Posts from:
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre lived a poor life in the ruins of the Colosseum. To the uneducated eye, he appeared to be a pitiable figure, but the people of Rome saw him as a saint. He was known as the beggar of Rome.
Saint Bernadette Soubirous was a poor, uneducated peasant girl who no one would believe had seen apparitions of the Blessed Mother. But Mary had appeared to her, and Lourdes has become a popular shrine of devotion to Mary, the Immaculate Conception, and of healing.
Saint Caesar de Bus decided to become a priest after a very negative experience in the military. He was successful in his ministry to combat heresy by teaching catechesis to ordinary parishioners.
Blessed Peter Gonzalez had a bad experience while riding a horse that changed the course of his life. He became a Dominican, was ordained a priest, and worked in the court of King Ferdinand III.
Pope Saint Martin I is considered a martyr for the faith even though he was not killed outright. He witnessed to the true faith by his consistent and constant teaching, which resulted in physical and mental torture.
A long life is not necessary for holiness, as Saint Teresa of Los Andes proves. Not quite 20 years old when she died, she left a legacy rich in virtue—rich enough for her to be considered a saint.
Saint Stanislaus, the bishop of Kraków, was martyred for denouncing political and social corruption. He became the patron saint of Poland, and remains a popular saint throughout Eastern Europe.
