For God's Sake, Do Something! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Saint Benedict

Also known as Benedict of Nursia, he lived from about 480 to 547. A writer and theologian, he is perhaps most famous for founding the Benedictine Monks by creating the "Rule of Saint Benedict", a list of 73 chapters on how to live spiritually and how to run a monastery. His influence across Europe was great, and Benedictine monasteries were common.

Having managed to avoid death by the hands of Florentius, a jealous priest, Benedict died of a fever and was buried with his twin sister Scholastica, who had also died just prior. He is the patron saint of Europe, as well as dozens of others, including monks, spelunkers, and heraldry, and against gallstones, nettle rash, and temptation.

Answer: Clare of Assisi

Chiara Offreduccio was born in 1193 and died in 1253. A follower of Francis of Assisi, she founded her own Order for women, called the Order of Poor Ladies. It gained this name because the women had to give a vow of strict poverty; the Pope had doubts about approving the Rule, since he worried about the women's health suffering from such poverty; however, Clare convinced him to approve it.

The Order of Poor Ladies later had its name changed to the Order of Saint Clare, also known as the Poor Clares.

Answer: David

David, who later became King David, is a figure found in the Bible. Many are familiar with the story of David and Goliath, found in 1 Samuel 17. The chapter describes: "And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. / So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David" (1 Samuel 17:49-50).

David, however, didn't always lead a charmed life. His story is one of the greatest stories of forgiveness in the Bible: he lusts after Bathsheba and commands that she sleep with him, then when he finds she is pregnant, he has Bathsheba's husband killed in battle. This is just the beginning of David's separation from God. In Psalm 51, David confesses his sins and asks for forgiveness.

Answer: Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Also known as Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, he was born in 1696. He became a priest in 1726, when he was 30. He lived and worked with homeless youth, and set up over 70 "Evening Chapels" which were managed by the youth. He became popular for his easily understandable sermons. In 1732, he founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a group known as the Redemptorists.

He was also a popular author; his works "The Glories of Mary" and "The Way of the Cross" were particularly celebrated. He was also well known for his hymns; he composed the carol "Tu scendi dalle stelle" ("From Starry Skies Descending"). He was appointed as Bishop of Sant'Agata de' Goti in 1762. He died in 1787, already deaf and blind.

Answer: Paul

A figure in the Bible, Saint Paul the Apostle is well known for his 13 Epistles that make up a large part of the New Testament, including Corinthians 1 and 2 and Romans. Paul was born around 5 AD, and was originally known as Saul. As a Pharisee, Paul persecuted the early Christian church until, while on the road to Damascus, he converted to Christianity himself.

Paul was a traveler; he continually traveled between locations in the ancient Roman world to spread the Gospel. He likely died c. 64-65 in Rome with Saint Peter, beheaded during the Neronian persecution.

Answer: Joseph

Joseph, not to be confused with Saint Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary, is a figure from the Bible who has his story told in the Book of Genesis. He was born sometime around 1590 BC. A son of Jacob and Rachel, his jealous brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt. However, he rose in prominence after interpreting the Pharaoh's dreams, and soon became the second in command of Egypt. Perhaps his greatest achievement, however, was his eventual reconciliation with his family and his forgiveness of them.

The story of Joseph inspired Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat".

Answer: Saint James

Saint James, also known as James the Great, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was also the first Apostle to be martyred for Christ; he died in 44 AD, probably only around a decade after Jesus' death.

James is commonly associated with Spain, where he is known as Santiago, since it is believed that he traveled there to preach. Among some, it is also believed that after his beheading in Judea his remains floated to Spain in a boat, and that they were then buried at the place where Santiago de Compostela Cathedral now stands.

Answer: Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc, known as Jeanne D'Arc in France, was a French peasant born around 1412. In 1428, , she spoke to the later Charles VII of France and, claiming to be guided by saints such as Saint Michael, told him how she was to help with his coronation and the winning of the Hundred Years' War for France. At the age of about 17, she participated in France's campaigns, which were won at first.

When the campaigns she went on failed, however, so did confidence in her. In 1431, she was put on trial and executed for a veriety of reasons, including blasphemy for wearing men's clothing. Without her, however, French morale plummeted. In 1456, the results of her biased trial were reviewed and officially overturned, but it was a little too late for Joan by that point.

Answer: Mary

Mary is a figure found within the Bible, and her story is one of the most well-known stories within the book. It is told in the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In it, Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel and is told that she will be the mother of the son of God. Mary was also the mother of children with her husband Joseph, including James.

Mary plays a significant role in most churches, particularly the Catholic church. She is the patron of a wide variety of things, from fishmongers and pilots to Benedictines and the diocese of the Moon (which was claimed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando).

Answer: Angela Merici

Born in Italy around 1474, Angela Merici joined the Third Order of St. Francis while young. While on a pilgrimage, she reportedly went blind and then regained her sight three weeks later after prayer. She founded the Company of Saint Ursula in 1535, originally with 12 girls, hoping to improve Christian education for girls.

She died in 1540. By then, 24 Ursuline communities were flourishing. She was canonized in 1807.