November 29

Andrea della Valle (1463–1534) was an influential Italian cardinal and patron of humanist scholarship in the early 16th century. A member of a prominent Roman family, he studied law before rising through the ranks of the Church. Appointed cardinal by Pope Leo X in 1517, he took on key roles in ecclesiastical governance and church reform. Della Valle supported artists and collected classical manuscripts, contributing to the cultural achievements of the High Renaissance. He participated in multiple papal conclaves and diplomatic missions. His patronage and leadership left a lasting imprint on the Vatican and European art.

The Public Universal Friend (born Jemima Wilkinson, 1752–1819) was an American evangelist who claimed divine transformation and rejected their birth name. They traveled extensively through the northeastern United States, preaching messages of celibacy, pacifism, and communal living. Their followers formed the Society of Universal Friends, establishing settlements in New York and Vermont. The Friend’s teachings challenged contemporary views on gender roles and authority, drawing both devotion and controversy. Their leadership represents one of the early experiments in American religious communalism. The Friend’s legacy endures as a unique figure in early American spiritual history.

Marcel Lefebvre was ordained in 1929 and served as a missionary in Gabon, Africa, for nearly two decades. He was appointed Apostolic Delegate to French colonial territories and later became Archbishop of Dakar. In 1970, he founded the Society of St. Pius X to preserve traditional Latin liturgy and Catholic doctrine. Lefebvre's refusal to accept certain reforms of the Second Vatican Council led to a major church controversy. In 1988, he was excommunicated after consecrating bishops without papal mandate. His actions sparked enduring debates within the Catholic Church over tradition and authority.

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was a pioneering American pastor and politician who represented Harlem in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1945 to 1971. He became the first African American from New York elected to Congress and used his position to advance civil rights and social welfare legislation. As pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church, he led one of the nation’s most influential Black congregations and advocated for education reform. Powell championed anti-discrimination laws, fair housing, and equal employment opportunities, often clashing with party leaders. Despite facing ethics investigations and temporary expulsion from Congress, his legacy endures through his impact on political representation and civil rights progress.

Born in 1935, O'Brien was ordained a priest in 1960 and devoted his ministry to education and parish development. He was appointed auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1995 by Pope John Paul II. Bishop O'Brien oversaw numerous parishes and supported outreach programs for the poor and immigrants. He played a key role in expanding pastoral services and fostering interfaith dialogue. Known for his compassionate leadership, he mentored clergy and lay leaders across the archdiocese. Thomas J. O'Brien passed away in 2018, remembered for his devotion to service and faith.