Friendship, as has been said, consists in a full commitment of the will to another person with a view to that person's good.
-Pope Saint John Paul II
Friendships feed our souls in a very particular way. During these times of social distancing, fall out from a global pandemic, and the ensuring separation we've experienced from our friends and family, we have a special place to turn to for friendship.
The holy women of our Catholic Faith: the Saints, the venerables, the servants of God. We have reason to believe through the Church's guidance that these multitude of unique, relatable, remarkable women are worshipping before the throne of God, taking our intentions before Him. They want us to join them in Heaven, after all.
The Saints, Our Friends
We've assembled a grouping of a dozen women who fit this description, lived in the last century or so, and span all walks of life from vocation to nearly every continent, to a plethora of challenges they faced. Eleven are lay women!
The complete discussion of their lives and reflections on how they lived the Works of Mercy out is available in our Misericordia study.
Let's get to know our heavenly friends better and allow a beautiful friendship (or friendships!) to blossom.
Find more companionship with our sister Saints
and be inspired by their Works of Mercy in Misericordia!
Servant of God Julia Greeley
Julia was born into slavery in Missouri sometime in the 1830s-50s. Her early life exposed her to the worst in people, the deep evil of slavery and abject poverty. She was half-blind from a whip catching her eye while her mother was beaten. She was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation and worked for various families. When she worked in Colorado, she found her home in the Catholic Church.
For the remainder of her life, she let Jesus’ Good News shine out in all aspects of her life. She was a third order Franciscan who shared parish leaflets with every fireman and firehouse. If anyone was in need, she would give all she had, and then go on to beg on their behalf.
A daily communicant, she fasted regularly and sought out others who needed anything: food, wood, coal, mattresses, a baby stroller, or a doll. Not simply content to share her meager monies, she sought out specifically what poor white people needed and delivered them at night to avoid their embarrassment due to racism.
She died in 1918. She’s the first person (and first lay woman) to be interred at the Denver cathedral. Reading about her life reminds us that we can always give to others in need, even if we are giving from our own poverty.
Learn more about her remarkable life here.
Servant of God Julia Greeley, pray for us!
Enjoying this litany of new friends? We have them here on the perfect ceramic mug for you!
HUGE SALE!
JOURNEY WITH US THIS ADVENT
2025 LITURGICAL PLANNERS
SUPPORT THE BIS MISSION
