Full Text of Readings Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 384 The Saint of the day is Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions’ Story Christian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire of wars against their own countries. When the governments of Britain, Germany, Russia, and France forced substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese in 1898, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong among many Chinese people. Gregory Gras...
Jul 08, 2025
Full Text of Readings Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 383 The Saint of the day is Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions’ Story Not much is known of the early life of Emmanuel Ruiz, but details of his heroic death in defense of the faith have come down to us. Born of humble parents in Santander, Spain, he became a Franciscan priest and served as a missionary in Damascus. This was at a time when anti-Christian riots shook Syria and tho...
Jul 07, 2025
Full Text of Readings Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 102 The Saint of the day is Saint Maria Goretti Saint Maria Goretti’s Story One of the largest crowds ever assembled for a canonization—250,000—symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria Goretti. She was the daughter of a poor Italian tenant farmer, had no chance to go to school, never learned to read or write. When Maria made her First Communion not long before her death, she was one of the larger...
Jul 06, 2025
Full Text of Readings Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 382 The Saint of the day is Saint Anthony Zaccaria Saint Anthony Zaccaria’s Story At the same time that Martin Luther was attacking abuses in the Church, a reformation within the Church was already being attempted. Among the early movers of the Counter-Reformation was Anthony Zaccaria. His mother became a widow at 18, and devoted herself to the spiritual education of her son. He received a medical doctorate at 22,...
Jul 05, 2025
Full Text of Readings Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 381 The Saint of the day is Saint Elizabeth of Portugal Saint Elizabeth of Portugal’s Story Elizabeth is usually depicted in royal garb with a dove or an olive branch. At her birth in 1271, her father Pedro III, future king of Aragon, was reconciled with his father James, the reigning monarch. This proved to be a portent of things to come. Under the healthful influences surrounding her early years, she quickly learn...
Jul 04, 2025
Full Text of Readings Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle Lectionary: 593 The Saint of the day is Saint Thomas Saint Thomas’ Story Poor Thomas! He made one remark and has been branded as “Doubting Thomas” ever since. But if he doubted, he also believed. He made what is certainly the most explicit statement of faith in the New Testament: “My Lord and My God!” and, in so expressing his faith, gave Christians a prayer that will be said till the end of time. He also occasioned a compliment from Jesus to ...
Jul 03, 2025
Full Text of Readings Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 379 The Saint of the day is Saint Oliver Plunkett Saint Oliver Plunkett’s Story The name of today’s saint is especially familiar to the Irish and the English—and with good reason. The English martyred Oliver Plunkett for defending the faith in his native Ireland during a period of severe persecution. Born in County Meath in 1629, Oliver studied for the priesthood in Rome and was ordained there in 1654. After some...
Jul 02, 2025
Full Text of Readings Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 378 The Saint of the day is Saint Junipero Serra Saint Junipero Serra’s Story In 1776, when the American Revolution was beginning in the east, another part of the future United States was being born in California. That year a gray-robed Franciscan founded Mission San Juan Capistrano, now famous for its annually returning swallows. San Juan was the seventh of nine missions established under the direction of this ind...
Jul 01, 2025
Full Text of Readings Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 377 The Saint of the day is First Martyrs of the Church of Rome First Martyrs of the Church of Rome’s Story There were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in 57-58 A.D. There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a resu...
Jun 30, 2025
Full Text of Readings Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles Lectionary: 590, 591 The Saint of the day is Saints Peter and Paul Saints Peter and Paul’s Story Peter (d. 64?) Saint Mark ends the first half of his Gospel with a triumphant climax. He has recorded doubt, misunderstanding, and the opposition of many to Jesus. Now Peter makes his great confession of faith: “You are the Messiah” (Mark 8:29b). It was one of the many glorious moments in Peter’s life, beginning with the day he was ca...
Jun 29, 2025
Full Text of Readings Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 376 The Saint of the day is Saint Irenaeus Saint Irenaeus’ Story The Church is fortunate that Irenaeus was involved in many of its controversies in the second century. He was a student, well trained no doubt, with great patience in investigating, tremendously protective of apostolic teaching, but prompted more by a desire to win over his opponents than to prove them in error. As bishop of Lyons he was especially conc...
Jun 28, 2025
Full Text of Readings Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Lectionary: 172 The Saint of the day is Saint Cyril of Alexandria Saint Cyril of Alexandria’s Story Saints are not born with halos around their heads. Cyril, recognized as a great teacher of the Church, began his career as archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt, with impulsive, often violent, actions. He pillaged and closed the churches of the Novatian heretics—who required those who denied the faith to be re-baptized—participated in the dep...
Jun 27, 2025
Full Text of Readings Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 374 The Saint of the day is Blessed Raymond Lull Blessed Raymond Lull’s Story Raymond worked all his life to promote the missions and died a missionary to North Africa. Raymond was born at Palma on the island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea. He earned a position in the king’s court there. One day a sermon inspired him to dedicate his life to working for the conversion of the Muslims in North Africa. He became a ...
Jun 26, 2025
Full Text of Readings Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 373 The Saint of the day is Blessed Jutta of Thuringia Blessed Jutta of Thuringia’s Story Today’s patroness of Prussia began her life amidst luxury and power but died the death of a simple servant of the poor. In truth, virtue and piety were always of prime importance to Jutta and her husband, both of noble rank. The two were set to make a pilgrimage together to the holy places in Jerusalem, but her husband died on ...
Jun 25, 2025
Full Text of Readings Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Lectionary: 586, 587 The Saint of the day is Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Saint John the Baptist’s Story Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John….” But John would have agreed completely with what Jesus added: “[Y]et the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28). John spent his time in the desert, an ascetic...
Jun 24, 2025
Full Text of Readings Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 371 The Saint of the day is Saint John Fisher Saint John Fisher’s Story John Fisher is usually associated with Erasmus, Thomas More, and other Renaissance humanists. His life therefore, did not have the external simplicity found in the lives of some saints. Rather, he was a man of learning, associated with the intellectuals and political leaders of his day. He was interested in the contemporary culture and eventually b...
Jun 23, 2025
Full Text of Readings The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Lectionary: 169 The Saint of the day is Saint Thomas More Saint Thomas More’s Story His belief that no lay ruler has jurisdiction over the Church of Christ cost Thomas More his life. Beheaded on Tower Hill, London, on July 6, 1535, More steadfastly refused to approve King Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage and establishment of the Church of England. Described as “a man for all seasons,” More was a literary scholar, em...
Jun 22, 2025
Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious Lectionary: 370 The Saint of the day is Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Saint Aloysius Gonzaga’s Story The Lord can make saints anywhere, even amid the brutality and license of Renaissance life. Florence was the “mother of piety” for Aloysius Gonzaga despite his exposure to a “society of fraud, dagger, poison, and lust.” As a son of a princely family, he grew up in royal courts and army camps. His father wanted Aloysius to be a military ...
Jun 21, 2025
Full Text of Readings Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 369 The Saint of the day is Saint Paulinus of Nola Saint Paulinus of Nola’s Story Anyone who is praised in the letters of six or seven saints undoubtedly must be of extraordinary character. Such a person was Paulinus of Nola, correspondent and friend of Saints Augustine, Jerome, Melania, Martin, Gregory and Ambrose. Born near Bordeaux, he was the son of the Roman prefect of Gaul, who had extensive property in both Gau...
Jun 20, 2025
Full Text of Readings Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 368 The Saint of the day is Saint Romuald Saint Romuald’s Story In the midst of a wasted youth, Romuald watched his father kill a relative in a duel over property. In horror he fled to a monastery near Ravenna. After three years, some of the monks found him to be uncomfortably holy and eased him out. Romuald spent the next 30 years going about Italy, founding monasteries and hermitages. He longed to give his life to...
Jun 19, 2025
Full Text of Readings Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 367 The Saint of the day is Venerable Matt Talbot Venerable Matt Talbot’s story Matt can be considered the patron of men and women struggling with alcoholism. He was born in Dublin, where his father worked on the docks and had a difficult time supporting his family. After a few years of schooling, Matt obtained work as a messenger for some liquor merchants; there he began to drink excessively. For 15 years—until he...
Jun 18, 2025
Full Text of Readings Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 366 The Saint of the day is Saint Joseph Cafasso Saint Joseph Cafasso’s story Even as a young man, Joseph loved to attend Mass and was known for his humility and fervor in prayer. After his ordination, he was assigned to a seminary in Turin. There he worked especially against the spirit of Jansenism—an excessive preoccupation with sin and damnation. He used the works of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Alphonsus Ligu...
Jun 17, 2025
Full Text of Readings The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Lectionary: 166 The Saint of the day is Saint Marguerite dYouville Saint Marguerite d’Youville’s Story We learn compassion from allowing our lives to be influenced by compassionate people, by seeing life from their perspectives, and reconsidering our own values. Born in Varennes, Canada, Marie Marguerite Dufrost de Lajemmerais had to interrupt her schooling at the age of 12 to help her widowed mother. Eight years later she married Fran...
Jun 15, 2025
Full Text of Readings Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 364 The Saint of the day is Saint Albert Chmielowski Saint Albert Chmielowski’s Story Born in Igolomia near Kraków as the eldest of four children in a wealthy family, he was christened Adam. During the 1864 revolt against Czar Alexander III, Adam’s wounds forced the amputation of his left leg. His great talent for painting led to studies in Warsaw, Munich, and Paris. Adam returned to Kraków and became a Secular Francis...
Jun 14, 2025
Full Text of Readings Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 362 The Saint of the day is Blessed Jolenta of Poland Blessed Jolenta of Poland’s Story Jolenta was the daughter of Bela IV, King of Hungary. Her sister, St. Kunigunde, was married to the Duke of Poland. Jolenta was sent to Poland where her sister was to supervise her education. Eventually married to Boleslaus, the Duke of Greater Poland, Jolenta was able to use her material means to assist the poor, the sick, widows, ...
Jun 12, 2025
Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle Lectionary: 580/361 The Saint of the day is Saint Barnabas Saint Barnabas’ Story Barnabas, a Jew of Cyprus, comes as close as anyone outside the Twelve to being a full-fledged apostle. He was closely associated with Saint Paul—he introduced Paul to Peter and the other apostles—and served as a kind of mediator between the former persecutor and the still suspicious Jewish Christians. When a Christian community developed at Antioch, Barnabas...
Jun 11, 2025
Full Text of Readings Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 360 The Saint of the day is Saint Joachima Saint Joachima’s Story Born into an aristocratic family in Barcelona, Spain, Joachima was 12 when she expressed a desire to become a Carmelite nun. But her life took an altogether different turn at 16 with her marriage to a young lawyer, Theodore de Mas. Both deeply devout, they became secular Franciscans. During their 17 years of married life they raised eight children. The no...
Jun 10, 2025
Full Text of Readings Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church Lectionary: 572A The Saint of the day is Saint Ephrem Saint Ephrem’s Story Poet, teacher, orator, and defender of the faith, Ephrem is the only Syriac Christian recognized as a doctor of the Church. He took upon himself the special task of opposing the many false doctrines rampant at his time, always remaining a true and forceful defender of the Catholic Church. Born in Nisibis, Mesopotamia, he was baptized as a youn...
Jun 09, 2025
Full Text of Readings Pentecost Sunday Lectionary: 62, 63 The Saint of the day is Saint William of York Saint William of York’s Story A disputed election as archbishop of York and a mysterious death. Those are the headlines from the tragic life of today’s saint. Born into a powerful family in 12th-century England, William seemed destined for great things. His uncle was next in line for the English throne—though a nasty dynastic struggle complicated things. William himself faced an internal Churc...
Jun 08, 2025
