Today, July 1, is the memorial of Saint Nicasius. Nicasius’ parents were Roberto de Burgio and Aldegonda. On his father’s side, he descended from the Saracens. On his mother’s, the Normans. He was born around the year 1135. He and his brother Ferrandino joined the Hospitaller Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. …
Today, June 30, is the memorial of the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church. This memorial is in honor of the nameless followers of Christ brutally killed by the crazy emperor Nero in 64 AD. A huge fire destroyed Rome and many people blamed Nero. Nero redirected this blame towards the Christians and made …
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Today, June 29, is the solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. (Matthew 6:19)
Today, June 28, is the memorial of Saint Irenaeus. Doctor of the Church. Irenaeus was born around 130 AD to Christian parents. In life he became a disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna. He was ordained in 177 and became Bishop of Lugdunum, Gaul (modern Lyons, France). He is best known for countering and writing …
Today, June 25, is the memorial of Saint Prosper of Reggio. Little is known about Prosper. He was an exceptional student who gravitated towards the writings of St. Augustine of Hippo. Known for his holiness in life, Prosper moved from Aquitaine to Provence and settled near Marseilles, an area plagued with heresies. He worked to …
Today, June 23, is the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist. Today’s celebration dates from the fourth century and is one of only three birthdays celebrated on the Church calendar, the other two being the Birth of Jesus on December 25 and the Birth of Mary on September 8. In some European …
Today, June 22, is the memorial of Saint Thomas More and Saint John Fisher.Thomas More was a humanist and chancellor of England. He was a close friend of Erasmus. Thomas wrote the masterpiece “Utopia”. He refused to support Henry VII’s divorce of Queen Catherine and his Act of Supremacy, saying that one cannot violate God’s …
Today, June 21, is the memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Aloysius was born in 1568 to Italian aristocrats. He was trained from age four as a soldier and courtier, as he was expected to inherit his father privileged status. He lived in Renaissance Italy, a time of violence, blood, and savagery. The effect was too …
Today, June 20, is the memorial of Blessed Margaret Ebner. Margaret was born in 1291 in Donauworth, Germany. She came from a wealthy family that ensured she was educated properly at home. Around 1305, she joined the Dominican nuns. She dedicated herself to a life of penance and mortification. Most of her life she suffered …
Today, June 18, is the memorial of Saint Marina. Marina was born between the 5th and 7th centuries in Bithynia. Her devoutly Christian family taught her religious values. After the early death of his wife, Marina’s father Eugenius became a monk. He brought along the little Marina to the monastery. To hide his daughter from …