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Thursday of the Third Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Aldemar; Eleventh Century abbot and miracle-worker; became the subject of contention between a princess and his religious superior; fled, and founded several more religious houses; died 1080 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/24/22 Gospel: Luke 11:14-23

Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Turibius de Mongrovejo, 1538-1606; Spanish lawyer who was appointed archbishop of Lima, Peru; reformed the archdiocese and worked to aid the poor, and defend the rights of the Indians suffering under Spanish occupation; fouded schools, churches, hospitals, and the first seminary in the New World Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/23/22 Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Nicholas Owen, 1550-1606; Jesuit lay brother who built hiding places for priests during the English persecution; arrested twice, and eventually tortured to death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/22/22 Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

Monday of the Third Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Nicholas of Flue, 1417-1487; abandoned political aspirations, and with permission of his family became a hermit; known for holiness and wisdom, he was visited by civic leader, powerful people, and simple men and women; venerated in Switzerland, and known affectionately as "Bruder Klaus"; patron of Switzerland and of the Pontifical Swiss Guard Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/21/22 Gospel: Luke 4:24-30

Third Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/20/22 Gospel: John 4:5-42

Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary Saturday of the Second Week of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/19/22 Gospel: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24

Friday of the Second Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, 315-386; caught up in the Arian controversy, a heresy which denied the divinity of Christ; accused of Arianism, but ultimately vindicated; spent half of his episcopate in exile Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/18/22 Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Patrick, 415-493; captured at the age of 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland; escaped, and underwent spiritual conversion; consecrated bishop at the age of 43; returned to Ireland to evangelize, where the faith had never been preached, obtaining protection of local kings, and made numerous converts Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/17/22 Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Finian Lobhar; Sixth Century disciple of St. Columba; founded a church and monastery at Innisfallen; became abbot of Swords Abbey near Dublin; called "Lobhar"--"the leper"--because he had contracted the disease from a boy whom he had cured; died 560 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/16/22 Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Louise de Marillac, 1591-1660; after being widowed, she worked with St. Vincent de Paul; became the co-foundress of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, aring for the sick, poor, and neglected Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/15/22 Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12

Monday of the Second Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Matilda, 892-968; married Henry the Fowler, who eventually ascended to the German throne; Matilda was noted for her piety and charitable works; widowed in 936; built three convent and a monastery; died at the monastery at Quedlinburg

Second Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/13/22 Gospel: Luke 9:28-36

Saturday of the First Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Seraphina, 1238-1253; born to a poor family; known for self-denial and acts of penance; struck with a mysterious disease which disfigured and paralyzed her; died on the feast of St. Gregory the Great, as foretold by him to her in a dream Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/12/22 Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

Friday of the First Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Sophronius of Jerusalem, 560-638; became an ascetic in his late teens or early twenties; fled Persian invaders, and returned to Jerusalem in 619; elected patriarch of Jerusalem in 634 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/11/22 Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26

Thursday of the First Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. John Ogilvie, 1579-1615. born on Scottish nobility, raised a Calvinist, converted to the Catholic faith and became a Jesuit; brought many people in Scotland back to the Catholic faith; betrayed by one posing as a Catholic, and was ultimately sentenced to death Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/10/22 Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Frances of Rome, 1384-1440; married to a young nobleman who gave his blessing for Frances to serve the poor; in spite of family tragedies, Frances opened a section of her house as a hospital; founded a society of women bound by no vows who served the poor Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/9/22 Gospel: Luke 11:29-32

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Commemoration of St. John of God, 1495-1550; at the age of 40, went to Africa to free captive Christians and be martyred; after being advised against seeking martyrdom, he returned to Spain to operate a relgious goods store; inspired by St. John of Avila, he publicly beat himself, for which he was committed; eventually, he started a house to care for the sick poor; his helpers formed the Brothers Hospitallers Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/8/22 Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15

Monday of the First Week of Lent Commemoration of Saints Perpetua and Felicity; Perpetua was a noblewoman with an infant son; Felicity was a slave and expectant mother; both were Christians, and were martyred in the public games in Carthage in 203 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/7/22 Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

First Sunday of Lent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/6/22 Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

Saturday after Ash Wednesday Saint of the Day: St. John Joseph of the Cross, 1654-1734; joined the Franciscans at the age of 16, and was assigned to establish a new friary even before being ordained; served as novice master, guardian, and provincial; when his term as provincial expired, he dedicated himself to hearing confessions and practicing mortification--in contrast to the so-called "Age of Enlightenment" which was dawning Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 3/5/22 Gospel: Luke 5:27-32