My fascination (I don't think it's quite reached obsession... yet...) with women saints who have canonized or beatified family members is continuing. Later this month, I'll be writing about Fanchea, a sixth-century Irish saint and woman religious. All her sisters also are regarded as saints (including one who ended up marrying the guy who was supposed to marry Fanchea).

The thing I find particularly inspirational is her evangelization to her brother, Enda. When their wealthy father died, Enda became a chieftain. It wasn't that he wasn't religious, but it seems he mainly went through the motions. A turning point came when the woman he wanted to marry, who lived in Fanchea's convent, was given the choice of marrying him or serving the Lord. She chose the latter and died shortly thereafter, giving Enda a lot to think about when he came to claim her. Shaken, he became a monk himself, and established Ireland's earliest monastery. The story reminds me of the importance of sharing our faith with our non-practicing/non-Christan family members and friends. We never know what's going to touch them.

I'll be writing a bit more about Fanchea in my Wednesday's Woman feature (short profiles of beatified and canonized women).