Our Patron St. Constance

325 AD – 354 AD

Saint Constance, gentle saint, as you watch over our parish family, we ask that you teach us to have faith in God as you did.

Help us to follow your example of love and goodness as we interact with others. May we always see the good and beautiful things in people we meet and always be able to see Jesus in everything we do. By your undying devotion to God, may we learn to accept God in our lives, and allow Him to work through us.

Saint Constance Pray for Us.

Saint Constance was born in about 325 AD, as Constantine Augustus. Her father was the Emperor, Constantine the Great.

She had leprosy, which made her very sad, and she cried often. Since the leprosy created ugly spots on her face, not many people could bear to look at her, or even be with her. Giving up hope at times, she wanted to wear a mask. Her father had doctors from every land searching for a cure, but it seemed hopeless.

As a last resort, a friend told Constance about a young martyr named Agnes, at whose tomb cures were known to happen. On the way to the tomb of Saint Agnes, a woman overheard Constance and her friend questioning each other about what to do when they arrived at the tomb. The woman explained how God performs miracles when people pray to Him through the saints. Constance was moved by this woman’s faith and become a Christian.

Upon arriving at the tomb of Saint Agnes, Constance covered her face with a scarf and knelt down to pray, as the woman had taught her. When she got up and removed the scarf, the leprosy was gone from her face, as well as from the rest of her body.

Saint Constance chose not to marry. She spent the rest of her life helping others, the way that God had helped her, working with the sick and giving them hope. She died in about 354 AD, near the Basilica of Saint Agnes, which was commissioned by Constance. This basilica was built at the site where she was cured.