Saints at St Gregory's

Patron Saint of Choir Boys and Singers. Feast Day: 3 September.

Gregory was born in the year 540. He was the son of a wealthy Roman senator. His mother was St. Silvia. Gregory's father sent him to the best teachers. He was always humble.

Gregory was prefect of Rome for one year. Then he sold all his property and used money to build six monasteries in Sicily and one in Rome, where he went to live as a monk. He continued his kind deeds to help the needy.

One day he saw some slave children being offered for sale near the Roman Forum. On being told they were Angles from England, Gregory replied, "Not Angles, but Angels shall they be. The true faith must be brought to them".

Obtaining permission from the Pope, he began his journey as a missionary to England. The people of Rome later asked the Pope to recall him. After Gregory was elected Pope, he sent St. Augustine and a company of monks to England in 597. He also sent missionaries to France, Spain and Africa.

Pope Gregory is called Doctor of the Church because of the many books he wrote, especially on the liturgy of the Mass. He made wise laws to govern the Church. He died in the year 604.