Today, November 30, is the feast of Saint Andrew. Andrew was the first Apostle. He was a fisherman by trade and the brother of Simon Peter. He was also a follower of St. John the Baptist. Andrew went through life preaching and encouraging people to follow Jesus, both before and after the Crucifixion. His preaching …
Today, November 29, is the memorial of Blessed Denis of the Nativity and Blessed Redemptus of the Cross. Carmelite martyrs. They were Discalced Carmelite missionaries sent to Sumatra in Indonesia during the Christian persecutions. There, on November 29, 1638, the two friars were led to a desolate spot on the seashore, where Brother Redemptus was …
Today, November 28, is the memorial of Saint Catherine Labouré. Visionary of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Catherine, the ninth of 11 children, came from a well-to-do farming family in France. When she was about nine years old, her mother died. Since she was deemed the most level-headed of the brood, Catherine took responsibility …
Today, November 26, is the memorial of Blessed James Alberione. Founder of the Society of Saint Paul (SSP), the Daughters of Saint Paul (DSP), the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master (PDDM), and the Sisters of Jesus Good Shepherd (SJBP), among others. James was born in 1884 to a farming family in Cuneo, Italy. He …
Today, November 25, is the memorial of Blessed Luigi and Maria Quattrocchi. They are the first married couple to be beatified together. Luigi Vita Quattrocchi was an adopted son of his aunt and uncle while keeping in close contact with his biological parents. He eventually became a lawyer and held various important positions in banks …
Today, November 24, is the memorial of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac & Companion-Martyrs of Vietnam. Andrew was born Trần An Dũng in 1795 to pagan parents. He got his Christian name during baptism and learned Chinese and Latin. Before becoming a priest in 1823, he was a catechist. He was known as a tireless preacher and …
Today, November 23, is the memorial of Blessed Miguel Pro. Born to a privileged family in 1891 in Zacatecas, Mexico, Miguel grew up establishing friendships with the poor and working classes. Despite coming from a wealthy mining family, he was a humble, witty man. He became a Jesuit novice at age 20. He was exiled …
Today, November 22, is the feast of Saint Cecilia. Patron saint of musicians. Cecilia came from a well-known and wealthy Roman family. Her parents, who largely ignored her vow of perpetual virginity, arranged her marriage to nobleman Valerian. On her wedding night, Cecilia successfully convinced Valerian to respect her vow of virginity and converted him …
Fr. Toon Mol, O.Carm. ✞ November 22, 2015 On this day we remember Fr. Toon Mol, O.Carm. whose life was a gift to the church in the Philippines. Fr. Toon served the Carmelite community in Escalante City, Negros Occidental for around 40 years. Let us remember Fr. Toon in our prayers. A few words of …
Today, November 21, is the memorial of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary. Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne, who had been childless, received a heavenly message that they would have a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, they brought her, when still a child, to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate her …