Elizabeth Ann Seton
Elizabeth Anne Seton was born on August 28th, 1774 in New York City. At age 19, she married William Seton, and together they had five children. Having lost her mother at age three, and then losing her own husband only 10 years after their marriage, she had a heart for the poor and suffering. She was one of the founders of The Society for the Relief of Poor Widows With Small Children. She also established the first Catholic school in the nation, St. Joseph’s Academy and Free School, made possible by a generous financial donor. This began Catholic education in America. Later in life, she also founded the first American congregation of religious sisters, the Sisters of Charity. These sisters were dedicated to the children of the poor. Today, they are engaged in education, health care, and social service ministries in 19 different areas in the U.S.. Although she encountered many heart-wrenching struggles throughout her life, and never had much to give monetarily, she gave of herself in order to make a better life for others and to lead others to success through compassion. She became the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
Ruth Gruber
Ruth Gruber was born in 1911 in Brooklyn, New York to Russian Jewish immigrants. She dedicated her life to rescuing her fellow Jews from oppression. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree by age 19. She pursued a Doctoral degree in Cologne, Germany. While there, she heard Adolf Hitler speak in rallies against Americans and Jews. She returned to America, greatly aware of the threats toward her people. In the early 1940’s, she was asked to travel to Italy to secretly escort 1,000 Jewish refugees back to America. She accomplished her mission, and recorded the refugees’ case histories. The refugees looked up to her as “Mother Ruth,” as she fought for their continued protection. She was a journalist and reporter, and covered multiple cases of inequality towards Jews. She traveled to camps, similar to Nazi work camps, in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East in order to stand up for Jews and to spread awareness of conditions. Gruber, now 103 years old, lives in New York City. All who know her story look up to her as a beacon of hope for oppressed Jews.
Robert Baker Aitken
Robert Baker Aitken was born in 1917 in Philadelphia. At the age of five, he moved to Hawaii and was raised there. At the beginning of World War II, he was living in Guam as a civilian construction worker, and was detained by the Japanese for the duration of the war. While there, he met a scholar and had many discussions about Zen Buddhism. After the war, he studied Zen in Japan, and took part in his first sesshin, an intensive meditation taking place in a temple. He continued to learn about and expand his Buddhist ways of life. He returned to Hawaii and, with his wife, cofounded a meditation group from their home. This group became known as the Diamond Sangha and is known for making traditional Zen accessible to lay people. It has affiliate centers in
South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. In 1985, he received Dharma transmission, meaning that he had full permission to teach in a lineage of “unbroken teachers and disciples.” He was a social activist and also helped to found the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, an organization that advocates global conflict resolution. He died in 2010 at age 93, but is remembered in the lives of those who were provided opportunity through his work.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergolio, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and then was elected Archbishop of Buenos Aires. He was elected pope in 2013, and has been a great influence not only in the lives of Catholics, but in the lives of many who encounter him. He is known for building bridges between people of all beliefs, backgrounds, and faiths, and has regular open dialogue with leaders of multiple faiths, as well as atheists and those who have no faith at all. He lives a simple life, and many times has been found helping and embracing the personhood of the marginalized, including those who are imprisoned, those facing poverty, and those who identify as gay. He has also stressed the importance of women in the Church, while still sticking firm to Church Doctrine. His motto, roughly translated from Latin to English, is to see people through the eyes of mercy and to chose to love them. Pope Francis is well-loved by many and continues to live out his motto every day.
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples was born in 1939 in Chicago, Illinois. She began singing with her family at a young age, at local Chicago churches. Her mother died when she was young, and her family found solace in their faith, specifically through gospel music. Some say that their family group, The Staples Singers, was the “most spectacular and influential spirituality-based group in America.” Her father was good friends with Martin Luther King, Jr., whom attended some of their concerts. Mavis branched out on her own, and created her own music. She told stories through her songs, and has reached thousands of people with the message of the Gospel, through her music. Some of her music also included social protest songs and self-empowerment anthems.
Mufti Muhammad Sadiq
Dr. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq was born in 1872 in India. He became the first Muslim missionary in America. Mufti Sadiq directly converted over 700 Americans to Islam, and over 1,000 indirectly. One of his main goals, besides converting people, was to clear up misconceptions about Islam. He believed in integration between all ethnic and racial groups, and lived his life in a way that proved it. Many Islamic-oriented organizations inspired by his teachings and understanding of Islamic concepts, including the “Nation of Islam.” He also united Muslim immigrants to build mosques and to have congregational prayer. He had an extremely large impact in Detroit and Chicago, and Islam still thrives there today. Mufti Sadiq spread awareness of Islamic teaching by writing articles in newspapers, as well as running a Muslim publication. He overcame the many obstacles of being a missionary in a foreign country and culture, and successfully paved the way and led others to Islam.
Elizabeth Anne Seton was born on August 28th, 1774 in New York City. At age 19, she married William Seton, and together they had five children. Having lost her mother at age three, and then losing her own husband only 10 years after their marriage, she had a heart for the poor and suffering. She was one of the founders of The Society for the Relief of Poor Widows With Small Children. She also established the first Catholic school in the nation, St. Joseph’s Academy and Free School, made possible by a generous financial donor. This began Catholic education in America. Later in life, she also founded the first American congregation of religious sisters, the Sisters of Charity. These sisters were dedicated to the children of the poor. Today, they are engaged in education, health care, and social service ministries in 19 different areas in the U.S.. Although she encountered many heart-wrenching struggles throughout her life, and never had much to give monetarily, she gave of herself in order to make a better life for others and to lead others to success through compassion. She became the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
Ruth Gruber
Ruth Gruber was born in 1911 in Brooklyn, New York to Russian Jewish immigrants. She dedicated her life to rescuing her fellow Jews from oppression. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree by age 19. She pursued a Doctoral degree in Cologne, Germany. While there, she heard Adolf Hitler speak in rallies against Americans and Jews. She returned to America, greatly aware of the threats toward her people. In the early 1940’s, she was asked to travel to Italy to secretly escort 1,000 Jewish refugees back to America. She accomplished her mission, and recorded the refugees’ case histories. The refugees looked up to her as “Mother Ruth,” as she fought for their continued protection. She was a journalist and reporter, and covered multiple cases of inequality towards Jews. She traveled to camps, similar to Nazi work camps, in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East in order to stand up for Jews and to spread awareness of conditions. Gruber, now 103 years old, lives in New York City. All who know her story look up to her as a beacon of hope for oppressed Jews.
Robert Baker Aitken
Robert Baker Aitken was born in 1917 in Philadelphia. At the age of five, he moved to Hawaii and was raised there. At the beginning of World War II, he was living in Guam as a civilian construction worker, and was detained by the Japanese for the duration of the war. While there, he met a scholar and had many discussions about Zen Buddhism. After the war, he studied Zen in Japan, and took part in his first sesshin, an intensive meditation taking place in a temple. He continued to learn about and expand his Buddhist ways of life. He returned to Hawaii and, with his wife, cofounded a meditation group from their home. This group became known as the Diamond Sangha and is known for making traditional Zen accessible to lay people. It has affiliate centers in
South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. In 1985, he received Dharma transmission, meaning that he had full permission to teach in a lineage of “unbroken teachers and disciples.” He was a social activist and also helped to found the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, an organization that advocates global conflict resolution. He died in 2010 at age 93, but is remembered in the lives of those who were provided opportunity through his work.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergolio, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and then was elected Archbishop of Buenos Aires. He was elected pope in 2013, and has been a great influence not only in the lives of Catholics, but in the lives of many who encounter him. He is known for building bridges between people of all beliefs, backgrounds, and faiths, and has regular open dialogue with leaders of multiple faiths, as well as atheists and those who have no faith at all. He lives a simple life, and many times has been found helping and embracing the personhood of the marginalized, including those who are imprisoned, those facing poverty, and those who identify as gay. He has also stressed the importance of women in the Church, while still sticking firm to Church Doctrine. His motto, roughly translated from Latin to English, is to see people through the eyes of mercy and to chose to love them. Pope Francis is well-loved by many and continues to live out his motto every day.
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples was born in 1939 in Chicago, Illinois. She began singing with her family at a young age, at local Chicago churches. Her mother died when she was young, and her family found solace in their faith, specifically through gospel music. Some say that their family group, The Staples Singers, was the “most spectacular and influential spirituality-based group in America.” Her father was good friends with Martin Luther King, Jr., whom attended some of their concerts. Mavis branched out on her own, and created her own music. She told stories through her songs, and has reached thousands of people with the message of the Gospel, through her music. Some of her music also included social protest songs and self-empowerment anthems.
Mufti Muhammad Sadiq
Dr. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq was born in 1872 in India. He became the first Muslim missionary in America. Mufti Sadiq directly converted over 700 Americans to Islam, and over 1,000 indirectly. One of his main goals, besides converting people, was to clear up misconceptions about Islam. He believed in integration between all ethnic and racial groups, and lived his life in a way that proved it. Many Islamic-oriented organizations inspired by his teachings and understanding of Islamic concepts, including the “Nation of Islam.” He also united Muslim immigrants to build mosques and to have congregational prayer. He had an extremely large impact in Detroit and Chicago, and Islam still thrives there today. Mufti Sadiq spread awareness of Islamic teaching by writing articles in newspapers, as well as running a Muslim publication. He overcame the many obstacles of being a missionary in a foreign country and culture, and successfully paved the way and led others to Islam.