* * *** Martyred around 203, St. Irenaeus is best known for defending Christian orthodoxy against Gnosticism.

— St. Irenaeus is considered one of the first great Church theologians and his important work went beyond the refutation of heresy. His system of theology includes the principle of apostolic succession and Mary’s role in the history of salvation. Some fragments of his writings have survived and are studied today for theological insight. — […]

* * *** “Sanctity is not for a privileged few. The Lord calls all of us… For the daily life we live, apparently so ordinary, can be a path to sanctity: it is not necessary to abandon one’s place in the world in order to search for God…because all the paths of the earth can be the occasion for an encounter with Christ.” (St. Josemaria Escriva)

— Today we honor St. Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975), Spanish priest, who through his life and work taught that we are all called to holiness. St. Josemaria’s popular writings include “The Way,” “Christ Is Passing By,” and “Friends of God.”

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* * *** “John the Baptist is ‘more than a prophet.’ In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his speaking through the prophets… John ‘came to bear witness to the light.’ In John’s sight, the Spirit thus brings to completion the careful search of the prophets and fulfills the longing of the angels.” (CCC 719)

— We honor the birth of St. John the Baptist with the highest order of liturgical feast. As the Forerunner of the Savior, St. John prepared the way for Jesus, instructing his followers to turn and follow the “Lamb of God.”

* * *** The joint feast day honors St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More. Even at great cost, these two men were faithful to truth and conscience.

— St. John (d. 1535) was Bishop of Rochester and named cardinal shortly before his death; St. Thomas (d. 1535) was a lawyer and Lord Chancellor of England. In the same year, both men would be executed by order of King Henry VIII for refusing to acknowledge Henry as supreme head of the Church of […]

* * *** Born in Ravenna to a family of nobility, St. Romuald (d. 1027) grew up in a lavish environment. Yet, a particular life experience would prompt his journey to monasticism. St. Romuald founded the Camaldolese Order; a combination of hermit life and an austere form of community. He helped to establish and reform many monasteries, reviving the practice of hermit life to allow for more solitude.

— from St. Romuald’s Brief Rule: “Sit in your cell as in paradise; put the whole world behind you and forget it; like a skilled angler on the lookout for a catch keep a careful eye on your thoughts. The path you follow is in the psalms — don’t leave it. If you’ve come with […]

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Missale Romanum, Chapel Edition (Latin) — Editio iuxta typicam tertiam emendatam (2008) — Durable faux leather cover; Smyth-sewn binding — Full-color illustrations, ribbon markers and tabs Please visit: www.theologicalforum.org (Livestream of the Ordinary Form in Latin at www.cantius.org)

* * *** The Immaculate Heart of our Blessed Mother… model of purity and perfect love for God.

— “In all perils and needs, the faithful have fled prayerfully to her protection. As Virgin and Mother, Mary remains for the Church a ‘permanent model.’ .. Hence, as Christians raise their eyes with faith to Mary in the course of their earthly pilgrimage, they ‘strive to increase in holiness.’ Mary, the exalted Daughter of […]

* * *** “His most Sacred Heart never ceased, and never will cease, to beat with calm and imperturbable pulsations. Likewise, it will never cease to symbolize the threefold love with which He is bound to His heavenly Father and the entire human race…” (HAURIETIS AQUAS, Pope Pius XII)

— The Solemnity of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated today, a reminder of God’s perfect love for us.

* * *** “…the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” (Screwtape to Wormwood, Letter no.12)

– (the road to perdition is not always met with a lightning bolt)

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