Saints On Their Way

The Path to Sainthood

Mother Seton is the first native-born American saint —and since 1975, more have journeyed on that very same path to sainthood!

Eleven Americans have been canonized and there are 87 more American Saints on their Way. Our list highlights 31 Americans who are Blessed, Venerable or a Servant of God. This small selection reminds us that saints come from all walks of life. We’re all called to holiness, and anyone can be a saint. That’s why we look with hope to the future to see who the next American saint will be.

Who’s the next saint?

The litany of saints is long, but not long enough! It needs all these people—and YOU!

Servant of God

Fr. Edward J. Flanagan

(1886-1948)

Missionary to the United States
Founder of Boys Town, Nebraska
Started an orphanage
Worked with troubled youth
Attended Mount St. Mary’s University

Servant of God

Mother Mary Lange

(1789-1882)

Educator
Immigrant
Founder of the Oblates at age 35
Spent most of her life in Baltimore

Servant of God

Joseph Dutton

(1843-1931)

Alcoholic
Divorced
Convert
Veteran
Missionary

Servant of God

Michelle Duppong

(1984-2015)

Daughter of a farmer
FOCUS missionary
Cancer
Died on Christmas Day

Venerable

Bishop Fulton Sheen

(1895-1979)

Educator
Loved to learn
From Illinois
Radio and Television personality
Liked to tell jokes

Blessed

Miriam Teresa Demjanovich

(1901-1927)

Writer
From New Jersey
Nursed her sick mother
Educator
Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth
Died of appendicitis

Blessed

Fr. Stanley Rother

(1935-1981)

Farmer
From Oklahoma
Attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary
Missionary to Guatemala
Struggled as a student
Stubborn

Servant of God

Fr. Vincent Robert Capodanno

(1929-1967)

Navy chaplain
From New York
Assigned to the Marines
Nicknamed the Grunt Padre
Died in action during the Vietnam War

Venerable

Henriette Delille

(1813-1862)

From Louisiana
Trained in French literature, Music, and Dance
Founded the Sisters of the Holy Family

Servant of God

Fr. Walter Joseph Ciszek

(1904-1984)

Auto mechanic
From Pennsylvania
Former gang member
Sentenced to 15 years in a hard labor camp in Russia during World War II

Servant of God

Mary Thea Bowman

(1937-1990)

Convert
Religious sister
Teacher
Musician
From Mississippi
Died of breast cancer

Servant of God

Fr. Emil Joseph Kapaun

(1916-1951)

Army
From Kansas
POW
Cracked jokes to help fellow prisoners
Died while being held prisoner

Servant of God

Charlene Richard

(1947-1959)

Cajun
Loved sports
Acute Lymphatic Leukemia
Asked to pray for others as she was dying

Blessed

Fr. Michael McGivney

(1852-1890)

Baseball player
From Connecticut
Born to Irish immigrant parents
Founded the Knights of Columbus
He died from pneumonia

Servant of God

Cora Evans

(1904-1957)

Wife
Mother
Convert
Mystic
Cancer
Carmelite

Venerable

Pierre Toussaint

(1766-1853)

Hairdresser
Husband
Father
Benefactor

Servant of God

Dorothy Day

(1897-1980)

Convert
Activist
Journalist
Married, Divorced, Single Mother
From New York
Died from a heart attack

Servant of God

Fr. Simon William Gabriel Brute de Remur

(1779-1839)

Artist
Missionary to the United States
Doctor
Served in Maryland and Indiana
President John Quincy Adams called Brute “the most learned man of his day in America”