Catholic Saints & Feasts of the Liturgical Year

Read entire reflection online >>> August 12: Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, Religious—Optional Memorial 1572–1641 Patron Saint of forgotten people, parents separated from their children, and widows Invoked against in-law problems Canonized by Pope Clement XIII in 1767 Liturgical Color: White Quote : How soon may I hope for the happy day when I shall irrevocably offer myself to my God? He...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 11: Saint Clare, Virgin—Memorial c. 1193–1253 Patron Saint of the Poor Clares, embroiderers, goldworkers, laundry workers, needleworkers, telephones, and television Invoked against eye diseases and for good weather Canonized by Pope Alexander IV in 1255 Liturgical Color: White Quote : As you contemplate further His ineffable delights, eternal riche...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 10: Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr—Feast c. 225–c. 258 Patron Saint of archivists, armories, book lovers, brewers, butchers, cooks, comedians, deacons, glaziers, laundry workers, librarians, firefighters, poor people, restaurateurs, schoolchildren, seminarians, tanners, vine growers, winemakers, and Rome Invoked against fire and lumbago (lower b...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 9: Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), Virgin and Martyr—Optional Memorial 1891–1942 Patron Saint of Europe Canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1998 Liturgical Color: Red Quote : Holy Father! As a child of the Jewish people who, by the grace of God, for the past eleven years has also been a child of the Catholic Church, I dare to speak...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 8: Saint Dominic, Priest—Memorial 1170–1221 Patron Saint of astronomers, scientists, and those falsely accused Canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1234 Liturgical Color: White Quote : On the very day and hour that Master Dominic died, Brother Guala, prior of Brescia and later its bishop, was resting in the bell-tower of his convent. As he was about to...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 7: Saint Cajetan, Priest—Optional Memorial 1480–1547 Patron Saint of the unemployed Invoked for gambling problems Canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671 Liturgical Color: White Quote : It is not with sentimental love but rather with loving actions that souls are purified. ~Saint Cajetan Prayer : Saint Cajetan, you could have lived an easy and noble li...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 7: Saint Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs—Optional Memorial Unknown–c. 258 Patron Saint of Bellegra, Italy Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : He was crowned with martyrdom. He was bishop in the time of Valerian and Decius, when there was the great persecution. At that time he was seized by Valerian and ta...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 6: Transfiguration of the Lord—Feast c. 32 Quote : After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 5: Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major—Optional Memorial (Our Lady of the Snows) c. 352 Prayer : Our Lady of the Snows, you sent down a gentle, pure-white snow from Heaven on the spot where you wanted a Church that would be dedicated in your honor. You are the Mother of God, the Theotokos, and I honor you and love you as such. Please pra...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 4: Saint John Vianney (the Curé of Ars), Priest—Memorial 1786–1859 Patron Saint of parish priests, all priests, and confessors Canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925 Liturgical Color: White Quote : …I think, brethren, that you would like to know what is the state of the lukewarm soul. Well, this is it. A lukewarm soul is not yet quite dead in the eyes o...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 2: Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Priest—Optional Memorial 1811–1868 Invoked for an increase of devotion to the Holy Eucharist Canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Holy Father…Why does the greatest of all mysteries not have its own religious group like the other mysteries; why would it not have men with a perpetual missi...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 2: Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop—Optional Memorial c. 283 (or early Fourth Century)–371 Patron Saint of Piedmont, Italy Pre-Congregation Canonization Liturgical Color: White Quote : When I receive a letter from one of you and see in your writings your goodness and love, joy mingles with tears, and my desire to continue reading is checked by my...

Read entire reflection online >>> August 1: Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church—Memorial 1696–1787 Patron Saint of confessors and moral theologians Invoked against scrupulosity, arthritis, and for final perseverance Canonized by Pope Gregory XVI in 1839 Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1871 Liturgical Color: White Quote : In the beginning...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 31: Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest—Memorial 1491–1556 Patron Saint of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Spiritual Exercises, soldiers, and retreats Canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. And the other things on the...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 30: Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor—Optional Memorial c. 380 or 406–c. 450 Patron Saint of Imola, Italy Invoked against fevers and vicious dogs Pre-Congregation canonization Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII in 1729 Quote : We exhort you in every respect, honorable brother, to heed obediently what has been written by...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 29: Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus—Memorial First Century Martha—Patron Saint of cooks, butlers, dieticians, homemakers, innkeepers, maids, single laywomen, servers, and travelers Mary—Patron Saint of spiritual studies and lectors Lazarus—Patron Saint of gravediggers Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: White Quote : In the household of...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 26: Saints Joachim and Anne—Memorial Late First Century BC–AD Early First Century Saint Anne—Patron Saint of grandparents, grandmothers, mothers, roommakers, cabinetmakers, carpenters, dressmakers, equestrians, expectant mothers, homemakers, housewives, lace workers, seamstresses, miners, old-clothes dealers, Canada, and France Invoked against steril...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 25: Saint James, Apostle—Feast First Century–c. 44 Patron Saint of blacksmiths, druggists, equestrians, hatmakers, laborers, pilgrims, knights, soldiers, tanners, veterinarians, and several countries and cities, including Santiago de Compostela, Spain Invoked against arthritis and rheumatism Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote :...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 24: Saint Sharbel (Charbel) Makhlūf, Priest, Hermit—Optional Memorial 1828–1898 Patron Saint of Lebanon Canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 9, 1977 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Yes, the kind of holiness practiced by Charbel Makhlouf is of great weight, not only for the glory of God, but for the vitality of the Church…Pastors are needed, who gathe...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 23: Saint Bridget of Sweden, Religious—Optional Memorial 1303–1373 Patron Saint of Europe, Sweden, and widows Canonized by Pope Boniface IX on October 7, 1391 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Then He was taken down from the Cross and I received His body onto my lap. He looked like a leper, and was completely covered with bruises and blood. His eyes we...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 22: Saint Mary Magdalene—Feast First Century Patron Saint of pharmacists, contemplatives, converts, glovemakers, hairdressers, penitent sinners, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumers, reformed prostitutes, tanners, women Invoked against sexual temptations Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: White Quote : Jesus said to her, “Woman, w...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 21: Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor—Optional Memorial 1559–1619 Patron Saint of Brindisi, Italy Canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881 Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959 Liturgical Color: White Quote : It was from the Child in her womb that Mary received all her glory. He clothed her with the sun, rolled the moon b...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 20: Saint Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr—Optional Memorial First Century–c. 79 (Or possibly died late Second Century) Patron Saint of Ravenna and Emilia-Romagna, Italy Invoked against gout, venereal disease, and epilepsy Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : The birthday of the holy bishop Apollinaris, who was consecrated at Rom...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 16: Our Lady of Mount Carmel—Optional Memorial Late Twelfth–Early Thirteenth Century Patron Saint of Bolivia and the Carmelite Order Invoked for those in Purgatory Liturgical Color: White Quote : Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, crouched down to the earth, and put his head between his knees. He said to his servant, “Go up and look out to sea.” He...

Read entire reflection online >>> July 15: Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor—Memorial c. 1217–1274 Invoked against intestinal problems Canonized by Pope Sixtus IV on April 14, 1482 Proclaimed the Seraphic Doctor of the Church by Pope Sixtus V in 1588 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the “throne of mercy o...