dailyromanmissal

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus while he was on his way to Damascus is one of the most powerful miracles in the history of the early Church. It reveals how faith comes from grace and builds upon free cooperation with it. The doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ received proof and a clear illustration when Christ said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the […]

Born in the province of Savoy, St. Francis was destined by his father to be a lawyer. His desire instead was to enter the priesthood. After much gentle persuasiveness, his father offered his consent. At 35, Francis was chosen to be Bishop of Geneva, where he fought Calvinism. It was his gentle character that was a great asset in winning souls. Along with St. Jane Frances de Chantal, he founded the Order of Sisters of the Visitation.

~ In his well-known classic, “Introduction to the Devout Life,” he writes to all Christians, not just those called to religious vocation: “It is an error, nay more, a very heresy, to seek to banish the devout life from the soldier’s guardroom, the mechanic’s workshop, the prince’s court, or the domestic hearth… there are various […]

St. Agnes (d. 304) came from a noble Roman family. She was about thirteen when martyred during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Her name is associated with the Latin “agnus” for “lamb,” as the young saint is often depicted with a lamb by her side. St. Agnes is commemorated in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I).

“Almighty ever-living God, who choose what is weak in the world to confound the strong, mercifully grant, that we, who celebrate the heavenly birthday of your Martyr Saint Agnes, may follow her constancy in the faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ from the Proper of Saints, Daily Roman Missal

In 236, St. Fabian was the first layman ever elected to the papacy. He promoted the consolidation and development of the Church. He divided Rome into seven diaconates for the purpose of extending aid to the poor. The papacy acquired such prestige during this time that he incurred the ire of Emperor Decius. Martyred in 250, St. Fabian was one of the first victims of persecution under Emperor Decius.

* Celebrated alongside St. Fabian is the Roman martyr, St. Sebastian. Although these two feasts are liturgically separate, they are venerated on the same day and also named together in the Litany of Saints. ~ St. Sebastian, a native of Milan, was an officer in Diocletian’s imperial guard. He converted to Christianity, whereupon he was […]

Called the Patriarch of Monks, St. Anthony retired to the desert when he was eighteen years old. He was the first abbot to form a stable rule for his community of monks dedicated to the service of God. His renown for spiritual direction prompted many people to travel to the desert to seek his advice.

“Nourished for our healing by your Sacraments, O Lord, may we escape every snare of the enemy unharmed, just as by your grace Saint Anthony won glorious victories over the powers of darkness. Through Christ our Lord.” (Prayer After Communion) ~ from the Proper of Saints, Daily Roman Missal

Born at Poitiers, St. Hilary was a leading defender of the Church against the Arian heresy. He wrote twelve books about the Blessed Trinity as well as commentaries on St. Matthew’s Gospel and the Psalms.

“Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we may rightly understand and truthfully profess the divinity of your Son, which the Bishop Saint Hilary taught with such constancy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.” (Collect) ~ […]