St. Isidore the Farmer (USA), Pentecost Novena - Day 6
Acts 20:28-38 | Psalm 68:29-30, 33-36 | John 17:11-19

"I commend you now to the Lord, and to that gracious word of His which can enlarge you." —Acts 20:32

As Pentecost approaches, the Lord shines the spotlight ever more brightly on His Word. In the sixth day of the Pentecost novena, we are praying for a great outpouring and reception of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday. One of the first actions ... More

According to Acts 1:15-26, during the days after the Ascension, Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (about 120 of Jesus’ followers). Now that Judas had betrayed his ministry, it was necessary, Peter said, to fulfill the scriptural recommendation that another should take his office. “Therefore, it is necessary that ...

St. Matthias, Pentecost Novena - Day 5
Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 | Psalm 113:1-8 | John 15:9-17

"The saying in Scripture uttered long ago by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David was destined to be fulfilled in Judas." —Acts 1:16

While the Church, about to be born at Pentecost, was praying in the upper room (see Acts 1:14), Peter stood up and quoted two obscure sentences from the Psalms (Acts 1:20). The first one, Psalm 69:26, if applied to Judas Iscariot's apostleship, ... More

Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria, near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon. (See February 20 entry for Blesseds Jacinta and Francisco Marto). Mary asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the ...

Our Lady of Fatima, Pentecost Novena - Day 4
Acts 19:1-8 | Psalm 68:2-7 | John 16:29-33

"There is no need for anyone to ask You questions." —John 16:30

There is no need for us to question God in a prideful, doubting way. Zechariah questioned God's messenger by asking: "How am I to know this?" (Lk 1:18) He was struck dumb for nine months.

However, we do have a need to question God in a ... More

Devotion to these two saints goes back to the fourth century, though almost nothing is known of their lives. They were praetorian soldiers of the Roman army, became Christians and were removed to the island of Terracina, where they were martyred. Their bodies were buried in a family vault, later known ...

Ascension, Pentecost Novena - Day 3
Acts 1:1-11 | Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23 or Ephesians 1:17-23 | Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9 | Luke 24:46-53

"He was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took Him from their sight." —Acts 1:9

Scripture links "the promise of the Father" (Lk 24:49) to the Ascension of Jesus to the Father (Acts 1:4-5). Just before Jesus ascended to His Father, He told His disciples, "Wait, rather, for the fulfillment of My Father's promise...within a ... More

Monthly publication that summarizes and quotes the writings of Pope Francis. An easy way to keep up with what the Pope is saying to the Church. This is intended to be a parish bulletin insert and can be copied for that purpose.

Ignatius is another sainted begging brother.

He was the second of seven children of peasant parents in Sardinia. His path to the Franciscans was unusual. During a serious illness, Ignatius vowed to become a Capuchin if he recovered. He regained his health but ignored the promise. A riding accident prompted him to ...

Pentecost Novena - Day 2
Acts 18:23-28 | Psalm 47:2-3, 8-10 | John 16:23-28

Apollos established "from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah." —Acts 18:28

While in the city of Ephesus, Apollos unpacked the Old Testament Scriptures that referred to Jesus and established that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah (Acts 18:28). In so doing, Apollos imitated Jesus, Who while walking on the road to Emmaus, ... More

Social Networks Can Spread The Gospel
Find The Courage To Return To God
In Defense Of Life: Approving That Which Does Not Exist
Media Campaign Focuses On Bible
Prison To Praise: What's Missing From Our Churches?
Prayer For Those Killed In War
Christian Solidarity For Autistic Urged
Light to the Nations: A Christian Perspective on World News

When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy (Hansen's disease). By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could ...

St. Damien of Molokai, Pentecost Novena - Day 1
Acts 18:9-18 | Psalm 47:2-7 | John 16:20-23

"When she has borne her child, she no longer remembers her pain." —John 16:21

During World War II, four Allied soldiers who were encamped behind enemy lines in Germany discovered critical enemy battle plans. If the Allied leaders knew of these plans, thousands of lives could be spared. The four soldiers decided to ski ... More

Some Franciscan saints led fairly public lives; Catharine represents the saints who served the Lord in obscurity.

Catharine, born in Bologna, was related to the nobility in Ferrara and was educated at court there. She received a liberal education at the court and developed some interest and talent in painting. In ...

Acts 18:1-8 | Psalm 98:1-4 | John 16:16-20

"When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word." —Acts 18:5, RNAB

St. Paul came alone to the Greek city of Corinth (Acts 18:1-3). Paul had been given the spiritual gift of teaching. However, he was an outreach team of one, and so his impact was limited. He found work as a tentmaker to support himself (Acts ... More

There are two men named St. Peter of Tarentaise who lived one century apart. The man we honor today is the younger Peter, born in France in the early part of the 12th century. (The other man with the same name became Pope Innocent the Fifth.)

The Peter we’re focusing on ...

Acts 17:15, 22—18:1 | Psalm 148:1-2, 11-14 | John 16:12-15

"He has set the day on which He is going to 'judge the world with justice' through a Man He has appointed — One Whom He has endorsed in the sight of all by raising Him from the dead." —Acts 17:31

When Paul had proclaimed to the Athenians that Jesus had been risen from the dead, "some sneered, while others said, 'We must hear you on this topic some other time' " (Acts 17:32). Today, the reaction to Jesus' resurrection is similar. Over a ... More

Rose was born at Viterbo in Italy, the daughter of a doctor. Following the death of her fiancé she entered a convent, but soon returned home to care for her newly widowed mother. Meanwhile, Rose invited the women of the neighborhood to recite the rosary in her home, forming a sort ...

Acts 16:22-34 | Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8 | John 16:5-11

"He led them up into his house, spread a table before them, and joyfully celebrated with his whole family his newfound faith in God." —Acts 16:34

During an earthquake, a jailer was about to commit suicide (Acts 16:27). Paul and Silas stopped the jailer, who took them home. "They proceeded to announce the word of God to him and to everyone in his house" (Acts 16:32). Then "he led them up ... More

Often, it’s hard to find much detail from the lives of saints of the early Church. What we know about the third-century martyrs we honor today is likewise minimal. But we do know that they lived and died for the faith. Almost 2,000 years later, that is enough reason to honor ...