To sponsor a priest or make a general donation to Mary, Mother of 1000 Priests Chapel, please click on this link.
Saintly Priests Awaiting Sponsors [Page 1]
Consider sponsoring one of these priests or another!
Saint Augustine of Hippo (13 November 354 - 28 August 430) - Consider Sponsoring Saint Augustin in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint Augustine was of Berber origin, born in Thagaste (now Souk Ahras, Algeria). His mother Saint Monica was a devout Christian; his father Patricius was a pagan who converted to Christianity on his deathbed. As a youth, Augustine was well educated, excelling in rhetoric and teaching. Living a pagan life style, he fathered a son out of wedlock, became attracted to the Manichaean heresy but, in his quest for truth, eventually embraced Christianity. Augustine became the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (now Algeria). Highly intelligent and a strong orator, Augustine defended Christianity against its detractors in speech and writing. He ate little, worked tirelessly, shunned temptation and was prudent in managing his diocese. Augustine's writings influenced the development of Western philosophy and Western Christianity, and he is honored as a Doctor of the Church.
Saint James the Greater (Died 44 A.D.) -- Consider Sponsoring Saint James the Greater in Chapel of 1000 Priests
James the Greater was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome who was a sister of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thus, St. James was Jesus' cousin. He is called Saint James the Greater to distinguish him from the Apostle, Saint James the Less, who may have been younger or smaller built. James was fishing with his brother John when Jesus called them to be disciples. Along with John and Peter, James was present at the raising of Jairus' daughter, the Transfiguration, and the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus called James and John the "Sons of Thunder" perhaps because of their temper, evident when they wanted to call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan town that rejected them and when they asked to be seated at his right and left in his Kingdom. James was the first apostle to be martyred. His remains, according to tradition, are buried in Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Saint Thomas, Apostle (Died 72 AD) -- Consider Sponsoring Saint Thomas in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint Thomas (his names means "Twin") was one of the Twelve Apostles who had a strong faith because, when Lazarus died and the apostles were reluctant to follow Christ where He might be harmed, Thomas said, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." Thomas is best remembered for having the Resurrected Christ ease his doubts by inviting Thomas to touch his wounds. Scripture does not say that Thomas did so. . Thomas not only became a believer in the Resurrection but also brought the Gospel to India where he was martyred.
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1190? - 20 August 1153) -- Consider Sponsoring Saint Bernard in the Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born into the highest nobility of Burgundy, nineteen year old Bernard experienced a deepening of faith following his mother's death. Persuading twenty five other young men to join him, Bernard entered the struggling small Cistercian monastery of Citeaux. Eventually his superiors sent him and twelve other monks to found an abbey at Clairvaux. Bernard's life was spent in prayer, writing, and preaching. Bernard preached the second Crusade, helped found the Knights Templar, and was involved for years in civil and ecclesiastical councils and in debates involving the papacy and heresies. He is known for his insight, "Whence arises the love of God? From God. And what is the measure of this love? To love without measure. . . . The Father is never fully known if He is not loved perfectly.” Saint Bernard was declared a Doctor of the Church and is often called doctor mellifluus because his teaching was "sweet as honey."
Saint Charbel (Sharbel) Makhlouf. OLM (8 May 1828 - 24 December 1898) -- Consider Sponsoring Saint Charbel in the Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf, Saint Charbel was a Maronite priest and monk from Lebanon. He gained a wide reputation as a man of prayer, a worker of miracles, and a unifying force between Christians, Muslim, and Druze. Two of his uncles were Maronite monks whose example inspired the young Youssef to enter a Maronite monastery. He took the name Charbel after a 2nd century martyr of Antioch. For the first sixteen years after his ordination, Charbel lived in the monastery of Annaya where he practiced prompt obedience to superiors and exact observance of the monastery rules. Prayerful and austere, Charbel then asked to move to a hermitage on a nearby hill where he lived for twenty-three years until his death. He spent his time in prayer, contemplation, manual labor, and worship, in self-sacrifice and total detachment from the world. He worked miracles of physical and spiritual healing even to casting out demons.
Saint Titus Bradsma, OCarm (23 February 1881 - 26 July 1942) - Consider sponsoring Saint Titus Bradsma in the Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born Anno Sjoerd Brandsma in Frisia, a province of the Netherlands, Bradsma entered the Carmelite Order in 1898, taking the religious name 'Titus" in honor of his father. A doctor of philosophy, Titus was knowledgeable in Carmelite mysticism and worked as a writer, teacher, and translator. He also helped found a Catholic University (now Radboud University.) In 1935, he embarked on a lecture tour in the United States. Favoring freedom of education and of the press, Titus spoke and wrote against Nazi ideology. In 1942, after delivering by hand a letter from the Dutch Bishops ordering Catholic newspapers not to print official Nazi documents, Titus was arrested and eventually transferred to Dachau concentration camp. Ill and failing, he was killed by lethal injection administered by a nurse.
Saint Apollinaris (Died around 79 A.D.). Consider sponsoring Saint Apollinaris in the Chapel of 1000 Priests
Possibly born in Antioch, Syria, Apollinaris was a disciple of Saint Peter who conscrated him as the first bishop of Ravenna, Italy. Here he dedicated the remaining twenty-six years of his life to evangelizing in the Emelia-Romagna region. Because his preaching, backed by miracles, was bringing pagans into the Christian fold, he met with fierce oppostion from pagan strongholds. Bishop Apollinaris endured almost constant persecution including beatings, exile, imprisonment, and torture. Four times he was sent away, returning repeatedly to his flock until he was savagely beaten near a city gate in Ravenna, dying seven days later.
Saint John Neumann, CSsR (28 March 1811 - 5 January 1860) - Consider Sponsoring Saint John Neumann in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Bohemia (the Czech Republic), Neumann came to the United States in 1836 as a seminarian and was promptly ordained. Originally serving as a Diocesan priest in rural communities in the Buffalo, New York, Neumann joined the Redemptorist Order in 1840. In 1848, he became a United States citizen. After serving as Provincial Superior of the Redemptorists for the United States, he was appointed Bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. Philadelphia, one of the nation's largest cities, was home to immigrants from northern, central, and southern Europe. Because he was austere, faithful, and fluent in many languages, Neumann was loved and respected. He founded the first Catholic Diocesan school system in the United States and opened nearly one new church per month.
Saint Norbert of Xanten (c 1080 - 6 June 1134) Consider sponsoring Saint Norbert in Chapel of 1000 priests
Born to a noble family in Xanten, Germany, Norbert became a worldly cleric who experienced a profound conversion which brought him to deep penance and prayer. Three years later, he approached the Archbishop and requested ordination. Norbert began to preach throughout Germany, Belgium, and France. In 1119, the Pope encouraged him to found a religious order which began as the Premonstratensians after the area in which they were founded. The order today is called the Norbertines whose primary charism is to spread the faith under the Holy Spirit's inspiration..
Saint Bartholomew (Nathanael) (First Century A.D. - 69/71 A.D.) Consider sponsoring Saint Bartholomew (Nathanael) in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Saint Bartholomew, also known as Saint Nathanael, was one of Jesus' twelve apostles. His friend Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, telling him that he had found the Messiah, the one written about in the law and the prophets, Jesus of Nazareth. Bartholomew had a low opinion of Nazareth and questioned if anything good could come from there. Philip told him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Bartholomew, he said, "Here's a true Israelite. Nothing false about him!" When Bartholomew asked how Jesus knew him, Jesus told him, "I saw you when you were sitting under the fig tree." Jesus' seeing of Bartholomew when he was alone and out of sight caused him to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. After the Ascension, Bartholomew evangelized in Persia and India and was martyred. Details of the martyrdom are unclear. Saint Bartholomew is highly venerated in the Eastern Christian churches for his role in bringing them the Christian faith
Saint Cyprian (around 210 A.D. - 14 September 258) - Consider Sponsoring Saint Cyprian in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in North Africa, Cyprian, named Thascius at birth, was the son of a rich Roman African. Despite being "enslaved by the vices of the flesh" (his own words), Cyprian received a classical education and became a teacher of rhetoric, excelling in oratory and in being a defender in the courts. After a difficult conversion during which Cyprian struggled with the beckoning of the Holy Spirit, he was baptized at the age of 35 then gave away to the poor a portion of his wealth. Soon after, he was ordained a deacon, then a priest, and then made bishop of Carthage. His service was marked by ministering to the poor during plaque and famine, taking a charitable stance toward those whose faith had lapsed under persecution, and eventually being martyred by the Roman proconsul when he refused to deny Christ and worship Roman gods.
Blessed Stanley Rother (27 March 1935 - 28 July 1981) - Consider Sponsoring Blessed Stanley Rother in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Orkarche, Oklahoma (USA), Stanley was the son of a farmer who felt a calling to serve God, entered the seminary, and was ordained a priest in 1963. After serving as a parish priest for five years, he asked to be assigned to the Diocese's mission to the Tzʼutujil people, descendants of the Mayas, in the rural highlands of southwest Guatemala. He learned both Spanish and the native language and translated the New Testament into the Tzʼutujil language. He offered Mass in that language, permitted an educational radio station to exist on mission property. When the situation became violent against Catholics, Stanley left for a time but returned, saying, "The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger." He was martyred when gunmen burst into his rectory.
Saint Paulinus of Nola (354 -- 22 June 431) - Consider Sponsoring Saint Paulinus in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Son of the Roman prefect of Gaul, Paulinus became a distinguished lawyer, holding several public offices, until he retired as a young man to cultured life of leisure. After being baptized, he and his wife moved to her estate in Spain where they became parents, at last, of a son who died when he was a week old. The tragedy shook them as they realized how fleeting life is. Therefore, they gave away most of their property and began a life of poverty and penance. Quite unexpectedly, Paulinus was ordained a priest. To escape popular acclaim, he and his wife moved to Naples, Italy, where Paulinus spent much effort fostering devotion to St. Felix of Nola. He gave away most of his remaining property and cared for the poor and destitute, living like a hermit in part of his house. By popular demand, he was made bishop of Nola where he served 21 years until his death.
Saint John Fisher ((c. 19 October 1469 – 22 June 1535) - Consider Sponsoring Saint John Fisher in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Beverly, Yorkshire, England, John Fisher was the son of a profitable cloth merchant who, dying when John was eight years old, left a good sum of money to his family. John's mother remarried but, recognizing John's intelligence, she used some of the funds to further his education at the University of Cambridge which he entered at the age of twelve of thirteen. After receiving a papal dispensation because he was underage, John entered the priesthood and was ordained in 1491. Thereafter, he excelled in preaching and writing and rose through the ranks in both educational circles and in the Church, becoming a bishop at age 35 and then, shortly before his death, a cardinal. He incurred the wrath of King Henry VIII when he refused to approve the king's divorce from his first wife and his claim to be head of the English Church. The king had John brought to trial on the charge of high treason which resulted in his martyrdom through execution.
Pope Saint Cornelius (Birthdate unknown - June 253). Consider sponsoring Pope Saint Cornelius in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Little is known about Cornelius' life prior to his being elected Pope “by the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of most of the clergy, by the vote of the people, with the consent of aged priests and of good men.” So wrote Saint Cyprian. At that time, many Christians had denied Christ to avoid martyrdom. In fact, the previous pope had been martyred. When a lull in the persecution occurred, these lapsed Christians wanted to return to the Church, but the Church hierarchy was divided on their re-admission. Cornelius convened a synod that affirmed his rightful position as Pope against a rival and that agreed that lapsed Christians could return to the Church after doing penance. Within two years of his election, the persecution resumed and Pope Cornelius was exiled where he died.
Saint Cyril of Alexandria (around 376 - 444) Consider Sponsoring Saint Cyril of Alexandria in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Egypt, Cyril was well educated, a strong orator, an honored author, and a sometimes outspoken and uncharitable Church leader. With time and experience, he grew in charity and forgiveness even as he was embroiled in the political climate which was affecting not only society but also the Church. Much of his effort was teaching the truth in a climate of heresy. During the First Council of Ephesus, which he convened, Archbishop Cyril held fast to the teaching that the Blessed Virgin Mary was the Mother of God, since Jesus was fully God and fully man. Therefore, Mary should be honored with the title "Theotokos" which means "One who bears God." In several works, Cyril focuses on Jesus' intense love for His Mother. He also wrote Commentaries on the Old Testament, a Thesaurus, Commentary on Saint John's Gospel, and Dialogues on the Trinity. In 1882, Pope Leo XIII declared Cyril a Doctor of the Church.
Venerable Augustus Tolton (1 April 1854 - 9 July 1897) -- Consider Sponsoring Venerable Augustus Tolton in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born into slavery, John Augustine Tolton, along with his mother and two siblings, were aided by Union soldiers and crossed the Mississippi into Illinois and freedom. His father, who had enlisted in the Union Army, was later killed in battle. Augustus' mother encouraged him to receive an education, but he met with discrimination in school. His parish priest and other priests assisted him in entering a seminary in Rome and he was ordained a priest in 1886. Assigned to African American parishes, Augustus became a popular preacher who began attracting a following from several churches, initiating a wave of jealousy from other pastors. The Archbishop of Chicago gave Augustus authority over the entire African American population in Chicago. Augustus acquired a national reputation as a preacher, although most of his work was spent with the poor whose grief was inconsolable when Augustus died suddenly of heat stroke.
Saint Eugene de Mazenod (1 August 1782 - 21 May 1861) Consider Sponsoring Saint Eugene de Mazenod in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born into a wealthy French family, Eugene's education was interrupted by the French Revolution which caused his family to flee to Italy. There his education resumed but sporadically as the French army continued to pursue his family because Eugene's father had one of the Presidents of the Court of Finances. Eventually, Eugene found refuge in Palermo where a duke and duchess invited him to be a companion to their two sons. Again embracing high society life, Eugene lived lavishly and took the name Count de Mazenod. At the age of twenty, he was able to return safely to France where he continued his extravagant life style. Gradually he realized how empty his life was. He began to search for meaning in church work, reading, study, and charitable work among prisoners. On Good Friday, 1807, he realized that he was in a state of mortal sin. Changed by this experience, he began studies for the priesthood the following year, being ordained in 1811. He resumed his work serving prisoners, one of whom was the Pope whom the emperor had imprisoned. He also worked with the poor, especially youth, helping them to develop their potential and to seek God. In 1816, impelled strongly from within, he invited other priests to join him in this ministry which eventually developed into a new Order, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, which has now spread worldwide. In 1832, Eugene was made a bishop, serving first in Algeria and then, in 1837 where he served until his death.
Saint Nimatullah Kassab (1808 - 15 December 1858) -- Consider Sponsoring Saint Nimatullah Kassab in the Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Lebanon in 1808, Youssef Kassab attended school run by Lebanese Maronite monks. Upon finishing his studies, he entered St. Anthony Monastery in Qozhaya, taking the name of Nimatullah. which means "the grace of God." Deeply prayerful, he was ordained a priest in 1833. Thereafter, he founded two free schools. He taught in the seminary and became director of the seminarians. Among his pupils was Saint Charbel Makhlouf. His days were spent in prayer and in assisting the Order in various leadership positions. Severe on himself, he was patient and lenient with the other monks. He performed many miracles while alive, due to his deep prayer which united him to God. Among them were premonitions that a wall would fall on his students and a barn collapse on the monastery cows. In both cases, he prevailed upon those in danger to move so that they were out of harm's way when the collapses occurred. He is said to have cured an altar boy of fever and to have prayed over a near empty provisions box which began to overflow with food. After his death, miracles of healing also occurred.
Saint Paul the Apostle (2 B.C. - 64/65) Consider Sponsoring Saint Paul the Apostle in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born Saul of Tarsus (the name means' "prayed for"), Saul was well educated as a Pharisee in the Jewish faith. After the resurrection of Christ and the expansion of Christianity, the Jewish priests and leaders began a persecution of Christians. Zealous for his faith, Saul was present at the stoning of Stephen, a Christian deacon, and then went on to arrest and bring to trial other Christians. When on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians there, Saul was knocked from his horse in a mystical encounter with Christ that brought about his conversion to Christianity. Saul's name was changed to Paul (which means small or humble) and he became a tireless missionary and evangelist for Jesus. Travelling throughout the Roman empire, establishing churches, writing letters, debating with religious leaders, enduring hardships, shipwreck, stoning, Paul defended Christ and won converts until the very end when he was beheaded for his faith.
Saint Jean de Brébeuf (25 March 1593 - 16 March 1649) Consider Sponsoring Saint John de Brébeuf in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Normandy, France, Jean joined the Society of Jesus in 1617 and was ordained a priest in 1622. After three years of serving as a Steward at the College of Rouen, Jean, because of his deep faith and his aptitude at languages, was chosen to embark on the missions to New France. He worked primarily with the Huron, teaching and evangelizing. In time. some of the Huron converted to Christianity. Jean worked tirelessly, writing in the native language, composing dictionaries, translating. The Iroquois martyred Jean and other priests when they conquered and destroyed the mission village.
Saint Vincent de Paul (24 April 1581 - 27 September 1660) Consider Sponsoring St. Vincent de Paul in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born to peasant farmers in Gascony, France, Vincent grew used to laborious work. At age 15, he entered the seminary which is father paid for by selling the family oxen. Vincent worked his way through seminary by tutoring. In 1605, while sailing to sell property inherited from a wealthy patron, he was captured by Barbary pirates and auctioned off as a slave. Two years later, he was able to return to France where he served as a parish priest and then as a chaplain and tutor to a wealthy family who endowed a group of missionaries to work among the poor and peasant farmers. In 1617, Vincent began serving poor families in Paris and organized Confraternities of Charity to assist. in raising funds, founding hospitals, and ransoming galley slaves. Eventually, this developed into a religious order the Daughters of Charity. Inspired by his work with galley slaves, Vincent founded the Congregation of the Mission whose priests devoted themselves entirely to the poor. He spent much time training priests through retreats, teaching clerics, and establishing seminaries.
Saint Philip Neri (22 July 1515 - 26 May 1595) - Consider Sponsoring Saint Philip Neri in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Italy, Philip experienced a conversion while living with his uncle, a wealthy merchant. Thereafter, he went to Rome where he continued ministry until his death. He labored among the sick and poor, evangelizing with faith, simplicity, and good humor. In 1548, he founded a confraternity to minister to poor pilgrims and to patients discharged from hospitals but still too infirm to work. These works as a layman eventually led him to the priesthood, and he was ordained in 1551. In 1556, he founded the Congregation of the Oratory whose members met in the evenings for prayer, hymns, spiritual reading, and discussion. Members began to minister in Rome and preach in the evenings in churches. Eventually, this developed into a society of secular priests who lived together in various houses, each governed independently by the residents. Philip spent much time hearing confessions and in prayer. Even during his lifetime, miracles were attributed to his intercession.
Saint Junipero Serra, OFM (24 November 1713 - 28 August 1784) Consider Sponsoring Saint Junipero Serra in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born on the island of Majorca, Spain, Miguel (his baptismal name) worked the fields with his parents while attending a close-by Franciscan school where he excelled in vocal music. Just before his seventeenth birthday, he entered the Franciscan Order where he received the name Junipero after one of Saint Francis of Assisi's first followers. This brilliant student was ordained a priest in 1737. In 1748, Junipero was sent to the Spanish Missions in North America. Through a long, complex series of political and secular events, he founded nine missions in California and baptized and confirmed thousands of Native Americans while also teaching school and training the Native Americans in farming. While controversy has erupted over his treatment of indigenous peoples, Junipero was lenient for his time, compared to Spaniards whom he wanted to keep from contact with the native population.
Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria (December 1502 - 5 July 1539) Consider Sponsoring Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Cremona, Italy, Anthony's noble mother made him almoner to teach him compassion for the poor. After studying medicine and practicing as physician for three years, he entered the seminary and was ordained in 1529. In 1530, he became a member of a group that focused on the teachings of St. Paul with emphasis on love of the Eucharist and Christ Crucified. The group gave missions and tended the hospitalized. Eventually, with papal encouragement, the group rented a small house and began community life, becoming the Barnabite order (named after Saint Barnabas, the companion of St. Paul). The group revived the Forty Hours devotion to the Eucharist. Anthony also laid the foundation for the Angelic Sisters of Saint Paul (nuns) and the Laity of Saint Paul These organizations aimed to reform decadent society, beginning with clergy and religious and engaged in various apostolates.
Saint Claude de La Colombière (2 February 1641 - 15 February 1682) - Consider Sponsoring Saint Claude de La Colombière in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in France, Claude entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus. While acting as tutor to the children of the Royal Minister of Finances, he completed his studies and was ordained a priest in 1669 and was assigned to preach. Noted for the clarity and exactitude of his sermons, and for the strict keeping of the Jesuit Rule, Claude was appointed rector of the Jesuit community of Paray-le-Monial. This position included being spiritual director to the nuns at the Visitation Monastery there. Here he met a young nun Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque who was receiving private revelations asking her to promote devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. While the other nuns were skeptical of these, Claude met with her several times and took the matter to prayer, becoming convinced that her experiences were genuine. The two of them were able to work together to spread this devotion. Claude also left a large number of spiritual writings but is best known for his Sacred Heart devotion.
Saint Josemaría Escrivá (9 January 1902 - 26 June 1975). Consider Sponsoring Saint Josemaría Escrivá in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Huesca, Spain, Josemaría felt called to something special from his youth. With his parent's blessings, he was ordained a priest in 1925. During a retreat in 1928, he understood that God was asking him to found what he called "Opus Dei," a way of life for Catholics to sanctify themselves through their secular work. Pope Pius XII gave his final approval to Opus Dei in 1950.
Josemaría devoted his life to the organization and expansion of Opus Dei as well to working with the poor and the sick, especially with those in the slums. He founded two colleges--one for men, one for women--to train them in the spirituality of Opus Dei, was a sought after speaker, confidant, and author, and a man of great faith and prayer.. While he had tremendous energy and a well tuned capacity for government and administration, Josemaría had a great sense of humor, coupled with obedience to Church authority. .
Saint Ivo of Kermartin (17 October 1253 - 19 May 1303). Consider Sponsoring Saint Ivo of Kermartin in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Brittany (France), Ivo studied civil law at the University of Paris. While other students caroused, Ivo studied, prayed, and visited the sick. Ordained in 1284, he had been working before that time in the courts. A member of the Third Order of Saint Francis, Ivo protected orphans and widows, defended the poor, and rendered fair and impartial verdicts. Ivo represented the helpless, paid their expenses and visited prisoners. He refused bribes and helped disputing parties settle out of court so they could save money. A tale is told of a widow who kept a chest of valuables for two merchants. She was to hand it over only to both men, but one came, claiming that his partner was detained so she gave him the chest. The other partner then demanded that she pay for the valuables. Ivo said to the judge, "She was to give this to two men but where is the other? Let this man show us his partner." The partner was found. The casket, when recovered, contained trash. The scam was to have the court rule that the widow pay for non-existent valuables. Ivo saved her from financial ruin.
Saint Andrew Kim Taegon (21 August 1821 - 16 September 1846) Consider Sponsoring Saint Andrew Kim Taegon in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in Korea, Kim's parents were converts to Catholicism and many suffered martyrdom for practicing their faith which was prohibited. Baptized at the age of fifteen, Kim studied in various seminaries out of the country and was ordained in Shanghai in 1844. He then returned to Korea to preach, evangelize, and administer the sacraments, but in secret due to the persecution. However, Kim and many others were discovered, tortured, and executed. His final words were, "If I have held communication with foreigners, it has been for my religion and my God. It is for Him that I die. My immortal life is on the point of beginning. Become Christians if you wish to be happy after death, because God has eternal chastisements in store for those who have refused to know Him." Andrew Kim Taegon was the first native Korean priest and is the patron saint of Korean clergy.
Saint Paul of the Cross (3 January 1694 - 18 October 1775) - Consider Sponsoring Saint Paul of the Cross in Chapel of 1000 Priests
Born in northern Italy, Paul was the second of sixteen children, ten of whom died in infancy. Paul's family moved from town to town, trying to make a living. Paul early learned about life's frailty and trials. Experiencing a conversion at the age of 19, Paul realized that God is most easily found in Christ's Passion. At age 26, after a series of various occupations, God clarified for Paul that he was to found a community which would lead an evangelical life and promote the love of God revealed in the Passion. With his brother, he established the basis of the Passionist Order. Both brothers were ordained in 1727 and, in addition to continuing works of mercy, began preaching missions and retreats. At his death, Paul had founded 12 Passionist monasteries for men and one for women.