St. Januarius - Feast: September 19th (Optional Memorial)
Born: Unknown -- Died: 305 -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. Januarius was beheaded along with his companions during the reign of Diocletian in 305 A.D. He was the bishop of Benevento. Starting in 1389 A.D. the liquefaction of his blood takes place on this day. St. Januarius is the Patron Saint of Naples.

St. James - Feast: May 3rd (Feast)
Born: Unknown -- Died: 62 -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: Yes -- Other: Apostle

St. James died in 62 A.D. He was the son of Alphaeus and believed to be a cousin of the Lord. St. James was surnamed St. James the Less. He was believed to be the leader of the Jerusalem Church and has an epistle ascribed to him. St. James was either beaten or stoned to death. He is the Patron Saint of Druggist, Dying, Fullers, Hatters, and Uruguay. St. James is listed in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I).

St. James - Feast: July 25th (Feast)
Born: Unkown -- Died: 44 -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: Yes -- Other: First Martyred Apostle

St. James was the first of the twelve to be martryed. He died by decapitation in 42 A.D. under Herod Agrippa. St. James is referred to as the greater because he was called by Christ before the other apostle of the same name. He preached the Gospel in Samaria, Judea and Spain. St. James has a Church dedicated to his name in Compostella, Spain. He is the Patron Saint of Guatemala, Laborers, Nicaragua, Pilgrims, Rheumatism, and Spain. St. James is listed in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I).

St. Jerome - Feast: September 30th (Obligatory Memorial)
Born: 347 -- Died: 419 -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. Jerome was born at Stridon in Dalmatia around 347 A.D. He became a monk and embraced a life of asceticism. St. Jerome later became secretary to Pope Damasus. He is the author of the Latin Vulgate. St. Jerome was concerned with the "Hebrew" and understood better than his predecessors the importance of the literal sense which he never disassociated from its prolongation or spiritual sense. He is one of the four great doctors of the Latin Church. St. Jerome is the Patron Saint of Librarians, Scripture Scholars and Students.

St. Joachim - Feast: July 26th (Obligatory Memorial)
Born: Unknown -- Died: Unknown -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes (1584) -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

Not much is known about St. Joachim. His name is found in the Protoevangelium of St. James from the second century. St. Joachim started to be honored as the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary around the eighth century. He was added to the Roman Calendar in 1584 A.D. His feast day is now combined with the mother of Mary, St Ann.

St. Isaac Jogues - Feast: October 19th (Obligatory Memorial)
Born: 1607 -- Died: 1646 -- Canonized: 1930
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. Isaac Jogues was one of the first French Jesuits to go to Canada and North America. Their mission extended from Nova Scotia to Maryland. St. Isaac preached the Gospel message to the Iroquois and Huron Indians, after being tortured, they were martyred in the area of what is now Auriesville, New York.

Pope St. John I - Feast: May 18th (Obligatory Memorial)
Born: Unkn -- Died: 526 -- Canonized: Unkn
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: No -- Other: Pope

Pope St. John was born in Tuscany, Italy. He held the Council of Orange which was responsible for settling arguments about grace. Pope St. John I died in 526 A.D. He died of starvation in a jail cell. Pope St. John was put in jail by Theodoric because while in the east he crowned Justin emperor. He served as Pope for only 3 and half years from 323 to 326 A.D.

St. John Baptist de la Salle - Feast: April 7th (Optional Memorial)
Born: 1651 -- Died: 1719 -- Canonized: 1900
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. John was born in Rheims, France. He is best known for forming the "Christian Brothers" and opening free schools for poor children. St. John is the Patron Saint of Principals and Teachers.

St. John de Brébeuf - Feast: October 19th (Obligatory Memorial)
Born: 1593 -- Died: 1649 -- Canonized: 1930
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. John was one of the first French Jesuits to go to Canada and North America. Their mission extended from Nova Scotia to Maryland. St. John preached the Gospel message to the Iroquois and Huron Indians, after being tortured, they were martyred in the area of what is now Auriesville, New York.

St. John of Capestrano - Feast: October 23rd (Optional Memorial)
Born: 1386 -- Died: 1456 -- Canonized: 1630
Roman Calendar: Yes (1840) -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. John was born in Capestrano in 1385 A.D. He was ordained a Franciscan priest and was credited with reforming the order. St. John preached a crusade which seventy-thousand warriors enrolled. With God's assistance, these crusades delivered Europe from Mohammedians. St. John died in 1456. He is the Patron Saint of Jurists and Military Chaplains.

St. John of Damascus - Feast: December 4th (Optional Memorial)
Born: 675 -- Died: 749 -- Canonized: 1890
Roman Calendar: Yes (1890) -- Roman Canon: No -- Other: doctor of the Church (1890)

St. John of Damascus is also known as St. John Damascene. He was born of Christian parents in the latter part of the seventh century. St. John became a monk in the monastery of St. Sabbas. He is considered the last of the Greek Fathers and the first of the East to formulate a comprehensive systhesis of Christian Dogma. St. John defended the veneration of icons against the Emperor of Constantinople. He composed many hymns and preached many homilies about the Blessed Mother.

St. John of God - Feast: March 8th (Optional Memorial)
Born: 1495 -- Died: 1550 -- Canonized: 1690
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. John of God was canonized in 1690 by Pope Leo XIII. He laid the foundation of the Order of Hospitallers. He died kneeling in front of an Altar on March 8, 1550, being exactly 55 years old. He is the Patron Saint of Hospitals, The Sick, Nurses, and Booksellers.

St. John of Kanty - Feast: December 23rd (Optional Memorial)
Born: 1390 -- Died: 1473 -- Canonized: 1767
Roman Calendar: Yes (1770) -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. John was born in the small village of Kanty, Poland. He became a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Cracow in 1418. He is buried in St. Ann's Church in Cracow.

St. John of the Cross - Feast: December 14th (Obligatory Memorial)
Born: 1542 -- Died: 1591 -- Canonized: 1726
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: No -- Other: doctor of the Church (1926)

St. John was born John de Yepes at Fontiveros. He joined the Carmelite Order in 1563. St. John was convinced by St. Teresa of Avila to join her in the crusade to reform the Carmelite Order. He agreed and change his name from John of St. Matthias to John of the Cross. The reform caused the order to split into two groups, Calced and Dicalced. St. John's major writings include "The Ascent of Mount Carmel", the "Dark Night of the Soul", and "The Spiritual Canticle".

St. John the Baptist - Feast: Birth June 24th (Solemnity)
Born: Unknown -- Died: 30 -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: Yes -- Other: Martyrdom celebrated August 29

John the Baptist was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. He was beheaded because King Herod agreed to give Herodias whatever she wanted if her daughter would dance for him. Herodias convinced her daughter to ask for the Head of John the Baptist on a platter. His birth is celebrated six months before Christ in accordance with Luke 1:36. Another unique distinction is that John was born right after the number of days started to get shorter and Christ was born right after the number of days get longer.

St. John the Evangelist - Feast: December 27th (Feast)
Born: Unknown -- Died: Unknown -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: Yes -- Other:

St. John is known as the disciple that Jesus Loved. He is the only Apostle who was not martyred. St. John was exiled to the island Pamphos. He authored the Gospel according to John, three letters and the Book of Revelation. St. John is symbol is the Eagle and is mentioned in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I). St. John is the Patron Saint of Booksellers and Painters.

St. Josaphat - Feast: November 12th (Obligatory Memorial)
Born: 1580 -- Died: 1623 -- Canonized: 1867
Roman Calendar: Yes (1882) -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. Josaphat was born of Orthodox parents in the Ukraine in about 1580 A.D. He became a Basilian monk. St. Josaphat became the bishop of Polostk. He was martyred because of his efforts to unite the Greek Church and the Roman Church in 1623 A.D. at Vitebsk. In 1867, St. Josaphat was the first formally canonized saint of the Eastern Rite.

St. Joseph, Husband of Mary - Feast: March 19 (Obligatory Memorial)
St. Joseph the Worker - Feast: May 1st (Optional Memorial)
Born: Unknown -- Died: Unknown -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: Yes -- Other:

He was of royal descent and his genealogy has been told to us by both St. Matthew and St. Luke in their Gospel accounts. Little else is known about St. Joseph except that he was a carpenter by trade. He was named as the Patron Saint of the Universal Church by Pius IX in 1870. Also he is the Patron Saint of Carpenters, Dying, Engineers, Families, Fathers, Interior Souls, Social Justice, Workers, Austria, Belgium, Bohemia, Canada, Mexico, and South Vietnam.

St. Jude Thaddeus - Feast: October 28th (Feast)
Born: Unknown -- Died: Unknown -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes -- Roman Canon: Yes -- Other: Apostle

St. Jude was the brother of St. James the Less and a relative of Jesus. He is the author on an epistle to the Eastern Churches. St. Jude probably preached in Palestine and Persia. He is the apostle that is referred to in the Gospel according to John.

14:22 Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, "Master, (then) what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?"
14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him."
He was martyred in the 1st century. St. Jude is mentioned in the Roman Canon. He is the Patron Saint of Desperate Situations and Hospitals.

St. Justin - Feast: June 2nd (Obligatory Memorial)
Born: Unknown -- Died: 166 -- Canonized: Unknown
Roman Calendar: Yes (1882) -- Roman Canon: No -- Other:

St. Justin remained a layman all of his life. He was born near ancient Sichem and after his conversion dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel message to the uneducated. St. Justin was the first to decscribe in detail the Sacrament of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. He is the Patron Saint of Apologetics and Philosophers.