As she made her journey through history, the church gave the world saints who were founders and leaders of great religious orders and congregations among whom are: St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, St. Columban, Saint Francis of Assisi and St. Clare, St. Dominic, and St. Ignatius of Loyola. There were also great teachers and doctors of the church among whom are: St. Bernard, St. Anselm, St. Peter Damien, St. Albert the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure.
These were followed by other important teachers of the spiritual life and doctors of the church, including three very popular women saints: St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Therese of the Child Jesus, as well as St. John of the Cross, St. Francis de Sales, St. Robert Bellarmine and St. Alphonsus Liguori. Saints who are remembered as great missionaries include, St. Augustine of Canterbury, St. Patrick, St. Boniface, St. Cyril, St Methodius and St. Francis Xavier. Among the outstanding Popes the church honours as saints, St. Leo the Great, St. Gregory the Great, St. Gregory VII, St. Pius V and in more recent times, St. Pius X, St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II.