21 May – Memorial for St. Bernadine of Siena, Priest Bernadine (1381-1444) was a Friar Minor, a priest, an itinerant preacher, and a theological writer. His preaching skills were so great, and the conversions so numerous, that he has become associated with all areas of speaking, advertising, public relations, etc. Bernadine’s charismatic preaching filled the [...]
18 May – Memorial for St. John I, Pope and Martyr John (d. 526) was a priest in Rome, and became the 53rd pope in 523. Italy’s ruler then, Theodoric the Goth, was an Arian. For a while he left the Catholics alone, but in later life he became suspicious of everyone, imagining conspiracies and [...]
12 May – Memorial for Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs; Memorial for St. Pancras, Martyr Nereus and Achilleus (d. 98) were soldiers in the imperial Roman army, and members of the Praetorian Guard. They were converts to Christianity and baptized by St. Peter the Apostle. They were exiled for their faith, suffered with St. Flavia [...]
02 May – Memorial for St. Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Athanasius (c. 295) studied the classics and theology in Alexandria, Egypt. He was a deacon, secretary, and student of Bishop Alexander of Alexandria. He attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 where he fought for the defeat of Arianism and the acceptance [...]
28 Apr – Memorial for St. Peter Chanel, Priest & Martyr; Memorial for St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, Priest Peter Chanel (1803-1841) was born to a peasant family and was a shepherd as a boy. He was an excellent student and was ordained at 24. He was assigned to Crozet, a parish in decline; he [...]
21 Apr – Memorial for St. Anselm, Bishop & Doctor of the Church Anselm (1033-1109) was born of Italian nobility. After a childhood devoted to piety and study, he wanted to enter religious life, but his father prevented it, and Anselm became rather worldly for several years. Upon his mother’s death, Anselm argued with his [...]
23 Mar – Memorial for St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, Bishop St. Turibius (1538-1606) was born a noble and became a lawyer, and then a professor of law at Salamanca. He was ordained in 1578, and was a judge of the Court of the Inquisition at Granada. He was later appointed Archbishop of Lima, Peru on [...]
17 Mar – Memorial for St. Patrick, Bishop St. Patrick (387-390 – 461-464) was kidnapped from the British mainland when he was about 16, and shipped to Ireland as a slave. He was sent to the mountains as a shepherd, and spent his time in prayer. After six years of this life, he had a [...]
19 Feb – Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time Christ Forgives Our Sins Today we say Yes to the Lord who comes to forgive us our sins, and we praise him who shows such mercy to the poor and the weak. – The Sunday Missal _____________________ Isaiah 43:18-19.21-22.24-25 Thus says the Lord: No need to recall [...]
14 Feb – Memorial for Ss. Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop Cyril (827-869) was the brother of St. Methodius. Born of Greek nobility, his family was connected to the senate of Thessalonica, and his mother Maria may have been Slavic. He studied at the University of Constantinople and taught philosophy there. He was ordained a [...]
