26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/1/23 Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32

Saturday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Jerome, 345-420; eminent scripture scholar; responsible for the translation of the Bible which came to be known as the Vulgate; a mystic, he traveled extensively in Palestine, marking each spot of Christ's life with devotion; he settled in Bethlehem, living in the cave believed to be the birthplace of Christ; Jerome died in Bethlehem Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/30/23 Gospel: Luke 9:43-45

Feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael Friday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/29/23 Gospel: John 1:47-51

Thursday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Wenceslaus, 907-929; raised as a Christian by his aunt, to become the ruler of Bohemia; his rule was marked by efforts toward unification within Bohemia, support of the Church, and peace-making negotiations with Germany; in a plot against him, his brother Boleslav invited him to the celebration of Saints Cosmas and Damian, and murdered him on the way to mass; he is revered as a martyr to the faith; patron of the Bohemian people and of the Czech Republic Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/28/23 Gospel: Luke 9:7-9

Wednesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, 1580-1660; founder of the Congregation of the Mission, aka the Vincentians; with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, he also helped to found the Daughters of Charity; patron of all charitable societies, including the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/27/23 Gospel: Luke 9:1-6 

Tuesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Saints Cosmas and Damian; brothers born in Arabia, known for their skill in the science of medicine; as Christians, they took no money for their services; under the persecution of Diocletian, they became targets; they were arrested, tortured, and martyred in about the year 283 A.D.; they are the patrons of pharmacists Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/26/23 Gospel: Luke 8:19-21

Monday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Albert of Jerusalem, 1149-1215; born in Parma, Italy, llikely of a noble family; as Patriarch of Jerusalem, the hermits on Mount Carmel asked him to establish a rule of life for them, constituting the beginning of the Carmelite order; Albert was assassinated on his way to the Lateran council Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/25/23 Gospel: Luke 8:16-18

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/24/23 Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16a

Saturday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, aka Padre Pio, 1887-1968; grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy; joined the Capuchins at age 15; ordained in 1910; in 1918, after mass, he received a vision of Jesus; after the vision, he had the stigmata on his hands, feet, and side; busloads of people came to see him, and he heard confessions for up to ten hours per day; many penitents said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives which they had not mentioned Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/23/23 Gospel: Luke 8:4-15

Friday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Phocas the Gardener; lived in the Third and Fourth Centuries in Sinope, earning his living cultivating a garden; he shared with the poor, and provided lodging to travelers; when his identity as a Christian became known to the pagan Roman authorities, soldiers were dispatched to arrest Phocas; they stopped at his home for lodging, unaware of who he was; Phocas revealed himself the next morning, and the soldiers--though reluctant to carry out their orders--ultimately beheaded him, around 303 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/22/23 Gospel: Luke 8:1-3

Feast of St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist Thursday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/21/23 Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13

Wednesday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and companions, martyrs; during the 19th Century persecutions of Christians in Korea, 103 gave their lives as martyrs, including some bishops and priests, and lay people--men and women, married and unmarried, children, young people, and the elderly Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/20/23 Gospel: Luke 7:31-35

Tuesday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Januarius; bishop of Benevento during the persecution of Diocletian; arrested while visiting clergy and laymen in prison, and executed; a vial of his blood is kept in Naples as a relic, and liquifies when exposed Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/19/23 Gospel: Luke 7:11-17

Monday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Joseph of Cupertino, 1603-1663; showed a fondness for prayer even as a child; joined the Capuchins, and then the Conventual Franciscans; ordained a priest in 1628; tended to levitate during prayer, and this often became a cross for him, as people would come to see him as a curiosity; he was investigated and exonerated by the Inquisition Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/18/23 Gospel: Luke 7:1-10

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/17/23 Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

Saturday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian; Third Century pope and bishop, respectively, who were friends; Cornelius had to deal with the controversy of readmission of those who had left the Church during persecution; he ordered that they be readmitted with the Sacrament of Penance Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/16/23 Gospel: Luke 6:43-49

Friday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows; Biblical references are found in Luke and John--Simeon’s prediction about a sword piercing Mary’s soul, and Jesus' words from the Cross to Mary and John Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/15/23 Gospel: John 19:25-27

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Thursday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/14/23 Gospel: John 3:13-17

Wednesday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, 344-407; bishop and doctor of the Church; born in Antioch; lived as an anchorite for two years, but poor health forced him to return to Antioch; ordained a priest, and elevated to the see of Constantinople; his enemies included Theophilus, patriarch of Alexandria, and the empress Eudoxia, who forced him into exile; his enemies banished him further, to Pythius, and he died on the way there Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/13/23 Gospel: Luke 6:20-26

Tuesday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary; a counterpart to the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus; the feast began in Spain in 1513, and was extended to the entire Church by Pope Innocent XI Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/12/23 Gospel: Luke 6:12-19

Monday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Paphnutius; Egyptian who became bishop of Upper Thebaid; tortured under Emperor Maximinus; returned to his flock when peace was restored; zealous in defending the Catholic faith against the Arian heresy; a major figure in the first General Council of the Church at Nicea in 325 A.D.; date of death unknown Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/11/23 Gospel: Luke 6:6-11

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/10/23 Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

Saturday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Peter Claver, 1581-1654; left his native Spain for the New World, and became a "slave to the slaves"; as soon as a slave ship entered the port, Peter Claver moved into its infested hold to minister to the ill-treated and exhausted passengers; in his 40 years of ministry, he is believed to have baptized 300,000 slaves Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/9/23 Gospel: Luke 6:1-5

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Friday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/8/23 Gospel: Matthew 1:18-23

Thursday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Cloud, 522-560; heir apparent to the kingdom of the Franks, but was usurped by his uncle; he fled to Provence for safety, and was under the direction of St. Severinus, a recluse near Paris; he instructed the people of the neighboring countryside and ended his days at about the age of 36 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/7/23 Gospel: Luke 5:1-11

Wednesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Eleutherius; Sixth Century abbot of St. Mark's near Spoleto, and favored by God with miracles; died in St. Andrew's monastery in Rome, 585 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/6/23 Gospel: Luke 4:38-44

Tuesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Teresa of Calcutta, 1910-1997; at age 18, she entered the Loreto Sisters of Dublin; in 1946, she felt called to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them; she returned to Calcutta, and for the next four decades, she worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor; in 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/5/23 Gospel: Luke 4:31-37

Monday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Rosalia; daughter of Sinibald, Lord of Roses and Quisquina, and a descendant of Charlemagne; took up her abode in a cave, and was in constant communion with God; she died alone in 1160; her body was discovered several centuries later, in 1625, during the pontificate of Pope Urban VIII Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/4/23 Gospel: Luke 4:16-30

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/3/23 Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27

Saturday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Ingrid of Sweden; born in the 13th Century, and lived under the spiritual direction of Peter of Dacia, a Dominican priest; she was the first Dominican nun in Sweden; in 1281, she founded the first Dominican cloister there, St. Martin's;  she died in 1282, surrounded by an aura of sanctity Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/2/23 Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

Friday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Giles, 650-710; Athenian of noble birth; left his home and sailed for France, first taking up his abode in a wilderness near the mouth of the Rhone river, afterward near the river Gard, and, finally, in the diocese of Nimes; he spent many years conversing only with God; he was esteemed by the French king; he admitted several disciples, founded a monastery, and established excellent discipline therein Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 9/1/23 Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13

Thursday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Aidan of Lindisfarne; Seventh Century bishop of Lindisfarne, who was known throughout the kingdom for his knowledge of the Bible, his learning, his eloquent preaching, his holiness, his distaste for pomp, his kindness to the poor, and the miracles attributed to him; died 651 A.D. at Bamburgh Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/31/23 Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51

Wednesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Jeanne Jugan, 1792-1879; after years of serving the sick and elderly, she and her companions formed an association, the Little Sisters of the Poor; by 1853 the association numbered 500 and had houses as far away as England Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/30/23 Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32

Tuesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist; John was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah; in the end, a king with a shallow sense of honor, a seductive dance, and a hateful queen brought about his martyrdom Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/29/23 Gospel: Mark 6:17-29

Monday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Augustine of Hippo, 354-430; sinner-turned-saint; having been so immersed in the creature comfort of his day, it's not surprising that he turned against the evil of his time so fiercely; he fulfilled the role of prophet; like Jeremiah, he was hard-pressed, but could not keep quiet Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/28/23 Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/27/23 Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

Saturday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Jeanne-Elisabeth Bichier des Ages, 1773-1838; foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Cross, a disciple of St. Andrew Fournet; of noble birth, but dedicated her life to serving others; her congregation was designed for teaching and hospital service Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/26/23 Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12

Friday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Louis of France, 1214-1270; was devoted to his people, founding hospitals, visiting the sick, and caring even for people with leprosy; every day he had 13 special guests from among the poor to dine with him; led a crusade to North Africa in 1270, where the army was decimated by disease, including King Louis, who died Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/25/23 Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40

Feast of St. Bartholomew, apostle; Jesus told him that he was a true Israelite, without "guile" or "duplicity"; mentioned only in the lists of apostles in the New Testament Thursday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/24/23 Gospel: John 1:45-51

Wednesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Rose of Lima, 1586-1617; first canonized saint of the New World; born to parents of Spanish descent in Lima, Peru; her parents refused to let her enter a convent, so she continued her life of penance and solitude at home as a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic; in the last few years of her life, she cared for homeless children, the elderly, and the sick; when she died, the city turned out for her funeral Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/23/23 Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16

Tuesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary; established by Pope Pius XII in 1954, but with roots in scripture; at the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever; at the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord”; Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/22/23 Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30

Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Pope St. Pius X, 1835-1914; born of a poor Italian family; one of the Twentieth Century's greatest popes; ended the supposed right of governments to interfere with papal elections; denounced the ill treatment of indigenous peoples on the plantations of Peru; foresaw World War I, which began just before his death; best remembered for his encouragement of the frequent reception of Holy Communion, especially by children Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/21/23 Gospel: Matthew 19:16-22

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/20/23 Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28

Friday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Helena; mother of Emperor Constantine the Great; Helena's husband divorced her, but Constantine remained faithful to his mother; when he became emperor, he returned her to the inner circle, and tasked her with locating relics of Christian tradition; she is credited with finding the True Cross; Helena died 330 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/18/23 Gospel: Matthew 19:3-12

Thursday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Clare of Montefalco, 1268-1308; born in Montefalco, Italy; joined a convent of Franciscan tertiaries where her sister Joan was the abbess; when Joan died, Clare succeeded her; Clare was devoted to the Passion of Christ and His cross; when she died, an image of the Cross was found imprinted on her heart, and her body remained incorrupt Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/17/23 Gospel: Matthew 18:21-19:1

Wednesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary, 975-1038; born a pagan, baptized at 10; when he became chief of the Magyars, he adopted a policy of Christianization for both political and religious reasons; he established a system of tithes to support churches and pastors and to relieve the poor; he abolished pagan customs, and was easily accessible to all, especially the poor; his son Emeric died in 1031; he and his son were canonized in 1083 Office of Reading and Morning Prayer for 8/16/23 Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven; declared a dogma by Pope Pius XII in 1950 Tuesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/15/23 Gospel: Luke 11:27-28

Monday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, 1894-1941; Franciscan priest from a portion of Poland which is now part of Ukraine; founded the Militia of the Immaculata, and the magazine, "Knight of the Immaculata"; arrested by Nazis in 1939, and then released; arrested again in 1941, and was sent to a starvation bunker; a prisoner had escaped, and ten men were to die as punishment; St. Maximilian offered to replace one of those, who had a wife and family; St. Maximilian died by lethal injection Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/14/23 Gospel: Matthew 17:22-27

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/13/23 Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33

Saturday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, 1572-1641; after being widowed, she fell into depression at her family home; at the age of 32, she met St. Francis de Sales, who became her spiritual director; with him, she helped to found an order which would exemplify the virtues of Mary at the Visition--hence, their name, the Visitation Nuns; Jane Frances underwent great spiritual trials, and died while on a visit to convents of the community Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/12/23 Gospel: Matthew 17:14-20