All of us have heard the well-used quote, “A saint is a sinner who keeps on trying.” Every year on November 1st, the Catholic Church honors the Solemnity of All Saint’s Day, remembering those men and women throughout Christian history who have lived their lives in faithfulness to God and the gospel. They are people who have lived their lives in stark contrast to the values that the world usually holds as important—values such as pursuing wealth, power or fame—values which are usually a threat to justice and liberty. Saints upset the “status quo” and disrupt attitudes that are unjust. This was the kind of saint that the church celebrated on November 3rd, the Feast Day of Saint Martin de Porres, Patron Saint of Social Justice. Continue reading →