31 Jul – Memorial for St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest, religious founder St. Ignatius (1491-1556) was of Spanish nobility. The youngest of 12 children, he served as a page in the Spanish court of Ferdinand and Isabella. He received a military education and became a soldier, entering the army in 1517, and serving in several [...]
30 Jul – Memorial for St. Peter Chrysologus, bishop, doctor St. Peter (406-450) was an adult convert, a deacon, then a priest, and then Bishop of Ravenna, Italy in 433. He fought paganism and the Monophysite heresy, enforced reforms, and built several churches and ornate altars in his see. He was a preacher with such [...]
29 Jul – Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Our Father In Heaven Christ has given us in very truth the power to become the children of God. Compare the timidity and self-abnegation of Abraham’s prayer with the confidence with which Christ teaches us to pray to our Father in heaven. – the Sunday Missal _____________________ [...]
28 Jul Growing naturally A boy was playing in his back garden one day, when he found a caterpillar on a bush. He had learned in school that the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, once it breaks out of the cocoon. He was a kind and helpful boy, so he thought that his good deed for [...]
27 Jul The blind leading the blind Before modern radio and TV became so sophisticated, a telephone operator used to get a call every afternoon asking for the correct time. She was always able to give this information with great confidence. The reason for this was that she always checked her watch, and adjusted it [...]
26 Jul – Memorial for Ss Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary St. Anne was the mother of Our Lady, the grandmother of Jesus Christ, and the wife of St. Joachim. She was probably well-off. Tradition says that Anne was quite elderly when Mary was born, and that she was their only [...]
25 Jul – Feast of St. James the Greater, apostle, martyr St. James the Greater (d. 44) was the son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of St. John the Apostle, and may have been Jesus’ cousin. He is called “the Greater” simply because he became an apostle before St. James the Lesser. He was a [...]
24 Jul Taking leave of the body John Quincy Adams, at 80 years of age, was shuffling along outside his home one day, when a neighbour greeted him with the question, “And how is Mr John Quincy Adams this morning?” The old man replied, “John Quincy Adams himself is very well, thank you. But the [...]
23 Jul – Memorial for St. Bridget of Sweden, founder St. Bridget (1302-1373) was the daughter of Birger Persson, the governor and provincial judge of Uppland, and of Ingeborg Bengtsdotter. Her father was one of the greatest landowners in the country, her mother was known widely for her piety, and the family were descendants of [...]
22 Jul – Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus Our Friend The mystery of today’s celebration is Christ among us as our friend. We welcome him as Abraham welcomed the Lord at Mamre, and Martha and Mary welcomed Christ at Bethany. – the Sunday Missal ____________________ We thank God for Daniel’s recovery from the worst [...]
