Doctors of the Church

This is a very special title accorded by the Church to certain saints. This title indicates that the writings and preachings of such a person are useful to Christians "in any age of the Church." Such men and women are also particularly known for the depth of understanding and the orthodoxy of their theological teachings. While the writings of the Doctors are often considered inspired by the Holy Spirit; this does not mean they are infallible, but it does mean that they contributed significantly to the formulation of Christian teaching in at least one area.

Name	Lifespan	Designation
St. Athanasius	296 - 373	1568 by Pius V
St. Ephraem the Syrian	306 - 373	October 5, 1920 by Benedict XV
St. Hilary of Poitiers	315 - 367	May 13, 1851 by Pius IX
St. Cyril of Jerusalem	315 - 386	July 28, 1882 by Leo XIII
St. Gregory of Nazianzus	325 - 389	1568 by Pius V
St. Basil the Great	329 - 379	1568 by Pius V
St. Ambrose	339 - 397	September 20, 1295 by Boniface VIII
St. John Chrysostom	347 - 407	1568 by Pius V
St. Jerome	347 - 419	September 20, 1295 by Boniface XIII
St. Augustine	354 - 430	September 20, 1295 by Boniface XIII
St. Cyril of Alexandria	376 - 444	July 28, 1882 by Leo XIII
St. Peter Chrysologous	400 - 450	February 10, 1729 by Benedict XIII
St. Leo the Great	400 - 461	October 15, 1754 by Benedict XIV
St. Gregory the Great	540 - 604	September 20, 1295 by Boniface XIII
St. Isidore of Seville	560 - 636	April 25, 1722 by Innocent XIII
St. John of Damascus	645 - 749	August 19, 1890 by Leo XIII
St. Bede the Venerable	672 - 735	November 13, 1899 by Leo XIII
St. Peter Damian	1007 - 1072	September 27, 1828 by Leo XII
St. Anselm	1033 - 1109	February 3, 1720 by Clement XI
St. Bernard of Clairvaux	1090 - 1153	August 20, 1830 by Pius VIII
St. Anthony of Padua	1195 - 1231	January 16, 1946 by Pius XII
St. Albert the Great	1206 - 1280	December 16, 1931 by Pius XI
St. Bonaventure	1221 - 1274	March 14, 1588 by Sixtus V
St. Thomas Aquinas	1226 - 1274	April 11, 1567 by Pius V
St. Catherine of Siena	1347 - 1380	October 4, 1970 by Paul VI
St. Teresa of Avila	1515 - 1582	September 27, 1970 by Paul VI
St. Peter Canisius	1521 - 1597	May 21, 1925 by Pius XI
St. John of the Cross	1542 - 1591	August 24, 1926 by Pius XI
St. Robert Bellarmine	1542 - 1621	September 17, 1931 by Pius XI
St. Lawrence of Brindisi	1559 - 1619	March 19, 1959 by John XXIII
St. Francis de Sales	1567 - 1622	November 16, 1871 by Pius IX
St. Alphonsus Ligouri	1696 - 1787	July 7, 1871 by Pius IX
St. Therese of Lisieux	1873 - 1897	October 19, 1997 by John Paul II
St. John of Avila	1500 - 1569	October 7, 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI
St. Hildegard of Bingen	1098 - 1179	October 7, 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI

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St. John of God

From the time he was eight to the day he died, John followed every impulse of his heart. The challenge for him was to rush to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit gave him, not his own human temptations. But unlike many who act impulsively, when John made a decision, no matter how quickly, he stuck with it, no matter what the hardship. At eight years ... continue reading

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St. Joseph of Cupertino

St. Joseph was born at Cupertino, in the diocese of Nardo in the Kingdom of Naples, in 1603. After spending his childhood and adolescence in simplicity and innocence, he finally joined the Franciscan Friars Minor Conventual. After his ordination to the holy priesthood, he gave himself up entirely to a life of humiliation, mortification, and obedience. He was ... continue reading

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St. Jude Thaddaeus

St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. St. Jude was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at the election of his ... continue reading

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St. Gabriel, the Archangel

The name Gabriel means "man of God," or "God has shown himself mighty." It appears first in the prophesies of Daniel in the Old Testament. The angel announced to Daniel the prophecy of the seventy weeks. His name also occurs in the apocryphal book of Henoch. He was the angel who appeared to Zachariah to announce the birth of St. John the Baptizer. Finally, he ... continue reading

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If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross- St Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas: An Example for a New Generation of Apologists

St. Thomas Aquinas knew that all truth finds its source - and its fulfillment - in the One who is Truth Incarnate, Jesus the Christ. In ... continue reading

Vincent was born in the Third Century in Huesca, Spain and born again to eternal life only four days into the fourth century. He lived in Saragossa where he served the holy Bishop Valerius as a Deacon.He was one of the scores of Christians who suffered brutal persecution under the evil Roman emperor named Diocletian. Diocletian is associated with the last of the ten persecutions of the nascent undivided Christian Church of the first millennium of our history. Like many early deacons of the undivided Church such as Stephen, Lawrence and Ephrem, the hagiography which has been passed down through the Church records his holiness of life and heroic virtue. He lived the way he died, as a sign of the power of the Gospel and the truth of the presence of the Risen Jesus Christ in our midst.

Feast of the Deacon St Vincent Calls the Church and her Deacons to Heroic Virtue

Vincent was a man like us who encountered the same Risen Lord Jesus whom we have encountered. He struggled with the choices which always ... continue reading

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