What human being in the world intrigues you the most? 

Maybe it’s an incredible athlete like Michael Jordan or Serena Williams, who pushed themselves beyond the limits of ordinary ability. Maybe it’s a powerful world leader like Queen Victoria or Napoleon, whose influence changed the world forever. While he may not be so universally known, for many people, especially in Poland, their answer is John of Kanty—a great saint who did incredible things for the world. 

John, also known as John Cantius, was a Polish priest, a great theologian, philosopher, and even a physicist. But his intellectual abilities and contributions weren’t the main reason he was loved by so many. Instead, what struck the people of Poland so deeply was his kindness and regard for every person he met. He was known to preach on kindness from the pulpit, saying: “Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause.”

People were intrigued by his life. And when he died, his tomb immediately became a popular pilgrimage site—and it remains so to this day. 

Saints always intrigued the people of their time, and so do ordinary people who embrace the Christian life today. In the great majority of cases they don’t do anything spectacular. For the

most part they commit themselves to doing simple things spectacularly well and with great love, and that intrigues people. We need to intrigue the people of our time in the same ways.

Whom does your life intrigue? Not with spectacular accomplishments, but simply by the way you live, love, and work. If we live and love the way the Gospel invites us to, we will intrigue people. 

Respect and cherish your spouse and children, and people will be intrigued. Work hard and pay attention to the details of your work, and you will intrigue people. Go out of your way to help those in need, people will be intrigued. When we do what is right even if it comes at a great cost to ourselves, people are intrigued. Patience, kindness, humility, gratitude, thoughtfulness, generosity, courage and forgiveness are all intriguing. 

And here’s the beautiful thing: God often uses this intrigue to call others deeper into a life with him.



Feast Day: December 23

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Marguerite d'Youville, Saint Antonio of Saint Anne, and Saint Dagobert II

Patron Saint of: Teachers, Students, Priests and Pilgrims

Symbols: Professor's Gown

Canonized: 1767

Canonized By: Pope Clement XIII