“Men may work from sun to sun,” says the old proverb, “but a woman’s work is never done.” Has there ever been a woman who lived out these words more than the Virgin Mary? More »

Young Patrick had a choice. He could have prided himself on his accomplishments, like the praying Pharisee in Jesus’ parable (Luke 18:9-14). After all, he had shown great courage and survived a terrible ordeal: Kidnapped by slave traders as a teenager, Patrick made a daring escape and returned safe and sound to his home and family. He rightfully could have enjoyed fame as a local hero, resting on his laurels and turning his back on the harrowing experiences of his youth. More »

If chronic poor health had not prevented her, Elisabeth Leseur, a French woman who died in 1914 at the age of forty-eight, would have devoted time and talents to service of the needy. More »

The story you are about to read is the earliest known account of a Christian martyrdom. Written about AD 156, within a year of the event it describes, it is an authentic eyewitness report of the heroic death of an elderly man named Polycarp. More »

Although a priest and never married, St. John Bosco (1815–1888) was a naturally gifted parent. For nearly a half-century of ministry in Turin, Italy, Don Bosco was a wonderful dad to hundreds of homeless boys. More »

St. Paul was probably the greatest evangelist in the history of the church. He took the gospel from Jerusalem and spread it far and wide. Paul was a master builder, for he not only evangelized people: He challenged them to grow in holiness, and he formed churches wherever he went. More »

I was in my early thirties when the Holy Spirit inspired me to have a regular morning prayer time. There were only two problems: my two little ones! They were very early risers, so my best-laid plans for a quiet time were often thwarted. More »

Laura Vicuna was born just three months after a civil war had erupted in Chile in 1891, so her life was in danger soon after it began. Claudio Vicuna, a relative of her father, was a prominent figure in the war—which left him with many enemies. More »