St. Colette decided to live a life in seclusion according to the Rule of the Franciscan Tertiary Order. She went into seclusion upon the death of her parents at the age of twenty-two. She however also took time to travel to France and Flanders, founding and reforming convents of the Poor Clares. In her years of work and service in the Church, she was able to found a branch of the Poor Clares called the Colettines (died ca. 1447 A.D.).
St. Chrodegang of Metz became bishop of Metz, France in 742 A.D. He built and restored churches, monasteries, and founded the abbey of Gorze. This may have been the abbey where St. John of Gorze became abbot in 960 A.D. But Chrodegang's greatest achievement was the reform of much of Europe's secular clergy - specifically in Germany, Italy, the British Isles, and the Frankish kingdom (which includes present-day regions of France and Germany) (died ca. 766 A.D.).
St. Fridolin was an Irish priest who went to Gaul and settled at Poitiers (in France). He started to rebuild a church that was destroyed by a Vandal raid and then left for an island in the Rhine River near Coire, Switzerland. On the island, he built a monastery, a convent, and a school for boys. Fridolin was surnamed the "Wanderer" because of his many trips for the mission of the Christian faith (died ca. 650 A.D.).
Sts. Cyneburga, Cyneswide and Tibba were related to one another. Cynesburga and Cyneswida were sisters - daughters of the King of Mercia, probably an Anglo-Saxon kingdom. Cynesburga was married, but her husband rebelled against her father. So she went to Cynesburgecester and founded a convent. Her sister Cyneswide and their relative Tibba (a hermitess), joined Cynesburga in the convent (died ca. 7th century A.D.).
Sts. Baldred and Bilfrid were both monks at Landisfarne in northern England. Baldred was a monk-priest while Bilfrid was a monk-hermit. Bilfrid was an expert goldsmith who bound with precious metals and gems St. Cuthbert's copy of the Gospels. Baldred on the other hand left Landisfarne, and moved to the Scottish border first, before he finally settled in Northumbria. Baldred died ca. 765 A.D. while Bilfrid died ca. 758 A.D.
St. Cadroe was a Scot who studied at Armagh, Ireland. He returned to Scotland and became a teacher of priests. Cadroe then went on pilgrimage to many Irish shrines. He continued to travel until he reached France. While in France, he accomplished many things: he founded a monastery, entered the Benedictines at Fleury, became abbot of Waulsort, and then reformed St. Clement abbey at Metz (died ca. 976 A.D.).
St. Ollegarius became priest of St. Aidan's monastery in Spain. He was made to accept the episcopate of Barcelona, required to attend the First Lateran Council, and appointed papal delegate to preach a crusade against the Moors in Spain. When his diocese was transferred to Tarragona, Ollegarius rebuilt it because it was destroyed by the Moors (died ca. 1137 A.D.).
St. Cyril of Constantinople was a Carmelite. He became prior general of the Order in Palestine in 1232 A.D. He served in this position of leadership and authority until the year of his death (died ca. 1235 A.D.).
St. Agnes of Bohemia was born into a royal family and educated by Cistercian nuns. Because of her wealth and influence, she built a Franciscan hospital, friary and convent, and established clinics for the sick. She entered the Order of the Poor Clares at age 29 and spent 50 years in the cloister (died ca. 1282 A.D.).
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