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The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. James of the Marches (1391-1476). St. James became a doctor of canon and civil law, and then decided to live austerely as a Franciscan friar. St. James studied theology with Saint John of Capistrano. He became a popular preacher, traveling all over Italy and through thirteen Central and Eastern European … Read more
Today in the United States is the Optional Memorial of Thanksgiving Day in the dioceses of the United States. In 1621 colonists in New England gave communal thanks and praise to God for his abundant mercies and blessings. This became a tradition and in 1863 Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed a legal holiday. It is celebrated … Read more
The Roman Martyrology includes in commemoration:
Today Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria (d. 305). From time immemorial St. Catherine had been venerated at the monastery on Mount Sinai when, in the fifteenth century, the monks discovered her body. Legend has made of her a young Christian of Alexandria who rejected the advances of the Emperor Maximinus … Read more
Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac (1735-1839), priest and martyr, and companions, martyrs. St. Andrew was one of 117 people who were martyred in Vietnam between 1820 and 1862. The last of the martyrs were 17 laypersons, one of them a 9-year-old, executed in 1862.
Gospel Excerpt, Cycle C, Mk 11:9, 10: The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save … Read more
The Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr (d. 3rd century). St. Cecilia is one of the most famous and most venerated of Roman martyrs. Her body was discovered in 822 and transferred to the title church that bears her name in Trastevere in Rome. It is difficult to determine the date … Read more
Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of the Presentation of Mary. The cycle of these three Marian feasts: the Birthday of Our Lady (September 8), the Holy Name of Mary (September 12) and her Presentation in the Temple (November 21), parallel with the first three feasts of our Lord in the liturgical cycle: the birth … Read more
The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Bernward of Hildesheim (960-1022), a Benedictine bishop, architect, painter, sculptor, and metalsmith. He was the Bishop of Hildesheim, Germany from 993 till 1020. Bernward encouraged the arts; commissioned religious paintings and sculpture, refurbished existing buildings, built new ones, and made altar vessels of gold and silver by hand, and dabbled … Read more
The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Mechtilde (1241-1298), who was born to a noble family in Heifta, Saxony, and was placed in a Benedictine convent at age seven. Mechtilde was a mystic, and aided St. Gertrude with her Book of Special Graces or The Revelation of St. Mechtilde.