24 Apr – Memorial for St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest & martyr St. Fidelis Sigmaringen (1577-1622) was a lawyer and teacher of philosophy. Disgusted by the greed, corruption, and lack of interest in justice by his fellow lawyers, Mark Rey abandoned the law, became a priest and a Franciscan friar with his brother George. He... Continue Reading →
13 April, Saturday — Heart of Recognition: Coming by a Different Way
13 Apr – Memorial for St. Martin I, pope & martyr St. Martin (d. 655) was chosen the 74th pope in 649 without imperial approval. He conducted the Lateran Council, which condemned the Patriach of Constantinople for Monothelitism, which claimed that Christ had no human will. This put him in opposition to the emperor, who... Continue Reading →
11 April, Thursday — Remember your purpose in life
11 Apr – St Stanislaus, Bishop, Martyr Stanislaus of Szczepanów (26 July 1030 – 11 April 1079) was Bishop of Kraków known chiefly for having been martyred by the Polish King Bolesław II the Generous. Stanislaus is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Stanislaus the Martyr. He was educated at a cathedral school in Gniezno (then the capital of Poland) and later, probably at... Continue Reading →
21 February, Wednesday — Learning from Jonah and the Ninevites
21 Feb – Memorial for St. Peter Damian, bishop and doctor St. Peter Damian (1007-1072) was the youngest child in a large family. When he was orphaned, he was sent to live with a brother where he was mistreated and forced to work as a swine-herd. He cared for another brother, a priest in Ravenna,... Continue Reading →
8 February, Thursday — We are all standing on the Titanic
8 Feb – Memorial for St. Jerome Emiliani; Memorial for St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin St. Jerome (1481–1537) was born wealthy, the son of Angelo and Eleanor Mauroceni Emiliani. His father died when Jerome was a teenager, and he ran away from home at age 15. After a dissolute youth, he became a soldier in Venice... Continue Reading →
6 February, Tuesday — The Heart of the Matter
6 Feb – Memorial for Sts. Paul Miki and Companions, martyrs (in Japan) St. Paul Miki (1562-1597) was one of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan. He was born into a rich family and educated by Jesuits in Azuchi and Takatsuki. He joined the Society of Jesus and preached the gospel for his fellow citizens. The... Continue Reading →
5 February, Monday — Home Renovation
5 Feb – Memorial for St. Agatha, virgin and martyr We have little reliable information about this martyr who has been honoured since ancient times, and whose name is included in the canon of the Mass. Young, beautiful and rich, Agatha (d.250) lived a life consecrated to God. When Decius announced the edicts against Christians,... Continue Reading →
3 February, Saturday — “The Mountains are calling…”
3 Feb – Memorial for St. Blaise, bishop and martyr; Memorial for St. Ansgar, bishop St. Blaise (d. 316) was a physician and Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia. He lived in a cave on Mount Argeus. He was a healer of men and animals. According to legend, sick animals would come to him on their own... Continue Reading →
31 January, Wednesday — What’s in a name?
31 Jan – Memorial for St. John Bosco, priest St. John Bosco (1815-1888) was the son of Venerable Margaret Bosco. His father died when he was just two years old, and as soon as he was old enough to do odd jobs, he did so for extra money for his family. Bosco would go to... Continue Reading →
27 January, Saturday — Trusting in Faith
27 Jan – Memorial for St. Angela Merici, virgin St. Angela Merici (1474-1540) became a Franciscan tertiary at the age of 15. She received a vision telling her that she would inspire devout women in their vocation. In Crete, during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, she was struck blind. Her friends wanted to return... Continue Reading →