— Tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a child, was presented by her parents into the Temple. This feast commemorates the total gift that Mary made of herself: total dedication to God’s service and obedience to God’s will. In the Eastern Orthodox Church it’s known as The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos […]
— Born into Hungarian nobility, St. Elizabeth (1207-1231) is remembered for her charitable works and tireless devotion in caring for the poor and the sick. After her husband’s death, she became one of the first Franciscan tertiaries of Germany. (art: “St. Elizabeth spinning wool for the poor” by Marianne Stokes)
— During St. Leo’s pontificate, the Council of Chalcedon (451) defined Jesus Christ as one divine Person having two natures (divine and human), combating the Monophysitism heresy. St. Leo had written his Epistola Dogmatica (the “Tome” of Leo) to Patriarch Flavian of Constantinople, which was read and assented to by the Council Fathers.
— Today’s great feast honors all the saints now in Heaven… those who have been recognized by the Church as well as those who have not been canonized.
— Saints Simon and Jude appear in all three Synoptic Gospels and in John’s Gospel is Jude’s famous query to Jesus: “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” — Their names appear in the Roman Canon and according to tradition, Saints Simon and Jude were both […]
— A strong defender of the family, St. John Paul II began the tradition of World Youth Day and the World Meeting of Families. He developed many themes during his papacy including, “The Culture of Life,” “The Universal Call to Holiness,” “Christian Marriage and Family Life as the domestic church,” and “Theology of the Body.”
— Includes the complete collection of St. John Paul II’s Holy Thursday letters to priests from 1979 to 2005. Great gift for clergy! Please visit: www.theologicalforum.org/Category/102/Product/319/Letters_to_My_Brother_Priests_Complete_Collection_of_Holy_Thursday_Letters_1979_2005_
— Inspired author of the third Gospel and Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke highlights the powerful actions of the Holy Spirit and the universality of the Redemption.
— St. Ignatius (d. 107) was consecrated Bishop of Antioch and later martyred in Rome under Trajan. Considered one of the great Apostolic Fathers, he wrote a series of letters pertaining to Christology, ecclesiology, and the Sacraments. His name is mentioned in the Roman Canon.
— Born in Avila, St. Teresa (1515-1582) was one of the great Spanish mystics and a major figure in the Counter-Reformation. She reformed the Carmelite Order with the help of her friend, St. John of the Cross. Her popular works include The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection.