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St. Bona of Pisa was born around 1156 in Pisa, Italy. From a young age she was a visionary, and at age 10 she became an Augustinian tertiary. She made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land at age 14, and she later made pilgrimages to Rome and Spain on numerous occasions. She led other pilgrims each time. She died around the year 1207 in Pisa. St. Bona of Pisa is patron saint of travelers.

St. Germanus of Paris was born in Autun, France, in the year 496. He was a priest and abbot and became bishop of Paris in 555. He cured King Childebert I from an illness and then converted him. Once converted, King Childebert I built the abbey of St. Vincent, which is now called St. Germain des Pres. St. Germanus, also know as Father of the Poor, died in 576.

St. Gregory VII was born in Soana, Italy, around the year 1020. Educated in Rome, he became a Benedictine monk and was chaplain to Pope Gregory VI. Although he was chosen to be the 152nd pope, he declined. He later became the 157th pope. He was a great reformer in the church, suspending corrupt clergymen and fighting simony. St. Gregory VII was eventually driven into exile by the emperor. He spent the rest of his papacy in Salerno, where he died in 1085.

St. Rita of Cascia wanted to join a religious order from a very young age. However, when she was 12 her parents arranged her marriage. She obediently married the abusive man when she turned 18 and had twin sons. Her husband abused her for 18 years, after which he was murdered. He repented at the time of his death after his wife prayed for him. When St. Rita’s sons also died, she joined an Augustinian convent. She spent the next 40 years in prayer and was particularly dedicated to the Passion. She died May 22, 1457, in Cascia. St. Rita is patron saint of abuse victims and difficult marriages.

St. Bernadine of Siena was a theological writer, a preacher, a priest and a Friar Minor. A charismatic preacher, St. Bernadine became associated with public speaking, advertising and public relations. The saint was also a great peacemaker who said gossip was a major source of arguments which could turn violent. He died in Italy in 1444. St. Bernadine is patron saint of advertising and public relations.

St. Peter Wright was born in England in 1603 to a Protestant family. St. Peter converted to Catholicism and eventually became a priest and Jesuit. St. Peter served as a chaplain to English soldiers in the English Civil War. He was arrested in 1651 during Oliver Cromwell’s oppression of Catholics. St. Peter Wright was imprisoned and then martyred on May 19, 1651, in front of about 20,000 people.

St. John Nepomucene was born around 1340 in Bohemia. He became a priest who converted many people through his preaching. He was counselor and advocate of the poor in King Wenceslaus IV’s court. St. John was a confessor to the queen and was imprisoned for not telling the king what the queen said in her confession. The king had St. John executed in 1393 when he continued to refuse to tell the king about the queen’s confession. St. John Nepomucene is patron saint of confessors.

St. Pachomius was born in Egypt. Although he was not born into a Christian family, he converted after leaving the military around 313. With the help of hermits, he founded a community of monks and made a rule for the monks in 320. By the time St. Pachomius died, about 3,000 monks and nuns lived in monasteries and convents under St. Pachomius’ rule. Along with St. Benedict and others, St. Pachomius is considered a great innovator in the church.

St. Evodius was a bishop who may have been consecrated by St. Peter. One of the 72 disciples of Jesus, St. Evodius was the successor of St. Peter in Antioch (which is modern day Turkey). According to tradition, St. Evodius was the first person to use the term Christian. He died a martyr around the year 67.