Kieran of Saighir

St. Kieran of Saighir was born in Ireland, Historians believe he was born in the fifth or sixth century perhaps around 501  His father’s name was Laighne, and his mother was Liadain. At that time, the Irish were non-Christians. There are many legends about Kieran’s life. One says when his mother was pregnant with Kieran, she had a dream that a star fell from heaven and came to rest on her. People said this meant the baby she carried would have a special purpose. 

When Kieran was a child, he was kind and gentle. He loved animals, and they trusted him. Several of the stories about St. Kieran tell of his ability to tame wild animals, and he is often shown with a badger, a doe, and a fox. 

Kieran wanted to learn more about God.  When was thirty years old he went to Rome. He spent several years there, studying. Kieran was baptized a Christian and later ordained a priest. Many stories say that St. Patrick met with Kieran in Rome and commissioned him to return to Ireland and build a monastery. He is known as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. One legend tells of St. Patrick giving Kieran a bell that rang for the first time when he reached the sight of a holy well in Saighir, where he built his church. This became known as a sacred place, and many of the ancient Kings of Ossory were buried there. 

Legend tells that Kieran had hoped to live a life of solitude, and upon his return to Ossary he dwelt in a cave where he spent much of his time in prayer. As the story goes, he befriended the animals who come to him when they were sick or hurt. People began to hear of his powers of healing. He ministered to the people and soon had a following. Kieran built a monastery in Ossary, and the town of Saighir grew up around it. Kieran served the people as Bishop of Ossory until his death. Kieran is the first person born in Ireland to be canonized as a saint.  He died in 530.

The ruins of the original church, the well-round fountain, and other holy sites related to St. Kieran can be seen today in Saighir, Ossory, Ireland. In Ireland, his name is spelled Ciaran, pronounced “Kigh-ran” of “Sigh-gear.” He is also called St. Kieran the Elder, to distinguish from Saint Kieran of Clonmacnoise.

Patron saint of epileptics, prison guards, and butchers Saint Adrian of Nicomedia

We don’t really know when Saint Adrian of Nicomedia was a Guard of the Roman Emperor Galerius Maximian.  He converted to Christianity with his wife Natalia in the early 300’s.  When he was 28 years old he was the head of the praetorium, a council of war.  He had been presiding over the torture of a group of Christians.  He asked the group what reward they would receive from God.  They told him,  They quoted 1 Corinthians 2:9 Man couldn’t imagine what God had prepared for those that loved Him.  Adrian was so amazed at their courage he publicly confessed his faith.  

He was immediately imprisoned.  He was denied any visitors, but his wife came to visit him, dressed as a boy.  She asked for his prayers when he entered heaven.  He was killed for his faith, on March 4, 304, when he was thrown to a lion, which refused to touch him, had his legs broken, and finally was hacked to pieces.   His executioners were to burn the bodies of the dead, but there was a storm that came and put the fire out.  Natalia was able to recover one of Adrian’s hands. 

He is the patron saint against epilepsy, against the plague, and the patron saint of arms dealers, butchers, epileptics, prison guards, and soldiers.

Katharine Drexel

Katharine Drexel was born on November 26, 1858.  She was an heiress to an investment banker, Francis Anthony Drexel, and Hannah Langstroth.  Her mother died five weeks after Katharine’s birth.  For two years, Katharine and her older sister Elizabeth were cared for by their aunt and uncle, Ellen and Anthony Drexel.  

Katharine and her sister returned home to live with their father and stepmother. Shortly after a third sister was born. The Drexel’s were taught by private tutors at home. They often toured Europe with their parents. The Drexel family was known for their charity. They helped those who needed food, clothing or money. The family did so quietly to protect the dignity of those in need. 

Katharine attended dances and other social functions. Her stepmother became ill. This taught Katharine money could not keep her from pain or death. She had always been interested in the Native Americans. She saw their suffering and poverty. She wanted to do something specific to help. After her father died in 1885, Katharine and her sisters donated money to the St. Francis Mission in South Dakota. 

She was considering joining a religious order. Her spiritual mentor told her to wait and pray. The Drexel sisters went to Europe in 1886. In January 1887, they were seen by Pope Leo XIII.  They asked him for missionaries to help some of the Indian missions.  Pope Leo suggested Katherine become a missionary herself. She met again with her spiritual mentor and entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1889.

On February 12, 1891, she took religious vows,. She began working with Native Americans and African Americans in the southwestern United States.  She was soon joined by 13 other sisters. She established a religious order. After three years, she and her followers opened her first boarding schools in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  By the time she died, she established 145 missions, 50 schools for African Americans, 12 schools for Native Americans. She helped establish Xavier University of Louisiana. This is the only historically black Catholic college in the United States. She died on March 3, 1955, at the age of 96. She was the second person born in what is now the United States to be canonized as a saint.

Agnes of Prague

Agnes of Bohemia has been called Agnes of Prague.  She was born January 20, 1211,  She was the princess daughter of King Ottokar I of Bohemia, and her mother was the sister of King Andrew II of Hungary.  Agnes was the first cousin to St. Elizabeth of Hungary.  When Agnes was three years old, she was to be raised by St. Hedwig of Andeches.  Hedwig decided she should be educated by a community of Cistercian nuns. 

When she was eight, she was promised to marry Henry, the son of the Holy Roman Emperor. Henry was only ten years old himself and had just been crowned the King of Germany.  Agnes should have spent her childhood with her future husband.  Instead, Agnes was sent to Duke Leopold.  The duke wanted Henry to marry his daughter Margaret.  After six years, the contract to marry was canceled.  Agnes was a valuable political pawn.  In 1226, Agnes’s father went to war because of the canceled contract.  Her father then planned for Agnes to marry Henry III of England, but this was not allowed by the Emperor who wanted to marry Agnes, himself.  Agnes didn’t play any part in these arrangements.  She decided to spend her time in prayer and spiritual works. 

On land donated by her brother, she founded the Hospital of St Francis, two Franciscan friaries.  Agnes learned of Clare of Assisi and the Order of Poor Clares.  She began to write to Clare and wrote to her for more than twenty years. 
Agnes built a monastery and friary complex attached to the hospital. It housed the Franciscan friars and the Poor Clare nuns who worked at the hospital. This was the first Poor Clare community north of the Alps.  Agnes became a member of the Franciscan Poor Clares in 1234  As a nun, she cooked for and mended the clothes of lepers and the poor.  She even became the abbess of the Prague Clares in 1235. That same year she gave her hospital property to the Teutonic Knights in Bohemia.

A lay group working at the hospital was organized by Agnes in 1238 as a new military order, dedicated primarily to nursing, known as the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, following the Rule of St. Augustine. That next year, Agnes handed over all authority over the hospital she had founded to these monastic knights. They were recognized as an order by Pope Gregory IX in 1236–37.  Agnes lived out her life in the cloister, leading the monastery as abbess, until her death on 2 March 2, 1282.

St. Albinus

St. Albinus was born to a noble family of Brittany. When he was young, he wanted to become a monk. In 504, when he was 35 He was chosen to be Abbot. He held that office for twenty-five years until he was elected as the Bishop of Angers, against his wishes. As a monk, St. Albinus was a model of virtue. As a bishop, he restored discipline.  He set the example by living his life as a monk even after he became a bishop. He helped everyone who needed his help.  He used the diocesan funds to free hostages from pirates.  King Childebert imprisoned a woman named Etherie.  Albinus tried to get her released.  He was unable to do this, so he went to visit her in prison.  There was a soldier who tried to fight Albinus.  When the soldier tried to fight, he fell dead at Albinus’ feet.  This astounded the king, so he allowed Albinus to bail her out of prison. There is a legend that Albinus prayed late into the night for some other men imprisoned in the Tower of Angers until a stone collapsed from the wall.  This allowed men to escape. He lead his diocese until he died in 504.   

He was buried in the church of Saint-Pierre at Angers. In 556, a church was dedicated to him and his body was buried in its crypt. An abbey was built near this church called Saint-Aubin.