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Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Margaret Clitherow, 1555-1586; English convert to the Catholic faith from Protestantism; harbored fugitive priests during the English persecution; arrested, imprisoned, and pressed to death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/26/21 Gospel: John 10:31-42

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/25/21 Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Aldemar; born in Capua, Italy, a monk of Monte Cassino; Princess Aloara built a new convent in Capua, and made Aldemar the director of religious; his superior reassigned him to Monte Cassino, angering the princess; Aldemar escaped death threats and founded several more religious houses; died 1080 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/...

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Turibius de Mongrovejo, 1538-1606; born in Spain, studied law, and was appointed archbishop of Lima, Peru; devoted himself to reforming the archdiocese and giving aid to native peoples suffering under Spanish occupation; patron of native rights, Latin American bishops, and of Peru Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/23/21 Gospel: John...

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Nicholas Owen, 1550-1606; Jesuit lay brother who helped to hide priests during the English persecution; arrested in 1594, but ransomed by a wealthy Catholic; arrested again in 1606, and died of torture Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/22/21 Gospel: John 8:1-11

Fifth Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/21/21 Gospel: John 12:20-33

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Cuthbert, 634-687; prior of Melrose Abbey; in 685, elected bishop of Hexham, but swapped sees with St. Eata, and became bishop of Lindisfarn; gifted with miracles and prophecy; spent the last two years of his life caring for the sick of the plague which decimated his diocese Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/20/21 Gospel: John 7:4...

Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/19/21 Gospel: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, 315-386; bishop and doctor of the church; while bishop of Jerusalem, he was condemned by the Arians and driven from the city, but later vindicated; at the Council of Constantinople, he accepted the word, “consubstantial,” referring to Christ being of the same substance or nature as the Father; the Council prai...

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Patrick, 415-493; a Roman Briton who was captured and forced in slavery in Ireland; he underwent a spiritual conversion, and escaped; consecrated a bishop at the age of 43, and was sent to do mission work in pagan Ireland, which responded in a relatively short time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/17/21 Gospel: John 5:17-30

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Finian Lobhar; Sixth Century Irish abbot, a disciple of St. Columba; founded a church and monastery at Innisfallen; abbot of Swords Abbey near Dublin; called “Lobhar”–or “the leper”–because he had cured a young boy of the disease; died 560 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/16/21 Gospel: John...

Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Louise de Marillac, 1591-1660; wanted to be a nun, but was advised to marry; after being widowed, she worked with St. Vincent de Paul, serving the sick, poor, and neglected; founded what became the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul; established over 40 houses in France Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/15/21 Gospel: John 4:4...

Fourth Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/14/21 Gospel: John 9:1-41

Saturday of the Third Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Agnellus of Pisa, 1195-1236; born of a noble clan, received into the Franciscan order by St. Francis of Assisi himself; established the Franciscan English province, and became a friend of King Henry III; helped to avert civil war between the throne and the Earl Marshal Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/13/21 Gospel: Luke 18:9-14

Friday of the Third Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Seraphina, 1238-1253; known for acts of self-denial and penance even as a young girl; after being orphaned, she was struck with a disease which left her paralyzed; she died on the feast of St. Gregory the Great, as foretold by him to her in a dream Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/12/21 Gospel: Mark 12:28-34

Thursday of the Third Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Sophronius of Jerusalem, 560-638; ardent opponent of the heresy of monothelitism; as patriarch of Jerusalem, he taught on the two wills of Christ Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/11/21 Gospel: Luke 11:14-23

Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. John Ogilvie, 1579-1615; born to Scottish nobility, raised a Calvinist; converted to Catholicism, and became a Jesuit priest; evangelized in Scotland, London, and Paris; arrested in Scotland, and convicted of high treason; hanged in Glasgow at the age of 36 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/10/21 Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Frances of Rome, 1384-1440; devoted wife who served the poor; founded a society of women with no vows, who offered themselves to God and to the service of the poor Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/9/21 Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

Monday of the Third Week of Lent Commemoration of St. John of God, 1495-1550; operated a religious goods store for a short time; later established a house for the sick poor; 20 years after his death, his helpers formed the Brothers Hospitallers, now a worldwide religious order Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/8/21 Gospel: Luke 4:24-30

Third Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/7/21 Gospel: John 2:13-25

Saturday of the Second Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Colette, 1380-1447; born in France, became a Franciscan tertiary, living as a solitary; left her cell in 1406 in response to a dream directing her to reform the Poor Clares; founded 17 convents with the reformed rule, and reforrmed several older convents; known for her sanctity, ecstacies, and visions of the Passion Office of Readings and M...

Friday of the Second Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. John Joseph of the Cross, 1654-1734; Franciscan, put in charge of establishing a new friary before he was even ordained; appointed novice master, guardian, and provincial; know for his humility Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/5/21 Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Casimir, 1458-1483; dedicated himself to lifelong celibacy at a young age; after an unsuccessful military intervention in Hungary, he vowed never to become in wars; reigned briefly as King of Poland in his father’s absence Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/4/21 Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Katharine Drexel, 1858-1955; gave up the wealth into which she was born to serve Native Americans and other people of color; Mother Drexel opened black Catholics schools in 13 states, plus 40 mission centers and 23 rural schools; founded Xavier University, New Orleans, the first Catholic university in the United States for African-Americans...

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Agnes of Bohemia, 1205-1282; daughter of the king and queen of Bohemia; refused numerous suitors to enter religious life; built a hospital for the poor, and financed construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague; known for prayer, obedience, and mortification Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/2/21 Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12