The Saintcast - Catholic Saints On Call

A bit delayed this week, but we present the first SaintCast soundseeing tour -- a visit to the beautiful Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in the North Beach District of San Francisco. In this season of First Communicants, we talk about the Blessed Imelda, who on May 12th, nearly 700 years ago, made her First Communion at age 11, and died in ecstasy. We answer last week's St. Jeopardy question - the Saint who suffered a thorn wound for years, St. Rita of Cascia. A new St. Jeopardy question for next week, podsafe music from Anne Davis, and more on this week's SaintCast. . .

Greetings from the City by the Bay, under the patronage of Saint Francis of Assisi. The SaintCast travels to San Francisco after the SaintCaster breaks a finger! Hear about St. Catherine of Siena, the Dominican stigmatic who helped bring the papacy back to Rome, the last holy men and women raised to the title Blessed last fall, and the next to be so honored in May. Why are relics often embedded in stones in the altars of the faithful? Tom Serafin from the Apostolate for Holy Relics answers this question and more. Plus our new St. Jeopardy quiz, and the answer to last weekâs phobia query. All this and the calendar of saints. . . Stay tuned for our first sound-seeing tours beginning next week. . .

Happy Easter to all! Yesterday was Easter, but 127 years ago on April 16th, a saint was welcomed into heaven, Bernadette Soubirous. Tune in to this week's SaintCast to hear how about a young, poor, sickly 14 year old girl from Lourdes, France, and her visions of a beautiful lady. Brother Paschal Kolodziej of Marytown in Libertyville, Illinois, will give us insight into the holiness of Maximilian Kolbe, and give us some personal anecdotes from eyewitnesses to his martyrdom. We'll talk about the St. Jeopardy answer from 2 weeks ago, and introduce a new quiz. What is Spheksophobia? Tell us about your favorite saint movie. . .

In late April, 1918, Maximilian Kolbe was ordained a priest in the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. He then embarked on his mission as a Knight of the Immaculata. He consecrated his life to the Blessed Virgin and set out to convert the world. He founded a number of publications based in his first City of the Immaculata, Niepokalanow, in Poland. He traveled to Japan and India, and suffered greatly with tuberculosis. He lived a life of uncommon holiness, a truly saintly life, even before his famous martyrdom in a Nazi concentration camp. A review of his life, an interview with Thomas Serafin, President of the International Crusade for Holy Relics, and more . . .

Who is the Patron Saint of the Internet? No it's not Al Gore. . . and why is St. Isidore from the 600's, associated with the Internet? Who are the Frost Saints? Why do saints wear halos? All these questions, a guest appearance by Fr. Seraphim Beshoner, and more are answered on this week's SaintCast.

Nearly 118 years ago this next week, Therese Martin entered the cloister of Carmelite nuns at Lisieux, France, and never left, though she became one of the most beloved saints of the last century. She is the patron saint of missionaries, though she never left the convent. Learn about St. Therese and the Little Way, in this week's SaintCast. In addition, we cover the Saints of the week on the Liturgical Calendar, some canonization news, and hear the Communion Thanksgiving prayer of Padre Pio. . . and much more!

Nearly 500 years ago this week, Parliament passed the Act of Succession, making the children of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII heirs to the English throne. It was also proclaimed that subjects were to swear an oath to the King's supremacy over the Church in England. People who refused to take the oath were charge with treason. This set the stage for the martyrdom of this special saint, scholar and statesman. We also take another look at the life of St. Joseph, we look at the calendar of saints for this week, e-mail and audio feedback, St. Jeopardy, and more.

Have you ever been to a St. Joseph Table? Chances are if you're Sicilian or of Sicilian descent, you have! Why is the St. Joseph Statue upside down? Tune in to find out. . . . Today we learn of some traditions associated with St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus Christ. We'll go over the saints for the week in the Roman Catholic Calendar, and more St. Jeopardy. . . .

The inaugural podcast of the SaintCast. . . a look at a special man of incredible holiness, who was alive during many of our lives . . St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, astonishing insights from a spokesman for the Padre Pio shrine in New York City, a look at the Saints of the upcoming week, Saint Jeopardy. . and MORE!