Jun 30 – First Martyrs of the See of Rome These holy men and women are also called the “Protomartyrs of Rome”. They were accused of burning Rome by Nero, who burned Rome to cover his own crimes. Some martyrs were burned as living torches at evening banquets, some crucified, and others were fed to... Continue Reading →
29 June, Wednesday – Courage in Life’s Uncertainty
June 29 – Solemnity of Saints. Peter and Paul, Apostles Peter (c.1–64) was a professional fisherman. He was the brother of St. Andrew the Apostle, the man who led him to Christ. Given the name Simon, he was renamed “Peter” (rock) by Jesus to indicate that Peter would be the rock-like foundation on which the... Continue Reading →
28 June, Tuesday — Staying Faithful
Jun 28 – St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr Irenaeus (c.130–202) was a disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna. He was ordained in 177. He was Bishop of Lugdunum, Gaul (modern Lyons, France). He worked and wrote against Gnosticism, basing his arguments on the works of St. John the Apostle, whose gospel is often cited by Gnostics.... Continue Reading →
27 June, Monday – Following Jesus
Jun 27 – Memorial for St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop and Doctor of the Church Cyril (376–444) was the nephew of Theophilus the Patriarch. He was a monk and a priest who became Bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in 412, and later the Patriarch of Alexandria. He suppressed the Novatians. He worked at the Council of... Continue Reading →
26 June, Sunday — Total Surrender
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Kgs 19:16,19 - 21Gal 5:2,13-18Lk 9:51-62 Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. I was meeting with a few friends last week and we were reflecting on how fast time flies. I noticed a sense of regret creeping into their conversations and the... Continue Reading →
25 June, Saturday — Heart of a Mother
June 25 -- Solemnity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary As early as 1643, St. John Eudes and his followers observed 8 February as the feast of the Heart of Mary.[4] In 1799 Pius VI, then in captivity in Florence, granted the Bishop of Palermo the feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary for some of the churches in his diocese.... Continue Reading →
24 June, Friday — Heart of a Shepherd
June 24 -- Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus The devotion to the Sacred Heart (also known as the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sacratissimum Cor Iesu in Latin) is one of the most widely practiced and well-known Roman Catholic devotions, taking Jesus Christ's physical heart as the representation of his divine love for humanity. This devotion is predominantly used in... Continue Reading →
23 June, Thursday — Table of Precedence
June 23 – Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist John the Baptist (d.30) was the cousin of Jesus Christ. His father, Zachary, was a priest of the order of Abia whose job in the Temple was to burn incense; and of Elizabeth, a descendant of Aaron. As Zachary was ministering in the... Continue Reading →
22 June, Wednesday — Fool me Once, Shame on You. Fool me Twice, Shame on Me.
Jun 22 – Memorial for St. Paulinus of Nola, bishop; Memorial for St. John Fisher, Bishop & St. Thomas More, martyrs Paulinus (c.354–431) was a friend of St. Augustine of Hippo, and St. Nicetas of Remesiana, and was mentioned for his holiness by at least six of his contemporary saints. He was a distinguished lawyer... Continue Reading →
21 June, Tuesday — Love
June 21 – Memorial for St. Aloysius Gonzaga, religious St. Aloysius (1568-1591) was an Italian noble who grew up in a castle as the son of a compulsive gambler. He suffered from kidney disease but considered it a blessing as it left him bed-ridden with time for prayer. While still a boy himself, he taught... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 