First Sunday of Advent
Reading 1
Is 2:1-5
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
the mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths.”
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my brothers and friends
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Reading II
Rom 13:11-14
Brothers and sisters:
You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
Gospel
Mt 24:37-44
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
Thanks to United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for the readings every week.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Saints
We discussed our patrons at Newman the other night - here are some more of the patrons that we discussed.
Thanks to catholic-forum.org for the information.
George
Also known as
Victory Bringer
Memorial
23 April (Roman Catholic); 3 November (Russian Orthodox); fourth Sunday in June (Malta); third Sunday in July (Gozo)
Profile
Soldier. Martyr. That's all we know for sure. Several stories have been attached to Saint George, the best known of which is the Golden Legend. In it, a dragon lived in a lake near Silena, Libya. Whole armies had gone up against this fierce creature, and had gone down in painful defeat. The monster ate two sheep each day; when mutton was scarce, lots were drawn in local villages, and maidens were substituted for sheep. Into this country came Saint George. Hearing the story on a day when a princess was to be eaten, he crossed himself, rode to battle against the serpent, and killed it with a single blow with his lance. George then held forth with a magnificent sermon, and converted the locals. Given a large reward by the king, George distributed it to the poor, then rode away. Due to his chivalrous behavior (protecting women, fighting evil, dependence on faith and might of arms, largesse to the poor), devotion to Saint George became popular in the Europe after the 10th century. In the 15th century his feast day was as popular and important as Christmas. Many of his areas of patronage have to do with life as a knight on horseback. The celebrated Knights of the Garter are actually Knights of the Order of Saint George. The shrine built for his relics at Lydda, Palestine was a popular point of pilgrimage for centuries. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Died
tortured and beheaded c.304 at Lydda, Palestine
Patronage
Amersfoort, Netherlands; Aragon; agricultural workers; archers; armourers; Beirut, Lebanon; Boy Scouts; butchers; Canada; Cappadocia; Catalonia; cavalry; chivalry; Constantinople; Crusaders; England (by Pope Benedict XIV); equestrians; Ethiopia; farmers; Ferrara, Italy; field hands; field workers; Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Genoa, Italy; Georgia; Germany; Gozo; Greece; Haldern, Germany; Heide, Germany; herpes; horsemen; horses; husbandmen; Istanbul; knights; lepers; leprosy; diocese of Limburg, Germany; Lithuania; Malta; Modica, Sicily; Moscow, Russia; Nerola, Italy; Order of the Garter; Palestine; Palestinian Christians; plague; Portugal; Ptuj, Slovenia; Qormi, Malta; Riano, Italy; riders; saddle makers; saddlers; Senj, Croatia; sheep; shepherds; skin diseases; skin rashes; soldiers; syphilis; Teutonic Knights; Venice, Italy; Victoria, Gozo, Malta
Prayers
Novena in honor of...
Representation
armor; banner; buckler; dragon; horse
Images
Gallery of images of Saint George [45 images, 1,474 kb]
Additional Information
Google DirectoryChristian Biographies, by James KeiferSaint George Greek Orthodox Church, Des Moines, Iowa, USARussian Scouting and Saint George [russian]Saint George and Scouting, by Lewis P OransColumbia Encyclopedia, by Herbert ThurstonThe Saints: A Concise Biographical Dictionary, by John CoulsonSaint JordiDomestic Church, by Catherine FournierLives of the Saints, by Father Alban ButlerMaster of Guillebert de MetsSaint George Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USACatholic EncyclopediaFor All The Saints, by Katherine RabensteinVietnamese Eucharistic Youth SocietyThe Passion of Saint George, by E A W BudgeSaint TheododiusAbba TheodotusEthiopic Miracles of Saint GeorgeMilitary Martyrs, by David WoodsGreek Miracles of Saint George, by J AufhauserNew Catholic DictionaryIn God's Garden, by Amy Steedman
Readings
Saint George was a man who abandoned one army for another: he gave up the rank of tribune to enlist as a soldier for Christ. Eager to encounter the enemy, he first stripped away his worldly wealth by giving all he had to he poor. Then, free and unencumbered, bearing the shield of faith, he plunged into the think of the battle, an ardent soldier for Christ. Clearly what he did serves to teach us a valuable lesson: if we are afraid to strip ourselves of out worldly possessions, then we are unfit to make a strong defense of the faith. Dear brothers, let us not only admire the courage of this fighter in heaven's army, but follow his example. Let us be inspired to strive for the reward of heavenly glory. We must now cleanse ourselves, as Saint Paul tells us, from all defilement of body and spirit, so that one day we too may deserve to enter that temple of blessedness to which we now aspire. from a sermon by Saint Peter Damian, priest
Catherine of Alexandria
Also known as
Katherine of Alexandria
Memorial
25 November; removed from the calendar and cultus suppressed in 1969
Profile
Apocryphal. Nobility. Learned in science and oratory. Converted to Christianity after receiving a vision. When she was 18 years old, during the persecution of Maximus, she offered to debate the pagan philosophers. Many were converted by her arguments, and immediately martyred. Maximus had her scourged and imprisoned. The empress and the leader of Maximus' army were amazed by the stories, went to see Catherine in prison. They converted and were martyred. Maximus ordered her broken on the wheel, but she touched it and the wheel was destroyed. She was beheaded, and her body whisked away by angels. Immensely popular during the Middle Ages, there were many chapels and churches devoted to her throughout western Europe, and she was reported as one of the divine advisors to Saint Joan of Arc. Her reputation for learning and wisdom led to her patronage of libaries, librarians, teachers, archivists, and anyone associated with wisdom or teaching. Her debating skill and persuasive language has led to her patronage of lawyers. And her torture on the wheel led to those who work with them asking for her intercession. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. While there may well have been a noble, educated, virginal lady who swayed pagans with her rhetoric during the persecutions, the accretion of legend, romance and poetry has long since buried the real Catherine.
Died
beheaded c.305 in Alexandria, Egypt
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Name Meaning
pure one (= Catherine)
Patronage
Aalsum, Nederlands; apologists; craftsmen who work with a wheel (potters, spinners, etc.); archivists; attornies; barristers; diocese of Dumaguete, Philippines; dying people; educators; girls; Heidesheim am Rhein, Germany; jurists; knife grinders; knife sharpeners; Kuldiga, Latvia; lawyers; librarians; libraries; Mähring, Germany; maidens; mechanics; millers; nurses; old maids; philosophers; potters; preachers; scholars; schoolchildren; scribes; secretaries; spinners; spinsters; stenographers; students; tanners; teachers; theologians; turners; University of Paris; unmarried girls; wheelwrights; Zejtun, Malta; Zurrieq, Malta
Representation
spiked wheel; woman strapped to the spiked wheel on which she was martyred; woman arguing with pagan philosophers
Images
Gallery of images of Saint Catherine [12 images, 209 kb]
Additional Information
Goffine's Devout InstructionsSaint Catherine's WigsGoogle DirectoryChristian Biographies, by Kames E KeiferColumbia EncyclopediaCatholic OnlineLives of the Saints, by John CrawleyExplore ArtFor All The Saints, by Katherine RabensteinVietnamese Eucharistic Youth SocietyEcole Glossary, by Karen Rae KeckNew Catholic DictionaryCatholic Encyclopedia, by Leon Clugnet
Hard Copy
printer friendly version
Catherine of Siena
Also known as
Caterina Benincasa; Catharine of Siena
Memorial
29 April; (formerly 30 April)
Profile
Youngest child in a large family. At the age of 6 she had a vision in which Jesus appeared and blessed her. Her parents wanted her to marry, but she became a Dominican tertiary. Mystic. Stigmatist. Received a vision in which she was in a mystical marriage with Christ, and the Infant Christ presented her with a wedding ring. Counselor to Pope Gregory XI and Pope Urban VI.
Proclaimed Doctor of the Church on 4 October 1970.
Born
25 March 1347 at Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Died
29 April 1380 of a mysterious and painful illness that came on without notice, and was never properly diagnosed
Canonized
July 1461 by Pope Pius II
Name Meaning
pure one
Patronage
against fire, bodily ills, diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA, Europe, fire prevention, firefighters, illness, Italy, miscarriages, nurses, nursing services, people ridiculed for their piety, sexual temptation, sick people, sickness, Siena Italy, temptations
Representation
cross; crown of thorns; heart; lily; ring; stigmata
Images
Gallery of images of Saint Catherine [11 images, 175 kb]
Prayers
Prayer I to...Prayer II to......to the Precious Blood of Jesus...for the Gifts of...Novena prayer to...
Writings
Dialogue of the Seraphic Virgin
Additional Information
Google DirectoryNew Catholic DictionaryPatron Saints for GirlsPope Proclaims Three New Patrons of Europe - 1 October 1999Bells Ring in Siena in Honor of Saint Catherine - 4 October 1999In God's Garden, by Amy Steedman
Readings
Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator: it binds God with man and man with God. -Saint Catherine of Siena
Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light, and causes me to know your truth. And I know that you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to man in the fire of your love. -from On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena
Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind. -Saint Catherine of Siena
Cecilia
Also known as
Cecily; Cicilia
Memorial
22 November
Profile
Cultivated young patrician woman whose ancestors loomed large in Rome's history. She vowed her virginity to God, but her parents married her to Valerian of Trastevere. Cecilia told her new husband that she was accompanied by an angel, but in order to see it, he must be purified. He agreed to the purification, and was baptised; returning from the ceremony, he found her in prayer accompanied by a praying angel. The angel placed a crown on each of their heads, and offered Valerian a favor; the new convert asked that his brother be baptised. The two brothers developed a ministry of giving proper burial to martyred Christians. In their turn they were arrested and martyred for their faith. Cecilia buried them at her villa on the Apprian Way, and was arrested for the action. She was ordered to sacrifice to false gods; when she refused, she was martyred in her turn. The Acta of Cecilia includes the following: "While the profane music of her wedding was heard, Cecilia was singing in her heart a hymn of love for Jesus, her true spouse." It was this phrase that led to her association with music, singers, musicians, etc.
Died
martyred c.117; suffocated for a while, and when that didn't kill her, she was beheaded; her grave was discovered in 817, and her body removed to the church of Saint Cecilia in Rome; the tomb was opened in 1599, and her body found to be incorrupt
Name Meaning
blind
Patronage
Academy of Music, Rome; Albi France; composers; martyrs; music; musicians; musical instrument makers; archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska; poets; singers
Representation
musical instruments, especially a lute or organ; roses
Prayers
Prayer to...
Images
Gallery of images of Saint Cecilia [19 images, 555 kb]
Additional Information
Catholic Encyclopedia, by J P KirschThe Golden Legend, by Jacob VoragineGoogle DirectoryShrine of Saint CeciliaFor All The Saints, by Katherine RabensteinPatron Saint of Church Music, by Bethany JenkinsNew Catholic DictionaryPatron Saints for GirlsLives of the Saints, by Father Alban ButlerIn God's Garden, by Amy Steedman
Joseph
Also known as
Joseph the Betrothed; Joseph the Worker
Memorial
19 March; 1 May (Joseph the Worker)
Profile
Descendant of the house of David. Layman. Carpenter. Earthly spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Foster and adoptive father of Jesus Christ. Visionary who was visited by angels. Noted for his willingness to immediately get up and do what God told him.
Died
1st century, prior to the Passion, of natural causes
Name Meaning
whom the Lord adds (Joseph)
Patronage
against doubt; against hesitation; Americas; archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska; Austria; diocese of Balanga, Philippines; diocese of Bangued, Philippines; diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Belgium; diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi; Birkirkara, Malta; Bohemia; diocese of Buffalo, New York; bursars; diocese of Butuan, Philippines; cabinetmakers; Canada; Candian Armed Forces (in 1941); Carinthia; carpenters; Catholic Church (1847 by Blessed Pope Pius IX); diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming; China; archdiocese of Cologne, Germany; confectioners; craftsmen; Croatian people (in 1687 by decree of the Croatian parliment); diocese of Daet, Philippines; Deschambault, Quebec; dying people; emigrants; engineers; expectant mothers; families; fathers; Florence Italy; Fonte Nuova, Italy; happy death; archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut; holy death; house hunters; immigrants; interior souls; diocese of Itanagar, India; Kalkara, Malta; Korea; diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin; La Spezia, Italy; laborers; Ladispoli, Italy; Laguna Indian Pueblo; archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky; diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire; diocese of Mangalore, India; married people; diocese of Menevia, Wales; Mexico; Msida, Malta; diocese of Nashville, Tennessee; New France; New World; Oblates of Saint Joseph; Orvieto, Italy; diocese of Osnabrück, Germany; people in doubt; people who fight Communism; Peru; pioneers; pregnant women; protection of the Church; Qala, Gozo, Malta; Querceta, Italy; diocese of Rarotonga, Cook Islands; diocese of Romblon, Philippines; diocese of San Jose, California; apostolic vicariate of San Jose, Mindoro, Philippines; diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Philippines; Santa Marinella, Italy; Sicily; diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; social justice; Spadafora, Sicily; Styria, Austria; diocese of Tagbilaran, Philippines; travellers; Turin, Italy; Tyrol, Austria; unborn children; Universal Church (1847 by Blessed Pope Pius IX); Vatican II; Viet Nam; diocese of Virac, Philippines; diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia; wheelwrights; workers; working people
Representation
bible; branch; carpenter's square; carpenter's tools; chalice; cross; hand tools; infant Jesus; ladder; lamb; lily; monstrance; old man holding a lily and a carpenter's tool such as a square; old man holding the infant Jesus; plane; rod
Images
Gallery #1 -
10 holy cards -
220 kb
Gallery #2 -
10 holy cards -
149 kb
Gallery #3 -
10 holy cards -
187 kb
Gallery #4 -
10 holy cards -
128 kb
Gallery #5 -
10 holy cards -
134 kb
Gallery #6 -
10 holy cards -
165 kb
Gallery #7 -
19 statues -
210 kb
Gallery #8 -
5 other -
87 kb
Gallery #9 -
11 holy cards -
194 kb
Gallery #10 -
36 Holy Family -
584 kb
Prayers
Harry Holbrook's collectionLitany to Saint Joseph,Novena to Saint Joseph I,Novena to Saint Joseph II,Prayer to... I - 2 versions,Prayer to... V,Prayer to... II,Prayer to... III,Prayer Before Mass,Prayer to... ...for the Whole Church,Prayer to... ...for the Spirit of Work,Prayer to... ...to Know One's Vocation,Prayer for a Happy Death,Prayer to... ...patron of Carpenters,Prayer to... ...the Workman,Prayer to... IV,Prayer to... ...for Protection,Prayer to... ...patron of Workers,Prayer to... VI,Prayer to... VII, The Josephites,Prayer to... VIII, Pope Saint Pius X,Prayer to... IX, the Pallottines
Additional Information
Goffine's Devout InstructionsGoogle DirectoryWikipediaQuamquam Pluries: On Devotion to Saint Joseph, by Pope Leo XIIIBurying Saint Joseph to Sell Your HomeRedemptoris Custos: Guardian of the Redeemer by Pope John Paul II
Hard Copy
printer friendly version
Readings
He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying 'Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.' from a sermon by Saint Bernardine of Siena
There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand. This general rule is especially verified in the case of Saint Joseph, the foster-father of our Lord, and the husband of the Queen of our world, enthroned above the angels. He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying "Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord." Remember us, Saint Joseph, and plead for us to your foster child. Ask your most holy bride, the Virgin Mary, to look kindly upon us, since she is the mother of him who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns eternally. Amen. from a sermon by Saint Bernardine of Siena
What emanates from the figure of Saint Joseph is faith. Joseph of Nazareth is a "just man" because he totally "lives by faith." He is holy because his faith is truly heroic. Sacred Scripture says little of him. It does not record even one word spoken by Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth. And yet, even without words, he shows the depth of his faith, his greatness. Saint Joseph is a man of great spirit. He is great in faith, not because he speaks his own words, but above all because he listens to the words of the Living God. He listens in silence. And his heart ceaselessly perseveres in the readiness to accept the Truth contained in the word of the Living God. We see how the word of the Living God penetrates deeply into the soul of that man, that just man. And we, do we know how to listen to the word of God? Do we know how to absorb it into the depths of our human personalities? Do we open our conscience in the presence of this word? Pope John Paul II from Daily Meditations
Thanks to catholic-forum.org for the information.
George
Also known as
Victory Bringer
Memorial
23 April (Roman Catholic); 3 November (Russian Orthodox); fourth Sunday in June (Malta); third Sunday in July (Gozo)
Profile
Soldier. Martyr. That's all we know for sure. Several stories have been attached to Saint George, the best known of which is the Golden Legend. In it, a dragon lived in a lake near Silena, Libya. Whole armies had gone up against this fierce creature, and had gone down in painful defeat. The monster ate two sheep each day; when mutton was scarce, lots were drawn in local villages, and maidens were substituted for sheep. Into this country came Saint George. Hearing the story on a day when a princess was to be eaten, he crossed himself, rode to battle against the serpent, and killed it with a single blow with his lance. George then held forth with a magnificent sermon, and converted the locals. Given a large reward by the king, George distributed it to the poor, then rode away. Due to his chivalrous behavior (protecting women, fighting evil, dependence on faith and might of arms, largesse to the poor), devotion to Saint George became popular in the Europe after the 10th century. In the 15th century his feast day was as popular and important as Christmas. Many of his areas of patronage have to do with life as a knight on horseback. The celebrated Knights of the Garter are actually Knights of the Order of Saint George. The shrine built for his relics at Lydda, Palestine was a popular point of pilgrimage for centuries. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Died
tortured and beheaded c.304 at Lydda, Palestine
Patronage
Amersfoort, Netherlands; Aragon; agricultural workers; archers; armourers; Beirut, Lebanon; Boy Scouts; butchers; Canada; Cappadocia; Catalonia; cavalry; chivalry; Constantinople; Crusaders; England (by Pope Benedict XIV); equestrians; Ethiopia; farmers; Ferrara, Italy; field hands; field workers; Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Genoa, Italy; Georgia; Germany; Gozo; Greece; Haldern, Germany; Heide, Germany; herpes; horsemen; horses; husbandmen; Istanbul; knights; lepers; leprosy; diocese of Limburg, Germany; Lithuania; Malta; Modica, Sicily; Moscow, Russia; Nerola, Italy; Order of the Garter; Palestine; Palestinian Christians; plague; Portugal; Ptuj, Slovenia; Qormi, Malta; Riano, Italy; riders; saddle makers; saddlers; Senj, Croatia; sheep; shepherds; skin diseases; skin rashes; soldiers; syphilis; Teutonic Knights; Venice, Italy; Victoria, Gozo, Malta
Prayers
Novena in honor of...
Representation
armor; banner; buckler; dragon; horse
Images
Gallery of images of Saint George [45 images, 1,474 kb]
Additional Information
Google DirectoryChristian Biographies, by James KeiferSaint George Greek Orthodox Church, Des Moines, Iowa, USARussian Scouting and Saint George [russian]Saint George and Scouting, by Lewis P OransColumbia Encyclopedia, by Herbert ThurstonThe Saints: A Concise Biographical Dictionary, by John CoulsonSaint JordiDomestic Church, by Catherine FournierLives of the Saints, by Father Alban ButlerMaster of Guillebert de MetsSaint George Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USACatholic EncyclopediaFor All The Saints, by Katherine RabensteinVietnamese Eucharistic Youth SocietyThe Passion of Saint George, by E A W BudgeSaint TheododiusAbba TheodotusEthiopic Miracles of Saint GeorgeMilitary Martyrs, by David WoodsGreek Miracles of Saint George, by J AufhauserNew Catholic DictionaryIn God's Garden, by Amy Steedman
Readings
Saint George was a man who abandoned one army for another: he gave up the rank of tribune to enlist as a soldier for Christ. Eager to encounter the enemy, he first stripped away his worldly wealth by giving all he had to he poor. Then, free and unencumbered, bearing the shield of faith, he plunged into the think of the battle, an ardent soldier for Christ. Clearly what he did serves to teach us a valuable lesson: if we are afraid to strip ourselves of out worldly possessions, then we are unfit to make a strong defense of the faith. Dear brothers, let us not only admire the courage of this fighter in heaven's army, but follow his example. Let us be inspired to strive for the reward of heavenly glory. We must now cleanse ourselves, as Saint Paul tells us, from all defilement of body and spirit, so that one day we too may deserve to enter that temple of blessedness to which we now aspire. from a sermon by Saint Peter Damian, priest
Catherine of Alexandria
Also known as
Katherine of Alexandria
Memorial
25 November; removed from the calendar and cultus suppressed in 1969
Profile
Apocryphal. Nobility. Learned in science and oratory. Converted to Christianity after receiving a vision. When she was 18 years old, during the persecution of Maximus, she offered to debate the pagan philosophers. Many were converted by her arguments, and immediately martyred. Maximus had her scourged and imprisoned. The empress and the leader of Maximus' army were amazed by the stories, went to see Catherine in prison. They converted and were martyred. Maximus ordered her broken on the wheel, but she touched it and the wheel was destroyed. She was beheaded, and her body whisked away by angels. Immensely popular during the Middle Ages, there were many chapels and churches devoted to her throughout western Europe, and she was reported as one of the divine advisors to Saint Joan of Arc. Her reputation for learning and wisdom led to her patronage of libaries, librarians, teachers, archivists, and anyone associated with wisdom or teaching. Her debating skill and persuasive language has led to her patronage of lawyers. And her torture on the wheel led to those who work with them asking for her intercession. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. While there may well have been a noble, educated, virginal lady who swayed pagans with her rhetoric during the persecutions, the accretion of legend, romance and poetry has long since buried the real Catherine.
Died
beheaded c.305 in Alexandria, Egypt
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Name Meaning
pure one (= Catherine)
Patronage
Aalsum, Nederlands; apologists; craftsmen who work with a wheel (potters, spinners, etc.); archivists; attornies; barristers; diocese of Dumaguete, Philippines; dying people; educators; girls; Heidesheim am Rhein, Germany; jurists; knife grinders; knife sharpeners; Kuldiga, Latvia; lawyers; librarians; libraries; Mähring, Germany; maidens; mechanics; millers; nurses; old maids; philosophers; potters; preachers; scholars; schoolchildren; scribes; secretaries; spinners; spinsters; stenographers; students; tanners; teachers; theologians; turners; University of Paris; unmarried girls; wheelwrights; Zejtun, Malta; Zurrieq, Malta
Representation
spiked wheel; woman strapped to the spiked wheel on which she was martyred; woman arguing with pagan philosophers
Images
Gallery of images of Saint Catherine [12 images, 209 kb]
Additional Information
Goffine's Devout InstructionsSaint Catherine's WigsGoogle DirectoryChristian Biographies, by Kames E KeiferColumbia EncyclopediaCatholic OnlineLives of the Saints, by John CrawleyExplore ArtFor All The Saints, by Katherine RabensteinVietnamese Eucharistic Youth SocietyEcole Glossary, by Karen Rae KeckNew Catholic DictionaryCatholic Encyclopedia, by Leon Clugnet
Hard Copy
printer friendly version
Catherine of Siena
Also known as
Caterina Benincasa; Catharine of Siena
Memorial
29 April; (formerly 30 April)
Profile
Youngest child in a large family. At the age of 6 she had a vision in which Jesus appeared and blessed her. Her parents wanted her to marry, but she became a Dominican tertiary. Mystic. Stigmatist. Received a vision in which she was in a mystical marriage with Christ, and the Infant Christ presented her with a wedding ring. Counselor to Pope Gregory XI and Pope Urban VI.
Proclaimed Doctor of the Church on 4 October 1970.
Born
25 March 1347 at Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Died
29 April 1380 of a mysterious and painful illness that came on without notice, and was never properly diagnosed
Canonized
July 1461 by Pope Pius II
Name Meaning
pure one
Patronage
against fire, bodily ills, diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA, Europe, fire prevention, firefighters, illness, Italy, miscarriages, nurses, nursing services, people ridiculed for their piety, sexual temptation, sick people, sickness, Siena Italy, temptations
Representation
cross; crown of thorns; heart; lily; ring; stigmata
Images
Gallery of images of Saint Catherine [11 images, 175 kb]
Prayers
Prayer I to...Prayer II to......to the Precious Blood of Jesus...for the Gifts of...Novena prayer to...
Writings
Dialogue of the Seraphic Virgin
Additional Information
Google DirectoryNew Catholic DictionaryPatron Saints for GirlsPope Proclaims Three New Patrons of Europe - 1 October 1999Bells Ring in Siena in Honor of Saint Catherine - 4 October 1999In God's Garden, by Amy Steedman
Readings
Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator: it binds God with man and man with God. -Saint Catherine of Siena
Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light, and causes me to know your truth. And I know that you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to man in the fire of your love. -from On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena
Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind. -Saint Catherine of Siena
Cecilia
Also known as
Cecily; Cicilia
Memorial
22 November
Profile
Cultivated young patrician woman whose ancestors loomed large in Rome's history. She vowed her virginity to God, but her parents married her to Valerian of Trastevere. Cecilia told her new husband that she was accompanied by an angel, but in order to see it, he must be purified. He agreed to the purification, and was baptised; returning from the ceremony, he found her in prayer accompanied by a praying angel. The angel placed a crown on each of their heads, and offered Valerian a favor; the new convert asked that his brother be baptised. The two brothers developed a ministry of giving proper burial to martyred Christians. In their turn they were arrested and martyred for their faith. Cecilia buried them at her villa on the Apprian Way, and was arrested for the action. She was ordered to sacrifice to false gods; when she refused, she was martyred in her turn. The Acta of Cecilia includes the following: "While the profane music of her wedding was heard, Cecilia was singing in her heart a hymn of love for Jesus, her true spouse." It was this phrase that led to her association with music, singers, musicians, etc.
Died
martyred c.117; suffocated for a while, and when that didn't kill her, she was beheaded; her grave was discovered in 817, and her body removed to the church of Saint Cecilia in Rome; the tomb was opened in 1599, and her body found to be incorrupt
Name Meaning
blind
Patronage
Academy of Music, Rome; Albi France; composers; martyrs; music; musicians; musical instrument makers; archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska; poets; singers
Representation
musical instruments, especially a lute or organ; roses
Prayers
Prayer to...
Images
Gallery of images of Saint Cecilia [19 images, 555 kb]
Additional Information
Catholic Encyclopedia, by J P KirschThe Golden Legend, by Jacob VoragineGoogle DirectoryShrine of Saint CeciliaFor All The Saints, by Katherine RabensteinPatron Saint of Church Music, by Bethany JenkinsNew Catholic DictionaryPatron Saints for GirlsLives of the Saints, by Father Alban ButlerIn God's Garden, by Amy Steedman
Joseph
Also known as
Joseph the Betrothed; Joseph the Worker
Memorial
19 March; 1 May (Joseph the Worker)
Profile
Descendant of the house of David. Layman. Carpenter. Earthly spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Foster and adoptive father of Jesus Christ. Visionary who was visited by angels. Noted for his willingness to immediately get up and do what God told him.
Died
1st century, prior to the Passion, of natural causes
Name Meaning
whom the Lord adds (Joseph)
Patronage
against doubt; against hesitation; Americas; archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska; Austria; diocese of Balanga, Philippines; diocese of Bangued, Philippines; diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Belgium; diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi; Birkirkara, Malta; Bohemia; diocese of Buffalo, New York; bursars; diocese of Butuan, Philippines; cabinetmakers; Canada; Candian Armed Forces (in 1941); Carinthia; carpenters; Catholic Church (1847 by Blessed Pope Pius IX); diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming; China; archdiocese of Cologne, Germany; confectioners; craftsmen; Croatian people (in 1687 by decree of the Croatian parliment); diocese of Daet, Philippines; Deschambault, Quebec; dying people; emigrants; engineers; expectant mothers; families; fathers; Florence Italy; Fonte Nuova, Italy; happy death; archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut; holy death; house hunters; immigrants; interior souls; diocese of Itanagar, India; Kalkara, Malta; Korea; diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin; La Spezia, Italy; laborers; Ladispoli, Italy; Laguna Indian Pueblo; archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky; diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire; diocese of Mangalore, India; married people; diocese of Menevia, Wales; Mexico; Msida, Malta; diocese of Nashville, Tennessee; New France; New World; Oblates of Saint Joseph; Orvieto, Italy; diocese of Osnabrück, Germany; people in doubt; people who fight Communism; Peru; pioneers; pregnant women; protection of the Church; Qala, Gozo, Malta; Querceta, Italy; diocese of Rarotonga, Cook Islands; diocese of Romblon, Philippines; diocese of San Jose, California; apostolic vicariate of San Jose, Mindoro, Philippines; diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Philippines; Santa Marinella, Italy; Sicily; diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; social justice; Spadafora, Sicily; Styria, Austria; diocese of Tagbilaran, Philippines; travellers; Turin, Italy; Tyrol, Austria; unborn children; Universal Church (1847 by Blessed Pope Pius IX); Vatican II; Viet Nam; diocese of Virac, Philippines; diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia; wheelwrights; workers; working people
Representation
bible; branch; carpenter's square; carpenter's tools; chalice; cross; hand tools; infant Jesus; ladder; lamb; lily; monstrance; old man holding a lily and a carpenter's tool such as a square; old man holding the infant Jesus; plane; rod
Images
Gallery #1 -
10 holy cards -
220 kb
Gallery #2 -
10 holy cards -
149 kb
Gallery #3 -
10 holy cards -
187 kb
Gallery #4 -
10 holy cards -
128 kb
Gallery #5 -
10 holy cards -
134 kb
Gallery #6 -
10 holy cards -
165 kb
Gallery #7 -
19 statues -
210 kb
Gallery #8 -
5 other -
87 kb
Gallery #9 -
11 holy cards -
194 kb
Gallery #10 -
36 Holy Family -
584 kb
Prayers
Harry Holbrook's collectionLitany to Saint Joseph,Novena to Saint Joseph I,Novena to Saint Joseph II,Prayer to... I - 2 versions,Prayer to... V,Prayer to... II,Prayer to... III,Prayer Before Mass,Prayer to... ...for the Whole Church,Prayer to... ...for the Spirit of Work,Prayer to... ...to Know One's Vocation,Prayer for a Happy Death,Prayer to... ...patron of Carpenters,Prayer to... ...the Workman,Prayer to... IV,Prayer to... ...for Protection,Prayer to... ...patron of Workers,Prayer to... VI,Prayer to... VII, The Josephites,Prayer to... VIII, Pope Saint Pius X,Prayer to... IX, the Pallottines
Additional Information
Goffine's Devout InstructionsGoogle DirectoryWikipediaQuamquam Pluries: On Devotion to Saint Joseph, by Pope Leo XIIIBurying Saint Joseph to Sell Your HomeRedemptoris Custos: Guardian of the Redeemer by Pope John Paul II
Hard Copy
printer friendly version
Readings
He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying 'Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.' from a sermon by Saint Bernardine of Siena
There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand. This general rule is especially verified in the case of Saint Joseph, the foster-father of our Lord, and the husband of the Queen of our world, enthroned above the angels. He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying "Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord." Remember us, Saint Joseph, and plead for us to your foster child. Ask your most holy bride, the Virgin Mary, to look kindly upon us, since she is the mother of him who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns eternally. Amen. from a sermon by Saint Bernardine of Siena
What emanates from the figure of Saint Joseph is faith. Joseph of Nazareth is a "just man" because he totally "lives by faith." He is holy because his faith is truly heroic. Sacred Scripture says little of him. It does not record even one word spoken by Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth. And yet, even without words, he shows the depth of his faith, his greatness. Saint Joseph is a man of great spirit. He is great in faith, not because he speaks his own words, but above all because he listens to the words of the Living God. He listens in silence. And his heart ceaselessly perseveres in the readiness to accept the Truth contained in the word of the Living God. We see how the word of the Living God penetrates deeply into the soul of that man, that just man. And we, do we know how to listen to the word of God? Do we know how to absorb it into the depths of our human personalities? Do we open our conscience in the presence of this word? Pope John Paul II from Daily Meditations
Thanksgiving Prayer
Lord God, we bless You
and are filled with gratitude
for the numerous gifts,
the Countless Blessings,
that come to us from You.
Your blessings come in times of joy,
in times of victory, in success and honor,
and they come as well in times of pain and sorrow,
in sickness and defeat.
Your blessings come always as Life.
We take pleasure in the Fruit of Your Creation,
in the earthen blessings
of fish and bird, tree and flower,
each the Harvest of Your Divine Heart.
We take delight in our eyes,
in our ears, arms and legs,
We find joy in holidays and vacations,
and in our work as well.
We thank You, Lord of Gifts,
for friendships, family and fun.
In winning and in losing—
in being last as well as first—
we take relish in the challenge and adventure
of Your Great Gift of Life.
Lord, we thank You for all the gifts
that flow fully, day and night,
into our lives.
Today, with full hearts,
in the company of Jesus, Mary,
and of all Your Saints,
we bless You for all the good that has come to us.
Blessed are You, Lord our God,
who in the richness of Your Divine Love,
blesses us with good things.
Amen
-from Prayers for a Domestic Church
by Edward Hays
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
and are filled with gratitude
for the numerous gifts,
the Countless Blessings,
that come to us from You.
Your blessings come in times of joy,
in times of victory, in success and honor,
and they come as well in times of pain and sorrow,
in sickness and defeat.
Your blessings come always as Life.
We take pleasure in the Fruit of Your Creation,
in the earthen blessings
of fish and bird, tree and flower,
each the Harvest of Your Divine Heart.
We take delight in our eyes,
in our ears, arms and legs,
We find joy in holidays and vacations,
and in our work as well.
We thank You, Lord of Gifts,
for friendships, family and fun.
In winning and in losing—
in being last as well as first—
we take relish in the challenge and adventure
of Your Great Gift of Life.
Lord, we thank You for all the gifts
that flow fully, day and night,
into our lives.
Today, with full hearts,
in the company of Jesus, Mary,
and of all Your Saints,
we bless You for all the good that has come to us.
Blessed are You, Lord our God,
who in the richness of Your Divine Love,
blesses us with good things.
Amen
-from Prayers for a Domestic Church
by Edward Hays
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Readings for Sunday, November 18, 2007
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Mal 3:19-20a
Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
and the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 98:5-6, 7-8, 9
R. (cf. 9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth,
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Reading II
2 Thes 3:7-12
Brothers and sisters:
You know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day
we worked, so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you,
we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work,
neither should that one eat.
We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a
disorderly way,
by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.
Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly
and to eat their own food.
Gospel
Lk 21:5-19
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here--
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,’ and 'The time has come.’
Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
"Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."
Reading 1
Mal 3:19-20a
Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
and the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 98:5-6, 7-8, 9
R. (cf. 9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth,
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Reading II
2 Thes 3:7-12
Brothers and sisters:
You know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day
we worked, so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you,
we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work,
neither should that one eat.
We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a
disorderly way,
by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.
Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly
and to eat their own food.
Gospel
Lk 21:5-19
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here--
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,’ and 'The time has come.’
Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
"Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."
Monday, November 12, 2007
Our Saints...
We discussed Saints at Tuesdays Newman Night...
Here is the first of several SHORT biographies of some of the saints that you chose at confirmation...
The information is from Catholic-forum dot com (or org)
You can also look to Wikipedia (yes, Wikipedia) for good starting places to search for historical information about saints...
Jude Thaddeus
Memorial
28 October (Roman Church); 19 June (Eastern Church)
Profile:
Son of Cleophas, who died a martyr, and Mary who stood at the foot of the Cross, and who annointed Christ's body after death. Brother of Saint James the Lesser. Nephew of Mary and Joseph; blood relative of Jesus Christ, and reported to look a lot like him. May have been a fisherman. Apostle. Writer of canonical letter. Preached in Syria, Mesopotamia, and Persia with Saint Simon. Healer. Exorcist. Could exorcise pagan idols, which caused the demons to flee and the statues to crumble. His patronage of lost or impossible causes traditionally derives from confusion by many early Christians between Jude and Judas; not understanding the difference between the names, they never prayed for Jude's help, and devotion to him became something of a lost cause.
Died beaten to death with a club, then beheaded post-mortem in 1st century Persia; relics at Saint Peter's, Rome, at Rheims, and at Toulouse, France
Name Meaning
sweetness or gentleness of character (Thaddeus)
Patronage
desperate situations; forgotten causes; hospital workers; hospitals; impossible causes; lost causes diocese of Saint Petersburg, Florida
Prayers
Prayer to..., by Kathleen Norris
2 prayers at Webdesk Catholic Prayers
Representation
axe; bearded man holding an oar; boat; boat hook; book; club; square rule; sword; nearly every image depicts him wearing a medallion with a profile of Jesus, and usually with a small flame above his head; often carries a pen or sits at a writing location to make reference to the canonical Epistle
Update on Archbishop Gregory
11.06.07 Update on Archbishop Gregory!
Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory is recovering well from Monday's surgery for early stage prostate cancer. He is walking for exercise and receiving excellent medical care. From the hospital he said, "I am grateful for the loving prayers offered on my behalf and ask for your continued prayers for healing during the next several weeks."
Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory is recovering well from Monday's surgery for early stage prostate cancer. He is walking for exercise and receiving excellent medical care. From the hospital he said, "I am grateful for the loving prayers offered on my behalf and ask for your continued prayers for healing during the next several weeks."
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Readings for Sunday November 11, 2007
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14
It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said:
"What do you expect to achieve by questioning us?
We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.
"At the point of death he said:
"You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life,
but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.
It is for his laws that we are dying.
"After him the third suffered their cruel sport.
He put out his tongue at once when told to do so,
and bravely held out his hands, as he spoke these noble words:
"It was from Heaven that I received these;
for the sake of his laws I disdain them;
from him I hope to receive them again."
Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage,
because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.
After he had died,they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.
When he was near death, he said,
"It is my choice to die at the hands of men
with the hope God gives of being raised up by him;
but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15
R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye,
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Reading II
2 Thes 2:16-3:5
Brothers and sisters:
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement
and good hope through his grace,
encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed
and word.
Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us,
so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified,
as it did among you,
and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people,
for not all have faith.
But the Lord is faithful;
he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you,
you are doing and will continue to do.
May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God
and to the endurance of Christ.
Gospel
Lk 20:27-38 or 20:27, 34-38
Longer Form
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,
"Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers;
the first married a woman but died childless.
Then the second and the third married her,
and likewise all the seven died childless.
Finally the woman also died.
Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?
For all seven had been married to her."
Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,
for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called out 'Lord, '
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive."
or
Shorter Form
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
came forward.
Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called out 'Lord, '
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive."
Reading 1
2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14
It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said:
"What do you expect to achieve by questioning us?
We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.
"At the point of death he said:
"You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life,
but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.
It is for his laws that we are dying.
"After him the third suffered their cruel sport.
He put out his tongue at once when told to do so,
and bravely held out his hands, as he spoke these noble words:
"It was from Heaven that I received these;
for the sake of his laws I disdain them;
from him I hope to receive them again."
Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage,
because he regarded his sufferings as nothing.
After he had died,they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way.
When he was near death, he said,
"It is my choice to die at the hands of men
with the hope God gives of being raised up by him;
but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15
R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye,
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Reading II
2 Thes 2:16-3:5
Brothers and sisters:
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement
and good hope through his grace,
encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed
and word.
Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us,
so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified,
as it did among you,
and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people,
for not all have faith.
But the Lord is faithful;
he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you,
you are doing and will continue to do.
May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God
and to the endurance of Christ.
Gospel
Lk 20:27-38 or 20:27, 34-38
Longer Form
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,
"Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers;
the first married a woman but died childless.
Then the second and the third married her,
and likewise all the seven died childless.
Finally the woman also died.
Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be?
For all seven had been married to her."
Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,
for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called out 'Lord, '
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive."
or
Shorter Form
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
came forward.
Jesus said to them,
"The children of this age marry and remarry;
but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage.
They can no longer die,for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise.
That the dead will rise
even Moses made known in the passage about the bush,
when he called out 'Lord, '
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
and he is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive."
Monday, November 5, 2007
November Newman Schedule
November 6 - Newman Night - 8:30 Circuit Rider
'The Communion of Saints'
'The Communion of Saints'
Join us as we discuss what it means to be called into the communion of saints -
November 11 - Mass, Pizza, and the Zoo
We will attend Mass at St. Joe's, they will feed us pizza, and then we will go to the St Louis Zoo.
(I know we should be more creative with our titles!)
November 13 - Newman Night - 8:30 Upstairs Chapel
'Is the Life of Brian really like the life of Jesus?'
November 16 - Dressin' Up Turkey
Dinner and Dessert - Semi-formal
Dinner at Tim's and Dessert at the Melting Pot!
x6962 for more info
November 18 - Mass on Campus
Mass - 8pm in Circuit Riders
and then we will eat cake (or pie).
November 21 and 22
St Luke's Thanksgiving Dinner
Volunteer's Needed
Wednesday Night set up and Thursday day help
call or email Erin for more info
x6418 or erhammond (at) mckendree (dot) edu
November 27 - Newman Night - 8:30pm Circuit Riders
'Game Night'
Dessert too!
And all month long:
Remembering the Saints in our lives!
We are collecting the names of our loved ones that have passed on to remember in prayer and at our Eucharistic Celebration this month.
To submit names:
1. Comment on this post (you do not have to register to do so)
2. Email Erin
3. Call Erin
4. Sign the book at one of our events (except Thanksgiving Day)
Peace and have a blessed month!
erin
Looking for a ride to church?
Wanna go to Mass but don't want to sit by yourself?
Do you need a ride all the way from West to get to St Joe's? (It's only gonna get colder this year!)
Email Beth Schwierjohn blschwierjohn@mckendree.edu or find her on facebook
and she can arrange groups to go to the Saturday 5pm or the Sunday morning 10:30am Masses.
Do you need a ride all the way from West to get to St Joe's? (It's only gonna get colder this year!)
Email Beth Schwierjohn blschwierjohn@mckendree.edu or find her on facebook
and she can arrange groups to go to the Saturday 5pm or the Sunday morning 10:30am Masses.
Archbishop Wilton Gregory
Many of you remember Archbishop Gregory -
Perhaps he confirmed you?
Maybe you served Mass with him?
Possibly your youth group went to his workshop at DYC?
He is undergoing surgery today, Monday. Please keep him in your prayers today and as he recovers. Below is a short prayer and statement from Bishop Braxton:
Statement of The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton on
The Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory’s forthcoming hospitalization
October 29, 2007
I ask the people of the diocese to pray for the archbishop and his doctors, that the surgery will be successful and he will be able to continue to serve the People of God of the Archdiocese of Atlanta in good health and with dedication to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We pray for Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, that the surgery he is to undergo on Monday will be completely successful, and that he will be able to continue his service to the People of God in the Archdiocese of Atlanta with renewed dedication.
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