FEAST OF THE DAY FRIDAY, 22 AUGUST, 2025 QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY With the certainty of faith we know that Jesus Christ is king in the full, literal, and absolute sense of the word; for He is true God and man. This does not, however, prevent Mary from sharing His royal prerogatives, though in a limited and analogous manner; for she was the Mother of Christ, and Christ is God; and she shared in the work of the divine Redeemer, in His struggles against enemies and in the triumph He won over them all. From this union with Christ the King she assuredly obtains so eminent a status that she stands high above all created things; and upon this same union with Christ is based that royal privilege enabling her to distribute the treasures of the kingdom of the divine Redeemer. And lastly, this same union with Christ is the fountain of the inexhaustible efficacy of her motherly intercession in the presence of the Son and of the Father. Without doubt, then, does our holy Virgin possess a dignity that far transcends all other creatures. In the eyes of her Son she takes precedence over everyone else. In order to help us understand the preeminence that the Mother of God enjoys over all creation, it would help to remember that from the first moment of her conception the holy Virgin was filled with such a plenitude of grace as to surpass the graces enhancing all the saints. Recall what our predecessor Pius IX, of blessed memory, wrote in his Bull Ineflabilis Deus: "More than all the angels and all the saints has God ineffable freely endowed Mary with the fullness of the heavenly gifts that abound in the divine treasury; and she, preserving herself ever immaculately clean from the slightest taint of sin, attained a fullness of innocence and holiness so great as to be unthinkable apart from God Himself, a fullness that no one other than God will ever possess." Spurred on by piety and faith, may we glory in being subject to the rule of the Virgin Mother of God; she bears the royal sceptre in her hand, while her heart is ever aflame with motherlove. PRAYER: O God, who made the Mother of your Son to be our Mother and our Queen, graciously grant that, sustained by her intercession, we may attain in the heavenly Kingdom the glory promised to your children. 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.
SAINT OF THE DAY SATURDAY, 23 AUGUST, 2025 SAINT ROSE OF LIMA VIRGIN (1586 - 1617) Isabel del Flores y del Olivia, known to history as St. Rose of Lima, was born in Lima, Peru, on 20th April 1586. Her father, Gaspar del Flores, was a well-to-do Spaniard and her mother, Maria del Olivia, was of Spanish descent with a mixture of Inca blood. The baby was one of ten siblings. She was baptized on the day of her birth, with her aunt, Isabel de Herrara, acting as her godmother. The baby was named after her aunt, Isabel. Because the child was so beautiful, she was nicknamed Rosa or Rose. While Rose was still a child, her father Gaspar, caught up in the Spanish quest for self enrichment through mining projects, lost the family's fortune in successively failed mining ventures in the Andes Mountains. Consequently, her wealthy family fell on hard times and Rose was raised in poverty. Since the age of five, she had to lend a helping hand to procure some of her family's income. She excelled in needlework or embroidery, working up to ten hours a day. The selling of her artifacts proved to be a good augmentation of her family's humble income. Rose grew into a beautiful young girl and some worthy suitors sought her hand in marriage. Her parents wanted her to marry, but the ever obedient and respectful Rose, in this singular case, resisted their wishes because she fervently desired to dedicate her life completely to the Lord, as her model, the Dominican St. Catherine of Siena, had done. Fearing her beauty to stand as an obstacle in her spiritual life and that of others, she rubbed lime all over her hands and pepper over her striking face in an effort to disfigure herself. After a ten year long struggle, her parents relented and allowed her to build a garden hut where, with the permission of her confessor, she became a practical recluse. She was determined to offer her life in reparation for sin and corruption in her society. Because of her resolve to do so, she inflicted various severe penances on herself, including the wearing of a spiked crown that she hid by covering it with roses, and limited her eating (strict vegetarian) and sleeping to a bare minimum. She occasionally visited hospitals to nurse the sick and the poor. Those who met her were deeply impressed by the love for God that radiated from her. Her corporal works of mercy were the seeds of social work in Peru. Rose also spent many hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and received daily Holy Communion, something that would be unheard of for centuries.Rose had two canonized saints who played an important role in her spiritual journey. The first one was St. Turibius de Mongrovejo, the archbishop of Lima. This saint, born in Spain, was the Bishop of Lima for some eight years when Rose was born. He burned with apostolic zeal. He promoted religious and social reform throughout Peru, devoting much of his time to defend and help the native Indian population. St. Turibius was the bishop who confirmed our saint, giving her the confirmation name of Rose. The second saint in the life of St. Rose was a fellow countryman and Dominican brother, St. Martin de Porres. Like his friend Rose, Martin had a profound devotion to the Holy Eucharist and the caring for the sick. Rose joined the Third Dominican Order when she was twenty and took a vow of virginity. The public vow ratified the private vow of virginity that she had taken as a girl. She was single-minded to grow spiritually beautiful only for the Lord. Rose spent the last few years of her very short life in the home of a Spanish government official, Don Gonzalo de Massa. During these years she would bring to her room homeless children, the elderly and the sick to look after them. Although living as a guest at the official's home, Rose did not hesitate to protest against some of the harsh practices of the Spanish overlords, alleging that the sufferings of the poor were caused by the conquerors' greed. During her last illness, she was frequently heard praying: "Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase your love in my heart." Rose died on 24th August 1617 at the tender age of thirty-one. The Spanish officials, whom she had criticized for the injustices they had imposed on the native Indian people, struggled among themselves to be privileged in carrying her coffin. Pope Clement X canonized Isabel del Flores y del Olivia under the name of St. Rose of Lima on 2nd April 1671. She is the first native saint of the New World. Her feast day falls on 23rd August. PATRON: Against vanity; Americas; Central America; embroiderers; florists; gardeners; India; Latin America; needle workers; New World; people ridiculed for their piety; Peru; Phillipines; diocese of Santa Rosa, California; South America; vanity; Villareal Samar, Phillipines; West Indies. PRAYER: O God, you set Saint Rose of Lima on fire with your love, so that, secluded from the world in the austerity of a life of penance, she might give herself to you alone; grant, we pray, that through her intercession, we may tread the paths of life on earth and drink at the stream of your delights in heaven. 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.
I know little about St Rose of Lima apart from her incredible penances which remind me of the old Irish Saints. This makes me feel very small because I am so useless at Penances. Also fasting. But I came across a story of an Orthodox saint. Someone asked this saint, it may have been Saint Arsenius about doing fasting and penances these days and modern people not being able to make the grade. St Arsenius said this was so and that modern people were pretty useless as a rule at doing such things. However he went to say that this does not matter, that since it was so difficult for folks to even keep the Faith these days that we more than made up for this lack. This cheers me up considerably. Please God may it be true.
SAINT OF THE DAY SUNDAY, 24 AUGUST, 2025 SAINT BARTHOLOMEW APOSTLE (1st Century) In St. John's Gospel, Bartholomew is known by the name Nathaniel (the liturgy does not always seem aware of this identity). He hailed from Cana in Galilee, was one of the first disciples called by the Lord. On that initial meeting Jesus uttered the glorious compliment: "Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile!" After the Resurrection he was favored by becoming one of the few apostles who witnessed the appearance of the risen Savior on the sea of Galilee (John 21:2). Following the Ascension he is said to have preached in Greater Armenia and to have been martyred there. While still alive, his skin was torn from his body. The Armenians honor him as the apostle of their nation. Concerning the fate of his relics, the Martyrology says: "His holy body was first taken to the island of Lipari (north of Sicily), then to Benevento, and finally to Rome on an island in the Tiber where it is honored by the faithful with pious devotion." The Church of Armenia has a national tradition that St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew visited the Armenians early in the first century and introduced Christianity among the worshippers of the god Ahura Mazda. The new faith spread throughout the land, and in 302 A.D., St. Gregory the Illuminator baptized the king of Armenia, Dertad the Great, along with many of his followers. Since Dertad was probably the first ruler to embrace Christianity for his nation, the Armenians proudly claim they were the first Christian State. PATRON: Bookbinders; butchers; cobblers; Forentine cheese merchants; Forentine salt merchants; leather workers; nervous diseases; neurological diseases; plasterers; shoemakers; tanners; trappers; twitching; whiteners; Gambatesa, Italy; Armenia. PRAYER: Strengthen in us, O Lord, the faith, by which the blessed Apostle Bartholomew clung wholeheartedly to your Son, and grant that through the help of his prayers your Church may become for all the nations the sacrament of salvation. 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.
One good thing about the Queenship of Mary is that we have had a whole lifetime to meditate on it in the Holy Rosary. For me at the moment it is a huge sign of hope and joy. Mary did all things perfectly. As Dante says, 'She is our poor tainted natures solitary hope' We may mess up but Mary never messed up; not even once. It is such a joy to know one of us did things right at least. Its so touching but Pere Lamy said that when the angels address Mary they call her, 'Queen', inclining their heads and she looks at them fondly.## So touching.
The thing that always strikes me about Saint Bartholemw is the terrible, terrible death he had. Skinned alive. I can't imagine.
How about a St. Rose of the U.S.A.? he Holy See Press Office on Thursday announced that Pope Francis has approved the heroic virtues of Mary Alphonsa Hawthorne, the convert daughter of American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, making her a “venerable” and putting her on track to become the next U.S. saint. A Vatican press release described Hawthorne, who went by Rose, as “the founder of the Dominican Sisters of St. Rose of Lima, born on May 20, 1851 in Lenox, MA and dead in New York city on July, 1926.” Rose Hawthorne was the second daughter of the famous author of “The Scarlet Letter.” She married writer George Parsons Lathrop in 1871. In 1876, the Lathrops had a son, Francis. After pursuing a literary career, she converted to Roman Catholicism along with her husband in 1891. According to a biography published by Catholic New York when her cause was sent to Rome, the journey that led Rose Hawthorne, born into a cultured Protestant New England literary family—through the devastating loss of her only child and a failed marriage—to the squalid, teeming streets of New York City’s Lower East Side at the end of the 19th century as a single Catholic woman caring for impoverished, terminal cancer patients, is essentially a faith journey. The publication highlights that the woman who would become Mother Alphonsa was born one year after the publication of her father’s novel “The Scarlet Letter,” and “had the rare opportunity at that time to travel to and live in Europe because of her father’s literary and diplomatic careers. She was first exposed to Catholicism in Europe.” “She met her husband, George Lathrop, in Germany and they were married in 1871,” the biography continues: George would soon become assistant editor of the Atlantic Monthly. They moved to New York in 1891 and there they converted to Catholicism, scandalizing Protestant America. Anti-Catholicism was still virulent in those days, even among cultured classes. Their only son died at age 5, and George turned to alcohol for solace. Meanwhile, Rose became more devout as the marriage disintegrated. With their separation, she embarked on a life of service to the poorest. In the fall of 1896, having completed a three-month nursing course, she rented a three-room, cold-water flat in the slums of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. There she began her vocation of nursing to the poor. When Mother Alphonsa died on July 9, 1926, she had worked among the poor cancer sufferers of New York’s worst slums for 30 years. Mother Mary Francis Lepore, O.P., current superior general the order Hawthorne founded, told Catholic New York that “the fact that she had all that suffering” means the venerable woman “can speak to so many people.” “She can speak to mothers who have lost children, people in troubled marriages,” Lapore continued: There is so much in mother’s life, so many people that her life could inspire and help. She’s a gift to us but it’s like a quiet hidden gift in a way. I think if we were to make that gift of her life known, her heroism, her courage and trust and love of God, I think it would be a great gift to all the Church as well. Convert Daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne Officially On Her Way to Sainthood - CatholicVote org
How incredible. Some people simply leave you gasping. God is indeed made wonderful in His saints. Another story that would make a really great film.
SAINT OF THE DAY MONDAY, 25 AUGUST, 2025 SAINT LOUIS IX OF FRANCE KING OF FRANCE (25 April 1214 - 25 August 1270) Reigning from 1226 to 1270, Louis IX showed how a saint would act on the throne of France. He was a lovable personality, a kind husband, a father of eleven children, and at the same time a strict ascetic. To an energetic and prudent rule Louis added love and zeal for the practice of piety and the reception of the holy sacraments. He was brave in battle, polished at feasts, and addicted to fasting and mortification. His politics were grounded upon strict justice, unshatterable fidelity, and untiring effort toward peace. Nevertheless, his was not a weakly rule but one that left its impress upon following generations. He was a great friend of religious Orders, a generous benefactor of the Church. The Breviary says of him: "He had already been king for twenty years when he fell victim to a severe illness. That afforded the occasion for making a vow to undertake a crusade for the liberation of the Holy Land. Immediately upon recovery he received the crusader's cross from the hand of the bishop of Paris, and, followed by an immense army, he crossed the sea in 1248. On the field of battle Louis routed the Saracens; yet when the plague had taken large numbers of his soldiery, he was attacked and taken captive (1250). The king was forced to make peace with the Saracens; upon the payment of a huge ransom, he and his army were again set at liberty." While on a second crusade he died of the plague, with these words from the psalm upon his lips: "I will enter Thy house; I will worship in Thy holy temple and sing praises to Thy Name!" (Ps. 5). It was his mother's supreme desire that her son should become a kind, pious and just ruler. She was wont to say to him: "Never forget that sin is the only great evil in the world. No mother could love her son more than I love you. But I would rather see you lying dead at my feet than know that you had offended God by one mortal sin." These words remained indelibly impressed upon his mind. St. Louis was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and so is included in the family of Franciscan saints. PATRON: Barbers; builders; button makers; construction workers; Crusaders; death of children; difficult marriages; distillers; embroiderers; French monarchs; grooms; haberdashers; hairdressers; hair stylists; kings; masons; needle workers; parenthood; parents of large families; prisoners; sculptors; sick people; soldiers; stone masons; stonecutters; tertiaries; Archdiocese of Saint Louis, Missouri. PRAYER: O God, who brought Saint Louis from the cares of earthly rule to the glory of a heavenly realm, grant, we pray, through his intercession, that, by fulfilling our duties on earth, we may seek out your eternal Kingdom. 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.
I’ve always liked these royal saints. You know, it must be a sign that you’re really holy if you can remain humble and pious even as a King.
FEASTS OF THE DAY TUESDAY, 26 AUGUST, 2025 OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA SAINT TERESA OF JESUS JORNET IBARS OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA Our Lady of Czestochowa, or the Black Madonna of Poland, is a very famous painting of the Blessed Virgin holding the Child Jesus. Under this title, Mary is the Patron and Protector of Poland. Since the face of Mary is very dark, she is referred to as the Black Madonna. This darkening of the image comes from centuries of being hidden and the many years of soot and smoke from candles illuminating the icon. The picture follows the traditional form of an icon. Mary gestures toward Jesus, directing the attention away from her and pointing to Jesus as the source of salvation. The child Jesus extends his right hand in blessing to the viewer of the painting and holds a book of the gospels in his left hand. As in many icons Jesus looks like a small man, reminding us that Jesus, while still a child, is fully mature in his Divine nature. The painting of the Madonna has a long history. Legend has it that it was painted by Saint Luke on a piece of a cedar tabletop built by Saint Joseph. Some even say it is part of the table used at the Last Supper. Saint Helen found this painting when she went to Jerusalem in search of the true cross. She gave the painting to her son, Constantine. When the city of Constantinople was invaded by the Saracens, the people prayed to Mary and the city was saved. This began the great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary attached to this painting. The history of the painting is more accurately documented in 1382, when Prince Ladislaus was owner of the painting. In that year, when the Tartars were invading the Prince's palace, an arrow hit the painting, lodging in the throat of Mary. Prince Ladislaus decided to take the icon to Opala, the town where he was born, in order to keep the picture safe. On the journey there, he stopped and spent the night at Czestochowa. The next day, as they began to continue the journey, the horses pulling the wagon with the painting of Our Lady refused to move. Prince Ladislaus took this as a sign that the painting was to remain in Czestochowa. The icon was placed in the care of the Order of the Hermits of Saint Paul at their monastery called the Mount of Light, or in Polish, Jasna Gora. The icon of the Black Madonna, Our Lady of Czestochowa, is there to this day. The icon was again in danger and damaged in 1430 when the Hussites invaded the monastery. Twice the painting was struck with a sword, and before it could be hit the third time, the looter fell to the ground and died. Despite trying to repair the painting, the sword cuts and the arrow wound are still visible in the painting today. In 1655 Swedes invaded Poland. The people prayed to Mary, and Poland was again saved from the invaders through the intercession of Mary. Our Lady of Czestochowa was thus crowned as the Queen of Poland, and this icon became the symbol of national unity. There is even a modern legend from the time Russia invaded Poland in 1920. The Russian army was ready to attack when an image of Mary was seen in the clouds. At this vision, the troops withdrew and Poland was again saved. The Church honors Mary, the Mother of God, in various ways. Mary can intercede for us, as is evidenced by the many healings and miracles that have been attributed to prayers to Our Lady of Czestochowa over the years. PRAYER: Holy Mother of Czestochowa, Thou art full of grace, goodness and mercy. I consecrate to Thee all my thoughts, words and actions – my soul and body. I beseech Thy blessings and especially prayers for my salvation. Today, I consecrate myself to Thee, Good Mother, totally – with body and soul amid joy and sufferings to obtain for myself and others Thy blessings on this earth and eternal life in Heaven. Amen. SAINT TERESA OF JESUS JORNET IBARS FOUNDRESS (9 January 1843 - 26 August 1897) Teresa Jornet Ibars was the born January 9th, 1843 in the Catalan region of Spain. She was the foundress of the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Aged, better known as the Little Sisters of the Poor. This is not to be confused with the Congregation also called this founded by St. Jeanne Jugan. From a young age, Teresa had a strong concern for the poor, often bringing them to the home of an aunt, where they were sure to receive assistance. Later she moved to Lerida, and lived with another aunt as she pursued her education. She became a teacher in Barcelona. During this time, she felt drawn to the monastic life and applied for admission to the Poor Clares, but she was not accepted. For this reason she devoted herself to her teaching and became a Carmelite tertiary to help in the development of her Spiritual life. She was encouraged by her Spiritual Director to undertake caring for the many elderly people of the area who were living alone and in poverty. She accepted this challenge. In 1872, she opened the first house in Barbastro. Her sister Maria helped her, and the following year the small group took the habit and became a religious Congregation. Since Teresa had previously been with the Carmelite Order, she took the name of their great foundress, Teresa of Jesus. She was elected the first superior of the new community. They were totally dedicated to the care of the aged. Mother Teresa of Jesus taught her Sisters to sacrifice their own personal comforts for that of the men and women that they cared for. In addition for her intense commitment, she was noted for her overwhelming peace, and that drew in many young women to join her. An outbreak of cholera hit Spain in 1897, and she joined the other members of the Congregation in their care of the victims of this plague. By the time it ended, 24 Sister, and seventy of their patients had died from the disease. She was physically overwhelmed and retired to the house in Liria. This is where she died, on August 26, 1897. At the time of her death, her Congregation had fifty houses. She was beatified in 1958 by Pope Pius XII, and canonized in 1974 by Pope Paul VI. PATRON: Senior citizens, retired people, the Poor and the Abandoned. PRAYER TO ST. TERESA OF JESUS JORNET IBARS: St. Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars, help us to show a want to serve the poor. Help us to open our eyes to those who live in poverty. Help us to stay determined as you did. Help us to fearlessly accept the tasks given to us. Amen.
SAINT OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY, 27 AUGUST, 2025 SAINT MONICA WIDOW (c.331 – 387) The circumstances of St. Monica's life could have made her a nagging wife, a bitter daughter-in-law and a despairing parent, yet she did not give way to any of these temptations. Although she was a Christian, her parents gave her in marriage to a pagan, Patricius, who lived in her hometown of Tagaste in North Africa. Patricius had some redeeming features, but he had a violent temper and was licentious. Monica also had to bear with a cantankerous mother-in-law who lived in her home. Patricius criticized his wife because of her charity and piety, but always respected her. Monica's prayers and example finally won her husband and mother-in-law to Christianity. Her husband died in 371, one year after his baptism. Monica had at least three children who survived infancy. The oldest, Augustine (August 28) , is the most famous. At the time of his father's death, Augustine was 17 and a rhetoric student in Carthage. Monica was distressed to learn that her son had accepted the Manichean heresy (all flesh is evil) and was living an immoral life. For a while, she refused to let him eat or sleep in her house. Then one night she had a vision that assured her Augustine would return to the faith. From that time on, she stayed close to her son, praying and fasting for him. In fact, she often stayed much closer than Augustine wanted. When he was 29, Augustine decided to go to Rome to teach rhetoric. Monica was determined to go along. One night he told his mother that he was going to the dock to say goodbye to a friend. Instead, he set sail for Rome. Monica was heartbroken when she learned of Augustine's trick, but she still followed him. She arrived in Rome only to find that he had left for Milan. Although travel was difficult, Monica pursued him to Milan. In Milan, Augustine came under the influence of the bishop, St. Ambrose, who also became Monica's spiritual director. She accepted his advice in everything and had the humility to give up some practices that had become second nature to her. Monica became a leader of the devout women in Milan as she had been in Tagaste. She continued her prayers for Augustine during his years of instruction. At Easter, 387, St. Ambrose baptized Augustine and several of his friends. Soon after, his party left for Africa. Although no one else was aware of it, Monica knew her life was near the end. She told Augustine, “Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.” She became ill shortly after and suffered severely for nine days before her death. Almost all we know about St. Monica is in the writings of St. Augustine, especially his Confessions. PATRON: Abuse victims; alcoholics; alcoholism; difficult marriages; disappointing children; homemakers; housewives; married women; mothers; victims of adultery; victims of unfaithfulness; victims of verbal abuse; widows; wives. PRAYER: O God, who console the sorrowful and who mercifully accepted the motherly tears of Saint Monica for the conversion of her son Augustine, grant us, through the intercession of them both, that we may bitterly regret our sins and find the grace of your pardon. 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.
I think Saint Monica was a saint before her time. She was one of the very,very few 'ordinary', lay saints who got canonised before Vatican 2. The only way she might have squeezed in was if you were a religious, a martyr of maybe a Queen. She prayed her whole life for the conversion of her son. Not only prayed but followed him about from country to country, She had truly amazing Faith, Trust and Hope. Of course we none of us ever met Monica but it is not hard to imagine her. All we have to do is recall some of the good Catholic wives and mothers from our own families and those we have met and we have a good image of Saint Monica. There is a wonderful Catholic couple I see together at Mass everyday. Both of them always smiling and happy. They are I would guess in their 50's. The last few days three of their daughters come with them. I suppose they are home on vacation from college, all in their late teens. It's such a joy for me to watch them. If I went back in a time machine to Milan all the centuries ago and sat at mass everyday I hope I would have seen St Monica there praying and offering up the Sacrifice for her son. How wonderful if God had granted me the grace to see her as she really was a struggle mother and saint. It is a wonderful grace of our Catholic Faith that we get to see and admire the holiness of others. Not only the canonised saints but the saints that live all around us. I love the story of Pope Pius xii. He was asked by a priest if he thought there were any saints in Rome at the present day? Pope Pius went to his appartment window , stared out for a while and then replied, 'On every street'. Pius would have known this , if ever a man was a friend of living saints it was him. He was a mystic himself and knew many, many mystics. Lord Jesus if I happen to meet a Saint Monica today or any day grant me the eyes to see her as she really is, the ears to listen to he wisdom and a heart that leads me to her feet.
That's the beauty of our catholic faith where a true faithful experiences real joy & strength even in hard times of their evolving worldly life with love towards enemies. Next day we remember her son Augustine who became a role model for the sinner converts & a great doctor of the church. Amazing mother-son duo sought for intercession after our Lord-blessed Mary duo relationship which brought salvation for the world. SAINT OF THE DAY THURSDAY, 28 AUGUST, 2025 SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO BISHOP, CONFESSOR, FATHER AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH (13 November 354 - 28 August 430) St. Augustine of Hippo is the patron of brewers because of his conversion from a former life of loose living, which included parties, entertainment, and worldly ambitions. His complete turnaround and conversion has been an inspiration to many who struggle with a particular vice or habit they long to break. This famous son of St. Monica was born in Africa and spent many years of his life in wicked living and in false beliefs. Though he was one of the most intelligent men who ever lived and though he had been brought up a Christian, his sins of impurity and his pride darkened his mind so much, that he could not see or understand the Divine Truth anymore. Through the prayers of his holy mother and the marvelous preaching of St. Ambrose, Augustine finally became convinced that Christianity was the one true religion. Yet he did not become a Christian then, because he thought he could never live a pure life. One day, however, he heard about two men who had suddenly been converted on reading the life of St. Antony, and he felt terrible ashamed of himself. "What are we doing?" he cried to his friend Alipius. "Unlearned people are taking Heaven by force, while we, with all our knowledge, are so cowardly that we keep rolling around in the mud of our sins!" Full of bitter sorrow, Augustine flung himself out into the garden and cried out to God, "How long more, O Lord? Why does not this hour put an end to my sins?" Just then he heard a child singing, "Take up and read!" Thinking that God intended him to hear those words, he picked up the book of the Letters of St. Paul, and read the first passage his gaze fell on. It was just what Augustine needed, for in it, St. Paul says to put away all impurity and to live in imitation of Jesus. That did it! From then on, Augustine began a new life. He was baptized, became a priest, a bishop, a famous Catholic writer, Founder of religious priests, and one of the greatest saints that ever lived. He became very devout and charitable, too. On the wall of his room he had the following sentence written in large letters: "Here we do not speak evil of anyone." St. Augustine overcame strong heresies, practiced great poverty and supported the poor, preached very often and prayed with great fervor right up until his death. "Too late have I loved You!" he once cried to God, but with his holy life he certainly made up for the sins he committed before his conversion. PATRON: Brewers; diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut; Cagayan de Oro, Philippines; diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan; printers; city of Saint Augustine, Florida; diocese of Saint Augustine, Florida; sore eyes; diocese of Superior, Wisconsin; theologians; diocese of Tucson, Arizona. PRAYER: Renew in your Church, we pray, O Lord, that spirit with which you endowed your Bishop Saint Augustine that, filled with the same spirit, we may thirst for you, the sole fount of true wisdom, and seek you, the author of heavenly love. 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.
I hear many Protestants love to read St Augustine which surprised me. St John Henry Newman I believe said that any Protestant who read the Church Fathers would be bound to become a Catholic. But Martin Luther himself was an Augustinian and would of course have loved St Augustine. Maybe that explains it. Augustine was in a way the most secular of saints. He is a wonderful doorway into the Church.
The church father's clearly expose Sola Scriptura which brings them to the only one true apostolic church.
SAINTS OF THE DAY FRIDAY, 29 AUGUST, 2025 MARTYRDOM OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST SAINT EUPHRASIA ELUVATHINGAL MARTYRDOM OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST In addition to the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24), the Church, since the fourth century, commemorates the martyrdom of Christ's precursor. According to the Roman Martyrology, this day marks "the second finding of his most venerable head." The body of the saint was buried in Samaria. In the year 362 pagans desecrated the grave and burned his remains. Only a small portion of his relics were able to be saved by monks and sent to St. Athanasius at Alexandria. The head of the saint is venerated at various places. That in the Church of St. Sylvester in Rome belongs to a martyr-priest John. Also in the Dominican church at Breslau the Baptist's head is honored. There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: "I am the truth"? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ. Through his birth, preaching and baptizing, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer. Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men. He was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ. To endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward. Since death was ever near at hand, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ's name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: "You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake." He tells us why it is Christ's gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us." PRAYER: O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist should go ahead of your Son both in his birth and in his death, grant that, as he died a Martyr for truth and justice, we, too, may fight hard for the confession of what you teach. 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. SAINT EUPHRASIA ELUVATHINGAL RELIGIOUS (CARMELITE NUN FROM KERALA , ALSO KNOWN AS THE "PRAYING MOTHER") (17 October 1877 - 29 August 1952) The daughter of Anthony and Kunjethy of Eluvathingal Cherpukaran, Rose Eluvathingal was born on 17 October 1877 in the village of Kattoor, in the Diocese of Trichur, India. Her mother's deep piety and great devotion to the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, had a strong influence on little Rose from her childhood. From the stories that her mother told her, especially about St Rose of Lima, she grew with a strong desire to practice the virtues, to suffer for Jesus and to be holy, and to do all this in a quiet, hidden manner. During her developing years Rose began to detach herself from earthly possessions and pleasure and took a great interest in spiritual matters. This was all the more rooted in her at the age of 9 by means of an apparition of the Blessed Mother, after which the young girl offered herself totally to the Lord. Notwithstanding the strong opposition of her father, who wanted Rose to marry into a rich family, she wanted to become a religious Sister. Her intense prayer life, which included the rosary, fasting and abstinence, as well as the rather sudden death of her younger sister, brought about a change of heart in her father, Anthony, who granted Rose permission to enter the convent. In fact, her father accompanied her personally to the convent of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel at Koonammavu, the first indigenous congregation of Syro-Malabars. But even with her desire to be a Religious, Rose was often afflicted with various illnesses which caused her intense suffering. Once, during a particularly painful attack, the Sisters were resolved to send her away for ever, but through an apparition of the Holy Family she received a miraculous healing that permitted her to continue following God's call.
MODEL OF PRAYER, ABANDONMENT On 10 May 1897 Rose became a postulant and took the name Sr Euphrasia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and on 10 January 1898 she received the holy habit of Carmel. She practised the virtues of humility, charity and renunciation and grew in holiness with the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For the periods of grave illness and the trials of the powers of darkness that she endured, she was rewarded by intense spiritual joys. On 24 May 1900 St Mary's Convent was founded in the current Archdiocese of Trichur, and on the same day Sr Euphrasia made her perpetual vows to God, a day of unspeakable joy, since now she belonged for ever to her Heavenly Spouse. From 1904 to 1913 Sr Euphrasia was entrusted with the duty of novice mistress and, sustained by the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, she formed the future members of her Congregation. In their Mother Mistress the novices saw the heroic virtues of humility, poverty, penance, obedience and abandonment to God's will. Although Sr Euphrasia wanted to live a hidden life, she was chosen as Superior of the Convent of St Mary at Ollur. Due to her profound humility she found it difficult to accept this new duty. But after an interior inspiration she acquired a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, placed it in the centre of the convent and entrusted the duty of Mother Superior to his Sacred Heart. She held the post from 1913 to 1916. For almost 48 years the convent of St Mary was home to Mother Euphrasia. Observing her life of prayer and holiness, the local people called her "Praying Mother", and her Sisters in community referred to her as the "Mobile Tabernacle", because the divine presence she kept within her radiated to all she encountered. From the first years of her Religious life, Mother Euphrasia had the blessing of the spiritual guidance of Bishop John Menacherry. He ordered her to reveal to him every aspect of her spiritual life, and he wisely kept all of her letters. When his successor, Mar George Alappatt, retired, he entrusted the letters to the Superior of the Congregation of the Carmelites of Trichur with the prophetic words: "You will need them". In fact, they are a precious treasure and an authentic mirror of the spiritual life of this holy, humble Religious. LOVING CHURCH AND NEIGHBOUR Mother Euphrasia spent much of her day in the convent chapel before the Blessed Sacrament and she also nourished a great love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary; as a result, she was naturally an apostle of the Eucharist and of the Rosary. She was totally dedicated to love and was continually consoled by the Crucified Lord. She was the first to humble herself and to accept suffering, misunderstandings and rejection for love of Christ. Her strength came from Jesus, who had become her betrothed in spiritual matrimony as her letters testify. From her profound union with the Lord Jesus came her capacity to give of herself to others, and so she fully incarnated the motto of her Congregation: "Remain united to me in contemplation and consecrated to me in action" (cf. Jn 15: 5). Thus, with a pure heart Mother Euphrasia gave her maternal love and tenderness to those who sought her help. She gave them the comforting words of Jesus' Gospel and interceded for them. For each little kindness bestowed upon her she would reply, "I will not forget it, not even after death". Mother Euphrasia had a profound sense of Church and she personally felt the sorrows and problems of the Church of her day. She offered her mortifications and penances for the conversion of schismatics and asked the novices and children to pray for them. She prayed ardently before the Blessed Sacrament for the Holy Father, for Bishops, priests and Religious. Mother Euphrasia offered her life in sacrifice for love of God. She abandoned herself to his will and finally joined him in the heavenly embrace with her holy death on 29 August 1952. After Mother Euphrasia's death many of those who had obtained her help during her lifetime now continued to beseech her help at her tomb. In 1990 her tomb was opened, and her mortal remains were moved to the convent chapel. Pope John Paul II approved the Decree of the heroic virtues of the Servant of God in 2002, proclaiming her Venerable. On Sunday, 3 December 2006, she became the fifth Blessed of Kerala, India, and the sixth of the Nation of India. She was canonised as a Saint by Pope Francis on 23 November 2014 in Vatican City. PRAYER: O God, loving father, we sincerely thank Your great benevolence, for the very gift of St. Euphrasia who attained sanctity through constant prayer and an ascetic life. Saint Euphrasia, dearly beloved daughter of Mother Mary, we entrust to you, each one of us, Mother Church and the whole world. Help us to offer our sufferings at the foot of the Cross, and to progress in life's journey trusting in divine providence. Teach us to seek the Kingdom of God and His justice. Guide us to grow in love of God and love of others through prayer and a life of mortification. In all the critical situations of life, especially in this particular need (mention your petition). St. Euphrasia, we plead your intercession. Amen.
