Sep 27 – Memorial for St. Vincent de Paul, Priest St. Vincent (1581-1660) spent four years with the Franciscan friars getting an education. He was taken captive by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery, then freed when he converted one of his owners to Christianity. He started organisations to help the poor, nursed the sick,... Continue Reading →
26 September, Thursday — To ‘see’…or really see
Sep 26 – Memorial for Sts. Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs Sts. Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers, physicians who accepted no payment. Their charity brought many to Christ. Although they were tortured during the persecutions of Diocletian, the two suffered no injury. Patron Saint Index Ecc 1:2-11Lk 9:7-9 And he was anxious to see Jesus.... Continue Reading →
23 September, Monday — God lighting up my life
Sep 23 – Memorial for St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest St. Pio (1887-1968) was ordained when he was 22. He founded the House for the Relief of Suffering in 1956, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. In the 1920s he started a series of prayer groups that continue today with over 400,000... Continue Reading →
20 September, Friday — Simple In Virtue, Steadfast In Duty
Sept 20 -- Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taejon, Priest, and Paul Chong Hasang, and their Companions, Martyrs For centuries, Korea was closed to all outside influences, and all contact with foreigners was forbidden. No missionaries went there. Nevertheless, a number of laymen sought to find out all that they could about the outside world,... Continue Reading →
19 September, Thursday — A leap of faith
Sep 19 – Memorial for St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr St. Januarius (d. 305) was arrested on account of his profession of the Christian religion during persecution of Christians. He was cast into the fiery furnace, through which he passed wholly unharmed. On the following day, along with a number of fellow martyrs, he was... Continue Reading →
17 September, Tuesday — Jesus Touches Our Sorrow
Sep 17 – Memorial for St. Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor St. Robert (1542-1621) wrote the most complete work of his day to defend Catholicism against Protestant attack. He also wrote a children’s catechism and a catechism for teachers. As cardinal-priest, he gave most of his money to the poor. At one point he used... Continue Reading →
16 September, Monday — “Cos you are worth it!”
Sep 16 – Memorial for Sts. Cornelius, Pope and Martyr; and Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr St. Cornelius (d. 253) was elected after a year-and-a-half period, during which persecutions were so bad that papal ascension was a quick death sentence. He worked to maintain unity in a time of schism and apostasy. He called a synod... Continue Reading →
13 September, Friday – Turning a Blind Eye
Sep 13 – Memorial for St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor John’s (347-407) father died when he was young, and he was raised by a very pious mother. It was for his sermons that John earned the title ‘Chrysostom’ (golden-mouthed). They were always on point, they explained the scriptures with clarity, and they sometimes went... Continue Reading →
9 September, Monday — Assumptions
Sep 9 – Memorial for St. Peter Claver, Priest St Peter Claver was born in Catalonia and studied at the University of Barcelona. He became a Jesuit; and while he was studying philosophy in Mallorca, the door-keeper of the college, Alfonso Rodríguez, saw that his true vocation was to evangelize the New World, and encouraged... Continue Reading →
3 September, Tuesday — Recognising God’s Hand
Sep 3 – Memorial for St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor St. Gregory (540-590) collected the melodies and plain chants so associated with him, that they are now known as Gregorian Chants. He was elected by unanimous acclamation for pope. Incidentally, he was also the first monk to be pope. Before his papacy, he... Continue Reading →