Daybreak

Monday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Peter of Anagni; 12th Century Benedictine, bishop and papal legate; he so distinguished himself as a Benedictine monk that Pope St. Gregory VII appointed him bishop of Anagni; he improved the spiritual welfare of the city, built a new cathedral, and promoted the First Crusade to the Holy Land, a venture in which he participated; Pope Urban II sent him to Constantinople as papal legate to the Byzantine Empire; he died in 1105 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/3/26 Gospel: Matthew 14:22-36

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/2/26 Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21

Saturday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, 1696-1787; founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer--the Redemptorists--focused on serving adults on the fringes of society; he was consecrated Bishop of Santa Agata dei Goti and spent much of his time devoted to writing Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/1/26 Gospel: Matthew 14:1-12

Friday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1491-1556; became a knight in his teens, but a leg wound left him convalescing for months; during that time, he read scripture and saintly works, ultimately leading to his conversion; he was ordained in 1537; in 1539, he founded the Society of Jesus, focusing on a vow of obedience to the pope, strong spiritual formation, foreign missions, and education of youth regardless of class Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/31/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58

Thursday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus; 5th century Church Father; he studied under Bishop Cornelius and was ordained Bishop of Ravenna by Pope Sixtus; he was given the name Chrysologus or “golden-worded” by Empress Galla Placidia, daughter of Roman Emperor Theodosius I; he died in 450 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/30/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53

Wednesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; three siblings who were friends of the Lord; Martha generously offered him hospitality, Mary listened attentively to his words and Lazarus promptly emerged from the tomb at the command of the One who humiliated death; in 2021, Pope Francis this feast from Martha to include Mary and Lazarus Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/29/26 Gospel: John 11:19-27

Tuesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, 1910-1946; Catholic Franciscan Religious sister; the first person of Indian origin to be canonized a saint; the first canonized saint of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church of the Saint Thomas Christian community Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/28/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:36-43

Monday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Titus Brandsma, 1881-1942; born in the Netherlands, and became a Carmelite as a young man; in 1935 he became an ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic journalists; when the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, he was labeled as an enemy; Titus was sent to various concentration camps where he demonstrated charity and concern; in 1942, he was martyred in Dachau Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/27/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/26/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52

Feast of St. James, brother of John Saturday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/25/26 Gospel: Matthew 20:20-28

Friday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St, Sharbel Makhlūf, 1828-1898; born in Lebanon; at 23, he joined a Maronite monastic community; after his ordination to the priesthood, he spent many years in his monastery living a very ascetical way of life; in 1875 he received permission to live as a hermit in a chapel overseen by the monastery; for 23 years, he lived there as a hermit. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/24/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:18-23

Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, 1303-1373; she and her husband had eight children, including the future St. Catherine of Sweden; after her husband’s death, she formed the Order of the Most Holy Savior; and experienced many visions, which she wrote down and asked clerics to translate into Latin; they were widely read; she supported the return of the papacy from Avignon to Rome Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/23/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17

Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, the "apostle to the apostles"--the first to see the risen Christ Wednesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/22/26 Gospel: John 20:1-2, 11-18

Tuesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, 1559-1619; a master of multiple languages; joined the Capuchins at 16; he was elected major superior of the Capuchin Franciscan province of Tuscany at the age of 31, and minister general of the Capuchins in 1602; he was appointed a papal emissary and peacemaker, a job which took him to a number of foreign countries; an effort to achieve peace in his native kingdom of Naples took him on a journey to Lisbon to visit the king of Spain; serious illness in Lisbon took his life in 1619 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/21/26 Gospel: Matthew 12:46-50

Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Apollinaris; born in Antioch, and became a disciple of St. Peter; his successor as bishop of Ravenna, St. Peter Chrysologus, preached a sermon in his honor in the 5th century, recalling how in the Church’s infancy, St. Apollinaris showed deep faith and dedication in the face of punishment; two beautiful churches in the onetime important Byzantine city of Ravenna are dedicated to him; he died in 79 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/20/26 Gospel: Matthew 12:38-42

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/19/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43

Saturday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis, 1550-1614; born in Italy, and worked for a Capuchin friary, but suffered from a leg wound and compulsive gambling; in Rome, he worked at a hospital, became a nurse, and eventually director of the hospital; at age 32, he decided to become a priest; he founded a religious order focused on caring for the sick Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/18/26 Gospel: Matthew 12:14-21

Friday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Saints of the Day: Carmelite Nuns of Compiegne; they were sixteen Carmelites caught up in the French Revolution and martyred; on July 12, 1794, the Carmelites were taken to Paris and five days later were sentenced to death; they went to the guillotine singing the Salve Regina; the martyrdom of the nuns was immortalized by the composer Francois Poulenc in his famous opera, "Dialogues des Carmelites" Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/17/26 Gospel: Matthew 12:1-8

Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; patroness of the Carmelite order; it was on Mount Carmel that God publicly answered the prophet Elijah’s prayer, consumed the offering, and confirmed He was a living God; centuries later, in the 12th century after Christ, a group of hermits gathered on the mountain and committed their lives to prayer and penance, forming the Carmelite Order Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/16/26 Gospel; Matthew 11:28-30

Wednesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Bonaventure, 1221-1274; entered the Franciscan Order in his early twenties, and studied in Paris, where, in 1248, he received a doctorate in theology; in 1257, he was elected Minister General of the Order' in 1273, he became Cardinal of Albano and played a prominent role at the Council of Lyons, which aimed to unite the Latin and Greek Churches; he died in 1274, was canonized in 1482 and proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1588 by Sixtus V Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/15/26 Gospel: Matthew 11:25-27

Tuesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, 1656-1680; Indian virgin of the Mohawk tribe; orphaned, due to smallpox, and raised by her village; when Jesuit missionaries arrived, she asked to be baptized; many in her clan could not accept this, so she was forced to retreat to a town north on the St. Lawrence River; when she died, it is said that the smallpox scars on her face disappeared; she is the first Native American to be canonized a saint Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/14/26 Gospel: Matthew 11:20-24

Monday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Henry, 972-1024; King of Germany and Italy and crowned Holy Roman Emperor, the last in the Ottonian (Saxon) dynasty; Henry and his wife were very generous to the poor and to monasteries; he founded a cathedral and monastery in Bamberg he is the only German king to be elevated to sainthood Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/13/26 Gospel: Matthew 10:34-11:1

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/12/26 Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23

Saturday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Benedict, 480-547; born in Italy, educated in Rome, but he was disillusioned by the behavior of other students; so, he retreated to a cave deep in the mountains for spiritual seclusion; he relocated to Monte Cassino, and wrote a rule for his monks which became so popular that it helped shape the civilization and culture of Europe; Benedict is the patron saint of Europe Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/11/26 Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33

Friday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Anthony Pechersky, 983-1073; born in Ukraine, and went to Mount Athos in Greece to become a hermit; after several years, he returned to Ukraine and built a hermitage in Kiev, which was to become known as the "Caves of Kiev," the first Ukrainian monastery founded by Ukrainians; Anthony founded another monastery, but died in the Caves of Kiev Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/10/26 Gospel: Matthew 10:16-23

Thursday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Augustine Zhao Rong and 119 companions, the martyrs of China; they were holy men and women who gave their lives for Christ between 1648 and 1930; they included 87 native Chinese and 33 foreign missionaries; Augustine Zhao Rong, the first martyred Chinese priest, had earlier witnessed the persecution of Monsignor Dufresse and became ordained because of it Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/9/26 Gospel: Matthew 10:7-15

Wednesday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Jeanne-Marie Kerguin, 1864-1900; born in France to a peasant family; joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1887; she was assigned first to Paris, then to Carthage in Northern Africa; she encountered health problems and was sent to Rome to recover; there she answered the call of her Order to work as a missionary; she arrived in China in 1899, and was hospitalized with typhus; she was arrested during the Boxer Rebellion, and was beheaded in China Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/8/26 Gospel: Matthew 10:1-7

Tuesday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Palladius; early Fifth Century Irish missionary, the first bishop of Ireland, and the immediate predecessor to St. Patrick; in about 430, Pope Celestine I sent Palladius to preach among the Irish; his mission apparently made little impact upon the native population; Palladius departed Ireland and sailed for Scotland, where he preached among the Picts; he died at Fordun, near Aberdeen Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/7/26 Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38

Monday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Maria Goretti, 1890-1902; after her father’s passing, Saint Maria’s mother had to return to work while Maria looked after her five brothers and sisters; sadly, a malicious neighbor took advantage of the situation and little Maria was killed in 1902; Saint Maria, at age 11, declared she’d rather die than be abused; she was canonized in 1950 by Pope Pius XII and is one of the Church’s youngest saints Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/6/26 Gospel: Matthew 9:18-26

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/5/26 Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30

Saturday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Independence Day in the U.S. Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal, 1271-1336; given in marriage at the age of 12 to Denis, king of Portugal; she helped pilgrims, strangers, the sick, the poor—in a word, all those whose need came to her notice; Elizabeth of Portugal long sought peace for her husband with God, and was finally rewarded when he gave up his life of sin; after the death of her husband, Elizabeth retired as a Franciscan tertiary to the monastery of the Poor Clares in Coimbra; from there, she brought about a lasting peace between her son Alfonso, now king of Portugal, and his son-in-law, the king of Castile Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/4/26 Gospel: Matthew 9:14-17

Feast of St. Thomas, apostle Friday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/3/26 Gospel: John 20:24-29

Thursday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Monegundis; Sixth Century hermitess, born in Chartres, France, and married; when her daughters died, she received her husband's permission to become a hermitess; she started a hermitage at Chartres but then moved to a site near the tomb of St. Martin at Tours; disciples who joined her forced her to establish a rule that led to the founding of a convent; she died in 570, and many miracles took place at her tomb Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/2/26 Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8

Wednesday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Junipero Serra, 1713-1784; Spanish priest and Franciscan missionary; an explorer and colonist of California, and founder of the missions of California; his missionary efforts earned him the title of “Apostle of California” and “The Father of the California Missions” Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/1/26 Gospel: Matthew 8:28-34

Tuesday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome; they were put to death under the emperor Nero's reign, in 64 A.D.; the burning of the city of Rome was suspected to be Nero's fault, and he laid it on the Christians; their conviction and martyrdom led to many others to follow Christ Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/30/26 Gospel: Matthew 8:23-27

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul Monday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/29/26 Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/28/26 Gospel: Matthew 10:37-42

Saturday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria, 376-444; in 412, he succeeded his uncle Theopholus as archbishop of Alexandria; in 431, he convened the Council of Ephesus which vindicated Mary’s title as Mother of God; he was a prolific author, writing commentaries on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Isaiah, and the Gospels of John and Luke Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/27/26 Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17

Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer; 1902-1975; born in Spain; in 1918, he sensed that God was asking something of him; he was ordained a priest, and began his pastoral ministry in 1925; in 1928, God showed him that he was to found Opus Dei, an institution within the Catholic Church dedicated to helping people in all walks of life to follow Christ, to seek holiness in their daily life and grow in love for God and their fellow men and women; he moved to Rome in 1946, so as to be close to the Holy See; his death came suddenly in Rome, when he was 73 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/26/26 Gospel: Matthew 8:1-4

Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. William of Vercelli, 1085-1142; born in Vercelli, Italy; brought up as an orphan; became a hermit after a pilgrimage, and attracted so many followers that a monastery was built; the austerity of his rule led to dissension among his followers; so, to restore peace, William left, and was taken under the protection of Roger I of Naples, who built him a monastery in Salerno; he founded monasteries throughout Naples, and died near Nusco, Italy Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/25/26 Gospel: Matthew 7:21-29

Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist Wednesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/24/26 Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80

Tuesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Agrippina; came from a good Roman family in the Third Century; she was caught up in the persecutions instituted by Emperor Valerian or Diocletian and was beheaded or scourged in 262; her body was taken to Mineo, Sicily, by three devout Christian women; the gravesite became a popular pilgrimage destination, noted for miracles through Agrippina's intercession Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/23/26 Gospel: Matthew 7:6, 12-14