FEAST OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER, 2026 OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY This feast was instituted by Pope St. Pius V in thanksgiving for the great naval victory over the Turks at the battle of Lepanto on this day in the year 1570, a favor due to the recitation of the Rosary. This victory saved Europe from being overrun by the forces of Islam. Lepanto, perhaps the most complete victory ever gained over the Ottoman Empire, on October 7, 1571, is commemorated by the invocation "Help of Christians," inserted in the Litany of Loretto. At Belgrade the Turks were defeated on the Feast of Our Lady at Nives in 1716. A second victory gained that year on the Octave of the Assumption determined Pope Clement XI to command the Feast of the Rosary to be celebrated by the universal Church. Leo XIII added the invocation "Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us," to the Litany of Loretto. The Feast is in reality a great festival of thanksgiving for the signal and countless benefits bestowed on Christendom through the Rosary of our blessed Queen. In modern times successive popes have urged the faithful to pray the Rosary. It is a form of contemplative prayer, mental and vocal prayer, which brings down God's blessing on the Church. It is a biblically inspired prayer which is centered on meditation on the salvific mysteries of Christ in union with Mary, who was so closely associated with her Son in his redeeming activity. PRAYER: Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. THE 15 PROMISES GRANTED TO THOSE WHO RECITE THE HOLY ROSARY The Blessed Virgin Mary promised to Saint Dominic and to all who follow that "Whatever you ask in the Rosary will be granted." She left for all Christians Fifteen Promises to those who recite the Holy Rosary. Imparted to Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan 1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. 2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies. 4. The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means. 5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish. 6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. 7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church. 8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenititude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise. 9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. 10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven. 11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. 12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. 13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death. 14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ. 15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination. O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary: Pray for us.
The rosary is such a little, simple prayer , a child could learn to pray it very easily. Perhaps because it is such a little thing it caused very many people to despise it. After Vatican 2 for instance it was one of the very first thing many people dumped. Even today a Seminarian who likes to say the rosary an be a subject of deep suspicion. Fulton Sheen was asked one time about people who said that they were bored by or felt they did not get anything out of the Mass. He replied that what you get out of the Mass is what you take into it. I think the same could be said of the Rosary. What you get out is what you put in. Our Lady has spoken about saying it with intent, slowly and with meaning. It is the same with anything in life, what we put in is what we get out. It , for instance we are cooking , the more time and effort and though we put into the meal the better the meal will turn out. The same with the Rosary. It is not magic. They say Padre Pio never stopped saying the rosary, that it was as if the beads were part of his hands. He seems to have said them particularly for the souls in purgatory. https://aleteia.org/2019/10/25/5-thoughts-from-padre-pio-on-the-rosary/ 5 Thoughts from Padre Pio on the Rosary Be gone Satan Satan wants to destroy this prayer, but in this he will never succeed. The Rosary is the prayer of those who triumph over everything and everyone. It was Our Lady who taught us this prayer, just as it was Jesus who taught us the Our Father. Holding Mama’s hand In times of darkness, holding the Rosary is like holding your Blessed Mother’s hand. Pray the Rosary every day. Abandon yourself in the hands of Mary. She will take care of you. Right beside her The attention must be on the “Hail Mary” and to the greetings which you give to the Virgin and on the mysteries which you contemplate. She is present in all the mysteries and she participated in everything with love and pain. Always and often Love our Lady and make her loved; always recite the Rosary and recite it as often as possible. A prayer to Our Lady from Padre Pio: Have pity on me! May one compassionate look of yours revive me, purify me and lift me up to God; raising me from the filth of this world that I may go to Him Who created me, Who regenerated me in Holy Baptism, giving me back my white stole of innocence that original sin had so defiled. Dear Mother, make me love Him!
SAINT OF THE DAY THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER, 2026 SAINT HUGH / UGO Also called: Sant Ugo Canefri or Sant Ugo Canefro RELIGIOUS (1168-1233) Saint Hugh was born about 1168 at Alessandria (Italy), he became a knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. After lengthy campaigning in the Holy Land, he was elected Master of the Commandery of St. John di Prè in Genoa (Italy) and worked in the infirmary nearby. He was renowned for miraculous powers over the natural elements. He is believed to have died in 1233*. Saint Hugh is one of the most highly venerated saints of the Order, although neither his origins nor the date of his birth are known. He was the Commander at Genoa and administered his Hospital in the best of fashions. That did not keep him from being an edifying, religious "exercising religion toward God and his neighbours". It is well known how much sacrifice and devotion that phrase can contain. According to the portrait that Grandmaster Cardinal Fra Hugh de Loubenx Verdala gave the Order, an authentic portrait made while the saint was still alive, we know that the latter was thin, with an ascetic face, and small in stature. But he was quite comely and amiable toward all. His mortification was not onerous for others. He slept on a board, in a corner of the basement of the Hospital; he served the poor with love and tact, giving them food, money, spiritual comfort and brotherly love. He washed their feet. He took care of them, and when they died, he buried them. The eight-pointed cross was not only on his cloak; he wore it in his heart. So great was his zeal that he girded himself with an iron belt placed next to his body. He fasted the whole year round, eating nothing cooked in Lent. Each day he recited the office and heard Mass with such fervour that he often fell into ecstasy and was raised from the floor in the sight of all. His prayer was evidently continuous, and God rewarded him for it by a gift of working miracles. These miracles were outstanding and attested by the Archbishop of Genoa, Otto Fusco, as well as by four venerable canons who frequented the house of the saint and witnessed his marvellous deeds. On one of those sultry Italian days, when the sun crushes nature with burning heat, some women were in the common room of the infirmary washing the linen of the sick. The water supply failed, for the fountain of the monastery had dried up. They were dismayed, therefore, at having to fetch the water necessary for their task from a great distance. They complained among themselves discreetly - that is, with great outcries - so that the saint heard them and came to them to inquire about the cause of their complaints. Seeing him, they begged him to give them water, and, as he declined, they cried: "What? You wouldn't be able to get any from God?" "We must pray". "Oh! that's all we do. Hear us". "I am not the Lord; He said that faith makes miracles. Have you faith?" They insisted; he resisted.They wept, saying that they would die of exhaustion because of the work and the heat. He hardly believed that, but through charity, after having invoked the Master of Nature, the saint made the sign of the cross and the waters gushed from the rock of the fountain, to the astonished cries of the servants. On another occasion, the worthy Knight was saying his prayers one evening at the top of the tower of the Hospital which dominated the port of Genoa. A violent storm was raging and the venerable man noticed in the distance, through the curtain of rain and the tossing waves and clouds, a ship which was having difficulties in reaching the harbour. It was in imminent danger of perishing. Stirred to the bottom of his heart by the peril of the unfortunate sailors, Hugh fell to his knees amid the thunder and lightning and began to pray with tears streaming down his cheeks. Then, confidently, he arose and facing the ship which was about to sink he made a great sign of the cross. "Immediately a great calm occurred". The winds died down, the sea became slack, and the moon shone in the clear sky. When the galleon, thus saved, entered the port, it found the sailors who had gathered to come to its aid and who had not yet recovered from their surprise at the sudden subsiding of the storm. Some of them had seen the saving gesture of the saint. They all went in procession to the church of the Hospital to sing their thanksgiving to God and to his servant. In spite of his austerity, the Chevalier Hugh followed the laws of civility. He would sometimes invite friends to lunch. One day, Nicolas Pigliacaro, his guest, noticing with surprise that as there was nothing to drink on the table, got up to fetch water from the spring. Now, it happened that after grace and the sign of the cross made by the venerable host over the food, the water had changed into excellent wine. On four different occasions this miracle was repeated. Nicolas assures us of it. And did not Brother Hugh of Sabezana, accompanied by the wife of a doctor of the Hospital, discover the Commander praying in the garden, his head surrounded by an aureole of fluttering and warbling birds, in the light of the Lord! The woman took it upon herself to tell everyone about the event. Finally, there was in Genoa an unfortunate man possessed by the devil. The saint charitably went to visit him. On his approach, the possessed man went into convulsions and began to shout: "Hugh! do not torment me any more! I am ready to depart". And so it was. The mere sight of the venerable man had overcome Satan. Brother Hugh died venerated by all (October 8, 1233), and was buried in the church of St. John of Jerusalem in Genoa. But, ardent in the service of his brothers during his earthly life, he continued to help them in his eternity. The same Pigliacaro tells us that a woman who had fallen under the power of the devil was carried to the tomb of the venerable man, and that evening, she vomited a very black and very foul-smelling toad; after that event, she was calm and free of her ills forever. Later, there was a man whose leg tendons had contracted so much that he could not move. He had himself borne to the holy tomb, where he stayed for five days and five nights. His persevering prayer was finally heard. Cured, he devoted himself to the service of the Hospital for the remainder of his life as he had vowed to do. And it happened that, nailed to her bed by gout, Dame Orto had not left her room for six years. Shortly after the death of St. Hugh, because of his miracle-working fame, she wished to try his power. Supported and led by her friend, Donna Maria, and Canon William della Barma of the cathedral of Genoa, together with one of the latter's confrères, she came to lay her supplication before the Blessed Knight, who courteously granted her wish. Cured, she took the habit of the Order and served the poor of the Hospital during the rest of her life, as was done by the three witnesses of the miracle.We are not astonished, therefore, that after such wonders, of which Archbishop Fusco was himself the guarantor, the feast of the saint has been celebrated on the day of his entrance into heaven, and that in all the churches of Genoa. Formerly a great procession was held to carry the head of the venerable man through the city, the recipient of his favours, which returned to him in devotion all the good he had done for it. The office which honoured him was that of the Confessors not Pontiffs. We shall piously recite the beautiful liturgical prayer composed especially for St. Hugh: "Oh, Lord, Who hast granted to Thy servant Hugh to cause in Thy name, by the sign of the cross, to gush from a very hard stone a spring of living water, to drive away demons and cure the sick, grant us, we pray Thee, that, rendering our homage to him, we may feel its beneficent effects. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen". May his faith - capable of moving mountains - his charity, vigilant and tireless, as well as his other daily virtues, especially his gentleness and courtesy, be for us an invigorating example! And imitating him here below, may we share in his eternal glory a glory - of prayer in a cloud of singing birds! PRAYER: O God, who gave to St. Hugh power to heal the sick by the sign of the cross, give us the spirit of your own love, to serve you in our sick brothers and sisters. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Another saint I had never heard of before! It would make a really great film, the warrior who became a saint. There are not all that many warrior saints so it is lovely to discover another one. It should become as no surprise that a warrior would be very powerful against Satan. Listening to modern day exorcists something that really usually comes across is that they are kind of men's men, warriors. Lovely to see because in so many of today clergy we do not always get the impression we are dealing with real men. If we do not get this impression of them being real men then it would be hard to accept them as Spiritual Fathers. So sad.
SAINT OF THE DAY FRIDAY, 9 OCTOBER, 2026 SAINT LOUIS BERTRAND SPANISH DOMINICAN PRIEST (1 January 1526 - 9 October 1581) Believed to be a relative of St. Vincent Ferrer, Saint Louis Bertrand, on the very day of his birth, January 1, 1526, was baptized at the same font where St. Vincent received the sacrament a century and a half before him. St. Louis Bertrand was exceptionally pious as a child, reciting daily the Office of Our Lady and attending different churches in order to conceal from the knowledge of others his frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist. He was received into St. Dominic's order when he was nineteen years old and was ordained before he was twenty-two. He filled many offices in the Order, most notably that of master of novices. By the practice of outstanding virtue, self-denial and penance, he furnished for his novices a perfect model for their imitation. In the year 1562, St. Louis Bertrand was sent from his native Valencia, Spain, to South America, where he worked for seven years among the Indians in the northwestern part of the continent, among the tribe of the Caribs in the Caribbean Islands, and among the natives on the Isthmus of Panama. During these missionary years he was favored with the gift of tongues. While speaking to the natives in Castilian, he was understood by all and often spoke in languages with which he was naturally unfamiliar. His preaching was accompanied by many miracles and prophecies. He once raised a girl to life by the application of a Rosary and often attributed to the intercession of Our Lady the miraculous powers he manifested. After returning to his native land, St. Louis Bertrand again occupied administrative positions in the Order and won the esteem and friendship of St. Teresa of Avila. The Saint died a holy death after suffering a long and painful illness. Many prodigies accompanied his passing. During the process of beatification, witnesses testified that shortly after his death a heavenly perfume arose from his body, that a light which glowed for several minutes proceeded from his mouth and illuminated his whole cell, and that seraphic music was heard in the church before his funeral. The body of the Saint, which remained incorrupt for over three hundred fifty years, was maliciously destroyed during the Spanish revolution of 1936. PATRON: Caribbean Vicariates, Colombia, Dominican Novices. PRAYER: Almighty and merciful God, You filled the heart of St. Louis Bertrand, with a zeal of preaching through good deeds and words. Enkindle in us the virtues of humility and patience so we too may obediently do your will faithfully. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, the perfect example of obedience, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
It must have been so hard for these men and women to have been sent from Spain to South America knowing that they would never ever see their families or homeland again. In Ireland we call it the Green Martyrdom. They could only do this because they believed on what they were doing. They really believed that if the pagans did not receive the Faith they would go to hell. We no longer believe this, that the Faith matters. We believe everyone will get to heaven anyway. That there is no hell , or even sin. Hence we have little or no missionaries. Why bother?
SAINT OF THE DAY SATURDAY, 10 OCTOBER, 2026 SAINT FRANCIS BORGIA PRIEST AND SUPERIOR GENERAL OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS (28 October 1510 - 30 September 1572) Francis Borgia was born on October 28, 1510 in Gandia, Valencia, Spain. He was the son of the Duke of Gandia. The great grandson, paternally, of Pope Alexander VI, the notorious Borgia Pope. Maternally, he was the great grandson of King Ferdinand of Aragon. Francis Borgia belonged to one of the most prominent families of the kingdom of Aragon, a family that gave the Church two popes. Francis' grandmother joined her daughter in a convent of Poor Clares after the death of her husband. She held a pious influence in the court of the Borgia, to which Francis is indebted. It was with these two women (the mother and grandmother of Francis) that holiness penetrated into the scandalous lineage of the Borgia family. Francis grew to be a pious young man, possessed of many natural gifts. He was a favorite at the court of Charles V. It is recounted that one day Francis passed through Alcalá, followed by his escort, and exchanged an emotional glance with a poor man being escorted to prison by the Inquisition. This man was Ignatius of Loyola, and at this moment Francis could not have had any idea what an important role this man would play in his destiny. The following year, Francis married Eleanor de Castro, a Portuguese noblewoman, with whom he had eight children. On his father's death in 1543, he became the fourth Duke of Gandia. He was only thirty-three and lived a happy, peaceful life with his wife and children. But unlike so many other powerful nobles, Francis was a perfect Christian gentleman, a true man of God and his great joy was to receive Holy Communion often. This happy life ended when his beloved wife died in 1546. As viscount and duke at the palace of Emperor Charles V, Francis stood in high honor. The sudden death of the beautiful Empress Isabella (May 1, 1539) and the sight of her disfigured face as her body was taken to Granada made him resolve to leave the world and serve the King of kings alone. Francis did something that astonished all the nobles of Spain; he gave up his Dukedom to his son Charles. He sought admittance to the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). Finally, in 1550, after settling his children and the affairs of his estate, he entered the Jesuits in Rome. The news of the “Duke turned Jesuit” spread quickly. So many people came to his first Mass that they had to set up an altar outdoors. His Superior tested him by treating him in exactly the opposite way he had been used to all his forty-one years of life. He who had once been a Duke had to help the cook, carrying wood for the fire and sweeping the kitchen. When he served food to the priests and brothers, he had to kneel down in front of them all and beg them to forgive him for being so clumsy! Still he never once complained or grumbled. The only time he became angry was when anyone treated him with respect as if he was still a Duke. Once a doctor who had to take care of a painful wound that Francis had gotten, said to him: "I am afraid, my lord, that I have to hurt your grace." The saint answered that he would not hurt him more than he was right then by calling him "my lord" and "your grace." It was not too long before the humble priest accomplished wonderful works for God's glory as he preached everywhere and advised many important people.After doing wonders throughout his country he crossed into Portugal and surpassed himself there. In 1554 St. Ignatius made him commissary general of the Society of Jesus in Spain. He spread the Society of Jesus all over Spain and in Portugal. When he was made Superior General of the Jesuits, he sent missionaries all over the world and practically founded the Society in Spain establishing many houses and colleges.. Under his guidance, the Jesuits grew to be a very great help to the Church in many lands. He was crucial in dissolving the prejudices that his relative, Emperor Charles V, harbored against the Jesuits. He also assisted at the death of the dowager queen Juana, who had gone mad fifty years before, on the death of her husband. She died healed and at peace. He also met St. Teresa of Avila, the great reformer of the Carmelite Order, and was the first to recognize her greatness. Back in Rome, St. Charles Borromeo, and Cardinal Ghislieri, later Pope Pius V. regularly attended his sermons. At the death of Father Laynez, second general of the Jesuits, Francis was elected Father General of the Jesuit Order. Backed by St. Pius V who admired and trusted him, he was able to do great things for the Order in Rome and abroad. He built two churches, and at times using his personal influence to obtain acceptance of the Jesuits. He introduced so many reforms to the society of Jesus that he was considered in some ways to be its second founder. Francis was a man of contemplation and action in the fullest sense. He drew a lot of strength from the silence of his prayer. Through his brother, Thomas, he sent a blessing to his children and grandchildren, and as their names were spoken to him, he prayed for each. In spite of such success, Francis Borgia remained completely humble. Worn by the responsibilities of his post and a last trip throughout Europe in which he was publicly hailed as a saint, he returned to Rome on a littler. In 1571 Pius sent Borgia to Spain, Portugal, and France to strengthen the league against the Turks. He fell ill on the return journey and died shortly after reaching Rome on September 30, 1572. A selection of Borgia's letters was edited in Monumenta Historica Societatis Jesu, S. Franciscus Borgia, 5 vol. (1894–1911). His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. His images are found with St. Ignatius of Loyola in the centre, flanked by St. Francis Xavier on the left and St. Francis Borgia on the right. St. Francis Borgia is one of the greatest saints of the Catholic Reformation. He was beatified on November 23, 1624, by Pope Urban VIII. He was canonized on June 20, 1670, by Pope Clement X. His feast day is on October 10. PATRON: Against earthquakes; Portugal; Gandía; Rota, Marianas. MAJOR SHRINE: Relics translated to Jesuit church in Madrid, 1901. SYMBOL: Skull crowned with an emperor's diadem. PRAYER: O Lord Jesus Christ, Who art both the example and the reward of true humility: we beseech Thee that even as Thou didst make St. Francis of Borgia glorious by following Thee in despising earthly honors, so Thou wouldst suffer us also to become his companions alike in following Thee and in his glory. Who liveth and reigneth with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
A lot of people start their lives trying to become rich , famous and powerful. St Francis Borgia was born into it all, with a huge silver spoon in his mouth and threw it all away to follow Christ. A wonderful witness. It reminds me of the story of the rich man in the Gospels. Matthew 19:21-24 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
SAINT OF THE DAY SUNDAY, 11 OCTOBER, 2026 SAINT JOHN XXIII POPE (25 November 1881 - 3 June 1963) The man who would be Pope John XXIII was born in the small village of Sotto il Monte in Italy, on November 25, 1881. He was the fourth of fourteen children born to poor parents who made their living by sharecropping. Named Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, the baby would eventually become one of the most influential popes in recent history, changing the Church forever. Roncalli's career within the Church began in 1904 when he graduated from university with a doctorate in theology. He was ordained a priest thereafter and soon met Pope Pius X in Rome. By the following year, 1905, Roncalli was appointed to act as secretary for his bishop, Giacomo Radini-Tedeschi. He continued working as the bishop's secretary until the bishop died in August 1914. The bishop's last words to Roncalli were, "Pray for peace." Such words mattered in August 1914 as the world teetered on the brink of World War I. Italy was eventually drawn into the war and Roncalli was drafted into the Italian Army as a stretcher bearer and chaplain. Roncalli did his duty and was eventually discharged from the army in 1919. Free to serve the Church in new capacities he was appointed to be the Italian president of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, handpicked by Pope Benedict XV. Then in February 1925, Roncalli was summoned to the Vatican and given a new mission. This time he was sent to Bulgaria as the Apostolic Visitor to that country. Later, he was appointed apostolic delegate to Turkey and Greece and made archbishop of Mesembria. Beginning in 1935, racial tensions and anti-Jewish sentiment began to explode into actual acts of violence against the Jews and other ethnic minorities. Roncalli started using his influence to save what people he could from the depredation of both local authorities and later the Nazis. During his tenure as archbishop, Roncalli saved thousands of Jews, enough that he was named a "Righteous Gentile" following the war. In late 1944, the Church was anxious to remove clergy in France that had collaborated with the Nazis in various forms. Roncalli was appointed as the new papal Nuncio and sent to France to negotiate the retirement of bishops who were involved with the Nazis. In 1952, Roncalli was offered a new position, this time as Patriarch of Venice. At the same time he assumed his new title, Roncalli became the Cardinal-Priest of Santa Prisca. He assumed his new responsibilities on March 15, 1953. Roncalli's papal predecessor died on October 9, 1958 and he was soon summoned to Rome where he was to participate in the process of selecting a new pope. The College eventually settled on Roncalli for election and he accepted, saying "I will be called John," a surprising choice because of that name's association with schism.As Pope John XXIII, he immediately began to change the culture in the Vatican. On Christmas, 1958, he resumed the papal practice of making visits to the community within the official Diocese of Rome. He visited the sick, the poor, and prisoners. He apologized for episodes of anti-Semitism within the Church carried on by some of his predecessors. It was originally expected that Pope John XXIII would only serve a short time before passing away and that he would make no significant changes to Church practice. However, Pope John XXIII was a man of great mercy and kindness and much like Pope Francis of today, he did many things that created sensation in the streets and pews. Perhaps his most influential decision was the call for an ecumenical council which would be known as Vatican II. As a result of this council, many practices of the classic Church would be altered with a new emphasis on ecumenism and a new liturgy. Pope John XXIII addressed several topics of importance to Catholics around the world. He prohibited the use of contraceptives which interfere with the procreative will of God. He upheld the traditional view that married couples may not divorce. He also moved to protect the Church from scandal, ordering confidentiality when dealing with matters of clergy accused of the sexual abuse of children. How his request to the bishops of his time was interpreted remains subject to debate. By late 1962, Pope John XXIII has executed most of the work for which he would be known. He was, like his own sister before him, diagnosed with stomach cancer, which was a terminal diagnosis for that time. In his last months, he offered to negotiate peace between the Soviet Union and the United States, then at the height of the Cold War. The offer, although declined, was popular in both countries. In the wake of the news, John XXIII was the first pope to be honored as the Time Magazine Man of the Year. Pope John XXIII did the best he could although his health and doctors were failing. On June 3, 1963, Pope John XXIII died in his bed at age 81. The world mourned John XXIII and he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Johnson in December 1963. Pope John XXIII generally maintained a good reputation among those who remembered him and he was often titled "the Good." On September 3, 2000, Pope John Paul beatified him. Miracles were attributed to him and his body was found to be in an uncorrupted state, a phenomenon consistent with sainthood. His body was put on display for the veneration of the faithful. Pope John XXIII was canonized on April 27, 2014 along with Pope John Paul II in a historic ceremony which was presided by Pope Emeritus Benedict and Pope Francis. It was a historic ceremony with two living men with the title of pontiff presiding together. St. Pope John XXIII's feast day is October 11, as opposed to the day of his death, which is June 3. This special feast day is intended as a commemoration of the opening of the Second Vatican Council on October 11, 1962. PATRON: Of Papal delegates, Patriarchy of Venice, Second Vatican Council. PRAYER: Dear Pope John, your simplicity and meekness carried the scent of God and sparked in people's hearts the desire for goodness. You spoke often of the beauty of the family gathered around the table to share bread and faith: pray for us that once again true families would live in our homes. With outstretched hands you sowed hope, and you taught us to listen for God's footsteps as he prepares a new humanity: help us have a healthy optimism of defeating evil with good. You loved the world with its light and darkness, and you believed that peace is possible: help us be instruments of peace at home and in our communities. With paternal gentleness you gave all children a caress: you moved the world and reminded us that hands have been given to us not for striking, but for embracing and drying tears. Pray for us so that we do not limit ourselves to cursing the darkness but that we bring the light, bringing Jesus everywhere and always praying to Mary. Amen.
FEAST OF THE DAY MONDAY, 12 OCTOBER, 2026 OUR LADY OF THE PILLAR The church of Our Lady of the Pillar was the first shrine ever raised in Our Lady's honor. It is a well-founded tradition and forms part of Zaragoza's (Spanish City) history and patriotism that our Lady appeared to the Apostle Saint James, patron of Spain. This sacred image of our Lady of the Pillar, has escaped injury, the rituals of the Catholic Faith have been celebrated unceasingly in the chapel where Saint James first officiated, and its altars have never been defiled by pagan rites despite all the centuries of war, rampage, and desecration by the Romans, Goths, Moors, or Vandals. Even time, the great destroyer, has failed to leave its marks on the statue: Although nearly twenty centuries old, it shows not the slightest sign of deterioration. After having preached the Gospel of our Divine Lord and Master in Judea and Samaria, Saint James traveled to Spain to spread the Faith there. He disembarked at Carthagena and started to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His simple eloquence won the hearts of the rude Iberians, who came flocking in large numbers to receive the Sacrament of Baptism from his hands. In Andalusia, Castile, Galicia, and Portugal he met with the same success, and so when he finally entered Zaragoza his fame had traveled before him, and the light of Faith spread quickly throughout the city. On the night of the second of January, forty years after the birth of our Savior, Saint James was walking along the banks of the river Ebro with seven disciples whom he had won to the Faith in Zaragoza. The sky was aglow with myriads of stars, the toils of the day were over, both man and beast had gone to rest. Inspired by the calm beauty of the night and the contemplation of the glories of the Heavenly dome, in whose wonders they saw the Master's hand, they spoke reverently of the sublime mysteries of the Divinity. At the same hour the Blessed Virgin was in Jerusalem, praying to her Son for Saint James, who, she knew, would soon be called upon to give his life for the Faith. While she prayed, her Divine Son appeared to her and, as the Venerable Mary of Agreda relates in her Mystical City of God, He commissioned her to go to Zaragoza: “As thou already knowest, it is necessary for My glory, that the Apostles labor with My grace, and that at the end they must follow Me to the cross and to the death I have suffered for the whole human race. The first one who is to imitate Me therein is My faithful servant James, and I will that he suffer martyrdom in this city of Jerusalem. In order that he come hither, and for other purposes of My glory and thine, I desire thee to visit him in Spain, where he is preaching My name. I desire, My Mother, that thou go to Zaragoza where he now is, and command him to return to Jerusalem. But before he leaves that city, he is to build a temple in thy name and title, where thou shalt be venerated and invoked for the welfare of that country, for My glory and pleasure, and that of the most Blessed Trinity.” Later, according to the same Venerable Mary of Agreda, Our Lord added: “I give you My royal word that I shall look with special clemency and fill with blessings all those who, with devotion and humility, call upon Me through thy intercession in that temple. In thy hands have I deposited and consigned all My treasures; as My Mother, who holds My place and power, thou canst signalize that place by depositing therein the riches and promising in it thy favors; for all will be fulfilled according to thy will and pleasure.” Having spoken these words, He disappeared, and a band of angels, singing canticles of joy, filled the room. Raising Mary on their wings, they bore her through the air. Saint James, near the banks of the Ebro, knelt in prayer with upturned face while his companions, fatigued with the labors of the day, had closed their heavy eyelids and, like the Apostles before them, slept while their master prayed. A flash of light suddenly lit up the fields, sounds of Heavenly music filled the air, and the seven disciples, roused from their slumbers, gazed with wonder and fear at the apparition before them. Seated on a throne of light, borne aloft by angels, was Mary, whom they supposed was in Jerusalem.Angels knelt around her on transparent clouds while others, playing mystical harps, sang the sublime words with which, forty years before, the Archangel Gabriel had saluted her in her home in Nazareth, “Ave Maria Gratia plena, Dominus tecum.” Saint James, seeing this vision in ecstasy, saw the angels suspend the throne in front of him and place themselves before it. Mary, taking from the hands of the Seraphim a small column upon which stood a beautiful statue of herself with the Infant Jesus in her arms, showed it to Saint James, gave him her blessing, and said, “James, servant of the Most High, blessed be thou by Him, and may He fill thee with His Divine Grace.” PATRON: Patroness of Spain, Patroness of All Hispanic Peoples--by declaration of Pope John Paul II in 1984. PRAYER: Almighty and eternal God, who gave the Blessed Virgin Mary, the glorious Mother of your Son, as a pillar of strength to all who call upon her, grant that, by her intercession, we may be strong in faith, steadfast in hope, and constant in charity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
I was kind of hoping to get to Zaragosa to visit the shrine but it is about 7 hours away. I notice Spanish ladies are often named Pilar in her honour so this is a biggie. The city itself looks beautiful but very modern. Maybe by train sometime. Pilgrimage to these shrines seems very important to Our Lady.
FEAST OF THE DAY TUESDAY, 13 OCTOBER, 2026 109 YEARS OF THE MIRACLE OF FATIMA (LAST APPARITION OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA) During the night of 12-13 October it had rained throughout, soaking the ground and the pilgrims who make their way to Fátima from all directions by the thousands. By foot, by cart and even by car they came, entering the bowl of the Cova from the Fátima-Leiria road, which today still passes in front of the large square of the Basilica. From there they made their way down the gently slope to the place where a trestle had been erected over the little holm oak of the apparitions. Today on the site is the modern glass and steel Capelhina (little chapel), enclosing the first chapel built there and the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima where the holm oak had stood. As for the children, they made their way to the Cova amid the adulation and skepticism which had followed them since May. When they arrived they found critics who questioned their veracity and the punctuality of the Lady, who had promised to arrive at noon. It was well passed noon by the official time of the country. However, when the sun arrived at its zenith the Lady appeared as she had said she would. "What do you want of me?" I want a chapel built here in my honor. I want you to continue saying the Rosary every day. The war will end soon, and the soldiers will return to their homes. "Yes. Yes." "Will you tell me your name?" I am the Lady of the Rosary. "I have many petitions from many people. Will you grant them?" Some I shall grant, and others I must deny. People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend our Lord any more, for He is already too much offended! "And is that all you have to ask?" There is nothing more. As the Lady of the Rosary rises toward the east she turns the palms of her hands toward the dark sky. While the rain had stopped, dark clouds continued to obscure the sun, which suddenly bursts through them and is seen to be a soft spinning disk of silver. "Look at the sun!" From this point two distinct apparitions were seen, that of the phenomenon of the sun seen by the 70,000 or so spectators and that beheld by the children alone. Lucia describes the latter in her memoirs. After our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of the firmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus seemed to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Cross with their hands. When, a little later, this apparition disappeared, I saw Our Lord and Our lady; it seemed to me to that it was Our Lady of Sorrows (Dolors). Our Lord appeared to bless the world in the same manner as St. Joseph had done. This apparition also vanished, and I saw Our Lady once more, this time resembling Our Lady of Carmel. [Only Lucia would see the latter, presaging her entrance into Carmel some years later.] This would be the last of the apparitions of Fátima for Jacinta and Francisco. However, for Lucia Our Lady would return a seventh time, in 1920, as she had promised the previous May. At that time Lucia would be praying in the Cova before leaving Fátima for a girls boarding school. The Lady would come to urge her to dedicate herself wholly to God. As the children viewed the various apparitions of Jesus, Mary and Joseph the crowd witnessed a different prodigy, the now famous miracle of the sun. Among the witnesses there were the following: We looked easily at the sun, which for some reason did not blind us. It seemed to flicker on and off, first one way, then another. It cast its rays in many directions and painted everything in different colors--- the trees, the people, the air and the ground. But what was most extraordinary, I thought, was that the sun did not hurt our eyes. Everything was still and quiet, and everyone was looking up. Then at a certain moment, the sun appeared to stop spinning. It then began to move and to dance in the sky until it seemed to detach itself from its place and fall upon us. It was a terrible moment. -Ti Marto (father of Jacinta and Francisco) The sun appeared with its circumference well defined. It came down as if to the height of the clouds and began to whirl giddily upon itself like a captive ball of fire. With some interruptions, this lasted about eight minutes. The atmosphere darkened and the features of each became yellow. Everyone knelt even in the mud.... -Fr. Manuel Pereira da Silva (in a letter to a friend) PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF FATIMA: O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of the most holy Rosary, you were pleased to appear to the children of Fatima and reveal a glorious message. We implore you, inspire in our hearts a fervent love for the recitation of the Rosary. By meditating on the mysteries of the redemption that are recalled therein may we obtain the graces and virtues that we ask, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. Amen.
The miracle of the sun reminds me of an incident in the life of Jesus when he told the story of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had been sent to hell and begged Jesus to let him leave hell to warn his brothers so that they would not wind up in hell too. But Jesus refused saying they had had evidence enough with the Prophets and coming back from hell would not change anything. The same with the miracle of the sun. People who did not believe ,despite the overwhelming evidence very often kept right on not believing. This reminds me of the saying, 'For those who believe no explanation is necessary but for those who do not believe no explanation is possible'. People mostly believe what suits them. I suspect the Miracle of the Sun may have been especially for those in the Vatican, especially the Popes. A kind of huge nudge.
SAINT OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY, 14 OCTOBER, 2026 SAINT CALLISTUS I POPE AND MARTYR Died: 222 AD Early in the third century, it was to Callistus, then a deacon, that Pope Saint Zephyrinus confided the government of the clergy, as well as the creation and maintenance of the Christian cemeteries, which at that time were the catacombs of Rome. At the death of the Sovereign Pontiff, Callistus succeeded him as Head of the Church. It is he who made obligatory for the entire Church, the fast of the Ember Days which the Apostles had instituted, to bring down blessings on each season of the year. During his time, the Christians began to build churches, which though destroyed during the various persecutions, were eventually rebuilt. Among the catacombs owed to his government, is the one on the Appian Way which bears his name. Many precious memories are conserved there; in it are found the tomb of Saint Cecilia, the crypts of several popes, and paintings which attest the perfect conformity of the primitive Faith with that of the present-day Church. During the pontificate of Saint Callistus, several very striking conversions occurred among the very officers of the persecuting emperor Alexander Severus. At one time an officer, his family and household, forty-two persons in all, were baptized by the Pope on the same day. Many others asked him for Baptism; among them a Senator and sixty-eight persons of his household, and a guardian of the saintly Pope, whose name was Privatus, after the prayers of the Holy Father had cured him of an ulcer. All these new Christians were martyred, and their heads were exposed at the various gates of Rome to discourage any who would propagate the Faith of Christ in that city. Despite the continuing pursuits and his constant solicitude for all the churches, Saint Callistus found the means to have a diligent search made by fishermen for the body of a priest of his clergy, which had been cast into the Tiber after his martyrdom. When it was found he was filled with joy, and buried it with hymns of praise. During the persecution Saint Callistus was obliged to take shelter in the poor and populous quarters of the city. The martyred priest, Calipodius, appeared to him soon afterwards, saying: Father, take courage; the hour of the reward is approaching; your crown will be proportionate to your sufferings. Soon afterwards he was discovered there, and the house was guarded by soldiers who received the order to allow no food to enter it for several days. And Saint Callistus was martyred in his turn. With a rock suspended from his neck, he was thrown from a window into a well on October 14, 223. The priest Asterius recovered and buried his body in the catacomb named for Calipodius. A week later Asterius too was arrested and thrown into the Tiber. The Christians interred this martyr also. PATRON: Cemetery workers. PRAYER: O God, who raised up Pope Saint Callistus the First to serve the Church and attend devoutly to Christ's faithful departed, strengthen us, we pray, by his witness to the faith, so that, rescued from the slavery of corruption, we may merit an incorruptible inheritance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Ember Days were one of the many things we lost with the Spirit of Vatican 2. We lost so many things without even noticing. I only rediscovered them after because I was attending a Trad Church and they kept up the old ways. https://catholicgentleman.com/2022/12/ember-days-101/ What are the Ember Days? The Ember Days are special days for prayer and fasting during the liturgical year. They correspond to the four seasons, and they focus our attention especially on the blessings of nature. On the Ember Days, we give thanks for blessings we’ve received, but also remind ourselves of our need for penance and grace. The roots of the Ember Days go back to the Old Testament. The Book of Zechariah describes an ancient Jewish practice of fasting four times a year (8:19). Christians adapted this tradition into what was referred to in Latin as “Quatuor Tempora,” or “four times.” Somewhere through the centuries the Latin “tempora” became “ember” in colloquial speech, and thus the name “Ember Days.” When are they? There are four “sets” of Ember Days during the year. Each “set” is a successive Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. They occur every year near the beginning of the four seasons. Spring: after Ash Wednesday. Summer: after Pentecost Sunday. Fall: after Sept. 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Winter: after Dec. 13, the Feast of St. Lucy. A traditional way of remembering these dates is the rhyme “Lenty, Penty, Crucy, Lucy” (or the more prosaic “Lucy, Ashes, Dove and Cross”). In the 1969 revision of the liturgical calendar, the Ember Days are no longer formally observed. But many Catholics still observe them in their homes and parishes. It’s a fruitful practice and a great way to stay in tune with the liturgical year. How do we celebrate the Ember Days? Thanksgiving On the Ember Days, we give thanks for the fruit of the Earth. Even though we don’t live in an agrarian society, it’s good for us to give thanks for the food we have such easy access to. We may not grow it ourselves, but we’re fed because of the work of others’ hands. Fasting and abstinence Fasting on the Ember Days reminds us to honor nature’s gifts by using them in moderation. (As G.K. Chesterton quipped, “We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them.”) At one time, fasting and abstinence on the Ember Days were obligatory. Now, according to the Code of Canon Law, fasting and abstinence on the Ember Days is commended but not required. Nevertheless, there was still directives to follow; Wednesday – Partial Abstinence; Meat at One Meal Friday – Total Abstinence; No Meat Saturday – Partial Abstinence; Meat at One Meal Praying for priests In the past, priests were ordained on the Ember Days. The laity would pray for the priests getting ordained on that day, and ask that God would send them good priests. The Ember Days still provide a great opportunity for us to pray for priests. In this day and age when priests are stretched thin yet called to heroically witness to the Gospel, they truly do need our prayers. Almsgiving The Church has always tied together giving thanks and giving alms, and the Ember Days are no exception. They’re excellent opportunities to support the needy. Prayers for the Ember Days Antiphon: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all He hath done for thee. V. Lord, Thou hast been our refuge. R. From generation to generation. Let us Pray: Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that as year by year we devoutly keep these holy observances, we may be pleasing to Thee both in body and soul. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. For God’s Blessings on Our Labors O Lord, graciously look down upon Thy servants and upon the work of their hands, and do Thou, Who givest food to every creature, bless and preserve the fruits of the earth, that the needy may be filled with good things and that all may praise the glory of Thy bounty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. For Vocations to the Priesthood Antiphon: Why stand ye all the day idle, go ye into my vineyard. V. Ask the Lord of the harvest. R. That He send laborers into His vineyard. Let us Pray God, who willest not the death of the sinner, but rather that he be converted and live; grant, by the intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin and of all saints, laborers for Thy Church, fellow laborers with Christ, to spend and consume themselves for souls. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen. In Honor of Christ’s Betrayal and Passion O God, Who for the world’s Redemption was pleased to be born, circumcised, rejected by the Jews, betrayed by the kiss of traitor Judas, bound with chains, led like an innocent lamb to sacrifice, and shamefully presented before Annas, Caiphas, Pilate, and Herod, accused by false witnesses, beaten with whips, buffeted, insulted, spat upon, crowned with thorns, smitten with a reed, blindfolded, stripped of Thy garments, fastened with nails to the cross and lifted up on high, reputed among thieves, made to drink gall and vinegar and wounded by a lance; oh, by these most sacred sufferings, which, unworthy as I am, I thus commemorate, and by Thy holy cross and death, deliver me, Lord, from the pains of hell, and deign to lead me where Thou didst lead the penitent thief, who was crucified by Thy side. Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, forever and ever. Amen. 5x Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father Source: “Blessed Be God: A Complete Catholic Prayer Book.” Charles J. Callan, OP, S.T.M, P. J. Kenedy & Sons, 1961
