| A | B |
|---|
| Mary, Mother of Jesus | central figure at the heart of the early Christian community. Considered the mother of the Church |
| Mary Magdalene | First to hear the "Good News" after Jesus`s resurrection |
| Peter and the other Apostles | courageously witnessed to Jesus in word and deed. Proclaimed that Jesus brough salvation through his life, death and resurrection |
| Paul | initially a persecutor of the early Christian community, called by Jesus to be an apostle and an outstanding witness to the "Good News". His letters are in the New Testament |
| Lydia | a devout pagan heard the preaching of Paul and was baptized, along with her whole household |
| Stephen | first person to die for his faith in Jesus |
| Ignatius of Antioch | third bishop of Antioch, martyred in 110 AD. Wrote letters urging people to be Jesus' faithful followers while in jail |
| Perpetua and Felicity | martyed in 202 AD in North Africa |
| Jerome | translated the Bible into Latin and enjoyed studying the Holy Scripture |
| Monica | devout Christian from North Africa. She is a model of a prayerful woman and a virtuous mother |
| Augustine | led an unsettled and restless life searching for the truth. Became a bishop and defender of the faith |
| Patrick | famous for his missionary activity among the Irish during the fifth century |
| Francis Xavier | Born in Spain, he preached in INdia, Malaya, the Moluccas. He was the first missionary to enter Japan |
| Martin DePorres | loved meditating for hours after hard days of caring for the sick and poor |
| Therese of Lisieux | became a Carmelite nun at fifteen |
| Maria Goretti | she was busy taking care of her brothers and sisters. She prayed often and taught her brothers and sisters to pray |
| Teresa of Avila | 16th century nun and mystic, known for her courage, prayer, and profound love for God. Proclaimed a "Doctor of the Church" |
| Thomas More | apointed Chancellor by King Henry Vlll, martyred in 1535 |
| Angela Merici | Founded a group of lay women in Italy that dedicated their lives to teaching poor girls. |
| Igantius of Loyola | Basque soldier, wounded in battle. Converted and dedicated himself to the life of Christ. Founded the Jesuits |
| Paul Miki | born in Japan, beacme a Jesuit in 1586. Martyred on a cross. |
| Bartolome De Las Casas | Dominician priest and later a bishop, worked in Latin America to stop slavery. He died in 1566. |
| Peter Claver | Spanish Jesuit missionary, known for his work among the black peoples |
| Francis De Sales | bishop of Geneva, important in the reform movement within the Catholic Church, was loved for his gentleness and pastoral concern |
| Marguerite Bourgeoys | one of the founders of French Canada. Opened the first school of Montreal in 1658 for French and Indian children. Established the first religious community of non-cloistered sisters in North America |
| Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha | daughter of a Mohawk chief, orphaned at age 4. Baptized by a Jesuit missionary at 20. Her last words were "Jesus, Mary! I Love you!" Died at 24 |
| Charles Lwanga | young Christian in the service of a pagan emporer. Protected pages from emporer who demanded that they participate in homosexual activity. Martyred in 1886. |
| Pope Leo Xlll | best known for his commitment to the rights of working men and women |
| Maximilian Kolbe | Polosh Catholic priest, gave up his life in a concentration camp for another prisoner |
| Thomas Merton | monk and gifted writer, wrote about spiritual life and the need for world peace. Died in 1968. |
