Mother Mary

Mary has more titles than any other saint, which is likely due to the fact that she holds a special place in the hearts of countless individuals. Her abundant images mean something different to the millions of believers around the world.
No matter which one speaks to you, keep her in your thoughts this month.

Historical Leaders

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai became an international symbol of the fight for girls’ education after she was shot in 2012 for opposing Taliban restrictions on female education in her home country of Pakistan

Photo Credit: https://www.uscatholic.org/

Sojourner Truth

One day when she was nearly 70 years old, the elderly woman announced to her friends in Battle Creek, ...“I’m going down there to advise the president,” she said.

That’s how Abraham Lincoln met Sojourner Truth, former slave and feisty advocate of black emancipation and women’s right.

Women With A Cause

The initial stage of the canonization process, is marked with the "Servant of God" title given to a person whose life and works are being investigated for potential sainthood.

Following a comprehensive investigation, if an individual is recognized as having lived a life exemplifying "heroic virtue," they are officially designated as "Venerable."

Here are a few women whose cause for sainthood is in progress.

Sister Thea Bowman

Servant of God: An Educator, Missionary Disciple, Advocate for Cultural Awareness and Racial Harmony. The U.S. bishops endorsed her sainthood cause on Nov. 14, 2018

Photo Credit: https://sistersoftheholyfamily.com/

Mother Henriette Delille

Venerable: An Educator and founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1842. In 1988, her congregation opened the cause for her beatification with the Holy See.

Miss Julia Greeley

Servant of God: An African-American philanthropist who converted to Catholicism. Initially enslaved, she was later emancipated. The Archdiocese of Servant of God: known as Denver's Angel of Charity, Denver opened Julia’s cause for canonization in 2016.

Sister Lúcia dos Santos

Venerable: She claimed to have witnessed the Virgin Mary in 1917 at Fátima, Portugal, along with her cousins. She became a Portuguese Discalced Carmelite nun. On June 22, 2023, she was declared venerable by Pope Francis.

Blessed Women

Before the final stage of Sainthood, one needs to be beatified and recognized as "Blessed". At lease one miracle attributed to the candidate's intercession is needed, along with recognition of their virtue.

The final stage, for the women below, will include another miracle attributed to the candidate's intercession leading them to canonization and the title of "Saint".

Blessed Marie-Clémentine Anuarite Nengapeta

Black Catholic journalist and early Civil Rights leader. Pope John Paul II approved her cause on 9 June 1984 and she was beatified on 15 August 1985.

Photo Credit: https://catholicsaints.info

Blessed Eliza Liduina Meneguzzi

An Italian Roman Catholic and a member of the Sisters of Saint Francis de Sales. She was beatified on October 20, 2002 by Pope John Paul II.

Photo Credit: https://www.vaticannews.va/

Blessed Victoire Rasoamanarivo

The process of her beatification started on 19 February 1956. Pope Saint John Paul II approved a miracle attributed to her intercession on 9 May 1985.

Photo Credit: https://missionpriest.com/

Blessed Irene Stefani

Sr. Irene was beatified in 2015. Blessed Irene Stefani’s feast day is October 31. She is a patron of Nyeri (Kenya) and the Consolata Missionaries.

Saints To Live By

There are many notable and famous Catholic Women Saints, who have made significant contributions to the Catholic Church and society. Here are just a few.

St. Josephine Bakhita

In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized St. Bakhita, determining that she “recognized the deep truth that God, rather than man, is the true Master of every individual and every human life,” making her the first Black woman to be canonized a saint by the Catholic Church.

St. Katharine Drexel

Katharine Drexel was beatified in 1980 and canonization in 2000 both by Pope John Paul II. She founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious congregation serving Black and Indigenous Americans and was the first saint to be born a U.S. citizen.

Photo Credit: https://giveninstitute.com/

St. Jacinta Marto

The youngest Catholic saint who did not die a martyr. She died at the age of 9. It was her deep love for Our Lord, her willingness to make sacrifices for sinners, and her role in the Fatima apparitions (along with her brother Francisco and cousin Lucia), leading to her and her brothers canonization as saints.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha

Known as the “Lily of the Mohawks”. Kateri was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 22, 1980, and later canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012, she became the first Indigenous woman in North America to be canonized a saint by the Catholic Church.