Catholic saint – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

Each year, services on St. Francis’ feast day draw humans and animals alike to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

October 3, 2023

Birds, worms, rabbits: Francis of Assisi was said to have loved them all – but today’s pet blessings on his feast day might have seemed strange to the 13th century saint

Mary Dzon, University of Tennessee

Medieval monastics were often discouraged from owning companion animals, which were viewed as a distraction, a religion scholar explains.

Pope John Paul I greets the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in August 1978. Keystone/Hulton Archive via Getty Images

August 30, 2022

‘Smiling Pope’ John Paul I takes the next step toward sainthood – not all pontiffs earn this distinction

Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross

Popes’ roles have changed over time. Some periods produced plenty of saintly popes, while others are notorious for the opposite.

The headstone of Father Damien, a Catholic saint who was canonized in 2009. Richard A. Cooke III/Corbis Historical via Getty Images

May 6, 2022

The Catholic saint who dedicated his life to a leprosy colony in Hawaii – and became an inspiration for HIV/AIDS care

Mark M. Lambert, University of Chicago

Father Damien’s legacy has inspired health providers and humanitarians for over a century.

Pope Francis presides over a special prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on March 25, 2022, before heading out to Malta for a two-day visit. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File

April 1, 2022

Pope Francis’ visit to Malta highlights the role of St. George Preca, an advocate for teaching the gospel

Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross

Malta’s St. George Preca was canonized in 2007. Pope Francis’ visit to Malta renewed attention on Preca’s life and work and how it could provide guidance for the welfare of refugees.

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