The saints are members of God's family who do not only follow Jesus, but also teach others how to follow Him. Sainthood is the proof of one's love for God and neighbor.
Pope Benedict XVI named three new saints for the Catholic Church during a canonization Mass on October 23, 2011 in St. Peter's Square at Vatican City, Rome. The ceremony took place on World Mission Day. The 19th century founders of religious orders who were canonized during the two-hour service:
1. Saint Guido Maria Conforti (1865-1931), an Italian Archbishop and Missionary. He was born in Parma, Italy, founded in 1985 the Pious Society of Saint Francis Xavier for Foreign Missions, a congregation of missionaries to honor the Apostle of the East, St Francis Xavier.
2. Saint Luigi Guanella (1842-1915), an Italian priest, born in the the province of Como, Italy. He founded the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence in 1881 and Servants of Charity in 1908, dedicated to the care and education of the disabled, mentally handicapped, and abandoned children.
3. Saint Bonifacia Rodriguez de Castro (1837-1905), a Spanish religious, born in Salamanca, Spain founded the Congregation of the Servants of St. Joseph, that provided work to poor unemployed women.
The Holy Father described the three as a "model for all believers." May their unconditional love of God, sacrifices, compassion, charity, and works of sanctification through which they molded their entire lives, inspire each and everyone of us. May their prayers and example help us to follow Jesus more faithfully.
