Today, July 25, is the feast of Saint James the Greater. He was one of the 12 Apostles, the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of Saint John the Apostle. He left everything when Christ called him to be a fisher of men. The Synoptic Gospels say that James and John were with their …
Today, July 23, is the memorial of Saint Bridget. Foundress of the Bridgettines (Order of the Most Holy Savior). Born in 1303, Bridget was the daughter of Birger Persson, a wealthy landowner and governor/provincial judge of Uppland, and of Ingeborg Bengtsdotter. Her family were descendants of the Swedish royal house. She was related to Saint …
Today, July 22, is the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene. She was a friend and follower of Jesus. Filled with sorrow over her sin, she anointed Christ, washed his feet with her hair. He exorcised seven demons from her. She was visited by the Risen Christ. There are also arguments about her life after the …
Today, July 21, is the memorial of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi. Doctor of the Church. Lawrence was known for using his intelligence and influence in propagating the kingdom of God. He was named Cesare when he was born in 1559 in Naples, Italy, but changed his name to Lawrence when he joined the Order of …
Today, July 20, is the Solemnity of Saint Elijah the Prophet. Father of the Carmelite Order. The origin of Carmel goes back 800 years before Christ, to a prophet named Elijah, who had a fiery zeal for the Lord. Elijah, meaning “My Lord is Yahweh,” had to face the issues of his day and was …
Today, July 19, is the memorial of Blessed Karol Herman Stepien. Karol Herman was born in 1910 in Lodz, Poland. His parents were farmers Jozef and Marianna Puch. Though from a poor family, he was able to study and attend the Franciscan seminary in Lviv (modern-day Ukraine). He was sent to Rome to study in …
Today, July 18, is the memorial of Blessed Tarsykia Matskiv. Born Ohla Matskiv in 1919 in Ukraine, she came from a religious working-class family. Even in her youth, she was already a model of virtue. Although her mother was against the idea, she relented in allowing Ohla to join the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate …
Today, July 16, is the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early …
Today, July 15, is the memorial of Saint Bonaventure. Doctor of the Church. Bonaventure was born in 1221. Little is known about his early years, except for the fact that his parents were Giovanni di Fidanza and Maria di Ritella. He was healed from a life-threatening childhood disease, thanks to the intercession of St. Francis …
Today, July 14, is the memorial of Saint Camillus de Lellis. Founder of the Camillians (Order of Clerks Regular, Ministers of the Infirm or M.I.) Camillus was the son of a military officer who had served both for Naples and France. His mother died when Camillus was very young. He spent his youth as a …