Saint Who?
Saints of the Ordinary
Blessed László Batthyány-Strattmann
Married layman († 1931)Feast: January 22
László came from a noble Hungarian family. From a young age, he wanted to become a medical doctor. But more than that, he wanted to be a doctor who served the poor for free.
His father, however, wanted him to learn how to manage the family’s property. László obediently studied agriculture while in college, although he was later able to study medicine. At the age of twenty-eight, he married Maria Teresa Coreth, a young woman who was both devout and a countess. Two years after that, he obtained his medical degree. He opened a private hospital, became a surgeon and an eye doctor, and cared for the wounded during World War I. He also realized his childhood dream and cared for the poor free of charge.
László and Maria eventually had thirteen children. As a family, they attended daily Mass and prayed the rosary, and László gave his children regular catechism lessons. He was forty-five years old when he inherited the family title. Over time, he developed an international reputation as an ophthalmologist, yet he also cared deeply for each of his patients—both their physical health and their spiritual wellbeing. His family and friends considered him a saint long before his death from bladder cancer at the age of sixty.
Lord Jesus, Divine Healer, bring your healing
to our bodies and our souls.
