Catholic Saints & Feasts of the Liturgical Year

Read entire reflection online >>> June 3: Saints Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs—Memorial 1860–1886 Patron Saints of African youth, converts, and torture victims Canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 18, 1964 Liturgical Color: Red Quote : This is the place where Christ’s light shone on your land with a particular splendor. This was the place of darkness, Namugongo, where Christ’s li...

Read entire reflection online >>> June 2: Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs—Optional Memorial Mid-Third Century–c. 304 Invoked by those enduring hardships in life Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : Here lie the bodies of Saints Marcellinus the priest and Peter the exorcist, who by a marvelous inspiration, with the help of the Lord, have brought many unbeliever...

Read entire reflection online >>> June 1: Saint Justin Martyr—Memorial c. 100–c. 165 Patron Saint of philosophers, lecturers, and apologists Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : And this food is called among us the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washi...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 31: Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Feast Liturgical Color: White Quote : During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cri...

Read entire reflection online >>> The Most Holy Trinity—Solemnity First Sunday after Pentecost Liturgical Color: White Quote : “Father,” “Son,” “Holy Spirit” are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are really distinct from one another: “He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 29: Saint Paul VI, Pope—Optional Memorial 1897–1978 Patron Saint of Vatican Council II Canonized by Pope Francis on October 14, 2018 Liturgical Color: White Quote : And most important of all, on taking my leave of this earthly scene, and going to face the judgment and mercy of God, there are so many things I should say, indeed so many. On the state of...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 27: Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop—Optional Memorial Early Sixth Century–604 Patron Saint of England Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: White Quote : The powerful Ethelbert was at that time king of Kent…the king came into the island, and sitting in the open air, ordered Augustine and his companions to come and hold a conference wit...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 26: Saint Philip Neri, Priest—Memorial 1515–1595 Patron Saint of Rome, joy, comedians, and artists Canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Leafing through the biography of St Philip, in fact, one is surprised and fascinated by the cheerful and relaxed method he used to educate, supporting each person with fratern...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 25: Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, Virgin—Optional Memorial 1566–1607 Patron Saint of the sick Canonized by Pope Clement IX on April 28, 1669 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Self-love is like the worm that gnaws at the root and destroys not only the fruit, but even the very life of the plant. The traitor that we have to fear most is self-love, for sel...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 25: Saint Bede the Venerable, Priest and Doctor—Optional Memorial c. 673–735 Patron Saint of lectors, scholars, English writers, and historians Pre-Congregation canonization Canonization confirmed and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1899 Liturgical Color: White Quote : To the most glorious King Ceolwulf. Bede, the servant of Chri...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 25: Saint Gregory VII, Pope, Religious—Optional Memorial c. 1020–1085 Invoked against corruption within the Church Canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on May 24, 1728 Liturgical Color: White Quote : In the name of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I withdraw, through Thy power and authority, from Henry the king, son of Henry the emperor, who has r...

Read entire reflection online >>> Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church—Memorial Celebrated the Monday after Pentecost Liturgical Color: White Quote : Indeed, the Mother standing beneath the cross (cf.  Jn 19:25 ), accepted her Son’s testament of love and welcomed all people in the person of the beloved disciple as sons and daughters to be reborn unto life eternal. She thus became the...

Read entire reflection online >>> Pentecost Sunday—Solemnity Liturgical Color: Red Quote : When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of the...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 22: Saint Rita of Cascia—Optional Memorial 1386–1457 Patron Saint of abuse victims, impossible causes, sickness, wounds, parenthood, and widows Invoked against marital problems, fighting and discord, and infertility Canonized by Pope Leo XIII on May 24, 1900 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Dear brothers and sisters, the worldwide devotion to Saint Rit...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 21: Saint Christopher Magallanes, Priest and Martyr and Companions, Martyrs—Optional Memorial 1869–1927 Venerated especially in Mexico Invoked against government persecution Canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 21, 2000 Liturgical Color: Red Quote : “The Church … had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of th...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 20: Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest—Optional Memorial 1380–1444 Patron Saint of public relations, public speaking, and advertisers Invoked against gambling addictions and chest problems Canonized by Pope Nicholas V on May 24, 1450 Liturgical Color: White Quote : The name of Jesus is the splendor of preachers, because it causes His Word to be proclai...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 18: Saint John I, Pope and Martyr—Optional Memorial c. Late Fifth Century–526 Invoked against temptations toward false unity and acceptance of heresy Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : Who does not envy the happiness of a martyr in his dungeon, when he beholds the inward joy, peace, and sentiments of charity with which he clos...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 15: Saint Isidore—USA Optional Memorial c. 1070–c. 1130 Patron Saint of Madrid, farms, farmers, bricklayers, and rural communities Invoked against the death of a child Canonized by Pope Gregory XV, March 12, 1622 Liturgical Color: White Quote : But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. ~ M...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 14: Saint Matthias the Apostle—Feast First Century Patron Saint of alcoholics, carpenters, and tailors Invoked against smallpox Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is ab...

Read entire reflection online >>> The Ascension of the Lord—Solemnity Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter or on the Seventh Sunday of Easter Liturgical Color: White Quote : When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 13: Our Lady of Fátima—Optional Memorial 1916–1917 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration… The demons could be distinguishe...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 12: Saint Pancras, Martyr—Optional Memorial c. 289–c. 304 Patron Saint of children, jobs, and health Invoked against cramps, false witnesses, headaches, and perjury Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : In the same place, on the Aurelian road, the holy martyr Pancratius, who, at fourteen years of age, endured martyrdom by decapit...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 12: Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs—Optional Memorial Died c. 98 Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : Nereus and Achilleus the martyrs joined the army and carried out the cruel orders of the tyrant, obeying his will continually out of fear. Then came a miracle of faith. They suddenly gave up their savagery, they were conver...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 10: Saint John of Ávila, Priest and Doctor of the Church—Optional Memorial 1499–1569 Patron Saint of Spanish priests Canonized by Pope Paul VI on May 31, 1970 Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI on October 7, 2012 Liturgical Color: White Quote : I know of nothing better than to meditate on the fact that our Lord, with Whom we are to...

Read entire reflection online >>> May 10: Saint Damien de Veuster of Molokai, Priest—USA Optional Memorial 1840–1889 Patron Saint of outcasts and those suffering from leprosy Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Dear brother, I continue happy and content and even though I am very sick, I only want to fulfill the will of the Good God….I am stil...