Saints

What St. Kateri Tekakwitha Taught Me About Risking Everything for Christ

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Every year, there are a few saints who surprise me.

Not because I had never heard of them before, but because I finally slowed down enough to really learn their story.

That happened to me this past school year while teaching history to my third-grade class. We were studying the 1600s and the discovery of the New World, and part of that journey included learning about St. Kateri Tekakwitha. I had known she was the first Indigenous North American saint, but reading her story alongside my students gave me a much deeper appreciation for her remarkable witness.

Sometimes teaching is one of the best ways to learn.

Known as the “Lily of the Mohawks,” St. Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in present-day Upstate New York. She was the daughter of a Mohawk chief and an Algonquin Catholic mother. At just four years old, a smallpox epidemic claimed the lives of her parents and younger brother. Though Kateri survived, the disease left her scarred, partially blind, and orphaned.

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5 Stunning Facts about Saint Catherine of Siena

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Sponsored: This article is made possible by Letters From Heaven — Saint Letters for Catholic Kids supporting quality and engaging Catholic content.

Saint Catherine of Siena was one of the greatest followers of Christ. Her ability to articulate the Gospel and her courage to call even the papacy to reform are among the key reasons she is one of my favorite saints. My youngest daughter is even named after this amazing saint, which means her story shows up often in our home in very real and tangible ways.

Read on to learn five amazing facts about Catherine:

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Saints Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea: Witnesses to Spiritual Renewal and the Dignity of Life

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The encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, as recounted in the Gospel of John, offers a glimpse into the transformative power of spiritual rebirth through baptism. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, seeks wisdom under the cover of night. This darkness can be seen as symbolic of his initial lack of understanding or hesitation to fully embrace the truth of Jesus’ message. Yet, by approaching Jesus, Nicodemus takes the first step out of this spiritual darkness.

Their conversation centers around the concept of baptism—a second birth that ushers believers into the realm of the spirit. Through baptism, individuals shed their old selves, emerging as adopted children of God, free from the constraints of original sin. Nicodemus’s willingness to engage in dialogue, despite his initial reservations, demonstrates his openness to spiritual growth. He becomes a beacon of hope for all who seek understanding and a deeper connection with divine truth.

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Lent: Walking the Desert, Climbing Carmel

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Lent is often described as a journey, but most of us imagine the wrong kind of trip.

We picture something orderly and purposeful, like a planned pilgrimage with clear stops and visible progress. In reality, Lent tends to feel less like a guided retreat and more like wandering through harsh terrain. The Church gives us images of deserts and mountains for a reason. Both places are beautiful, but neither is comfortable, and neither can be rushed.

Lately I have been thinking about how perfectly those two landscapes fit together. In a funny way, Antarctica might be one of the best physical analogies for Lent. It contains vast deserts, towering mountains, and long stretches of silence and darkness. It is stark, even unsettling, yet strangely magnificent. You do not go there to be entertained. You go there to be changed.

That is what Lent is meant to do to us.

The Desert Simplifies What We Complicate

Every year I begin Lent with some sort of plan. I imagine what my prayer life will look like, which devotions I will take up, and how disciplined I will be about fasting. Somewhere in the back of my mind there is always the hope that this will be the year I finally “do Lent right.”

Then the desert shows up.

The prayer feels dry. The sacrifices feel small. The daily routine crowds in, and whatever elaborate spiritual blueprint I had imagined starts to crumble. Instead of feeling like a spiritual athlete, I usually feel like someone who packed too much for a hike and now has to carry it through sand.

Part of this comes from how complicated the Catholic world around Lent can feel. There are challenges, book lists, podcasts, and endless suggestions for how to maximize the season. None of those things are bad, but if you are wired like me, it can quickly feel overwhelming. My ADHD brain does not need twenty possible Lenten programs. It needs a path that is clear and walkable.

The Church, in her wisdom, already gave us one.

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Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Theologian Who Taught the Church How to Pray

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By: Austin Habash

When most Catholics hear the name Saint Thomas Aquinas, they think immediately of dense theology, philosophical arguments, and the towering Summa Theologiae. He is often presented as the Church’s greatest intellect, the man who organized doctrine with unmatched clarity.

But this common picture is incomplete.

Aquinas was not only a master of theology. He was also a master of prayer. Some of the most beautiful liturgical and devotional texts in the Church’s life flow directly from his pen. To recover Aquinas as a spiritual guide, not only as a theological authority, is to rediscover a deeply underappreciated dimension of Catholic tradition.

This rediscovery has also affected my own spiritual life. Studying Aquinas daily for Summa in a Year began as an intellectual project. Over time, I found myself drawn not only to his arguments but to his spirit. He was a man who thought precisely because he prayed profoundly.

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The Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul Explained

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There are saints whose lives feel instantly approachable. Thérèse with her quiet trust, Joseph with his hidden faithfulness, Martha with her anxious hospitality that still looks suspiciously like my kitchen on a Tuesday night. And then there is Saint Paul, the former persecutor of Christians who needed nothing less than a divine flash of light to turn his life around.

At first glance, celebrating a man literally knocked off a horse by Jesus Himself can feel disconnected from our own slow and ordinary spiritual lives. Most of us do not encounter blinding lights or audible voices from heaven. Our conversions usually happen in coffee-stained prayer journals, in hurried acts of contrition, or in the quiet determination to try again after another failure. Yet the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, celebrated each year on January 25, may be the most reassuring feast on the Church’s calendar precisely because Paul did not begin as a saint. He began as a mess, and God loved him anyway.

Grace Doesn’t Ask Permission

The Acts of the Apostles introduces Saul of Tarsus not as a seeker or skeptic but as a man actively “breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.” He is not wandering toward God with doubts or half-formed prayers. He is charging in the opposite direction, armed with authority and convinced that he is doing holy work by destroying the Church.

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7 Reasons Why October is an Extra Holy Time

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“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower,” stated Albert Camus the 20th century French Novelist. Fall is my favorite time of the year. Colorful leaves carpet the lawns in my neighborhood. I enjoy seeing the visible transformation occur on trees and watching animals prepare for winter. My wife’s birthday is during October—the middle of fall. I am indebted to God for the gift of my marriage. Without my wife, my fervor for Divine Mercy and St. Maria Faustina—her confirmation saint— may not exist!

Reflecting on autumn, my wife, and the Polish saint allowed for me to have a profound revelation: October contains an all-star line-up for saint feast days!

Five of my personal favorite saints, and historical favorites among Catholics as well, have a feast day in the first part of October. On top of this amazing realization, October is also dedicated to the Holy Rosary and respect for all life. I will be dedicating other posts on these topics so I will focus on the seven feast days of stellar saintly role models:

Guardian Angel meme

Guardian Angels

My children and I ask for the intercession of our guardian angels every night before bedtime. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church number 336, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.” God sends his messengers from Heaven to keep us safe and remind us of His Presence.

St. Therese of Liseux quote

Therese of Lisieux

According to St. Therese, “Our Lord does not so much look at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.” Known as the Little Flower, the saint’s words provide a fresh perspective on my daily living and struggles. As a person who focuses on problems as something to be overcome, I sometimes place an emphasis on the amount of effort I have to put forth on a task. I also struggle with desiring recognition toward my works. Instead, if I focus on love as St. Therese teaches us, my life will be more joyful!

Francis of Assisi

Francis serves as an example of holiness, but for me, it is a personal reminder for my college days. I attended Franciscan University graduate schooling. The legacy the Italian saint left on me is truly immeasurable.

His transformation from a wealthy individual to a beggar of Christ is a tangible example of the Gospel lived out. Struggling with envy and greed myself, I am able to look to Francis of Assisi as a role model. Lord make me an instrument of peace like your servant Francis!

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Maria Faustina

No other 20th century saint, besides John Paul II and Maximilian, has impacted me as much as St. Maria Faustina. Known as the Apostle of Divine Mercy, the Polish nun is to the 20th century what St. Paul was to the 1st century Church—the evangelizer of truth to the Gentiles! Sister Faustina helped console my wife after a good friend from high school died suddenly.

The Polish sister led my wife to convert to the Catholic faith as well! She has been instrumental in deepening my relationship with God over the past decade. St. Faustina is probably the biggest influence on viewing God first as a merciful Father as opposed to a vengeful Judge. Through St. Maria Faustina I heard God’s truth in her words, “Suffering is the greatest treasure on earth; it purifies the soul. In suffering, we learn who our true friend is.”

Our Lady of the Rosary

While the entire month of October is dedicated to the Rosary (another reason to love this month!), Catholics celebrate Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7th.

Our Lady of the Rosary holds immense importance in the Catholic faith and Christian tradition. This title honors the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven and a powerful intercessor. The rosary, a centuries-old prayer practice, is closely linked to this devotion, believed to have been revealed by Mary to Saint Dominic in the 13th century.

Beyond its historical roots, Our Lady of the Rosary plays a vital role in the daily lives of Catholics. Many turn to Mary for guidance, protection, and assistance. The rosary, a tool for meditation and reflection, deepens the connection with God and fosters unity among believers worldwide. It serves as a symbol of faith, hope, and unity, reminding us of Mary’s enduring grace and mercy.

Saint Teresa of Avila

Teresa of Avila

Another example of heroic holiness in October is Saint Teresa of Avila. Her life differs from Maria and Therese as the Spanish saint lived a much longer life. Teresa also experienced more of a 180°-type of conversion.

As a young adult, Teresa enjoyed the allure of the world. It wasn’t until her entry into the convent that the Spanish nun learned the importance of meditative prayer. Teresa’s The Interior Castle is a profound spiritual work that explores the vastness of our spiritual journey. This spiritual treatise has helped aid me on my journey.

Saint Luke

The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Luke on October 18th. As a writer of one of the four Gospels, Luke had a special role in the early Church. He was also a traveling companion to Saint Paul and penned the Acts of the Apostles. Paul makes reference to Luke’s profession as a doctor (Colossians 4:14) and the Lord had even bigger plans for this saint. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Luke provides us with an amazing account of Jesus’ life and shares parables like the Prodigal Son and Lost Sheep.

Saint Luke is an advocate for passing on the faith. Celebrate his feast by reading from his gospel account or from Acts of the Apostles.

While autumn is akin to a second springtime, my communion with the saints during October is like a second spiritual springtime for me. My guardian angel, Therese of Lisieux, Francis of Assisi, Maria Faustina, Luke the Evangelist, Teresa of Avila, and the Blessed Virgin Mary reflect God’s merciful and transforming love.

Through communion with these exemplary role models I am given hope that my personal vices of greed, envy, and pride are able to be overcome! The Church teaches “We worship Christ as God’s Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord’s disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples!” (CCC 957). I pray the communion of saints will continue to guide you in your path toward holiness and ultimately lead us closer to God.

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Related Links

3 Ways St. Maria Faustina Provided Buoyancy in the Overwhelming Ocean of Life

5 Astonishing Facts about Your Guardian Angel

St. Francis of Assisi: Lover of the Eucharist

Why I Absolutely Love Saint Therese Of Lisieux

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