Daybreak

Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Blaise; Fourth Century bishop of Sebastea, in Armenia; persecution raged in Armenia, and Blaise was forced to flee to the back country, where he lived as a hermit, and made friends with the wild animals; a group of hunters stumbled upon his cave, and found him kneeling in prayer surrounded by patiently waiting wolves, lions and bears; as they hauled him off to prison, a mother came with her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat. At Blaise’s command the child was able to cough up the bone--thus, the blessing of throats on this day; Blaise was eventually beheaded Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/3/24 Gospel: Mark 6:30-34

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/2/24 Gospel: Luke2:22-40

Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Brigid of Ireland, 451-525; Brigid and her mother were slaves on a farm, but Brigid would give milk, eggs, and butter to the poor; eventually, they were given their freedom; Brigid founded the first convent in Ireland, as well as the first double monastery for monks and nuns, and a school of art; she is the patron of scholars, and of Ireland Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/1/24 Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. John Bosco, 1815-1888; ordained in 1841; served as a chaplain in a hospice for working girls, and then opened the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales for boys; in 1854, he and his followers informally banded together, inspired by Saint Francis de Sales; in 1859 he and 17 men founded the Salesians; he later organized a group of Salesian sisters to assist girls Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/31/24 Gospel: Mark 6:1-6

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Bathildis, 626-680; born in England, where she was enslaved and taken to the Frankish kingdom; she became a trusted member of King Clovis Il's court and married him in 649; when Clovis died in 657, Bathildis served as regent for their son, Clotaire III; she had founded a Benedictine convent at Chelles, as well as St. Denis Monastery and Corbie; when Clotaire III assumed the throne, Bathildis retired to Chelles, where she died  Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/30/24 Gospel: Mark 5:21-43

Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Dallan; Sixth Century kinsman of St. Edan of Ferns; born in Connaught and a great scholar who, through his application to study, became blind; wrote a poem honoring St. Columba, and when it was published after Columba's death, Dallan regained his sight; Dallan was murdered by pirates at Triscoel in 598 A.D.; his head was thrown into the sea, but was miraculously recovered and reunited with his body Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/29/24 Gospel: Mark 5:1-20

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/28/24 Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Angela Merici, 1474-1540; born in Italy; in a visionary experience, she felt called to found a "company" of women; at age 60, Angela and 12 other women began the Company of St. Ursula, constituting a new way of life--single women consecrated to Christ and living in the world rather than in a monastery, what today is called a "Secular Institute"; Angela died in Brescia, Italy, in 1540; in the early 1600s, Companies that had expanded into France were re-organized into the religious Order of St. Ursula, to teach girls Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/27/24 Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus; Timothy was a convert of Paul around 47 A.D., and later joined him in his apostolic work; one of Paul's most trusted friends; Titus is seen as a peacemaker, administrator, great friend; Paul’s second letter to Corinth affords an insight into the depth of his friendship with Titus, and the great fellowship they had in preaching the gospel Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/26/24 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, apostle Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/25/24 Gospel: Mark 16:15-18

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, 1567-1622; studied for law, but was ordained a priest and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva, then a center for the Calvinists, whom Francis attempted--with considerable success--to convert; he preached and distributed little pamphlets explaining true Catholic doctrine; he became bishop of Geneva at 35, still preaching, hearing confessions, and catechizing children; wrote "Introduction to the Devout Life" and "A Treatise on the Love of God"; assisted St. Jane Frances de Chantal in establishing the Sisters of the Visitation Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/24/24 Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Marianne Cope, 1838-1918; born in Germany, came to the United States two years later with her family, and settled in Utica, New York; she worked in a factory until 1862, and then joined the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York; in 1883, Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii where they took charge of the Kakaako Receiving Station outside Honolulu; on the island of Maui they also opened a hospital and a school for girls; in 1888, she and two sisters went to Molokai and opened a home for women and girls; she took charge of the home that Saint Damien de Veuster had established for men and boys; she changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, pride, and fun to the colony Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/23/24 Gospel: Mark 3:31-35

Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time Day of Prayer for Legal Protection of the Unborn Saint of the Day: St. Vincent Saragossa; protomartyr of Spain, a deacon of the Third Century; Vincent and his bishop, Valerius, were apprehended during a persecution; Valerius was banished, but Vincent was tortured to death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/22/24 Gospel: Mark 3:22-30

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/21/24 Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Fabian, 200-250; a layman who came to the city of Rome when a new pope was about to be elected; a dove alighting on his was taken as a sign, and he was elected; he led the Church for 14 years, and died a martyr in the persecution of Decius Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/20/24 Gospel: Mark 3:20-21

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Henry of Sweden, 1100-1156; Englishman residing at Rome, who became bishop of Uppsala, Sweden, in 1152; accompanied King Eric in an expedition against the Finns; when Eric returned to Sweden, Henry remained behind to convert the Finns; Henry was slain by a former soldier whom Henry had excommunicated Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/19/24 Gospel: Mark 3:13-19

Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Margaret of Hungary, 1242-1271; daughter of King Bela IV; became a Dominican novice at 12; though a princess, she objected to any special treatment and went out of her way to perform the most menial tasks for the poor and sick; her labors, prayers, and fasting brought on the fatigue from which she died Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/18/24 Gospel: Mark 3:7-12

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Anthony of Egypt, 251-356; spent most of his life in solitude, but drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance; at 54, he founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells; at 60, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311; at 88, he was fighting the Arian heresy; died in solitude at age 105 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/17/24 Gospel: Mark 3:1-6

Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Joseph Vaz, 1651-1711; Catholic Oratorian priest from Goa; entered Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) during the Dutch occupation, when Calvinism was the official religion; brought the sacraments to clandestine groups of Catholics; later, in the Kandyan kingdom,  he was able to work freely; managed to rebuild the Catholic church on the island before his death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/16/24 Gospel: Mark 2:23-28

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Arnold Jansen, 1837-1909; ordained in 1861, and served as a parish priest and as a chaplain at an Ursuline convent; in 1875, he founded the Society of the Divine Word in Holland to provide priests and lay brothers for the missions; Arnold also founded the Servant Sisters of the Holy Ghost for the missions in 1889 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/15/24 Gospel: Matthew 2:18-22