Daybreak

Ash Wednesday: The beginning of Lent, a period of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, in preparation for Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/22/23 Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Peter Damian, 988-1072; left a teaching career to become a Benedictine; ultimately became abbot of his community and founded five other hermitages; Pope Stephen IX appointed him cardinal-bishop of Ostia, where he worked to wipe out abuses and encourage the holiness of the clergy; after retiring, he was called to serve as a papal legate; when returning from one such assignment in Ravenna, he was overcome by fever and died Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/21/23 Gospel: Mark 9:30-37

Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Saints of the Day: Saints Jacinta (1920-1920) and Francisco (1908-1919) Marto; two of the three Portuguese shepherd children who received apparitions of Our Lady near Fatima, Portugal, from May to October of 1917; Mary asked the children to pray the rosary to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, and for the conversion of Russia, which was soon to fall under communism Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/20/23 Gospel: Mark 9:14-29

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/19/23 Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48

Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Gertrude Caterina Comensoli, 1847-1903; born in Bienne, Valcamonica, under the kingdom of Lombady-Venetia; founded the Institute of the Sisters Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament; opened a house of huns in 1894 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/18/23 Gospel: Mark 9:2-13

Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of the Seven Founders of the Servite Order; in 1240, seven noblemen of Florence withdrew from the city to a solitary place for prayer and direct service of God; they eventually moved to the deserted slopes of Monte Senario; they adopted the name, Servants of Mary, combining monastic life and active ministry Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/17/23 Gospel: Mark 8:34-9:1

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Onesimus; mentioned by Paul in his letter to Philemon; Onesimus was an escaped slave, baptized by Paul, and sent back to Philemon; Paul urged Philemon to treat him "no longer as a slave, but than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man in the Lord"; died about 68 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/16/23 Gospel: Mark 8:27-33

Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Claude de la Colombière, 1641-1682; ordained in 1675, and was made superior of a small Jesuit residence in Burgundy, where he met Margaret Mary Alacoque; he served as her confessor for many years while promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; he was sent to England, and converted a number of Protestants, but was imprisoned and banished Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/15/23 Gospel: Mark 8:22-26

Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saints Cyril (827-869) and Methodius (818-885); brought Christianity to the Slavic people in their native tongue; translated the liturgy and most books of the Bible into the Slavonic language; to that end, they invented an alphabet, which is today known as "Cyrillic" Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/14/23 Gospel: Mark 8:14-21

Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Catherine de Ricci, 1522-1589; became perpetual prioress of the Dominican nuns at Prat in Tuscany at the age of 25; her sanctity drew many to her side, including three who later sat in the chair of Peter; corresponded with St. Philip Neri, and--while living--appeared to him in Rome in a miraculous manner; experienced the "Ecstacy of the Passion" every Thursday noon to Friday at 4 p.m. for twelve years Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/13/23 Gospel: Mark 8:11-13

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/12/23 Gospel: Matthew 5:17-37

Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Scholastica; sister of St. Benedict; governed a monastery of nuns five miles from Monte Cassino, and visited her brother annually, conferring on spiritual matters; once, Scholastica begged her brother to stay overnight, and he refused; so she prayed, and a fierce thunderstorm broke out; they spent the night in spiritual conferences; Scholastica died three days later, in 543 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/10/23 Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Alto; Eighth Century hermit and missionary, Irish, or possibly Anglo-Saxon; given land near Altmunster in modern Friesling Diocese in Bavaria, and founded an abbey; St. Boniface dedicated the abbey church in 750; died 760 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/9/23 Gospel: Mark 7:24-30

Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita, 1869-1947; lived for many years as a slave; became Catholic, and was eventually freed, and she entered the Institute of St. Magdalen of Canossa; became well-loved by the children and local citizens Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/8/23 Gospel: Mark 7:14-23

Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Luke the Younger; tried to become a religious, but was arrested as an escaped slave and imprisoned for a time; finally became a hermit on Mount Joannitsa, near Corinth, revered for his holiness and miracles; died 946 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/7/23 Gospel: Mark 7:1-13

Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Paul Miki and companions, the Japanese martyrs; Paul Miki joined the Jesuits in 1850, and was known for eloquent preaching; along with 25 other Catholics, he was crucified during a persecution of Christians Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/6/23 Gospel: Mark 6:53-56

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/5/23 Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16

Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Joseph of Leonissa, 1556-1612; Capuchin who went to Constantinople to care for Christian galley slaves working under Turkish masters; he was imprisoned, and warned not to resume on his release; he resumed his work for the galley slaves, and was condemned to death; he was miraculously freed, and returned to Italy where he preached to the poor and served as a reconciler Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/4/23 Gospel: Mark 6:30-34

Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Blaise; Fourth Century bishop of Sebastea, Armenia; fled to the back country to escape persecution, and made friends with wild animals; hunters found him praying, surrounded by wolves, lions, and bears; as they hauled him to prison, a mother came with her son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat, and at Blaise's command, the boy coughed up the bone; Blaise was tortured and beheaded Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/3/23 Gospel: Mark 6:14-29

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 2/2/23 Gospel: Luke 2:22-40