Aug 21 – Memorial for St. Pius X, pope St. Pius X (1835-1914) encouraged frequent Holy Communion. He reformed the liturgy, promoted clear and simple homilies, and brought Gregorian chant back to services. He also reorganised the Roman curia, the administrative elements of the Church, and worked against the modern antagonism of the state against... Continue Reading →
20 August, Tuesday — If you are willing to listen, you will learn.
Aug 20 – Memorial for St. Bernard, abbot, doctor St. Bernard (1090-1153) founded and led a monastery which had over 700 monks and 160 daughter houses. He revised and reformed the Cistercians, and was advisor to, and admonisher of, King Louis the Fat and King Louis the Young, and spiritual advisor to Pope Eugenius III,... Continue Reading →
19 August, Monday — A Richer Exchange
Aug 19 – Memorial for St. John Eudes, priest, religious founder John Eudes (1601-1680) established seminaries, and founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary Eudists to promote virtuous secular parochial clergy not bound by vows, but dedicated to improving the clergy through seminaries and missions. He also founded the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity... Continue Reading →
18 August, Sunday — Wake up call
20th Sunday in Ordinary TimePro 9:1-6Eph 5:15-20Jn 6:51-58 …walk in the ways of perception. The readings today brought to mind an interesting time for me at the workplace a few years ago, with impending changes affecting my division and some new staff joining us. These welcome changes had been on the cards for a while... Continue Reading →
17 August, Saturday — The Immigrant
Saturday of Week 19 in Ordinary Time Eze 18:1-10,13,30-32Mt 19:13-15 …in future, I mean to judge each of you but what he does -- it is the Lord who speaks. Sometime in July 2022, the milestone passed where I’d lived more years abroad than I had spent in the city where I grew up. Going... Continue Reading →
16 August, Friday — Details
Aug 16 – Memorial for St. Stephen of Hungary When he succeeded his father as chief of a group of people, Stephen adopted a policy of Christianisation in Hungary for both political and religious reasons. He suppressed a series of revolts by pagan nobles and welded the Magyars into a strong national group. As king,... Continue Reading →
15 August, Thursday — The heart of Mary
Aug 15 – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mary is taken up body and soul into the glory of Heaven, and with God and in God she is Queen of Heaven and earth. And is she really so remote from us? The contrary is true. Precisely because she is with God... Continue Reading →
14 August, Wednesday — Our favourite pizza
Aug 14 – St. Maximillian Mary Kolbe, priest, martyr Maximillian Mary Kolbe (1894-1941) was known as a mischievous child, sometimes considered wild, and a trial to his parents. However, around the time of his first Communion, he received a vision of the Virgin Mary that changed his life. While still in seminary, he and six... Continue Reading →
13 August, Tuesday — Adding to the One Hundred
Aug 13 – Memorial for St. Pontian, pope, martyr, and St. Hippolytus, priest, martyr Pontian was among the first victims of an anti-Christian new emperor. Rounded up with the antipope Hippolytus, Pontian was deported to the labour mines. While imprisoned, Hippolytus reconciled his differences with Pontian and even ordered his followers to bring themselves back... Continue Reading →
12 August, Monday — Our True North
Aug 12 – Memorial for St. Jane Frances de Chantal St. Jane married Baron de Chantal. She restored order in the household, which was on the brink of ruin, and brought back prosperity. During her husband’s absence at the court, or with the army, when reproached for her extremely sober manner of dressing, her reply... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 