When the Catholic Church speaks of the saints, she is not speaking of plaster statues, gilded icons, or distant figures lost in the mists of history. The saints are living members of the Body of Christ, men and women who ran the race of faith and now share in the glory of the Risen Lord. They are our brothers and sisters, our friends and advocates, our models and guides. They lived in the same fallen world that we inhabit, struggled with the same temptations, and faced the same fundamental questions about the meaning of life, the reality of God, and the call to holiness. What sets them apart is not that they were made of different stuff than the rest of us, but that they said "yes" to God's grace with a wholeness and a consistency that allowed that grace to transform them from the inside out. In this article, we will explore the Catholic understanding of the saints, profile several key saints whose lives offer lessons for modern Catholics, and provide practical guidance for developing a devotion to the saints in your own spiritual life.
The Communion of Saints
The Catholic doctrine of the Communion of Saints is one of the most beautiful and consoling teachings of the faith. It affirms that the Church is not limited to those currently living on earth but includes all the faithful, whether they are pilgrims on earth (the Church Militant), undergoing purification in purgatory (the Church Suffering), or enjoying the beatific vision in heaven (the Church Triumphant). These three states are not separate compartments but dimensions of one living Body, united by the bonds of faith, hope, and charity, and above all by their common life in Christ.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith." (Hebrews 12:1-2)
The saints in heaven are not idle spectators of our earthly struggles. They are actively involved in the life of the Church on earth through their prayers and intercession. Just as we ask our friends and family on earth to pray for us, we ask the saints in heaven to intercede for us before the throne of God. Their prayers are powerful because they are united to the prayer of Christ Himself, the one Mediator between God and humanity. Catholic devotion to the saints does not diminish or replace the worship of God; it magnifies it, for the saints direct all their praise and prayer to God alone, and they desire nothing more than that we, too, should come to know and love Him as they do.
The canonization process, by which the Church officially recognizes a person as a saint, is a careful and thorough investigation of the person's life, writings, virtues, and the miracles attributed to their intercession. Canonization is not the Church "making" someone a saint; it is the Church recognizing, with moral certainty, that a person is in heaven and worthy of universal veneration. There are, of course, countless saints who have never been formally canonized, known only to God and to those whose lives they touched. Every person in heaven is a saint, and the Church celebrates all of them on the Feast of All Saints, November 1.
Profiles in Holiness: Saints for Our Time
The communion of saints encompasses an astonishing diversity of persons: men and women, rich and poor, learned and unlettered, kings and peasants, monks and mothers, warriors and peacemakers. Each saint embodies the Gospel in a unique way, reflecting a particular facet of the infinite beauty of Christ. Here are profiles of several saints whose lives offer particular relevance and inspiration for modern Catholics.
Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897): The Little Way
Therese Martin entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux, France, at the age of fifteen and died of tuberculosis at twenty-four. She never traveled, never performed great public works, never wrote theological treatises. And yet, she is one of the most beloved and influential saints of modern times, declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1997.
Therese's genius lay in her discovery of what she called the "Little Way," a path to holiness accessible to everyone, consisting of doing small things with great love. She recognized that most of us will never perform heroic acts of penance, found religious orders, or undergo dramatic martyrdom. But we can offer every moment of our ordinary lives to God with love: a kind word to an irritating companion, patient endurance of a small suffering, a hidden act of charity performed for love of God and without expectation of recognition or reward.
Therese's Little Way is profoundly relevant to modern Catholics who may feel that holiness is beyond their reach, reserved for monks, nuns, and extraordinary individuals. Therese teaches us that holiness is not about extraordinary actions but about extraordinary love in ordinary circumstances. She wrote, "Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love."
Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226): Poverty and Joy
Francis Bernardone, the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in Assisi, Italy, experienced a dramatic conversion in his twenties that led him to renounce his wealth, embrace radical poverty, and dedicate his life to following the Gospel literally. He rebuilt ruined churches with his own hands, cared for lepers, preached to the birds, and eventually founded one of the largest and most influential religious orders in the history of the Church.
What makes Francis so compelling is not just his radical commitment to poverty but the joy that accompanied it. Francis was not a grim ascetic who renounced the world out of contempt for it; he was a man who loved creation so deeply that he could call the sun his brother and the moon his sister. His poverty was not deprivation but liberation, freeing him from attachment to things so that he could love God and His creatures with undivided heart.
For modern Catholics living in a consumer culture that constantly urges us to acquire more, Francis offers a powerful counter-witness. He reminds us that our deepest happiness is found not in possessing but in giving, not in accumulating but in letting go, not in having more but in being more. His life challenges us to examine our relationship with material possessions and to ask whether our things own us more than we own them.
Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582): Prayer and Reform
Teresa of Jesus, a Spanish Carmelite nun, was one of the great mystics of the Church and a bold reformer who revitalized the Carmelite Order in the face of considerable opposition. Her writings on prayer, particularly The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, are among the masterpieces of Christian spiritual literature.
Teresa described the spiritual life as a journey through seven "mansions" or stages of prayer, from the first tentative steps of vocal prayer to the deepest union with God in spiritual marriage. She was honest about the difficulties of prayer, acknowledging that dryness, distraction, and discouragement are normal parts of the journey. She famously complained to God about the hardships of her reform efforts, and when He told her, "This is how I treat my friends," she retorted, "No wonder you have so few of them!"
Teresa's combination of mystical depth and practical common sense makes her an ideal guide for modern Catholics who are serious about deepening their prayer life. She teaches us that prayer is not about having beautiful feelings or ecstatic experiences but about developing a relationship of intimate friendship with God, a friendship that requires honesty, perseverance, and trust.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941): Heroic Charity
Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Franciscan friar who was arrested by the Nazis and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. When a prisoner from his barracks was selected for death by starvation as a reprisal for an escape attempt, Kolbe volunteered to take his place, saying, "I am a Catholic priest. I wish to die for that man. I am old; he has a wife and children." He spent two weeks in the starvation bunker, leading the other condemned men in prayer and hymns, before being killed by lethal injection on August 14, 1941.
Kolbe's sacrifice is one of the most powerful witnesses to the Gospel in the twentieth century. In the midst of the most extreme conditions of human evil and degradation, he demonstrated that love is stronger than death, that grace can triumph over the most horrific circumstances, and that one person's act of self-giving love can illuminate the darkness of an entire era.
For modern Catholics, Kolbe's witness challenges us to consider the depth of our own commitment to charity. Most of us will never face the extreme situation that confronted Kolbe, but his example invites us to ask: Are we willing to put the needs of others before our own comfort and safety? Are we willing to bear inconvenience, sacrifice, and suffering for the sake of love?
Saint Josephine Bakhita (1869-1947): From Slavery to Freedom
Josephine Bakhita was born in the Darfur region of Sudan and was kidnapped by slave traders at the age of about seven. She endured years of brutal treatment and was sold multiple times before eventually being brought to Italy, where she encountered the Catholic faith. Upon learning of God's love for her, she was deeply moved and sought baptism. When her legal status was contested in court, the Italian authorities declared her a free woman, and she entered the Canossian Sisters, living the remainder of her long life in service, prayer, and quiet witness.
Bakhita's story is one of remarkable resilience and grace. Despite the horrific sufferings she endured, she harbored no bitterness toward her former captors, saying, "If I were to meet the slave traders who kidnapped me, and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands, for if that did not happen, I would not be a Christian and religious today."
Her life offers modern Catholics a powerful witness to the transformative power of God's love. No matter how deep our wounds, how dark our past, or how broken our circumstances, God's grace is sufficient to heal, restore, and make all things new. Bakhita is a patron saint of human trafficking victims and a beacon of hope for all who suffer injustice and oppression.
Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925): The Man of the Beatitudes
Pier Giorgio Frassati was the son of a wealthy and prominent Italian family. His father was the founder and owner of the influential Turin newspaper La Stampa, and his mother was an accomplished painter. Frassati could have lived a life of ease and privilege. Instead, he devoted himself to serving the poor, the sick, and the marginalized, giving away his money, his possessions, and his time with reckless generosity.
Frassati was no grim ascetic. He was a vibrant, athletic young man who loved mountain climbing, skiing, swimming, and practical jokes. He was the life of every party, known for his infectious laughter and his deep friendships. But beneath his exuberant exterior lay a soul on fire with love for God and neighbor. He attended daily Mass, prayed the Rosary faithfully, and spent hours in Eucharistic adoration. He was a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and spent much of his free time visiting the sick and the poor in the slums of Turin, often giving away his bus fare and walking home in the rain so that he could give the money to someone who needed it more.
Frassati died at the age of twenty-four from poliomyelitis, which he contracted from the people he served. His funeral was attended by thousands of the poor and sick whom he had helped, people his own family had never known about. Pope Saint John Paul II beatified him in 1990, calling him "the man of the Beatitudes."
For modern Catholics, especially young adults, Frassati is a powerful witness to the possibility of living a life that is both fully human and fully holy. He shows us that holiness is not incompatible with joy, friendship, physical vigor, and engagement with the world. He challenges us to look beyond our own comfort and to see Christ in the faces of the poor and suffering.
Saint Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-1962): The Gift of Life
Gianna Beretta Molla was an Italian pediatrician, wife, and mother who was canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2004. During her fourth pregnancy, she was diagnosed with a fibroma of the uterus. Faced with the choice between a treatment that would save her life but end her pregnancy, or a more conservative approach that would protect her child but put her own life at risk, she chose to protect her unborn child. She gave birth to a healthy daughter, Gianna Emanuela, but died a week later from complications.
Saint Gianna's sacrifice is a powerful testimony to the sanctity of human life and the depth of a mother's love. But her holiness was not limited to this final, heroic act. Throughout her life, she lived the ordinary vocation of wife and mother with extraordinary love, faith, and dedication. She was a skilled physician who served her patients with compassion, a devoted wife who cherished her marriage, and a loving mother who delighted in her children. She was also a woman of deep prayer, regular sacramental life, and active involvement in Catholic Action and other lay movements.
For modern Catholics, especially women and mothers, Saint Gianna is a model of how to live the vocation of marriage and family life with holiness and courage. She shows us that the ordinary duties of daily life, when performed with love and offered to God, are the stuff of sanctity.
Saint John Paul II (1920-2005): Universal Call to Holiness
Karol Wojtyla, who became Pope John Paul II in 1978, led the Church for nearly twenty-seven years through some of the most consequential decades of modern history. A philosopher, poet, athlete, actor, and pastor, he brought an extraordinary breadth of human experience to the papacy. He survived an assassination attempt, helped to bring about the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, traveled more extensively than any previous pope, and inaugurated World Youth Day, creating a global movement of young Catholic faith.
John Paul II's teaching on the universal call to holiness, rooted in the Second Vatican Council, emphasized that every baptized person, regardless of vocation or state in life, is called to the fullness of the Christian life. Holiness is not reserved for priests, nuns, and monks; it is the calling of every Catholic, lived out in the specific circumstances of each person's life.
For modern Catholics, John Paul II's life and teaching offer both inspiration and challenge. He demonstrated that holiness is not incompatible with intellectual rigor, cultural engagement, physical vigor, or public leadership. He showed that the Catholic faith is not a private hobby but a transformative vision of reality that has implications for every dimension of human life.
Developing Devotion to the Saints
For Catholics who wish to develop a deeper devotion to the saints, here are some practical suggestions:
Choose a Patron Saint
Many Catholics have patron saints assigned at baptism or confirmation, but you can also choose additional patron saints based on your particular needs, interests, or state in life. Research saints who share your profession, your struggles, or your aspirations. Read their lives, their writings, and their prayers. Ask them to intercede for you, and try to imitate their virtues.
Read the Lives of the Saints
The literature of hagiography, the lives of the saints, is vast and varied. From the ancient Lives of the Desert Fathers to modern biographies of recently canonized saints, there is a wealth of material available. Reading the lives of the saints nourishes the imagination, inspires the will, and provides concrete examples of what the life of grace looks like in practice. Some recommended starting points include Butler's Lives of the Saints, the autobiographies of Saint Therese of Lisieux and Saint Augustine, and modern biographies of saints like Maximilian Kolbe, Edith Stein, and Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Celebrate Feast Days
The Church's liturgical calendar assigns feast days to the saints throughout the year. Make a practice of noting the feast days of your patron saints and other saints you are devoted to. Attend Mass on these days if possible. Learn about the saint whose feast it is. Incorporate the saint's example into your prayer and reflection.
Pray with the Saints
In addition to asking the saints to pray for you, pray with them by using their prayers and spiritual writings in your own prayer time. The prayers of Saint Francis, Saint Patrick, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and many others have become treasures of the Church's prayer tradition. Praying the words of a saint can help you to enter into their spiritual experience and to share in the grace that animated their lives.
Visit Holy Places
If you have the opportunity, visit places associated with the saints: their birthplaces, the churches and monasteries where they lived and prayed, the shrines where their relics are venerated. These pilgrimages can be powerful experiences of connection with the saints and with the living tradition of the Church.
Patron Saints for Life's Situations
One of the most beautiful aspects of Catholic devotion to the saints is the tradition of patron saints, saints who are recognized as special intercessors for particular groups of people, professions, or life situations. This tradition reflects the Church's belief that the saints, having lived through the full range of human experiences, understand our specific needs and struggles and can intercede for us with particular effectiveness.
Here are some patron saints for common life situations:
For students and scholars, Saint Thomas Aquinas, the great Dominican theologian, is the patron of all who seek wisdom and understanding. For those facing illness, Saint Peregrine Laziosi, who was miraculously healed of cancer, is a powerful intercessor. For travelers, Saint Christopher has been invoked for centuries, and Saint Joseph of Cupertino is the patron of those who struggle with examinations and tests.
For those experiencing marital difficulties, Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of Saint Therese of Lisieux and the first married couple to be canonized together, offer a model of faithful, loving marriage through all of life's trials. For those struggling with addiction, Venerable Matt Talbot, a reformed alcoholic who lived a life of extraordinary penance and prayer, is a source of hope and encouragement.
For those who work with youth, Saint John Bosco, the great educator and founder of the Salesians, is the patron saint, known for his joyful, compassionate approach to young people. For those discerning their vocation, Saint Andrew the Apostle, who immediately left his nets to follow Jesus, is a model of generous response to God's call.
The tradition of patron saints reminds us that the communion of saints is not abstract or impersonal. The saints know us, love us, and accompany us in the specific circumstances of our lives. When we invoke their patronage, we are not engaging in superstition but in the living reality of the Body of Christ, in which every member cares for every other.
The Saints and the Call to Holiness
The ultimate lesson that the saints teach us is that holiness is possible. It is not a distant ideal but a real and attainable goal, available to everyone through the grace of God. The saints were not superheroes or spiritual prodigies; they were ordinary men and women who opened their hearts to God's grace and allowed it to transform them. They struggled with sin, suffered setbacks and failures, experienced doubt and darkness. But they persevered, and in the end, they triumphed, not by their own power but by the power of God working in and through them.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
The diversity of the saints is itself a source of encouragement. There are saints who were scholars and saints who could barely read. There are saints who lived in monasteries and saints who lived in the marketplace. There are saints who died as martyrs and saints who died peacefully in their beds at a great age. There are saints who were converted from lives of terrible sin and saints who preserved their innocence from childhood. Whatever your circumstances, whatever your history, whatever your temperament, there is a saint who walked a path similar to yours and who can guide and encourage you on your journey.
The saints are not dead. They are more alive than we are, for they have passed through death into the fullness of life in God. They surround us, cheer us on, and intercede for us. They are our family, our friends, our companions on the journey. Let us get to know them, love them, and learn from them, so that one day, by the grace of God, we may join their company in the everlasting joy of heaven.
"You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." (Ephesians 2:19)