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Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Helena; mother of Emperor Constantine the Great; between 326 and 328 A.D., Helena visited the Holy Places in the Middle East; she had many churches constructed, and ordered a pagan temple built over the site of the Crucifixion to be destroyed; in the ruins, she found three crosses; tradition holds that Helena brought a woman who was near death, and had her touch the three crosses, and she fully recovered when touching the third one; Helena declared it to be the "True Cross"; she died around 330 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/18/25 Gospel: Matthew 19:16-22

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/17/25 Gospel: Luke 12:49-53

Saturday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary, 975-1038; son of the Chief of the Magyars; baptized at the age of 10, along with his father; when he succeeded his father, he adopted a policy of Christianization of the country for political and religious reasons; under Stephen, one of every ten towns was required to build a church and support a priest; he abolished pagan customs, and was easily accessible to all, especially the poor; he died in 1038 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/16/25 Gospel: Matthew 19:13-15

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven Friday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/15/25 Gospel: Luke 1:39:56

Thursday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, 1894-1941; Conventual Franciscan priest arrested twice by the Nazis; took the place of a man sentenced to death, and was, himself, executed Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/14/25 Gospel: Matthew 18:21-19:1

Wednesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Saints Pontian and Hippolytus; Pontian was Roman by birth, and was elected pope in 230, a time when a synod condemned Origen as a priest and teacher; in 235, Pontian was arrested and exiled in Sardinia; Hippolytus was the first antipope, and he was also exiled to Sardina in 235; they reconciled in the mines; both died in 235 A.D., and share the same feast day Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/13/25 Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

Tuesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, 1572-1641; widowed after seven years of marriage, St. Francis de Sales became her spiritual director; she wanted to become a nun, but St. Francis persuaded her to defer this decision; Francis told Jane of his plan to found an institute of women who would exemplify the virtues of Mary at the visitation--thus, their name, the Visitation Nuns; the congregation began when Jane was 45; she underwent numerous sufferings--St. Francis de Sales died, her son was killed, a plague ravaged France, and her daughter-in-law and son-in-law died; Jane Frances died while on a visitation of convents of the community Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/12/25 Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5. 10, 12-14

Monday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Clare of Assisi, 1194-1253; lifelong friend and spiritual student of St. Francis; at 18, she escaped from her father's house, and was placed in a Benedictine convent by St. Francis; as her father and uncles stormed the convent, she clung to the altar of the church, and remained adamant; her sister Agnes and others joined her; they lived a simple life of great poverty, austerity, and complete seclusion from the world, according to a Rule which Francis gave them as a Second Order; she became abbess at the age of 21, and remained in that position until her death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/11/25 Gospel: Matthew 17:22-27

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/10/25 Gospel: Luke 12:32-48

Saturday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, 1891-1942; brilliant philosopher from a Jewish family, she stopped believing in God at age 14; but the autobiography of St. Teresa so captivated Edith Stein that it led her to baptism in 1922; twelve years later, she became a Carmelite nun, taking the name, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross; she spent four years in the Cologne Carmel, and then moved to the Carmel in Echt, Netherlands; the Nazis occupied that country in 1940; they arrested all Jews who had become Christians; Teresa Benedicta and her sister Rosa--who was also Catholic--died in a gas chamber at Auschwitz in 1942 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/9/25 Gospel: Matthew 17:14-20

Friday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Dominic, 1170-1221; commissioned to be part of the preaching crusade against the Albigensian heresy; he continued itinerant preaching for ten years; his followers formed a community, and Dominic founded a religious house at Toulouse, the beginning of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/8/25 Gospel: Matthew 16:24-28

Thursday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Pope St. Sixtus II and companions; elected to the papacy in 257; forbidden by the Romans to hold services, he and his deacons continued to worship in the chapel in the cemetary; one day in 258, as the pope preached, soldiers broke into the chapel and beheaded Sixtus; four of his eight attendants were also beheaded; the authorities executed another three later that day; St. Lawrence was martyred four days later. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/7/25 Gospel: Matthew 16:13-23

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Wednesday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/6/25 Gospel: Luke 9:28-36

Tuesday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of the Dedication of St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome; first raised by Pope Liberius in the mid-4th Century, completed in 1743; it has survived many restorations without losing its character as an early Roman basilica; the feast day is also known as "Our Lady of the Snows"--a wealthy couple pledged their fortune to the Mother of God, and as an affirmation, she produced a miraculous summer snowfall and told them to build a church on the site Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/5/25 Gospel: Matthew 14:22-36

Monday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars, 1786-1859; ordained a priest because of his goodness, even though he had difficulty with his studies, especially Latin; became the Curé of Ars in 1818, and spent most of his mission in the confessional; toward the end of his life, he spent sixteen to eighteen hours per day administering the Sacrament of Penance; gifted with discernment of spirits, and read souls with ease; suffered diabolical attacks for thirty years; died at Ars Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/4/25 Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/3/25 Gospel: Luke 12:13-21

Saturday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, 300-371; refused to consent to the Arian condemnation of St. Athanasius; the emperor exiled him to Palestine, and then to Asia Minor and Egypt; a new emperor allowed him to return to Vercelli, where he was the bishop; died peacefully in his own diocese at what was then considered to be an advanced age Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/2/25 Gospel: Matthew 14:1-12

Friday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, 1696-1787; founded the Redemptorists in 1732, dedicated to the imitation of Christ, and working mainly in popular missions for peasants in rural areas; he became a bishop at 66, and immediately began a reform of his diocese; at 71, he was afflicted with rheumatic pains; he suffered a final 18 months of “dark night” scruples, fears, temptations against every article of faith and every virtue, interspersed with intervals of light and relief, when ecstasies were frequent; best known for his work in moral theology, but also wrote well of spiritual and dogmatic theology Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/1/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58

Thursday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1491-1556; severely injured his leg in a war injury, and while convalescing read a life of Christ and lives of the saints, and was deeply touched; he began a conversion, during which he began writing the material which later became "The Spiritual Exercises"; in 1534 Ignatius and six others vowed to live in poverty and chastity and go to the Holy Land, if possible, or to submit themselves to the apostolic service of the pope; the Society of Jesus was approved by Pope Paul III, and Ignatius became its first general; his spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto, "for the greater glory of God" Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/31/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53

Wednesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus, 380-450; born in Imola, Italy; baptized, educated, and ordained a deacon by Cornelius, bishop of Imola; called "Chrysologus," or "golden worded," because of his eloquence in speaking; became bishop of Ravenna in 433; got rid of the last vestiges of paganism among his flock; counseled the heretic Eutyches, to avoid division and to learn from other heretics who were crushed when they hurled themselves against the rock of Peter; died at Imola Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/30/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46

Tuesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; close friends of Jesus; he visited as a welcomed guest Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/29/25 Gospel: John 11:19-27

Monday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, 1910-1946; Franciscan religious sister; first canonized saint from India, and the first canonized saint of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, an eastern Catholic Church of the St. Thomas Christian Community Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/28/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/27/25 Gospel: Luke 11:1-13

Saturday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary; their names from a legend which stems from a century after the Resurrection, but they represent and entire quiet series of generations who were preparing for the Messiah Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/26/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:24-30

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

Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Sharbel Makhlouf, 1828-1898; at age 23, he joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon; he professed final vows in 1853, and was ordained six years later; he lived as a hermit from 1875 until his death; he followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament; when his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly; Sharbel died in the late afternoon of Christmas eve, 1898 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/24/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17

Wednesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Bridget of Sweden, 1303-1373; she had visions of Christ crucified from the age of 7; she lived her married life in the court of Swedish King Magnus II, and bore him eight children; after her husband's death, she lived the life of a strict penitent; in 1350, she made a pilgrimage to Rome, during which she was hounded by debts and opposition to her work to correct church abuses; a final pilgrimage to the Holy Land was marred by a shipwreck and the death of her son Charles, eventually leading to her death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/23/25 Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9

Feast of St. Mary Magdalene; one of the many who assisted Jesus and the Twelve out of their means; she was one of those who stood by the cross with Jesus' mother; and she was the first to see the Risen Christ; died about 63 A.D. Tuesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/22/25 Gospel: John 20:1-2, 11-18

Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, 1559-1619; entered the Capuchins at Venice at age 16; with his facility for languages, he was able to study the Bible in original texts; elected major superior of the Capuchin province in Tuscany at age 31; elected minister general of the Capuchins in 1602; as a papal emissary, he went to Lisbon to visit the king of Spain; there, serious illness took Lawrence's life Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/21/25 Gospel: Matthew 12:38-42

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/20/25 Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

Saturday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Symmachus; pope from 498 to his death in 514; he had to deal with a schism for the first few years of his pontificate, caused by some Roman clergy who elected an antipope; Symmachus sent aid to the North African bishops who were in exile on Sardinia, exiled by heretical King Thrasimund; he ransomed captives, founded three hospices for the needy, and relieved victims of Barbarian raids in northern Italy; he is responsible for placing the "Gloria" into regular use at mass Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/19/25 Gospel: Matthew 12:14-21

Friday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis, 1550-1614; at 17, he was afflicted with a disease of his leg, which stayed with him for life; he had an addiction to gambling, and at 24, gambled everything away; he accepted work at the Capuchin friary of Manfredonia, and sought entrance to the novitiate twice, but was rejected because of the disease of his leg; he went to San Giacomo hospital and became the superintendent, and devoted the rest of his life to the care of the sick; he was ordained a priest at the age of 34, and founded his own congregation; as superior, he devoted much of his time to the care of the sick Office of readings and Morning Prayer for 7/18/25 Gospel: Matthew 12:1-8

Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Saints of the Day: Carmelite Nuns of Compiegne; during the French Revolution, 16 Carmelite nuns were arrested, and sentenced to death; they went to the guillotine in 1794, singing the "Salve Regina" Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/17/25 Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30

Wednesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century; by the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel”; in 1726 Our Lady of Mount Carmel became a celebration of the universal Church Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/16/25 Gospel: Matthew 11:25-27

Tuesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Bonaventure, 1221-1274; St. Francis is credited with healing him when he was a child; Bonaventure became a Franciscan at the age of 22; he was ultimately elected to serve as General Minister of the order, and his 17 years of service were not easy, since the friars were arguing the definition of "poverty"; Bonaventure structured the order through effective legislation, and offered an organized spirituality based on the vision and insights of St. Francis; shortly before the end of his service as General Minister, Pope Gregory X created him a cardinal and appointed him bishop of Albano; but Bonaventure died suddenly just over a year later Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/15/25 Gospel: Matthew 11:20-24

Monday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, 1656-1680; born in Auriesville, New York; she lost her family in a smallpox epidemic that left her disfigured and half-blind; moved by the words of three Blackrobes--Jesuit missionaries--who lodged with her uncle, she developed the courage to convert at the age of 19; she was baptized on Easter Sunday; but her conversion and holy life created great opposition; one night, Kateri stole away and began a 200-mile walking journey to a Christian Indian village near Montreal; she took a vow of virginity at age 23; she practiced severe fasting for the conversion of her nation; Kateri died the afternoon before Holy Thursday in 1680 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/14/25 Gospel: Matthew 10:34-11:1

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/13/25 Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

Saturday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Veronica; she is credited with giving a cloth to Jesus so that he could wipe his face on his way to his crucifixion; she is not mentioned in the Bible, but is known to us by Catholic tradition, and by the Sixth Station of the Cross, "Veronica wipes the face of Jesus"; the image of Jesus' face was subsequently imprinted on the cloth Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/12/25 Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33

Friday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Benedict, 480-547; born to a prosperous family in central Italy; studied at Rome, and was drawn to monastic life; became a hermit, but eventually built what was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world, Monte Cassino; his rule prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor, and living together in community under a common abbot Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/11/25 Gospel: Matthew 10:16-23

Thursday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Anthony Perchesky, 983-1073; born in Ukraine, and went to Mount Athos in Greece to become a hermit; returned to Ukraine and founded a monastery in Kiev, which became the "Caves of Kiev," the first Ukrainian monastery founded by Ukrainians; he founded another monastery, but died in the Caves of Kiev; he is regarded as the father of Ukrainian monasticism Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/10/25 Gospel: Matthew 10:7-15

Wednesday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Augustine Zhao Rong and companions, the Chinese martyrs; 120 martyrs, beatified in groups at various times, but canonized together in 2000 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/9/25 Gospel: Matthew 10:1-7

Tuesday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Jeanne-Marie Kerguin, 1864-1900; joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1887; she was assigned first to Paris, then to Carthage in northern Africa, where she encountered health problems, and was sent to Rome to recover; there, she answered the call of her order to be a missionary; she arrived in China in 1899, and was hospitalized for several months with typhus; her career ended during a crackdown on foreign missionaries during the Boxer Rebellion; St. Jeanne-Marie Kerguin was beheaded on July 9, 1900 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/8/25 Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38