Daybreak

Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Petroc; possibly the son of a Sixth Century Welsh king; became a monk, studied in Ireland, and then settled in Cornwall, England; made a pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem, and returned to Cornwall, where he built a chapel, established a community, and then became a hermit; he attracted followers, and was known for miracles; died in 564 while visiting some of his disciples Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/4/24 Gospel: Mark 12:13-17

Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and companions, died 1885-1887; Charles Lwanga was a convert from Uganda; he refused the sexual demands of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, and urged his fellow court pages to do likewise; imprisoned with his friends, Charles’ courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful; Charles was burned to death on June 3, 1886, by order of Mwanga Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/3/24 Gospel: Mark 12:1-12

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/2/24 Gospel: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Justin, 100-165; a student of Greek philosophy, he converted to Christianity and became the first Christian philosopher; he was also an apologist, correcting attacks and misunderstandings of Christianity; two of his "apologies" have come down to us, addressed to the Roman emperor and to the senate; because of his adherence to Christianity, he was beheaded Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 6/1/24 Gospel: Mark 11:27-33

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/31/24 Gospel: Luke 1:39-56

Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Joan of Arc, 1412.1431; a pious peasant in medieval France; she believed that God had chosen her to lead France to victory in its long-running war with England; she led a French army to Orleans, where they achieved a stunning victory; Joan was later captured by enemy forces, tried for witchcraft and burned at the stake at the age of 19; she is considered one of history's greatest martyrs, and the patron saint of France Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/30/24 Gospel: Mark 10:46-52

Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Maximinus of Trier; became bishop of Trier in 332, and gave refuge to St. Athanasius in 336; also helped to protect St. Paul, the patriarch of Constantinople; Maximinus opposed the Arian heretics at councils at Milan, Sardica, and Cologne; he was a known miracle worker and apologist for orthodox Catholicism; died in 347 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/29/24 Gospel: Mark 10:32-45

Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Bernard of Montjoux, 923-1008; likely born in Italy; became a priest, then vicar general of Aosta; spent more than four decades doing missionary work in the Alps; best known for two Alpine hospices he built to aid lost travelers in the mountain passes named Great and Little Bernard, after him; patron of mountaineers, skiers, and the Alps Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/28/24 Gospel: Mark 10:28-31

Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Memorial Day in the U.S. Optional Memorial of St. Augustine of Canterbury; traveled from Rome to England to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons; King Ethelbert set up a residence for Augustine and his monks in Canterbury, and was, himself, baptized a year later; Augustine heeded the missionary principles given him by Pope Gregory--purify rather than destroy pagan temples and customs, let pagan rites and festivals be transformed into Christian feasts, and retain local customs as far as possible; Augustine is known as the "Apostle of England." He died in 605 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/27/24 Gospel: Mark 10:17-27

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/26/24 Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20

Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Bede the Venerable, 672-735; entrusted to the care of the abbot of the monastery of St. Paul, Jarrow, at an early age; well-versed in natural philosophy, the philosophical principles of Aristotle, astronomy, arithmetic, grammar, ecclesiastical history, the lives of the saints and especially, Holy Scripture; composed 45 books, including 30 commentaries on books of the Bible; died in 735, praying the "Glory be" Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/25/24 Gospel: Mark 10:13-16

Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. David I of Scotland, 1080-1153; youngest son of Queen Margaret, succeeded his brother to the throne in 1124; known for his generosity to the poor; he also endowed the founding of dioceses and monasteries; as he neared death, he devoted himself to reading the Psalms with those at his bedside; he died at dawn on May 24, 1153 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/24/24 Gospel: Mark 10:1-12

Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Crispin of Viterbo,1668-1750; studied at the Jesuit college, and became a shoemaker; joined the Franciscan Capuchins at age 25, where he served as gardener and cook, calling himself "the little beast of burden of the Capuchins"; through his intercession, there were many miraculous cures during a pandemic; he was also venerated for his prophecies and spiritual wisdom Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/23/24 Gospel: Mark 9:41-50

Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Rita of Cascia, 1381-1457; born in central Italy, and pressured to marry a harsh man; she bore and raised two sons; after her husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died, she joined the Augustinian nuns in Cascia, where her austerity, prayerfulness, and charity became legendary; along with St. Jude, she is known as a saint of hopeless cases Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/22/24 Gospel: Mark 9:38-40

Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Christopher Magallanes, 1869-1927, and companions; Fr. Magallanes was killed without trial on the way to say Mass during the Cristero War in Mexico, after the trumped up charge of inciting rebellion Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/21/24 Gospel: Mark 9:30-37

Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/20/24 Gospel: John 19:25-34

Solemnity of Pentecost Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/19/24 Gospel: John 20:19-23

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter Optional Memorial of Pope St. John I, 470-526; when elected, he "inherited" the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ; Italy's emperor subscribed to the heresy, but was tolerant of Catholics; when the eastern emperor began imposing severe sanctions on Arians, John was sent to try to negotiate softer measures; on returning, John was imprisoned, as the western emperor was suspicious of a conspiracy; John died in prison Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/18/24 Gospel: John 21:20-25

Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Paschal Baylon, 1540-1592; worked as a shepherd for his father, performed miracles, and was distinguished for his austerity, and taught himself to read; became a Franciscan lay brother in 1564; he practiced rigorous asceticism and displayed a deep love for the Blessed Sacrament, so much so that while on a mission to France, he defended the doctrine of the Real Presence against a Calvinist preacher; Paschal died at a friary in Villareal Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/17/24 Gospel: John 21:15-19

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Simon Stock; as a young man, he went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he joined a group of Carmelites with whom he later returned to Europe; he founded many Carmelite communities, especially in university towns, such as Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, and Bologna; he was elected superior-general of the order in 1254; earlier, in 1251, received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who held a brown scapular in one hand, and said, "He who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire" Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 5/16/24 Gospel: John 17:20-26