Saint Stories

March 6, Ash Wednesday: St. Bernadette




The beautiful lady appeared to the simple miller’s daughter when she was out one day gathering firewood. Her companions couldn’t see the woman, but they did see Bernadette fall to her knees. The lady in white glowed, sending a bright light all around the rock of the grotto.

No one could see the visions of the lady, whom Bernadette never referred to as the Virgin Mary, though many assumed that was who she was seeing. Though no one else could see the visions, many followed her to the grotto on her daily pilgrimage there.

At one point the lady told Bernadette to dig in the ground a small way from where the apparitions took place. When she did a spring bubbled up from the ground, and the water continues to flow today.

During the sixteenth apparition, when Bernadette asked the lady who she was, the lady introduced herself as the Immaculate Conception.

Many people still seek the healing water of Lourdes, where many miracles have happened.

March 7: St. Faustina


St. Faustina had many visions of Jesus, and it is through these visions that we got the chaplet of Divine Mercy.

Here is the description of one of the visions in St. Faustina's own words as she wrote them in her diary:

"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'"

(Reference to catholic. org)

March 8: St. Teresa of Calcutta/Mother Teresa




One of my favorite saints. I remember when she died. The world was still mourning the death of Princess Diana, I had just started college, and the news of Mother Teresa's passing left me feeling bereft.

Her life was simple from the start, born to a family of modest means until her father died when she was eight, which left her family destitute. 

She joined a religious order, and one day while traveling by train she heard the voice of Jesus. This vision would become the catalyst for her to travel to India and found the Missionaries of Charity.

Though she worked tirelessly and challenged the conceptions that people had of the poor, Mother Teresa often struggled with a drought of connection with God and she clung to her vision to sustain her in those periods of her faith.

She inspired the world because what she did was so radical: loving those that society had deemed unlovable.

March 9th: St. Dymphna



When St. Dymphna was a young girl, her mother died. Her father went mad and decided that he wanted to marry her. Appalled, she refused, and fled from Ireland. She died a martyr at the age of 15. She became the patron saint of those with mental illness.

I have suffered from PTSD for the past 8 years, and I have often felt a sacred connection to St. Dymphna. Earlier this year one of her relics happened to come to my church. When I picked up her reliquary I felt a rush and tears flooded my eyes. I remain devoted to her as I continue to heal from my mental illness.

March 10: St. Kateri



St. Kateri is the first Native American saint. When she contracted small pox at the age of four, she was fortunate enough to survive, but tragically lost the rest of her family in the outbreak. She went to live with an uncle.

At the age of 19, Kateri converted to Catholicism, which she remained steadfastly devoted to until her death at the age of 24.