On All Saints Day, Pope Francis said that holiness is a gift received at baptism. He noted that everyone is called to perfect that gift throughout his or her own life.
POPE FRANCIS
The saints were not unreachable or distant heroes, but people like us. They are our friends and their starting point is the same gift we received: baptism. If we think a little, we probably realize that we have crossed paths with some of them, with some everyday saints.
They are what I like to call “saints next door,” who lead a normal life.
The Pope even published an apostolic exhortation on this topic of “saints next door” in 2018. He has consistently encouraged the faithful to take serious consideration on their call to holiness.
JRB
