When considering the many saints venerated by the Roman Catholic Church, our thoughts often turn to those who have been dead for many centuries. We may bring to mind the Biblical followers of Jesus Christ who are responsible for the spread of the gospel or the 16th-century Catholic martyrs who were executed for refusing to renounce their faith.
Rarely do we think of those men and women who lived in fairly recent history; those who walked the Earth at the same time as our parents, or those whose timelines may even have crossed over with our own.
1. Saint Maximilian Kolbe
In times of great trouble, particularly in urgent moments of desperation or despair, we all like to believe that we would be capable of an act of bravery or love. However, when it comes down to it, not many people would be willing to sacrifice their own life for that of a complete stranger. It is this manner of selfless generosity that rendered our first saint worthy of canonization. His name was Maximilian Kolbe. He was born on January 8, 1894, and would become a Franciscan Friar, priest, missionary, and just one of the many saints of World War II.
During the Second World War, Maximilian Kolbe was one of the unfortunate, innocent people to enter the Auschwitz concentration camp by force. Although over a million lives were ended, Kolbe would have been grateful to save just one. His greatest display of Christian love came about in the following way.
In July 1941, the deputy camp commander of Auschwitz ordered his guards to select ten men, at random, to be starved to death in an underground bunker. Franciszek Gajowniczek, a Polish Catholic, was one of the ten to be pointed out on the spur of the moment. On being chosen, Gajowniczek cried out, immediately expressing fear at leaving behind his wife and children.
In that same second, Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward and volunteered to take his place. The guards, who had been instructed to fetch ten men at random, cared little and accepted Kolbe as a replacement. As a result, Kolbe was the tenth to be taken.
Witnesses testified that Maximilian Kolbe calmly led the other nine inmates to the bunker, steadily reassuring them with his quiet but comforting prayers.
After two whole weeks with neither food nor water, only Maximilian Kolbe and three other men remained alive. Eager to empty the area, the guards administered lethal injections to the four. Kolbe is said to have lifted his arm willingly, waiting without anxiety for the inevitable.
Throughout his life, Maximilian Kolbe had expressed a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary, and therefore it is fitting that he was cremated on August 15, the Feast Day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. We can only imagine that this coincidence would have brought him great peace and happiness, and that he would have considered it a blessing from God.
It was Pope John Paul II who named Maximilian Kolbe a Martyr of Charity on October 10, 1982. He is remembered as a Martyr of Charity, as he did not die as a direct result of hate of the faith, but voluntarily as an act of bravery, inspired by love for God and his fellow man.
The Feast of Saint Maximilian Kolbe is now celebrated on August 14, the day on which he died. He is often depicted with the religious habit of a friar, or in a prison uniform with the badge of a concentration camp, and usually holding either a crucifix or a set of rosary beads. He is remembered as the Patron Saint of prisoners, drug addicts, journalists, amateur radio operators, and people with eating disorders.
2. Saint Oscar Romero
The second saint on this list is Saint Oscar Romero, the revered Archbishop who was born in El Salvador on the 15th of August in the year 1917. The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes Saint Oscar Romero and the main points of his life and works in the following way…
“Oscar Romero was a Salvadoran Roman Catholic Archbishop who was a vocal critic of the violent activities of government armed forces, right-wing groups, and leftist guerrillas involved in El Salvador’s civil conflict.”
Like many Saints, it is his death for which Oscar Romero is best remembered. On the evening of March 24, 1980, he celebrated Mass for the sick in a small chapel. This chapel was located in the Hospital de la Divina Providencia, a Church-run hospital specializing in care for those with terminal cancer.
As Romero finished his homily, he stepped away from the lectern and towards the center of the altar. Suddenly, a red but unidentified car came to an abrupt halt on the street in front of the chapel. A man emerged, stepped through the doors of the chapel, and fired one gunshot. The bullet struck Oscar Romero in the heart.
Oscar Romero was later buried in the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador. His funeral Mass took place on March 30 and was attended by over 250,000 mourners from all over the world. However, it was only fairly recently that Oscar Romero was declared a Saint. In 1997, Pope John Paul II bestowed upon him the title Servant of God, and a cause for beatification was put forth. Romero was finally named a martyr by Pope Francis on February 3, 2015, and later canonized on October 14, 2018.
The Feast Day of Saint Oscar Romero is now celebrated annually on March 24.
In artworks, Saint Oscar Romero is commonly depicted with Episcopal vestments, the crown of martyrdom, a martyr’s palm, and a set of rosary beads. He is remembered as the patron saint of Christian communicators, El Salvador, the Archdiocese of San Salvador, persecuted Christians, Caritas International, and the Philippines.
The personal motto of Saint Oscar Romero was “Sentire cum ecclesia,” which means “feel with the Church.”
3. Saint Maria Francesca Cabrini
Our third 20th-century Saint is Maria Francesca Cabrini. She is significant because she was the first American person to be recognized as a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
Maria Francesca Cabrini was born on July 15, 1850. During her lifetime, she most notably founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This religious institution provides education, healthcare, and poor relief to those in need from 15 nations, even to this day. In all, Cabrini established 67 schools, orphanages, and other social institutions in both Italy and the US.
She took the name Frances Xavier Cabrini, in honor of Saint Francis Xavier, the Jesuit Missionary of 16th century Spain.
Maria Francesca Cabrini died in Chicago on December 22, 1917, at the age of 67. She now rests at the St Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine, located in Upper Manhattan in New York. After her death, a campaign began almost immediately for her sainthood. She was beatified in 1938 and canonized in 1946.
The Feast Day of Saint Cabrini is celebrated on November 13 in the USA, on which day she is remembered as the Patron Saint of immigrants.
In March 2024, an American biographical drama film was released to commemorate her life and works. The film beautifully depicts the story of Saint Cabrini, who is portrayed by the actress Cristiana Dell’Anna. It was directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde.
4. Saint Josemaria Escriva
Our penultimate saint is Josemaria Escriva. He has been included specifically to highlight the fact that not every saint is adored, admired, or even respected by the general religious population. According to the Vatican journalist John L Allen Jr, Saint Josemaria Escriva is “venerated by millions” of Catholics but “reviled by some.”
Although popular in some areas, it would be reasonable to suggest that devotion to this particular saint is not for everyone.
Josemaria Escriva was born on January 9, 1902, and died on June 26, 1975. He was a Spanish Catholic priest, but is most famous for his association with the organization he founded.
If you had not heard of Escriva himself, you may have heard of his greatest work. Opus Dei, which he established in 1928 at the age of just 26, is still in operation even in the 21st century. Its title translates from Latin to English as “work of God.”
Originally, the group consisted of laypeople and priests striving to find the opportunity for God’s work in every activity of life. To this day, Opus Dei operates in around 60 countries and has approximately 90,000 members worldwide, all of whom are dedicated to Escriva’s principle of everyday holiness.
However, both Opus Dei and Josemaria Escriva have been surrounded by controversy since the 1920s. Many contemporary members of the organization have publicly expressed concern not only over the organization itself, but also over Escriva’s character. They have even gone as far as to question his holiness and personal motivation.
Escriva has been accused of elitism and financial crimes such as money laundering and fraud. These allegations have never been proven, but have tainted the reputation of Escriva in the eyes of many Catholics.
It was John Paul II who portrayed Josemaria Escriva in a completely different light. He described him as “a very human Saint.” He also went on to say, “All those who met him, whatever their culture or social status, felt that he was a father, totally devoted to serving others, for he was convinced that every soul is a marvelous treasure; indeed, every person is worth all of Christ’s blood.”
He addressed potential criticisms with the words, “To be holy does not mean being superior to others; the Saint can be very weak, with many mistakes in his life.”
In the year 2002, just under 30 years after his death, Josemaria Escriva was canonized by Pope John Paul II. In artworks, he is often depicted holding a rosary, dressed in the attire of a priest. He is the patron saint of Opus Dei, the organization he founded, and also of people suffering from diabetes.
5. Saint Mother Teresa
Finally, we move on to our last 20th-century Saint. On August 26, 1910, she was born Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu. Everyone is sure to know the name she is better known by: Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She has been a saint for nearly a decade, as a special anniversary is approaching. She was canonized by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016.
Saint Mother Teresa is most famous for her care and benevolence for those in need. In 1950, she established an organization known as the Missionaries of Charity. The Missionaries are still in operation today, and have spread to 133 countries, employing 4,500 nuns to voluntarily manage homes and shelters for various good causes. These included sanctuaries, hospitals, and hospices for those suffering from HIV, leprosy, and tuberculosis. The organization also runs soup kitchens, orphanages, mobile clinics, and schools.
Like Mother Teresa herself, members of the Missionaries of Charity vow that they will give “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.”
Saint Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997, having suffered for many years with declining health, and having been diagnosed with heart failure over a year previously.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes the record-holding speed with which she reached her beatification: “Within two years of her death, the process to declare her a saint was begun, and Pope John Paul II issued a special dispensation to expedite the process of canonization. She was beatified on 19th October, 2004, reaching the ranks of the blessed in what was then the shortest time in the history of the Church.”
Notably, she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She is now remembered as the patron saint of World Youth Day, Missionaries of Charity, and the Archdiocese of Calcutta.
Her Feast Day is now celebrated annually on September 5.
One of her most famous and inspiring quotes is still used frequently in the present day: “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”
