage to a deeply religious woman in 1936 settled him down and encouraged his growth in the faith. He and his wife had three daughters.

Although not involved with any political organization, Franz became increasingly anti-Nazi. In 1938 he was the only citizen to vote against the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria by Germany. He became convinced that participation in the war was a serious sin. Called to active duty in 1943 he announced his conscientious objection. He was subsequently tried and executed by guillotine on August 9 at age 36.

In 2007 Pope Benedict XVI declared Franz Jagerstatter a martyr. He was beatified on October 26, 2007 and his feast day is May 21.

Bl. Franz Jagerstatter, pray for us. 

Born: February 7, 1478
Died: July 6, 1535
Feast Day: June 22
Patronage: Attorneys, Civil Servants, Court Clerks, Lawyers, Politicians, Public Servants, Adopted Children

Marriage is both a public institution and a private relationship. St. Thomas More defended the institution with his life and lived the relationship faithfully and fruitfully.

More was born in 1478 in London. His mother died when he was young. After an excellent education, he seriously considered joining a religious order, but realized that he could not renounce marriage and family life. In 1505 he married Jane Colt, 10 years his junior. The marriage was a happy one, cut short by Jane’s death at 22.

Left a widower with four small children, More quickly married Alice Middleton, a silk merchant. Known for her sharp tongue, Alice faced the tough task of raising her stepchildren—she and More had no children of their own—and running the household. One biographer observed: “In this marriage—whatever may have been lacking in beauty—there was at no time a lack of mutual respect or of a clear understanding as to the competence of each spouse.”

More paid close attention to the religious upbringing of us children, and well as their general education. He made sure that his three daughters received as fine an education as his son, at a time when few girls were educated.

Thomas More was a lawyer, writer (“Utopia”) and statesman. He is best known for his clash with King Henry VIII over the king’s decision to divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn. He refused to take an oath that declared the king’s first marriage invalid and that recognized Henry as head of the Church of England. He was convicted of treason on the basis of perjured testimony and beheaded on July 6, 1535.

More was canonized in 1935. He shares his feast day, June 22, with another English martyr, St. John Fisher.

St. Thomas More, pray for us. 

For further reflection:

• Pray for religious freedom
• Watch A Man for All Seasons (1966)

Born: 1381
Died: May 22, 1457
Feast Day: May 22
Patronage: Difficult Marriages, Impossible Causes, Infertility, Parenthood

Most of the saints in this series enjoyed marriages that were happy and peaceful. St. Rita of Cascia did not. By all accounts Rita’s husband abused her, and during the 14th century abused wives had no alternative but to remain in the home.

Rita’s story begins with her birth in 1381 to a pious Italian couple. Rita, an only child, wished to enter the convent but her parents insisted that she marry. They chose a man named Paolo Mancini who, although rich, was known for his violent temper. The marriage went well at first and the couple had two sons. Gradually, however, Paolo’s rages and abusive behavior resurfaced, with Rita as the victim. Moreover, Paolo became involved in political activities that made him many enemies.

Rita persisted in prayer and good example. Finally, recognizing how much pain he had caused Rita, Paolo begged her forgiveness, which she gave. Unfortunately, the couple’s reconciliation was short-lived as Paolo was murdered in a blood feud.

Rita forgave her husband’s murderers, but her sons vowed revenge. Before they could act, however, both were killed by dysentery that swept through the village. Rita was both a widow and childless.

Rita was able to reconcile her family with her husband’s murderers. With the conflict resolved she entered the convent at age 36, where she lived a life of prayer and penance until her death in 1457.

St. Rita was canonized in 1900. Her feast day is celebrated on May 22. In many countries St. Rita is the patron saint of abused wives and grieving mothers.

St. Rita of Cascia, pray for us. 

All marriages go through rough patches. Patience, persistence and spiritual resources such as prayer and the sacraments can help couples to survive marital storms. Domestic abuse, however, is another matter. No woman is expected to stay in a marriage where her life, or the lives of her children, is in danger. See more information on domestic abuse.

For further reflection:

• Pray a novena to St. Rita of Cascia

Born: October 4, 1922
Died: April 28, 1962
Feast Day: April 28
Patronage: Mothers, Physicians, and Unborn Children

St. Gianna Berretta Molla was born in 1922 near Milan in Italy.

After completing secondary school, she decided to study medicine, specializing in pediatrics. Once she had completed her medical degree, St. Gianna considered joining her brother, a missionary priest in Brazil. However, in late 1954 she met Pietro Molla, an engineer and fellow member of Catholic Action. It became clear that she was called to the vocation of marriage. She and Pietro were married in September 1955.

Gianna and Pietro already had three children when she became pregnant in 1961. Early in the pregnancy, a dangerous fibroma was discovered on her uterus. Choosing the route of treatment least dangerous to her unborn child, Gianna underwent surgery to remove the fibroma.

The operation was successful and the baby survived, but Gianna knew that complications could develop. She made her wishes clear to her family, saying, “This time it will be a difficult delivery, and they may have to save one or the other — I want them to save my baby.”

On April 21, 1962, Gianna’s fourth child, Gianna Emanuella, was successfully delivered via Caesarean section. However, Gianna continued to have severe pain, and died of infection seven days after her daughter’s birth.

Pope John Paul II canonized Gianna Molla on May 16, 2004. Her husband and youngest child were present at the canonization ceremony. St. Gianna’s feast day is April 28.

St. Gianna Molla, pray for us.

For further reading

• The Journey of Our Love: The Letters of Saint Gianna Beretta and Pietro Molla