Catholic Heroes… St. Hermann Joseph
By CAROLE BRESLIN Some saints undergo extraordinary conversions, including St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Mary Magdalene, and St. Ignatius of Loyola. Some saints, on the other hand, seem to possess an uncommon holiness from very early in their lives, such as St. Rose of Lima, St. Teresa of Lisieux, and St. Hermann Joseph, who had a deep love for the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus. Hermann was born in Cologne, Germany, around 1150 to a noble but impoverished Catholic family. From his childhood he enjoyed a special relationship with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Frequently, he would leave his playmates and go before the statue of Mary in his parish church. This tender devotion was noticed by the…Continue Reading