Lay brother

Saint Martin de Porres (1579–1639), a Dominican tertiary friar from Lima, embodies humility and service. The son of a Spanish nobleman and a former slave, he cared for the poor, the sick, and animals without distinction, transforming contempt into charity, and was canonized in 1962. His example invites us to serve discreetly, to heal the wounds of contempt, and to recognize the dignity of every person. Prayer, concrete actions, and meditation are recommended to keep his memory alive.

Emeline d'Yèvres, a 12th-century Cistercian hermit in Champagne, embodies the contemplative life and humble prophecy: radical penance, silent listening, and gifts of discernment placed at the service of the humble. Documented life and local memory meet in the account of her life at the barn of Perthes Sèches (Yèvres-le-Petit), her recognized prophecies—notably by Baron Symon de Beaufort—and her iconographic disappearance. Her example today questions our ability to discern divine signs in everyday life and to live an authentic asceticism, without pomp or the quest for recognition.

A judge turned Franciscan monk, John of Capistran (1386-1456) embodies the power of the Christian word in the service of the spiritual and military defense of...

Saint Seraphim of Ascoli, known as Saint Seraphim of Montegranaro (1540–1604), was an Italian Capuchin lay brother whose poverty, humility and piety still shine today, and...