Today, December 20, is the memorial of Saint Dominic of Silos. Dominic was born in the year 1000 in Spain. He was a shepherd before becoming a Benedictine monk at the monastery of San Millán de Cogolla. There Dominic became novice master and then prior before being driven out with two of his fellow monks …
Today, December 17, is the memorial of Saint John de Matha. Founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinitarians). John came from nobility, born in 1160 in southeastern France. His parents Euphemius and Martha had him sent to Aix-en-Provence for his schooling. As a student, John gave away part of his allowance to …
By Fr. Ritche T. Salgado, O.Carm. The Order of Carmelites in the Philippines recently gathered together the brothers assigned in the different parishes managed by the Order together with lay representatives from these parishes. The colloquium was convened by Fr. Modesto Malandac, O.Carm., convenor of the pastors’ group. The prior of Agusan Carmelite Monastery, Fr. …
Carmelite pastors and parish workers gather for three days Read More »
Today, December 16, is the memorial of Blessed Mary of the Angels. Carmelite nun. She was born Marianna Fontanella in Turin, Italy in 1661 to nobility. She was a distant cousin of St. Aloysius Gonzaga. At around six years old, Marianna already knew she had a vocation to the religious life. One day, she planned …
Today, December 15, is the memorial of the Blessed Martyrs of Drina. Blessed Jula Ivanisevic, Berchmana Leidenix, Krizina Bojanc, Antonija Fabjan, and Bernadeta Banja were all members of the Daughters of Divine Charity. They served the poor in the Serbian village of Pale. Anti-Christian Serb soldiers burned their convent in late 1941. The sisters were …
Today, December 14, is the feast of Saint John of the Cross. Carmelite and Doctor of the Church. Born in Fontiveros, Spain in 1542, Juan de Yepes y Álvarez lived in poverty. In Medina del Campo, John was able to study and become an altar boy at a nearby Augustinian nunnery. There, he also cared …
Today, December 13, is the memorial of Saint Lucy. Patron saint of the blind & people with eye problems. Lucy was a rich, young Christian of Greek ancestry. She was raised in a pious family. She consecrated her virginity to Christ. Her Roman father died when she was young. Her mother, Eutychia, arranged a marriage …
Today, December 12, is the memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On December 9, 1531, Juan Diego, an Indian convert to the Catholic faith, was walking to a nearby village so that he could attend Mass. On his way, a woman appeared to him amidst the sound of heavenly music. The woman said to him: …
Today, December 10, is the memorial of Our Lady of Loreto. The title Our Lady of Loreto refers to the Holy House of Loreto, the house in which Mary was born, and where the Annunciation occurred, and to an ancient statue of Our Lady which is found there. Tradition says that a band of angels …
Today, December 9, is the memorial of Saint Juan Diego. Visionary of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He was born Juan Diego Cuāuhtlahtoātzin in 1474 to an impoverished free man in a strongly class-conscious society. He was a farm worker, field laborer, and mat maker. He was married to Maria Lucia and they had no children. …