Holy Women's History Month: Saints Perpetua and Felicity

While growing up, I didn’t give much thought to my last name, Perpetua, other than it was hard for telemarketers to pronounce (they always put the emphasis on the wrong syllable, if they could say it at all) and when the priest chose the long form of the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass, Perpetua was named as part of the Roman Canon, along with Felicity and some others. 

I knew that Perpetua and Felicity were women saints, and that is where my knowledge began and ended, for many years. It wasn’t until I was an adult and, eventually, a mother that I embraced these heroic Christian martyrs and shared the story of my (and their) eponym with my children. Only then did I begin to fully appreciate their sacrifice. 

Saints Perpetua and Felicity were young mothers martyred in the early 3rd century. Perpetua was a noblewoman with a young nursing child. Felicity, a slave, was eight months pregnant at the time she, Perpetua, and others were imprisoned. 

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The Maternal Revolution 

Motherhood is revolutionary in a woman’s life. Every facet of my life was overturned after my firstborn son entered my life. Children necessarily change a woman’s priorities. We willingly sacrifice so much for our babies—physically, mentally, and emotionally, as their needs take priority. 

As my daily responsibilities and routines changed with motherhood, I made the necessary sacrifices, but I also realized I made some ill-advised spiritual sacrifices. 

The never-ending responsibilities of motherhood sometimes make it necessary to postpone goals. There are simply not enough hours in a day to do it all, and dreams and aspirations are put on hold, sometimes indefinitely. These postponements can be good and necessary. But motherhood can easily become a convenient excuse. 

Motherhood Shouldn’t Be an Impediment to Sainthood 

It’s easy to excuse a spiritual lapse by blaming the demands of a growing family. Obviously, our spiritual practices can and should change and adapt to our state in life. There simply aren’t many opportunities for contemplative prayer in a house filled with children and the natural chaos they can create. 

But instead of adapting my spiritual life, at times, I’ve stifled it, letting my duties to my family take precedence or foolishly thinking that because reciting full Rosaries, going on retreats, or attending weekly Adoration were not feasible, neither was spiritual growth or devotion. 

Saints Perpetua and Felicity are models of motherhood. They had duties to their young children. Yet neither were willing to compromise their Christian beliefs for the sake of living and caring for their children. How heartbreaking it must have been for these young women to leave behind their precious babies, knowing that if they stayed true to their faith, their children would neither know nor remember them. They would not see their children grow to adulthood. Nor would they be there to catechize them, ensuring that they grew in faith. 

Perpetua’s own father begged her to renounce her faith and live, yet she refused. She held firm. 

In what way could Perpetua and Felicity be better advocates for their children than from heaven? In what way could I be a better mother than by being a saintly mother? What could possibly be better for my children than being raised by a saint? 

If I put off all available means of spiritual growth until the babies are weaned, the kids are in school, the children are older, and so on, my priorities are misplaced. If I’m giving myself a reluctant pass because I can’t do all things I think will make me holy, I’m missing out. 

The time for holiness is now — while the baby is nursing, the toddler is melting down, the kids are sick, and the calendar is jam-packed. Persistence in faith will perfect my motherhood, not hinder it. Holiness is a priority in every season of a mother’s life. 

Saints Perpetua and Felicity are beautiful examples to me of right-ordered priorities: God first, and the family, even in the throes of motherhood. After all, we can entrust our children to God. They are His first, anyway, as are we. 

During Women's History Month, Catholic Mom writers are celebrating the women who have inspired their faith journeys—whether canonized saints, saints in progress, or beloved women from Scripture. Through personal reflections and heartfelt stories, they share how these holy women have touched their lives, offering wisdom, strength, and a deeper connection to God. Join us as we honor the spiritual legacy of these remarkable women and the lasting impact they continue to have on our hearts and souls. 

Copyright 2025 Carolyn Astfalk
Images: Holy Cross Family Ministries