Catholic Saints & Feasts of the Liturgical Year

Read entire reflection online >>> January 27: Saint Angela Merici, Virgin—Optional Memorial 1474–1540 Patron Saint of sickness, death of parents, disabled, handicapped, or physically challenged people Canonized May 24, 1807 by Pope Pius VII Liturgical Color: White Quote : My very own sisters, it is necessary that we be vigilant, and so much more so, as the undertaking is of such importanc...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 26: Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops—Memorial Saint Timothy: 17–97 Invoked against intestinal disorders and stomach diseases Saint Titus: First Century–96 Patron Saint of Crete Liturgical Color: White Quote : I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be heartened by hearing news of you. For I have no one comparable...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 25: The Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle—Feast c. 33–34 Patron Saint of missionaries, evangelists, writers, public workers, ropemakers, saddlemakers, and tentmakers Invoked against hailstorms and snakebites Liturgical Color: White Quote : For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God....

Read entire reflection online >>> January 24: Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor—Memorial 1567–1622 Patron Saint of authors, journalists, writers, deaf persons, educators Canonized April 8, 1665, by Pope Alexander VII Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1877 by Pope Pius IX Liturgical Color: White Quote : Finally, my beloved child, I intreat you by all that is sacred in heaven and i...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 23: Saint Marianne Cope, Virgin—USA Optional Memorial 1838–1918 Patron Saint of lepers, outcasts, those with HIV/AIDS, Hawaii Canonized October 21, 2012, by Pope Benedict XVI Liturgical Color: White Quote : I am hungry for the work and I wish with all my heart to be one of the chosen ones, whose privilege it will be to sacrifice themselves for the...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 22: Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr—Optional Memorial Celebrated January 23 in the USA Late Third Century–c. 304 Patron Saint of vinegar makers, wine makers, brickmakers, and sailors Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : We have been watching a magnificent spectacle with the eyes of faith, the holy martyr Vincent everywhere...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 22: Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children—USA Memorial Moved to January 23 when January 22 is a Sunday Liturgical Color: White or Violet Quote : God our Creator, we give thanks to you, who alone have the power to impart the breath of life as you form each of us in our mother’s womb; grant, we pray, that we, whom you have made s...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 21: Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr—Memorial c. 291–c. 304 Patron Saint of those seeking chastity and purity, engaged couples, rape victims, gardeners, young girls, and Girl Scouts Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : He who chose me first for Himself shall receive me. Why are you delaying, executioner?…She stood, she prayed,...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 20: Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr—Optional Memorial Died 250 Patron Saint of Rome Pre-Congregation canonization Elected pope 236 Liturgical Color: Red Quote : On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am w...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 20: Saint Sebastian, Martyr—Optional Memorial c. 255–c. 288 Patron Saint of archers, pinmakers, athletes, against epidemics, and of a holy death Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : The Lord Jesus, Whom I serve, has raised me, as it were, from the dead, for this very purpose, that once more I might meet you, and protest, in...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 17: Saint Anthony of Egypt, Abbot—Memorial 251–356 Patron Saint of basketmakers, gravediggers, butchers, swineherds, motorists, amputees, monks, and farmers Invoked against skin diseases and epilepsy Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: White Quote : And the place was suddenly filled with the forms of lions, bears, leopards, bulls, serp...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 13: Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor—Optional Memorial c. 315–367 Patron Saint of children academically behind, children learning to walk, mothers, and the sick Invoked against rheumatism and snakebites Pre-Congregation canonization Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1851 by Pope Pius IX Liturgical Color: White Quote : Let me, in shor...

Image via  Wikimedia Read entire reflection online >>> Baptism of the Lord—Feast Sunday after Epiphany Or, if Epiphany is celebrated on January 7 or 8, the following Monday Liturgical Color: White/Gold Quote : It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the S...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 7—Saint Raymond of Peñafort, Priest—Optional Memorial 1175–1275 Patron Saint of attorneys, canonists, and medical record librarians Canonized by Pope Clement VIII on April 29, 1601 Liturgical Color: White Quote : Look then on Jesus, the Author and Preserver of faith: in complete sinlessness He suffered, and at the hands of those who were His own,...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 6: Saint André Bessette, Religious—USA Optional Memorial 1845–1937 Patron saint of family caregivers in Canada Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 17, 2010 Liturgical Color: White Quote : God is good! How beautiful and powerful he is! He must be beautiful, because the human soul, which is a reflection of God’s beauty, is so beautiful! ~Spoke...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 5—Saint John Neumann, Bishop—Memorial: USA 1811–1860 Patron saint of sick children and of immigrants Canonized by Pope Saint Paul VI on June 19, 1977 Liturgical Color: White Quote : My heart is pierced with sorrow when I hear of the loss of one of my sheep. Lord Jesus, have mercy. Permit not that any one of those whom you have entrusted to me shou...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 4—Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious—Memorial: USA 1774–1821 Patron Saint of Catholic schools, widows, loss of parents and children, and people ridiculed for their piety Invoked against in-law problems and those who oppose the Church Canonized by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975 Liturgical Color: White Quote : I often asked [William] when he c...

Read entire reflection online >>> Epiphany of the Lord—Solemnity January 6, or on the first Sunday after January 1 in countries where this feast is not a Holy Day of Obligation Liturgical Color: White/Gold Quote : They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 3—The Most Holy Name of Jesus, Optional Memorial Liturgical Color: White Prayer : Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love, and strength! You are the refuge of those who repent, our banner of warfare in this life, the medicine of souls, the comfort of those who mourn, the delight of those who believe, the light of those who preach the true faith, th...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 2—Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors—Memorial St. Basil: 329–379 Patron Saint of monks, hospital administrators, reformers, and Russia St. Gregory: c. 329–389 Patron Saint of harvests and poets Pre-Congregation canonizations Liturgical Color: White Quote : Much time had I spent in vanity, and had wasted nearly all my...

Read entire reflection online >>> January 1—Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God—The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord Holy Day of Obligation (Obligatory in USA: unless it falls on Saturday or Monday) Liturgical Color: White/Gold Quote : Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the L...

Read entire reflection online >>> December 31: Saint Sylvester I, Pope—Optional Memorial c. Late Third Century–335 Patron Saint of animals, harvests, and stonemasons Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: White Quote : And so, on the first day after receiving the mystery of the holy baptism, and after the cure of my body from the squalor of the leprosy, I recognized that there wa...

Read entire reflection online >>> December 29: Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr—Optional Memorial c. 1119–1170 Patron Saint of clergy Canonized by Pope Alexander III on February 21, 1173 Liturgical color: White (Red only where celebrated as a Feast) Quote : Remember the profession, which you made and placed in writing upon the altar at Westminster, to preserve the  Church’s libertie...

Read entire reflection online >>> December 28: Holy Innocents, Martyrs—Feast AD 1 Patron Saints of babies, abandoned babies, children’s choirs, students, and altar servers Invoked against ambition, jealousy Pre-Congregation canonization Liturgical Color: Red Quote : When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bet...

Read entire reflection online >>> The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—Feast Sunday within the Octave of Christmas Liturgical Color: White Quote : How I would like to return to my childhood and attend the simple yet profound school that is Nazareth! How wonderful to be close to Mary, learning again the lesson of the true meaning of life, learning again God’s truths…First, we learn f...