Saints, Martyrs, and Heroes
Saints, Martyrs, and Heroes are ordinary individuals who provide us with role models and examples of how to live as disciples in a complex world. By learning about their lives and paying attention to their example, we can draw strength for our journey of faith as we strive to bring about the vision of love, justice, and peace.
Discover inspiring resources that highlight the lives of saints, martyrs, and heroes who embodied the values of Catholic Social Teaching. These extraordinary individuals serve as role models of faith, justice, and compassion, offering profound examples of how to live out the Gospel in service to others and the common good.
On this page, you’ll find:
- Profiles of Saints and Martyrs: Stories of holy men and women who championed human dignity, social justice, and peace in their lives and missions.
- Faith-Based Reflections: Prayers and meditations inspired by the actions and legacies of saints who upheld the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
- Educational Resources: Lesson plans and activities exploring the connection between the lives of these saints and the Church’s call to promote justice, solidarity, and care for creation.
- Multimedia Content: Videos, articles, and infographics that bring to life the enduring impact of saints and holy people who worked tirelessly for the poor, marginalized, and oppressed.
- Advocacy Inspiration: Tools and examples of how the lives of saints can inspire modern acts of faith-based advocacy and justice.
These resources offer a meaningful way to explore the practical application of Catholic Social Teaching through the lives of those who have gone before us. Perfect for educators, faith leaders, and advocates, they serve as powerful tools for fostering a deeper understanding of the Catholic Church’s social tradition and a call to action in today’s world.
This reflection gives a history of Catholic social teaching on worker justice, identifies current issues pertaining to labor and workers’ rights, and provides reflection questions and other...
The young, pregnant Mary took risk to visit her cousin, and soon took greater risk with her husband and newborn child, becoming refugees in order to protect the son of God. We mark this feast by...
“Mama Masika” committed her entire life to protecting and raising awareness of rape as a weapon of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This litany calls us to learn from Mama Masika’s...
This prayer remembers the journeys of Mary and immigrant children, and asks Mary to guide the Church’s efforts to reform immigration policy.
This artistic reflection is based on the text of Pope Francis’s 2017 Lenten Message: “The Word is a gift. Other persons are a gift.” Pope Francis focuses his Lenten message on the story of...
This three-page litany includes quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. and calls on each of us to be nonviolent agents of change in today’s world.
Commemorate Black History Month in your classroom,...
This prayer for the natural environment is based on the line from Pope Francis’s 2013 Lenten Message, “Peace to our earth.”
This daily Stations of the Cross resource connects the writings of Leonardo Boff, O.F.M., to the realities of injustice in our world today.
This prayer, taken from EFJ’s Prayer Service on Pope Francis’s Message for the 2016 World Day of Migrants and Refugees, stirs us into action to help the millions of refugees around the world...
This prayer by Pope Francis asks Mary, the mother of our Lord, to guide us as we “step outside ourselves” and transform the world through mercy and compassionate love.
Berta Cáceres was murdered in 2016 for her outspoken advocacy as she sought environmental justice for her indigenous people in Honduras; this prayer remembers her sacrifice.
The theme of Pope Francis’s 2017 Message for World Day of Peace is “Nonviolence: A Style of Politics for Peace.” This artistic reflection is based on his words: http://bit.ly/2j1m4sa.
