Facts about St. Patrick’s Day, the Real St. Patrick of the Catholic Church and the Shamrock

Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland and the man that is honored with the largest Irish celebration, was not actually born in Ireland. When Patrick was 14, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders who brought him to Ireland. While there, he was enslaved by a warlord and worked as a Sheppard for six years until he was able to escape. He made his way back to Brittan and his family. Shortly after, he joined the Priesthood. Although the details of the Saint’s life are uncertain and peppered with myth, it is certain that he returned to Ireland as a Bishop to become a beloved member of the community he served.
There are two legends that are strongly associated with Saint Patrick. The first is that he drove the snakes out of Ireland. Most see this as just a story that could have another meaning altogether. Quite possibly the snakes are a reference to Druids. The second legend is that Saint Patrick use to teach about the trinity by using a three leaf clover, also know as the shamrock. This legend is possible and is not strongly disputed.
The feast day, also known as St. Patrick’s Day, occurs on March 17th. This is also the widely accepted date of his death in the year 493. So when you are enjoying the green beer, corned beef and cabbage, and bragging that you are Irish (even if it may be for just one day), please take a moment to remember the saint that started it all through his selfless return to a country that he first knew as a slave. Then go back to the festivities…remember it is a feast day!

Fast Facts About the Saints: St. Andrew

Feast: November 30th

Best Known For:
-First disciple of our Lord Jesus
-Was a follower of John the Baptist before meeting Jesus
-Brother of Saint Peter

Interesting Facts:
-Saint Andrew evangelized the first Pope. How did he do this: As soon as St. Andrew became a follower of Jesus, he brought Saint Peter, his brother and future Pope, to meet Jesus.
-Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross by tying, not nailing him, to it. He suffered for two days before dying on the cross
-Saint Rule brought Saint Andrew's relics to Scotland
-Saint Andrew is known for his Zeal
-The Saint's skull resides in St. Peter's Basilica

Patron Saint of: Scotland, Ukraine, Russia, Sicily, Greece, Romania, Philippines and fishermen

Fast Facts About the Saints: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini.

Memorial: November 13th
Born: 1850 (Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy)
Died: 1917 (Chicago, Illinois)

Best Known For:
-Founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC)
-Opened the first Italian immigrant school and two hospitals
-Worked to a great extent within the Italian community in Chicago

Interesting Facts:
-First American citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.
-Born to a wealthy family who owned cherry tree farms.
-Died from complications of dysentery at age 67 in the hospital she built (Columbus Hospital)

Patron Saint of: Hospital Administrators and Immigrants

Fast Facts About the Saints: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini.

Memorial: November 13th
Born: 1850 (Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy)
Died: 1917 (Chicago, Illinois)

Best Known For:
-Founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC)
-Opened the first Italian immigrant school and two hospitals
-Worked to a great extent within the Italian community in Chicago

Interesting Facts:
-First American citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.
-Born to a wealthy family who owned cherry tree farms.
-Died from complications of dysentery at age 67 in the hospital she built (Columbus Hospital)

Patron Saint of: Hospital Administrators and Immigrants

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Vincent de Paul

Today is the Memorial of St. Vincent.

Memorial: September 27th
Born: 1581
Died: 1660
Lived: Cascony, Paris
Occupation: St. Vincent was a priest

Best Known For:
St. Vincent founded many charitable organizations such as Congregation of the Daughters of Charity and the Congregation of Priests of the Mission. There is a popular charitable organization that bears his name. His name has come to be used synonymously with the word “charity”.

Interesting Facts:
St. Vincent was enslaved by Turkish pirates and taken to Tunis. He was freed by the age of 25, after 7 years. Before being released, St. Vincent had converted his owner to Christianity.
Patron Saint Of: Charities, Prisoners, St. Vincent de Paul Societies

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Vincent de Paul

Today is the Memorial of St. Vincent.

Memorial: September 27th
Born: 1581
Died: 1660
Lived: Cascony, Paris
Occupation: St. Vincent was a priest

Best Known For:
St. Vincent founded many charitable organizations such as Congregation of the Daughters of Charity and the Congregation of Priests of the Mission. There is a popular charitable organization that bears his name. His name has come to be used synonymously with the word “charity”.

Interesting Facts:
St. Vincent was enslaved by Turkish pirates and taken to Tunis. He was freed by the age of 25, after 7 years. Before being released, St. Vincent had converted his owner to Christianity.
Patron Saint Of: Charities, Prisoners, St. Vincent de Paul Societies

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Vincent de Paul

Today is the Memorial of St. Vincent.

Memorial: September 27th
Born: 1581
Died: 1660
Lived: Cascony, Paris
Occupation: St. Vincent was a priest

Best Known For:
St. Vincent founded many charitable organizations such as Congregation of the Daughters of Charity and the Congregation of Priests of the Mission. There is a popular charitable organization that bears his name. His name has come to be used synonymously with the word “charity”.

Interesting Facts:
St. Vincent was enslaved by Turkish pirates and taken to Tunis. He was freed by the age of 25, after 7 years. Before being released, St. Vincent had converted his owner to Christianity.
Patron Saint Of: Charities, Prisoners, St. Vincent de Paul Societies

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Today is the Memorial of St. Padre Pio.

Memorial: September 23rd
Born: 1887
Died: 1968
Lived: Pietrelcina, San Giovanni Rotondo
Occupation: St. Pio was ordained a priest and entered monastic life when he was a young adult.

Best Known For:
St. Padre Pio is best known for the stigmata that inflicted him while he was praying before the cross in 1918. The priest was blessed with the wounds for the rest of his life. His popularity grew after World War II, when soldiers brought back stories of St. Pio to their hometowns. Many people made pilgrimages to come see the Saint. He would hear Confessions for hours; into the early morning hours if necessary. It was widely known that St. Pio was able to see into the hearts of those confessing and know who was being truthful and not holding back sins.

Interesting Facts:
Besides starting a hospital and prayer groups that continue to this day, St. Pio was known to be involved in many extraordinary happenings. For instance, he was known to bilocate (be in two places at once) and levitate (float above the ground). These occurrences were witnessed often by those outside the faith.

Patron Saint Of: Catholic Adolescents
Author Of: Letters collected under the title, Padre Pio-In My Own Words
Association with Other Saints: There is an account of St. Pio hearing Pope John Paul II’s Confession (while the Pope was still a Bishop). St. Pio told the then Bishop that he would someday be Pope.

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Today is the Memorial of St. Padre Pio.

Memorial: September 23rd
Born: 1887
Died: 1968
Lived: Pietrelcina, San Giovanni Rotondo
Occupation: St. Pio was ordained a priest and entered monastic life when he was a young adult.

Best Known For:
St. Padre Pio is best known for the stigmata that inflicted him while he was praying before the cross in 1918. The priest was blessed with the wounds for the rest of his life. His popularity grew after World War II, when soldiers brought back stories of St. Pio to their hometowns. Many people made pilgrimages to come see the Saint. He would hear Confessions for hours; into the early morning hours if necessary. It was widely known that St. Pio was able to see into the hearts of those confessing and know who was being truthful and not holding back sins.

Interesting Facts:
Besides starting a hospital and prayer groups that continue to this day, St. Pio was known to be involved in many extraordinary happenings. For instance, he was known to bilocate (be in two places at once) and levitate (float above the ground). These occurrences were witnessed often by those outside the faith.

Patron Saint Of: Catholic Adolescents
Author Of: Letters collected under the title, Padre Pio-In My Own Words
Association with Other Saints: There is an account of St. Pio hearing Pope John Paul II’s Confession (while the Pope was still a Bishop). St. Pio told the then Bishop that he would someday be Pope.

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Today is the Memorial of St. Padre Pio.

Memorial: September 23rd
Born: 1887
Died: 1968
Lived: Pietrelcina, San Giovanni Rotondo
Occupation: St. Pio was ordained a priest and entered monastic life when he was a young adult.

Best Known For:
St. Padre Pio is best known for the stigmata that inflicted him while he was praying before the cross in 1918. The priest was blessed with the wounds for the rest of his life. His popularity grew after World War II, when soldiers brought back stories of St. Pio to their hometowns. Many people made pilgrimages to come see the Saint. He would hear Confessions for hours; into the early morning hours if necessary. It was widely known that St. Pio was able to see into the hearts of those confessing and know who was being truthful and not holding back sins.

Interesting Facts:
Besides starting a hospital and prayer groups that continue to this day, St. Pio was known to be involved in many extraordinary happenings. For instance, he was known to bilocate (be in two places at once) and levitate (float above the ground). These occurrences were witnessed often by those outside the faith.

Patron Saint Of: Catholic Adolescents
Author Of: Letters collected under the title, Padre Pio-In My Own Words
Association with Other Saints: There is an account of St. Pio hearing Pope John Paul II’s Confession (while the Pope was still a Bishop). St. Pio told the then Bishop that he would someday be Pope.

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. John Chrysostom

Today is the Memorial of St. John Chrysostom



Memorial: September 13th

Born: 349

Died: 407

Lived: Antioch/Constantinople

Occupation: St. John Chrysostom priest



Best Known For:

St. John Chrysostom is best known for his brilliant preaching that converted many and dispensed spiritual graces to those who came to listen to him. He was so well known for his oration that he was named Chrysostom, which means Golden Mouth. Today, we can still benefit from his teaching through his writing (many taken from his lectures) on a myriad of topics.


Interesting Facts:

St. John was hated by many in power due to his efforts to reform the clergy. He was even exiled twice by his enemies.



Patron Saint Of: Lecturers

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. John Chrysostom

Today is the Memorial of St. John Chrysostom



Memorial: September 13th

Born: 349

Died: 407

Lived: Antioch/Constantinople

Occupation: St. John Chrysostom priest



Best Known For:

St. John Chrysostom is best known for his brilliant preaching that converted many and dispensed spiritual graces to those who came to listen to him. He was so well known for his oration that he was named Chrysostom, which means Golden Mouth. Today, we can still benefit from his teaching through his writing (many taken from his lectures) on a myriad of topics.


Interesting Facts:

St. John was hated by many in power due to his efforts to reform the clergy. He was even exiled twice by his enemies.



Patron Saint Of: Lecturers

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. John Chrysostom

Today is the Memorial of St. John Chrysostom



Memorial: September 13th

Born: 349

Died: 407

Lived: Antioch/Constantinople

Occupation: St. John Chrysostom priest



Best Known For:

St. John Chrysostom is best known for his brilliant preaching that converted many and dispensed spiritual graces to those who came to listen to him. He was so well known for his oration that he was named Chrysostom, which means Golden Mouth. Today, we can still benefit from his teaching through his writing (many taken from his lectures) on a myriad of topics.


Interesting Facts:

St. John was hated by many in power due to his efforts to reform the clergy. He was even exiled twice by his enemies.



Patron Saint Of: Lecturers

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Gregory the Great

Today is the Memorial of St. Gregory the Great.
Memorial: September 3rd
Born: 540
Died: 604
Lived: Rome/Constantinople
Occupation: St. Gregory held various public offices before he was ordained a deacon. Ultimately he became Pope.


Best Known For:
St. Gregory is best known for his love of plainsong or plainchant that has become so strongly associated with the Saint that this form of music is referred to as “Gregorian Chant”. He is also one of four Great Doctors of the Latin Catholic Church.

Interesting Facts:
St. Gregory was the first monk to become Pope. He was the Pope who sent St. Augustine of Canterbury to evangelize England.

Patron Saint Of: Musicians, Singers, Teachers, Popes
Author Of: The Rule for Pastors, Magna Moralia
Association with Other Saints: St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, St. Peter the Deacon, St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Gregory the Great

Today is the Memorial of St. Gregory the Great.
Memorial: September 3rd
Born: 540
Died: 604
Lived: Rome/Constantinople
Occupation: St. Gregory held various public offices before he was ordained a deacon. Ultimately he became Pope.


Best Known For:
St. Gregory is best known for his love of plainsong or plainchant that has become so strongly associated with the Saint that this form of music is referred to as “Gregorian Chant”. He is also one of four Great Doctors of the Latin Catholic Church.

Interesting Facts:
St. Gregory was the first monk to become Pope. He was the Pope who sent St. Augustine of Canterbury to evangelize England.

Patron Saint Of: Musicians, Singers, Teachers, Popes
Author Of: The Rule for Pastors, Magna Moralia
Association with Other Saints: St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, St. Peter the Deacon, St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Gregory the Great

Today is the Memorial of St. Gregory the Great.
Memorial: September 3rd
Born: 540
Died: 604
Lived: Rome/Constantinople
Occupation: St. Gregory held various public offices before he was ordained a deacon. Ultimately he became Pope.


Best Known For:
St. Gregory is best known for his love of plainsong or plainchant that has become so strongly associated with the Saint that this form of music is referred to as “Gregorian Chant”. He is also one of four Great Doctors of the Latin Catholic Church.

Interesting Facts:
St. Gregory was the first monk to become Pope. He was the Pope who sent St. Augustine of Canterbury to evangelize England.

Patron Saint Of: Musicians, Singers, Teachers, Popes
Author Of: The Rule for Pastors, Magna Moralia
Association with Other Saints: St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, St. Peter the Deacon, St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Augustine

Today is the Memorial of St. Augustine

Memorial: August 28th
Born: 354
Died: 430
Lived: Algeria/Italy
Occupation: St. Augustine was a teacher before his conversion.

Best Known For:
St. Augustine is best known for his conversion from a hedonistic lifestyle to the priesthood, which he chronicled in his autobiography The Confessions.
In the summer of 386, after having read an account of the life of Saint Anthony of the Desert, St. Augustine had a profound conversion experience (greatly helped by his mother’s payers) which led him to abandon his teaching position in Milan and join the priesthood. Ambrose baptized Augustine during the Easter Vigil in 387 in Milan.

Interesting Facts:
St. Augustine is a Doctor of the Church, due to his extensive writings that had a profound influenced on the Catholic religion. In his writings, he framed the concepts of original sin and a just war. He also developed the concept of the Church as a spiritual City of God, distinct from the material City of Man.

Patron Saint Of: Theologians, Printers
Author Of: The Confessions, On Christian Doctrine, The City of God
Association with Other Saints: St. Ambrose, St. Monica

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Augustine

Today is the Memorial of St. Augustine

Memorial: August 28th
Born: 354
Died: 430
Lived: Algeria/Italy
Occupation: St. Augustine was a teacher before his conversion.

Best Known For:
St. Augustine is best known for his conversion from a hedonistic lifestyle to the priesthood, which he chronicled in his autobiography The Confessions.
In the summer of 386, after having read an account of the life of Saint Anthony of the Desert, St. Augustine had a profound conversion experience (greatly helped by his mother’s payers) which led him to abandon his teaching position in Milan and join the priesthood. Ambrose baptized Augustine during the Easter Vigil in 387 in Milan.

Interesting Facts:
St. Augustine is a Doctor of the Church, due to his extensive writings that had a profound influenced on the Catholic religion. In his writings, he framed the concepts of original sin and a just war. He also developed the concept of the Church as a spiritual City of God, distinct from the material City of Man.

Patron Saint Of: Theologians, Printers
Author Of: The Confessions, On Christian Doctrine, The City of God
Association with Other Saints: St. Ambrose, St. Monica

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Augustine

Today is the Memorial of St. Augustine

Memorial: August 28th
Born: 354
Died: 430
Lived: Algeria/Italy
Occupation: St. Augustine was a teacher before his conversion.

Best Known For:
St. Augustine is best known for his conversion from a hedonistic lifestyle to the priesthood, which he chronicled in his autobiography The Confessions.
In the summer of 386, after having read an account of the life of Saint Anthony of the Desert, St. Augustine had a profound conversion experience (greatly helped by his mother’s payers) which led him to abandon his teaching position in Milan and join the priesthood. Ambrose baptized Augustine during the Easter Vigil in 387 in Milan.

Interesting Facts:
St. Augustine is a Doctor of the Church, due to his extensive writings that had a profound influenced on the Catholic religion. In his writings, he framed the concepts of original sin and a just war. He also developed the concept of the Church as a spiritual City of God, distinct from the material City of Man.

Patron Saint Of: Theologians, Printers
Author Of: The Confessions, On Christian Doctrine, The City of God
Association with Other Saints: St. Ambrose, St. Monica

Fast Facts about the Saints: St. Monica

Today is the memorial of St. Monica

Memorial: August 27
Born: 332
Died: 387
Lived: Algeria/Italy

Best Known For:
St. Monica was the mother of St. Augustine. She is best known for being a devout Catholic and praying for the conversion of her son, Augustine, while he was still an unrepentant sinner. Considering Augustine is a Saint, you probably have figured out that her prayers were answered. St. Monica was able to see her son baptized shortly before she died.

Interesting Facts:
St. Monica converted her husband to Catholicism, which helped him become more caring and curb his violent temper. She also silently suffered her mother-in-laws abuse until St. Monica won her over with patients and kindness.

Patron Saint Of: Patience, Married Women, Mothers, Disappointing children, Victims of Abuse
Association with Other Saints: St. Augustine, St. Ambrose