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Sixth Sunday of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/10/26 Gospel: John 14:15-21

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Beatus of Lungern; a monk and hermit of the First and Second Centuries, earlier designated the apostle of Switzerland; he was baptized in England by St. Barnabas and ordained by St. Peter; Beatus went to Switzerland; he died in 112 A.D. on Mount Beatenburg above Lake Thun; the cave became a popular pilgrim's destination, the famed site of Beatus' fight with a dragon Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/9/26 Gospel: John 15:18-21

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Maria Magdalen of Canossa, 1774-1835; foundress of the Daughters of Charity at Verona, Italy; she was the daughter of the Marquis of Canossa, who died when Maria Magdalen was three; her mother abandoned the family, and Maria Magdalen managed her father’s estate until she was thirty-three, then founding her institute; when she died in 1835, her Daughters of Charity were widespread Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/8/26 Gospel: John 15:12-17

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. John of Beverly; born at Harpham, Yorkshire, England in the Seventh Century; studied under Adrian, and on his return to his native land, became a monk at Whitby; he was named bishop of Hexham in 687 and then transferred to York as metropolitan in 705; he was known for his holiness, his preference for the contemplative life, and his miracles; in ill health, John resigned the bishopric of York in 717 and retired to Beverly Abbey, which he had founded, and remained there until his death on May 7, 721 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/7/26 Gospel: John 15:9-11

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Petronax, 670-747; regarded as the "second founder of Monte Cassino"; born in Brescia, Italy, and joined the Benedictines; Pope St. Gregory asked him to go to Monte Cassino to examine the ruins of the abbey which had been damaged by the Lombards; Petronax gatthered the hermits of the old abbey, and began rebuilding; he was elected abbot and ruled Monte Cassino for three decades Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/6/26 Gospel: John 15:1-8

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Maximus of Jerusalem; succeeded St. Macanus as bishop of Jerusalem around 335; he was crippled by tortures received during the persecutions of his day; originally opposed St. Athanasius, but repented and became a strong enemy of the Arians; Maximus died in 350 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/5/26 Gospel: John 14:27-31a

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Conleth, 450-519; he became a hermit living along Ireland’s Liffey River, at Old Connell; the renowned Irish abbess Saint Brigid, upon meeting Conleth, was so impressed by him that she subsequently persuaded him to become the governing bishop of her double monastery at Kildare; he was a gifted copyist and illuminator of manuscripts, and was likewise skilled in metalworking; a crosier kept in a museum of the Royal Irish Academy is said to have been made by Conleth Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/4/26 Gospel: John 14:21-26

Fifth Sunday of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/3/26 Gospel: John 14:1-12

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter Memorial of St. Athanasius; Fourth Century bishop of Alexandria; became a theological advisor at the Council of Nicea when he was still in his late twenties; he opposed Arianism and defended the divinity of the Son of Man; he wrote many works on the Incarnation and the Trinity as well as The Life of Anthony, which helped define and foster both monastic living and the writing of saints’ lives; he died in 373 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/2/26 Gospel: John 14:7-14

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/1/26 Gospel: John 14:1-6

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter Optional Memorial of Pope St. Pius V, 1504-1572; born in Italy, and joined the Dominicans at the age of 14; he held various offices in the Inquisition and at age 62 was elected to the papal chair; he implemented the reforms of the Council of Trent, reinforced treasured traditions such as reciting the Daily Office, and standardized the Mass by issuing a new missal Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/30/26 Gospel: John 13:16-20

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, 1347-1380; born to a wealthy Italian family; she joined a Dominican lay order; at 21, she began preaching; as her influence grew, she devoted much time to peace keeping among the Christian states; her efforts were instrumental in persuading Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon as well as in supporting Pope Urban VI during the schism; St. Catherine’s great mystical work, Dialogues, is a Christian classic Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/29/26 Gospel: John 12:44-50

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chanel, 1803-1841; a Frenchman in the Society of Marists, Peter took the gospel to the Canary Islands, French Polynesia, Tahiti, and Tonga; at his main post, Furtuna, a Polynesian island, Chanel converted the son of the island’s native king who later had the Christian priest killed for fear of the Gospel; two years later, the entire island had become Catholic Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/28/26 Gospel: John 10:22-30

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Theodore of Tabenna, 314-368; born in the Upper Thebaid, Egypt; he studied under the famed St. Pachomius at Tabenna, succeeding him as abbot about 347; he was noted for his careful maintaining of order in the community and for his miracles Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/27/26 Gospel: John 10:11-18

Fourth Sunday of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/26/26 Gospel: John 10:1-10

Feast of St. Mark Saturday of the Third Week of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/25/26 Gospel: Mark 16:15-20

Friday of the Third Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, 1577-1622; taught philosophy while earning a legal degree at the University of Freiberg in Germany; he became known as the "poor man's lawyer"; ultimately, he decided he wanted to work for God; after ordination, he was appointed to the Congregation for the Spreading of the Faith, but was martyred by several Austrian soldiers for his steadfast views on the faith Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/24/26 Gospel: John 6:52-59

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. George, 275-303; Roman soldier who was executed for his Christian faith during the reign of Diocletian; he became one of Christianity’s most venerated saints, especially known as a military protector and for the legendary story of slaying a dragon; he is honored as a patron saint in many countries and traditions Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/23/26 Gospel: John 6:44-51

Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Tarbula; Fourth Century virgin and martyr, the sister of St. Simeon the Persian, bishop and martyr; she was consecrated a virgin and met her own martyrdom soon after the death of her brother; she was accused of witchcraft, and causing the illness of the wife of the ardently anti-Christian King Shapur; she was condemned and executed in 345 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/22/26 Gospel: John 6:35-40

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter Optional Memorial of St. Anselm, 1033-1109; Archbishop of Canterbury; a doctor of the church; subjects of his writings included the existence of God, the Incarnation, the procession of the Holy Spirit, Atonement, and discussions on Free Will and Predestination; German philosophers and English historians referenced Anselm; Anselm is also mentioned in Dante’s Paradiso as, “…among the spirits of light and power in the sphere of the sun…”; he was named a doctor of the church in 1720 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/21/26 Gospel: John 6:30-35

Monday of the Third Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Francis Page; a 16th and 17th Century Jesuit martyr of England; born in Antwerp, Belgium, Francis was a member of an English Protestant family;  he was reconciled to the Catholic faith, and was ordained in 1600 and sent from Douai, France, to England; he was arrested there two years later; while in prison, Francis entered the Society of Jesus; he was martyred at Tyburn, England, in 1602 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/20/26 Gospel: John 6:22-29

Third Sunday of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/19/26 Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

Saturday of the Second Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Apollonius the Apologist; Second Century martyr whose defense of the faith, is considered one of the most priceless documents of the early Church; he was a Roman senator who was denounced as a Christian by one of his slaves; the Praetorian Prefect, Sextus Tigidius Perennis, arrested him, also putting the slave to death as an informer; Perennis demanded that Apollonius denounce the faith, and when he refused, the case was remanded to the Roman senate; there a debate took place between Perennis and Apollonius that clearly outlined the beauty and the value of Christianity; despite his eloquent defense, Apollonius was condemned and beheaded in 185 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/18/26 Gospel: John 6:16-21

Friday of the Second Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Robert of Chaise Dieu; Eleventh Century Benedictine abbot and founder; born in Auvergne, France, became a priest and canon of St. Julian's in Brioude; he then founded a hospice and became spiritual director of St. Odilo in Cluny; he eventually settled near Brioude, Auvergne, with a fellow hermit, a former knight named Stephen; there he attracted followers and built the abbey of Casa Dei to house the burgeoning community of three hundred monks; he died in 1067

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Bernadette Soubirous, 1844-1879; the recipient of the visions of Our Lady of Lourdes; born into a poor family in Lourdes, France; at 14, while gathering firewood, she encountered a beautiful lady in a grotto; after numerous additional apparitions, Bernadette asked the Lady her name, and she replied, "I am the Immaculate Conception"; a chapel was built at the site of the apparitions; in 1866, Bernadette took the religious habit of a postulant and joined the Sisters of Charity at their motherhouse at Nevers; but she contracted tuberculosis of the bone and died at the age of 35 while praying the rosary Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/16-26 Gospel: John 3:31-36

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Hunna, "the holy washerwoman"; a noblewoman who devoted herself to the poor of Strasbourg, France, in the Seventh Century; she even washed the poor, hence her name; she died in 679 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/15/26 Gospel: John 3:16-21

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Peter Gonzales, 1190-1246; born in Spain, he entered the Dominicans and became chaplain and confessor of King St. Ferdinand of Castile; he preached a campaign against the Moors, and then cared for the captured Muslims; he also cared for sailors, who dubbed him Thelmo, after St. Elmo Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/14/26 Gospel: John 3:7b-15

Monday of the Second Week of Easter Optional Memorial of Pope St. Martin I; Seventh Century pope during the time of a popular heresy which held that Christ had no human will; Martin called a council in which documents supporting this heresy were censured, and the patriarch of Constantinople and two of his predecessors were condemned; the emperor ordered that Martin be brought to Constantinople, where he was submitted to various imprisonments, tortures, and hardships; he was condemned to death, but was saved by a repentant Paul, patriarch of Constantinople; Martin died shortly thereafter, in 655 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/13/26 Gospel: John 3:1-8

Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/12/26 Gospel: John 20:19-31

Saturday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Stanislaus of Krakow, 1030-1079; born near Krakow, Poland; educated and ordained at Gnesen; he soon he became noted for his preaching and became a much sought after spiritual adviser; he was successful in his reforming efforts, and in 1072 was named Bishop of Krakow; he denounced the cruelties and injustices of King Boleslaus, and excommunicated him; Boleslaus himself killed Stanislaus while the Bishop was saying Mass in a chapel outside the city Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/26/26 Gospel: Mark 16:9-15

Friday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Paternus; Eleventh Century Irish/Scottish hermit; born either in Ireland or Scotland and joined a monastery; going to Westphalia, he was one of the first monks to enter the Abdinghof Monastery under the leadership of St. Meinwerk; Paternus lived as a hermit in one of the cells; such was his obedience to the vow of enclosure that when a fire erupted in 1058 and engulfed Abdinghof, he would not leave his cell, and so burned to death; he was much honored by St. Peter Damian Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/10/26 Gospel: John 21:1-14

Thursday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Hugh of Rouen; Eighth Century Benedictine bishop of Rouen, Paris, and Bayeux, France, a nephew of Charles Martel and the son of Duke Drogo of Burgundy; he was named the bishop of Rouen in 722; he then moved to Paris and later to Bayeux; at the same time he was abbot of Fontenelles and Jumieges; at the close of his life, Hugh retired to Jumieges and died in 730 as a simple choir monk Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/9/26 Gospel: Luke 24:35-48

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Julia Billiart, 1751-1816; she took a vow of virginity while young and worked so hard for the poor that she collapsed, remaining a cripple until 1804 when she was miraculously cured; she stayed in Amiens, where the Institute of Notre Dame was founded by Julia and pious friends in 1804; in 1809 she was forced to move to Namur, and the Motherhouse was instituted there; by the time of her death, there were fifteen convents in operation Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/8/26 Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. John Baptist de La Salle, 1651-1719; ordained a priest at age 27; he became interested in the creation of schools for poor boys in Rheims, where he was stationed; he threw himself wholeheartedly into the work; the remainder of his life was closely entwined with the community of religious men he founded, the Brothers of the Christian School (also called Christian Brothers or De La Salle Brothers); afflicted with asthma and rheumatism in his last years, he died on Good Friday, 1719, at age 68 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/7/26 Gospel: John 20:11-18

Monday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: Pope St. Celestine I; founder of the papal diplomatic service; elected pope in 422, and battled the heresies of Nestorianism and Pelagianism; Celestine is believed to have sent Palladius to evangelize Ireland in 431; Celestine died in 432 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/6/26 Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15

Easter Sunday - Solemnity Christ is risen! Alleluia, alleluia! Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/5/26 Gospel: John 20:1-9

Holy Saturday Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/4/26 Gospel: Matthew 28:1-10

Good Friday No mass is celebrated today Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/3/26 Gospel: John 18:1-19:42

Holy Thursday Saint of the Day: St. Abundius; Fifth Century bishop and noted theologian who was born in Thessaloncia; he became the bishop of Como, Italy, and attended the Council of Constantinople in 450; he was sent by Pope St. Leo I the Great to the Emperor Theodosius II as an envoy of the Holy See; his mission led to the Council of Chalcedon in 451 and to the Council of Milan in 452; Abundius served as the pope's representative in such councils, clearly stating the Church's role and concerns; he died in 469 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/2/26 Gospel: John 13:1-15

Wednesday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Hugh of Grenoble, 1053-1132; born in the Dauphine region, and became a canon of the Cathedral in Valence; he became bishop of Grenoble in 1080, and attempted a massive reform of the diocese, but was discouraged, and retired to Chaise Dieu Abbey, becoming a Benedictine; Pope Gregory VII ordered him to return to Grenoble; he gave St. Bruno the land on which the Grande Chartreuse was built, starting the Carthusians; Hugh died April 1, 1132 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/1/26 Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25

Tuesday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Guy of Pomposa, 1008-1046; born in Ravenna, Italy, and gave everything to the poor; he spent three years as a hermit on an island in the Po River; he became the abbot of St. Severus, and a much sought after spiritual advisor Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/31/26 Gospel: John 13:21-33, 36-28

Monday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. John Climacus, 525-606; called "Climacus" because of his famous book, "The Climax," or, "The Ladder of Perfection"; a Syrian or Palestinian who started his eremitical life at sixteen, living for many years as a hermit on Sinai, then went to Thale; he authored "The Ladder of Perfection" to provide a comprehensive treatise on the ideal of Christian perfection and the virtues and vices of the monastic life; elected abbot of the monks of Mt. Sinai at the age of seventy, and died on Mt. Sinai Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/30/26 Gospel: John 12:1-11

Palm Sunday Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/29/26 Gospel: Matthew 27:11-54

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Tutilo; Ninth and Tenth Century Benedictine monk and artist; a member of the Benedictines at St. Gall, Switzerland, he distinguished himself through his abilities as a painter, sculptor, musician, poet, metalworker, and orator; he taught at the abbey school and was noted for his particular adherence to obedience; he died in 915 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/28/26 Gospel: John 11:45-56

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. John of Egypt; lived in the Fourth Century, and was one of the most famous early desert hermits, a noted prophet of his era; he was born in Egypt, and became a hermit at the age of 20; his hermitage had a single window opening to the public, from which he preached to vast crowds each weekend; he died in 394 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/27/26 Gospel: John 10:31-42

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Basil the Younger; Tenth Century hermit with gifts of prophecy; living near Constantinople, he was imprisoned and tortured as a spy; miracles and prophecies won him his freedom, and he returned to his hermitage with a disciple, Gregory; there he denounced the immorality of the aristocracy, including Princess Anastasia, an activity that brought him persecution; he died in 952 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/26/26 Gospel: John 8:51-59

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/25/26 Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Aldemar; Eleventh Century abbot and miracle worker; born in Capua, Italy, and became a monk at Monte Cassino; Princess Aloara built a new convent, and Aldemar became the director of the religious in the established house; his abbot reassigned him to Monte Cassino, which angered the princess; there were even attempts on Aldemar's life; he fled, and established several more religious houses; he died in 1080 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/24/26 Gospel: John 8:21-30

Fifth Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/22/26 Gospel: John 11:1-45

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Enda; an Irishman, who became a monk and went on pilgrimage to Rome, where he was ordained; he returned to Ireland, built churches at Drogheda, and then secured from his brother-in-law King Oengus of Munster the island of Aran, where he built the monastery of Killeaney, from which ten other foundations on the island developed; with St. Finnian of Clonard, Enda is considered the founder of monasticism in Ireland Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/21/26 Gospel: John 7:40-53