13 Jan – Memorial for St. Hilary, bishop and doctor of the Church St. Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) was known as Athanasius of the West. He was born to wealthy polytheistic, pagan nobility. His early life was uneventful as he married, had children (one of whom was St. Abra), and studied on his own. Through his... Continue Reading →
7 January, Friday — Seeking reconciliation with God
7 Jan – Memorial for St. Raymond of Penyafort, priest St. Raymond (1175-1275) was of Aragonian nobility. He was educated at the cathedral school in Barcelona, and became a philosophy teacher at the age of 20. He was a priest. He graduated from law school in Bologna, Italy, and joined the Dominicans in 1218. He was... Continue Reading →
31 December, Friday – New Year Resolutions
Dec 31 – Memorial for St. Sylvester I, pope St. Sylvester (d. 335) was pope in the reign of Emperor Constantine I, who built the Lateran and other churches. He sent legates to the First Council of Nicaea, and was involved in the controversy over Arianism. The spurious Donation of Constantine was supposedly given to St.... Continue Reading →
29 December, Wednesday – The Spirit of Giving
Dec 29 – Memorial for St. Thomas Becket, bishop, martyr St. Thomas (1118-1170) was of Norman ancestry. He was educated at Merton Priory, Paris, Bologna, and Auxerre. He was a civil and canon lawyer, a soldier and officer. He was archdeacon of Canterbury, and was a Friend of King Henry II, as well as Chancellor of... Continue Reading →
23 December, Thursday – Jesus, I need you
Dec 23 – Memorial for St. John of Kanty, presbyter St. John of Kanty (1390-1473) was a Polish country lad. A brilliant student at the University of Krakow, Poland, he became a priest and professor of theology at the University of Krakow, where he was falsely accused and ousted by university rivals. At the age of... Continue Reading →
21 December, Tuesday — Let Our Lord Look at Us
Dec 21 – Memorial for St. Peter Canisius, priest, doctor of the Church St. Peter Canisius (1521–1597) was the son of Jacob Canisius, a wealthy burgomeister, and Ægidia van Houweningen, who died shortly after Peter’s birth. He was educated in Cologne, Germany, where he studied art, civil law, and theology. He received a master’s degree by... Continue Reading →
14 December, Tuesday — Yes, Lord!
Dec 14 – Memorial for St. John of the Cross, priest, religious, doctor of the Church St. John (1675–1726) was born in poverty. He cared for the poor in the hospital in Medina. He became a lay Carmelite brother in 1563 at age 21, though he lived stricter than their Rule. He studied at Salamanca. He... Continue Reading →
13 December, Monday — Blind Obedience
Dec 13 – Memorial for St. Lucy, virgin, martyr St. Lucy (c. 283) was a rich, young Christian of Greek ancestry. She was raised in a pious family, and vowed her life to Christ. Her Roman father died when she was young. Her mother, Eutychia, arranged a marriage for her. For three years, she managed to... Continue Reading →
11 December, Saturday — “It is finished” – Mission accomplished
Dec 11 – Memorial for St. Damasus I, pope St. Damasus (306-384) was raised in a pious family. His father was a priest in Rome, and Damasus served for a time as deacon in his father’s church, St. Laurence. He was ordained a priest and became assistant to Pope Liberius. He was elected the 37th pope... Continue Reading →
9 December, Thursday — Of Psychopaths, Narcissists and Machiavellians
Dec 9 – Memorial for St. Juan Diego, hermit, layman John (1474-1548) was born an impoverished free man in a strongly class-conscious society. He was a farm worker, a field labourer, and a mat maker. He became a married layman with no children. Even as a pagan, he was a mystical and religious man, and... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 