Saturday 28 May 2022

Large saintly families

We always wonder what was the background of many of the saints we honor. One fact that is very common is that they come from large families. If you want proof of this, consider these saints. St. John Newman was the oldest of 6 children. St. Josemaria Escriva was the second of  6 children. St. Bernard of Clairvaux was the third of 7 children. St. Aloysius Gonzaga was the first of 7 children. St. Brigid of Sweden had 8 children, and her second daughter was St. Katherine of Vadstene. St. Margaret of Scotland was the mother of 8. St. Gemma Galgani was the the fifth of 8 siblings, and St. Bernardette Soubirous was the oldest of 9 children. St. Therese of Lisieux had 8 siblings, 5 of them who survived were all nuns. St. Teresa of Avila was one of 10 children, while St. Faustina Kowalska was the third of 10 children. St. Rose of Lima was one of 10. St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (also known as St. Edith Stein) was the youngest of 11 children.  You want more big families? St Gabriel of the Addolorata was the 11th child from 13 brothers and sisters. St. Ignatius of Loyola was the youngest of 13 siblings, while St. Gianna Beretta Molla was the 10th of 13 children in her family. St. Mary Elizabeth Hesselbled was the 5th of 13 children. St. Louis de Montfort was the last to die from his family of 18 siblings, while St. Catherine of Siena had 24 brothers and sisters.

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