There are many feast days in October. These are a few of the most well-known feasts.
October Saints
October 22, 2020
There are many Saints to celebrate every month of the year, but October is specifically special for the many Feast Days of well-known Saints. Additionally, the whole month is also dedicated to Mary. There are also teenage Saints, two different Theresas, many Sacred Heart devotees, and many others.
October 1: St. Therese of Lisieux
At the age of 15, St. Therese of Lisieux entered a Carmelite convent because she wanted to give her entire life to God. She had a deep intimacy with Jesus, and wrote much about it in her autobiography, Story of a Soul. She was known as “the little flower” because she imagined herself as a little flower in God’s garden of souls. She used her littleness and her “little way” to get to heaven, based on loving God.
St. Therese of Lisieux, pray for us!
October 2: Guardian Angels
God gave us each our own individual guardian angels since conception. They can guide us to heaven, but only if we desire it. Remember to have a relationship with your guardian angel, by asking for protection and help.
October 4: St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi was a man who started the Franciscan order. He dedicated his life to imitating Christ, and brought many with him on this journey. He lived in complete poverty after giving up his wealth, and gave his life to Christ.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
October 5: St. Faustina Kowalska
Jesus lovingly revealed His Divine Mercy to St. Faustina. She had many extraordinary visions of Jesus, and wrote down His words in her diary, Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. The Divine Mercy devotion is a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with a focus on His mercy.
St. Faustina Kowalska, pray for us!
October 6: Bl. Marie Rose Durocher
Bl. Marie Rose was the foundress of the SNJM Sisters. She had an unshakable love of our crucified Savior. We celebrate her feast for an entire week here at Academy, known as “Rose Week.”
Bl. Marie Rose Durocher, pray for us!
October 7: Bl. Chiara Badano
Bl. Chiara Badano failed math class, stayed out late drinking coffee with friends, and listened to the latest pop music. Oh, and she’s one step away from being a canonized Saint. She was raised with a strong Catholic faith, and clung to it. When she was 17, she was diagnosed with an osteosarcoma. Bl. Chiara refused morphine, as she wanted to use it as her sacrifice for Christ. She died in 1990 at the age of 18.
Bl. Chiara Badano, pray for us!
October 11: St. Damien of Molokai
St. Damien of Molokai was a missionary in Hawaii. He went to the leper island, where the people with leprosy were kept, to minister and treat them. He lived there for nine years and then contracted it himself. He lived with it, still ministering and treating them, for five more years until he died.
St. Damien of Molokai, pray for us!
October 12: Bl. Carlo Acutis
This was Bl. Carlo Acutis’ first celebrated Feast Day after being beatified on the 10th. Now known as “Blessed,” Acutis’ heart is now a relic. He is a fantastic model of holiness for us, as he was just 15 when he died. Though we all aren’t able to create websites logging all of the known Eucharistic miracles, we need to imitate his devotion in our own ways.
Bl. Carlo Acutis, pray for us!
October 13: Our Lady of Fatima
October 13 is the anniversary of the last apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. She appeared to three children six times, on the 13th of each month. She revealed to them three prophetic secrets and the message for the world to pray.
October 13: Bl. Alexandrina Maria da Costa
When Bl. Alexandrina Maria da Costa was 14, she jumped out of a window to protect her purity from evil-intended young men. She was left paralyzed and bedridden for over 30 years. For 13 years before her death, she lived off of nothing except the Eucharist. Scientists did research on her, and they couldn’t explain it but verified that it was true. She was a mystic, which means she experienced God in a special way through ecstasies and revelations.
Bl. Alexandrina Maria da Costa, pray for us!
October 15: St. Teresa of Avila
St. Teresa of Avila left her mark on the church for three reasons: she was a woman, a contemplative, and an active reformer. She lived at the time of the Protestant Reformation, and was a Catholic feminist. She was a woman for God, and her heart belonged to Him.
St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us!
October 17: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was given the gift of Jesus revealing His Sacred Heart to her. Jesus’ request was for His love for humankind to be spread through her.
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, pray for us!
October 19: St. Isaac Jogues
St. Isaac Jogues and his companions were the first martyrs in North America recognized by the Catholic Church. He was a missionary from France, and converted many Native Americans. He and his companions were martyred by rival tribes.
St. Isaac Jogues, pray for us!
October 22: St. John Paul II
St. John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. This Polish pope did so much for our faith, including improving relations with different faiths, beginning World Youth Day, canonizing many Saints, performing miracles, and more.
St. John Paul II, pray for us!
October 28: Sts. Simon and Jude
Sts. Simon and Jude were Apostles of Jesus. St. Jude (Thaddeus), not to be confused with Judas Iscariot, is the patron saint of impossible causes and our diocese, the Diocese of St. Petersburg. They both traveled to Mesopotamia and Persia to spread the Good News, and were both martyred.
Sts. Simon and Jude, pray for us!