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Saturday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Monica, 330-387; distressed at her son Augustine's acceptance of the Manichean heresy, shoe followed him to Milan, where both came under the influence of St. Ambrose; Augustine was baptized at Easter 387; shortly after, Monica became ill and died Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/27/22 Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

Friday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Jeanne-Elisabeth Bichier des Ages, 1773-1838; under the guidance of St. Andrew Fournet, she devoted herself to teaching and caring for the sick and needy; joined the Carmelites, then the Society of Providence, and founded the Daughters of the Cross, also known as the Sisters of St. Andrew Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/26/...

Thursday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Louis IX, 1213-1270; protected French clergy from secular leaders; enforced laws against blasphemy; established the Sorbonne and three monasteries; led two crusades, the Sixth and Seventh, and died at the beginning of the Seventh Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/25/22 Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51

Feast of St. Bartholomew, apostle; the Roman Martyrology says he preached in India and Greater Armenia, where he was flayed and beheaded Wednesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/24/22 Gospel: John 1:45-51

Tuesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Rose of Lima, 1586-1617; forbidden by her parents to enter a convent, so she lived a life of penance and solitude at home as a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic; cared for homeless children, the elderly, and the sick in her house; at her death, the city turned out for her funeral Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/2...

Monday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary; her queenship is a share in Jesus' kingship; a follow-up to the Assumption, celebrated on the octave day of that feast Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/22/22 Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/21/22 Gospel: Luke 13:22-30

Friday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. John Eudes, 1601-1680; founded the Eudists, the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, devoted to the formation of the clergy; founded several seminaries in Normandy; disturbed by the sad condition of prostitutes who wanted to escape that life, he founded the Sisters of Charity of the Refuge Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/19/2...

Thursday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Helena, 248-328; mother of Emperor Constantine the Great; helped re-establish Christianity in the Holy Land, after a period of decline; discovered relics of the True Cross Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/18/22 Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14

Wednesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Clare of Montefalco, 1268-1308; joined a convent of Franciscan tertiaries and succeeded her sister as abbess; let an austere life, devoted to the Passion of Christ and His Cross; on her death, an image of the Cross was found imprinted on her heart, and her body remained incorrupt Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/17/22 Gos...

Tuesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary, 975-1038; as ruler of Hungary, he adopted a policy of Christianization of the country; he established a system of tithes to support churches and pastors, and to relieve the poor; he abolished pagan customs, and was easily accissible to all, especially the poor Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/16/22 Go...

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Into Heave - Proclaimed a dogma by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950 Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/15/22 Gospel: Luke 1:39-56

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/14/22 Gospel: Luke 12:49-53

Saturday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of Saints Pontian and Hippolytus; Third Century pope and antipope, respectively, who were both exiled to the mines of Sardinia, where they reconciled, and both died as martyrs Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/13/22 Gospel: Matthew 19:13-15

Friday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, 1572-1641; married Baron de Chantal, by whom she had six children, three of whom died in infancy; widowed, and with the help of St. Francis de Sales, founded the Visitation order; encouraged local authorities to assist victims of the plague, and put all her convents resources at the disposal of the sick Offi...

Thursday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Clare of Assisi, 1194-1253; lifelong friend of St. Francis; received a habit from St. Francis, after which he placed her in a convent; others followed; Clare became abbess at age 21, a responsibility which she exercised until her death; served the sick, and washed the feet of the begging nuns; came from prayer with her face shining; receiv...

Feast of St. Lawrence, 225-258; Roman deacon under Pope Sixtus II, who was martyred; the prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence present the "treasures of the Church"; Lawrence gathered blind, lame, maimed, leprous, orphaned, and widowed persons, and said, "These are the treasures of the Church"; Lawrence was burned on a gridiron, and was heard to say, "It is well done. Turn me over!"; patron saint...

Tuesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, 1891-1942; abandoned Judaism, but was so taken with the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila that she became a Catholic, and then a Carmelite nun; taken by the Nazis from the convent in the Netherlands, and died at Auschwitz in 1942 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/9/22 Gospel: Matthew 18:1...

Monday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Dominic, 1170-1221; commissioned to be part of a preaching crusade against the Albigensian heresy; his fellow preachers became a community, and in 1215 Dominic founded the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/8/22 Gospel: Matthew 17:22-27

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/7/22 Gospel: Luke 12:32-48

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Saturday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/6/22 Gospel: Luke 9:28-36

Friday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of the Dedication of Saint Mary Major Basilica in Rome; one of the four patriarchal churches, along with St. John Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Peter's Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/5/22 Gospel: Matthew 16:24-28

Thursday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. John Vianney, 1786-1859; needed private tutoring to complete his studies for priesthood; as a priest, he spent many hours in the confessional; named patron of parish priests by Pope Pius XI Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/4/22 Gospel: Matthew 16:13-23

Wednesday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Gamaliel; rabbinical teacher and mentor of St. Paul; adviced the Jewish Sanhedrin to release St. Peter and other apostles. reportedly became a Christian; early Christians celebrated the finding of his body on August 3 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/3/22 Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28

Tuesday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, 300-271; first recorded bishop of Vercelli, Piedmont, northwest Italy; attended a council to settle matters between Catholics and Arians, and demanded that all in attendance sign the Nicene Creed; exiled to Palestine, Asia Minor, and Egypt, and eventually was able to return to Vercelli, where he died Office of...